The Latest in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Just in time to surf the wake of the latest Star Wars film comes GALACTIC EMPIRES (Night Shade, paper, $17.99), a collection of compact space epics anthologized by Neil Clarke and written by some of the biggest stars and up-and-comers in the genre. The 22 stories featured are all stand-alone, though several are set in pre-existing fictional universes: Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch is here, as is Neal Asher’s Polity. All of the stories range widely in theme and style, sharing only the experience of sudden, sometimes jolting immersion into complex societies and exotic circumstances in the far future.

There’s an unavoidable tension in these mini-sagas between the need to quickly introduce readers to a bizarre setting and the need for an engaging narrative arc — but nearly all of them pull it off. The newer writers tend to take more risks and feature more engaging characters. Gwendolyn Clare’s “All the Painted Stars,” for example, veers away from the usual human protagonist, taking readers instead into the mind of a tentacled alien cop who must cooperate with humans to solve the mystery of a lost civilization. Aliette de Bodard’s “The Waiting Stars” offers a painfully contemporary tale of young Vietnamese women taken from their own “savage” people and forcibly re-educated to serve a society of cold artificial intelligences. By contrast, the established writers tend to focus on ideas and settings more than characters and to follow well-traveled storytelling paths. These can be fun too; one notable example is Brandon Sanderson’s “Firstborn,” the overlong but otherwise delightful tale of a born loser slouching along in the shadow of his military-genius older brother.

One or two of the stories devolve into a travelogue, with characters and plot merely painted on for flavor, but overall this anthology is mostly hits, remarkably few misses. Highly recommended.

Adapting any prose novel to the graphic format is an audacious undertaking at the best of times, but translating Octavia E. Butler’s fearsomely powerful work in particular must surely have been a herculean task. Yet Damian Duffy and John Jennings have managed it with their version of KINDRED (Abrams ComicArts, $24.95), giving her most accessible novel — as noted in an introduction by the acclaimed science fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor — fresh life.

The story itself is the same one that’s been studied in countless university courses on race, gender and literature since its publication in 1979. Dana, a young black woman living in modern-day California, suddenly begins traveling backward in time to the early 1800s, where she is compelled again and again to save the life of Rufus, the scion of a Maryland plantation owner. The mechanism of her movement through time and space is never explained and is ultimately irrelevant. What matters is that Dana must cope with the realistically depicted, gruesome horrors of slavery — which Butler in fact “cleaned up,” according to a well-known 1991 interview in the journal Callaloo. Perhaps more horrifically, Dana must struggle with a fuller understanding of the damage slavery inflicted on everyone it touched, free and slave, then and now — not just violence and family disruption, but an ugly mix of societally reinforced Stockholm syndrome, toxic codependency, and dehumanization.

Duffy and Jennings’s adaptation retains the spare, almost baroque feel of Butler’s narrative, down to its ominous chapter headings (e.g., “The River,” “The Fall”), rendered in all-caps on a black background. This is a story heavy in dialogue and internal narration, although some of the interiority is necessarily lost to the visual format. The art here, which is angular and line-heavy and somehow apocalyptic, fits the weight of the material perfectly. This helps to make up for narrative lost, through stark renderings of blood or vomit or the ashen skin of a hanged woman. The adaptation does not flinch from the ugliest parts of Butler’s text. (Parents hoping that the graphical format may work better for teenagers, take warning.)

A worthy and powerful supplement to a classic.

In a strangely small galaxy, the civilized peoples of the nine inhabited planets live in constant fear of the Shotet, a tribe of fierce multiracial scavengers. After the Shotet kidnap a boy named Akos and his brother for mysterious reasons, Akos has no choice but to go native, learning how to fight and earn armor to survive. Akos has a few advantages, however, including genetically imbued language skills and, more important, a special “currentgift,” or unique magical ability, which is capable of shutting down others’ currentgifts. This naturally makes him useful to Cyra, sister of the tyrannical Shotet leader; Cyra’s own currentgift grants her the ability to project, and experience, constant agony. Akos alone can ease her pain. That they end up a couple is hardly a spoiler.

So things go in CARVE THE MARK (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins, $22.99), the latest outing from Veronica Roth. Roth is the author of the best-selling Divergent series, and like those books, this one seems destined — designed, even — for a film adaptation. The story focuses less on Cyra than on Akos, who is by turns vulnerable, tough and talented at combat. The plot is also familiar: A young woman trapped in a brutal system must fight to win freedom for herself and her male companion, eventually fomenting a rebellion against her oppressors. The whole thing turns out to be a power struggle between roughly four factions — special families, that is, whose members are bestowed with predestined fates. There’s some jumbled, vaguely science fictional worldbuilding involving spaceships and people from planets of darkness or planets of heat, but frankly, Roth could’ve set the whole thing on a single planet and cut down on the potential special effects budget.

This story is simpler than it sounds, and even more clichéd than this synopsis suggests. It will doubtless make money hand over fist.

Another work that seems designed for the big screen — or more likely the small screen, given that it’s organized into episodes and seasons — is BOOKBURNERS: SEASON 1 (Saga, paper, $21.99), a collaborative effort by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Mur Lafferty and Brian Francis Slattery. Originally produced by Serial Box as an intriguing experiment in serial fiction for mobile devices, the 16 episodes that first appeared in 2015 have now been compiled into a single volume by Saga Press.

The story is fast-paced and pulpish. The police detective Sally Brooks is interrupted one night by her hapless brother, who’s carrying a mysterious ancient book and is terrified he’s been followed to her apartment. He’s afraid of the Bookburners, a shadowy “men in black” type of organization said to hunt down rare-book thieves. After she sees her brother open the book only to become instantly possessed by an ancient malevolent entity, Sal finds herself embroiled in a whirlwind caper, occasionally terrifying, to try to save him. Naturally, she joins forces with the Bookburners, who turn out to be a special division of the Vatican Library employed to hunt down dangerous artifacts for capture and safe storage in the Black Archives. Think hackers and traveling exorcists, but for books. Turns out they could also use a good cop.

If that sounds like lighthearted, slightly silly fun, it is. Each “episode” of the serial is noticeably picaresque in style — lots of action sequences, horror visuals, and witty banter, but not many moments of narrative pause or introspection. As a result, the characters aren’t especially complex or deeply rendered; it’s an ensemble cast, though Sal remains the main character throughout. And the peril rarely feels genuinely perilous. This seems intentional, too, however — rather like watching a TV show with episodes that can be skipped or watched out of order, and characters who remain comfortably predictable throughout. Maybe this isn’t the kind of show that’s going to win a lot of Emmys; it’s more the type that could win a devoted audience and keep going for season after season. Probably ideal for commuters looking for pleasant popcorn reading to start or end the day.

THE ULTIMATE STEPHEN KING READING GUIDE (FROM A CONSTANT READER)

I’ve been reading Stephen King for AWHILE. I started reading King when I was 11-ish and I still read his work today, even though I have honestly tried to break up with him a few times. Being a longtime fan (a Constant Reader, as he refers to us out there reading his work), I think I’m in a pretty good spot to write this reading guide.

I’ve tried to split it into genre (though this is difficult, they overlap), and then separate into the best books and the pretty okay books, in case you’re not a completist.

“Hey, where’s ____________ ? Why isn’t it on this list?” If I’ve left out a book, it will probably have been 100% on purpose as I don’t recommend every single book he’s ever written (and neither does he). Or I might leave a book off of one list because it fits better in another. As always, these are studied opinions, not absolute decrees. Please discuss your disagreements in the comments.

Just the Best (Well, the Best As Far As I’m Concerned)

Maybe you don’t care about genre and you just want to read his best work. Totally fair. So I’ll list out my top picks first, and then break it down by genre. (Yes, fellow Constant Readers, you’re going to want to yell at me for leaving out books. My body is ready.)

Carrie, 1974. Carrie was the first book that Stephen King published, and in this case, starting from the beginning is a great thing. It’s a tight, solid story that shows King’s ability to paint vivid characters and his deftness with psychological horror.

Dolores Claiborne, 1993. A woman living on a small Maine island is accused of murder twice in her life. The first one, she didn’t so much mind, but she’s determined to clear herself of the second–which means laying out all of her secrets, even the most painful.

Different Seasons, 1982. Even if you haven’t read this collection, you’re probably familiar with two of its stories: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and The Body, the latter of which was adapted into the film Stand By Me. I’m not wild about the second novella, Apt Pupil, but the rest of the book more than makes up for it.

The Shining, 1977. I think this novel is King at his best. It’s a masterful suspense horror novel that mixes psychological horror and supernatural horror. (If you like this one, go ahead and read the sequel, Doctor Sleep, because it’s also very good.)

On Writing: A Memoir Of the Craft, 2000. Not just a how-to book on writing, this book delves into King’s life and inspirations. It’s a pretty good primer to understanding his point of view as a writer, which is typically very strong.

Full Dark, No Stars, 2010. A collection of four novellas that I thought were just excellent.

The Stand, 1978/1990. Re-released as an uncut edition in 1990, The Stand is a post-apocalyptic novel. Perennial fan fave with great character-building. Not without plot issues but overall a good read.

Pet Sematary, 1983. Just the classic story of a man and his cat. Okay, maybe a little more complicated than that, but not very–yet, even in the simplicity of the story, it’s one of the few that truly creeped me out.

Misery, 1987. One of his most famous novels for a good reason: it’s a tight psychological horror novel with a beautifully drawn villain. A must-read once you start getting into King.

The Long Walk, 1979. Stephen King first published this (and four other books) under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. The horror in his Bachman persona is different from his regular work, which flirts with camp and frequently goes to bed with gore, but it’s still very much horror.

Joyland, 2013. A crime novel meets ghost story, Joyland takes place in an amusement park where a girl had been murdered.

Roadwork, 1981. Another Bachman book, Roadwork is about a man whose home is about to be bulldozed to make way for a highway extension. He, however, is not going to let that happen. King has stated that Roadwork is a favorite of his among the early books.

The Dark Tower Series. See the SF/F list for more information here, because you will probably end up reading the whole list if you like this series.

The Straight-Up Horror List

King’s work has spanned multiple genres over the decades, but at its core has been his horror work. If you’re in it for the chills, these are your books.

Note: Some of his novels that are great but not actually horror are listed further down.

The Best Horror Books, IMO:

Books from previous sections that belong here: Carrie; The Shining; Full Dark, No Stars; Misery; The Long Walk; Pet Sematary; The Stand; and Doctor Sleep.

‘Salem’s Lot, 1975. Stephen King meets vampire novel; can you dig it?

Night Shift, 1978. A collection of short works, including “Children of the Corn”, “The Lawnmower Man”, and “Sometimes They Come Back”.

Lisey’s Story, 2006. For me personally? This book isn’t ranked on my list of faves, though I didn’t dislike it; however, King told Rolling Stone that he thought it was his best book (as of 2014). I think, then, anybody new to King might do well to pick it up earlier than I did.

The Pretty Good Horror Books:

Cell, 2006. Zombies meet technology in a more recent novel by King.

Skeleton Crew, 1985. “The Mist,” a famous work by King that has been adapted into a film, is in this collection, along with gems like “Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut” and “The Ballad Of the Flexible Bullet”.

Firestarter, 1980. A pyrokinetic little girl and her dad are on the run from the government, who wants to weaponize her.

The Dead Zone, 1979. I have to admit, this is one book I missed reading when I was younger. It gets glowing reviews, though.

Under the Dome, 2009. Something encapsulates a town in a seemingly impenetrable dome and shit goes very, very awry when they have to fend for themselves. People love or hate this one–I thought it was pretty solid.

Desperation, 1996. This book is part of a set of two books that are linked; I think Desperation is the better of the two. It’s very much a “good vs. evil” kind of story that shows off King’s world-building abilities. The other book is The Regulators, which he published as Richard Bachman.

Everything’s Eventual, 2002. Another collection–his short fiction is really just very good–with the story “1408,” which was scary AF and also was made into a film.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes, 1993. Another collection of stories, the first one of his I ever read.

Thinner, 1984. The last book to be written by “Richard Bachman,” Thinner smacked too much of King-style horror to keep up the ruse (King was outed as Bachman when someone got wise to his style leaking over). In Thinner, an overweight lawyer is cursed to become thinner to the point of death when he’s let off the hook for manslaughter.

Insomnia, 1994. I don’t know if it’s one of his most popular books but I actually like this book quite a lot, though part of that has to do with its connection to a larger work in the Stephen King Universe. An older man gets insomnia and starts seeing things. A younger man, normally well-liked and well-behaved, becomes abusive and terrifying. These things are not unrelated.

Just After Sunset, 2008. Short horror fiction collection.

Danse Macabre, 1981. This is a work of nonfiction that would mainly appeal to people as geeked out about horror as Stephen King is. It spans movies, books, and television.

The Pretty Okay Horror Books:

Christine, 1983. A dude gets a jealous car and she wants him all to herself.

IT, 1986. I know if you’re a King fan, you’re probably mad that I haven’t featured this tome about a murderous clown yet. There are parts of that novel that are pants-shittingly terrifying, but there are also parts that are kind of not as good as they could be and there’s also [spoilers redacted] at the end, which is kinda fucked up, so. I don’t usually recommend it to people, but it’s a Big Deal in his oeuvre so I’m including it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Revival, 2014. A book that nods to Shelley and Lovecraft, Revival has a gothic, slightly sci-fi bent to it.

Cujo, 1981. A novel about a rabid dog that still gives me the willies to think about.

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, 2015. A recent collection of short works. Great cover art.

The Dark Half, 1990. A writer decides to “kill off” his pseudonym and concentrate on writing books under his own name. His pseudonym does not agree with this plan of action and lets the writer know. Violently.

From A Buick 8, 2002. A group of state troopers in Pennsylvania have a dark secret hanging out back in Shed B, where they keep the Buick Roadmaster. Yep, this is not one but two books about scary cars. There’s also a scary car short story in Just After Sunset.

Needful Things, 1991. A man with a shop of desirable curiosities opens up in Castle Rock; soon, the town is in chaos.

Duma Key, 2008. I wouldn’t say this is overall King’s best book, but there was a part that definitely creeped me out and stayed with me for a long time, and that’s not easy for an author to do for me.

The Suspense, Crime, and Thriller List

Even though it’s natural to want to peg King’s work as horror across the board, many of his works aren’t true horror–which, if you’re not into horror, might be more your speed.

The Best Suspense/Crime/Thriller Works:

Books from previous sections that belong here: Dolores Claiborne, Different Seasons, Joyland.

Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch, 2014-2016. This is a trilogy of crime novels featuring an ex-cop turned detective and his friends. It starts with a gruesome crime and gets really weird, really fast.

Rage, 1977. Rage is out of print, which is both understandable given its subject matter and also a damn shame, since it’s a good book. It’s about a boy who takes a gun to school, having broken under the immense pressures in his life, and what happens between him and the class he holds hostage. If you can find an older copy of The Bachman Books, it will be collected in there.

The Green Mile, 1996. First released in six volumes (and I was buying those individually in the mid-90s–memories!), The Green Mile is a crime novel with a hefty dose of magical realism.

Rose Madder, 1995. Rose Daniels decides one day that she has to escape her husband–her very abusive husband, who is a cop and who comes looking for her with a skill for tracking people down. He doesn’t know that she has a lot of help on her side, though.

The Pretty Good Suspense/Crime/Thriller Works:

The Colorado Kid, 2005. A mystery novel that takes on unexplained mysteries, and what might cause them.

Blaze, 2007. Another Richard Bachman work (he uses the moniker these days to denote books written in the style of Bachman), Blaze is another crime-novel-meets-ghost-story about a kidnapping.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, 1999. This one is billed by some as horror but, despite having some supernatural elements, it doesn’t fit that bill very cleanly when you read it. A young girl is lost in the woods during a family hiking trip, and she has to survive–even though something is out to get her.

Bag of Bones, 1998. This book displays King’s love of Gothic fiction, loosely aligning itself with the story of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. A man moves out to his vacation house following his wife’s death because he’s having nightmares about the place. Those nightmares might have had something to them, as it turns out.

Hearts in Atlantis, 1999. A collection of fiction centered around the Baby Boomer generation, also with ties to The Dark Tower series.

Gerald’s Game, 1992. Not my fave, but it has a lot of fans. A woman’s husband dies in front of her while she’s handcuffed to the headboard, which puts her in a very not-good situation. Even worse, she feels something watching her–is this her panicked imagination or certain doom?

The Science Fiction/Fantasy List

King clearly has a lot of SF/F influences, and they show through in many of his works.

The SF/F Works:

Books from previous sections that belong here: The Stand

The Dark Tower Series I – VIII (Plus The Wind Through The Keyhole). The Dark Tower is one of my most favorite series in the history of ever–so much so that I stopped re-reading it to preserve the memory of how much I love it. (It’s problematic in places. I admit that freely.) It’s the epic journey of Roland and his eventual companions in another world that runs parallel (?) to our own. It’s a mix of fantasy, western, sci-fi, and horror that has ties to King’s whole body of work; you’ll spend hours poring over the connections once you get into it. (A lot of people hate the first book. In my opinion, you can skip it if you hate it that much.)

The Eyes of the Dragon, 1987. A pure fantasy tome about a murdered king, a framed prince locked in the tower, and an evil magician purring into the ear of the new king.

The Running Man, 1982. This is one of my favorites, a sci-fi dystopian work where people can go on TV and earn money on awful reality shows. Because his child needs medicine, Ben Richards decides to try out for the shows and ends up on the big one–the one where the network hunts humans for sport.

The Talisman (With Peter Straub), 1984. A young boy sets off on a journey to save his dying mother and finds an alternate America, full of twins to people in his America. This book is beloved by many long-time King fans and has a sequel, Black House.

INTERVIEW WITH TOM ABRAHAMS

Welcome to a Tattered Remains Interview

Tom has traveled places most people would avoid.

He’s braved the stinging winds of a category four hurricane as it pounded The Gulf of Mexico, living and working without power for days.

He’s picked his way through the Amazon jungle, trekked across the irradiated exclusion zone of Chernobyl, Ukraine, and climbed the crumbling, high-altitude stone steps leading from the barrio Tacubaya, Miguel Hildalgo, in Mexico City.

He’s been evacuated in an ambulance from the barren Badlands of western Canada.

Tom is a veteran television journalist and author who’s spent the last 20-plus years telling the biggest stories of our time.

He’s reported from the East Room of White House and Capitol Hill, interviewed Presidents and presidential candidates, and was at the Pentagon while smoke still rose in the hours after 9/11.

He’s writes post-apocalyptic thrillers, action adventure, and political conspiracies.

Tom lives in the Houston suburbs with his wife, Courtney, and their two children.

Enjoy the interview… 

****

Why did you choose to write in the post-apocalyptic genre when you wrote “The Traveler Series”? 

A:  A couple of years ago I was approached about writing in Steven Konkoly’s Perseid Collapse Kindle World.  Kindle Worlds is a place on Amazon for licensed fan fiction.  Steve is a friend of mine and asked me to write a story for his “world” launch.    I’d never written post-apocalyptic fiction before, so to stand out from the other more established authors in the genre, I wrote three stories.  They sold pretty well and Steve suggested I try writing my own story.  That was the genesis of The Traveler Series.  I’m glad I gave it a shot.

What were your goals and intentions for “The Traveler Series”, and how well do you feel you achieved them?  

A:  I wanted to dip my toes into an ever-popular genre and test the waters.  I was hoping to sell a few copies a day, maybe a couple dozen if I was lucky.  I never expected HOME, the first of the three books, to explode the way it did.  Its success pushed me to write the next two installments more quickly than I’d planned.  I increased my daily word count by 2-3 times.  Also, I learned a lot about what readers want to see (and what they don’t).  I think my next series will reflect those wants.  So, all in all, mission accomplished.

What are some of the references that you used while researching the series? 

A: I created a hand drawn map of the protagonist’s compound for easy reference.  That was a big help.  Also, I’ve been to many of the places mentioned in the books, so I’m drawing on memory and personal experience.  The best location research tool is Google Maps.  And then I use search engines for a lot of stuff.  I also have, as a result of people reading HOME, a newly formed team of outstanding experts who answer questions as I write and then make corrections to the early drafts.  One is a gun and radio guy, another has military experience, a third is an emergency room physician.

 Is the character Marcus Battle complete fiction or he is a reflection of another real person?
A:  He’s complete fiction.

 How did you come up with the titles for your books (Home, Canyon and Wall)?

A:  I wanted the books to have a western feel.  Originally, I’d named the first book Homestead.  My wife, who is brilliant, suggested a shorter title would look better on the cover.  So I shortened it to Home.  The first book is about leaving Home.  The second book is about the destination (Canyon) and the third is about hope (Wall).  I like one-word titles.

 What did you enjoy most about writing this series?

A:  I love the creative process.  It’s cathartic.  I also enjoy sharing what I’ve created, for better or worse.  Some people have really loved it.  That’s gratifying.  Others haven’t enjoyed it.  That’s okay too.  Art is subjective. I learn from the critics too.

 How long have you been writing?

 A:  I’ve been writing since I was a kid.  As far as long-form writing, I completed my first novel sixteen years ago.  I’ll never publish it.  It was my practice novel.  I dabbled with other plots and stories for almost a decade before I decided to write Sedition.  It’s a political conspiracy novel.  I self-published it in September 2012.  A year later, traditional publisher Post Hill Press bought the rights.  They published Sedition and all three of my action-adventure novels (Allegiance, Allegiance Burned, Hidden Allegiance).  I bought back Sedition from them this year, reworked it, gave it a new cover, and published the sequel Intention.

 Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?

 A:  I’ve always loved reading.  My parents fostered that love.  I might not get a toy at the store, but they’d always buy me a book.  I think one has to be a good reader to be a good writer.  I got into journalism, my day job, solely because I loved writing.  It’s very different from fiction, but it keeps me sharp.

How do you feel about eBooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

A: I think eBooks are fantastic.  They broaden the audience and are the bulk of my sales.  I will, however, always have a soft spot for physical books.  There’s nothing like holding it in my hands, cracking the spine, turning the pages.  As for publishing, there’s a place for both.  Traditional publishing opens doors that are much more difficult to open as a self-publisher.  That said, I like having control over my work.  So it’s great to be a hybrid author, where I get to experience both worlds.

Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?  What impact have they had on your writing?

 A: Michael Crichton was a master of taking plausible science fiction and turning it into a fantastic thriller.  Sphere is one of my favorite books.  George Orwell’s Animal Farm is one I could read again and again.  The subtlety of his writing is genius.  I read both of them and think, “How did they think of this?  Why did they choose that word?”

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?  How does that affect your writing?

A:  Yes. 🙂   I have a day job as a television news reporter and anchor.  That takes up most of my time.  I’m also a husband and father of two.  They’re my world.  So writing gets what’s left.  I do find myself, however, squeezing the other two in favor of banging out another 500 words here or there.  My family is very understanding and supportive.

How do you find or make time to write?

A:  I try to write in the mornings.  When I’m close to a deadline, I’ll write after work too.  Those days are tough.
Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two?  Summarize your writing process.

 A: I’m what they call a “panster”.  That means I fly by the seat of my pants.  I have a general idea of what I want the story to be, I have a vague outline, and then I fill in the gaps as the story goes.  It’s really more intuition than logic.  And sometimes, as crazy as it sounds, the characters tell me what to write.

What are some ways in which you promote your work?  Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?

A: I have a couple of FB accounts.  I have a web page.  I have an email newsletter.  I like using all of them to communicate with fellow authors and fans.  They do take away from writing time, but that’s part of the deal.  I’m not just a writer.  I’m a writer, a marketer, an accountant, and a publisher.  It’s what modern day authors need to do to be successful.

What do you like to read in your free time?

A:  I don’t have any free time.  I like to read authors I know personally.  There are too many to list.  Mostly, though, for my day job I’m reading periodicals.

 
What projects are you working on at the present?

A:  I have two projects right now.  One of them is for the upcoming Nicholas Sansbury Smith Extinction Cycle Kindle Worlds.  It’ll be a novel-length story set in his best-selling universe.  It drops in October.  I’m also working on The SpaceMan Chronicles.  Book one is SpaceMan.  It’s in edit right now and will be available November 22.  Book two is Descent.  I haven’t started writing it yet, but I have the general outline and I’ll get to it as soon as I finish the KW book.  I’m incredibly excited about SpaceMan.  It’s a really fresh take on the Post-Apocalyptic genre and I think readers will love its authenticity.  I’m getting help from friends at NASA to make it as realistic as possible.

 Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

A:   I do.  99% say really nice, humbling things.  The other 1% offer advice or constructive criticism.  It’s always gratifying to know someone read something I wrote and then took the time to let me know what they thought.

What question do you wish that someone would ask about your books, but nobody has?

 A:  Could we buy these and make movies out them?

Aside from writing, what are your hobbies?

A: Hanging with my family.  Playing golf with my son.  Talking politics with my daughter.  Napping with my wife.

 What does your family think of your writing?

A:  They love it.  They’re my biggest fans and best agents.  I couldn’t do any of it without their support.

 

Author Biography

 

Tom is a 2016 inductee of the International Thriller Writer’s Association.

He is a hybrid author (traditionally and self-published) who writes post-apocalyptic thrillers, action adventure, and political conspiracies.

His action-adventure ALLEGIANCE series is published by traditional publisher POST HILL PRESS.

He self-published the Amazon best selling post-apocalyptic Traveler Series (HOME, CANYON, WALL). HOME, debuted in December 2015 and held the #1 spot in Amazon’s Post Apocalyptic category for more than a month. Book 2, CANYON, reached #1 in 24 hours after it’s launch in March 2016. Book 3, WALL, debuted in June 2016.

In 2017, respected thriller publisher LUZIFER VERLAG will release a translation of HOME in German.

Tom’s next novel is SPACEMAN. It is available for pre-order and is due for release in November 2016.

The sequel to Tom’s debut political conspiracy novel, SEDITION, will release July 31, 2016. It a complex, timely novel called INTENTION.

Tom lives in the Houston suburbs with his wife, Courtney, and their two children.

Read more about Tom’s work and join his Preferred Readers Club at tomabrahamsbooks.com

****

 

 

THE TRAVELER SERIES (3 BOOK SERIES)

Five years after a pneumonic plague killed two-thirds of the world’s population, army veteran Marcus Battle is isolated. He’s alone with his guns, his food, and the graves of his wife and child.

Unaware of the chaos that’s befallen everything outside of his central Texas ranch land, Marcus lives a Spartan life. If anyone steps onto his property he shoots first and never ask questions.

But when a woman in distress, chased by marauders, seeks asylum, Marcus has a decision to make.

Does he throw her to the wolves to protect himself or does he help her and leave the shelter and protection of home?

MAD MAX meets THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY
One of “Twelve Books You Should Read If You Love The Walking Dead.” —Bookbub
“Tom Abrahams’ HOME introduces us to a prepper nightmare.” –BoingBoing

*****A KINDLE *ALL-STAR* SELECTION ***** ***AS SEEN IN SCI-FI MAGAZINE***

HE THOUGHT HE WAS PREPARED. HE THOUGHT HIS FAMILY WAS SAFE. HE WAS WRONG.

 

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THE PILGRIMAGE SERIES (3 BOOK SERIES)

BOOK 1

CROSSING is a post-apocalyptic disaster story of survival. James Rockwell is vacationing in Maine with his family when an earth-changing explosion sends them on a race for their lives.  Their first step is escaping an island in the midst of a tsunami, and it only gets more dangerous from there.  Can they find their way home as civilization crumbles around them?
Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Steven Konkoly’s best-selling Perseid Collapse series, CROSSING follows the same timeline of cataclysmic events from one family’s perspective.
It’s a bullet-train of a thriller riding on the edge of the rails to the last page.
CROSSING is a novella and is part one of The Pilgrimage Series.

_____________________________________________________________________

BOOK 2

What happens when a safe harbor isn’t so safe?
The Rockwells have survived the first leg of the journey home against the wake of a reality-bending disaster, but patriarch James is dying.  His wife somehow finds help in a detour to rural Pennsylvania. While James recovers in a seemingly secure compound, the outside world is plotting violently against them and the well-prepared survivalists who’ve given them refuge.
Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Steven Konkoly’s best-selling Perseid Collapse series, REFUGE follows the same timeline of cataclysmic events from the perspective of new, meticulously hewn characters who fit seamlessly into Konkoly’s work.
It’s a page-turning tumble into a dangerous rabbit hole, where survival comes at a cost.
REFUGE is a novella and is part two of The Pilgrimage Series.

_______________________________________________

BOOK 3 

You can never go home again.
The Rockwells have survived the perils of a slow, dangerous trek along the eastern seaboard and arrived in their small, idyllic Maryland neighborhood anxious to begin their new lives.
But others are living in their home, taking it as their own in the Rockwell’s absence. And they aren’t leaving without a fight.
Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Steven Konkoly’s best-selling Perseid Collapse series, ADVENT follows the same timeline of cataclysmic events from the perspective of original characters who blend perfectly into Konkoly’s work. It’s a heart-pounding conclusion to The Pilgrimage Series, with a satisfying but haunting end to the Rockwell’s journey.
ADVENT is a novella and is part three of The Pilgrimage Series

 

A POLITICAL CONSPIRACY (SERIES)

BOOK 1

The President of The United States is dead. There is no Vice President to take his place.

As the nation slips into a constitutional crisis, a small, secretive group conspires to violently seize power.

They have the will. They have someone on the inside. And they have the explosives.

Standing in their way is a woman who knows their intentions. Can she stop them in time? If she does, will it matter?
BOOK 2

Timely and powerfully thought-provoking, INTENTION finds best selling author Tom Abrahams (The Traveler Series) return to his roots with this breathtaking novel that brilliantly unpacks a vast, global conspiracy to alter the balance of power. Sedition was just the beginning… A hip-hop star is murdered. A notorious terrorist is freed from custody. An assassin weaves his way across Europe, setting the stage for a global catastrophe. All of them work in the shadows of an ancient organization bent on changing the course of history. Can a woman whose demons have consumed her, rid herself of the pain in time to stop them?

A JASON QUICK ADVENTURE (SERIES)

BOOK 1

Allegiance is the first novel in an exciting series of action adventures.  It combines a political thriller with espionage and science fiction in the explosive, fast-paced world of a reluctant hero…                                                                                                                                                                                             Beer, Redheads, And Politics… Jackson Quick Should Have Known Better.
First, He Trusted A Texas Politician.
Then He Fell For A Leggy Woman.
Worst Of All, He Drank A Beer That Tasted Funny.
Now He’s Running For His Life, Trying To Piece Together How He Fell Into A Battle Over Something So Small It Takes A High-Powered Microscope To See It.A sniper team takes aim at a gubernatorial candidate. A political aide is kidnapped and interrogated about the encrypted iPods he’s carried around the globe. A research scientist on the verge of an earth-shaking breakthrough disappears from his secretly funded university lab. All three are connected in a battle over something microscopic. As the pieces of a Texas-sized conspiracy collide, will the unwitting hero at the center of it succeed in saving his life and the Republic? Or will those trying to silence him prove too powerful in a world where there is no allegiance

BOOK 2

Allegiance Burned is the second novel in an exciting series of action adventures.  It combines political thriller with espionage and science fiction in the explosive, fast-paced world of a reluctant hero…

Guns.  An heiress.  Nuclear Fission.  Jackson Quick just couldn’t stay away.

 A scientist is murdered a mile beneath the earth, his secret laboratory exposed. A formula capable of shifting power among the world’s largest nations is missing and its rightful owner wants it back. After staying hidden for months, Quick is pulled back into the darkness he despises. Forced to face his demons and align himself with the very people who betrayed him, he agrees to hunt for the formula. Racing against time and an evil black-market czar, Quick crosses the globe in search of a mathematical equation so valuable that nations and terrorists will pay whatever the cost to control it. From the scientist’s lab in South Dakota to London, Chernobyl, Ukraine, and Heidelberg, Germany, Quick uses his guile and good luck to outwit the competition at every turn. Or so he thinks. In the end, is his freedom worth the price he’ll pay to earn it? Or is he better off letting the formula fall where it may.

BOOK 3

 Jackson Quick wants resolution. He’s tired of running from his past and his enemies. To end the chase, he embarks on one final mission–find the lone remaining copy of a powerful, earth-changing formula, and hand it over to the man he despises most.

The journey begins when Jackson and his girlfriend, discovered hiding in Northern California, escape and take their lives back into their own hands. With the help of a television reporter, they locate the formula while attempting to play two dangerous men against one another. Somehow they must find their way to the formula–and deliver it without losing control. But as Jackson learns along the way, he’s never been in control. His life, from the day he was born, was a conspiracy against him.

THE SPACEMAN CHRONICLES (AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER)

BOOK 1 

Clayton Shepard is 249 miles above Earth when the lights go out.He has no communication, limited power, and an unbreakable will to survive.

His one goal: find his way BACK to his family.

Shepard is an astronaut on his first mission to the International Space Station.

When a violent blast of solar magnetic radiation leaves him stranded in orbit, he’s forced to use his wit and guile to find a way home.

He has no idea what he’ll find when he gets there.

SPACEMAN is a post-apocalyptic/dystopian tale that tells the survival story of a man and the family he left behind. It’s written with the help of former astronauts, NASA team members, and well-respected astrophysicists that give SPACEMAN a unique sense of detail and desperation.

All of these novels that can be purchased from the Amazon page for Tom Abrahams

 

Thank you for visiting The Tattered Remains

INTERVIEW WITH KYLE WEST

Welcome to a Tattered Remains Interview

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Kyle West. Author of The Wasteland Chronicles: Omnibus Edition (Books 1-3) and The Xenoworld Saga (3 Book Series) which Kyle is currently working on the fourth book in the series.

I stumbled across the The Wasteland Chronicles: Omnibus Edition (Books 1-3)  for free on Amazon decided to give it a read.  I was immediately hooked and went on to read the entire 7 books in “The Wasteland Chronicles Series.”  

 If you enjoy science fiction in a dystopian world with some fantasy, zombies and aliens all mixed together and sprinkled with a touch of X-Files and thrown into a bunker then you should give this series your attention.

Enjoy the interview. 

 

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When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A: I probably started writing for the first time around eighth grade. I took a creative writing class in high school as well which really opened my eyes to the possibility of being a writer. I remember my teacher being very encouraging, and to be honest, writing is one of the few things I have a knack for.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

A: Generally, writing is very similar to most other jobs. To be successful, you have to put in the time every day, or almost every day. I start in the morning and stop in the afternoon, sometimes early, sometimes late. It all depends on my word count. I try to get at least 2,000 words a day.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

A: I do every so often, probably a few times a week. It usually comes in the form of an email or a Facebook message. Usually, it’s because they want to tell me what they thought of Wasteland Chronicles, and I enjoy hearing what people think. As a writer, you’re with a book or a series so long that you never really have the experience of it being new, except when you conceive of the idea, and usually, you already know 80 percent of everything that’s going to happen. So it’s great to hear from people who sit down with few preconceived notions of what it is, what they thought about it as a whole. A lot of readers get through the entire series in a week or two, where it took me two years to complete. If I read my own books to try to get a sense of what I like, all I can see is what I want to change.

As far as what I would change, just a few things here and there. I might go into more detail about certain aspects of the world, or fix some of the inconsistencies. There would be nothing major, just a bit of polish, because the books were written and conceived rather quickly.

Do you write every single day?

A: I don’t. I usually take the weekends off.

Aside from writing, what are your hobbies?

A: I like lifting weights, playing video games, watching movies…but reading will probably be my most satisfying hobby. I usually do so for 30 minutes a day, minimum. If the book is good, it’s what I could spend all day doing. 

What was the hardest part of writing? 

A: Sitting down to write. The writing itself isn’t the hard part. The hard part is focusing when there are so many distractions to be had. Distractions are the number one enemy of any writer, or anyone trying to be productive. There’s a reason many writing books recommend unplugging the Internet, or writing somewhere where you can’t focus on anything other than your book. Writing is really strange. It’s something writers love to do, or at least love the idea of doing, but sitting down to do it is one of the hardest things. But, you do it, otherwise words aren’t going to get on the page and you’re not going to eat. I definitely see writing differently that when I wasn’t a professional writer. It was something I did only when I had the whim, whereas now I have to do it whether I want to or not. The strange thing is my mood has nothing to do with the quality of the words. Only the work itself matters.

What do you like to read in your free time?

A: I like to read very widely, anything from other sci-fi/fantasy novels to literature, classics, and non-fiction. I’m currently reading a non-fiction book the Reformation, since early-modern Europe has always fascinated me. Reading about the religion and politics of that era gives me an idea of how to make it work in my books, even if a lot of that action is featured off page.

What’s the worst job you’ve had?

A: Probably the one I was working when I started to write Wasteland Chronicles. To put in a positive light, it was a strange sort of inspiration to write. A negative impetus, if you will.

Are you working on anything presently?

A: I’m working on the fourth book of my Xenoworld Saga. It is currently untitled, but I’m very excited for it come out because a lot of the things start coming together.

What is your writing space like?

A: I have a nice, old desk that’s been in my family for years. While a bit small, it was purchased by my great-great grandmother in the 1800’s. I have a small office in my apartment, a nice big computer screen so that I can see a lot of words at once. I do want to upgrade a bit. While I like the desk, it feels small sometimes, and it would be nice to have a lot of space and maybe an extra monitor so I can do a bit of research or to see more of the document. 

When did you decide to write the “The Wasteland Chronicles”?

A: I got the idea for it while I was still working at a pretty low level job at Chesapeake Energy. I was pretty unhappy at that job, but because of the market, couldn’t really find another way out. So, I think writing was a distraction. The world of the Wasteland was a lot more interesting than my life, and by the time the first one was done, my writing professor at OU (which I had left a few years ago) said that it was pretty good. Basically, I wanted to get out of my job, and I think it was the first time I really realized that if I was going to be happy, I had to do things my own way, or find a way out myself. Writing was my attempt to do that. After I published my first book, I discovered writing forums where other indie writers were trying to make it, and I emulated everything the successful authors were doing as far as marketing, covers, etc. Luckily for me, it worked out, but I’m always conscious of the fact that success is a very fickle thing in the world of writing. But when you have fans who say they’ll read whatever you put out, it does a lot to allay my fears.

As far as why did I want to focus on the particular ideas present in the Wasteland chronicles…it’s hard to say. I think a lot of fiction that’s focused on a meteor or comet impacting Earth focuses on stopping it. I wanted to write a story where it had already happened, and I also wanted to write about an alien virus that was embedded within it, and the idea of a post-apocalyptic war between not just aliens and humans, but two different alien factions, really appealed to me. While I borrowed a lot of ideas from other stories (all fiction does to an extent), I still think Wasteland Chronicles turned out to be a pretty unique story line, even if doesn’t really start to differentiate itself until book 3 or 4. Which also happens to be the time where I was getting more comfortable writing books.

I also wanted to write about a main character who wasn’t the typical action hero type, but someone who has fears and doubts, but persists nonetheless. I have never been able to relate to hero type of characters, because they never seem to have any real fears. They always seem to be utterly confident they will win, and most of the time, they do. I wanted to write about someone who was young, naïve, and full of doubts, but someone who matured as the world threw a lot of stuff at him. I think everyone at some point, whether they are young or not, goes through stuff like that, even if it’s not monsters and meteors.

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Author Biography

 Kyle West is the author of multiple best-selling science fiction and fantasy novels. He has written two series, The Wasteland Chronicles and The Xenoworld Saga, and has eleven books to his name. He’s pretty much a nerd, and if you’ve taken the time to actually read this because you’re interested in his novels, then you probably are, too.

Kyle enjoys reading, traveling, a good cup of coffee or well-mixed drink, among other things he can’t really think of at the moment (spoiler alert: he’s the one writing this bio). He enjoys cycling and lifting weights, mostly as a means to be fully prepared for the pending zombie apocalypse. He resides in the bustling metropolis of Oklahoma City.

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The Wasteland Chronicles:

The Xenoworld Saga:

Night of the Necromancer: Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

If you are interested in knowing when his next book comes out, join his mailing list! You can find it at this link: http://eepurl.com/A1-8D

Meanwhile, you can find him at the following cyber haunts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylewestwriter
Blog: http://www.kylewestwriter.wordpress.com
Twitter: @kylewestwriter
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4571430.Kyle_West
Email: kylewestwriter@gmail.com 

All the novels can be purchased from the Amazon page for Kyle West.

Thank you for visiting The Tattered Remains

INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN PARKER

Welcome to a Tattered Remains Interview

Brian Parker has recently started a third series after completing “The Path To Ashes and Washington, Dead City” novels.  The new series which is categorized as a Science Fiction/Fantasy/Dystopian/ Detective Noir/Cyberpunk series is titled Easytown novels.

The first book  in the new series titled  “The Immorality Clause (Easytown Novels Book 1)” is now available on Amazon for purchase.

Easytown’s robotic pleasure clubs are a serial killer’s playground.

Easytown, a slum in eastern New Orleans, is a violent place where any vice can be satisfied–for a price. As long as the taxes are paid and tourists continue to flock to the city, businesses are allowed to operate as they see fit. But a string of violent murders threatens to upset the delicate balance between pleasure and safety.

As homicide detective Zach Forrest tries to unravel the mystery and prevent the next murder, he embarks on a mind-bending investigation that will change his perception of reality forever.

Editorial Reviews

“[The Immorality Clause] is Blade Runner meets Ex Machina.” ~ Beta reader

From the Author

This is the first book in my exciting new sci-fi noir detective series, the Easytown Novels. The world of Easytown is an easily recognizable future, a continuance of modern day technology that is feasible and doesn’t require an impossible leap of faith to believe the tech could work–too bad, Zach always breaks everything he gets his hands on…

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I also recently had the opportunity to correspond and do an interview with Brian Parker. We connected through another Indie Author J.B. Havens who introduced me to Brian Parker. I am glad we met each other because based on the genres that Brian writes about in his novels they immediately found their way to my reading list. 

Enjoy the interview. 

 

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When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

A: I’ve always written little stories, but I don’t think I wanted to actually do something with it until after my first book was finished. The sense of accomplishment from actually finishing a book is huge! I always told myself that I could write a book, or thought that it wouldn’t be that hard since all you’re doing is typing a story, but it’s much harder than I used to think. To be able to carry on a compelling story for 300 pages (that makes any sort of sense) is a lot of work.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

A: I’m not sure yet! I sign into my new Army job in about a week, so we’ll see what happens. In the past, I would write after my family went to bed during the work week and then in the morning before they woke up on the weekend—I’m blessed with only needing about five or six hours of sleep a night; that helps a ton and is a major contributing factor to how I’ve been able to be so prolific over the past three years.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

A: That I write in almost total silence.  Almost everyone I talk to thinks that’s strange because writers are supposed to eccentric, and a lot of my friends blare music while they write. But since the kids are sleeping, I’m doing it quietly, in my head.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

A: The ideas come at me like a waterfall, fast and full force. As for the details, I almost always have Google open in the background and if I’m writing about a nearby place, I’ll go walk the ground. I try to use situations and experiences that I’ve had as a basis for what to start looking up, but it all depends on the book and genre.  Of course, given my search history, I’m undoubtedly on a watch list somewhere…

When did you write your first book?

A: I finished my first book, GNASH, in 2013. It took me over 2.5 years to write. Some of that time can be attributed to a deployment to Iraq in 2011, but I believe the biggest part of why it took so long is due to the fact that I didn’t understand my own process—or I hadn’t developed it yet.

While I wrote my first book, I went back and fiddled with sections, agonized over turning the perfect sentence and edited as I wrote. It took entirely too much time, although I did earn a publishing contract from Permuted Press for the book and its sequels. Now, I just write. I spit as many words onto a page as I can each session and only do any modifications as I write if I’m changing something drastic. Otherwise, I make a note of what I want to fix and go in after the first draft is complete.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

A: I’m sitting at the lake right now! I like being on the water, driving the boat, or kayaking with the kids. I’m also a big runner, I’ve ran five full-length marathons (26.2 miles) and tons of other shorter races. One of my life goals is to through-hike the Appalachian Trail, so I may do that once I finally retire from the Army in a few years.

What does your family think of your writing?

A: My kids think it’s awesome—I even wrote the kids’ book Zombie in the Basement with their help a couple of years ago. My daughter is like my little PR rep, everywhere she goes, she tells people that her dad’s an author and they both think it’s very cool that I’ve been on TV a couple of times and in the local newspaper.

How did you come up with the titles for your books?

A: This was a learning experience. The kids’ book was my second book and I’d already paid the artist for everything and uploaded the files to Amazon before I thought about seeing if there was a similar title…and of course, there’s a kid’s book called Zombies in the Basement. So now, I usually put a working title on a book while I write, then see what the story develops into and come up with a small list of titles, then I go on Amazon and see if there are books with the same title or any that are similar. If there are, I check their genre and if they’re similar genres, I throw that title out and go to the next one.

What was the hardest part of writing your books?

Maintaining a story for 80-100,000 words! There is a lot of planning and mapping out the tiny details along the way to culminate the story where I want it to go. After that is the marketing and promoting.

What do you like to read in your free time?

A: Free time? I don’t understand the question… I do like to read, but my reading has slowed way down now that I spend most of my free time writing. I usually read for about 10 minutes after I’m in bed to help wind down. I read, mostly, in the genres I write in: post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, paranormal, military fiction, etc.

Aside from writing, what are your hobbies?

A: I like running, hiking and spending time with the kids. Love, love, love being on the water—lake, river or ocean, doesn’t matter which.

Do you have a ritual you use while writing? (During commercials, certain music, etc.)

A: Other than squeezing it in where I can and after the family goes to bed, not really. I don’t watch TV, so I don’t have that time drain distracting me. Well, that’s not entirely true, I do watch two weekly shows, but I DVR them and fast forward through the commercials.

Are you working on anything presently?

A: Always! I’m about 80% complete with the first draft to an anthology submission and I just started writing the second book in my Easytown series. Then, I also have a side project going where I’m writing a collection of short stories that I’ll bundle together in one book and I just had a huge story line hit me while I was on the lake yesterday… Lots on the plate.

What is your writing space like?

A: I like the concept of having a dedicated writing space, but don’t have one in our current house (the Army moves us every two years or so). I write wherever I find myself. I use a combination of my laptop and my iPad mini and share the files to the cloud, so I can work on them wherever I happen to be when I find some time.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

A: How hard it is for people to give a crap about a new writer. Seriously, more than half of my time for writing is taken up by promoting and working hard to find new readers. It’s a constant battle. Guest blog posts, interviews, email marketing, social media pages, ads…all of it is time consuming.

What is the name of your favorite book?

A: People ask this all the time, but I don’t have an overall favorite book. I have books that are my favorite in each genre and books that are special to me for different reasons. However, the book that probably made me fall in love with reading and the art of telling a good story is The Elfstones of Shannara. I first read that book when I was eleven or twelve and probably five or six times since then, it just illustrates, to me, the perfect way to tell an epic fantasy story. It’s a typical quest-type storyline, but the author, Terry Brooks, puts so much into it. I love it.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

A: I interact with readers every day on Facebook. I’ve been extremely lucky so far and haven’t had any of the negative experiences that other writers lament. Everyone has been nice and seem to be genuinely interested in what I have to share.

The great part about self-publishing is I can take feedback and correct deficiencies in a book. I found my editor, Aurora Dewater, that way. She sent me a message about editing problems she found while reading GNASH when it was a self-published title and we’ve been working together ever since.

What do you think makes a good story?

A: Realism. Even though I write in apocalyptic and zombie genres, I try to make it as realistic as possible. I’ve written a few blog posts about it and post about it from time to time. I hate when writers just make stuff up or change physics to fit their story. Bullets follow a ballistic path, there’s no “bending” them around objects…

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

A: I wanted to be a veterinarian early on, then a lawyer later. No idea why I wanted to be a lawyer though, my wife is a lawyer and it seems very boring.

Do you write every single day?

A: I try to write every day. With a two-month old, that doesn’t always happen, but I write more often than not and keep track of my word count. I give myself a weekly goal, but if I don’t hit it, I don’t get stressed about it. There’s always next week.

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The Path to Ashes Series

 

       

 

Washington, Dead City Series

 

  

 

FOLLOW BRIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/BrianParkerAuthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/BParker_Author

Web:  www.BrianParkerAuthor.com

All the novels can be purchased from the Amazon page for Brian Parker.

Thank you for visiting The Tattered Remains

 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT-BRIAN PARKER-PART TWO

Welcome to a Tattered Remains Author Spotlight

 

A Path of Ashes (The Path of Ashes) (Volume 1)

Evil doesn’t become extinct, it evolves. Our world is a violent place. Murder, terrorism, racism and social inequality, these are some of the forces that attempt to destroy our society while the State is forced to increase its response to these actions. Our own annihilation is barely held at bay by the belief that we’ve somehow evolved beyond our ancestors’ base desires.

From this cesspool of emotions emerges a madman, intent on leading the world into anarchy. When his group of computer hackers infiltrate the Department of Defense network, they initiate a nuclear war that will irrevocably alter our world.

Aeric Gaines and his roommate Tyler Nordgren survive the devastation of the war, only to find that the quaint, politically correct world where they’d been raised was a lie. All humans have basic needs such as food, water and shelter…and we haven’t forgotten how to fight for what we desire.

A Path of Ashes is the first book in an exciting new series about life in post-apocalyptic America, a nation devoid of leadership, electricity and human rights. The world as we know it may have burned, but humanity found a way to survive and this is their story.

Editorial Review

“With A Path of Ashes, Brian Parker has taken a major step toward becoming a leader in Post-Apocalyptic fiction. Written in the flavor of Swan Song and Earth Abides, Parker’s latest book has everything a Post-Apocalyptic reader needs. Dropped into a dark world blown up by a nightmare scenario then tossed full of a fabulous cast of characters, A Path of Ashes will not let you down.” ~ WJ Lundy, author of the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series and The Darkness

From the Inside Flap

“Fireside” and “Dark Embers,” books 2 and 3 of “The Path of Ashes” are available now!

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Fireside (The Path of Ashes Book 2)

Post-nuclear war America is a dangerous place. Mutated animals and deadly plants kill within seconds, while marauding gangs threaten to wipe out what’s left of humanity.

Aeric Traxx, given the name after months of torture at the hands of the Vultures left him hideously scarred, leads the city of San Angelo through these troublesome times as diseases decimate the population and acid rains make the soil virtually unusable for the first few years after the war.

The residents of the city are barely surviving in the harsh west Texas wastelands, but in a rare stroke of luck, Traxx finds an engineer who helps to convert the engines of the city’s construction equipment to steam power, allowing them to build full-sized walls for defense and power their vehicles for patrols outside of the fences. They’re learning to fight back against the evils of the wastes and to grow crops so they can supplement their poor diets.

However, the Vultures aren’t finished with Traxx. Their hatred of the man’s past actions has festered through the years. They’ve infiltrated San Angelo and have a plan to destroy his beloved city. If successful, the gang’s move will irrevocably shift the power in the region and could cause the extinction of humanity.

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Dark Embers (The Path of Ashes Book 3)

War is on the horizon.

The Traxx family has lived in peace for more than seventy-five years. After fleeing the wastelands of Texas, they settled in Colorado to establish a new community among the foothills of the mountains. Despite the problems of the past and the mutations of the present, they are determined to create a society where everyone can prosper.

Varan and Caleb Traxx, abducted by slavers and presumed dead by their family, have survived the impossible journey across the desert to the coastal cities of what used to be California. There, they are sold into slavery and trained as warriors, forced to kill for the entertainment of the crowds who flock to old world stadiums.

In California, Varan meets the slave girl, Freya. She is given to him as his reward for winning the championship, but their owners didn’t expect the two slaves to fall in love. When they escape together, their journey sets into motion events that will forever change the course of Earth’s future.

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Author Biography

A veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan war, Brian Parker was born and raised as an Army brat. He moved all over the country as a child before his father retired from the service and they settled in a small Missouri town where the family purchased a farm. It was on the farm that he learned the rewards of a hard day’s work and enjoyed the escapism that books could provide.

He’s currently an Active Duty Army soldier who enjoys spending time with his family in Texas, hiking, obstacle course racing, writing and Texas Longhorns football. His wife is also an Active Duty soldier and the pairing brings its own unique set of circumstances that keep both of them on their toes. He’s an unashamed Star Wars fan, but prefers to disregard the entire Episode I and II debacle.

Brian self-published four books before signing a 4-book contract with Permuted Press. His novels GNASH and Enduring Armageddon were previously self-published and will be re-released by Permuted along with two previously unpublished works, REND and SEVER.

Besides the extensive collection of horror works, he is also the author of several non-horror works, including the children’s picture book Zombie in the Basement which is written to help children overcome the perceived stigma of being different than others.

FOLLOW BRIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/BrianParkerAuthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/BParker_Author

Web:  www.BrianParkerAuthor.com

The novels can all be purchased on his Amazon page:  Brian Parker

 Thank you for visiting The Tattered Remains

Author Spotlight-Brian Parker

Welcome to a Tattered Remains Author Spotlight

 

Gnash (Washington, Dead City Book 1)

An ancient fundamentalist organization executes several attacks simultaneously across the globe.  In the Pentagon a deadly viral compound is unleashed and the airborne virus turns the Pentagon’s population into zombies. A Secret Service agent, coerced by the terrorists to assassinate several heads of state, sends the world into chaos.

A former Army officer stranded in the Midwest is forced to fight for his life while his fiance is trapped in the Washington, DC quarantine zone.

They must each fight for their own survival as the nation battles to end the zombie threat before it becomes a global pandemic.

Editorial Reviews

“GNASH is an action-packed read that’s as scary a nest of black widow spiders taking up residence in your bedroom. You never know when or where your next pants-pissing encounter with the terrifying bastards will show up. And you’re afraid to close your eyes because you just know when you do, you’ll surely be bitten.” ~ The Bookie Monster

“Simply one of the best zombie novels I’ve ever read! It reads as kind of a mashup of Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and just a dash of Dan Brown.” ~ Larry D. Murphy, host of Not Ready for Radio.

From the Author

I wrote GNASH over the course of about 2 1/2 years during a deployment to Iraq and at night after work at the Pentagon.

From the Inside Flap

Brian Parker’s new zombie apocalypse novel GNASH is an exciting, non-stop action story that leaves you wanting for more. The story is set in the present day while we are fighting the War on Terror. As the United States and the West continue to pursue the enemies of freedom, an ancient fundamentalist organization, the Brotherhood of Niyyat, lashes back in an all-out assault.

The Brotherhood coordinates several large-scale attacks to occur nearly simultaneously across the globe in an effort to destabilize the Western governments. The first of these attacks is to wipe out numerous Heads of State at the annual G-8 Summit.The plan works brilliantly as the President of the United States and several other European leaders are assassinated.

The Brotherhood also releases a deadly virus within the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The virus is nearly 100% fatal to all of the employees, but it mutates within their dead bodies and they reanimate into frighteningly sadistic undead.

GNASH takes a dramatic twist as the newly-elevated leaders of the G-8 nations are forced to make decisions that affect whether or not the human species will survive…

****

Rend (Washington, Dead City Book 2)

Six years ago, the president made the difficult decision to abandon Washington to the undead—and The Wall was built to keep them trapped inside. Now, a new presidential election revives the hopes of the nation as one candidate promises to retrieve the Declaration of Independence and Constitution from behind The Wall.

Retired CIA operative Asher Hawke, AKA the Kestrel, agrees to lead a team to recover the national treasures. But when they insert behind The Wall, they discover that organized crime families have been stealing priceless artwork and cash as well as disposing of bodies behind The Wall.

****

Sever (Washington, Dead City Book 3)

It takes political intrigue–and plenty of tanks–to defeat zombies.

Escaped zombies from behind The Wall have swept across the northeast, their path marked by havoc and death. Into this nightmare world are thrust several unlikely heroes.

A full-time National Guard soldier leads his company of tanks on a harrowing journey towards the Appalachian Defensive Line.

A small group of refugees fight for their own survival and end up facing demons of a different sort.

A hero from the last zombie war must fight against the first invasion of the continental United States in over two hundred years.

Retired CIA operative Asher Hawke, AKA the Kestrel, will stop at nothing to eliminate the zombie threat–and save the nation that he’s dedicated his life to protect.

All the novels can be purchased from the Amazon page for Brian Parker

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Author Biography

 

A veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Brian Parker was born and raised as an Army brat. He’s currently an Active Duty Army soldier who enjoys spending hiking, obstacle course racing, writing and Texas Longhorns football. He’s an unashamed Star Wars fan, but prefers to disregard the entire Episode I and II debacle.

Brian is both a traditionally- and self-published author with an ever-growing collection of works across multiple genres, including sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, horror, paranormal thriller, military fiction, self-publishing how-to and even a children’s picture book–Zombie in the Basement, which he wrote to help children overcome the perceived stigma of being different than others.

He is also the founder of Muddy Boots Press, an independent publishing company that focuses on quality genre fiction over mass-produced books.

Follow Brian on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BrianParkerAuthor

Also on his blog at http://www.BrianParkerAuthor.com where he posts small, unedited sections of his works in progress.

 Thank you for visiting The Tattered Remains

 

When The Fault Breaks: Life Will Never Be The Same

BOOK COVER BLURB

When The Fault Breaks is a post apocalypse book predicated by the rupture of the Cascadia Fault. It is about the stories and lives of survivors of the Mega Quake in a world of chaos and mayhem. It is about one possible way some semblance of a normal life can happen. You will enjoy a mix of death and destruction, current social/political outlook, humor and hope. It is not your run of the mill post apocalypse book.

Preppers, survivalists, and homesteaders will like the book because it has many ideas on how to live off grid in a rural or wilderness setting. It talks about many different types of alternative energies, and agricultural methods. It goes into how things used to be done and how it could be again.

Unlike other post apocalypse books that just talks about what is destroyed and who dies When The Fault Breaks uses the quake as a catalyst for the changes that happen. The book is about people pulling together in times of catastrophe, though at first our fragile society collapses, life continues. New boarders are formed and the true nature of people come through.

****

Interview with Xavier Bruehler

 

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I have been writing since I was an instructor at Lowry AFB in Denver, and as a student getting my Environmental Geology Degree. In 2003 while I was still working on my degree is when I started to write it. I don’t really think it was like a lightbulb moment it just happened.

How long did it take you to write the book?

Started it in 2003 and just now finished it to the point that I WILL NOT change it any more. So on to the present.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I don’t work anymore since I got my rating from the VA. I don’t have to work anymore and won’t.

When did you write your first book?

When the Fault Breaks is my first book.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I use to backpack on long (As long as 100 miles) but mostly 5-12 miles, but life and my body don’t let me anymore, so now I just travel the U.S. in our motor home and see the sites.

What do you think makes a good story?

I have a few ideas for stories.  As I take off on the next leg of our travels I am going to interview Campground hosts and get their stories and write a Campground Hosts story. It may be funny, scary, disgusting, whatever kind of story I get.  I will record them on the phone and write it verbatim with background for each in between stories.

While I do that I will continue working on the sequel

How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or do you have a specific reason or reasons for writing “When the Fault Breaks”?

Tough one, I did not start out writing When The Fault Breaks to be a story of hope I started out with it being just another book of death and destruction.  But as I wrote it, it began to morph, so I just went with the flow as the words spilled onto the pages. When I realized I may have something is when I decided to go for it, before then it was more curiosity.

I knew the post apocalypse genre was strong and being in Bellingham Washington studying geology and learning so much about Cascadia as well as how much a danger it poses. It drove my direction there. 

What authors do you like to read? What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

Funny I am not a big reader of books. I read copious amounts of science like our advances in space but very little of anything else except cookbooks looking for yummies.

I do remember reading “The Patriot” and do believe it help drive me toward the genre.

Do you write every single day?

There are times when I get this bug that makes me feel the need to write. I can    go sometime between those but don’t intend to this time. I cannot count how many times I have read reviews on Facebook and now Amazon that say when is the next one, so my goal is to complete it within a year from now

What’s more important: characters or plot?

That’s easy, both. You can’t have a good plot without good characters. That is why I have offered my beta readers and readers that have given me encouragement with some really nice reviews.  I think it will build a bigger fan base too.

The plot just seems to flow from them.

What was the hardest part of writing “When the Fault Breaks”?

Staying motivated when I doubted myself of the book.  It is a very hard thing to do when beta readers say things like it is hard to read or it don’t flow to stay on it. It would have been far easier to simply hit delete and say it is not another hat to add to my collection.

Are there misconceptions that people have about your book? 

One that jumps out at me, I don’t understand how someone that buys FICTION thinks EVERYTHING has to be completely possible.  ITS FICTION. Give me break.  I think if you don’t see some of the description and just read the Prologue they may think it is another of the same and quickly find it is not.

What do you like to read in your free time?

Science, and post apocalypse books.

When did you decide to write this book?

2003

What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject, that isn’t so?

That when this quake happens, that we as a country will make it through it intact. My sister and I did the primary editing and my brother thinks the country will pull out of it, but I don’t.

They also think that when it goes it will be like quakes we have seen in the past.

This one will not just affect one city it will devastate the west coast. 

What makes your book stand out from the crowd?

It is unlike most of the genre, like yours it is about hope and life after an event and that there can be something good to come out of it.

Aside from writing, what are your hobbies?

I don’t really have them anymore; my body won’t let me but when we hit the Keys in Florida I will dive despite my cardiologist saying no.  I will just keep it to one atmosphere.

I do still do some rock hounding if I find the place.

And LOVE long walks on the beach.  

Do you have a ritual you use while writing? (During commercials, certain music, etc.)

Not really but I suppose most of the time I put on music in the background as white noise.

Are you working on anything presently?

Now that I finally finished When The Fault breaks I feel the need to dig into and continue the sequel.  I already have the theme of it.  It will be digging deeper into climate change that I touched on in When The Fault Breaks to set the stage.  I will still include a few description of zones of destruction but drive even more into the rebuilding. With no exception which I will not tell anyone until I put out the beta.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Be a Geologist, but never thought it would ever happen. It only took me 37 years to do it.

When I was finishing high school a vacation on the Mississippi clicked something inside me about being on the water. I looked into Merchant Marines but it was not an option. But the Navy was all over signing me up so off I went.

****

Author Biography

I grew up in a small town in Illinois having been raised by devout Catholic parents. I joined the Navy at a young age of seventeen going on fourteen, I had a lot to learn fast. I was in Rota Spain before my eighteenth birthday and found I made a wise decision to leave the cornfields of Freeport. After spending five years fixing anything on ship that was not electrical, I decided I wanted something different and learned how to fix electronics, which I did. I spent four years teaching some of the most advanced electronics in the world, then headed off to sea for six more years. My last hat in the Navy was to computerize the recruiting process for the Navy in Seattle until I retired at thirty-five.

I spent a few years falling back on my skills to fix things and did that until the VA decided they needed to retrain me and sent me to school for four years to become an Environmental Geologist. I got a job as an Exploration Geologist until the economy tanked out and shorty after that hit the road.

After a small time as a Florida Park Ranger where I learned it was not my forte, I moved on and got the great pleasure of working on seven-hundred-year-old cliff dwellings before retiring for good. Now I spend my time writing and helping out people wherever I can.
9/11 was a wakeup call for me where I saw that our country is on borrowed time and that we could fall with very little warning. I don’t live my life in fear of it happening like they portray many Preppers but I am ready for an event like in When The Fault Breaks. I have countless Preppers telling me their family thinks they are nuts, but that won’t be the case when it happens and they say sorry I was wrong. I don’t think prepping for any one possible event is a good idea, we ALL should prep for any event including natural disasters. Even the federal government tell us we should be prepared for an emergency.

 

Pennsylvania-Michael Bunker

BOOK COVER BLURB

Young Amish man Jedidiah Troyer is now a traveler. He’s signed up for an emigration program that is colonizing the planet of New Pennsylvania. He just wants to start a farm and homestead on affordable land in a new Amish community. Space pioneering isn’t as easy as it sounds when you’re “plain.” Jedidiah and his new friend Dawn arrive on New Pennsylvania in the middle of a rebel uprising, and TRACE, the resistance group that is rising up against TRANSPORT, has taken on the mission of getting Jed from the City to the Amish Zone. Being a stranger in the old world doesn’t even compare to being a stranger in a new world… a world that is at war and where nothing is what it seems.

PLOT

Jedidiah Troyer is an eighteen year old who lives in the Amish Country of Pennsylvania on Earth. Promised cheap land and the prospect of starting a life on his own, he travels to New Pennsylvania, far outside our galaxy, in search of new opportunities, much like the settlers of old. Leaving behind everything and everyone he knows, he will hibernate for nine years until he reaches his new home planet. From there, he will then travel to the Amish Zone to begin his new life.

If only it could be that easy.

However, once he lands and comes out of hibernation, his life is put in immediate danger! Helped by mysterious allies, he learns that there is something sinister going on here as he is drawn into a conflict between opposing forces and is in way over his head in more ways than one.

For reasons unknown to Jed, and to the reader, the resistance is putting everything on the line to help him reach The Amish Zone. On the run from the Transport Authority, he realizes several things on the road to reaching The Amish Zone that forces him to question everything he thought he knew about this journey he has embarked on.

As the story progresses, we begin to understand why Jed is viewed as important to both the Transport Authority and to TRACE, the resistance. We discover along with Jed how the fight for freedom is being fought on multiple fronts, both literal and figurative, as well as the role he will play in the entire conflict, whether he wants to or not.

This story drew me into its mysteries very quickly & deeply, fleshing out this world with interesting sci-fi concepts and intriguing technology. The Amish Zone & its culture play a significant part of the larger stage this entire story plays out on, making for a unique tale contrasting technology with the simpler lifestyle of the Amish. This culture gives Jed a rich heritage and personality that makes him no ordinary protagonist and an intriguing character as well. With his non-violent Amish beliefs, he stands as an island of idealistic calm amidst a turbulent conflict, illustrating how he truly is a stranger in a strange land.

This story has plenty of rich ingredients in it, as it’s full of suspense, features innovative uses of technology, fascinating surprises and unpredictable twists & turns. The mystery of where and when Jed is adds another layer to the mystery, as concepts of time and space also factor into the conflict. All of this and more are deftly incorporated into an engaging and engrossing story of a not-so-simple farmer who adapts to his circumstances while remaining true to himself.

By the end, many battles have been fought, we get answers to most of our questions, but also leaves room for the next tale in this tantalizing saga. I’m eager to see how the author expands upon the ideas that he established!

Author Biography

Michael Bunker is a USA Today Bestselling author, he lives off-grid, husband, and father of four children. He lives with his family in a “plain” community in Central Texas, where he reads and writes books…and occasionally tilts at windmills. In November of 2015, Variety Magazine announced that Michael had sold a film/TV option for his bestselling novel Pennsylvania to Jorgensen Pictures. JP is currently developing for production into a feature film or Television series. Michael is writing the first draft of the screenplay. Pennsylvania

Michael’s latest (and best rated) novel is Brother, Frankenstein which was released in late April of 2015.

Michael has been called the “father” of the Amish/Sci-Fi genre but that isn’t all that he writes. He is the author of several popular and acclaimed works of dystopian sci-fi, including the Amazon top 20 bestselling Amish Sci-fi thriller the Pennsylvania Omnibus, the groundbreaking dystopian vision Hugh Howey called “a brilliant tale of extra-planetary colonization.” He also has written the epic post-apocalyptic WICK series, The Silo Archipelago (set in Hugh Howey’s World of WOOL,) as well as many nonfiction works, including the non-fiction Amazon overall top 30 bestseller Surviving Off Off-Grid. Michael was commissioned by Amazon.com through their Kindle Worlds and Kindle Serials programs to write the first ever commissioned novel set in the World of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. That book is entitled Osage Two Diamonds, and it debuted on Dec. 17, 2013.

In late April of 2015, Michael released his novel Brother, Frank to fantastic reviews.

Michael has been featured on NPR, Huff Post Live, and Ozy.com and was recently interviewed in a Medium.com article that will give you more background and insight into his life and works… http://bit.ly/17YbE63.

On November 21st, 2014 Tales From Pennsylvania , a fan-fiction short story anthology featuring 10 top speculative fiction authors writing fan-fiction short stories in the world of Michael Bunker’s Pennsylvania, was released in paperback and e-book format. More than twenty authors have been (or will be) writing fan-fiction in the world of MB’s Pennsylvania.

Readers who subscribe to Michael’s newsletter get free copies of his books, usually before they’re published: http://michaelbunker.com/newsletter

MY REVIEW

You’ll like it if-

• You like Science Fiction
• You are a fan of Dystopia settings
• You’re a fan of Hugh Howey

You’ll not like it if-

• You don’t like Science Fiction or Dystopia
• You not intrigued by Amish at least a little bit
• Time travel doesn’t interest you.

I loved this book and it made me want to read more of Michael Bunker works.

I’ll give a 5/5

 

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Xenofall (The Wasteland Chronicles) (Volume 7)-Kyle West

With the final battle looming, the fate of the humanity will be decided. Alex Keener, Elekim, will face down Askala, the dark Radaskim Xenomind. But as Askala unleashes her final fury, the road to Ragnarok can only be paved with grit…and lives. In this explosive conclusion to the Wasteland Chronicles series, Alex will rise to the mantle as Elekim…but will it be enough to defeat Askala?

About the author

 The Wasteland Chronicles, my post-apocalyptic series, is set in the year 2060, thirty years after a meteor hits Earth. I’ve always enjoyed speculative fiction, preferably things that have dark themes. I have always believed people can find the hope to overcome their circumstances, whatever those might be. I try hard to weave those themes into my stories.

I was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, but now live in Oklahoma City. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2010 with a Bachelors degree in Journalism. Since then, I’ve published several books independently, and have plans to publish many more.

This story is one of the best sci-fi, end of world series I’ve ever read. Kyle brings out the final battle with this book, along with Alex confronting Askala with the battle of the minds. Lots of action leading up to the final chapter that keeps the pages turning.

Throughout this entire series, I really liked the way the author depicted the ‘good against evil’ theme, not only on the human side of reality, but he also incorporated a tinge of spirituality without being religious or biased toward one sect or another. It helped to maintain that foundation of hope for all mankind.

I, as the author also admitted, am sad the journey has come to a close. The characters within The Wasteland Chronicles become an intricate part of the reader becoming family, in a sense. Reaching the end of this journey I have become a part of, is cause for mourning. This speaks to the talent for prose that Kyle West has. A truly talented writer is one who can create, from the realms of his own imaginations, a world that causes the reader to become absorbed, completely, as though it were reality. This author has that ability.

I’ll be keeping an eye on Kyle West for future books. I like his style of writing and his imaginative presentations.

The Wasteland Chronicles is his seven-part post-apocalyptic series set in 2060, thirty years following the impact of a meteor in 2030. The entire series is about 450,000 words.

The series is complete, and Apocalypse is completely free on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iTunes, GooglePlay, and Smashwords. Physical copies are also available through Amazon.  Below is a list of each book in the entire series, along with their release dates and word counts:

Apocalypse (Dec. 2012) (71,000 words)
Apocalypse (The Wasteland Chronicles) (Volume 1)
Origins (Apr. 2013) (55,000 words)
Origins (The Wasteland Chronicles, Book 2)
Evolution (Aug. 2013) (62,000 words)
Evolution (The Wasteland Chronicles, Book 3)
Revelation (Oct. 2013) (73,000 words)
Revelation (The Wasteland Chronicles, Book 4)
Darkness (Jan. 2014) (73,000 words)
Darkness (The Wasteland Chronicles, Book 5)
Extinction (Apr. 2014) (73,000 words)
Extinction (The Wasteland Chronicles, Book 6)
Xenofall (June 2014) (76,000 words) 
Xenofall (The Wasteland Chronicles) (Volume 7)
So far, the series has sold over 50,000 copies.