Rob Dircks's Blog, page 3
June 24, 2019
Gigi Make Paradox (Where the Hell is Tesla? Book 3)
The Third book in the Where the Hell is Tesla? trilogy is HERE!Listen, having kids is great, my little Gigi Collins and Pete’s daughter Hannah are sweet little fluffs of cotton candy, spun from the silk of fairy spiders who live in the clouds. But MAN, can they cause trouble. Seriously, you’d think a two-year-old couldn’t possibly threaten the very existence of our physical reality, but, well, you know where this is going.
Purchase now in Audiobook, Ebook, and Paperback formats:
So join me and Pete, and Bobo, and of course the man himself, Nikola Tesla, on another spine-tingling, bowel-loosening thrill ride, and remember: bring your adult diapers.
WARNING: If you haven’t read Where the Hell is Tesla? and Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! (Where the Hell is Tesla? Book 2), I apologize in advance, as you might get completely freaking lost. If you do, just call my apartment, if I’m not watching Gigi I’ll try to pick up the phone, and I’ll fill you in. (Assuming our physical reality still exists.) – Chip
Reviews for the original novel...
"★★★★★ Without a doubt the funniest and craziest syfy adventure I've ever read... I made the mistake of reading this book in public and was laughing like a crazied mad man with tears in my eyes. NO BS. I had people glaring at me and hiding their children like I was some kind of lunatic. Great book. I can't wait to read more from Rob Dircks."
"★★★★★ LOVED IT! I loved this book! Hysterical, interesting, cool, just awesome. I flew through it in a few days and laughed the whole way through. I love sci-fi, I love humor and this is the perfect mix of both. Loved!!"
"★★★★★ We need more Bobo! Where The Hell Is Tesla? is one of the funniest books I've read in quite some time."
"★★★★★ Best comedy sci fi in a decade... a fun and hilarious romp through the multiverse with a group of very likable characters, witty and addictive writing."
"★★★★★ Rob Dircks' narrative style and his characters' surprising wit are a breath of fresh air for a genre that I have a great deal of love for but is all too often hit or miss."
"★★★★★ By far the most amusing, funniest and laugh-out-loud audiobook I have ever listened to!"
“★★★★★ Buckle in and prepare to laugh out loud! I listened to it both in the car and at home and I’m sure passing motorists thought I was crazy driving with a big fat smile on my face.”
“★★★★★ Immensely enjoyable! I absolutely loved this story. I need more books by this author.”
“★★★★★ Hysterical and Sweet – The narration was fantastic! It made me laugh out loud on several occasions but it was surprisingly sweet too. I just adored it!
“★★★★★ Coolest story & performance – Unlike any book I’ve ever heard- this one is crazy nuts pure entertainment….brilliant beyond the beyond!
“★★★★★ Brilliant, Hardcore Sci-Fi For Any Reader. Five hours spent right can feel like an eternity, but in a good way. Go read this book.
May 9, 2019
Audible FREE Codes
Audible JUST launched a new promo code system, and as part of the launch, I received a whole bunch of free codes. If you’ve liked listening to my books, and have one on your wish list, send me a note right here in Goodreads with the requested title (codes are hooked to the title) and I’ll send you a code and a link. All I ask in return is an honest, thoughtful review.
Here are my books on Audible:
• Where the Hell is Tesla?
• Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! (Where the Hell is Tesla? Book 2)
• The Wrong Unit
• Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1
• (You’re Going to Mars! was published by Audible Originals, so no codes available for this title with the new system)
Which one do you like? (I’m redesigning the Tesla trilogy covers and would love your input!)
It’s a sci-fi odsyssey. Comedy. Love story. And of course… it’s got Nikola Tesla. Through two adventures -- Where the Hell is Tesla? and Don't Touch the Blue Stuff! -- you've followed Chip, Pete, Nikola Tesla, Bobo as they try (and mostly succeed) to save the multiverse. And now, the ultimate threat rears its ugly-ass head: The PARADOX.
For this third book in the trilogy, Gigi Make Paradox (coming June 2019), I'm exploring a redesign of the book covers. I would LOVE your input! Which one do you like? And why? (Just leave a comment, or go to the contact page on robdircks.com and leave me a note.) Thanks!!!
You can purchase Books 1 and 2 now in Audiobook, Ebook, and Paperback formats:
About the books:
Where the Hell is Tesla?
SCI-FI ODYSSEY. COMEDY. LOVE STORY. AND OF COURSE… NIKOLA TESLA. I’ll let Chip, the main character tell you more: “I found the journal at work. Well, I don’t know if you’d call it work, but that’s where I found it. It’s the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans. One of these plans was for an “Interdimensional Transfer Apparatus” – that allowed someone (in this case me and my friend Pete) to travel to other versions of the infinite possibilities around us. Crazy, right? But that’s just where the crazy starts.”
"Hilarious time-travel odyssey" -- Kirkus Reviews Magazine, June 2017
"★★★★★ Without a doubt the funniest and craziest syfy adventure I've ever read... I made the mistake of reading this book in public and was laughing like a crazied mad man with tears in my eyes. NO BS. I had people glaring at me and hiding their children like I was some kind of lunatic. Great book. I can't wait to read more from Rob Dircks."
"★★★★★ LOVED IT! I loved this book! Hysterical, interesting, cool, just awesome. I flew through it in a few days and laughed the whole way through. I love sci-fi, I love humor and this is the perfect mix of both. Loved!!"
"★★★★★ We need more Bobo! Where The Hell Is Tesla? is one of the funniest books I've read in quite some time."
"★★★★★ Best comedy sci fi in a decade... a fun and hilarious romp through the multiverse with a group of very likable characters, witty and addictive writing."
"★★★★★ Rob Dircks' narrative style and his characters' surprising wit are a breath of fresh air for a genre that I have a great deal of love for but is all too often hit or miss."
"★★★★★ By far the most amusing, funniest and laugh-out-loud audiobook I have ever listened to!"
Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! (Where the Hell is Tesla? Book Two)
SOMETHING CALLED THE “BLUE JUICE” IS COMING. FOR ALL OF US. Luckily, me (Chip Collins), Pete, Nikola Tesla, Bobo, and FBI Agent Gina Phillips are here to kick its ass, and send it back to last Tuesday. Maybe. Or maybe we’ll fail, and everyone in the multiverse is doomed. (Seriously, you might want to get that underground bunker ready.) Either way, I’ve got to get home to Julie and find out… woah, I’m not about to tell you that right here in the book description! TMI.
WARNING: If you haven’t read Where the Hell is Tesla?, I apologize in advance, as you might get completely freaking lost. If you do, just call my apartment, I’m usually around, and I’ll fill you in. (If I’m not stuck in the ITA.) – Chip
"★★★★★ An amusing and unexpectedly crazy ride - a perfect and hilarious follow-up to Where the Hell is Tesla?" - AudiobookReviewer.com
"★★★★★ An incredible, madcap adventure that only Dircks could deliver. The "Tesla" books are living proof that original stories are still out there waiting to be discovered."
"★★★★★ I love this series! It gets better and better. Love wins! If you haven't read Where the Hell is a Tesla?, you must. You'll love both. I promise. Thank you Mr. Dircks!"
"★★★★★ So damn funny and insanely entertaining! Loved the first one and this was just as fun."
"★★★★★ You never know with sequels... Fortunately, you don't have to worry about this one. Dircks' second in the Tesla series delivers every bit as well as the first - in the same balls-to-the-wall writing style that made the first book so entertaining."
"★★★★★ There isn't another writer like Rob Dircks in the entire multiverse."
"★★★★★ The CHIP MASTER IS BACK. My second favorite of all audiobooks I've ever listened to... only because Where the Hell is Tesla? is number one."
May 2, 2019
You’re Going to Mars! is coming to ebook and paperback May 15!
My latest novel, the Audible Original You're Going to Mars!, was an audiobook exclusive for six months -- now it's coming to ebook and paperback May 15!
Pre-order to Ebook at Amazon
So what's You're Going to Mars! about? It's the story of a young woman named Paper who wins a chance to compete for a spot on the first manned mission to Mars. Sounds simple, right? But it's a science fiction odyssey/comedy/love story/adventure with about a million twists and turns, and just the slightest hint of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (okay, more than the slightest hint.)
And it's gotten some pretty high praise:
"★★★★★ Hits it out of the park again! Dircks’ unflagging ability to imbue plot-crackling science fiction with a deep vein of humor, heart, and hope reminds me of Ray Bradbury with curses. An incredibly inventive plot of a young woman's journey in a world both similar and very different from ours. Wow, just wow.”
— Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling author of Pi in the Sky and The Candymakers
"★★★★★ Reviewers’ Choice Award – it’s THAT good. Captivating, interesting and creative. I could not put it down. I would love to see it filmed!”
— AudioBookReviewer
"★★★★★ One of my favorites of the year! This book was a pure joy to listen to. One fist-bump moment after another. I enjoyed every minute of it."
— DabOfDarkness Book Reviews
"★★★★★ A remarkable book. You're Going to Mars! was one of the most interesting, entertaining stories I've listened to in quite a while. A fabulously written book with a unique plot, endearing characters, and a richly crafted world, You're Going to Mars is one of those books I just didn't want to put down until I finished it.”
— BriansBookBlog
"★★★★★ Mr. Dircks once again hits a home run! I have been a fan of Mr. Dircks’ works from his premiere release… you cannot go wrong giving this book a listen if you like science fiction and great writing.”
— Quella Book Reviews
"★★★★★ Fun, Fast-Moving, and Genuinely Funny Sci-Fi. This audiobook was a blast! A comedic sci-fi take on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story with a female protagonist. Even though Ready Player One was similarly-themed, this book is about as different as you can get, and in many ways a better book.”
— Wynne McLaughlin, Author of The Bone Feud
March 26, 2019
Where the Hell is Tesla? Listed On Audible’s All-Time Favorites!
PINCH ME! Where the Hell is Tesla? just listed as one of 18 audiobooks on Audible’s Staff Picks All-Time Favorites for Sci-Fi/Fantasy, alongside some of my heroes: Neil Gaiman, Kurt Vonnegut, Peter Clines, Philip K. Dick, Margaret Atwood and Nick Harkaway.
March 15, 2019
Where the Hell is Tesla? now available in Turkish!
It seems Nikola Tesla is all the rage in Turkey (rightly so). They can’t get enough of the eccentric genius who invented alternating current for electricity, radio (though Marconi got initial credit), x-rays, wireless telegraphy, and many more. (And according to Where the Hell is Tesla?, the INTERDIMENSIONAL TRANSFER APPARATUS.)
I wouldn’t have known about the Turkey thing if a Turkish/English fan of the book approached me with the idea of translating it and publishing it in his home country. And so a partnership was formed: together with Zeplin Kitap/Adam Aylak publishers, Goldfinch embarked on its very first international deal. Published in February 2019, you can get this paperback version from Amazon Turkey and other retailers in that country.
March 4, 2019
Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1
Like episodes of The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits, the sixteen stories contained in Listen To The Signal, Short Stories Volume 1 ask questions like, “What would happen if an iPhone game was addictive – to everyone?” and “Are we all living inside a simulation? And if so, who’s running it?” and “When a pilot has to emergency land in a remote town near Area 51 what does he find?”
Hi, Rob Dircks here. I’m the #1 Audible bestselling author of Where the Hell is Tesla?, and I’ve been writing and narrating these stories since 2016 on my podcast, Listen To The Signal. But now I’ve made them available ONLY here in this book. They include: Dakō • Today I Invented Time Travel • End Game • November 8, 2016 • Quick Fix • Horatio Breathed His Last • Purgatory • Out of the Blue • Tick Tick Tick • Rose • Red Parka • Bloop • Their DNA Was No Longer the Same • The Last One • Mister Personality • Christmas in Silver Peak.
Back when I started this project, I was thinking what the heck, writing some short stories will keep me fresh, let me try things I might not try otherwise, act as a sort-of sketch book of my story ideas: the funny, the weird, the scary, the sappy, and sometimes all of that mashed up together. Well, two years later, I had no idea how proud I would be of this body of work, and how genuinely psyched I am to be sharing these stories with you in this format. I probably shouldn’t pump up the hype too much, and let you decide on your own, but man, going through these again for production, I felt like a proud papa, gathering up all my little babies, or like I was collecting a bag of gems.
Purchase now in Audiobook, Ebook, and Paperback formats:
Play an Audiobook Sample
Wow, I just wrote “bag of gems” in all seriousness, like it’s a totally everyday phrase, like I might find myself out on horseback in some medieval European country and have the need to reach into my little leather sack for a gem to purchase an entire village.
Anyway, it feels like a bag of gems to me, and I hope it does to you, too.
P.S. Your enjoyment of these short stories doesn’t end with this book! I’ll continue to write more and publish them first free on the Listen To The Signal podcast, I try to do one a month (but you know how that goes). And if you’d like to be reminded when they come out, you can sign up for my very occasional and not-at-all spammy email newsletter.
P.P.S. The introduction music and some of the individual story music snippets were composed and performed by Danny Greenlees, and used with his permission. You can find his music at zebfrinar.bandcamp.com.
Reviews“★★★★★ Optimistic scifi – get yours here! There is no one writing scifi as well as Rob Dircks right now, and this short story collection proves it. I listened to all of these stories when they originally came out on his podcast, and was blown away every time by the quality of his writing and his mastery of the short story form. He knows the tropes and how to subvert them. He can build a world in a few paragraphs so that you understand it intuitively. He creates characters that are uniquely relatable and gosh darn it, he’s funny to boot. That is when he is not making me tear up. Add to all that the fact that he does a terrific job narrating his own stories and you have a very appealing package.
But now that I have been able to re-listen to all the stories again via this collection, hearing them all together rather than strung out over a series of months, I perceived something I had not noticed before. Something that unites not only these stories but also his novels. Something special that only Rob Dircks can deliver. It’s a sweetness, a love of life and humanity, that shines through all of his characters and all of his imaginary worlds. I feel instantly better when I finish something he has written, I feel uplifted and hopeful. What a wonderful gift Rob has to allow us to see the good in one another, and how lucky we are that he is sharing it with us through his art. Can’t wait for the next collection.”
“★★★★★ Never want them to end. Man I just love Rob’s writing and narration. so many great stories and ideas oh, I can’t wait for the next full book.”
“★★★★★ Small stories, big fun! This is a great selection of short stories written by one of my favorite sci-fi/comedy authors, Rob Dircks. As a bonus, he also narrates the audio version. In some cases, an author reading his own work can seriously be all kinds of tragic, but with Rob Dircks, he knows exactly the timing and snark to add to enhance the stories. I found every one of the stories in this “bag of gems” to be imaginative, entertaining, and well worth my time. My favorites were “End Game”, with its apocalyptically popular video game and “Purgatory”, which was just a little familiar, but with some nerdy twists. There was also the laugh out loud “Their DNA Was No Longer the Same”, which my son made me play twice in the car, just because. (It looks like you have a new fan in the millenial crowd, Rob!) I have yet to read anything written by Rob Dircks that wasn’t wildly enjoyable and didn’t take itself too seriously. I certainly hope more volumes of these cool little stories are on their way soon, because I can’t wait to geek out on every single one of them.”
“★★★★★ Fun and thoughtful Sci-Fi. I love Twilight Zone and Dark Matter. But this is different and a welcome addition. Dircks has a much more fun and sometimes softer style, but he doesn’t lose that mind-bending twist and turn feeling. Really well done. Narration and overall audio packaging is solid.”
“★★★★★ Best thing since Twilight Zone. I loved these stories. It was like watching the original series of the Twilight Zone by Rod Serling. All the stories make you think about what is going on and then have that really interesting twist at the end. I’m thinking that Rob Dircks is the modern day Rod Serling of short stories!”
“★★★★★ Fascinating collection of work!!! Wow – a collection of food for thought. Adventures, insight. Fantastic narration! Entertaining. What an interesting person to create such a diverse collection of work on such a variety of subjects.”“★★★★★ Wonderful. The stories contained within this book are varied and not unlike such series as Twilight Zone or Outer Limits. So, to those of you out there interested for exactly that, you’re in luck! I won’t go into much detail, the stories range from humorous to horrific, from somber to silly, and from awe-inspiring to awe-kward. The author also includes notes with each story to give an idea of what was going through his head as he wrote them. More importantly, this has served as a reminder to me that I need to take the time I’ve already set aside to write and actually use it to write.
“★★★★★ Rob Dircks is one of my favorite author finds of the last five years. He writes interesting SF with heart and usually narrates his own audiobooks. This specific book is a collection of short stories that came from his podcast, Listen to the Signal. He dares suggest that you listen to the stories one at a time, and I took that to heart. Some of the stories were more interesting to me than others. I would say the one with the most staying power was about the unicorn video game. No, it’s not sweet and cuddly. It’s scary. This is a good listen for those who want inventive short stories in modern SFF.
“★★★★★ I love Rob Dircks. This guys writing will lighten your day your mood and make you say Hmmmm. he makes you laugh he makes you cry.
The post Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1 first appeared on Rob Dircks.
Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1 – Now Available!
Like episodes of The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits, the sixteen stories contained inListen To The Signal, Short Stories Volume 1ask questions like, "What would happen if an iPhone game was addictive - to everyone?" and "Are we all living inside a simulation? And if so, who's running it?" and "When a pilot has to emergency land in a remote town near Area 51 what does he find?"
Purchase now in Audiobook, Ebook, and Paperback formats:
Hi, Rob Dircks here. I'm the Audible bestselling author of Where the Hell is Tesla?, and I've been writing and narrating these stories since 2016 on my podcast, Listen To The Signal. But now I've made them available ONLY here in this book. They include: Dakō • Today I Invented Time Travel • End Game • November 8, 2016 • Quick Fix • Horatio Breathed His Last • Purgatory • Out of the Blue • Tick Tick Tick • Rose • Red Parka • Bloop • Their DNA Was No Longer the Same • The Last One • Mister Personality • Christmas in Silver Peak.
Back when I started this project, I was thinking what the heck, writing some short stories will keep me fresh, let me try things I might not try otherwise, act as a sort-of sketch book of my story ideas: the funny, the weird, the scary, the sappy, and sometimes all of that mashed up together. Well, two years later, I had no idea how proud I would be of this body of work, and how genuinely psyched I am to be sharing these stories with you in this format. I probably shouldn’t pump up the hype too much, and let you decide on your own, but man, going through these again for production, I felt like a proud papa, gathering up all my little babies, or like I was collecting a bag of gems.
Wow, I just wrote “bag of gems” in all seriousness, like it’s a totally everyday phrase, like I might find myself out on horseback in some medieval European country and have the need to reach into my little leather sack for a gem to purchase an entire village.
Anyway, it feels like a bag of gems to me, and I hope it does to you, too.
P.S. Your enjoyment of these short stories doesn't end with this book! I’ll continue to write more and publish them first free on the Listen To The Signal podcast, I try to do one a month (but you know how that goes). And if you’d like to be reminded when they come out, you can sign up for my very occasional and not-at-all spammy email newsletter.
P.P.S. The introduction music and some of the individual story music snippets were composed and performed by Danny Greenlees, and used with his permission. You can find his music at zebfrinar.bandcamp.com.
February 10, 2019
February’s FREE audio sci-fi short, “Oumuamua,” posted to Listen To The Signal Podcast
The latest episode of the Listen To The Signal podcast is up!
Listen to the new episode “Oumuamua” now!
Hey, Rob here. This is another quickie, so I don’t want to say much other than it’s about that weird, cigar-shaped object that came hurtling past Earth about a year and a half ago, named Oumuamua. That much is true. The rest, well…?
P.S. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and get your monthly free sci-fi short audio delivered right to your phone/tablet/whatever!
December 21, 2018
Your Extra-special Holiday FREE audio sci-fi short, “Christmas in Silver Peak,” posted to Listen To The Signal Podcast
Hi guys! Rob here, welcome back, I’ve got a little holiday treat for you that you can open RIGHT NOW... The latest episode of the Listen To The Signal podcast, titled "Christmas in Silver Peak," is up!
This story was inspired by a video I saw, yes, it was one of those days you don’t know how, but you wind up an hour later watching a YouTube video of someone driving around what looks like a ghost town, right near Area 51 in Nevada. It’s a real town, called Silver Peak, and the video gives you this creepy feeling, and so of course I thought, “What secret might be hiding in this town?” Then, I don’t know why, I got the idea that a mash-up of Bridges of Madison County would be fun. And then I heard a holiday song on the radio or something, and thought, “Oooh, even better: I’ll make it a Christmas story!” Enjoy.
P.S. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and get your monthly free sci-fi short audio delivered right to your phone/tablet/whatever!
