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Newsletter addendum: Oops, I messed up
by Koen Martens 08 May '23

08 May '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230505anewsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl2…> Oops, I Messed Up Please, allow me to insert another message in your inbox mere days after the last newsletter went out. It seems I messed up. I didn't replace the book tips in my newsletter template, so what you got was book tips from March this year, not the ones you should have gotten! Hence, this addendum, in which I correct the mistake by providing you with the correct book tips! My apologies! Statue facepalming Three silhouettes of armed people <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/0f4784f4-e94d-11ed-9d96-a7d7d18a47b5> The Mushroom Farm Casey Moores A Four Horsemen homage to the legendary Son Tay raid. In a future where Humans have proven themselves excellent mercenaries in fighting the conflicts of the Galactic Union, one such unit finds themselves victims of an elaborate trap. The only survivor knows who to call—a black ops company who specializes in rescuing the betrayed and abandoned. They have redundancies and contingencies, but so does their adversary. Whose will win out? Get if for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/0f4784f4-e94d-11ed-9d96-a7d7d18a47b5> Sun rising above earth as seen from orbit <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/qf6ZNsg> Twelve free sci-fi ebooks, only this month. Don't wait too long, grab your copies now! Get your free ebooks now! <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/qf6ZNsg> Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://chasmcity.net/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Help me settle the KU dilemma
by Koen Martens 05 May '23

05 May '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230505newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Yellow cartoon character with spiky hair being strangled, eyes bulging out, tongue extended.Kindle Unlimited or not? I've been pondering a dilemma. My new book is due out soon <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl202…>. My book marketing consultant advised me to enroll it in Kindle Unlimited (otherwise known as KDP Select). Initial readership will be larger this way. The trouble: it means I will have to sell the book exclusively through Amazon for the first 90 days after release. It's rather anti-competitive of them to demand this. I just can't decide. I'm lacking the data to make a sound decision. So I'm asking you for help! Dear reader, are you reading books in Kindle Unlimited or elsewhere? Please click on one of these buttons to let me know: I only read on KU <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/vote.html?mtm_campaign=poll1&mtm_kwd=1> I read on KU and elsewhere <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/vote.html?mtm_campaign=poll1&mtm_kwd=2> I only read elsewhere <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/vote.html?mtm_campaign=poll1&mtm_kwd=3> Book cover of Isolated Futures Omnibus, office buildings pointing towards stary sky. 62% OFF In anticipation of my next release, I've discounted my current book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, with a whopping 62%. The list price has gone down from US$12.95 to US$4.99. In addition, I have expanded the distribution to more platforms, including Smashwords. Grab your copy now! <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> A patterned gold coin against a background of dark blue landscape <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/c1cb1942-a76c-11ed-9814-9f7bcf361cb2> Cryptic Magic Lily Skyy *He’s a mystical bounty hunter. She’s a magical anomaly destined to destroy his world.* Zaid has one mission: hunt down rogue Anunnaki and bring the magical beings to justice. Kinza's wild gifts could either destroy the world – or lead to its salvation. Thrown headlong into a deadly new reality and hunted by evil rogue Anunnaki, Kinza must learn fast if she wants to stay alive. Zaid is used to dealing with powerful magic. But this time, he may have bitten off more than he can chew… /Step into a thrilling urban fantasy novel that artfully combines hair-raising danger and suspense with exotic locations, powerful magic, and larger-than-life characters./ Buy from Amazon! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/c1cb1942-a76c-11ed-9814-9f7bcf361cb2> Subdued light blue network of tendrils suggestive of neural networks <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/55b96aa6-ad6b-11ed-9019-4ba88f0a0968>Awake As A Stranger - Awakening Diane M. Dresback What if you woke up in another person's body? When Treaz awakes, the mirror is wrong. A stranger stares back and mimics her every movement. That is not her body. Those are not her eyes welling with tears. She had dreamt of a different life, but now she lives a nightmare. This trilogy follows the journey of Treaz and Omani. Six thousand miles lie between them yet they both are trapped in a deplorable reality. Along with unlikely comrades, they struggle to gain control over their lives from those holding them captive. The courageous sacrifices these unassuming women make have a lasting impact on each other, those they care about, and their own worlds. Get the free preview! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/55b96aa6-ad6b-11ed-9019-4ba88f0a0968> Abstract swirling pattern in red and yellow. <https://leclairband.bandcamp.com/album/sauropoda>Sauropoda L'Eclair This week's music tip comes from my husband. L'Eclair are a group of five musicians based in Geneva. Their all instrumental cosmic grooves are perfect for a lazy day, lounging in the sun, sipping a cold drink. Check it out on Bandcamp <https://leclairband.bandcamp.com/album/sauropoda> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/5i6hJzGKWnAk0dy6sOTQfr?si=tnA_G5UeSIaujFfwbp…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://chasmcity.net/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-04-21: Advanced Review Copy of The Ein Particle, Book Tips, Music Tip
by Koen Martens 21 Apr '23

21 Apr '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230421newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Cover of The Ein Particle: Ancient palace against backdrop of modern cityscape with big planet in the sky and a rocket soaring up Advanced Review Copy The cat's out of the bag, the eagle has landed, the veil has been lifted. I've made the Advanced Review Copy of The Ein Particle available on Storyorigin <https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/270c19b4-dc60-11ed-88dd-8bbcb258c32b>. While the official launch isn't until June later this year, the ARC is a mostly finished manuscript. It may have some rough edges here and there. For example, I'm currently processing the feedback from my beta readers and the final result will get two passes of proofreading that the ARC hasn't had. Nevertheless, if you want to join my launch team, feel free to grab a copy and start reading <https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/270c19b4-dc60-11ed-88dd-8bbcb258c32b>! Running silhouette against mountainous background with big red planet rising <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/166f9c6e-d9e2-11ed-ba47-37e6878de4ce>Cliff Hock: Thunderclap M. Rothmus A region of space only 75 light-years from Earth has a reputation for being haunted. But Cliff Hock doesn't believe in ghosts. Nightmares that come to life and kill people have a logical, scientific explanation. So, he joins forces with a mother-daughter team to find out what's “really” going on. Cliff navigates a strange, terraformed planet with the anti-communist resistance as he searches for answers. Children are missing, communists are wrecking the economy, and everybody has the same Hat Man dream that can turn deadly. When Cliff discovers who sent for him, he realizes the gravity of the situation. Cliff isn't just battling a bunch of commies with access to advanced technology – he's on a dangerous mission that threatens the fabric of reality itself. Buy from Amazon! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/166f9c6e-d9e2-11ed-ba47-37e6878de4ce> Opera singer surrounde by spaceships shooting lasers <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/b3a39a98-c75a-11ed-88b1-033d34dc77f6>Space Operatic Dale E. Lehman Hopeless optimist Roberto Maccarone has staked his fortunes on a bold move: he's brought grand opera to the Oort Territories, where there isn't enough culture to fill a petri dish. But it's a tough sell here in the cold dark of the next to last circle of hell, and soon Maccarone is up to his mephistophelean eyebrows in corporate greed, rebellious miners and bloodthirsty mercenaries. One thing alone can save Maccarone and his company: the most fabulous theater in the solar system slumbers nearby, mysteriously shuttered without having once been used. But the keys are held in the icy grip of the local Culture Minister, and nothing can pry them loose. Will it be fame for Maccarone and his troupe? Or unemployment in Beelzebub's outhouse? Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/b3a39a98-c75a-11ed-88b1-033d34dc77f6> Abstract image of black hole sucking in burning gasses from dark cloud <https://open.spotify.com/album/3wm3yiOlZH5YcsW42Ihj1T>Nightglow Read Only The tracks on this album are specifically composed as background music for reading sci-fi, so it fits this newsletter particularly well. The dreamy tracks don't demand too much of your attention, and work great as background music for writing too! Check it out on Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/3wm3yiOlZH5YcsW42Ihj1T>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://chasmcity.net/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-04-07: Writing Update, Cyberjacking Cars, Book Tips and a Music Tip
by Koen Martens 07 Apr '23

07 Apr '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230407newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Pier with boats against a background of rocky shore with wooden housesWriting Update My parents are visiting from The Netherlands, and we had a program of south Sweden sights to see lined up. Sadly, my mom tested positive for covid-19 not long after their arrival and has been cooped up in the guestroom since. I had really hoped to show them Sweden's west coast with its romantic villages of red-painted houses clinging to the rocky shores. She's doing well though, thanks to the vaccines. Yay for science! Every disadvantage has its advantage though (a famous Dutch saying): I did make good progress on processing the feedback my copy editor had on The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=ein&m…>. I love the work he's done, really tightens up the prose. With that out of the way, I'm almost ready to send out the first ARC copies (if you're interested in an advanced review copy, let me know by replying to this email). Meanwhile, the first feedback from my beta readers is coming in. There's one in particular that lifted my spirits: 'In one word: WOW!' Pixelated red sports car driving along a pixelated coast with pixelated clouds in the sky Cyberjacking Thieves have been able to hack into a car's headlamp <https://kentindell.github.io/2023/04/03/can-injection/>, unlock the doors and drive off without triggering any alarm. Modern cars have all their parts linked together through a CAN bus. Basically, the CAN bus is one big room where every component is shouting status updates and listens for instructions. For example, a headlamp might divert its beam left or right in response to input from the steering wheel sensor or the receiver of a key-less entry system might broadcast a message 'all clear, the key is in the vicinity, disarm alarm and unlock doors'. Whether because of incompetence, laziness or just being cheap, the messages on this CAN bus are usually not protected in any way. Any connected component can shout anything, and the other components will happily respond, regardless of the source of the message. In this particular case, the communication between key fob and receiver may have been secure, using state-of-the-art cryptography, yet the communication between the receiver and the alarm was not. With a headlamp -- easily accessible from the outside of the car—connected to the same CAN bus as the key-less receiver—the thieves were able to connect to the can bus by dismantling the headlight and send their own, fake, 'all clear, unlock' message. Too easy! I love this sort of thing, because it's real, ubiquitous and no matter how much technology advances, these back doors will always exist. They provide convenient plot elements for my characters to hack their way into whatever system stands in their way, while at the same time keeping things realistic. World Fiction Group Promotion Blurry earth surrounded by stacked books, yellow banner that says 'World Fiction Promotion' and 'Free ebooks from around the world' and a blue button that says 'Download now' <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/RqMiRQZ> A number of my fellow international authors have gotten together and set up this group promotion of free ebooks for the voracious reader. Ranging from scifi to fantasy, from scary to adventure, these are all free to download and enjoy. Get your free ebooks now! <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/RqMiRQZ> Stubbled man in profile against background of abstract geometrical shapes <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/ef01fe1a-aef3-11ed-8383-9354a0bd71a6>Tangents & Tachyons J. Scott Coatsworth Tangents & Tachyons is Scott's second anthology—six sci fi and sci-fantasy shorts that run the gamut from time travel to hopepunk and retro spec fic. This is the first time all of these stories have all been collected in one place. Get it for free now! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/ef01fe1a-aef3-11ed-8383-9354a0bd71a6> Stylised wolf looking up to an owl shooting laser beams from its eyes <https://soccer96.bandcamp.com/album/soccer96>Soccer96 Soccer96 Soccer96 are a London-based duo and their brand of electronic music is different than most. Instead of relying on sequencers, laptops and samplers, their music is played entirely live. Their debut album, while short, is an intense mix of diverse tracks. And if the collection of diverse tracks featuring syncopating dissonance, polyrhytmic exctasy and mouth-watering synths has whetted your appetite, their discography boasts a slew of albums and EPs to enjoy. Check it out on Bandcamp <https://soccer96.bandcamp.com/album/soccer96> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/3fSMU9aJ23wa69uryVEyz0?si=OjSSCOFxSxyrNyRzx6…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://chasmcity.net/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-03-17: Cover Reveal, AI, booktips and a weirdly wonderful music tip
by Koen Martens 17 Mar '23

17 Mar '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230317newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Ancient palace against backdrop of modern cityscape with big planet in the sky and a rockt soaring up <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl230…>Cover Last week I received the cover design for The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl230…>. I've been so eager to share it with the world, but wanted to give my newsletter readers the exclusive so kept it to myself until today. It's been done by MiblArt <https://miblart.com/>, a Ukrainian company. They've been a real pleasure to work with. From my description they managed to capture the exact feel I was looking for, and then did two more revisions to make it perfect. Curious to know what you think. Just reply to this email and let me know! Yellow and red geometric shapes with indecipherable words in them <https://koenmartens.nl/20230317-will-ai-make-authors-obsolete.html?mtm_camp…><https://koenmartens.nl/> Will AI make me obsolete? You can’t open a browser or go through your social media timeline without reading about AI these days. From proponents to opponents, everyone has a strong opinion and isn’t hesitant to share it with world + dog. Myself, I’m still not convinced whether we are indeed dealing with a revolution here or whether this is just a passing fad. However, I have been thinking a lot about OpenAI’s GPT language model and what this means for my ambitions as an author. Will I become obsolete? Or will this, as some authors propose, be a great tool to help me write better stories faster? Read more... <https://koenmartens.nl/20230317-will-ai-make-authors-obsolete.html?mtm_camp…> Futuristic city scape with flying spaceships <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/3ed09434-94d6-11ed-979b-aba1b242a9b0>The Halden Army Keyla Damaer /A dramatic sci-fi short story/ A coward is not the one who is afraid. It’s what we do about fear that makes the difference. Cadet Draken Kosset is getting ready for his final exam to become an officer of the Manderian Halden when his body reaches sexual maturity. He should focus on the exam, but all he can do is think about sultry Zamal and the recurring nightmare tormenting his nights since his childhood. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/3ed09434-94d6-11ed-979b-aba1b242a9b0> Woman, tiger and man with gun <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/fbf0cf86-7d87-11ed-b072-cba52703c543> Undead Menagerie A.M. Geever /When the world ends, you adapt or die. Can two strangers trapped in a zoo survive as zombies close in around them? / Zookeeper Imogen is flying high. She loves her work caring for endangered Iberian Lynxes and a promotion is on the horizon. Then a colleague throws her under the bus and her entire life goes into free-fall. Mike dropped out of college to raise his sisters. Now, twenty years later, it’s time to live for himself. First step of his new life: marry his girlfriend. But an unwelcome surprise derails his proposal, and the future he’s longed for slips from his grasp. When the zombie apocalypse strikes, Imogen and Mike are trapped inside the zoo. If Imogen wants to protect her lynxes, she’ll have to adapt. If Mike wants to find his family, he needs to survive. Together, they must find a way out of the zoo—before it becomes as deadly as the ravenous hordes beyond its fence. Get it now! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/fbf0cf86-7d87-11ed-b072-cba52703c543> Five superhero playmobil figurines <https://apparatorganquartet.bandcamp.com/album/apparat-organ-quartet>Apparat Organ Quarted OK, honsetly, I'm running out of time on this newsletter, so I'm just going to leave you with this. It's Icelandic, it's weird, it's wonderful! Enjoy :) Check it out on Bandcamp <https://apparatorganquartet.bandcamp.com/album/apparat-organ-quartet> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/0H3QNvA8LeogksjVwoFtWT?si=SQT-1OMsTe-jWCbqpv…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://hsnl.social/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-03-03: Excitement, reading update, book tips and a music tip
by Koen Martens 03 Mar '23

03 Mar '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230303newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Big letter 'beta' Personal update I'm excited and can't wait to release The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=ein&m…>. I've received a first draft of the cover this week, and it's almost perfect. I'm now eagerly awaiting a second draft with a few tweaks. Can't wait to show it to you all! Meanwhile, I've sharpened up the blurb <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=ein&m…> a bit after consulting with a blurb writer. What do you think, does it fancy your imagination? And last but not least, the manuscript is now out with my beta readers. They are the first to read it apart from myself and my developmental editor, so yeah, I'm pretty curious to know what they think of it! Spaceships in purplish space Reading Update I've been reading. I've recently finished /Waste Tide/ by Chen Qiufan, which I found rather enjoyable. You can find a review on my website <https://koenmartens.nl/20230222-review-waste-tide-chen-qiufan.html?mtm_camp…>. I also finished /Artificial Condition/ by Martha wells, which left a bit of a bitter aftertaste <https://koenmartens.nl/20230301-review-artificial-condition-martha-wells.ht…>. I've now started /The Caledonian Gambit/ by Dan Moren. It's the first in the many-part Galactic Cold War series. I'll let you know what I think about it when I'm done! It's a hefty volume though, might take a while. What are you reading right now? Hit 'reply' on this email and let me know! A patterned gold coin against a background of dark blue landscape <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/c1cb1942-a76c-11ed-9814-9f7bcf361cb2> Cryptic Magic Lily Skyy *He’s a mystical bounty hunter. She’s a magical anomaly destined to destroy his world.* Zaid has one mission: hunt down rogue Anunnaki and bring the magical beings to justice. Kinza's wild gifts could either destroy the world – or lead to its salvation. Thrown headlong into a deadly new reality and hunted by evil rogue Anunnaki, Kinza must learn fast if she wants to stay alive. Zaid is used to dealing with powerful magic. But this time, he may have bitten off more than he can chew… /Step into a thrilling urban fantasy novel that artfully combines hair-raising danger and suspense with exotic locations, powerful magic, and larger-than-life characters./ Buy from Amazon! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/c1cb1942-a76c-11ed-9814-9f7bcf361cb2> Subdued light blue network of tendrils suggestive of neural networks <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/55b96aa6-ad6b-11ed-9019-4ba88f0a0968>Awake As A Stranger - Awakening Diane M. Dresback What if you woke up in another person's body? When Treaz awakes, the mirror is wrong. A stranger stares back and mimics her every movement. That is not her body. Those are not her eyes welling with tears. She had dreamt of a different life, but now she lives a nightmare. This trilogy follows the journey of Treaz and Omani. Six thousand miles lie between them yet they both are trapped in a deplorable reality. Along with unlikely comrades, they struggle to gain control over their lives from those holding them captive. The courageous sacrifices these unassuming women make have a lasting impact on each other, those they care about, and their own worlds. Get the free preview! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/55b96aa6-ad6b-11ed-9019-4ba88f0a0968> Album cover of "Speak no Evil" showing Wayne Shorter and his first wife <https://open.spotify.com/album/27Rl7A8jXEQOkIfUKOa6ZU?si=F1MCElVNSqGOLqluRI…>Speak No Evil Wayne Shorter Sadly, another "in memoriam", for yesterday one of the giants of jazz has passed away. I'm talking about saxophone player and composer Wayne Shorter of course, whose career is too long to summarize in a few paragraphs. Instead of attempting and failing, I'll just leave you with his 1966 album Speak No Evil. It is but one of many masterpieces he leaves behind to enrich our world. Check it out on Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/27Rl7A8jXEQOkIfUKOa6ZU?si=F1MCElVNSqGOLqluRI…> or Youtube <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJoSrQ6iP0c&list=PLL-NbN8uTOih2uI8vdKaB0Vb_…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://chasmcity.net/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-02-17: chaos and disorder, two book tips and a music tip
by Koen Martens 17 Feb '23

17 Feb '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230217newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Icelandic sheepdog puppy with red coat and black snout standing up with paws on the edge of a shopping cart.Chaos and disorder Who would have guessed: raising a puppy is a lot of work! Getting up multiple times during the night to get him outside to pee, the cat chasing the puppy, the puppy chasing the cat and not to mention puppy-proofing the house. So far, the room that has my writing desk is not puppy-proof, lots of loose electrical cables and other bite-able objects, so when my husband is out at work I am relegated to one of the puppy proof rooms. That includes the day job office, where I sit all day already, and the living room. So I end up slouching on the couch with the laptop doing my writing. Not ideal. I prefer sitting up straight behind my desk having multiple monitors to cross reference notes and research while writing. Regardless, the fourth draft is nearing completion and will be ready for my beta readers any day now. Meanwhile, I'm working hard with a book marketing consultant to set up the launch. And of course, the puppy is a lot of fun too. I mean, just look at that picture. Isn't that the cutest thing you've seen today? Hooded face with glowing red eyes and pixelated skin <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/bfac7196-a1d7-11ed-af98-47cc7ad1f37e>Cyber Angel TJ McKaye /How he became the most feared man on the dark web./ Before he was the feared cyber criminal "Luckee Lynx," Timothy "Ti" Riley was a young computer prodigy who simply wanted to be a good son. Though being the son of a ruthless Wall Street climbing banker would make meeting his Father's expectations nearly impossible. After facing abuse and abandonment, Ti Riley is now on a mission. He wants to use his self taught hacking abilities to seek vengeance on all evil in the world, including his Father. Though is he really some one who is capable of such evil or will he find that he is "The Cyber Angel?" Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/bfac7196-a1d7-11ed-af98-47cc7ad1f37e> An orange hanging on a branch with a skull superimposed on it. <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/cafa481c-9f47-11ed-b1ed-8fa732b2e8bf>Death Art Amanda Jaeger /An Emily Ellis Thriller Short./ For the love of art. For the love of talent. For the love of beauty in death. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/cafa481c-9f47-11ed-b1ed-8fa732b2e8bf> Cauldron from which a tree emerges amidst abstract jungle <https://mchuzi.bandcamp.com/album/papara>Papara M. Chuzi I've said it before, and I will say it again: there is a lot of excellent jazz coming from Belgium. This music tip is no exception. This debut album from Belgian group M. Chuzi is full of well-rounded afro beats and groovy jazz funk. A joy to the ear, very uplifting and contagious. I do hope there will be more! Check it out on Bandcamp <https://mchuzi.bandcamp.com/album/papara> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/6vdPNXfUa8colUXj6ZmWy6?si=l0uXGhRKQAGK84jhWN…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://hsnl.social/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-02-03: Woof, Cover Design, Lots of free books and a brand new old skool music tip
by Koen Martens 03 Feb '23

03 Feb '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230203newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Icelandic sheepdog puppy with a light brown coat and black snout Woof! I'd never have thought it possible, but this weekend we'll be driving around Sweden's biggest lake to have a look at this little guy and hopefully take him home with us. Had you told me two years ago I'd become a dog person, I'd have laughed. I always found dogs so dependent, preferring the autonomous nature of cats. But recently I've met lots of nice dogs, and honestly, being out here in the Swedish country side, I can quite see us with a dog. It's almost obligatory really. It's not a done deal though. We'll have to convince the kennel owner that we'll be good carers. It's a bit scary as well. Unlike a cat, a dog really needs to be trained to be a good dog. Are you more of a dog person, a cat person or both/neither? Let me know by sending a reply to this email! Two books with blank covers Cover Design Now that the manuscript for The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl230…> is coming along nicely I'm turning my attention towards two other very important aspects of the book: the cover and the blurb. The cover, because that is what people will see when they browse their favourite book vendor's catalog. And the blurb, because if they clicked on the cover, that is what should convince them to get the book. I don't want to give away too much, but I've discussed some ideas about the cover with a book marketeer, and it looks like we'll try and come up with something that shows the skyline of Xin, the capital of the biggest continent in the book's world, with a big planet in the sky and a rocket being sent off towards that planet. These are all aspects of the story that we'd like to highlight. Curious to see what the artists come up with! Banner with group promo title adorned by a robot, stars planets. <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dtVwRpm>Share the Love... Of Science Fiction I don't know about you, but I absolutely love sci-fi. Under that single umbrella we find a broad gamut of sub-genres, from cyberpunk to post-apocalyptic, from space opera to hard sf. In this give-away, you'll find samples of many of those, and it's all free. All month. So make sure to head over to the group promo page and click those covers. Check it out! <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/dtVwRpm> Out of this World Free Science Fiction & Fantasy Ebooks Knight in armor emerging from a portal onto a jumble of ancient and modern silhouetted city scapes <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/3DlnFr8> And if all that sci-fi diversity wasn't quite enough for you yet, here's another bonanza of free ebooks. This one has a mix of sci-fi and fantasy, so that's even more to enjoy. And again, it's all free and available this entire month. But if you're like me, you're likely to forget about this as soon as you open the next mail. So to be sure you don't miss out before this promotion ends, click through to the group promo page right away <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/3DlnFr8> and claim your downloads. Get the free preview! <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/3DlnFr8> Compact cassette in transparent case with blue banner '2xAA - Alescere' <https://2xaa.bandcamp.com/album/alescere-data113>Alescere 2xAA I was a bit lost what album to feature in today's newsletter when this came along on the fediverse <https://mastodon.social/@2xAA/109799917837171408>. I'm a big fan of music produced with minimal electronic means. Nintentdo's Game Boy or an old 80's home computer like the Commodore 64 or Atari ST500, I'm game! This album, just out, was produced using nothing but a Game Boy Advance. While it's pretty advanced compared to a C64 or classic Game Boy, it's a far cry from today's digital audio workstations. The sound of the dance, techno and drum & bass fusion tracks is darn clean though. Well done, 2xAA! Check it out on Bandcamp <https://2xaa.bandcamp.com/album/alescere-data113>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://hsnl.social/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-01-20: Writing updates, join my launch team, two book tips and a flippin' music tip
by Koen Martens 20 Jan '23

20 Jan '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230120newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Snow-covered tree in a snow-covered garden Prepping for launch I've just finished going over the feedback from the first round of editing on The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl230…>. The first draft came in at 98k words, and I had hoped to edit that down to around 90k, but ended up with 101k. Mind you, I did remove a lot of words, but I also added some on the advice of the editor, improving the structure and narrative arcs. The manuscript is back at the editor for a second round, and then it's ready to go out to my beta readers. I'm getting quite excited about this novel, and am slowly gearing up for launch (even though that's still months away). Getting a cover, writing the blurb, and everything else that needs to be in place, it's so energizing to get near the finish line. At the same time, lots of ideas for the sequel are bubbling up. Ideas that will take the characters beyond their original environment, into space, to explore more of their world (taking me along with them). Meanwhile, we had about 50 centimeters of snow here a few weeks ago. That all melted away, but then it started to snow again, and we now have 10 centimeters. Enough to make everything pretty. AI generated book with a rocket on the cover against a backdrop of shelves filled with books Join my launch team I'm expanding my launch team, so if you're interested in getting a free Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of The Ein Particle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/ein-1-the-ein-particle.html?mtm_campaign=nl230…> and are willing to leave a review at the launch date, let me know! Getting enough reviews on launch date is very important to make sure Amazon will actually try to sell the book, and that will help me out immensely to attempt to recover part of the more than €10.000 I invested in this book (not to mention the countless hours I spent writing it). The review copies will go out in the second half of April (after copy-editing, but before proofreading). With the launch date set for June 17th, 2023, that's a good two months to read the book and write a review. Want to join? Let me know! Just hit reply on this email. <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/167457a6-9273-11ed-ba1c-2b44d05aba54> Cliff Hock: Infestation Nation M. Rothmus /Who controls the universe?/ It's the distant future. Humanity has built a Dyson Sphere around the sun, which encompasses the inner planets. Cliff Hock is back to bounty hunting, but a strange case of amnesia has him questioning the events around him. Cliff Hock is caught in a "whodunnit" mystery that sends him into pocket dimensions he didn't know existed. But who is doing what? Who is Nexus Tobbs? And how did Cliff Hock know to travel 1,000 light years and through a wormhole to find him? Is the Dyson Sphere acting unlawfully? Why are the Contra Krugs involved? Are the people around him his friends or enemies? Cliff must unravel who is behind the puzzle, but he must also figure out what the puzzle even is. Where others have failed, Cliff Hock must succeed. Cliff is shown how to travel into echoes of the past. But this only presents him with fake Nexus Tobbses, who are mere memories of the actual person. The echoes are compromising Cliff’s own past. Buy from Amazon! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/167457a6-9273-11ed-ba1c-2b44d05aba54> Silhouette of humanoid looking out from viewport to a planet surface <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/a5373a14-9208-11ed-955c-cb10ad430f4a> The Neighbor You Don't Know Shane Shepherd /Who controls the universe?/ After countless years of preparation Mission Terra Firme One is finally ready to commence and give Earth the answers it has long waited for, about the planet Neighbor. The TSS Cartographer is about to arrive and its First Officer Baldwin “call me Win” Tavares believes that he might just be able to touch his hand to that rocky ground and that’d be enough for him to learn everything there is to know about their old Neighbors, the things they’d done and what they’d left behind. But not everyone is as kind-hearted or has such noble intentions, and Neighbor holds more mysteries than anyone could have imagined. Exploring it might open the gates for a flood that threatens to drown everything, and Win must make decisions that hold his life, and that of all around him, at stake. Get the free preview! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/a5373a14-9208-11ed-955c-cb10ad430f4a> Cartoon girl with purple hair, red jacket with high collar wearing headphones and an eighties retro title <https://scottdanesi.bandcamp.com/album/total-nuclear-annihilation-expanded>Total Nuclear Annihilation One of my hobbies is pinball. And one of my all-time favourite pinball games is Total Nuclear Annihilation <https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=6444>. It's a relatively recent game, released in 2017, but everything about the game breathes retro. You know, that nostalgic throw-back style to the 80's, with the purple tones and computer-generated grid surfaces. For modern standards, the game is relatively simple. No ramps, no gimmicks, just a single-level play field. Yet the game is one of the most thrilling I know. Part of the excitement of playing this game is the soundtrack. With a deep bass thumping from the game's built-in sub-woofer, the music is an integral part of the experience. So if you play this, make sure you play it loud and with a good set of bass speakers (or indeed, a hefty sub-woofer). Check it out on Bandcamp <https://scottdanesi.bandcamp.com/album/total-nuclear-annihilation-expanded> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/0aOWrCBwtkGSsq8HA25rVW>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://hsnl.social/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2023-01-06: happy new year, home automation, a book tip and a synthy music tip
by Koen Martens 06 Jan '23

06 Jan '23

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Not showing correctly? Missing images? Click here for web version. <https://koenmartens.nl/20230106newsletter.html?mtm_campaign=nl&mtm_kwd=nl23…> Narrow snow covered road winding its way through pine forest.Happy new year! I was going to write a pessimistic bit here about how 2022 was pretty shit, as far as the state of the world goes, and 2023 will be even worse, so why celebrate this arbitrary moment in time? I'm not one for making new year's resolutions anyway. Mind you, I do some goal setting now and then, and take stock of where I am with respect to those goals periodically, but it generally happens around spring time. Anyway. I realized pessimism is hardly going to entertain my dear readers now is it. So without further ado: All the best for 2023! Despite not having new year's resolutions there are some things I look forward to in the coming year. One of those is publishing my current WIP: The Ein Particle. I'm so looking forward to sharing that with you all. I'm wrapping up the first round of edits after the feedback from my editor, and will send the revised manuscript off to her for a second pass exactly ten days from now. Something else I'm looking forward to is extending our family of three (my husband, myself and our kitten Wifi) with another pawed critter. We're planning on getting a dog this year to complete the farm-house experience. Expect cute puppy pictures somewhere along the line. What about you? Do you have anything to look forward to in the (near) future to brighten up your live? Let me know, always eager to get to know my readers! Screenshot from home assistant app showing a graph of the heat pump's supply and return lines and brine in/out temperatures. Home Automation I thought I'd let you in on one of my (many) hobbies: home automation. Over the years, I've installed little gadgets all over the place to switch on and off lights, appliances and what more, connected together through Home Assistant, a free, open source and self-hosted home automation solution. It knows when we leave (by checking whether our phones are connected to wifi) and switch off the soldering iron in case I forgot, or starts to simulate our presence by turning on lights in the evening to thwart burglar's attempt at figuring out the coast is clear for them to plunder our stuff. We recently had a heat pump installed to keep us warm during the winter. I have that integrated with the home automation setup through the manufacturer's cloud server. What that means is that the heat pump will connect out over the internet to someone else's server somewhere in the world to upload its readings and download instructions. My home automation, in turn, goes out over the internet to connect to that same server, collect the readings (so that I can have pretty graphs) and sends instructions, such as setting the desired temperature (which, by the way, it bases on sixteen wifi-connected thermostat valves on the radiators in the house). This is all very round-about, and if the internet breaks, so does the whole thing. Also, I'm keen on keeping everything local for privacy reasons. I'm not interested in Amazon Echo's that record everything we say and relay that to Amazon's servers, nor do I want the heat pump's manufacturer to see when we take a shower or when we're on vacation. I was delighted therefore to find out that the heat pump has a secret menu, reserved for the company that installed the thing, in which I could enable a local protocol (modbus-tcp, if you're interested and into these things) that lets me cut out the middle man. With this, my in-house home automation server can connect directly to the heat pump over the local network without a need to involve the internet. Not only that, it offers far more detailed insights into the heat pump's operation and finer grained control of its functions. It's little things like this that get me excited. I agree, it all sounds a bit nerdy, but hey. As I said, I'm always curious to hear more about you and learn about my readers, so therefore I'll end with a question (or two). Are any of you into home automation? What does your setup look like? Let me know! Space-suited man against backdrop of planet and space <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/2e01825a-7ff3-11ed-a32d-67be111e8b7a> Dropnauts J. Scott Coatsworth /It's time for mankind to go home. Diverse hopepunk sci-fi./ // Over a century after the end of the Earth, life goes on in Redemption, the sole remaining Lunar colony, and possibly the last outpost of humankind in the Solar System. But with an existential threat burrowing its way into the Moon's core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld. Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. Four of them—Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien—have trained for two-and-a-half years for the Return. They're bound for Martinez Base, just outside the Old Earth city of San Francisco. But what awaits them there will turn their assumptions upside down—and in the process, either save or destroy what's left of humanity. Get this short story for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/2e01825a-7ff3-11ed-a32d-67be111e8b7a> Gray background with album and artist names in futuristic font <https://open.spotify.com/album/0BpEmLQOLxfaFVGw0gdcnc?si=e0JEfZVwQ6CSMZ-7Bq…> Music Inspired By Mega-City One Drokk Alex Ball's latest video on Oberheim's first synthesizers <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOCMNVOLkxM> made mention of a soundtrack composed for one of the Judge Dredd movies. The soundtrack was never used, but released as a stand-alone album. What makes this album intriguing is the exclusive use (if you discount the drum tracks that are present in some of the compositions) of the Oberheim Two Voice. Three of them to be precise. This is not background music. It's music to sit down for, dim the lights, close your eyes and imagine the narratives that could inspire this soundtrack. It's full of analog arpeggio's (recently re-popularised by the Stranger Things' theme), gloomy drones and gritty sounds. I've never seen any of the movies, nor have I read any of the comics, but this soundtrack does it for me. Check it out on Bandcamp <https://drokk.bandcamp.com/album/drokk-music-inspired-by-mega-city-one> or Spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/0BpEmLQOLxfaFVGw0gdcnc?si=e0JEfZVwQ6CSMZ-7Bq…>. Find my book, the Isolated Futures Omnibus, on: Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/>Kobo <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures>Barnes & Noble <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323>Google <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ>Apple <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> Mastodon icon <https://hsnl.social/@gmc>Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Linkedin icon <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>Facebook icon <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>Email icon <mailto:in+newsletter@metro.cx>Link icon <https://www.koenmartens.nl/>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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