SpaceBoots cover coming, and UNFIT, a dystopian novel by Karma Chestnut

Hey primates. This is Shelly with some news. SpaceBoots, the speciesist sci-fi novel by Derick William Dalton now has an official cover. Not one reptile on the whole thing. And spoiler alert that no one needs, there are no reptiles in the whole novel. Hand over your progressive human card right now, DWD.

If you want to see the cover, the unveiling will be Friday, February 14 at Life, the Universe, and Everything, the sci-fi and fantasy symposium held in Provo, Utah.

Meanwhile, here's a review Mr. Dalton wrote for the dystopian novel Unfit, by Karma Chestnut. Apparently it releases soon.
Karma Chestnut. That name makes me hungry for some reason. Carmel Chestnuts? That's it. They take on that flavor when they lie in the leaves for a season and some worms get in.  Great. Now I'm craving worms, too.


Greeting organisms! (Who's speciesist, Shelly? Oh, wait. She's just audience aware...) 
DWD here. 
I jotted down my thoughts after reading an ARC of Unfit by Karma Chestnut.
Four stars.
Spoiler free.

Unfit is Gattaca meets Shawshank Redemption.
It's a dystopian Gone with the Wind, but this time with a heroic heroine.
In our era if divisiveness and science illiteracy, it will be motivating to readers keen on building strong families and communities and supporting democracy, but it's not fictional enough to be a comfortable read.

Why not three stars?
The heroes are deeper and more faceted than those in Divergent. They're real. They have conflicting interests and views on how to do the right thing. Even the villains have many redeeming qualities, the layers adding depth and interest to the book. Sometimes, this even dramatically obscures the category in which the character will ultimately fall. Prison stories are tough. Karma intersperses enough other plot lines to give a reprieve, using the prison to contrast the story rather than overly darken it.
Several plot twists I did not see coming. I love that.

Why not five stars?
Prison stories are tough. They're dark and unpleasant. How does an author find a balance between what's tolerable to read and the facts of human depravity? Whitewashing it will ruin the story, as will being too accurately graphic. Karma gets close to the line, buts steps on either side of it.
As a health care provider, I'm more easily pushed out of a story than some readers when wounds and healing and illnesses are molded to the plot. Not very fair to the author. There are a few instances where my suspension of disbelief was stretched, but I suspect most readers won't care. Karma does not go overboard with Hollywood violence that has no long-term effect on characters, another reason for 4 stars rather than 3.
A few of the plot twists I saw coming. With some, the recognition made the story more dramatic. With others, it undermined the effect.

The Dad report.
Profanity is mild and infrequent, and mostly used to display poor vocabulary on the part of the character. No drug use, some improper use of medication by antagonist as part of their villainy. No graphic sexuality, only the lead-up between a married couple, important to the plot. Violence and societal oppression such that I'd only recommend the book to my kids 15 and up.

Happy 2020, everyone!

Is it me, or does 2020 look too sci-fi to be taken seriously on my calendar? Now I have to exercise suspension of disbelief to plan my week.

But here's what's happening in some of those weeks:

Lone Wilderlands has another expansion! More than a booklet like Orion's Hoard, Adara's Atlas is a full box of cards. These cards still create the adventuring world as in Lone Wilderlands, but around an extended quest on a partially completed map with settlements and NPCs.

There's also a new addition: Treasure cards!

Take a look at the full game!


                             

In other news, I'll be attending the Life, the Universe, and Everything symposium February 13-15 in Provo, Utah. We're at the Marriott. I'll be in the vendor room or the gaming room with dice, character sheets, and a certain solo sandbox RPG in a cardbox.

In other OTHER news, I got a sneak peek at the first draft of the cover for SpaceBoots, my sci-fi novel that will be published in May 2020. No, this photo isn't it. That's me playing with my LEGOs and my iPhone camera. It does show three main characters, though. Four if you count the kid with the yellow shirt. Anxiously awaiting the final version, you'll all get to see it soon after me.

And you heard me correctly. Not my kids' LEGOs, mine. My own. My preciouses.

Cheers!