SIA Showcase for Readers and Writers discussion

Yeah, for roughly 80% of my life if anyone suggested I'd write novels I'd have laughed at them. Most of my friends would have laughed too. A more unwriterly-like person would be hard to imagine. At school I hated writing stories and essays. At university I studied mathematics and loved the fact that it involved no writing. My talents were all in the visual arts, until a scene crept into my mind that begged to be written rather than painted.

It was all downhill from there :)

I've always been an avid reader, though, and my heroes include Clarke, Asimov, Heinlein, Doc Smith, and Herbert. The latter probably has the largest influence on my writing. I love the idea of space travel and hi tech, but keep it firmly in the background, part of the furniture, taken for granted. The characters and their lives always come first.

Feel free to drop notes in the comments on art, fiction, technology and its effect of peoples lives, and food. There's always room for food.

Welcome. Isn't it funny how the mind works? I wish I could do the opposite and take a scene and create a picture with pen/pencil/paint.

Were your visual arts painting only, or did you delve into different mediums?

Hi Ian! Glad to see you set up a space here! Love the art you posted and I'm definitely interested in character driven sci-fi. :)

Hello Ian. Well as one who read one of your books, Tiamat's Nest, I can say I am glad you followed your heart and decided to give writing a chance.

A note on technology? It's hard to believe that it took thousands of years before mankind finally developed some kind of technology. Less than a hundred and fifty years ago humans were still using horses for transport and had no phones, much less cell phones or television or whatever is part of our every day life. I really wished I knew what triggered all these inventions.

Oh and I second Christina, love the art!

Great story, Ian!! Also I love food :)

Thomas wrote: "Were your visual arts painting only, or did you delve into different mediums?"

Painting - various water-based paints, I tried but didn't get along with oils. Plus pencil drawing and some pen & ink. All very traditional stuff. Never been one for emptying my garbage can onto the floor and calling it 'art' :)

Christina wrote: "Hi Ian! Glad to see you set up a space here! Love the art you posted and I'm definitely interested in character driven sci-fi"

Thanks! There's loads more on my website. I might post some examples here from time to time.

G.G. wrote: "It's hard to believe that it took thousands of years before mankind finally developed some kind of technology"

We tend to think of technology in terms of mechanization, steam, and electricity. When you think about it, though, technology has been around for thousands of years. It took technology to build things like the pyramids and Gothic cathedrals. The achievements back then were astounding and would challenge today's builders. The stunning thing about the last few decades is the exponential pace of change. It's like invention was on a slow simmer for thousands of years and has suddenly come to the boil. Scary stuff!

Marie Silk wrote: "Great story, Ian!! Also I love food :)"

For some reason, food always plays a big part in my stories. It's one of those details I pay attention to. Wonder what that says about me? :)

Welcome to the party, Mr Ian! Very cool story too!!

Hugs,
Ann

P.S. - Food is da bomb diggity ^_~

Ian wrote: " It took technology to build things like the pyramids and Gothic cathedrals...."

Well...that's why I believe we were visited by more intelligent beings back then and nowadays too, which would have sparked what started it all. :)

G.G. wrote: "Well...that's why I believe we were visited by more intelligent beings back then and nowadays too, which would have sparked what started it all"

I have to say, my beliefs lead me in a different direction. I see nothing to suggest humans had a helping hand with buildings like that. People five thousand years ago may not have had modern machinery but they were no less smart than we are today. I believe they had sufficient technology (wheels, pulleys, cranes, levers) plus the knowledge and tricks of the trade to make better use of it than we can imagine today. It's surprising how quickly knowledge like that gets lost once it's no longer needed.

Maybe but how to explain graffiti of men with what looks like space suits in caves?

How to explain that many of those things built in the pyramid times only actually looks like something viewed from outer space?

I'm not saying they were not intelligent and that pulleys and levers can't do the trick. After all there's a guy who proved he could move stuff weighing tons all by himself with the help of stones only I believe. So yeah, it's feasible.

G.G. wrote: "Maybe but how to explain graffiti of men with what looks like space suits in caves?

How to explain that many of those things built in the pyramid times only actually looks like something viewed fr..."

The graffiti could be their fiction. Like our movies which include monsters and such from our imagination. Lol, idk.

There were talks about that but they had to change their minds because the drawings were too accurate. Of course, people can create things that actually only come true many years later but geez.. back then they probably thought the Earth was flat and moved because it was on the back of huge elephants so...

G.G. wrote: "back then they probably thought the Earth was flat"

I think that's a popular misconception perpetuated by people's awareness of European history, especially the theological arguments about Earth's place in the cosmos and medieval explorers' fears about falling off the edge of the world. It's easy to forget that the ancient Greeks knew full well that the Earth was round. They calculated its circumference remarkably accurately, and even had a creditable stab at estimating the distance to the sun and the sun's diameter. This is a great example of how easily knowledge from one civilization can get forgotten by the next.

Ian wrote: "This is a great example of how easily knowledge from one civilization can get forgotten by the next..."

Or destroyed by religions. One or the other...or both.

G.G. wrote: "Or destroyed by religions. One or the other...or both."

True. However I would like to head this discussion off before it gets too far into beliefs and religion. That path can lead too easily to needless misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

To get back to technology, from our mechanized and computerized perspective it's easy to overlook that technology and advancement has been around for all of recorded history. We just tend to think of technology as referring to recent developments. I prefer to take a broader view.

For example, swords have been around since ancient times but most people simply think that a sword is a sword is a sword. In reality they show a steady progression in metallurgy, in design and manufacture, and in techniques of warfare. In its time, the Roman short sword was a technologically advanced, sophisticated weapon. Medieval castles show a similar progression. Sailing ships ditto. To me, that all counts as technology.

What's different in recent years is that technology, particularly computers, has started to be used directly to advance technology, resulting in an exponential feedback loop. Whereas the pace of change used to be measured in centuries, it's now measured in years, even months. This gives the impression that technology (or rather, our present day view of technology) has suddenly exploded onto the scene in the last few decades.

What's truly scary is that the rate of acceleration shows no signs of slackening off. Will we even recognize the world the next generation will grow up in?

Hi Ian!

I love learning about ancient technology. I used to daydream that if I went back in time to hunter gather how would I survive. I'm a naturalist in hobby and know a bit of those kind of skills. And if you look at cultures like ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, their technology is fascinating and something you could work with at home.

I still want to built a trebuchet.

Of course. I'm sorry to have brought it up. I get a bit hot headed when it comes to this kind of conversation. :P

Sure I agree that technology has many forms, be it from the first wheel to the first car. And of course, the more the technology advances the easier it is to advance it. If you take transportation for instance. The invention of the train helped build cities further and further. A small step maybe but when you think about it, sure the train evolved, but aside from those bullet ones, the old merchandise type hasn't changed much. AND it is still the most efficient way to bring heavy things from a place to another.

As for the next generation, well...they might just not use cars much anymore. They may travel a la Startreck and use teleportation. Scientists are already making progress on it. It's not science fiction anymore.

Nat wrote: "Hi Ian!

I love learning about ancient technology. I used to daydream that if I went back in time to hunter gather how would I survive. I'm a naturalist in hobby and know a bit of those kind of ski..."

This is why I like to occasionally dip into some well-researched historical fiction, to get a sense of how it felt to live in another time. Christian Jacq's Ramses books are a great example.

A trebuchet would be cool to build!

G.G. wrote: "Of course. I'm sorry to have brought it up. I get a bit hot headed when it comes to this kind of conversation. :P"

Hey! Nothing to apologize for! I can sense the depth of conviction and I respect that. Just don't want to end up on a collision course :)

OK, new topic! Food! Anyone have any festive treats to share, or any seasonal traditions in your households?

We love the traditional turkey dinner, but are always on the lookout for different and tasty ways to do the vegetables. For example, a staple must-have for us is sprouts (done nice and crisp, not mushy) but tossed with fried mushrooms and almonds.

Did somebody say food???

I'm trying not to overdo it this year, but both my husband and I come from an Italian background, and since his family will be in town, we will be hosting and old fashioned Christmas Eve with stuffed shells, sauce that will simmer all day the day before, a giant salad, and so many different Christmas cookies including my favorite, lemon anise cookies.

I usually stir fry shredded sprouts with onion and bacon.

Roast parsnips with Parmesan and a touch of maple syrup.

Roast cauliflower with cumin and olive oil.

Always put stewed cranberries in the gravy.

See. I'm a traditionalist at heart!

Christina, seems like a lot of European countries make a much bigger deal of Christmas Eve than we do. Sounds delicious.

Jane, we have a favorite parsnip dish too. We blanch them first, then pop them in the oven in a dish, coated with a mixture of horseradish sauce and cream, and sprinkled with Parmesan. Hmmm ... maple syrup? Sounds interesting.

Ian wrote: "Christina, seems like a lot of European countries make a much bigger deal of Christmas Eve than we do. Sounds delicious.

Jane, we have a favorite parsnip dish too. We blanch them first, then pop t..."

My mum used to make a mixed root veg mash with cream and horseradish. Then put it in an ovenproof dish with grated cheese on top and roast till it got brown and crispy....

Growing up, Christmas Eve was the huge extended family event that began with dinner after the evening mass and ended with wine-drunk uncle's stumbling off to midnight mass.

Christmas day was always immediate family and then visits to grandparents, so we were usually too beat to do anything but lie around eating candy Christmas evening. :)

I hope everyone had a safe and joyful Christmas. Ours was quiet, with just the four of us on this continent. We Skyped our respective families across the pond while pottering around the kitchen preparing food.

Now on to business :) I'm looking for a small number of beta readers for my current novel - a far-future sci-fi adventure. I’m looking for people who can provide honest opinions and suggestions on things like plot, structure, and characters - in other words, how does this hang together as a story? Is it a compelling read, and if not, what’s missing?

If you are interested, please drop me a note either in this thread or message me. Please give me an idea of when you think you could finish by, and also what I could do for you in return (e.g. a read of your novel).

This month I've been busy drafting a couple of concept sketches for a book cover for my current WIP. I would be interested to hear thoughts about one or another designs: Cover art

Well, first of all, if this is your rough sketches, I'm beyond jealous.

As for how they look:
The first one to me seems to fit the title. I see people and a ship and I think they are leaving something behind. Nice, but conveys a slow migration.

Second one is the most "action" cover. An exploding ship tells me this is going to be fast paced and exciting. Kind of the opposite feel I get from the first.

The third appeals to me. It screams adventure, new beginnings, and outside of Hoth, we rarely see snowy alien landscapes. I like it.

oh boy.. yeah I am jealous too! hehe

The first one tells me sci fi, but not much else. Are they arriving to a new planet or leaving it? Or maybe both? So aside from Sci fi and surely in a distant future, I don't get much out of that one.

Second says scifi, action, space travel. I was going to say military because the ship has been destroyed but it feels more like a natural event, so maybe not military after all but definitely space travel and the risk accompanying it.

Third one I am not sure if what's in the back is a spaceship or a building, but either way it says scifi. and future. The people are leaving it. It seems windy. It tells me they might be going into the unknown, so adventure. At first I thought of winter, like Christina, but because of the title I am wondering if it is ashes and not actually snow, either way, I am intrigued.

Personally I always prefer a story that happens on a planet than in space (not that I don't like space, it's just a preference) so I would be more likely to pick up the third then the second.

Hope this helps a bit...if not it was still fun analyzing them. :P

Christina, you got very similar thoughts to my own.

G.G. despite the title, that is actually snow :)

The problem I'm tussling with is thinking too much like an artist. #1 and then #3 would be my picks to turn into a full-sized painting, but #2 probably makes the better book cover. *Sigh*

#1's okay, but I'm not as big a fan of the composition (The ship design's pretty cool though.) I'd say #2 and #3 definitely make for better book covers; guess it depends if you want to get across a more action-y, in which case I'd say #2, or something more atmospheric, in which case go with #3

I wanted to stop in and say that I love reading your comments on things, Ian, particularly your common sense views regarding technology and its development. Very, very awesome!

T.R. wrote: "I'd say #2 and #3 definitely make for better book covers; guess it depends if you want to get across a more action-y, in which case I'd say #2, or something more atmospheric, in which case go with #3

There seems to be a strong consensus over #2 here. Action is probably the element I'll want to pick out.

Rohvannyn wrote: "I wanted to stop in and say that I love reading your comments on things, Ian, particularly your common sense views regarding technology and its development. Very, very awesome!"

Thank you! I often think our modern technology tends to blind us to human problem-solving ingenuity in its raw form.

Wow! Those are great sketches!
Impressed!

Wow, I've been out of circulation for ages. What happened to 2017?

Hope everone's been keeping well through this topsy-turvy year. Just crawled out of my shell to say I've just dropped the prices of Ghosts of Innocence and Tiamat's Nest from $3.99 to $0.99 for the rest of this month. Might take a day or two for the new price to get applied ...

The sequel to my first novel is now out there in the Great Online...



For those of you who followed the "Cover art" conversation early last year, you'll see I did go with #2 for the action in the end. I might still turn one or both of the other sketches into full-sized art one day, though. Yeah ... maybe when I'm retired :)

Congrats, Ian! :)

Every once in a while I remember to try and keep this little thread up to date.

Quick announcement - all my ebooks are on sale at $0.99 across all outlets for the months of December and January.

And I see I haven't posted an update since publishing The Ashes of Home. Since then, I've been beavering away drafting a new WIP. At this point I reckon I'm roughly at the 2/3 mark in terms of raw word count, but of course there's a whole heckuva lot of feedback and editing to do after that.

Hope everyone's keeping well and ready for the holidays, in whatever form you celebrate them.

So much has happened since I last posted here. Trying to forget all about 2020 and the turmoil it brought on so many fronts. And right now my thoughts are with folks down in Texas still without power. You guys are just not equipped for the cold, and some of the stories coming out are heartbreaking. Here's hoping things get turned around soon.