(SOME OF) THE STORY BEHIND INDIGENT EARTH

Unless you buy the hardcover edition, you won’t see all the gorgeous artwork my cover artist provided, so here it is.

Readers often wonder where writers get our ideas. Well, in the case of my newest novel Indigent Earth, a number of sources came into play.

Worldwide, the year 2023 has been a year of fierce heatwaves, devastating droughts, rampant wildfires, and horrendous floods.

Climate change is upon us.

At the time I wrote Indigent Earth, things weren’t quite this extreme, but I knew they could get to be. I’d already taught a college course about climate change for a semester (I didn’t enjoy the experience enough to continue, but that’s another story). I was also watching the rise of private sector space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. I don’t consider them a bad thing, but depending on billionaires for all our space technology might have risks. Plus, economic studies were showing that the world’s 2000+ billionaires hold as much wealth as 60% of the rest of Earth’s population. That divide is increasing, with no end in sight.

Could conditions on Earth get so bad that the rich and powerful might abandon the planet?

On another front, two of my grandkids are part Cree (on their father’s side) and that heritage is very important to them. It’s special to me, too—I have a deep love for the natural spaces of my home country, Canada, and inevitably link them with our indigenous peoples, for whom I have great respect. But, as in many places, Canada’s history with its indigenous peoples is troubled, to say the least.

Indigent Earth is set in a North America of six centuries from now, at a time 500 years after the world’s wealthiest people abandoned our damaged planet to live in space colonies and have now chosen to return. Killian Morningcloud feels like a prisoner in his constrained Earth community (known as an Allocation) and has bright hopes for the colonists’ reappearance. Celebrated citizen of the colonies, Natira Celestia, looks forward to meeting the “noble primitives” she’s sure must inhabit the home planet. Both will have their dreams dashed; thrown together, they will struggle to survive long enough to uncover dark secrets that powerful people are desperate to keep hidden.

Yes, I’m afraid that the face of colonialism may change, but it’s something our species will find hard to escape. My Dedication for the novel reads:

To the indigenous peoples of the world

who have been displaced and marginalized.

I can’t speak your truth; I can only acknowledge it.

More broadly, I believe that being on the wrong side of the ‘privilege gap’ could happen to any of us in the years to come.

So those facts provide some explanation of where the novel came from.  

That said, Indigent Earth isn’t a rant or a lecture! It’s an exciting adventure story with vivid settings and characters including a fire-and-water pairing if there ever was one. Killian and Natira are about as different as two people can be, so it was a lot of fun to write such a charged relationship!

With a publication date of September 30th, I hope you’ll use this Universal Book Link to find Indigent Earth at your favourite online bookseller (or ask your local bookstore to get it for you) and give it a read. I really think it’ll grab you.

A NEW WAY TO FIND GREAT BOOKS

Do you read books…sometimes?

Or do you love books? Devour books?

’Cause if you’re the devouring kind, the process of finding your next great book to read is pretty limited. Friends recommending books to each other can go a long way, but we don’t all have the same tastes. Bestseller lists and the top offerings on the landing pages of sites like Amazon just channel us all toward the same few dozen choices that a lot of strangers have been led to (by the same lists and headers). Even book awards are pretty limiting—there are always biases toward certain kinds of books (I’m not talking about “wokeness” or race, but just trendiness in general—that’s inevitable). And don’t get me started about search engines like Amazon’s or even Google’s. If you haven’t noticed by now that most of your top search results are “sponsored”, then you haven’t been paying attention. I mean, in theory Amazon’s “also bought” recommendations are supposed to be a way to say, “because you liked this you might also like this.” But I find they work about as well as those algorithms on Netflix. The ones that make me think, “are you kidding?”

So what to do?

Well, I was recently made aware of a new website that at least offers a different way of approaching the hunt for books we’ll enjoy. An “if you liked this, you might like this” method that doesn’t use algorithms but suggestions by actual humans. In fact, by authors themselves.

The site is called Shepherd.com, and their approach is that they ask authors to post about one of their own books and then recommend five other books that kind of match. By “match” I mean they might fit into a similar topic, theme, or category. And the categories can be broad or quirkily specific.

Here’s my list of “The best thriller books that combine medicine with technology.” (Pretty specific, right?)

The idea is that if you like my SF thriller The Primus Labyrinth about using nanotechnology to travel through the bloodstream of a VIP facing death, you should check out these other five books, or vice versa. The books on my list aren’t new. Some are really old. But a great book is a great book. Maybe the pleasure you’ll get isn’t from discovering something new but remembering a classic you loved.

Sure, it’s a way for authors to promote their own books, as well, but the recommendations are sincere. We loved these books, you might too, especially if the topic or theme is one that really grabs you. The site even offers links to previews and retailers where you can buy the recommended books (especially Bookshop.org, which supports smaller independent bookstores).

Shepherd.com is a work in progress but growing quickly. It already has searchable separate topic pages featuring, for example, the best books about technology or medicine or dinosaurs, all recommended by other authors. You have to admit that, as a group, authors are pretty discerning and committed to books, so their recommendations ought to be worth something. But don’t just view my list, take the search engine out for a spin. Just plan to spend some time—it can be addictive.

And there’s a really good chance you’ll find your next favourite book.

THE LAUNCH DAY BLUES (AND HAPPIER SONGS)

In my newsletter I called it “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”. Alas, the launch of my newest novel Augment Nation did not go smoothly.

Two technical issues with Amazon/Kindle Direct Publishing, panicked waiting for books and book bags, a 2-week postponement, the coldest, wettest day of the Fall (at an outdoor market!) and the ensuing three-weeks-and-still-going battle with a wicked virus, all added up to a launch that’s been memorable in all the worst ways. Mind you my virtual book launch only had a few rough spots and I invite you to take a look here, so thanks to my author buddy Mark Leslie Lefebvre for hosting it for me.

None of this changes the fact that Augment Nation is a good book, and the response by readers has been very gratifying. So that’s the bright side. And there’s other happy news, too.

I recently hired Creative Edge Publicity to help me get the word out about my books, and this season has turned into a very busy one. So if you’d like to get to know about me in a lot more detail, here are some of my appearances so far:

Heather Weidner’s popular blog on November 3rd.

J.M. Northup’s comprehensive website November 4th

I had a great conversation with Alan R. Warren and David North-Martino for NBC’s House of Mystery radio show scheduled for broadcast at 9:00 pm Pacific time on Nov. 9th, live-streamed and then posted on the website. (It was a lot of fun.)

I’ll be interviewed in the Literary Tribune November 25th (for North American readers).

I’ll be featured in the December issue of the Books n Pieces e-zine, another excellent place to read all about new books.

And I’ve been invited to guest on the Blasters and Blades podcast as soon as we can schedule it.

There’s more to come, so I’ll be taking my Geritol and babying my vocal cords, but I’m loving it. The more readers I can reach, and tell them about my books, the happier I’ll be. I hope you’ll check out some of the above sites and keep watching this space for updates.

I think all my books are worth your time and money, but I think Augment Nation will carve new territory and get people talking. I hope you’ll read it and help me spread the word.

Why My Next Novel Is Important

Although I’ve mostly stopped writing regular blog posts, it’s still the best way to describe the next novel of mine to reach publication. And I truly believe this novel will be important.

Why?

Well, because Augment Nation takes place in the near future—probably during your lifetime—when projects like Elon Musk’s Neuralink will expand from addressing the needs of those with neurological impairments to the consumer population at large. I think implanted (or closely connected) brain-computer interfaces will become the next smartphones: devices that will provide such extensive augmentation of our information gathering and processing abilities that we’ll wonder what we ever did without them.

But a future like that is not without serious risks. Here’s the novel’s back cover blurb:

This is your brain on silicon.

The mid-21st Century:

Computerized brain augments are the newest “must-have” consumer product. They make smartphones look like a rock and a chisel.

But there is a dark side.

Governments dream of compliant sheep.

Corporations see a marketing El Dorado.

When consumerism rages unchecked, the human race needs a leader to save us from ourselves.

Damon Leiter has had a brain-computer interface since he was 14. It gives him extraordinary abilities; he may be the next step in human evolution.

But Damon can’t be sure he isn’t playing into the hands of the rich and powerful.

They might even be right:

Maybe the real threat to humanity is Damon himself.

Sound scary? It could be, at least if we allow free markets to make all the important decisions and continue to let laws and regulations fall woefully far behind advances in technology. Don’t get me wrong—I think technology is great. I’m a science fiction writer! But I also recognize that it has its pitfalls, and the sooner we see them, the better we can correct them.

Augment Nation is about a young man who comes to realize that, not only is a groundbreaking technology going awry, but he may be the only person uniquely equipped to raise awareness of the problem before it’s too late. It’s a cautionary story (think Fahrenheit 451, or even 1984) but also a deeply human one, and an exciting thriller as well.

There are a number of reasons that a date for the publication hasn’t been finalized, but look for Augment Nation everywhere you buy books this Fall of 2022. I invite you to read the opening of the novel here.

It’s important.

LAUNCH COUNTDOWN

Time is really flying toward the launch of my new novel Naïda and my blood pressure’s probably flying high too, as I scramble to get everything done.

Because of the pandemic, it’s going to be a virtual launch—online only—hosted by my friend and fellow author Mark Leslie (I narrate the audiobook editions of his A Canadian Werewolf in New York fiction series). But all are welcome. It’ll be short and sweet: 30 - 45 minutes during which I’ll give a reading from Naïda and Mark will field questions from the audience. We’ll also be giving away some copies of the book to those in attendance. Afterward, the link will remain available, so if you can’t attend “live” you can still catch it later. Here are the links to join in:

LIVE BROADCAST INFORMATION                                                            

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Mhdym4HzI

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/234583036576020/posts/4550131828354431/

(via Scott Overton’s Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ScottOverton.author/ )

Meanwhile the ebook editions are available to pre-order from many online retailers, and the print edition is becoming available to order, store by store though Amazon’s print edition is still in limbo because of a (so-far 3-week-old) technical problem. Seriously, Amazon?

I sure hope you’ll seek out the book. Of course you can read a free sample chapter, and it will become available in my bookstore on launch day June 1st. I also hope you’ll love it, and it would be a huge help if you would post a review wherever you buy the book or in your online book clubs like Goodreads.

Wish me luck!

NAÏDA DIGS INTO SOME BIG QUESTIONS

I’m pretty excited about my newest novel release Naïda. It’s now available for pre-order in e-book format from many retailers, with a launch/sale date of June 1, 2021. Print editions should be available to order soon through bookstores, though a technical problem at Amazon has been holding up the print process there for 2 weeks now (seriously—I am not impressed!)

I’ll be doing a virtual launch on June 1st (thanks to Covid) so keep checking this space for the details on that.

You can read a sample chapter here on my website, and I think you’ll really like it.

Naïda is the story of Michael Hart, a scuba diver who discovers an ancient alien artifact at the bottom of a lake, and Sakiko Matthews, an ocean researcher fighting against the acidification of Earth’s seas. But it’s also the story of the alien organism Michael encounters, which makes the novel part adventure, part First Contact story, and even part coming-of-age story. As with all of my writing, I wanted to tell a great story, but also explore some big issues.

For example, if you discovered an undeniably alien artifact and then found that it was still active, what would you do? Who would you tell about it—who would you trust to tell about it? Police? An environmental agency? Who would you go to? I’m not a conspiracy theory fan but, honestly, aren’t we all pretty sure that if we told a military organization about such a find they would wrap it in absolute secrecy (possibly ensuring our own silence in some fashion I’d rather not think about) and try to weaponize it? So, say you tried to share the news on the internet instead to make sure it couldn’t be kept hidden. Or went to some big media outlet. Who would believe you? The number of wackos online is endless—you’d be lumped in with them (except, probably by the military or other covert agencies who would be the first to track you down and proceed as above. That’s not paranoia, that’s just reality.)

Big Question #2: Although Naïda isn’t quite a superhero origin story, there are similarities. Now, superheroes keep their true identities secret so they and their loved ones won’t be attacked by supervillains. But consider a more “real life” scenario of someone suddenly acquiring extraordinary abilities beyond the human norm. Supervillains wouldn’t be my worry—it would be the certainty that, once my condition was revealed, I’d be facing a life as a human lab rat. Whatever powerful organization could get to me first would devote their efforts to learning how I got those abilities, how they work (and how to defend against them) and, most of all, how to make more of me to satisfy any number of possible uses (with spying and fighting likely being at the top of the list).

Tell me I’m wrong.

And I haven’t even touched on how either of the above scenarios would affect a person’s relationships for the rest of their life.

But Naïda the novel does. And lots more. So give the sample chapter a read, and order your own copy. Oh, yeah, and then try to decide whether you envy Michael Hart. Or pity him.

A BRAND NEW NOVEL ON THE LAUNCHPAD!

Creating a novel has its highs and lows. Realizing you’ve got an exciting story concept is one of the highs. Remembering how much work is ahead of you is one of the lows!

Once you reach the point of publishing the novel, it’s a mix of the two: you’re excited about the prospect of people meeting your new baby, and you’re also afraid that it won’t find the audience it deserves.

For now, let’s focus on one of the happy parts: announcing the pending arrival and showing off those first adorable photos to the world at large.

OK, enough of the baby metaphors.

I’m thrilled to announce that my newest novel Naïda is written, revised, polished, edited, and ready to launch. And here’s your very first look at the eye-catching cover. I had no idea how my cover artist was going to come up with a visual analog of the story’s concept, but I think he’s knocked one out of the park. I hope you love it too.

Naïda begins as the story of Michael Hart, who discovers a strange structure at the bottom of an isolated northern lake and knows it’s definitely not of this Earth. But he can’t stay away. And that choice will change his life completely, and forever.

As the book blurb says,

It will make him a hero. Or the greatest traitor the world has ever known.

Because he is no longer alone, not even in his own body.

There is another.

Naïda.

The novel is an earnest attempt to explore the trauma of a First Contact, the question of what it means to be human, and to predict one possible future for humanity beyond our home planet. But at the same time, it offers the pure fun of a superhero origin story. I think you’ll fall in love with its cast of characters and get a big kick out of going along for the ride.

Publication date is set for June 1, 2021, barring unexpected delays, and I’ll update this post once the book is available for pre-order. Expect a great price promotion and giveaways too!

So keep watching this space and get ready to meet…Naïda.

PERSONAL PROGRESS WHILE THE WORLD'S ON HOLD

By now, no one expects anything very “normal” from the year 2020. The past few months have seen me spending most of my time building and doing repairs on the cabins and sheds of the property where I live. That might be normal for some, but I’m a writer for a reason—the only power tool I’m proficient with is a computer! Each day is like a new comedy of errors.

Outside my little domain the world at large is still turning, but in fits and starts. I’m sure parts of your life feel “on hold” while the coronavirus pandemic rages. Even so, things happen. Developments arise.

A lot of the interesting stuff in my life and career recently is thanks to my longtime writer friend Mark Leslie Lefebvre (who writes as Mark Leslie). He’s been keeping me busier than I’d otherwise be, first by recruiting me to be the narrator of his A Canadian Werewolf In New York series, which includes not only the full novel of that name, but also the origin story One Time Around and the sequel novella Stowe Away. They relate the adventures of Michael Andrews, bestselling author and transplanted Canadian in the Big Apple who also happens to be a werewolf, which gives him superhuman abilities in the days around a full moon. When Mark decided to produce new editions of the stories, including audiobook versions, I was happy that he thought of me. Mind you, I was a career radio show host for more than 30 years, and I’ve recorded lots of audiobook-related material. Along with my current writing career, I work as a freelance voice talent.

Mark was not only thrilled by the result but inspired to knuckle down and finish writing the next book in the series. As a lifelong voice talent and book lover, narrating audiobooks is a perfect fit for me, and I urge you to check out Mark’s stuff. (http://markleslie.ca/bibliography/) He’s also publishing another anthology of short fiction called Obsessions from some great writers, and I’ve narrated a couple of stories for it too.

But the voice work wasn’t our only collaboration. Mark and I are both from the city of Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, and both of us learned a lot about writing from fellow Sudburian Sean Costello, a writer of internationally successful horror and thriller fiction often compared to Stephen King. Last month Mark came to us with the brilliant idea of publishing a small collection of stories from the three of us. It’s a treat (no trick) for me to be published with these friends and talented writers, and just in time for Halloween too. Strange Sudbury Stories features ghosts, monsters, and the supernatural, as well as some dark science fiction tales from me. It’s now available in ebook format, with print editions coming any day now (http://books2read.com/strangesudburystories), and if I know Mark, he probably has an audiobook version in mind.

Recording audiobooks for Mark has shamed me into recording audio versions of some more of my own work, so the first example is an audiobook edition of my three-story anthology called BEYOND: The Stars: three exciting stories of space travel.

A solo pilot in deep space risks losing his sanity when his ship is invaded by disembodied thoughts.

A marathon runner on a dangerous desert planet discovers that it may not be uninhabited after all.

The crew of a survey ship encounters a powerful being with an injury that will test their every belief.

Previously only available as an e-book, you can now listen to BEYOND: The Stars in your car, on your bike, or wherever you like. It’s in the pipeline and will be available any day now wherever you buy your audiobooks.

All of this hasn’t left me much time to write, but I have sent a novel manuscript off to my frequent editor in the hope that we can whip it into shape for publication in 2021. I don’t know about you, but I see way too much writing that’s just plain bad because the authors didn’t work with an editor. So I refuse to do that, even though it means I can’t crank out half a dozen books a year. I hope you’ll feel that my books are worth the wait. The SF-thriller The Primus Labyrinth is available everywhere and is being compared to Michael Crichton’s work (one of the greatest compliments you could give me). The next one is an alien contact tale that’s almost like a superhero origin story. I can’t wait for you to see it.

In the meantime, I can’t say I’m looking forward to Winter, but at least the snow will bring an end to my construction attempts and give my battered thumbs a rest!

THREE GREAT SFF BOOKS YOU'LL RECOMMEND TO FRIENDS

This is the season when voting begins for one of the preeminent awards in Canadian speculative fiction, the Aurora Awards. Though I take many of the awards in the entertainment world with a huge grain of salt, literary awards—especially in the science fiction and fantasy genre—do capture my interest. And Canada has some terrific authors, well-deserving of their worldwide recognition. I haven’t read all of the Aurora-nominated works yet, but I’m working my way through them, and while award nominations don’t always guarantee authentic greatness, I felt compelled to recommend three excellent novels published in the past year. Give them a look—you won’t be sorry.

The Quantum Garden   by Derek  Künsken

The Quantum Garden is a sequel to Künsken’s The Quantum Magician and continues the story of the new sub-species of humanity called Homo quantus—humans genetically engineered to have brains that can act like quantum computers. Belisarius Arjona’s con game in the first book has now thrust the Home quantus into the spotlight as potentially valuable military assets, and the key to saving the lives of his whole race lies in the past, where the best of intentions go badly off track.

Künsken’s descriptions of Homo quantus, time travel, and the complex politics of his universe are thorough and fresh. His skilled plotting and crisp writing move the story along quickly. The novel is strikingly ambitious but in Künsken’s capable hands it’s an impressive success. If I have to include any caveat, it’s that quantum physics is mind-bending territory, and while I think Künsken makes it as accessible to non-mathematicians as anyone can, the book will still be a daunting ride for some. But if you’re up to the challenge, I highly recommend it.

The Gossamer Mage  by Julie E. Czerneda

After a long, successful run in science fiction, Julie E. Czerneda has turned her talents to fantasy as well in recent years including The Gossamer Mage, a story of a land steeped in magic now threatened by an evil force that threatens to consume it. The mage Maleonarial, living as a hermit, is forced to confront his own role in the growing peril and try to stop it, but in this world every use of magic bears a high cost to the vitality and lifespan of the mage. Especially when your ultimate goal is the overthrow of the Goddess herself.

As always, Czerneda’s worldbuilding is creative, rich, and detailed. The language and writing are beautiful. This is a book to sink into, enjoy its textures, and recall with pleasure like a favourite myth.

A Brightness Long Ago  by Guy Gavriel Kay

Over many years and many books, Guy Gavriel Kay has created a literary niche of his own, writing fantasy that could be historical fiction—especially medieval history—except the lands his characters inhabit never existed. They are much like real places and times in Earth history, though, and are evoked so richly that you might find yourself jumping on Google to find them.

In A Brightness Long Ago the realm is Batiara where city states compete, and sometimes war against each other using mercenary armies, especially the two led by bitter enemies Folco d’Acorsi and Teobaldo Monticola. The encounters of these two affect every part of the landscape. A cast of memorable and endearing characters weave their way through a complex plot that hinges on many fateful coincidences but scrupulously avoids predictability. Kay is a master at these kinds of stories, and A Brightness Long Ago doesn’t disappoint. If you’re already a fan of Guy Gavriel Kay, you’ll love it, and if you’ve never read his work before, this is an excellent introduction.

THAT'S ME IN THE (D2D) SPOTLIGHT

I don’t do a lot of interviews. As a career radio show host I did hundreds, but always as the one asking the questions. It’s different being on the other end of things, but my friend Mark Leslie Lefebvre, writer of horror fiction and spooky non-fiction, also works for the book distribution service Draft2Digital and invited me to be his guest in the live-streamed D2D Spotlight. The spotlight features interviews with authors and other people in many areas of the publishing industry.

We had a great chat about my radio career, how it led to my first novel Dead Air, and my transition to science fiction writer, with a whole lot of other ground covered along the way. So if you want to know what it’s like to work toward a career as a writer, or about recording audiobooks (I do that too), or you’re just interested in learning more about me, have a look on YouTube or on Facebook .

And thanks to Mark who’s not only a great guy but also a generous interviewer.

(Note To Self: Next time don’t do it under bright sunlight without a soft-focus lens!)