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Newsletter 2022-07-15: upcoming give-away, two free book tips and a music tip
by Koen Martens 15 Jul '22

15 Jul '22

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Office towers reaching up to a starry sky Changes to book pricing In August, the price of the Isolated Futures Omnibus will go up from US$4.26 to US$12,95 (or thereabouts). But, you heard it here first, before that happens there will be a Goodreads give-away. This give-away will kick-off on August 5th, the date of the next newsletter. A few days later, I will announce the give-away on social media. That means you, as a subscriber to my newsletter, will get a head-start to sign up for a chance to win one of those 100 free copies. Of course, if you can't wait, you can already get the Omnibus at the current low price on Amazon. <https://www.amazon.com/Isolated-Futures-Omnibus-Koen-Martens-ebook/dp/B09VY…> Screenshot of new newsletter design New newsletter design (cont'd) I'm still tweaking the new newsletter design. It looks great in my testing on thunderbird, gmail and K9 mail, but of course Outlook messes up the layout entirely. Leave it to Microsoft to break things and frustrate people, ey? I'll probably have to move back to table-based layout. Ugh. At least the text should be coming across just fine. Orange tinted cityscape suggesting destruction <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e6672c70-f9eb-11ec-84cd-67f9b9cde81b> Amy's Story Mark Hood /A 'War of the Worlds' Adventure/ Amy’s comfortable life is shattered when the Martians attack. Forced to flee the burning town of Woking, she can’t prevent her husband George from vanishing into the night on a foolish errand. With no idea if he will ever return, and fearing for her unborn child, she sets out to try and find him among the tidal wave of terrified people. When Ella, an orphaned refugee, begs her for help, Amy promises to find her grandparents. Unable to reach them, she ends up working in a field hospital tending to the injured and dying victims of the Martian assault. Supplies are running dry, the army wants to commandeer the place for their own wounded, and more desperate souls arrive every hour. Meanwhile the Martian destruction draws ever closer. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e6672c70-f9eb-11ec-84cd-67f9b9cde81b> Space-suited figure standing at lip of ravine <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/5478593a-01e6-11ed-92ba-3b4601c99982> Rox Mark Bilsborough /Lost Colony Magazine, vol. 1, issue 1/ Forced into a risky mission to the outer reaches of the solar system, Roxanne “Rox” Weaver is about to confront a horror from her past, and a threat to humanity’s future. Lost Colony is a quarterly magazine of mid-length (10,000 to 25,000 words) science fiction and fantasy in all of their varieties. This ebook edition also includes an Editor’s Note in which the editor explains why this story was chosen for publication. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/5478593a-01e6-11ed-92ba-3b4601c99982> People rollerskating against red background <https://open.spotify.com/album/5kHDX3xgkFyexSI8IEwfPB> Organ Skating Classics This newsletter's music tip may be considered cheesy by some, or, as my nephew once dubbed it, 'elevator music on steroids'. Mind you, organ rinks weren't a part of life where I grew up (nor where I live now), so I can't vouch for the validity of the title. I can however confirm that there's organs in there, and for sure there are some classic covers as well. The music is primarily from the 40's to the 60's and features a mix of artists. It put a smile on my face, hopefully it does the same for you! Check it out on Spotify. <https://open.spotify.com/album/5kHDX3xgkFyexSI8IEwfPB> 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> Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Twitter icon <https://twitter.com/koenswriting>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/?mtm_campaign=nl_main&mtm_kwd=220715>RSS icon <https://koenmartens.nl/feeds/all.atom.xml>

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Newsletter 2022-07-01: Midsommar, new design, books and music tips
by Koen Martens 01 Jul '22

01 Jul '22

Title 'Koen's Bi-montly Mailing' against backdrop of white binary digits on blue background Smooth rock shore with islands and red houses across the waterGlad midsommar! I've had my family over for a visit and we celebrated the Swedish mid-summer holiday midsommarafton at our neighbours'. We also spent some time in Stockholm and the archipelago. I just love the vibe of taking a boat through the thousands of islands. If you're ever in Stockholm, make sure to hop on a ferry out to Möja for example, and take a leisurely stroll. I did plan to continue work on my novel during the visit, but there was just too much to process and my mind wasn't in the right frame to get out the words. I'm now woefully behind, but I'll catch up somehow (despite having a whole new home to renovate too). Ruler and other design tools New newsletter design Now that the second half of 2022 has officially started, I thought I'd shake things up a bit and change the newsletter formatting. I'll probably be tweaking it a bit more, but so far I'm relatively happy. What do you think? Let me know on gmc(a)metro.cx <mailto:gmc@metro.cx>! Grim armoured and armed figure against backdrop of destroyed cityscape holding a teddy bear <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/eefea9fa-f26e-11ec-a533-171057a37234> Two from the Ashes Earl T. Roske Pfc Bernie Lebna has been through hell. It's left a mark. Now, a random rescue has put a baby in his arms. He's the only one that seems able to keep her happy and quiet. The Shepherd recruits Bernie for the extraction. No one wants a crying baby. What should be a simple side mission goes sideways. Now Bernie must not only struggle with his own fears, but with the safety of a trusting baby girl. Can he save the baby? Can he save himself? Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/eefea9fa-f26e-11ec-a533-171057a37234> Silhouettes of fighting persons against backdrop of eastern tower <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/1b48fa46-e5aa-11ec-8e7d-ff554192c0df> Cyber Fighter William Joseph Hill In this graphic novel — based on the screenplay for the author's short film project which itself is based on the full length novel CYBER FIGHTER — clumsy temp Brian Baldwin gets an assignment where he volunteers for an immersive Artificial Intelligence Virtual Reality experiment to be programmed with Black Belt fighting skills from 47 different martial arts. He goes from a total klutz to a real-life action hero! Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/1b48fa46-e5aa-11ec-8e7d-ff554192c0df> Black and white negative image of woman wearing dress, hat and purse mirrored along vertical axis <https://open.spotify.com/album/3DJEH628HjhqPgyO6N2gYJ?si=2gN_tztETIC68gmjyI…> Mary Beats Jane Don't you just love life's little coincidences? We recently bought a house and as we chatted with the previous owners it turned out one of them played in Swedish hardcore / trash metal band Mary Beats Jane. They even played at Dynamo Open Air, a Dutch metal festival I visited a few times. Who knows, I might have seen them live. Anyway, I decided to check out their music, and it's actually pretty awesome. Their title album got a Grammy, so that tells you something. Check it out on Spotify (not for the weak of heart). <https://open.spotify.com/album/3DJEH628HjhqPgyO6N2gYJ?si=2gN_tztETIC68gmjyI…> 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> Instagram icon <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/>Twitter icon <https://twitter.com/koenswriting>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 2022-06-17: on pride, book tips and a lofty music tip
by Koen Martens 17 Jun '22

17 Jun '22

Hi there, It's pride month! Of course, as the G in QUILTBAG+ I should be aware of such things, but I've been so busy, I missed it completely. Next to being the G in QUILTBAG+, I'm also a buddhist. Or at least, I try to be. Not because of the ceremonies, I think those are besides the point, but because Buddhism puts great focus on introspection and learning by observing one's mind. I meditate daily, looking at my thoughts, feelings and the sensations in my body. More often than not, my mind runs away with all kinds of hypothetical scenario's, memories, judgements. I observe those and let them be, learning from them as I sit in silence without reacting. Anyway, back to pride, or Māna in Sanskrit (which is the language many Buddhist teachings were written in). To quote Wikipedia, Māna is "defined as an inflated mind that makes whatever is suitable, such as wealth or learning, to be the foundation of pride.^It creates the basis for disrespecting others and for the occurrence of suffering." It is one of the "five poisons" (along with ignorance, attachment, aversion and envy) that stands in the way of enlightenment. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate pride month, and it's good that we have it! There is still so much hatred and bigotry for being who you are born as (even more so in recent times, thanks to social media and Putin-sponsored right-wing politicians), with religious wackos treating it like a treatable disease and what have you. And that's just in the more 'civilised' countries. Go to eastern Europe or the Caribbean, to name a few, and you have to hide your true nature for fear of being murdered. So yay for pride month! Every month should be pride month! We're here and we're not going away. But am I proud to be gay? No, I just am. I don't feel better than others because of it. Yet, if not pride month, what should we call it? Awareness month? Ugh, that sounds so lame. We're here and we're not going away month? Quite a mouthful. Celebration month then? Yeah. That sounds nice. I'll go with that. Happy celebration month! And if you're tired of celebrating, why not give one of the book tips below a chance, or relax with the music tip even lower down? Oh, and one more thing: all the individual stories in the Isolated Futures series are currently available individually on Amazon <https://www.amazon.com/Koen-Martens/e/B09C8YNVG3> and the other platforms <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/publications.html?mtm_campaign=nl220617>, but I plan to take them down soon (with the exception of the first one, /Forced to be Free/) in favour of the omnibus <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> that has all six in one volume. If you want to get one of the stories without buying the bundle <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> that has all six (not sure why you would, but hey, it takes all sorts ;) ) get it now <https://www.amazon.com/Koen-Martens/e/B09C8YNVG3> while you still can! Book Tips Happy robot peeking around the corner with a backdrop of blue shards radiating from metal orb <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/0c892cf2-e3fb-11ec-99e4-430ed2d7566c> *Crazy Foolish Robots **Adeena Mignogna* Tendrils of gossamer threads radiation from planet grasping at escaping space ship <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/6b01f934-e2e9-11ec-a406-17a9f42e5d12> * **Discovering Your Neighbor** **Shane Shepherd* *What does an entire planet of robots want with one human?* /A humorous science fiction story/ Ruby Palmer finds herself on an entire planet surrounded by the things she hates the most: robots. Besides taking everything she says way too literally, the robots have problems of their own. A myriad of technical glitches are, on the cosmological scale, quickly destroying them. Ruby has the programming knowledge and skills that matter to them, but can she overcome her fears and find it within herself to help? Her survival, along with the survival of all of humanity and robot kind, depends on it. This is Book 1 of The Robot Galaxy Series. Get the free sample! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/0c892cf2-e3fb-11ec-99e4-430ed2d7566c> *A simple exploration of an unknown planet. What could go wrong?* /Prequel to The Neighbor You Don't Know Series/ Baldwin Tavares is called up by the Admiral Pitch to join in their expedition to the planet Allende 1-b, also known as Neighbor. Baldwin and his team were requested for their very specific skill set, as they are the best in their individual fields. Eager to be part of something bigger than himself, Baldwin, aka Win, convinces his team to go on the expedition. They aim to find some remnants left behind of the once inhabited planet Neighbor in the hopes of studying and preserving whatever knowledge about them that they find. Win begins to realize the expedition to Allende 1-B is not entirely scientific. He suspects the Pacific Ocean World Mining Organization, or POMO, have sunk deep into the pockets of the ship’s commanding officers, with the hopes of mining Allende 1-B for its rich mineral reserves as soon as they arrive. As such he immediately starts investigating the ship to confirm his suspicions. When Win finds out he was right, he races to convince the crew against any mining expeditions before it’s too late. However, little does he know something even more pressing will require his attention before he even gets the chance to tell anyone. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/6b01f934-e2e9-11ec-a406-17a9f42e5d12> Music Tip Two men dancing against background of green and blue rectangles <https://open.spotify.com/album/5dmYtZVJ1bG9RyrZBRrkOA?si=Mhkgy2gcTZy8xcHS5J…> (spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/5dmYtZVJ1bG9RyrZBRrkOA?si=Mhkgy2gcTZy8xcHS5J…>, youtube <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BswuwCn1hBo&list=PLaVHibd49QFIfADpOMaCe1sOY…>) Now that summer has finally arrived in the northern latitudes of southern Sweden, it's time for some lofty beats and easy tunes. It's time for a classic. Moon Safari by French electronic music duo AIR fits the bill perfectly. With a plethora of Moog synthesizers, a Korg MS-20 and a whole range of organs (even the Mellotron makes an appearance) there sure is a lot of electronics, but the duo doesn't eschew acoustical instrumentation. There's the occassional acoustic guitar and there's a string quartet in some of the tracks too. The music is full of lovely organ solo's and laid back beats. With a heatwave assaulting much of Europe (40°C in France, surely that's beyond comfort, isn't it?) this is just what we need! Out Now Office towers reaching up to a starry night <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=ifo…> *Isolated Futures Omnibus **Koen Martens* *If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like /The Passengers/ and /Black Mirror/, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read!* *Story 1 - Forced to be Free:* Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. *Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: *Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? *Story 3 - Cima Peak: *Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? *Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement:* Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew 80perishes. *Story 5 - Eddy:* Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. *Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: *When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system? /*Click through below to delve into this eye-opening novella collection today!*/ Get it on amazon! <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/> Get it on Kobo! <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures/> Get it at Barnes & Noble! <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323> Get it on Google Play Store! <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ> Get it on Apple Books! <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> -- Instagram:@koenmartens_author <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/> Twitter:@koenswriting <https://twitter.com/koenswriting> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>,Goodreads <https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/596199.Koen_Martens> Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-06-03: Map making, book tips, music tip
by Koen Martens 03 Jun '22

03 Jun '22

Hi there, Gosh, has it already been two weeks since the previous newsletter? Time flies! I've caught up with my writing schedule again, even though we're in the middle of buying a home and planning some renovations. I've also been working with a book marketing specialist, and now have a 90 page document that outlines a strategy that I will be implementing over the coming months. As part of that, I've (reluctantly) signed up with instagram. So if you're on instagram too, you can now get micro-updates about whatever I'm doing by following me on: https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/ *Map making with Wonderdraft* There is something magical about maps. I probably inherited this from my father, but I've always been drawn to atlases and have been drawing maps of fantasy states as a child. As an author, I again find myself drawing maps to get a feeling for the world my characters are living in. This is part of world building. In this article <https://koenmartens.nl/output/20220603-making-maps-with-wonderdraft.html?mt…> I will dive in to another tool, Wonderdraft, that is fantastic for drawing realistic maps. At the end of the article I share the map I made in Wonderdraft for my current work in progress. Read more >> <https://koenmartens.nl/output/20220603-making-maps-with-wonderdraft.html?mt…> Cheers, Koen Book Tips Silhouette of female figure looking out of cave (that doubles as outline of face) against a sun rising from or sinking into a purple haze <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/4dce9bbe-da0c-11ec-bdf3-230e2518f6f0> *Visions of Ascension **Nicholas Lawrence Carter* Spacesuited figure crashing forth from explosion in space <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/4ccce1c4-c95b-11ec-822a-9faa4f34f025> * **Where Weavers Daire** **R.K. Bentley* Her birthright was to lead… …he craves ultimate control. Will society survive the battle? Corianna, a loyal military leader, is unlike others. Her ideals are divisive; her power is vast, but most of all, she is misunderstood. She seeks to better their civilization, but not all believe in her. A ruthless lawmaker, L’luond, desires sole leadership. He’s spent his life working from the shadows to undermine Corianna and destroy her reputation. Their people should have one leader, her, but he stands in the way. His discovery of the Voide could change everything. Will L’luond achieve his devious goal? Or can Corianna unite her society? Get it for free here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/4dce9bbe-da0c-11ec-bdf3-230e2518f6f0> Ten years after the last war, Melinda Scott discovers something in deep space and is dragged back into a world her family was banished from. Now with Necromancers to her left, Liches to her right and humanity in the middle it’s up to her to figure out why someone is trying to kill her. /Where Weavers Daire/ is the first book in a new rip-roaring space opera series in the same vein as Babylon 5, Firefly, Farscape and Star Wars! Get it for free here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/4ccce1c4-c95b-11ec-822a-9faa4f34f025> Music Tip Chopped up graffiti art <https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/music/products/graffiti-jazz-d…> (download <https://theaudiophilesociety.com/collections/music/products/graffiti-jazz-d…>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/1D03aaI0cprpO8JQlIqhMr?si=g_rutSrET0uMkKB5Qf…>) Composer David Chesky goes back to his jazz roots with this album. But he has adapted his method to the modern age, where everything has moved into the digital realm. In this solo project, Chesky went into the studio to lay down a musical tapestry of sounds over which he improvises. None of the instruments are real, they're all digitized. The basis is a repetitive groove of bass, drums and electronic sounds giving the album a lazy laid back feel, but the improvisations are far from boring. Being all electronic, the sound-stage has been carefully engineered to place instruments in three-dimensional space. This is best experienced by a special speaker setup and playback installation, which I don't have. But there's also a headphone mix. I have yet to try that, but rumours are that it really adds volume and space to the compositions. By the way, there is another album by the same name from the Rembrandt Frerichs Trio <https://open.spotify.com/album/1FDrjthVQE34KYl2QDL148?si=ODBmILX-TSWlk7hXF7…> that is well worth a listen too. Out Now Office towers reaching up to a starry night <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=ifo…> *Isolated Futures Omnibus **Koen Martens* *If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like /The Passengers/ and /Black Mirror/, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read!* *Story 1 - Forced to be Free:* Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. *Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: *Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? *Story 3 - Cima Peak: *Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? *Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement:* Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. *Story 5 - Eddy:* Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. *Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: *When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system? /*Click “Add to cart” to delve into this eye-opening novella collection today!*/ Get it on amazon! <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYFJK15/> Get it on Kobo! <https://www.kobo.com/ebook/isolated-futures/> Get it at Barnes & Noble! <https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940160945323> Get it on Google Play Store! <https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yBlEAAAQBAJ> Get it on Apple Books! <http://books.apple.com/us/book/id1615269317> -- Instagram:@koenmartens_author <https://www.instagram.com/koenmartens_author/> Twitter:@koenswriting <https://twitter.com/koenswriting> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/Koen-Martens-104281962311958>,Goodreads <https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/596199.Koen_Martens> Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-05-20: Migraine, reading tips and a fun music tip
by Koen Martens 20 May '22

20 May '22

Hi there, I had planned to write something in this newsletter about Wonderdraft, the software I use to make maps for my stories, but then my old nemesis Migraine came by to say hi. The past four and a half days I've spent lying down in agony, unable to even contemplate watching a screen. Now, I don't want to complain or draw out pity, it is what it is, but someone asked me what it is like, and since my original plan for this newsletter is now out of the window I'll just give you the answer I gave them. In one word, migraine is what I imagine hell is like. Constant and relentless pain and discomfort, knowing that nothing you do will make it go away. And once it does go away, you can be certain that it will return, always lurking in the dark, waiting to pounce on you when you stay up late or when the weather changes or whatever triggers it. As for the actual sensations, they vary from person to person and from attack to attack, but what follows is a (somewhat graphic) description of what I felt the past 4 days. Imagine a steel rod going in through your eye socket, all the way through your skull and exiting through your neck somewhere near the shoulders. Then imagine someone twisting that rod, pulling it out a bit and sticking it back in, every now and then. The shoulders themselves are seized up, rock hard, and radiating pain throughout the region. All the while, you feel nauseated and need a bucket close by. When it gets real bad, there's diarrhea as well, which is real fun when you're already feeling like crap and overly sensitive to light, sound and smell. Then there's the constant feeling of not getting enough air. As you can see, migraine is a bit more than 'just a headache', but affects the entire body. It's a neurological condition, and while a lot of it is understood by medical science, a proper treatment is still out of reach. There is medicine, but it has side-effects (on of which being that using it too often will trigger even more migraines). Once the symptoms subside, I'll be tired for at least one more day. When all of that has finally gone, I am always so happy to be unencumbered by those sensations, to be able to walk around, go outside and feel energetic again. I guess that's the silver lining. It makes one appreciate an existence without pain and discomfort even more. Anyway, this is all a very long-winded way of saying: I didn't get much writing to do. I have some slack in my schedule for the occasional attack though (after 20+ years of having them, I know they are a part of life), so I'm sure I will make up the lost time in the coming weeks, but it still sucks! And this one was especially vicious, coming in at over four days. Usually they last for 2 to 3 days. Let me know your thoughts. Do you suffer from migraine as well? Anything that helps you deal with the attacks? And if you are (currently or in general) not encumbered by any of this, enjoy some free short stories below and have a listen to this issue's music tip as well! Cheers, Koen Reading Tips Armoured figure with gun against backdrop of futuristic cityscape with watchtower <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e3c62840-b918-11ec-b36e-8767fbaf7412> *Utero** **Kevin Alan* Girl with purple hair against backdrop of futuristic city scape <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e79d442c-b769-11ec-8e73-4b3f4273c94b> * **Reclamation: Mind Jack, Hybrid Genesis Prequel** **E.L. Strife* The life of a cyborg mercenary isn't easy. When Ex U.S. Special Forces Operative, Bishop, wakes up in a military prison without his memories and without his weapons, he must use his wits to recover his gear and escape. Don't worry. He has been in worse situations. Like when America was nuked. That was pretty bad. In this short prequel story to The ICHO Wars Dystopian Military Sci-Fi Series, Bishop use his stealth skills to evade the ruthless People's Alliance; the new number one world superpower. In his efforts to flee captivity, Bishop acquires a new toy, and uncovers an ominous plan to eradicate mankind. And its codename is a funny little four-letter acronym. Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e3c62840-b918-11ec-b36e-8767fbaf7412> Marci, a super soldier and escapee of the Astral’s bio-enhancement military program Zedger, has found new purpose in rescuing others like her. But she can’t do it alone, and not without parts. In need of special supplies to repair the soldiers the Astrals discard, Marci must travel to the last standing city of Tellurians. There, in EsoTerra, she must fight for her right to trade with others for what she requires. She tries to hide her identity, mask her skills, play down her expertise, but too many have heard rumors of her. Soon, she finds herself helping other soldiers that have been dumped from Zedger. Recently disposed soldiers have lost their minds somewhere in the Genesis Hub. Marci must deep dive their cerebral enhancements to figure out why and salvage everyone she can. What she discovers when searching the Genesis stream alerts Astrals to her position. Lead rain falls from the sky in the form of BloodTitans. Can Marci save the soldiers and her people? Or is this the Tellurians’ last stand? Get it for free! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e79d442c-b769-11ec-8e73-4b3f4273c94b> Music Tip Cartoon drawing of guitar and bas players jumping through super mario world <https://ocrecords.bandcamp.com/album/press-start> (bandcamp <https://ocrecords.bandcamp.com/album/press-start>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/0fZaUsdmdIN3l92VQImwX1>, iTunes <https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/press-start/id1310996365>) Let's have a bit of fun. As you may have noticed, I like jazz. I also like 8-bit music — the music created by vintage home computers such as the C64, Nintendo Entertainment System, Gameboy or Atari — also known as chiptunes. This album by jazz duo /8-bit Jazz Heroes/ combines both. More than just a gimmick, these excellent musicians have created jazzy swinging arrangements of such classics as the theme from Super Mario Brothers and Tetris, played on more classical instrumentation. Instantly recognizable, but laid back without losing what makes these tunes so memorable. If this is your cup of tea, /The 8-Bit Big Band/ has an album of the same name (bandcamp <https://the8bitbigband.bandcamp.com/album/album-1-press-start>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/0utc1ncxL6NbB689TORMmQ?si=JB-pOR5aTbOhj8JDk4…>). -- Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-05-06: Quick update, book and music tips
by Koen Martens 06 May '22

06 May '22

Hi there, A short one this time. We're buying a house, so I am a bit distracted with everything involved. Meanwhile, writing of the new novel is progressing according to plan. First drafts of the first three chapters are ready, introducing the three main characters. The stage has been set for my protagonist's journey. I've also been expanding the detail in the world's map (I might share that in the next newsletter). Until then, enjoy the book tips below and make sure to check out the music tip as well! Cheers, Koen Book Tips Lone space-suited figure in barren landscape with ringed planet in dominating the sky, all in dark blue tints <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/442bfdb4-c4d5-11ec-9974-fb0cc3e9eef3> *The Enceladus Mission** **Brandon Q. Morris* Silhoutted figure against blue background surfing a blur of lines ensuing from abstract doodles on the top <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e2bb0356-cbc6-11ec-9aca-bfdb560c4475> * **Saving Schrödinger's Cat** **Mark Jenkins* In the year 2031, a robot probe detects traces of biological activity on Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons. This sensational discovery shows that there is indeed evidence of extraterrestrial life. Fifteen years later, a hurriedly built spacecraft sets out on the long journey to the ringed planet and its moon. The international crew is not just facing a difficult twenty-seven months: if the spacecraft manages to make it to Enceladus without incident it must use a drillship to penetrate the kilometer-thick sheet of ice that entombs the moon. If life does indeed exist on Enceladus, it could only be at the bottom of the salty, ice covered ocean, which formed billions of years ago. However, shortly after takeoff disaster strikes the mission, and the chances of the crew making it to Enceladus, let alone back home, look grim. Get it on Amazon! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/442bfdb4-c4d5-11ec-9974-fb0cc3e9eef3> In the 25th century, deep under the Earth's shattered surface, the dying remnants of humankind live in a dwindling Colony devoid of Nature and only one can travel to the past to save humanity from its dark fate. Clinging to life underground, after a cataclysmic all-out nuclear war, the remains of the human race are desperate for a way to change the past. Harnessing the power of an artificial wormhole, their only hope to avert global annihilation is to travel back in time and alter the discovery of nuclear fission. Humanity's future rests on the unlikely shoulders of Proteus. Born with a unique genetic mutation, scientists discover that he is the only one capable of surviving the ravages of time-travel. After decades of preparation, Proteus is sent backwards to early 20th century London... but Time doesn't want the past to change and it pushes back. To complete his mission, Proteus must manipulate the course of history, all the while battling enemy agents and avoiding the forces of Time, if he's ever going to save the future from the past. Get it on Amazon or Apple! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/e2bb0356-cbc6-11ec-9aca-bfdb560c4475> Music Tip Close-up of leaf <https://sigurdhole.bandcamp.com/album/roraima> (bandcamp <https://sigurdhole.bandcamp.com/album/roraima>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/4vMfmylCSGTDr8Mpxyawvh?si=P5wwSWYjQdqkwcjukX…>) A bit of an odd one, this. I don't normally resonate with albums classed as 'world music', but when I came across this one, it stuck with me, and I've been playing it several times since. Roraima, by Norwegian bassist and composer Sigurd Hole, was commissioned by Oslo World for the festival in 2020 and the album is a live recording of the composition. In the composer's own words: "Roraima is the northernmost state of Brazil. It is home to the Yanomami and several other Indigenous peoples, and like the rest of the Amazon basin it is also home to an incredible diversity of animal and plant life. Roraima is both a celebration of the soundscapes of the natural world, an expression of grief as many of these sounds fade away – and a prayer. A prayer that world leaders will finally listen to the voice of our planet as it begs us to change our course. The growth imperative of our economic system wreaks havoc on all of nature and will ultimately lead to our own demise." The music is at times joyous, wonderful, mysterious, sad, imposing and calming. It's an album to sit down for and immerse oneself in. The instrumentation overlays recordings from Roraima, and the two interleave to create a rich melodic and rhytmic soundscape pleasing to the ear and the mind. The result is an inspiring trip through the jungle. Give it a listen and let me know what you think! -- Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-04-22: Phones, social media, a massive load of free books and a music tip
by Koen Martens 22 Apr '22

22 Apr '22

Hi there, I've been scrutinizing my privacy online and my social media presence (in so far as I have one), giving this newsletter a bit of a dystopian theme. I didn't intent for it to be so, but apparently it's in the air. Scroll down to find an extravaganza of free books <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/kaAa4D1> in the dystopian sci-fi / fantasy space. And of course, there's a fitting music tip at the end! On the writing front, I've started chapter 1 of my next book. Stay tuned as I reveal details while the work progresses. Right now, I'm still figuring it out myself, eager to find out where my characters will take me. I'm looking to expand my beta reader team as well, to pore through the early pre-publication drafts and give their honest feedback. Interested? Hit reply and let's talk! *Phones* Over the past decade, I've been increasingly creeped out by big tech spying on me through my mobile phone. So that's why, a couple of years ago, I abandoned the big mobile phone eco-systems (Android and iOs) in favour of Sailfish OS, an after-market phone operating system spun-off from Nokia by Finnish company Jolla. Sailfish has been serving me well. It suffers from the curse many niche operating systems do, though; there aren't as many apps available. However, there are enough to make for a functional phone and with the Android emulation layer (without the googly spy-ware included) it can run many Android apps. Sure, there are some rough edges, but it's been my daily driver ever since. I even created a native task-management app myself for the platform. However, recent developments (Jolla is largely owned by Russian investors) have forced me to re-evaluate. I can't, in all good conscience, develop an app that makes a platform more usable that in the end benefits its Russian shareholders. I don't want to support in any way, however small and insignificant, the war criminals currently exhibiting monstrous and inhumane behaviour in Ukraine. So, I've decided to abandon Sailfish and look for another phone operating system that offers the ease of use we've come to expect but that comes with a lack of the spyware we've sadly also have come to expect. One of those is Ubuntu Touch <https://ubuntu-touch.io/>. I have an early version of that running on a very old phone (a One Plus One), and newer versions promise the capability of running Android apps. However, it only supports older, discontinued phones that lack a bit in the specifications department and can be hard to track down on second hand marketplaces. Another candidate was the Pine Phone <https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/>, designed from the ground up with privacy in mind. I'm very interested, but as a daily driver, I'm not sure I want to take the plunge on that just yet. So today, I've picked up a Fairphone 4 <https://shop.fairphone.com/se_en/buy-fairphone-4> with e/OS <https://e.foundation/e-os/> (marketed as the Murena Fairphone 4 <https://esolutions.shop/shop/murena-fairphone-4-fr/>). It's a pricey phone, I'll admit that. But it's been designed to be repairable, so I intend to keep this one on me for years to come (try that with your latest Android or iOS device, which will made obsolete by the manufacturer within 2 years of release). e/OS, is 'a complete, fully “deGoogled”, mobile ecosystem'. By default it can sync your data with the e foundation's 'ecloud', but it has brilliant Nextcloud <https://nextcloud.com/> integration out of the box, so I will be syncing all my contacts, notes, calendars, pictures and so on to my private cloud spinning away right here at home under the desk I'm writing this email on. Just the way I like it. I'll let you know how I get on with that! And I'm curious to know: are you in the market for a phone that serves your purposes instead of those of the manufacturer's shareholders? Are you using an alternative to the 'big two'? Hit reply on this email and let me know. *Social media* They would democratise journalism, but they've become just another set of toys for the powers that be. Advertising is just one of the more innocent exponents of that, but remember how Putin used Facebook to mess with the 2016 USA presidential elections <https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46590890>? And right now, techno-charlatan Elon Musk, tired of having his suggestive tweets deleted from Twitter, is threatening to outright buy the social network <https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/21/musk_twitter_funding/> so that he can continue his manipulation of stock prices to increase his personal wealth. And the members of these networks, normal people who gain nothing from any of this, are unwitting pawns for them to play with, willingly spreading misinformation and lies without realising they are being used to serve the hidden agenda's of the moguls So you can see why I am hesitant to engage in social media. However, it seems, these days, as an author, it is mandatory to have a social media presence. My biggest presence (if you could call it that) is on LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/in/komartens/>. I did register with twitter <https://twitter.com/koenswriting>, although I'm not really using it yet. I'm thinking I should be on instagram too, but that's facebook-owned, which scares me off. I'm curious: what social media are you on? Where are the authors you follow? Mid-April Dystopian Fantasy/Sci-Fi Giveaway Dillapidated warehouse with text 'Mid-April Dystopian Fantasy/SciFi Spectacular! April 18th to May 17th. <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/kaAa4D1> Find 27 free dystopian-themed books and stories all in one page. I'm sure there is something there that will entertain you, so head over there and get them all before the promotion ends. The books are available until May 17th. Get free books! <https://storyoriginapp.com/to/kaAa4D1> Music Tip White wireframe pyramid with eye in the top against black background <https://shop.hott.mx/album/holo-1r-night-of-the-illuminati> (bandcamp <https://shop.hott.mx/album/holo-1r-night-of-the-illuminati>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/2ooN2RkXU2RKU4WlByFb36?si=pSSicxFjTyiyoyGzVP…>) This album by Squadra Blanco — one of many aliases of The Hague, the Netherlands based electronic artist Legowelt — is an all-time favourite of mine. Especially the title song — Night of the Illuminati — with it's dark groove, bass-heavy ambience and commanding lyrics makes a perfect sound track for your dystopian novel of choice. The whole album, with track titles such as /Theme from the Forgotten Cable Car/ and /Purification the City Shall Burn Tonight/, breathes an atmosphere of cyberpunkian despair. Legowelt is in possession of an impressive array of synthesizers <http://legowelt.org/synthesizers/>, both vintage and contemporary, and he's not afraid to use them. So while you're there on Spotify or Bandcamp, make sure to explore more of his oeuvre if electro is your thing. And you might as well check out other artists from the Viewlexx label, many of them also based in The Hague. Some absolutely trippin' music in there. And if that has whetted your appetite, make sure to check out intergalactic.fm <https://www.intergalactic.fm/>. One of the best internet radio stations out there, if you ask me. -- Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-04-08: Sprint in Sweden, book and music tips
by Koen Martens 08 Apr '22

08 Apr '22

Hi there, As you can see, spring has arrived in Sweden: Snow-covered trees I'm loving it. This is why we moved up north. Well, it's one of the reasons. Getting up in the morning and looking outside to discover thirty centimeters of snow. Priceless. That crisp sound when you first set foot on it. Amazing. Of course, it also means shoveling and slippery roads and all that. But there's nothing like a landscape covered in a thick layer of white powdery snow. Do you like winter? Or are you eagerly awaiting summer, hailing the advent of the evil day star? Anyway, I've been quite busy lately. Getting things in order in our new home has kept us busy. You know, assembling IKEA furniture, drilling holes for CAT-5e network cables, setting things up just right. At the same time, I'm working on the outline of the new book. It's coming along quite nicely, and I hope to start writing the first chapters in about ten days from today. On account of being busy, that's it for now. As usual, I've included some reading you may be interested in, and a music tip down below. Enjoy! Book Tips Barren landscape with cliffs against a backdrop of large planets <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/882b4d70-adfc-11ec-956f-1f1726827ce2> Blue tinted racks of computer equipment <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/8423295e-adc6-11ec-9255-ef7707494999> Half human and half Tah’Narian, Szin doesn’t fit with either race. His appearance is mainly human, but he’s able to have a young. Unfortunately, that’s his only Tah’Narian characteristic. He’s smaller and weaker than other young. Szin’s eighteenth birthday has passed and time’s running out. He has to stop his childhood friend, Takeo, from making the worst mistake of his life: claiming Szin as a mate. Takeo deserves an equal who’s as fierce as he is, something Szin most certainly is not. Since before Takeo was born, he’s known Szin was his. Nothing and no one, not even Szin, is going to stand in the way of claiming his mate. He understands Szin feels he isn’t good enough, and he’ll do anything to convince Szin otherwise. Including taking drastic measures to ensure his mate listens. Takeo is the ultimate blend of human, Tah’Narian, and Onfrevian DNA. He’s pure predator, and his sights are set on his mate. Get it here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/882b4d70-adfc-11ec-956f-1f1726827ce2> What do you do when you wake up to a new world? Jack must learn to adapt to his new reality and fast if he is to avoid being destroyed by it. Get it for free here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/8423295e-adc6-11ec-9255-ef7707494999> Music Tip Ball with eyes peaking out from shirt looking at dancing couple on its shoulders. <https://open.spotify.com/album/43QwgfKyyCWNMSiCu2BKxv?si=hr_NBHlRTw2brVix4g…> (spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/43QwgfKyyCWNMSiCu2BKxv?si=hr_NBHlRTw2brVix4g…>) Bruut! has released a new and innovative album titled Zest. Sax, bass, drums and Hammond with a twist and a groove. An almost never-ending groove. At times, you'd think you're listening to an electronic album, with a pumping four-on-the-floor driving the songs to unfathomable heights. Not eschewing electronic effects on this album, the band make familiar instruments sound like something new entirely. The album is a product of the pandemic, much like my own Isolated Futures series <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…>. They would usually create their songs live in the repetition room, but with lockdowns this became impossible. Instead of grumbling and complaining, they embraced a new process, composing through online video calls and using modern software for musical collaboration. And the result is an excellent album that's well worth listening to. -- Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter 2022-03-23: Simulating a star system, Isolated Futures Omnibus, book and music tips
by Koen Martens 23 Mar '22

23 Mar '22

Hi there, Greetings from Sweden! Over the weekend, we've successfully relocated to Sweden from the Netherlands. We're still waiting for our stuff to arrive, but who needs stuff anyway. In between, I've just released the Isolated Futures Omnibus <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> (more on that down below) and with that my first writing project has come to an end. I've been planning the next project, and have lined up an editorial team and set the deadlines. So all that is left is to actually write the book 😉 As part of the setting, I needed a solar system with two planets passing close by each other once a year. While I don't mind applying a bit of artistic license here and there, I do try to keep things realistic in my writing, so naturally I wanted to figure out if such a planetary configuration could actually exist. So what does one do when one has a question that can be answered by running the numbers and doing the math? Of course, one searches the internet for a clear-cut and easy to digest answer. When none such result was forth-coming (even though the searches did turn up a bunch of interesting articles and posts that had me go off in all kinds of tangents), I figured I just needed to see for myself. That's when I changed tack and tried to find simulation software that would let me explore orbital parameters and see whether the resulting system would be stable. I found just that in a software library named REBOUND. I added some code around it to visualise the otherwise purely mathematical representations in my computer's memory. If you're interested in the nitty gritty details, check out the article I wrote on my site or maybe even download the code and try it yourself <https://koenmartens.nl/20220322-simulating-star-systems-with-rebound.html?m…>. If you're more of the TL;DR type, long story short: I found out that such a system can very probably exist and here are some pretty pictures to prove it (the full article has video as well <https://koenmartens.nl/20220322-simulating-star-systems-with-rebound.html?m…>): All planets <https://koenmartens.nl/20220322-simulating-star-systems-with-rebound.html?m…> Inner 6 planets <https://koenmartens.nl/20220322-simulating-star-systems-with-rebound.html?m…> Inner 4 planets <https://koenmartens.nl/20220322-simulating-star-systems-with-rebound.html?m…> All seven planets in the system The six closest planets, leaving out the far-out seventh planet Just the inner four planets. The brown and red orbits are the two planets I was interested in. Out Now Cover for Isolated Futures Omnibus, two office towers pointing to a starry sky <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> The Isolated Futures Omnibus Convicted for a murder he doesn’t remember, digital forensics specialist Lagan Quill spends his days at the secluded Clay Institute, picking apart his memories and separating fact from fantasy. But when a rehabilitation hearing takes him back into the thrumming city, he uncovers technology so disgusting that his own past pales in comparison. Forced to trust the one person he despises more than himself, he struggles to stay true to his principles. Can he reclaim his sanity while escaping those who will stop at nothing to prevent him from outing the truth? *Find out in this thrilling tale that puts the disruption in disruptive technology.* Get it here! <https://koenmartens.nl/pages/isolated-futures-omnibus.html?mtm_campaign=nl2…> Book Tips Book cover, slanted railroad with starry night superimposed <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/5f114f96-a570-11ec-8d0f-4f79b231731c> Humanoid holding molecule-like structure, all in yellow/green hues <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/6beb5712-a173-11ec-a7cd-4387631dfa0d> Two days after Christmas, two in the afternoon, two passengers must face the storm to prevail against the darkness. Maggie Espinoza needs to get away from Portland, Oregon, from a blown out past and a bleak future. She figures taking the Express train to balmy Southern California to start over is just what she needs. Two days after Christmas while everyone is preparing for the New Year, she makes her escape during the worst blizzard the state has ever seen. Jesse Cabot senses a darkness in fellow passenger Maggie when he sits next to her on the train. Why is she so haunted and broken? When the train suddenly stops in the middle of the blizzard weird things start to happen. Random disappearances, an assault, a body in the snow. It becomes clear it's up to Jesse and Maggie to find the culprit or face the music on the stranded California Express. Get it here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/5f114f96-a570-11ec-8d0f-4f79b231731c> *A Dark Look at Computer Hacking in the Not so Distant Future.* Mr. Swan stared hard at his glass of water as if deep in thought. He picked up his butter knife and flipped it with the blade pointed upwards. Pausing for a moment, he lowered the knife into the ice water until it clinked against the bottom of the glass. Mr. Swan looked up to see if Garrett paid attention to this display and smiled. A lump rose in Garrett's throat. He knew those motions. Garrett didn't know what Mr. Swan was going to ask of him tonight, but he could not refuse. The knife in the water was a symbol of invitation to the Yellow Dog Syndicate. This was the break Garrett had been seeking for a long time. A mission or test would follow the invitation, and Garrett could use this chance to break free of the Guru Group and become more than a simple Network Genius. Get it for free here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/6beb5712-a173-11ec-a7cd-4387631dfa0d> Music Tips Album cover of Voulez-Vous featuring the members of ABBA <https://open.spotify.com/album/7iLuHJkrb9KHPkMgddYigh?si=38hgGANJSzGbZ84oXM…> (spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/7iLuHJkrb9KHPkMgddYigh?si=38hgGANJSzGbZ84oXM…>) Now that our home is Sweden, I can't not feature an album by ABBA. Voulez-Vous is the group's sixth album, released in 1973. There are a number of great songs on the original. My personal favourites are /Voulez-Vous/ itself and /Does Your Mother Know/. Not on the original but added on later reissues is what is probably my favourite ABBA song ever: /Summer Night City/. While the band themselves was a bit disappointed with the song written as a tribute to their hometown of Stockholm, calling it 'not ABBA', I always get a surge of energy when it kicks in. -- https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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Newsletter March 2022: help the people from Ukraine, plus book and music tips
by Koen Martens 08 Mar '22

08 Mar '22

Hey, Surreal. I'm out here, watching the birds in our garden tip-toe around the lawn, chirping happily and scouting out the mating grounds. The sun is caressing budding flora to hail in the approaching spring. Such a peaceful scene. Meanwhile, less than 2000 kilometers from here (just a day of driving away) an army of monsters is destroying a country and murdering the people living in it with unprovoked and inhuman aggression. I'm obviously referring to the vicious invasion by the Russian Federation into their neighbouring country Ukraine. I can't say I'm surprised. It's been coming for years. I am also not surprised by the atrocities the Russians are committing. They destroy hospitals, shoot at civilians. They spare no expense to confirm the stereotype of the Russian brute. It's appalling. I have a vivid imagination. So for the past two weeks, images of people forced to leave behind their lives, their friends and their families to run from bombs falling from the sky passed by my mind's eye. All they have left are the clothes on their body and, if they're lucky, their mobile phone to stay in touch with their loved ones. It reminds me of the stories my mother told me. In the second world war, German bombs reduced my grandmother's home to rubble. For a while she did not know where her children were or whether they were safe. That's what millions in Ukraine are going through right now while I'm writing this newsletter. All this is a tough reminder of how fragile peace is. Take a look around you. Do you see your belongings, the pictures of your loved ones? That lovely vase you inherited from your aunt, your kid's toys, your family? In the blink of an eye, it could all be gone. An army of Russian animals invading your country, an intercontinental nuclear warhead dropped on your city, whatever. If you've been with me for a while, you'll know we're packing up to move to Sweden. But as the things we collected in 40+ years of life go through my hands and into boxes, I wonder: will I still have my comfortable life a year from now, or will this war escalate even further? Will I have joined the massive hordes of refugees by then? My heart is with the people in Ukraine, and I feel we should all do whatever we can to help the victims of this senseless war. We can't change the mind of a senile dictator who has lost all sense of reality or humanity. But we can help those suffering from his evil actions. Millions are on the run, fleeing to surrounding countries. If you have a few dollar, euro, yen or pound to spare, please donate to the international red cross <https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ukraine> or a charity of your choice that helps these innocent people. I'm sorry to burden you with such a heavy newsletter, but my mind is a tad bit preoccupied with this war and its implications and I can't think of much else these days. In any case, keep reading for two fresh books you may like to keep your own mind off of impending doom. There's also a music tip, just in case this is the end of the world. Stay safe and stay sane! Flag of Ukraine, blue band on top, yellow band below Book Tips Scary drawing of a skeletal warrier <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/fd002cb2-9af9-11ec-96dd-0308eb161928> Box set of three books, woman blazing with guns on front <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/f2d8bbd6-98f7-11ec-afe9-9708561c894d> Blythe Valley has a secret that it wishes no one discovers. This collection of stories reveals what it wants to hide. The night Atticus decided to take his life, a Fallen Angel came to him to help him with the grief he felt from losing his wife. Traveling across the country with his flock to find the promised land, his followers have no idea where some have gone. Katrina doesn’t speak of their leader’s strange actions until years later after all but her and her husband, Griff, tragically perish. Decades pass, and Heather and her friends find the fabled town of Blythe, where she discovers a strange box that soon brings all of her dreams to life. Her husband, Shane, becomes unsure of her late-night escapades and begins to remember their past. When he discovers the diary that led them to Blythe years before, he learns an unexpected history. Aletha and Pete live in her grandfather’s house, which seems to have more than them living in it. When Amilcar shows himself to Aletha, and she discovers Pete’s corpse on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, she leaves the house to escape. A priest takes it upon himself to help her rid the home of the Fallen Angel to perish at its feet. Ezra Thompson has had dealings with the Carrington Collective in the past. When he and his son, Eli, visit Waldgrave to investigate, they quickly learn that Amilcar has taken another to do its bidding. With little time to prepare, they face off with the Fallen Angel to save the town and its residents from its reign of terror. Get it here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/fd002cb2-9af9-11ec-96dd-0308eb161928> The League lies in shambles, a shell of its former self. Controlled by the alleged daughter of the last Tetrarch, in fact a rogue droid controls all. Determined to rebuild her "father's" legacy, the droid puts into motion the last cold war options against the Planetary Republic: Assassins. This third series set in veteran science fiction author Jaxon Reed's Milky Way Universe is a fast-paced, action-packed space opera, with space marines and intergalactic intrigue, fist fights and rolling gun battles, high tech skullduggery and crafty solutions to interstellar conflicts. Now is your chance to grab the first three books in this exceptional series! Get it for free here! <https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/f2d8bbd6-98f7-11ec-afe9-9708561c894d> Music Tips Album cover of depicting abstract insect-like creatures roaming soft green landscape with abstract shapes <https://open.spotify.com/album/6bdy2PnssuzDkldvAOjVmj> (youtube <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HevjXKONsZY&list=PL8a8cutYP7foUeA-HE-jPbItp…>, spotify <https://open.spotify.com/album/1hCxbfoen4fGGbbrE3pfZX?si=F7pWTKDZTOClN-tj4W…>) When the demented Putin told the world he'd put his country's nuclear arsenal on alert, I immediately thought of this record. Medeski, Martin & Wood's /End Of The World Party (Just In Case)/ has the perfect title to capture my state of mind in these weird times. Well, that and a classic Dutch track /De Bom/ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw9i0bu7PyQ> by Doe Maar. Anyway, back to Medeski, Martin & Wood. This is the first album of the trio I ever heard, but certainly not the last. Rooted in the traditional jazz-trio setting, the ensemble has created a genre of their own by fusing funk, jazz and electronic sounds together. Next to the Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes, a plethora of synths and keyboards are layered over the rolling drums and grooving bass to create rich and layered soundscapes. If the end of the world is near, this is the perfect sound track to go out on. -- To unsubscribe from this newsletter, send an email tonews-leave(a)koenmartens.nl. Software architecture & engineering:https://www.sonologic.se/ Sci-fi:https://www.koenmartens.nl/

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