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Steven O’Connor’s latest posts
I’ve been to see the editor and I’ve returned home, safe
→ In which I draw a deep breath, and regroup.
Here’s hoping my pigs are safe. And my dragon too
→ In which I ruminate about what my editor might suggest has to go.
US tax, ‘foreign entities’, indie publishing and ouch ooch eech
→ The US tax system and me. Exciting reading.
Coming soon: MotherCraft (a short story)
MotherCraft (a short story).
My first step into the indie publishing world, a short story called MotherCraft. The ebook will include an excerpt from MonuMental, due out later this year. MotherCraft‘s cover was designed by Kathryn Junor Design and based on original artwork by Dexy O’Connor (who happens to be my son). I hope to have more opportunities to feature artwork by Dexy O’Connor in later ebook releases.
Available now: EleMental
Published 2010 by Pier 9 Books, Sydney. Artwork: Aaron Pocock
eBook
The kindle edition is available through Amazon here.
Other eBook formats are available from Readings here.
(Both of these eBook links also showcase EleMental‘s first chapter.)
Bookseller and Publisher awarded EleMental their full four stars and described it as ‘a fantastic and exciting debut novel’ with an ‘entertaining mix of futuristic sci-fi, horror, action and angst’. Their full review is below.
EleMental – Book review
Fifteen-year-old Zeb can’t wait to try out the new virtual reality console, The Plush, and in particular, the game EleMental. With its ability to tap into the player’s own mind and incorporate reality into the action, this is no ordinary game. Soon Zeb can think of little else but winning the game and unlocking its secrets. However, his addiction turns deadly when he becomes trapped in the virtual world.
To save Zeb, his friends Willis and Arizona must join him in EleMental and battle its creator, Grimble Downer. But how do you defeat someone in a world of their own design?
This rare entry into the teenage market by Murdoch’s Pier 9 imprint is a fantastic and exciting debut novel by Steven O’Connor. With its simple writing style and entertaining mix of futuristic sci-fi, horror, action and angst, this is a great book for reluctant readers and, in particular, teenage boys.
There’s nothing babyish that might put off older readers—rather, this reads like Philip K Dick for teenagers. With the narrative sneakily shifting between the real and virtual worlds, O’Connor explores some fairly complex and sophisticated issues in a thrilling and accessible way.
(This article from Bookseller+Publisher magazine is reproduced under licence from Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2010, Thorpe-Bowker.)
Autographed copies
For a personally autographed copy (plus postage and packaging) contact the bookshop St Peter’s Bookroom at: bookroom@stpeters.org.au.
You should provide your details and suggested wording/well wish from the author. This offer is exclusively through this website.
You can never have too many pages
- Steven O’Connor’s Facebook page.
- Steven O’Connor’s Amazon page.
- Steven O’Connor’s Blue Dingo page.
- Steven O’Connor’s Goodreads page.
Artwork
You can check out more of Aaron Pocock’s great artwork at That Space Between.
Some great video game websites
Fellow Varuna writers
The development of EleMental was originally supported by an awarded mentorship at Varuna, Australia’s national residential writers’ house. Here, six young adult fiction writers from across Australia gathered together for over a week, and, under the thoughtful guidance of Mark Macleod and the support of Peter Bishop, they took their manuscripts to another level.
Some of these other authors and their websites:
Click here for Varuna’s official website. Varuna is located in the former home of Eleanor Dark (author of The Timeless Land, 1941, and other books), in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.
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