UFO:ai the novel - update and feedback thread

[Bonzo]

For the uninitiated

The first UFOAI book, "Hive Mind" written by Gary and Christy Bonn (that's me) is to be published in January. This is the first book in a series of three (maybe more if you like them). Many of you have read the rough first draft - there are many more chapters and events now.
 
We are writing free parallel chapters (to show you what's happening behind the scenes of Hive Mind) - you can take a look at the first. This is in response to Amazon refusing to allow us to distribute free to the UFOAI people unless Amazon get exclusive distribution. Instead, we'll set it at minimum price (about $0.99) one day before the official launch - and give you plenty of warning.

Meanwhile, our artists are coming up with cover design roughs. We'd appreciate your comments on these too. If you feel they're in keeping with the aesthetic of the game and the feel of the book (or not!) do tell us. You can refer to them by number from left to right.

Thanks to everyone for the help choosing the cover by the way!

We're also looking for pre-release reviewers. In return for an honest review (posted to Amazon - and Goodreads, if you have an account there), we'll give you a free download of Expect Civilian Casualties as a thank you. If you do want to do us this favor - it's on the understanding you don't freely spread your copy all over the internet we need to convince the publisher, Amazon, flashwords, Kobo etc that this series is worthwhile, and the only language they speak is sales figures (even if it's $0.99 a sale for you guys )

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact us through http://garybonn.com/ or leave a post here.

[ShipIt]

Great to see this is moving forward.

For the covers, you can savely dismiss 2 & 4, because the pictured Harvester UFO fires four beams, but everybody knows that in reality it carries only two Particle Beam Weapons. #6 looks like a math textbook too much imo. 3 & 6 are the same in different colours, aren´t they? I like the red one more, which leaves 1 or 6.  Imho two kids should´t run through the night in such unsafe situations - I vote for #1.

Btw, in the linked 'Safronov' episode, the penultimate paragraph reads

No, but can one of those harvesters take off from underneath a collapsed tower crane? I pretty much buried it and it hasn’t moved yet.’

missing the

‘

in the first place.

[Gary Bonn]

Thanks for your comments, Shiplt, (passed on) - and thanks for your sharp eye (fixed) 

[IMBACORE]

Awesome news!

I shared it on my IMBACORE FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Imbacore/180717828626996 Here's hoping it will get more attention from the Internet!

[Bonzo]

Thanks IMBACORE! I really appreciate that - any help in the run up to the launch (as I expect you know!) has a big effect.

I'll have to add your LPs to my to-watch list immediately

[IMBACORE]

Thanks IMBACORE! I really appreciate that - any help in the run up to the launch (as I expect you know!) has a big effect.

I'll have to add your LPs to my to-watch list immediately

You're welcome Bonzo!

[Gary Bonn]

A new parallel chapter went up today If you've not seen them yet - they can be found here: http://garybonn.com/scifi/

[Bonzo]

Well, 5-6 weeks may have been optimistic - but we've now got our second structural edit back!

This means we're almost nearly about to be ready to go for an early January release. Just have a few last things to iron out, like when and how we can help marketing the game and stuff.

As ever - any questions or suggestions can go here or to either of our email addresses 

[DarkRain]

That's good news the editorial process sure seems to take a long time well, things have been very slow here as well lately, as I'm sure you already noticed

[Bonzo]

It sure does - firedance are pretty thorough with that sort of thing Fingers crossed this means good quality control! 

Of course, the game grows at the pace the real world allows it to, that's fair enough - if the book takes off and there's an influx of interest I hope there'll be some high quality additions to the team, or at least more people on multiplayer to massacre

[Gary Bonn]

My goodness - the pressure is so high and Chrisy and I are working overtime. Firedance Books wanted all three books complete, and approved, before editing the first. Rather bad timing, (because we didn't know) Christy and I had already planned a four-part fantasy series and set deadlines - which we passed to our readers. You don't let readers down. I'm working 70-hour weeks and have done for several months. Christy has been sleeping a lot, drinking gin, talking to his mates, and generally chilling out

I'll keep you posted!

[Gary Bonn]

OMG ... sorry about the huge delay. This is in part due to the tragic loss of our fabulous SciFi editor and friend - co-author of the best seller 'Hollow Space' (under the name of Grant). The other delay was the complete rewrite and 5 months of structural editing. Book 1 will be released 11-12 Sept. The next two in the series on 9-10 Oct and 13-14 Nov. On these dates they will be FREE to download onto your Kindle app. (Midnight to midnight US Pacific time.)

Meanwhile there are free chapters of action happening in parallel with the main plot. http://garybonn.com/scifi/ - watch out, they're just for fun and haven't been through any rigorous editorial yet.

[Gary Bonn]

One more thing...

You guys are amazing! - as the first drafts went out chapter by chapter they were being read by thousands (hence the parallel chapters to keep everyone going).

[Gary Bonn]

Wow... UFO:AI is a truly global game. Since the announcement of Hive Mind's imminent publication and give-away days (11-12th Sept), the opening chapter of the Parallel Chapters, Safronov, (http://garybonn.com/scifi/) has been read by people from:

Australia
United Kingdom
Hungary
India
Mexico
Brazil
Taiwan
Germany
United States
Czech Republic
Greece
France
Austria
Russia
Poland
Netherlands
Peru
Canada

[Gary Bonn]

If you are a member of UFO:AI why are you buying copies of Hive Mind? - it's free on Kindle tomorrow and Saturday. It's all very flattering and there's no way we can tell if sales come from members or elsewhere but if you're UFO:AI  - get it free! Hive Mind is a celebration of this game. It would be very interesting to see how the books promote UFO:AI. That would be so cool.