My first impressions of the Blue Ridge Mountain were formed as a child from creative stories my dad would spin about one of his legs being longer than the other from walking around winding mountains. He would do a fake hobble around the kitchen table just to prove it. He also said that he had to put small rocks in my mom’s first pair of adult shoes, so that it felt more normal to her--like walking on an old gravel road. That was normal, given that most of their childhood years were barefoot Summers and new shoes were a rarity during the 40’s and 50’s. Shoes were only used for practical purposes like going to church, school, or staying warm in the Winter, not matching your outfit or as a status symbol.
The southern highlanders that I grew up with came from Scottish and Irish stock. They were strong and their sense of humor, honor, and belief in God sustained them. Out of necessity, they learned to be independent and by the time good roads were built the people were already entrenched in their age-old customs, traditions, and way of life. But, I rarely came across any fighting and feuding or anyone sitting out on their front porch with a shotgun across their lap, just waiting for some nosy outsider to trespass on their land. Although, I saw it depicted like that on TV, it was actually quite the opposite. The mountain folks were openly hospitable and would sometimes take great offense to shows like Hee-Haw and the Beverly Hillbillies. In the sixties, while I was growing up, many of them preferred the cultural moments they gleaned from shows like Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan, and the evening news from Walter Cronkite. I liked Star Trek, Lost In Space, and The Twilight Zone. In college I studied philosophy under Dr. Gary Habermas who is an expert onf the ressurection of Jesus and Near Death Experiences (NDE). You can see every last one of these influences in my lastest novel PSYCHONIX: Mind Over Matter.
My dad joined the U.S. Marines in 1957 and introduced himself to the world at Parris Island, South Carolina. For 20 years I grew up as a military brat and eventually served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years as an American Forces Radio & Television broadcaster. I experienced people, places, and cultures around the world, having lived in ten different states and 10 different countries. However, the Blue Ridge Mountains was always were I was from--my home. The place we visited on vacations, went when my dad was deployed during Vietnam, or celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even as a military brat I was largely shaped by the tough-minded, innovative, and wise counsel of coal miners, brick layers, and small farmers who were isolated in the hills long before highways were built. And yes, some were and are moonshiners.
This part of the world, Southwestern Virginia influenced my values and personality. I have exceptionally warm nostalgic memories of childhod Christmas during the 60's and 70's. That’s why I was drawn to include portion of the people, places, and events in my debut novel PSYCHONIX: Mind Over Matter. The novel includes many other fictionalized parts of my life, so it’s tough for me to nail down a precise description fo the story. I’ve said previously that I think it's a combo of Ready Player One meets Jack Reacher, and Imagine Heaven. But even that doesn’t fully describe it. So, here's anoher stab at it. If Tom Clancy sat down and wrote a novel with Earl Hamner, Jr of The Waltons, and Gary Habermas, then you would probably produce my debut novel PSYCHONIX: Mind Over Matter. It is a scientific and supernatural exploration of consciousness and all that the human mind experiences and hopes for in this world—and the next. Pick it up today.
AMAZON: (Paperback and Kindle) https://www.amazon.com/PSYCHONIX-Mind-Matter-Mike-Burnette/dp/B086Y4S4VH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=PSYCHONIX&qid=1600266824&s=books&sr=1-1
BARNES & NOBLE: (Nook) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/psychonix-mike-burnette/1136839263;jsessionid=6421112979446DD1D4C2D525050F525E.prodny_store01-atgap04?ean=2940163806799
APPLE: (eBook) https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1516407948
