Computer
Love Inc. II: Gestation
Computer
Love Inc. Series
Book
II
Kurt
and Jessica Hansen
Genre: Science Fiction
ISBN: 978-0989068338
ASIN: B00O05VR6C
Number of pages: 215
Word Count: 46,095
Cover Artist: Steven J. Catizone
Book Description:
After the sudden deaths of two
previous Computer Love Inc. CEOs, Marius takes control of the company.
Embracing the talents of his godson, John, and his best friend, Zak, he hires
the boys to oversee the Companion Services Division.
Marius refines his breakthrough
technology, the Brain Machine Download, and as a result, creates his double,
M2, as the prototype. Together, they ignite the future of
Computer Love Inc. by acquiring
an elite team of scientists to expand the company’s technological boundaries.
Meanwhile, Marius struggles with the government’s demands for a clandestine
initiative - the Secret Service Companion.
Between the looming government
presence and the overwhelming force behind his new team of inventors, can
Marius survive the outcome of his own creations?
Music Playlist for
Computer Love Inc. II: Gestation
We don’t want to give away any important scenes for anyone
who has not yet read the book, but if you are familiar with the storyline or if
you’d like to read it in conjunction with the “soundtrack,” we feel that these
songs work well alongside the chapters we’ve outlined here:
Chapter 1: Phantom Planet, “California”; AWOLNATION, “Sail”
Chapter 2: Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
Chapter 3: Everclear, “Santa Monica”
Chapter 4: David Guetta & Sia, “Titanium”
Chapter 5: Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”
Chapter 6: The Fray, “How to Save a Life”
Chapter 7: Muse, “Uprising”
Chapter 8: The Black Keys, “Gold on the Ceiling”
Chapter 9: Kanye West, “Power
Chapter 10: OneRepublic, “I Lived”; Black Sabbath, “War
Pigs”
Chapter 11: Kenny Chesney, “Shiftwork”; Alan Jackson &
Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
Chapter 12: Tiesto, “Wasted”
Chapter 13: Mumford & Sons, “Broken Crown”
Chapter 14: Kacey Musgraves, “Silver Lining”
Chapter 15: Zac Brown Band, “Who Knows”
Excerpt
#1:
“So,
Marius, I’m pleased, as I’m sure you must be, that the download between you and
I went so well.”
The
remark was sudden and bewildering.
“Yes,
I am also pleased…” Marius paused. “What brings that up, M2? Is there something you feel we need to
improve upon?”
“No, actually, I don’t think that at all. In fact, I think the process and aftermath
have proven to be extremely fruitful, don’t you?”
“Well,
yes… But then, what is it?”
“I
just recalled an idea we had, that’s all,” M2 said.
“’We’
had an idea?”
“Well,
as you know, to say that we think alike would be an understatement.” M2 paused and allowed Marius to have a
laugh. “So obviously your knowledge of
robotics resides not only within you, but within me as well. I know you’ve thought about it, the
possibility to help the company pounce into the next generation. What if, say, we were to make a team of
Companions, not unlike myself, created from experts in different fields? For example…
We could use that famous technology instructor, the woman from Advance
Propulsion Labs who’s won awards for all of those groundbreaking projects
they’ve done recently, or even that metal-loving genius who combines materials
recovered from asteroids with titanium and such. It would be a team of biorobotic and
propulsion brilliance with unlimited potential!”
Excerpt
#2:
The room
remained silent. Ten pairs of eyes were
fixed on Marius, not even a single person consumed with a hangnail or discreetly
checking messages on his or her unit.
“So then – and
please forgive me when I say this, because often it seems that social
delicacies elude me; I’m sure you all possess unique and likeable
personalities, but really – it’s your brains that we’re after here.”
Again Marius
paused. By now, some gazes had shifted:
faces looked amongst one another, gauging reactions – animals measuring a
threat by observing the rest of the pack.
“Have you ever
heard someone say, ‘Can I pick your brain’?
Essentially, that’s what I’d like to do here. I need your brilliance, and I implore you to
consider this proposal. I would like to
perform a Brain Machine Download on each of you in order to capture your
intelligence. Is everyone familiar with
what the theory of the BMD is, or what it entails?”
If they were not
familiar, no one spoke up or raised a hand.
Again, the looks flashed around the room – there were a few who wanted
to know more, but, seeing that no one else had first spoken up, they remained
quiet. Marius had seen it. Even in the wisest, cowardice lives…
Excerpt
#3:
The
wave was perhaps the greatest in height they’d ever seen. Later, John was sure they’d recount it as
being of tidal proportions, hyperbolic as they always were when it came to
surfing expeditions. But in truth, he
wasn’t even sure how to approach its vastness; he caught the edge of the big,
rolling force in an awkward, unbalanced maneuver, yet he evened himself out at
once, rising up into a standing position, and coming through the tube with
precision.
Zak
waited for John to reach their squatting spot once again, then greeted him with
a seated bow from atop his board.
“Nicely done. But that was great
luck, catching a swell that size. Next
one’s mine.”
They
didn’t have to wait long. The pair
ignored a series of smaller waves that rolled past (though, by a normal day’s
standards, they would have been worth riding), until a massive upsurge formed
within the surf, collecting all of the surrounding water to join its force. Zak was gone before John could give him any
encouragement.
John
held up his unit, readying its hologramera to capture Zak’s performance. He pressed “record,” but then, a loud beep
emanated from underneath him, coming from his surfboard. The sonar screen at the top of his board lit
up, depicting a large incoming vessel approaching Zak’s position. John looked up again, but noticed that Zak
was alone - there were no other surfers or boats nearby.
About
the Authors:
Kurt and Jessica Hansen reside in
northern New Jersey . Kurt has worked in the aerospace electronics industry for
over three decades and enjoys the outdoors, writing, and composing music. Kurt
is easily recognized with a guitar in his lap, a pencil in his mouth, and a
piece of paper in front of him.
Jessica graduated from Montclair
State University, summa cum laude, with a B.A. in English. Her favorite
pastimes include reading, running and spending time with her family. She can
usually be found with a book in one hand and a hazelnut coffee in the other.
twitter: @ComputerLoveInc
Posts
2 comments:
Hi Mila,
Thanks so much for having us on your blog today! We are thrilled to see what you've posted for Computer Love Inc. II: Gestation. Best of luck to all who enter the giveaway!
-Kurt & Jessica Hansen
Enjoyed the whole post, thank you!
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