Sneak Peek: The Cascade Annihilator

Today we have a sneak peek from author Chris James’s new science fiction novel, The Second Internet Cafe, Part 2: The Cascade Annihilator.

Dimension researcher Lucas Hunter returns to confront his nemesis, Dietrich, in an explosive showdown. But now Lucas’s enemy is armed with the most devastating weapon imaginable.

In reality one, the Second Internet Café is itself under renewed threat. The return of Dietrich has given its enemies the means to see it closed down once and for all. From among its staff, senior analyst Paula Featherstone finds herself unwittingly thrown into the centre of the battle to keep control of the Second Internet Café. As danger of a military strike on Europe in our universe increases, Lucas jumps to an alternate 1988 to confront Dietrich. Back in the Second Internet Café, Paula and others struggle to keep the facility functioning so Lucas can return.

Lucas clashes with Dietrich in a devastating final battle, where he must defeat both Dietrich and the weapon that can destroy our universe: the cascade annihilator.

The Cascade Annihilator is currently available from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and in print from Lulu.

Here is an excerpt from The Cascade AnnihilatorContinue reading “Sneak Peek: The Cascade Annihilator”

Meet the Author: Aron Joice

Aron Joice is a published songwriter, and the author of The Lost Children of Managrail series. The Rising, book one of the Ya Fantasy is currently available in Ebook and print. Book two — Vanished, will be released in early 2013 along with her novella The Land of Beautiful. An adult historical fiction is also in the works. Aron is passionate about the arts and rescuing animals.

As with many writers, Aron says getting through the learning curve of all the social media platforms has been a challenge. “At first I read every Writer’s Digest available, bought books, studied everything I could find online and then mapped out a plan. I didn’t get Twitter, or why anyone would spend their time tweeting. Facebook was a challenge and still is for me. I found a few blogs that I believed to be relevant to my purpose and stayed true. I felt like I was in Platform College. On a one to one basis I like Linkedin, it is more give and take. I’ve made wonderful friends on Twitter and we support one another. FB is like a newspaper to me. I have to say Indies Unlimited has taught me more than I could ever imagine and has been a great guide.” Continue reading “Meet the Author: Aron Joice”

Indie News Beat: Is this really the future of storytelling?

If we are to believe the forecasts, the future of books and storytelling is inextricably linked to the increasing inter-connectivity of our world. A future beckons in which it will be bad manners to read a book alone, without sharing every character, every plot twist, and every page with your friends, your family, and that odd-looking homeless person on whom you took pity and to whom you gave your small change on the way home from the office. It all sounds perfectly hideous to me, but that’s what the experts say is going to happen.

In the kind of news story that makes me consider a lobotomy to be a prudent, forward-looking lifestyle choice, CBCNews in Canada claims that ‘Social reading is the next phase of e-book revolution’. The article is bookended with misplaced references to Al Jolson and, inevitably, Guttenberg, and after a few figures on the growth of the e-book market in Canada, we are introduced to Bob Stein, who is a ‘digital pioneer’. Continue reading “Indie News Beat: Is this really the future of storytelling?”

Don’t Hate Me ‘Cuz I’m Beautiful: Facebook URLs

You’ve seen them, I know you have. The ugly, discombobulated, burdened Facebook page URL that has not been properly set up.  My favorite is when someone who claims to be a social media or marketing expert sports one. “Come check out my page!” they’ll say to me, presenting me with a link that looks like “http://www.facebook.com/pages/Judy-the-marketing-pro-author/260458930631195”   Hey, Judy, guess what?  No one’s going to remember how to get to your page with a link like that. Not to mention it’s kind of embarrassing.

What can you do about it? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Continue reading “Don’t Hate Me ‘Cuz I’m Beautiful: Facebook URLs”