Step Beneath the Quiet Sky — and Read for Free

-


There is a moment in every new book when the story stops belonging only to its writer.

The characters have found their voices. The world has begun to breathe. The first page is waiting—and somewhere beyond the writer’s desk, the story’s first readers are waiting too.

That moment has arrived for Constellation: Guardians of the Quiet Sky.

I am delighted to invite you to read Prologue — The Signal free on the Stars & Ferns website.

This is the first book in my new Constellation science-fiction series: a story of memory, courage, inheritance and the quiet things that refuse to remain buried. It begins with an ancient relay, a voice reaching across the centuries, and a message no one was supposed to hear.

But someone does hear it.

And once the signal has been answered, the sky will never be silent again.

Would You Like to Read More?

If the prologue leaves you wondering what happens next, I have something rather special to offer.

The first 100 readers who email me may receive the next three chapters free.

There is no purchase required and no obligation to leave a review. This is simply an invitation to step a little farther into the story and meet the people whose lives are about to become entangled with something far older—and far larger—than they understand.

To request the chapters, email:

StarsAndFerns@proton.me

Please use the subject line:

Constellation Early Reader

The places will be counted in the order the emails arrive, and the offer will close once all 100 have been claimed.

Your email address will be used only to send the requested chapters. You will not automatically be added to a newsletter or mailing list.

The Story Is Ready to Meet You

Sharing the beginning of a new book is always a peculiar mixture of excitement and nerves. A manuscript can sit safely beside its writer for months, but sooner or later it must be allowed out into the world to discover whether anyone else can hear its heartbeat.

I hope you will.

Read the complete prologue here:

https://starsandferns.com/constellation

And when you reach the final line, I would love to know one thing:

Would you have answered the signal?

— Rebecca Vardy


Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to Whakataukī Among the Stars

-
Image
Rebecca Vardy's books   Welcome to Whakataukī Among the Stars I’ve always loved science fiction that reaches for wonder but keeps its boots on the ground. The kind of story that gives you starships, strange worlds, and impossible choices, but never forgets that people are at the centre of it all — people with families, responsibilities, histories, griefs, loyalties, and hopes. That’s the heart of Whakataukī Among the Stars . These stories grow from whakapapa — from connection, genealogy, belonging — and from tikanga , the customs and values that shape how we live with one another and with the world around us. They are guided by kaitiakitanga , the responsibility to care for and protect, and by manaakitanga , the deep importance of generosity, hospitality, and looking after others well. Woven through them too is the spirit of Te Whare Tapa Whā , the understanding that wellbeing is not one simple thing, but a balance of whānau, physical health, mental and emotional health, and spi...
Read more

Story Spotlight (Volume I): Ministry of Excellent Ideas

-
Image
Some stories arrive solemnly. Some arrive carrying tools, a clipboard, a kettle, and at least three infrastructure problems before breakfast. Ministry of Excellent Ideas is firmly in the second category. It begins with the whakataukī: “Piki kau ake te whakāro pai, hauhake tōnu iho.” Translation: When a good thought arises, harvest it at once. Meaning: When a worthwhile idea appears — something that could help, heal, build, or guide — capture it and act on it while it’s fresh. I love this proverb because it is both wise and brisk. It does not say, “Have a lovely thought and admire it from a tasteful distance.” It does not say, “Form a subcommittee and revisit in six months once everyone has exhausted themselves producing minutes.” It says: when the good idea comes, act on it. That felt like fertile ground for a science-fiction story. In Ministry of Excellent Ideas , we meet Sibylla Te Awanui , leader of the Kōwhai Settlement on Aoraki-2 — though “leader” here mostly means ...
Read more

Welcome to My Writing World

-
Image
Rebecca Vardy Hello, and welcome. I’m genuinely so glad you’re here. If you’ve found your way to this little corner of the universe, chances are you love stories as much as I do — especially the kind that lift their eyes to the stars while keeping their heart firmly anchored in what it means to be human. That’s the kind of story I write. I’ve always been drawn to science fiction. Not just for the ships, the strange worlds, the shimmering technologies, or the great dark mystery of space — though I love all of that — but for the questions the genre lets us ask. Who are we when everything familiar falls away? What do we become when we are tested? What do we carry with us into the future: our wisdom, our wonder, our flaws, our hope? For me, the best science fiction has always been about more than what is out there. It’s about us. It’s about memory and survival. It’s about courage and sacrifice. It’s about the fragile, stubborn light people carry even when they are standing at the ...
Read more