About

What is this?

Fractured Symmetries is a creative space I use to explore new ideas, genres, themes, and topics through my writing and stories. It’s essentially a scratchpad for playing with ideas, and so may be a little rough around the edges in places.

Some of the stories include author’s notes — I’m still going back and forth on whether this is a good idea or not, but on balance I like it, as it gives me the chance to say a little more about what was going on in my head behind the writing. I suspect some will see it as undermining the stories, or compromising their “stand-alone purity.” But then, it’s my scratch pad :)

If you enjoy what you read — or find it interesting and thought provoking — and want to support me, please bookmark this page, share the stories with others, and consider subscribing, which will ensure you’re notified when another story drops.

Thank you!

Rowan J. Ashby

Who am I?

I’m a scientist, academic, and author, who uses fiction to explore the often-complex and multifaceted relationships we have with technology and the future. Rowan J. Ashby is my pen name — I wanted some space to explore new ideas without the baggage that inevitably comes with what I’m already known for 😊

A word about AI

I work with AI a lot, exploring its behavior, applications, and implications within society. But I am also a writer who has honed my craft over decades. As a result, unless there’s a very specific reason for it (which I’m pretty sure will be never here) — and I will always be clear when there is — I do not use AI to write for me. The words you see, the ideas behind them, the story cadences and arcs, are all mine. I may occasionally use AI to check something (grammar for instance), but I guard my craft as a human writer writing about human experiences jealously.