Kiroc has suddenly found himself elected as the Scorched Earth Mission Planner for an octonian landing party. His daughter Dawn seeks to help him stay grounded as their Hospitium Sphere hurtles through space and time. While a Terrestrial Behavioral Engineering corporation seeks to redefine the essence of humanity for their profit, the forces of alien octonians, dolphins, crypto criminals, improv comedians, YouTubers, scientists, an undercover alien dog, and a cybernetic squirrel all threaten to be their undoing. Not even the mysterious doughnut gnomes have a sightline on the outcome. What if extra-terrestrials wanted to ensure the survival of the human race, yet carried the seeds of catastrophic destruction? What if a cleaning, robotic collective was witness to it all? What started off with the illicit sale of lemonade on Alberta Street in the city of Portland has become the catalyst of Cosmic Importance!
About the Author: John Veneruso is the proud human father of three amazing adults, Sara, Alexander, and Bryan. He has a Bachelor's of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters of Business Administration from Washington State University Vancouver. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, he worked as an Electrical Engineer in Fort Worth and was granted three patents. As billboards sprung up proclaiming "Texas, A Whole 'Nother Country!" the Pacific Northwest beckoned him to enjoy its misty springtime rain, temperate forests, mighty Columbia River, Pacific Ocean, and active volcanoes. They whispered sweet secrets of creative possibility. Over the years, he's held jobs as a Technical Writer, Analog, Mixed-signal, Digital, and Firmware Engineer, Product Marketing Manager, Software Developer, Quality Assurance Analyst, Program Manager, and Software Development Manager. John now works in Portland, Oregon and lives in Vancouver, Washington, both thankfully in the Sol solar system of the Milky Way Galaxy, within the Laniakea supercluster. By day, he manages teams of health and wellness software professionals. By night, he plays the piano, acoustic guitar, sings bass in a church choir, writes, and does his best to keep up with the exciting changes in science, technology, and business. His furry companions, Beagle dog Elsie and Siberian cats Felix and Snagglepus do their best to ensure that he's a happy creative creature like they are. They also remind him that sentience comes in many different, special packages and that we're all part of the "interdependent web of all existence."