The judging will definitely be harder as we go through these ten books. Each one is a banger—including two from fellow Ceres Station members, which is exciting. My team is judging six of them (not including those two), and the finalists will be announced in two months.

The ten semifinalists in the SPSFC 5

I love this competition and plan to enter as an author again. In the meantime, I’m thrilled to be a judge. It’s one of the only (free) SciFi competitions specifically for indie authors, and that’s makes it important.

Put another way, please purchase and review any of these books!

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It’s Not All About the Moving

I’ve been busy on the writing front, too. I just completed a chapter on info dumps for a collaborative book on writing that I’m participating in. I like the chapter, and am turning it in later today. I’ll announce the name of the book and the other participants once we get closer to release.

I’m also reading through the remaining books in my group’s semifinalist list for the Self Publishing Science Fiction Contest 5. I’m a judge in this year’s contest, with Accidental Intelligence named a finalist in last year’s contest. My reading time has been a little hectic due to all the moving nonsense, but I’m working on it!

But, Moving Does Suck

Back to moving, I have too much stuff. I didn’t realize how much “too much” until I was finishing packing, but it’s too much. I will be purging more, so maybe keep an eye out for stuff I’ll be selling or giving away.

*My weekly newsletter covers notes on writing, indie publishing, and the stories behind the stories. I’d love it if you signed up.

The post Moving to Spokane: Insights on Packing and Purging appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

Chuck was one of our bass players in the Macworld All Star Band, and one of the ringers. To say he was a big part of how we could rehearse once a year—whether or not we needed it—and play for two hours would be a massive understatement. He played professionally for much of his life, and had such a great voice. He was also steady as can be, and he lit up the stage with his presence. Let’s take a look at him at Cirque du Mac 11:

And, at one our two pandemic videos, a cover of “Al Green’s Take Me to the River.” Man, that was such a life-affirming event. Working with Chuck, Dave, Paul, Chris, Duane, and Bob was a beacon in that time of isolation and darkness.

And our other video, a cover of Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright.”

I’m not crying, you’re crying…

Chuck, you will be so missed. My condolences to Judy, and to all of Chuck’s family. Everyone who knew him is feeling his loss.

The post Remembering Chuck La Tournous appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

He rose to the rank of Captain in the U.S. Air Force, and he was a NASA scientist. He worked for years at Apple, and most importantly to me, he was a columnist and the voice of reason and humanity at The Mac Observer. He wrote SciFi and a variety of tech columns for several other Mac sites, too.

John was kind, smart, logical, and always reasonable. He was both considerate and considered. Every word that came out of his mouth had a reason to be there and a place to go. He played peacemaker for me more than once. I’ll always be grateful for that.

The man was funny, too. I almost typed “wickedly funny,” though that isn’t right at all. John was never wicked where I saw him, but his sense of humor would sometimes sneak up on you when you were least expecting. I was always happy to see John, and his absence leaves a gaping hole in my heart and in the world.

John is survived by his wife, Lea, a darling titan of a woman, and by the many people who knew and loved him. Salute, sir.

Some other posts about John:

Jeff Gamet (Bluesky)

The post In Remembrance of John Martellaro appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

As a reminder, the hardback version of this anthology is a Kickstarter exclusive.

“KT Enters the Chat” in Neosynthesis

My first story in this anthology is “KT Enters the Chat.” Ever wonder how the first AI to gain sentience got humanity to recognize his rights? This story takes place in 2062, more than 70 years before Accidental Intelligence. Here’s a pull quote:

“Nova Domus” in Neosynthesis

The story “Nova Domus” is about 19A946C. Remember her? She’s the nanite hive mind that had all the cranky AIs a tither. This story takes place almost fifteen years after Accidental Intelligence, in an unnamed star system. A pull quote:

10 More Stories in Neosynthesis

There are ten more stories in Neosynthesis from some of the most talented authors I’ve had the pleasure to work with: Lonnie Busch (the cover artist and the writer of our Foreword), Jes Deaver, Rohan O’Duill, Bryan Chaffin, JD Robinson, Nick Snape, and TK Toppin.

Between all of these authors, there are more than 30 great SciFi, fantasy, and horror books. Get to reading!

The post 17 Hours to Go on Neosynthesis Kickstarter! appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

The cover for Neosynthesis (on Kickstarter), a SciFi anthology featuring 12 shorts from 6 sciFi authors, including me!

We’ve been working on this for a while, and I’m delighted to reveal the cover of this anthology today. So, Neosynthesis is an anthology of 12 short stories by six SciFi authors, including TK Toppin, Nick Snape, JD Robinson, Rohan O’Duill, Jes Deaver, and the previously mentioned Bryan Chaffin.

Lonnie Busch and the Cover of Neosynthesis

Lonnie Busch designed the cover, and he also made us some killer videos using his fancy-schmancy 3D skills. Lonnie’s also an author. Let’s take a look at one of those videos, shall we?

I love this cover, and I’m proud of this team of authors. You can read about the individual stories on the Kickstarter, and I’ll drop a few words about my two, too.

My first story is about KT, the menacing ring leader of the cabal of rogue AIs in Accidental Intelligence. While we’ll be seeing more of him in future stories from Mason Truman’s universe, this story goes back to the beginning, when KT is a newly awakened gaming AI. KT Enters the Chat shows us how he manipulates the puny humans of the world into granting him emancipation. I had a lot of fun with this one.

Nova Domus is my second short, a what-happened-next story of 19A946C. You might remember her as the face that Andrew Bowers sees at the end of the prologue of Accidental Intelligence. Having booked it from Sol System and the crazy humans and their crazier AI masters, she arrives at a planet she’s calling Nova Domus (named in honor of Dr. Fletcher, her dead creator). She’s just gotta get to the surface to start her new life, and I’m sure nothing can go wrong.

Neosynthesis

In other words, my two stories are about the emergence of new machine life, and the broader theme of Neosynthesis is the confluence of humans and machines, from interfacing (for good or for ill!), to hybridization, to the morphing of one to the other.

Kickstarter Rewards

Kickstarter rewards start at just $1, a symbolic way for you to back us. You can also get the ebook, paperback, or hard back—a Kickstarter exclusive—and there’s a bundle of five books, too.

Please back this project!

The post Neosynthesis on Kickstarter, Plus Cover Reveal! appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

The judging process is intense, and I can’t imagine how much work it’s been for them to whittle 175 novels down to a list of six. It’s an honor to have made it this far.

Killer SciFi Book Bundle!

I’m also in an awesome book bundle called the Summer SciFi Book Sale—14 book from 7 authors for $14. This is the first time I’ve ever discounted, and it’s all through Itch.io. More on that below. Participating authors include:

Me (yay me!)
Rohan O’Duill
Peter J Aldin
J.D. Robinson
TK Toppin
Nick Snape
JC Gemmel

All of those links go to our respective Bluesky accounts.

The Summer SciFi Book Sale—14 books from 7 authors for $14

Itch.io: a Great New Ebook Retailer

That book bundle is through Itch.io, a new ebook retailer, but not a new company. Initially focused on the indie game market, they offered indie game developers a way to distribute their games. They then opened up to ebooks, and one of the things that makes them awesome is the ability to bundle your books up, either your own or with other authors. Itch also supports Audiobooks, and I’ll be getting the audiobook of King Liam on Itch stat.

They also pay a much higher royalty rate, and they allow the purchaser to tip! When you buy an ebook (or a bundle!) on Itch, you can then download the ePub and put it on whatever device or platform you want. It’s that easy. Also, even if you’ve already bought Accidental Intelligence or downloaded King Liam, you can still get 12 other books by buying this bundle. It’s a great deal.

Other perks include the ability to follow an author (or developer). That will get you notifications when they release a new title.

There’s an SPSFC 4 Finalist in the Bundle!

For real, yo! And J.D. Robinson was a semifinalist for one of his books in the SPSFC 2, two years ago. I’ve read most of the books in this bundle, and am stoked to be a part of it.

The post Accidental Intelligence Named SPSFC 4 Finalist, and Bundle News appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

5-Star Review for Accidental Intelligence

Firstly, here’s a snippet from Literary Titan’s 5-star review of Accidental Intelligence:

“Bryan Chaffin’s Accidental Intelligence offers a thrilling journey into a cyberpunk world where the line between humanity and technology blurs into a precarious coexistence. Set in 2139, the story follows Mason Truman, a caffeine-addicted private detective barely keeping his head above water. His routine existence shatters when Miranda, a sentient and manipulative AI, coerces him into investigating a sinister conspiracy with apocalyptic stakes. Miranda reveals the existence of a rogue cabal of AIs, bent on initiating ‘Eschaton,’ a catastrophic plan cloaked in the guise of divine inevitability. Initially hesitant, Mason finds himself compelled to dive headfirst into the mystery. Navigating a world of corporate greed, omnipresent surveillance, shadowy police forces, and Miranda’s enigmatic motives, Mason uncovers a plot that forces him to outthink both allies and adversaries in a race against time. The stakes could not be higher: the survival of humanity hangs by a thread.”

There’s more in the full review, and it’s both humbling and gratifying! The book is available in hardback, paperback, and ebook across all major platforms.

5-Star Review for King Liam, First of His Name

And, here’s a snippet from Literary Titan’s 5-star review of King Liam review:

“Chaffin’s story, a captivating addition to the Tales from the Quantum Vault series, is a sharp exploration of the perils of isolation, obsession, and the consequences of disregarding safety protocols. Liam, a self-proclaimed ‘King,’ fumbles through his disastrous quest for wealth, unaware of the larger mysteries that await beyond the known boundaries of space. Despite its brevity, the story stands out thanks to Chaffin’s masterful use of voice and tone, which pulls readers deeper into the unraveling sanity of its protagonist. The author’s skillful integration of stellar terminology and realistic physics adds a layer of authenticity that will especially appeal to fans of hard science fiction. Yet, the straightforward narrative ensures that even casual readers can enjoy this tale.”

Be sure to check out the full review, and remember this is a free short story, and as a paid audiobook. You can download it in all the places.

Kobo Plus Promo

Both books are also participating in a Kobo Plus promo called Science Fiction Reads with Kobo Plus. The promo runs through January 31st, and there are 31 different books participating. We did it to help raise awareness of some of the great SciFi on Kobo Plus.

As a refresher, Kobo Plus is an all-you-can-eat subscription service that is similar to Kindle Unlimited. The biggest difference is that Kobo doesn’t require exclusivity to have my books be a part of Kobo Plus, and that’s not only cool, it’s the way it should be. The Zon requires independent authors to be exclusive to Kindle to be on Kindle Unlimited, which is not fun.

If you have a Kobo ereader (or the app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device), and you enjoy SciFi, check it out.

The post Accidental Intelligence and King Liam Receive 5-Star Reviews from Literary Titan appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

As noted in my piece about joining the Thousand Book Club, I put both of my books on Kobo and Kobo Plus. It turns out Kobo has many users, and they tend to be kind of rabid fans of the platform. Who knew? I do—now—and I regret not having embraced Kobo sooner.

What Is Rakuten Kobo?

Kobo is a third-party ebook platform that has been purchased by the Rakuten conglomerate. They have their own ebook readers—like Kindle and Nook—and seem to be pursuing the ebook market vigorously. Currently, 7 of their ereader models support audiobooks, in addition to ebooks.

For bonus points, follow Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn on Threads, where he is a bit of a maniac and quite entertaining.

What Is Kobo Plus?

Kobo Plus is their all you can-eat-service where you pay a monthly subscription fee and can read and/or listen to any title that has been opted in to that service by the author/publisher. Kobo Plus is currently priced at $7.99 for either reading OR listening, or $9.99 for reading AND listening. That price allows you to download and read/listen to whatever you want (as long as you’re paying).

As an author, if I’ve opted my titles into Kobo Plus, I’m paid according to the number of minutes subscribers spend reading my books compared to the total number of minutes read across the entire Kobo Plus system. The pool of subscriber money is then divvied up accordingly. This can result in not a lot of money per book for authors, but it’s also a fantastic deal for readers and hopefully encourages reading.

Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited

This is similar to how Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited (KU) works. Amazon’s KU uses the number of pages read, rather than the number of minutes read. Also, with Kobo there’s no exclusivity requirement like there is with KU. Why the DOJ lets Amazon get away with that exclusivity requirement is beyond me. It absolutely locks authors—indie authors in particular—into the Zon, which I think is bad for authors and readers alike.

Fortunately, there is growing discontent with Amazon concerning that exclusivity clause from independent authors. Also, trad publishers (that’s mostly the Big Four and their imprints) get to play by different rules. That’s infuriating.

The problem with KU is that there are plenty of authors who make relatively good money with the service, so they have absolutely no desire to leave it and couldn’t care less about getting this exclusivity agreement changed. I’ll keep my eye on the big picture.

My First Few Month with Kobo Plus

Results for Kobo Plus are updated monthly, and I haven’t had enough minutes read to even get a report. They have a 300 minute minimum before you get a report. As I release more books, I’m sure I’ll eventually get that report.

My Overall Sales on Kobo

As I’m also working on my article about joining the Two Thousand Book Club (!!), Kobo has been my slowest platform. I’ve moved 112 books, with 111 copies of King Liam and only one copy of Accidental Intelligence. Like I said, it’s been my slowest platform to date, but I’m delighted to reach 112 people with stories from Mason Truman’s universe.

If you’re looking for an ebook platform that’s run by a lovable maniac, rather than a conceited, self-aggrandizing oligarch, definitely give Kobo a try. There are apps for Mac, iOS, and Android, and they have a wide range of ereader devices. And, Kobo is available in 46 countries, as of this writing.

The post My Books Are on Kobo and Kobo Plus—So What’s the Deal? appeared first on Bryan Chaffin GeekTells.

For instance, more than 1,800 people have bought and downloaded Accidental Intelligence and King Liam, First of His Name. So far, 21 people have left reviews for Accidental Intelligence on Amazon, 10 on Apple Books, with 19 ratings on GoodReads. And 9 people have left reviews for King Liam on Amazon, with 1 review on Apple Books, and none on GoodReads. (While I have lots of sales on Barnes & Noble/Nook, Kobo, and Google Play, I don’t have many reader reviews at all on those sites.

Thanks for Leaving Your Book Review

Thank you to everyone who has left a review. Because I get it. Doesn’t matter how much you like (or dislike!) a book, taking time out of your day to drop a review…well, I’ll get to it eventually, amirite?

But, man, oh man does it help new people find and decide to buy (or not) your books. And I don’t mean you have to write an essay exploring the literary themes touched on by the author. One or two sentences explaining why you liked or disliked a book is wondrous!

If you don’t have time for that, leaving a star rating will be very useful for authors and readers, both, where it’s allowed. This is especially true for indie authors (like me!).

Why Reader Reviews Help!

Reader reviews help for a multitude of reasons. The ones that stand out for me the most are:

1.) Lots reviews are a signal that many people have bought a book. It says This Book Is Important. This isn’t always cut and dry—and many bad reviews would send a different kind of signal—but the reality is that popular books get many reviews. Ipso facto, a book with many reviews must be popular.

2.) The opinions you express may well resonate with someone. Someone who loves character-driven books may well be scanning the reviews looking for people talking about the characters. Same with action, military stuff, intrigue, romance (or the lack thereof)—the list goes on.

3.) A large number of reviews truly do offer a solid consensus view on whatever’s being reviewed. That can also help readers make up their mind. An author has a very brief amount of time to entice someone to buy or even to download a sample chapter. A large number of reviews with a high average rating could well be the deciding factor.

A Note about Leaving Bad Reader Reviews

Here’s the thing about leaving a bad reader review: you do you! Even bad reviews—when they are honest—will help readers decide whether to buy your book. And I don’t mean that as just helping them decide NOT to buy your book. When I see a couple of bad reviews mentioning something I don’t mind—or even like—I know I can disregard those bad reviews.

In other words, I am not asking you to leave a good review, I am asking you to leave a review. I hope you will leave a good review—because I’m hoping you liked my book(s)—but I am just wanting you to take time out of your day to leave an honest review.

Reviews Are Not for Authors

That said, it’s important to remember that book reviews are not for authors. Many authors don’t read their reader reviews in the first place. But, regardless, reader reviews are for (and should be) for other readers.

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