WiP: The Social Club – 90,800 words

Work in Progress

¦ dialling in from Sky Bunker ¦

90,000 words on the Social Club. Layers of the onion are being peeled away. Senior verifier Jadon Purgo is starting to see the big truth at the heart of it all. The thick plottens!  Time for a Da Vinci break (15 minute power snooze).

1 hour Later…

90,800. And there ends the night. 9pm rule. No computer work after nine o’clock. And I can start to see the end in sight. Maybe another 10,000 words? Excitement threaded through with the frustration and impatience of just wanting it to be done. Which misses the whole point of writing: it’s the “doing” that is the pleasure.  Because once you finish the book, wrap-up the proofing and editing and set the thing to sail into the marketplace, you never get to spend quality time with those characters again. Those friends inside the mind that have shared the long hours and sacrifices that brings them out of the darkness of subconscious and into the daylight of reality.  Blech! Waffling. You get the point. :o)

The Social Club will be the third novel set in the post-apocalyptic survival horror universe of Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur; it follows Dog Eat Dog and The Black Lake (which recently received critical review in the Guardian newspaper website UK) – all three of which are separate stories but sharing the one universe.  Another five novels exist taking place in this shared universe before Yellow Dawn wrecked such global havoc and devastation, you can view all of these novels here. 

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Subscribe (top left) to this blog or join my Facebook page to follow updates.

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David J Rodger – DATA

WiP: The Social Club – 87,000 words

Work in Progress

¦ dialling in from Sky Bunker ¦

Had an absolutely epic writing session this weekend. Two solid days of it. Made great progress with the new book. Senior Verifier Jadon Purgo is now coming out of a decade-old shell. He’s seeing London, or rather the Settlement (what’s left of the city since Yellow Dawn happened and the Group took control) in a wholly new light and he is not liking what he sees. So now the figure of authority is seeking a way out, a way to get past the checkpoints and militia and flamethrowers that aren’t just there to keep out the Infected.  He’s seeing now how they’re also there to prevent anybody who learns the truth about the Settlement (and its true origins) from revealing such knowledge to the rest of the global survivor community.

Also managed to weave-in the cyborg characters I fleshed out for the (post-Yellow Dawn) novel called Dawn of the Iconoclast; a book that’s not yet been written but has a full plotmap ready to roll.  Nice to drop them in with a sort of cameo-role.

The Social Club will be the third novel set in the post-apocalyptic survival horror universe of Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur; it follows Dog Eat Dog and The Black Lake (which recently received critical review in the Guardian newspaper website UK) – all three of which are separate stories but sharing the one universe.  Another five novels exist taking place in this shared universe before Yellow Dawn wrecked such global havoc and devastation, you can view all of these novels here. 

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Subscribe (top left) to this blog or join my Facebook page to follow updates.

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See more posts like this – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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20% discount on sci-fi dark fantasy paperbacks from David J Rodger until 2nd May

Special Offer

David J Rodger is a British science-fiction and dark fantasy author with seven novels under his belt. LULU have all of them available to purchase in paperback via their online store.

- The Guardian called his work “Atmospheric and Creepy”

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LULU are offering a tasty 20% discount

on paperbacks purchased through their online portal

For any order

Just use coupon code SILEO at checkout

(code is case sensitive)

Offer Ends 2nd May 2013

This is a great opportunity to grab any of my 7 novels, anthology of short stories, RPG work and any other authors who publish through LULU – in one awesome literary grab.

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If you’re a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos then why not try my latest novel: The Black Lake.

A novel

“The Black Lake: where only death survives.”

Order a bookstore quality paperback from LULU with 20% discount.

Full description & customer reviews on official website

The Earth has been ravaged by an event known as Yellow Dawn. Ten years later, survivors are putting lives back together and probing the frontiers of a new Wilderness; whilst overhead the orbital colonies slide across the sky, removed and unaffected. Five men leave the fortress island of Malta on an expedition to the sub-Arctic waters above Scotland. They intend to undertake scientific observations of an alien meteorological phenomenon that has followed the apocalyptic event. What they find is a cosmic horror that seethes amongst the shadows of a shattered Earth. It is a story of escape and wonder, of madness and terror.

BUY THE BLACK LAKE TODAY

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Go back to the start

Alternatively, if you’re interested in my first novel you could try God Seed.

View on Lulu

“Mankind will be judged, and smitten and cleansed”

Order a bookstore quality paperback from LULUwith 20% discount.

Full description & customer reviews on official website

I wrote God Seed in 1996: it is a tense, tightly packed thriller following a documentary film-maker as he tries to complete a new project: filming corporate mercenaries operating in western Europe. What starts as an action-packed campaign quickly descends into horror and madness as the film-maker is drawn into a conspiracy that goes far beyond the political, religious and ideological boundaries of neo-Nazis and Islamic fundamentalists, propelling him out beyond Earth, into the very heart of darkness.

BUY GOD SEED TODAY

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An entire universe to discover:

In between God Seed and The Black Lake are a number of novels that share and create a common universe for your imagination to roam, enjoy and find new thrills and terrors within. You can find a complete list of my work, including précis and customer reviews, on my official website.

*

Click to browse paperbacks on LULU storefront

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Got Kindle?

If you’re keen to try these novels in digital format then you can buy all these titles at Amazon with a choice of currencies, $ US Dollars; or £ GB Pounds, or the Euro.

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Free Audio Book (short story): Masters of Chaos

MASTERS OF CHAOS

A Short Slab of Speculative Fiction written by British Sci-Fi Dark Fantasy Author David J Rodger
Audio Book narration by American Voice Talent Cody J Johnson

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-BLURB-
MASTERS OF CHAOS: {Speculative fiction} A man contemplates the world around him, taking seemingly meticulous notes of certain random but repeating events. Can he influence the world through such observations? And to what end? When unseen things are scratching at the doors of perception.

- BACKGROUND -
It’s 3,800 words, fairly meaty for a short story and uses an unusual style that, in my head at least, is based on the awesome narrative monologue method used in the film Pi by Darren Aronofsky. It charts the terrible fate hanging over the Earth during the esoteric experimentation by somebody who has stumbled onto (or been led into) the loathsome, diabolical and reality shattering concepts practiced by adepts of the Cthulhu Mythos (H.P.Lovecraft).

-COPY-
I’m in my apartment. It’s morning. I’m standing by the window looking down; dressed in a crumpled shirt, tie and suit trousers. In one hand is a bottle of expensive mineral water. In the other hand is an old-fashioned Dictaphone with a cable running up to an ear-piece and throat microphone.
My point of view: I’m looking out of the window down on a busy city street.
Picture it, a montage of ordinary people on their way to work.
Some years ago, in Argentina, an old woman decided to withdraw a little more money from her bank than usual. There was a small delay as she got her pesos. A minor cash flow problem for the bank. No harm done. Except, word of this problem got around, it echoed, and caused a run on the banks that led to the economic collapse of an entire country.
One little old lady.
One grain of sand bringing down a mountain.
It was the day I discovered I had a talent. But as with all of nature’s gifts there is need for a mentor, to nurture and guide.
I lift the Dictaphone a little even though there is no need:
8.10 – Look out apartment window.
I see a smartly dressed business woman stopping to cross a busy intersection. Her face shows she is a burns victim. She’s wearing red gloves and is holding a Starbucks.
I lick my lips and thumb record again:
8.12 – Girl A arrives on street corner, gloves, Starbucks coffee in her hand. She waits 43 seconds to cross road.
A few moments elapse and then I focus on a male student in a scuffed leather jacket, carrying a paperback novel.
8.13 – Man B appears on street corner. He is carrying a book in his hand.
I turn from the window, pull on a jacket, pocket the Dictaphone, and head outside.
Picture it. My journey to work. A sequence of images: waiting at bus stop, sitting on bus, walking through downtown city streets, walking into modern office building. A finance company.
Through all of this I appear detached and deep in thought.
8.15 – Left for work. It takes 45 minutes to get to there.

-MAKE A SMALL CONTRIBUTION-
Like the story? Share some wonga.  Make a small financial contribution (link takes you to my website, then PayPal).

-GET THE STORY AS A PDF-
Click this link for a free PDF copy of the short story Masters of Chaos.

Click to grab the PDF. Personal use only.

- LINKS -

WRITER
David J Rodger official website: http://www.davidjrodger.com
David J Rodger Twitter: @davidjrodger
David J Rodger Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-J-Rodger/10090348898

VOICE TALENT
Cody J Johnson on Voices (Talent Website): http://www.voices.com/people/codyjohnsonaudio
Cody J Johnson on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cody-Johnson/44537397887

SONGS OF SPHERES
Anthology of short sci-fi dark fantasy stories: Cyberpunk and Cthulhu Mythos.
The short story Masters of Chaos comes from an anthology of 15 shorts, available in paperback from LULU and from Amazon for Kindle.
.

Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle

Paperback: LULU & Amazon Kindle: US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

SONGS OF SPHERES: {short story collection} 15 short stories hand-picked by the author as his personal favourites and presented with a brief introduction to each story. There are monsters that squirm and slither through the dark spaces beneath our feet, our dead are like carrion to them; and us, the living, are often victims of their hunger for violence and their taste in blood and terror. There are men and women who prey on the predators – a rough justice or karma in action. Technology carries information beyond the wires but what else can ride the electromagnetic waves? Demonic forces that infiltrate the mind through the new technology implants of the cyberpunk era. In dream-like realms, brave souls adventure deep into the strange worlds conjured by far flung minds. What mysteries do they discover and what secrets do they bring back with them into physical flesh and the reality of Humankind? The King in Yellow regards Earth from behind a pallid mask of silk; reposed on a throne of madness, corruption and decay within the black tower that stands beyond Carcosa. Hastur – the Great Old One that must not be named – the bearer of the Yellow Sign, has been brought forth. In tales of Yellow Dawn the consequences are here for those who dare to see. WARNING: some of these stories contain scenes of a disturbing and sexual nature.

.

See more posts like this – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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WiP: The Social Club – 77,000 words

Work in Progress

¦ dialling in from Sky Bunker ¦

The UK shut down for four days over the weekend. Easter Bank Holiday. I had the luxury of using three of those four days to sink deep into a creative groove with the new novel.  Here’s the updates I posted on Facebook during the period, with insights into the story and where I’m at with it:

• Current word count 64,000. It’s been slow progress this month for one reason or another and as we approach April, I’m coming to the start of a self-imposed “month off writing”. So I need to get as much done over the next three days as as I can.
• Yesterday was a wonderfully epic day of writing. I nailed 5,000 words. Aiming to attempt the same today – see how my brain fares. Now on 69,000 words. The bigger plot is starting to emerge as senior verifier Jadon Purgo is brought into the confidence of conspirators – and his “mission” becomes more of a personal desire to find the wider truth about London, and the Settlement, than solve the deaths of two high-ranking officials with the Power of Eight Group. See a tough character twist and buckle under brutal strains.
• 72,700 words. Jeepers my head feels like its had an accelerator pedal pressed down on it for a couple of days solid. Jadon Purgo is about to be taken into the Dead Zone outside London. Scary times for the man and chance to start weaving in some of the Mythos madness into this story.
• Now into my 3rd day of solid progress on the book. I’ve not left the house since Thursday night. Most of that time I’ve been up here in the Sky Bunker. Living on coffee and pasta, and until I shaved last night I looked like total bum. Love it though. 73,300 words right now. London Dead Zone ahead.
• 74,000 words. Engines close to failing. Risk of this bird going down into Dead Zone. Purgo terrified, naturally. Survive the crash and find himself surrounded by Infected
• 75,700. First sight of Infected swarming through dead city streets.
• 76,700 words. Dang! That’s nearly 13,000 since Friday. I’m super pleased and loving the visuals. This is what writing is all about. Living and working through the “movie” that is inside your head.

In the end I nailed 14,000 words in three days. Not bad as in the 3 months I’ve been working on the book (on and off since August 2012) I did 63,000 .  So it means in one long weekend I achieved what would normally take me 20 days. Heavy use of my “Da Vinci” method: polyphasic sleep, grabbing 15 minutes every 45 minutes, hour after hour. I highly recommend trying it if you’re a creative.

The Social Club will be the third novel set in the post-apocalyptic survival horror universe of Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur; it follows Dog Eat Dog and The Black Lake (which recently received critical review in the Guardian newspaper website UK) – all three of which are separate stories but sharing the one universe.  Another five novels exist taking place in this shared universe before Yellow Dawn wrecked such global havoc and devastation, you can view all of these novels here. 

.

Subscribe (top left) to this blog or join my Facebook page to follow updates.

.

See more posts like this – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

Getting back into a creative groove

¦ dialling in from the Sky Bunker ¦

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March. Means I’m back into writing after taking February “off” from the insane creative drive of the last 3 years – and following on from the three months I took off between September and December when everything in my world seemed so… dark.

David J Rodger working on new novel set in post-apocalyptic London

Taking February off wasn’t easy to do by the way; almost had fights with myself first weekend of Feb when I headed down to the harbour to relax — whilst some other part of my brain was scowling, “what are you doing? Get back home. You should be writing!”  This is the voice that’s been whip-lashing me all these years.  It’s been highly productive.  Four novels, one RPG (plus a complete re-write for version 2.5) and a major campaign book (Shadows of the Quantinex) since 2007.  But there comes a point when you look at the things you’re not doing with your life whilst focussing so much energy in just one area…

Anyhow, I really enjoyed Feb. Managed to do a lot of social things and other bits and pieces that would normally be considered “getting in the way” of the creative process. Have I found balance? Who knows. I’ve now got to cold-start the engine and see if the words will flow — or if I splutter and cough dank fetid fumes from lack of use. Whatever, I’m now back into The Social Club – novel #8 – picking up where I left off: Senior Verifier Jadon Purgo in trouble with the Power of Eight Group in a post-apocalyptic version of London, ten years after the event known as Yellow Dawn struck the Earth.

You can eyeball my previous novels here: Science Fiction Dark Fantasy by David J Rodger.

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Work in progress: Audio Book of Short Story: Masters of Chaos

MASTERS OF CHAOS

A Short Slab of Speculative Fiction written by British Sci-Fi Dark Fantasy Author David J Rodger
Audio Book narration by American Voice Talent Cody J Johnson

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This is work in progress of an audio book of the short story Masters of Chaos.

-BLURB-
MASTERS OF CHAOS: {Speculative fiction} A man contemplates the world around him, taking seemingly meticulous notes of certain random but repeating events. Can he influence the world through such observations? And to what end? When unseen things are scratching at the doors of perception.

- BACKGROUND -
It’s 3,800 words, fairly meaty for a short story and uses an unusual style that, in my head at least, is based on  the awesome narrative monologue method used in the film Pi by Darren Aronofsky. It charts the terrible fate hanging over the Earth during the esoteric experimentation by somebody who has stumbled onto (or been led into) the loathsome, diabolical and reality shattering concepts practiced by adepts of the Cthulhu Mythos (H.P.Lovecraft).

David J Rodger and Cody J Johnson are collaborating to produce a complete audio book version of the short story.  Rodger is intending to seek submissions from illustrators and graphic artists who want to win a commission to provide visuals (static or otherwise) to accompany the finished product on YouTube.  Follow David J Rodger’s blog or Twitter – links below – to keep informed of this when the invitation goes out.

-COPY-
I’m in my apartment.  It’s morning.  I’m standing by the window looking down; dressed in a crumpled shirt, tie and suit trousers. In one hand is a bottle of expensive mineral water. In the other hand is an old-fashioned Dictaphone with a cable running up to an ear-piece and throat microphone.
My point of view: I’m looking out of the window down on a busy city street.
Picture it, a montage of ordinary people on their way to work.
Some years ago, in Argentina, an old woman decided to withdraw a little more money from her bank than usual. There was a small delay as she got her pesos. A minor cash flow problem for the bank. No harm done. Except, word of this problem got around, it echoed, and caused a run on the banks that led to the economic collapse of an entire country.
One little old lady.
One grain of sand bringing down a mountain.
It was the day I discovered I had a talent.  But as with all of nature’s gifts there is need for a mentor, to nurture and guide.
I lift the Dictaphone a little even though there is no need:
8.10 – Look out apartment window.
I see a smartly dressed business woman stopping to cross a busy intersection.  Her face shows she is a burns victim. She’s wearing red gloves and is holding a Starbucks.
I lick my lips and thumb record again:
8.12 – Girl A arrives on street corner, gloves, Starbucks coffee in her hand.  She waits 43 seconds to cross road.
A few moments elapse and then I focus on a male student in a scuffed leather jacket, carrying a paperback novel.
8.13 – Man B appears on street corner.  He is carrying a book in his hand.
I turn from the window, pull on a jacket, pocket the Dictaphone, and head outside.
Picture it.  My journey to work. A sequence of images: waiting at bus stop, sitting on bus, walking through downtown city streets, walking into modern office building. A finance company.
Through all of this I appear detached and deep in thought.
8.15 – Left for work.  It takes 45 minutes to get to there.

-GET THE WHOLE STORY-
A PDF version is available free.
http://davidjrodger.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/free-short-story-sci-fi-dark-fantasy-tale-masters-of-chaos-retweet-or-share-and-its-yours/

Click here and share the link to get a free copy of the complete short story (PDF)

- LINKS -

WRITER
David J Rodger official website: http://www.davidjrodger.com
David J Rodger Twitter: @davidjrodger
David J Rodger Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-J-Rodger/10090348898

VOICE TALENT
Cody J Johnson on Voices (Talent Website): http://www.voices.com/people/codyjohnsonaudio
Cody J Johnson on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cody-Johnson/44537397887

SONGS OF SPHERES
Anthology of short sci-fi dark fantasy stories: Cyberpunk and Cthulhu Mythos.
The short story Masters of Chaos comes from an anthology of 15 shorts, available in paperback from LULU and from Amazon for Kindle.
.

Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle

Paperback: LULU & Amazon Kindle: US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

SONGS OF SPHERES: {short story collection} 15 short stories hand-picked by the author as his personal favourites and presented with a brief introduction to each story. There are monsters that squirm and slither through the dark spaces beneath our feet, our dead are like carrion to them; and us, the living, are often victims of their hunger for violence and their taste in blood and terror. There are men and women who prey on the predators – a rough justice or karma in action. Technology carries information beyond the wires but what else can ride the electromagnetic waves? Demonic forces that infiltrate the mind through the new technology implants of the cyberpunk era. In dream-like realms, brave souls adventure deep into the strange worlds conjured by far flung minds. What mysteries do they discover and what secrets do they bring back with them into physical flesh and the reality of Humankind? The King in Yellow regards Earth from behind a pallid mask of silk; reposed on a throne of madness, corruption and decay within the black tower that stands beyond Carcosa. Hastur – the Great Old One that must not be named – the bearer of the Yellow Sign, has been brought forth. In tales of Yellow Dawn the consequences are here for those who dare to see. WARNING: some of these stories contain scenes of a disturbing and sexual nature.

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See more posts like this – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Photo: Jesmond Church Tower Bathed in Golden Winter Light – Newcastle upon Tyne

St George’s – Jesmond

St George’s Church tower – Jesmond. Photo: David J Rodger

I adore this church. I’m not a religious person but the structure itself holds a lot of meaning for me. Based on St Mark’s Campanile in Venice it is also the sole inspiration for the potent Cthulhu Mythos short story I wrote back in 2011 called Corrupt Moon – tapping into the sanity shattering consequences of the Influence of Hastur.   The story available in the anthology Songs of Spheres.

The tower stands head and shoulders above the rest of Jesmond – a beacon and a landmark – visible for a couple of miles all around.

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Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle

Paperback: LULU & Amazon Kindle: US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

SONGS OF SPHERES: 15 short stories hand-picked by the author as his personal favourites and presented with a brief introduction to each story. There are monsters that squirm and slither through the dark spaces beneath our feet, our dead are like carrion to them; and us, the living, are often victims of their hunger for violence and their taste in blood and terror. There are men and women who prey on the predators – a rough justice or karma in action. Technology carries information beyond the wires but what else can ride the electromagnetic waves? Demonic forces that infiltrate the mind through the new technology implants of the cyberpunk era. In dream-like realms, brave souls adventure deep into the strange worlds conjured by far flung minds. What mysteries do they discover and what secrets do they bring back with them into physical flesh and the reality of Humankind? The King in Yellow regards Earth from behind a pallid mask of silk; reposed on a throne of madness, corruption and decay within the black tower that stands beyond Carcosa. Hastur – the Great Old One that must not be named – the bearer of the Yellow Sign, has been brought forth. In tales of Yellow Dawn the consequences are here for those who dare to see. WARNING: some of these stories contain scenes of a disturbing and sexual nature.

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See more posts like this – click

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#Free RPG Download: Monsters of the Mythos – New Outer Gods, Great Old Ones and Non-Human Species

Cthulhu Mythos

This supplement has been written as part of the post-apocalyptic survivor horror RPG: Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur. It expands upon the concept of the Cthulhu Mythos, introducing a raft of new Great Old Ones, Outer Gods and non-human species for characters to encounter.

If you’re more into narrative than rule systems, you can enjoy new flavours of the Cthulhu Mythos in the novels, EDGE, Dog Eat Dog and The Black Lake.

Click to download the free PDF

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Available from LULU

YELLOW DAWN – THE AGE OF HASTUR: The Earth has been ravaged by viral pathogens, the death of billions observed by the orbital colonies and deep-space habitats that were largely unaffected by the Outbreak. Terrified of infection, nobody came to help. Less than 30 percent survived the first few weeks. Then came the 2nd Wave of infection, spreading steadily outwards from the impact points, and that was when the horror really began…

This book is crammed with everything you will need to create characters, run scenarios and experience horror and adventure in the fictional world of David J Rodger.

FEATURES: Narrative examples of key themes • The Influence of Hastur • Medical theories on the Infection • Zombie surges • Dead Cities • Wilderness survival • Comprehensive scavenging system and how to repair or build things with resources • Backgrounds and motivations of government bodies and corporations • Computer hacking and drug abuse • High-tech immortality options • Non-human characters • Enhancements through cyberware and bioware • Weaponry, equipment and armour • Complete character generation and development system • Complex political, corporate and quasi-religious tensions • Schools of Elemental Magick, occultism, demonology, and the alien horrors of the Outer Chaos – the Cthulhu Mythos. Purchase via LULU.

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I am promoting a novel – click me

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#Free short story: Sci-Fi Dark Fantasy tale Masters of Chaos- retweet or share and it’s yours

RETWEET & ENJOY A FREE SHORT STORY

A Science Fiction Dark Fantasy Short

Science Fiction Dark Fantasy author David J Rodger is giving away a copy of his short story “Masters of Chaos” to anybody who retweets or shares this post on a social network. No reason other than the search for more publicity and exposure of his work to a wider audience.

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MASTERS OF CHAOS: {Speculative fiction} A man contemplates the world around him, taking seemingly meticulous notes of certain random but repeating events. Can he influence the world through such observations? And to what end? When unseen things are scratching at the doors of perception.

It’s 3,800 words, fairly meaty for a short story and uses an unusual style that, in my head at least, is based on  the awesome narrative monologue method used in the film Pi by Darren Aronofsky. It charts the terrible fate hanging over the Earth during the esoteric experimentation by somebody who has stumbled onto (or been led into) the loathsome, diabolical and reality shattering concepts practiced by adepts of the Cthulhu Mythos (H.P.Lovecraft).

Retweet me

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Retweet this today and it’s yours to enjoy

You may also like to:

•     Join my Facebook Fan Page: (Click here) >> say hello on my wall and I’ll ping you a private message with a copy of the story
•     Subscribe to this blog: (details are top left of this page) >> leave a comment using your email address and I’ll send you the story via email.

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Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle

Paperback: LULU & Amazon Kindle: US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

SONGS OF SPHERES: {short story collection}  15 short stories hand-picked by the author as his personal favourites and presented with a brief introduction to each story. There are monsters that squirm and slither through the dark spaces beneath our feet, our dead are like carrion to them; and us, the living, are often victims of their hunger for violence and their taste in blood and terror. There are men and women who prey on the predators – a rough justice or karma in action. Technology carries information beyond the wires but what else can ride the electromagnetic waves? Demonic forces that infiltrate the mind through the new technology implants of the cyberpunk era. In dream-like realms, brave souls adventure deep into the strange worlds conjured by far flung minds. What mysteries do they discover and what secrets do they bring back with them into physical flesh and the reality of Humankind? The King in Yellow regards Earth from behind a pallid mask of silk; reposed on a throne of madness, corruption and decay within the black tower that stands beyond Carcosa. Hastur – the Great Old One that must not be named – the bearer of the Yellow Sign, has been brought forth. In tales of Yellow Dawn the consequences are here for those who dare to see. WARNING: some of these stories contain scenes of a disturbing and sexual nature.

.

See more posts like this – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Holiday bonanza – 13 days of discounts from LULU – 20th Dec is 30% off any hardback Yellow Dawn – Age of #Hastur – #RPG

Looking for something new or coming back for more…

LULU are offering 30% off any hardback today

 purchased through their online portal

For any order

Just use coupon code 20DEC at checkout

(code is case-sensitive)

Offer Ends Today

This is a great opportunity to grab the special hardback edition of my RPG, Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur.

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If you’re a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos, Cyberpunk, Infection apocalypses, zombies and survival horror, then why not try this much praised role-playing game. It works either as a standalone system or as a setting for your own RPG system.

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Available exclusively from LULU

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Product Link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/david-j-rodger/yellow-dawn-25-special-edition-hardcover/hardcover/product-20012076.html  (Don’t forget Discount Coupon Code 20DEC)

YELLOW DAWN – THE AGE OF HASTUR

The Earth has been ravaged by viral pathogens, the death of billions observed by the orbital colonies and deep-space habitats that were largely unaffected by the Outbreak. Terrified of infection, nobody came to help. Less than 30 percent survived the first few weeks. Then came the 2nd Wave of infection, spreading steadily outwards from the impact points, and that was when the horror really began… YELLOW DAWN: This book is crammed with everything you will need to create characters, run scenarios and experience horror and adventure in the fictional world of David J Rodger. FEATURES: The Influence of Hastur; Medical theories on the Infection; Zombie surges; Comprehensive scavenging system; Computer hacking and drug abuse; Non-human characters; Enhancements through cyberware and bioware; Weaponry, equipment and armour; Complex political, corporate and quasi-religious tensions; Schools of Elemental Magick, occultism, demonology, and the alien horrors of the Outer Chaos — the Cthulhu Mythos.

.

An entire universe to discover:

YELLOW DAWN  fits into a raft of novels that are set before and after the apocalyptic event.  In between God Seed and The Black Lake are a number of novels that share and create a common universe for your imagination to roam, enjoy and find new thrills and terrors within. You can find a complete list of my work, including précis and customer reviews, on my official website.

*

.

.

Got Kindle?

If you’re keen to try these novels in digital format then you can buy all these titles at Amazon with a choice of currencies, $ US Dollars; or £ GB Pounds, or the Euro.

.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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“Atmospheric and creepy” – The Guardian. Critical but positive review of my latest novel, The Black Lake, by one of the UK’s leading news sites.

Review: The Black Lake

I got pinged an email alert by Google the other day. I’d been mentioned on The Guardian website. My scalp contracted and I clicked on the link, feeling a mixture of delight, excitement and utter terror.  The Guardian is a big deal.  Then I read the journo’s strapline:  “Better editing could have upped the shock voltage of this tale of horror on an isolated Scottish island.”  And I thought, eek, I’m in for a bruising here.

But actually, I found the article enlightening and rewarding.

But those quibbles aside, The Black Lake was good fun: short, atmospheric and creepy. Having read tons of zombie novels, and horror novels, I’m surprised a publisher hasn’t snapped this one up, as it could definitely hold its own alongside more traditionally published genre material. If I had the time, I wouldn’t mind returning to check out some of Rodger’s other novels, set in the Yellow Dawn world.

- Alison Flood, The Guardian

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Alison Flood’s critique highlights the fundamental issue at the heart of my LULU / Amazon publishing model; and the same issues for the majority of other authors who have a direct route to market.

Lack of editorial resource.

I don’t have a big publishing house carousing on my behalf; I don’t have  professional editorial expertise behind me, knocking off the rough edges of my work into a glossy  market-focussed product. Some people would argue that’s a good thing, and I can understand that point of view, but in my case I’m now swinging around to the idea of buying-in a layer of industry experience: hiring a professional editor on a freelance basis.

What’s the point of me spending 7 weeks of my life writing a novel to then not maximise its potential?

Regardless of a mainstream publisher being interested in snapping me up – if I can improve the product for the slice of the market already prepared to buy my work as it stands, then I’m improving my chances of referrals and punters coming back for more helpings.

Mind you.  Freelance editors are not cheap and I now have 7 novels in the stable.

So I’m going to have to think very hard about next steps – choices and timescales, and budget.

I do strive for quality in my work.  At the end of the day I’m crafting a product that has a lot of people paying money to enjoy.  This article has flashed up a like mirror, reflecting back a view that shows where I can improve.

So yeah, rewarding and positive.

Click to read full article on The Guardian website

You can read the full article by Alison Flood here (or click on the image above)

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PREVIEW / BUY “THE BLACK LAKE”

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Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle

Paperback: LULU & Amazon Kindle US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

THE BLACK LAKE: The Earth has been ravaged by an event known as Yellow Dawn. Ten years later, survivors are putting lives back together and probing the frontiers of a new Wilderness; whilst overhead the orbital colonies slide across the sky, removed and unaffected. Five men leave the fortress island of Malta on an expedition to the sub-Arctic waters above Scotland. They intend to undertake scientific observations of an alien meteorological phenomenon that has followed the apocalyptic event. What they find is a cosmic horror that seethes amongst the shadows of a shattered Earth. It is a story of escape and wonder, of madness and terror. David J Rodger’s trademark unforgiving rendering of harsh reality, and relentless narrative pace, are here in palm-sweating abundance, delivered in a novel that tears open a rent in the boundary of reality, providing a nerve-jarring glimpse of the Outer Chaos and the horrors that lurk just beyond the threshold of our fragile, human existence.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Latest novel – The Black Lake – gets a plug in the best science fiction magazine on the planet – SFX

Publicity

Pick up the December 2012 issue of SFX now  and apart from the plethora of highly entertaining and informative editorial content, you’ll find a juicy little plug for The Black Lake tucked in there.

SFX plugs The Black Lake – click for more info on the novel

Thank you SFX!

Djr

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David J Rodger – DATA

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WiP: Kalinka (new novel idea) and back into The Social Club

Work in Progress

I’ve been away for a few days. An interesting break in Krakow, Poland, that allowed me to indulge in late night bars and cyberpunk-vibe cafes; daytime spent drifting through corridors of medieval history and across the cobblestone indentations of ancient warfare and intellectual innovation. I also paid a visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau, something that’s left an indelible impression of horror on my mind. You can see pics and a write-up of the trip here.

Now I’m back I’m looking to settle back into The Social Club: currently on chapter 4. Being in Krakow also gave me inspiration for a new novel; mainly based in London, pre-Yellow Dawn (just)

I’ve got the working title of:  Kalinka

I’ll be posting some early samples of The Social Club in the next few days.

EDIT @ 1st September

Got the weekend on my own. I’m wrapped in Starsky and already through the first mug of tea of the day (always like to ease in gently) and now necking last dregs of the first coffee. Spent this morning sat with Santiago notebook madly scribbling plot notes for Kalinka, another novel idea, which I guess I’ll probably start writing around 2015? I was out with my editor last night and talked her through the plot. I got to the end and she looked stunned, “What, no darkness? No horror?”

Erm, no. I thought I’d try writing a human drama set within my pre-YD universe. She smiled and says I’m getting soft in my old age. Maybe I’ll have to throw in an encounter with an Outer God for good measure. Ahem.

Right, two days with nothing in front of me. Chapter 4 of the Social Club. Let’s see how far we get, eh? :o)

EDIT @ 10.33

First da Vinci break coming up. Just finished chapter four. 17,800 words in. So a word count of only 800 words so far. Good words though, eh? ;o>

EDIT @ 14:33

18,900 words in. Nearly 2,000 today. Creative bliss. Although the walls of my reality are starting to blur a little now. Ever get that when you’re so focussed on something. Time melts.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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5 Star review for The Black Lake – a post-apocalyptic tale of haunting and Cthulhoid terror

The Black Lake: 5 Star Review

I launched The Black Lake at the start of this month.  It starts off as a ghost story that descends into revelations and machinations of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos.  It’s doing really well considering there’s just me and one bod in the States pushing the word “out there”.  It’s scored a great review on Amazon so I’m sharing it with you here:

Review from Amazon UK – click to view source

The review was placed on Amazon UK but it is also available from Amazon US ($), DE (Euro), and  FR (Euro).

You can review and purchase The Black Lake in paperback from LULU.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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WiP: Productive weekend

Work in Progress

I managed to find some “me time” and distance from the recent distractions of social shenanigans and DIY duties. The new novel, The Social Club now has 10,000 words to its name. Deep into chapter three and loving it. Senior Verifier Jadon Purgo, great character to work with; a detective style story in the remains of London following the apocalyptic event known as Yellow Dawn. I’ll post up some sample chapters soon.

Meanwhile, check out the “Yellow Dawn” novel I launched earlier this month: The Black Lake.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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WiP ¦ parking ROTI and getting back into The Social Club

Work in Progress

Couple days ago I decided to put Rise of the Iconoclast onto the back burner. A tough book to write. *glaring eyes* Switching focus I’m returning to The Social Club – the novel I started writing in May (before The Black Lake took over my life for 7 weeks).

So glad I did.  Now dancing in the fires of The Social Club. Past couple of days I’ve been working up a super thriller of a plot for this Yellow Dawn novel, set in London after the apocalyptic event – now a mega survival settlement controlled by the pseudo-religious business cult “The Power of Eight Group” (first defined in the pre-Yellow Dawn novel Iron Man Project).

Murder wrapped in political intrigue and the corruption that comes from the arrogance of authority. I love writing detective stories. :o)

I’ll keep you posted and will sprinkle some samples out there in a few days.

Also getting some bloody fantastic feedback on the novel I launched last week: The Black Lake. Makes it all worth it.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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First Review for The Black Lake – a post-apocalyptic ghost story

The Black Lake: Review

I’m very pleased by this.  Short and sweet.  I released the novel last week.  The review was placed on LULU for the paperback version. The book is also available on Amazon Kindle: US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Press Release: David J Rodger launches his 7th novel – The Black Lake – a ghost story within the Cthulhu Mythos

The Black Lake

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Launch of 7th novel – The Black Lake – a ghost story within the Cthulhu Mythos

Available in paperback from LULU

BRISTOL, UK—AUGUST, 2012— British Sci-Fi & Dark Fantasy author, David J Rodger has written and published his 7th novel.  The Black Lake is fundamentally a ghost story set within the Cthulhu Mythos – but also goes some way into revealing Rodger’s interpretation of the machinations of one of the most mysterious and virulently dangerous entities from that genre: the Great Old One – Hastur (The Unspeakable One, Him Who Is Not to be Named, Assatur, Xastur, or Kaiwan). Specifically, the influence Hastur  – as the King in Yellow – can have upon the minds of men and women.

Set on Earth in the not-to-distant (cyberpunk) future, in a period that follows an apocalyptic event known as Yellow Dawn; the story charts the progress of a meteorological expedition that heads to a remote island in the sub-Arctic waters above Scotland.  Ignoring the warnings of those who have some knowledge of the horror that awaits them, the expedition sets up camp and get to work.  Battered by tornadoes and ferocious storms they begin to unpick the nature and structure of alien atmospheric phenomenon that dominate the area – in the hope of shedding some light on what caused Yellow Dawn – and the awful consequences of the apocalyptic event (70% mortality across the planet; dead cities and hordes of screaming Infected).  The expedition’s presence on the island acts as a catalyst to an unfolding set of terrifying events.

Links to publication:

• Paperback via LULU
• Amazon Kindle US ($), UK (£), DE (Euro), FR (Euro)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David J. Rodger is a British science fiction & fantasy author and game designer best known for his novels set in a near-future world of corporate and political intrigue. So far he has published seven novels.  Rodger’s contributions to the Mythos include the creation of new Great Old Ones in the novels Edge and Dog Eat Dog, and the use of the Outer God Nyarlathotep in the novel God Seed. Rodger has also written Murder at Sharky Point, a murder mystery game. Rodger spent 8 years working for a non-departmental government agency, developing a virtual communications service within the IT Division, before moving into commercial project management for a UK media company. In 2000 Rodger’s presence on the Internet got him a place in the BBC documentary Through The Eyes of the Young, directed by Chris Terrill. Rodger now lives in Bristol, England, with a Braun coffee-maker, writing from a house on a hill with a view of Earth’s curve.

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David J Rodger – DATA

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WiP ¦ onto CH3 of ROTI and rapid pace of proofing The Black Lake

Work in Progress

Started chapter 3 of Rise of the Iconoclast; getting some momentum going but it’s still proving a difficult book to write.

Meanwhile, proofing The Black Lake last night was fantastic. Editor read through nearly half of it in one chunk; couldn’t stop; totally into it. Great vibe. Of course, she’s leaving me a trail of work to do before I can sign-off the MS. *wry smile*

Really excited about getting The Black Lake out there. I’m hoping fans of the Mythos – and in particular the concepts around Hastur- are going to get a “hit” of dark and twisted satisfaction.

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David J Rodger – DATA