The Cyborg’s Crusade – Day of the Deus Ex Machina

by Benoit Lanteigne

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GENRE: Science Fiction

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BLURB:

How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…

It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.

Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.

Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.

But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.

What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that’s even an option…

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EXCERPT

The second that James saw the deformed statue, he deemed it painful to look at. The sculpture depicted a man, but not one of normal proportions. The arms were far too long, paired with short legs, and the right eye appeared thrice the size of the left—nothing compared to the elongated spike forming the nose, or the mouth contorted in a grimace. Now that he sat leaning against the grotesque shape, the figurative ache turned literal as the sharp stone dug into his back.

Even with the intense heat, James shivered. The recent revelations chilled his blood, and no matter how hard it tried, the sun couldn’t warm him again. He rubbed his chin, pondering all he had learned. His hand brushed against his stubble, and he scowled at the itching sensation. Usually he shaved every day, a habit his unplanned trip had broken. Then again, next to his companion, a bit of extra hair was nothing…

The freak still stood a few feet behind, laughing to his heart’s content. What a horrendous chortle. How James yearned to shut him up via his fist. “Gwa ha ah aha ha! Ha ha aha! Ha ha! Come on, why do you take things so seriously? You still don’t get it, do you? Gwha ha ha ha ha! You should laugh more; it’ll do ya good! Gwha ha ha ha ha! Wha ha ha ha! Gwa ha ha!”

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Guest Post By Benoit Lanteigne

Show Don’t Tell But This Isn’t A Picture Book

One piece of advice I’ve seen a lot as an aspiring writer is show don’t tell. Sometimes, it almost seems like every conversation about writing is just people shouting those three words at each other. And there’s a reason: it’s good advice, and this is especially true for things like movies and TV shows. Those are visual mediums, so the idea of showing is intuitive, but less so with books. At least it was to me. Frankly, I’m not sure my interpretation is 100% correct. I see the concept as instead of using words that directly tell the reader what you mean, describe what you mean so they can interpret it. For instance, rather than saying “This person is angry”, you could describe their body language.

I think the show don’t tell mantra is flawed for another reason. Books lack the visual punch of a movie but make up for it by offering far more flexibility in what you can do. In a movie, you can “talk” to two senses: sight and hearing. In writing, you can evoke every sense and beyond. You can describe how awful that pile of rotting garbage smells. You can explain how the wind caresses your protagonist’s skin. When someone drinks a liquid, it’s possible to not only convey its taste but also its texture and thickness. Using all those possibilities can make a story far more immersive.

It goes even further. In a book, not only can you describe the physical world, but you also have unrestrained access to your character’s mind. You are privy to their intimate thoughts and emotions. This kind of access, when used properly, will create a bond between the reader and the character that movies can only dream of.

Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t use “show don’t tell” as advice anymore, but I feel that when you are a beginner, it can give the wrong impression. As a result, they risk taking it too literally and focus only on sight. That’s a trap I fell into for a while, and now that I’ve emerged from it, my writing improved. Again, I’m not saying you can’t use show don’t tell as advice. Just make sure that the person receiving the advice understands that for books, showing involves so much more than vision.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications.

Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009.

It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.

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The book will be $0.99 during the tour.

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Crusade-Day-Deux-Machina-ebook/dp/B0CBZZRDZ4/ref=sr_1_1

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