Authors To Watch: Bruce Forciea, author of 'Alan 2'

Bruce Forciea is known for taking complex scientific concepts and making them easy to understand through engaging stories and simple explanations. He is an Amazon Best Selling Author and author of several books on healing and biology, along with science fiction thriller novels. His fiction writing draws on a diverse and eclectic background that includes touring and performing with a professional show, designing digital circuits, treating thousands of patients, and teaching. His stories include complex plots with unexpected twists and turns, quirky characters, and a reality very similar to our own. Dr. Forciea lives in Wisconsin and loves writing during the solitude of the long Northern winters. 

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Title: ALAN 2
Author: Bruce Forciea
Publisher: Open Books
Pages: 278
Genre: Cyber-Thriller

A brilliant artificial intelligence (AI) scientist, Dr. Alan Boyd, develops a new program that integrates part of his brain with a computer’s operating system. The program, Alan 2, can anticipate a user’s needs and automatically perform many tasks. A large software company, International Microsystems (IM) desperately wants the program and tempts Dr. Boyd with huge sums of money, but when Dr. Boyd refuses their offer, IM sabotages his job, leaving him in a difficult financial situation.

Dr. Boyd turns to Alan 2 for an answer to his financial problems, and Alan 2 develops plan Alpha, which is a cyber robin hood scheme to rob from rich corporations via a credit card scam.

Alan and his girlfriend Kaitlin travel to Mexico where they live the good life funded by plan Alpha, but the FBI cybercrime division has discovered part of Alan 2’s cyber escapades, and two agents, Rachel and Stu, trace the crime through the TOR network and Bitcoin.

Alan 2 discovers the FBI is on to them and advises Alan and Kaitlin to change locations. A dramatic chase ensues taking them to St. Thomas, a cruise ship bound for Spain, and finally to Morocco. 

Will they escape detection? They will if Alan 2's Plan Beta can be implemented in time. Or is 'Plan B' something altogether different than it appears to be, something wholly sinister that will affect the entire population of the world?

Watch the trailer at YouTube!

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Tell us a little about yourself. When did you begin writing?

 

About 10 years ago I wrote a non-fiction book about healing. This led to writing some academic material and a study guide for Anatomy and Physiology. About 3 years ago I began writing fiction. My first novel, The X-Cure, was published in 2015 and led to my second novel, Alan 2.

Describe your writing process. Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants? When and where do you write?

The process takes about a year for me. I tend to do a bit of preliminary research and a plot outline before sitting down to write the first scene. For example, for Alan 2, I needed to research cybercrime, hacking, computer viruses, the FBI, and nuclear weapons. I also created character sheets for all of the characters complete with pictures of what I think they look like. Lastly, I put together a plot outline.

I used to love writing in a local coffee shop, but now I write from my home office. I usually write in the evenings after dinner.

Can you tell us about your most recent release?

Alan 2 is about an artificial intelligence program created by Dr. Alan Boyd. The program consists of a combination of Alan’s brain and a computer operating system. Alan hopes the program will be the cutting edge of artificial intelligence and will help users by serving them and helping them to work more efficiently. 

The problem is that Alan has a dysfunction past and struggles with addiction, so the program, Alan 2, inherits elements of this. Alan 2 gets on the internet and begins helping Alan by engaging in cybercrime. It also develops its own plans regarding its own purpose. Part of the plan is very sneaky and plays to Alan’s weaknesses and desires. Alan 2 then becomes extremely dangerous and endangers millions of people. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens.

How did you get the idea for the book?

I’ve often wondered if science could model the brain and, if so, could the human brain be combined with computer software. If this could happen, would the resulting program be content to serve users or would it have its own ideas of what its purpose is?

Of all your characters, which one is your favorite? Why?

I really liked writing about the 2 FBI agents, Rachel and Stu. They have a great working relationship and I enjoyed writing the banter between them.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?

For me, it’s finding the time to write a large project. I like to have consistency so once I begin, I like to continue until the end. However, work and life get in the way sometimes and it can be difficult to find the time to write.

Which authors have inspired your writing?

Many authors have inspired me and I learn something from every book I read. My love for science fiction began with authors like Arthur C. Clarke, H.G. Wells and Ray Bradbury and continued through to Michael Crichton, Robin Cook and Dean Koontz.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am finishing up a short story for an anthology (Anomalies of Reality) about a female nursing home assistant who falls for a male assistant who gets her to join a secret club. The club requires her to kill a patient. 

I’m also conducting research on my next novel which will be about a young female who discovers she has the power to heal others. She discovers there are others like her in other countries and they must unite to stop a global plague.

What advice would you offer to new or aspiring authors?

Besides not quitting your day job, I would say to keep writing, editing and writing again. It’s a very tough business but worth it if you enjoy it.