Rob Dircks's Blog, page 4
December 21, 2018
Your Extra-special Holiday FREE audio sci-fi short, “Christmas in Silver Peak,” posted to Listen To The Signal Podcast
The latest episode of the Listen To The Signal podcast is up!
Listen to the new episode “Christmas in Silver Peak” now!
Hi guys! Rob here, welcome back, I’ve got a little holiday treat for you… 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!
December 4, 2018
December’s FREE audio sci-fi short, “Mister Personality,” posted to Listen To The Signal Podcast
The latest episode of the Listen To The Signal podcast is up!
Listen to the new episode “Mister Personality” now!
Hey guys! This is another one of those short stories where if I tell you anything, it’ll give it away. But I can tell you it’s about Artificial Intelligence, and the “Singularity,” the name scientists and futurists give the moment that computers match and surpass human intelligence.
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!
November 26, 2018
WATCH NOW: Livestream the NASA InSight Mars Landing! (Nov 26, 2018, 3pm EST)
Holy cow! You’re not going to believe this, but I had no idea when I first started writing about a young woman’s dream of going to Mars that the book would be released by Audible two weeks before a historic Mars landing!
Yes, the NASA InSight Mars Landing is happening today, November 26, 2018, at 3pm EST. Here are the live feeds:
So… what’s this InSight thing all about?
(Content from NASA InSight Mission website)
InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to give the Red Planet its first thorough checkup since it formed 4.5 billion years ago. It is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the “inner space” of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core.
Mars’ Interior: Artist’s rendition showing the inner structure of Mars. The topmost layer is known as the crust, underneath it is the mantle, which rests on a solid inner core.
Studying Mars’ interior structure answers key questions about the early formation of rocky planets in our inner solar system – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – more than 4 billion years ago, as well as rocky exoplanets. InSight also measures tectonic activity and meteorite impacts on Mars today.
The lander uses cutting edge instruments, to delve deep beneath the surface and seek the fingerprints of the processes that formed the terrestrial planets. It does so by measuring the planet’s “vital signs”: its “pulse” (seismology), “temperature” (heat flow), and “reflexes” (precision tracking).
This mission is part of NASA’s Discovery Program for highly focused science missions that ask critical questions in solar system science.
First CubeSat to Deep Space
The rocket that launched InSight also launched a separate NASA technology experiment: two mini-spacecraft called Mars Cube One, or MarCO. These briefcase-sized CubeSats fly on their own path to Mars behind InSight.
MarCO Mission Overview ›Their goal is to test new miniaturized deep space communication equipment and, if the MarCOs make it to Mars, may relay back InSight data as it enters the Martian atmosphere and lands. This is the first test of miniaturized CubeSat technology at another planet, which researchers hope can offer new capabilities to future missions.
If successful, the MarCOs could represent a new kind of communication capability to Earth. InSight’s success is independent of its CubeSat tag-alongs.
InSight Science Goals
The InSight mission seeks to uncover how a rocky body forms and evolves to become a planet by investigating the interior structure and composition of Mars. The mission will also determine the rate of Martian tectonic activity and meteorite impacts.
Science Goals
The InSight Mars lander has two science objectives that support the Mission’s science goals:
Formation & Evolution: Understand the formation and evolution of terrestrial planets through investigation of the interior structure and processes of Mars.
Tectonic Activity: Determine the present level of tectonic activity and meteorite impact rate on Mars.
Why Mars?
Previous missions to Mars have investigated the surface history of the Red Planet by examining features like canyons, volcanoes, rocks and soil. However, signatures of the planet’s formation can only be found by sensing and studying its “vital signs” far below the surface.
In comparison to the other terrestrial planets, Mars is neither too big nor too small. This means that it preserves the record of its formation and can give us insight into how the terrestrial planets formed. It is the perfect laboratory from which to study the formation and evolution of rocky planets. Scientists know that Mars has low levels of geological activity. But a lander like InSight can also reveal just how active Mars really is.
November 13, 2018
You’re Going to Mars!
In You’re Going to Mars! Rob Dircks, Audible best-selling author of Where the Hell Is Tesla?, creates a near-future filled with family (the good kind and the insufferable kind), pop divas, mobsters, and the world’s first trillionaire - and sends them all on a science fiction odyssey/comedy/love story/adventure that will change their world forever.
Purchase now in Audiobook format (Ebook and Paperback coming May 15!):
Living and slaving in Fill City One, you get used to the smell. We call it the Everpresent Stink. But every once in a while, on a spring day with a breeze, it clears away enough to remind us that there is something more out there. Most Fillers' wildest dreams would be just to get past the walls and live in the mainland. But my dream? It’s a little bigger.
I’m going to Mars.
Well, I’m only going to Mars if I can find a winning Red Scarab to get on Zach Larson’s crazy reality show. And then I’ll have to figure out how to escape this hellhole. And then compete on live television for three months. And somehow win a spot on the crew of the very first manned mission to Mars. Oh, and one more slight obstacle? There might be a reason that by 2085 a human still hasn’t set foot on the Red Planet. A dangerous reason. A reason worth killing for.
"Reviewers Choice Award, it's that good."
Triplets named Paper, Rock and Scissors live in Fill City One with their father and grandmother. Paper’s dream is to go to Mars someday. Good news for Paper! Zach Larson, a private entrepreneur is funding a private trip to Mars. For one lucky person who competes on his TV game show and wins! Much like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Paper has to find the much sought-after prize, a red scarab. If she’s lucky enough to find a winning scarab, she has to escape Fill City One; ride over 2,000 miles with her absentee mother, then she has to compete in Larson’s live TV show for three months and beat out 25 other contestants. Can she do it? Thing is Paper is smart and strong but she’s not without feelings. She has to decide to what depths she will sink to get to Mars …
Rob Dircks, the author, gives his audience an action-packed adventure full of twists and emotional highs and lows. Dircks creates characters that he gives depth to and cultivates them into likeable (and hate-able) beings.
The plot is well structured and solid. Each character is realistic as is the dialog. The reactions of his characters are spot on as well. Dircks has carefully and delightfully constructed a memorable story. I would love to see it filmed!
I got this audiobook two days ago and I finished it within the 48 hours I had it. It is captivating, interesting and creative. I could not put it down!
Khristine Hvam performed the audiobook excellently! She was comfortable with the story and characters, she made the audiobook pleasant and memorable as well. This is the first time I have heard her; she is perfect!
I loved it this book. I enjoyed the different messes Paper found herself; I found the emotional discoveries she made were insightful and at times painful. This is an audiobook I will listen to again and again!
You’re Going to Mars! Now Available!
In You’re Going to Mars! Rob Dircks, Audible best-selling author of Where the Hell Is Tesla?, creates a near-future filled with family (the good kind and the insufferable kind), pop divas, mobsters, and the world’s first trillionaire - and sends them all on a science fiction odyssey/comedy/love story/adventure that will change their world forever.
Order the Audiobook • $14.95 or 1 Audible Credit
Shop the Ebook • $4.99 (Coming May 2019)
Shop the Paperback • $12.95 (Coming May 2019)
Living and slaving in Fill City One, you get used to the smell. We call it the Everpresent Stink. But every once in a while, on a spring day with a breeze, it clears away enough to remind us that there is something more out there. Most Fillers' wildest dreams would be just to get past the walls and live in the mainland. But my dream? It’s a little bigger.
I’m going to Mars.
Well, I’m only going to Mars if I can find a winning Red Scarab to get on Zach Larson’s crazy reality show. And then I’ll have to figure out how to escape this hellhole. And then compete on live television for three months. And somehow win a spot on the crew of the very first manned mission to Mars. Oh, and one more slight obstacle? There might be a reason that by 2085 a human still hasn’t set foot on the Red Planet. A dangerous reason. A reason worth killing for.
"Reviewers Choice Award, it's that good."
Triplets named Paper, Rock and Scissors live in Fill City One with their father and grandmother. Paper’s dream is to go to Mars someday. Good news for Paper! Zach Larson, a private entrepreneur is funding a private trip to Mars. For one lucky person who competes on his TV game show and wins! Much like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Paper has to find the much sought-after prize, a red scarab. If she’s lucky enough to find a winning scarab, she has to escape Fill City One; ride over 2,000 miles with her absentee mother, then she has to compete in Larson’s live TV show for three months and beat out 25 other contestants. Can she do it? Thing is Paper is smart and strong but she’s not without feelings. She has to decide to what depths she will sink to get to Mars …
Rob Dircks, the author, gives his audience an action-packed adventure full of twists and emotional highs and lows. Dircks creates characters that he gives depth to and cultivates them into likeable (and hate-able) beings.
The plot is well structured and solid. Each character is realistic as is the dialog. The reactions of his characters are spot on as well. Dircks has carefully and delightfully constructed a memorable story. I would love to see it filmed!
I got this audiobook two days ago and I finished it within the 48 hours I had it. It is captivating, interesting and creative. I could not put it down!
Khristine Hvam performed the audiobook excellently! She was comfortable with the story and characters, she made the audiobook pleasant and memorable as well. This is the first time I have heard her; she is perfect!
I loved it this book. I enjoyed the different messes Paper found herself; I found the emotional discoveries she made were insightful and at times painful. This is an audiobook I will listen to again and again!
November 8, 2018
You're Going to Mars! just made Audible's EDITORS SELECT: BEST NEW RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER!
From Editor Sam Pagan: "Rob Dircks' Where the Hell is Tesla? has been something of a cult favorite among listeners for as long as I can remember, and Khristine Hvam Kies is something of a legend in the realm of sci-fi and fantasy narrators, so unsurprisingly, author and narrator make for a winning combination in this fun Audible Original.... [it] effortlessly sweeps you away."
https://www.audible.com/ep/s/nov18-editors-select
Rob Dircks
You’re Going to Mars! makes the Audible Editors Select: Best New Releases for November
You’re Going to Mars! just made Audible’s EDITORS SELECT: BEST NEW RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER!
From Editor Sam Pagan: “Rob Dircks’ Where the Hell is Tesla? has been something of a cult favorite among listeners for as long as I can remember, and Khristine Hvam Kies is something of a legend in the realm of sci-fi and fantasy narrators, so unsurprisingly, author and narrator make for a winning combination in this fun Audible Original…. [it] effortlessly sweeps you away.”
https://www.audible.com/ep/s/nov18-editors-select
October 31, 2018
An Interview with Khristine Hvam, Narrator of You’re Going to Mars!
My new novel, You’re Going to Mars!, will be published by Audible Studios on November 13. (You can pre-order here!) As part of the publishing process, I was thrilled to visit Audible Studios in New Jersey, and also take a little trip to visit the narrator, Khristine Hvam, in her home recording studio. Khristine has narrated over 275 audiobooks, winning three Audie Awards and seven Earphone Awards from AudioFile Magazine. She can also be heard in TV/radio commercials, video games, and animated series. Our discussion was fascinating, and I thought, “Wow, how cool would it be to share this with folks as an interview?”
Rob: In my DIY work with audiobooks, I interact with lots of folks who’d like to narrate their own audiobooks (not with the goal of becoming a professional narrator like you, but just doing their own thing). What advice would you give them?
Khristine: I applaud all authors who want to voice their own audiobooks. I can only assume, as I’ve never written my own book, that what’s on the page is so meaningful and personal that you might feel like no one else could serve the work the way you want. So, my advice is; get raw, allow yourself to be vulnerable in the booth, don’t “perform” the work… be the work. And if nothing else read it before you get in the booth. I KNOW you wrote it but trust me when I tell you to make sure you read it first, it will make tapping into that rawness MUCH easier.
Rob: We talked about you working from home, as well as on-site at publisher studios. What do you like about each? How do you split your time?
Khristine: I record almost exclusively from my home. 2 maybe 3 books a year are done in other studios in NYC. What I love about recording in an outside studio is that all I need to focus on is the work itself. Someone else is pushing the buttons, listening for noises, and most of all, there is someone there DIRECTING! Oh, it’s just such a comfort having someone else’s ears in the room to help guide the way. NOW… all that being said, recording from home puts me in TOTAL control of the work. And I love that. Also, I’ve got small children and working from home allows me the kind of flexibility to do the mom thing too. I can volunteer, go on field trips, do drop off and pick up from school, essentially, I can be there when they need me. Recording from home has given me the gift of being a full time performer and a “stay at home” mom all in one. It’s a beautiful thing!
Rob: As you say, you’ve got kids, and we talked about navigating that in a home studio environment. Are they curious? Do you integrate the whole narrator thing into your daily life, or is it like “DON’T GO IN THERE”?
Khristine: They absolutely LOVE playing in my booth! And they are always in there. “mommy can I record my voice??? Please??” I have hours of memories stored because of the booth being in my home. I’d say, in a year or two, they’ll be able to engineer and direct me. Having the kids see what I do for a living, be able to interact with it, and participate in how much I enjoy it will hopefully instill in them the courage to pursue what they love in life, and to do that.
Rob: Let’s get into the nitty-gritty a bit with actual production. What kind of gear do you use? Is that booth that I saw in your studio a miracle, or does it come with its own challenges? Are there gear choices you can tell an up-and-coming narrator about, so they can avoid some of the trial and error I’m sure you’ve experienced?
Khristine: Ok, nitty gritty… My booth is a 3.5’x5’ WhisperRoom. My mic is an AKG c414. I record on ProTools12. I love the booth. It is NOT sound PROOF and I’ve got sound treatment inside it to help with reflection. It is suitable for my needs. But, when the landscapers are outside, I’m off to lunch. LOL
For a new narrator starting out it’s really all about budget. That’s the first thing. When I set up my space I was already working as a full time narrator (35+ books a year) and so the investment was a no brainer. Most important, find a quiet space away from the road, with few windows or NO windows, a closet makes a GREAT booth. Then sound treatment, wool coats and blankets can work great if you can’t afford sound materials. There are lots of inexpensive USB mics out there and believe it or not there is free sound editing software too. Do what you can in the beginning and make upgrades along the way.
Rob: Tell me about your narrating work day — how long you go, what kinds of shifts/breaks during the day, any rituals that help you stay focused and voice-ready, any general habits that you find help hone and maintain your craft.
Khristine: Every day is different. That’s why I like recording from home. Some days I can record a full 6 hours, some days I only get in 2. It really all depends. My goal is to have 10-12 finished hours of material by EOD Friday. Some weeks I make it. Some weeks… I work all weekend. As for breaks, I break when my body tells me to. When I’m feeling tired, when my voice starts to change, when my back starts to bother me, when I’m hungry, etc… I listen to my body and act accordingly. Rest days are essential. Every week I try to schedule a NO TALKING afternoon. To give my voice a little break. Honing and maintaining my craft… Watch, listen, and enjoy other artistic works! Get out and discover others work. It will inspire you.
Rob: The first time we spoke, you had a pretty intense cold, which I imagine is the thing a professional narrator likes least. Is there anything you like even less? (Like, say, when an author stops by and interrupts an otherwise productive day?)
Khristine: Nope. A bad cold is worse than anything. Outside noise, like big trucks or landscaping is frustrating but can be worked around. A bad cold is 24/7. It is the WORST!
Rob: What’s your absolute favorite project right now and why? (Other than You’re Going to Mars!, of course.)
Khristine: All of them? LOL. Other than You’re Going To Mars!, which was SO much fun to work on, I’ll be starting my very first Middle-Grade project. Most of my work is YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Paranormal. I’m so excited and nervous to jump into this genre. I was over the moon when I was selected. Wish me luck!
Rob: Good luck! And speaking of You’re Going to Mars!, tell me a little about your experience narrating it — what the read-through is like, how quickly you get in touch with the characters, who’s easy, who’s challenging, how you try to evoke the tone of the book, etc.
Khristine: Oh this was such a fun one! Every now and then a book comes along that fits right into “my” personality. This was one such project. Each day when I closed the door of my booth, put the headphones on and hit record, I found it so easy to leap into this story of dreams and hope and courage. Just such a pleasure.
Rob: If you could narrate any book, past, present, or future, what would it be and why?
Khristine: I would have liked to narrate Alice in Wonderland. There are just so many characters to play and fantasies to live through.
Rob: Forget books — if you could narrate ANYTHING, what would it be and why? (For example, we talked a bit about narrative/music projects and where listening to stories might be headed in the future.)
I’d love to play the narrator in a feature film. That would be kinda fabulous.
October 23, 2018
My New Novel You’re Going to Mars! is Available for Pre-Order!
Yes, Audible Studios is publishing my next novel as an audiobook exclusive, and releasing it on November 13. How cool is that? “Pretty cool,” you’re probably saying, “but what the hell is it about?”
Well, You’re Going to Mars! is 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 possibly even a downer ending. (Wait. Rob Dircks? Downer ending? I’m not sure I’d bet on that.)
Here’s the book jacket copy (I know. Audiobooks don’t have jackets):
Living and slaving in Fill City One, you get used to the smell. We call it the Everpresent Stink. But every once in a while, on a spring day with a breeze, it clears away enough to remind us that there is something more out there. Most Fillers’ wildest dreams would be just to get past the walls and live in the mainland. But my dream? It’s a little bigger.
I’m going to Mars.
Well, I’m only going to Mars if I can find a winning Red Scarab to get on Zach Larson’s crazy reality show. And then I’ll have to figure out how to escape this hellhole. And then compete on live television for three months. And somehow win a spot on the crew of the very first manned mission to Mars. Oh, and one more slight obstacle? There might be a reason that by 2085 a human still hasn’t set foot on the Red Planet. A dangerous reason. A reason worth killing for.
In You’re Going to Mars! Rob Dircks, Audible best-selling author of Where the Hell Is Tesla?, creates a near-future filled with family (the good kind and the insufferable kind), pop divas, mobsters, and the world’s first trillionaire – and sends them all on a science fiction odyssey/comedy/love story/adventure that will change their world forever.
Oh, wait, there’s more (it’s me, so of course there’s more): since the protagonist of our story and several of the key characters are female, I won’t be doing the narration honors this time around — so Audible Studios has paired my words with the narration stylings of three-time-Audie-Award-winning Khristine Hvam!
In addition to her Audies, Khristine has won seven Earphone Awards from AudioFile Magazine, and can be heard in TV/radio commercials, video games, animated series, and of course, over 275 audiobooks.
Whew! You think this email was long enough? Anyway, if you get a chance, pre-order the audiobook, and on November 13 treat your ears to something brand new!
September 14, 2018
September’s FREE audio sci-fi short, “The Last One,” posted to Listen To The Signal Podcast
The latest episode of the Listen To The Signal podcast is up!
Listen to the new episode “The Last One” now!
Hi guys! I don’t want to give too much away on this story, so I’ll just say it was inspired by something I saw that made me thing that some people are so gifted, it’s impossible for me not to think they somehow touch something divine. Let’s get right to it!
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!
