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Beta, Schmeta — John Dyer Writes

The other day, I uploaded manuscript files to Amazon so I could order printed proofs of Elbert in paperback format. Whilst so engaged, Amazon invited me to make the eBook available for pre-order, and I thought, “Why not?” I set a publication date of October 3. This gives me seven weeks to obtain feedback from friends who declined to read on their tablet computers, but swore they would if I supplied printed books.

Most likely, nobody will read the book. October 3 will arrive and I still won’t know what shape it’s in.

Unless …

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Computerfied

My Dell XPS 8700 is seventeen years old. Anyone else would have given up on it, but I nursed it along, and it sufficed until the release of Unreal Engine 5. You see, I need UE5. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to use it effectively, but right now I gotta have it.

Prophetically, the old girl gave me a goodbye wave during the cutover procedure – a disk drive failed to mount. The backup was three weeks old. I did a restart. The drive mounted. I pumped it. Crisis averted.

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Talent Search – Modelers & Animators

Update — Mission accomplished!

Trial animations have been delivered, a UE5 project package is on its way.

Ghosts of Ancient Vidura is in edit, so it’s time to plan for cover art. This might be a good student project, or something a hobbyist might try. Here’s the spec.

Project specifications — Loyal House Model & Animation

Abstract

Create a 3D model of the object Loyal House, a flying house described in the novel Ghosts of Ancient Vidura.

Create an animated clip of the object navigating through a scene.

Create a still image from the scene for use as a book cover.

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Primed!

I re-enrolled my books in the Kindle Select program. Jump in with your Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscription and read them for free!

Find my titles on Amazon here!

I get paid by the page. So, you know, hang in there.

In other news, I wrote the final chapter for Habit of Providence just this week. The first book in the AjJivadi series, Elbert, is up for a third editing pass, then I’ll edit Habit again. Look for new books in July.

Metaphysical-ish

A teaser from 'A Habit of Providence'. the current novel-in-edit.

The Anodyne Virtuality

Aswang the errant fighting drone had made a preliminary reconnaissance pass at the Pacific Pride gas station in Mount Angel, capturing enough data to assemble a VR scene in Anodyne Workbench, through which one could meander if implanted with a neural interface.

The drone had a sense of smell, recording the aromas of diesel fuel and Double Bubble in a vicinity where the pickup truck’s rear bumper faded from sharp to fuzzy, a result of spotty image coverage. Pam was disappointed. “The convenience store is in focus from where I’m standing, but the truck drops into low-res at knee-height in back. I can’t read the license plate.”

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Washed out!

The dishwasher in our (rented) winter home quit working. We have a long relationship with the owner, and part of the value proposition is that I fix things.

So, I decided to fix the dishwasher. Off we go to YouTube and other informative sources, where I learned the problem could be as simple as a broken wash impeller. It’s right under the wash arm. The repair video makes it look like no big deal. The dishwasher is perhaps forty-years old, although since it’s installed in a vacation home, it probably has less than eight years worth of use on it.

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Fur from the truth.

This morning, I finished formatting the Elbert manuscript for print. It’s a third draft — in good shape, I think, but it will be pre-publication readers who determine if I need to do anything else to it.

I’m working on the back cover text … So far, it says …

In 1928 South Dakota, a furry, foxlike woman tells Doctor Elbert Harrison an extraordinary secret — Sasquatch are from outer space. Their aim is commerce. They’re not here to make trouble.

An elderly veteran of the American Civil War, Elbert expected soon to meet his Creator — only to find out the furry folk have a cure for aging. Emigration to the planet Jivada promises renewed life, an unforeseen windfall of family.

Regrettably, the Anye colony world has problems. When Elbert lends his voice to political debate, an opposing faction replies with violence. If he keeps sticking his head up, it’s liable to get knocked off.

It won’t matter. Elbert’s not the kind of man to run from a fight.

I started the book on April 4, 2020.

It’s now two books. The second book is provisionally entitled, ‘A Habit of Providence’.

This manuscript is 87,239 words.

The ‘excised’ document which contains all material deleted from this volume is 54,811 words.

Pre-publication readers are invited. Reviews are especially welcome. Please post a comment below if you’re willing to participate.

Gothic Space Opera

1928. Flying from Jivada to Earth. See the featured image to learn what the spaceship looks like.

Loyal House — In transit

Elbert raised the shutter on a window next to the front door, peering across a floodlit lawn into the infinite void of N-Space — shapeless, featureless, blacker than night, held off at the fence line by Saraf Drive emitter arrays, arching over the house like a sea monster’s ribcage, pylons engulfed in swirling webs of blue fire.

The house Oma recited a passage from the owner’s guide. “Depending on the intensity of exterior illumination, passengers may witness, at the envelope boundary, an effect of near-field spatial distortion acting upon available light, compressing wavelengths toward the violet end of the spectrum.”

Roman said, “In other words, the pylons aren’t shielded.”

“I’m sure it’s dangerous to get near them.” Elbert lowered his voice. “But how far away is far enough?”

“Are you thinking about going out there?”

“We’re not leaking atmosphere.” Elbert put his chin against Armor Glaze, craning his neck. “It’s quite a spectacle.”

They went four steps down from the top of the front stoop, just enough to look past the overhang. The air was dead still, the grounds deafeningly silent, every feature outlined in sharp contrast, individual blades of grass throwing deep shadows into turf.

Francine stepped across the threshold; voice dampened by ambient phase cancellation. “What’s it like.”

“Spooky as hell.” He nudged Elbert. “You’re a brave man, Doc.”

“For about a minute, anyway.” Elbert took his elbow. “Let’s go back in.”

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