Hugh Howey Lives (Spectral Worlds) - Softcover

Smith, Daniel Arthur

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0988649381 ISBN 13: 9780988649385

Publisher: Holt Smith, Limited, 2015

Synopsis

Can an AI write a novel?

In 2174 authors are obsolete. With the exception of a few human ‘Author’ titles printed in the small basement and back room Libraries, all stories are created by the Artificial Intelligence of the Archive. Most believe the ‘Authors’ are only brands to lure people into spending their credits on print. One woman believes that one of them, author Hugh Howey, is real, and still alive. Her Librarian feeds her belief that Hugh Howey is still sailing around the world, uploading his work to the Archive. Convinced she has found clues in his stories as to where he now resides, she and her girlfriend sail to an island, where she believes Hugh Howey lives.

About this title

From the Author

Thank you for reading Hugh Howey Lives.  This story came about after Hugh wrote a blog entry in early November 2014 titled 'Humans Need Not Apply'.  In the article and the lengthy comment conversation that followed, Hugh speculated that within 100 years, computers would be writing novels and authors could be obsolete.
 
I emailed Hugh a pitch with a different speculation, and that is the story in Hugh Howey Lives.
 
People have asked me if I know Hugh Howey.  The answer is no, I don't.  Hugh allowed me to use his name in the story he inspired.  We are not close friends that share emails or other correspondence. I have yet to meet him (though maybe I will one day when he visits Manhattan).  In a broader sense though, Hugh is a friend to many authors, particularly freelance and indie, but not just them.  He has taken time to share his experience and insights on his blog, at mentor workshops, and has famously been a pivotal inspiration in the evolving publishing industry.  Because Hugh shared his experience, I connected with my editor Crystal Watanabe, and the cover artist of this book, Ben Adams.  I advise anyone, writer or reader, to visit his website hughhowey.com.
 
If you visit Hugh's site you will notice that he sails.  There was a time in my life when I sailed and I knew Hugh did too.  What I did not know was that at the same time I wrote this story, Hugh was having a catamaran built - to live on, write on, to sail away on.  We'll chalk that up to serendipity.
 
There are numerous contributors that bring a project to completion.  My family, first and foremost.  A myriad of fellow authors and friends. Individually, I want to thank my lovely wife, floral designer Susan Holt.  She supported the project by diligently reading the first draft through the tenth.  I would also like to thank the readers that signed up as First Readers for this manuscript, as their contributions have helped me to create a better release edition. I would like to thank Hugh for the thumbs up - the story would have been the same but his inclusion as a character and name in the title added a bit of pressure that I think made the work much better.  I also thank author friend Susan Kaye Quinn for helping me to improve the story by sharing insights in process and inspiring me to dig deeper, Crystal Watanabe for her editing walkthroughs and cross continental discussions concerning writer minutia, and finally, Ben Adams for the stellar cover and interior art.
 
If you enjoyed Hugh Howey Lives, I would appreciate if you would share your thoughts in a review.  Reviews help other readers that may have similar interest as you decide whether this is a story they would like to read.
 
And again, thank you.

About the Author

Daniel Arthur Smith is the author of the international bestsellers THE CATHARI TREASURE, THE SOMALI DECEPTION, and a few other novels and short stories.
He was raised in Michigan and graduated from Western Michigan University where he studied meta-physics, cognitive science, philosophy, and comparative religion.  He began his career as a bartender, barista, poetry house proprietor, teacher and then became a technologist and futurist for the Fortune 100 across the Americas and Europe.
Daniel has traveled to over 300 cities in 22 countries, residing in Los Angeles, Kalamazoo, Prague, Crete, and now writes in Manhattan where he lives with his wife and young sons.
 
For more information, visit danielarthursmith.com
 
Readers who subscribe to Daniel's newsletter receive free copies of his books, usually before they are published: danielarthursmith.com/newsletter

Edition details

• Publisher: Holt Smith, Limited
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0988649381
• ISBN 13: 9780988649385
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112