Find yourself or

fight

for freedom

セレウス&リムニックの日本語版ができました。

Cereus & Limnic is now available in Japanese.

Welcome to Hayden Academy Collective Studios!

A place for the U.S. military community and aspiring writers to write, create, and profit from their one-of-a-kind stories

We have a problem. But it’s not just a problem – it’s a slow, suffocating death.

 

The endless parade of remakes, the carbon-copy reboots… they’re not just crowding our screens. They’re strangling the very lifeblood of art.

 

Like a relentless tide, repetitive content washes over us, eroding the richness of human experience. Stories that once challenged and ignited are twisted into pale imitations, losing their power to illuminate our world, and reinforcing brain-softening mindsets.

 

The flattening of culture is happening before our eyes.

 

When the same worn-out narratives dominate, where is the space for the voices that truly need to be heard? For the writers whose hearts hum with unheard wisdom, or stories forged in the fires of their own unique lives?

 

I see this – and I refuse to be part of the silencing.

 

That’s why I’ve built my studio (Hayden Academy Collective (HAC) Studios), as a source of innovation.

 

Through education, technology, and story it’s where I forge the tools to empower others, to fight back against this tide. Why? Because I understand what it’s like to be that lone voice yearning to be heard.

 

For the last eight years, I’ve brought my original stories life.

 

With little fanfare or support, my fingers have bled onto keyboards. My voice has echoed in recording booths. Books, blog posts, podcasts, tweets, videos, songs, graphics, even code – these are my weapons, honed through endless creation.

 

This is the arsenal of a one-man studio. A testament to the relentless pursuit of creative expression.

 

Now, it’s your turn.

 

Let me help you wield this power.

 

I offer not just a collection of skills, but a battle plan:

 

  • Plan: Distill the heart of your narrative, the essence of your expertise, and chart a course that shatters expectations. DON’T GET STUCK IN THE PLANNING STAGE.

 

  • Create: Master the tools of storytelling, weaving words, images, and sounds into a story that captivates then commands attention. – NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM!

 

  • Profit: Not just in currency, but the fulfillment of seeing your story impact the world, of knowing you have fought for something truly original. – SHARE FOR A HEAVIER WALLET AND LIGHTER SOUL.

 

I’ll guide you to excavate your unique story, the expertise you hold. Then, we’ll craft it, shape it, and unleash it across platforms.

 

Your words, your message, will ring out with clarity among the noise. Together, we’ll prove that originality isn’t dead. That the true depths of human experience can still resonate, and profoundly change lives and culture.

 

Let’s start a rebellion, one story at a time.

 

Latest from HAC Studios

What is military game-tech fiction?

human stories of military conflict featuring advanced technology told with concepts in video games

10 genre elements:

1. Human Stories at the Core:

Focus on the emotional and psychological experiences of characters involved in military conflicts.

This could include soldiers, strategists, civilians, or even AI entities, each grappling with the challenges and consequences of war.

2. Advanced Military Technology:

Integrate speculative or futuristic technology inspired by video games.

This might include virtual reality training environments, AI-driven strategy systems, or advanced weaponry etc. that resemble game mechanics in functionality and design.

3. Video Game Concepts as Strategic Elements:

Utilize familiar video game concepts like levels, quests, power-ups, and skill trees as part of the military strategy and narrative structure.

For example, soldiers might “level up” through their experiences, gaining new skills and abilities relevant to their roles.

4. Interactive and Dynamic Battlefields:

Draw inspiration from the ever-changing, player-influenced environments of video games.

The battlefields in your stories could adapt and change in response to the actions and strategies of the characters, adding a layer of unpredictability and strategy.

5. Moral and Ethical Exploration:

Confront the moral implications of gamifying warfare and the psychological impact on those who participate.

This could include exploring the desensitization to violence, the distinction between virtual and real-world consequences, and the ethical considerations of using advanced technology in combat, among many other possibilities.

6. Diverse Perspectives:

Incorporate a range of perspectives from a set of culturally, physically, and psychologically distinct characters, including those who design the technology, those who implement it, and those who are affected by it.

This could provide a comprehensive view of the impact of game-tech in military settings.

7. Narrative Depth and Complexity:

Ensure the stories are not just about technology and warfare but also about the human condition, relationships, and the societal impact of a technologically enabled military paradigm.

8. A Post Humanism World:

All stories take place in a reality where humanism is no longer the dominant force on Earth or any other world.

This leaves the stories open to exploring what happens when homo sapiens are no longer the driving force of the planet.

9. Future Resembles the Past:

After the fall of humanism in 2100, humanity returns to many old and experimental forms of societal organization.

The result is a future that resembles the past, but with ultra-futuristic tech. History repeats itself.

10. Death is Known:

Through advanced technology, all humans have the ability to know when and how they will die. They pay a high price for “the knowledge.”

Some want it, others don’t.

What is Cereus & Limnic: Escape From Okinawa?

A speculative fiction thriller set in Japan.

Featuring:

  • An interactive story
  • Alien technology 
  • Alien mystery
  • AI probing deep questions
  • Action suspense

This prequel to “Cereus & Limnic” will spike your curiosity and heartrate!

Follow the project book dev log

Novel Commander is back on duty.

This program will train you to write your novel with AI as a digital assistant

Cereus & Limnic is coming to Japan. セレウス&リムニクは日本に来ます!

ブックトレイラー - 金華

発売中!

About Keith

writer

10 books published, 9000+ tweets, 150+ blog posts - from notes to novels, I write daily

teacher

Former high school teacher and cop - organized, objective-focused writing

veteran

Former officer and Special Agent - technical writing

creator

Made 100+ videos, 120+ podcast episodes, 300+ graphics, 76 songs - creativity-inspired words

I educate and equip non-writers to craft their story

Who am I?

Keith Hayden

I’m Keith. I’ve always been a creative person. But it’s only recently that I’ve been able use my expressive talents.

Let me explain.

Back in 2016, I faced the blank page for the first time outside of an academic setting—a different kind of enemy. I wasn’t writing for a grade or for my boss. I was writing for myself.

But inside, a storm of aspirations clashed with my inexperience.

I wanted to turn my experiences into a novel, but I didn’t know how.

Crazier still, I had no job, and my savings were draining fast.

I was living in a new area, with a brand new (struggling) relationship, without the military to order my steps in my career or daily life.

I was lost.

2017-18 was the lowest period of my life.

(Is this the best I can do?) I thought at the time.

I didn’t want to be one of those military veterans shackled to the past. I wanted more for my life.

I had to make changes.

So I talked to multiple counselors. Got help, got my head clear.

In 2018, I enrolled in a teaching credential program. I was going to be a math teacher.

The day I took my military memorabilia off the walls and into storage, my wife cried.

I had let it go. The military will always be a part of me, but it doesn’t define me. I do.

Suddenly, I was reborn. Ready to take my life in a new direction.

(How about writing? You always enjoyed it.) I thought.

Yes. I heeded the call.

I started blogging more, sharing more ideas online. I was making progress.

Then in May 2019, I made a decision.

Armed with nothing but determination, I decided to plan out and begin writing my first novel.

A military sci-fi story called Cereus & Limnic.

I know what you’re thinking. (How did he write a whole novel with zero experience?)

Patience and research.
I binged Brandon Sanderson’s fiction writing series on YouTube -among many other resources-.

Read stacks of books related to my story (fiction and non-fiction). I busted my ass to write 500 words -minimum- a day that summer.

It paid off.

December 2020 was a defining moment—my final proof arrived in the mail.

I held it. Smelled it (aah that new book smell!)

From that moment, I was an author.

But I didn’t get there alone.

My wife had offered unwavering support.

Her encouragement and keen proofreading eagle-eye shaped the story in monumental ways. I owe her a lot.

Now I run a small writing business (Hayden Academy Collective Studios LLC).

I’ve developed a number of skills from audio engineering to AI.

My mission now is to help other aspiring writers (like you!) share their story.

You’ve got a story in you, I know it. I want to help you bring it to life.

About

Keith Hayden was born in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the active duty US Air Force as a Force Support Officer and Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) from May 2008 to Oct 2016.

He currently resides in Okinawa, Japan with his wife, Joanna.

Bibliography:

Podcastography:

  • Two Brothers Talkin' (2021 - Present)
  • Maker's Mirror (2024 - Present)
  • Making Mind (2023 - 2024)
  • Cereus & Limnic (2021-2023)
  • The Tower of Babbling: Japan (2022)
  • Cereus & Limnic: Behind the Book (2020-21)
  • The Tower of Babbling Podcast (2020-21)

Discography:

Voice acting credit:

  • Maldives Madness (2023)
  • Cereus & Limnic (2021-23)

Audiobook:

Games:

  • Sci-fi Color Battle (2023)
  • Cereus & Limnic: Circular Dungeon Room (2023)
  • Mind Trap (2000)

Newsletters:

Filmography

  • Preppie Space (2004)

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