Tag: Book

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Mars, Progress5 Comments

  Another week gone, and the MS stands at 91,987 words, which is a cut of 4340 from last week’s total. It’ll reduce a little further as the rest of the piece is edited. I’ve now edited 64,687 words, which is an increase of 30,902 on last week. And my beta reader’s dealt with 45,469 …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

My New Kindle has Arrived!

On By stuartakenIn Author, Reading, Review6 Comments

My old Kindle expired a while back. I replaced the experience with my iPad, but that entails reading from a backlit screen, which isn’t comfortable over long periods, and it’s pretty poor in bright sunshine. So, I took the plunge, removed the padlock from my wallet, and shelled out for a new eReader. Whilst I …

Continue reading My New Kindle has Arrived!

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress2 Comments

  The end of the week and the MS stands at 96,327, which is an increase of 3,910 words. That’ll reduce as I get further into the editing, as I’m aware of certain passages I’ve repeated. I’ve already got 33,785 words edited for my beta reader and she’s started her examination. As usual, she’s found …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

FantastiCon 2016: A Convention with Added Bite!

On By stuartakenIn Author, Fiction, Fundraising

The annual SF/Fantasy/Gaming/Cosplay/Music event FantastiCon 2016, will take place on 19th & 20th November at the Guildhall in Hull UK! Why am I telling you this? Because I’ll be there! Signing books, socialising, meeting readers and possibly doing a reading (TBA). I'd love to meet you there. This is the third year of this convention …

Continue reading FantastiCon 2016: A Convention with Added Bite!

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars

  The end of another week, and the 2nd rewrite is complete at 92,417 words, which is an increase of 1,159: the total is supposed to diminish when you’re editing! No matter. I had a brief online chat with my publisher this week and sent him the synopsis. We’ve decided on a deadline for completion, …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

Last Week of #eBook Bargains

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction

Final reminder that you can save money on eBooks during July. And a further reduction on my own books for the last week of this promotion. Smashwords is a publishing platform for all formats of eBooks. I’ve several books with them. July is their promotional month, when authors who wish to participate offer discounts. This …

Continue reading Last Week of #eBook Bargains

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress4 Comments

The end of one more week, and I’ve ended up with 91,258 words for the 2nd rewrite. That’s an extra 1,814, mostly in the form of news reports to set the scene. I’m now making sure each narrator remains consistent through his or her contribution. A couple more ‘sources’ of information have been added to …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Visiting Fellow, by Dave Williamson, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review

Gentle comedy, interspersed with charmingly naughty sexual encounters and academic forays characterise this novel. Before I go any further, let me stress that this is not erotica; the sex comes with a naivety that arouses smiles rather than passion in the reader. Set in Canada and Tasmania, the novel follows the adventures, trials and triumphs …

Continue reading Visiting Fellow, by Dave Williamson, Reviewed.

July: eBook Bargain Month on Smashwords

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction

A quick reminder that you can save money on eBooks during July. Smashwords, for those who aren’t aware, is a publishing platform for all formats of eBooks. I have several books with them. July is their promotional month, when those who wish to participate offer discounts on our books. This gives readers the chance to …

Continue reading July: eBook Bargain Month on Smashwords

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress8 Comments

The end of another week, and I’ve ended up with 89,444 words for this 2nd rewrite. So, that’s an extra 2,294. I started making sure each individual voice remains consistent through the narrative and, so far, I’ve checked and corrected 11,780 words in that process. Interesting little interruption during the work: Scrivener decided it was …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

Mâtowak: Woman Who Cries, by Joylene Nowell Butler, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review6 Comments

This book is a police procedure crime novel, with the bonus that it’s set in Canada and therefore reveals both cultural and procedural aspects that may be new to many readers. Certainly, aspects of this fascinating tale led me across entirely new ground. The three main characters are intriguing in their complexity, and the fourth, …

Continue reading Mâtowak: Woman Who Cries, by Joylene Nowell Butler, Reviewed.

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress2 Comments

The end of the week, and I’ve ended up with 87,150 words at the end of this 2nd rewrite. I’ve spent a fair amount of the time available in moulding passages originally created for the pov’s of 4 antagonists so that each is consistent. It’s difficult to get into the mind-set of evil people, so …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

July is eBook Bargain Month on Smashwords

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction2 Comments

Smashwords, for those readers who don’t know, is a publishing platform for all formats of eBooks. I have several books with them. And the great news is that July is their promotional month, when those of us who wish to participate offer discounts on our books. This gives readers the opportunity to buy our books …

Continue reading July is eBook Bargain Month on Smashwords

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

This week I’ve reached 83,803 words in the second rewrite, so another 18,231 words processed this week, and 12,049 new words added to the original story. I was hoping to start on the next phase at the end of this week, but I felt the story needed some additional povs, so I’ve included some passages …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.

Future Gone, by Alexandar Tomov Jnr, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Literature, Review

Translated from Bulgarian by Margarita Dogramadzyan. This collection of short stories is bizarre, dreamlike, surreal. The stories themselves hold both intelligent insight and moral lessons. Unfortunately, either the translation or the original writing lack proper editing. They read like first drafts. The thoughts are put down but there’s no sign of revision and they therefore …

Continue reading Future Gone, by Alexandar Tomov Jnr, Reviewed.