J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 14
November 9, 2017
NaNoWriMo, Indie Style: My Rebel Writing Project for 2017
Heroine vows to undertake a mighty task. Despair and self-doubt gnaw on her, and she loses her nerve. But at the last moment she finds her courage and steps up to the challenge. Plot of my next novel? Not exactly. It’s the epic tale of how I came to participate in my first-ever National Novel … Continue reading NaNoWriMo, Indie Style: My Rebel Writing Project for 2017
October 31, 2017
Halloween “treats” for book lovers: my novelette and newsletter
Happy Halloween/Samhain! As we enter the dark winter days (at least here in the Northern hemisphere) what could be a better than a free story for your hibernation entertainment? I just finished a new novelette, Wild Type, that I can’t wait to share. This prequel to my Syzygy series stands on its own–you don’t need to have … Continue reading Halloween “treats” for book lovers: my novelette and newsletter
October 19, 2017
Stories in the Stars: My latest book and latest adventure
Syzygy V: Red Shift went live this week! Like every title in my Syzygy hexalogy, this one is an astronomy term that implies various levels of significance for the story. What is red shift in the scientific sense? When an object in space (like a star) moves away from us, its light wavelength stretches out, “shifting” the … Continue reading Stories in the Stars: My latest book and latest adventure
September 26, 2017
Book Review: “The Radium Girls” by Kate Moore
I owe the discovery to The Radium Girls to book blogger Sarah at The Critiquing Chemist (if you haven’t had the pleasure of her pithy literary analysis, I recommend visiting her site). She reviewed the book back in August and its subject–like most unusual historical episodes–immediately piqued my interest. A providential Amazon sale had the title … Continue reading Book Review: “The Radium Girls” by Kate Moore
September 22, 2017
Publication Announcement: “Syzygy Pt V: Red Shift”
Today marks the autumn equinox. Fall is finally here…and so is the fifth installment of the the Syzygy hexalogy! Red Shift arrives October 17. What kind of trouble have Ash and Skye gotten themselves into now? “The long-divided clans of lunar survivors reconnect at last, but a century of distrust isn’t easily overcome. Determined to … Continue reading Publication Announcement: “Syzygy Pt V: Red Shift”
August 30, 2017
New Season, New Stories, New Site!
As summer draws to a close, so does my mad blitz to finish the Syzygy series. I plunged into the story like the deep end of a pool, drafting nearly 60,000 words in about six weeks. That’s an unprecedented rate of productivity for me (I’m working on a blog post about how I did it, … Continue reading New Season, New Stories, New Site!
August 22, 2017
The Air-Speed Velocity of Ravens: “Game of Thrones” and the Importance of Consistency in SFF Writing
Spoiler alert: this post contains minor spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 6 “Gendry is obviously not Robert Baratheon’s bastard,” I observed to my Laddie during the most recent episode of Game of Thrones. “His father has to be The Flash.” After a few days’ hiking with the wight-hunting party, our warrior-blacksmith seems … Continue reading The Air-Speed Velocity of Ravens: “Game of Thrones” and the Importance of Consistency in SFF Writing
July 23, 2017
The Science of “Syzygy”: Genetic Engineering
“Just take a bite.” She appraised him suspiciously, then dropped her jaw like a snake and bit into the pitaya’s flesh. “What is this?” she mumbled around ravenous bites. “It’s called a pitaya. Tons of vitamin C and calcium. Our scientists blended in genes from a legume to—.” A wet mouthful of pulp flew across … Continue reading The Science of “Syzygy”: Genetic Engineering
July 2, 2017
(Authorial) Independence Day: Freedom and Free Books
July 4th isn’t until Tuesday, but Independence Day festivities kicked off this weekend in my neighborhood. Fireworks, cookouts, and free…books? You heard right. I’m adding a little literary flair to the holiday this year, celebrating my authorial independence and the liberties self-publishing endows: Transient Phenomena, the first installment of my Syzygy sci-fi hexalogy, is now permanently free for … Continue reading (Authorial) Independence Day: Freedom and Free Books
June 27, 2017
Publication Announcement: “Escape Velocity” Now Available!
The fourth volume in my Syzygy hexalogy, Escape Velocity, arrives for Kindle today! (Nook version coming soon–I’ve encountered some hurdles in setting up that platform, but B&N fans shouldn’t have to wait long). What happens in this episode? After surviving disaster and betrayal on Earth, Ash and Skye return to Luna with news they hope … Continue reading Publication Announcement: “Escape Velocity” Now Available!
