In the mid to late 1980s, scientists examined the idea of sending telepathic messages, known as “Extra-Sensory Perception,” or ESP. At the same time, America experienced an influx of UFO sightings, sending people into a frenzy about the possibility of extraterrestrials. 

Professor Philip Gaunt of the Elliott School of Communication combined these two events into his first novel, “The Blane Game.”

“It’s a question of trying to study what’s going on in the world around you,” he said. “It was a direct story that I had in my mind, and I worked out the development of it before I actually sat down and walked through it.”

A science-fiction love story, the novel follows a helicopter pilot, Mike Marshall, to an island in Scotland while he attempts to make contact with extraterrestrials. He telepathically meets Russian scientist Katrina Klimenkova, and the two fall in love. 

“As in bringing the two together, the world was coming together, too, at that time,” Gaunt said. 

Katrina, who is to be executed by the Russian government, flees to Norway with Marshall. Several months later, the two find out that there has been extraterrestrial sightings worldwide.

The UFOs, which were found above the Blane oil field, is also causing tension over oil, especially for countries like Nigeria. 

“My wife said if I would have made this about vampires, I would have sold a whole lot more [copies],” Gaunt said. 

“The Blane Game,” which is not set to hit shelves for another six weeks, will be available at Watermark Books for $20 a copy. 

“I’ll have a whole bunch of copies on campus, too, that I could sell directly to people,” Gaunt said. 

Gaunt said he would sign the book for those who purchase it. His office is Elliott Hall, Room 102.