From Siena to Europa… Alice Yu in “The Genesis Engine.”
Hello from Brooklyn!
Well 2020 is quite the year. Whoever is in charge of this AI simulation must be getting some great feedback by now; fingers crossed we can all revert to normal as soon as possible!
My last eight months have been an intense ride—I published my first two novels at the start of a pandemic (hey I never said I was cleverrrrr 🤪) It’s a decision that has been both wonderful and insanely hard. To publish after five years’ work, and then to get such great feedback, has been life changing. So a huge thank you, I really couldn’t have done it without your help.
With the New York schools being closed since March (and now only open one day a week), and all summer camps being canceled my free time has been shredded by my kids. That has meant progress on the next Alice Yu book, ‘The Genesis Engine,’ has slowed. But today was a big milestone—I passed the halfway mark! Always the most difficult part for me. From here on in it’s an ever-increasing rush downward to the ending, and I can’t wait for you to read it.
I tried to keep The Paradise Factory’s story simple so I could introduce the complex world building without making the book too dense. Then, for This Automatic Eden, I looked to build out that world, but still concentrating on life at street level. Well, for The Genesis Engine, Alice—at last—gets to go inside New York’s mile-high blade towers and meet the 0.1%.
From there Alice leaves New York far behind to visit the Palio di Siena horse race in Sienna; attend a masked ball in Paris, and—
Well, I shall leave it there. The plot is intricate yet fast paced, with a story that travels the world, while spending more time with those devious MIs. There’s also a great new character, John Risk, a UN Special Agent who I think you’re going to love.
There’s a long way to go to finish it it though. I had hoped to get it out early next year, and I may still make it, but a lot depends upon how Covid affects the NY school system over the winter. I will, of course, let you know how it goes!
Once again, thanks so much for all of your support, means so much...
All the best, look after yourself and see you soon!
Jim.
November 11 2020
The Palio di Siena, Siena, Italy
