Breakdown Release

Finally, after what seems like forever, there is a new Invasion of the Dead book available. Breakdown returns to the early days on the virus and follows a new group of characters.

Here is the blurb and the link:

Tasmania, Australia… a place of immense natural beauty, home to some of the world’s harshest terrain, soon to be overrun with mankind’s most terrifying creation.

We return to the early days in the Invasion world, as hazy news reports detail the virus sweeping through the world’s major cities. Few survive, and many perish, or worse, return in a state of ravenous insanity known to the survivors as the Infected.

In a small town outside Devonport, former Australian Commando Shane “Mac” McNamara, now a dedicated family man, joins up with the last remnants of his commando team to battle more than he anticipated as he fights to keep his family alive.

From an ER nurse, to a school principal, ordinary people must band together and discover unknown strength and resilience, to do extraordinary things, if there is any hope of ever making the island state, the last refuge of the fallen. In a post-apocalyptic world though, not everyone can survive… 

Breakdown at Amazon.com

Kindle Worlds Book Cover

On October 20th, I will publish a novella through the Kindle Worlds program based on Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s bestselling Extinction Cycle series. This is a story set in the EC world, and while Nicholas’ series is set in the US, my tale takes place in Australia, and tells of a Commando team sent on a recovery mission to a secret military facility.  Here is the cover:

recovery-hi-res-final

Book Four Updates

I’m happy to report the first draft of book four is done and heading into rewrites. I estimate it will be published early-mid April. I know I’m a shocker for missing my deadlines, but this time I’m on track and have been more focused than ever.

The book has a heap of new characters and a totally new location. It goes back to the beginning (before we pick up the characters in book 1) and explains a little of how things broke down. In fact, the tentative title is BREAKDOWN.

The idea of a new book might make some people happy, but book four doesn’t involve characters from books one to three.

Ouch.

I did post a warning about this in the afterword of book two, and it has always been my plan to converge two groups of characters for the final three books (seven-nine).

However, books four to six are integral to the final three books. I hope the idea of not reading about your favourites from books one to three does not put you off book four. Trust me, there the characters are different and engaging. All the characters have a place in the future of this world that you will enjoy as much as the old ones. Those that survive, anyway.

Here’s my problem…

Due to deadlines, I left book three (Escape) on a massive cliffhanger (bad me). I regret not concluding this and have received a lot of e-mails and quite a few reviews basically telling me in a nice way that such a conclusion was not very nice.

So now, the question is:

Do I finish the cliffhanger for book three and add it to the existing version, then notify all those who have purchased it to download the updated version for free? Amazon has a system that allows an author to do this. Anyone who has purchased it would then just get the same book with the last chapter added.

Or do I leave the cliffhanger to be concluded in book seven?

I really had not planned on taking so long to get book four done, but life got in the way (and a little story called Murder Inc.). Originally, I was going to add book three’s conclusion to the start of book four, but I feel I need to keep them separate.

Book seven would still be another twelve months away. Perhaps people have forgotten the end of book three now and it no longer matters.

I’m looking forward to hearing what readers think so hit me back with your thoughts and thanks for staying interested…

 

 

Murder Inc.: Chapter One

LaGuardia Teleport Station, New York
Wednesday 10:07 a.m. 
June 21st 2045 

Robert Jennings strolled up to the massive second terminal entrance of the LaGuardia Teleport Station buttoning the jacket of his Armani suit around a plump midriff. Two men dressed in raggedy clothes with long stringy hair stood outside the wide glass doors with their hands cupped before them. Beggars, Jennings thought. They were a plague on the city, like an infestation of rats, and they were getting worse. He had the inclination to beat one or both of them.

“Get outta here,” he said as he passed. One of the men cringed; the other didn’t even register.

Jennings was a shade under six-feet, with short grey hair and a stocky physique that contrasted the mostly gaunt bodies in the terminal. Some stared at his girth with desperate envy. It was clear he ate more than the average two meals a day that at best, most of them were eating. Neither their thoughts nor meal rations mattered to him, though.

Inside the terminal, a spattering of brightly lit stores crowded in on both sides of the walkway, flanked at intervals by the dark and lonely shells of abandoned retail outlets. Several years ago, when the teleport station had first been opened, the stores had all traded in a frenzy as people had flocked to the wonders of teleporting. Now, the mode was too expensive, used only by those above the poverty line, and nearby trade suffered.

Spotty formations of people moved along the walkway towards the travel booth queues. The smell and sound of high levels of electricity filled the air, snapping and popping as travellers made their jumps. Jennings rarely visited the place. He hated teleporting; it made him feel nauseous. The experts had set a benchmark for safe travel frequency, but in Jennings’ opinion, one was enough. He preferred flying or the magnetic levitation trains. They weren’t as rapid, but what was the point if you felt sick for hours afterwards?

He continued along the hallway, looking for signs of the man he was there to meet, the man who ran the U.S. division of the company for whom he worked. He’d been requested—no, ordered to appear on short notice. Jennings had met the man once and had partaken in an interesting conversation about Jennings’ alliances. They’d spoken several times since and Jennings suspected he knew what the meeting was about. It seemed they both had a dislike for the existing CEO.

Jennings normally felt concern the way an alligator might in its home swamp, but he had been drawn out of his comfort zone. It reminded him of his time as a policeman, attending a meeting with some crooked figure or another before the bribes and corruption finally caught up with him. Now, his own advice was to leave, but he understood that this was a test and he needed to pass it to reach the next stage of his progression in the company. And he had worked too hard under the damn CEO to throw away this opportunity for the sake of a little concern.

He reached an area of private rooms where the affluent teleporters paused to conduct business or to relax before travel; men and women in suits, their robot companions carrying luggage worth more money than most people would experience in their lifetime. Jennings stopped at a smoky glass door marked Thirty-One, and waited as it slid open.

He entered a long corridor before finding himself in another foyer, greeted by an empty counter and no seats. He stood, hands in pockets. The man on the holomessage had told him to proceed to this point and wait.

It was another forty minutes before he saw anybody. The door through which he had entered slid open, and five figures—four of which were tall and thick bodied—emerged in a line and proceeded down the hallway.

Jennings kept a hand on the Taser inside his jacket and stepped back as they approached. He immediately guessed the shorter man in the middle—dressed in a resplendent black suit—was the man that had summoned him. He was old—perhaps eighty, but likely closer to ninety—giving Jennings the impression of hardened iron. The other men moved like protective armor, guarding the space around him.

“Jennings?” the smaller man asked in a Russian accent. Jennings nodded. He reached out to shake hands, but the man stepped past him, mumbling something in a foreign tongue as he did.

A forearm slipped around Jennings’ throat. He tensed, reaching for his weapon. Strong hands grabbed both arms, and others patted him down. One of the men removed his weapon and held it out to another. They spoke more Russian. Jennings made no apology; of course he was carrying.

The small man walked towards the other side of the foyer and placed his thumb against a plate on the wall. A door slid open and the man disappeared. Two of the heavies followed while another nudged Jennings forward.

He entered the room and found the small man sitting on a plush leather sofa. Glass, chrome, and polished oak surrounded them. Benches ran at right angles along two walls. Bottles of alcohol and glasses filled one, whilst copious amounts of food waited—platters fruit, cheeses, breads, and meats, the likes of which were almost a rarity to the outside world. A pretty girl stood in one corner waiting for instructions.

The small man held out his hand. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jennings. You know how it is.” Jennings leant forward and shook, trying to maintain a stiff hand.

Former US Senator Ivan Chekov, a Russian immigrant in the late twenties following the 2029 Russian-American treaty, was the Chairman of the board for the company’s US operation. He was a big fish in a big pond. Jennings didn’t know a whole lot about Chekov, other than he was number one at Janefield Investments in the US, he had contacted Jennings, and that you did not mess around with him.

“It’s nice to see you again, sir.” Jennings fought to maintain eye contact. Four of the heavies stood inconspicuously in the corners.

The girl poured Scotch; they drank, and then placed their glasses on the low floating table. One of the men handed Chekov a cigarette and lit it for him.

“I suppose you haven’t seen one of these for a long time?”

“Not since the early thirties,” Jennings said.

Chekov nodded. “Lots of things are still accessible.” He drew again then blew smoke out; Jennings tried not to cough. “We will soon reverse the legislation that made them prohibited. Shortly, everybody will be able to go on killing themselves with cigarettes again.” Chekov waved a hand and smiled. “Anyway, we’re not here for small talk. It’s time, Mr. Jennings.”

Jennings felt a cold shiver along his spine. “Time?”

“Time to make our move.” Chekov finished his first drink. The girl was there to pour him another. “Time to make a move against your CEO. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“You are ready to bring down the house that Fox built?”

Jennings shifted his position. “His allies are weak. I could kill all of them.”

“We don’t need all of them killed. We only need enough of them out of the way to make him vulnerable.”

Jennings nodded, but couldn’t hide his disappointment. “We’ve identified the weakest links.”

Chekov’s mouth curled slightly. Jennings thought that was about as close to a smile as the Russian would get. “Good. What about the police?”

Jennings scoffed. “They’re covered. Our protection is solid. They won’t look twice.”

“And your team is secure?”

Jennings glanced away and nodded. “They are. I’m working closely with the head of security. Fox will be no trouble. Neither will his allies.”

“Don’t let him fool you,” Chekov said. He made another hand motion and one of his men produced a cigar. Chekov waved it at Jennings, who declined. Chekov poked it in the corner of his mouth and his man lit it. “He’s wily. Been around a long time. In his day, he was formidable.”

Jennings cleared his throat, worried his voice sounded weak. “Why not just…”—Chekov raised his eyebrows impatiently—“execute him?”

“He’s a powerful man, with many allies. His ties to the police and government run deep. This is the best way. Attack from within. Break the inner walls down first. The rest will take care of itself.” Jennings nodded; he had supposed as much. Chekov smiled again, a cold, calculating smile that would freeze water. “You never told me why you hate him so much?”

Jennings ground his jaw and thought of Bryan Fox, the long-time CEO of Janefield Investments. “I’ve played second to him my entire career. I’m sick of it. Even if he resigned, he wouldn’t endorse me.”

Chekov finished his second drink and smiled; strong, enjoyable. “It burns you.”

“Yes. He should have resigned a long time ago. The bastard is ruining the company.” Chekov nodded. Jennings asked, “What are you thinking in terms of the structural changes after he’s gone?”

“You’ll run the division. I’ll make sure of that.” One of the men leant forward and spoke into Chekov’s ear. “We’re done,” he said, indicating the doorway with his cigar.

Another two men approached the sofa. Jennings stood, adjusted his suit jacket. “Thank you for your counsel.”

Chekov removed his cigar. “Don’t let me down, Mr. Jennings. Those that do don’t last long.”

The goons escorted Jennings down the hallway and out into the terminal. He was glad to be gone.

Working Away On…

While I wait for my editor to return Murder Inc. (expecting it any day now), I’m tapping away on two writing projects.

Many readers have inquired about book four from the Invasion of the Dead series, and I’m pleased to report the outline is coming along nicely.

The outline is a critical part of the book for me, and without it, the process of writing would take much longer. For many years I thought the only way to write a story was just to begin, with little idea where I was going and how to get there. This process may work for some, but I can’t seem to organize the thoughts in my head very well, and consequently I spent lots of time rewriting and throwing stuff out.

Now, I rough out ideas, character information, and a detailed scene by scene guide for the story. While it’s not perfect, and much of it can change, it gives me and plan of where I’m going and how I’ll get there. The first draft comes out fairly promptly, which for many, is the most difficult part. Then the rewrite begins, which can be both challenging and fun, but it’s the downhill slope for me.

I expected to release this book much earlier in the year, but due to several factors—including the growth and complexity of Murder Inc.—it hasn’t happened. I feel terrible about it and am trying to work out a way to repay readers in addition to publishing it as quickly as possible. Realistically, it won’t be done until the New Year, but I am intent on providing details as I progress to give those who are keen on it some hope.

The second project I’m writing is a horror short about a teenage boy seeking revenge in the aftermath of his father’s death. The story is inspired by a hidden reservoir near where I live and owes a debt to Robert R. McCammon’s 1988 classic short story, The Deep End. I plan to get this out before Christmas.

Once final edits are back for Murder Inc., I’ll give it a final touch up and then publish. Although it isn’t a post-apocalyptic zombie story, I’m hopeful readers of the IOTD series will give it a try.

Currently I Am…

It’s been almost four months since I released my last novel, and I’m starting to feel the self-pressure of my next release. Probably to the dismay of most readers, it isn’t book four of the Invasion series. That one is next on the list, after I quietly release my current project onto Amazon.

I’m crawling my way through the third draft of a book tentatively titled The Company. It’s based on a short story I wrote some time ago called Murder Inc. It was available on Amazon for a while, and the feedback was pretty good, so I decided to carry on with it.

I first had the idea in 1999 when I posed the question: what if everything we thought about death in the world was wrong? It’s about a global organization infiltrating every facet of our lives. The novel is set in New York City, about thirty years from now, and exposes us to new technologies within a world a little further on than our current one. It’s a dash of science fiction, but ultimately the story is a good versus evil kind of thriller. It puts the reader on both sides of the ledger and might even have them ponder the ultimate question of riches or morals.

Back in ’99, I managed fifteen or twenty pages, and then put the story aside—not the first or last time I would do such a thing. I’ve jotted down pages and pages of notes about the premise and characters over the years, but never made the commitment to complete it. The story never left my mind though.

It’s falling into shape, with most of the structure set, the characters in place, and their motivations gaining believability. Things will change though, as they always do. None of my stories have ever finished in the same way as they started. With each corresponding draft I make more changes—fix plot holes, add characterization, improve dialogue. Sometimes I even get a better idea for a plot twist. I carry a Dictaphone with me when I drive to work so I can record ideas. Otherwise they pass through my mind like travellers, never to be heard from again.

Right now, I’m following each character’s storyline from beginning to end so I can align their thoughts, motivations and actions. I’m living in the detail of each scene, building the location, tacking more bits and pieces onto each character. This creates a lot of changes though—back and forth, cutting and pasting. It’s tedious stuff (and I’m allergic to that), but it improves the story immensely.

This is the way I work, starting with a bare bones draft and fleshing out the scenes and characters with every pass. I’ve tried other ways and I get lost; I’m terrible at thinking beyond one bit of information at a time (yes, I hear the ladies say, you’re a male!).

I can’t wait to see what readers think. It’s a bit different from post-apocalyptic zombies, but underlying the same things will exist: strong characters fighting to survive in a turbulent world against a terrifying enemy.

Escape, Invasion of the Dead, Book 3, is Here!

I’ll be honest, it got to the third week of October and I considered my chances of publishing this book before Christmas pretty slim. I hadn’t looked at the story for more than three weeks and it seemed my mojo had taken Christmas holidays early. Often, the only way to get out of this is to just sit down and write, which is exactly what I did.

And it worked. I slowly gathered momentum and worked out where the story was going and what the characters were doing.

When I picked it up again, the first draft was about 66,000 words, or 2/3 of the final count. I had most scenes, but they lacked detail and purpose. Characters had gone missing. The pace was jerky, and it didn’t feel anywhere near close to finished. There were some moments early on where I wondered how I would ever be able to turn it into a coherent story. It’s pretty daunting at that point, wondering whether you have the skill or the perseverance to make it all happen.

This is how I write. I bash out a first draft like its a 500 piece puzzle missing 300 of the pieces. I end up doing four or five edits of every story, adding, cutting, polishing, until I’m so sick of reading it that I don’t think I can add any more. Each read through and edit gets a little better.

I got there in the end and felt pretty good about not letting the people down who I’d told I would publish before Christmas. It’s not perfect, and I know when I look back at it in a couple of months there will be glaring holes, but for now, it’s the best I can do.