The Nerdist contest is over. Wow! That was exciting!!

I want to send out a big congratulations to the multiple authors contributing to Too Many Controllers, and to @Prescott Harvey for In Beta, and to @Peter Ryan for Destiny Imperfect. Great job, everyone! I am looking forward to reading your stories!

I do want to congratulate @Alisa King for Are You Sure You Want To Quit?, @Regina McMenomy for Mothering: The Game, and @Matthew Poat for Squids In. That was a very good effort! Alisa just missed the top three, but she made Quill! That’s fantastic! And Regina and Matt are a good ways to that goal.

Congratulations!!! :-)

Hey everyone,

First off, let me just say THANK YOU to each and every one of you that have been following my project this whole time and/or pre-ordered a copy. I might not have won the contest, but I REACHED QUILL (yay!!!). I am going to be a published author and you’ll all get to read this story which is incredible to me!! I never imagined that this campaign would be as successful as it was and for that I am greatly humbled so thank you for making my dream come true.

I also want to say congratulations to the Inkvengers (Too Many Controllers), Prescott Harvey (In Beta), and Peter Ryan (Destiny Imperfect) for running excellent campaigns as well. If you haven’t yet go visit their page and pre-order a copy of their novels! Now that the contest is over I can relax and enjoy the other wonderful works on Inkshares. 

Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going chill by the pool in this dreadful Texas heat. Until next time, cheers!!!!

-Alisa-chan

Guys! Insane support in the zero hour. 

That was an incredible finish for the number two spot. I’m bouncing off the walls right now. I could not have done it without you guys, thank you all SO SO much. I will keep you all posted on what happens next. 

But right now, I have to throw pants on, do a celebratory tequila shot, and then go pick up my son from school!

CHEERS!!!

This is not a drill...only one day left to get your preordered, first edition copy of the gaming anthology Too Many Controllers.  I will be contributing a cyberpunk short story to this future masterpiece, and if you are a fan of Deus Hex Machina, you are gonna want to read this story because it’s canon.  Tomorrow the funding period ends on TMC, so now is your last chance to get your copy.

I am in the planning stages of my short story, but will have it completed by the end of the month. Here’s the premise: Amiina Kym is a brilliant research scientist, the sort who graduate from med school at 18 and complete grad school in a year. Being in the 28th century, she attended university virtually, she spent her entire grad school career working to create a cure for the horrible disease that killed her mother. But she’s at an impasse. 

First there’s the fact that she’s living out on a floating algae farm off the coast of Orange County. It’s not exactly like you can get research supplies easily when you’re on a former oil rig in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Second is that although she’s narrowed down the last component she needs for the serum, that component no longer exists; it was killed off centuries ago by the Los Angeles Plague.

So Amiina is stuck in her research, stuck in a dead end job playing nurse to a bunch of crotchety algae farmers, stuck without a degree to justify the time and expense she’s poured into this serum. The only thing that saves her from going completely insane is Dyad Online, the VRMMO she spends every spare moment playing, and her dashing battle partner known only as Harrow.  When fighting the last boss of the game becomes much more than just getting the world first kill, Amiina learns that digital decisions have real world consequences.

Right now I’m running with the working title of "Final Boss," and I’m excited to delve into a world of high stakes gaming, digital adventure, and virtual romance. Want to know more about Amiina?  Then preorder your copy of Too Many Controllers today and find out which DHM character makes a cameo!

This week I’d like to use my author spotlight to bring your attention to one of the top-level entrants in the Nerdist competition: Destiny Imperfect.
 

This book promises to be an absolute mindscrew. The idea of a world where virtual reality and actual reality are so closely intertwined that it’s a challenge just to differentiate between the two is so full of potential. The places this story can explore from a psychological standpoint are endless, and based only on what I’ve seen so far, it looks like Destiny Imperfect is going to throw me into a full-on existential crisis. But in a good way.

Seriously check out this book. I want it on my shelf right now.

New cover!

We have a new cover, and it is beautiful. Credit goes to Landon Trine; I could not ask for a more fitting summation of Invictus. There’s a a few things worthy of comment:

-The double helix is artificial. This mainly reflects on the afterlife, which is a thing of our own creation. However the theme of authenticity runs strong throughout the story - in heaven, identity and appearance. The faces of those of the Inner City are a nice example: very clean and tidy, very pretty, but oh so fake. 

-The colours. The double helix is rainbow coloured! I’ll admit that this speaks to me on a personal level, but also reflects those in the story. I can’t not write LGBT+ characters, and such themes feature very heavily in certain character’s stories. Harriet, Silver and Alyx predominantly.

I’m going to stop gushing now and get back to writing. The first draft is coming along nicely, and I’m consuming far too much coffee and confectionery for my own good (even by maths student standards).

As always, thank you to everyone who has commented, reviewed and recommended Invictus. I always love reading feedback, and am always open to contact. Intercontinental hugs go out to you all.

Love,

X x

Greetings Destiny-followers,

The end is very much nigh and the contest is getting hot, hot, hot. Friday midnight is the witching hour, and for Destiny Imperfect to remain upon this earthly realm we need to keep ahead of two worthy titles. Right now we are 2nd. This is very good, and this is all thanks to you. But 3rd and 4th are within 6 orders of Destiny’s position. Things are, most definitely, getting tight.

So where to from here? For those of you that have leapt aboard the crazy train that is Destiny Imperfect, the answer is easy. Think of one person that would benefit from the eye-opening, mind-searing, cultural phenomenon that Destiny Imperfect is … errr… destined to be. Take them gently by the hand, ease their way through Inkshares maze and guide them to the pre-order button. The next part is up to them … you can lead a person to Inkshares, but …

For those that are at the Destiny Imperfect  station but have yet to buy a ticket, now would be a very meaningful time to do so. Your pre-order could make the difference between Destiny careening boldly into the future or being stuck at one of the sidings of life. You can be a difference maker, and you can say you were there at the beginning. Do it for Destiny!

Have a great day!

Cheers,

Peter

Hey folks. Good news! This morning, I was featured on an episode of the "Oatley Academy Artcast." If you want to listen to me talk a little about IN BETA, and a lot about pitching feature films, check it out here: http://oatleyacademy.com/firstfeaturepitch/

Even this awesome jolt of publicity won’t be enough to win the Nerdist contest. There are two days left, and the battle for 2nd and 3rd place is HOTLY contested.

I need your help to end up in the top 3 spots. If you’ve been waiting to order, now is the time. If you have already ordered, please turn to a nerd friend, tap them on the shoulder, and softly whisper in their ear that your buddy Prescott has a book they might like. With the Inkshare’s $5 credit, the ebook for IN BETA is only $5. Be sure and whisper it real soft.

And remember: You can’t spell "success" without a "u".

Prescott