Reading from As Ants to the Gods by Alex Burcher

Cover artwork: Alison Buck

As we aren’t able to have any sort of book launch event for As Ants to the Gods, the author Alex Burcher has recorded himself reading an extract. It’s now available on our YouTube channel.

http://bit.ly/AsAntsToTheGods-YouTube

Is the sacrifice of one man, and his family, justified in order to save humanity?

Alternate history, As Ants to the Gods, challenges some orthodoxies and assumptions of Western culture. For adults only, certainly not the faint-hearted or easily shocked, it is a ribald and irreverent exploration of a world that could have been.

DARTFORD, KENT – 21 August 2020 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce the publication of As Ants to the Gods, alternate history adventure by Alex Burcher.

Cover artwork: Alison Buck

Five years after the Great Fire of Lundun, ex-dragoon Laqua is lured by an ex-comrade-in-arms into helping the Keepers of the Light, a covert band fighting the equally clandestine Cult of the Death of Hope. The Cult intends to bring down the empire of the Moors and, indeed, all civilisation. An empire that has conquered most of Europe, where the language is Arabic and the flag of the falcate moon flies. Where alcohol is banned and hashish legal, prison is unknown and punishment is by whip, knife or hook. A world in which the Industrial Revolution is already well advanced and steam engines chug. Where the Norse have settled the New World first. In Lundun, capital of the Tin Isles, the largest mosque looms over St Paul’s Cathedral. And Samuel Peppin has given up his diaries to write bawdy poems.

Vital to defeating the Cult is an ancient secret Scroll, the final chapter of the sacred Script, its authenticity assured by its Seal. While the Cult would destroy it, the Keepers intend its dissemination to all. But, until they have the means to do so, Laqua is entrusted with its safekeeping. He falls in with a dour eunuch, a functionary of the Court of the Amir in Qurtuba, and a perfidious, possibly drug-addled, heretic. And what part might a libidinous Norsewoman play? Ahead of him lie spying, fighting, loving, torture and tragedy … and the discovery of a hideous truth.

As Ants to the Gods is now available in both eBook format and paperback, from good retailers or the publisher.

Notes for Editors

About Alex Burcher

Alex Burcher is a health-care professional with a predilection for skiing, cycling, swimming, rock music (think the Black Crowes and the Duhks), red wine and Calvados, and trying to learn the saxophone and piano. Alex has written technical articles for professional journals but is now venturing into fiction.

His deployment of anatomical knowledge in his writing has sometimes to be restrained. He loves words and believes that vocabulary should not be confined to the familiar, that nearly all are worth preserving and enjoying. Alex does not see why a book cannot be both exciting and well-written. Writers he admires include Phillip Roth, Robert Harris, Michael Chabon, Keith Roberts, Margaret Attwood, Harlan Ellison and many others too obscure to mention.

 

Visit bit.ly/AsAntsToTheGods

The future is uncertain, but now that the past can be altered even our present may not be guaranteed

Overstrike by CM Angus, finally reveals the truth about a family who manipulate reality to safeguard themselves and all that they hold dear. But even seemingly small changes in a timeline have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.

DARTFORD, KENT – 14 February 2020 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce the publication of Overstrike, the first volume in the Fixpoint trilogy from author, CM Angus. This is a trilogy with a strong narrative spanning four generations of a family who discover their inherited ability to manipulate reality. It enables them to effect changes in order to safeguard themselves and all that they hold dear. But even seemingly small changes in a timeline can have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences. As we follow the stories of the Howards, the trilogy takes us on a journey that goes around and comes around, exploring reality, time and our own sense of self.

Cover artwork: Alison Buck

Joseph Howard is a fixer, who can manipulate reality. But when he disobeyed orders and triggered alternative events that caused the war to end early in 1945, he created an outcome that was positive for most, but catastrophic for some. For over a half a century Joe has been wracked with guilt and hiding his abilities. But when he senses a reality approaching, in which his newborn great grandson will have no existence, he fears retribution – but by whom? Estranged from his son, and never having taught his family about their gift, time is running out and he knows he must act.

Peter Buck, Editorial Director at Elsewhen Press says, “Having authored a number of technical papers and books, it was no surprise that CM Angus would bring those talents to the world of fiction. He has had much success with short stories published in various anthologies, so we were delighted when he came to Elsewhen Press with his first novel, especially as it is such a powerful start to what promises to be a thrilling trilogy. As the story unfolds we not only learn more about the main characters, in particular the Howard family, but we perhaps discover some things about ourselves: How would we react if our nearest and dearest were threatened by an unseen enemy that nobody else believes exists? How far would we go to protect them? But even larger questions manifest themselves as we read on; the nature of existence and reality, the illusion of free will, the inevitability of the future and the intractability of the past. Meanwhile, we are caught up in the story: in the fate of Matt, Joe, Tom and especially Ethan; and in the inexorable yet uncertain conclusion. And, when we get there, we have the ineffable pleasure of discovering that there is another twist to be pursued in the next book in the trilogy! Entertainment that makes you think about yourself and your own relationship with reality and time – what more could you want from speculative fiction?”

Overstrike is available from today on all popular eBook platforms. The paperback edition will be available from 13th April 2020.

Notes for Editors

About CM Angus

Born and raised in a steel-town in the Northeast of England, CM Angus now lives in Yorkshire with his better half, his children and an awesome dog.

Having struggled with English at school and having never written fiction before, he decided to become a writer while submerged in the bath one Saturday morning in 2014. Since then, he has had stories published in a number of recent anthologies and manages a growing colony of notebooks.

With a background in e-Commerce and technology, he has previously written technical non-fiction and is interested in all things creative, technological and scientific. His work is inquisitive and blends a passion for story telling with a strong scientific grounding.

When not working or writing, he spends his time as a Reiki master, a meditation guide and multi-instrumentalist. With a PhD in esoteric hard sums and a strong interest in Martial Arts, CM Angus jokingly describes himself as a gentleman, a scholar and an acrobat who dreams of, one day, owning some woodland.

Visit bit.ly/Overstrike

About the book

Title: Overstrike – Volume I of the Fixpoint Trilogy

When Matt Howard’s grandfather told him he must alter history to protect his newborn son, Matt thought the old man was crazy…

…Then he realised it was true.

Overstrike spans 4 generations of a family haunted by the prospect of an approaching alternate reality where their child has been erased from history.

Touching on themes of retro-causality, ethics and free will, and exploring ideas of cause, effect and retribution, it follows the path of Matt Howard, whose child, Ethan, is at risk, as he, his father and grandfather attempt to use their own abilities to manipulate reality in order to discover and prevent whoever is threatening Ethan.

This is volume I of Fixpoint, a trilogy about a family who discover their inherited ability to manipulate reality. It enables them to effect changes in order to safeguard themselves and all that they hold dear. But even seemingly small changes in a timeline can have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences. Follow the stories of the Howards, on a journey exploring reality, time and our own sense of self.

Fiction / Science Fiction / Time Travel; Fiction / Alternative History; Fiction / Thrillers / Historical

Print edition: ISBN 978-1-911409-60-1, 384pp, Demy; RRP £10 / €13 / US$20 (13 Apr 2020)

Electronic edition: ISBN 978-1-911409-70-0, EPUB / Kindle; RRP £2.99 / €3.49 / US$3.99 (14 Feb 2020)

 

Writing social values in historical fantasy fiction

(By David Craig)

One of the potential pitfalls of writing fiction in certain periods is how to acknowledge social values no longer compatible with contemporary values. With fiction set in the 19th century, there runs the risk of glorifying imperialism/colonialism. Does the writer give their protagonists modern social values with regards to issues like racism/sexism/feminism etc? To do so runs the risk of losing the reader’s sense of immersion. To ignore these issues altogether risks ‘whitewashing’ history or hand-waving over certain demographics being second-class citizens. Homosexuality was a crime, and certain ethnic groups faced persecution and even genocide. But to give the protagonists period values risks alienating them from the reader. Or attracting an unsavoury reader-base.

These were concerns I had when writing Resurrection Men http://bit.ly/ResurrectionMen , a gothic/historical urban fantasy/supernatural mystery set in 1893 Glasgow. Glasgow’s location on the west coast, served by a large river, led to it being heavily involved in trade (such as tobacco) with the American colonies pre-revolution. In the following century it was heavily involved in industries such as shipbuilding and the textile industry, and was known as the 2nd City of the British Empire. The Irish potato famine and the Highland Clearances led to a large influx of immigrants desperate for homes and work.

There are streets today still named after people involved in the slave trade, or plantation locations (Glassford Street, Jamaica Street, Virginia Street).
(On the flip side, James McCune Smith, the first African American to hold a medical degree earned it at Glasgow University in 1837. And in 1986, Glasgow demonstrated its support for ending South African apartheid by naming a street after then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela – ‘coincidently’ the same street the South African Consulate was located on, to their considerable ire. I’m sure they loved having his name in their address.)

Including active, interesting female characters in a time and place where women had little agency was challenging, but doable. A powerful undead female character isn’t an issue, as giving her disrespect is pretty much suicide-by-vampire. My solution for mortal female characters not capable of separating a misogynist’s head from his shoulders with their bare hands was Lady Delaney. Independently wealthy, she has spent a couple of decades quietly fighting the undead and their servants, driven by vengeance. In part sexism aids her, as a woman would not be thought a likely insurgent in the eyes of the (mostly male) secret society running the city on behalf of the undead. Indeed, she takes a leadership role later in the novel, overriding her male companions’ objections by pointing out she’s the most experienced, and the one with the resources to carry out their mission; if they don’t like it, they can walk to their destination.

A minor female protagonist (Kerry) is introduced to the supernatural world and plays a much larger role in the in-progress sequel. In Resurrection Men she’s forbidden to take part in a mission due to her inexperience, but the reader should be able to discern the double-standards in that a male protagonist takes part despite having little fighting experience either.

Which takes us to toxic masculinity. I didn’t consciously set out to address this but found myself indirectly referencing it. As a man, the above mentioned inexperienced male protagonist (Hunt) is expected to fight, despite being untrained. Several times in the novel I use this character to highlight the effect danger can have on people new to dangerous situations; fear and adrenalin can affect the mind and decision-making. But he’s a man, so he’s expected to fight and would lose face in declining.

Male toxicity is further explored in the friendship between the above protagonist, Hunt, and his friend Foley. Hunt knows Foley has issues (what we would recognise now as depression, including suicidal thoughts) but they never discuss it. Foley self-medicates with alcohol and laudanum, which Hunt knows but again lets continue unremarked. Later, Hunt suffers through traumatic events, but this is never addressed by the characters. Again, alcohol is seen as the cure. Both Hunt and Foley are aware of the other’s issues, but the notion that men should be strong and not discuss their problems is prevalent, leading to substance misuse.

Homosexuality. Sexuality isn’t explored to any great extent in the novel, but homosexuality is slightly referenced through two characters. The first is a fairly minor character, rumoured to be gay, largely due to being unmarried, active and owning a big house. He’s quite big in the social scene, sociable, assumed to be very wealthy, so the natural assumption at that time would be that if he’s not married then he doesn’t like women. The character’s sexuality is never confirmed; he may or may not be gay, but regardless, there are a couple of explanations for him being unmarried (spoilers, so I won’t go into them but feel free to privately message me if interested). A secondary protagonist is also indirectly inferred to be gay (or perhaps bisexual), but this is not explored or confirmed in Resurrection Men. It is something that may resurface in the sequels, if it serves the plot or character development. Most of the other characters are too busy for romance, so their own orientations are unknown.

Prejudice. At that time there was a lot of prejudice against Irish immigrants and Catholicism (a sectarian divide which still troubles the west of Scotland today). These prejudices are mentioned in the book, and if not challenged by any of the characters, the reader can make their own judgements. A character displays prejudice towards ‘gypsies’ (Irish travellers) which while not directly challenged, leads to this character being blinded to the real threat.

While many of the characters live a relatively comfortable life, some enjoying a very privileged life, I made sure to highlight the vast divide between the rich and poor of Glasgow, describing in some detail the awful conditions endured by most of the people at that time. The minor female protagonist (Kerry) referenced above is from a poor background, and in the sequel we see the social inequality through her eyes. The sequel also explores the exploitation of child labour that was endemic in Victorian Glasgow. A consequence of the failed 18th century Jacobite uprisings was the persecution/destruction of Highland communities, and this is also explored in the sequel. How successful I’ve been is for each reader to decide.

For any writers reading this, did you find yourself with a similar problem writing characters in a time with different values, wanting to keep them true to the time but still sympathetic? For the readers, what books do you feel did this well, or perhaps not so well?

 

-David Craig

Sons of Liberty by Christopher Nuttall now available in paperback

Artwork: Alison Buck
Artwork: Alison Buck

Sons of Liberty, Book IV in Christopher Nuttall’s alternate history / fantasy Royal Sorceress series, which has been available to buy as an eBook since the 29th April, is available from today in paperback.

Praise for the Royal Sorceress series:

“one of the most interesting and entertaining alternate history books ever written”
“one of the most intriguing heroines in modern fantasy”

Risingshadow

Sons of Liberty will be available to buy or order in paperback through all good retailers and direct from Elsewhen Press.

 

If someone believed you were a hero of legend, could you live up to it or would you walk away?

Tanya Reimer’s new novel tells how one unlikely man settling in the prairies of Saskatchewan in 1892 brings hope to the Ghost tribes and protects their Sacred Land

DARTFORD, KENT – 1 July 2016 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce the forthcoming publication of Legends on the Prairies, a Sacred Land Story by Canadian author Tanya Reimer. The prequel to her acclaimed debut novel Ghost on the Prairies, a Sacred Land Story, it tells the story of two people from different backgrounds and cultures who meet and bond over a common cause against a shared nemesis.

Artwork: Alison Buck
Artwork: Alison Buck

“Don’t you believe in legends?” Such a simple question, yet what Sacri really wants Alex to believe is that he is the hero from her legends. A hero meant to save land sacred to her tribe.

Alex is a lot of things. He’s a painter, a sculptor, and a dreamer. He has just been fired from a good job, grieves for a woman he hoped to marry, and is known as the local drunk. He’s terrified of fire, of losing his friend, and of being alone. He is a lot of things, but hero isn’t one of them.

Travelling across the country in 1892 to settle land on an unexplored part of the prairies, he hopes to find himself, to find a reason for his pitiful existence, and to have one last adventure with his dying friend. What he actually finds in the heart of the lonesome prairies is Sacri, defending land with her very soul. She believes he is the Man of Legends sent to save Sacred Land. Her determination entrances him. Despite himself, Alex finds himself praying to a God that he thought had abandoned him, in the hope that, just maybe, there is some truth to Sacri’s stories.

To add to Alex’s unease is the certainty that Sacri’s brother, often merely glimpsed as a silver shadow riding his horse across the horizon, will happily kill Alex if he turns out not to be the man that Sacri thinks he is.

Alternate history with paranormal and romantic elements, Legends on the Prairies, a Sacred Land Story is about growth, friendship, love, and the importance of believing in ourselves.

“This prequel doesn’t just add depth to the tale we already know,” says Peter Buck, Editorial Director of Elsewhen Press, “because, as well as providing some history for those characters, it gives us an insightful story about two people who are driven to fulfill a destiny they don’t necessarily understand or even fully believe. It’s a story about how the goodness in a person’s heart can overcome cultural division and social stigma, which is even more remarkable for having occurred in 1892. You don’t need to have read Ghosts on the Prairies to be charmed, moved and ultimately inspired by this book.”

Legends on the Prairies, a Sacred Land Story will be published in digital formats in August 2016 and in paperback in November 2016.

Notes for Editors

About Tanya Reimer

Tanya ReimerBorn and raised in Saskatchewan, Tanya enjoys using the tranquil prairies as a setting to her not-so-peaceful speculative fiction.

She is married with two children which means among her accomplishments are the necessary magical abilities to find a lost tooth in a park of sand and whisper away monsters from under the bed.

As director of a non-profit Francophone community center, Tanya offers programming and services in French for all ages to ensure the lasting imprint and growth of the Francophone community in which she was raised. What she enjoys the most about her job is teaching social media safety for teens and offering one-on-one technology classes for seniors.

Tanya was fifteen when she wrote her first column. She has a diploma in Journalism/Short Story Writing. Today, she actively submits to various newspapers, writes and publishes the local Francophone newsletter for her community, and maintains a blog at Life’s Like That. Legends on the Prairies, is her second Sacred Land Story for adults and the prequel to Ghosts on the Prairies, her debut novel.

 

Dodgy Bank Holiday weather predicted – Elsewhen Press to the rescue!

It’s a Bank Holiday weekend again and, as we head into it, the lovely weather we’ve had today (at least here around Elsewhen Towers) is not looking set to last. There’s a forecast of rain on Sunday and Monday. What a surprise.

But worry not! Elsewhen Press to the rescue! What better way to brighten up a dismal Bank Holiday than with a good book? And we have loads of good books for you to choose from. You don’t even have to brave the weather to get them as our books are available online on all the popular eBook platforms.

If you want science fiction, fantasy, epic fantasy, alternate history, a touch of the paranormal, time travel, dystopian futures, or even a good laugh we have a fantastic choice of titles for you. Look through the lists below…

(You might notice that some titles are in more than one list – not everything is easily classifiable!)

Science Fiction

Epic Fantasy

Fantasy

Alternate History

A Touch of the Paranormal

Time Travel

Dystopian Futures

Satire

Happy Bank Holiday – happy reading!

 

Sons of Liberty, latest alternative history novel from bestselling author Christopher Nuttall

Fourth book in the Royal Sorceress series, set in an alternative 1830s where scientists have discovered magic, sees Lady Gwen travel to New York to protect the American colonies from the French

DARTFORD, KENT – 24 March 2016 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce that the next book in the Royal Sorceress series will be available in April as an eBook. Sons of Liberty is the fourth book in this fantasy series, that is also hugely popular with fans of alternative history and steampunk, from author Christopher Nuttall who is ranked by Amazon as one of the bestselling authors of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Artwork: Alison Buck
Artwork: Alison Buck

War has started, South East England has been invaded, and Gwen and the Royal Sorcerers Corps are helping the army to fight off French magicians and drive the invaders back into the Channel. When an inexperienced major disobeys orders, sending two hundred hussars to their deaths, Gwen compels him to sit down and shut up but, in doing so, permanently damages his mind. After the battle, Lord Mycroft suggests that she needs to be less prominent until rumours of what she did to the major have been dispelled. He assigns her a mission to go to New York – the colonies are also under attack from the French and all but one of the sorcerers stationed in America have been poisoned by a rebel slave. The few locals with any known magical talent are untrained and certainly not ready for combat. Gwen must train them quickly. She sets off on HMS Duke of India, along with Irene Adler and Irene’s new apprentice, Raechel Slater-Standish, accompanying a naval squadron and a regiment being sent to reinforce colonial defences. But even before they reach New York they meet armed opposition.

In Sons of Liberty, Gwen is sent from the relative safety of London to the colonies, where an undercurrent of revolution still abounds and intrigue and espionage are essential to keep the enemy at bay. But who exactly is the enemy? In the latest book in this exciting alternate history series, Christopher Nuttall expands Gwen’s horizons beyond Europe into the New World. “I’m sure that the huge number of fans that Christopher has in the US will be delighted that Lady Gwen has finally crossed the Atlantic – albeit to a very different, alternative America” says Peter Buck, Editorial Director of Elsewhen Press.

Available on popular eBook platforms in April, Sons of Liberty will be published in August in a paperback edition.

Notes for Editors

About Christopher Nuttall

Christopher NuttallChristopher Nuttall has been planning sci-fi books since he learnt to read. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Chris created an alternate history website and eventually graduated to writing full-sized novels. Studying history independently allowed him to develop worlds that hung together and provided a base for storytelling. After graduating from university, Chris started writing full-time. As an indie author he has self-published a number of novels, but Sons of Liberty is his ninth fantasy to be published by Elsewhen Press, and the fourth in the Royal Sorceress series about Lady Gwendolyn Crichton. The first was The Royal Sorceress, followed by The Great Game and Necropolis. Chris is currently living in Edinburgh with his wife, muse, and critic Aisha and their son.

 

Christopher Nuttall’s latest novel The Mind’s Eye explores the impact of the emergence of telepathy

Best-selling SF author presents a worrying, yet believable scenario for both public and state reactions to the emergence of telepathic powers in some members of the human race

DARTFORD, KENT – 07 November 2014 – Elsewhen Press, an independent UK publisher specialising in Speculative Fiction, is delighted to announce the publication today of The Mind’s Eye by Christopher Nuttall. Chris uses an alternative history, albeit set in the very near-future, to explore the likely impact of the appearance of telepathic abilities in some members of the human race. While telepathy and related psionic abilities have long been a mainstay of science-fiction, the impact of their emergence has not been as well imagined as, say, that of fantastic mutations. Almost everyone has something to hide, thoughts they wouldn’t want made public. Governments have secrets they wish to keep, whether for national security or just to hold on to power. How would the general populace react to mind-readers in their midst? How would telepaths respond when threatened by a frightened mob, or constrained by politicians fearful of the disclosure of scandals and long-buried secrets. Intelligence agencies would be both alarmed at the threats and intrigued by the possibilities. Would all nations respond in the same way? And then there are the endless possibilities for criminals and terrorists…

Artwork: Alison Buck
Artwork: Alison Buck

For centuries, men have been dreaming of telepathy, the power to read and influence the minds of others. In The Mind’s Eye, telepaths are finally starting to appear all around the world. Men and women are developing awesome powers with the potential to dramatically change society. Governments are soon starting to become aware of them, even recruiting them, while striving to keep knowledge of their abilities hidden from the general public. Academic researchers too are discovering telepaths and it isn’t long before awareness of their existence starts to spread. But non- telepaths, ordinary people, don’t want to have their minds read or controlled; the telepaths soon find themselves widely regarded with fear and hatred. Inevitably, some of them want to fight back.

Like all the best science fiction, this thrilling action adventure also shines a spotlight onto the shortcomings of our own society as well as what being a human really means.

The Mind’s Eye is published today by Elsewhen Press in a digital edition in popular eBook formats, available from all good eBook retailers. It will be published in a paperback edition in December 2014.

Notes for Editors

About Christopher Nuttall

Christopher NuttallChristopher Nuttall has been planning sci-fi books since he learned to read. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Chris created an alternate history website and eventually graduated to writing full-sized novels. Studying history independently allowed him to develop worlds that hung together and provided a base for storytelling. After graduating from university, Chris started writing full-time. As an indie author he has self-published a number of novels, but The Mind’s Eye is his eight novel to be published by Elsewhen Press. Chris is currently living in Scotland with his wife, muse, and critic Aisha.