For five years now, Corey Floyd has been stationed in Japan as a member of the United States Army working as a signal support systems specialist.
To say God gave Floyd two full scoops of life is a vast understatement, as Floyd tested his creative juices in writing his first book, “Descendants of Eden” — a science fiction/fantasy story tailored to young readers. It was published and became available on Amazon on July 4, under the pen name Victor Rey.
Floyd first penned the idea as a 16-year-old.
“Technically, I wrote the very first rough draft in my junior year of high school as an assignment for a class I had but I barely remember that,” said Floyd.
While serving his country is paramount to Floyd, his creativity came calling once again during his time in Basic Combat Training.
Said Floyd: “I’d say the writing truly began during my initial training as a soldier. I actually had a small, worn notebook I would write in during the small bits of free time we had. Since no one was allowed to take naps during the day, that helped keep me awake. That was almost five years ago. I’m pretty sure I still have that notebook somewhere.”
Finishing the story was step one, and being independently published was step two.
“I published it because I just wanted to get my story out there. After the amount of time spent on it, I thought it was well worth the push,” said Floyd.
Characters
The main protagonists are Rey siblings Juno, Blu and Audrey, who live in a world where superpowers became commonplace in the 1960s.
At just 12 years old, Juno carries an air of maturity and composure that sets her apart from her peers. It’s a mask she wears, and beneath it she feels the weight of an extraordinary heritage and an untamed power. Despite this, Juno’s innate leadership, protective instincts, and love shine through, especially when it comes to her younger siblings.
At 10 years of age, Blu is the embodiment of youthful exuberance, his happy-go-lucky demeanor masking a well of insecurities. Always in the shadow of his powerful family, he yearns to find his place and prove his worth. Blu’s journey is one of self-discovery, as his latent abilities surface in surprising and sometimes unsettling ways. His infectious optimism is both his greatest strength and vulnerability.
The youngest sibling, 8-year-old Audrey, is a prodigious inventor, her sharp mind constantly churning with new ideas. Audrey’s boundless curiosity sometimes leads her into trouble. Recently, she’s begun to tap into a different kind of energy, one that hints at a potential far greater than her mechanical creations.
Next steps
The plan is to publish five or six installments, Floyd said.
“I (have) started on the second. I plan to have it ready to roll by late 2025,” said Floyd.
One goal Floyd had going into the narrative was to center on multiple genres, unlike many other published works.
Said Floyd: “The book has elements from both fantasy as well as science fiction. However, I’ve seen that most stories that have superpowers and are set in the modern day, usually fall under science fiction. And I’d say that the reading level does start at a middle-school audience but is not just limited to it. Any reading level above that can potentially find enjoyment as well.”
Floyd does not have any formal training as an author, giving hope to aspiring writers across the globe.
“I do not count the English class I took in college since it wasn’t ever focused on writing a book such as this. I’d say my style of writing comes from reading so many scripts back when I did community plays as a teen,” said Floyd.