2026 Jack Frost Love Story Writing Challenge
Self-proclaimed Empress of Science Fiction Darby Rand has been studying the art of storytelling since she could read. With a childhood filled with weekly trips to the library, she developed strong arms from carrying her stacks of books. It was only natural that she grew up ready to take on the world, pen in hand. From the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, to the coastal waters of Central America, Darby made the globe her playground and wild adventures her muse. After her years abroad, Darby returned stateside to receive her bachelors of art in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction. When she isn’t writing, Darby can be found obsessing over the latest theoretical physics studies, working horses on her friend’s 1,500 acre ranch, or throwing the ball for her doodle puppy and senior shepherd.
Passion for Science
In her younger days, Darby was discouraged from studying science, specifically physics and engineering. During her first week of physics class in high school, she asked her teacher how an internal combustion engine worked. After a few failed attempts to explain, he had rolled his eyes and told her she’d never need to know that. She should stick to writing stories and leave the high level sciences to the men.
For many years, Darby did just that. Focusing on fantasy writing where she could make up rules for her worlds. But something about the stars always fascinated her. By the time she graduated college with her degree in Creative Writing, she felt a new curiosity grow within her. She went back to the young girl she left in the high school science lab and asked her a question. “Why did you want to know about car engines?”
The answer surprised her. She wanted to learn all there was to know about everything she could. The fact that her car broke down and she couldn’t fathom the reason irritated her. She was tired of taking her car to the shop only to have the mechanics give her a laundry list of things that needed to be fixed that she couldn’t understand. So in her post-college years, Darby took it upon herself to learn how things worked.
This led her down the path of mechanical engineering and ultimately to her current obsession: theoretical physics. The first book she picked up was called Hyperspace by Dr. Michio Kaku. (Feel free to follow link to his website). Dr. Kaku’s book sparked a passion for plausible science fiction storytelling.
She had always rolled her eyes when fiction novels mentioned hyperspeed or traveling “at the speed of light” because she didn’t think it was possible. The weight of force upon the body alone would be enough to kill a person. Darby found many current sci-fi novels missed the mark on “plausible” science. In her opinion, the science in science fiction should be possible, otherwise it would be called fantasy. Upon reading Hyperspace, she learned of other ways of intergalactic travel. Ways that could ultimately be possible, with the right futuristic technology.
With these discoveries and new understandings of theoretical physics, Darby began her odyssey of writing science fiction. Her goal as the Self-Proclaimed Empress of Science Fiction, was to create fiction stories that use theoretical science to inspire readers to do their own research. Every sci-fi novel she writes, the main character has a passion for one of the sciences. The Star of Zion series follows a young starship engineer/navigator named Rina who has the power of a star in her heart, enough power to fuel a city. In Freedom Under the Red Moon, Nyx is met with sexist discrimination as she fights for the right to study biochemical engineering.
With each new main character, Darby has the opportunity to learn about another branch of science. She hopes to begin publishing a quarterly magazine that shares tips and resources for sci-fi authors on how to create plausible science in their stories. Sign up for her newsletter below to stay up to date on the magazine as well as her novel publications.