<![CDATA[Kelvoo's Testimonial and Kelvoo's Terra

<![CDATA[Kelvoo's Testimonial and Kelvoo's Terra - Author\'s Blog]]>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:49:09 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Eyes of a Nocturne Child - First Draft Completed]]>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:16:23 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/the-eyes-of-a-nocturne-child-first-draft-completedThe amount of time since my last post can only mean one thing - I've been working on a new story. I happy to share that I've completed the first draft.

The Eyes of a Nocturne Child is a dystopian sci-fi novella. At 56,000 words, it's a little short to be considered novel length, especially for science fiction.

Here's an early attempt to describe the story:

Theo Beaumont was a deportation officer, proud to serve The Regime in its mission to clear the Earth of extraterrestrial immigrants.

With the world on the brink of economic collapse, The Regime cancels its costly deportations and starts hunting down and killing all remaining immigrants and their human allies.

Despite being haunted by the death of an extraterrestrial child in his custody, Theo suppresses his doubts and continues his work, until he learns he has a hidden sister, locked away in a psychiatric institution for her illicit relationship with a humanoid extraterrestrial.

After transferring to the Undercover Corps, Theo infiltrates a clandestine group that assists extraterrestrials to escape Earth. Realizing the rebels aren’t the bloodthirsty terrorists they were portrayed to be, Theo is left with a stark choice: Report the group to his superiors or join the rebels in a dangerous attempt to escape Earth with his newfound sister and an assortment of desperate fugitives.

The Eyes of a Nocturne Child is a gripping story of shifting perspectives, found family, and a flawed man’s quest for redemption in a world fraught with blind hate and ignorance.

I've just sent my manuscript off for a developmental edit, then it's off to beta readers after I've made the applicable dev. edits. After that, it's a final line edit, then cover design, interior layout, upload to Amazon and other platforms, etc.

All said, please watch for The Eyes of a Nocturne Child sometime late this year or in early 2027.

]]><![CDATA[Kelvoo's Testimonial in a StoryBundle]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:55:16 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/kelvoos-testimonial-in-a-storybundleI'm delighted to announce that my Kelvoo's Testimonial ebook has been included as a bonus title in the Undercover Aliens Collection from StoryBundle. I feel privileged to have my novel showcased in the company of such talented fellow authors!

This means that you can stock up on 13 amazing sci-fi ebooks from 13 talented indie authors for as little as $25 US! That's less than $2 per book!

Please have a look at: https://storybundle.com/aliens

Offer ends February 12, 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Opportunia - Ready for an Agent!]]>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:34:08 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/opportunia-ready-for-an-agentHappy new year to all!

I'd like to start by apologizing for so much time passing since my last post, when I explained that my next novel, Opportunia, was in the hands of "beta readers" for their feedback. Well, they certainly delivered!

The strongest and most common reaction to Opportunia was that I needed to tone down the story's main character, Gordon Yates. Gord was supposed to be a self-absorbed, egotistical, narcissist, but I made him so unlikeable, that my feedback team thought my readers would close the book and walk away before the end of Part One - long before Gord's eventual redemption.

It took several weeks to re-write major sections, making Gord more palatable, and showing glimmers of hope for his reformation. I'm happy to say that Opportunia is more readable and flows much better now. I am indebted to my beta readers for their wonderful feedback.

When I had made my edits, I sent my story to Kevin Miller. He's a professional editor who worked his magic on all three of my previous "Kelvoo" novels. He did a great job of tightening up the story and adding the polish it needed for publication.

Kevin finished his work in early December. So the next step was to send my manuscript to agents. Unlike my previous books, which were self-published, I've decided to try and get Opportunia "traditionally published". The first step is to find an agent to represent my work. Unfortunately, agents and publishers tend to shut down every December, so I decided to wait for the new year.

So, here we are in January 2026. I've sent my manuscript to two agents out of my list of 105 who represent sci-fi and/or speculative fiction. Each agent has very specific requirements, so I have to tailor my query letter (my pitch), and the accompanying files to each agent's specifications. My plan is to query two or three agents per day over the next several weeks.

Agents can take up to six months (sometimes longer) to reply to queries, and many of the busier ones never reply at all. So going forward, I'll be on tenterhooks while I wait for replies, wade through rejections letters, and maybe, just maybe, if the stars align and my book resonates with an agent, I might just end up with a professional agent who will pitch my book to the big players.

]]><![CDATA[My Next Novel - Opportunia]]>Sat, 02 Aug 2025 20:08:00 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/my-next-novel-opportuniaI'm delighted to announce my next novel, "Opportunia". As someone who doesn't like to announce things before they're certain, I've waited for this announcement until my first draft was completed, self-edited, and sent to "beta readers" for feedback.

Yesterday, I sent the manuscript to the beta readers and I eagerly await their feedback, due at the end of September. After that, It'll be another round of self-editing, then it's off to a professional editor. I'll keep you informed as I progress.

In the meantime, here's a synopsis of the story:

Opportunia is a planet without government or regulations—A society founded on the principle of absolute personal freedom.

Gordon Yates is a gifted engineer, deeply dissatisfied with his life on Earth. When offered a unique chance to move to Opportunia and spearhead a groundbreaking project, Gord doesn’t hesitate. Leaving behind the rigid structure and limitations of Earth, Gord envisions a utopian paradise where he can achieve unlimited freedom and success.

When Gord’s new employer decides he is no longer useful, he finds himself unprepared for the relentless struggle to adapt and thrive in an arid, barren world full of callous indifference, where his worth is solely determined by his transactional value. Gord’s dire situation forces him to question his deeply held beliefs and confront past events.

Opportunia dramatically contrasts an idealized perception of absolute personal freedom with its dystopian consequences.

]]><![CDATA[Kelvoo's Testimonial Audiobook]]>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:06:56 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/kelvoos-testimonial-audiobookI'm delighted to announce the audiobook version of Kelvoo's Testimonial, narrated by yours truly!

The audiobook is available on the "big" site - audible.com, and several others (list below). The audiobook has been submitted to many additional sites, and should start appearing on them in the coming days.

Please click the link for an audiobook retailer below, and have a listen to a sample from the book.

Note: The price varies between retailers, so you may want to check a few of them!

Links:

Audible.com **
Apple Books
Spotify
Kobo
Google Play
Chirp

Libro.fm
Everand (formerly Scribd)
Overdrive
BookBeat (UK)
Booktopia (Australia)
Audiobooks Now

** Depending on your location, this link may take you to the main page for Audible. If so, please enter "Kelvoo's Testimonial" into the search box.

]]><![CDATA[Now, I'm a Full-Time Author!]]>Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:20:09 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/now-im-a-full-time-authorAt 3:00 pm today, I finished my software development work . . . FOREVER!!!

You could say I've retired, but I'd rather say that I have transitioned into a full-time career as an author.

It feels wonderful!

]]><![CDATA[How Long did it take to Write Kelvoo's Teachings?]]>Sun, 27 Oct 2024 18:07:32 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/how-long-did-it-take-to-write-kelvoos-teachingsWhen I started to write Kelvoo's Teachings, I was curious about how much time it actually took me to write a book. So I created a spreadsheet and used it to track my daily hours, broken down by the type of work (e.g. writing, editing, design, etc.).

A few days ago, I showed my spreadsheet to a local writer's group, thinking it might be mildly interesting for them. For reasons I can't explain they loved it! They encouraged me to share it with the world, assuring me that other writers, and especially aspiring writers, would be very interested in knowing the effort required to write a novel!

Here's a link to the spreadsheet, for the full breakdown:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BH-70nDcOGG_bfvPKYUnE3ghzR6-4rVUCT9LziH0sug

If you don't require all the details, Kelvoo's Teachings required 332.75 hours over 37 weeks, resulting in a 79,633 word book.]]><![CDATA[My Five Favorite First Contact Sci-Fi Books]]>Sun, 08 Sep 2024 22:51:43 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/my-five-favorite-first-contact-sci-fi-booksI recently signed up with shepherd.com, where authors can post about their five favorite books in a specific sub-genre. I was lucky enough to snag "First Contact Science Fiction".

If you're curious about my top picks for first contact sci-fi, please check out the link below.

No, I wasn't allowed to specify my own books in the list! 😁

If you're a fellow author, you might want to look into creating a post on shepherd.com. It takes a little bit of your time, but there is no cost to you, since much of the site's revenue comes from linking to the books' listings on Amazon.

https://shepherd.com/best-books/first-contact-science-fiction-novels

]]><![CDATA[Kelvoo's Teachings - Launch Day!]]>Fri, 26 Jul 2024 23:00:10 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/kelvoos-teachings-launch-day

Kelvoo's Teachings has launched today, completing the Kelvoo's Chronicles trilogy!

All three books are now available via Amazon, or can be ordered by bookstores from Ingram Content Group.

]]><![CDATA[Kelvoo's Teachings - Official Announcement]]>Mon, 01 Jul 2024 18:03:38 GMThttps://www.kelvoo.com/authors-blog/kelvoos-teachings-official-announcement

Kelvoo's Teachings - An unwilling Ascent to Godhood, is the final book in the Kelvoo's Chronicles trilogy and is now available for pre-order!

I'm delighted to announce that my new novel will be available from Amazon on Friday, July 26th!

You can pre-order the eBook now, or order a printed copy on the launch date!

Please take a look at the new Amazon listing via this link: books2read.com/u/4EaAWz

Here's a summary of the plot of Kelvoo's Teachings, from the back cover:

Peace has returned to Kelvoo’s life and to the human homeworld. Ashamed of their violent history, the humans of Terra have isolated themselves for decades, and out of that isolation a Terran cult has emerged that worships Kelvoo as a legendary figure.

A long-anticipated planetary alignment affecting Kelvoo’s world is viewed by Terrans as a sign of Kelvoo’s return to save humanity from itself. To fulfill their “prophecy,” the cult leaders abduct Kelvoo, only to learn that their “savior” wants nothing to do with the madness of their religious fervor.

The Planetary Alliance demands Kelvoo’s release but is bogged down by its own regulations and bureaucracy. As unrest on Terra reaches a boiling point, Kelvoo’s life is in increasing danger. This prompts Kelvoo’s now elderly foster daughters, Brenna and May, to take matters into their own hands. Their perilous rescue mission leaves Kelvoo with a dire choice that may require the ultimate sacrifice.
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As the final book in the Kelvoo’s Chronicles trilogy, Kelvoo’s Teachings explores the uniquely human madness of fanaticism.

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