Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 58

Carrots by Colleen Helme | Other Indie

[image error][image error]Carrots is a 2011 mystery novel written by Colleen Helme and published through the Amazon CreateSpace platform, which allows original work to be published in a print-on-demand format. This is the first novel to feature the character of Shelby Nichols, who has since become a sort of avatar for Helme’s work. There are currently eight books in the Shelby Nichols adventure series, with a ninth available for pre-order now[image error].

This book is part Janet Evanovich[image error] (of the Stephanie Plum novels) and part Brian Michael Bendis (of Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers fame).

I loved every moment of this instant classic by Helme. The book takes the “Mommy Mystery” (hate that term) format and spins it on its head by adding a touch of the super-powered and supernatural when the series’ titular hero, Shelby Nichols, is struck on the head and gains psychic powers: all because she stopped on the way home to get some carrots.

On the subject of the adding of the ‘supernatural’ element to an otherwise ‘normal’ mystery novel, there’s always a temptation on the part of an author to take the “easy” way out and just offer the same formula as the mother genre (in this case a paperback mystery) with small element of the new genre for flavor. You’ll usually be able to recognize this sort of ploy by the sort of pitch-meeting dialog that happens in its presentation: “It’s Miami Vice… with a twist!” or “It’s a superhero story… with a twist!” Books that make this sort of change can too often fall victim to formulae and not take enough time to develop characters and tension, relying on the ‘twists’ that the imported element lend to the familiar genre’s subject matter to carry the book: and it rarely works. To put it another way: it’s like putting Dijon mustard on a Big Mac and then trying to sell it as a different burger. It won’t go over well.

Carrots doesn’t do that in the slightest. The psychic / supernatural elements are not just added in artificially for flavor, they are the meat of the characterization of the story. As Shelby learns to develop her new-found powers she’s able to see into the passing thoughts of her husband, his attractive female co-worker, and everyone around her. The book takes great pains to explore the reality that people cannot control their thoughts and that what they think is not what defines them, but rather what they do. However… knowing that your husband and his co-worker have mutual attraction to each other, it’s hard not to act on that information. It tows a delicate line of right and wrong as Shelby balances making her choices based on what she should know and what she does know.

We learn about our lead character and those around her via Shelby’s powers, which is an ingenious way of getting around clunky, expository dialog (people think in ways they don’t traditionally speak in). With the characterization handled by the powered portion of the novel, the plot is handled by the mystery portion that Shelby gets entangled in, which I will not spoil here. It involves a crime-syndicate and is handled masterfully by Helme.

These two elements dovetail in a masterstroke of artistry and compliment each other in a way that elevates both: the crime-plot increases the tension of the psychic plot, and the psychic plot ratchets up the stakes and tension of the crime-syndicate elements. I’ve preached this sort of unity and narrative cohesiveness in writing workshops for a decade now: having separate elements that meet at the end is the way to do plot-driven fiction. Bonus points if one of those elements is character-driven, for lit-wits like me.

I love taking the Freudian method of dream analysis and applying it to literature. Quick/Dirty rundown: you take the part of the book that bothered you the most, then spin the analysis so that that is what the book is about.At least, what it’s about for you.

The thing that ‘bothered’ me about Carrots was the dichotomy between what people said and what they really thought, once you could see into their minds. It plays on that fear and anxiety of not knowing if we’re loved, cared for, and respected. I could make a strong case that that is what Carrots is ‘about,’ the anxieties of finding out what people really think of you, in a sense destroying your own privately-held version of yourself. You can no longer tell yourself you were “the boss” at that last meeting, because you can read everyone’s mind and know they’re bored to tears. There’s also a strong sense of destruction of self being a prominent theme when viewed along these lines… if “you think therefore you are,” if other people’s thoughts intrude into yours, are they then affecting who you are? Can you be the same person you were without the thoughts, even if the thoughts stop? 

These are big, complex themes, and Helme wisely doesn’t dwell on them too much lest they derail the plot of the novel… but they’re still there, pointed at a much more thought provoking and intellectually stimulating debate happening just between the lines of this supernatural thriller.

Part satire, part mystery, and part supernatural thriller, this book is one of my top-reads so far in 2016 and a must read for anyone who thinks that independent authors don’t have anything to offer. One of the best and rarest gems of the indie book market.

Carrots[image error] is available in print, eBook, and audiobook (jealous) formats. Check her out, a must-read for people interested in supporting good independent  fiction and those who like my work.

‘Other Indie’ is a recurring series of article on Engen Books in which authors highlight the best in independent publishing, in the hopes of helping readers break through the cluster of books they may not be sure about in an age when anyone can publish via digital formats. Engen Books is an independent small-press publishing company based in St. John’s Newfoundland and is proud to highlight the talent of independent authors not our own. Carrots is © 2011 Colleen Helme. This review is © 2016 Matthew LeDrew.  ‘Other Indie’ banner photo credit: Steve Lake.

Engen @ NGX 2016

Engen Books will have a table at Newfoundland Gaming Expo July 23 and 24 2016! July 23 will feature Engen authors Matthew LeDrew and Ellen Curtis, while Sunday July 24 will feature LeDrew and Sci-Fi from the Rock editor Erin Vance!

Sci-Fi from the Rock by Erin Vance

Series: From the Rock, #2016

The Pitch: Nineteen short stories written by an eclectic mix of some of the best science-fiction and fantasy authors in Atlantic Canada, some of them award-winning veterans and some of them new to the craft for the first time. Edited by Erin Vance and veteran science-fiction author Ellen Louise Curtis, this collection features the heartfelt, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent and charm Atlantic Canada has to offer. Featuring the work of Kenneth Tam, Scott Bartlett, Jay Paulin, Alison House, & many more!

Click for more information and purchase options

Other authors in attendance will include Scott Bartlett (Taking Stock, Flight from Dodge) and fantasy-scribe Chris Walsh (As Fierce as Steel, Stealing Back Freedom).

As Fierce as Steel by Christopher P. Walsh

As Fierce as Steel is the inaugural entry into the world of Gold & Steel, a new fantasy series from Canadian author, Christopher Walsh. It is centered around the lives of two women, those of the Lady Orangecloak and Lady Marigold Tullivan. One is the leader of a brave group of young men and women in open rebellion of their government. The other was born into that patriarchal world and destined for greatness, as a trophy wife, a fate she will do anything to alter.

Come join us for these and many other vendors and evens at the College of the North Atlantic Prince Phillip Drive Campus!

Prices: Adult – $15 for a day pass, $25 for Sat/Sun pass

Kids – $10 for a day pass, $15 for a Sat/Sun Pass

Friday Evening Ticket – $5

Family Pass One Day (Two Kids, Two Adults) – $40

Family Pass Sat/Sun – $60

Chris Walsh wins the nobel prize: Dream Journal

Oscar Wilde once wrote: ” A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave,” and I firmly believe that to be true. My mind misbehaves. My mind puts thing together in weird, creative, terminally-f’ed-up ways that make people look at me with their heads tilted and their eyebrows raised: especially when I say those thoughts out loud, which I often do, and which often makes me “that guy” at the party. But this is normal for an author: see people like new things in their fiction, and when we make new fiction we get positive reinforcement in the form of money and recognition: so our brain learns to do that messed up thing it did. It’s like Pavlov’s Dog meets Cards Vs Humanity: just a very bad positive feedback loop.

I say all this to prepare you for what may be an ongoing segment: Matt’s Dream Journal. We all have messed-up dreams, that’s true of us all. Dreams are our mind misbehaving, finding connections where there were none before… for someone who has taught their mind to be this way 24/7, this takes on some new meaning. You were warned

I’m at a bar, I’m not sure where where. It’s a hodge-podge of different bars I spent time in in my youth, with two floors. It’s dirt and grimy the way a lot of bars in downtown St. Johns are, when you get right down to it.

I’m standing on the stairs, in the doorway to the downstairs of the bar. It seems like a full house. Everyone’s having fun, there’s red solo cups everywhere. Which is a bit of an anachronism now that I write it down, because you don’t really see red solo cups at bars. But whatever.

So I’m standing in the stairs with my drink and I’m in the place I think I would have called “half-way there” in my twenties, which just adds to the illusion of the reality of the dream: drunk time has the same sort of unreality that dream time has, somehow. I’m standing in the stairs having quick three-second-long conversations with people as they walk by, because those are the type I’m best at: three seconds is the exact amount of time it takes for me to assess the situation, say something mildly witty, but not long enough that I take it too-far. Three seconds is really the ideal amount of time to enjoy Matt LeDrew.

One of the people that walks by me is Chris Walsh, author of the Gold and Steel series of novels. I’m not saying this to name-drop, that’s just how the dream worked. It’s part of what made it so memorable: what’s Chris doing here? That’s weird. Anyway, Chris is chatting for a moment and he happens to mention, under his breath and rather passively, that he’s won a Nobel Peace Prize.

I do the face-lurched forward, almost-spitting-my-drink face that I do when I’m surprised. “As Fierce as Steel won a Nobel Peace prize?” I ask, astonished.

“No,” he says, smiling at his feet. “I wrote a paper on astrophysics in my spare time.”

This is around the point where I think, typically, I would have been aware I was dreaming. But no, my brain buys this completely: Chris Walsh, wrestler and fantasy author, also dabbles is astrophysics. I’m not saying he’s not a smart man, he is, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Chris Walsh, astrophysicist

Hearing that my peer has had this momentous achievement, I stop him from going upstairs (despite his protests that he’s going to be late) and do what I always do when I find out someone did something amazing: I drag them into a group of strangers and let them know. That’s not dream-logic me, that’s real-life me. In a move that’s equal parts “you should be proud” and “let’s make you blush because I have never known what shame is and find it interesting in others,” I present my talented friends to total strangers for my own amusement. I’m a bit of a dick like that.

So in clasp a firm hand onto the meat of Chris’s shoulder and bring him over to a circle of strangers talking. Or at least, I thought they were strangers, because in wonderful dream-logic fashion I knew every one I looked at. One was my friend’s wife Kim, and their daughter Chloe. They were hugging one another just like they do in their Facebook profile picture and laughing at me as I stumbled with Chris into this crowd.

It’s a group of women, and I believe I’m trying to play a game of “Haaaaave you met Ted?” but with Chris replacing Ted. I’m a little funny on this point of the dream logic. As far as can discern, I’m trying to pull a bait-and-switch on these women, to present Chris as a muscular nice-guy (which he is) and then shock them with the revelation that he’s also a certified genius (which he may be, I don’t know. Possibly?)

“Hello ladies,” I say as I cut into the crowd. “I’d like to perform a little experiment if you don’t mind participating, sorry for interrupting.”

For those of you going, ‘wow what a weird dream’… no I have and will continue to do this. I’m that guy who can walk up to a crowd of new people and just be like “pardon, attention please,” and about 3/4 of the time I get it. Not sure why I haven’t been punched more, honestly.

I point to a young woman across from me, who happens to be an acquaintance of mine named Lisa. Why Lisa is here, I’m not sure. She’s a five-foot-nothing bleach-blonde that weighs all of ninety pounds as has a laugh you can hear for miles and these great, huge eyes. I point to her and say: “You! Play along with me for a second will you? What do you think about this guy?”

Lisa starts to laugh into her red solo cup and walks past me, heading up the stairs. I think she bumped my shoulder as she went! I was as shocked by this in the dream as I am in real life! Lisa’s such a sweetheart! Great! Intelligent! Friendly! What’s going on?

I turn back to the group with my eyebrow raised, and all of the other women are kind-of scoffing with their lips curled. “Don’t mind her Matt. She just realized she’s hot and thinks she’s better than everyone now.”

Not that anyone out there in the Internet will know who I’m talking about — Lisa being a terribly common name and all — but she ain’t like that.

So I ask for a volunteer and nobody steps forward. I try to pick one or two people and they just laugh, Kim and her daughter are laughing at me, because it’s all just funny now: my failure at this social endeavor is overwhelming their desire to be nice, and I feel Chris trying to shuffle away.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ashley Boone steps out of the crowd like a mother-lovin’ superhero to pick up for me. Ashley Boone is currently working on a comic-book adaptation of one of my stories: again, not sure why she’s here, not trying to plug, just the way it happened.

Ashley steps out of the crowd and says: “I’ll play. What’s going on, Matt?”

I steam ahead, all shame gone now that I have a player, much like real life: “What do you think of this guy?”

She muddles through a polite response as any kind person would.

“Well,” I say, savoring my drum-roll moment, “This guy just one a Nobel Prize.”

The entire bar stops, with that kind of silence that can ony really exist in movies. Everyone is shocked and awed, looking at the blushing Chris Walsh, who is smiling despite himself.

Out of nowhere (really, he hadn’t been there a moment ago), a bully who picked on me in grade school steps out of the crowd and gives Chris a congratulatory slap on the arm, then embraces both of us in a bear hug, as he yells: “A mother-f’ing Nobel Prize? Shit man that’s amazing, you mother-f’er!” He then buys us both a round.

We eventually all head upstairs, where there is, inexplicably, a giant wrestling ring. This is what Chris was going to be late for. he steps into the ring and proceeds to embarrass me by calling me out and thanking me for all my support from one of the big hanging-from-the-ceiling square-microphones that only exist in wrestling it seems. This fantasy-writing astrophysicist then proceeds to be the main event, pile driving anyone who wants to take him on into submission to a crowd that cheers him on.

So that was my night. That woke me up at 4am with deep thoughts of WTF is wrong with me.

… I think it’s about Peer Acceptance. Seems to be a common thread through the whole thing, right? I’m on the stairs, caught between two things but never being a part of either. I see a friend and want to share in his glory, but I get laughed at my the attractive members of the opposite sex, until finally we reveal our worth and then, for some reason, an unresolved antagonist from the past comes in and announces his acceptance of us as well, and then everyone is on our side.

Yeah I think it’s safe to interpret this as an anxiety dream about longing for peer acceptance, although I’m open to other interpretations.

Like I said, my brain is a weird place, and it misbehaves.

Sam Bauer reading Rocks Waterloo!

Samuel Bauer, reading at the University of Waterloo from “The Locket”

Samuel Bauer performed a reading of his short story, The Locket, to a full house of participants of the Lloyd Auckland Invitational Mathematics Workshop at the University of Waterloo on Thursday, June 2nd, 2016. The young author read his short, which appeared in the 2016 anthology collection Sci-Fi from the Rock, to a reaction of “stunned silence and applause,” one attendee stated.

The Auckland Workshop is a week of mathematical stimulation for young intellectuals from all over Canada and across the globe. It features various activities, trips, lectures and problem solving workshops. Students are invited based off their performance on the CEMC’s Cayley and Fermat contest, further proving Samuel Bauer’s unique status as a mind in science fiction: the sort of intellectual-creative double-threat mixtures that created the liked of Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick.

The University of Waterloo has already produced some of the best modern voices in Canadian fiction, such as Kenneth Tam (His Majesty’s New World, Defense Command) and Conor McCreery (Kill Shakespeare), and continues this trend by continuing to foster young smart-creatives like Sam Bauer.

Be sure and support Bauer as well as sixteen other Canadian authors by picking up Sci-Fi from the Rock, available now.[image error]

Sci-Fi From the Rock (Paperback)

Ellen Curtis & Erin Vance (Editors)

Purchase:

Canada:

Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.ca)

Sci-Fi from the Rock (chapters.ca)

US:

Sci-Fi from the Rock(amazon.com)

Sci-Fi from the Rock (Barnes&Noble)

Kindle EBook: Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.ca)

Kindle EBook: Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.com)

 

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-1926903293


Release Date:
April 01, 2016


Status:
Available


Book Type:
Paperback (5 x 8 in)


Price (CAD):
Buy Local: $20 / EBook: $3.89


Page Count:
280



 Related Titles

 

 

The Guantlet is Thrown! – Fantasy from the Rock

The deadline for submitting to 2017’s anthology collection Fantasy from the Rock is still seven months away, but authors experienced and new are already preparing to wow us with what residents of The Rock can accomplish with the tools and tricks of the fantasy genre.

As Fierce as Steel author Christopher Walsh has already expressed interest in returning his fantasy series, The Gold and Steel Saga to the collection, possibly with more than one story! “[Engen Books] has created a place, at least locally, that helps local writers get a foothold in that world and gives the advice and encouragement needed to convince them to try at all,” said Walsh. “If not for Engen, I’m willing to bet there’s a lot of young writers telling stories outside of the local publishers scope that would not have any platform at all to try or would have given up entirely already.”

Editors Erin Vance and Ellen Curtis are scheduled to return to edit the project, to-be-released April 28th, 2017 at Sci-Fi on the Rock 11!

In addition to this established talent, new authors have begun to metaphorically throw down the gauntlet as they prepare their entries in to the world of High Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Fae Stories, and more. One such hopeful is Stephanie Spurrell, host of the YouTube channel SimplePleasures, on which she chronicles via vLog her journey to become a published author, covering topics from motivation, her bookshelf, and whether she is a ‘pantser’ or a ‘planner.’

In her latest post today,  Spurrell announced her intention to have a short-story prequel to her Urban-Fantasy tale submitted early, beating the late-December rush and pitching what sounds like a thrilling fantasy story at the same time! Watch the entire video below:

And yes, the title of the book will be Fantasy from the Rock! We look forward to your submission and all others! Good luck![image error]

If you’re interested too, click here for the full list of submission guidelines! And to check out ways to buy the 2016 hit that started it all Sci-Fi from the Rock, click here!

Never Look Back!

A Boone to Pick

Chauna Deeds — Reptilia

“I loved LeDrew’s writing, and can’t help but think it would make an amazing graphic novel.” That phrase was one of the summation points of the very first review of an Engen Book, and in a way the phrase (and others like it) have followed us ever since.

“I take it as a mixed compliment,” said Matthew LeDrew, author of Cinders and Infinity. “Any compliment to our writing is appreciated: but do you like it in the format it’s in? LOL.”

Time and time again there have been talks of adapting Engen properties: there have been scripts of The Tourniquet Revival, RPG Card Games, and video games discussed at all levels of creation, but it rarely got far off the ground.

“My focus had always been the writing,” said LeDrew. “It’s where I get the most pleasure and where I feel I’m best suited.”

Well, Engen Books has finally broken its trend of adaptations regarding its properties and currently in active production of an Original Graphic Novel adapting ‘Reptilia,’ the science-fiction thriller first seen in light/dark.

“We’ve been looking to adapt our self-contained dramas for quite some time now,” said Ellen Curtis, head of submissions at Engen and author of Compendium and Exodus of Angels. “We actively look for talent at the conventions we visit. Matthew is always looking for what he calls ‘smart creatives’… people who have that creative thrust, can articulate their art, and be amazing at it all the same. We needed an amazing artist.”

Enter Ashley Boone, a mainstay of Sci-Fi on the Rock: and, as it turns out, an amazing artist.

Born in Cambridge Ontario but growing up locally on Bell Island, Boone specializes in graphic and pop art, with particular attention to the feminine form. She uses a mix of mediums to create pages, alternating between pencil and paper and a Wacom Intous. She’s been working hard for weeks on character designs (like Chauna Deeds, seen above!) and Mark Baxter.

The script is done and Boone is starting to send in pages at a rapid pace! Be sure and stay tuned for more updates and sneak peeks as 2016 rolls on! Never Look Back!

Sam Bauer on Sci-Fi from the Rock

Young author Sam Bauer, who debuted in 2016’s stellar anthology collection Sci-Fi from the Rock has taken the time to share his thoughts and feelings about his neighboring stories in the collection.

Whitecoat by Kenneth Tam:

“After reading this, I definitely need to pick up a copy of the novel itself. Set in an alternate Newfoundland, with a somewhat nebulous difference from our own, the quality of this story promises great things from the novel.”

Sunny Days by Jennifer Combden:

“I love a good hard sci-fi piece. With this dealing with our own sun destroying us, it certainly fulfills the author’s purpose of informing people with literature.”

The Shoe by Matthew LeDrew:

“A brilliant story. This piece reminds us about how we may be viewed many years from now with other than human eyes.”

Immune by Jennifer Combden:

“Perspective plays a big role in literature, and the perspective chosen for this piece is excellent. The perspective of a child in a disaster is not one I often see, and it was used phenomenally in this piece.”

Hag Ridden by Tara Murphy:

“I love horror, as can be discerned from the fact I wrote a bit of horror in this anthology. This one is frightening because what happens in it could happen to anyone, without you being able to stop it. Brilliantly done!”

Invasion by Matthew LeDrew:

“Another chilling story by Engen’s resident horror writer. One of two horror stories by Matthew in this anthology, its unnerving tone and final reveal sent shivers down my spine.”

Flight or Fight by Scott Bartlett:

“The humor and quick-witted charm of this piece makes it an enjoyable read. Though I can tire of dystopia, Flight From Dodge has such perfect tone that I must pick up a copy of the full novel, and enjoy another dystopian world.”

The Chair by Matthew LeDrew:

“Matthew LeDrew strikes again! A first person piece, the speaker talks about local folk tales, a personal interest of mine, and the twist in the tale makes for a fun read.”

Cast, Clutter, Pack, Murder by Erin Vance:

“Computers and animals are wonderful things on their own, and by combining the two, this piece has made something excellent. If this is the promised novel’s premise, I can’t wait, and if it isn’t, I still can’t wait to read more by Ms. Vance.”

Spooky’s Gambit by Jay Paulin:

“With a simple and amusing premise of space cats, this is a delightful read. Clever and fresh, it is certainly some of the funnest sci-fi I have read to date.”

Woven by the Thief by Melanie Collins:

“An intriguing read. The idea that dreams can be harvested and weaved by the tooth fairy is fascinating, and the vagueness of this piece only adds to the mysterious atmosphere.”

The Silence Between Moons by Peter J. Foote:

“A good read. It’s emotionally provoking and draws the reader in with mystery and keeps them there with romantic intrigue. I cannot wait to see what Mr. Foot will do for Fantasy from the Rock.”

The Sorrows of War by Stacey Oakley:

“From one fantasy piece to the next, we get a very different tone, style and subject matter, but a similar emotional payoff. The enigmatic nature of the relationship between the two characters is intriguing, and ultimately emotionally resonant.”

Healer’s Hordes by Matthew Daniels:

“A fun short story, yet again fantasy. The treatment of the classic “dragon with a horde” is cool, and I enjoyed the writing style thoroughly. I hope to read more by Mr. Daniels in the future.”

Holy Troll by Darren Hann:

“An excellent read. The perspective is well written, and the style is perfect for the story. I won’t say much more about this one, other than well played Mr. Hann.”

Mirrored Blade by Larry Gent:

“Mr. Gent sets up an interesting dystopia. The action and characters are well written and paced,  and the future of the characters is one I would be interested in reading.”

Steeling Back Freedom by Christopher P. Walsh:

“It appears that I will have to take up bank robbing to pay for my literature addiction, as this is another author that I must read more of. A complex world, with complex background is promised from this short story, and if sales are anything to go by, he delivers.”

Twenty-One by Alison House:

“The last is certainly not the least in this anthology. Some good Young Adult fiction is set up here, with something that pulls at my personal heartstrings. It is another book I must pick up when it comes out.”

The Locket by Sam Bauer:

“I’m not going to comment on my own little addition to this anthology, but I will thank the wonderful authors and editors on the little indie publishing row for being so accepting of me.”

Final Thoughts:

This is an excellent selection of short fiction. From Sci-Fi, to Horror, to Fantasy, everything is good. And, this book is more than just words on paper. It is a doorway. For the reader, to worlds dreamt up by the talented authors, and to the young and aspiring authors, to the world of writing. And once you pass through, you’ll never look back.

 

Buy Local with Engen Books

Engen Books recognizes that every dollar counts. As such we’re proud to announce our Buy Local campaign, which encourages readers in the St. Johns metro region and beyond to enjoy their favorite literature without paying excessive shipping or processing fees.

If you live in St. Johns or the immediate region, your books can be delivered to your door as well as signed and personalized, if so desired, for only $20 a book. This is all a part of our reader-first initiative that exists at the crux of all Engen Books ventures.

Available titles are listed before and will be kept up-to-date.  People outside the St. Johns region may be charged a small shipping fee depending on the location, with all payments to be made prior to delivery via PayPal except in special circumstances.

[contact-form]

Titles In Stock

 

 

 

Sci-Fi from the Rock

Nineteen short stories written by an eclectic mix of some of the best science-fiction and fantasy authors in Atlantic Canada, some of them award-winning veterans and some of them new to the craft for the first time. Edited by English Honours Graduate and Professional Editor Erin Vance and veteran science-fiction author Ellen Louise Curtis, this collection features the heartfelt, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent and charm Atlantic Canada has to offer. Featuring the work of Kenneth Tam, Scott Bartlett, Jay Paulin, Alison House, Larry Gent, & many more!

Sci-Fi From the Rock (Paperback)

Ellen Curtis & Erin Vance (Editors)

Purchase:

Canada:

Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.ca)

Sci-Fi from the Rock (chapters.ca)

US:

Sci-Fi from the Rock(amazon.com)

Sci-Fi from the Rock (Barnes&Noble)

Kindle EBook: Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.ca)

Kindle EBook: Sci-Fi from the Rock (amazon.com)

 

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-1926903293


Release Date:
April 01, 2016


Status:
Available


Book Type:
Paperback (5 x 8 in)


Price (CAD):
Physical: $20 / EBook: $3.89


Page Count:
280



 Related Titles

 

Reviews

“At a time like this with things looking so grim financially for our province, it was comforting to read so many amazing stories and to see the level of creativity and storytelling we have right here at home.”

Jeff, GoodReads reviewer

April 17,2016

“Melanie Collins was the last [story I] read and I wasn’t disappointed. Melanie Collins has a wonderful way with words. Reading the stories makes me want to write again.”

Jeremy Bulloch

Boba Fett

“Darren Hann can really write and he has an active imagination… he is inclined to include everything but the kitchen sink. I will definitely watch out for his prose in the future.”

John Robert Colombo

Colombo & Company

“A wonderful testing ground for new authors. Not only do we get to see what stories work, but readers get an easily accessible venue to see what authors they enjoy following and might enjoy following in the future. The work of all three authors was fantastical and imaginative, each in their own special way.”

Matthew LeDrew

author of Black Womb and Infinity

“Each story has its own merits, but Hann’s interested me the most… This tale envisions a twisted sense of Canadiana that I found refreshing.”

David Reynolds,

author of Superheroes: Popular Culture’s Modern Myths

“[Scott] Bartlett’s writing has an effortless originality.”

The Telegram

“I cannot deny the gripping dialogue and subtle foreshadowing in The Gold and Steel Saga.”

Jonathan Mallard,

Life After Death Society

“Kenneth Tam is able to take 150 characters and give us what we need. We get exciting battles, characters we care about, and we worry when the odds get to great. We feel for the RNR and the mysterious girls.”

Larry Gent

editor of 42Webs and author of Never Been to Mars

“Such a pleasure…[Scott] Bartlett has been meticulous.”

Downhome Magazine

“[Speaking on Super Galactic Space Explorers] My favourite IWC publication: Fun, punchy dialogue; great gags; Easter egg references; a swiftly moving plot… just fantastic.”

Peter Chiykowski

Rock, Paper, Cynic

 

Sinister Intent

Thomas Horton was a good cop.

Faced with early retirement as a result of his affiliation with the secretive and sometimes violent vigilante named Xander Drew, he tries to settle into civilian life: but there remain three unsolved cases from when he was on active duty. The facts of these three unsolved cases still keep him up at night.

Now in the short time since he left his position, one of the killers he could not catch has resurfaced: a serial killer who flaunts his sinister intent in front of the Los Angeles Police Department for all to see, making it so that no one is safe.

Unable to convince the rest of the LAPD of the connections between the two cases, Horton must again ally himself with Xander Drew, entering in a game of quid-pro quo in exchange for information about a dangerous gang-lord.

Without the badge to shield him, can Horton’s moral certainty survive another encounter with Xander?

 

Sinister Intent (Paperback)

Matthew LeDrew

Purchase:

Canada:

Sinister Intent (amazon.ca)

Sinister Intent (chapters.ca)

US:

Sinister Intent (amazon.com)

Sinister Intent (Barnes&Noble)

Kindle:

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-1926903262


Release Date:
November 21, 2015


Status:
Available


Book Type:
Paperback (5 x 8 in)


Cover Price:
US $29.99 / CAN $32.99 / UK £21.99


Page Count:
302




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Reviews

“It made for an interesting perspective of Xander as he continues to grow and change from someone hell bent on finding and punishing a single person, to someone who is willing to pause their own mission to help with the mission of another. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am hoping that Horton keeps showing up as the series continues. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to wait for the next one to come out.” – Kelly, GoodReads reader.