About the Book

Book: A Perfect Flock

Author: Mike Bogue

Genre: Christian Science Fiction

Release date: October 26, 2023

Tuck Jameson vows to stop his brother Clay from joining The Body, a religious cult that uses nanotechnology to turn its members into Christian automatons.

But Clay disappears—and in three days, his nanotechnology conversion will be complete. Desperate to find Clay, Tuck enlists the aid of former high school mentor Adam Shimura, now a black ops agent with potentially mixed motives.

Brother Moody, the cult’s Chief Elder, mobilizes his acolytes against Tuck. Worse, a shocking prophecy ups the ante, making Tuck realize the stakes involve not only him and Clay, but all of America—and perhaps, the world.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own and not an endorsement of all author’s opinions.

Author Interview

1. What was the most challenging part of writing your book?

Tying the subplots into the main plot and making sure they got resolved by or right after the novel’s climax. For me, this takes a lot of planning. But it adds depth to the novel. For example, in A Perfect Flock, two of the major subplots—one involving a best friend’s loyalties and one involving a might-be romance—are resolved just before the novel’s climax kicks into high gear.

2. How do you weave Biblical truths into your writing?

Rather than quote Scriptures, I show my Christian characters living out Biblical truths, such as compassion, generosity, and faithfulness. However, my Christian characters are also flawed and struggle to do the right thing.

In addition, I weave Biblical themes into the plot. For example, the major theme in A Perfect Flock is that God champions free will. He wants willing, not coerced, followers. But in the novel, the cult The Body uses nanotechnology to turn its adherents into so-called perfect Christians. Nanobots change your brain chemistry and force you to behave morally, though this is a superficial sanctification, one that ignores your inner sin nature. But Brother Moody, the head of the cult, justifies this coercion as being God’s will.

3. Was your writing process spontaneous as it came to you or very planned and

organized? Why?

I am afraid that as a writer, I am definitely not a pantser. My writing process is highly organized—some might say it smacks of OCD!

Once I create the plot and the characters, I meticulously develop each chapter, adhering to the novel’s classic beginning, middle, and end structure. I likewise detail what will happen in each scene—why it’s important, the conflict, the characters, the outcome (which for the protagonist will usually be a disaster), and what the protagonist will do next. I strive to make sure each of these scenes build upon one another, hindrances becomingmore dire for the hero as he struggles to achieve his goal.

I am a very structured writer, and I always work better with blueprints than without. Plus, because A Perfect Flock involved complicated plotting, I needed to know what was going to happen before I could start writing anything.

4. Why did you pick this genre for your book?

Because my novel was going to employ near-future technology. Thus, science fiction fit my plot like a photon torpedo in the hull of a Klingon warship.

In addition, science fiction is my favorite genre, and most of the plots and ideas that drift into my mind do so from this domain of space, time, aliens, and strangeness.

More specifically, A Perfect Flock falls under the genre Christian science fiction. This allows the writer to explore upcoming technology from a spiritual as well as a pragmatic viewpoint. An excellent example of this is Steven James’ recent novel Synapse, in which an AI entity exhibits self-awareness. Does this mean it has a soul? Or that it can become a Christian?

A Perfect Flock asks how far nanotechnology may go to achieve less than noble ends. Would an authoritarian believer, like the novel’s Brother Moody, use it to force Christians to become supposedly perfect? And would his ultimate goal be to direct Christianity nanobots to invade the minds of unwilling (and unwitting) men and women?

5. What is your next big goal as an author?

To complete my current novel-in-progress Eden Colony. The premise:

After a nuclear war, Caleb Anderson discovers he and certain fellow Christian survivors are immune to radiation. They struggle to rebuild a benevolent post-nuke society, but a clandestine government group schemes to use them to establish a dictatorship. If Caleb doesn’t stop them, thousands of war survivors will die.

In addition to writing, I hope to increase the number of subscribers to my website

by offering free reader magnets, and to devote time to better communicating with my

target readers.

Ms. Fowler, thank you for letting me speak to your readers.

About the Author

Why does Mike Bogue write speculative fiction? Because he finds it a perfect genre to explore timeless themes and timely science, as well as the collision between technology and faith. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys watching Godzilla movies, singing 1960s pop tunes, and munching Fiber One brownies. Single and retired, Mike lives with his cat Bendi in Western Arkansas, where he and Bendi regularly hold contests to see who can nap the longest in a single day.

More from Mike

“If brainwashing means losing my free will for God’s sake, so be it.”

Thus says a recruit for the religious cult The Body in my novel A Perfect Flock.

When planning the novel, I wondered—should Christians use technology to enhance their moral lives? What if technology forced us to be good? Should we use it? Should we advocate it? Would it make Christians, and therefore the Gospel, more appealing to non-Christians?

A Perfect Flock explores these issues. In the novel, technology that might have been a blessing becomes a curse in the hands of cult leader Brother Moody. Indeed, becoming Moody’s version of a perfect Christian might just cost you your soul.

In A Perfect Flock, you will confront the well-meaning but dark future into which technology may be taking Christians and society; experience a fast-paced quest in which an older brother is determined to save his younger brother from technological enslavement; and face the tension between free will and enforced will—if we had the technology to force others to become Christians, should we?

If you like near-future Christian science fiction novels such as Steven James’ Synapse, I think you’ll enjoy A Perfect Flock.

A technical note: The book was released last October 23, so it is available now.

Best of hopes and dreams,

Mike