May 2014
AND
NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
I'm
happy to announce that I will shortly be publishing a new book. The
book description for A World Without Secrets has been on the
'Novels' page of my website for years and I'm sure many readers
have noticed it. I'm announcing the release early because the book
is a departure from my usual Space Opera fare. I know some fans
of the AGU series and its two spin-off series will be disappointed
that I've spent time working on something other than the books
they're most anxious to read, so I'm hoping this early announcement
will have successfully tempered disappointment when the new book
is available. I've always worked on multiple books concurrently and I
continue to employ that work methodology whenever I sit down at my
computer to write. Although not every work hour is currently being
spent on the Clidepp Requital, the next book to be released from
the AGU:BP series, I do work on it each day.
I began
writing A World Without Secrets back in 2002 when I was still
trying to find my niche as a novelist. I loved the plot outline
I'd prepared, but I could never get the manuscript to reflect
the protagonist's personality nor the story's promise of excitement and
pathos. So I kept writing and then discarding chapters until I
grew weary of the effort and returned just the first few chapters to
my computer's hard drive. Each year I would call up the manuscript
and attempt to advance the story, then return it to its repository,
unfinished. I really wanted to complete the story, but in my mind
the narrative never achieved the potential I saw in the outline.
In late
2009, or perhaps early 2010, I had an epiphany of sorts and believed I
finally understood why I'd been unable to produce a superlative
book from the magnificent story idea. I began to work on it anew,
completely rewriting the existing chapters and making good progress
on additional ones. But when my AGU series captured the imagination of
Space Opera fans, virtually all of my writing time was redirected
towards Jenetta and the SC teams. I don't regret that, but I've
had the AWWS book listed on my website for a very long time, and
I was dismayed by the unrealized promise of what I believed was
a great story. Perhaps it was because I'd been thinking about
the plot for twelve years, but when I restarted work on it a few
months ago, I was able to complete it in record time.
In
preparing this book for publication, I've found it difficult to categorize the
book's genre. I see it as sort of a Twilight Zone style sci-fi plot with a
Magnum P.I. style protagonist, which would make it a Sci-fi Crime Fiction
novel. But no book reseller offers such a category at this time, so I'm
going with TechnoThriller. I've always believed that a good thriller should
start off fairly slow as it sets the stage and introduces the characters,
crescendo action throughout the work, then finish with booming timpani
and fireworks. Of course, an ending that makes the reader reflect on the
story and characters is mandatory. I've tried to accomplish that with this book.
Some people prefer to immediately read the final page when they buy a
new book, but I implore you NOT do that with this story, as it might really
spoil the ending for you.
In
rereading what I've written above, it seems like I'm saying I've
just written the 'Great American Novel.' That was certainly not
my intent or my belief. All I'm saying is that I've written a book which
I really enjoy rereading and which I'm now proud to share with others.
Colton James is just an average person— okay, perhaps slightly above
average— who discovers his true calling after finding a bit of
technology that shouldn't exist. To date, I've only shared the new book with
a few individuals, and I've been pleased with their evaluations, but the
real test will come when the book is widely available. I anticipate that
readers who purchase the book expecting to find cover-to-cover action,
as in the AGU series, will be disappointed and probably leave negative
reviews stating that they couldn't get past the third or fourth chapter, but
those who persevere until the action begins will not be disappointed
because it comes fast and furious once it starts.
I realize
that AWWS will not appeal to some Space Opera fans, but I
hope most readers will give it a chance as I step outside the genre for
which I've become known as an author. As I've said, fans who only want
action, and little to no story substance, will be disappointed— but fans who
want a real story, with an exciting ending, should enjoy this new book.
As with my paranormal books, I've used a variation of my given
name on the cover to help potential customers discern the genre
difference between the new book and my Space Opera books.
I'm hoping that someone won't buy it expecting to find a Space
Opera and then leave an unkind review because they found an
earthbound crime drama story.
The new
book has been completed and all formats should be available in all markets
by June 1st. For those readers who were disappointed that my last book,
clearly advertised as a novella, turned out to really be a novella,
I assure you that the new book is a full novel at 344 printed pages.
However, I feel confident you'll still want more when you reach the end.
Will there
be more Colton James' novels in the future? That will depend on the
reception AWWS receives. I already have a possible plot in my head for a
sequel. Time will tell if a sufficient readership exists to justify the production
of additional titles.
The new book
will be available for pre-order from Kobo and Apple iTunes stores worldwide
in the next few days, with delivery on June 1st. Neither Barnes & Noble nor
Amazon offer an acceptable pre-order arrangement to small publishers, so
I won't be able to upload the book to them until June 1st.
