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Peter Shepherd

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first registered 15.03.10

last online 202 days ago

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about me

I live in the Chilterns, just north of London, with Elizabeth, my wife, a Finnish Lapphund dog called Kai and an industrial sized Norwegian Forest cat called Beau.

I have a first degree in Political Science and Geography from the University of Birmingham (England) and an MBA from Leicester Business School.

My first career was in marketing, managing a range of products from dog and cat foods to being a Marketing Director with a subisidiary of Cadbury Schweppes. More recently I have held senior positions with a number of leading management and transport consultancies and most recently was a research director with Ipsos Mori in London.

Structure has been at the back of my mind for some time. I started writing it a long time ago, then the working title was Matrix. Unfortunately, whilst I was getting on with the business of earning money the Cohen brothers used the title for a film ... One of us had to give, and yes, you've guessed it, it was me (it wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been in discussions with Little Brown at the time - they were owned by Time Warner).

Structure is a very different story to Matrix but both have their roots in how our society can be transferred to other 'Realities', and both deal with people and emotions as much as the technology - A weakness I find all too common in most SF.

The text currently stands at about 80K and I think will probably top out at about 100K, but I believe the precept could support a number of stories. A trilogy perhaps?

I now work part time and and I am now able to put the time and effort into a project that has lasted more than fifteen years. Most of that time it has been on the back burner, now I am turning up the heat. Let's hope I don't get my fingers burnt.

If you like what you read, please back me, all constructive criticism welcomed.

Peter

pn_shepherd@yahoo.co.uk

favourite books

Bernard Cornwell: The Arthur books
Greg Bear: Eon and Eternity
Terry Pratchett (everything)

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my books

Structure

Peter Shepherd

The Structure, an alternate reality, is close to collapse. This is the story of those who try to save it.


Michael was once one of the ‘Three’, the creators of the Structure, an alternate reality carved out of the Chaos, first as a leisure park, then later as home to increasing numbers of digital migrants.

But for over five years he has been a recluse, refusing to return to his own creation, avoiding all contact with both the company that he helped found as well as his former colleagues and friends.

Now the Structure is beginning to fail, the cause unclear. Michael suspects an overload and is persuaded to return, but from the start things begin to go wrong and he finds himself trapped in an alternate reality he may have helped create but can now only despise. In his search for the truth he finds himself transported to realities and worlds stranger than he could ever have dreamed, only to learn that he himself has been living a fiction.

Structure is the story of multiple realities and how their histories are interwoven and partially glimpsed in myth and legend. It blends high concept science fiction with elements of modern fantasy and strong characterisation.

Cover image: http://www.freeimages.co.uk

 

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latest

Roman N Marek wrote 66 days ago

Hi Peter, I’d like to thank you for your long-term backing of TUIB....

Tamria wrote 112 days ago

Hello! I see you're a fellow fantasy-writer. Would you be interested ....

ndayerr wrote 197 days ago

(jessica_2vndaye@yahoo.com) My name is jessica i saw your profile t....

ndaye wrote 228 days ago

(rafica_4ndaye@yahoo.com) My name is rafica i saw your profile toda....

Eponymous Rox wrote 253 days ago

Hullo again, Peter. My book's on the Ed's Desk this month and, becaus....

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my comments

latest

I wrote 785 days ago

Exciting opening, lots of description, perhaps a little too much in places, I have to agree with the previous comment - show rather than tell. A great story and an enjoyable read. Peter (structure) view book

I wrote 786 days ago

I love historical novels and this certainly had me hooked. The pace, certainly in the first couple of chapters, was great, but at times I was praying for respite!. But much better that way than the other. One point I would make is that the dialogue doesn't always flow naturally as it could, in pla... view book

I wrote 787 days ago

An interesting idea, a good read (certainly for one who remembers that time). I dipped into several chapters and found it rewarding. Asome others have commented below, it does need editing, the old addage of show don't tell probably applies . But as stated below, this must not intrude into the st... view book

I wrote 795 days ago

Dawn I loved this. I only read the first chapter (too many committments I am afraid) but once I got used to the horse speak i was captured. The care of the mother, the innocence, the flowing text. This is no Mr. Ed. (who is old enough to remember that I wonder!) Peter (Structure) view book

I wrote 795 days ago

A good pitch, a brilliant prologue followed by a good mix of the two perspectives. I felt the dialogue worked well and sounded genuine, the storyline good, and the characters were developing depth. Thouroughly enjoyable Peter (Structure) view book

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