Showing posts tagged sci fi
Guest post by Richard Fazio Life has changed for a San Francisco lab technician and his gay son when aliens land on Earth, inadvertently provide mankind with rare gifts, and attempt to satisfy their own curiosity about the human race. With all the recent apocalyptic predictions, and justified concerns about global warming and depletion of natural resources, I wanted to show how an otherworldly event could have a positive effect on a planetary scale. Though I’ve written other alien visitation scenarios, I thought I’d make this one different by putting a contemporary spin on the sort of tales that had emerged from the Golden Age of Science Fiction, which were prevalent during my childhood; whatever they lacked in plot development or verisimilitude they made up for with a sense of wonder. From a LGBT standpoint, I felt compelled to depict the impact of HIV transmission in the most human way possible, without relying on tropes or emotional manipulation. I hope I succeeded. I am a San Francisco writer whose debut novel The Nexus was also published by JMS Books LLC in 2010; this was followed by a novelette, Dreaming Sparta, in 2011 and a short story, Saving Face, in 2012. Richard Fazio richardfazio.yolasite.com

Guest post by Richard Fazio

Life has changed for a San Francisco lab technician and his gay son when aliens land on Earth, inadvertently provide mankind with rare gifts, and attempt to satisfy their own curiosity about the human race.

With all the recent apocalyptic predictions, and justified concerns about global warming and depletion of natural resources, I wanted to show how an otherworldly event could have a positive effect on a planetary scale. Though I’ve written other alien visitation scenarios, I thought I’d make this one different by putting a contemporary spin on the sort of tales that had emerged from the Golden Age of Science Fiction, which were prevalent during my childhood; whatever they lacked in plot development or verisimilitude they made up for with a sense of wonder. From a LGBT standpoint, I felt compelled to depict the impact of HIV transmission in the most human way possible, without relying on tropes or emotional manipulation. I hope I succeeded.

I am a San Francisco writer whose debut novel The Nexus was also published by JMS Books LLC in 2010; this was followed by a novelette, Dreaming Sparta, in 2011 and a short story, Saving Face, in 2012.

Richard Fazio

richardfazio.yolasite.com

How Is Mankind? by Richard Fazio is now available in e-book format! Divorced David MacElroy is a lab technician in San Francisco who stays in touch with his grown gay son, Justin. At Justin’s urging, David begins to keep a journal, in which he recounts the first-ever alien visitation to Earth. The enigmatic visitors from space cause quite a stir while attempting to satisfy their own curiosity about us. Are the aliens friend or foe? Do they mean us harm? David doesn’t know, but he chronicles their visit in his journal. The consequences of this first encounter between aliens and humans are both awkward and humorous. For David, they may even be a matter of life and death. Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

How Is Mankind? by Richard Fazio is now available in e-book format!

Divorced David MacElroy is a lab technician in San Francisco who stays in touch with his grown gay son, Justin. At Justin’s urging, David begins to keep a journal, in which he recounts the first-ever alien visitation to Earth.

The enigmatic visitors from space cause quite a stir while attempting to satisfy their own curiosity about us. Are the aliens friend or foe? Do they mean us harm? David doesn’t know, but he chronicles their visit in his journal. The consequences of this first encounter between aliens and humans are both awkward and humorous. For David, they may even be a matter of life and death.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Animals by Wayne Mansfield is now available in e-book format! In the future deep space travel is a regular occurrence. After completing a mission to take supplies to Earth 2, or Genesis as the colonists call it, something goes horribly wrong with the space shuttle returning Adam Evans and his crew mates to Earth. The shuttle crashes and Adam and Jason survive, but the Earth they return to has changed greatly. When tragedy strikes, leaving Adam on his own, he finds the paradise surrounding him has an increasingly darker side. He assumes he can outsmart it, beat it. The product of a lost past, where men and speech are free, he rebels against the rules restricting him. But is he just setting himself up for failure, for pain and misery? Can he ever hope to outwit the powers that be? Then he meets River Boy, the only person in a village full of dirty, animalistic villagers with whom he connects. There is something intelligent about River Boy. Something civilized about him. Yet is Adam’s growing closeness to River Boy going to save him from himself? Or will his stubbornness, his rebelliousness, cost him more than he is able to pay? Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Animals by Wayne Mansfield is now available in e-book format!

In the future deep space travel is a regular occurrence. After completing a mission to take supplies to Earth 2, or Genesis as the colonists call it, something goes horribly wrong with the space shuttle returning Adam Evans and his crew mates to Earth. The shuttle crashes and Adam and Jason survive, but the Earth they return to has changed greatly.

When tragedy strikes, leaving Adam on his own, he finds the paradise surrounding him has an increasingly darker side. He assumes he can outsmart it, beat it. The product of a lost past, where men and speech are free, he rebels against the rules restricting him. But is he just setting himself up for failure, for pain and misery? Can he ever hope to outwit the powers that be?

Then he meets River Boy, the only person in a village full of dirty, animalistic villagers with whom he connects. There is something intelligent about River Boy. Something civilized about him. Yet is Adam’s growing closeness to River Boy going to save him from himself? Or will his stubbornness, his rebelliousness, cost him more than he is able to pay?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Guest post by David Stroup … The publication of Engines of Dusk Book 3: The Darwinian Sum marks a big milestone for me. Although this completes my series The Engines of Dusk, this was actually my first novel — my previous work were all short stories. I originally wrote The Engines of Dusk as a single rather unwieldy volume; the excellent folk at JMS Books have helped me turn it into a more manageable trilogy. This was my “everything and the kitchen sink” novel, my attempt to throw everything I enjoy into one book. Aliens! Dinosaurs! Murder mysteries! It’s been rewarding to see a largely positive response. Publication also comes at a rather chaotic time for me. After a long career in journalism (two decades) and copywriting, I’m back in school, working to become a science teacher. That’s made it hard to keep on track with my writing, though I’m maintaining a discipline of working a little every day. It’s also given me plenty of experience and material for my next work. Visit my blog (below), where I’ll be posting updates and excerpts for my works in progress and updates on giveaways and any promotional events. David Strouphttp://davidstroup.wordpress.com

Guest post by David Stroup …

The publication of Engines of Dusk Book 3: The Darwinian Sum marks a big milestone for me.

Although this completes my series The Engines of Dusk, this was actually my first novel — my previous work were all short stories. I originally wrote The Engines of Dusk as a single rather unwieldy volume; the excellent folk at JMS Books have helped me turn it into a more manageable trilogy.

This was my “everything and the kitchen sink” novel, my attempt to throw everything I enjoy into one book. Aliens! Dinosaurs! Murder mysteries! It’s been rewarding to see a largely positive response.

Publication also comes at a rather chaotic time for me. After a long career in journalism (two decades) and copywriting, I’m back in school, working to become a science teacher. That’s made it hard to keep on track with my writing, though I’m maintaining a discipline of working a little every day. It’s also given me plenty of experience and material for my next work.

Visit my blog (below), where I’ll be posting updates and excerpts for my works in progress and updates on giveaways and any promotional events.

David Stroup
http://davidstroup.wordpress.com

Engines of Dusk Book 3: The Darwinian Sum by David Stroup is now available in e-book format! As war threatens to break out between civilizations, two women — one a shipwrecked human, the other a freelance warrior of the sexually-dimorphic Makers — close in on the kidnapped human consul at the heart of the crisis. But for Aly Castillos and A’thiathialae, finding the missing diplomat is only the start of a lethal end-game. Meanwhile, in deep space, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree enters into a deadly dance with terrorists and political extremists … including her ex-lover. Each deception reveals new questions — and a fatal rendezvous with the agents of an unseen enemy. For freelance journalist Temple Argent and scientist Kathryn Tamashio, time may already have run out, as the trail of a killer leads only to cold death among the stars. Across known space, humans and A.I.’s struggle to put together the pieces of a vast conspiracy before it’s too late. Behind the scenes, intelligences older and far more powerful than any human or Maker brood in the cold darkness between the stars. When the Engines of Dusk make their move, two civilizations may fall, and something new will be born … because the first move in an interstellar war may be just one step toward something far greater.Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Engines of Dusk Book 3: The Darwinian Sum by David Stroup is now available in e-book format!

As war threatens to break out between civilizations, two women — one a shipwrecked human, the other a freelance warrior of the sexually-dimorphic Makers — close in on the kidnapped human consul at the heart of the crisis. But for Aly Castillos and A’thiathialae, finding the missing diplomat is only the start of a lethal end-game.

Meanwhile, in deep space, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree enters into a deadly dance with terrorists and political extremists … including her ex-lover. Each deception reveals new questions — and a fatal rendezvous with the agents of an unseen enemy.

For freelance journalist Temple Argent and scientist Kathryn Tamashio, time may already have run out, as the trail of a killer leads only to cold death among the stars.

Across known space, humans and A.I.’s struggle to put together the pieces of a vast conspiracy before it’s too late. Behind the scenes, intelligences older and far more powerful than any human or Maker brood in the cold darkness between the stars. When the Engines of Dusk make their move, two civilizations may fall, and something new will be born … because the first move in an interstellar war may be just one step toward something far greater.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Blast Off by Jennifer Cierra is now available in e-book format! Zeke’s boyfriend, Jordan, left just before they graduated from college, leaving nothing behind but a note. Devastated, Zeke tried to find him, but short of registering him as a missing person, nothing worked. Finally, he enrolled for training with the InterStellar Regulation’s Enforcement Division and attempted to move on despite the pain, but he never managed to give up hope of trying things again, if he could only find Jordan — which was, after all, the first step. Six years later, Zeke is shocked to see Jordan’s name under a list of recipients for a prestigious research award. Cleaning out his savings to secure a ticket at the overbooked reception ceremony, Zeke sets off to show Jordan just what he’s been missing all these years.Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Blast Off by Jennifer Cierra is now available in e-book format!

Zeke’s boyfriend, Jordan, left just before they graduated from college, leaving nothing behind but a note. Devastated, Zeke tried to find him, but short of registering him as a missing person, nothing worked. Finally, he enrolled for training with the InterStellar Regulation’s Enforcement Division and attempted to move on despite the pain, but he never managed to give up hope of trying things again, if he could only find Jordan — which was, after all, the first step.

Six years later, Zeke is shocked to see Jordan’s name under a list of recipients for a prestigious research award. Cleaning out his savings to secure a ticket at the overbooked reception ceremony, Zeke sets off to show Jordan just what he’s been missing all these years.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

Harvested by Alex Morgan now available in e-book format! In the 22nd century, Earth has been harvested by a race of aliens known as the Xini. In the aftermath, all the planet’s resources have been stripped. Dakota sets out from Dallas in search of his lover, Grayson, who vanished on his way to St. Louis after the invading fleet departed.Dakota faces unknown dangers in the devastated plains of northern Texas and southern Oklahoma as scavengers — human beings reduced to shells after the Harvesting — roam the earth attacking anything that moves in an effort to survive.He finds a group of survivors struggling in what little remains of Oklahoma City, led by the tough, handsome Colonel Welch. While Mother Nature unleashes a fury of natural disasters to purge herself of the Xini rape, Dakota must decide whether to stay with the colonel and help him make the colony viable, or continue onto St. Louis to find Grayson. Excerpt & Buy Link.

Harvested by Alex Morgan now available in e-book format!

In the 22nd century, Earth has been harvested by a race of aliens known as the Xini. In the aftermath, all the planet’s resources have been stripped. Dakota sets out from Dallas in search of his lover, Grayson, who vanished on his way to St. Louis after the invading fleet departed.

Dakota faces unknown dangers in the devastated plains of northern Texas and southern Oklahoma as scavengers — human beings reduced to shells after the Harvesting — roam the earth attacking anything that moves in an effort to survive.

He finds a group of survivors struggling in what little remains of Oklahoma City, led by the tough, handsome Colonel Welch. While Mother Nature unleashes a fury of natural disasters to purge herself of the Xini rape, Dakota must decide whether to stay with the colonel and help him make the colony viable, or continue onto St. Louis to find Grayson.

Excerpt & Buy Link.

Engines of Dusk Book 2: A Thunder in Heaven by David Stroup now available in e-book format! In deep space, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree is fighting for her life, pursued by the agents of an unknown enemy. Run to ground in a lawless station, she joins with an unlikely ally to follow the clues — but will the truth hit too close to home?Meanwhile, on the edge of human civilization, freelance journalist Temple Argent and scientist Kathryn Tamashio lay a trap for a murderer. En route from a planet-wide laboratory to a rugged frontier world, they find themselves fighting for their lives.And deep within the territory of the alien Makers — an advanced, sexually dimorphic civilization that was at war with humanity a generation ago — a shipwrecked human pilot and an alien hired gun join forces to rescue a kidnapped consul. But as Aly Castillos and A’thiathialae grow closer, the man they seek becomes a pawn in a conspiracy that could shake two civilizations to their roots.The drumbeat of war builds, and a handful of humans, aliens, and artificial intelligences race against time … but as the Engines of Dusk move new pieces onto the board of their deadly game, it may already be too late. Excerpt & Buy Link.

Engines of Dusk Book 2: A Thunder in Heaven by David Stroup now available in e-book format!

In deep space, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree is fighting for her life, pursued by the agents of an unknown enemy. Run to ground in a lawless station, she joins with an unlikely ally to follow the clues — but will the truth hit too close to home?

Meanwhile, on the edge of human civilization, freelance journalist Temple Argent and scientist Kathryn Tamashio lay a trap for a murderer. En route from a planet-wide laboratory to a rugged frontier world, they find themselves fighting for their lives.

And deep within the territory of the alien Makers — an advanced, sexually dimorphic civilization that was at war with humanity a generation ago — a shipwrecked human pilot and an alien hired gun join forces to rescue a kidnapped consul. But as Aly Castillos and A’thiathialae grow closer, the man they seek becomes a pawn in a conspiracy that could shake two civilizations to their roots.

The drumbeat of war builds, and a handful of humans, aliens, and artificial intelligences race against time … but as the Engines of Dusk move new pieces onto the board of their deadly game, it may already be too late.

Excerpt & Buy Link.

Portal to Eden by Tinnean ~ Coming October 14!

Portal to Eden by Tinnean ~ Coming October 14!

Engines of Dusk Book 1: Machine Code by David Stroup now available in e-book format! On the distant planet Longlast, freelance journalist Temple Argent joins a team of scientists with plans to reconstruct the Cretaceous ecosystem. When one of the scientists is bizarrely murdered, Temple teams up with Kathryn Tamashio to investigate. They find themselves in danger … and falling in love.Meanwhile, in the orbital habitat of Ophiuchi, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree considers buying her freedom from the AI who owns her. To complicate matters, her ex-boyfriend Benedictine Thrace pitches up to ask for a small favour. Suddenly her ordered life takes a wild turn and she meets the Spider Lady Ariadne, a woman so integrated with station systems that she lives in permanent free fall.Elsewhere in space, shuttle pilot Aly Castillos crashes her freighter on an alien planet populated by Makers who hold her captive. When human consul Loren Macke arrives to negotiate her freedom, he finds himself kidnapped, as well. Aly escapes with the help of her guard A’thiathialae, and despite their differences, they team up to rescue Loren.As the Human and Maker worlds converge, unseen forces conspire to shift interplanetary alliances. The fate of civilizations hangs in the balance. Will these scattered individuals be able to survive the machinations of the Engines of Dusk? Excerpt & Buy Link.

Engines of Dusk Book 1: Machine Code by David Stroup now available in e-book format!

On the distant planet Longlast, freelance journalist Temple Argent joins a team of scientists with plans to reconstruct the Cretaceous ecosystem. When one of the scientists is bizarrely murdered, Temple teams up with Kathryn Tamashio to investigate. They find themselves in danger … and falling in love.

Meanwhile, in the orbital habitat of Ophiuchi, a young artificial intelligence named Hawkens DuPree considers buying her freedom from the AI who owns her. To complicate matters, her ex-boyfriend Benedictine Thrace pitches up to ask for a small favour. Suddenly her ordered life takes a wild turn and she meets the Spider Lady Ariadne, a woman so integrated with station systems that she lives in permanent free fall.

Elsewhere in space, shuttle pilot Aly Castillos crashes her freighter on an alien planet populated by Makers who hold her captive. When human consul Loren Macke arrives to negotiate her freedom, he finds himself kidnapped, as well. Aly escapes with the help of her guard A’thiathialae, and despite their differences, they team up to rescue Loren.

As the Human and Maker worlds converge, unseen forces conspire to shift interplanetary alliances. The fate of civilizations hangs in the balance. Will these scattered individuals be able to survive the machinations of the Engines of Dusk?

Excerpt & Buy Link.