On sale – #steampunk novel Nefertiti’s Heart by AW Exley!

I’m helping with a little bit of cross-promotion for the big sale that my publisher is having! Today’s post is Nefertiti’s Heart, by A. W.Exley. If (like me) you’re interested in steampunk, then don’t miss this one!

Not convinced? Read more (and buy Sanity Vacuum, already.)

Get lucky with Sanity Vacuum!

Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer mightcure that. Permanently.

London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father- sell off his damnedcollection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beautiesstart dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killerhunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored tohold the key to immortality.

Her Majesty’s Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between thegruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti’s Heart, a fistsized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notoriouscrime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and thepriceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive.

Self-preservation fuels Cara’s search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hidetheir true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

Author Bio:

Books and writing have always been an enormous part of Anita’s life. She survived school byhiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, sheovercame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning toread hieroglyphics.

Today, Anita is a writer living in rural New Zealand, surrounded by horses and homicidal chickens.Being a bona fide corset wearing, sidesaddle riding freak, probably explains her fascination forhistorical novels She loves to blend steampunk adventures with an Egyptian twist and turn up theheat.

Sci fi novel Sanity Vacuum on sale! Experience the insanity for 99 cents

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and for that I’m very sorry. I’ll try to make it up to you, by telling you about my awesome publisher’s Luck of the Irish St. Patrick’s day sale!

Get lucky with Sanity Vacuum!

Just like the nice skull in the leprechaun hat says, the sale lasts from Match 17 – 23! That means you have lots of time to pick up a copy of your very own!

Come find out what this fresh concept science fiction featuring sentient AI, deep space and a plethora of human failures is all about. Get Sanity Vacuum, today!

Already own Sanity Vacuum? Sink your teeth into Theocracide, another great high tech sci fi from Curiosity Quills Press.

The Worldbuilding Blogfest: History & Government of The ABACUS Protocol universe

I’m back and better than ever. I’m taking part in Sharon Bayliss’ Worldbuilding blogfest. I’d like to flesh out the world that Sanity Vacuum and the rest of The ABACUS Protocol take place in.

I’m running a day behind, but I’m going to come out swinging with an article on the history and government of The ABACUS Protocol.

The ABACUS Protocol takes place almost 1000 years in the future. In The Pandora Machine (book 2), I establish the date as being 2998-2999. History repeats itself, and many expect the new millennium to herald the end of galactic civilization.

The first colony, Aurora, was founded about 800 years before the events of Sanity Vacuum. The Auroran sun, Helios, is highly unstable, and the first colonists crash landed. The date of planetfall became known as the First Thanksgiving–because they made it to a new world alive. The Second Thanksgiving is the date of the first harvest on their new world, and is celebrated a few weeks before the first in a calendar year. The Thanksgivings are usually referred to collectively.

Over the centuries, other planets were settled. Elyssia, Caesarea, New Damascus, Nova Albion and Kanadia Prime are the most notable colonies.

Until the late 2800s, the galactic hegemony was ruled from Earth. The ABACUS Incident changed everything. ABACUS gained sentience, and in response Earth was cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Humanity plummeted into another dark age, from which it had only recently begun to recover.

The ABACUS Protocol was created so no supercomputer would ever reach sentience, again.

Now, the galactic hegemon is a figurehead, and most planets are self-governing.  Caesarea is ruled by its ruthless Imperatix, and most other planets follow the democratic model. The Epsilon Eridani spaceport was orphaned after the fall of Earth, and is run by a board of administrators. Aurora is controlled by the Traditionalists–anti-technology zealots.

Want more? Tomorrow, I discuss Religion & Culture in The ABACUS Protocol.

Sanity Vacuum, book one of The ABACUS Protocol, is available in paperback and all ebook formats!

 

Book Review: Theocracide by James Wymore

It’s not often that I get the privilege of reading really great science fiction. There’s ample amounts of terrible and mediocre science fiction out there, but so seldom do you see anything that might just be as readable a century from now as it is today. Theocracide really shines in its treatment of relevant modern-day issues, plotting and character development. In a way, it felt a lot like Ender’s Game in terms of its levels of intrigue and depth, but without all the stupid little geniuses.

Instead, I was treated to character development and a dismal future Earth. Aliens. An Undying Emperor. All kinds of fun stuff. It intermingles the best in cognitive dissonance with action, and the result is outstanding. I was always pushing the “one more chapter” self-delusion, well passed my bedtime. I so badly needed to put all of the little pieces together. There are hooks galore in this story. Aliens. Undying emperor. Crazy hermit guy. A love story is a world where nobody loves anything but their computer. It’s a breaking down of the lies we allow ourselves to be sold in return for comfort.

At its core, Theocracide addresses the concept of pervasive apathy in a society. Then, it drags in other themes. Colonialism. The hypocrisy of an American Emperor. The perversion of religion to suit the needs of the rulers. It’s a very wild ride. My only (albiet minor) complaint: all of the chapters are prefaced by a news story. It took a while for them to integrate with the rest of the story, as they initially didn’t sync well. But, by the time to story caught up, I was glad they had been included! They give a better feel to the world, and make Earth seem more rounded and complete.

I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Paradise Earth: Day Zero by Anthony Mathenia

End-of-the-world scenarios are a dime-a-dozen. From your everyday zombie apocalypse to a giant meteor smashing the Earth, it’s all been done. But, what if an event that is suspiciously like the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ prophesies came to pass? Smart, believable, and certainly blasphemous to our door-to-door friends, Mathenia’s Paradise Earth hits hard and hits home. I read it in four hours, without putting it down.

The first chapter won me over. Its darkness and utter despair pulled me in–the imagery and emotion of it was like a punch to the gut. I needed to know what happened. After that, I was held captive by the storytelling. The narrative follows an unnamed brother throughout the early stages of the apocalypse. The dissection of his faith and the loosening boundaries in his mind between past and present are fascinating. Much of the character’s back story is explained via flashback, which makes it seem as though two stories are being woven together.

In the end, all he has left is his naked faith.

As far as religious-themed books go, this one is presented in a way that both the religious and non-religious can take enjoyment in. Perhaps not for the same reasons, but I can see it as being interesting to either perspective. It’s not preachy and does not seek to give the heavy-handed treatment to the reader. You’re left to draw your own conclusions, much like the main character has to. I greatly enjoyed the Zombie Bible for similar reasons, so if you’re familiar with Litore’s work then you’ll have an understanding of the treatment faith has.

I was given a copy for purposes of posting an honest review.

Cover Reveal: The Charge by Sharon Bayliss

Questions for quIRK blog hop winner!

In order to build some excitement for my debut novel, Sanity Vacuum, my partner in crime Courtney Worth Young and I threw a blog hop. Now, I’m about to announce the long-awaited, celebrated winner of the grand prize.

First, let’s roll that cover again.

Beautiful.

And, the winning question belongs to James Wymore! What did he ask?

Well, James just happened upon the entire theme of the second novel with no foreknowledge whatsoever. So, he wins extra-big there.

The question: What is the role of freedom in obtaining happiness?

It’s deep. It’s pertinent to daily life. I love it.

Congratulations, James!