Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
And now, for a limited time only
. . . you, too, can be a gamma reader for my novel, Nest, book #1 of my trilogy.
Before I get to the details — how about Colbert tonight! Stephen Colbert and Keith Olbermann ripping on Bill O’Reilly. Does television get any better? Olbermann called O’Reilly an idiot several times, and called him a bully who only picks on little people like Janeane Garofalo and Billy Barty. Yee haw!
Anyway.
Here are the details. Nest is an 89,400-word science fiction novel featuring hyperevolved birds with arms and hands instead of wings, an invisible ninja bird with a wicked sense of humor, a scheming giant fly with an addiction to caffeine and doggy porn, big-headed blue aliens with sharp pointy teeth, and a little girl who just wants to keep her daddy safe from harm. Here’s the first scene.
Why would you be gamma readers and not beta readers? Cuz Maureen, Jona, and Edwin are my betas. When my Nest, Flight, and Shrike trilogy becomes our century’s Lord of the Rings, only, you know, without the balrogs, dwarves, and wizards and shit, and with talking birds, well, they’re going to be pretty darned proud that they were there first. But you can be almost first.
Let’s say you start it, and then decide it doesn’t float your boat. No problem. All I ask is an honest impression — what made you stop? When and why did you lose interest?
I wish I could say I’m willing to reciprocate and read your novels/drafts, but I can’t promise something like that. My time is seriously cramped right now, and I doubt it will get better any time in the future. I’m willing to crit chapters or short stories, but anything bigger? Um, maybe, maybe not. (But my betas get anything they want out of me. Anything.)
Let’s say you cruise through Nest and you want to read the next two. Well, tough. They’re not ready yet. For various strange reasons, book #3 needs less spiffing than book #2, but book #2 is giving me fits.
If you’re interested, email me at
azureus
at
harborside
dot com.
If you’re not interested, no hard feelings here. Science fiction isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially not my odd take on science fiction (I call it SF Lite. Less calories, more filling.) And, I imagine most of you have lives every bit as nutso as mine.
One last thing: if you decide to read Nest, please keep the details to yourself. You can blog on it after the damnable thing is published, okay?
That’s it, folks.
D.
Expect an email from me, Doug – despite my embarassment at how badly (and repeatedly) I’ve let you down on the final third.
I’m trying to import my 365 blog to wordpress, for no other reason than because I can and because I love that calendar on your sidebar. But I can’t find the calendar widget! Can you tell me where I can find on, please.
One way I know I’m doing something right: you and Jona actually want to reread this novel! Cool.
I don’t know how to put a calendar up. I chose a template (Tiga, link at bottom of page) which had a calendar. Mostly, I liked the color scheme, the three column format, and the large central area for posts. There are tons of templates out there, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that meets all your specs.
Email on its way – bring it on!
I like it. I don’t usually read that genre though so I’m probably not the best judge. But I like it, for what it’s worth.
Blue Gal, let me know if you want more 😉
I’ll be your gamma girl.