Straight Dope Message Board

[CalMeacham]

The Traveler is coming out as an e-book from Rogue Phoenix Press next month, but the links are already up for ordering it on several sites.

It's the story of a Time Traveler whose Time Machine has broken down -- one of his circuit boards has literally fried -- in Imperial Rome. His only way to get home is to rebuild it using whatever he can find or construct in ancient Rome. The story is told from the point of view of the Roman street kid who is helping him out. The book is nominally YA, but can be read and enjoyed by anyone.

Here's where you can find it:

Amazon -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W5K68ZY

Barnes & Noble -- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the...=2940161188439

Apple -- https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-...=11&app=itunes

Kobo -- https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-traveler-57

Google Play -- https://play.google.com/store/books/...d=6EqoDwAAQBAJ




I'll let you know when it's officially released.

In addition to this, I've just sent back the galleys to my science fiction short story Yamadori, which will be appearing in Analog shortly. 1

[glee]

I know writing is hard work, but describing your book as 'awesome' is a real turn-off.

"You're a writer when someone else says you're a writer."
"Your book is awesome when someone else says it." 2

[Chronos]

Eh, from Cal, I'm willing to take his word on it. 3

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by glee

I know writing is hard work, but describing your book as 'awesome' is a real turn-off.

"You're a writer when someone else says you're a writer."
"Your book is awesome when someone else says it."

If I were going to be snarky, I'd say you should tell that to Exapno. But I'm not, so I won't. 4

[Baker]

Originally Posted by glee

I know writing is hard work, but describing your book as 'awesome' is a real turn-off.

"You're a writer when someone else says you're a writer."
"Your book is awesome when someone else says it."

Someone sounds jealous.

I will look forward to hearing about the release of the book. I love time travel stories. Do you happen to have a major in world history, or studies that followed Roman history in particular? 5

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Baker

Someone sounds jealous.

I will look forward to hearing about the release of the book. I love time travel stories. Do you happen to have a major in world history, or studies that followed Roman history in particular?

No I studied Latin in High School and visited the Roman sites in Southern France, Rome, and near Vesuvius about the same time. I read a lot of classics in college, both in and out of class, and have kept it up ever since. I've written two books on mythology (although only one has been published), and have written other stories set in Imperial Rome. I was strongly influenced by L. Sprague de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall, a time travel novel in which the hero finds himself I just the right time and place to prevent the Fall of Rome, and I was impressed by his struggle to survive and thrive in Rome.

It just occurred to me that I'd never seen anyone treat what seems to me a very obvious fear and problem of time travel -- what if your time machine b4reaks down? And you know that no one will be coming to your rescue? Could you repair it on your own, without modern technology? 6

[Thudlow Boink]

Cool!

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

If I were going to be snarky, I'd say you should tell that to Exapno. But I'm not, so I won't.

(In case anyone misses the reference...)

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

I was strongly influenced by L. Sprague de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall

Yeah, I couldn't help being reminded of that book when I read the description of yours

It just occurred to me that I'd never seen anyone treat what seems to me a very obvious fear and problem of time travel -- what if your time machine b4reaks down? And you know that no one will be coming to your rescue? Could you repair it on your own, without modern technology?

I seem to recall one or more of the Family Guy episodes featuring Stewie's time machine involving him having to repair it to avoid being stranded in the past. And of course Marty McFly has to get his time-traveling DeLorean to work using 1950's technology in Back To The Future. But those aren't really the same kind of story that you seem to be talking about here. 7

[Chronos]

I think that Gary Larson, at least, addressed that point. Though of course he didn't address it in very much depth. 8

[DPRK]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

It just occurred to me that I'd never seen anyone treat what seems to me a very obvious fear and problem of time travel -- what if your time machine b4reaks down? And you know that no one will be coming to your rescue? Could you repair it on your own, without modern technology?

Meh, you don't even need to carry any spare time-travel parts on the trip. If your time machine breaks down, all you need is to remember to do like Bill & Ted and bring yourself everything you need via-- time machine. 9

[swampspruce]

All you talented writers are making me jealous! I'll be downloading your book tonight! 10

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by swampspruce

All you talented writers are making me jealous! I'll be downloading your book tonight!

In my case, I don't think you can just yet. You can pre-order, I think, but the publication date is sometime next month. 11

[FastDan1]

Just pre-ordered. Download happens on September 8. 12

[swampspruce]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

In my case, I don't think you can just yet. You can pre-order, I think, but the publication date is sometime next month.

Saw that. I'll be putting in my pre-order, then. 13

[Bear_Nenno]

Originally Posted by swampspruce

Saw that. I'll be putting in my pre-order, then.

There's a time travel joke in there somewhere. 14

[CalMeacham]

In addition to this, I've edited the galleys of my upcoming Analog story, Yamadori, which should be out in a couple of months.

I just heard from a publisher interested in my Frankenstein novella, A Light so Brilliant and Wondrous.

And Optics and Photonics News is running my article on the pop culture trope of using Ultraviolet Light to kill vampires in its October issue.

Lotsa stuff coming out shortly. 15

[Fugazi]

It's out now. I just ordered it and it's in my Nook App. 16

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Fugazi

It's out now. I just ordered it and it's in my Nook App.

Wow!

News to me. Thanks for telling me. You'd think my publisher would let me know.

[I]John Gielgud] I'll alert the media. [/John Gielgud] 17

[Exapno Mapcase]

Congrats on the many sales! Rogue Phoenix Press is a prestige venue.

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

If I were going to be snarky, I'd say you should tell that to Exapno. But I'm not, so I won't.

Heh. I was quoting somebody, so I'm legit.

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

Wow!

News to me. Thanks for telling me. You'd think my publisher would let me know.

I knew before my publisher that my book as being sold on some platforms. Mainly because I bothered to look and they didn't. Publishers. 18

[Chronos]

If it's being sold electronically anyway, shouldn't there at least be an automated e-mail saying "Congratulations! You've made your first sale. Here are some tips to generate word-of-mouth and keep the sales coming:" 19

[Lightnin']

I preordered it when this thread first appeared, and started reading it yesterday. I'm loving it so far. 20

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Chronos

If it's being sold electronically anyway, shouldn't there at least be an automated e-mail saying "Congratulations! You've made your first sale. Here are some tips to generate word-of-mouth and keep the sales coming:"

Ya'd think so, wouldn't you? 21

[CalMeacham]

I got my first hard copy today!!!!!!!

Yay! 22

[CalMeacham]

Copies of The Traveler are now on the shelf at Wicked Good Books in Salem, MA. 23

[Enderw24]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

It just occurred to me that I'd never seen anyone treat what seems to me a very obvious fear and problem of time travel -- what if your time machine b4reaks down? And you know that no one will be coming to your rescue? Could you repair it on your own, without modern technology?

Well sure. You just need a bolt of lightning. Unfortunately you never know when or where it's going to strike. 24

[AHunter3]

Ordering the paperback version now. 25

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Enderw24

Well sure. You just need a bolt of lightning. Unfortunately you never know when or where it's going to strike.

Wouldn't work for me. I still pronounce "Gigawatts" with a hard "G" 26

[Thudlow Boink]

I finished it the other day, and enjoyed it. A good story of its kind, very readable, and with a satisfying ending.

Question: Is the title "The Traveler" a deliberate parallel to "The Martian"? (In some ways it's a similar kind of story, as the book itself implies.) 27

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Thudlow Boink

I finished it the other day, and enjoyed it. A good story of its kind, very readable, and with a satisfying ending.

Question: Is the title "The Traveler" a deliberate parallel to "The Martian"? (In some ways it's a similar kind of story, as the book itself implies.)

I honestly don't know. The title just suggested itself and seemed right. There are other books with that title out there, but I wasn't worried about confusion.

Certainly the parallels occurred to me, and when I described the book to potential agents I made the comparison*. But I really was inspired much more by Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and L. Sprague de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall. I still have not yet actually read Andrew Weir's book.




*I sent the book out to -- no lie -- over 350 agents. That's 350 targeted agents -- ones who have expressed an interest in this type of book, or who I had reason to think might handle one like this. I didn't send it willy-nilly to any agent, or any YA agent. None of them were interested, except one who liked it up until the ending. "Would you be interested if I changed the ending?" I asked. "No," they replied. So I found a publisher on my own. That's three books so far I've had published without an agent. 28

[CalMeacham]

Thank you very much, by the way, Thudlow for your kind review. Could you put a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or one of the other internet sites? It would help. 29

[AHunter3]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

*I sent the book out to -- no lie -- over 350 agents. That's 350 targeted agents -- ones who have expressed an interest in this type of book, or who I had reason to think might handle one like this. I didn't send it willy-nilly to any agent, or any YA agent. None of them were interested, except one who liked it up until the ending. "Would you be interested if I changed the ending?" I asked. "No," they replied. So I found a publisher on my own. That's three books so far I've had published without an agent.

*nods*

Sending query letters to agents is an utter waste of effort and time, or at least it is for some of us author-folk. I was approaching 2,000 query letters when I ceased to bother trying in that direction. Querying small publishers directly it's been more like 60 total, and that resulted in three signed contracts and nearly that many offers. 30

[Rocketeer]

Just read your book, and Mrs R is starting it now. But neither of us could figure out what the small many-colored disc is that Tenobius gives to the narrator. Is it supposed to be something that I should recognize?

Also, you should get around to reading The Martian. Pulls you right along. 31

[don't ask]

No Kindle version is available in Australia. If one was I would grab a copy. 32

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by Rocketeer

Just read your book, and Mrs R is starting it now. But neither of us could figure out what the small many-colored disc is that Tenobius gives to the narrator. Is it supposed to be something that I should recognize?

Also, you should get around to reading The Martian. Pulls you right along.

It's a diffraction grating. I didn't originally intend this, but my first readers interpreted it as a CD or DVD, so that's what it became in the final book (and on the book cover) 33

[armedmonkey]

I just bought it on Kindle. I haven't read it yet, but hey I'll get around to it. I love Sci-Fi, but I don't much like time travel novels. However, your premise seems almost like "A Yankee in King Arthur's Court" thing which I do like. Added interest if the narrator is a local instead of the time traveler. Anyway, it's 99 cents on Amazon, so I I'll read it and give you my review later. 34

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by armedmonkey

I just bought it on Kindle. I haven't read it yet, but hey I'll get around to it. I love Sci-Fi, but I don't much like time travel novels. However, your premise seems almost like "A Yankee in King Arthur's Court" thing which I do like. Added interest if the narrator is a local instead of the time traveler. Anyway, it's 99 cents on Amazon, so I I'll read it and give you my review later.

Thank you. I look forward to it. 35