“A Green Sun” up for sale on smashwords And now Kindle!

A Green Sun is now up for sale on Smashwords– the Kindle Store will likely be coming soon. The book is there now!  It’s 1.99 at either store, but I do tend to get more in the way of royalties from the Smashwords site, hint, hint.

A hard science fiction story, it is the first in the Fusion Age cycle, talking about the rise and aftermath of the development of cheap fusion power.  The consequences, both positive and negative for mankind will forever change the face of the earth– and beyond…

My first published story, beyond academic stuff that is best used for knocking you out before tooth procedures, and I’m both happy and scared, so here we are!

Blurb for pirates

Here’s the very first blush of the advertising blurb for pirates– it may, and in fact probably will change.

 

Two hundred years ago, the Sun went nova– and in the twenty years before than, mankind via desperate labor, built a fleet of ships to take themselves to safety. Aided by Galactic society, they have grown into a respected and politically important group.The only dark blot on the horizon as mankind prepares to petition for full member status on the Council are the pirates that continue to raid human worlds.  Never alien– only human worlds.

 

But Stephanie Wilson is about to learn that the story of her heroic ancestors is  a lie.  That it masks a betrayal more monstrous than anything that had come before in human history. More importantly for her, it is a betrayal that many will kill to keep secret….

 

Fantasy: Who lights all those #(#*@!!!! torches?

You see it in books, and in just about every fantasy movie. It’s dark, the evil overlord in his doom fortress is stalking down a corridor, or maybe the hero is sneaking in, or perhaps people are in the streets of the city…

And there are torches.  Lamps, enough flickering lights that it looks more like an ancient version of LA than a real ancient city.

The truth is, even the rich seldom had much activity at night.  Lamp oil cost, and had to be brought in, physically.  Torches lasted only a few minutes or at most hours, and had to be replaced continually. (why is everyone poor in many fantasy movies?  It’s because all the money goes to the Torch consortium.  They’re living in a golden castle, thank you very much).