# I'm finally publishing my novel "Immortelle".



## Justin Swanton (Feb 7, 2022)

Some of you may remember it from ages back when I was submitting chapters in the critique section. I finally polished the thing and then submitted to every SF lit agency I could find, with predictable results. Then I forgot about it for a year or two, and finally decided that, heck, I'd put so much effort into it I might as well self-pub it for anyone interested.

I'll be posting a couple of chapters every few days on *my website* and the whole thing on Amazon (once my confirmation postcard arrives). There's a blog on the website so feel free to critique the novel if you have time on your hands and nothing else to do for the moment. I wanted the science to be rock hard and I challenge anyone to pick holes in it. The story is meant to be completely believable (at least the human space tech part). If anything doesn't gel I need to know!

And here's the blurb:

This was meant to be nothing more out of the ordinary than humanity's first manned mission to Mars. Almost routine. Just a heap of AV publicity and some words learnt by heart when I put my boot on Martian dirt.

That was a thousand lifetimes ago. They're dead. I'll be dead soon. Then everyone else will die. Cloe tells me to hope but I don't work on hope. I work on probabilities, and the one hope we have left, what can it do against twenty miles of rock?

_Set in the near future, _Immortelle _follows the crew of the Terra Nova in their increasingly desperate attempts to save themselves and the human race from a massive rogue asteroid that will destroy all life on Earth._


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## atsouthorn (Feb 7, 2022)

Congratulations - that's quite a feat!


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 7, 2022)

Fair play, and best of luck -looking forward to it.


Justin Swanton said:


> I challenge anyone to pick holes in the tech


Def not the person for that but will see if my brother will take a look (he gets fussy about tech details) -makes me think of a fella called Gary Westfahl saying Tom Goodwin's 'The Cold Equation' was 'not worth (his) time. (because of) Very poor Engineering' (in the spacecraft design) ...ya can't please everyone!

Congratulations


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 7, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> Fair play, and best of luck -looking forward to it.
> 
> Def not the person for that but will see if my brother will take a look (he gets fussy about tech details) -makes me think of a fella called Gary Westfahl saying Tom Goodwin's 'The Cold Equation' was 'not worth (his) time. (because of) Very poor Engineering' (in the spacecraft design) ...ya can't please everyone!
> 
> Congratulations


Great. He can give his assessment of the Terra Nova, which incidentally is based on a real proposal for a Mars mission back in 2006.

BTW The Cold Equation is about that small ship where the pilot has to dump a stowaway passenger because there isn't enough fuel for both of them? I loved the short story as a kid but couldn't buy it later on - it would be routine to have a little extra fuel in case of a change in the entry path, say, and how much extra would a single human weigh compared to the weight of the ship?


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 7, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> He can give his assessment of the Terra Nova


He works in a machinery yard so it'll be a good bit outside his day to day stuff, but I'm fairly certain he'll try find something

Well done again


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 7, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> He works in a machinery yard so it'll be a good bit outside his day to day stuff, but I'm fairly certain he'll try find something
> 
> Well done again


Tell him go for it!


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 8, 2022)

Chapter 3 - 4 now up.


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## WSDuffy (Feb 8, 2022)

Well done!


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## Teresa Edgerton (Feb 8, 2022)

Congratulations!!


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 8, 2022)

Just posting to say I'm really enjoying this. Your attention to detail is remarkable, and makes the story believable. Love the bits where the crew discuss their options -pure SF.
Well done


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 9, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> Just posting to say I'm really enjoying this. Your attention to detail is remarkable, and makes the story believable. Love the bits where the crew discuss their options -pure SF.
> Well done


Come to my arms!


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## Droflet (Feb 9, 2022)

Well done, Justin. All the best of luck with it.


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 10, 2022)

Still can't find it on Amazon, but are any of these yours?




__





						Amazon.co.uk
					





					www.amazon.co.uk


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 10, 2022)

Brian G Turner said:


> Still can't find it on Amazon, but are any of these yours?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yep, those two are mine. I'm still waiting for the confirmation postcard from Amazon so I can complete registration of my account. Those other books are on publishers' accounts.

I'll let you know as soon as the book is up.


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 10, 2022)

You should have told us! _Ancient Battle Formations_ sounds really interesting.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 10, 2022)

Brian G Turner said:


> You should have told us! _Ancient Battle Formations_ sounds really interesting.


Nah. That would have been tooting my own horn out of context. _Ancient Battle Formations_ takes a deep dive into the primary sources. What I discovered was, in many cases, a spectacular pigs' breakfast of the translations, misrendering crucial terms like _inter_ (which means 'within'- it's the root of the word 'internal' - and not 'between' as it is commonly translated). This has led to a hopeless misunderstanding of how things like Roman line relief worked, positing maniples spaced apart with maniple-wide gaps "between" them - a sure recipe for annihilation by a solid enemy line - rather than a continuous line of maniples with narrow gaps between the files "within" the maniples, through which the line in front could withdraw after which the files instantly closed the gaps to form a solid line.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 11, 2022)

Chapter 5 - 6 now posted.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 14, 2022)

Chapter 7 - 8 now on the website.


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## Bick (Feb 14, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> And here's the blurb:
> 
> This was meant to be nothing more out of the ordinary than humanity's first manned mission to Mars. Almost routine. Just a heap of AV publicity and some words learnt by heart when I put my boot on Martian dirt.
> 
> That was a thousand lifetimes ago. They're dead. I'll be dead soon. Then everyone else will die. Cloe tells me to hope but I don't work on hope. I work on probabilities, and the one hope we have left, what can it do against twenty miles of rock?


The cover looks quite nice. It sounds rather like _The Martian._

Just a bit of constructive (hopefully helpful, not annoying) criticism of the blurb (if it's an e-book, you could still massage it a little?).
How can man's first mission to Mars possibly be routine and nothing out of the ordinary? That doesn't sound right and would put me off.
Is it really a thousand lifetimes ago, or is that poetic license? 
They're dead. Who's dead? 

The blurb should say something about the book one's about to read, but not be too vague, perhaps?
Just a few thoughts.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 14, 2022)

Just another thought (thanks for 7&8, great stuff) -it might be worth adding something about the science if you're planning to ever change the blurb. It's fascinating and seems to slot naturally into the dialogue. No idea how you'd do it, but like you said above the science appears rock solid and for me that's what is giving Immortelle it's kick.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 14, 2022)

Ta for the suggestions. Blurbs are a headache. They're supposed to catch one's interest without giving too much away but they have to give the reader an idea of what he's in for. An art in itself...


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 17, 2022)

And chapter 9 - 10 now up.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 18, 2022)

Cracking stuff as usual @Justin Swanton -hope a few are tuning in, and that this reaches the big audience it deserves sooner rather than later. Thanks


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 19, 2022)

Thanks Brian. Tell me if you spot the big catch before the reveal. It's worth a private island in the Pacific. ;-)


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 19, 2022)

They're all aliens, no wait ...Jason is his own brother ...Mars doesn't exist ...he's doing community service and control is the case officer ...time travel ...space bingo. I give up. Don't tell me


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 19, 2022)

No, no, no, no, no, no and I won't.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 19, 2022)

Good stuff -I reckon it's working well in episodes, and the 2 * 2 gives a nice block of text to take in; I hadn't given any thought to a reveal ...ya have me wondering now


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 20, 2022)

Available on Amazon yet?


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 20, 2022)

Brian G Turner said:


> Available on Amazon yet?


I was thinking of posting the entire thing on the website first and then releasing it on Amazon. Should I cut to the chase and upload it to Amazon now? That *would *mean voiding the offer of a Pacific island for anyone who spots the twist.


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## Brian G Turner (Feb 20, 2022)

Well, if you interest people enough to buy your book, at least they have the option. Then again, there's a marketing technique in scarcity.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 20, 2022)

Brian G Turner said:


> Well, if you interest people enough to buy your book, at least they have the option. Then again, there's a marketing technique in scarcity.


Ok let me think about it. I'm not really good at marketing. I posted the book on a website because Andy Weir did the same thing and it seemed to work for him. 

Chapter 11 and 12 now up.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Feb 20, 2022)

You've inspired me to go the same route on publishing (just registered theturdprophecy.com). I reckon having a version out there is a good start. The paper method can always follow ...and in your case, it will


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## Robert Zwilling (Feb 21, 2022)

Up to chapter 12, great story. I like the way it is made of familiar things yet that doesn't reveal what happens next.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 21, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> You've inspired me to go the same route on publishing (just registered theturdprophecy.com). I reckon having a version out there is a good start. The paper method can always follow ...and in your case, it will


I've been to your website. Very nicely done.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 23, 2022)

Chapter 13 - 14 now posted.


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## Justin Swanton (Feb 26, 2022)

Chapter 15 - 16 on the site.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 1, 2022)

Chapter 17 - 18 ready for your enjoyment.

As a further incentive to read the novel, I'm offering another private island to the first who correctly guesses which part of the novel the cover pic represents. Potential winners can view their real estate here.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 1, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> which part of the novel the cover pic represents


Hard to say without spoilers but I thought it was from the early double cross ...thar's a ways to go so that's not my final answer


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 4, 2022)

And chapter 19 - 20 now up for your enjoyment. I'll be out of town until Tuesday and I'll post the next couple of chapters then. Anyone still interested in those beautiful private islands?


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 5, 2022)

As a BTW, the big twist comes in the next two chapters. If you want that piece of volcanic real estate in the Pacific you have until then to say what it is. There are now enough clues to work it out. Go Sherlock!


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 8, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> the big twist comes in the next two chapters


Ya have me beaten - there are a few clues in there (without giving much away, herself being familiar has gotta be a pointer) ...will have to wait for the thing to resolve


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 8, 2022)

And time for the big reveal. Chapter 21 - 22 now up. Anyone guess it?


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 11, 2022)

Chapter 23 - 24 uploaded.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 11, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> Anyone guess it?


Sort of/ish -up to 22 and still not sure where it's all going which is a good sign and def keeps the interest, thanks again.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 11, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> Sort of/ish -up to 22 and still not sure where it's all going which is a good sign and def keeps the interest, thanks again.


I've started listening to the Third Prophecy BTW. I'll let you know how I find it.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 14, 2022)

Chapter 25 - 26 now on the site.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 17, 2022)

Chapter 27 - 28. Enjoy!


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 20, 2022)

Chapter 29 - 30 and approaching the big climax. Can anyone guess how things will resolve? I can't offer a pacific island for this one as the piece of volcanic rock I had in mind has apparently sunk back into the ocean. Some days are like that.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 23, 2022)

Chapter 31 - 33 and the finale.

The novel will soon be available on Amazon (when I finally figure out how to get through the hoops they put in your way).


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 23, 2022)

Class, am only on 26 but looking forward to it -love the on the fly calculations. I've never seen that done before, it stands out as a distinctive writing style. Good luck with the Amazon thing, I think it's straightforward but I don't have much patience for that sort of stuff either (spent two hours last year trying to load my audio book into Audible only to have it listed as 'Legends of Munster rugby', am still working up the enthusiasm to try again
Immortelle deserves a big profile, wonder would the hard science be an angle?
Thanks again for the story


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 23, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> Class, am only on 26 but looking forward to it -love the on the fly calculations. I've never seen that done before, it stands out as a distinctive writing style. Good luck with the Amazon thing, I think it's straightforward but I don't have much patience for that sort of stuff either (spent two hours last year trying to load my audio book into Audible only to have it listed as 'Legends of Munster rugby', am still working up the enthusiasm to try again
> Immortelle deserves a big profile, wonder would the hard science be an angle?
> Thanks again for the story


"Legends of Munster rugby" - sounds interesting enough to dip into.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 23, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> sounds interesting enough to dip into


Yeah, there was gonna be some seriously disappointed rugby fans ...never judge a book by its cover


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## Toby Frost (Mar 25, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> The novel will soon be available on Amazon (when I finally figure out how to get through the hoops they put in your way).



My feelings entirely. It was a tricky process but I'm happy to help as much as I can! My technical skills are somewhat lacking!


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 25, 2022)

Toby Frost said:


> My feelings entirely. It was a tricky process but I'm happy to help as much as I can! My technical skills are somewhat lacking!


I might just ask for your help... let you know.


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## Toby Frost (Mar 25, 2022)

A lot of the Amazon process is automated, but it reminded me of when you buy a new TV and the manual says "Press Button A to tune in all the channels". If Button A doesn't work, it's hard to know what to do. I found that the paperback was much harder to do than the ebook format.


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## AnRoinnUltra (Mar 25, 2022)

Thanks again, ya should have an idea by now that I thought it was good. Best of luck. Stuck a sort of a review online.
Fair play


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 26, 2022)

AnRoinnUltra said:


> Thanks again, ya should have an idea by now that I thought it was good. Best of luck. Stuck a sort of a review online.
> Fair play


Hey, thanks Brian! Ireland forever!


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## Madoak (Mar 28, 2022)

Justin Swanton said:


> Some of you may remember it from ages back when I was submitting chapters in the critique section. I finally polished the thing and then submitted to every SF lit agency I could find, with predictable results. Then I forgot about it for a year or two, and finally decided that, heck, I'd put so much effort into it I might as well self-pub it for anyone interested.
> 
> I'll be posting a couple of chapters every few days on *my website* and the whole thing on Amazon (once my confirmation postcard arrives). There's a blog on the website so feel free to critique the novel if you have time on your hands and nothing else to do for the moment. I wanted the science to be rock hard and I challenge anyone to pick holes in it. The story is meant to be completely believable (at least the human space tech part). If anything doesn't gel I need to know!
> 
> ...


Sounds very exciting. Well done. I just 'love' the book cover


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## BAYLOR (Mar 28, 2022)

Congratulations Justin.


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