Geoffrey Wakeling's Blog, page 3

RENOVO; Grounded – The New Science Fiction Thriller is Almost Here

I’m so ecstatic so announce that the follow-up to RENOVO is almost here. I’ve been busy behind the scenes getting Dr. Rachel Galliance and her crew back on track. The last thing their ship was headed into a downwards spiral towards an alien planet. Now…well, RENOVO Grounded certainly gives you a hint of what’s to come.

The book is currently with my editor, and we’re looking at a mid-April release date. I know, I know – I planned to get it out in March, but you can’t rush these things and it took me a little longer than I’d thought to go through the first draft and do the initial edit.

So, what can you expect? More claustrophobic situations for Rachel, that’s for sure. There’ll probably be some drinking, a few arguments, maybe some romance and so surprising new characters too (not all of them may be human, hint, hint).

For now I’ll leave you with the fabulous cover by Yoly!

Tagged: Dr Rachel Galliance, RENOVO, science fiction, scifi

Zombie short story, Hybrid, is now on Amazon!

In 2015 I was lucky enough to part of The Future Chronicles crew. I had a story in The Alien Chronicles, and then Hybrid was published in The Z Chronicles. I thought it would be fun to do a short prequel to Pacifier 6; The Shadows Within – mainly to detail how the zombie drug first came into being.

Now six months later, it’s on Amazon! You can find it in both the UK and US stores for 99c.

 

 

Attempting to cure the diseased is next to impossible, especially when you’re only seventeen. Freya, plunged into a horror-filled world, has the weight of her community’s hopes on her shoulders. Infection is spreading. To survive, she’ll do whatever it takes.

 

 

 

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In other news; I’ve just wrapped up the first draft of RENOVO; Ground and have had the first mock for the cover. It’s good – the cover, that is; you can be the judge of the book. :)

Tagged: short story, zombie fiction, zombies

Grab Some Science Fiction for 99c – CRYO is on Offer Until Sunday

I’m thrilled to have relaunched CRYO. It wasn’t something I’d ever thought of doing until a friend said ‘Hey, you’re spending dollar on a new cover. Relaunch that series instead of simply swapping covers‘. It’s true – I was simply going to pop into my KDP and upload a new cover. But it turned out a relaunch was perfect; I was benefit from Amazon’s 30 days of new releases AND benefit from previous reviews by getting the powers at be to tie the two editions together.

CRYO officially launched yesterday and is on a special deal offer of 99c until Sunday where it’ll go back to it’s original price for the indefinite future. So, grab it now whilst it’s cheap. It’s in Select too, so if you have prime, you can borrow it, and the sequel, for free. Just head over to Amazon US or Amazon UK to see the blurb, enjoy the Look Inside and grab the book.

2016 – The Year of Thunderclap?

When it comes to remembering people’s new novel releases, friend’s publications and books authors have slaved over, I’m terrible. Unless I actually happen to see someone’s social media post on the day of release, it passes me by. And that happens pretty consistently because everyone’s social media feeds are pretty crammed, right? Then, there’s the guilt I didn’t help out, that I might have pushed a few sales for them, given them a higher rank, helped to really get a good shine on that book. It sucks. I’ve always thought I should set out a set schedule and try to automate stuff, but that takes a lot of time and you can still easily miss releases or forget to send a social media push on the right day.
Recently I’ve discovered Thunderclap; a tool that, in my mind, could change this, though it requires more authors to utilise it. Fundamentally, Thunderclap uses the power of social media to spread a single message on a single day as far as possible. All you have to do is sign up to tweet, post to Tumblr or add content to Facebook on a certain day with a pre-determined message. EVERYTHING is already done for you. And you can send content out on as many or few platforms as you like…which is good, because my Tumblr is a smallholding blog and is far removed from any bookish stuff. Meanwhile, my Twitter is ideal.
As an example of how Thunderclap works, gay romance author Alina Popescu is launching Broth3rly on January 15th. She currently has 30 supporters set to send her release message out, and that should reach 119,409 people. That’s a pretty epic amount, considering if I, myself, tweeted, it would only reach a fraction of that. It just shows that if we all pull together, we can make a difference, a real difference. Also, for the amount of work involved, it’s a win-win; you’re helping people out without really having to do anything.
I have my own Thunderclap going for the relaunch of CRYO: Rise of the Immortals. If you’d be happy to send out a tweet or message (something I’d VERY much appreciate) then please hop over to Thunderclap and check it out.
Bear in mind that if you’re using the free Thunderclap then it could take up to three days for your page to be approved. I say ‘could’ because despite the holidays, mine only took a single day. So, if you’re looking to push your social media reach for releases, or just want to help others out, then definitely check out Thunderclap in 2016. I think it could be a great way to bringing the community together. Most importantly, if you’ve got a new release, consider using this platform and LET PEOPLE KNOW (including me)!
Happy New Year, folks.
Tagged: book releases, social-media, Thunderclap

Science Fiction Series, CRYO, is Being Relaunched – See the Cover

I’m truly excited to announce that, on January 7th, the CRYO series is getting a relaunch. What does that mean? It means new artwork, new interiors, a new blurb and a new product page at Amazon. It also means an introductory price tag of only 99c.

I’ve never been truly content with the cover for CRYO: Rise of the Immortals – it’s never really suited the right genre or made a big impact. So, I got the awesome Yoly at Cormar Covers on board to help out – and boy – look what she came up with!

 

On launch day, CRYO will be available for 99c. What can you do to help? If you have Facebook or Twitter then please consider signing up and joining my Thunderclap. This simple tool allows you to schedule a simple tweet or Facebook post for next Friday, January 8th. On that day, all the promo is sent out, allowing our group effort to reach a far wider audience than I could on my own.

In addition, if you’d like to get your hands on Book 2 for FREE, then all you need to do is review Book 1 on it’s new page within the first three days of release. Simples! Just pop me a message with a link to your review when you’re done.

After CRYO is launched, I’m almost set to release Hybrid, a short story set in the Pacifier 6 world, in early February. Then it will be the second RENOVO installment and THEN, the third book in the CRYO series. Busy time ahead!

Tagged: CRYO, CRYO: Rise of the Immortals, G. Wakeling, science fiction books, science fiction cover

A New RENOVO Excerpt

I’m steadily working on the second RENOVO manuscript, scrabbling around in the dirt of an alien planet and trying to get any remaining crew to stay alive. It’s fun. And, you know Dr. Rachel Galliance – she likes to put herself in danger.

I thought I’d reveal a little excerpt from today’s morning session. First draft and all, so don’t judge too heavily. ;)

Yacin took yet another step towards her, decreasing the distance between them. She instinctively shrank back, her heart pounding. She couldn’t get away. She was barely able to walk, let alone run. Rachel tightened her fingers around the stick in preparation to attack. I’ve survived a crash landing and damn well near died from exposure, I’m not about to get murdered without a fight.

The smoke from the fire continued to roll down the corridor with increasing intensity, and she held back the urge to cough as she felt the fumes at her throat.

Don’t take your eyes of him. Not even for a moment.

“What do you want?” Rachel stammered, trying to keep her fear under control but doing a poor job of it. She knew her voice sounded strangled.

“To talk,” Yacin replied.

She didn’t believe him. She’d made that mistake before. She’d trusted him. Because of that, they were marooned on this planet. Because of that, she’d lost Silver.

“There’s nothing to say,” she said, managing a slightly steelier reply.

“There’s everything to say,” he said almost without taking a breath. He stepped forward again and Rachel felt every cell of her being flick into high alert. A thick plume of smoke drifted by. As Yacin finished his sentence he spluttered as the fumes intensified. She realised it might be her only opportunity to strike so she seized it, lifting the cane from the floor, pulling it back behind her head and smashing it towards Yacin with as much strength as she could muster. She hit him squarely across the face, and heard the crack as the metal bar met bone. That horrible sound was still in her memory as she cried for help, knowing that her only hope was for someone to get to her before Yacin was finished.

 

You know, when I first started out, I thought Rachel and Yacin might have a rosy romance. I guess not.

Now, I better get back to writing – I want to try and complete the manuscript before Christmas!

Tagged: RENOVO

Get Free Science Fiction and Fantasy Books with My ARC List

Earlier this year I began an ARC list. What’s one of those? Well, it’s a limited availability list that gives you access to my books for FREE!
Many authors run these lists solely to get some early reviews when they release a new book, but I like to do things a little differently. To that end, you can read any of my books at any time as long as you’re happy to post a review afterwards. Yes – you can read my entire backlist for free if you so wish!
Reviews are vital to authors. Not only do they allow me to apply for rare advertising slots with blogs and newsletters that require a minimum number of reviews, but they also help give a little consumer confidence to people browsing Amazon looking for new books. And yes, there are some reviews of my work I wished I’d never read, but there are also great ones too.
I currently have a few slots open on my ARC list – to nab one, just sign up here. As soon as you’ve subscribed, you’ll automatically be offered freebie reads of any new books. BUT, there’s also the opportunity to read any stories from my backlist too. And, as long as you keep reviewing, you can keep requesting.
So, if you want some new reads but want to save the pennies and don’t mind spending a few minutes on a review now and then, sign up now.

Thanks!

Taking a Break is as Important as Writing

Whilst thousands of authors wrote a flurry of words in November thanks to NaNoWriMo, I was sitting on my hands. Why? Because writing had become somewhat of a struggle. I’d fallen out of the habit, I’d lost my mojo and some personal factors had bumped my depression up a notch.

So I set a set-imposed ban on writing. 

Now I’m champing at the bit to get going again…

 

Writing is a funny business. Like many things, there’s an associated guilt that goes along with it, especially when you’ve downed tools for a few moments. Any spare moment you’re not tapping away, you’re thinking you should be. It starts to take over your life. I’m eating dinner and all my mind is doing is – I should be writing. I’m watching a movie – I should be writing. I’m spending time with my loved ones – I should be writing.

And why should I be writing? Because, of course, for those brief few minutes away, the writing world is passing me by, opportunities are slipping through the gaps, getting the next book out and staying away from obscurity is becoming harder. And then, the longer I leave it, the worse it becomes. And, when I’m battling mental illness, the worse the guilt gets, the larger the depression becomes and the more I begin to feel that ‘what’s the point of writing? I’m no good at it. I can’t do it. No one wants to read my work anyway.’ And slowly, but surely, dreams are crushed.

Having gotten to a point where I was laying in bed at night worrying about the fact I wasn’t writing, that my mental blocks prevented me from getting words out, I decided enough was enough. Time for a writing ban.

For those first few days, I was guilt-ridden. It was there in the back of my mind – you need to be writing, you’re wasting time, you’ll never get ahead this way. But these thoughts slowly subsided and I allowed myself to indulge (binge) on Netflix. I spent time with my family. I took the dog for a walk. I allowed myself to sit down and take notes on life goals and plans. I did some DIY. I focussed on other dreams. I even worked on some back-list administration – updating links, changing blurbs, ordering some new covers (yes, CRYO’s getting new covers).

 

The lack of guilt was LIBERATING.

 

I’m now excited to write again. I’d forgotten how that feels. I have stories circulating around my mind. I have scenes for RENOVO, CRYO and a new series, knitting themselves together and fleshing themselves out. I’d become so bogged down in attempting to make sales, trying to reach a point where I could earn a living from writing and – I’m going to say it – fighting off that green figure of envy upon seeing friends do well – that I had completely lost the point of what I was doing – getting words to paper and letting my imagination flow.

As the guilt ebbed, so too did the disheartened feeling of seeing a lack of sales, or a poor show of reviews. I also realised just how much stress I’d been putting upon myself.

 

Tomorrow it’s December 1st and I’m going to be writing. I cannot wait.

Tagged: writing, writing break

My Dystopian Adventure, CRYO, is on Sale for 99c

I’ve been so focused on RENOVO for the past few months that I haven’t given a lot of love to the CRYO series. There’s four books out in total; two in the series and two short stories in the same universe. So before I start writing the third instalment (which I’m due to sit down and really put effort into from January, 2016), I thought I’d pop Rise of the Immortals on sale for a while.

 

So, if you haven’t grabbed it yet, then you can snap up CRYO: Rise of the Immortals for just 99c over the next couple of weeks.

 

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

Tagged: sci fi books, science fiction books

2015: A time of GREAT change

I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for the start of a new year. It hasn’t helped that I’ve spent almost all Christmas feeling terrible; something that’s definitely had me craving the end of mince pies, tinsel and leftover turkey. On Thursday it’ll be January 1st, 2015, and I CAN’T WAIT.

2015 has several things in store for me, both writing and big steps in my personal life. In 2014 I didn’t manage to get as much writing done as I’d hoped for. I finished the Inside Evil series with ‘To Kill A Curse’ and published the second part of CRYO – ‘A Changed World’. Other than that it’s been pretty quiet (though I was working on another short story for The Alien Chronicles – which is now on pre-order, by the way). Writing-wise, there are quite a few things I’m hoping to get done in the coming year;

CRYO 3 – I’ve written the first paragraph and am going to spend the first part of the year getting this next instalment complete. John’s hunt for Kath is about to intensify, he’s finally going to be leaving Earth behind him as he ventures up to the stars and, as with A Changed World, there’s going to some new secrets uncovered.
CRYO Expanded Universe – I’m writing a number of short stories about the CRYO crew before they won their lotto tickets. These will be FREE for newsletter subscribers. :D I’ve almost completed Ann’ story; you’ll find out a little more about her wife, her love for horticulture and the accident that resulted in her losing forearms.
A New Chronicles – The Future Chronicles are becoming quite the talked about series in the SF world, and I have a CRYO story coming out in The Alien Chronicles. Later in the year there’s going to be a zombie themed edition, and this will have a new Pacifier 6 tale.
NEW SERIES – I’ve just started a brand new SF series following a group of colonists heading out to Mars to further the human race’s reach. THESE are the first few words;

It was cold, barren and the last place Rebecca wanted to go, but if she was ever to pay off her debts, a rotation on the Mars colony was the one clear choice. Space never failed to provide continued allure to the naive; until its true hostility revealed itself. When that occurred there was only one thing to draw the Environment Habitat Developers out; cash. An 18 month chore as an ENVO would solve all her issues. She could repay her loans and return to the relative luxury of Earth. There was only one problem – the thing that terrified her more than space itself was hypersleep, and that was a mandatory part of her upcoming tour. Black. Nothingness. No dreaming, drifting off to sleep or the comfort of a blissful awakening. Just emptiness. Death. It was truly frightening.

Rebecca looked down at her bare legs as she sat under the harsh lights of the prep room. She should’ve shaved; the small black hairs were well passed acceptable levels. They pricked the surface like the first spines on a young porcupine. The metal floor was cold under her feet, the bench beneath her hard and uncomfortable. She was about to face her worst nightmare and yet, here she was, thinking about just how undesirable she’d appear when her luke warm body was flopped into the sleep box.

The door behind her slid open and Rebecca instinctively drew her thin robe closer….she could hold on to her modesty for a little longer.

‘Dr. Galliance?’

The man looked up from his tablet device as she nodded.

‘If you’d come with me.’

She stood, wondering if he saw through the attempted bravado. Her forced smile wasn’t as strong as she’d hope for, and she could feel herself trembling. It was too late to back out, all the arrangements had been made. There was only one thing laying in her future; Mars.

But, aside from writing, I’ve got a few things planned too. I got married this year and we’re in the process of buying a home to renovate and move into during the first few months of the New Year. That means moving away from London -a place I’ve been for 14 years – and leaving my current gardening and dog walking businesses. I’m going to be focussing on building these business up again, as well as creating a beautiful home from the current wreck we’ve bought! Time, therefore, is going to be a premium and so I’m going to try and follow a few extra rules as well as cost-saving methods.

Grow More Food – I’ve had an allotment for many years but honestly, I hardly ever get there. I want to focus on growing more of my own food in 2015, baking bread and cooking from scratch, thereby being healthier and (hopefully) spending less.
Budget my Social Media Time – Seriously, social media is a MASSIVE drain. I love it, and I won’t leave it, but I do need to ration the amount of time I’m allowed on. So, no more checking in constantly. I need to carefully manage my time so it’s all used productively instead of saying I’m sitting down to write and then spending an hour on Facebook and Twitter.
Save for the future – Part of our plan in buying home is to increase the amount of capital we have in 10 years time so that we can quit urban living, head into Suffolk (where I have land) and do a self-build. In January we’re meeting with an architect to go through our current drawings and to revise costs down so we have a better idea of budget. Thus, we’re going to be saving a lot for the future so that, one day, the dream of doing a self build and becoming ‘hobby’ farmers can be realised. I already have chickens, but I want sheep, goats, cows and horses too!

That’s a little round-up of my coming year; lots of writing, saving and moving to do!! I’m excited…and a little nervous. ;)

Tagged: 2015 goals, 2015 resolutions