Richard C. Deason's 'Pacifica' explores freedom, ethics and survival in a politically fractured future

Book follows the story of one family whose lives are shattered by overpowering events that force them to reevaluate their preconceptions

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Author Richard C. Deason combines political intrigue, suspense and philosophical exploration in "Pacifica" (published by AuthorHouse), a speculative fiction novel that challenges readers to examine the principles that shape society and individual freedom.

Set in the not-too-distant future, the story follows the Ryan family as they are caught between an increasingly authoritarian government and media claims of insurrection by their son David, who had disappeared many years earlier. As the family searches for answers, they are drawn into a series of dangerous events that force them to reevaluate everything they once believed about politics, ethics, freedom and human responsibility. Their quest to regain control of their lives pushes them to discover what David is really doing and why.  It soon becomes apparent that those two goals are inextricably linked, and that the answers they are seeking bring not only threat, but the promise of opportunities they had never imagined.

"Living by the wrong principles can be as deadly as living by no principles at all," Deason said. "By the facts that life is conditional and that man is a being of volitional conceptual consciousness, an ethical code is required to guide man's choice of actions. And by the nature of reality, a man can directly control, and therefore be responsible for, only his own life."

"Pacifica" was showcased at the recently concluded Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2026, held at the University of Southern California from April 18 to 19. The book will appeal to readers of any age who love freedom, adventure, and excitement and who like utopian, science fiction, quasi-science fiction, and/or mystery genres. It is especially targeted at people who are principled, but who are open to checking their premises and willing to explore and even accept new concepts when they judge them to be rational.

To get a copy, please visit https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/247352-pacifica.

"Pacifica"
By Richard C. Deason
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 652 pages | ISBN 9781420829280
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Richard C. Deason graduated from UCLA with a double major in economics and political science. He served four years of active duty in the U.S. Navy and then returned to UCLA to complete his master's degree in finance.  After working for several years in international banking, during which he traveled extensively in North and South America, Europe and the Middle East, Deason took two years off to begin working on "Pacifica."  Since then, he has held a variety of positions in community banking, software development, accounting and the credit card industry while he worked to complete his novel.  Deason has also written a play, several short stories and some poetry.  He currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry's only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 833-262-8899.

For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Marketing Services
Tel: 1-930-200-3156; 833-262-8899
Fax: 812-961-3133
Email: pressreleases(at)authorhouse(dot)com

SOURCE AuthorHouse