I'm two chapters and 2500 words into the new (and unexpected) project. This is likely to end up novelette length. We'll see about that. It's a story about the invention and implementation of the first jump drive, and the beginning of mankind's spread to the stars. This is set in the Jack Mack universe but some 1400 years before the novels.
I think maybe I'm seeing some subtle Asimov influences. Been reading through his catalog lately and revisiting stories I last read half a century ago.
The earliest use of the term ‘Alienese’ of which I am aware is in Roger Zelazny’s mid-Seventies novel ‘Doorways in the Sand.’ I had probably been carrying it about in my head before using it as the title of a novel. I did look it up when I was writing my story and did not find the connection then; that came later when I reread Zelazny’s book.
Which may have been an influence on my story in other ways. The two alien policemen his protagonist deals with do have resemblances to the two alien scientists who kidnap my own main character. But similarities largely end there, except for some similarities of style and voice. I’ll readily admit Zelazny was among my influences as a writer, perhaps more so than any other science fiction authors who emerged in the Sixties.
Be all that as it may, my first foray into writing a science fiction was titled ‘Alienese,’ and I am quite okay with that, wherever and however the name came came to me. Available, of course, at Arachis Press (arachispress.com) in print or as free ebooks.
With the aid of artificial intelligences, which permeated the worlds of the Jack Mack stories, design and its implementation could be carried out somewhat more quickly than today. Thus new vehicles, space craft, etc. could have a fairly rapid turnover in production. The primary brake on this would be the time spent on the transporting of new designs to other worlds for use or production. Basically, stuff could be built quickly! I’ve certainly hinted at this by mentioning various craft used by my characters but it is not something to be dwelt on at length.
I have mentioned cooling systems on space craft a few times in the Jack Mack stories, but never delved into it. It was never necessary to the story. I have noted that the heat is not generated from the thrust tubes in a typical engine but by the force fields that contain their power. From a practical standpoint, that comes to much the same thing and it is, admittedly, not a tremendous amount of heat.
It is, of course, difficult to dissipate heat in a vacuum. None of it flows out of the the rear of the engines, as with a jet. Indeed, one can stand quite close to business end of most thrust tubes (too close might knock you down, or worse). Almost all engines do have a vacuum cooling system, involving some sort of radiant heat dispersal via fins or the like. This would be a back-up or auxiliary to normal cooling systems, though small low-power engines might need nothing more (including at least some maneuvering units).
Jack’s crippled W-4 he piloted into Thule Station had a very minimal vacuum system to save weight and space. He could have limped along with it after his main unit gave out, but coming out of jumps might have been hazardous.
More robust main systems are needed in most ships, involving the circulation of a coolant. Even more so in atmospheric ships, which tend to incorporate larger pumps to keep things circulating. Fans, too, though those are useless in space!
Today, Oct 31 2025 is the official release date for my latest Jack Mack science fiction novel, Blind Jump. At the Arachis Press store or go to arachispress.com for both print and free ebooks.
https://www.lulu.com/shop/oliver-davis-pike/blind-jump/paperback/product-e7dg5mp.html
In preparation for the release of the fourth Jack Mack novel, 'Blind Jump,' (on October 31, 2025) we have been going through the previous novels in the series, mostly proofreading. No matter how many passes we make, there always new mistakes to find! The first novel, 'Among the Many Worlds,' is now up in revised form, and we will continue to work through the others. I did straighten up the usage of 'hours' in the book, which did not always stick to the Scotian format of twelve hour days, i.e. hours twice as long as those we use. That's all proper now, and the other two novels should be correct as they are. But we'll check to be sure!
We have received and approve of a print copy of Blind Jump. All is 'go' for the October 31 2025 release of this fourth Jack Mack sci-fi novel; in fact, we could put it out there right now but we'll wait for the official date! Expect notices to go up here and there over the next couple weeks, reviews from pre-release readers, and so on. As ever, the ebook versions will be free to download.
Here is the finalized cover:
We have an official release date for Blind Jump: Friday October 31, 2025. Yes, Halloween. It should hold; unexpected problems with printers do have a way of popping up but if anything holds up the print edition, we would still release the ebooks on time.
Those will be in PDF and EPUB, and, as always, free. Of course, the print version costs! All from Arachis Press (arachispress.com).
I have a finished draft of Blind Jump. It came to about 59,000 words total, which not at all a surprising number and fairly much in line with the three previous Jack Mack novels:
Among the Many Worlds 53,800 words
Jumping Jack 70,000 words
Dim Distant Stars 56,100 words
It is, of course, likely my count will change with revisions, especially during the first run through. My books typically grow at that stage as I find things that need a tad more explanation or description; I do tend to emphasize dialog in my initial drafting.
But the story is set. No revisions to the plot will be necessary, no plot holes need filled. I do catch those things as I go and its only the language that needs a little polishing. Expect a release date to be announced soon.
I came up with a tentative back cover blurb for BLIND JUMP:
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Blind Jump: a leap into space toward an unknown star
‘Jumping Jack’ McFee and deadly Thulean agent Anna Gallen are finally wed and off on a tour of the ‘old worlds.’ But conspiracies continue to fester behind them and enemies pursue them even to their honeymoon on Earth.
They must unravel the tangled plots of espionage and betrayal, and their own future together, as Anna and Jack take their blind jump into a new life.
Mock-ups of a couple possible covers for the upcoming Jack Mack novel, BLIND JUMP. I may use one of these (with possible further refinement) or be inspired to go some completely different direction.
addendum, Sept 23: I went to a completely different cover illustration. I'll reveal that in a bit.
