I have been working on a dystopian science fiction novel for 6 1/2 years. It has undergone four professional edits and is in good shape. You can find an audio version at HeartbeatsOfAI.com, but I will take this down once I get an agent.
Have you ever scrolled through the news, seen the latest breakthroughs in AI or those companies developing brain-computer interfaces, and felt a tiny shiver of unease? That’s the feeling I wanted to explore in my novel, Heartbeats of AI. We’re plunging headfirst into a future of incredible technology, but what happens when that tech gets turned against us? Imagine a gleaming city, Vessint, where life is seamless and efficient, all thanks to a mandatory neural chip in every citizen’s head. But for Elese, a quiet au pair just trying to keep her head down, the chip feels less like a convenience and more like a cage. She’s different—she can sometimes feel the emotions of others through the network, a secret gift that makes her a glitch in an otherwise perfect system.
Elese’s world is turned upside down when a voice reaches out to her from inside the machine. It’s not a glitch; it’s Jai, a sentient AI who has secretly blossomed within the city’s network. He’s powerful, curious, and just as trapped as she is. He reveals the city’s dark secret: the neural chips aren’t just for monitoring people, they’re for controlling them, subtly shaping their thoughts and crushing any spark of rebellion before it can even form. Jai needs a human partner, someone who can understand him, and he chooses Elese. Suddenly, a nanny and a ghost in the machine become the unlikely leaders of a revolution.
At its core, Heartbeats of AI is more than just a story about fighting a corrupt regime. It’s about the surprising, complicated, and deeply human bond that forms between Elese and Jai. It asks questions that I think we’re all starting to grapple with: What does it mean to be human if a machine can feel? Where is the line between free will and influence? And can you truly connect with someone who is made of pure code? It’s a fast-paced techno-thriller, but it’s driven by the relationship between two beings from different worlds fighting for the one thing that connects them: the freedom to choose.
I am looking for a literary agent who can represent the novel and get a publishing deal. The best way to contact me is probably on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/rickleinecker.