Rockets

A young girl searches for a long-lost family secret in a world that has lost its capacity for wonder.

A science-fiction book

by Liam Dynes

Reader, writer, father of a young tornado. Can mix a mean bourbon milk punch, if you're interested. Toronto, ON.

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Rockets' Greatest Hits - A ...

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Mas looked up at the blacktop over her head and tried to figure out if she had made a big mistake.
- Opening Sentence

“I have. A rocket. To catch.”
- Mas, Chapter 1

"If your great-great-great-whatever grandfather is as stubborn as you, maybe he is still alive, hidden on a mythical fucking space base, eighty years since anyone heard a single peep from the dark side of the moon.”
- Caladan, Chapter 2

...but this is not a story about a little girl carrying Einstein’s eyes around in a suitcase nearly 300 years after he died.
- Chapter 3

And so it came to this – a meeting at a deserted train station in the Mexican desert, trying to barter the brain of one of humanity’s greatest geniuses for a ride to the moon.
- Chapter 4

“Why. Arrre. You. Herrre?”
- Truxton Bell, Chapter 7

All of which adds up to explain the tears in Mas’ eyes as she watches the ground speed past her thousands of feet below. This shouldn’t be possible. Little girls weren’t meant to fly.
- Chapter 8

"I’m supposed to steal some sort of fucking warp drive, from the lost city of ghosts, and you’re telling me not to worry? Forgive me if I’m a touch skeptical.”
- Mas, Chapter 10

"I did all the growing up I could do in that place. And I got sick of being told I wasn’t special. Even if it’s true.”
- Mas, Chapter 11

It seemed that if you were going to make it through a catastrophic biological and chemical attack, it was best to be sealed inside a giant tank and outfitted with a biology that evolved somewhere beyond Jupiter.
- Chapter 13

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About Rockets

The Story

Rockets is a story about a girl who simply wants to see something remarkable – and prove true an old family legend – in a world where wonder and innovation have taken a back seat to complacency and class struggles.

The Author

Liam Dynes is a thirtysomething speechwriter for a financial institution who likes to think he moonlights as a writer. He lives in Toronto with his wife, two-year-old son, and a handful of cats.

The Process

Rockets unsuccessfully completed one round of crowdfunding in conjunction with the Sword & Laser Collection contest here on Inkshares. Rather than attempt another crowdfunding campaign in the foreseeable future, efforts are now being focused on completing the manuscript and exploring a wider variety of publishing options.

To stay fully up to date on Rockets-related news, check out the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/rocketsbook

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Discuss Rockets with the Author.

Liam Dynes · Author · added 3 months ago · 2 likes

Hello all,

I know things have been quiet on the Rockets front lately, but I just wanted to poke my head up and say hello, to keep a small Rockets-shaped rumbling in the back of your mind.

I'm still very much at work on the manuscript, which has more than tripled in length since I last updated you all at the end of the campaign. I've recently passed 50,000 words, which I hope is over the halfway point, and am continuing apace.

I have also recently slightly updated the Rockets page here on Inkshares, shifting it slightly to what will likely be its permanent stasis-keeping status. In doing so I've amended the 'About' section to reflect the current state of things, and I've also removed the former sample chapter.

In the sample's place now is something of a teaser/grab-bag of bits and pieces that are hopefully both enticing and exciting while also giving more of a snapshot of different pieces throughout the course of the book.

And while this update is going out to all previous pre-orderers of the book, it's also going out to all of you who have found the page through Inkshares in the intervening months. I just wanted to say hello, and drop a note to also be sure and visit the Rockets Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/rocketsbook

The Facebook page is likely where most new developments regarding the book will be posted, though I will also from time to time check in here - particularly once the book is complete. I may also seek out beta readers once a draft is closer to complete, so if that's something that would interest you, you can get in touch at liam dot dynes at gmail dot com and I'll put you on my list.

Once again, thank you all very much for your interest and your support, and I hope to have more Rockets-related news in the coming months.

Until next time,

Liam

Liam Dynes · Author · added 6 months ago · 4 likes

Hello Rocket Men and Women,

Well, it looks like this is the end of this particular chapter.

My Inkshares campaign is in its final hours and, well, let's just say that things could have gone better.

The Sword and Laser contest wrapped up a few weeks ago, and by the arrival of the deadline, Rockets had fallen well out of the running. The momentum of the contest outstripped my ability to keep up, which meant that I needed to meet my full goal of 1000 books to secure publishing with Inkshares.

This, sadly, has not occurred.

But this isn't the end of the road for Rockets. I hope to get back into the swing of writing again soon now that summer is here and my major annual conference at work is also behind me.

I still intend to complete the book and get it into each of your hands, God willing and the creek don't rise, in some not-too-distant future.

To that end, I've archived the contact info you each submitted when placing a pre-order, and when I have Rockets-related news - be it completing a draft, putting some or all up for sale online, or securing publishing - I will let you know. If you would prefer I not, just email me at Liam dot Dynes @ gmail dot com, and I'll remove you from my list.

Last of all, but certainly not least, thank you all again, very much, for the vote of confidence you placed in me with your pre-order. While this wasn't the result I had hoped for, your support and your interest in my work was hugely uplifting.

I hope to someday make good on that support, and to share the world of Rockets with all of you.

So long for now,

Liam

E.K Jacobs · Author · added 7 months ago

I love the excerpt. It is very well written. I know that your book just HAS to publish. You are an incredible author!

Liam Dynes · Author · added 8 months ago · 2 likes

Hello Rockets supporters!

Life, as it often does, has popped up in some major ways the last couple of weeks. Ramping up to a major conference at work and attempting to clear the backyard of jungle weeds - not to mention still having a two-and-a-half-year-old around - are proving to be some pretty substantial tasks taking up a lot of my time.

That said, there's still a book up in my brain somewhere, fighting to get out, and a wealth of lovely supporters like yourselves to keep up to date.

At present, I'm working to make up some lost ground in the Inkshares/Sword & Laser collection contest. As many of you probably know, the top five genre projects on Inkshares by May 31 receive automatic publishing.

While maintaining a pretty solid position in the top three for a couple weeks, I've since fallen behind to 7th place.

Now, most of you have already done your part, but any additional support, such as sharing the project with friends, family or co-workers who might be interested, would be hugely appreciated.

And I don't know if you've checked back on Inkshares lately, but most of you should have received some extra credit to spend on the site - either just for signing up, or for purchasing a book in the S&L contest. If any of you felt like throwing that credit my way and grabbing another copy to pass along to a friend, that would be fantastic! Every little bit helps.

Also, you can earn even more credit by clicking the "Recommend" button below the sample chapter on my page! So there are lots of ways you can continue to contribute to the cause!

I've got a bit more Rockets-related news that I'm hoping to share in the next week or two, which will help both get word out about the book and add a bit more value to your purchase.

Once again, thanks so much for your support so far.

Liam

Liam Dynes · Author · added 8 months ago · 2 likes

Greetings, Rockets supporters!

Small update today, where I have uploaded a new snippet to the Rockets campaign page, where we see Mas a little later in her adventure.

This particular piece finds her and Caladan heading south to meet with the mysterious buyer, and we also find out just what it is she is offering in trade for her trip to the moon.

This excerpt is also the piece that was featured on sci-fi community site SFSignal as part of the early promotional work for the Sword & Laser collection contest.

So, I hope you enjoy this new passage, and thanks again for supporting Rockets! If you have any friends or family who would enjoy the book, please share it and tell them why you're excited! We're approaching 100 copies sold, and it would be great to hit that milestone before the weekend.

Thanks again!

Liam

Liam Dynes · Author · added 8 months ago · 3 likes

Hello Rockets Supporters!

Just a quick update now that we're entering week two of the campaign!

Currently I'm hanging around in the top five entrants in the Sword & Laser collection contest running here on Inkshares, but I could always use a boost. So if you have any family, friends or co-workers that might enjoy the book, please don't hesitate to pass it along!

In other exciting news, a new, previously-unseen excerpt from a little later in the book was just featured on SFSignal to help drive awareness of the S&L contest.

So if you were curious to see a little bit more of Mas' adventure, and find out just what exactly she is carrying in those suitcases, click the link below to check it out!

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2015/04/read-excerpt-rockets-liam-dynes/

Thanks again so much for your support so far!