Back to Normal(ish) // Making Things Up
Jul 18, 2021 12:09 am
Hello from London,
I look forward to a time when Coronavirus isn't the subject of the day. It used to be that speculating about a global pandemic qualified as speculative fiction. Now, dreaming about a world free from global pandemic counts as speculative fiction.
How quickly our definition of "normal" changes!
The UK is saying we could travel without needing all the tests and self-isolation and other burdens of pandemic life, provided we had been vaccinated twice. Then they changed their mind and said that we still had to go through all of that if we came from France. Since all the non-air crossings to the UK go through France, that basically cuts off the continent as a summer holiday destination for a large number of people.
And here I am rebooking and cancelling things for what feels like the hundredth time.
My stories are made up on the fly. So, it would seem, are the government's pandemic policies.
My free fiction of the month
In the spirit of keeping you entertained, here is my bi-monthyl link to a piece of fiction I've written in the past.
If you enjoy what you read, please let me know, as there's nothing worse than shepherding a story through the creative process only to have it greeted by universal silence.
"What You Might Find"
This is neither science fiction nor fantasy. It was a reaction to a story prompt where my characters took center stage and, for some reason, I never felt the need to add elements of speculative fiction. It's not my usual style, but writing it felt quite fulfilling at the time.
Giveaway: Demons and Demi-gods
This is the title of the group promotion I have to offer you in this newletter.
Fifteen books, prequels or short stories that serve as an introduction to a new author. All of these are free in exchange for signing up to a mailing list, and should give you enough of a taste of each author's work for you to decide if you want some more.
Click the banner below to check out the giveaway.
Obviously, my own offering in this list is the first chapter of the Emily Voss series, which you should already have, but can always download here.
Author Spotlight
Here are the authors I want to introduce you to this week.
Forensics and Dragon Fire by Michael Angel
In Centaur of the Crime, LAPD Crime Scene Analyst Dayna Chrissie had to solve a royal murder before war broke out between human and centaur.
Now Dayna's got a brand new case. When one of Andeluvia's dragon riders is found torn apart by his mount, she's got a golden opportunity to prove her worth to the new ruler and his nobles.
He's a good man carrying a dark secret. But he never expected it to lead him into the thorns of Darkwood. Now there is something dark inside his soul and he can't escape it...
Rehan is a barber, who likes to dabble in some interesting extracurricular activities such as collecting body parts, performing experiments and carrying out backstreet surgical procedures. A strange collection of hobbies some may say. However, the love of his life Gwyneth doesn't mind it one wit and always greets him with a smile, even if he's covered in a blood-spattered pinny.
When he chances upon a treasure he can't turn down, it leads him into the Darkwood where he encounters a dark fae that will change him forever...
Sapience by Alexis Langten
In the near future, humanity builds a colony on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. They tunnel into the ice to explore the dark oceans beneath the moon's surface, searching for signs of extraterrestrial life. What they find will change them forever, setting humanity on a path to the stars. But the old conflicts and hatreds of Earth are not so easily escaped. Will human colonists on distant planets and moons create a paradise or a horrifying dystopia?
In Heaven’s Light, the difference between a genetic Gift and an Abnormality is determined by the number of credits in your parent’s bank account. Gifts are reserved for the wealthy, and Abnormals are terminated—in the parent’s best interest, of course. Clare Rhodes is used to life under the radar. She uses her abnormality on a stranger at the club and finds an oil-slick of nightmares. The horrific visions invade her mind as she slips deeper... Knives. Fists. Fire. He knows more about her than anyone should. He even knows her Norm-ID is a fake.
She didn’t mean to kill him. On the run and off the grid are Clare's only options.
Too bad she's being tracked...
The Apocalypse is coming.
What is Olivia going to do when faced with the reality of the end of the world? Transported into a world of warfare and teenage drama. New friends mix with enemies as Olivia figures out her place in a growing, and fighting, world.
I hope your holiday plans are not in as much disarray as my own. Hopefully the above has given you something to enjoy while I get back to investigating PCR test availability and alternative travel arrangements!
All the best,
Nick.
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