Radio Hope Post-Apocalyptic Novel is a Free Download!

For the next five days, through March 14, my post-apocalyptic science fiction novel Radio Hope is free on Amazon. This is the first of the Toxic World series, which has three books and a spin-off novella. Book Four is coming out in the early summer. Radio Hope, however, can also be read as a standalone novel. I'm not pulling you into some sort of crack dealer arrangement. :-) A blurb is below.

In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .
A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.
A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.
The assistant mayor of humanity's last city hopes he will never have to take command.
One thing gives them the promise of a better future--Radio Hope, a mysterious station that broadcasts vital information about surviving in a blighted world. But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the land with blood and fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing forever.

Radio Hope is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, and all the other Amazons. Enjoy and please spread the word!

My latest post-apocalyptic novel out now!

We Had Flags, the third in my Toxic World series of post-apocalyptic novels, is out now. The series starts with Radio Hope and continues with Refugees from the Righteous Horde. The Scavenger is a novelette in the same world.

In We Had Flags, the residents of New City face their biggest challenges yet. For those of you familiar with the series, the main characters in this volume are the Doctor, Pablo Cruz, and someone you haven't met yet. A blurb is below.

A law doesn't work if everyone breaks it.
For forty years, New City has been a bastion of order in a fallen world. One crucial law has maintained the peace--it is illegal to place responsibility for the collapse of civilization on any one group. Anyone found guilty of Blaming is branded and stripped of citizenship.
But when some unwelcome visitors arrive from across the sea, old wounds break open, and no one is safe from Blame.

We Had Flags is available via Kindle's Prime program, so if you're a member you can read it for free!

Free Post-Apocalyptic Ebook

Hello from Worldcon! I'm in London at the world's largest, and oldest science fiction convention. I'll be turning 45 here on Saturday, surrounded by science fiction fans. There are worse places to to grow old.

In honor of Worldcon and my oncoming decrepitude, I'm running a special promotion for two of my Toxic World titles of post-apocalyptic books. Radio Hope is on a Kindle Countdown deal. It's usually $3.99 but for August 13-14 it will be 99 cents. On August 15-16 it will be $1.99. On August 17-19 it will be $2.99.

Also, my short story The Scavenger will be free August 14-18.

Grab these titles while they're cheap, and tune in next week for a full convention report and plenty of photos!

Refugees from the Righteous Horde out now!

Book Two of my Toxic World post-apocalyptic series is out now! Refugees from the Righteous Horde picks up where Radio Hope left off. Here's the blurb:

When you only have one shot, you better aim true.
In a ravaged world, civilization’s last outpost is reeling after fighting off the fanatical warriors of the Righteous Horde. Sheriff Annette Cruz becomes New City’s long arm of vengeance as she sets off across the wildlands to take out the cult’s leader. All she has is a sniper’s rifle with one bullet and a former cultist with his own agenda.
Meanwhile, one of the cult’s escaped slaves makes a discovery that could tear New City apart. . .

Refugees from the Righteous Horde continues the Toxic World series started in Radio Hope, an ongoing narrative of humanity’s struggle to rebuild the world it ruined.

The book is available on all the Amazons and will soon have a print edition. If you could help me out by tweeting, blogging, and sharing this info, that would be awesome!

My post-apocalyptic story The Scavenger is free on Amazon until April 8

In honor of the Post-Apocalyptic A to Z blogfest I'm doing over at Midlist Writer, I'm offering my post-apocalyptic story The Scavenger for free on Amazon for the next five days.

This story is a 67-page teaser for my Toxic World series, which starts with the novel Radio Hope. The Scavenger a standalone story, but it gives a different perspective on some of the places and characters that appear in Radio Hope.

The blurb is below:

In a world shattered by war, pollution, and disease, a lone scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.
The problem is, it's stuck in the middle of the worst wasteland he knows--a contaminated city inhabited by insane chem addicts and vengeful villagers. Only his wits, his gun, and an unlikely ally can get him out alive.
Set in the Toxic World series introduced in the novel Radio Hope, this 10,000-word story explores more of the dangers and personalities that make up a post-apocalyptic world that's all too possible.

I'd like to get it in front of as many eyeballs as possible. So please, between now and Tuesday, April 8, feel free to share, like, tweet, etc. Here are some tweets after the jump you can use if you are so inclined.

My next Toxic World story is out!

I've just released The Scavenger on Amazon. This 10,000-word story is set in the same Toxic World as Radio Hope and explores some more of the personalities and dangers of that world. I've priced it at 99 cents as a teaser for the series. Enjoy!

Refugees from the Righteous Horde, the second novel in the series, is progressing well. I'll be taking all next week off while I'm on a press trip in Belgium. The country is gearing up for the centennial of World War One and I'll be visiting many of the important sites of the Western Front. Once I'm back I'll be doing a spate of nonfiction writing before sitting down and getting to the end of the novel.

Have a great weekend!

The Scavenger cover reveal, plus I need input on my blurb

My brother-in-law Andrés Alonso-Herrero has come up with another fine cover for me. This is for a 10,000-word novelette called The Scavenger. It's going up soon as a promo for my Toxic World series and is set close to the action in Radio Hope. Here's a draft of the blurb below. I'd love your input!

In a world shattered by war, pollution, and disease, a lone scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.
The problem is, it's stuck in the middle of a contaminated city inhabited by insane chem addicts and vengeful villagers. Only his wits, his gun, and an unlikely ally can get him out alive.

I'm over at Unicorn Bell today, and a comment on sexism in the writing industry

My virtual book tour for Radio Hope continues with an interview over at Unicorn Bell today. Sales have been steady but not stellar, but hey, it's only been out less than three weeks. Indie publishers have to learn patience as they build up a reputation.

Luckily, some readers are helping with that by giving me very positive reviews. Several have said they've read the book in one or two sittings. The word "inhaled" has been used more than once.

Be careful of inhaling, ladies and gents, there's a lot of nasty stuff in the atmosphere of the Toxic World! This French soldier is well kitted out for reading my novel. Make sure you are too!

Oh, and if you want to breathe some more toxic air, read this Black Gate post about the continuing mudslinging over at the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America because a few female writers dared to point out the rampant sexism in the industry. Guess what happened? Yeah, the usual nonsense.

We like to pretend that the smarter sections of our society are free of sexism and racism, but that just ain't so. Just ask a female scientist, or a female doctor, or a female writer. Will things improve in the future? I hope so. Pushing down half the intellect of the human race is just not the best way forward. Please don't make my novel come true. Respect everyone!

More reviews, the importance of minor characters, and indie publishing news

Things are busy here. Sales for Radio Hope are steady but not stellar, but it's only been out two weeks so word is still spreading. Please help with that if you can!

I've received two new reviews. One on Goodreads, by a member of my writers group in Madrid saying, "I liked it, so much so that--faced with all those empty days until the next installment arrives--to satisfy my craving for radioactive scavenging and crumbling pockets of civilisation I've started playing Fallout: New Vegas again, after several years of twitchy abstinence. So thanks a lot, Sean: Radio Hope kicked me off the wagon."

The other is on Amazon and is titled: "It's a hard life if you don't weaken. If you do, you're dead." Gotta love a reviewer who paraphrases Sillitoe. From there she compares it with The Postman (I have a better ending, thank you for noticing) and to Stephen King.

I'm over at Amlokiblogs today talking about the importance of minor characters in writing.

Far more important than all this is that indie bestselling author Hugh Howey has teamed up with a statistician to analyze how well indie authors are doing compared with traditionally published authors. The data will surprise you. If you're a writer, or a reader interested in the future of books, check out his report.

A history post tomorrow. I'm getting bored with all this self-promotion!

Radio Hope gets its first review, and it's five stars!

Less that two weeks after its release, Radio Hope has received its first review! The reviewer, blogger Sioux Roslawski, says:

The author has painted a picture of a world that we might end up with--if we keep abusing our environment and we if keep being devisive about people, keeping the "have-nots" separated from the "haves." Although this story takes place in the future, it's easy to envision it being not too far into the future...which is the terrifying part.

I appreciate that the author has given his readers some credit. Too often, books like this are full of chunks of background information. Different terms and backstories are explained at the very beginning, which slows down the story. Sean McLachlan trusts that his readers have brains and he has ensured that things are revealed in a logical, natural way...as the story evolves. (He even made us wait until the last page for a tidbit I was wondering about throughout the entire novel. I was worried I'd never find out the answer, that it would be just a forgotten detail, but McLachlan did not disappoint...)

I gave this novel 5 stars because it is normally not the kind of book I would read. However, despite it being outside of my reading box, I inhaled it. I read it in two nights, anxious to get to the end.
Sioux isn't the only person who said they've read it in two days. I take that as a good sign!

My virtual book tour is continuing. Today I'm being interviewed by Paris-based blogger D.G. Hudson.

Sins after the Apocalypse

My virtual book tour for Radio Hope continues with a stop at a fellow author of post-apocalyptic books--Hart Johnson. This time I'm talking about how none of our sins will go away with the fall of civilization (except texting).

This old movie poster from 1917 has nothing to do with anything. I just love the look at that woman's face. What's he asking her to do?

More guest posts coming up! And no, I haven't forgotten this blog either. Some new posts are on the way.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Writing Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Sorry I missed posting yesterday, but I was down in Madrid catching up with old friends and enjoying the cafe culture. Now I'm back in Santander awaiting the next ocean gale while my virtual book tour continues. I've had two more stops and both focus on writing post-apocalyptic fiction.

First up is Constructing A Destroyed World at the Post-Modern Pulps page. I've also done a post on Post-Apocalyptic Fiction: What it is and What it Isn't over at The Five Year Project. Head on over and check them out, and feel free to leave a comment. I'll be lurking there, ready to bushwhack you and steal your food and gear. All's fair in the apocalypse. . .

Image courtesy NASA.

People won't be naked in the apocalypse

That caught your attention, didn't it? I'm kicking off my virtual book tour for Radio Hope with a guest post over at Alex Cavanaugh's blog, where I'm tackling the tricky question of why in all those post-apocalyptic books and movies people won't actually be dressed in rags. In fact, the apocalypse will mean we all get to dress better.

Head on over and say hi! I'll be doing several guest posts for blogs over the month of February. Stay tuned.

This shot of the lovely "Monster Guards" hanging out at Bulgaria's Extreme Film Fest 2011 courtesy podoboq.

Radio Hope out now!

My post-apocalyptic novel Radio Hope is out now. No zombies, no aliens, just regular people trying to live with their grandparents' mistakes. It's in the Kindle Select Program so if you're a Prime member, you can borrow my book for free. And if you want to help out a struggling writer, please tweet, share, like, and all the other things people do to get attention on the Internet. As a relative unknown, I can use all the help I can get.
And to all my beta readers--thank you very, very much. You really helped me out! Your contributors copies are coming next week.
Here's the blurb:

In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .
A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.
A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.
The assistant mayor of humanity's last city hopes he will never have to take command.
One thing gives them the promise of a better future--Radio Hope, a mysterious station that broadcasts vital information about surviving in a blighted world. But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the land with blood and fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing forever.

Radio Hope Blurb (Version 3.1)

Three out of three Spanish astronomers enjoyed reading Radio Hope!

OK, I think I got it now, thanks to D.G. Hudson.

In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .

A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.

A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.

In humanity’s last city, the assistant mayor hopes he will never have to take command.

One thing gives them the promise of a better future--Radio Hope, a mysterious station that broadcasts vital information on surviving in a blighted world. But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the land with blood and fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing forever.

Tinkering with Radio Hope's blurb (version 3.0)

I realized that the blurb for my upcoming novel Radio Hope doesn't actually mention the radio station! So I've added a line. Tell me if you think this flows. One of the things I love about indie publishing is just a week before a book is published, you can fiddle with it.

In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .

A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.

A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.

In humanity’s last city, the assistant mayor hopes he will never have to take command.

Their only thing in common is they all listen to Radio Hope, a mysterious station that broadcasts vital information on surviving in a blighted world. But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the world through blood and fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing forever.

My next work in progress: Trench Raiders

Right now I'm busy with preparations for releasing Radio Hope on February 1 and the accompanying virtual book tour. I'm also writing the sequel--Book Two in the Toxic World series, Refugees from the Righteous Horde.

After that, I'll be starting another series, Trench Raiders. These will be action books set in World War One along the lines of Jack Badelaire's excellent Commando series of WWII books. It follows a group of British soldiers as they become a crack trench raiding unit. The first book takes place at the Battle of Aisne in September 1914, the first time that the British Expeditionary Force faced German trenches.

As you might expect, the British got slaughtered, and this is where our heroes come in. They realize that frontal charges across No-Man's Land aren't going to work and so they develop their own techniques. I'm in the midst of researching the battle right now and came across this Wikimedia Commons image of an old German novel titled Hell Fights at the Aisne River. Cool image, but I won't be using it for my own cover. I want a British soldier, not a German one!

The plan is to alternate between my post-apocalyptic Toxic World series and the Trench Raiders series. I also have some stand-alone works simmering in the back of my mind. This year is going to be a busy one!

Radio Hope Blurb Version 2.0

After some input on my blogs and Goodreads, here's the latest version of my Radio Hope blurb. Thanks everyone! Input welcome!

In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .

A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.

A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.

In humanity’s last city, the assistant mayor hopes he will never have to take command.

But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the world through blood and fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing forever.

Possible blurb for Radio Hope. What do you think?

My trip to Tangier is winding down and now I need to think about my tough publishing schedule over the next year. First up is my post-apocalyptic novel Radio Hope! Below is the proposed blurb. I'd love to have your feedback. Blurbs are tough.

In a world shattered by war, disease, and pollution. . .

. . .a female gunslinger longs to find a safe refuge for her son. . .

. . .a frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump. . .

. . .the assistant mayor of humanity’s last city hopes he will never have to take command. . .

. . .only to find their lives changing forever when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the world through conquest.

Radio Hope cover: version 2.0

Happy Boxing Day from a rainy and windy Tangier! I sweltered the in the summer and I'm getting drenched and windblown in the winter. I prefer sweltering.
My brother-in law has tweaked the cover for Radio Hope, the post-apocalyptic novel I'll be publishing in February. He's added the series name, adjusted the kerning in my name, and added a bit of toxic color. You can see the earlier version here. Below is the 68 pixel thumbnail that will appear on Amazon, B&N, etc.

What do you think? There's still time to tweak it!