G.P. Francis's Blog, page 2
April 22, 2013
Book Reading
Now that I have paperbacks for sale in Canada, I just signed up for my first public book reading and signing session at my local bookstore:
http://www.renaissancebookstore.com
There's a very active community of readers and writers, here, strongly supported by store owners, John and Lavana.
My session is on Sunday, August 11th, at 1pm, and I'll be making arrangements for copies of my novel to be on sale through the store during the run-up.
Primed
http://www.renaissancebookstore.com
There's a very active community of readers and writers, here, strongly supported by store owners, John and Lavana.
My session is on Sunday, August 11th, at 1pm, and I'll be making arrangements for copies of my novel to be on sale through the store during the run-up.
Primed
April 14, 2013
Over Sense8ive
Sense8 production company Georgeville Television’s lawyer, Jim Goodman, accuses Primed author and publisher, G P Francis, of making “...serious innuendos,” over an online forum posted comment in response to the March 27th 2013 announcement of Netflix’s new TV show, co-written by J. Michael Straczynski in collaboration with siblings Lana and Andy Wachowski.
Sense8 is described in the Deadline.com announcement as “a gripping global tale of minds linked and souls hunted.” This basic premise similarity prompted the author to make the following comment on the site’s forum:
For the full article go to:
http://gp4ancis.wix.com/dissidentpres...
Sense8 is described in the Deadline.com announcement as “a gripping global tale of minds linked and souls hunted.” This basic premise similarity prompted the author to make the following comment on the site’s forum:
For the full article go to:
http://gp4ancis.wix.com/dissidentpres...
April 6, 2013
50% OFF Primed Paperbacks: international purchase discount code for CreateSpace
To celebrate my first online review I'm offering a 50% discount code for the international purchase priced paperback editions of Primed, my brilliant and original new science fiction thriller, for a limited time only. To claim this discount:-
go to my Amazon CreateSpace online store:
https://www.createspace.com/4184914
and enter code: CRW7KMTL before checkout
go to my Amazon CreateSpace online store:
https://www.createspace.com/4184914
and enter code: CRW7KMTL before checkout
April 2, 2013
Is "Primed," on YOUR "To Read," list?
I'm pleased to see a number of people have added my new novel, "Primed," to their list of books to read. That's great, because I'd really like it to be read!
In the interests of further encouraging and supporting readers in their decision to read my book, I'd like to make the task a little easier. Send me a message here, or head on over to my publishing website and contact me to get a Reviewers' Requested copy of the e-book (pdf format):
http://gp4ancis.wix.com/dissidentpress
"Primed," needs reviews, and it didn't seem honest to write one myself, or ask someone I know to write a biased one, so I'm counting on genuine, impartial readers. Although it would be great if you could post a review, I'm offering the e-book with no obligation on your part to do so.
I hope to hear from you soon.
In the interests of further encouraging and supporting readers in their decision to read my book, I'd like to make the task a little easier. Send me a message here, or head on over to my publishing website and contact me to get a Reviewers' Requested copy of the e-book (pdf format):
http://gp4ancis.wix.com/dissidentpress
"Primed," needs reviews, and it didn't seem honest to write one myself, or ask someone I know to write a biased one, so I'm counting on genuine, impartial readers. Although it would be great if you could post a review, I'm offering the e-book with no obligation on your part to do so.
I hope to hear from you soon.
March 16, 2013
Terminator vs Planet of the Apes
Looking at current trends (cutting-edge Japanese human-interacting robots) seems to indicate we're heading for the kind of future envisioned/cautioned against by The Matrix, Battlestar Galactica or The Terminator. Or even Westworld!
But I have a theory that this Japanese experiment will be short-lived: free-ranging robots and even self-driven vehicles (with human occupants) on open road systems (as opposed to contained transit systems, e.g. trains) will never become a widespread reality as long as insurance companies are required to sign-off on any related injuries or claims caused by manufactured devices.
If you look at current vehicle insurance, you can see that insurance companies offload as much of the claim as possible onto claimants in the form of deductibles and personal liabilty.
As soon as you take out the human liability element, the insurance company is left holding the bag. They'll pass on the costs to the device manufacturers, who'll pass it on to the consumer, making the technology prohibitively expensive for the forseeable future. The trick would be to convince an insurer that the devices were REALLY safe, i.e. no chance of anyone being hurt. Which means finding an insurance company where no-one's heard of The Matrix or The Terminator, etc.
But what about Planet of the Apes? If an animal (even one that's been significantly genetically engineered) hurts a human when is the breeder ever held liable? The legal repurcussions would fall on the owner and the animal itself, which would most likely be 'destroyed.' Selective breeding and animal husbandry have surrounded humans with working animals for thousands of years. Because of the precedence set, and the legal issues involved, isn't it more likely that humans will produce a workforce of trained animals than an army of robotic minions?
What do you think? Are we heading for a future with robotic A.I. or genetically engineered animal servants?
But I have a theory that this Japanese experiment will be short-lived: free-ranging robots and even self-driven vehicles (with human occupants) on open road systems (as opposed to contained transit systems, e.g. trains) will never become a widespread reality as long as insurance companies are required to sign-off on any related injuries or claims caused by manufactured devices.
If you look at current vehicle insurance, you can see that insurance companies offload as much of the claim as possible onto claimants in the form of deductibles and personal liabilty.
As soon as you take out the human liability element, the insurance company is left holding the bag. They'll pass on the costs to the device manufacturers, who'll pass it on to the consumer, making the technology prohibitively expensive for the forseeable future. The trick would be to convince an insurer that the devices were REALLY safe, i.e. no chance of anyone being hurt. Which means finding an insurance company where no-one's heard of The Matrix or The Terminator, etc.
But what about Planet of the Apes? If an animal (even one that's been significantly genetically engineered) hurts a human when is the breeder ever held liable? The legal repurcussions would fall on the owner and the animal itself, which would most likely be 'destroyed.' Selective breeding and animal husbandry have surrounded humans with working animals for thousands of years. Because of the precedence set, and the legal issues involved, isn't it more likely that humans will produce a workforce of trained animals than an army of robotic minions?
What do you think? Are we heading for a future with robotic A.I. or genetically engineered animal servants?
March 2, 2013
Primed, Kindle edition, now available
The day has finally arrived: my debut novel is now available for purchase and download via Amazon websites. Amazon Prime members can borrow the book for free.
I'm still working on the formatting and cover for the trade paperback edition, but I expect to release that for sale through Amazon in the next few days.
I'm still working on the formatting and cover for the trade paperback edition, but I expect to release that for sale through Amazon in the next few days.
February 26, 2013
Final edits on Primed
My debut novel is almost ready for publication! Primed is a science-fiction thriller set in my Orion's Arm milieu, at a point in time when humanity is poised on the brink of expanding across the galaxy, and the plutocratic United Nations of Earth is fighting to maintain control over its empire against the Orion Arm Conglomerate for Independence, a co-operative group of trans-global corporations vying for freedom through armed insurrection.
