Great Review From Author R.S. Carter

“WOW. I LOVED this book… Upload would be a premium selection for any scifi book club.”

This made my day.  Science-fiction book club readers, take note. 🙂

“I’ve read a number of reviews from people who loved the story and the science-fiction, but hated the protagonist. I LOVED Raymond! Sure, he had his character flaws (and some are very dark), but that what makes him such a perfect character for this story.”

And this made my week!  I really put a lot into writing Raymond, and I knew I was risking disappointment among readers who want a main character who’s likeable and easy to root for.  Reading Carter’s review, I got quite a rush: Raymond finally has a reviewer who loved him as a character, and who’s willing to champion him.  What a joy.

For the entire review, head over to Goodreads.

Recent Reviews

The book is interesting throughout and constantly raises the question as to whether digital life can be considered real life and does digital life have any legal rights?  I generally liked the book and found it hard to put down.  –Michael A. Newman, from his review on Lunch.com

bookloversatticMcClelland’s ability to describe not only the technical scenes, but the the many layers of the “created” worlds was exemplary… A good mixture of science fiction, morality and love.  –Deanna, from the review of Upload on her blog, The Book Lover’s Attic

gamesfiendsFrom start to finish, Upload is a fast paced ride that keeps you guessing at every turn… a convincing picture of a brilliant yet oh, so confused young man who must finally face up to his past, take hold of his present, and make the decision that will decide his future. –Amy, from her review of Upload on Games Fiends

Great book that would make a great movie… Mark has given us a world with endless possibilities, as a person can upload their consciousness to a computer and live forever…but never experience the real world again. Some people find the choice a dream, while others think it’s a waste. But is it worth living forever when you won’t be with the one you love? I hope Mark carries us back to this world for another look in the future. –Brian Reeves, Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer, from his Amazon review of Upload

 

Teaser Tuesdays

Thank you to Deanna over at The Book Lover’s Attic for posting the following Tuesday Teaser from Upload!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.  Everyone is invited to play along.  Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • Be careful not to include spoilers!
  • Share the title and author as well so that others can add the book to their To Be Read list!

This week I am reading Upload by Mark McClelland.  Check out the teaser and synopsis below:

The group made their way through what felt like an ancient fog-enshrouded crypt, down crowded plaster-walled corridors, ethereal voices whispering eerie bits of poetry.  Raymond leaned forward, over Anya’s shoulder.  Page 72

upload

Synopsis:  His criminal past catching up with him, a troubled young man seeks escape into digital utopia by uploading his consciousness into a computer – just as first love casts his life in a new light.  In this thrilling near-future science-fiction novel, Mark McClelland explores the immense potential of computer-based consciousness and the philosophical perils of simulated society.

Upload Among Winners of ForeWord Reviews 2012 Book of the Year Award

botya-2012-winners-announcedBack in March, I posted to say that Upload was a Finalist in Science Fiction for ForeWord Reviews’ 2012 Book of the Year Award.  Well, ForeWord Reviews announced the winners on June 28, and I’m very proud to share my happy news: Upload was among the winners!

This is one of the premier awards for books from small publishers, and especially for self-published books like Upload.

The winners in science fiction include:

State of Union, by Sven Michael Davison
The Samsara Effect, by Paul Black
The Water Thief, by Nicholas Lamar Soutter
Upload, by Mark McClelland (me)

For more info, read the ForeWord Reviews press release, or browse all of the BOTYA award winners.

Short Story in Communications of the ACM

062113_CACMpg112_Where-the-Cross1.large For those of you CS geeks with ACM memberships… check out my short sci-fi story, “Where the Cross-Platform Bends”, in the July issue of Communications of the ACM.

I’m a software developer “by day”. It seems awfully appropriate that my first short story accepted for publication is in a computer-science journal. It has a couple of elements in common with my novel, Upload. And if you’re not familiar with that, you can find out more right here on uploadthenovel.com — see the About the Book section.

Doing My Part For National Flash-Fiction Day

Fans of super-short stories, today (6/22) is National Flash-Fiction Day, and I’m pleased to be playing my own little part. My story, “Lending a Hand”, is up on the FlashFlood journal blog. They’ll be posting stories throughout the day, so keep checking back to read new material.

“Lending a Hand” is a surrealistic story inspired by the work of one of my favorite authors, Barry Yourgrau.

Chicago Nerd Social Club

More than just a great name and a great idea, the Chicago Nerd Social Club is an active, welcoming group that does some seriously cool stuff.  Upcoming events include a field trip to Fermilab and a tour of tall ships.  They have a book club, their own blog — all sorts of good stuff.  I was fortunate enough to be invited to a recent author panel that they hosted in conjunction with Open Books and Just Write Chicago, which was well attended and full of great conversation about writing and publishing.

CNSC LogoCNSC also has its own podcast, which started recently.  Jeff Smith, co-founder of CNSC and host of the podcast, invited me to do an interview about Upload, some of its themes, and the writing process.  Check it out: CNSC Podcast Episode 8: Upload Your Consciousness.

UPLOAD on Tech Take

Thanks to Arthel Neville and producer Kevin Tracy for having me on Tech Take yesterday, a FoxNews.com program. It was a great opportunity for me to promote Upload, despite the apparent disconnect on what the interview was supposed to be about. I was expecting questions regarding computers and their potential effect on human evolution, and was caught off guard when the topic turned out to be more along the lines of how computers are affecting our brains. (It turns out hosts were switched out at the last minute, and there must have been some miscommunication.) Knowing it was live, I did my best to roll with it.

HowComputersAreAffectingOurBrainshttp://video.foxnews.com/v/2404866335001/computers-effect-on-the-human-brain-/?playlist_id=931078471001

This was my first TV appearance since I was on QuizBusters in high school. It turns out it’s really hard for me to look at the camera when I’m sitting alone listening to an audio feed in one ear — it just feels so unnatural.

For anyone curious about the book, it’s a near-future science-fiction novel about the first person to upload his consciousness to a computer. Read the About the Book page to learn more, or check it out on GoodReads. It’s available at major booksellers, including Amazon, where it was recently on the Top 100 High Tech Science Fiction bestsellers list.  More info on purchasing the book on the Where to Buy page.

Interview on WPR’s “At Issue” With John Munson

A big thank-you to John Munson for having me on his show, At Issue. I used to live in Milwaukee, and it was exciting to think that old friends tuned into Wisconsin Public Radio might be listening to our conversation. Great questions, and it’s a shame we didn’t have time to take more callers!

For anyone interested in listening to the interview, it’s archived on wpr.org.  I also have a local copy of the MP3, just in case it drops off the WPR archive.