Europa: Bellwether to Invasion May 30, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Tom's Posts.add a comment
As I look out over the vast Pacific Ocean I’m reminded of the reason that nearly every alien invasion movie or TV show gives for some warlike race crossing the vastness of space to come and pick on the likes of little old Earth. We do have a lot of water here, just waiting for something to come and try taking it away. Thing is, Earth is not the easiest place to get water from in our solar system.
To scale, the blue ocean of Europa is larger than the water of Earth.
The moon, Europa, which orbits Jupiter may be smaller than our Earth, but it is entirely covered by ice that holds a liquid ocean much deeper than the one that covers the surface of our own planet. It stands to reason then that if another race did come to our solar system in search of water, Europa would be the prime target. After all, as far as we know, Europa is not inhabited by an intelligent race with nuclear weapons. Why go poking at that race to take water when there is a larger store of the stuff far from the reach of the species’ weapons.
If anything, we should look upon Europa as an early warning for water greedy aliens from afar.
House On The California North Coast May 29, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Tom's Posts.add a comment
The view from my writing spot for the next 8 days.
I lived my first twenty years only 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. I have moved further away for the next two decades, but the ocean still feels like home. I’m excited to be back for a week.
The Twelve Actions of Indoctrination Introduced May 21, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Introductions.add a comment
There is a new entry into the Encyclopedia of the Future. This entry describes the Twelve Actions of Indoctrination. It explains the actions that the Alliance of Worlds takes when a Non Alliance Species discovers that they are not alone in the universe. If you have read Mother or Preserving Humanity, then you know that humanity has become aware that life exists beyond our solar system. My next novel expands the story to include the Alliance of Worlds and their view upon humanity as a new NAS.
Sketch In Progress April 23, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Tom's Posts.add a comment
MSS (Martian Space Ship) Intrepid
Year Built 2095: 5 years after Martian independence. (See Red Sands of Revolution) - There is a ship named the Intrepid in this novel, but that ship is not the one pictured here. That Intrepid is however dear to the Martian revolutionaries. They named one of their first warships after the Rising Star cruise ship that brought their hero Carl Ronad home.
Year originally decommissioned: 2135
Loaned to the Program (See Preserving Humanity) in 2166 – This ship shows up at the end of the book which explains why a space ship would be sleek and aerodynamic.
First Human crew to leave the Sol solar system in 2167 (upcoming NAS 842) – How far will it go?
Help Someone in Need: A Book Bomb for Ben April 8, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in News, Tom's Posts.add a comment
Ben Wolverton Pictured Here with his sister.
Help Someone in Need: A Book Bomb for Ben
Ben Wolverton, age 16, was in a serious long-boarding accident on Wednesday the 4th, 2013. He suffers from severe brain trauma, a cracked skull, broken pelvis and tail bone, burnt knees, bruised lungs, broken ear drum, road rash, and is currently in a coma. His family has no insurance.
We are having a book bomb on Wednesday, April 10th, on behalf of Ben Wolverton, who is the son of the New York Times bestselling author David Farland (
http://www.davidfarland.com/
).
You can learn more about Ben’s condition, or simply donate to the Wolverton family here:
http://www.gofundme.com/BensRecovery
What is a Book Bomb?
For those that don’t know, a Book Bomb is an event where participants purchase a book on a specific day to support the author, or, in this case, a young person in serious need: Ben Wolverton.
David Farland’s young adult fantasy thriller Nightingale has won seven awards, including the Grand Prize at the Hollywood Book Festival—beating out ALL books in ALL categories. It has been praised by authors such as James Dashner (The Maze Runner), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn), and Paul Genesse (Iron Dragon series), and has received four and a half starts on Amazon. You can read reviews here:
Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was—what her people call a “nightingale.”
But Bron isn’t ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron’s secret may be the most dangerous of all.
Nightingale is available as a hardcover, ebook, audio book, and enhanced novel for the iPad.
You can purchase it on Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nightingale-david-farland/1107084747?ean=2940016100463
on the Nightingale website:
http://www.nightingalenovel.com/
or, you can get the enhanced version, complete with illustrations, interviews, animations, and its own soundtrack through iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/nightingale/id560309064?mt=11
If you are a writer, you may want to consider purchasing David Farland’s Million Dollar Outlines instead. Both books are part of the book bomb. Million Dollar Outlines has been a bestseller on Amazon for over a month and is only $6.99.
As a bestselling author David Farland has taught dozens of writers who have gone on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight).
In Million Dollar Outlines, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel so that it can appeal to a wide readership, giving it the potential to become a bestseller. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors go on to prominence.
Or on Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/million-dollar-outlines-david-farland/1114285069?ean=2940015965148
Read one of the 26 reviews here:
Would you like to just donate money? You can do that here:
http://www.gofundme.com/BensRecovery
If you can’t spare any money, but would still like to help, you can do so by telling others about Ben’s donation page, and/or this Book Bomb. Share it on facebook, twitter, pinterest, your blog—anywhere you can. We have an event page set up on facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/453677124707603/
Thank you!
Ben and his family greatly appreciate your support, and so do all who love and care about them.
Precious Time April 5, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Tom's Posts.Tags: Family, home, Personal
add a comment
My kids were out of school for spring break. I took time off from work and we spent the week doing family time. There were bike rides, movies, and at ages 9 & 13, our kids had never been to a mall. So we did all of these things, plus Netflix and pitching in together for yard work and all of the things that makes the start of spring a fun time of the year. Not having to face an alarm clock the next morning allowed my wife and I to stay up longer and spend our own time together that regular work weeks don’t afford. I did do a little writing, but it was much more of a family week.
What has made that week spent together feel more special is the disheartening news that seems to be everywhere right now. A coworker’s daughter died suddenly while attending UC Santa Barbara last month. My nephew who became a quadriplegic in a tragic accident a number of years ago was hospitalized for pneumonia and his outlook was grim for a while (thankfully the signs of recovery are encouraging now). I recently attended a workshop held by David Farland who now reports that his son is in a coma after a skiing accident. These are just the personal stories. Add the tragedies in Newtown and other news from the world and you have a constant reminder of what a precious gift our families are.
With the bad news seeming to pile on, I am so happy to have the chance to appreciate the wonderful time I had with my wife and kids last week. And my prayers go those who are facing the cruel challenges that no one should have to face.
Short Story Master’s Assignment Completed March 13, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Introductions.Tags: mission la purisima
1 comment so far
I have completed my new short story Timeless Mission (use the link).
Mission La Purisima, Lompoc CA
The story is set at Mission La Purisima in Lompoc, California. La Purisima is the only mission in California that remains as it was in the 1820′s. The feeling that you have been transported back in time when visiting was the inspiration for my story.
Workshop Day Two March 2, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Introductions.add a comment
I could have stayed home with my wonderful family this week satisfied my writing.
I chose to burn up my frequent flyer miles and contend with the pains of traveling alone to come here and re-learn that I should never be satisfied with my writing. I have met some talented folks aside from learning from a very giving best-selling author. It hasn’t been easy. There is the challenge to learn more about the craft. There is the challenge of becoming more than an anonymous presence on the web. There is the challenge to write something that you know will be looked at and critiqued by someone who does this sort of thing for a very good living.
Challenge accepted. I will walk away from this experience with a refreshed conviction to never be satisfied with my writing. Not in a self-destruction way of dissatisfaction, but in a growth way of seeking unattainable perfection. The Mormons of Utah are misunderstood for having a base conviction of becoming god-like. It sounds maniacal to the outside world. But humility is the cornerstone of this goal and no true Mormon believes they will ever become anything close to god-like; they just believe that striving for anything less is setting the bar too low.
I therefore will strive for perfection in my writing knowing I can never achieve it, and that is what I am satisfied knowing.
First Day of Workshop Complete March 1, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Introductions.add a comment
I have been through my first day of the Short Fiction Masters workshop. There was a lot to take in. I can’t say that there was anything said that I haven’t already intuitively understood, but there has been a wealth of details into the main themes of writing short fiction learned. I’m learning much more about the nuts and bolts of bringing a story to life and structuring it in a way to lead the reader slowly into the tale I want to put forth.
I have the start of a new story now that has new twists I hadn’t imagined before arriving here. Now its on with day 2.
Big Adventure Starts Today February 27, 2013
Posted by Tom Wells in Introductions.add a comment
I’m going to Utah today to attend a Short Fiction Master’s class taught by multiple award winning and best selling author, and Writers of the Future (WOTF) coordinating judge, David Farland. It’s exciting and nerve racking at the same time. I fly to Salt Lake City today and start the class tomorrow morning. Twelve hour days are promised, which for an architect, are baby days around a project crunch time. It will be a great chance to learn more about my writing. I have to admit that I have that little fear of ending up like one of those joke contestants on American Idol. I may impress my family and friends with my stories, but now I am going to be personally screened by on of the biggest names in writing.
Preparation for the class has been to brainstorm a story that hasn’t been written yet. Since Dave is a WOTF judge, whatever story I do write won’t be submitted to the contest. That has left me free to try a short story idea I have had for years but never actually started. There is a California mission in Lompoc California that is the only original Spanish mission that has been preserved in a remote setting without having a town or city built around it. The entire place is like a moment in time frozen as it was in the 1830′s. Visiting this place is as close to time travel as one could really experience. So naturally I have a sort of Gentlemen in King Arthur’s Court kind of story idea that I haven’t penned. I’ve done a little research and tomorrow it gets started. Will I do the American Idol equivalent of getting up on stage and making a fool of myself? Or will I get the equivalent of a pass to the big show, with a nod of encouragement for the writing I do?
Of course I can’ t dwell on the worst imaginings, I can only pass the time trying to distract myself from the nervousness. I do have a story to finish for WOTF.
