Category: Newsletter

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Best of September’s Internet for You

September's Internet

Best of September’s Internet for You, curated by me, author Andy Zach. Find out what amazing news, discoveries, insights, and fun you’ve missed this month.

I’ve spent the month writing my ninth book and cruising the internet researching the Everglades, the coast of Florida, and the Dragon space capsule procedures. What’s new with you? Let me know, and I’ll send you a free book. Click here.

Or don’t. You can also get my books* for free here, by subscribing to my newsletter.

*My books: Zombie Turkeys, Zombie Detective, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers, Oops! Tales of the Zombie Turkey Apocalypse, Secret Supers, and Villain’s Vacation. Click on each title to find out more and to get your copy in ebook, paperback, or audiobook.

Let’s begin the discovery of September’s Internet!

Yup, this shark would look fine on a cover of a 50s SciFi magazine.

September's Internet
Imagine a lurking shark here.

Speaking of science fiction covers, this picture from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would be great as a cover:

For comparison, here’s a picture from the Voyager spacecraft as it flew by in 1989:

September's Internet

How About Some Videos from September’s Internet?

Would you like a flying bicycle/motorcycle?

In many predictions from the 50s, we were supposed to have flying cars by now. How about flying motorcycles? Is this for you?

Let’s take a break from SciFi and go to fantasy.

Legolas’ life and travels

Did you learn anything about Legolas from this video? Let me know.

September’s Internet – Some Humor

Back to Science Fiction–from 200 BC

The Antikythera mechanism is an example of Greek technical prowess as early as 300-200 BC. A good alternate history scifi would be for them to begin an industrial revolution at that time.

And speaking of the industrial revolution, the Brooklyn Bridge was built at that time in the US, chiefly managed by Roebling’s wife, after his death. The technology of the 19th century inspires steampunk SciFi.

September’s Writing Prompt

I belong to a writers’ group. Here was the writing prompt we got:

September's Internet
September’s Writing Prompt

He sat and waited. He’d been doing that for some time. Three million four hundred, fifty one thousand, and sixty one years, one hundred ninety one days, five hours, and thirty five minutes, according to his internal clock, accurate to five microseconds per millennium.

As usual, he absorbed all information he could from his surroundings. Crickets chirred. He recognized each within microphone range by their variations in timbre and frequency. Then there were the electromagnetic impulses flooding his various antennae. He’d identified thirteen distinct civilizations on this planet. Most of them were quite recent.

But no activation signal.

Wait! There it was. Now he could act.

This is what Andy Zach wrote in five minutes.
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Fantasy Fuel! What Inspires Fantasy?

Fantasy Fuel! What is it? It’s those books, articles, pictures, and videos that spark the creativity that leads to fantasy stories. Let’s start with this one:

There are a LOT of castles in Europe–and there are more in Asia and Africa. Castles lend themselves to fantasy settings. I’ve dreamed of living in one and defending one from attack.

Which of the castles in this article is your favorite? Tell me and I’ll send you a free book. Just click here.

Fantasy Fuel – How about fantastic creatures?

Squashmingos! They remind me of the flamingos used by Alice in Alice in Wonderland. In case you’re not familiar with the reference, here is one of the original illustrations by Tenniel:

Fantasy Fuel Alice playing croquet with a flamingo.
Alice in Wonderland Illustration by Sir John Tenniel (28 February 1820 aa 25 February 1914)
19th Century Illustration

Here’s a snippet of the Disney movie:

I haven’t written a fantasy yet, but I have made up an imaginary, alien animal: the foxcat.

The alien foxcat. Click to get the book.

It’s called a ‘foxcat’ because it’s a combination of a fennec fox and a caterpillar. A foxcat is a marsupial amphibian. It’s a stowaway on a gigantic flying saucer in my book:

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers Fantasy Fuel
The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

My science fiction sounds like fantasy. I wonder what my fantasy will sound like? I’ll have to write my first fantasy to find out. My working title is ‘Sentience’.

More Fantasy Fuel Coming Up for You

You can’t beat reading great fantasy books to inspire your fantasy writing. Here’s one I just finished.

Fantasy Fuel The Fellowship of the Ring
My recent review

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
by J.R.R. Tolkien

it was amazing

bookshelves: fantasy, favorites

Read 2 times. Last read September 13, 2022

The greatest novel of the 20th century, a true 5 star book, one that’ll be read in another hundred years.

My latest re-read was in the single volume edition with Christopher Lee’s artwork. His art is detailed and complex, with hidden elements that tell the story.

In this re-read, I saw the close connection between the start of the book, which is often called dull, and the end of the Hobbit. One dovetails into the other. The hobbit background is necessary for those who didn’t read the Hobbit, and provides additional detail on them, including their three races: the Stoors, the Harfoots, and the Fallowhides.

I also noticed in my re-read the masterful way Tolkien built tension and prolongs conflict and threats. He also increases the risks and dangers throughout the book. These details jump out at me more since I became an author.

Andy Zach‘s review

Yet More Fuel for Your Fantasy Writing

Why not use cartoons?

So, if you have a writer’s block, just get it off your desk!

How about some more fantastic architecture? Coming in from Kansas City we have the following:

Or how about we use some beautiful pictures of nature to inspire our writing?

Now, let’s try another cartoon.

Obviously, cartoons are my chief inspiration. I love talking animals.

I have a talking hamster in my Secret Supers books. Dancer taught himself how to read and type.

What Do Readers Think Fantasy Fuel
Chapter 1 icon of Villain’s Vacation

Here’s a fantasy come true: free books. Enjoy these freebies from me. I give them to all my subscribers. Click here to get your books.

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Your Best Science and July Science Fiction

Your Best Science and July Science Fiction as curated by me, Andy Zach. I’ve been cruising the internet for the biggest and best science news. This is what will fuel my next SciFi and fantasy books, Plus, I’ll tell you how you can get free books.

TLDR version: Click here to get free books from me. What books you ask? These three, for example:

Christmas Zombie Turkey Style July Science Fiction
Life After Life Chronicles is available as a series! Click to get on Amazon.

If you want signed copies at a lower price than Amazon, with free shipping and no taxes, click here.

July Science Fiction – Your first book

July Science Fiction
Book Cover

Midshipman Henry Gallant in Space (The Henry Gallant Saga, #1)
Rating4 of 5 stars
Shelvesmilitary-scifi, read, science-fiction edit
FormatKindle Edition edit
StatusAugust 1, 2022 – Finished Reading4 Show more
ReviewAuthor Peter Alesso does a good job in his opening novel of this series. He portrays the troubles of being a normal human being in a time of genetic advancement. Then he details the technical training of a midshipman in the United Planets federation.

But there is an alien force lurking in the solar system. So far they have been benign. Will that continue?

Read and find out.

Do you have comments? Do you have a review you want me to publish? Just let me know by clicking here.

July Science Fiction – Your Second Book Follows

Zombie Detective: The Extraordinary Adventures of Sam Melvin by Andy Zach (Goodreads Author)

Andy Zach Newsletter Zombie Detective Audiobook July Science Fiction
Audiobook cover – click to listen.

Jul 27, 2022

It was amazing

When Lisa fires Sam he doesn’t know what he’s going to do, for about two seconds till she tells him he has until that night to find a new career. He works better under the deadline and she should know because she’s his wife. This book was one of the funniest books I have ever read.

I love Simon Carr’s books and because I have brought all of his books I wanted to find a new author who was just as funny and I found him. I had no idea zombie animals were that prevalent but they are in this guy investigates the situation and when he’s hired by the government crazy things ensue.

I love this book and highly recommend it if you love to laugh and trust me they have giggles on every page. You can really truly tell when comedy comes natural and when they are trying too hard in this author his comedic talent in spades I cannot say enough how funny this book is and can’t wait to read the second one in the theories or at least I hope they have a second one.

I was given this book by the author in story origin but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

Janalyn Prude‘s review

Now Here Is Where You Get Science

Maybe you thought my zombie novel as science fiction was far-fetched? Guess again! We’ve got zombie cyborg spiders coming at you!

How old are your ears, based upon the test below? Just play the video and note the age when you can no longer hear the signal. Mine were 64, which is pretty close to my real age of 66.

Tell me your results and I’ll send you a free book. Click here.

Cities of the future are always a good SciFi trope. Here’s one planned for Saudi Arabia. Would you like to live in this city?

Moving on to astronomy, check out this new supernova, recently discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope:

What color is the moving square in the following video? My answer is below.

The square color is midway between the blue and the orangish pink, a kind of gray.

Finally, the classic SciFi image is a pinwheel or cartwheel galaxy. I once read a book about the view of the Milky Way from the Lesser Magellanic Cloud. It filled the sky.