dietrichstorr

[dietrichstorr]

Legacy of Extropia Available Now on Amazon!

Book Four of the Extropian Cycle is in the Kindle Store

Benjamin Kotes is a guy with his act almost completely together.  He is young, handsome, smart, and generally well-liked.  Furthermore, his work – making rich, old ladies young again – seems like a solid model for economic prosperity. Everything would be perfect if he just occasionally had a successful date.

But, life is endlessly challenging.  When he and one of his elderly lady friends became victims of a petty attack, it was exciting, until he realized that her remarkable retribution against the criminals could have shocking and deadly consequences. And, then, things really stopped making sense.  How did a guy like Benjamin become involved in the hunt for autonomous malware monstrosities wreaking havoc around the globe?  Or, in the violent schism of one of the world’s largest religions?  Or, come to be in charge of the project realizing the dream of human immortality?

Absurdly finding himself central to mankind’s eternal struggle with the nature of freedom, identity, love, and death - there was one question that vexed him above all.  Could such monumental, historic forces actually be conspiring against his romantic life?

The works of Dietrich Storr can be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/Dietrich-Storr/e/B07FQZPZFR

The Dietrich Storr Blog: https://dietrichstorr.tumblr.com/

Dietrich Storr on Goodreads at:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18218502.Dietrich_Storr

[dietrichstorr]

Questionable Counsel - An excerpt from Book Four: Legacy of Extropia

Benjamin stopped briefly in the waiting lobby.  It was an extremely comfortable and well-appointed space, but not that large.  The ‘ward’ that Catalina was on had only six patients; those who were the most demanding and had the biggest checkbooks.  The waiting area seemed unusually crowded, with several people, hospital and civilian alike, standing around watching a video feed.  Benjamin moved to where he could see the screen.

There was somebody on the screen reporting from the street in a large city.  Below his image was a banner declaring ‘Skyline Bank trouble yields violence.’ As Benjamin moved in the reporter was saying, “Still no resolution to the account holders’ predicament, nor any explanation of the widespread reports that the Skyline situation has impacted other financial institutions – but late yesterday there were dramatic developments at the regional office of Skyline Bank, in New York City.  The building itself has been closed for a few days, with no sign of people coming or going.  Late yesterday, however, the remains of a variety of drones and at least one human body literally fell from the sky, to impact the street right here outside of Skyline. Neither Skyline nor local authorities have commented on these disturbing occurrences…”

“That’s pretty fucked up, hunh?”

Benjamin turned, catching the coffee that nearly spilled on him. Benjamin got control of the cup and said, “Thank you.”  The person was shorter than he was and wrapped in blue scrubs, with other medical trappings.  It took him a few seconds to register.  “Patches?”

She looked at him sternly and turned away, waving for him to follow.  He did, and she led him to one of the side doors labeled ‘Consultation.’  She looked briefly around to see if anyone was paying attention to them before opening the door and leading him inside.

This smaller room, of course, was just meant to host private conversations comfortably.  “Patches, why are you here? Why are you dressed like a doctor?”

��Because it’s comfortable and inconspicuous, of course.”

“Why are you here?”

“Because you are! You mentioned that one of your girlfriends was having surgery here, so I knew you would be by this morning.”

“You have to impersonate a doctor and come out here to talk to me?”

“This is one of the best places in the city for a private conversation.  Do you know how much E&M and nano are blasting around this building? And, this is a room designed for privacy. I guarantee that nobody is eavesdropping on us.”

“Who would be eavesdropping on us? And if we used C2C, nobody could anyway!” Benjamin flashed back to the robbery and Patches’ retribution. He then thought about the strange C2C activity he saw in Dani’s head last night.  Patches just shot him an annoyed look.

“So,” said Patches, “Dani came back really late; I don’t suppose that was your doing?”

“No,” he said.  “She ditched me right after dinner. She said it was work.”

“That figures,” she said.  “I had some desperate hope that you sealed the deal, but that was pretty unlikely.”

“Thanks! And, what the Hell!? Dani told me she really considers you family, and you act like she is,” Benjamin gestured at the room around them. “But, you also act like we should be afraid of her!”

“We should! What did I tell you about forbidden knowledge? Don’t tell me that you bought the routine that this was just my niece showing up for a long-overdue visit?”

“At first, I did,” he admitted.  “Until I talked to her last night. She pumped me for information about those thugs in your shop.”

“That’s what I like about you, Benjamin. You have a trait that is pretty rare in people these days. You can learn. Did you stick to the story?”

“Yes.”

“Did she believe you?”

“I did a pretty good job of selling it.”

“Don’t give me that shit! You’re a blink, the next best thing to a telepath! Don’t play innocent with me. I know you; you couldn’t keep your eyes off of her cloud!”

“Yes! Ok, Yes. She bought it. She thinks that I bought the FUBAR story, and believes that I won’t talk about any of it. Which I won’t!”

Patches grinned and said, “Good job!”  She grasped him on either side of the head and kissed his face. After releasing him, she said, “You’re not going to charge me for that, are you?”

Benjamin frowned in disgust.  “Yes, it is going to cost you. You’re going to have to tell me more about what the fuck is going on! Why are we scared of Dani?”

Patches sighed.  “She has a very tough job. Huge responsibility.”

“Middle management in Texan tech industry development?” Patches shot him the look.

“OK, so she watches over – secrets,” he said.

“Yes.”

“And, she came to determine how much we know?”

“She came to determine how much you know. She knows what I know.”

“And then what?”

“If she sees a problem, she fixes it.”

That statement sat out in the air between them.

“Are you telling me she came here to consider if she should kill us?”

“No. I’m saying that she came out to consider if she should kill you. If she were going to kill me, she would have brought a team.”

“Why would Dani do that?!”

“Because the secrets she’s protecting are that important! More important than you can imagine! And if she didn’t, it could result in a global catastrophe!”

“What the fuck is going on in Texas?!”

“Nothing! In fact, you don’t ever need to say another word about Texas!”

Benjamin put up his hands in surrender.

“Ok. All I’m saying is that you pushed hard to set me up with your potentially homicidal niece.”

“Look,” said Patches, “she was going to meet you, one way or another. I just tried to define the terms. Give you a bit of a leg up. Plus, I provided an outside chance that you would score. And you did well.”

“Shit, Patches! I have enough trouble with women! I need the pressure of being a good enough date to not be killed?”

“Benjamin. We made it through. We’re Ok.”

Benjamin nodded.  “Look, I guess you have to make your escape - or walk your rounds. I need to be ready when my bank opens. I still can’t access my funds.”

“Your bank has a realspace presence?”

“They have realspace right here in Vegas. I figured with innovation like that, they would be better than a big player like Skyline.”

“You weaseled your way into a bank for rich, old people.”

Benjamin shrugged.

“At any rate, you didn’t see enough of those news reports. The damage is so broad; people are so scared that many banks have shut everything down anyway. They don’t want a run while they check their security.”

“Damn! Well, maybe my problems were just the bank being overly cautious.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Patches mildly.  “I’m sure that’s it. So when did you lose…”

“Last night.”

“So, I pressed you to show Dani the really good life in Vegas, and I bragged about rich you are.”

“Yes.”

“Before what was, literally, the most important date of your life! And then you couldn’t pay?”

“No.”

“That - is - hilarious!”

“That is entirely a matter of perspective!”

Patches slapped him on the back.  “Like I said – You’re still standing. Come on, we better hit the guest coffee stand again and steal you some donuts!”

[dietrichstorr]

Still Plugging Away...

I wanted to catch up with everyone; it’s been a while. I am staying busy - on all fronts - but I wanted to give you all an update on the one that really matters, my writing!

Most excitingly, I am finally ready to release Book 4 of the Extropian Cycle:  Legacy of Extropia.  I am very pleased with the way this offering expands my world and continues the discussions of technology and society in entertaining ways.  Stay on the lookout right here for the release announcement, to be expected in the time frame of the next two weeks.

Also, I am continuing to work diligently on Book 5, Extropian Redoubt.  This book may turn out to be a bit longer than my previous works, but I am closing in on the finish.  There is still a considerable editing effort left, but the release will be in the next year.

Beyond that, I am developing ideas for future stories both inside the Extropian Cycle and in new settings.  I hope to make great progress in all of these efforts over the holidays.

With that, I send my personal well wishes and greetings for the season, whatever your personal traditions are.  And, as always, you have my tremendous gratitude for reading my work and sharing it with others! 

DS

[dietrichstorr]

What is a chupacabra going to do with an abandoned hospital full of old medical equipment?

Greg Comes Home is now available in the Kindle Store:  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WGR1GPY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

This short story takes place at the end of the third book of The Extropian Cycle, Scion of Extropia.  For those who thought Greg’s journey got short shrift - here it is – a tale of bittersweet homecomings, justice, and blood-thirsty monsters.

The works of Dietrich Storr can be found at:  

https://www.amazon.com/Dietrich-Storr/e/B07FQZPZFR

Dietrich Storr on Goodreads: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18218502.Dietrich_Storr

[dietrichstorr]

Playlist for Book Three

It’s that time of year!  Below is my playlist for Book 3 of the Extropian Cycle, Scion of Extropia.  Some of these are atmospheric, but many speak directly to the characters.  Enjoy!

Rock Is Dead - Marilyn Manson

Wash It All Away - Five Finger Death Punch

Penance - Device

Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy) - Rob Zombie

Enemy - Blue Stahli

Super Villian - Powerman 5000

Now That We’re Dead - Metallica

Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Supertown - Rob Zombie

Stigmata - Ministry

Open Your Eyes - Disturbed

The Seven Sisters - Celldweller

Prey - Parkway Drive

Rats - Ghost

Throne - Bring Me The Horizon

Waydown - Catherine Wheel

You’re Going Down - Sick Puppies

 The Playlist for Book 3:

 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1i4ObpjNkxNoRPaKeWqeXA

The Playlist for Book 1:

https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/0lPAjWuEBeimpEsAKb42YL?si=GYpAYFpvRlunC1azNZmSNg

The Playlist for Book 2:

https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/2luJLhwRlTVHx2JJrFpdNV?si=6zlYgxjTSIe_ZfFJJtwe7A

Scion of Extropia can be purchased at:

https://www.amazon.com/Scion-Extropia-Three-Extropian-Cycle-ebook/dp/B07V2VW571/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Dietrich+Storr&qid=1564417365&s=gateway&sr=8-2

[dietrichstorr]

Scion of Extropia Available Now!

Book Three of the Extropian Cycle is in the Kindle Store.

The threat to Humankind is thwarted - at least for now - the subversion of Earthly minds by extra-planetary aliens has reduced to a trickle.  The shield provided by the CyberProphet is perfected and now works unobtrusively, without side-effect. There is nothing to worry about at all unless you are concerned with the Herculean effort it takes to support, maintain, and update the system - or with the damage it could do in the hands of the wrong human.

Fortunately, those wrong people are still trying to figure out their exploit. Prophet Corp has a little more time to find and gather the unconventional allies they will need. Will our next savior be found in a discredited Texas Ranger? A cartoon armadillo whose entire existence has been entertaining children? Or perhaps an eight-year-old boy who wants nothing in the world more than to avoid his schoolwork?  

Scion of Extropia

is the third book of the Extropian Cycle, in which new heroes face the consequences of these tremendous social and technological changes. It was difficult enough dealing with hostile aliens, ignorance, unprecedented technical challenge, bureaucracy, and human discord - but, damn these zombies and chupacabras are just not proving helpful.  

The works of Dietrich Storr can be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/Dietrich-Storr/e/B07FQZPZFR

The Dietrich Storr Blog: https://dietrichstorr.tumblr.com/

 Dietrich Storr on Goodreads at: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18218502.Dietrich_Storr

[dietrichstorr]

Hospital by Night - An excerpt for Book Three: Scion of Extropia

Barlow waited until 1 AM to make his move.  He dressed, checked his weapon, and quietly moved to the door of his hospital room.  He cracked it open, half expecting it to be locked.  There was light in the hall, but it was very dim.  When the slight movement and sound of the door generated no response, he opened it fully.

He would forgive himself for the startle he received.

He fast-drew his weapon and barely stopped from discharging it.  His heart raced, and though he did not vocalize, quite a few utterances fought to escape him.

A single figure confronted him, silent and pale in the hallway.  It was a thin man, whose complexion was sickly, to say the least.  Actually, the man’s skin made Barlow think of that of the chupacabras: scarred, blemished, unhealthy.  The man had long yellowed teeth and an amazingly vacant look on his face.  A tattoo of a five-pointed, black star, framed his right eye.  His lips seemed shriveled and weak, and a stream of drool ran out of their left side.

On what was little better than the set of a horror movie, confronted by this, in the near dark – Barlow would forgive himself.

The figure did not really react, even to the gun.  Barlow had to concentrate to see that indeed its eyes were tracking him.  He calmed his breathing and thought for a moment.  The man was so hideous, so disturbing, that it seemed natural to say ‘it’ rather than ‘him.’  That made Barlow think back to something Todd had said about the merits of zombies over chupacabras.

What the Hell was going on in this place?!

“Sorry,” said Barlow.  “You startled me.”  He deliberately took his time lowering his weapon and did not holster it.

The zombie drooled.

After a moment of just watching, Barlow said, “Can’t sleep. I was going to take a stroll. Maybe find some more of that tasty armadillo.”

No response.

“OK,” said Barlow.  He was just able to slip out without touching it.  He started walking steadily down the dim corridor.

One-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand…

Still no response.  Barlow stopped and turned.  The zombie was silently shuffling his way down the hall in the opposite direction.  “Hey!” Barlow called.  “Hold up there.”  He walked back towards it, and it stopped and turned back to him.

Barlow tried to think things through quickly, although it did not seem that the zombie would create any pressure in that regard.

Was this creature returning to base to report Barlow’s activity, perhaps through some bumblebee-like zombie dance?  “Look…” he realized he had no name for it, “Drool, I’m going to give this establishment the benefit of the doubt, and assume that you are my valet, rather than my guard.”

He waited for the inevitable silence.  “I was thinking you could come with me? Keep me from getting lost?”  Barlow was bristling at how ridiculous this felt, but he nodded to Drool and encouraged him forward with a wave.  He could see the gears trying to turn in the creature’s head.

In the end, Drool stepped forward amenably.

Twenty minutes later, Barlow was frustrated.  As it turns out, skulking around an abandoned, darkened hospital with a zombie guide had not proven as productive as it initially sounded.  The hypothetical situation he had presented to Drool had actually come to pass.  They were lost.  He had covered dozens of hallways and stairwells, not found his objective, and was no longer confident he could get back.

“Drool, I don’t suppose you can show me how to get to the motor pool?”

Much to Barlow’s shock, Drool started walking, without hesitation.  He led Barlow back down the hall they had come, making only a handful of turns, to a door that Barlow did not find notable or promising.  Drool bumped right into it.

Barlow watched him repeat the maneuver twice.  It would have been sufficient to open many of the doors in this place, but this one had a sturdy twisting handle.  Barlow reached out and turned it.  Inside was a narrow stairwell, apparently some sort of secondary or maintenance access not intended for public traffic.  It was dark, with a faint reddish light bleeding in from floors above and below.  Drool forged ahead much to Barlow’s dismay.  Fortunately, it appeared that he had a greater mastery of stairs than doorknobs.

Barlow stepped in after him, reluctantly.  He drew his pistol again and watched the zombie scout disappear down around the next landing.  He had seen this situation before.  This was the point where anyone who was smart, saved the game.         

They made it down to the next level and out of the stairwell without meeting a terrifying doom.  Drool then led him casually through another hall, to a set of double doors marked with a sign saying ‘Automotive.’  Barlow raised his weapon and gave the door an exploratory push.  It opened slightly.  Inside the blackness was complete.  Barlow stepped to the side for less exposure before pushing the door open further.

Once again, Drool went right on about his business, disappearing into the dark doorway.  Barlow tensed, expecting to hear tremendous crashes at any second.  Instead, he heard a click, and the lights came on.  Quite fortuitously, it seemed, Drool knew his way around the motor pool.

Barlow stepped inside and let the door close behind him.  The room was now the brightest place he had been in hours, so it took some getting used to.  It looked much as one would expect a functional garage to: workbenches, lifts with pits, toolkits and the like.  The area appeared to be L-shaped, with Barlow standing at the end of the short leg.  There were vehicle bays along the long leg, but he could not see much of them, in part, because there was a large husk of an ambulance sitting close to the intersection.  Drool happily shuffled his way across the area and turned towards the vehicle bays.

Barlow’s eyes were still adjusting.  He called out, “Hey, Drool! Hang on a minute. I need your help. I’m looking for something special.”  His words had no discernible impact.  Shielding his eyes, he started carefully following the zombie’s trail.

It took more than a minute to make his way safely through.  He came around the corner of the dead ambulance to the line of vehicle bays.  He carefully unshaded his eyes and looked up.  It was mostly empty, with one bay occupied with a beat up compact car and a couple of dirt bikes.  At the far end, however, what Barlow saw dumbfounded him.

“Drool,” he said, “I don’t know what zombie valets get paid – but you are going to get a big tip!”

Barlow’s eyes began to hurt again.  Drool occupied the very last bay.  He held a clean cloth and was polishing a golden El Camino to a blinding gleam.

[dietrichstorr]

An Update From Dietrich Storr

Hello, everyone! It’s been a while, so I figured I would release an update today. Book 3: Scion of Extropia will be out in July. Scion is really some of my finest work and despite its fantastic and unusual character, it is the most deeply personal of my books. 

In addition to Book 3 a new short story, Greg Comes Home, will be released shortly thereafter. This story will feature everyone’s favorite chupacabra named Greg. In regards to what follows this - Book 4: Legacy of Extropia is being prepared for publishing. Look for much more to come from Extropian playlists, to excerpts, to occasional musings.  And of course, I continue to push towards the finish line of Book 5: Extropian Redoubt.

Please keep reading, and if you like it, share it!

Sincerely, Dietrich Storr

[dietrichstorr]

Lost in Allspace

This is a busy time of year, so nothing seems to happen as quickly as I would like.  I assure you I am still hard at work, however, and here is what is coming up next. 

An excerpt release from Scion of Extropia will be very soon.

The last edits are being completed for the release Scion of Extropia (Book 3.)

The editing for Legacy of Extropia (Book 4) is ongoing.

I have a few fun things in mind between the release of Books 3 and 4...

For those of you who have gotten into the Extropian Cycle, I have to report that the series is continuing to stimulate my imagination.  When I finished Book 4, I honestly did not know if the series would continue.  Happily, I am now 75% done writing Extropian Redoubt (Book 5) and I am sketching the broad outlines of Book 6.

For all of you who are reading this post, following this blog, and especially, reading my books - I cannot thank you enough.  If you have found it interesting and entertaining, please share!  I am eternally grateful for every Like, Follow, Reblog, and Word of Mouth!

Now, it is back to work! You will hear from me again soon.

DS 

[dietrichstorr]

Book 3 - Scion of Extropia available soon!

James Stattler is an eight-year-old autistic boy who is fed up with the incomprehensible and boring things that everybody expects of him.  He simply wants to be left alone to work with what he cares about - his nanotechnology.  And, with the assistance of the artificial intelligence with whom he shares his brain, that is exactly what he intends to happen.

 Lieutenant Thaddius Barlow is a Texas Ranger with some excessive use of force issues.  To get the heat off, he is given a quiet new assignment - performing industrial espionage against the highest tech corporation in the world.

 Ansel Ironsides is an animated armadillo, beloved by millions of children.  When he becomes self-aware, he quickly realizes that he has more important concerns than what happens to him in his next cartoon.

 Karl Hassler is a homicidal body art enthusiast who ranches chupacabras and wants to facilitate an alien invasion of Earth.

  When the paths of these four individuals intersect…  Well, it's not difficult to see where this is going.

[dietrichstorr]

The Breakfast Bounty - An excerpt from The Extropian Acceleration now available in the Kindle Store.

Upon arrival, Gigi parked and redistributed her gear, an easy enough task since she traveled with only a small knapsack.  She changed into her bodysuit, which would be comfortable for running.  Gigi ran a finger along her forearm, the smart cloth forming the seams to expose her armset.  Everything else she packed away.

She settled her bill and had the rental car phone home.  They were going to be pissed that they had to come get the car, literally, as far from a major road as it could go.  That was on them.  They should have invested in a drive home system.

Business taken care of, she happily loped into the forest after Eddie.  This was literally a gift from him to her.  The only thing better than a good run in the woods was a run in the woods on a hunt.  She still had to watch her following distance - Eddie’s car was not even suitable for off-roading so his progress would be slow.  Gigi could easily overtake him on foot.

The only possible destination was the small town of Tremont, on the far side of this trail, with some reasonably rugged land in between.  Gigi could not believe that Eddie was naïve enough to think that his venerable gas-guzzler was going to make it through, even if he had the fuel.  No, Eddie’s agenda was to abandon the car in a location where it would not be found immediately.  Not realizing that this move was just a few days too late, he then probably had in mind walking on to Tremont, and enjoying quiet town life for a little while, before resuming his flight.  Eddie had selected the time and place to end the ritual properly.

Gigi got in a decent stretch, if not a workout.  She found her following pace, which was just a little too slow to be comfortable.  When the blip of Eddie’s car came to a halt, she slowed to a stroll.  After giving him plenty of time to clear out, Gigi closed in on the abandoned vehicle.  Eddie had found a gully where he had intended to cover the car but was smart enough to realize he could not get it entrenched well enough without rolling it over and risking injury.  Instead, he had removed his prize license plate and moved on.

Gigi took her time searching the car for evidence.  Once satisfied that Eddie left nothing significant behind, she recovered her tracking device.  After enjoying a powernap, she made sure she had a good lock on Eddie’s scent and followed him towards Tremont.

From a few booths away, Gigi watched as Eddie dug into his breakfast.  It was best to let him eat, leaving him a little more content and, hopefully, lethargic before she confronted him.  She stuck to coffee with some difficulty, as the food in the homey diner smelled terrific.

Alarm briefly swept over her, as her view of Eddie was suddenly disrupted.  Fighting the instinct to coarsely crane around the obstacle, she looked up.  Her consternation grew because the obstruction had not gone away.  It was a man in a black false suit, looking very out of place for the hamlet of Tremont.  He seemed well put together and official – like a Fed or a big city lawyer.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you?” he slid into the booth, opposite her.

The restoration of her view eased her hackles down a bit, but she did not hide her unfriendly feelings.  The man was gazing at her directly, patiently awaiting an answer.

“Please,” he said, “Let me buy you some breakfast.”

She sneered in disbelief.  “No,” she said.  “No, thank you. Look I’m busy – and I’m not interested in sex.”

The man coughed slightly and looked bemused.  She had caught him off-guard and apparently misread him.  “Well then, I guess that crosses one topic off the list of things we can discuss.”

Gigi flared her nostrils and sniffed him openly from across the table.  It was a vulgar act, and ultimately unproductive.  “You smell funny,” she said.

“Yes. Well, sorry, but if you don’t mind, I’d prefer for that to be off the list as well, Ms. LaBête. Or may I call you Gigi?”  Before her anger could flare, he said, “I’m sorry. My name is Bob.”  He extended a hand.

Gigi stared at the offered appendage suspiciously.  

“Is that Edward Huỳnh behind me? Naturally, that’s how I found you.”

“Keep your voice down!” she snarled, although his voice had been perfectly discreet, and he had made no gestures.  “What’s your game, Bob?”

“No games. I’m just looking to hire a hunter, and you come highly recommended.”

“But you located me, you say, through the target I was after. Doesn’t seem like you really need a hunter.”

“Oh, I just dabble – and I have a limited playbook. I’m not a professional like you.”

Gigi was frustrated and intrigued at the way she could not get a handle on this strange man.

“If you will take my commission right now,” he continued, “I will pay you what Eddie was worth, on top of a generous fee for the job I have in mind.”

Gigi shook her head vehemently.  “I can’t do that. If you did your homework on me, you would know I work one job at a time, to the end, no diversions.”

“I did, and I do,” said Bob.  “I was just curious to hear it from you. From what I understand, you also don’t take in anybody who is innocent.”

“That’s right.”

“So what if I told you Eddie didn’t do it?”

“I would thank you to keep your opinions to yourself.”

“You determine guilt for yourself.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have pursued the bounty or chased him this far if I wasn’t fairly sure,” She glanced quickly at the fugitive, “But, we’ll know soon enough.”

“Well, I don’t want to detain you - but I am absolutely convinced that I have the right woman. Finish your business with Eddie, and then you must come to work for me.”

Gigi scratched herself behind her ear.  “You make no sense whatsoever – but I’ll be back.”  Gigi stood up and looked over at Eddie’s booth.  He was utterly focused on the last remnants of his meal.  Gigi took a breath and walked over to him.

She had been determined to stretch her weak skills: bat her eyes, and try to get Eddie to buy her breakfast.  Instead, on the short trip over, she lost all patience for it.  Eddie probably would not be conned, and with her recent failures in that department, she was in no mood to face another embarrassment.  This hunt had given Gigi a lot of pleasure, but the moment of truth was rapidly going to pot.

She roughly pushed her way onto the bench next to him, blocking his exit.  “I’m tired and bored, Eddie. Did you do it?”

Eddie recoiled from her with what little space he had.  His right arm desperately fumbled with his clothes.  Gigi’s right hand secured the back of his neck and violently introduced his face to the table. Food, utensils, and shards of dinnerware exploded in every direction.

  She kept his face buried and reached over with her left hand.  She easily drove off his hand and recovered his .40 caliber.  She dropped the mag and tossed the pistol under the table, close to the aisle.  “Remain calm!” she commanded the room.  She stuck her left arm straight into the air and slowly twisted it back and forth.   At that verbal command, her armset displayed a high res image of a law enforcement badge.  Even among those that would be unimpressed by pictures, many knew that it was genuine.  It was her Digital Letter of Marque - her license to apprehend fugitives.

Gigi carefully let Eddie sit back up.  His nose and lips were a bloody mess, and he did not seem to have fight in him.  “Look,” she said, “I know you’re guilty of plenty of counts of fraud and theft – but that’s not why I’m here. In desperation, you do what you have to. If you didn’t kill them, I’ll let you walk.”

He looked at her, face oozing, eyes calculating.

“Well?”

“No. It wasn’t me!” It was a harsh whisper as if he did not want anyone but her to hear his claim of innocence.

She scrutinized his face, but it was smeared with blood, and rapidly swelling.  His eyes were rock steady.  Gigi drew in his scent.  It was confusing.  The adrenaline was there, but then again he had already attempted fight and flight.

She grabbed his head again and moved her face in as close as she could get. She brushed her nose right along the skin of his neck, his cheek, his ear.  To the observers, it may have looked like an affectionate nuzzle.  She lifted her hand to grasp the other side of his face, completing the bizarre spectacle.  She softly growled in his ear.  “The girlfriend was one thing, Eddie; but the old lady? The little girl?”

He trembled slightly and tried to hold his breath.  His pulse rate spiked even higher, while a bead of sweat rolled down from his scalp onto Gigi’s cheek.  There it was – the stench of the lie was now unmistakable.

She slammed a fist into his right kidney and then tabled him again.  “Piece of …” she growled.  She forced his arms behind him and cuffed his wrists.  After collecting his weapon, she hauled him out of his seat.  Once he was steady, she dragged him towards her own booth.  Bob was sitting, turned to his side, casually watching the events.

“Bob, Eddie. Eddie, Bob,” she said.

Eddie looked at him and slurred, “Are you a cop to collect me? Get me away from this bitch!”

“No, Eddie,” replied Bob.  “I’m just here for the show. But, if I don’t miss my guess, you both could use a ride.”

[dietrichstorr]

Happy Holidays from DS!

I have not posted in a while, so I thought it was time to catch up a little.  I am a bit behind on my personal literary schedule, but lately, most of my time has been eaten up by the kind of realspace cloud engineering that pays my mortgage.  I am, however, always at work on the writing!  This is what I have been up to:

Still trying to figure out this promotion and marketing stuff for the books - I have no natural affinity or talent for it.

I have been working hard on finishing the 5th book of the cycle, Extropian Redoubt.  I am about 85,000 words in.

I recently posted a playlist for the 2nd book, The Extropian Acceleration.

https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/2luJLhwRlTVHx2JJrFpdNV?si=6zlYgxjTSIe_ZfFJJtwe7A

I am also beginning my final editing pass in order to publish the 3rd book, Scion of Extropia.  This one is my favorite and most personal story of the series.  I look forward to getting it to you soon.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season! To those of you who have read my books, thank you very much! To those who have not, please give them a try.

Dietrich Storr

[dietrichstorr]

The Extropian Acceleration Playlist

Hello everyone, with book two, The Extropian Acceleration, being released I figured it’s time to release another playlist. My first book, The Extropia Interpolation is atmospheric and deals with big-picture issues of society and technology. The Extropian Acceleration, by comparison, is a more a story of the impact that these events have on individual lives.  The playlists for these books reflect these dispositions.  Both of these lists are full of music I love, that can provide some great context alongside your reading.  Enjoy!   

·       Futurereal – Iron Maiden

·       Embracing Entropy – Circle of Dust

·       In the Dark – The Birthday Massacre

·       Pain Redefined - Disturbed

·       Doomed – Bring Me the Horizon

·       Stars – Sixx AM

·       Somewhere I Belong – Linkin Park

·       Electroheart – Amaranthe

·       Science – The Birthday Massacre

·       I Can’t Wait - Celldweller

·       Just a Little Bit – Adelita’s Way

·       Automatic – Deadset Society

·       Maximize - Amaranthe

·       The Animal – Disturbed

·       Worth the Wait – I:Scintilla

·       Then the Night Comes – Billy Idol

Playlist 2:  https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/2luJLhwRlTVHx2JJrFpdNV?si=6zlYgxjTSIe_ZfFJJtwe7A

Here’s the link again for Book One’s Playlist

Playlist 1: https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/0lPAjWuEBeimpEsAKb42YL?si=GYpAYFpvRlunC1azNZmSNg

[dietrichstorr]

I guess this is the wrong crowd for jokes about ancient Mesopotamian sprachbunds, hunh?

Book Two is available now!

The World is saved.

 The Cyberprophet released Unlink, the nano-platform that ended the scourge of the alien drug, Uplink.  Humanity was now safe from control by the extradimensional Fremd, thanks to their new personal cloud prostheses – bestowed without the recipients’ knowledge or consent.

 But, is it possible that for some victims, the cure could be worse than the affliction? Does not any new protective platform offer new opportunity for exploitation?  And, who might wish to exploit it?

The Extropian Acceleration is the second book of the Extropian Cycle, in which new heroes face the consequences of these great social and technological changes.  It is a story of action and humor, pitting the forces of greed and complacency against those of determination, friendship, and love.  Can a man gain all of Realspace, and reclaim his soul?  Perhaps, but it takes slick engineering, persistence, and the devotion of family.

 The works of Dietrich Storr can be purchased at:  https://www.amazon.com/Dietrich-Storr/e/B07FQZPZFR

 Dietrich Storr on Goodreads:  

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18218502.Dietrich_Storr

[dietrichstorr]

Life Lessons from Extropia Interpolation

1. The best kind of animosity takes decades to build up

2. Never buy your boss a big pointy hat

3. Hire someone to keep score during your arguments

4. You can’t commit crimes if you aren’t cute

5. Spending all night talking to lawyers is bad for digestion

6. Even successful business women/inventors/cyber prophets can find time to raid warehouses in New Jersey

[dietrichstorr]

The Extropia Playlist

“This, is the quantum edge of beauty and adroit datacraft. It is the tick and the tock beyond any virtuality before it.

It was a thing of such twisted beauty; it was bound to shatter her soul.”

Hello everyone. With the recent release of “The Extropia Interpolation” and the release of “The Extropia Acceleration” right around the corner I think it’s a good time to share new material. I created a playlist for book one. These are songs that have influenced the first book in some way or reflect the mood of the story. Happy listening and enjoy reading.

The Extropia Interpolation

•           Digital World – Amaranthe

•           Electric Eye – Judas Priest

•           Personal Jesus – Marylin Manson

•           Levitate – Hollywood Undead

•           Symphony of Destruction - Megadeth

•           Neue Regel – Queensryche

•           The Night - Disturbed

•           Virtual Brutality – Pretty Maids

•           Uprising – Muse

•           Spellbound – Lacuna Coil

•           Telepathic - Starset

•           A Touch of Evil – Judas Priest

•           The Game - Disturbed

•           Neuromancer – Billy Idol

•           Wasted Years – Iron Maiden

https://open.spotify.com/user/fvq6im4btcqzvhfjomxqcv3gn/playlist/0lPAjWuEBeimpEsAKb42YL?si=qXYH6svDQ3KCn6hYKAn7eg 

[dietrichstorr]

The Extropian Acceleration:  Coming in September

Gigi led a simple, happy life.  She was a family girl, splitting her time between playing virtual reality games with her siblings and manhunting dangerous fugitives for the bounties. She really botched it though, when she accepted a lucrative but unusual offer: locate a fabled and elusive hacker - just to deliver a job offer.

 Now, everyone wants a piece of Gigi.  The hacker wants her body - to fill out the roster of his tier one professional VR sports team.  Her employer wants her soul, because that is apparently how demonic sorcerers get ahead in this world.  Worst of all, the hacker's partner wants her heart.  Afflicted by an unprecedented syndrome of physical, psychological, and nanotechnological ailments - he has decided that the tough love of a woman like Gigi is the only thing that can sustain his life until he is cured.

 Of course, none of them realizes that they are pawns in a bigger scheme.  The world's most powerful megacorp has put their little drama in motion, in order to prove that the secrets to the technology that protects us all from alien enslavement could not be stolen.  As it turns out, Gigi and her motley band of admirers are an extremely dangerous test case.