Sample Sunday: "Dead Links"

Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's another excerpt from my technothriller, Dead Links.

For the moment, Araknee's secrets took a back seat in Amanda's mind to an even greater mystery. "Are those Crane supercomputers?"

Isabelle squinted through the glass. "Yeah, I think that's what someone said."

Amanda continued to stare in awe through the window at the computers tangled within a web of green and red wiring. What she saw seemed as out of place as a nuclear bomb in a child's toy box.

Amanda whispered, "What're they doing running a website?"

The muted roar of the fans inside the computer room seemed louder than all the chatter and movement in the main floor as Isabelle shrugged. "Nothing special, really. They're hooked up to the servers. You know what servers are, right?"

"Sure. That's a computer that don't do nothing else but sit around and send people files, like waiters of the Internet." She turned her gaze back onto the supercomputers humming in the next room. "But any computer could run a server, even my desktop at home. Supercomputers do billions of complex mathematical calculations every second. The government uses 'em to design new weapons or for decrypting classified information. And Crane supercomputers are top o' the line, the best of the best, most powerful computers on Earth. And you got ten of 'em. No way a server's workload could be strong enough to need that kinda power."

If you'd like to read the rest of it, you can get the full novel at the Amazon US Kindle Store or Amazon UK Kindle Store.

Related Posts

Sample Sunday: "Toons"
Sample Sunday: "Dead Links"

Cover Reveal: "Dead Links" [Art]

I've re-designed my cover from Dead Links once again, and it's a much bigger change this time. My old cover was based on free images, but I finally decided to invest in some stock photos from Shutterstock. I got rid of the spider, which is very symbolic if you've read the novel, but I think was too ambiguous. I replaced it with blood which is not ambiguous at all. I also added eyes, because I wanted to convey the African American female heroine. I think it makes a huge difference.

Old Version

New Version

What do you think of the new cover? Let me know in the comments.

Flash Friday: "Moneyback Guarantee" [Short Story]

It's Flash Friday, where I present a quick scifi story. This week:

Moneyback Guarantee
By Nigel G. Mitchell

"I want my money back," Nathan Coryell said.

The tour guide held up her hands with the palms out. "I understand your disappointment, Mister Coryell, but I would point that what you're experiencing is normal."

The tour guide clasped her hands together as she glanced over at the other members of the tour group. She faced them to address their murmuring as well. "As we said before the tour, many of our customers have pre-conceived notions about what dinosaurs are going to be like. Most of those notions are based on movies and TV shows that were made before the invention of time travel."

Nathan glared through the branches of the trees at the creature in the clearing before him. "I want my money back."

The tour guide deepened her frown. "And I would also add that many of the dinosaurs we encounter in our time tours have never been observed in detail by biologists, so we often have no idea what behavior they'll exhibit before we visit them. And the release form clearly states that Chrono-Tours does not make any claims nor are we responsible for any confusion or disappointment you may experience."

"I want my money back," Nathan repeated.

He continued to glare at the Tyrannosaurus Rex as it bowed its head. The T-Rex plucked up another mouthful of grass and chewed contentedly.

A chirping bird caused the T-Rex to suddenly jump, change the color of its feathers from brown to red, and scurry off into the bushes while trumpeting with its long trunk.

If you liked this story, check out my other writing at the Amazon Kindle Store.

Related:
Machine of Death: "Alien Abduction" [Short]

"Boneshaker" by Cherie Priest [Review]

AUTHOR: Cherie Priest
SYNOPSIS: In an alternate Seattle of the 1800's, an enormous drilling machine (nicknamed the Boneshaker) collapses half the city on its maiden voyage. As if the destruction wasn't enough, the Boneshaker releases a mysterious gas that transforms anyone who breathes it into a flesh-eating corpse. To prevent the gas from spreading, the city is walled in and abandoned. Sixteen years later, the son of the Boneshaker's inventor journeys into zombie-infested Seattle to find evidence of his father's innocence. His mother, Briar Wilkes, goes in after him to find a community of criminals and outcasts has made the city its home, along with an evil scientist with a mysterious connection to her husband.

REVIEW: A lot of modern sci-fi novelists are more interested with being scientifically accurate than fun, which is why I found Boneshaker so refreshing. Priest really captures the spirit of adventure and delivers great thrills and chills without worrying about science. The novel wears its steampunk setting on its sleeve with crazy steam-powered machines, goggles, and of course, airships.

The reader is drawn into a fully-realized world. Hearing the characters describe the devastation of Seattle, it was hard to imagine anyone surviving inside its walls, much less living there. There was a sense of dread and excitement as Blair enters the walls, wondering what she would find. I won't say too much, because I don't want to spoil it, but Priest has done an excellent job of working out how and why society would survive inside the walls. You also get the feeling that there's more going on than just in Boneshaker. In the end, you're left wanting more, which is why I'm glad that Cherie Priest has written more novels set in the Clockwork Century universe, including Clementine and Dreadnought.

The characters are all very well-written. Briar Wilkes herself is a great heroine, ostracized for her association with her husband and the disaster, but strong and determined. We never really learn the background and motivations for most of the other characters, but they still ring true. The focus is always on the adventure, which is non-stop with gunfights, airship combat, and zombie attacks. My only complaint would be that I thought Boneshaker didn't go far enough in its steampunk technology. No steam-powered computers or robots in this world.

In an industry where readers spend hours analyzing whether an author's fictional planet is the right distance to its fictional sun, I'm amazed a novel like Boneshaker has not only been published, but embraced by the sci-fi community at large. The novel was actually a nominee for a Hugo Award for Best Novel. It gives me comfort that a great novel like this got the attention it deserved, and the speculative fiction industry hasn't completely lost its way.

5 out of 5 stars

Friendsday Wednesday, uh, Thursday

I missed Friendsday Wednesday, so let's do it on Thursday. Here are some authors who have something to celebrate.

Nicki Elson did a cover reveal for her novel Divine Temptation with an intro by Michael Di Gesu

M. Pax's Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in her Backworlds series has been released! (via Stephen Tremp)

J.C. Martin unveiled the cover Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski. The novel will be released on October 7, 2013.

Tara Reed is doing an IndieGoGo campaign for her choose-your-own-adventure style romance novel, Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda.

D.L. Miles released the cover for Threads of Chaos.

Congratualtions!

The Importance of Big Ideas in Fiction [Writing]

I think I'm technically a good writer, but my problem now is my ideas, the overall concept for what my stories are about. I used to focus on my technique, but I've been told my writing is on a professional level. The problem is what I'm writing about. I realized that I could write the greatest novel ever, but if the topic isn't compelling enough, doesn't have a hook, then no one will bother to read it and find out. An agent or editor or reader looking at the back cover will first judge the book by the description, and that description has to grab them. That's why I'm now trying to build my fiction on strong ideas.

To me, the perfect high-concept idea is Jurassic Park. The whole book can be summed up in one sentence: dinosaurs brought back to life with genetic engineering. That idea is so compelling that it makes you want to read the book. Everything else, like the fact that it's exciting and well-written, is just gravy. There was a bidding war for the movie rights before author Michael Crichton had even finished the novel, showing the studios didn't even care how the book turned out. They knew the idea alone was so powerful that it would be a great movie.

I work hard now to try to come up with compelling ideas for my writing. I think my forthcoming novel Drug Run is the best idea I've come up with recently, and hope the finished novel lives up to it.

How much work do you put into ideas? Do you just write what you want and hope others buy the idea or do you wait for a great idea to strike you? Let me know in the comments.

Sample Sunday: "Toons"

 Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's an excerpt from my comedy/adventure series, TOONS. 

The gorilla pointed a crooked finger. "The Apex Blimp from the Apex Corporation themselves. Flies that route every day at this time, just like clockwork."

"Oh, yes, it's very nice." Crafty Wolf tried to look interested.

"Ah, good ol' Apex. Why, I remember the days before Apex. In my day, you wanted a stick o' dynamite, you had to send away for it the old-fashioned way. By regular mail. And it cost you a pretty penny. Overnight shipping was the fastest we could get, too, and you were darned glad to have it. Nowadays, you kids with your free orders and instantaneous delivery don't know what you've got."

7 Shocking Real-Life Deaths Caused By a Website

Everyone knows the World Wide Web can be an amazing but also dangerous place. There are weirdos and stalkers, there are trolls and lurkers, there's misinformation and rumors, and all sorts of things that can get you in trouble or even hurt you. In a few cases, websites have even caused actual deaths. Here are seven real-life cases of people who were killed by a website.

Cover Art: "Really Wild Things"

I created a cover for my Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Novel, Really Wild Things. You have to read the book to understand the paper clip reference.

What do you think?

Available for free in ePub (backup link) and PDF format.

Related Posts:
Cover Update: "Dead Links"
New Release: "Really Wild Things"

4 Ways to Read Kindle eBooks, Even If You Don't Own a Kindle

I hear some readers complaining about ebooks that aren't available on their ereader platform. For example, the ebook is exclusive to Amazon and the reader doesn't have a Kindle. Or there are readers who don't have an ereader at all, and think they can't read ebooks. One of the advantages of Amazon is that they've worked hard to make their books as accessible as possible. Here are some ways you can read Kindle ebooks like mine, even if you don't own a Kindle.

Sample Sunday: "Really Wild Things"

Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's an excerpt from my original Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy novel, Really Wild Things.

The Pros and Cons of Indie Authors and Free eBooks

There's been an interesting debate on Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog about the pros and cons of free ebooks. Some authors love giving away free ebooks, because it's an easy and popular way to get publicity. It also gets their work read by a wide audience. Readers love free ebooks, because...well, they get free books. But some people in the publishing industry have been calling for an end to the practice. I once read (but can't find now) a traditional publisher sniffing that they value their books too much to give away for free.

10 Best Quotes by Douglas Adams

With the recent Google Doodle on scifi comedy author Douglas Adams, I'm reminded of the wit, humor, and intelligence of this truly hilarious and influential comedian. Of course, he's best known for the radio play/novel/TV series/movie, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Here are ten things Adams said, either in person or print, that are his best quotes.

1. "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by."

2. "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."

3. "It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression 'As pretty as an airport.'"

4. "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

5. "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

6. "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."

7. "In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

8. "A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

9. "Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

10. "Don't panic."

References:
The Huffington Post
Wikiquote.org
About.com

How much do I love the Hitchhiker's series? I wrote my own. My original Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy novel, Really Wild Things, is available in epub format and PDF format, but I'll be releasing it on other formats very soon. Stay tuned, enjoy, and don't panic.

If you'd like to sign up to my mailing list to be the first to hear of my new book releases, go here. Your email will never be shared, and you will only receive messages about new releases.

Google Honors Douglas Adams With Doodle

Today, Google made all of us Douglas Adams fans happy by dedicating one of their doodles to him. Not only does it feature the usual Adams paraphernalia (a towel, tea, Eddie the shipboard computer), but it features an interactive copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that shows little animations from the Guide when you click on it. Awesome.

UPDATE: If you missed it, Google has archived the doodle at http://www.google.com/doodles/douglas-adams-61st-birthday

You can also check out Really Wild Things, my Hitchhiker's Guide fanfiction. The best part is that it's absolutely free. For now, Really Wild Things is available only in epub format (also here) and PDF format, but I'll be releasing it on other formats very soon. Stay tuned, enjoy, and don't panic.

New Release: TOONS: Living in Looneyville

This week, I have a double release. First, there's Toons 4: Cold Shoulder, the next part of the series that completes their journey in Looneyville, and will lead to the next journey. I'm also releasing all four parts in one book called Living in Looneyville. If you haven't gotten any of the series yet, purchasing the bundled collection is convenient and cheaper.

I've decided not to continue releasing the series as short stories, so the next book in the series will be about the same length as Looneyville, and collect their adventures in the black-and-white world of the Monochrome Zone. It will be called Color Blind. Or Fifty Shades of Gray. I haven't decided yet.

7 Things You Didn't Know About Bugs Bunny

Image Source: Wikipedia

As you might have guessed from my cartoon comedy series TOONS, I love animated cartoons. One of the characters that inspired me is Bugs Bunny. He's been around for decades, but there may be a few bits of trivia you didn't about the wisecracking rabbit. Here are seven of them.

1. How Bugs' Bunny Became Bugs Bunny - The character who became known as Bugs Bunny first appeared in Porky's Hare Hunt in 1938, but had no name. Over time, the rabbit made several appearances in cartoons directed by Ben Hardaway, whose nickname was "Bugs." On the model sheet, they wrote "Bugs' Bunny." In Elmer's Pet Rabbit, when they included a title card to officially name the character, they just removed the apostrophe. That's how the character officially became Bugs Bunny.

That Moment When Your Work is "Finished"

This is my entry for the Insecure Writer's Group...

It's a scary thing to put your work out there, and the temptation is to delay it as long as you can. I've been at the point with my manuscripts where I keep looking for typos, tweaking and tweaking, adding lines in and taking lines out, just to put off calling it finished. No creative work is ever "finished" to the point where it can't improve, but there does come a point where you have to accept that it's as good as it's going to get. At that point, I have to force myself to put the manuscript down or close the document file, and prepare to send it out into the world. That first envelope I seal to mail off to publishers, that first email I click "send" to forward to a publisher, that button you click on Amazon.com to publish my ebook, is always a moment that makes me pause and think, "Did I do enough? Could it be better? Is it ready?"

How about you? Have you ever had that moment of uncertainty about whether your work is good enough? How did you handle it? Have you ever sent out work and later decide it wasn't ready, after all? Let me know in the comments.

And be sure to check out the other members of the Insecure Writers Group! 

FREE: "Toons 1," "Dead Links 1" on 03/4 [Promotion]

TOONS: Part 3 - Attack of the Five-Foot Salesmen is now online at the Amazon Kindle Store. That's three parts to the series with more coming soon. My goal is to release a new one every week. I've also taken the first six chapters of my novel Dead Links and made it an ebook of its own for those who'd like a bigger sample than the free preview Amazon gives. To celebrate, on Monday March 4, I'll be making  TOONS: Part 1 and Dead Links: Part 1  free for one day only. It'll be a great time to sample my work.