At the risk of being pretentious and/or presumptuous, I think I've come up with a mission statement. No, really. It occurred to me as the latest plot tsunami rolled through my brain. Here it is:

I’m trying to write stories which have the tension and intrigue of John le Carre, but where the characters get to really live their angst. In space.

I know: no chance. But it’s something to aspire to.