Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
Science Fiction
>
Welcome Sci-Fi Authors and Readers!
Hello everybody. My name is Joshua Alvins and I am the author of an african sci-fi book called DR.SKETCH: The last Rainmaker. I can send a free three chapter preview to anyone interested.
Hello tony, I think I have a book you might enjoyits called DR.SKETCH: The last Rainmaker
Looking for an agent for my new book, Beyond. Any ideas for me.
Writing Tips: Be Not AfraidBy nature, a lot of writers are shy, reserved, intellectuals. Some of us may have been picked on as kids back in school, and so have developed a preoccupation with what others will think about how we do things, afraid of criticism, and just too caught up in following the rules that everyone tells us about things, even if those other people may not know much themselves. Well, I am here to tell you that when it comes to writing, there is only one person you need to listen to and that is your own.
Forget what anyone else says, be they friends, family, or that voice in the back of your head put there by your creative writing teacher from so long ago. There is no one looking over your shoulder, no one to tell you what to do or how to do it. NO ONE. This is YOUR universe and you have total control. Those basic rules of grammar you learned back in elementary school? That's pretty much all you need to start. How to tell a story, what you should put into it, how many characters, how long the novel should be, all that is up to you and you alone. Ignore that annoying voice at the back of your head, take off your literary shackles, and just charge straight ahead. Feel free to experiment, see what works, and don't feel obligated to go by other writers' insistence of what does or does not work, or what it says in some text on writing. You are n charge. When you have your book finished to your satisfaction and are ready to show it around, THEN you can get opinions from friends, family, and collegues and start editing. But until then, go for it.
Need some examples? Jules Verne invented Science Fiction, and more importantly there was no one teaching a course on creative writing. You were taught grammar, punctuation, read a couple of even older books, and that was it. Verne invented his own methods for telling a story. Then go back even further, to William Shakespeare. They didn't even have any courses on literature, and he had to invent everything we use today to tell a proper story. At some point in history, there was no one telling a writer how to write, so someone had to experiment, see what worked for himself, then charge into it despite the criticisms and whispers of others.
So who knows? You might discover a new or different technique for telling a story, but at the least you will discover how best for YOU to tell a story, not someone else's idea of how you should tell a story THEIR way.
-Mark Anthony Tierno
www.maldene.com
COMING SOON...Earth is entering a new age of peace. No weapons, countries ready to put down their armies, every home benefiting from megacorp generosity, but if you’re Black Jack Hannigan this sounds a bit like fattening up the calf before the slaughter.
He’s seen them, creatures straight out of mythology. Winged tigers, ghouls, werewolves, they all exist; all part of the same millennia-old conspiracy. The “People” are manipulating our society, readying us for sacrifice to their Masters unless Black Jack and his friends can bring their schemes to light.
It will take a new generation of weapons being developed by the icy Dr. Rebecca Winter to protect a defenseless world against these creatures, and even then it’s a race. For once the People have opened the Eye of the Apocalypse it’s all over. The Masters will consume our world, just as they have countless others before us…
The beginning of another epic from Mark Anthony Tierno and as unlike his previous stories as they in turn are unlike anything else. Cyberdawn is a unique tale, one where cyberpunk meets fantasy meets biblical-level conspiracies. A mixed-genre blend for lovers of paranoid fiction, for in a world of peace and prosperity nothing is safe. For there are things that creep through the shadows, wear human form like a cheap mask, and have permeated every level of our society. They spy on us through more means than the most emphatic conspiracy theorist would dare to suspect, manipulating our world to ready it for… what?
CYBERDAWN: BEGINNINGS
(cover currently under construction)
Mark, do not consider following a rebuke or chastisement, more an addendum.While Jules Verne is an excellent author, often poorly translated, he did not invent Science fiction. Though, along with HG Wells, he is sometimes credited as the "Father' of the genre. Countless novelists predate Verne, including one who was a contemporary and mentor, Alexandre Dumas. (Author of The Three Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo, and many more). George Tucker, Edgar Allan Poe, Wells, heck even Mary Shelly are better starting points. Myself, I would go with Johnathan Swift and Gulliver's Travels over a hundred years earlier.
Shakespeare was not even remotely the first or best playwright though he might now be the best known. He had numerous rivals and predecessors, and if some people, are to be believed, it was a pen name for the Earl of Oxford. Christopher Marlowe was, in reality, the preeminent playwright of the time, William, by contrast, was considered a populist like the tabloid journalists of today. Though let us not knock populism, sometimes referred to as Pulp Fiction. Science fiction is jam-packed with such examples as are horror, detective novels and the Penny Dreadfuls.
Storytelling predates recorded history and countless valuable insights, and precious examples were lost, for all time with the burning of the Great Library at Alexandria in Egypt. Many, including Julius Caesar, are blamed for this outrage though it was not necessarily a singular event. But hundreds lived and worked there, and the library was estimated to hold over a half million documents. Africa, India and Asia are replete with fascinating, insightful tales too often neglected by the west.
A thousand niche sub-genres does not make something new or worthy of approbation. Scrape away the veneer, and you will find only a handful of stories. You cannot for a moment hope what you choose to write about is in any way original or novel. Though, this does not preclude it from being captivating, apposite for the time or enjoyable. Asimov did not invent Robots or even the word, Tolkien did not invent Elves, Dwarves or Trolls and Stoker did not invent Vampires. It was, assuredly not Anne Rice or Stephenie Meyer. Currently, we are no doubt due to be deluged by a plethora of pandemic tales, only a handful of which may turn out to be memorable. However, Samuel Pepys wrote about the plague four centuries ago in his diary, as did Daniel Defoe in a fictional account in 1722. Chaucer did not even bother to mention it in the Canterbury Tales when the disease first arrived.
A friend likes to refer to JK Rowling's Potter, as Billy Bunter/Tom Brown, with a bit of magic thrown in. However, having sold close to a billion copies across the entire series let us not be churlish at the achievement or too selective about the origins. 50 Shades is not great literature, but it kick-started a revival in steamy romance from which many others have profited. Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters were also considered rather risque in their day.
Absorb and distill everything from everywhere but first and foremost write about what you love.
All,please see my book trailer links below:
As Time Narrows
https://youtu.be/MWRE9tD_RZk
The Man In The Bowler Hat
https://youtu.be/ZlsZnuW2Vzg
The King's Tower
https://youtu.be/KSvopP3r-hs
https://youtu.be/SEEh6qd6EBs
C.C. wrote: "Mark, do not consider following a rebuke or chastisement, more an addendum.While Jules Verne is an excellent author, often poorly translated, he did not invent Science fiction. Though, along with..."
In that Verne was born well before Wells, and I remember it being said that Wells credited Verne as being the better of the two of them, I would still cried Verne as being the first to pen modern Sci-Fi. There were some roots that go back to the ancient Greeks, but for the more modern gadget-filled era of Sci-Fi, I believe it would have to go to Jules Verne.
First release, out now.Grimm
Cyrus Grimm, the living embodiment of death, has watched over our world for countless eons. He's seen everything there is to see; or at least he thought he had. But after a chance encounter with someone still among the living, and a weapon able to pierce the barrier between the living and the dead, he's not so sure. Faced with the truth of his own mortality he must make a choice. Break the ancient laws that govern his vigil, or watch from safety as the world he has watched over for so long, burns!
Zero-Day Rising, the final installment of the BetterWorld cyberpunk trilogy, is out today! Trade paperback available now; ebooks available soon. In the meantime, the first two books are available in multiple formats from most online outlets; e.g.:https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/...
The first book, Sleep State Interrupt, was a Compton Crook finalist for best first speculative fiction novel. In it, Waylee Freid, an unemployed bipolar journalist, and Charles, a teenage hacker, try to expose a conspiracy between a giant media corporation and a corrupt president to control the flow of information and thereby control the world. In volume two, The Wrath of Leviathan, Waylee faces life in prison, while her younger sister Kiyoko and her hacktivist friends are hunted in Brazil by a team of ruthless mercenaries. In Zero-Day Rising, Kiyoko resolves to free Waylee and bring down President Rand and MediaCorp. However, MediaCorp unleashes its ultimate plan: direct mind control with cerebral implants. Can Kiyoko and Waylee’s team stop them? Can they penetrate MediaCorp’s networks and end the company’s grip over humanity? All while eluding the biggest manhunt in history, in a world where everyone and everything is under surveillance?
Mic check one, two, oneee, twooo, bup! bup! (Is this thing on? Its on?) Hey everybody, my name is Joshua Alvins, the author of DR.SKETCH. I got indpired to write it after watching black panther and seeing all the love it recieved and I realised there is thirst for african literature out there. DR. SKETCH : The last rainmakerThe book is about Omosh, A boy who acquires seemingly magical tools through which whatever he draws comes to life. There are rules to check his ability though. He tries to use them to get himself out of trouble but he sinks even deeper, This sets him on one runaway adventure of a lifetime before he gets the answers he was looking for and the heavy duty that comes with them. But magic is science you cant explain.
Engage at Dawn: First ContactHi Folks,
Please mark your calendars - On Saturday morning, 17 October at 3 am Eastern, 12 am Pacific time, I am lighting off an Amazon Kindle Countdown for my action-adventure/soft-SF novel Engage at Dawn: First Contact, down to $0.99 for a limited time! Please give it a look and, of course, rate and review.
Thank You,
Ed
Writing Tips: Writing A Good VillainEvery story needs a good villain, but a great story needs a great villain. So, just what comprises a great villain? Just having someone in a black hat that can unstoppably destroy everything he touches is a bit juvenile, too basic, and rather unimaginative. On the other hand a villain can't be weak either. So let's attempt to explore what exactly makes for a great villain.
The villain must be a BIG challenge: However strong, powerful, or intelligent your heros are to be, the Big Bad must be even more so. Something that a group of your heros can still stand before trembling, or why else would he be a threat?
Never be arbitrary: Simply having the guy go Pizzott to anything that gets near without figuring what his power or capabilities are, just will not do it. What exactly are his powers and abilities? Does he have any limits? Do his abilities work or not under certain circumstances? It's okay for the villain to be really powerful, just make sure you have some specifics in mind. No "infinity blasts".
Background: Everyone has a past, including the bad guy. It tells us where he gets his abilities and the reasons for doing whatever he's doing. Finding the origin of a villains powers and skills is often the seed for a quest for the good guys to undertake that they may find his weakness and save the world.
Use Reasoning: Everything needs a reason, some logic. So just as it's not good so say "oh, he's infinitely powerful" without giving any specific reasons, so to should any weak spot be logically derived, usually from his background or the nature of his abilities. So no "he has a deadly allergy to peanuts," or "He's vulnerable to the Magic Sword of Hooligan." Give a reason, such as WHY he's vulnerable to said sword and why not just any other magic doohickie.
Personality: A great villain needs a notable personality. Either it's the insanity of the Joker, or something more cool and collected, he needs something to make him stand out. Some of the best villains are more subtle and crafty in their designs, extremely manipulative, while others give insanity a bad name. A good approach is to go with an extreme version of a desired personality trait.
No need to kill everything: just because he's a villain doesn't mean that he has to kill everything he comes across. He might only kill when he needs to, manipulate others into doing what he wants, control others, or twist someone into insanity. There should be an aura of fear felt by others around him, a promise of something malevolent, but not always instant death.
Big Stakes: The bigger the villain's goal, the bigger the threat posed by his activities, the more important it is for the heroes to overcome the threat he poses. Just make sure the goal makes sense within the given context of your world background and likewise poses an appropriate threat. for instance, for a story set in the Dark Ages around some sparsely populated countryside, a big threat might be a tribe of marauders about to take out a village, while for a larger-scale more SF setting the big threat could be one of global destruction.
Don't have the villain explain everything: Every villain needs a good plan, but he should never never take time out to explain the details to his captured opponent while the cavalry is getting closer. Keep the details of his plan to yourself, letting pieces of it become apparent in the course of the story. You should never have to resort to the bad guy narrating it all to someone.
Show it: Don't just SAY that he's the most feared guy around; that's good as a start, a bit of background, but you still need to SHOW it. Put in a couple of scenes that show him in action before you need him for the really big stuff. Something to give exhibit to why it is that people fear him so.
But above all, a good villain should be memorable, have that special something which even has his enemies admiring him while having them tremble in terror.
My first (in a series of 5) Cyberdawn book is forthcoming. Cover's done (you can see it at http://www.maldene.com/cyberdawn), getting the ebook set up, and even planning for a paperback release. Quick synopsis of "Cyberdawn: Beginnings"...Earth is entering a new age of peace. No weapons, countries ready to put down their armies, every home benefiting from megacorp generosity, but if you’re Black Jack Hannigan this sounds a bit like fattening up the calf before the slaughter.
He’s seen them, creatures straight out of mythology. Winged tigers, ghouls, werewolves, they all exist; all part of the same millennia-old conspiracy. The “People” are manipulating our society, readying us for sacrifice to their Masters unless Black Jack and his friends can bring their schemes to light.
It will take a new generation of weapons being developed by the icy Dr. Rebecca Winter to protect a defenseless world against these creatures, and even then it’s a race. For once the People have opened the Eye of the Apocalypse it’s all over. The Masters will consume our world, just as they have countless others before us.
Cyberawn: Beginnings is a blend of SF/cyberpunk and fantasy that is great for those who love conspiracies. I'm just coming out with it and could use a few good reviews. Info on the book at http://www.maldene.com/cyberdawn
General release (ebook only) Nov 2.
Basic book blurb:
"Earth is entering a new age of peace. No weapons, countries ready to put down their armies, every home benefiting from megacorp generosity, but if you’re Black Jack Hannigan this sounds a bit like fattening up the calf before the slaughter.
He’s seen them, creatures straight out of mythology. Winged tigers, ghouls, werewolves, they all exist; all part of the same millennia-old conspiracy. The “People” are manipulating our society, readying us for sacrifice to their Masters unless Black Jack and his friends can bring their schemes to light.
It will take a new generation of weapons being developed by the icy Dr. Rebecca Winter to protect a defenseless world against these creatures, and even then it’s a race. For once the People have opened the Eye of the Apocalypse it’s all over. The Masters will consume our world, just as they have countless others before us."
The first review of Cyberdawn: Beginnings just came in over at ReadersFavorite.com and it was 5-stars! Direct link is https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
Text of review as follows (I just copied it in):
Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite
Cyberdawn: Beginnings by Mark Anthony Tierno is a whopper of a science fiction novel of conspiracy theories that would have Alex Jones flipping pages. It's a massive book with a lot going on inside its chapters, but Tierno is such an entertaining writer that the story goes by too fast, leaving you wanting more. And that's the good part because this is the first in a five-book series. This imaginative tale is overflowing with an intriguing plot, fresh characters, energetic dialogue, and vibrant prose. The story poses a world without weapons because peace is finally here and violence is a thing of the past. It's what everyone has wanted since mankind began. But the main character, Black Jack Hannigan, suspects the worst-case scenario: That no weapons, no defense, means people are ripe for slaughter. And in this case, sacrificial offerings. The people of Earth don't realize it, but they need weapons of self-defense because they've been lulled into a false sense of security and utopia. This is where Black Jack and Dr. Winter come into play. They want to arm citizens against slaughter by The Masters/creatures, but will it be enough? If the Eye of the Apocalypse opens, is it too late?
This is an ambitious tale combining science fiction, fantasy, mythology, horror, creatures, cyberpunk, and some surprises. Tierno writes with the immediacy of a screenplay--perfect for such a sprawling story and much appreciated. The pace of the plot is quick, the action dynamic, the violence necessary but not over the top. The supporting characters like Hyram and Archbishop O'Malley add to the colorful cast. You'll zip through the story like a graphic novel, and it has a vitality that's visceral. If you like race-against-time plots that keep you turning pages, you need to read Cyberdawn: Beginnings by Mark Anthony Tierno.
Hi everyone, I've recently published my debut sci-fi novel EntanglementIn a world where the distinction between the virtual and the real has faded, and an inexplicable plague is changing the nature, a man is running away from home, as he feels that something strange has happened to his loved one. He will have to change his life, grappling with his doubts about the nature of reality. Can what is happening to him be real? Or is he stuck in a simulation?
At the same time, a woman begins to realize that the restrictive community she's spent her entire life with and the rules she's been following all along make no sense. She's had enough of the Master's cruelty and the mysterious purpose that he's constantly talking about never explaining it.
This character-focused book explores the relationship between humans and nature and the effects advanced technology has on people's lives. It dives into the characters' experiences and follows their adventures as they look for answers, offering several plot twists.
If that's the kind of book you might like, I'm willing to exchange a free copy for a review or a review for a review with a fellow sci-fi or fantasy author.
Take care :)
My debut novel; Clockwork stars is a dystopian sci-fi set in an alternative steam punk time linehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CLOCKWORK-ST...
Hi! My name is Alexandra Casavant, and my third novel "Vile the Gorgon" comes out on November 23, 2020. If you're into Sci-Fi, you'll enjoy it! Here's a quick synopsis:"In a world of magic, warlocks, Kings and Queens, subjects and rulers. The people live in constant fear of a beast that feeds on the firstborn of every royal bloodline.
A Queen cannot bring herself to give up her child. But what happens when she realizes that she cannot escape a fate that is beyond her control? And what will she do when she finds out that there is more to the Vile Beast than she could have ever imagined?
What ensues is a fight against all the odds, magical curses, a powerful beast, and an even more powerful Ruler who is hell-bent on keeping his power."
Cybersecurity officer Damon Maxwell wakes from cryogenic sleep expecting to be ten years into his future but instead finds himself in the root ruled empire of Machinia, 2156! Welcomed by Machinia’s omnipotent leader, the Universal, Damon learns that his extraordinary journey is part of a complex plan by the Universal to bait Machinia’s deadly enemy, the Underground, into action. But the Universal’s brilliant robot aide, Nepcar, fears his leader’s dangerous scheme and pairs Damon with the beautiful and mysterious Cynthia Lhan hoping their union can prevent a catastrophe.Yet, even as the Universal’s plans fall into place an enigmatic figure appears in Damon’s life that even the mighty Universal is powerless to control. Will Damon ultimately be the destroyer of the robot race or its saviour? https://pandamoniumpublishing.com/pro...
Writing Tips: How to Write Fight ScenesFight scenes can be a two-edged sword. On the one hand they look great and exciting... visually on the movie screen. But trying to put that on paper can very quickly end up as something like "parry, parry, thrust, oh parry" for a couple of pages. I learned very quickly that you have to get inventive.
Commentary: Of course, there is always the back and forth comments to interject as the swordplay (or whatever) is going back and forth. I use it a lot myself, but our goal here is to create something visual that will jump out of the page at the reader. We need to mix it up with a bit more action.
Inventive fight scenes: Every terrain has its props, so use them. The bush, that trash can, the innocent bystander just walking by. You can also get inventive with HOW the people fight. For instance, one character in Maldene is a master of the sword, but when I realized I needed something different then I made him part acrobat. Leaping onto the back of a horse, standing up ON the saddle, as he swings his swords to either side cleaving heads while the horse is moving. Bit more excitement, and something more for the readers to picture in their heads.
Different solutions: Try not to have the characters solve something in the same way too often (this can go for a lot more than just fight scenes, by the way). Did he just swing from a chandelier in the previous chapter? Okay, time for him to try something else. And go for something different, something unexpected.
Fight scenes should be busy: Unless it's a duel between two people, there are many people involved in a fight, so jump around a bit. Couple of paragraphs of one portion, then shift the scene to elsewhere on the battlefield where three others are duking it out, then shift again. Keep up the pace and don't give the reader time to breathe.
Descriptions. Go into a bit more detail with the descriptions of the play-by-play to add a bit more life to it. Just remember to not be too detailed. A fight scene should remain fast-paced, and too elaborate a description will bog it down. Rather, go for some quick fast-paced yet visually-appealing descriptions. There are a number of ways to do this, and some of the better ways involve violating a couple of those basic rules of grammar you learned back in grade school. At the risk of an exceedingly crude example, instead of "the sword came slicing down through the air, cutting across his opponent's abdomen and spilling out a river of blood," you might try something like, "Steel-edged death sang across the stunned assailant, the ground beneath turning crimson as his life spilled out." Which reminds me, don't be afraid to be at least a little poetic.
So, which of the above works best and which do I personally use? The answer is All of them, and not just one or the other for a given fight. If you have a big enough battle scene coming up, stick all of the above into that scene, mix them carefully together. The result will be a whole lot better than its parts, and liven up the old fight from an otherwise boring bit of swordplay.
Currently my first Cyberdawn novel is out in ebook, but the new announcement is this: I am working on a paperback release. no date set yet, still working my way through Amazon on this project, but if you're interested you can keep up to date at www.maldene.comCyberdawn is a mix of cyberpunk, fantasy, and convoluted conspiracies. I've received my first review for it here: https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
The money-line for that review seesm to be "...a whopper of a science fiction novel of conspiracy theories that would have Alex Jones flipping pages." (Though I had to look up Alex Jones before I realized what a great line that one is.)
So if you want to take a look and escape all this real-world stuff for some fantastical conspiracy/SF stuff that leaves it all well enough in the dust, then take a look-see. http://www/maldene.com/cyberdawn
Mark Anthony Tierno
The novel Cyberdrawn sounds very interesting. I am finishing my first Fantasy debut Novel. I have a SciFi novel I will work on in the future. I will plan to read your book in the next month or two.
Author-Tamara wrote: "The novel Cyberdrawn sounds very interesting. I am finishing my first Fantasy debut Novel. I have a SciFi novel I will work on in the future. I will plan to read your book in the next month or two. "It's the first in a 5-book series (already written), and really climbs to some paranoid heights. Not recommended for anyone under 16 years of age, though- there's some language, the fact that the nickname of one of the main characters is "Ice *itch", and more than a little blood-letting (not excessively so, but plot-driven, but still enough that I'd be careful about recommending it to the overly young).
Hello sci-fi people,Anyone know how to attach a book to a message?
I've had someone generously offer to read my book, and they want me to inbox it to them.
I know how to attach a mobi file to an email, but couldn't find any similar thing for GoodReads messages.
Surely with our combined technological ingenuity, science will find a way.
Thank you.
Scott wrote: "Hello sci-fi people,Anyone know how to attach a book to a message?
I've had someone generously offer to read my book, and they want me to inbox it to them.
I know how to attach a mobi file to an e..."
Just use regular email. That way it also only goes to the one recipient with no accidental record of it elsewhere.
hi folks!I'm seeking goodreads reviews on my novel Models and Citizens coming out 1/29/2021.
Harper Rawls' parents die in a tragic murder-suicide. Hospitalized and then released a week later, Harper encounters her mother's lover, Ordell Bentley, a clone - or model - fleeing Human Supremacists. Joined by shared pain, the two navigate extremist attacks, bounty hunters, and Emergent Biotechnology - the largest modeling organization in the world. Harper must ultimately decide whether to help Ordell escape to Canada or seize her opportunity at a normal life.
Please contact me via the form on my book site:
https://www.andrewsweetbooks.com/pageme
My Science Fiction/Climate novel The Hurricane Code has gotten a good reception so far. The story is set in the year 2099 when Category 7 hurricanes lash North America. Three sets of characters deal with the rolling disasters in different ways, including a sentient A.I. created by Quantum computers.
The first book in my science fiction series is The Illusion of Murder, where conspiracies and illusions fill this action-packed story of twin sisters; one accused of murder and the other hired to hunt her down. They must put their past with its tangle of old hurts and misconceptions behind them as they face predator cats, deadly betrayals, and a shadowy group that believes they know too much. Their very survival depends on them achieving a level of cooperation that neither of them desires or believes to be possible.The book can be found on Amazon.
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Murde...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Murde...
I am happy to announce that my 29th novel,
ON THE ROAD TO EDEN is now published and available for free.
ON THE ROAD TO EDEN is the sequel to my earlier novel SPACE-TIME ODYSSEY, in which a fleet transporting refugees from the Alpha Centauri System in the 41st Century tried to escape an invading alien force. That fleet, hit by an enemy experimental weapon, was then projected back in time, all the way to the year 861 C.E. (Common Era). With the impossibility of returning to their original time, the fleet occupants then decided to resettle on Medieval Earth, occupying empty lands in New Zealand. Now, three months after their arrival on Earth, the people of the Human Expansion are continuing to build their new homes on Earth while interacting with the people of the 9th Century.
I write my novels strictly as a hobby and not for financial gain. I offer my novels online for free, so that others around the World can be entertained by them. My novels can be found for free on the site of Free-Ebooks.net, or you can request copies directly from me, again for free and with no expectations or requests for reviews or ratings, by sending me an e-mail to natai@videotron.ca.
ON THE ROAD TO EDEN is now published and available for free. ON THE ROAD TO EDEN is the sequel to my earlier novel SPACE-TIME ODYSSEY, in which a fleet transporting refugees from the Alpha Centauri System in the 41st Century tried to escape an invading alien force. That fleet, hit by an enemy experimental weapon, was then projected back in time, all the way to the year 861 C.E. (Common Era). With the impossibility of returning to their original time, the fleet occupants then decided to resettle on Medieval Earth, occupying empty lands in New Zealand. Now, three months after their arrival on Earth, the people of the Human Expansion are continuing to build their new homes on Earth while interacting with the people of the 9th Century.
I write my novels strictly as a hobby and not for financial gain. I offer my novels online for free, so that others around the World can be entertained by them. My novels can be found for free on the site of Free-Ebooks.net, or you can request copies directly from me, again for free and with no expectations or requests for reviews or ratings, by sending me an e-mail to natai@videotron.ca.
My Mom The Intergalactic TerroristHello! I love writing and have been doing it for years now, but this year I finally published something for real! My first ever Novel is out now and I can't wait to share it with you all
"Aliens, for Galileo they are nothing more than a fantasy that his best friend Nikki is obsessed with. Like fairies and witches, they're just another story to keep people entertained. That's why he laughed at her notion that his mother was an alien. Why wouldn't he? She may be the weirdest person he's ever met, but that's just because she's not from around here. He never could have guessed just how right Nikki was."
Available as an eBook, Paperback, and an audiobook on audible.
Check it out!
https://www.amazon.com/Mom-Intergalac...
Phyllis wrote: "These are the first three titles in my Martian Symbiont series:
The story begins with an advanc..."
Hi Phyllis,
This sounds really intriguing. I like the matriarch approach to governance, which should be very interesting to explore. The vagabond nature of the Martians is very interesting and reminds me of tribes that traveled the pacific from island to island. Seems very promising!
I haven't published yet so not sure about the answer to your question. I am curious to see what others say though. Good luck!
THE ANTIQUITIES DEALER is a hybrid - part scifi, part murder mystery/thriller, and takes a novel approach to cloning. The "sleuth" at the heart of the story is David Greenberg, an intellectually minded St. Louis businessman, who is lured by Miriam, his former love and a member of a secret Israeli society, to help locate a missing artifact — the last nail from the Crucifixion. But why? As the pair is pursued by Christian, Jewish and Muslim extremists, all seeking the priceless relic, murders mount up. Is humankind’s future at stake?
Paperback, eBook and audiobook available.
The Antiquities Dealer
Just a quick announcement here. My new Cyberdawn, currently in ebook, drops in paperback Dec 1. Go to www.maldene.com/cyberdawn for more info.Move along now.
Cyberdawn: Beginnings
Hi,I'm Jethro, I haven't been particularly active on Goodreads, but I'd like to get into it!
My book Bang to Begin covers quite a few different genres, but I'll just leave it here for now :)
Bang to Begin
I've been writing for a few years now and released this earlier this year.
I also have some FREE AUDIBLE codes for the audiobook version if anyone's interested. Looking at getting some start-up reviews :)
Hi, I’m Anttimatti.I’m a merging science fiction writer from Finland with a fresh and funny novel Black Table, where an intergalactic network is explored accidentally by two science fiction nerds from Finland.
Here is also a book Trailer
I'm interested in a free code. I will review your book after I listened to it.
Escape Reality by Kayla Frost
**The first few chapters can be read for free on Amazon**
Edith lands on an alien planet after a hellish three-month voyage in a dark, frigid, and auto-piloted prison capsule. She is met with the overwhelming brightness of a planet revolving around two suns and receives a slap by way of introduction from the impatient guard escorting her. However, the guard is the least of her problems.
Edith finds—after booting her dry systems—that some of her wet memory has been corrupted. Her tech implants state, unequivocally, that her own mind cannot be trusted, and she struggles to reason out precisely why she was sent to a corporate prison planet.
Not one to let some missing memory deter her, Edith sets out to reclaim both her memory and her freedom. After all, it’s what first-generation Synths were programmed to do, to survive no matter the cost.
Author's note: I'm always happy to hear from readers. New books will be announced via my mailing list, twitter, and goodreads.
http://kaylafrost.com
Hi my name is Dennis Gilmour and I wrote a fiction novel about open contact with deceptive aliens pretending to be God. I registered copyright in 1993 but the pentagon UFO released videos and increasing UFO activity seems to indicate my book may become reality. Back then I thought so too, but it seemed more fringe so I did it as fiction, my vision of how it could be credibly done. Hope some read and spurs thought.
• Happy Holidays! "..The most enjoyable #scifi novel I have read in several years...." Temple Williams, Retired Editor, Reader's Digest, Full Review: https://amazon.com/gp/customer-review... More copies of Rarity from the Hollow sold in November than during any prior month. It is available in print or for any eReader: https://bit.ly/2KNJkI2 Half of author proceeds are donated to help abused children living in temporary shelters during the pandemic.
Writing Tips: How to Write Fight ScenesFight scenes can be a two-edged sword. On the one hand they look great and exciting... visually on the movie screen. But trying to put that on paper can very quickly end up as something like "parry, parry, thrust, oh parry" for a couple of pages. I learned very quickly that you have to get inventive.
Commentary: Of course, there is always the back and forth comments to interject as the swordplay (or whatever) is going back and forth. I use it a lot myself, but our goal here is to create something visual that will jump out of the page at the reader. We need to mix it up with a bit more action.
Inventive fight scenes: Every terrain has its props, so use them. The bush, that trash can, the innocent bystander just walking by. You can also get inventive with HOW the people fight. For instance, one character in Maldene is a master of the sword, but when I realized I needed something different then I made him part acrobat. Leaping onto the back of a horse, standing up ON the saddle, as he swings his swords to either side cleaving heads while the horse is moving. Bit more excitement, and something more for the readers to picture in their heads.
Different solutions: Try not to have the characters solve something in the same way too often (this can go for a lot more than just fight scenes, by the way). Did he just swing from a chandelier in the previous chapter? Okay, time for him to try something else. And go for something different, something unexpected.
Fight scenes should be busy: Unless it's a duel between two people, there are many people involved in a fight, so jump around a bit. Couple of paragraphs of one portion, then shift the scene to elsewhere on the battlefield where three others are duking it out, then shift again. Keep up the pace and don't give the reader time to breathe.
Descriptions. Go into a bit more detail with the descriptions of the play-by-play to add a bit more life to it. Just remember to not be too detailed. A fight scene should remain fast-paced, and too elaborate a description will bog it down. Rather, go for some quick fast-paced yet visually-appealing descriptions. There are a number of ways to do this, and some of the better ways involve violating a couple of those basic rules of grammar you learned back in grade school. At the risk of an exceedingly crude example, instead of "the sword came slicing down through the air, cutting across his opponent's abdomen and spilling out a river of blood," you might try something like, "Steel-edged death sang across the stunned assailant, the ground beneath turning crimson as his life spilled out." Which reminds me, don't be afraid to be at least a little poetic.
So, which of the above works best and which do I personally use? The answer is All of them, and not just one or the other for a given fight. If you have a big enough battle scene coming up, stick all of the above into that scene, mix them carefully together. The result will be a whole lot better than its parts, and liven up the old fight from an otherwise boring bit of swordplay.
Mark Anthony Tierno
The perfect Christmas Gift is here – Mantis Exile.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Now available on Amazon for both Kindle and paperback.
The unique crew of the retired scout ship Mantis faces life in exile and must make a living in the area of space beyond borders, known as The Vast. They’ve got some friends out there, but they’ve got to wonder if the home they’re exiled from, the Republic, will come after them. The crew must face great dangers, investigate new planets, interact with aliens, make some new friends, and face some old questions if they are to survive.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Who’s following the current US robotic mission to Mars - Perseverance – which is scheduled to land on February 18, 2021?What a timely time to read my novel Doodlebugs!!
If you enjoy mild SciFi with romance and humor you might enjoy reading my novel Doodlebugs.
Doodlebugs is a page turner with a rich brew of wonderfully varied, quirky, unpredictable, and imminently believable people. From a small-town Sheriff, to a soulless corporate CEO, to a survivalist, to nerdy engineers, to escaped felons and terrorists…they all intersect in the pages of Doodlebugs.
amazon.com/author/markmullane
(ebook $2.99 / paperback $11.99)
Review excerpt.....Doodlebugs is a five-star read!!! Okay, full disclosure: Such high marks would be expected from the author’s brother. But great writing is great writing and Doodlebugs is just that…a superbly crafted fiction of interplanetary terror. In our new space age of privately developed rockets and space ventures, is it that much of a stretch of imagination that a greedy, private corporation’s Martian soil return mission has gone awry and unleashed horror on a sleepy New Mexico village? Doodlebugs blurs the boundary of fiction and reality with that premise. Mike Mullane, Col., USAF (Ret.) NASA Astronaut (Ret.), Author
Mark Anthony TiernoWriting Tips: Elements Of A Great Story
Many writers have their particular strong points. Some are good at crafting a great plot, but are rather basic when it comes to the flow of the words. Others can make the characters come alive but couldn't dream up a nail-biting plot if their lives depended on it. Still others may be able to craft poetry-like words but no substance to attach it to. To be a great writer you need all three of these: Plot, Characterization, and Prose.
The plot is what everything is all about, it's where the story is going. It must keep the reader interested, involved, and guessing. A story without a plot is about the equivalent of watching a reality show on television: nothing there.
Of course, the characters move a plot along and keep you personally invested. These two work hand in hand, since there has to BE a plot for the characters to move along in the first place. Each character must be true to what you have made him up to be, react to every situation appropriate to his personality and background. Good characters can turn a good plot into a great story.
Then there is the prose. If the wording is bland and uninteresting, then it doesn't matter how good the other two are, it will be like reading a dictionary. But if the words melt like butter in the mouth, if the prose is akin to the movement of poetry, then you can turn a good story into a GREAT one.
So a great story has all three of these elements. If you are strong on one but weak on the others then it's time to do something about that. But there is one more element, something they can't teach in any writing course but that I believe all the Greats have. Enthusiasm. Do you really LOVE your story? Do you get hives when you're away from the keyboard for too long? Does the thought of waking up early Monday morning so you can get back to your story have you doing cartwheels? Because that is what you need to raise yourself to that uppermost level. But if the work is drudgery, if it feels less like play and more like a regular 9 to 5 grind in the salty mines, then you might as well give it up now and go find a job involving wearing a paper hat, because you aren't going to make it. But if you can find that type of story that REALLY gets you feeling like a nine year old around Christmas time, then stick with it because that is the final component of a great story.
Maldene: Volume One and Two
Cyberdawn: Beginnings
Woohoo.....I sold two paperback copies of Doodlebugs in December! Not exactly what I was hoping for, but I’m going to celebrate it wasn’t zero.Six months ago I self-published my novel Doodlebugs.....today it has received Five Stars (6 reviews/ratings) another reason to celebrate!
If you enjoy mild Scifi mixed with romance and humor you might find Doodlebugs to be an enjoyable read.
amazon.com/dp/B08BKBRGLV
A robotic mission to Mars to return samples to Earth. What could possibly go wrong? From a small-town Sheriff, to a soulless corporate CEO, to a survivalist, to nerdy engineers, to escaped felons and terrorists…they all intersect in the gripping page turner that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.
Review Excerpt.....Doodlebugs is a five-star read!!! Doodlebugs is a superbly crafted fiction of interplanetary terror. Of course, great writing is more than just plot, it is the characters. And Mark Mullane hits a home run by populating Doodlebugs with a rich brew of wonderfully varied, quirky, unpredictable, and imminently believable people.
Doodlebugs
Woohoo.....I sold two paperback copies of Doodlebugs in December! Not exactly what I was hoping for, but I’m going to celebrate it wasn’t zero.Six months ago I self-published my novel Doodlebugs.....today it has received Five Stars (6 reviews/ratings) another reason to celebrate!
If you enjoy mild Scifi mixed with romance and humor you might find Doodlebugs to be an enjoyable read.
amazon.com/dp/B08BKBRGLV
A robotic mission to Mars to return samples to Earth. What could possibly go wrong? From a small-town Sheriff, to a soulless corporate CEO, to a survivalist, to nerdy engineers, to escaped felons and terrorists…they all intersect in the gripping page turner that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.
Review Excerpt.....Doodlebugs is a five-star read!!! Doodlebugs is a superbly crafted fiction of interplanetary terror. Of course, great writing is more than just plot, it is the characters. And Mark Mullane hits a home run by populating Doodlebugs with a rich brew of wonderfully varied, quirky, unpredictable, and imminently believable people.
Doodlebugs
Goodreads Authors/Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Shadows of the Forgotten (other topics)Falling Up (other topics)
Ghosts of the Scattered Kingdoms (other topics)
The Eden Succession: Stories and Essays on Memory, Machine, and What Survives (other topics)
The Tox Shot: The 'Z' Word --- A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Survival Thriller (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert P. Edwards (other topics)David E Graham (other topics)
John D. Clay (other topics)
Stephen B. Anthony (other topics)
Bern B. Hughes (other topics)
More...
So, today I thought I'd make a little announcement. Specifically that of a new series I've had in the can for a while but am finally going to release. It's cyberpunk with liberal doses of magic and fantasy elements, and a whole lot of paranoid conspiracies that date back to biblical times. Best to quote my new back-of-book blurb...
"Earth is entering a new age of peace. No weapons, countries ready to put down their armies, every home benefiting from megacorp generosity, but if you’re Black Jack Hannigan this sounds a bit like fattening up the calf before the slaughter.
He’s seen them, creatures straight out of mythology. Winged tigers, ghouls, werewolves, they all exist; all part of the same millennia-old conspiracy. The “People” are manipulating our society, readying us for sacrifice to their Masters unless Black Jack and his friends can bring their schemes to light.
It will take a new generation of weapons being developed by the icy Dr. Rebecca Winter to protect a defenseless world against these creatures, and even then it’s a race. For once the People have opened the Eye of the Apocalypse it’s all over. The Masters will consume our world, just as they have countless others before us."
This is "Cyberdawn beginnings", the first in the 5-book Cyberdawn series.