Seven
In the gripping world of Seven, an approachable and thought-provoking young adult science fiction novel, author Shawn Krinke immerses us in a future where the line between reality and virtual simulation blurs.
Seven Ayr, a teenager trapped in a society that shuns AIs and augmented humans, finds solace within the magnetic presence of Trio, even if they are only in virtual reality. The narrative follows Seven’s tumultuous journey, guided by her ambitious parents, as she unravels their groundbreaking research on consciousness.
As Seven grapples with the truth about her parents' revolutionary work, the relentless pursuit of their discoveries pits her against the nefarious Oriska Fingal and his locust-limbed assassin. The stakes soar as Seven traverses a dangerous path toward self-discovery, trust, and the essence of humanity.
Seven, narrated from the perspectives of a resilient teenager, a mysterious AI, and a manipulative demagogue, is an enthralling exploration of aspiration and identity in a world both eerily familiar and tantalizingly new.
In the real-time future of Seven, humanity could change in an instant. Is that any different from our world today?
About Seven
In this interview, author and educator Shawn Krinke introduces his debut novel, SEVEN. He discusses the book’s themes and his hopes for readers.
Preview the Book
Chapter 1: Seven
Seven would often play with lab equipment and Steele would say, “You’re going to wreck our experiments,” and I would respond, “We’re not raising experiments, we’re raising a daughter.—Ida Ayr
Seven rode the birth of the universe. The ocean’s broad expanse filled her vision, and when she closed her eyes, she could hear the edge of infinity in its waves. There was simply so much sky to be had. So much ocean. Dangling her feet over the edge of the garden wall, she imagined the long plunge into the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, if she did jump, even for a little swim, the manta ray-like rescue drones would scoop her up before she swam 10 feet. The drones patrolled every inch of the perimeter for the safety of the citizens.
Not only did drones patrol the perimeter, but Seven knew pin-sized cameras recorded almost every moment of her day. Not that someone was always reviewing the video, but they could if they wanted to. Being monitored was a fact of life, as natural as drawing breath. Hardly registering the thought of being watched, Seven spun around and leapt six feet down to the soft, grassy turf of the garden, one of many gardens that existed on Pura Insulam, Seven’s floating home, referred to as The Jellyfish by locals due to its unique design.
The history books state that Pura Insulam, the engineered, autonomous island state, floats 200 miles to the west of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Its people, the most advanced form of Homo sapiens the world has ever seen. For Seven, life on Pura Insulam meant one must not use invasive technological enhancement. Decades ago, a small movement formed in opposition to the exponentially increasing augmentation of the human body and mind, and some people saw this act as sullying the sanctity of human existence and evolution. Therefore, a group of like-minded individuals left the continental United States and with tremendous time, effort, money, and sacrifice, created Pura Insulam. With their own independence established, these people were able to govern as they saw fit, meaning they practiced isolationism and disavowed the use of any invasive technology that might augment human traits.
Q & A With The Author
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Without the Covid-19 pandemic, I may not have written Seven. Odd and sobering to consider a global disaster opened a window of opportunity for me, but as John Prine sings, “That’s the way the world goes round. You’re up one day, the next you’re down.” While writing Seven, I was up. Way up, but I didn’t start out feeling that way.
During the pandemic, like many people, I felt listless and disconnected from the world and from myself. I was teaching 10th and 11th graders at the time, but the pandemic distanced me from my lifeblood–interacting with them every day. Turns out education through a screen is hardly Education (with a capital “E”), but that’s a story for another time. Existence was a little darker, and I needed something to assert myself into the goings on of the world. I needed to feel like a participant. That’s when my brother, Tyson, reminded me writing can do exactly that and “by the way Shawn, you’ve always wanted to write.” Strangely enough, the pandemic forced me into the space to write. I didn’t have excuses anymore–I had nothing but time.
So I began mapping out Seven from a short story I had written years ago based on bedtime stories I had told my daughter when she was little. Before Emery would fall asleep, I would make up a new Seven story on the spot. There was a brilliant but eccentric inventor, a robot with no heart, and of course, a moral. My daughter had liked the stories, and I figured what the heck, maybe others would too!
Seven grew and grew. My doldrums faded, and I had direction–not one of fame or of money but of existence. Letter by letter, word by word, chapter by chapter, I built Seven into a finished product. I was way up; I had done something I’d never been able to do before. Then friends read Seven, and a learner read Seven. They even claimed to enjoy it. What a gift that was! They helped set me on the long path to publication, proving that Seven could connect people regardless of time, age, or location.
Now Seven is about to enter the hands of many readers. I’m flabbergasted.
I hope Seven, or really any piece of literature, reminds you that you’re a participant in this world. Whoever you are. Wherever you might be. This world needs you.
Ok, back to work I go. The world spins madly on and so do my words.
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As a father of two, I find great joy in watching my kid’s experience the world. As a family, we love to travel, whether it’s to the Krinke family farm in western North Dakota (shoutout Rhame) where we go on razor rides or to north central North Dakota where we go fishing with my wife’s family. And I would be remiss if I didn’t share that my wife is an excellent travel planner, so she takes us on journeys great and small. As Patrick Rothfuss writes in A Wise Man’s Fears, “Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet introspection.”
I’m also a gamer, usually playing online with my friends. This translated into an opportunity to coach esports at Northern Cass High School, and I absolutely love it. 10 year old Shawn definitely did not foresee a time where he would get paid to coach learners to game, but here we are. Esports provides a place for any youngling to belong–to be a member of a team. We learn camaraderie, responsibility, and how to advocate for ourselves, all while having a blast playing games.
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Sheesh. That’s a tough question as it would be easy to slip into cliches. Most of my motivation builds up from the social emotional work I’ve done throughout the years. For four years, I was fortunate enough to co-teach an SEL elective with our high school counselor and elementary counselor. Learners opted into the course, and together, we defined our individual values and learned from legends like Brene Brown. SEL provided me with some of the best years of my teaching career.
How does this relate to motivation? Well, I think as I learned more about myself, I knew more about what makes me tick. From there, I’m better able to interpret my emotions as data to make informed decisions or provide myself with grace when I inevitably mess up.
Synthetic Reverie
In a fit of flair, I thought it might be cool (it is) to have a song specifically about Seven, and since I am not gifted musically, I commissioned Songfinch.com to help. I provided the lyrics and the band VRROW provided the tasty riffs and vocals.
Once you’ve listened to the song a time or two, you might discover a few easter eggs about the book. Check it out:
