Chris’s Comments (group member since Nov 04, 2015)

Chris’s comments from the Science Fiction Microstory Contest group.

Paula wrote: "Chris, you note "I've run across a few resources that have compiled some reviews on some of the publishing companies [so as to avoid the more sketchy companies]"; would you be willing to share link..."

Paula, I some of the things I've read are found on writing.com, published by others with experience in self-publishing. An example is this article here:

https://www.writing.com/main/books/ac...

Unfortunately, one of the better links I had, not from writing.com, was a list of reviews of dozens of self publishing companies, but it seems to be down or is not directing like it should. Sorry.

I've also checked general online reviews and have read a few things from the Alliance of Independent Authors, here:

https://selfpublishingadvice.org/about/

There is also some good information from Bowker Publishing Services, here:

https://www.myidentifiers.com/?gad_so...

Thanks for the advice as well.

Jack wrote: "Chris, to convert your manuscript (MS Word) to epub and Kindle (.mobi and aws3) the best way is to use a free software program called Calibre (https://calibre-ebook.com/download). I have created do..."

Thanks, Jack. That's a great help! Still muddling through the process, but working my way in that direction. I'll check out Calibre for sure.

Greg wrote: "I would second the Amazon advice. I've talked to several self-publishing companies (out of curiosity - I have no manuscript in hand) and all of them were very expensive (They did the editing throug..."

I've seen that many authors will use multiple publishing companies to get the broadest reach on their work. That being said, I've also seen there are a lot of sketchy companies out there. Thankfully, I've run across a few resources that have compiled some reviews on some of the publishing companies to avoid those pitfalls. Either way, Amazon has a pretty good reputation, does not have a large up-front cost, and seems author friendly. Thanks, Greg.

Jot wrote: "For Terra Forma, I purchased a few ISBNs, but not for Perpetual Words. I had just allowed Amazon to assign them.

For the manuscript and cover image, it's all about getting the sizes right, one set..."

I saw that Kindle Direct Publishing has a cover tool where you can use your own art. Canva also has a book cover tool, so I think I'll give those a shot. I watched their cover design tutorial and it seems pretty straightforward.

Jot wrote: "Excited to hear about your new book series, Chris.

There are various options in the book route, but Amazon seems to be the most effective, from my opinion. With them, it's fairly easy to created b..."

Jot, so far, that seems to be the advice I've been getting. I'm just at the beginning stages of my research. It looks like Amazon is the most intuitive and popular way to go. I'm pretty artistic and am familiar with digital graphic design, so I'm considering doing my own cover. I think I'll create a few and then get some opinions.

I've discovered that, because my work is MG sci-fi, that most traditional/adult authors don't have too much experience with that genre. So, I'll start with one of my manuscripts, the first in the series, and then get the rest going. Do you recommend getting an ISBN from Amazon, or obtaining it separately from Bowker? I've seen both.

Thanks for your advice. I really appreciate it and hope your recovery is going well.

This is a little off-topic, but I'm finally at a point where I'd like to self publish. If you've self published, I'd appreciate any advice about this process. The amount of information online seems almost overwhelming. I've finished an MG science fiction series and have tried the traditional publishing route with no luck. Any experience or advice about self-publishing would really be appreciated. I'd really like to know what you would recommend to get started and which companies you might recommend. Please, feel free to message me if you'd like not to respond on this post. Thanks!

Tom wrote: "A biting look at the horrors of war, Chris. Good imagery and sensory."

Thanks, Tom. Trying to brush up on building the scene and character experience without overloading the reader with dialogue. I hope I was effective.

Mine's up. Hope you guys like it.

The Gears of War


I discerned the approach of evening through the rising smoke, hints of amber streaking the fading, smoldering landscape. At least the guns had stopped, leaving only the distant tortuous gears of war.

Blood seeped from a deep leg wound, though my tourniquet was tight. Alone and unable to walk, I was assuredly a dead man, one of thousands strewn upon this hopeless battlefield. Still, I yearned to be found, even by the face of death, before the Wild Men discovered and consumed me. It was said they only emerged at night, cannibals scavenging the bodies of the fallen. Perhaps I’d been afflicted by the delusions of war, but I’m sure I’d observed one from my foxhole, a menacing silhouette lurching through the distant haze. God, my leg throbbed.

The sinister intermission between barrages revealed the horror of combat. Neither faction dared leave their trenches at night, yet the dying moans of our devastated lot exposed the heartbreaking truth – shed of our humanity, there were no winners, even in victory.

Churning gears crept closer when I perceived a shuffling groan from a nearby crater, so I readied my rifle and dragged myself to the edge, hoping for another Brit with which to die. Instead, exhausted German eyes upon a gaunt face stared back at me. His legs were missing, yet he grinned, barely conscious and coughing blood before tossing his own weapon away. “Hier, bitte,” he motioned weakly. “Bitte, bitte.”

My own legs were equally useless, and I reckoned the pointlessness of it all, so I pulled myself down next to him. Hands shaking, he fingered a cigarette, unable to light it, so I took over, taking a long drag then placing it in his mouth. “Danke,” he coughed again, pulling a silver flask from his pocket. “Mochten Sie einen trinken?”

My canteen exhausted, I eagerly snatched it up, nearly gagging. “Tastes like piss,” I winced, but Fritz had passed, eyes glazed over, the cigarette still pinched in his mouth.

The agonizing gears grew closer now, and I spied a specter in the smoke, much like a man, but for glowing blue orbs where its eyes should be. Was this one of the Wild Men desperate for trophies amongst the dead? It unnaturally searched the corpses, looking for I know not what, closing in on me. I picked the German’s cigarette from his lips and locked a round with trembling fingers.

The air became electrified before I could react, and a mechanical arm swatted my rifle away. Terrified, I couldn’t believe my own eyes. A slender tinman with gear-driven joints evaluated my every inch, gangly rubber fingertips palpating for confirmation. “Is this your only wound?” the thing questioned, referring to my leg.

Astonished, I couldn’t respond.

“You’ll do,” it remarked, then dragged me back to a heap of other wounded men, British and German alike, though all of us alive. “BRU-25, reporting. Quota satisfied. Open the gate.”

Instantly, the battlefield became a spotless white room. “Transport complete,” I heard.

I was surely the least wounded of us, for I had the temerity to ask, “Are we dead?”

“Dead?” The thing chuckled mechanically. “You wouldn’t be here if you were. I recall a human expression – Everyone dies, yet not everyone truly lives. A curious sentiment, wouldn’t you say?”

A man in a white lab coat strolled cooly over with a device in hand garnering his full attention. “Nice work BRU-25. The scans show they all meet the minimum requirements.”

“Hello?” I queried, and the man turned to me. “Where are we?”

“Just a relay point,” he answered. “About…let’s see…four hundred fifty years into your future.”

“You saved us?”

“Well, you’d all certainly be dead. World War I was particularly brutal.”

“You mean, there were more?”
Before he could answer, BRU-25 said, “Sir, I have doubts.”

“25, we’ve had this conversation before,” the man rebuked.

“Our technology could save them. We could be repopulating,” it lamented. “Instead…”

He sighed. “The Allorians were clear when they harvested Earth. Some of us could live, as long as we kept them supplied. These men were dead anyways. No mustard gas exposure?”

“Negative.”

“Excellent. Wouldn’t want this batch spoiled. Take them to processing.”

“But,” the machine objected again.

“Very well,” the man conceded. “I’ll let you keep one and amend your report to say you were light on your quota.” He shook his head. “Not much of a life in the mines, but take your pick, then get to reprogramming.”

The machine pointed at me.

Done. Happy to help! :)

From Jack:

Theme: A Robot
Somewhere/somewhen in history

Choose an era and insert a robot. Let's see how creative we can get.

From Jack:

Theme: A Robot
Somewhere/somewhen in history

Choose an era and insert a robot. Let's see how creative we can get.

From Jack:

Theme: A Robot
Somewhere/somewhen in history

Choose an era and insert a robot. Let's see how creative we can get.

Jot wrote: "Can Chris or someone please post the new theme from Jack, who is travelling?

From Jack:

Theme: A Robot
Somewhere/somewhen in history

Choose an era and insert a robot. Let's see how creative we c..."

Yup. I'll take care of it. No worries.

Jot wrote: "Can Chris or someone please post the new theme from Jack, who is travelling?

From Jack:

Theme: A Robot
Somewhere/somewhen in history

Choose an era and insert a robot. Let's see how creative we c..."



Yup. I can do it in a bit here.

Congrats Jack!

Jot wrote: "It turns out I had 6 tears in my eye to retina, causing it to detach. Had open eye surgery and am face down for 2 weeks to allow the gas bubble in my eye to avoid fluid from the eye building up bet..."

Wow! Sorry to hear that, Jot! Hope you make a swift and full recovery!

Tom wrote: ""Running" by Chris Nance

A very effective suspense story envisioning a brother and sister running for their lives through a post-apocalyptic landscape in which robots are, for reasons unknown, hun..."

Tom, thanks so much for your critique. You're very thorough and provided some very valuable feedback. I agree that a first personal narrative may be more effective in this sort of story. Thanks again!

Thanks so much, Paula. I really appreciate your perspective and critique. I guess I tend to write dialogue driven stories, so they can be dialogue heavy. I'm working on that, lol. I also agree that "The birds," observation in the story was a favorite, and I didn't even appreciate its impact until after I had written it. Anyhow, thanks again!

Tom wrote: "New story posted, according to Chris's guidelines."

Sorry about the confusion, Tom. I guess this month's theme sounded clear in my head, lol.

And yours was a really great story, btw! What a great premise!