• Author
  • Book
  • Story behind the book
  • Media Links
  • Reviews
Gary Ballard

Gary Ballard

About

I began writing things down at the age of eleven, and I haven't stopped since. I have written far too many things that have gone unpublished, from very terrible horror novels in my teens, to comics during my time at Belhaven College until finally settling on cyberpunk science fiction after graduation. My first novel (Under the Amoral Bridge) is part of a larger series called The Bridge Chronicles, which I reveal in weekly updates on the blog at http://amoralbridge.blogspot.com. The Bridge Chronicles in turn is one slice of cohesive universe that began as a pen-and-paper roleplaying game.

I currently live with my beautiful wife and three very insane dogs in Mississippi, where I continue to write my novels and blog on my personal blog at http://gameangst.blogspot.com.

Murdo

Murdo

0.0
0 ratings

Description

<p>When Jessica Bryant pesters her wealthy parents to allow her to have a dog as a pet, the answer is a resounding &quot;No&quot;; but they soon come to regret their decision when thier home is broken into one evening whilst they are out and their daughter kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers, in the form of four seedy and incompetent characters wearing Disneyland-type masks, take her hostage and keep her incarcerated in a place from which there appears to be no escape. However, they reckon without the resourcefulness of our heroine, and the courage of a wonderful stray dog who comes to her aid and whom she names 'Murdo'. And so begins an exciting and humurous accounting of the couples' adventures together as they consistently foil and outwit the abductors whilst on the run together.<br /> This is a lovely story of the friendship between a girl and a dog, bringing out themes of responsibility, camaraderie, redemption, salvation and self-sacrifice. It includes some wonderful dialogue sequences as Jessica teaches her new four-legged friend how to communicate with her, with additional delightful conversations between the animals when a rabbit and a sparrow join forces with them in an effort to outwit the kidnappers and restore Jessica safely back to her parents' home. </p>

Story Behind The Book

The novel was originally released on the aforementioned blog in regular, serial installments. It was meant as a free showcase for my work to attract attention, but the main character of Artemis Bridge was so interesting, I decided to make a series around the character's life and called it The Bridge Chronicles. The second novel, The Know Circuit, is also available on the blog and will be published in paperback and ebook in early 2010.

Media Links

Review by The Book Journal

🔗 http://thebookjournal.com/2009/12/under-the-amoral-bridge-a-cyberpunk-novel-by-gary-a-ballard/

↗

Guest blog on Babbling about Books

🔗 http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/2009/12/gary-ballard-self-publishing-exposed.html

↗

SciFiMafia Review

🔗 http://scifimafia.com/2009/12/book-review-under-the-amoral-bridge-by-gary-a-ballard/

↗

Guest Blog on Book Obsessed

🔗 http://bookobssessed.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/guest-blogthe-genesis-of-inspiration-by-gary-ballard/

↗

Interview with Fantasy Book Critic

🔗 http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2009/11/interview-with-gary-ballard-interviewed.html

↗

Fantasy Book Critic Review

🔗 http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2009/10/under-amoral-bridge-by-gary-ballard.html

↗

Reviews

<p>&quot;...well written and a joy to read, Ballard paints imaginative scenarios and environments&quot;<br /><br /> &quot;Ballard does a complete and thorough job of world building.&quot;<br /><br /> &quot;It’s a great story, great characters (whether you like or dislike them personally, you still get involved with them) and has a great reading rhythm.&quot;</p>