The Genesis Standard
Books must be available in physical form and printed in English. Books must be of good quality and must contain a minimum of ten color illustrations of good quality. I am not strict on grammar and spelling, but at least do some editing before you publish.
Books must cover at least one complete ecosystem on an alien world. Books that compare similar life from many worlds are not allowed. Books that cover only one clade of organisms are not allowed. Books that cover only one region or one biome/habitat are not allowed (there should be a minimum of three). Books that cover fictional Earth life are not allowed. Each biome/habitat should have a complete ecosystem, including producers, consumers, and decomposers. If you describe predators, you must also describe some prey animals. If you describe parasites, you must describe at least one host. Plants that require pollination by animals also require animals to pollinate them.
An overview of basic cellular structure and biochemistry is greatly preferred, but not required. If you do delve deeply into these subjects make sure not to require magic to make your life forms work. I will allow unusual physics, such as sonofusion, lasers, quantum dots, and high-temperature superconductivity, but nothing outright impossible, such as fish living in a sea of carbon dioxide existing in temperature/pressure conditions that would normally require it to be a solid or gas. Fantasy physics without explanation is not allowed. For example, antigravity flyers are forbidden unless the text reveals that they are actually maglevs.
Books must cover at least one complete ecosystem on an alien world. Books that compare similar life from many worlds are not allowed. Books that cover only one clade of organisms are not allowed. Books that cover only one region or one biome/habitat are not allowed (there should be a minimum of three). Books that cover fictional Earth life are not allowed. Each biome/habitat should have a complete ecosystem, including producers, consumers, and decomposers. If you describe predators, you must also describe some prey animals. If you describe parasites, you must describe at least one host. Plants that require pollination by animals also require animals to pollinate them.
An overview of basic cellular structure and biochemistry is greatly preferred, but not required. If you do delve deeply into these subjects make sure not to require magic to make your life forms work. I will allow unusual physics, such as sonofusion, lasers, quantum dots, and high-temperature superconductivity, but nothing outright impossible, such as fish living in a sea of carbon dioxide existing in temperature/pressure conditions that would normally require it to be a solid or gas. Fantasy physics without explanation is not allowed. For example, antigravity flyers are forbidden unless the text reveals that they are actually maglevs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an alien world? Must it be a planet?
Not at all. Moons, comets, asteroid belts, rings, and nebulae can be alien worlds. I will even accept stars if you can find a way to make life there plausible.
Is it okay to work my biology descriptions around an actual plot?
Absolutely. You can format your books as a textbook, as an expedition journal, or even from the point of view of the aliens. Use your imagination.
Do all my illustrations have to be in color?
I prefer color and I prefer many illustrations, but so long as there is a minimum of ten good-quality color illustrations, any others can be rough, black-and-white sketches.
What about the evolutionary history my alien world?
Mentioning now-extinct fossils of previous forms of your beings is perfectly fine, but there should be one era with a complete ecosystem in every biome that meets all of the criteria. There is no need to have your phylogeny figured out.
Do I have to create Latin names for my organisms?
Not at all. They can be given descriptive names in English, German, Latin, Hebrew, Aztec, or whatever. They can be named after those who discovered them. They can be given numbers instead. The names can be random strings of consonants and vowels. Use your imagination, but try not to make them too difficult for readers to remember or pronounce.
I published my book. How do I get you to read it?
Use the contact form and be patient. It may take me some time to read it. It may take even longer if it is priced so I cannot afford it. Discount codes are appreciated.
What do I do if I’m not sure if my book meets the standards?
Let me read it. If it is really good it might get a pass. The standards are hard to define and somewhat arbitrary. For example, Barlowe’s Expedition does not explicitly detail its decomposers in each biome, but they can be inferred. It is otherwise exactly what I’m looking for. Since this is my website, I am the dictator. Even if your book does not make the cut, I will likely still mention it on the blog and it will be listed in the “Other Books” section.
Not at all. Moons, comets, asteroid belts, rings, and nebulae can be alien worlds. I will even accept stars if you can find a way to make life there plausible.
Is it okay to work my biology descriptions around an actual plot?
Absolutely. You can format your books as a textbook, as an expedition journal, or even from the point of view of the aliens. Use your imagination.
Do all my illustrations have to be in color?
I prefer color and I prefer many illustrations, but so long as there is a minimum of ten good-quality color illustrations, any others can be rough, black-and-white sketches.
What about the evolutionary history my alien world?
Mentioning now-extinct fossils of previous forms of your beings is perfectly fine, but there should be one era with a complete ecosystem in every biome that meets all of the criteria. There is no need to have your phylogeny figured out.
Do I have to create Latin names for my organisms?
Not at all. They can be given descriptive names in English, German, Latin, Hebrew, Aztec, or whatever. They can be named after those who discovered them. They can be given numbers instead. The names can be random strings of consonants and vowels. Use your imagination, but try not to make them too difficult for readers to remember or pronounce.
I published my book. How do I get you to read it?
Use the contact form and be patient. It may take me some time to read it. It may take even longer if it is priced so I cannot afford it. Discount codes are appreciated.
What do I do if I’m not sure if my book meets the standards?
Let me read it. If it is really good it might get a pass. The standards are hard to define and somewhat arbitrary. For example, Barlowe’s Expedition does not explicitly detail its decomposers in each biome, but they can be inferred. It is otherwise exactly what I’m looking for. Since this is my website, I am the dictator. Even if your book does not make the cut, I will likely still mention it on the blog and it will be listed in the “Other Books” section.