The Atlantis Deception is my first foray into the tumultuous world of novel writing, and a
book I started writing way back in 2009. The journey to publication has
certainly been lengthy and one scattered with numerous moments of elation,
despair and lashings of writer’s block. In what feels like a different
lifetime, I studied Archaeology and Ancient History at university with a nod
towards alternative theory, focusing on topics such as the relationship of the
Giza complex to the stars;
If I were reading the novel, I
imagine it would come as quite a shock to discover that most of the theories
described are based on facts and evidence already publicly available. A
medieval map of Antarctica showing the continent without ice does exist; the
various sets of pyramids across Egypt do all point to a specific point in
Heliopolis; there is evidence to suggest the Great Sphinx at Giza is thousands
of years older than the current accepted date – the list goes on and on. The
more I read around what is patronisingly termed, alternative archaeology, the
more I wanted to be involved. I wanted to spread the word and alert people to
the numerous bizarre and obscure nuances in our shared history. The best medium
I could think of was to write a novel.
First and foremost I wanted to
create a credible piece of escapist entertainment, but if I can realise that
aim whilst educating and creating a situation whereby my readers can question
the rhetoric of the establishment, all the better. I’m not saying we should all
be looking for conspiracies under every rock, only that it is sometimes worth
enquiring as to why certain rocks are harder to lift…
I am published by the
crowdfunding publisher, Unbound (which had links to Penguin at the time). The
route is still in its infancy and certainly cannot be considered an easy
option. Unbound set a target figure to publish, between £4k and 20k depending
on how the novel is published, digital only, paperback, hardback or audio. As
an author, it is then up to you to market and sell your novel on the basis of
customers receiving a pre-order and additional rewards depending on the pledge
level (art prints, name in the novel or even dinner with the author, to name
but a few).
The application stage is no
different to any other traditional publisher although as a result of the
funding mechanism I understand around 1 in 10 books are accepted and of those
accepted, around 1 in 10 make it through to publication. It is certainly a
tough introduction into the world of publication and certainly sets you up for
the post-publication marketing phase. I now have the hide of a Rhino due to the
countless number of rejections received!
Thank you so much for giving
me this opportunity to interact with my readers and potential readers. I am always
available and willing to discuss my work or wider questions in general. Please
do not hesitate to get in touch via the following mediums and thank you again
for taking an interest in my work.
About the Author
Mark is a qualified solicitor who splits his time between protecting the
rights of academics, writing thriller fiction and raising five mostly lovely
children. He studied Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Birmingham with a nod
towards alternative theory, focusing on the relationship of the Giza complex to
the stars; portolan maps; and the origins of civilisation and religion. It was
within this flame the plots for his future novels were born.
Mark’s
writing career extends back over a decade and his diverse portfolio includes
three novels, a number of short stories and even a six-part sitcom. Long listed
for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, he is currently a featured author on
the popular writing website, Wattpad, with over 6,000 followers from all around
the world and well over one million reads of his first novel. Aside from
Wattpad, Mark is an active member on a number of other writing websites,
spending his spare time offering editorial and structural advice to fellow
authors. Up to now Mark has considered writing as a creative outlet for the
myriad of characters and ideas roaming about his head. The time has come to
tease them out of hiding and breathe a little life into their lungs.
His latest
book is the adventure/thriller The
Atlantis Deception.
Website Link: https://markhjackson.com/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/MarkJackson873
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantisDeception/
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