This was my first book that went through alpha and beta readers, and boy was it an experience. Most hadn't read much in the genre, and several conventions — last names being used to describe characters, explaining technological aspects, etc — got heavy criticism. However, I learned a ton about other aspects of my writing. I relied too much on passive voice, my characters lacked emotion, and my pacing was all over the place. However, the core story, and especially the third act twist that I was so proud of, got very good marks from my critique partners. I also learned how to critique others' work, a skill that has improved my own writing tremendously and is something that I still incredibly enjoy doing.
I submitted it to the Pentagon in May 2022 after multiple editing rounds, and then it was crickets for about a year until I submitted The Martian Incident and asked what was going on with Lag Delay. Given its subject matter, it had to go through an extended review process, and had gotten dropped somewhere along the way. I finally received it back in the fall of 2023 with a number of edits to make — not because I was revealing classified information, but because I was too close for comfort on a couple of things that I had no prior knowledge of. After making those changes, and going through some final edits, it's finally done, and it's in my opinion the best thing I've written. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing and editing it!
This book would not be in the form that it is in without the tireless work of my beta readers and critique partners. Aditya, M.V., Rick, Skyler, Brian, Robin, Ali, Rob, and everyone else who gave me feedback — thank you!
Ryan M. Patrick
Ryan M. Patrick is an (soon to be former) active-duty Space Force officer, astronautical engineer, and married father of four. Originally from the Philadelphia area, he currently lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, four daughters, and dog. This is his second book.
Visit his website at https://www.ryanmpatrickauthor.com!
The Martian Incident
Lag Delay
