Monday, July 31, 2017

Paid Beta Reading

mark@marktreble.com



I’m recruiting paid beta readers for Four Seconds on the Clock: College Freshmen, and for Did You Ever See Allegro?

Four Seconds is the continuation of a coming-of-age tale, about two gay teens overcoming severe trauma. It will be about 85,000 words, and should be ready for beta reading in two or three weeks. If interested, let me know and I’ll send you the first volume (free).

Allegro follows a 1969-1970 college garage band from forming through recording to touring, to disbanding. About 80K words, ready in September. It continues the stories of the six members’ lives after college. If interested, send me a message. It is not necessary to know anything about music.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

My Favorite Authors

mark@marktreble.com



My three favorite authors, in no particular order, are Michael Crichton, Jonathan Tropper, and Cecelia Tan.

 
Chichton, who wrote Jurassic Park, State of Fear, Prey, the Andromeda Strain and many others, had a lifetime mission of educating people about complex systems through his books. Each of the ones I mentioned is primarily about acting inside a complex system with inadequate respect for the complexity.

Topper, who wrote Book of Joe, This is Where I leave you, Plan B and many others, writes social commentary as fiction. If there is a single theme, it is that making judgements about people is fraught with difficulties.

Tan writes in so many genres I lose track: science fiction, horror, baseball, LGBT, music, and social commentary. She may be the best wordsmith I’ve read. In particular, her web serial, Daron's Guitar Chronicles, is addictive.

Let me know about your favorite authors.