New SciFi eBook

A

alanB

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I've been writing a scifi novel in my spare time for a few years, mostly because I started dreaming about the story and it wouldn't go away, so I started writing it down :erm::wtf::p

It finally finished itself over the Christmas break.

After a fair bit of editing and proof reading, and bouncing it off a few third parties and professionals (who mostly surprisingly said they enjoyed it) the first draft is ready.

If you liked The Martian (by Andy Weir) you might like this as well.

For those interested, you can start reading it here http://extinction.co.za/chapters-1-2-and-3/

If you actually want to download the whole thing in pdf format you can do that here http://extinction.co.za/download-ebook/ (I've set up a 50% discount for the forum - discount code mbb01). You can also download a few chapters at a time if you want.

For some extra interest, I've put together chapter notes that provide some background to some of the stuff mentioned in the story http://extinction.co.za/chapter-notes/. (But its probably best not to read the chapter notes until you have read the relevant chapters because they might spoil the story a bit).
 
Congratulations on finishing your first novel! How long did it take you?

Do you plan to sell it on Amazon?

I'm at work now, but I'll give the first few chapters a read later.

Edit: Would you mind posting a blurb?
 
Ancalagon said:
Congratulations on finishing your first novel! How long did it take you?

Do you plan to sell it on Amazon?

I'm at work now, but I'll give the first few chapters a read later.

Edit: Would you mind posting a blurb?
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Here's the blurb:

Frank Anderson's life is suddenly thrown into turmoil when he receives a call in the middle of the night from a stranger claiming to represent the United Nations Strategic Directorate for Disaster Response.

It seems he is needed urgently in Europe. But while they are willing to pay handsomely, they cannot tell him why, only that it's an emergency of global proportions.

His response to that call starts a bewildering sequence of events that will culminate in him leading a select team on a mission to possibly ensure the future of mankind.
 
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Compton_effect said:
Congratulations - you have gone one step further than most aspiring writers - you've finished a story.
That puts you ahead of a lot of people (Including me)
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Ja getting the story finished takes perseverance! You just have to keep moving forward whenever you can. I found it came in waves. Some days I would just unexpectedly feel like writing and pump out a few chapters in an hour or so. Other days it would be hard to add a coherent sentence! And most of the time, nothing happened - I was doing other stuff :D

But the story kept irritating me, because it wasn't finished so I would eventually sit down and carry on even after months of inactivity!

Took 4 or 5 years though, maybe longer.
 
Ancalagon said:
What is your day job?
Click to expand...

We do industrial/commercial solar power systems as well as power quality measurement (and if necessary high speed correction).

But obviously writing a book happens after hours :p
 
Well done, dude...writing a novel is one of those things so many people dream of doing but so few accomplish. Big ups.

I see that blurb is on your site - could do with a bit of editing (select team of, literately versus literally - word choice also, "literally" is unnecessary here, maybe assess the use of the "claiming" clause also).

Will take a look at the sample chapters at home and will defs make a purchase if it's up my alley.
 
alanB said:
Thanks.

Here's the blurb:

Frank Anderson's life is suddenly thrown into turmoil when he receives a call in the middle of the night from a stranger claiming to represent the United Nations Strategic Directorate for Disaster Response.

It seems he is needed urgently in Europe. But while they are willing to pay handsomely, they cannot tell him why, only that its an emergency of global proportions.

His response to that call starts a bewildering sequence of events that will culminate in him leading a select team individuals on a mission to literately ensure the future of mankind.
Click to expand...

*It's

If that's the blurb you're publishing, just fix up the missing punctuation

Edit: not trying to be a total d1ck, but you need an editor... It's not the only "its" error, and I'm only half a page in
 
Well done, I have a kid that wants to write. Next.. movie rights!
 
Neoprod said:
Well done, dude...writing a novel is one of those things so many people dream of doing but so few accomplish. Big ups.

I see that blurb is on your site - could do with a bit of editing (select team of, literately versus literally - word choice also, "literally" is unnecessary here, maybe assess the use of the "claiming" clause also).

Will take a look at the sample chapters at home and will defs make a purchase if it's up my alley.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much appreciate all tips and comments very much :)
 
eehellfire said:
*It's

If that's the blurb you're publishing, just fix up the missing punctuation

Edit: not trying to be a total d1ck, but you need an editor... It's not the only "its" error, and I'm only half a page in
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Just a quick question.

I was wondering what people think about pdf files vs actual print copies. In today's world where most people have mobile devises, its quite easy to download a book and read it digitally, is there any benefit in print books anymore?

PS: Made a few changes to the site http://extinction.co.za/chapters-1-2-and-3/
 
I would probably look at making it available on Amazon Kindle devices. You can self publish there easily enough. I think your book has to be one in one of certain formats, which include Microsoft Word.

I personally wouldn't want to read a novel length PDF unless I could get it on my Kindle.

Based on the digital sales of your book, you could then approach a publisher, and say, I have this book and it has sold this many thousand copies.
 
Ancalagon said:
I would probably look at making it available on Amazon Kindle devices. You can self publish there easily enough. I think your book has to be one in one of certain formats, which include Microsoft Word.

I personally wouldn't want to read a novel length PDF unless I could get it on my Kindle.

Based on the digital sales of your book, you could then approach a publisher, and say, I have this book and it has sold this many thousand copies.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback.

If you dont mind me asking what's the difference between reading a kindle file on a kindle vs a pdf on say an ipad?

Also if you like, if you have an ipad, I could send you the full pdf to try out? I would be quite interested in your comments on the difference.

Amazon's deal to South African authors isnt that great IMO, which is why I'm not rushing to sign up BTW.
 
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