- Sebastian Ives
If it's all you've ever known, if there is no comparable, then is it bad? In a post-apocalyptic world where would your moral compass sit?!
Phase Lock is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel.
Earth’s rotation has slowed and now matches its orbit with the sun. The resulting natural disasters and panic-fuelled nuclear war has decimated the global population and laid waste to civilisation.
One side of the planet is in the constant glare of the sun. It is a desert, scorched and desolate. The other side is a completely frozen landscape – neither is habitable or even navigable. In the twilight shadow between the two extremes there exist pockets of life. They are all disconnected, isolated and all unknowing of the others existence, all too wary to venture out into the wastelands. Each assumes they are alone.
One such vestige of civilisation is the city of Axiom, a self-sufficient community ruled by a cruel dictatorship. Time has erased any memory of a different way of life, Its Residents accept their day to day existence, never questioning and willingly following the rules without a hint of curiosity for what may lie beyond their walls.
Bevan Hughes has never known anything different but since his world was torn apart by the abduction of his wife he has begun to question it all! Plagued by nightmares and a longing for his missing wife, Bevan is taking risks to learn more in the hope that he will find her. However in doing so uncovers a truth, a hope and a plan of murderous intent.
Meanwhile, Rosalyn Torres, a crack sniper and deadly assassin who once embraced her role in enforcing the rules of the regime, faces a similar life shattering incident which sees her embark on a mission of revenge. She finds herself battling those she once obeyed and all for the cause of saving a child she never knew she was capable of caring for.
Their paths cross as they find themselves fleeing from Axiom out into the unknown desolation beyond the city walls…
First and foremost Seb is a father to a truly amazing young, just-toddling daughter and husband to a loving and incredibly supportive wife. He has three siblings and is the eldest son of two loving parents. Professionally he is a manager of an events team for a large global multidisciplinary professional engineering institution.
He has a degree in Film, Media and Video Production (which already sounds wildly out of date!).
When not writing Seb loves to read, ‘sample’ ales with friends, socialise with his family and is a blindly optimistic Liverpool fan.
For the past four years Phase Lock has been something of a labour of love. Seb has always been fascinated with images, books, films and anything remotely linked with the idea of an apocalypse, the end of the world and how one may have to exist in such an environment.
Whilst on one long and dull train journey he decided he would attempt to turn his hand to writing a book set in such a place. An idea began to form in his mind, an idea fuelled by a question – “if all that you do is all you've ever known then is it bad?’
The cattle’s breath could be seen in the freezing air of the early morning. They had huddled together for warmth in a corner on the far side of the compound, heads bowed against the wind, in a circle of dim light afforded by one of the overhanging lamps.
The Farm, or Jurisdiction 13, was roughly a square mile of cattle sheds, free range paddocks and feeding stations. It was encircled and sectioned off into smaller pens to segregate the herds by twelve foot tall electric fencing atop of which sat coils of vicious barbed wire. It housed around two and a half thousand head of cattle and was lit by oil burning lamps and was overlooked by armed guard towers – the meat was one of the most precious commodities in all the city, a delicacy enjoyed by only a select few high ranking officials regularly and the average Resident just once a year at a graduation ceremony.
The slaughter of cattle was best conducted from the towers; it was not always safe to venture into the pens - one could be quickly overrun by a herd. As such, the animals were guarded from the outside by guns and kept in by the electric fencing. No one got in, none left alive.
Update!
Monday, 5 November 2018
Hello everyone,
It's been a while since my last update triumphantly announcing we had made it to 100% funding...apologies for radio silence since then, but here is a bit of an insight as to the process so far and where we are at:
First of all I was put in touch with a structural editor, a quite brilliant story teller by the name of Hal Duncan, who spent a couple of weeks re-ordering the work…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
We did it!!!
Thursday, 18 January 2018
A very VERY overdue update for everyone, but, and i'll be honest, I had begun to lose faith(!), it's an update that I've been dreaming of writing since the day the Phase Lock campaign launched 318 days ago - I am utterly delighted to confirm that with the help of all my amazing supporters we have reached the 100% funded mark!
105% to be precise.
I only want to say that I forever grateful…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Pitch from Pledge Party...
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Evening everyone, just a quick update to let you know that the Pledge Party went well Monday evening! There was a good turnout, probably around 40 people who came along to support and listen to the pitches of myself and 7 other Unbound authors.
We had a real mixed bag of genres and all had a really great story to tell be it fiction or fact! There were four autobiogrpahies covering issues and experiences…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Finished Phase Lock artwork!
Thursday, 1 June 2017
Good evening readers!
Exciting quick update and first reveal of some artwork that has been finalised inspired by Phase Lock!
When I was first setting up my Unbound project I knew I wanted to create some interesting and different pledge rewards. I had a look through other live projects to see what others had done - I was determined to offer my backers the opportunity to get something cool in…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
'Digit Dipper' - recipe
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Sincere apologies to all for my criminal lack of content for the past couple of weeks! I've hit a bit of a wall, the pledges are still coming in but at a slower rate...that said I'm immensely confident that i'll get the high ticket pledge levels purchased in the coming weeks. I've also worked up a flyer to distribute to generate some more interest... Then we should be there, 100% funded and on to…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Free postage - time to upgrade!
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Evening people!
A really swift update - you may have seen on social media, but as a direct reminder for those of you who have pledged to the digital only category, if you upgrade to a pledge level with a paperback reward the postage is FREE until this Sunday 30th April (reduced for international deliveries). Simply upgrade your pledge and input code 'FREESHIPPING' to get your copy sent to your…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Post-Apocalyptic Bliss!
Monday, 3 April 2017
Evening people!
So I mention in my profile that I'm a bit obsessed with the whole post-apocalyptic thing. During long plane, train and automobile journeys it's often where my mind drifts - what would this place look like/ be like post-apocalypse? What would these people be like? would they survive? would they be baddies or goodies!? How would I fare if it all happened now? How would I get back…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Something to whet the appetite & coincidental brilliant artwork.
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Hi all
Fantastic news - we have hit 30% and all well within the estimated one month target time frame - THANK YOU!!
I thought it only fair therefore to offer up some more content from my draft manuscript - I've chosen the following short section for two reasons:
1. - It should hopefully be a teaser of things to come in terms of my writing style and also a 'scene' with some growing tension…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Thank you & relationships...
Thursday, 23 March 2017
Quarter of the way there!
25% of funding secured!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my incredible supporters! Your pledges are so very gratefully received and I'm really delighted with the start we've made in the mission to get Phase Llock committed to print!
You guys have been such a boost to my confidence in my work and to my faith in this process - we WILL get there!
I've also…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
10:12 & other musings
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Right 10 days in 12% funded...a solid start!
Massive thanks to all those who have pledged their support, keep spreading the word guys and get more to follow your sensible lead! I'm working hard to contact (literally!) everyone I know or have known to plea.
I'm investigating various forums to appeal to the group of people I dont know but I hope are buy-in to the subject matter - the post apocalyptic…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
Here we go!
Tuesday, 7 March 2017
So the baby is in bed, the wife is in the bath and i'm writing the first few words and sentences of the first blog of what is a tremendously exciting process - crowdfunding to generate the funds for my debut novel Phase Lock!
I'd never written even a short story before I started on Phase Lock, let alone a complete manuscript for a book(!) but it was a process that just kept on giving - from occupying…
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- Posted on Axiom by Sebastian Ives
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