“ I find many time travel stories are overly concerned with paradoxes. I tune out whenever there are long explanations of things [...]]]>

And here is another great review of TimeSplash, this time from the marvellous Chris at Nerfreader. (You just know that a blog called Nerfreader is going to be good, don’t you?) Here’s an excerpt:

“ I find many time travel stories are overly concerned with paradoxes. I tune out whenever there are long explanations of things that might go wrong. I prefer characters to test their theories or just say “I don’t know” get to their task in the past. In Timesplash, the time travelers have no idea how time travel works, and they don’t care.”

The reviewer liked the protagonist, Sandra, too – and any friend of Sandra’s is a friend of mine.

In other TimeSplash news, the print edition of TimeSplash from eMergent Publishing has slipped to “after Christmas” now, so expect it some time in Q1 2012. The design and layout have been completed though and I’ve got to say the interior of the book looks great. Still some work to do on the cover and then the focus will all be on publicity and marketing plans. It’s been a long road, but the end is in sight.

Meanwhile, the audiobook is available from Iambik Audiobooks. And, when it comes to audiobooks, as Nerfreader says, “Why anyone would wash the dishes without one is beyond me.”

I would recommend Timesplash to anyone in the mood for a fast paced adventure thriller. [...]]]>

Just when I thought all my Christmas pressies had arrived, I find there is one more. Australian writer Graham Clements has done a review of TimeSplash on his blog. Please pop over there and have a look. To quote:

I would recommend Timesplash to anyone in the mood for a fast paced adventure thriller. I reckon you don’t have to be into science fiction, like I am, to enjoy it.

Isn’t that great? I’ve heard this before from people – TimeSplash might just as well have been described as a thriller, or a techno-thriller, as science fiction. Since most of the action takes place in a near future that isn’t wildly different from today, there may be something to it. In an age when sci-fi is rapidly declining as a genre and thrillers are still increasing in popularity, such genre distinctions can make a lot of difference to the marketing of a book.

In case you haven’t read it yet, and in honour of Graham’s review, let me just remind you that my action-packed thriller, TimeSplash,  is available throughout the holiday season at a hugely discounted price if you buy it direct from the publisher. So grab it now, even if you mean to keep it for later.

I hope you’re all having a great holiday, reading some great books, and keeping safe.

As well as interviewing the likes of me, Mike also runs a [...]]]>

Interviewed today by the multi-award-winning author of the Child Finder trilogy, Mike Angley, on his eponymous website. If you’re after a little more behind-the-scenes revelation, you’re in luck. I get to talk about TimeSplash villain, Sniper, and the novel’s gutsy  heroine, Sandra.

As well as interviewing the likes of me, Mike also runs a number of craft pieces on his blog so it is well worth the effort of browsing around a little once you get there. Sadly the interview was finalised before my Big Bad Media contract was announced, so you’ll just have to keep coming back here for news of the print and audiobook editions of TimeSplash.

G’day TimeSplashers. Just wanted to let you all know that today I find myself the “Author in the Zone” over at Noel Farrell’s blog, The Writing Life. As you can imagine, TimeSplash gets one or two mentions. Of particular interest might be the discussion of the complicated [...]]]>

So close you can taste it

G’day TimeSplashers. Just wanted to let you all know that today I find myself the “Author in the Zone” over at Noel Farrell’s blog, The Writing Life. As you can imagine, TimeSplash gets one or two mentions. Of particular interest might be the discussion of the complicated route to publication that this book has taken. Why not nip over there and have a look?

Oh, and by the way, while you’re browsing, I did a major revision of TimeSplash.co.uk the TimeSplash website recently. You might want to have a look at that too and let me know what you think.

And what’s that exciting image on the left? I hear you ask. None other than a sneak peak at the cover art for the audiobook edition of TimeSplash. I will let you know as soon as I have a firm publication date. If you want to be notified directly, you should register for Big Bad Media’s Newsletter.

After just six months as an ebook from Lyrical Press, TimeSplash has been picked up by publishing house Big Bad Media and will soon be appearing in Print and as an Audiobook.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about the deal I have just signed [...]]]>

A new logo on the spine.

After just six months as an ebook from Lyrical Press, TimeSplash has been picked up by publishing house Big Bad Media and will soon be appearing in Print and as an Audiobook.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about the deal I have just signed with Big Bad Media. This is a new and very energetic multimedia publishing house, based in Denmark and run by ex-pat Brit, Greg McQueen. (You may well know them for their amazing success with 100 Stories for Haiti, which is still helping to raise money for that devastated country.) Greg is a big fan of techno-thrillers and his enthusiasm for TimeSplash is both gratifying and energizing.

I have been working with the amazingly talented YA author, Emma Newman, to record the audiobook for a couple of months now and I’m pretty sure you’ll like the result. Emma’s podcasts of her own novel “Twenty Years Later” gathered a huge following on her blog Post Apocalyptic Publishing – not just because it is a great book (which it is), but because of Emma’s unique voice – and I am extremely lucky that she was keen to record TimeSplash. If you’ve read TimeSplash already, you’ll know what I mean when I say she gives just the right tone of vulnerability and toughness to Sandra’s character.

The audiobook should be available in just a few weeks as an iPad/iPhone app (with lots of added extras) and shortly after that it will be available through Audible.com and other leading online retailers. I just can’t wait to hear what you all think of it! Before then, though, Big Bad Media will make a pre-release version available. This will happen in the next day or two. If you are considering buying the audiobook of TimeSplash, you might want to grab the pre-release as it will be significantly cheaper than the full release when it arrives. We’re rushing this out partly because we just can’t wait to get it out there, partly so that it will be ready in time for WorldCon next week, and partly because we know people love a bargain.

The print version of TimeSplash should be out before Christmas. So start making a list of all the people who would like to receive a copy from Santa

One really special thing about this for me is that my daughter, Becky, who is a graphic designer (among many other things,) had already done a design for a TimeSplash cover, and when I showed it to Big Bad Media, they liked her work so much they asked her to do both the print and audiobook versions (as well as a couple of other books they are about to publish!) I’m going to be so proud of my book for so many reasons.

Lyrical Press will continue to publish the ebook edition, so if you were planning to feed your Kindle, don’t worry, it is still available.

You can probably tell what a big deal this is for me. Being in print and audio means TimeSplash has access to between ten and thirty times the audience that it has had as an ebook (depending on whose figures you believe). That means a lot more people will read it and that, at the end of the day, is what writing it was all about.

I’ll keep you posted when the pre-release is available and then when each of the new editions arrives in the shops.

The amazing thing about Ms Harte’s review is her summary of the book. It is far better than any that I have written and better than the one my publisher is using. If [...]]]>

And, hot on the heels of the review by Booktaste, this wonderful review of TimeSplash by A. M. Harte at Quillsandzebras.

The amazing thing about Ms Harte’s review is her summary of the book. It is far better than any that I have written and better than the one my publisher is using. If only she could bottle that skill, there are a million writers out there struggling with synopses who would pay large sums to acquire it.

Well, actually, even more amazing – or, at least, gratifying – is how well she speaks of the book Just listen to this:

Set in the near-future, the novel is action-packed, full of political intrigue and a sprinkling of romance. Look out — science fiction is far from dead!

I think I’m going to grin broadly all day.

And, don’t forget, while you’re over at Quillsandzebras, to have a look around the blog – lots of book reviews, author interviews, events, links, and more – and the quality is excellent.