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Seed Money: The Entrepreneur
This novel by Cyndie Shaffstall wraps science fiction around the mystery of a near-future conspiracy.
Engineers, inventors, and business people alike scrambled to develop a solution before the world’s population was completely wiped out by an irradiated atmosphere, but the chosen solution became a temporary fix at best. By 2062, we are burdened by the weight of unchecked population growth and global warming has reduced our inhabitable space by half. With our workplace frustratingly neutered by the Genderless Act, we came to embrace sex in trystrooms—where anything goes—and it’s all kept secret by the Privacy Act.
Combined concern for humankind and the planet drives innovation, and businesses thrive in an environment where unemployment and poverty have been eliminated. The Government Reorganization and Realignment Effort enables one group of brilliant young designers to reclaim some of the ever-shrinking space—but bringing it to market exposes manipulation and corruption on a devastating, worldwide scale.
Engineers, inventors, and business people alike scrambled to develop a solution before the world’s population was completely wiped out by an irradiated atmosphere, but the chosen solution became a temporary fix at best. By 2062, we are burdened by the weight of unchecked population growth and global warming has reduced our inhabitable space by half. With our workplace frustratingly neutered by the Genderless Act, we came to embrace sex in trystrooms—where anything goes—and it’s all kept secret by the Privacy Act.
Combined concern for humankind and the planet drives innovation, and businesses thrive in an environment where unemployment and poverty have been eliminated. The Government Reorganization and Realignment Effort enables one group of brilliant young designers to reclaim some of the ever-shrinking space—but bringing it to market exposes manipulation and corruption on a devastating, worldwide scale.
334 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2015
About the author
Cyndie Shaffstall
14 books6 followersCyndie Shaffstall, a quintessential entrepreneur in the software industry, wrote her first book in 1992, QuarkXPress: Making the Most of Your Negative Experiences, followed quickly by a dozen after-market computer manuals. In the years since, she has further contributed to the design and business industries as the editor and publisher of X-Ray Magazine and more recently, revealing some of her successful business practices in Small-business Guide to Winning at Web Marketing. Cyndie Shaffstall is a prolific writer of eBooks, case studies, press releases, blog articles, and other online content for her company, Spider Trainers—a provider of automated marketing—and as a contributing blogger to Target Marketing Magazine, among other print and electronic publications. Cyndie Shaffstall is the inventor and patent holder of Sassy Strappings, a fashion accessory. She lives in Denver with her two dogs, Felix Trinidad and Oscar de la Hoya—boxers.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 5, 2015
Title: Conspiracy Theory
Seed Money by Cyndie Shaffstall
Reviewed by Ms. Diane
June 2, 2015
11:00 A.M.
In the year 2062, many things have changed while others remained the same. As Cyndie Shaffstall’s “Seed Money” unravels, readers dive into a fictional story that offers countless similarities to the world we live in today. Yet, will the parallelism within the novel be enough to capture reader’s attention along with the explicit and descriptive sexual scenes. Or will readers be bored by the stories slow pace?
Shaffstall’s created a world in which the less fortunate were oppressed by government agencies, and countless steps were taken in order to control every aspect of people’s lives. However, there is a small percentage of the society, the very privileged individual, whom behaves as if they are above the law. Sounds familiar? The author does a great job creating a world in which the idea of conspiracy is at the root of the storyline. And as readers witness the power of the elite, in which they silence as well as obtain government cooperation through payoffs and threats, it all seems so relatable. As the corruption within the society mounts, and the aftermath brought on by the greed of the government and the elite, which is both unthinkable as well as unforgivable. The struggling class, desperate to survive, found themselves at the mercy of a ruthless group.
While I am true a believer in the idea of conspiracy theories and was eager to read Shaffstall’s “Seed Money,” it was difficult to get through. If readers have enough patience to continue to read through all the abbreviations and initials, which can be boring and confusing, the reader may be awakened to the idea of ‘Conspiracy Theory.’
I give Seed Money 3 out of 5 stars!
Until next time,
Ms. Diane
www.mcwpub.blogspot.com
Seed Money by Cyndie Shaffstall
Reviewed by Ms. Diane
June 2, 2015
11:00 A.M.
In the year 2062, many things have changed while others remained the same. As Cyndie Shaffstall’s “Seed Money” unravels, readers dive into a fictional story that offers countless similarities to the world we live in today. Yet, will the parallelism within the novel be enough to capture reader’s attention along with the explicit and descriptive sexual scenes. Or will readers be bored by the stories slow pace?
Shaffstall’s created a world in which the less fortunate were oppressed by government agencies, and countless steps were taken in order to control every aspect of people’s lives. However, there is a small percentage of the society, the very privileged individual, whom behaves as if they are above the law. Sounds familiar? The author does a great job creating a world in which the idea of conspiracy is at the root of the storyline. And as readers witness the power of the elite, in which they silence as well as obtain government cooperation through payoffs and threats, it all seems so relatable. As the corruption within the society mounts, and the aftermath brought on by the greed of the government and the elite, which is both unthinkable as well as unforgivable. The struggling class, desperate to survive, found themselves at the mercy of a ruthless group.
While I am true a believer in the idea of conspiracy theories and was eager to read Shaffstall’s “Seed Money,” it was difficult to get through. If readers have enough patience to continue to read through all the abbreviations and initials, which can be boring and confusing, the reader may be awakened to the idea of ‘Conspiracy Theory.’
I give Seed Money 3 out of 5 stars!
Until next time,
Ms. Diane
www.mcwpub.blogspot.com
March 30, 2015
Disclaimer: I was given this book as a First Reads winner.
That said, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Set in the near future, this book portrays a very realistic scenario, if global warming was taken to the extreme. The author describes every aspect of daily life, including the new types of technology, types of businesses and governments, and how people interact with each other. Since the book never used the main character's name, it's easy for the reader to insert themselves into the story and experience it firsthand. A reader can think through how they would react to each scenario as it happens.
*Spoilers*
The only thing keeping this book from being 5stars is the overuse of Trystrooms and the lack of explanation of the conspiracy. I felt like most of the Trystroom visits did not add to the overall storyline, and distracted from the main plot. The wrap-up at the end felt rushed and left me with unanswered questions. I had a difficult time understanding exactly what the conspiracy was and who was involved, as the storyline kept jumping between points in time. Without the visual cue of Sindah's timeline, I was left a bit lost.
All that said, I truly enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading more from this author.
That said, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Set in the near future, this book portrays a very realistic scenario, if global warming was taken to the extreme. The author describes every aspect of daily life, including the new types of technology, types of businesses and governments, and how people interact with each other. Since the book never used the main character's name, it's easy for the reader to insert themselves into the story and experience it firsthand. A reader can think through how they would react to each scenario as it happens.
*Spoilers*
The only thing keeping this book from being 5stars is the overuse of Trystrooms and the lack of explanation of the conspiracy. I felt like most of the Trystroom visits did not add to the overall storyline, and distracted from the main plot. The wrap-up at the end felt rushed and left me with unanswered questions. I had a difficult time understanding exactly what the conspiracy was and who was involved, as the storyline kept jumping between points in time. Without the visual cue of Sindah's timeline, I was left a bit lost.
All that said, I truly enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading more from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2015
This is narrated by the main character, it is set in the future caused by global warming and is sort of science fiction but without the expected aliens and space ships and time warp travel. I read the book at a slow pace in order to understand the author's meanings, there are plenty parts that have you thinking OMG this could happen to us sometime in the future. Imagine the planet being scorched alive and the only alternative to surviving is living under a canopy that is designed to protect us mere mortals. Canopies, of course, have limitations, so you then start to think hmmm what about over-population, how will the canopy cope with that? Like I said this story makes you think about the future and wonder perhaps how true the authors insight might be.
The story does have sex scenes which are quite graphic but are relative to the storyline, so I would recommend adult only for this book.
There are enough conspiracy theories to have you captivated, you will find out as the story evolves what the narrator finds out, it is one of those books that you compelled to read further to discover more and more of what lies ahead.
I have read the authors book Glyphs, that too is a highly "out of the normal" type of book. If you enjoy different then you are going to love this.
April 20, 2015
Seed Money: The Entrepreneur by Cyndie Shaffstall is a futuristic science fiction novel that will shock and captivate you. The author has created a world that I found quite interesting and realistic, and the characters are more complex than they look at first sight. :) The plot is just as complex, with twists and turns that slowly take you right in the middle of a conspiracy, and the author’s narrative style is so beautiful and in detail that I read the entire book in one afternoon.
The book is full of adult content and quite graphic sex scenes, also. If you think you might be bothered by it, this is not the book you want to read. I personally think that the book would have not been the same without it. :)
The book is full of adult content and quite graphic sex scenes, also. If you think you might be bothered by it, this is not the book you want to read. I personally think that the book would have not been the same without it. :)
April 4, 2015
A thought provoking, mind spinning thrill ride on an emotional rollercoaster. Although this is fiction, one can see how greed could make something like this a reality. Cyndie Shaffstall is so creative with the characters and their surroundings that the reader can see through their eyes. An excellent reading experience.
FTC stuff; I received this book through a Goodreads, Firstreads contest.
FTC stuff; I received this book through a Goodreads, Firstreads contest.
Want to Read
April 9, 2015kindle
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews