After completing his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University he went on to graduate school at Auburn and completed his first doctorate degree in Pharmaceutics. He began his scientific career as a pharmacokinetic reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration and later joined a leading pharmaceutical company as a pharmacokineticist, which is a scientist who analyzes how the human body affects drugs after they have been administered (i.e, absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted).
Through the years, he has worked on potential medicines within several disease areas, including cardiovascular, fibrosis, and immunoscience to seek and develop new and novel medicines in these therapy areas.
He has also had his attention on the academic study of the Bible. He earned a second doctorate in Biblical Prophecy from Louisiana Baptist University after receiving a master’s degree in Jewish Studies from the Internet Bible Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Congdon.
Randy has recently retired from his pharmaceutical career and is spending even more time on his writing efforts. He has written several books that span dystopian (The Coded Message Trilogy), end-time prophecy (Stele Prophecy Pentalogy), science fiction (Erabon Prophecy Trilogy), uniquely told Bible stories (The Adversary Chronicles), speculative fiction (Cities of Light Series), and a combination of science fiction / speculative fiction (Parallel Universe Saga). All his books, while fun to read, are futuristic, filled with science to give them an authentic feel, have a science fiction feel to them, and allows one to learn some aspect of Biblical truth one may not have thought about before. This is all done in a fast-paced action format that is both entertaining and provides a fun read for his readers.
He has also written some nonfiction books as well. One is to show how all humans are connected from God’s viewpoint by looking at biblical prophecy (Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline?: The Question Everyone Should Ask). This book shows how all scripture is connected and inclusive of everyone. In addition, he and his editor have written two books about writing. The first is on writing techniques themselves and is entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read. This book not only addresses the techniques of writing, but what makes writing unique to each author. It conveys not only how to better hone one’s craft of writing but also the brand an author wants to portray. This helps an author make their writing unique as well as captivating for his/her audience. The second is a companion book to this one entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. This is best used in conjunction with the first one. Yet, self-editing, though intricately connected to writing, is a distinct event. The better the quality of a writer’s draft manuscript when it is delivered to one’s editor, the higher the final quality of the manuscript will be for readers, and that is extremely important.
Dr. Dockens still has creative ideas to share so stay tuned!
Dr. Dockens’ latest books are Retrieving the Future & Resolving the Future (Books 1 & 2 in the Parallel Universe Saga Series)
Visit his website at https://www.randydockens.com.
Connect with him on social media at:
╰┈➤ X: www.x.com/RandyCDockens
╰┈➤ Facebook: www.facebook.com/Randy.C.Dockens
╰┈➤ Instagram: Randy C Dockens (@randydockens) | Instagram
╰┈➤ Goodreads: Randy C. Dockens (Author of T-H-B) | Goodreads
Can you tell us a little about yourself? Are you a full time author?
I have always had a fascination with science and with the Bible. I hold Ph.D. degrees in both pharmacokinetics (the study of how drugs work in the body) and in biblical prophecy. While the scientific area became my career, my creative side has always had a way to bubble to the surface. Writing fiction novels, with science interwoven to give them a feeling of authenticity, became a way for me to release that creativity.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University, I went on to graduate school at Auburn and completed my first doctorate in Pharmaceutics (with an emphasis in pharmacokinetics). I began my scientific career as a pharmacokinetic reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration and later joined a leading pharmaceutical company as a pharmacokineticist, which is a scientist who analyzes how the human body affects drugs after then have been administered (i.e., absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted), and describe this using mathematical formulae. Through the years, I have worked on potential medicines within several disease areas: cardiovascular, fibrosis, and immunoscience to seek and develop new and novel medicines in these therapy areas.
I was also drawn to the academic study of the Bible and earned a second doctorate in Biblical Prophecy from Louisiana Baptist University after receiving my master’s degree in Jewish Studies from the Internet Bible Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Congdon.
I have recently retired from my pharmaceutical career and am spending even more time on my writing efforts. All my books are futuristic, contain scientific elements to give them an authentic feel, and have a science fiction feel to them. I want readers to go on an adventure with my stories and hopefully get an understanding of some type of biblical truth they may not have considered before.
Can you tell us about The Parallel Universe Saga?
The Parallel Universe Saga is composed of two novels. The first is entitled, Retrieving the Future. In this book, the main character, Declan, is a self-proclaimed interdimensional interloper, traveling to parallel Earths to retrieve futuristic cutting-edge technology for his employer. It’s profitable work, and he doesn’t ask questions. Stealing technology from parallel Earths was supposed to make Declan rich. Instead, it might destroy everything.
Declan befriends an amazing humanoid robot, Lyle, on one of this parallel Earth trips and brings him home to create his idea of an ultimate AI (artificial intelligence) android. That’s when everything unravels!
Suddenly, Declan’s coworkers and company leaders want him dead, his girlfriend, Rose, is in danger, and the only way to survive is to discover what his missions were really about — a secret conspiracy linking corporate greed to some of Scripture’s end-time prophecies. To discover that connection, the AI he created sends him and Rose on a parallel Earth mission together, a mission unsanctioned by the company’s Board.
In Book 2, Resolving the Future, Declan discovers the secret to his parallel Earth visits . . . and it’s not good.
This other parallel Earth lies within a time dilation field which severs his and Rose’s connection to their world. Another way to get back must be found. He discovers why his company’s Board sanctions his trips to parallel earths, and this discovery not only puts his life and that of Rose in danger, but basically everyone he has worked with at his company.
Once he and Rose return to their Earth, all has changed. Only his robot friend, Lyle, has remained unchanged. The AI android he created, and who sent him on his off-world mission, is now in control of the company, has his boss and the Board under its sway, has no knowledge of his unsanctioned mission, and now considers Declan enemy number one. Declan now has to convince a company blinded by greed that they’ve created humanity’s executioner — and do that before there’s no future left to fight for.
Can you tell us a little about the characters?
Declan Anderson has an outgoing personality and an adventurous spirit. He is employed by Icharus Technologies, a firm which has him go on parallel Earth missions to retrieve advanced technologies that the company can reverse engineer and sell to the public for profit. His personality is the type which tries to be a friend to all and is the reason he even befriends an AI robot on one of his trips.
Lyle is an artificial intelligence robot on a parallel Earth that Declan meets in a clothing store. Over time, their relationship becomes close and Declan treats him as his best friend. Their frequent interactions and discussions cause Lyle’s programming to advance more than it otherwise would have. Because of their friendship, Lyle returns to Declan’s Earth with him and helps him build one of the most advanced AI androids Decan’s Earth has ever achieved.
Rose Mathews becomes Declan’s girlfriend. She was originally employed by a rival company but comes to work at Icharus Technologies where she and Declan fall in love with each other. She is the one who runs the machine that sends Declan on his missions. She originally meets Declan on a parallel Earth when she worked at this rival company visiting the same parallel Earth Declan visits but from a different timeline. Declan doesn’t realize she is from his Earth until he gets back from his mission.
Where are these two books set and why did you choose that location?
These two books take place on two different parallel Earths and on our Earth. The city and state where they leave from and arrive on the other worlds are not mentioned because is it the parallel Earths that are the main focus. For the storyline of the novel to progress, technology currently not available on our Earth is needed. Parallel Earth travel allows the story to obtain advanced technology and build an android with sophisticated AI programming which can look extremely human.
How can people benefit from reading your series?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a very hot topic in our newsfeeds today. There are some who are happy with how quickly this technology is advancing while others are very skeptical, and fearful, of such technology and feel it is advancing too quickly without enough safeguards in place. Our society needs to grapple with this concern of such new technology arising quickly in or world. One of the main concerns is how to avoid human bias in a technology that needs all types of information in so many different areas to derive answers and provide information that is required of it. It is my opinion that if we are going to rely on something giving us information that we are going to assume is valid, it should have access to all information and not just information some human decided to supply to it. Only then can it come to valid and unbiased conclusions using all information at its disposal.
Are these your only books?
I have written several books that span dystopian (The Coded Message Trilogy), end-time prophecy (Stele Prophecy Pentalogy), science fiction (Erabon Prophecy Trilogy), uniquely told Bible stories (The Adversary Chronicles), speculative fiction (Cities of Light Series), and my current release of a combination of science fiction and speculative fiction (The Parallel Universe Saga).
I have also written some nonfiction books as well. One is to show how all humans are connected from God’s viewpoint by looking at biblical prophecy (Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline?: The Question Everyone Should Ask). This book shows how all scripture is connected and inclusive of everyone. In addition, I and my editor have written two books about writing and editing. The first is on writing techniques and is entitled, Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read. This book not only addresses the techniques of writing, but what makes writing unique to each author. It conveys not only how to better hone one’s craft of writing but also the brand an author wants to portray. This helps an author make their writing unique as well as captivating for his/her audience. The second is a companion book to this one entitled, Mastering the ABCS of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. This is best used in conjunction with the first one. Yet, self-editing, though intricately connected to writing, is a distinct event. The better the quality of a writer’s draft manuscript when it is delivered to one’s editor, the higher the final quality of the manuscript will be for readers, and that is extremely important.
Thank you so much for this interview, Randy. What’s next for you?
My main focus going forward will be on marketing this series and my other series as well. I have additional ideas of where my creativity could take me but have not decided which direction to take as yet.
The Parallel Universe Saga (including Retrieving the Future Book 1 & Resolving the Future Book 2) is available at Amazon and the author’s website.
Inside the Books
In Book 1, Retrieving the Future, Declan befriends an amazing humanoid robot, Lyle, on one of his parallel Earth trips and brings him home to create his idea of an ultimate AI. That’s when everything unravels!
Suddenly Declan’s coworkers and company leaders want him dead, his girlfriend Rose is in danger, and the only way to survive is to discover what his missions were really about—a secret conspiracy linking corporate greed to some of Scripture’s endtime prophecies. To discover that connection, the AI he created sends him and Rose on a parallel Earth mission together, a mission unsanctioned by the company’s Board.
In Book 2, Resolving the Future, Declan discovers the secret to his parallel Earth visits …. and it’s not good.
This other parallel Earth lies within a time dilation field which severs his and Rose’s connection to their world. Another way to get back must be found. He discovers why his company’s Board sanctions his trips to parallel Earths and this discovery not only puts his life and that of Rose in danger, but basically everyone he has worked with at his company.
Once he and Rose return to their Earth, all has changed. Only his robot friend, Lyle, has remained unchanged. The AI he created and who sent him on his off-world mission is now in control of the company, has his boss and the Board under its sway, has no knowledge of his unsanctioned mission, and now considers Declan enemy number one. Declan now has to convince a company blinded by greed that they’ve created humanity’s executioner— and do that before there’s no future left to fight for.
