Category Archives: Science Fiction

Social Media

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When I came close to finishing my sci-fi trilogy (The Eeks Trilogy) all the experts said, “You must start a blog. People will read your blog and then they will want to buy your books.”  So I did.  So far it has not attracted enough interest to crash the servers.

Then when I decided to self-publish The Eeks Trilogy in the form of e-books, available through the big online retailers, the experts said, “The key to self-publication is clever use of social media.”  So I hired a social media consultant to set up Twitter and Facebook accounts and feed interesting titbits daily to the world, whipping up a frenzy of fascination.

It’s early days, I know, and as Mrs SG keeps reminding me.  But ‘Eeks‘ has been available FREE for 13 days and the download tally is only 104.  Did J K Rowling have to wait this long for overnight success?!

The Eeks Trilogy

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I’ve mentioned before that I was writing a science fiction trilogy.  Well, I’ve finished.  More than that, it’s uploaded and for sale!  The first book is called ‘Eeks’ and until the end of 2015 it’s FREE!!  The 2nd and 3rd books (‘Speeks’ and ‘Squidgies’) are priced at US$2.99.  You can find them all at Smashwords.  Just click on these links:

Book 1 – Eeks

Book 2 – Speeks

Book 3 – Squidgies

All three book are also available (or will very soon) at Apple iBooks, Barnes&Noble, Diesel eBook Store, Kobo, Scribd, Sony and WHSmith.  Amazon won’t retail free books, so will have to wait until 1 January when the price of ‘Eeks’ goes up to an absurdly low US$0.99.

The books are available only as e-books.  I hope that if sales soar one of the old-style publishers will want to put them into print.  And I’m open to offers for the film rights right now.

By the way, if you’re thinking of writing a book and you’re willing to self-publish it in electronic form, I recommend Smashwords.  Their website is… well, it’s the way all websites should be.  And when I had a problem, my written Help! message was answered by email within hours!

The Martian

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Last weekend Mrs SG and I went to see a new file: ‘The Martian’, starring Matt Damon. If you haven’t seen it yet, please do.  It’s about an astronaut who’s left for dead on Mars but is in fact alive.  I won’t say any more.

People who should know say that the science in the film (and in the original book) is very accurate. That’s not to say that everything on-screen is probable, but at least it’s possible.  A critic pointed out that the film is remarkable for two absences – there’s no romance and there’s no villain.

While we’re on the subject of science fiction I will take the opportunity to plug my own opus, which will be available as an e-book as soon as the proof-reading and formatting are finished. It’s the Eeks Trilogy and the first book is called ‘Eeks’.  Please look out for it at your favourite e-book retailer’s website.

42

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Few numbers have achieved the fame of this one. Thanks to Douglas Adams and his brilliant Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, we know that 42 is the answer to the question of Life the Universe and Everything.

This happens to be my 42nd post. I am too modest to suggest that my posts do more than scratch the surface of that question, but regular readers may disagree.

Note:  The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy started life as a BBC radio serial, then became a series of books, a TV serial and a film.