Perception

by Spencer Kope

Perception grew out of a short story crafted by the author years earlier. It's an exploration of human emotions and traits and how they sometimes conflict; where some elevate, others destroy.

The main character, Esteem, finds himself cast upon the banks of the Sensate River in the Kingdom of Perception, which is ruled over by King Doubt and his sisters, Anger and Hatred. As he ventures forward, he is soon hailed as the one from prophecy; the one who will end the reign of King Doubt and put Perception back on her proper course.

Along the way Esteem meets characters such as Forgiveness, Lady Love, and Conscience the owl.

1980 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

I started writing while serving in the Navy in the early 80s. I was a Russian linguist with the Naval Security Group at a time when the Cold War was still going strong. After my enlistment, I worked as an intelligence analyst and then a project manager for the Office of Naval Intelligence. You'd think this experience would have led me to write espionage novels, but it wasn't meant to be. Mind you I tried, but my heart wasn't in it.

Instead, I wrote horror stories and tales of a dystopian future. There were plenty of short stories, attempts at novels, and then novels. And while I've always had an incredible imagination, my early writing skills were pathetic.

It's been said that to become a master at anything, one need only practice that art for ten thousand hours. Well, it's taken three decades, but I've walked that road; I've done my ten thousand hours. I'm no longer afraid to share my work, and I find that my own words can make me smile, laugh, and even bring me to tears. Often, particularly when I'm supposed to be editing, I find myself being sucked into my own story.

I finally quit the intelligence business in 1999, and, beginning in 2004, started a new career as a crime analsyt. And while I still enjoy writing a variety of genres, particularly young adult, my career in law enforcement prompted me to write "Collecting the Dead," the first in a series about the fictional Special Tracking Unit.

Named by Kirkus Reviews as one of the Best Books of 2016, and nominated for a Barry Award for Best Thriller, "Collecting the Dead" launched the new series with a bang. Best of all, I love the characters and the premise of the series, and look forward to writing these books for years to come.