An entertaining glimpse into the future of AI captured in a riveting story across space and time.
World Book Awards Gold Medalist—Science Fiction: Crime & Mystery
World Book Awards Gold Medalist—Science Fiction: Romance
The AndroBiotica Adventures chronicles the futuristic life and times of Derrick Faulk, an agent, investigator, and explorer surrounded by a rare breed of extraordinary friends and associates. Consider this your invitation to slip into enthralling, imaginary worlds and experience dangerous missions of the utmost importance. The novel combines the first two books in the series in an upgraded format to keep readers immersed from the beginning to the shattering climax. Start your journey today.
“Replete with engrossing subjects and considerations that make it highly recommended for sci-fi readers.”
Diane Donovan—Senior eBook Editor—Midwest Book Review
“David Gittlin’s ANDROBIOTICA 2: Journey in Time offers an intriguing and timely tale of artificial intelligence and corporate intrigue. The novella is a fun read with an interesting take on the mechanics of time travel—something very difficult to accomplish these days.”
Kara Dennison for IndieReader
“David Gittlin takes sci-fi to a new level!”
Courtnee Turner Hoyle—Readers’ Favorite
Available in eBook, Paperback, and AudioBook formats on or about August 25, 2025
Willie Nelson made “Always On My Mind” one of his signature songs. Upon hearing the song for the first time, Nelson knew that he wanted to add “Always On My Mind” to his repertoire. Several recording artists, including Elvis Presley, released the song unsuccessfully. When Nelson recorded it in 1982, the song became a smash hit. Nelson’s sensitive rendition made the song a top 5 hit and a Grammy nomination.
Wayne Carson wrote “Always” as an apology to his wife when he was working in a recording studio in Memphis and stayed ten days longer than he expected to. When Carson called his wife to tell her that he had to stay in Memphis longer, she let him have it. To make his wife feel better, Carson told her she was “always on his mind.”
“It just struck me like someone had hit me with a hammer,” Carson told the LA Times. “I told [my wife] real fast I had to hang up because I had to put that into a song. ‘Always’ is about one long apology. I guess there are a lot of people in the world who are looking for a way to say [what the lyrics express] in a song.”
“Always On My Mind” popped into my head from out of nowhere. Coincidentally, I’ve been hearing it at the gym where I work out, but after the fact. I’ve decided that it’s a reminder from the cosmos to appreciate my loyal wife of thirty-six years. Here’s my cover played in Nelson’s style.
This song is about a man who gives up his dreams to live a life of routine monotony due to the crushing necessity of earning a living.
In a 1997 interview with Mojo magazine, Browne said of this song: “I’m a big fan of ambiguity and its bountiful rewards, and ‘The Pretender’ is two things at once. It’s that person in all of us that has a higher ideal, and the part that has settled for compromise, like Truffaut says, there’s the movie you set out to make, and there’s the one you settle for. But in a more serious sense, ‘The Pretender’ is about 1960s idealism —the idea that life is about love, brotherhood, justice, social change, and enlightenment. These concepts were prevalent as our generation reached its stride, and later, we settled for something quite different. So when I say ‘Say a prayer for The Pretender,’ I’m talking about those people who are trying to convince themselves that there really was nothing to that idealism.” (excerpt from an article by SongFacts.com)
The boldface type is about a lyric in the song I could relate to most, since I lived through that period: “I want to know what became of the changes we waited for love to bring. Were they only the fitful dreams of some greater awakening?”
Jackson Browne wrote “For A Dancer” in memory of a modern dancer friend who died tragically in a fire. When Jackson’s wife, the model Phyllis Major, died suddenly in 1976, “For A Dancer” mysteriously took on a new meaning. “That’s how songs work,” Brown said in an interview. “They migrate into other parts of your life and other experiences.”
Browne eventually played the song at the funerals of two other celebrity friends. And if one listens to the lyrics closely, “For A Dancer” becomes a larger commentary on the intransience of life itself. We cling to it like a thread, and nothing is certain.
To me, the larger meaning of the song underscores the necessity of using every precious moment wisely. Here’s my cover.
Jackson Browne’s guitar techniques, lyrics, and melodies stand apart from the crowd. What he says through his music is sometimes searing, sad, and occasionally, happy. However, all of Browne’s songs have something in common: an incredible sensitivity and beauty.
Browne wrote “These Days” when he was only sixteen years old. Despite his youth, Browne demonstrated a keen sense of heartbreak. I’m not sure how a sixteen-year-old could feel the depth of emotion and remorse expressed in this song. If we assume Jackson experienced and gave voice to the words and tone of “These Days,” then he was wise beyond his years and deeply rooted in himself from early on.
The song had its first release when a protégé of Andy Warhol named Nico picked it up on her “Chelsea Girl” album. Brown played acoustic guitar in the background. “These Days” gained wider recognition when several artists subsequently covered it.
Brown eventually released his version of the song in 1973 on the album “For Everyman.” He rewrote “These Days” to make it more optimistic. In his own words, Jackson remembers, “Over the rest of my teenage years and into my 20s, I developed a kind of optimism, a kind of resoluteness, so I changed [one verse] to: ‘I’ll keep on moving, keep improving.’ That’s more to me what life is made of, the idea that I’ll get through this, I’ll continue looking.”
I’ve always wanted to play this song the way Jackson Browne does. Thanks to my friend Jerry Lambert, I can now do it. Here’s my cover.
Writer and adventurer Jacob Casell, his lovely Astronomer wife Amy, and their brilliant but moody AI friend, Arcon, are at it again. Joined by new crew members, the trio embarks on a training mission in preparation to chauffeur a group of world leaders around the solar system to impart perspective and promote peace. As is often the case, their intentions are honorable, but the results are disastrous.
While parked in orbit around the swirling clouds of Jupiter, four alien freighters appear to siphon off enough of the planet’s gaseous atmosphere to cause a gravity imbalance. The intrepid Aneleyan Starcruiser, which Amy and Jacob have named ‘the Dauntless,’ will be devoured and crushed by Jupiter’s gravity unless the crew can escape orbit.
Find out what happens next in this extraordinary adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very end.
AlthoughReturn to Aneleya is the fifth book in the Silver Sphere Series, there is enough background included in the story to orient new readers and allow them to enjoy the novella as a stand-alone offering, and arouse enough curiosity to pick up the earlier editions.
Return to Aneleya is available in eBook and AudioBook editions on Amazon.com and Quality Online Retailers Worldwide.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
“Return to Aneleya by David Gittlin transports readers back into the Silver Sphere universe with a thrilling space adventure that’s equal parts danger and charm. When Jacob Casell, his wife Amy, and their AI companion Arcon embark on a routine mission, things go off the rails fast. Alien freighters are harvesting Jupiter’s atmosphere, the Dauntless is nearly destroyed, and diplomacy quickly turns into a fight for survival.
“Despite the stakes, this installment balances high-concept sci-fi with accessible storytelling, witty dialogue, and strong emotional beats. And while it’s technically book five, the story stands solidly on its own, introducing its stakes and characters in a way that welcomes new readers to the galaxy.
“Author David Gittlin blends smart sci-fi ideas with a warm, character-focused heart. I enjoyed how much fun this book was—it didn’t just throw me into danger, it gave me a crew I wanted to root for. Arcon, the AI, brings just the right touch of humor and logic to balance the very human tensions between Jacob and Amy. The pacing is fast but not rushed, and the imaginative settings that go from deep space to the swirling chaos near Jupiter really drew me in. Even the politics were interesting without bogging the plot down.
“Overall, Return to Aneleya is an exciting, thoughtful, and thoroughly entertaining space opera for anyone who loves adventure with a human (and artificial) touch. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, and I can’t wait to see what else comes out of this fascinating story universe in the future.”
I first heard “Cornflower Blue” as the opening song on Kate Wolf’s 1983 double album “Give Yourself to Love.” As I listened to the album many times over, “Cornflower Blue” grew on me (no pun intended). I began to appreciate the exquisite beauty in the lyrics and in Kate’s lovely singing voice.
Oftentimes, songs like this one will find their way into my heart and I feel compelled to play them myself. With this song, I had my doubts. The chances were good that I might not pull it off. Learning how to play “Cornflower Blue” like Kate does was like learning how to walk again. The style is completely counterintuitive to what I’m used to, but I’m glad I made the effort. I hope my cover of the song conveys some of the mystery and beauty of the original.
“Pluck” is the word that comes to mind when I think of Nanci Griffith and her music. In terms of stature, Nanci can be described as diminutive, or perhaps petite is a better, if overused, description. Ironically, the essence of Nanci Griffith is anything but small. She imbued her songs with a crystal clear, powerful voice and confident stage presence. In her simple way, Griffith is remembered as a giant among country and folk singer/songwriters. With twenty-four albums released from 1978 to 2002, Griffith has left a lasting impression on an art form she once described as “folkabilly.” Nanci’s music merges the elegant folk of her early years with the folk-rock of her later years.
I’ve covered many of Nanci’s songs on this blog, including this latest, “Trouble In The Fields.” It’s a penetrating and beautiful song inspired by Griffith’s recollections of her great-grandparents’ struggles with drought and hard economic times during the 1930s. “Trouble In The Fields” is dedicated to Nanci’s great aunt and uncle, Nettie Mae and Tootie, farmers for eighty years near Lubbock, Texas.
In a 2009 interview, Cat Stevens (by then Yusuf Islam) is quoted as saying: “I was on holiday in Spain. I was a kid from the West End [of London]- bright lights, etc. I never got to see the moon on its own. In the dark, there were always streetlamps. So there I was on the edge of the water on a beautiful night with the moon glowing, and suddenly I looked down and saw my shadow. I thought that was so cool; I’d never seen it before.”
The song is about finding hope in any situation, of being present and joyful. With the simplicity and joy of a child, Stevens writes about seeing life as it is in the moment and not comparing it to others’ lives or other times in an individual’s life.
Moonshaw is a beautiful song expressing the idea that every moment in life is rich and unique. Whether we are aware of it or not, Stevens is saying, we are always “leaping and hopping on a Moonshadow” every second of our existence. He cautions against being too wrapped up in our worries and concerns about what could be or what has been, and consequently missing the richness of life as it is.
On a musical tour of the Western United States, Gordon Lightfoot discovered a highway sign that read, “Carefree Highway.” The words on the sign led Gordon to write a song about a carefree lifestyle and a lost love.
Lightfoot put the lyrics away in the glove compartment of his car. Eight months later, Gordon wrote the music for “Carefree Highway” after almost forgetting about the song. Wouldn’t you know that the song became one of Lightfoot’s biggest hits?
Heart Banter by David Gittlin 