Katy author Rick Tabor has a new novel out, and it blends nuclear terrorism, artificial intelligence and an extraterrestrial stranded in the Arctic.

"The Blink of Humanity," released Sept. 7, is a science-fiction political thriller, Covering Katy News reported. The book follows Mila Cross, a bioengineer with epilepsy who builds robotic medical-assistance dogs. After two suitcase nuclear bombs destroy Chicago and kill the love of her life, Mila and her own AI-powered robotic dog, Kelsey, set off on a journey that leads them to the Arctic.

There, the pair teams up with an extraterrestrial and the Inuit community that rescued him from the CIA. A parallel political storyline tracks a corrupt real estate mogul who rises to the U.S. presidency with help from a fictional Russian president.

Tabor, who lives in Katy with his wife and children, has published genre fiction before. His previous novel, "Children of the Scroll," won the 2026 StoryTrade Award for Best Urban Fantasy. Covering Katy News also reported the book was named a finalist in the thriller category of the American Legacy Book Awards.

"I wanted to write a story that explores the ultimate clash between corrupt political power and the resilient spirit of the marginalized," Tabor told Covering Katy News.

He said readers will encounter "a terrifyingly plausible world pushed to its absolute brink …"

Tabor also hosts a podcast called "Authors Learning Something New," which features conversations about writing and the publishing process.

"The Blink of Humanity" is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major online booksellers, according to Covering Katy News.

Book signing Oct. 17

Tabor will sign copies at the fourth annual Tex-Indie Author Book Fair on Saturday, Oct. 17. The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Just Play Sports, a gymnasium at 10510 Westview Drive, Houston.

More than 125 self-published authors are expected to attend, according to a press release on EIN Presswire. Admission is free.