Trevor Schmidt's Blog, page 7
September 11, 2014
Last Day To Download Replica for Free on Kindle!
Get Replica free, today only in celebration of the release of my third novel, Symbiote. Replica Synopsis:
"In the year 2054, Army Sergeant Logan Martel hunts for an insurgent plotting a horrific attack on the West. It is in this world of high-tech equipment and prolific robotics that Logan finds himself set adrift, searching for what's left of his own humanity. Will he find what he's looking for? Or will he become merely a replica of his former self?"
I encourage everyone to download a copy and give me your honest review on Amazon. If you like my writing, I hope you'll check out my new novel, Symbiote.
September 9, 2014
Great Ted Talk on Brain Parasites!
This is a very interesting video about brain parasites in animals and possibly humans. This is very similar to my latest novel, Symbiote.
"How do you explain suicidal crickets and zombie caterpillars? One word: parasites. Science writer Ed Yong shows us how these tiny creatures force insects and animals to do their bidding, and asks: Are parasites manipulating humans, too?" - From Huffington Post.
"How do you explain suicidal crickets and zombie caterpillars? One word: parasites. Science writer Ed Yong shows us how these tiny creatures force insects and animals to do their bidding, and asks: Are parasites manipulating humans, too?" - From Huffington Post.
September 7, 2014
House-Sized Asteroid to Pass Near Earth
We hear about this all the time: an asteroid will pass 'close' to Earth but will pose no significant threat. Their definition of 'close' being closer to the Earth than the moon. The asteroid that will pass us this afternoon will pass around 25,000 miles from Earth, which is very close to our satellites in geosynchronous orbit, which are about 22,300 miles from Earth. It's about the size of the asteroid that exploded over Russia last year and caused a lot of damage and a huge shockwave. Why am I pontificating over this? It's important to note that meteorites hit us every day, it's just most are tiny. The only ones we hear about are the ones that could do any real amount of damage to us here on Earth. Any 'real' damage. Hmm...
In my latest novel, Symbiote, I have a theory about a hidden danger of those numerous smaller meteorites that we're not that worried about. Is it possible we're in more danger than we think? Most alarmists on the subject are talking about the 'world-enders.' In Symbiote, I delve into what can happen with a barrage of smaller events. Here's the synopsis:
"When a normally meek Bay Area insurance agent suddenly turns into a voracious, homicidal maniac with an uncontrollable appetite, doctors quickly determine that the cause must be a brain parasite that can only be extra-terrestrial. Now, San Francisco Police Detectives Karen Hall and Yuri Markov are on a mission to end this wave of violence before more citizens become infected. But at every turn their investigation seems to be hindered by shadowy federal agents with a hidden agenda. Can they stop this reign of terror before one of them becomes the next Symbiote?"
Also, be sure to read my short story, Replica, for FREE from 9/7/2014 through 9/11/2014.
In my latest novel, Symbiote, I have a theory about a hidden danger of those numerous smaller meteorites that we're not that worried about. Is it possible we're in more danger than we think? Most alarmists on the subject are talking about the 'world-enders.' In Symbiote, I delve into what can happen with a barrage of smaller events. Here's the synopsis:
"When a normally meek Bay Area insurance agent suddenly turns into a voracious, homicidal maniac with an uncontrollable appetite, doctors quickly determine that the cause must be a brain parasite that can only be extra-terrestrial. Now, San Francisco Police Detectives Karen Hall and Yuri Markov are on a mission to end this wave of violence before more citizens become infected. But at every turn their investigation seems to be hindered by shadowy federal agents with a hidden agenda. Can they stop this reign of terror before one of them becomes the next Symbiote?"
Also, be sure to read my short story, Replica, for FREE from 9/7/2014 through 9/11/2014.
Replica - Free Short Story
For a limited time, get Replica, a science fiction short story, for FREE on Amazon! The promotion runs from 9/7/2014-9/11/2014, so pick up a copy, tell your friends, and if you enjoy my writing, please pick up a copy of my newest novel Symbiote.Here's a blurb about Replica: A Short Story.
"In the year 2054, Army Sergeant Logan Martel hunts for an insurgent plotting a horrific attack on the West. It is in this world of high-tech equipment and prolific robotics that Logan finds himself set adrift, searching for what's left of his own humanity. Will he find what he's looking for? Or will he become merely a replica of his former self?"
Again, get this story for FREE!
September 6, 2014
Symbiote Is Out Now!
I'm excited to announce that my newest Science Fiction Novel, Symbiote, is out now on Kindle! Trade paper version is coming soon. Please check it out and give it an honest review!Here's a synopsis: "When a normally meek Bay Area insurance agent suddenly turns into a voracious, homicidal maniac with an uncontrollable appetite, doctors quickly determine that the cause must be a brain parasite that can only be extra-terrestrial. Now, San Francisco Police Detectives Karen Hall and Yuri Markov are on a mission to end this wave of violence before more citizens become infected. But at every turn their investigation seems to be hindered by shadowy federal agents with a hidden agenda. Can they stop this reign of terror before one of them becomes the next Symbiote?"
If you have any questions about my newest novel, please leave a comment in the space below or tweet me @TrevorSSchmidt.
Please purchase through the link below so I get extra royalties :)
September 4, 2014
When/How Will We Colonize Mars?
I've been excited about putting a human on mars since I was five years old and I was sure I was going to be an astronaut when I grew up. Since then, there have been numerous setbacks for NASA and, more recently, the private companies that wish to travel to the red planet. Conquering issues like solar radiation on a trip that takes 6 months to complete one way is a major concern. Astronauts are only allowed by NASA to be in space for about a year due to solar radiation and a trip to mars and back is estimated to take 30 months. This is because once our people got to Mars they would have to wait for the planet to move to a more favorable orbit that is closer to Earth. On top of this, the mental impact on the crew of up to 30 months with a handful of people poses concerns over depression and anxiety among the crew.
Mars One is a company that wants to make a reality show out of the colonization of Mars to help pay for the process. They would eliminate one of the concerns right off the bat: it would be a one-way trip. There were around 200,000 applicants to become one of twenty-four finalists for the program, which aims to lift off around 2025. Their plan is to send multiple cargo loads to Mars before any settlers arrive, then continue to send people and supplies as the years go by. The settlers would then grow their own food and live in small pod units. It's a really interesting concept and one that has a lot of promise for the future of human civilization. If this happens, we'll officially be a multi-planetary species, increasing the odds of our long-term survival.
SpaceX has a similar goal, but with a different approach. They plan to make reusable rockets which will dramatically reduce the cost of getting humans and cargo to space. Elon Musk has stated that a Mars Colonial Transporter is the way to go, transporting up to 100 people at a time to the red planet, with the goal of creating a colony of thousands of people sooner rather than later. His goal is to start transporting people in 2026. Here's a great interview with Elon Musk where he talks about his vision of getting to Mars.
A lot of my upcoming writing will draw from the realities that taking place today. Any good futurist looks to the present to extrapolate the future. We've already started taking the steps necessary to make these dreams a reality and in most of our lifetimes we will see things that would be unthinkable in our childhood. It's a great time to be alive.
For more information on Manned Missions to Mars, check out the wikipedia, which links to all of the various missions not covered here. Which mission do you believe is the most viable? Do you think any of the missions will be successful?
Mars One is a company that wants to make a reality show out of the colonization of Mars to help pay for the process. They would eliminate one of the concerns right off the bat: it would be a one-way trip. There were around 200,000 applicants to become one of twenty-four finalists for the program, which aims to lift off around 2025. Their plan is to send multiple cargo loads to Mars before any settlers arrive, then continue to send people and supplies as the years go by. The settlers would then grow their own food and live in small pod units. It's a really interesting concept and one that has a lot of promise for the future of human civilization. If this happens, we'll officially be a multi-planetary species, increasing the odds of our long-term survival.
SpaceX has a similar goal, but with a different approach. They plan to make reusable rockets which will dramatically reduce the cost of getting humans and cargo to space. Elon Musk has stated that a Mars Colonial Transporter is the way to go, transporting up to 100 people at a time to the red planet, with the goal of creating a colony of thousands of people sooner rather than later. His goal is to start transporting people in 2026. Here's a great interview with Elon Musk where he talks about his vision of getting to Mars.
A lot of my upcoming writing will draw from the realities that taking place today. Any good futurist looks to the present to extrapolate the future. We've already started taking the steps necessary to make these dreams a reality and in most of our lifetimes we will see things that would be unthinkable in our childhood. It's a great time to be alive.
For more information on Manned Missions to Mars, check out the wikipedia, which links to all of the various missions not covered here. Which mission do you believe is the most viable? Do you think any of the missions will be successful?
September 3, 2014
Who Inspired Me To Write?
Yes, I found this blog topic on a list of topics from another site. Sue me. Who inspired me to write? My father, Trevor Scott, who himself is a bestselling author, taught me to write from a ridiculously young age. I'm not kidding. I was six-years-old when I wrote "Ben and the Dragon" and it was a 4,000 word short story. I'm seriously considering editing it and putting it out as a freebie.
In all seriousness, my dad has had a lot of success with the Bestselling Jake Adams International Espionage Thriller Series. He's sold more than 500,000 copies in the last few years (as of this writing) and the series really deserves to be turned into a movie series. Trevor Scott served as an editor on my latest book, Symbiote, which is to be released soon. It's really exciting to be working with my dad to produce that which is my best work to date.
Now it's time for some backstory. In or around 1993, my dad separated from the Air Force and became a full-time writer. I was six and thought that was the coolest thing ever. I was right. As I grew up, he stayed at home watching me and my brother while writing what would become a bestselling thriller series. When I was a child I didn't have much grasp of how popular he was becoming, I only knew that he could teach me proper grammar and a unique writing style. What I learned from a young age generally granted me trips to the principals office, as my teachers seemed to think my writing was plagiarized or that my dad wrote my papers for me. Usually, he'd never even read them and took such instances as a source of pride.
There have been reviews of my work that have suggested that I'm the son of Trevor Scott. The answer to that is yes, it's true. I grew up learning about the art of writing from a master of fiction and I only hope to be a shadow of his name. I tread in deep footprints and it's an honor to call him my editor and biggest fan.
My new Science Fiction novel, Symbiote, come out this month! Stay tuned for information regarding its release!
In all seriousness, my dad has had a lot of success with the Bestselling Jake Adams International Espionage Thriller Series. He's sold more than 500,000 copies in the last few years (as of this writing) and the series really deserves to be turned into a movie series. Trevor Scott served as an editor on my latest book, Symbiote, which is to be released soon. It's really exciting to be working with my dad to produce that which is my best work to date.
Now it's time for some backstory. In or around 1993, my dad separated from the Air Force and became a full-time writer. I was six and thought that was the coolest thing ever. I was right. As I grew up, he stayed at home watching me and my brother while writing what would become a bestselling thriller series. When I was a child I didn't have much grasp of how popular he was becoming, I only knew that he could teach me proper grammar and a unique writing style. What I learned from a young age generally granted me trips to the principals office, as my teachers seemed to think my writing was plagiarized or that my dad wrote my papers for me. Usually, he'd never even read them and took such instances as a source of pride.
There have been reviews of my work that have suggested that I'm the son of Trevor Scott. The answer to that is yes, it's true. I grew up learning about the art of writing from a master of fiction and I only hope to be a shadow of his name. I tread in deep footprints and it's an honor to call him my editor and biggest fan.
My new Science Fiction novel, Symbiote, come out this month! Stay tuned for information regarding its release!
September 1, 2014
Writing From the Opposite Gender's Point of View
Writing from the perspective of a woman (for me) or a man (for a female author) has to be one of the more challenging aspects of putting pen to paper. Though I acknowledge, it could certainly be easier for women to write male characters because of the bias of growing up in a world where most protagonists in stories are men. When writing, you don't want to let your own perspective bleed through, so it takes a lot of forethought to get it right. One thing I've found that's helpful is to write in third person limited focusing on the opposite gender subject. I say this because after extensive research (read: romantic comedy binges) I would say I'm no closer to being able to write the thoughts of a woman than I was before. However, third person limited allows you to get into the character's head without necessarily reading their mind word for word. The reader gets a sense of what they're thinking without have to come up with an authentic internal monologue.
I'm not writing this piece to suggest writers shouldn't try to write opposite-gender internal monologue. In fact, I think it would be a great exercise. Rather, I believe it's just easier to sound authentic if I don't. In my upcoming Sci-Fi novel, Symbiote, there are two main characters of opposite sexes and I switch perspectives between them, sometimes mid-chapter. I do this for multiple reasons, not the least of which is to view the other characters in the room from the perspective of the character on which I'm focusing. The way my male character would describe himself is skewed in comparison to how my female main character would view him.
Another thing to think about is what stereotypes we place on the characters we, as writers, create. My male protagonist is what many people would call a meat head, but he actually does have some brains underneath it all. My female protagonist may look small, but she's strong and has a mouth on her that puts many of the male characters ill-at-ease. She's a tough character who doesn't take crap from anybody. It's rare in my novels that you'll find a weak woman. They are there, simply to get a cross-section of society, but they are not the norm. In the 21st Century, I think it's becoming very common to see headstrong women who don't fall into the archetypes we were used to seeing in 20th Century film and Television. Consequently, I also show that my male characters are capable of emotions and are not the unfeeling automatons of the past, though I wouldn't call any of them weak. At least not to their faces.
Note: Symbiote, my new Sci-Fi Thriller, comes out this month! Stay tuned for details and extras!
I'm not writing this piece to suggest writers shouldn't try to write opposite-gender internal monologue. In fact, I think it would be a great exercise. Rather, I believe it's just easier to sound authentic if I don't. In my upcoming Sci-Fi novel, Symbiote, there are two main characters of opposite sexes and I switch perspectives between them, sometimes mid-chapter. I do this for multiple reasons, not the least of which is to view the other characters in the room from the perspective of the character on which I'm focusing. The way my male character would describe himself is skewed in comparison to how my female main character would view him.
Another thing to think about is what stereotypes we place on the characters we, as writers, create. My male protagonist is what many people would call a meat head, but he actually does have some brains underneath it all. My female protagonist may look small, but she's strong and has a mouth on her that puts many of the male characters ill-at-ease. She's a tough character who doesn't take crap from anybody. It's rare in my novels that you'll find a weak woman. They are there, simply to get a cross-section of society, but they are not the norm. In the 21st Century, I think it's becoming very common to see headstrong women who don't fall into the archetypes we were used to seeing in 20th Century film and Television. Consequently, I also show that my male characters are capable of emotions and are not the unfeeling automatons of the past, though I wouldn't call any of them weak. At least not to their faces.
Note: Symbiote, my new Sci-Fi Thriller, comes out this month! Stay tuned for details and extras!
August 31, 2014
Book Trailers
Symbiote (Sept 2014)
Memory Leak (Feb 2011)
Memory Leak (Feb 2011)
August 30, 2014
Looking for Interviews, Blog Roll, More!
Hey everyone!
My new science fiction novel Symbiote comes out this September and I'm looking to connect with some other bloggers! If anyone has a blog and would like to interview me, blog roll, or guest post, please leave a comment below, tweet me @TrevorSSchmidt, or email me at Trevor.Scott.Schmidt [at] gmail.com. I would be happy to trade interviews on this blog, or if you write in the Steampunk genre, on my other blog, The Steampunk Review.
Let's connect! Promoting a new book requires a lot of back and forth and collaboration over social media, so let's help each other out. Anyone wishing to do a review of my new novel, use the above methods of contacting me and I'll send you an ARC .pdf.
My new science fiction novel Symbiote comes out this September and I'm looking to connect with some other bloggers! If anyone has a blog and would like to interview me, blog roll, or guest post, please leave a comment below, tweet me @TrevorSSchmidt, or email me at Trevor.Scott.Schmidt [at] gmail.com. I would be happy to trade interviews on this blog, or if you write in the Steampunk genre, on my other blog, The Steampunk Review.
Let's connect! Promoting a new book requires a lot of back and forth and collaboration over social media, so let's help each other out. Anyone wishing to do a review of my new novel, use the above methods of contacting me and I'll send you an ARC .pdf.
