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Newsletter Archive
August 5, 2023
Euclid, UFOs and a shiny new book!
Hello again, {$name|default:'reader'}. Or welcome, if you're new!
Here we are then, the cover reveal I promised you last time.
I hope you like it! It's illustrating a key scene from the story, and one that early readers have been describing as nail-biting and suspenseful. The cover is the work of a design group in Ukraine, who I've worked with before. They're fantastic, and it's nice to be able to support them when things are so rough over there. If you're an author looking for covers, a logo or some branding materials, check them out!
What do you think? I feel it continues the theme of the first book nicely, shows you what you're in store for, and I'm delighted with it. Drop me an email and let me know your thoughts.
I'll be opening up pre-orders in the next few days, so you might get a little extra email from me letting you know when that's possible.
Space News
Another new space telescope
You wait years for a new telescope in orbit, and then they all show up at once.
Hot on the heels of the JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) is Euclid. It's in the same spot in the sky, too - the Lagrange L2 point, where the Earth and Moon's gravitational fields create a stable place you can sit without needing to use too much fuel.
Like JWST, Euclid can see in the infrared, but it also has visible light cameras too. It's mission is to map the universe in 3d, so it's adding to the information we're gathering from a whole host of other sources, and not just re-treading old ground. It's not yet ready, they're still doing tests, but the initial images have come back and they look good.
However, the launch and commissioning wasn't without problems. When the scientists in Europe first turned it on, they got a nasty shock: light was leaking into the sensors! It's not yet clear why that should have been possible, but luckily the issue only appears when the telescope is at certain angles to the sun. By carefully picking the orientation depending on the time of year, they are confident that they can still observe all of the sky without issues.
Early test images from Euclid - visible (left) and infra-red.
Source: esa.int
Other Books To Check Out
I've gathered a few great books from independent authors like me, I hope you'll check them out.
And let me know if you have any books to recommend! I'm particularly interested in indie authors, but anything you've read and loved would be awesome.
Buy it now!
The Chronicles of Jason Rokku
In a universe plagued by the looming threat of Telos, Key is determined to find a way to stop the disaster. But when he discovers that Barbazzura, a known figure of the underworld, may be involved, he realizes that his efforts may not be enough. Desperate to stop the impending doom, Key sets out to recruit a group of bounty hunters who will join his cause and help him form a powerful Guild that can stand up against the threat.
As Key and his partner Genesis travel through time, they come across a fleet that seems to be preparing for battle. With Telos growing ever closer, they know that they must act fast to stop it. But when Key is forced to confront the fact that his actions may have put his loved ones in danger, he begins to question whether he has made the right choice. As he struggles to balance his desire to stop Telos with his responsibility to those closest to him, Key must navigate a dangerous web of intrigue and deceit if he hopes to succeed. But with the stakes higher than ever, the question remains: will he be able to save the universe from destruction, or will Telos claim its final victory?
Buy it now!
A collection of 21 horrifying tales, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
Featuring stories from across the globe, this anthology unveils a universe of macabre ritual, terrifying creatures, and those brave souls who dare challenge the nature of the unknown!
From Arthurian legends to the very depths of the Mariana Trench and the darkest corners of the human mind, Lovecraft in a Time of Madness oozes with unique takes on some of Lovecraft's most formidable creations. Featuring stories from C.L. Werner, Thomas Parrott, Mark Wheaton, David F. Gray, Scotty Milder, and other new and established authors. Join us as we descend into madness!
Free!
The first wave of colonists found alien life. The third wave doesn't want peace. They want control.
Tani'na and the few half-breed descendants of First and Second Waves of colonists are infected with Chromata, a sentient lifeform native to New Earth. But it isn't the enemy.
First Wave, sent a century prior, made peace with the inhabitants. Some of Second Wave joined them when they arrived decades later. Most remain loyal to the Thyterion empire which is destined to arrive as the third and final wave. Emperor Riscerman wants the planet cleansed for their arrival. Tani'na wants revenge for the death of her mother and sister among thousands of others who perished in the Silacia settlement bombing.
Commander Worton must pay for following such heinous orders. Tani'na and her Father's First Wave army storm the city and the state-building to retake control. Tani'na knows what must be done, and she's the only one who can do it.
Dystopian, Sci-Fi and post-apocalyptic reads in Kindle Unlimited Get these books fast! This promotion ends September 5th!
Strange News
Congress Hears About UFOs
You can't have missed this lately, I'm sure. Congress has been holding hearings to 'get to the bottom of' the UAP phenomenon. UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) is the new term for what we used to call UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). The name change helps to recognise that not everything inexplicable in the sky is actually an object at all. Over the years, there have been a lot of government programs to investigate the strange lights in the sky - are they aliens, come to visit us from another star? Earthly adversaries, probing our defences? Or more mundane misidentifications of birds, the moon or insects? So far, no unequivocal evidence has been presented in either direction. Images and videos are frequently blurred, fuzzy or otherwise vague; when a clear image is available, it's usually very simple to explain away as something commonplace. Bizarrely, high-flying birds at dusk are a frequent culprit, the sun glinting off their bodies as they fly overhead is very convincing! Personally, I don't think it's aliens. I wish it was, as a science fiction writer! Extraterrestrials coming to visit would be thrilling, and would answer some fundamental questions about the universe. I think it might also unite us in a way that we can't imagine at the moment, but that might be wishful thinking. Don't get me wrong, I am sure there is life out there somewhere. Possibly even intelligent life, on a par with or well in advance of our own. It would be a heck of a waste of space if we were the only life forms in the cosmos. I just don't believe these creatures are advanced enough to travel light-years across the universe, probably faster than light, only to crash-land in the middle of nowhere. Or, depending on who's trying to convince you, secretly plot with every world government (or just a select few) to do... something? Not to mention the people making these claims haven't been engaging with the right people in the first place.
Some reports will be well-meaning misidentifications, folks genuinely unaware of whatever it is they're looking at. Some will be possible threats to security - like that Chinese spy balloon a few months back. But I don't think any are aliens. If, on the other hand, there are any visitors reading this - prove me wrong! Land somewhere nice and public, tell us you come in peace and make me eat those words.
Source: npr.org
Miscellany
Another near miss for Earth
A skyscraper-sized asteroid passed by us nearer than the moon, and we didn't see it until two days later.
Source: Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Google Maps car maps a high-speed chase, then a river.
A car used to update street view images was spotted driving at over 100mph, and after a police chase, ended up in a creek.
Source: theregister.com
Voyager 2 out of contact
NASA sent up a routine message to the Voyager 2 space probe, which inadvertently told it to point its antenna the wrong way. Hopefully in October it'll realign itself via an automated process, so we shouldn't lose contact forever.
Source: blogs.nasa.gov
And Finally
Never forget, the US once tried to convince farmers to breed hippos for meat.
Source: Ripley's Believe It or Not!