This is my LONG FORM FICTION tab, for my two novels. Except mostly just for the weirder one. The more formally conventional tale, The Memory Addicts, has its own dedicated section: see the "more information here" button. But there are two clickable teasers for it just below.​

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1) THE MEMORY ADDICTS, a novel by Derek Kannemeyer, September 2022,

Atmosphere Press (346 pages), ISBN: 978-1-63988-409-4

a) THE MEMORY ADDICTS: the pitch & the character breakdown

b) THE MEMORY ADDICTS TIMELINE: the book's evolving history, 2012 to publication.

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2) STALKING CRAWLROLLIES is a hybrid work, currently with limited availability, till I figure out what to do with it. It's a space opera mockumentary novel, with the core action narrated by the central character (Gordo Chessland) in the style of an epic Lewis Carroll style nonsense poem. Gordo and I are listed as co-authors: I'm a purported academic, preparing a new official edition of the poem, one rich in historical commentary and documentary artwork. Because the artwork (digitally manipulated photography) transfers poorly to non-photographic paper, the book is currently only available at blurb.com, as a $37 soft cover artbook or a $7 downloadable PDF: ISBN-13: 979-8331253127.

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Here's a description: "Stalking Crawlrollies is an illustrated novel, hybrid in style, tone, and form. It's rooted in mockumentary humor, but as the stakes rise, riding a high wire of the heroic and the ridiculous, the tone darkens and deepens. The core story is improbable space opera. Gordo Chessland and four other genetically unusual young people are conscripted to repel an alien invasion. A scientist, a drill sergeant, and a second alien species are their allies. The Crawlrollies’ weaponry is not only physical but temporal and mental; the core action, which builds to a final, hallucinogenic battle waged on the moon, is recounted, by Gordo, as a kind of kamikaze nonsense saga. Equal weight, however, is given to the interwoven cultural commentary, featuring chatty and learned input from the surviving combatants and a pair of adulatory academics, who frame the events as planet-saving recent history. Much of their documentation is supported by vibrant and immersive graphics. It makes for a cocktail of off the wall humor, epic space fantasy action, meticulous world-building, and wild visual style."

 

I'd love it if you went to Blurb and ordered your own downloadable PDF, but in the meantime, why not hang out here and enjoy my copy?

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PDF: Stalking Crawlrollies, the full digital text!

And below it, copy-pasted in full, find two reviews.

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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite: 5/5 stars

Stalking Crawlrollies by Derek Kannemeyer and Gordo Chessland begins with a group of recruits, including Gordo and Doc, training under the watchful eye of their drill instructor, the Chief, in a dark aesthetic dormitory. As they prepare for an impending alien threat from the mysterious Crawlrollies, they engage in rigorous training and bonding activities, learning to rely on one another. The Chief grows increasingly erratic as he warns them about the dangers approaching, urging them to barricade themselves in. Meanwhile, Doc conducts scientific research on a peculiar green mold linked to the Crawlrollies, which causes rapid aging and chaos. While a group of Squilks, led by Gordo, reconciles with the devastation of their once-vibrant world, the recruits face an imminent attack where they ultimately emerge as a cohesive unit ready to battle the alien forces threatening their existence.

Stalking Crawlrollies by Derek Kannemeyer and Gordo Chessland is a fun and funny look at resilience and transformation in the face of extraordinary challenges and somewhat questionable ones. I found the world-building to be well done, and the mixed-tape personalities and races to be especially creative. A standout scene that shows us the great blend of what is involved is one character's audacious decision to coat themselves in alchemical substances, resulting in a massive explosion that not only disrupts a storm but also alters the very landscape of the moon. As far as character arcs go, this bold act of defiance crystallizes an evolution from a frightened recruit to a decisive hero. It's cool to witness and even better that plenty follows. Overall, the dance between chaos and camaraderie puts readers into a story of sacrifice and the bonds formed under duress, and it's a wild ride. Recommended.

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Booklife Critic's Report

Assessment: 7.5/10

Plot/Idea: This is a wide-ranging work with many strong features: the basic plot line is engaging, and the overall concept entertaining. Kannemeyer and Chessland ambitiously incorporate a slew of spirited themes—from epic extraterrestrial encounters and battles to frenzied world-building to cultural critiques—and creative graphics that help crystallize those concepts. The sheer vastness of the plot—and subplots—is all-consuming.

Prose: The authors are grandiose and creative. Their prose borrows from several different formats, including poetry, diary entries, and straight narrative, vacillating between the different styles while trying to interlace the plot thread throughout. 

Originality: The framework of this book is distinctive, built on a fierce spectacle of shock, reverie, and the slightest philosophical touch. Each element has been thoughtfully planned out and executed, making this an incredibly unique book.

Character/Execution: Character development is a challenge in this imaginative novel, simply due to the various narrative types employed throughout. The book's universe is more established than the characters, as the authors build an energetic setting that often devours the protagonists." © Booklife