"We scoured those images. I didn't believe it, but now I've seen for myself. Leto isn't there. Neither is Vesta. The entire system is gone."
Vanished tells the story of the discovery of Planet X, answering such questions as, "Where has it been all this time?", and, "Why was it so hard to find?", and exploring the unasked question, "What if it disappeared after being found?". After all, surely a planet that's proven so evasive for so long won't be content to remain found.
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This story features multiple points of view, following a cast of characters as they explore the mysteries of Planet X, some from the safety of Earth, others from a much closer perspective.
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Novel Stats
Genre: Science Fiction​
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Status: First draft review​
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Word/Page Count: 79,300/223​​
as of draft 1
The Real Planet X
As I look over this story and prepare for revisions in 2025, there is talk that Planet X might actually be discovered this year, possibly by October. This creates an interesting dilemma for this story; if Planet X is found, will anyone be interested in my made up story about it? I can't say for sure, but I like the story and will finish it even if it becomes "outdated" by reality.
Development
This novel has undergone the greatest changes of any story I've written. In the original conception, Planet X was turned into a prison colony to relieve the burden of overpopulation on earth. It also followed two separate casts of characters, but most of the characters were teenagers. This version was born when books like The Hunger Games were coming out, so it's pretty easy to see how those influenced the original version of this story.
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While there were ideas I liked, ultimately I couldn't make the story work. I reworked it once or twice before landing on the current version, which I believe is the best version of this story. It's been exciting to read back through it along with my critique group, whose feedback will be invaluable when I start working on the second draft.