It's that time of year again. That's right, it's time for another Sci-Fi Book Blast. Over 90 authors are offering over 100 free Sci-Fi books in this promotion on Nov 14 and 15, 2024. Yes, two days, over 100 amazing free Sci-Fi books, including my story, Smuggler's Valor!
Travel to this site and check out the books available and take a gander at the video one of the other authors created:
Hello everyone! I have a new group of author interviews for the launch of The Expanding Universe Volume 10: A Science Fiction Exploration, a great anthology filled with stories from twenty different authors. It includes my new story, Titan’s Hell: A Black Watch Regiment Story and releases Monday, September 9, 2024 in Kindle and paperback formats.
Joining me today is JA Mortimore, one of the terrific authors from this anthology. She is a space opera/fantasy author with many of her stories offering a romance element. She lives in Gloucestershire, UK and like me, she is a cat parent. Her new story, YGINDA, is part of this anthology. Set in her UNCHARTED series universe, it is a fantastic story.
Let’s get started with the interview:
T.D. Wilson: In a few paragraphs, describe your writing journey and how many stories/books you have written.
JA Mortimore: I was ‘writing’ adventures for my dolls before I could actually write, and once I learned how, I progressed to writing fan-fiction. This was in the days BEFORE the internet. I was involved with several unofficial fan clubs. We used stencils and duplicators to produce our zines to sell at conventions, long before ‘self publishing’ was a thing! I continued to scribble fanfic for many years.
In the late ‘90s I turned my attention to writing my own fiction, just as a hobby, and accumulated a lot of unfinished stories. When I retired, I decided it was time to actually finish and even publish some of the many manuscripts cluttering up my shelves.
I currently have short stories in two anthologies – TEU 10, and The Rebel Diaries Anthology. I have five books of my six-book UNCHARTED series available from Amazon KU, and two fantasy novels written with Penelope Hill, The Vanished Mage, and The Harlequin: the Draper’s Reel (launched at the SF Worldcon in Glasgow earlier this year). There is an introductory novella to the UNCHARTED series available at my website, jamortimore.com.
T.D. Wilson: Can you provide a brief summary of your story, YGINDA in The Expanding Universe Volume 10?
JA Mortimore: The cover image fitted my UNCHARTED universe so well I couldn’t resist submitting to this anthology. My Interstellar Union of Planets is linked by ‘substreams’ accessed through gateways. In this story, set in a different part of the universe to the series, an independent trader’s attempt to rescue a stranded pilot goes very wrong. It’s first person, whereas the series is third person. I couldn’t resist including a cat in this story.
T.D. Wilson: In addition to TEU10, do you have any new releases this year? What are they and what inspired them?
JA Mortimore: Book four of the UNCHARTED series was released in February this year, and book five in May. I’m currently working on the final edit for book six, which concludes the first ‘season’. I should add that I am not this fast a writer – I have a manuscript backlog!
T.D. Wilson: Do you enjoy writing novel length or short fiction?
JA Mortimore: I much prefer novels.
T.D. Wilson: Why?
JA Mortimore: Short stories actually take me a lot longer as every word needs to count. Novels I can start on page one and write until the end before worrying about editing. My normal length for novels is around 76,000 – so I’m not writing door stops.
T.D. Wilson: Do you have any unusual writing habits?
JA Mortimore: I work best in a silent environment as I’m easily distracted! So no playlist for me. I am a ‘pantser’, but need time to intellect before setting pen to paper on the setting and characters for the next book. I am a consistent NANOWRIMO winner, but occasionally write a book at another time of year if I’m inspired.
T.D. Wilson: What authors, or books have influenced you?
JA Mortimore: Although I’ve read thousands of books, my main writing influence is probably 1980s TV SF – think original Star Trek, and original Battlestar Galactica.
T.D. Wilson: What are you working on now?
JA Mortimore: I’m editing book six – the final book of season one of the UNCHARTED series. Although I no longer support NANOWRIMO, I'll still be writing a novel at the end of this year, and I'm intellecting on that now. It's going to involve archaeologists.
T.D. Wilson: What are you reading now?
JA Mortimore: Non-fiction: The Antidote to Overwhelm: Becca Syme
Fiction: Three Men in Orbit: Sandra Bond.
T.D. Wilson: You write a lot of Space Opera. What elements do you believe are the most important for a writer in that genre?
JA Mortimore: Space Opera is a wide genre. It covers everything from light character-driven stories to heavy-on-the-tech fiction. Both military and adventure come under this broad umbrella.
T.D. Wilson: What do readers look for in Space Opera?
JA Mortimore: Some space opera includes romance, which some readers are looking for and others aren’t (although it’s hard to find an SF book that doesn’t have a romance in it somewhere, even if it’s very low key and background!) I think the majority of readers are looking for a good story that feels original, with likeable characters and a satisfying ending – but that’s true of all fiction.
T.D. Wilson: What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?
JA Mortimore: You can’t edit a blank page.
T.D. Wilson: What hobbies or activities do you enjoy when you’re not writing?
JA Mortimore: Reading and walking.
Sometimes both at the same time.
T.D. Wilson: Lastly, imagine you’re going to be stranded on a desert island and you’re allowed 3-4 books to take with you. What would they be?
JA Mortimore: On the non-fiction side, Making Myths and Magic by Shelly Campbell and Allison Alexander. It has so much in it! (Can I also have an unlimited supply of paper and pens, please?)
Non-fiction … I guess Victoria Goddard’s Hands of the Emperor, which I praised on a recent podcast which can be found here: https://beyondcataclysm.co.uk/podcast/the-hands-of-the-emperor-with-judith-mortimore/
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (hopefully asking for a trilogy isn’t cheating!) so I can read my favorite bits.
Finally, Alfred
Bester’s Demolished Man. I’ve
always loved this book, and was thrilled to discover it won the first ever Hugo
for a novel in 1953, coincidentally … brace yourself … the year I was born.
That’s all we have
time for today and I want to thank JA Mortimore for her time to give her
insights on writing and current/future projects. Remember, The Expanding Universe Volume 10: A Science
Fiction Exploration releases Monday September 9, 2024. Get your copy now and be ready for tsunami of
fantastic science fiction stories. Don’t
forget to check out JA Mortimore’s website, jamortimore.com and all her works, especially her UNCHARTED
series.
Advanced Review Copies are now available for Smuggler's Love, the third installment in award-winning Reese Daniels Smuggler series. Please leave reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub, your blog, or other social media. You can obtain an ARC at Book Sirens.
You can also request an ARC from me at tdwilson@tdwilsonbooks.com
Smuggler's Love, the 3rd book in the award-winning Reese Daniels Smuggler series, is now available for pre-order. It will be released on Amazon for Kindle and for Kindle Unlimited on September 23, 2024.
Smuggler's Love picks up three months after the events of Smuggler's Guilt, covering much of Reese and Irina Almora's growing relationships, Reese's friends and enemies, and a whole lot of trouble.
Love and smuggling are a bad mix, like an unstable explosive.
Relationships and smuggling are tricky business, and for Reese Daniels tricky is a steep slope to disaster.
Enter Irina Almora, niece to mobster Gideon Almora, the same man Reese helped bring down a few months ago. While on a simple delivery to Mars, Reese and Irina become the targets of assassins, security, and other unsavory types who want Irina for who she is and what she knows.
Short on friends and his enemies list growing, Reese must navigate a tangled web of intrigue and ruthless gangsters to keep them both alive.
This year's volume of The Expanding Universe short story collection will be released on September 9, 2024 and I am proud to announce that I will be a part of it. My new story, Titan's Hell: A Blackwatch Regiment Story, will be included in this volume.
Titan's Hell focuses on the first mission of Bravo Company, part of the newly formed Blackwatch Regiment of the EDF Marines. The company is commanded by Lt. Arlen McGregor, fresh of his graduation as a officer following his cadet platoon's rescue from Ariel during the alien attack featured in Smuggler's Valor. McGregor and his friend, Garrett Michaels, are put in charge of two platoons of the company and dispatched to secure a facility on Saturn's moon Titan.
Explore the universe… with the 10th Volume of The Expanding Universe, a short-story collection to pique your interest and sharpen your mind.
“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” Arthur C Clarke penned those words, and they stand true to this day. Do we want to be alone? Leave it to science fiction authors to address that question in equal measure.
Aliens can be peaceful or not. Who will emerge as the superior strain of intelligence? Humanity may be new to the game, but they aren’t new to conflict.
Fantastic races vying for dominance. A microcosm of the greater good.
Battles fought for higher ideals. Battles fought just to survive.
War doesn’t care about human or alien. The soldiers fight, and they fight hard, as if their lives depend on it. Because they do.
More than 160,000 words of never-a-dull-moment Sci-Fi entertainment!
Join new friends as you immerse yourself in high-tech worlds scattered across the stars. Seize your copy of The Expanding Universe Volume 10 today!
Available on Amazon in Print, Ebook, and Kindle Unlimited on September 9, 2024.
The Expanding Universe is edited and compiled by Craig Martelle, author of numerous books from Military Sci-fi/Space Opera to Mystery/Thrillers. His series include Battleship: Leviathan and Spaceship Lost.
Check out this line up of authors and stories:
Extinguishing the Stars by G. S. Jennsen
To save his people from an alien threat, one man must face the demons of his past.
Hard Fall by Andrew P. McGregor
As if reaching for the stars weren’t hard enough; the Assessors have chosen to test us.
Echoes of Exolife by J.C. Gemmell
Johanna Thorne seeks the truth behind the demise of every alien civilization. Humanity will never accept what she discovers.
Confluence of Destinies by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
Before the stars aligned, their destinies were already written.
When the Devil Drives by Mark Henwick
For any merchanter, safe options are few in the depths of the lawless Frontier. Very few. And as a female, solo merchanter being hunted by the violent criminals that she's tricked, Samsara has none.
Hope Blooms by Peter J. Foote
When Liam and Rosario get blackmailed to explore the Jupiter interstellar gate, they discover something that could upset the balance of power in Sol system.
The Plumber by Steve Ruskin
Ancient pipes. A ruptured alliance. Can one man fix them both, or is the damage beyond repair?
Elysium Burning by J. Rawlinson
Quinn builds the deadliest mech ever known, then witnesses its theft. Will he kiss his retirement goodbye and do the right thing?
Honey of the Hive by Nicholas Licalsi
Admiral Galderman rescued Delilah and the other refugees from the hive, but is he ready for the swarm that follows?
Yginda by J A Mortimore
The Yginda system holds secrets and danger for the crew of the Guppy.
Loneliness by Jay Veloso Batista
Facing both work and interpersonal pressures, a solitary exobiologist evaluates an important specimen critical to the success of their interstellar mission, but is it more than it seems?
The Cold Spot by Robert G. Williscroft
Just what is The Fine Structure Constant, anyway?
The Little Ship of Horrors by A.C. Williams
Rongo and his mercenary crew are always looking to make a quick buck, and harvesting the rare Crimson Sundew from a newly discovered world sounds like easy money. But when their old ship malfunctions enroute to deliver their pilfered plant-based cargo, will they be able to regain control before they crash?
The Spear of the Unchosen by John W. McIntire
When a team of Marines faces their greatest threat yet, they must rely on their skills and each other to survive.
Remora Reward by Lawrence M. Schoen
The greatest mass murderer in the galaxy returns home. The whales want a word with him.
Titan’s Hell: A Black Watch Regiment Story by T.D. Wilson
Fighting a losing war against an alien menace may be hell, but for the Black Watch Regiment, it was only the beginning of their problems.
Six Degrees by C.M. Simpson
Space rabbits, pirates, and a lost colony going to war for the first time.
First: Do No Harm by Jerry Shepard
Would you sacrifice one life, to save millions?
Relic by Alastair Mayer
What you find may not be what you were looking for, but it might get you there. A T-Space story.
Mossberg by Craig Martelle
What does a hero look like?
I am truly blessed to be a part of this terrific anthology. Pick up a copy and check out these great stories. Remember to leave reviews. The stories of the Black Watch Regiment will continue and I hope have them be part of the The Expanding Universe again.
What's better than one free sci-fi book? How about over 100 from some amazing authors including my own Smuggler's Valor? Check out this 2 day promo and load up for the Spring!
https://www.cgockelwrites.com/sci-fi-book-blast/
Nebula Award Nominations conclude at the end of February. Smuggler's Valor has been on the suggested reading list for months and I am hopeful I will get some nods. Not sure if I get enough to make the finalist, but a snowball now can start and avalanche.
Here is a brief excerpt from my award-winning novelette, Smuggler's Valor.
Praying the battle offered a lasting distraction; I secured my gear and broke cover. After a deep breath, oxygen filled my lungs, and I started my run. It was more a series of long-distance hops than an actual sprint. With each landing, my speed increased; the jumps propelled me faster and I covered more ground.
After a half kilometer, I checked my optics. The dome’s main airlock lay ahead. My ears thumped and chest shuddered as my heart pounded from the exertion.
It’s not much farther. You can make it.
On my next leap, I discovered my second wind, ignoring the pain in my labored lungs. Determination drove me on. Home was where I needed to go, back to Gracie. I jumped again, but on the landing my footing failed, and I slipped on a patch of ice.
Trepidation roused, but I refused it, my microgravity training kicking in. With a quick adjustment, I reoriented. My padded knees skipped on the ground, dug in on the second touch and I skidded to a stop. No decompression alarm sounded; my suit’s HUD displayed full integrity. I sighed, long and slow. Relief washed over me like a comforting wave. That’s when the colony’s airlock exploded.
My award-winning story, Smuggler's Valor, now has a book trailer! My audiobook narrator, Anthony LeRoy Lovato, reprises Reese Daniels' voice for this trailer. Be sure to check out the audiobook version as well!
Smuggler's Valor is also on the Nebula Award Suggested Reading list and is in the running to be a finalist!
Here is the trailer!
