When Your Dystopian Sci-Fi Starts Coming True

In order to fully explain my current depth of freaked-outedness, I'm going to have to refer to a whole lot of other websites and links.  Please click them. They are part of the story. I'm also going to have to delve into some backstory that never really gets talked about in Salvaged. It's what happened 6 years prior …

On Writing Sequels

It surprises people sometimes to hear that I'm not diving instantly into writing the sequel to Salvaged. I've outlined Quarantined, I know what happens, but I haven't written more than a few scribbled notes on it. Why not write the sequel?  Salvaged has had a few nibbles. It may be the book that gets me an agent. It …

Uncounted … [Webcomic nudge]

The scene in today's Uncounted was probably the second major visual I had for the world - how to send simple but secret messages. The idea of using painted rocks to mean things between two people is weird. I mean, why not send a note? Well. Paper is in low supply, for one thing. For …

Uncounted is up! [Webcomic]

Sophie survived E4! Of course, she had an IV, and The Doctor's constant attention. But she lived through it! Hooray! Really, that's kinda the whole point of today's page. That and the Doctor is stepping up his game a little. He's turning into who he will be in Salvaged. Click the image for today's comic: Oh, …

Uncounted [webcomic nudge]

The Doctor and Mistral are both characters in Salvaged, and I have to admit, the work of this prequel has changed my mind about some stuff in the novel.  I actually adjusted a few scenes to better line up with what happens here. I'd like a reader to be able to go seamlessly from the pages …

More information about “Salvaged”

In honor of today's #AdPit, I'm adding a longer pitch and some more information about Salvaged. Salvaged is a 95,000-word adult science fiction dystopia that skips "the big virus" and focuses on the social aftermath following the population crash.  The government is reduced to a single combined military Corps, whose goal is "To Preserve Life and …

Pitching “Salvaged”

In honor of today's #PitMad, I'm adding a longer pitch and some more information about Salvaged. Salvaged is an adult science fiction dystopia that skips "the big virus" and focuses on the social aftermath following the population crash.  The One-liner: Hoping to redeem herself for her violent past, Careen has to get her home remedy into …

Uncounted and Mistral [Webcomic nudge]

When I created the Crash world in 1995-96, I originally created a heroine named Sonia. Sonia appears in Salvaged, but she doesn't get her own book until roughly 2 books after that story takes place.   When I revised the story in 2001-2002ish, I realized I needed an antagonist. I created a self-serving Corpsman named John Mistral. …

How do you convey genre in sci-fi?

I learned a lot from Jeff Gerke's The First 50 pages. But I've got a quibble, and one I'd love to discuss with my fellow writers. Help your reader out. Just trot out a half-goblin in chainmail armor and a shield if this is a fantasy.  Have someone make an arrest if this is a police …

Deadline…. Missed.

If you'll recall, I set myself a deadline earlier this month.  The idea was to push through this final polishing round of edits on Salvaged and then get cracking on agent queries by the end of August. Well, today is September 1, and I have not yet finished. I'm not discouraged by this. First of all, …