Self-constructing robotic bases like SCARAB are the cutting edge in deep-space colonization technology in Tantalus Depths. The idea of a robot that is capable of building itself out of the resources it encounters may seem far-fetched, but did you know scientists today see this as a very real possibility? They’re called Von Neumann Probes, and they’re even more outlandish in reality than they are in Tantalus Depths.
Watch this video with Dr. Michio Kaku, and learn how a robotic spaceship the size of a needle could help humanity conquer the galaxy.

If the idea of a machine that builds itself is interesting to you, or the potentially disastrous results of giving a machine too much power over its own environment, please consider pre-ordering a copy of Tantalus Depths now. It explores this theme and many, many others.

Greetings Jackolytes,

Jack Trevayne is a big fan of western Canada, but Jack Trevayne is no fan of a job half-done. The wildfires may have left Fort McMurray, but there’s a hell of a lot of work to do before the citizens can move back home. Up until May 31st, every time you pre-order a Sync City paperback or e-book, I will donate $5 dollars to the Red Cross in support of these efforts. Why May 31st? Up until that date the Canadian Government is matching donations to the Red Cross, so each pre-order of Sync City will generate a $10 donation. Share the love and help bring the people home!

Cheers,

Peter

2000 BOOKS!!!

   

  

Greetings Pirates!

Get your Babel fish ready because here’s an update on the manuscript, as well as my expected timeline! Hurray! Huzzah! Horatio! Horn blower?

As it stands, the book is mostly written. I say mostly, because it needs editing. First, my beta (a.k.a amazing-doing-it-during-their-spare-time) editors,  Mark and Tom, have sent me their edits which I’m incorporating.  I’m also rewriting some chapters to make them stronger, at least in my humble opinion. Those chapters will then be sent to my betas (they sound like groupies or aliens), who will then send me their edits.  It’s a process, as you imagine!

Once all of those edits are incorporated, the manuscript will be sent to Inkshares. My goal is August, but Inkshares is awesome and they’ve told me to take my time. However, I think I’m are in a good place and can make it so, as Picard would say. Famous last words?

Once its with Inkshares, their editors will have a crack at it, including a fact-checker from the Science and Entertainment Exchange. So cool!

So that is what I’m working on these days. I still can’t believe The Pirates of Montana won the Inkshares/Geek & Sundry Hard  Science Fiction contest. Its been a blurry week of self-congradulations alternating with the Pavlavian urge to check my stats in the contest.  

Excelsior everyone! Have a fantastic week! Here is your funny dinosaur meme!

I bought a book. Now what? 

This is the first update I’ve dispatched since These Are My Friends on Politics reached its full funding goal and became a real published book that a real publishing house is putting into real bookstores instead of the unprofitable ones I see in daydreams. So a thank you — to everyone who bought in, followed along, shared it with others and otherwise showed support for this little ray of light in this insatiable nightmare of an election year — is overdue. 

But it’s overdue for a reason, because rather than thank and leave you with a vague "you’ll get it someday!," I wanted to show my gratitude by letting you know exactly what’s happening with your support. (And I wanted to know what I was talking about before I started talking.) 

So here’s what’s happened. I sent in the manuscript and the initial cover design. Inkshares’ production partners at Girl Friday sent both back with some notes and some ideas about modestly bumping up the page count to hit the magic 64-page printing number (long story having to do with printers and multiples of four) and very possibly give the book the hardcover treatment (at no extra cost to you, of course) instead of the softcover treatment. (No promises yet on that, because I don’t know if it will happen, but it could happen.) I made a batch of new pages, lightly touched up a few existing pages, and handed in version 2. They sent back a few more notes, I did a last round of small touchups, and then I cropped and sized the pages so that they’re printer-perfect before handing in version 3.

And here’s what happens next. While the production wizards take those pages and assemble them into a sharp-looking book with all the interior and exterior necessities it needs, the marketing wizards at Inkshares are ramping up an extensive (word not used lightly — it’s extensive) plan to put the book inside national and independent bookstores and in front of media large and small that cover not just books, but politics and current events too. All of these wizards and plans are joining forces to coordinate a far-and-wide-reaching release in October, and if you’re a backer, you’ll have your signed and numbered copies of the book most likely a month before that October release date. (Again, that’s not ironclad, but based on what I’m told and on my own experiences as a backer of other authors’ books, backers getting their copies a month early seems to be the norm.)

So that’s the roadmap. It’s lengthy (even though it’s hyperloop-fast by book publishing standards — these things almost never happen inside of a year, never mind six months), but it’s that way because a lot of talented people are using really impressive resources to give this book the best possible chance it could ask for. When I said back in the campaigning stage that fully funding this thing is a (to borrow a phrase from the great Eddie Olczyk) tremendously tremendous deal, this is what I had in mind. So thank you for helping make that a reality.

5+2+1+1+6 = 15 

As is customary with these updates, I’ll close it out with the best thank you gift of all: some new pictures of Nina, who turned 15 on May 21 but whose face and table mannerisms remain indistinguishable from those of a puppy. Enjoy, and thank you again.  

Artist Idan Carré has created another fascinating illustration for Mission 51! It goes along with the chapter called Final Approach. I get such a kick seeing these ideas come to life so vividly. She captured so many of the story’s details! Thank you, Idan! :-)