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, end-time prophecy, science fiction, and uniquely told Bible stories. All of 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 allow 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 to his readers.
Randy’s latest books are in the Christian science fiction series, ERABON PROPHECY TRILOGY.
You can visit his website at www.RandyDockens.com or connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.
Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?
There are several prominent characters in the different books of the Erabon Prophecy Trilogy but there are two that are the overarching main characters throughout the entire series: Nuke and Ti’Sulh.
Nuke (born Yohanan Chaikin) has always felt different from others because of his skin’s unusual ability to conduct electricity. This was also how he got his nickname, Nuke. His skin conductance inhibited the electronic equipment the physician used to do his medical examination physical when he entered the Academy. His friends said he was “nuclear” and nicknamed him Nuke. He later came to accept his nickname and began to prefer it over his birth name. Yet this characteristic allowed him to accomplish amazing things on these alien worlds. For example, hydrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen so he can breathe oxygen under water, create lightning in a dust storm, or control another animal or human by placing his hands on their temples. These feats allow him to fulfill designated prophecies these alien cultures believe about one coming who would do such things and assist them in getting ready for the return of Erabon.
Nuke is attracted to the Myeemian, Ti’sulh, another main character, and who is somewhat of a religious leader of her people. Yet he doesn’t know if he should pursue a relationship with her due to them being so different from each other in physiology, background, and culture. This is tied to the theme of unity through diversity. While it can be achieved, the ramification of doing so needs to be considered.
The genesis for the storyline happened over dinner with some friends one evening at a local restaurant. The conversation went far and wide and even verged on the ridiculous. We started talking about aliens, and our conversation at first posed the general types of questions most think about: What would aliens think of us humans? How different would they look from us? How advanced would their technology be from ours? Those thoughts then led to deeper questions. What would be their core beliefs? Would they serve a different type of God than we do? As we talked, we came to the realization that if truth is truth, then our God would also be their God. The way they look, the customs they follow, and the way they worship may be different, but the essence of who God really is should still be the same if God is really God of the universe. That dinner conversation was the genesis of the trilogy that developed: Erabon Prophecy Trilogy.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?
Don’t take what others say with total conviction. Most times, their advice is not an absolute requirement, but a guideline to consider. Granted, many of their points are useful and can be taken to heart, but they are not gospel. The main point is to be aware of their topics as potential pitfalls and not overuse the writing elements they discuss, not necessarily avoid them all together. It is their overuse that is the faux pax and not their use itself.
So, study all the proper ways of writing and proper writing techniques and try to avoid all the pitfalls writing experts warn you about. Yet, remember that the most important thing about your writing is you. If you get lost in your own writing, then your writing is lost. Your writing will be different from that of anyone else, and it should be different—unique to you. It should also be as good technically as you can make it and not lose the essence of you in the process. Even more importantly, you need to be purposeful. Your writing is to engage your reader, so be purposeful in your writing. Ask yourself questions about your writing. Why did I use that word? Why did I use that punctuation at that spot in the sentence? You don’t have to follow traditional methodology, but there is a caveat to that statement. You need to know that you did not follow traditional methodology and that you purposefully chose not to follow traditional writing techniques. Every sentence, every word, every punctuation should be purposeful—chosen by you as the author for a specific purpose, to elicit a specific emotion, feeling, or ambience.
Study. Learn. Write. Enjoy the process. But most of all, be purposeful. Your readers will thank you for it.
What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?
Many times, I will go out to a restaurant franchise (like Saladworks or Dairy Queen) and get something to eat and then write, edit, or proofread. For some reason being at different venues helps me more than sitting at home and writing from the same place all the time. Most of the time I am at home at the dining table or in my comfy chair, but I do find the change in venues helpful to keep ideas flowing in my mind.
Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?
I have not yet received much feedback from my readers. Yet, the limited feedback I have received has for the most part been positive. I describe my writing as futuristic fiction with a science fiction feel and a Christian perspective. I have had some readers even from other faiths read some of my books and they commented that they enjoyed them. I have had others say they are not science fiction fans but enjoyed my books because they were so thought provoking. Therefore, while the major audience would be those who enjoy books with a moral perspective, this does not limit these books to just that audience entirely.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
I had one agent tell me that they loved the way I wrote but did not want to represent me. I kept pressing her to find out why as I didn’t know how to change anything if she couldn’t tell me why. She then became blunt and stated she didn’t want me to become a project for her. This took me aback at first, but then I realized she was saying that the way I wrote and put words together was good, but just not refined. That’s when I went to studying the craft of writing.
One reviewer who commented on my book, T-H-B, stated that she thought my chapters were too choppy and should flow better between chapters. That hurt until I read another reviewer who stated they felt the book was like being in a movie and each chapter was like a scene. That was when I began to realize that what some readers don’t like, others do. That helped me to realize that I need to keep being me and not try to change my writing technique due the negativity of one reviewer.
What has been your best accomplishment?
This may not be the kind of answer you are looking for, but I thought it was an interesting fact at least. One of the conferences my publisher supports is Christian Product Expo. This is mainly composed of Christian bookstore owners. One of the owners confided in me that they have a hard time stocking Christian fiction novels because their stores are extremely limited in shelf space, and the major demand they have from their customers is for self-help
type books. Because of this feedback, I decided to not go to this event one year. I received feedback from my publisher that many of the store owners were disappointed I had not attended because although they don’t have the capacity in their store to stock and sell my books, they themselves loved my books and were disappointed I did not attend so they could get my next book from me at the conference. That was very encouraging to hear.
Do you Google yourself?
I had to smile when I read this because I do that more often than I want to admit. I also have my name as a Google Alert so I can be notified if anything comes up about myself. So far, the only thing that has come up recently are my blog posts that get published once or twice a week.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I will say that another series, The Adversary Chronicles, has just started. The first book of this series, Rebellion in the Stones of Fire, was published in February of this year. This series tells of various Bible stories but are told in a unique and original way that most likely have not heard before. In addition, they are told from an angelic perspective. This first book is about the fall of Lucifer and the worldwide flood. I want readers to better understand and appreciate biblical scripture and perhaps gain a perspective about God they may have not considered before. For example, in this first book, it demonstrates the flood was more about God’s love than it was about God’s vengeance.
The next book in this series, The Holy Grail of Babylon will come out in June or July of this year. It is currently being prepped for the printer. This is about the biblical story of the tower of Babel in the book of Genesis but takes a very science fiction take to the story. I doubt anyone has read a story like this one!
The third book of the series, The Defining Curse, will come out in the Fall and is currently undergoing proofreading by my editor. This is about a curse that was pronounced by the prophet Jeremiah to a king of Judah who is later taken to Babylon and placed in prison. It is a story of how God uses the prophet Daniel to change the course of history for this prisoned king and the nation of Israel as well.
I have just completed a first draft of the fourth book of the series, The Luciferian Plague, which should come out in early 2023. It is about a nefarious group who is trying to depopulate the world using nanotechnology to alter one’s genetic code.
I’m now contemplating what kind of series or storyline to follow this one.
Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?
I think a similar theme to the Erabon Prophecy Trilogy: unity through diversity. Each and every person has unique talents, gifts, and experiences that can enrich others’ lives. If everyone accepts that and not get their ego in the way, then so much more can be accomplished and so much more of life can be enjoyable.
Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?
I want my readers to be entertained by producing a good story
in which they can immerse themselves and get lost in. But just as importantly,
I want readers to perhaps learn something about God they may have not known or
considered. I think God and the Bible are amazing and others may think so as
well if they are given a better understanding and appreciation of them. I think
my books are good for those who do or do not take these aspects seriously. If
they consider that part fantasy, they can still get a good story with
entertainment value. Yet, if they want to go further and work through the
understanding with the characters as they go on their quest to understand
deeper matters, then they will not only be entertained but learn something new,
unique, and different along the way. I hope readers find that an exciting aspect
to my books.
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