Tag: Books

On By Dan HarrisIn Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Writing2 Comments

Discerning book reviewer of excellent taste, Ms. Melanie Sokol, has just posted the first review of ASCENSION POINT in the history of the internet. If you only have time to read one line, make it the last one: “Ascension Point is a must read.”

melanie_unabridged's avatarBecoming Author

I recently got a sample of Dan Harris’s Ascension Point from Amazon.com. I’d always assumed Indie published novels were crap, Harris’s sample proved me wrong. So, I pushed out a preliminary view of the sample about two weeks ago on my blog, “A Preliminary Review: Ascension Point by Dan Harris” and then bought the book ($4.99 on Amazon).

Harris gives a lot of information about his book at his website, dan-harris.net, including a synopsis of Ascension Point and places to buy it.

Ascension Point is science fiction in the “it’s the future” sense of the genre, with the Seryn race, Harris mixes in a bit of fantasy. As I read through the novel, I felt more and more that it was a YA novel. Why? Luc, Neela, Abe, and Ariadne, make up the Chosen, representatives of their races to read the Book of Ascension and achieve enlightenment…

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Ascension Point Now Available In Used-To-Be-A-Tree Format!

On By Dan HarrisIn Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Writing3 Comments

This is almost the last ‘Ascension Point Now Available’ post, I promise.

But it’s a belter! My good friend Steve has cast his beady eye over a proof copy and declared it fit for sale. So to all of those folks who prefer their interstellar space opera to come on 294 pages of gleaming white paper–you’re in luck! I’ll post some photos as soon as I have them, so we can all bask in the shiny paperiness.

You can grab it from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

Who needs the digital revolution, I ask you. Paper’s been good enough for five hundred years. Pesky kids with their e-readers, and their Pokemons, and their skinny jeans. I tell you, back in my day… (falls asleep)

Twenty Rules For Writing Detective Stories

On By Dan HarrisIn Writing1 Comment

A bit of a diversion from our normal schedule of science fiction, but this is too good not to share. Futility Closet has posted a list of twenty rules that an aspiring writer of detective stories must abide by, originally collated by S.S. Van Dine in 1928.

My favourite:

“7. There simply must be a corpse in a detective novel, and the deader the corpse the better. No lesser crime than murder will suffice. Three hundred pages is far too much pother for a crime other than murder. After all, the reader’s trouble and expenditure of energy must be rewarded.”

Marvelous.

A Preliminary Review: Ascension Point by Dan Harris

On By Dan HarrisIn Sci-Fi and Fantasy, WritingLeave a comment

ASCENSION POINT–or rather, its first two chapters–has received its first review! Our good friend Ms. Sokol found herself intrigued. All should follow her blog, as she is clearly a lady of exquisite taste.

melanie_unabridged's avatarBecoming Author

Recently, I stumbled upon Dan Harris’s blog, dan-harris.net, chronicling his journey to become an independently published sci-fi author. I enjoyed his humor and his story and was, therefore, intrigued by his recently published book, Ascension Point. I found his book on Amazon and got the sample sent to my Kindle.

After reading the first two chapters and meeting two of the four main characters, I have decided that once I finish my current book, I’ll buy Ascension Point and do a complete review. Until then, I felt the need and desire to share my thoughts of the first two chapters and explain why I decided to buy the book (even if it will be at a later date).

Harris has a great grasp on understanding how important detail is in his writing. He picks up on a lot of the beauty of his action and his world by…

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‘Foundation’: Another Great SF Short

On By Dan HarrisIn Reading, Sci-Fi and FantasyLeave a comment

Tor.com consistently post excellent short stories. I highly recommend reading ‘Foundation‘. It’s by Ann Aguirre.

‘In Ann Aguirre’s award-winning novel, Enclave, humans have taken refuge in colonies below ground. “Foundation” is the story of what drove them there, told through the eyes of a teen who would later have vast influence over the fate of many, and who gave his heart to the one person who needed him most.‘

Sometime in 2423, I Will Be a Millionaire

On By Dan HarrisIn Writing7 Comments

Yep–that’s right. In the two days since I released ASCENSION POINT, I have sold…

(wait for it)

FOUR BOOKS!

I’ve had the boys in the lab run some calculations, and they tell me that at this rate, I’ll make my first million dollars sometime in 2423!

Me, just four centuries from now.

After consulting my chart of the future, I see that by only 2040 I’ll be living in an arcology, hopped up on anti-aging drugs. So life in the 25th century must be even sweeter: I’m going to be riding to work on my giant robot tiger like some kind of Future He-Man.

Awesome.

Look at present day He-Man riding his ridiculous non-robot tiger. What a loser.

Ascension Point Chosen for Red Adept Select!

On By Dan HarrisIn Writing8 Comments

Not only am I super-thrilled that ASCENSION POINT is now published, I’m equally excited to report that it has been chosen as a Red Adept Select, and voted ‘Outstanding in Genre’!

The Select program allows Red Adept to highlight books that particularly impressed them. Quote: “When a Red Adept editor feels strongly about a book, he or she can nominate it for the Select program. Once a book is nominated, the rest of the staff has the opportunity to read it and provide feedback and a vote.” I’m only the fifteenth author chosen out of hundreds, so I’m incredibly flattered and honoured.

The announcement is on the Select site here, and there’s an author bio here, complete with the obligatory photo of my scruffily-bearded self.

And it’s not only bragging rights that I receive – there’s also a gold badge!

Mmm. Shiny.

Ascension Point is Available Now!

On By Dan HarrisIn Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Writing8 Comments

I’m ecstatic to report that my first novel, ASCENSION POINT, is now available! You can find it on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and on Smashwords.

To everyone who has followed my journey from blank page to publication, I want to thank you – for your comments, feedback, support and congratulations at every milestone along the way. It was really appreciated.

And if you pick up a copy of the book, let me know what you think! 🙂