J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 17
December 21, 2016
Winter on Wattpad: Free Hibernation Reading
Today the winter solstice brings the year’s longest night to the northern hemisphere. While it may not rival the two-week lunar nights my Syzygy characters endure, the chilly darkness encourages hibernation. ‘Tis the season for to curl up with a hot drink and a good book! You’ll have to make the cocoa yourself, but I’ve got … Continue reading Winter on Wattpad: Free Hibernation Reading
December 19, 2016
Recent Reads: Ancillary Mercy
“I feel a bit unqualified,” I confessed to my dad. “A lowly indie author criticizing a Nebula award winner?” The man who always provides unflinchingly candid feedback on my manuscripts observed that acclaimed works don’t always stand on their own merit. “Call it like you see it,” he advised. So I will. Ancillary Mercy let … Continue reading Recent Reads: Ancillary Mercy
December 10, 2016
The Science of “Syzygy”: Lunar Colonization
Pressing his forehead to the cool window, Ash blocked out his companions and watched the pale, pocked surface blossom into detail. Solar panels winked like fallen stars around the rim of Shackleton crater. The colony itself, a cluster of domes joined by tubelike corridors, made raised scars on the moon’s skin. Compared to the glittering seas … Continue reading The Science of “Syzygy”: Lunar Colonization
November 25, 2016
Recent Reads: “Ancillary Sword” by Ann Leckie
Ancillary Sword lacks some sharpness, but still holds an edge as unique science fiction literature. The story resumes where its predecessor Ancillary Justice left off. Breq, now captain of an imperial ship, embarks on an errand to a neighboring star system where social conflicts simmer. Leckie seems determined to include the panoply of trending laments: colonialism, the plight … Continue reading Recent Reads: “Ancillary Sword” by Ann Leckie
November 16, 2016
The Science of “Syzygy”: Space Elevators
…When Ash woke, the Vator’s cable shone across the inky sea, a nanothread umbilicus glittering with electromagnetic energy. The quad landed among a dozen others on the massive anchor platform. “Ugh, I hate being the last one back,” said Thorn, glancing around at the other vehicles. “There’s going to be a line for the de-con pods.” … Continue reading The Science of “Syzygy”: Space Elevators
The science behind the sci-fi: a new post series!
I never cared for the distinctions of “hard” or “soft” science fiction. Any good sci-fi story should strive for plausibility, and heavily technical ideas are often best explored through their societal impact. Why not employ the strengths of both categories? In my own work, I aspire to fuse character and concept so the protagonists’ … Continue reading The science behind the sci-fi: a new post series!
November 6, 2016
Recent Reads: “Assassin” by Anela Deen
Assassin, the latest in indie author Anela Deen’s Insurrection novelette series, might be the most absorbing installment yet. In this penultimate fourth episode, we finally get the perspective of Everett “the Albatross”, a government killer turned rebel leader. Glimpses of his dark past finally come to light and some of the shadows catch up with … Continue reading Recent Reads: “Assassin” by Anela Deen
October 30, 2016
Tricks and Treats, Pt II: Free Kindle Candy!
Happy Halloween! Are you ready for some online trick-or-treating? I don’t have carved pumpkins or fake spiderwebs like your decor-enthusiast neighbors, but instead of chocolate or granola bars, I’m giving out free e-books. (Can you imagine collecting books door-to-door all night? How do I start a new holiday?!) Here’s how it works: ring my digital “doorbell” on October 31st by submitting … Continue reading Tricks and Treats, Pt II: Free Kindle Candy!
October 28, 2016
Tricks and Treats, Pt I: Free E-Books for Halloween!
After three days of unrepentantly nagging Amazon’s KDP helpdesk, I finally got a response about the technical problem that canceled the launch of Syzygy Pt II: Opposition Effect on Tuesday. The book went live today (if it was that easy to fix, why didn’t they do it 72 hours ago when I first notified them of … Continue reading Tricks and Treats, Pt I: Free E-Books for Halloween!
Tricks and Treats: Free E-Books for Halloween!
After three days of unrepentantly nagging Amazon’s KDP helpdesk, I finally got a response about the technical problem that canceled the launch of Syzygy Pt II: Opposition Effect on Tuesday. The book went live today (if it was that easy to fix, why didn’t they do it 72 hours ago when I first notified them of … Continue reading Tricks and Treats: Free E-Books for Halloween!
