Starting a blog.
Hi, I'm Laurence (goes by Laury) Dahners and I write science fiction. I've mostly published on Amazon since I love the Kindle. A lot of readers communicated with me and other readers on the Amazon Author's Forums, but those don't seem to be getting much support any more and there have been a lot of complaints.
So I thought I'd start a blog here on GoodReads as well as responding to "Ask the Author" questions that are posted on this site.
I'm not sure how well this will work for those of you who like to have discussions that don't necessarily involve me? Let me know if you're aware of a way for me to facilitate such discussion that I may not be aware of.
Hope this works for at least some of you who like to express your opinions!
Laury Dahners
So I thought I'd start a blog here on GoodReads as well as responding to "Ask the Author" questions that are posted on this site.
I'm not sure how well this will work for those of you who like to have discussions that don't necessarily involve me? Let me know if you're aware of a way for me to facilitate such discussion that I may not be aware of.
Hope this works for at least some of you who like to express your opinions!
Laury Dahners
message 551:
by
Farez_87
(new)
Aug 22, 2022 05:30AM
But when he was riding on ambulance's roof he wasn't moving as fast or as often. So traffic cameras will register him. Then just correlating with mobile phone tracking data.
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Farez_87 wrote: "But when he was riding on ambulance's roof he wasn't moving as fast or as often. So traffic cameras will register him. Then just correlating with mobile phone tracking data."Ah, yes, but I'm thinking that those traffic cameras aren't constantly monitored. That they just look at the recordings after accidents. So, if there wasn't an accident, no one would ever look at the recordings? Do you know that someone watches them constantly? Seems it would be incredibly manpower intensive.
Laury Dahners
"The automated citations generated by the camera are supposed to be manually reviewed by a human before they are mailed. If the person performing that review sees that the citation is for an emergency vehicle with it's lights activated they will just void the citation." From quora.I imagine that ambulance that is speeding with gunshot victim to hospital will generate multiple citations/
Hah! I never thought of that!Thanks for pointing it out!
How about the following edit?
However, his right foot was close to the edge of the ambulance so he released it from slow-time, moved it closer to the middle of the box, and put it back in slow-time.
With a sudden thought—that he was going to be visible on traffic cameras when the ambulance sped through red lights—he put his phone in slow-time too. That way it wouldn’t be pinging towers en route and no one would be able to track his location and correlate it to the path of the ambulance.
Laury
Don't hesitate to directly email me with suggestions/corrections at ldahners@gmail.com
Similar problem is that they took their phones with them to Cyreea. I noticed that many movies and books deliberately downplay spy capabilities of smartphones.I think Witt will be found by Cyreean inteligence very soon: government agents in resistance find about american hacker and Maja - Maja's phone will be compromissed and it's contents and internet history and tracking data will lead straight to Witt and Roni with Hax. They are all will be put under surveillance. Snipers take them all out. The End.
Farez_87 wrote: "Similar problem is that they took their phones with them to Cyreea. I noticed that many movies and books deliberately downplay spy capabilities of smartphones.I think Witt will be found by Cyreean..."
Ah,
In Cyreea they used burner phones that they bought in the market when they arrived.
Laury Dahners
Hi Doc,Just saw on Amazon that you’ve announced book 3 in the Time Flow Series is due to release on November 4th. Surprised that you haven’t mentioned it here yet! Looking forward to another book from you, as always!
Brent
Brent wrote: "Hi Doc,Just saw on Amazon that you’ve announced book 3 in the Time Flow Series is due to release on November 4th. Surprised that you haven’t mentioned it here yet! Looking forward to another book ..."
Brent,
Thanks!
When Amazon first put it up it didn't have its cover so I was waiting for that to be added.
Laury
The 3rd Time-Flow story is up for preorder on Amazon. I'd post a link but they're not allowed on Goodreads.
A search for "Dahners Joy" will find it easily enough though.
If you want to wait to get it when it's fully ready, that'll be on November 4th.
Joy and Justice, The Time-Flow Stories #3
This hard Sci-Fi novel is the third book of the “Time-Flow Stories,” a series of tales about Witt Ryllin, a young man who abruptly gains the ability to psychically control the flow of time.
It’s also the sixth story in a combined series of stories that begins with the novelette “Porter” and the two “Blindspot Stories.”
In this book, Eva (Allie Dans) invites Witt to join her band EOD (Eve of Destruction) on a trial basis. When she’s attacked by an overenthusiastic fan one night, she protects herself using her ability to form small ports. Witt quickly recognizes the presence and power of her psychic talent.
Then, when Ruchia invades Ucryn, Roni, and Hax decide that assassinating Pootin might stop the war. They recruit Witt to join them because combining their abilities should make this much easier. When Eva finds out about this plan, she wants to come along. As if his plate isn’t full enough playing in the band and heading to Ruchia, Witt’s still running track, taking classes online, excelling at math, and helping his sister thrive.
Hi Doc,Just finished Joy and Justice and want to pass along my compliments. I’m wondering if my Goodreads feed isn’t updating properly since the book has been out for two days with no comments yet? Weird!
I’ll avoid spoilers in any case and maybe jump in later as folks start commenting on the action. I will mention that I like the way you wrap our heroes around the parallel universe version of current events.
Well done (as usual)!
Brent
Brent, So glad you liked it.
People aren't commenting on Goodreads as much as they used to but they seem to like the book from the customer reviews on Amazon.
Laury
I quite enjoyed the story, my only complaint is that i finished it much too soon. Looking forward to the next one!
I've only recently discovered Laury's books so if this subject has already been discussed, sorry. I am reading Halting the Reaper. There is discussion regarding a space elevator. Everything I've read indicates that a space elevator needs to be located at the equator. Virginia is nearly 38 degrees off the equator and because satellites rotate around the center of the earth not a point on the earth. Can anybody clarify?
It’s not a space elevator think of it as a really Big ramp
Ken,In "Reaper" they actually build a space launcher, not an elevator, though there is some discussion of elevators. All of these devices are better at the equator because your launching or tethering point on the earth is moving faster which gives you a little more built-in centripetal force. However, they can work at higher latitudes, it just takes more energy. Thus the US launches from Florida (not quite the equator) but Europe (ESA) launches from French Guiana which is very close to the equator in South America.
I can't put links on Goodreads but you can search for the article:
"Non-equatorial space elevator design approach" if you'd like to read more.
Or you could read the last sentence of the abstract below:
"The results show that increasing the tensile strength of the tether material can expand the range of the space elevator system deployment. However, a high latitude of anchorage would greatly sacrifice the payload capacity."
Thanks for your interest in the science of these stories!
Laury Dahners
For those of you who like Ell and audiobooks, Transporter, An Ell Donsaii story #16 is out on Audible and AmazonI've had an idea for another Ell Donsaii book. Hopefully it'll be the next thing I write after the Time-Flow book I'm writing now.
Laury Dahners
Curiosity: In Ed Nelson's Richard Jackson book 16 ("First Steps") there is a reference to a gymnast named "Ell Donasii" who was "incredible at what she could do" while practicing on the moon. The whole series runs from 1958-1965 and tells the story / tall tale of Richard Jackson who starts as a poor boy hitch-hiking from Ohio to California (and back) during the summer between grade school to high school. The fun thing in the stories is all the cameos of real and fictional people (like the Ewing's of South Fork)
Walter,Hah,
I read some of that series. Guess I haven't read far enough.
Laury Dahners
If you like audiobooks, The Girl They Couldn’t See: Blind Spot, Book 1 is available now.Sorry I can't put links on Goodreads.
It represents the first novel in a combined series consisting of
The Girl They Couldn’t See: Blind Spot, Book 1
The Boy Who Couldn’t Miss: Blind Spot, Book 2
Fast-Time at Aldmont High (The Time Flow Stories Book 1)
Talents and Tyrants (The Time Flow Stories Book 2)
Joy and Justice (The Time Flow Stories Book 3)
The next book in the Time Flow Stories should be out on Kindle and paperback in the next month or so
Laury Dahners
For those of you who like my little stories, the next one, Portals and Plutonium is up for pre-order. Or on February 7th you can order it directly on
amazon
Hope you like it!
Here's the blurb:
This hard Sci-Fi novel is the fourth book of the “Time-Flow Stories.” This series of tales is about Witt Ryllin, a young man who abruptly gains the ability to psychically control the flow of time. It’s also the seventh story in a combined series of stories that begins with the novelette “Porter” and the two “Blindspot Stories.” In this book, Eva (Allie Dans) and Witt are traveling with their band EOD (Eve of Destruction) on a nationwide stadium tour. Unfortunately, Allie’s mom is diagnosed with breast cancer. This causes turmoil and the cancellation of some tour dates. Gradually, Allie and Witt come to realize that they can use their teleportation and time-stopping talents to treat her otherwise incurable metastatic cancer. Then Witt’s sister Claire is attacked by a serial killer who turns out to be one of her dad’s police co-workers. This guy likes to attack young girls and the grudge he holds against her dad causes him to choose her. With Witt’s advice Claire staves him off and eventually brings him to justice. Later, when Ruchia uses a tactical nuke in its war with Ucryn, Roni and Hax call on Witt and Allie, hoping that they can use their combined abilities to keep the war from escalating to the point of Armageddon.
Hi Doc,Just finished this latest book and really enjoyed it! I’ll avoid spoilers here, but I like what you’re doing with Witt and Allie (and the others, of course!). Hopefully you’ll add more to this series after the next Ell Donsai book (I think you mentioned you may be writing another one of those next).
I look forward to whatever you decide to write next - whether you continue one of your existing series or start something new!
Best regards,
Brent
Brent,Thanks!
Glad to hear you like them.
I'm enjoying writing some more of Ell's story, but will have to see what's going on when I get to the end of this one.
Laury
Absolutely love your books. From Bonesetter to Ell, to Hyllis and onwards. You mentioned that you are writing another Ell Donsaii book and I have a couple of questions. I have read all of them multiple times and feel I might be missing something. 1) If the ports sending atmosphere to mars are round, I am confused as to how that works. If the atmosphere is being transferred from the outside of a round port, wouldn't it go to the inside of the receiving port?
2) I am also confused by the rockets being sent to other planets. Ell has the double/single ports in her fingers. Why aren't those used when sending rockets to other planets? Send a double/single port 90% of the way to a planet. Send another single/double through that one and get 90% closer. Repeat until you are close enough that a rocket is right at the planet. You could make them so that once used, they shrink and absorb themselves like you describe in your books.
I could see that tech being used with space ships. Have a massive generator on the ship or I suppose the energy could come from earth, keep sending out a large enough double/single port and you can zip around the galaxy.
p.s. I really enjoy the personality of Zage, hope he keeps getting more interesting.
p.p.s If the answers to the questions are, shut up, it's sci-fi. I'm ok with that too :-)
Joshua wrote: "Absolutely love your books. From Bonesetter to Ell, to Hyllis and onwards. You mentioned that you are writing another Ell Donsaii book and I have a couple of questions. I have read all of them mult..."Joshua,
Thanks for your interest in the books!
For question #1, I assume you're talking about the paired hemispherical ports that would appear to be spheres. I think it's easiest if you think of them as paired bulging discs (like coins that've been hammered so they bulge). The assembler can choose to have the open side of the disc (call that "heads" on the coin) be on the inner or outer side of the bulging disc and can then decide to have atmosphere enter the outer "heads" side of the discs on Venus, then exit the outer "heads" side of the discs on Mars.
For question #2, remember that Ell doesn't want anyone else to get a hold of one-ended ports because of their tremendous potential for weaponization. So, she has to do all the sending of interstellar ports herself. Then you must remember the tremendous distances involved. Even accepting that Ell is impossibly accurate at pointing her fingers she couldn't be accurate enough. If she were to miss a 10 light year porting by 1% (pretty accurate finger pointing) that'd be a tenth of a light year (1.2 light months, or 600 billion miles - it only takes five hours for light to get to Pluto so we're talking a VERY long distance).
Now, she could indeed send through a PGR controlled device that could aim another one ended port at the star from there, but she doesn't want that one-ended port out there to be picked up and misused by someone. You could easily argue that space is so vast than no one would ever come across it and be right, but (for better or worse) the author decided she'd do it by repeatedly shooting telescopically precision-aimed ports until she got one close enough to fly a rocket the last part of the way rather than take a chance of someone finding a one-ended port out there and reverse engineering it.
Or, she could set up that one-ended port to self-destruct somehow, but (for better or worse) the author decided to .... yada, yada.
I'm so glad you like the books and hope you like "Twins" (the next Donsaii book)
Laury Dahners
Laurence wrote: "For question #2 ,... she'd do it by repeatedly shooting telescopically precision-aimed ports .... yada, yada."I think lingering in the back of my mind has been question 2 1/2. Where and how has she been launching from? But she's Ell, so she probably has secret base on the moon for this purpose. ;)
and hope you like "Twins" (the next Donsaii book)
VERY much looking forward to hearing what mischief Caii and Raii get up to... At least I assume they are the "twins," and not Arnold and Danny.
Yup, Caii (goes by Luciah) and Raii (goes by Mariah).They're catching people by surprise!
Laury Dahners
Sigh, I was doing so well. Now I'm having trouble waiting patiently for the new book. Any estimate on how long we have to wait? :-)
Dana,t's going faster than usual because it's been a lot of fun to write, but it'll still be at least six more weeks because of editing etc.
Hope you guys like it as much as I've like writing it!
Laury
Thanks, I'm glad you are enjoying the writing!
I really want one of the twins to specialize in coding. I've really loved the characters you've created that do magic with computers.
Tyson wrote: "I really want one of the twins to specialize in coding. I've really loved the characters you've created that do magic with computers."Tyson, thanks for the suggestion!
Seems to me that in Ell's world you could just ask your AI to code whatever you wanted for you. What are you thinking the twins could code?
Laury Dahners
Laurence wrote: "Tyson wrote: "I really want one of the twins to specialize in coding. I've really loved the characters you've created that do magic with computers."Tyson, thanks for the suggestion!
Seems to me t..."
As a thought, you hinted a bit in your last Donsaii book that Allen was getting close to sentient. Perhaps one of the twins could make him sentient? I was just reading the Lux series by another author and he has a sentient AI that partners with him. I would love to see Allen get more personality and be a constructive teacher/partner for the twins.
Joshua wrote: "Laurence wrote: "Tyson wrote: "I really want one of the twins to specialize in coding. I've really loved the characters you've created that do magic with computers."Tyson, thanks for the suggesti..."
Joshua,
Thanks,
I'll put your idea on my list of things to think about if I do an ED18.
Laury Dahners
I also just found the "LUX" series by Ken Pence. Lux in the first two books reminds me a lot of Donsaii (the third book is a lot more violent in the conflicts between China and Lux). The fourth book comes out at the end of this month.
Cool!Ken was kind enough to beta read a few of my books. I'm excited to see what he wrote!
Laury Dahners
Laurence wrote: "...my list of things to think about if I do an ED18."I really wish that read "when I do ED18."
I have been thinking it could be really funny if Ell let the Chinese nab her... or otherwise ended up in their hands. Just imagine all the havoc she and Allen could unleash upon them.
Kurt wrote: "Laurence wrote: "...my list of things to think about if I do an ED18."I really wish that read "when I do ED18."
I have been thinking it could be really funny if Ell let the Chinese nab her... o..."
Hah!
I would like to see a scene where the Chinese spy agency is chewed out by their superior because of their attacks on Donsaii. The superior could point out that if they had dealt in good faith instead of their first kidnapping attempt they might have controlled the PGR manufacturing and prevented the US from stopping their invasion of Taiwan. The spies could then be assigned to watch Donsaii and save her from another attack (from example from the Russian mafia) which would get them into their good graces.
Walter wrote: "I would like to see a scene where the Chinese spy agency is chewed out by their superior because of their attacks on Donsaii. The superior could point out that if they had dealt in good faith inste..."Hmmmmmmmm ......
Laury
Laurence wrote: "Now, she could indeed send through a PGR controlled device that could aim another one ended port at the star from there, but she doesn't want that one-ended port out there to be picked up and misused by someone. "I'm still a bit hung up on travelling to other stars. How about this?
She has a vacuum proof box with a bunch of ports similar to a transporter. She puts a waldo into the box and the first port opens to somewhere in space, lets say near the habitats or the moon. the waldo has the single ended port at the end of his arm with the telescope, etc. Ell directs the waldo's arm through the port and shoots another double ended port in the direction of a solar system. pull the arm back, activate the new port that has been shot out, put the arm back in, look around and shoot a new port though until you are close enough to decide if the solar system is worth investigating. She would save millions in fuel and time. Also this fixes the issue with any single ended ports being outside of her control.
Joshua wrote: "Laurence wrote: "Now, she could indeed send through a PGR controlled device that could aim another one ended port at the star from there, but she doesn't want that one-ended port out there to be pi..."Joshua,
Thanks for the suggestions. I've put this one on my list of things to think about with future books. What're you thinking they'd do out there in the stars?
Laury Dahners
Laurence wrote: "What're you thinking they'd do out there in the stars?Laury Dahners"
Sooooo many ideas.... how to stay focused....
1) Why are they using up items in their own solar system? Mine in other solar systems. Get hydrogen, generate power, etc. from an unused system.
2) I think you missed some opportunity with the Virgies. Why not have a sterile world, build some underground labs, and collaborate with striper and friends. Everyone gets a waldo and everyone learns together. I think they could resolve the Von Neumann DNA issue and allow further knowledge sharing.
3) I would be concerned about just putting some pigs and goats on that new world ED found "just to see what happens" Why not make a zoo on a sterile underground world that allows scientists to study what issues would happen when alien animals intermix.
4) I would think that Earth could go back to a paradise world as no fossil fuels need to be burned on this planet, no roads are needed anymore. If some engine requires fossil fuels, set it up on a different planet. Factories could be anywhere, no need to be on Earth anymore. Commuting isn't an issue.
5) Each intelligent alien that ED has interacted with has helped her discover something new. Yet she doesn't seem as excited as I would be about what else is out there. It seems like a bit of a lost leader. Allow others to do that work but have it overseen by Allen. If they start doing something bad, have Allen shut them down.
6) I think 99% of the work could be done by her AI. "Go find a sterile world" "Go build a massive underground living space" AI + Waldos = Huge opportunity. Heck, even "Go find the right scientists to help" could be done by an AI.
Something off this topic. Not sure how much you know about the writer Michael Anderle. He does a massive amount of collaboration with other writers. He builds up the worlds and collaborates with other writers to spin off stories based on those worlds. I say this selfishly so that if you did something similar, I would have more stories to read :-)
My $0.02. Hope it helps.
Joshua
Joshua wrote: "Laurence wrote: "What're you thinking they'd do out there in the stars?Laury Dahners"
Sooooo many ideas.... how to stay focused....
1) Why are they using up items in their own solar system? Mine ..."
Joshua,
Those are some great ideas. I've put them on my list!
Laury Dahners
Hey just read the latest Time Flow book. I liked the shout-out to the Varley book series, and that comment also made me think about the meta-ness of referencing SF in SF books. Sometimes it's difficult _not_ to; it would be hard to describe some kind of teleporter without a character comparing it to a Star Trek transporter, for example. "Beam me up Scotty" is such a staple in most people's cultural backgrounds that it would be somewhat unnatural to have a character based in a real (or real-adjacent) US not mention it.But I've also seen it overdone. I remember one story I read a while back that was in the "I found an abandoned spaceship" category that kept referencing other "I found a spaceship" pieces in the genre, to the degree that it started to seem more like a literary comparison of them than a story that could stand on its own. I forget the name of the story now. (One of the dangers of Kindle Unlimited is that you can go through a LOT of books quickly.)
Joshua wrote: 4) I would think that Earth could go back to a paradise world as no fossil fuels need to be burned on this planet, no roads are needed anymore.
Larry Niven did this in his series of books. His teleport booth removed the need for roads, and many of his stories are set in that world. One story is entirely set, for example, in the massive park that was developed on the footprint of a former LA freeway.
I love Niven and thought those stories were fascinating!Laury Dahners
In case you're interested, the next Ell Donsaii book "Twins" is up for pre order.Or you can get it directly on May 6th
Links aren't allowed on Goodreads but a search on Amazon for "Dahners" and "Twins" will find it
Here's the blurb
This is the seventeenth book in a series of near-future Hard-SciFi Thrillers. Their heroine Ell Donsaii has a nerve mutation that’s rendered her a genius as well as providing astonishing athletic abilities. Her genius has let her revolutionize our world with a number of inventions, including instantaneous communications and trans-dimensional portals that deliver fuel, water, and food all around the world
Twins is about events four years after the birth of Ell’s twins, Caii and Raii. Only six months after their birth, an abortive kidnapping attempt successfully steals the girls but then loses them at a dirt airstrip in Mexico. Drug runners pick the twins up by mistake and take them to their cartel’s boss. This infuriates the chief because he was expecting a delivery of cash. To the boss’s astonishment, his infertile wife insists on adopting them!
The twins are four and a half (though their adoptive mom thinks they’re a year older than that) when a cartel up-and-comer kills their adoptive dad.
Without him, they and their adoptive mom must now find their own way in the world.
This is the story of how some of the talents they inherited from their mother ease those difficulties.
Unavoidably, this book also deals with some of the startling changes the world is going through as it adapts to the transporters Ell and Roger invented in Book 16
I hope you like it!
--
Laury
Wag more, bark less...
Laurence wrote: "In case you're interested, the next Ell Donsaii book "Twins" is up for pre order.Or you can get it directly on May 6th
Links aren't allowed on Goodreads but a search on Amazon for "Dahners" and ..."
Yes!!! Been waiting a long time for this one! I love all of your series, but Donsaii is my favorite, with the Time Flow series a close second, followed closely by Vaz (we need another Vaz book, btw). Usually before reading your latest book, I'll re-read the last book or two in its series, but this time I started Donsaii all the way from "Quicker". Thank you for many hours of thought and enjoyment!!
Laurence wrote: "In case you're interested, the next Ell Donsaii book "Twins" is up for pre order.Or you can get it directly on May 6th
Links aren't allowed on Goodreads but a search on Amazon for "Dahners" and ..."
LW
It's great to hear from you and so nice that you like my stories!
Let me know if you'd like to be on my e-mail list to be notified when new books come out.
Ldahners@gmail.com
(Those are the only emails I send - no spamming your inbox)
Laury Dahners
