Silicon Strike is Now Out in PRINT

As promised, Silicon Strike is now available in PRINT at Amazon and other retailers soon!  I wasn't sure if I could get it in before the end of the year due to the holidays but this is certainly a welcome New Year's surprise.

Celloids.  The plant-based menace incidentally released on earth have been eradicated. 

Or have they?  Did they leave something behind even more destructive?

With the Lytherians in disarray, can the Defiant and the Phoenix stop this new threat?  And who is the controlling force behind it all?

And don't forget the 99c sale I have going on at Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, and Google Play until January 9th!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Silicon Strike Releases Dec 25th! 99c Sale and More!

I am pleased to announce my latest book Silicon Strike releases tomorrow on Dec 25th! It is the third book in the Soulmates series. You can get it on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks, Google Play Books, Smashwords, and other retailers soon!  Also the print editions will be out in a few weeks as well.

Celloids.  The plant-based menace incidentally released on earth have been eradicated. 

Or have they?  Did they leave something behind even more destructive?

With the Lytherians in disarray, can the Defiant and the Phoenix stop this new threat?  And who is the controlling force behind it all?

Also The Return is now available in print at Amazon with other distribution channels coming online in a few weeks.

 

 And finally, all of the digital editions of my books are on sale for 99 cents at Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, and Google Play until January 9th!  I had thought about joining the Smashwords end-of-the-year sale, but they didn't offer the options I wanted.  Instead, I did my own and no coupon codes needed!  It is a great time to grab that missing series book or two.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Silicon Strike excerpt:
"Possible.  Or an asteroid has gone off course."

Otis stood and went over to a console showing data on the rock.  "Can we contact the Lytherians to check it out?"

"Negative.  I lack the equipment to transmit on the frequencies they use.  Given time, I think I could make the necessary modifications."

"I can't believe they enhanced so many systems, yet didn't do anything with communications?"

"If you remember, the telepathic chair had that capability, so why would I need it as well?  Not to mention the undertaken enhancements were a rush job to begin with."

Otis nodded.  "True.  Looks like it is up to us then.  Can we reach it?"

 

Minerva nodded.  "Yes.  With our Lytherian modified engines, we could reach something much farther away."

 

"What about air?"

Minerva smiled.  "It doesn't matter to me, I don't need it."

Otis folded his arms.  "But I do!"

CB gave a strong beep.

Otis nodded.  "You tell her, CB."

Minerva gave a very feminine giggle.  "Sorry, I couldn't help it.  The look on your face was worth it though.  We should have plenty to reach the object and return considering there is only one person using oxygen."

Otis' brow furrowed.  "Should?"

Minerva laughed again.  "I am positive."

CB gave a low beep.

"I agree.  It doesn't give me a warm feeling either."

Minerva rolled her eyes.  "Will you two stop?  I would never place your life in danger.  You should know that by now."

Otis cracked a grin as he regarded the Mechand next to him.  "That was fun CB, think we got her?"

The Mechand gave a strong beep.

"I think so too."

"You were playing me?"

"Tit for tat, my great-grandparents used to say.  How long will it take us to get to this rock?"

"Only a couple of hours.  We should be able to check it out and return before the Defiant arrives."

Otis smiled.  "Let's do it then."

"Should we tell the Defiant?"

"Nah, we'll be back before they know we left.  We're just going to check a big rock, blast it if needed, and pop back."

Minerva nodded.  The engines of the Phoenix began to glow.  "Full power to extended overdrive in five seconds.  Better have a seat.  My inertia damping systems are quite a bit smaller than the Defiant's."

Otis sat down in the nearest chair.  The lack of padding made his back complain.  CB rolled over next to him.  "Hang on, CB."  The Mechand gave an affirmative beep and locked his wheels.

Minerva smiled.  "Course set.  Engaging overdrive."  A bubble of energy formed around the Phoenix as it grew brighter and brighter.  The engines increased their glow as the whole ship leapt into overdrive, leaving streaks of fading light.

Otis hit several keys at the console he was sitting at.  For over an hour he stared at the data from this rock.  His eyes flashed, and he cocked his head as he turned around.  "One thing bugs me.  Why didn't you pick this up before?"

"I do not know.  I should have.  An asteroid of this size heading for Earth should have been seen long ago," Minerva said.

"And it appeared out of nowhere?"

"Affirmative.  One minute nothing, the next it was on my scanners."

Otis sat back in his chair.  "Could it be a ship?"

Minerva blinked.  "A ship?"  She shook her head.  "Not possible.  All my scans indicate a lifeless mass of rock.  Most of it silicon with a few other elements mixed in."

"Can you get an image?"

"No.  We need to be closer for a visual."

Otis stood up and peered out one of the large windows on the bridge.  The armor shields had been retracted giving a wonderful view of space as they cruised through overdrive.  "How much longer?"

"Fifteen minutes, perhaps less."

Otis spun around.  "Less?  I thought you dealt in precision?"

"I do, but the distance between us is varying.  I suspect a sensor is malfunctioning.  I have sent one of my Mechands to check it."

"I don't like it.  I may not have Deven's or Aleshia's gifts, but my gut says this is bad.  Turn us around.  Head back to Earth."

"What?  Now?  We are almost there."

"And I'm telling you, this is bad.  We need to get away from this rock as soon as possible."  He turned back towards the windows.

Minerva blinked.  "Why?"

Otis' eyes narrowed as he spun around.  "Look, I found out references to these Ixeons sending rocks at us.  We know they created the Celloids, who knows what else they can do.  Turn us around now."

"Very well.  I will have to bring us out of overdrive and chart a new course back, or we might get lost.  The Lytherians didn't give us all their space technology."

"I know, just do it."

"I am.  Hang on."  Otis ran for the nearest chair and sat in it.  The Phoenix shuddered as it dropped out of enhanced overdrive so fast slamming to a dead stop.  Even braced Otis was thrown from his seat and landed on the deck plate.  A fresh cut over his left eye dripped blood, but he didn't find anything broken.

CB rolled over to Otis and helped him up.  He pointed at Otis' eye and beeped.

"I'm all right.  It's a minor cut.  A little med sealant and I will be fine."

"Ohhh nooo," Minerva said before Otis was again thrown to the deck.

This time he hit his arm on one of the chairs as he went down.  "Ouch!  Hey watch it!"  He felt his arm.  It hurt, but nothing broken.  "I thought we were stopped?"

"That wasn't me.  Look!  We are under attack."

Otis turned to see a bright red beam lashing out from the top closest corner of the rock and hitting the Phoenix's shields.  The rock didn't look like anything natural.  It was smooth and with angular lines making a perfect square.  "That thing's a ship!  That is how it appeared to move on your scans.  It must have seen us drop out of overdrive and jumped closer.  Get us out of here!"

"I'm trying.  Whatever that beam is has got us pinned.  I can't move.  Not only that, it is draining energy from the power core.  Shields will shut down in three minutes and after that, me."

"You've got carbine cannons, use them!"

"From what I can tell, that thing is solid stone.  My cannons aren't going to do much damage unless I pound on it for months."

"Aim for where that beam is coming from.  It must have a hole, it couldn't be shooting that beam through the stone itself."

"Logical.  Locking cannons."  Several cannons lashed out with pulsed energy blasts that had little effect.  The red beam continued to hold the Phoenix like a fish on a hook.

Otis watched the blasts and felt his hope fade like the energy streak.  Then his eyes went wide.  "Try all your cannons at once.  Full power.  Give it everything you got."

"I can increase the power to the cannons, but they are not built for it.  It will burn out their delicate focusing systems."

"And in a few minutes we're dead if you don't."

"Good point.  Locking all cannons.  Charge building.  They will reach maximum in ten seconds.  I hope this works."

My Apologies

 If you tried to click the links on the previous post (What To Write), my apologies.  The program I used to compose the post and create the links added an extra http designation to the address.  Which curiously sent anyone clicking on them to strange unknown ad-infested areas of the internet.  I broke one of the rules of blogging: check your links after you upload a post to the blog.

Again my apologies for this and it has been fixed.

What To Write

For many months now I have wondered what to write.  For me, fiction is easy. I have several novels, short stories, and novellas on the list with lots more ideas.

What to write here is the problem.  What would my readers be interested in?  I had a few ideas I was working on, one was about ready to post, then in March the pandemic happened.

Writing, fiction writing, kept going but here it stopped.  I thought about several topics on the pandemic, however, there was so much of that already. Not to mention, I know I was getting tired of it.  And I’m sure everyone else is as well.

But today an article came across my desk today I just had to comment on. 

The normally well balanced and accurate, Verge had an article about not putting your router in "Jail".

They talked about how harmless WiFi is and gave a lot of information.  Sadly, they were wrong on a few points.  Or at least very disputed points. Wifi (and 5G) is microwaves, and it varies depending on who you ask on whether non-ionizing radiation can cause damage.  They totally miss that if you sit in a microwave with it on, there is going to be damage. Which I don’t think anyone can disagree with.

WiFi and 5G are same thing is in your microwave just at a different frequency.

Microwaves were discovered in 1925 by Percy Spencer. At the time he noticed a radar unit he was using and was standing near started to melt a chocolate bar in his pocket. He didn't feel any heat, yet it had happened.

The problem is no official real unbiased research has been done since the 1950's and things have changed dramatically. The frequencies used now are off the chart. Well not really, but a difference of night and day compared to what was tested back then. Not to mention the level of exposure we have now.

The off-the-wall theories aside such as 5G causing COVID, the thing people (the stable non-conspiracy theory type) are worried about is the lack of real unbiased research. And keep in mind even safe things like cheese are fine in small amounts. But get too much and you have problems.

Some people do react to WiFi and other microwaves like cell phones.  It makes them sick.  Some get migraines, others have brain fog, still others have their equilibrium affected or rashes. Have you ever heard about canaries in the coal mines?  Keep in mind not everyone gets cancer from smoking either. And the tobacco industry denied it for many years that it happened at all. The communication industry is saying the same thing about 5G.

World Health Organization still lists cell phones as possibly carcinogenic.

For every doctor you find that says it is all safe, you will find another doctor or expert that says it is not and has the patients or experience to prove it.

More research is needed, but instead the industry is just making faster and more potent WiFi/cell services.  This is the problem.  The industry all says it is safe but they are trying to sell you on it, so what are they going to say?

Lead in paint was thought to be perfectly safe, then we found out it wasn't.

Again, more research is needed.  Or perhaps I should say unbiased research the wireless industry can't ignore or otherwise sweep under the rug.

Some interesting studies have been done.  One in particular where a large cell tower was erected near a population center (in California if I remember right, I can't find the details at the moment) and over the next 20 years cancer went up a lot in the area.  Not much else changed, which points to the tower. It could not be proven 100% of course, but it sure seems likely.

Also Verge comparing AM/FM to 5g or even normal WiFi is like comparing apples and oranges.  Sure both are fruit, but it stops there.  Different vitamins, minerals, taste, and some people are deathly allergic to oranges.  But does that mean the orange growers have the right to force them to eat oranges?  No.

This should be the way with 5G.  The problem is to work well at the speeds they are touting; it has to be everywhere, forcing exposure to all if they want it or not.

I for one don't want a 5G tower (or node as it is often called) hanging off my house or half a block away.  That is what many people fear.  They aren't nuts, especially if they do react to WiFi/cell phones already.

But I will agree with Verge regarding the people placing a WiFi router in a cage and expect the same range/coverage/usage ARE nuts. Of course it will drop down the strength, and for some, that is what they want. Many routers broadcast at full power 24/7 that can reach far beyond one's house. You don't need it that high, and if it is near you, that is a lot of exposure. Some routers allow you to reduce the broadcast level, but for most a cage is the only real option.

There are many examples with doctors mentioning there are problems. Several good examples of this are with Doctor Devra Davis. Check two of her videos here and here. Be sure to check the second one as it talks about 5G specifically, and the lack of proper research.

To just discard these warnings and only listen to the industry is again akin to lead paint, which we now know to be toxic.

In my humble opinion, I think it would be better (and less problematic in the long run) for the communications industry to center on cable-based rather than wireless for such high speeds. But of course, high-speed wireless deployment is far cheaper/easier, hence the push of the industry for it. Not to mention most people prefer the mobility of wireless (as long as they have coverage at least and it doesn't make them sick).