Hey everyone hope you’re all having a fantastic weekend! Just to let you all know that the ebook of Canvas is free this weekend! So if you wanna check it out for no cost at all then don’t be afraid to hesitate checking it out: http://bit.ly/1NbeJzi
Thanks for stopping by!
The Alba Blogger
Hey everyone! As always I hope you are doing well!
Well by the time you read this, another year may have passed. For me it has been one heck of a year: I fulfilled my lifelong dream of writing a book, I got to release my inner geek by meeting Sylvester McCoy and last but certainly not least I met a girl who means the absolute world to me. Yes, I have had one crazy year and I hope you have all had just as interesting a time as I have had. Here’s hoping that 2015 brings you many times of laughter, joy and enough self raising flour to bake until your hearts content! But on a serious note, while there may only be a few of you here your support means the world to me. Every like, comment and reblog brings a smile to my face and its all because of you so from the bottom of my heart thank you so much. You are all wonderful people and you deserve the best of what is to come for next year.
Have a happy Hogmanay and an even better 2015!!
Best wishes from the Alba Blogger 🙂
Hello everyone hope you are all having a fantastic day!
Now I bet you’re wondering “Alba Blogger, what in goodness name are you talking about?” Well the truth is, I finally got a twitter account! I’m trying to get the word out about my book as much as possible so if you’re on twitter then feel free to retweet or check out my page for further information on future releases or just general updates. I’ve also joined up to Tumblr as well to spread the
Click here for the twitter page!
Click here for the Tumblr page!
Have a nice day,
The Alba Blogger
Hey everyone! Hope you’re all having a fantastic Christmas break so far! I’ve been meaning to post a preview of my book on here for a while but I never got the chance. So without further ado, here is the first chapter of Canvas!
By Grand Archivist Arcturus
It began with a spark, like many tales often do. A world ablaze with the searing hatred passed down through each generation and a single cry extinguished before its time. That was the end of humanity’s reign upon a planet they had taken for granted as their emerald fields and sapphire seas decayed into ghastly shades of grey. Of course, while nobody quite remembers the ultimate cause of the planet’s demise, it was an inevitable fate solidified by consecutive wars, rapid climate change amongst a number of underlying issues. The final days of Earth was not like it had been portrayed in the previous years: no dramatic explosions with a barrel chested male racing towards a shiny red button, no evil mastermind twirling his impeccable moustache. Nothing more than a soft whimper and life as we knew it vanished. There was nothing left of our achievements, no trinkets in the sand to be found in the future.
However, even in the face of complete annihilation, humanity persevered in an otherwise hopeless situation. In order to prevent their bitter extinction, a life support system known only as the “Lazarus Labyrinth” was created by the finest minds that had not yet perished. While this technological marvel could sustain life for centuries, it came at one terrible price: man’s freedom. As long as the occupant was sealed within the confines of each pod, their body was forced to shut down into a comatose state. Therefore, in order to compensate for this, each capsule allowed the consciousness of each individual to be uploaded into what was referred to as “Canvas”, a vast virtual reality world. Within its realms, no harm could be cast upon the citizens who lived within the walls of structures known as “Cranium Citadels” which stood as a testament to the best of humanity.
As time went on, they began to learn so much more about the possibilities Canvas possessed based on one thing and one thing alone: faith. As a society they were led to believe that humanities principles have always been based around faith whether it is the conviction of a higher power or the belief in their own potential. Within the Citadel they could escape into their own worlds, unhindered by the limitations reality had imposed previously. The ivory walls of the Citadel stood proudly against the fierce winds beyond which, like blades wielded with such precision, had hacked away at the otherwise perfect architecture. Despite the concerns shared amongst the citizens on a daily basis, life seemed to carry on as usual. The Market District was packed with the same familiar faces, each one hungrily scanning the stalls with their bulging eyes. Every place seemed to be significantly diverse in their offerings, emitting exotic aromas of ecstasy, tantalising tastes of forbidden temptations and other Senses forged by the skilled hands of sharp minds. Those who had become so detached from their former lives were most likely seen here, curiously sampling these Senses like a fine wine in order to stimulate feelings and emotions of a time gone by. Who cares if it cost a memory or two? Well, certainly not the borderline brain dead decadence of the area that’s for sure. As a result of this, the Market District and all residents associated within it were isolated to the outer walls, sticking out of the otherwise flawless Citadel like a collection of limestone leeches. These distinctions were punctuated by the crimson bridges snaking out of them like veins, linking them to various towns with as much diversity as the next.
“Each settlement within the walls of the Cranium Citadel is constructed through a number of perceptions,” academics of Canvas would often recite to the naïve and curious “you will often find like-minded people gather amongst one another. Interpretations of the ideal settlement will often range from luscious green fields as vibrant as the crystal clear rivers that weave between them while the next toss aside nature in favour of cobbled streets.”
However, this paled in comparison to the metallic structure that remained held high by its mighty spires and beautiful bastions nervously protruding from its shell. The last line of defence: the Cranium Citadel. Citizens often gathered below to marvel at what many considered to be the greatest architectural accomplishment of Canvas, and of course why shouldn’t they? Only a select few were granted the honour of entering such a prestigious building where the heart of the entire land beat in rhythm with its citizens.
“I hear the floors are made of marble and the walls are encrusted with diamonds!” some individuals would exclaim excitedly while others would comment on the vast amount of imaginary treasure stored within. In reality, the interior was an anti-climatic compilation of white, sterile walls that allowed its occupants to access a wealth of information safe guarded by those who had attained the title of Grand Archivist. Despite their noble efforts, many belittled them for trying to preserve what scarce human history could be salvaged from the minds of scholars. After all, who cared about such trivial knowledge when many would rather forget such a short and brutish past? Besides, the Grand Archivists rarely ventured outside of their living quarters let alone interacted with the people, denting their already less than stellar reputation. Of course, like the memories used for currency, respect was a scarce resource reserved for only the brave and the courageous who ventured out-with the confines of the Citadel walls such as the adventurers who lured the attention of every citizen with their “exotic senses” obtained from other settlements. Wide eyed and curious, their audience would gather round and watch their every move, the traveller’s chests puffed behind their ludicrously coloured attire.
“Tell us more about the scarlet sea of the Southern Citadel!” one citizen would beg in an uncontrollable ecstasy of excitement, much to the amusement of their host “Or the ebony skies of Terra One!”
With a bemused smirk and their hands thrust nonchalantly into their pockets, the common adventurer would toy with their audience like a viper, waiting for just the right moment to strike with exaggerated tales of glory and valour.
“Now, we aren’t ones to brag about the perils we faced getting here,” they’d say with such conviction, a lie matured over a long time “but the beast must have been at least seven – no, EIGHT feet tall! Its eyes were as dark as the night and talons as sharp as our blades!”
While it did not help that their rustic blades were as dull as the crowd, they had become too engrossed in the fabrication laid before them to even notice. Adventurers had become the new form of entertainment to distract individuals from the repetitive nature that life in Canvas had offered them. At least they could remain within the comfort of the walls as their everyday problems were eased away by exotic tales of adventure. It may not be the most glamorous of occupations but it was a source of hope – a sign that one day man could safely tread upon the land outside the walls without fear. Until then it was only the brave and foolish who ventured forth into the unknown and by the looks of the recent band of adventurers, bravery had taken a long overdue holiday into the abyss.
Yes, today was just like any other day in Canvas. The searing heat of the sun lashed down upon its citizens who went about their everyday business, unaware of the horrors that lurked only a few miles beyond the comfort of their own homes. Those who had volunteered as Guardians, a select group tasked with policing and maintaining order, had slouched into slothful complacency as there was very little for them to do other than break up the minor squabbles down at the Market District. Indeed, the golden age of Canvas had lasted for what seemed like an eternity but one must ask: for how long?
Of course it was going to happen, how else would it have turned out? What began as a spur of the moment decision had devolved into a backdrop of chaotic cries and woeful wails. Jump on the first ship you see, my friend had told me, you won’t regret one moment of it! If I ever saw that bastard again I would wring that bloody neck of his, alas it would have to wait. After all, there were much bigger things to worry about right now, especially the part where I was hurling through space in a flaming battleship with a crew who thought I was their last chance of survival.
“We were beginning to think that the worst had happened,” a man infinitely younger than myself muttered, pacing up and down the command bridge thoughtfully as he ran a hand through his wild hair “four officers assigned to this bloody vessel and they’re all dead. Every last one. Still, I’m a little surprised we found you all the way down in engineering Mr…Aquila is it?”
It took a moment for me to realise what the rambling fool was on about as his gaze was fixed intently upon my chest, drawing attention to the embroidered nametag barely visible beneath the dusty exterior. After climbing aboard this bucket of bolts I simply grabbed the first uniform that came to hand, something which in hindsight had brought me a few odd looks. Perhaps it was the pair of tattered trousers or the shirt stained with engine oil, a look which I’m sure you’ll agree many cannot pull off. However, now that everything around them was literally falling apart, fashion sense did not exactly matter.
“That’s Officer Aquila to you,” I spoke with a false sense of authority, straightening my jacket in a haphazard manner “First Class with honours and biscuits – the good kind too none of that muck you find in the old markets back home. I was um, checking the hypertron capacitor when everything went to hell!”
“Hyper-what?” his new subordinate twisted his face with an expression of uncertainty, and with good reason. My knowledge of spaceship engines only extended to what I had seen in films, ones with good looking people in impractical spacesuits that would have done little to protect them within a practical capacity even if their arses did look good. But that was beside the point – there were people here who thought that I knew the first thing about interstellar travel! Nevertheless, I had to say something before he found out who I really was.
“A hyper…my god man, how long have you been on this ship?” I feigned disgust at his ignorance, shaking my head in disappointment as if he had stolen the last sweet from the tin “No wonder this ship is going to the space dogs!”
The man before me looked down upon the cold metallic floor like a scolded child, failing to call me out on my ridiculous assertions on a ship that I had taken control of in the last five minutes. Not bad for a day’s work if I say so myself.
“Now then, give me a report!” I dived back into my authoritative persona, clasping my hand behind my back as I paced up and down “What facilities are still intact?”
“I’m afraid it’s not looking good,” he replied quickly, desperately trying to regain his composure “communications were the first to go, followed by the engines as I’m sure you know and as for the crew…”
A moment of sombre silence swept over my new acquaintance and I as I pretended to mourn over the crew who did not have the chance to catch me lying through my teeth.
“So there’s nobody left?” I pursued the standing issue, shivering at the thought of being caught out “There’s got to be someone on this damn ship! Is there anything that works on here?”
“Well the tea maker is still operational,” the man blurted out feebly before realising how ridiculous it sounded, his gaze once again falling to the ground “there may be a few escape vessels we could escape on. But command would execute us on the spot if they-”
“Leave that one to me,” I reassured him, a promise that I hoped I would never have to keep “in the meantime, we should try and get out of here. After all, we’re no good to the big wigs back home floating around. Just to recap, where exactly have we been stranded?”
There was that look again, oh god, why did he keep looking at me like that? Everybody knew that these battleships, as flimsy as they looked on the outside, were built to withstand even the harshest of conditions even if it earned them the colloquial term of “Interstellar tombstones”. Nothing could pierce their metallic hides, nothing! Then again, it was easy enough for me to sneak aboard with nothing more than the shirt on my back and I was the clumsiest bugger of the five quadrants. God forbid what someone with motivation could do? I could only pray that we were not stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“I’m sorry sir, I would have assumed that you’d know where we were given the extensive briefing we…” he began to explain, only to trail off at the sight of my vacant expression “Officer Aquila, we are on the edge of the void, uncharted territory where neither man or beast dare tread. Even royal authority means nothing out here! Such a bizarre thought I’m sure you’ll agree.”
“We need to get out of here now,” I suddenly found myself urging what could be the last living man aboard the ship, frantically pacing from side to side “the last thing I want is to be abandoned out here. How far are the escape vessels from here?”
“N-not far,” I could hear him stutter, clearly unnerved by my sudden change in demeanour “but the vessels don’t have a very long range. We wouldn’t get far before something snatched us up. You’ve heard the tales…”
“Aye I have,” I muttered, the severity of the situation washing over me like a tsunami of misery and sickening realisation. This was punctuated by the silenced sound of something creaking and crawling carefully above us, one which caused me to hold my breath in anticipation. After all that had happened, we had failed to account for the new pair of eyes eagerly awaiting our next move.
“We’re not alone…”
There you were perched upon the oak table that Easter morning, your seductive scent alluring me from the comfort that lay beneath the warmth of my quilt. My eyes were first drawn to your slender curves, each one moulded to perfection with the utmost care. If it hadn’t been for a prior engagement with an old friend then I may have spent all day long with you. What a fool I was to leave you alone and vulnerable against the brutal force of reality, a cruel mistress that sought to snatch away any possible chances of happiness that I possessed. As my mind slowly drifted to what you must have been doing that day, a familiar tone reached my ears signifying that I had received a new text. Like a child at Christmas I hastily scrambled to fish the phone out of my pocket, the screen illuminating into the form of some solemn news.
“You might want to sit down,” the message read, forcing my hand to tremble in fear at the prospect of what was to come “I have some terrible news…”
No, this must be some kind of April Fool’s joke! I laughed, shaking my head with a hearty chuckle as my worry dissolved slowly into the back of my mind. It wasn’t until I saw the next text that made my stomach retch in disgust, my jaw unhinging with every word I glanced upon. As soon as I arrived home that evening I burst through the doors with bated breath, my eyes focused upon my family through a watery haze.
“How bad is it?” I whispered softly, no longer able to supress the sorrow that dwelled within me. I could feel a comforting hand rest upon my shoulder, its warmth contrasting with the chilling severity of the situation.
“I’m sorry son,” my father sighed, his gaze averted from mine as he pointed towards the kitchen where you were. Your curves were no longer moulded to perfection, twisted and shrivelled into a visage that caused me to gasp in horror at first glance. Your smooth exterior was chilling, much like your gaze as if I had failed you. However, no matter what you are, no matter how you change I will love you forever…
…my melted chocolate Easter eggs.
Yes you heard correctly! I finally got round to publishing and writing my own book! Unfortunately, it’s not a cooking book but rather a sci fi one!
What’s it about?
In the distant future, the world as we know it has vanished. With no other options left, humanity is forced to retreat into the virtual reality utopia known as “Canvas”. As the citizens live peacefully within the walls of the Cranium Citadel, this becomes threatened by the arrival of the mysterious Reverend Thaddeus who bears a disturbing warning which could plunge the world into eternal darkness. With nowhere to run, can mankind survive against the horrors that lurk beyond the walls?
Where can I buy it?
For the time being you can purchase it at Lulu.com as shown by the links below:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/fraser-pearson/canvas/paperback/product-21886507.html
I realise the price is a tad high due to lulu’s pricing system unfortunately but fear not! I also have a cheaper ebook version available below:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/fraser-pearson/canvas/ebook/product-21887917.html
I hope that in the next few weeks it’ll be accepted onto the kindle store and iBookstore.
Writing a book has always been my dream so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it. It was a long process but I’m glad I finally got there in the end and I couldn’t have done it without the support of a few special people – you know who you are 🙂
If you have any questions about the book then do not hesitate to contact me at: CanvasAuthor@gmail.com
Thanks for stopping by,
The Alba Blogger 😀
Hello everyone!
Hope you’ve been having a fantastic summer! First of all, I owe you all an apology for not updating as frequently as I should have. The truth is that this summer has been rather hectic and thus I haven’t been able to put out fresh posts as much as I’d like to. On the plus side, I hope that I will be able to rekindle your interest in the next few weeks with new posts, including a delectable Dalek cupcake recipe in celebration of the return of Doctor Who. I will also be writing up reviews of each new episode so keep your eyes peeled for that one!
One of the other reasons that I have been away for as long as I have is because I have written a book. I know what you’re thinking: “The Alba Blogger wrote a cookbook?!” Unfortunately I have to disappoint you there. However, if you are a fan of science fiction then I have something that may intrigue you. The book is called “Canvas”, set in a virtual reality world where humanity seeks refuge after the world as we know it has been left barren and desolate. Here is the blurb for those of you who are interested:
In the distant future, the world as we know it is gone. Ravished by a series of disasters, planet Earth has become completely uninhabitable. Desperate to survive such a terrible fate, humanity preserves themselves in the technological marvel which has the power to preserve life at the cost of their freedom, a machine known only as the “Lazarus Labyrinth”. Enter Canvas, a virtual utopia created by the consciousness of each individual preserved within the life support machine. Nestled safely within the walls of the Cranium Citadel, the citizens seem to be living in an era of peace and prosperity. This illusion however is shattered by the arrival of the mysterious Reverend Thaddeus who seeks to warn them of the encroaching darkness seeking to claim them all. What secrets lie beyond the walls? The Citadel will stand until the bitter end but one must ask, for how long?
I’m hoping to publish the book as soon as possible on places such as Lulu.com so I will keep you updated when it comes out! Until then, feel free to tell your friends, family, heck, even that relative who is a closeted sci-fi fan! My main goal is to spread this story to as many people as possible and your support would be greatly appreciated. I will post previews within the next few weeks and hope that you all enjoy it. My main aim here is to create a story that everyone will enjoy and become invested in and your support would mean the world to me.
Anyway, I apologise for my rambling there but I hope it gives you some insight as to why I haven’t been as active as I probably should have been throughout these past few months. As always, hope you have an amazing time as the summer comes to its chilly end!
Have a great day,
The Alba Blogger
Paperback:
eBook:
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1tP0L1i
Kobo: bit.ly/1BT1InV
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1xsADHF
NOOK: bit.ly/1HVEPSI
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