First Light Chronicles Freeground: The Free EBook

To the right you'll see a new set of links that are simply labeled "Download Freeground For Free Or Get It Cheap From Amazon.com" and those links will stay there permanently.

This novella has appeared and disappeared as a free EBook a few times. That's mostly because the various distribution channels I was putting this through didn't allow free Ebooks or there were costs attached to offering the book online that I had to cover.

One thing that can kill any publishing endeavor, online or in print, is uncertainty and changes that affect availability. To put an end to this, and to make it easier for people who enjoy the First Light Chronicles and the Spinward Fringe series to share the experience I'm offering the EBooks myself in two file formats.

The first, most commonly used format is PDF. it's the most universally accepted document file and with the help of Adobe Acrobat Reader (browser plugin and/or hard drive installation), you can view the entire book as it's intended and even add bookmarks.

The second file format I'm offering this book in is .prc, or the Mobipocket format as it's more widely known. The PRC file format is readable on most smartphones, PC's and many EBook reader devices. A lot of people prefer this format mostly because there's a short cut menu right at the beginning of the book leading to each chapter, making it faster to pick up from where you left off. If you want to try the reader software you can download it from Mobipocket.com.

This is me offering free stuff as a thank you for all your support so far, and I hope everyone can finally be a little relieved that Freeground is finally free for good. Since I'm doing this for a living and I've sold too many copies of the books that follow Freeground for any publisher to pick up this series I honestly can't afford to offer any other novellas or novels for free. Somehow I think my writing would suffer a little if I were doing it from a cardboard box...

The good news is that the rest of the books are very reasonably priced on www.amazon.com (print and Kindle editions), and on Mobipocket.com (EBook editions). Even in print Freeground is only $7.99 in a large print, 6"x9" Trade Paperback format from Amazon.com. Since I don't have an agent or publisher taking a bite out of my profits I can afford to offer my work at a lower price than practically anyone else for their quality. Sadly the printed editions are only available in large 6"x9" Trade Paperback editions, making them more expensive than the small mass paperbacks, but the quality and clarity of these books make them very much worth having. Amazon does an absolutely amazing job at printing and shipping these books, I couldn't be happier with their work.

I hope you and anyone else whose into science fiction or fiction in general enjoys The First Light Chronicles Freeground, it's the start point for the First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe series and establishes the basic universe and introduces the most important characters in a fast paced, exciting package. Most readers suggest you start reading this in the afternoon and not at night since it's been known to keep people up in the wee hours, I'm told it's a real page turner.

Here's a synopsis!

In the middle of the darkest region of explored space sits one bright beacon; Freeground Station. Serving as a supply and trading post it is home to a select number of human beings that will take an unlikely chance to make a difference in their end of the galaxy.

Jonas and his friends spent their spare time in tactical simulations and drew the attention of Freeground Fleet Command when they hacked into restricted combat scenarios for elite trainees and defeated all comers.

Instead of punishing Jonas and his friends they offered them an opportunity to undertake a dangerous and exciting mission. They were to go out into the Galaxy and acquire any advantages that would improve life for Freegrounders.

This series is about their first voyage together, the challenges they face, and the relationships they forge with each other and the beings they meet along the way.

The First Light Chronicles Omnibus, the volume that contains all three parts of the First Light Chronicles; Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port, has held the number one spot on Mobipocket.com (an Amazon subsidiary company that only sells EBooks), for almost six months. I'm proud of the First Light Chronicles series, and extremely happy that most people who read it go on to read the Spinward Fringe Series, the unlimited series of books in the same universe and a number of novels that I couldn't be more proud of.

So go ahead and download Freeground. Welcome aboard, I hope you enjoy the beginning of what has proven to be a long and exciting journey for hundreds of readers around the world.

RL

Oh, and after consulting with several readers and my editor who has 35 years teaching experience, I'm happy to announce that the entire First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe series' are suitable for readers ages 13+, so if you want a series of books you AND your teens can enjoy, here it is.

[Mobipocket Store Link] [Amazon.com Store Link]

Announcing: Spinward Fringe Triton

This is the third volume in the Spinward Fringe series. I'll tell you a few things about this book while sparing the spoilers.

Triton is a longer book with more attention paid to a few characters you've seen but have remained out of the spotlight until now. As the third book in this new series it ties up a lot of loose ends from all the other books, including the First Light Chronicles.

Here there be answers! The First Light Chronicles and especially the Spinward Fringe series are written as a serialized television show in prose. The very nature of that kind of writing demands loose ends but that doesn't mean that I don't get to give you a set of satisfying endings. I'm happy with how these plotlines wrap up, and I'm working to make the entire book as entertaining and gripping as possible so when you're finished you want more. Not because there are a half dozen unanswered questions, but because the universe between the covers is so enjoyable you need more.

Here's the really important bit, the information I want everyone to carry away once you're finished reading this post: - Spinward Fringe is an unlimited series. - There will be more, in fact as I'm writing Triton I'm writing notes on Spinward Fringe Book IV and Spinward Fringe Book V. Like I said, think of this like a television series and the only people who can cancel it are the readers.

Every day more people are buying the First Light Chronicles Omnibus (That includes the Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port books). A lot of those same people are buying Spinward Fringe Resurrection and Awakening. That tells me that people need the third book, that they're entertained and that's where I get my buzz. There's nothing like knowing that someone's glued to your pages, especially when the story you're writing is such a pleasure to pen.

I'm enjoying writing Triton, I can't write the scenes fast enough and I've never been so invested in a story or the characters who are playing it out.

More on Triton coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy what's already available!

RL

Spinward Fringe: Awakening

Spinward Fringe Awakening is the second book in the unlimited science fiction series I'm writing. It continues where Resurrection left off and I have to say I've never written anything more fast paced, fun or challenging in my life.

I worked it like it was three hundred pages only the ideas, scenes and dialog fit in about two hundred. Reduced down to a smaller font size to save paper, it comes out to about one hundred forty pages, and after doing my last editorial sweep on it I have to say even I had a lot of fun reading it.

Now it's with my Editor, whose critical eye and a nose that can smell bad cheese like a fart in a car will not spare me if anything is out of line or a little hokey. It's this kind of safety net that most authors can't live without, and I'm greatful. I honestly don't think she'll find any problems with this book, however, and after the final edit, it looks like this book will be out before September seventh.

Talk about a quick roll out. I started the first science fiction novel, Freeground, on January 1, 2008, and here we are almost nine months later with four novels ready to read and a fifth due out in just another couple of weeks. I have to say I'm pleased with the stories I'm telling, with the reception I'm getting and with the tales that have not yet been told.

Thanks to everyone for their support, there's so much more to come.

RL

Spinward Fringe Resurrection: Selling in Europe!

On August 1, 2008, I launched all the EBooks currently available with over 30 different electronic retailers, so people all across the globe could purchase the First Light Chronicles and Fate Cycle: Dead of Winter.

That didn't really result in much, which is fine, since I didn't expect an immediate reaction. Some of these retailers take a little while to list the books and it takes some time for people to realize they're there.

Then I launched Spinward Fringe with the same retailers (commonly called Etailers in some circles). It's been less than a week and I'm proud to announce that it's selling. Not "I was just on Oprah's book club" selling, but copies are being read, a solid number of copies.

I just got an email from a reader in Budapest saying; "...started reading and did not put it down until I was finished. Am bying all other books on ur list."

Broken english aside, I see this as a massively good review. If the momentum continues to build I might actually be able to make a lving at this before 2010. Here's hoping. If that were to happen all my readers (and they are starting to increase in number), would have more literature to look forward to on a regular basis.

Thank you to everyone who has been watching, reading, and investing in my success. I really do appreciate your time and money.

I aim to entertain.

RL

The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening, is well on it's way and I'm immensely pleased with how it's turning out so far.

Spinward Fringe Resurrection: Selling in Europe!

On August 1, 2008, I launched all the EBooks currently available with over 30 different electronic retailers, so people all across the globe could purchase the First Light Chronicles and Fate Cycle: Dead of Winter.

That didn't really result in much, which is fine, since I didn't expect an immediate reaction. Some of these retailers take a little while to list the books and it takes some time for people to realize they're there.

Then I launched Spinward Fringe with the same retailers (commonly called Etailers in some circles). It's been less than a week and I'm proud to announce that it's selling. Not "I was just on Oprah's book club" selling, but copies are being read, a solid number of copies.

I just got an email from a reader in Budapest saying; "...started reading and did not put it down until I was finished. Am bying all other books on ur list."

Broken english aside, I see this as a massively good review. If the momentum continues to build I might actually be able to make a lving at this before 2010. Here's hoping. If that were to happen all my readers (and they are starting to increase in number), would have more literature to look forward to on a regular basis.

Thank you to everyone who has been watching, reading, and investing in my success. I really do appreciate your time and money.

I aim to entertain.

RL

The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening, is well on it's way and I'm immensely pleased with how it's turning out so far.

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection Is Released!

It's here. I love this book, my editor loves this book, and as I've said before my solitary test reader has finished it and started over from the beginning three times now.

This series will have a long future. It's an unlimited series unlike it's predecessor. Here's the synopsis for the first of the lot!

Captain Jacob Valance has no memory of his past.
Left on a strange ship in an unfamiliar sector of the galaxy, he was forced to begin a new life.
Years pass and through great hardship he's earned
a reputation as a man who can recover lost property,
hunt down hardened criminals and go where others fear to tread.
All the while he's been searching for clues to his past
and looking for a better method of making his way through the galaxy for himself and his ragtag crew.
The Spinward Fringe series follows the three volumes
of the First Light books, continuing the adventures
of characters connected to Freeground Station.

I'm proud to present this to everyone who has read the First Light Chronicles and even to anyone who hasn't. I suggest reading the books preceding this, but you don't absolutely have to. They are only back story after all. Thank you to everyone with an interest, I promise you won't be disappointed with the taste between the pages.

If you look to the right of this posting you'll see it's available as a download for $2.99 or in trade paperback for $9.99 US.

I aim to entertain.

RL

P.S.
The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening is well on it's way to completion and the third is in late planning stages with some parts already penned.

DIGG

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

It's here. I love this book, my editor loves this book, and as I've said before my solitary test reader has finished it and started over from the beginning three times now.

This series will have a long future. It's an unlimited series unlike it's predecessor. Here's the synopsis for the first of the lot!

Captain Jacob Valance has no memory of his past.
Left on a strange ship in an unfamiliar sector of the galaxy, he was forced to begin a new life.
Years pass and through great hardship he's earned
a reputation as a man who can recover lost property,
hunt down hardened criminals and go where others fear to tread.
All the while he's been searching for clues to his past
and looking for a better method of making his way through the galaxy for himself and his ragtag crew.
The Spinward Fringe series follows the three volumes
of the First Light books, continuing the adventures
of characters connected to Freeground Station.

I'm proud to present this to everyone who has read the First Light Chronicles and even to anyone who hasn't. I suggest reading the books preceding this, but you don't absolutely have to. They are only back story after all. Thank you to everyone with an interest, I promise you won't be disappointed with the taste between the pages.

If you look to the right of this posting you'll see it's available as a download for $2.99 or in trade paperback for $9.99 US.

I aim to entertain.

RL

P.S.
The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening is well on it's way to completion and the third is in late planning stages with some parts already penned.

DIGG

Books By Randolph Lalonde: Final Releases, Final Pricing!

The First Light Chronicles Omnibus (which includes all three of the books in that series - Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port), has been put out as a final edition, and the pricing has been decided at $19.99.

The Ebook editions of the same books have been reduced in price as requested by the readers and those prices are final as well. The first book: Freeground is still free to download and has been copied from Lulu.com's servers for the 100th time as of this morning.

With all the pricing and edits for the First Light Chronicles set in stone, everyone here is ready to move on to the Spinward Fringe series which continues the saga with a new story that's keeping my editor and test readers up late at night reading the first book repeatedly.

I owe a massive thanks to SomaCow for taking the time to review the Omnibus before anyone in the general public has had a chance to even read it. You can check out their reviews and the greatest internet radio show ever at http://somacow.com and the rest of their shows at www.somacow.net

Thank you to everyone who's been following this series since the beginning. A lot of people bought books as they were becoming available and offered their criticism and advice along the way. It's been a great year and with a new series being launched tomorrow: Spinward Fringe with a new book: Resurrection things are looking great.

RL

Update, 10.31.2008: The Spinward Fringe Series (which includes Resurrection, Awakening and Triton, with more to come) has progressed wonderfully. It's been a joy to write and people are sending in some very positive feedback. You can see two listings for purchase on the right hand side, one for Lulu.com eBook and hard copies and another for Mobipocket customers. Thanks again to everyone who has made these independently produced and published books as popular as they are, please keep spreading the word.

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

I've been relatively tight lipped about the latest book: Spinward Fringe: Ressurection, but after my editor has gone through it I'm very proud to announce that this book has gotten a big thumbs up.

This book features several of the same characters as the First Light Chronicles and DOES answer questions left wide open by that series. I'll warn you that it doesn't answer them all, however, it would take a lot more time to get to them all. That's something I'm continuing do with Spinward Fringe: Awakening.

This is a darker, more character oriented book. I feel I've really delivered my first real Space Opera Adventure Novella. After hearing my only other test reader tell me she finished it then started over at page 1 to read it again I was positively floored. I'm overjoyed that I took this new turn with the style of the book, this a more personal story, where there are fewer characters who each have a much more significant impact on the plot line. It shows, my Editor and the test reader both found themselves investing personally in one or two of the characters.

I was honestly worried this book would never see the light of day because it is so different, each character has a lot more to worry about and there are personal problems between them. Suffice it to say, out of all the science fiction I've written this year this book was by far the most enjoyable to pen. That made the fear of experimentation and change far more acute, however, and everyone is in line with thinking it paid off. I think this is a fantastic first foot forward into a new series that isn't limited to a set of three books or six books or whatever.

We're into true serialization and my plot lines will no longer be limited by how many books I can write in the series. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that there won't be endings to different plot lines. My definition of an ending doesn't match that of Hollywood or Disney classics, however. When there's an ending for a character or plot line it's generally more like an explosion or head on collision. There are a number of those in this series already and I'm only 100 pages into Spinward Fringe: Awakening, the second book in the series.

I'm also continuing to think of this as the base for a television or web series. I love the episodic format and am enjoying the challenge of putting new, quality material out on a regular basis.

Keep your eyes on that right hand side of this page as I do my final pass with my Editor's notes and make the book available for sale. I'm very excited to hear what everyone has to say about this book.

RL

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

I've been relatively tight lipped about the latest book: Spinward Fringe: Ressurection, but after my editor has gone through it I'm very proud to announce that this book has gotten a big thumbs up.

This book features several of the same characters as the First Light Chronicles and DOES answer questions left wide open by that series. I'll warn you that it doesn't answer them all, however, it would take a lot more time to get to them all. That's something I'm continuing do with Spinward Fringe: Awakening.

This is a darker, more character oriented book. I feel I've really delivered my first real Space Opera Adventure Novella. After hearing my only other test reader tell me she finished it then started over at page 1 to read it again I was positively floored. I'm overjoyed that I took this new turn with the style of the book, this a more personal story, where there are fewer characters who each have a much more significant impact on the plot line. It shows, my Editor and the test reader both found themselves investing personally in one or two of the characters.

I was honestly worried this book would never see the light of day because it is so different, each character has a lot more to worry about and there are personal problems between them. Suffice it to say, out of all the science fiction I've written this year this book was by far the most enjoyable to pen. That made the fear of experimentation and change far more acute, however, and everyone is in line with thinking it paid off. I think this is a fantastic first foot forward into a new series that isn't limited to a set of three books or six books or whatever.

We're into true serialization and my plot lines will no longer be limited by how many books I can write in the series. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that there won't be endings to different plot lines. My definition of an ending doesn't match that of Hollywood or Disney classics, however. When there's an ending for a character or plot line it's generally more like an explosion or head on collision. There are a number of those in this series already and I'm only 100 pages into Spinward Fringe: Awakening, the second book in the series.

I'm also continuing to think of this as the base for a television or web series. I love the episodic format and am enjoying the challenge of putting new, quality material out on a regular basis.

Keep your eyes on that right hand side of this page as I do my final pass with my Editor's notes and make the book available for sale. I'm very excited to hear what everyone has to say about this book.

RL

First Light Chronicles Series: Submitted to Amazon.com

I've given Lulu.com the go ahead to submit the First Light Chronicles Series to Amazon.com. This isn't normally a free service, but a few weeks ago they offered to waive all the regular fees.

Since I wanted to put Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port through one more editorial pass before sending them out there, I didn't know if I'd make the submission before August but thanks to my new editor, who finished working on all three books in three days, I've made it with time to spare.

I've gone through the distribution process with another book, but that was years ago. I had forgotten how much work was involved. Doing an audit of the edit for all three books was a 22 hour day and I still had some work left for the next morning. Was it worth it? Well, I can say that the concerted effort was enough to win the war against typos and a few pages where I went comma crazy.

I'm very happy to say that anything that becomes available in the future will be going through extra editorial passes and will be released as a final edit the first time you see them on the web. I have great proof readers and a fantastic editor in place now, so the final edits you see will be top notch.

There, you've seen just the tip of the iceberg of what it means to be serious about self publishing. There's a lot more work than most people imagine and it takes time to get the right support team together. The effort is rewarding, however, and I hope the results of the 60+ hour weeks result in great entertainment that more people can access. Hey, if I sell a couple hundred books a month I'll be able to actually do this and make a living, wouldn't that be fantastic?

The First Light Chronicles: Freeground, Limbo, and Starfree Port may appear on Amazon.com in 6-8 weeks.

Until next time!

RL

Spinward Fringe: The Next Science Fiction Series

A few people have read the entire First Light Chronicles series, and a lot of people are downloading the first book, Freeground for the first time. I couldn't be happier, well, maybe I could be.

I'm positively beaming here as I announce a new series of science fiction novels just on the horizon. The working title for the first is Spinward Fringe.

I can't reveal much about it, only that some of the same characters from the First Light Chronicles series appear in the new books, and that it's going to be a very different story, style and setting. Other than that it's too early to say anything, I'm only 103 pages into my first draft, after all.

As far as the First Light Chronicles are concerned, I'm submitting them to Amazon.com this week under Lulu.com's label. Let's face it, the more copies I sell the better the chances are that I'll be able to do this full time, so wider distribution is a very good thing.

Science Fiction is alive and well here, I'm glad to say, so sit back and wait for the new book to come along then enjoy the show.

RL

Digg it!

Spinward Fringe: The Next Science Fiction Series

A few people have read the entire First Light Chronicles series, and a lot of people are downloading the first book, Freeground for the first time. I couldn't be happier, well, maybe I could be.

I'm positively beaming here as I announce a new series of science fiction novels just on the horizon. The working title for the first is Spinward Fringe.

I can't reveal much about it, only that some of the same characters from the First Light Chronicles series appear in the new books, and that it's going to be a very different story, style and setting. Other than that it's too early to say anything, I'm only 103 pages into my first draft, after all.

As far as the First Light Chronicles are concerned, I'm submitting them to Amazon.com this week under Lulu.com's label. Let's face it, the more copies I sell the better the chances are that I'll be able to do this full time, so wider distribution is a very good thing.

Science Fiction is alive and well here, I'm glad to say, so sit back and wait for the new book to come along then enjoy the show.

RL

Digg it!

Starfree Port: Finished!

It's finally done. After thee drafts and several editorial passes the third book in the First Light Chronicles is complete.

This novel will be released before Friday of this week (that's July 18) and it weighs in at 240 pages exactly. To reduce the cost of the book I had to shrink the font size and change the layout, however, so when you see it only has 190 pages, don't panic! I just squeezed those 240 pages into a smaller format so you save a few bucks!

That also brings the First Light Chronicles to an end.

The story will continue, but in a book that will stand on it's own, not as an official extension of this series. If you consider the First Light Chronicles like a number of television episodes, then the upcoming novel will be written more like a feature film. I've already started writing it.

Before I talk about anything else, I'd like to say a few things about the First Light Chronicles series and Starfree Port, the third book. The First Light Chronicles was an experiment, to see if I could write science fiction and write from the first person perspective for a very long time. There were also other experimental points to the way it was written, but I won't go into that unless someone actually asks about it very nicely. I don't want to give away all my secrets.

The people who bought the first two books and enjoyed them have been incredibly patient. The first two books took four weeks each to write, the third took months. There were a few reasons behind that. I wanted to give them what they were asking for. More character development, a deeper story and something they didn't expect. I'm happy to say that I've fulfilled each requirement and I did it my way, so here it is. This book is at the same time a thank you directed at them and something I enjoyed reliving every time I started a new draft or edit. I wanted it to be just right, and am sure that I've made all the right plot decisions. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as you did the first two, I know I truly enjoyed writing it (over and over again it seems).

Later today you'll see the digital download will be available, it's a little more expensive because it contains twice the content. It won't cost twice as much though, I'm just not that corporate minded.

There's nothing like completing a book and being happy with it. The fact that it's the last in a series is an even bigger rush. Thank you for your support over the lifetime of this project, I hope you enjoy it in it's entirety and come back when the next book is completed.

In the meantime, there is more First Light news coming as well as news about the Fate Cycle series and other stuff in general. Keep checking back, I'll be here!

RL

First published book of the year

As a leap of faith and a trial for my new publisher, I've given them the go ahead to make my first Science Fiction novel in over fourteen years available for purchase. This is the advance edition of the book and will only be available for a few weeks, after that the final edit might go into print. I expect that there may be some changes in the final edit, how many? I'm not really sure at this point to be honest.

What is perfectly clear to me is how much fun I had writing this book. I've written nine full sized novels and a trunk full of novellas that will never see the light of day, a hand full will be published, and never have I enjoyed writing anything as much as I did this most recent work. I enjoyed it so much that keeping it out of print feels like I'm holding in this really juicy secret and my foolishly grinning head is about to explode!

I could write at least nine more. Seriously, I could write this story for the next five to ten years and most likely put out eight books this size per year. Hopefully someone out there has half as much fun reading it as I had writing it so I can have an audience for any future acts in this space opera.

It's an action adventure space opera with some romance, camaraderie, big fricken guns and people yelling "FIRE!!" and "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!".

Just what I always wanted.

Anyway, please order soon since this version of the book will probably be a short run and I'm trying to gauge interest. I hope this will be the beginning of a series that keeps me busy for years to come and I'm working on the next book right now.

Here is the link to buying the book online in print or as a download:

http://www.lulu.com/content/1993570

Thank you for reading the blog!

RL