M. Pax's Blog, page 24
March 27, 2023
Books for a Cause: Purchase My Work and Help me Battle Cancer! #ebooks #Donate #support #WritingCommunity #ScienceFiction #scifi
My life took an enormous turn. Recently, I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. In the end, I’m going to be all right, but it’s a bumpy road getting there, and it’s harder than I believed it would be. My entire life has become doctors’ appointments, chemo treatments, and dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy. What I thought would be a nuisance has become all-consuming.
I can’t think straight. My eyes have trouble focusing. My tongue is numb and my hands cramp. I’m jittery and can’t sleep. I can’t sit. I can’t lay down. I can’t do much of anything. I manage to work my full-time job three and a half days a week, but it wears me to the bone.
My author business is definitely taking a hit during all this. Not only does cancer rob me of time and energy and thinking, it’s taking all my financial resources, too. My business funds have been diverted to pay medical bills, and I still can’t keep up.
The 9th book in the Backworlds series is mostly written, but needs a few more edits to be at its best. I want to continue putting my books into audio and making them available in print. I want to finish the Rifters series, the Squad 51 series, and the Hetty series. I want to write new stuff. I don’t just want to, I need to. I have so, so, so many ideas that want to come pouring out. And, I’ll get them written. In time.
I escape by creating original stories for you. You escape by reading them. Our world is better off with creativity and imagination. Without it, it’s just cancer and treatment and work, which is really, really boring and exhausting.
I write what I love — outer space and secret worlds within our world with quirky characters. My characters have the odds stacked against them and they go out and kick the galaxy’s ass. Those are the characters I want to read about and root for — the average person who finds a way to matter. We all need to matter, and we’re all heroes. That’s what I want you to feel when you read my books.
My treatment is a long one. Currently, I’m in chemotherapy. There’s a total of 16 weeks of it. The first drug regimen is 1x a week for 12 weeks. The second regimen is 1x every 3 weeks for 3 months. Then there’s surgery and radiation before I’m done. The chemo is brutally hard. I’m not getting anything done, and I’ve been unable to work a full week. My job is important. It pays my living expenses and gives me medical insurance. But I’m not earning a full paycheck anymore. Which is where my author business is stepping in. I can’t support myself and the business at the same time. I need a certain amount each month to maintain my business expenses.
Soon, I’ll have to let things go, which will make it harder to come back to publishing, and will then take longer to publish the next book in the Backworlds series and finish the Rifters series. I could use help with keeping the website going, my store, the book distribution, and the mailing list. It costs me about $80 a month to run my business. You certainly could help. Here’s how!
Buy some books. Or, if you already have the books, buy them as gifts for someone else. Or you could also make a straight donation.
You can buy my ebooks at all retailers, but I make more if you buy direct from me. Here are the links:
Any support will get me back to publishing faster. And, I will be back. This will not kill me, but losing my dream of being an author might. Thanks for whatever you’re willing to give.
The post Books for a Cause: Purchase My Work and Help me Battle Cancer! #ebooks #Donate #support #WritingCommunity #ScienceFiction #scifi appeared first on M. Pax.
March 20, 2023
Blade Runner 2049: #MovieReview #scifi #science fiction
Blade Runner 2049 is a visually stunning film with impressive cinematography and a haunting score that effectively captures the dystopian future world it portrays. The acting performances were also solid, with Ryan Gosling delivering a strong lead performance as K, a replicant blade runner.
However, while the film was not terrible, I found myself somewhat disappointed with the character arc of the main character. While K starts off as an intriguing and sympathetic figure, I felt that his development throughout the film was somewhat lacking, and the climax of his story left me feeling unfulfilled. I was like, what? To me, it made his life seem pointless and sad. I wanted better than that.
Additionally, there were certain plot points and character motivations that didn’t make sense to me, and I found myself questioning the logic of certain events in the story. But I’m always willing to overlook that stuff if the story is good enough. If K’s story had ended better, I would have overlooked them.
Despite these criticisms, I still found Blade Runner 2049 to be a decent watch overall. I give it a 2 beer rating only because I didn’t like K’s story arc. Fans of the original Blade Runner film and those who enjoy atmospheric sci-fi films with strong visual aesthetics may still find plenty to appreciate in this sequel. I can’t remember where this was steaming… either Netflix, Paramount, or Hulu.
Here’s the trailer:
March 13, 2023
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, A Murderbot Short Story: #BookReview #scifi #scifibooks #sciencefiction #BookLover
“Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory” by Martha Wells was a treat I saved for my first chemo treatment. What better companion for battle than Murderbot? Of course, I loved it. Murderbot is my new obsession. As a treat, I pre-ordered the next book due out at end of November. Not only am I excited about the new novel, but I’ll be done with chemo then, done with surgery, and done or nearly done with radiation. So come quickly end of November!
“Home” is a fascinating and thought-provoking short story that expands the world of the Murderbot series in new ways. Unlike previous installments, the story is not told from Murderbot’s perspective, but rather from the point of view of Dr. Mensah, the human who freed him at the end of book one. This story takes place between books 1 and 2 in the timeline.
The story explores the concept of “home” and what it means for different characters in the series. From the perspective of humans, “home” can be a place of safety and security, while for bots like Murderbot, it can be a more elusive concept, tied more to personal freedom and autonomy.
One of the strengths of “Home” is Wells’ ability to create vivid and compelling characters in just a few pages. Despite the brevity of the story, each character is well-drawn and fully realized, with their own motivations and desires.
Wells continues to expand and deepen the world of the series. The themes of family, belonging, and identity are explored in a nuanced and compelling way, making for a satisfying and thought-provoking read.
If there’s one downside to “Home,” it’s that the story is over too soon. Of course, I wanted more. I always want more Murderbot. For a person who doesn’t usually care for robot stories, I’m quite surprised that this series has become such an obsession for me. This story made me laugh out loud a few times. Not an easy feat with chemo drugs being pumped into your veins. Murderbot is always good for some laughs. It has a sense of humor. So yeah, go read you some Murderbot.
Ooo! And here’s the cover of the next one. Can’t wait!
March 7, 2023
Meet the Aliens! Xior is met in Endpoint, Backworlds Book 8. Where does she come from? #scifi #sciencefiction
Xior makes quite the entrance in Endpoint, Backworlds Book 8. Capture by the Seuks perhaps she holds the key to stopping the dreadful Quassers.
She appears to always be dripping mud, but the mud never falls off. Her stomps can damage worlds, but her home has been lost. What happens to her in book 9, The Afterworlds?
March 2, 2023
Battling Monsters Takes a lot of Resources #sciencefiction #scifi #cancersurvivor #breastcancer
Well, this is not the update I wanted to make. Not by a long shot…
The same day we let Sargie go because of colon cancer, I found a lump. It was 3 days before Christmas. Since I live in the desert and have sensitive skin, I put on lotion every day, and know it was not there the day before. Everyone said not to worry, it was probably just a cyst. But I called that day for a doctor’s appointment ASAP. The earliest I could get was after New Years. Since then, my life has been a flurry of medical appointments. It was not just a cyst. I was officially diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer on January 19th. I’m still stage 2A, so it was caught early, but it’s an extremely aggressive and fast-growing monster.
This beast has consumed my life and every resource since I found that damn lump. First of all, when they tell you, you have cancer, it’s terrifying. At first, I didn’t know what to think or feel other than to have a lot of panic attacks. Sometimes I still can’t talk about it out loud, but I’m getting better at that. Then they started peeling off the layers of the onion. It wasn’t a generic, run-of-the-mill cancer, it’s the kind that requires chemo to start the fight. A lot of chemo. Anyway, the blows kept coming. There were a barrage of tests: mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, MRIs (the worst of them all), surgery to have a port installed, cat scan, bone scan, EKG, blood tests, and I’m sure I’m missing a few. There were appointments with surgeons, the radiologist, the oncologist, my regular doctor, follow-ups, and all the diagnostic tests. Trying to keep up with all the appointments was a trial in itself.
Plus, it’s extremely emotionally taxing, and I was trying to keep up with my full-time job at the same time. Because they needed the tests done ASAP, because the chemo had to get started ASAP, I didn’t have any choices as to when the appointments were made. It was when they were first available. The loss of control was hard on me, really hard. And, of course, all this is extremely stressful.
I felt fine and had no pain until they started poking, prodding, and slicing me up. But I still mostly feel okay. I started chemo last Friday, finally. I slept most of the day after, had a headache, and felt a bit wonky stomach-wise. It’ll be a day-by-day thing, and I will lose my hair. This week, actually. Yay! (sarcasm) My first round of chemo drugs is 1x a week for 12 weeks. The second round is 1x every three weeks for 3 months. That’s 6 months. Then I have surgery and then radiation. That takes me nearly to the end of the year in cancer treatment.
So, that throws my life and plans into turmoil. It can’t be helped, and I have to be kind to myself and realistic. My garden plans will have to wait until next year. Playing in dirt is not safe on chemo because of bacteria and mold and stuff. If I get a splinter or cut, it’s a big deal. I can’t volunteer at the observatory this year. I have to isolate and stay away from germ-riddled people. So, I go back into a COVID lockdown type of life. More face masks. I’m trying to find all the ones I had for COVID. Guess I should get some new ones. Maybe in September when chemo is done, I can make it up to PMO for a night under the stars. I’ll dream of it, and I’ll miss it. I haven’t gotten any farther in editing The Afterworlds or making audiobooks. When I wasn’t at doctor’s appointments, I was making up time at work.
Work is important. First, I work in health insurance and have excellent health insurance now. So, I need to keep that. My company is nonprofit so I don’t work for the evil empire. That makes me feel good about what I do. Second, work helps calm me down. It’s nice to keep what bit of normalcy I can. I’ve been at this job for a little over a year and still have no complaints about my company. They fubared my FMLA a bit, but I think we finally straightened that out. Because I needed the time for medical appointments and surgery, I had to put ADA and FMLA in place. Chemo is an all-day thing pretty much. And as chemo goes on, some days are going to be really hard. So, keeping a 40-hour work week has been a challenge and will continue to be. I’m fortunate to be able to do my job fully remote. and that my hours can be extremely flexible. I can work more on days I feel good and move workdays to weekends or later in the evening if that works out better for me. I’m also fortunate to have a wonderful boss that will do whatever she can to get me through this. It’s rare to have a boss like her, and she’s a big part of why I like my job.
What does all this mean for my writing life? Well, I am beginning to divert funds from my business to my medical expenses. Soon I’ll run out of paid time off and will find it harder to meet living expenses and medical expenses, let alone my author business expenses. I’ll do my best to get The Afterworlds done. I’m in the second round of edits, but I have to put my health first. Often, I’m exhausted. If I don’t put my needs and health first, this cancer could kill me. It wants to very badly. Since I found the lump, it’s been growing and trying to spread. That’s why the doctors were moving so fast to get me started. They still wanted me on chemo much earlier, but scheduling all the needed diagnostics didn’t cooperate with what the oncologist wanted.
Most likely this cancer won’t kill me. Because I didn’t wait to go to the doctor. If you find wonky shit on your body, don’t wait. Waiting will kill you. Cancer is not the death sentence it once was, but you have to get treatment and get it as soon as possible.
The regimen I’m on is proven to be highly effective at killing the strange-hybrid monster cancer I have. But, the fear remains in my face. What if it isn’t effective? What if it comes back? What if? What if? What if? The beginning of a cancer battle is incredibly overwhelming, so I need grace and patience from all of you waiting on the next book.
One thing I did was change the Not of This Earth Bookshop back to Payhip. Woocommerce was just too temperamental and unreliable. It broke about every 6 weeks, and I don’t have the energy to deal with it at this time. Payhip never failed, so the store went back to Payhip. Same books, same prices, same guarantee.
If you want to stay updated on my battle, I’ll post once in a while here. But I’m more vocal about it on Instagram and FB. It’s harder on Twitter because you can’t say much in a post there.
In the end, I’ll be okay. Losing is not an option, and I have so many stories to write and series to finish. So, this is just a very hard bump in the road. It is not the end of the road. If you’d like to help me keep the office lights on here, think about buying some books or donate. That would really help a lot. If you want to spread the word, I wouldn’t mind that either. Thank you for listening and wishing you great health.
February 26, 2023
Meelo Mourns the Loss of her Homeworld #scifi #scifiart #sciencefiction
Getting over deep loss… twice.
Throughout the Backworlds series, Meelo has mourned the loss of home. When she joins the story in book 2, she had just watched the genocide of her people and the destruction of her world. She is the last of her race, the LurDEEs. She evolves a lot throughout the series, but now she mourns another home. At least, she didn’t lose everyone she loves this time. Find out more BACKWORLDS SERIES.
February 20, 2023
Moonfall: #SciFi #MovieReview
Overall, I found Moonfall to be an enjoyable sci-fi adventure. The plot was fast-paced and kept me engaged from start to finish. The visual effects were impressive and the performances of the actors were strong. It followed the usual disaster movie tropes… divorced people and teenagers, hero traumatized, and down on his and her luck. And, I do love my disaster movies.
However, I did have some issues with the film’s logic and accuracy. There were several plot points that seemed wildly implausible, and certain character motivations didn’t make sense to me. Additionally, I noticed several factual inaccuracies that took me out of the experience.
Despite these issues, I still had a good time watching Moonfall. Moonfall’s storyline hit many notes of other disaster movies and sci-fi films. Husband Unit and I kept yelling out movies we were reminded of. Because I love disaster movies and space, this was a fun time. Just be prepared to suspend your disbelief and overlook some of the film’s logical and factual shortcomings. They didn’t follow my advice to take a laptop with them. Therefore, I give this a one beer rating.
February 13, 2023
#ScfiFi Worth Reading: Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits #BookReview
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong is a wild and imaginative ride through a futuristic world filled with colorful characters and over-the-top action. The story follows Zoey, a young woman who is thrust into a world of danger and intrigue when her estranged father is killed and she inherits his role as the leader of a powerful crime family.
As Zoey inherits the complex and often dangerous world of the future, she encounters a cast of memorable characters, including gangster-like employees, comic book-like villains, and a group of misfits who are all fighting for their own piece of the action. The dialogue is clever and the plot is full of twists and turns, making for a highly entertaining read.
Overall, I really enjoyed Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits and would highly recommend it to fans of science fiction and action-packed novels. David Wong has created a unique and immersive world that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. If you’re looking for a fun and fast-paced read, this book is definitely worth checking out.
Here’s the official blurb:
Nightmarish villains with superhuman enhancements.
An all-seeing social network that tracks your every move.
Mysterious, smooth-talking power players who lurk behind the scenes.
A young woman from the trailer park.
And her very smelly cat.
Together, they will decide the future of mankind.
Get ready for a world in which anyone can have the powers of a god or the fame of a pop star, in which human achievement soars to new heights while its depravity plunges to the blackest depths. A world in which at least one cat smells like a seafood shop’s dumpster on a hot summer day.
This is the world in which Zoey Ashe finds herself, navigating a futuristic city in which one can find elements of the fantastic, nightmarish and ridiculous on any street corner. Her only trusted advisor is the aforementioned cat, but even in the future, cats cannot give advice. At least not any that you’d want to follow.
Will Zoey figure it all out in time? Or maybe the better question is, will you? After all, the future is coming sooner than you think.
February 6, 2023
January 31, 2023
#99c Sale! Beyond the Edge Explores the Galaxy, but Some Truths are Better Left Unfound. #scifi #sciencefiction
Book 4 in the best-selling science fiction series, The Backworlds, is on sale!
Shopping direct from me really helps me make a living as an author, so thank you. Sign up for my newsletter for coupon codes to my store. You can also find my books at your favorite online bookstore.
Audiobook: Not of this Earth Bookshop / GooglePlay
Some truths are better left unfound.
For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship hint at a message, meaning his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos to search beyond the Backworlds. In an uncharted region of the galaxy, they stumble upon a terrible truth.
Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her man’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.
