Kate Sheeran Swed MFA '14 Launches Fourth Science Fiction Series

Science fiction author Kate Sheeran Swed MFA ’14 writes books about reckless heroines and messy adventures, centering stories that question how today's actions will impact future generations. 

In her newest series, Swed takes her fascination with the concept of intergenerational space travel and combines it with a hint of dystopia, imagining life on a fleet of spaceships as they navigate the perils of deep space – a life the passengers' ancestors made on their behalf.

Set in the far distant future, the Interstellar Trials follows a young woman named Reggie Sylvester, who's spent her life stowed away in the crawl spaces of a generation ship that's headed to the stars. If the ship's tyrannical authorities discover she exists, it'll mean a long walk out of a short airlock.

When the authorities announce a tournament to make peace with the estranged other half of their fleet, Reggie steals another girl's identity -- along with her spot in the games. The book explores themes of companionship and loss that transcend multiple generations. 

Swed uses crowdfunding to publish her books and is launching her new series through Kickstarter. Readers can find direct links to the Kickstarter and learn more about Swed's work – which includes both adult and young adult titles – at KateSheeranSwed.com.