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Wednesday, March 23, 2011



Déjà Vu all over again

A few years ago I read and gave an enthusiastic blurb for a small-press, POD-published book, something I don't often do. The book was Déjà Vu, by Ian Hocking. It was a cracking story, more technothriller than SF, using plausible-sounding physics to set up, as I recall, a time-travel paradox that powered a cleverly thought-through plot. It was at least as good as lot of more widely-published work in the same genre. I wasn't the only reviewer who thought the book, and the writer, deserved a lot better. Ian's efforts to become a properly published writer were serious, unavailing, and in the end heartbreaking. He had another life than being a writer, and reckoned it was time he got on with it.

Now he has decided to make Déjà Vu available on Kindle for a very low price. Give it a go. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, and find yourself, as I did, looking forward to the sequel.
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21 comments:

  1. Dr Ian HockingWednesday, March 23, 2011 10:52:00 am

    Thanks for your support, Ken!

    If any readers would like a non-Kindle version of the book (for the iPad, Sony Reader, et al.), email me at ihocking@gmail.com and I'll send you a version while I figure out how to get Déjà Vu onto those stores. A small charity donation would be great in lieu of payment.

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  2. Ted LemonWednesday, March 23, 2011 1:12:00 pm

    Okay, I got my copy. You'd better be right about this! :) Good luck, Dr. Ian! I hope it really does sell a million!

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  3. Dr Ian HockingWednesday, March 23, 2011 2:33:00 pm

    Ted, I'm offering a money back guarantee - but you have to collect in person, and I live in a cave on Svalbard :-)

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  4. JohnWednesday, March 23, 2011 3:06:00 pm

    I agree. I bought the book when it first came out and thought it was great. Waited for the second then offered to buy a LULU copy if Ian would go that route. I don't have an e-reader so still hope for a hard copy.
    John

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  5. David S.Thursday, March 24, 2011 12:01:00 am

    Can't complain about the price, this is exactly what makes ebooks an instinctive purchase.

    At $0.99 I don't care if I hate it (given the recommenders I very much doubt that'll happen), I didn't need to think twice about buying it. Done. And if I like it I'll be over the moon at getting so much enjoyment for so little! I'll be telling everyone I know to grab it quick.

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  6. Dr Ian HockingThursday, March 24, 2011 9:02:00 am

    Thanks, David!

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  7. AnonymousThursday, March 24, 2011 11:17:00 am

    I'm waiting with baited breath to see the book appear on smashwords, so that us non-Kindle ebook folk can get it too :-). Good luck with all of this Ian, hope it works out well for you.

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  8. Dr Ian HockingThursday, March 24, 2011 12:30:00 pm

    Thanks, Anonymous - you can also get the book as an epub on Lulu right now: http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/déjà-vu/15160212

    Best wishes,
    Ian

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  9. David CantrellThursday, March 24, 2011 8:37:00 pm

    Ken's recommendation is good enough for me - [pause] [click] bought!

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  10. AnonymousFriday, March 25, 2011 10:24:00 am

    Ian, thank you for pointing out the Lulu link. I'm happy to find that the file comes without any DRM, so you now have a new reader (sitting less than a mile from the location of your opening scene, nice surprise that :-)

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  11. Dr Ian HockingFriday, March 25, 2011 11:00:00 am

    Thanks, David, and thanks, Anonymous.

    Anonymous - I hate DRM and the horse it road in on. Enjoy the book.

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  12. TheophylactFriday, March 25, 2011 6:39:00 pm

    I immediately purchased a Kindle edition after reading this post. (Well, not immediately, because the link took me to the UK Amazon site, which wouldn't sell it to me, so I had to go to the US site.) I wound up doing the same with McAuley's Cowboy Angels, and found that Pasquale's Angel wasn't available in a US Kindle edition at all.

    I'd read a lot more out-of-print books if authors released them in e-book format. Thanks, and good luck.

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  13. Dr Ian HockingSaturday, March 26, 2011 11:38:00 am

    Thanks for your comment, Theophylact - enjoy the book!

    Cheers
    Ian

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  14. Ted LemonSunday, March 27, 2011 6:36:00 pm

    Thanks, Ian. I've often wanted to visit Svalbard, because it has such a cool name, but I'm afraid it won't be to collect the refund—I quite enjoyed the book (read it on the way to Prague, as it happens). I can heartily recommend it to anyone who happens upon this comment thread in the future

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  15. M. Huw EvansMonday, March 28, 2011 7:44:00 pm

    On the device. Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  16. Dr Ian HockingTuesday, March 29, 2011 10:33:00 am

    Thanks, Ted. Would you mind putting your review on Amazon if you have a spare minute? I'll tell the huskies to stand down :-)

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  17. Sean O'BrienThursday, March 31, 2011 12:54:00 pm

    Ian
    Just finished reading Deja Vu (puchased for Kindle on iPad.)

    What can I say - absolutely briliant stuff. I wouldn't have been remotely disappointed with the book if it had been full price but, at 70p it has to rank as one of the biggest bargains I have ever happened upon.

    I have already reviewed it on Amazon (should be up in the next 48 hours or so.) All I can say is congratulations - you have a real talent and if the publishing industry cannot see it then there is little hope left for them.

    So, when can we expect to see Flashback? ;-)

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  18. GarethThursday, April 07, 2011 5:57:00 am

    So I found this post more or less by accident, downloaded Deja Vu on a whim, read it and really enjoyed it. Thanks to Ken and Ian for a couple of nights' entertainment. I'll definitely keep a look out for Flashback.

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  19. Dr Ian HockingSunday, April 10, 2011 12:15:00 pm

    Sean, many thanks for your kind words and for your review. You'll probably hear when Flashback is released (should be in a month or so).

    Thanks again, Ian.

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  20. Dr Ian HockingSunday, April 10, 2011 12:16:00 pm

    Thanks, Gareth. Again, if you can pop up an Amazon review, I'd appreciate it - but no obligation. Glad you enjoyed it.

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  21. boTuesday, August 30, 2011 4:22:00 am

    All right Ian, you got my 99c. I'm thinking maybe I should offer my Droidin pro (http://droidin.net) as a barter exchange :) Man it's not easy to make people to part with their precious 99 cents, get the Android coder word on that

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