Book Feature: Imperfect Weapon by AB Potts

The universe contains an infinite diversity of sentient life forms. The Sallows intend to rectify this. Genocide is their business, slaughter and mass destruction their entertainment. Constantly engineering and evolving their vast army of androids, they are developing their ultimate Warrior—the Destroyer Series Mark-I (Espion). A blend of blood and machine, this new prototype looks humanoid but is driven by software and programming. It processes data and is ruthless in its pursuits. Trained as a Warrior and programmed as a spy, it will walk amongst the alien species, infiltrate and destroy. There's just one problem. Their prototype is just a kid—and like any other kid, he's got a bit of an attitude problem.

As Kylem reaches adolescence, he begins to question his Sallow masters. From the prisoners onboard the DaerkStar, he is learning about humanity and begins to realise that he's just a bit too human to be either an android or a Sallow. Suddenly, he is unsure of who or what he is, and there's worse to come.

The Sallow Empire is at the dawn of a new era with Sallows plotting against each other for ultimate control over the Empire. Caught up in the conflict, Kylem is oblivious to the role he is to play in their plans and, unbeknownst to them all, the major part he is to play in changing the fortunes of the Empire forever!

"The unlikely hero is a humanoid-android cross called Kylem and the way this adolescent character is developed really made me empathise with him. In fact all the characters are believable and "real", so much so that I completely accepted the reality of an alien race, living aboard a starship the size of a small planet and cheerfully immersed myself in their world." - Amazon Review

Available at:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

More information can be found here.

Born in the 1960s, AB was considered an academic child but was more likely to be found daydreaming than studying. The daughter of a publican, she was left to her own devices of an evening, so the TV played an important part in her childhood. Documentaries, films and dramas alike fueled her imagination, from Journey to the Centre of the Earth to The Man from UNCLE, Tomorrow's World to James Bond, each only served to encourage her. When the first episode of Star Trek hit the small screen in 1969, it didn't just spark her imagination, it set it ablaze!

You can connect with AB Potts via her website, Facebook or Twitter. You can also read our interview with her here.

Interview: AB Potts

Today's interview is with AB Potts, author of the science fiction novel Imperfect Weapon. Born in the 1960's AB was considered an academic child but was more likely to be found daydreaming than studying. The daughter of a publican, she was left to her own devices of an evening, so the TV played an important part in her childhood. Documentaries, films and dramas alike fueled her imagination, from Journey to the Centre of the Earth to The Man from UNCLE, Tomorrow's World to James Bond, each only served to encourage her. When the first episode of Star Trek hit the small screen in 1969, it didn't just spark her imagination, it set it ablaze!

Michael K. Rose: What role do you believe speculative fiction plays in society?

AB Potts: Without it, we'd invent nothing and go nowhere. It inspires us to create and embark upon voyages of discovery and adventure. Leonardo de Vinci brought us the hang glider and helicopters, Jules Verne the television and spacecraft, and Columbus sailed to the Americas. As writers, we may not be able to unravel all of the technical details—that's what scientists are for—but the creators of speculative fiction certainly play a part in putting the ideas into their heads. Have you never noticed the similarities between the flip phone and Uhura's communications headset, the eReader and the datapad? Transparent aluminium was introduced to us by Gene Roddenberry in 1986. It became a reality in 2009.

But it's more than that. Just like the annual vacation, a little trip into the world of fiction is just as therapeutic. When we read, we become immersed in the story and are transported to another world. How often do we finish a book and, rather like the end of a great vacation, wish it hadn't ended? We yearn for a sequel, a return trip to that little bit of escapism that gave us so much pleasure the first time around.

MKR: Why do you write in this genre?

ABP: It wasn't a conscious choice. I didn't just sit down one day and say to myself, 'I know, I'll write science fiction'. It's just that is where it was set when the story was born.

As for the stories themselves, they amaze me. Again, I don't make conscious decisions about the storylines; they're just there, waiting to be told. As I write them, they unfold before me. I can be in the middle of a chapter, something will happen and I'll suddenly stop and say, 'Wow! I didn't see that one coming!' Then I'm really worried because I can't see a way out of the situation for the character, but there's no need. Strangely, the story continues to unfold, almost flawlessly, to a resolution. It's an amazing process!

What I will say is this, though: it is nice to write science fiction because all sci-fi has a secondary genre. It could be a children's story, a romance, crime, horror or whatever. Science fiction merely states... well, it depends who you ask... set in another time or place, maybe a world of high technology or a prehistoric alien world. As I often say, at what point does the alien monster with a wingspan of over forty feet become a dragon or, for that matter, a pterodactyl?

The world of science fiction is far closer than you think, anyway. Mountains in vivid hues of yellow, blue and red exist in China, barren deserts turn purple with scorpion weed when they flower, and the Namib desert golden mole doesn't look upon the world at all. It looks like a little eyeless hamster. Our world is already a world of science fiction. How do I know that what I am writing is not already science fact?

MKR: How did you come up with the idea for Imperfect Weapon?

ABP: In all honesty, I have no idea! They just come to me. I have memories of Kylem going back to when I was just five years old. Every night I would fall a sleep and dream a new adventure. I don't know where he sprang from or why. He just came to me and then he stayed.

Over the years, Kylem's adventures have grown and the stories have evolved; he, though, has changed very little over the years. It's just that the detail has become more vivid. His tales are many and varied and I'm about thirty years ahead of the rest of the world in his adventures. That's why it is the first book in a series; the tale just doesn't end there. Just like life, there are many twists and turns and there are no happy-ever-afters. That sounds really sad, but it's a fact. Even as a child, I questioned that closing sentence at the end of every story—and they all lived happily every after.

My favourite faerie tale was Cinderella, but I always wondered what happened after the wedding. I just couldn't accept the concept that they married and that was it; that life went perfectly for them from that day on until their deaths. My mind was plagued by questions like, did they stay happy, did they have children or was she barren? And as I got older, the questions got wilder.

Was Prince Charming really that charming? Was he a wife beater? Did he stay faithful or did he abandon Cinderella for a younger woman? If they had children, were they perfect or did one get in with the wrong crowd and end up with a criminal record? Did Prince Charming smoke pot? Was their son gay?

I was about ten years old when I asked my mother some of those questions and told her about my stories. I can't remember the exact response but I did learn one thing: that, for the time being at least, I should keep such things to myself.

MKR: What was your biggest challenge in writing it?

ABP: Time! It's not just the writing, but the proofing and editing that's necessary in order to present a product that's as polished as one produced by a bestselling author. Needless to say, there's also the marketing, blogging, Tweeting and Facebook statuses that need attention. Add to the mix that I'm the senior partner in a business, a full-time bookkeeper, a wife, mother and dog owner, not a minute in the day can be wasted. Every second is precious.

MKR: What are you working on now?

ABP: The second book in the series. Entitled Black Dog, Kylem has arrived on Earth and he's causing as much mayhem here as he did on the DaerkStar! It's a little more light-hearted than Imperfect Weapon because he's not under the constant threat of death, and he's still finding himself. Remember, he may look like an adult but he's still just a kid, really. The third book is also taking shape, but I shan't say too much about that for fear of spoilers!

MKR: Thank you for your time! Readers, if you would like to read Imperfect Weapon, you can get it at the US Kindle store, the UK Kindle store or Barnes & Noble's Nook store. You can connect with AB Potts via her website, Facebook or Twitter. Imperfect Weapon will be tomorrow's Book Feature. (Edit: read it here.)

Book Feature: Sin by Shaun Allan

Sin is an paranormal thriller that follows Sin Mathews, who wants to be just an ordinary guy. Unfortunately, the asylum, the deaths and the ghost of his dead sister mean that being 'ordinary' is something Sin can never be.

People die around him and, though he can't help it, someone else knows and he must go on the run from the man he went to for help... and himself...

Sin has been compared to Dean Koontz, Stephen King and been called 'dark, disturbing and amazing'.

"Masterful characterisation, mental health and insanity played to the bone, and an amazing ensemble cast, this book is good. More than good, it's haunting." - D. Kai Wilson-Viola

Available at:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

A creator of many prize-winning short stories and poems, Shaun Allan has written for more years than he would perhaps care to remember. Having once run an online poetry and prose magazine, he has appeared on Sky television to debate, against a major literary agent, the pros and cons of internet publishing as opposed to the more traditional method. Many of his personal experiences and memories are woven into the point of view and sense of humour of Sin, the main character in his best-selling novel of the same name, although he can’t, at this point, teleport.

A writer of multiple genres, including horror, humour and children’s fiction, Shaun goes where the Muse takes him–even if that is kicking and screaming. Shaun lives with his one partner, two daughters, three cats and four fish! Oh, and a dog.

You can connect with Shaun at his website, Sin's blog, Facebook and Twitter. You can also read our interview with him here.

Interview: Shaun Allan

Today's interview is with Shaun Allan, author of the horror/paranormal novel Sin. A creator of many prize-winning short stories and poems, Shaun has written for more years than he would perhaps care to remember. Having once run an online poetry and prose magazine, he has appeared on Sky television to debate, against a major literary agent, the pros and cons of internet publishing as opposed to the more traditional method. Many of his personal experiences and memories are woven into the point of view and sense of humour of Sin, the main character in his best-selling novel of the same name, although he can’t, at this point, teleport.

A writer of multiple genres, including horror, humour and children’s fiction, Shaun goes where the Muse takes him–even if that is kicking and screaming. Shaun lives with his one partner, two daughters, three cats and four fish! Oh, and a dog.

Michael K. Rose: What role do you believe speculative fiction plays in society?

Shaun Allan: Speculative fiction, I have to admit, is a term I've only come across recently. I suppose, as a writer, I should know all the jargon. Looking at my life as a READER, it appears I've always been interested in the all-encompassing genre. From fantasy to science fiction to horror, my tastes have changed throughout the years, but they've always been 'weird'. A little like myself, perhaps.

Speculative fiction makes you - or at least me - think. You can imagine and enter worlds beyond your own. The realms of aliens, ghosts, dragons and so much more. You can IMAGINE.

I wrote a poem once, long ago, called "Escape."  It followed an adventure in which you rode a dragon and were chased by wolves. It was, simply, about what happens when you read a book so good you're transported to another world. You lose yourself in it.

Of course, there's also the horror and paranormal aspects. The thrill and chill. The look into what might exist. We all need to look beyond our lives. To dream and wonder and even be fearful of what might exist or might have. It piques the imagination. It makes ze little grey cells work. It prompts invention. Science Fiction has been one of the major pushers of technological advancement.

Speculative fiction asks 'what if?' I dread to think 'what if not?'

MKR: Why do you write in this genre?

SA: It's not a conscious thing. I often start from just a single sentence. I wrote a short story called "I Am Death" from only 'I think...' without having any idea what the story would be about. They form themselves and speculative fiction is the form they take. It can be a children's story or something humorous. Horror or science fiction. I can be sure that it will be weird though. The genre suits me.

MKR: How did you come up with the idea for Sin?

SA: Strangely, the initial inspiration for the book had nothing to do with the subject. I've always been interested in science and space. Black holes, too. The centre point of a black hole is the singularity point, at which the laws of space and time break down. From that (I use Singularity's Point for my webpage and Sin's blog) came Sin as a name. I wrote the first few words:

'Name's Sin.'

and the story went from there. I had no idea what it would be about - I find I can't plan stories - so I discovered it along the way. Originally Sin was a short story. That short story is now the prologue to the book. He still doesn't want to be quiet, hence his blog (written from his point of view) and the sequel.

MKR: What was your biggest challenge in writing it?

SA: Time. Sin took me ten years to write. I did produce other stories and poems in that period, but I have so little time to write, it was a real labour of love. I have a full time job and family. Often, I get 15 minutes out of a day to write and sometimes not even that. One year, I barely wrote a single word and I class 250 words in a day as a triumph.

Somehow, I've been on a roll recently, though. I've a new collection called Dark Places and have managed to produce a number of new stories for it, ranging from around 1,500 words to 7,500. I'm very pleased with that. And surprised.

MKR: What are you working on now?

SA: I have a couple of projects. There's my Dark Places collection. It's an anthology of dark poetry and darker prose. It's all speculative. There's a story about a reflection, ones about shadows and night and more. Most came from a phrase or a brief conversation that I've picked up and flowed with. The one I really like is "Joy," a story from Sin's sister's point of view. She appears as a ghost in the book and this gives me the chance of telling things from her point of view.

I also have a children's book about the youngest of three witches who have lost their powers, Sin's blog, which is ongoing, and Sin's sequel. Whichever my muse decides I should be working on.

It's not all my own choice...

Sin is available from Amazon's Kindle stores (US, UK). You can connect with Shaun at his website, Sin's blog, Facebook and Twitter. You can read our Sin Book Feature here.

Michael K. Rose Presents: Classic Science Fiction #2 The Time Machine by HG Wells

Herbert George "H.G." Wells is one of three men who (along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback) have been given the unofficial title "The Father of Science Fiction." If you have not read any of his work, you have certainly heard of it: The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man. Only one other writer of the time period had as much of an influence of science fiction: Jules Verne.

Wells's love of literature began accidentally. When he was a boy, he broke is leg and was bedridden. His father brought him books from the library to help him pass the time. Later, his mother, separated from his father, went to work as a lady's maid at a country house in Sussex. He would occasionally visit and the house, having an extensive library, introduced him to many of the classics.

HG Wells

The Time Machine has its roots in a short story Wells published in his college newspaper called "The Chronic Argonauts" (1888). It also involved the use of a time machine but what makes The Time Machine unique is the scope of the work. The narrator does not only travel forward in time to a recognizable future, but travels to the year 802,701. What he finds there is nothing less than a reversal of the classist society in which Wells lived. In his mind, our habit of separating society into two groups: an affluent elite and those who are forced to serve them, will ultimately lead to not only a social and economic separation but a biological separation as well. As society advances, the elites will continue to drive their servants underground, out of sight. The above world will become verdant and idyllic and below the ground, where the workers toil in darkness, will be the machines that create the goods that make the leisurely lifestyle of the elites possible.

Eight hundred thousand years hence, they have evolved into the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi are small and beautiful yet simple-minded creatures. They spend their days playing, eating and relaxing. Belowground, the Morlocks, the descendants of the working class, have evolved into brutish, ape-like creatures. They still provide for the Eloi, providing them with food and garments, but they have come to take something in return: the Morlocks feed on the Eloi.

Wells's future is clearly the imaginings of a man interested in socialism. The class structure has been subverted, and those who kept the working classes down for so long are now no more than animals being butchered and harvested for meat. This is no vision of the noble poor proving that they are inherently better than the rich, as was the case in much of the socialist literature of the time. This is a dire warning that the class system of Britain as it then existed could not continue without severe consequences.

Of course, the class systems has not disappeared but has been globalized. Those of us in affluent countries no longer have to see the very bottom of society: they live not just in other neighborhoods but in other countries, on other continents. But what would really interest Wells, I believe, would be the degree to which we have come to rely on machines. I wonder what Wells's vision of the future would be if he'd lived in our time. He would see that we are growing increasingly sedentary; he would see Western society resting on its laurels; he would see an increasingly automated way of life, in which our every whim is seen to by machines rather than a subservient class. Would the mindless, simple Eloi who are our descendants be ruled over by a network of machines? Will our ever-increasing dependence on technology remove from us the ability to solve problems, to dream up novel ideas? With any and all information literally at our fingertips, will the mind atrophy as it is required to do less and less work?

It is a fun thought experiment to imagine our future. Tell me, if you could press the levers of Wells's time machine and travel forward ten, a hundred, a thousand years, would you like what you found? None of us live for ourselves alone. We live for all humanity, and we live for the future of our species, our planet. Science fiction helps us to understand this. But is understanding enough? What can take us to the next step, what will make us take action to ensure a bright tomorrow?

At the end of Wells's book, the time traveler disappears, along with his machine. Has he gone to try and save the future? Well, you and I can do that in the here and now. The Time Machine may not be an accurate depiction of the future, as things currently stand, but at the very least it should make us consider the possibilities, both wonderful and horrifying.

You can download a free eBook of The Time Machine at Amazon or Project Gutenberg. You may also be interested in Michael K. Rose Presents: Classic Science Fiction #1 -- "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum 

Original Classic Science Fiction image: C.E. Space Scene 1 by Gale Titus

Images of HG Wells and the cover of The Time Machine courtesy of Wikipedia

Book Feature: Alien Invasion of the Zombie Apocalypse by Ford Forkum

In a satirical combination of two end-of-the-world scenarios, a zombie plague is quickly followed by an alien invasion - in a time when humanity is already struggling with vampires. Landing dead center at a college campus swarming with zombies, the aliens soon realize that their abduction mission is going to be quite a bit more complicated than they'd imagined. The presence of vampires only makes the situation worse.

Will humanity survive the dystopian absurdity?

"The supernatural just got ridiculous." - The Motley Chronicles

Available at:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Ford Forkum is a private music instructor and freelance writer living in New England. He is a creative jack-of-all-trades, drawing the cover art and producing the book trailer for his debut story "Alien Invasion of the Zombie Apocalypse."

Ford enjoys comedy of the surreal and satirical. He credits Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series for introducing him to the creative possibilities of humor in fictional literature.

He is currently working on a second short story and a thematically related novel which is slated for release in late 2012.

You can connect with Ford Forkum at his website, Facebook or Twitter.

Article: Adventures in Web Serial Writing by Shiromi Arserio

Today, I am very pleased to present an article by Shiromi Arserio. She writes the web serial Shatterer of Worlds and has been kind enough to share her experiences and insights into writing serial fiction.

When I began writing Shatterer of Worlds, I always knew it would be a serial. It seemed to lend itself to the format. Perhaps it was Shatterer's epic nature, with themes of war, betrayal and rivalry, or maybe because I couldn't conceive of publishing anything this long. The rough draft was over 50,000 words, a product of NaNoWriMo 2010, but I knew after the fleshing out of characters and scenes the word count would be closer to 75,000. Since Shatterer is an adaptation of the Indian epic The Mahabharata, I also knew that the point where my novel ends was only a third of the way through the story, meaning it would have to be either a serial or a trilogy. Personally, I've always loved serials. They offer intricate plots and complex characters that become almost like friends, so of course I thought Shatterer should be a serial.

This isn't to say I didn't consider publishing it as an e-book. As life got in the way, and other fiction projects took hold, Shatterer was shelved and I discovered Kindle Direct Publishing. I began to wonder if maybe I could turn my novel into a trilogy. After all, aren't most sensible self-publishers writing a series of books? I briefly toyed with the idea, but in all honesty, life was still getting in the way for me. My dog had cancer, I was in a short sale nightmare, and meanwhile my manuscript was festering away on my computer. I needed to do a re-write of Shatterer and be held accountable, so I decided producing Shatterer of Worlds as a free web serial was the best option.

There are typically two ways of writing a serial. You can either take the “seat of your pants” method, where you make it up as you go along, or you can have several months' worth of material ahead of time. Since I already had a rough draft, I chose the latter method. Most of my work is planned out months in advance, so this is the method most natural for me. Unfortunately, because I was rewriting as I posted, it wasn't quite the cakewalk I hoped for. My plan, which I try to stick to, has been to rewrite about two weeks worth of posts every week, so I'll always be ahead. However, it doesn't always work that way. For instance, I moved and was off the internet for two weeks. I lost a portion of my head start, but had I been making it up as I went along, I would surely have fallen behind.

The issue of cliffhangers is something you often run into with serials. “Always leave them wanting more,” is what Walt Disney said, and that is never more true than in the case of serial fiction. To me, cliffhangers can be tricky. If they're forced they can seem cheesy or manipulative. They can also be tiresome to read, especially if they occur every 500 words, as in the case of my posts.

Personally I try to look for a natural break in the story. It may not be a “dun dun duhhh!!!” moment, but those moments should be used sparingly anyway. I either look for scene changes or important points just before or right after a character reveals a crucial piece of information. Mine are more like the cliffhangers before a commercial break. You are left with just enough story to want to continue watching, but it doesn't necessarily leave the character in a life or death situation.

Two aspects of the web serial I'm still coming to terms with is gaining readership and finding ways to monetize. People often gasp when I reveal Shatterer of Worlds is free. Personally, I look at my readers as my beta group. They are helping me make it a better book, and for that, I can't expect them to pay. However, I do take donations, and I offer fun rewards for donors. For instance, if you donate a dollar, I will take all or part of your name and incorporate it into the story in some way. One donor's name became a floating robotic target, while another became the name of a space station. When my donations reach $10, I even publish an extra post on Saturdays. Most importantly, my serial is helping me sell my other books. So just because a serial is free, doesn't mean it's not earning you money.

Getting new readers to the site has been my biggest adventure yet. I already run a science fiction news site where I advertise Shatterer and there is also a twitter feed, but I mostly rely on word of mouth. There are a few places you can advertise your web serial, such as Web Fiction Guide and EpiGuide, however, unlike with e-books, there isn't the plethora of websites clamoring to advertise your project. I'm okay with that though. I'm interested in building a slow and steady readership. I'm looking for readers that are in it for the long haul, a fan base that will support the books when they go on sale, and, most importantly, tell other people about it. Writing a web serial is a journey, and ultimately, I’m looking for people to join me on that journey.

Bio

Shiromi Arserio is a British writer and performer currently residing in the Pacific Northwest. Shiromi is a long-time fan of science fiction and fantasy and runs her own Sci-Fi news site, Inter-Galaxy Portal. You can catch up on Shiromi's web serial here and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.