Haiku and Alive update

Very quick updates today. First, a haiku that I threw together as an entry into a Star Trek inspired competition. (Excuse my Trekker-ness for a moment...)

Where I want to be -
Space, the final frontier...
Beam me up, Scotty!

In case you're not sure what haiku is, it's a three line poem with five syllables in the first and third lines and seven syllables in the second line. I used to really enjoy writing them when I was at school, so when I saw the competition I had a burst of nostalgia and decided to join in.

The second thing is that the third part of Alive! is online now - poor Pilar...

Alive - part 3...

Well this could be interesting.... As my editor said:

What a surprising turn and a bunch of dark readers :)

So what happens next? You'll just have to wait and see, and find out on Tuesday when the next part comes out!

Staying alive...

The second chapter of Alive! is up now - read the story and cast your vote on what should happen next by clicking here!

I'm really enjoying this way of writing a story. It's an interesting way of getting story prompts, but at the same time I know - and the reader knows - how the story is going to go in the big picture. The cargo ship is going to go to Jupiter to deliver its consignment and the passengers. But in the course of that happening there are nots of other things that could happen, and that's what makes it interesting.

A little hint of things to come at some point - look out for mining ships in the asteroid belt, Colonel Leonard's big secret, the real reason for Pilar Perez's journey, and find out more about the colonists on the Rim.

A new project

I've just started on a new writing project which should keep me busy for a few months. This week I submitted the first installment of a seriel sci-fi story called 'Alive!' to The Novel Factory - a new type of website that hopes to get people reading again.

As it says on the front of the site:

Have you ever read a book that made you feel so alive that you wanted to jump right in with the characters? Have you ever come up with a brilliant idea for a book you’re reading that never happens? Well this is your chance to dare the impossible leap, to dream the impossible dream.

The Novel Factory is an online serial publication. Each week a new segment of a book is presented for your reading pleasure. Whether you’re a casual reader or a serious imaginer, The Novel Factory can open a door into the world of your imagination. Each section of each weekly installment ends with a space where your imagination can roam free. You can take an active part in the creation process with a choice of multiple plot twists, or a personal input box where you can enter your own ideas.

Read my story and vote on how the plot will continue by clicking here.