Meet our guest, Dr. Mark Ryall, author of the new speculative fiction book, Age-Decoded.
It took some struggle and two career changes before Mark Ryall discovered his “genuine self” as a teacher. He had always yearned for a career that brought him closer to people, and teaching became the natural place for him. He went on to teach economics and mathematics at Royal St. George's College (Toronto) and Hillfield Strathallan College (Hamilton) for a combined twenty-four years. He also loved coaching cross country running, a sport which he felt makes students stronger mentally and physically, and which promotes teamwork and mutual support. While teaching, he also began painting, specializing in acrylic art depicting historic old buildings and bridges in the Hamilton area, and more recently dabbling in sports portraits and landscapes.
The speculative fiction Age-Decoded is Mark’s first novel. He wrote the first draft about ten years ago while he was teaching, to educate himself and the world about the imminent tsunami of genetic engineering technology. The novel was turned down by traditional publishers, so Mark accepted that rejection and let the novel sit for several years. But with his recent retirement from teaching and the full-blown emergence of CRISPR-like technology on the scientific front, he decided to work hard to update and improve the novel. He finally self-published it two months ago.
Mark feels Age-Decoded is important because genetic engineering will impact human physical and psychological traits − fundamentally affecting what it means to be human. His goal is to educate people about this scientific breakthrough. Many effects will be hugely positive, as scientists work to eradicate diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, cystic fibrosis, HIV, sickle cell anemia, and even cancer. But unintended or intended negative effects are also possible with this technology. The story peers 100-200 years into the future, allowing the reader to critically imagine and feel the potential impact of genetic engineering on human nature. The story focuses on two human changes; one physical (stopping and reversing aging) and one psychological (spoiler alert: you will need to read the novel).
Mark also competes in triathlons and represented Canada in the 2019 World Age-Group Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland. That race was a disaster as he never completed the swim due to “technical difficulties”! But he has vowed to redeem himself, to qualify and compete once again in the Championships sometime soon in the post-Covid era. Mark currently serves as a volunteer cross country coach for Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton. His education includes BSc, MBA, and PhD (University of Toronto, Education).
The retailer link for the book Age-Decoded is: https://books2read.com/age-decoded
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