From The Martian to Project Hail Mary

~ GraydonJonesWriter ~ 1 Comment

Back in September 2022, I wrote about Andy Weir after hearing him speak during ProWritingAid’s Writer’s Week. His interview stood out to me not just because The Martian is one of my all-time favourite stories, but because of how down-to-earth he came across. Despite his book ‘rocketing’ to success, Andy spoke with humour and humility, sharing how social media helped propel his work before a major publisher picked it up.
I was struck by his approach to research, which mirrors my own: keep the story internally consistent, even if the science bends a little. As he explained, the ferocious Martian storm that stranded Mark Watney couldn’t happen in reality, but it made for a brilliant opening. As Slartibartfast would say, “I’d rather be happy than be right any day.”
At the time, Andy admitted his follow-up novel Artemis hadn’t resonated with readers in the same way, partly because the protagonist wasn’t wholly likeable. I hadn’t read it myself, but I understood his point—sometimes a character can push us away before the story has a chance to pull us in.

Fast forward to now, and I’ve finally read Project Hail Mary. It was brilliant. The format and feel reminded me of The Martian—that same mix of humour, tension, and science-driven storytelling—but with its own fresh spark. I couldn’t help imagining Tom Hanks in the lead role, a cross between his Cast Away survivor and Matt Damon’s stranded botanist in The Martian. No offence to Ryan Gosling, who’s set to star in the film adaptation, but Hanks feels like such a natural fit for the lone astronaut.
What makes Project Hail Mary so good is exactly what Andy talked about back in 2022: believable science wrapped in compelling storytelling, with a protagonist readers can root for. It feels like a return to the hit writing that made The Martian such a success.
Looking back, I’m glad I put this book on my reading list. Andy Weir has proven once again that when you combine technical curiosity with a spark of imagination, you can create a story that captures readers and keeps them turning the pages.

The cabin, the clock and the click. An off-grid drama.

~ GraydonJonesWriter ~ 1 Comment

Wales. Pembrokeshire. A cabin in the woods. Early October 2025.

The clock ticked. 22:41 BST. Which, thanks to the cruel arithmetic of time zones, meant I had just under twenty minutes to hit “authorise” before what I’d spent the last twelve months trying to bring into the light slipped back into darkness.
Who’d have thought it would come down to this?

No router. No broadband. Just me and my iPhone, clinging to a signal like a gumshoe to a half-baked lead. I’d set up a personal hotspot—one of those modern miracles that works until it doesn’t.

I tilted the bottle of 10-year-old single malt and poured a generous measure into my favourite heavy-bottomed glass—the one I kept tucked away with my other ‘special’ tools of the trade.

The webpage froze. I stared at the screen as if it owed me money. Was it the phone? The laptop? The distant server? Or had the whole internet decided it didn’t owe me any favours and found something better to do?

Then the phone rang. Unknown number. Of course it was. I let it ring out. I didn’t have time for mystery callers—not unless they were offering bandwidth.

Outside, the wind had picked up, and the bramble scratched urgently on the other side of the remote log cabin’s wall.
I sighed and rebooted my tech, because that’s what we do—whether you’re a schoolteacher or work for a shady government agency.

Behind the cabin, the geese stirred. The farmer told me they were better than guard dogs. More vigilant. More vocal. Right now, they sounded like they were auditioning for a duet with Andrea Bocelli.

I stepped into the night air, hoping the altitude of the veranda might coax a few more bars of signal out of the ether.
The geese honked as a cool gust sent ripples across the water trough, blurring the reflection of the moon. Somewhere in the trees, a squirrel dropped a pinecone with the kind of timing that makes you believe in fate.

I stepped backwards, not taking my eyes off the darkness until I could pull the doors closed on whatever lurked outside.

I tried the page again, my heart thudding in my ears.

It blinked, but offered as much as a novel with a missing last page.

I swirled the whisky and hit F5, watching the page refresh through the bottom of my tumbler.

The page loaded. 23:58 GMT or 22:58 BST. It was now or never.

I clicked on the only key that interested me. The last move in a long-running chess game.

An egg-timer flashed onto the screen. Tilted right ninety degrees, hesitated and flashed off. That was that.

I had released Annika Dash: The Dark Side of the Moon.

Author’s note: Well, this is how I remember it 🙂

Where No Girl Has Gone Before.

~ GraydonJonesWriter

While on holiday in the beautiful Welsh hills last week, I found myself thinking back to when I first imagined the Seven Systems. It began as a playground for soft sci-fi. Distant worlds, speculative wonder, and the thrill of invention. I didn’t know then that Annika Dash would come along. But I’m so glad she did.

Annika Dash and the Unicorn from Space introduced us to the little girl who was not afraid to do what she believed was right—even if that meant putting herself in danger. The story planted a seed of an idea in me: why not take her curiosity and determination on a journey that any little girl or boy could take?

Annika Dash: The Dark Side of the Moon does just that, nudging our young heroine into navigating territory often reserved for boys: engineering, problem-solving, and the occasional heroic leap of faith. In this story, she’s older, and when she’s not navigating alien tech, diplomatic tangles or a kitchen filled with her great-uncle’s inventions, she’s easing herself—and her middle-grade readers—into the world of STEM.

STEM—science, technology, engineering, and maths—it’s part of the story’s heartbeat. I believe girls should see themselves as equal participants in these fields. Curious minds deserve space to explore, invent, and lead—regardless of gender. If Annika’s journey sparks even a flicker of that ambition, then I’ll count that as a win.

The second book in the series arrives in a few days, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think. I’m excited—and a little nervous—to share it with you.

Book Three? Still under wraps. But let’s just say… Annika won’t be staying grounded for long.

If you’ve followed my work on the Seven Systems, thank you. If you do pick up Book Two, I’d love to know what you think here. Annika’s journey is one we’re all part of now—and I hope it continues to surprise you.

She’s older, she’s bolder… She’s back!

~ GraydonJonesWriter

And breathe…
The last time I updated my blog, I was feeling rather pleased with myself. Annika Dash 2 was well on the way to being delivered.

That was October 2024, and I’d just wrapped up Draft 2.

Since then, I’ve delivered Draft 3 (which I thought was ready for publication)

That was May 2025. But trying to align my time with that of my lovely illustrator proved… well, impossible.

With things caught in limbo, I fell into a trap many writers know all too well: rereading what I’d written. GASP. And so began the spiral.

I now have Draft 20*… Don’t ask. I said, don’t ask. Oh, alright—I did a line-by-line review of the manuscript. How long could that take? Again, don’t ask.

A few weeks ago, I revisited everything I’d learned about self-publishing on KDP. That led me to my calendar. Imagine my surprise when I saw the date… September 2025. SEPTEMBER 2025!

I know. Breathe.

What can I say other than this: Annika Dash 2—or more precisely, Annika Dash: The Dark Side of the Moon—is ready. And I think you’ll find it was worth the wait (even if I say so myself).

Available on Amazon from 4th October 2025.
(Pre-release copies available direct from me, 26th September.)
(*I have been known to exaggerate when it’s for a good cause or dramatically imperative.)

Well, that went well…

~ GraydonJonesWriter ~ 1 Comment

On the 10th of September 2024, I completed the first draft of Annika Dash – The Dark Side of the Moon. Immediately, I sighed and thought, “Well that went well.” It’s that feeling you get when you reach the end of something you may have doubted you’d complete. Of course, I’ve lots more to do, but I think it’s important to stop and celebrate one’s success, right?

Now Draft 1 is complete, I am resting; stepping away. I’m doing other things. I found, that the longer I leave it before going back to edit, the more likely I will spot errors or ways to improve the plot, characters or settings. That’s what I’m doing now. I’ve started redesigning my creative working space at home, working on processing photos I took in the summer, and preparing to write some new music. My next writing session is planned for November to coincide with this year’s NaNoWriMo.

This is an American initiative, but it’s been widely adopted in other countries to encourage anyone to write a novel in November. The definition of a novel, for NaNoWriMo, is 50,000 words. That’s roughly 1666 words a day. These targets are important because they give the writer focus. One of the main reasons we don’t complete our work is that no one holds us accountable, encourages us forward, or picks us up when we fall. This is because writers normally work in isolation, choosing when to write. NaNoWriMo provides a robust framework to help with this. Some writers meet daily in cafes and libraries to participate in writing ‘sprints’. A sprint is a specific time, during which everyone writes together. Each sprint can be set to last between 20 to 30 minutes. Far more common are virtual meet-ups, with Zoom and FaceBook being popular platforms.

How will I work? The target I will set myself will be different. I will aim to edit and complete a second draft of Annika Dash – The Dark Side of the Moon. Accountability? I hope I have the discipline to complete my draft, but I will look for others who may need help, and join them if I can.

Entertainment recommendations this month…

Ludwig 2024

I have to mention another BBC comedy drama, Ludwig. If you like David Mitchell, then this programme is for you. It’s the ideal vehicle for his character to shine through. Like Upstart Crow it centres around a character blessed with talent, yet struggling with the world around him. It also stars the brilliant Anna Maxwell-Martin who has been in countless other stage and screen productions. Anna portrays the wife of ‘Ludwig’s’ much more successful brother who is missing. She comes up with a hair-brain scheme enlisting her brother-in-law; the identical twin brother of her husband. Brilliant Series 10 unicorns out of 10

Oblivion 2013

I caught a video on YouTube about the making of Oblivion. This 2013 Sci-Fi, based on a graphic novel, is probably one of my all-time favourite films, and the video reignited my enthusiasm for it. The video goes behind the scenes into inception, concept, set creation, locations, and stunts. Maybe I should be reviewing/recommending the YouTube video? Okay, here’s the link – Oblivion (2013) – Behind the Scenes Compilation (CinemaScope). I won’t say anymore other than it’s a… Brilliant film, 10 unicorns out of 10

Next month

I will concentrate on Draft 2 of Annika Dash and The Dark Side of The Moon from now until the end of November. After that, I will let you know how I did. In the meantime, I will keep posting on my FaceBook page.

Summer Holidays

~ GraydonJonesWriter

Incidentally, I hit play on my iPhone, and my Phil Collins playlist on Spotify starts playing… It begins with Another Day in Paradise. And, as I wonder what to write about, I can’t help but feel blessed that I — even with all my aches and pains — can do the lovely things I can do. Like the title says, Summer Holiday? Not exactly. I got to go out and about to take some photos of the Peak District and the North Norfolk Coast, but sitting down to write was difficult.

Graydon at Thornham Norfolk and the Coal shed

Thornham Coal Shed – North Norfolk Coast

No, not because I had writer’s block. It was because I had a back problem. Not sure how it started, but my lovely Osteopath, thought I could have lifted something heavy while twisting. Instantly, I thought of our luggage and our recent trip to Morocco. Which, incidentally, was when the pain started – I’d found the smoking gun! The last few weeks have seen my symptoms worsen to the extent I couldn’t sit to write at all.

Today, however, my back feels much better – it’s the best since May. How’s this you say? All I can say is, ‘Beware the smiling osteopath’. One minute he was talking in mellow tones… reassuring me… relaxing me… We were friends. Or so I thought… CRACK! Bones and joints clicked and someone else in the room (not me, I’m a grown man, for heaven’s sake) grunted, yelped, maybe cried – a little.

This morning I wrote around 3,000 words for Annika Dash 2. And I’m trying to publish this blog before the day’s out.

With all this pain nonsense, you could say I have had an enforced Summer Holiday from writing. I have to admit, getting out to do one of my other favourite pastimes was truly rewarding.

Graydon at Higger Tor

Waiting for sunrise on Higger Tor – the Peak District

However, Annika Dash 2 is an itch that needs, wants… craves to be scratched. Yes, I have my other Fantasy Sci-Fi pieces I want to return to, but I can’t. I must finish Annika’s second adventure. This morning’s 3,000 words went a long way to take me well into the second act, with the action ramping up. I wish I could reveal more, but I don’t want to spoil your enjoyment by saying anything more.

Doing it differently

While I was stuck, unable to write, I began thinking about what I could do differently to promote this story. Different from the lowkey approach on Annika Dash and the Unicorn from Space. First off, I’m going to slow things down. There is no critical deadline. Next, I will spend more time on the artwork and enjoy the experience more. I’m going to think about changing Book 1’s cover to reflect that it is now part of a series (you’d better buy those 1st edition covers while you can!) I also would like to have a book trailer. This will be challenging as I will need to find some talented people to help me – watch this space.

Latest Sales

Just a shout-out to those people who bought my book in Australia and Japan. I don’t know who you are but thank you. I hope your youngsters enjoy Annika’s first adventure.

Entertainment recommendations this month…

Oh, I have to mention some great TV that has had us hooked this month. I should say what my definition of a brilliant series is. Well, when your plan to watch an episode each night goes out the window and you binge-watch as much as you can until someone in the room snores – That, in my opinion, is a brilliant series.

The Hour (2012) Netflix

Romola Garai(Vigil), Dominic West (Downton, Les Mis), Ben Whishaw (Bond)
The Hour A drama set during the Cold War, surrounding a ground-breaking news show, its suave anchor man, a maverick presenter and the gutsy female producer trying to hold it all together in a time when women shouldn’t be doing what she does. I’m not sure how we missed this, but we were pleased to find it on Netflix. As you’d expect, there’s a fair bit of cloak-and-dagger stuff, plus a clash of egos and talent, but the stakes are high and you can’t help but keep watching.
Brilliant Series 10 unicorns out of 10

First, Hijack (2023-2025) – Apple TV

Idris Elba, Neil Maskell (Peaky Blinders), Max Beesley (Homeland), Ben Miles (The Crown, Andor)
In Hijack, and amidst a strong cast, Idris Elba played a different kind of hero. A business negotiator, bargaining not only for his life and the lives of his estranged wife and son, but the 216 other lives on a passenger aircraft heading home from Dubai. We found it compulsive viewing and finished all eight episodes in just two evenings.
Brilliant Series. 9 unicorns out of 10

Not 10 purely because (Spoiler) the villain got off too easy. If there is a second season (see release dates above) to resolve this, then I’ll add the last unicorn to give it a perfect score.

Next Month

I’ll manage your expectations now. An operation on my hand will limit my ability to write both here and for Annika Dash. My consultant believes I should be back to normal (I’m not sure what he meant by that) in around six weeks. Of course, I might just get bored enough to hammer out something using one hand — who knows?

Outtakes

If I had an outtakes section, then this would be perfect…

When the tide comes in fast and you’ve left your wellies in the car…yikes!!

The tide is coming in a little too fast

Blimey – This water is cold.

Unfortunately, I can’t upload the video showing the mad dash through the water to dry land, but rest assured, I wasn’t scared at all. Honest.

Unveiling the Unicorn from Space .

~ GraydonJonesWriter

The book written for my niece finally comes home.

Well, what can I say? I’d told my brother and his lovely wife, our sister-in-law, Emma, how I’d been unable to write my normal Space Fantasy until I’d finished this story for my niece. And, after several long months, it was ready.

I wanted my niece to be surprised by it, and enjoy reading it. This led to long periods of anxiety, wondering how she’d receive, not only the first book I have published, but my first attempt at writing a children’s chapter book. I needn’t have worried because the reaction from Freya was priceless.

Her eyes lit up when she realised it was a unicorn story and that I’d written it for her. I loved the moment when Emma pointed out that Freya’s name was in the acknowledgements. This prompted my niece to read the front matter, and my day couldn’t have got much better. Even the table of contents sounded so good being read by my niece. Forget the Amazon sales and all the lovely reviews. This was… well, I have no words to describe it. No, I have too many words to choose from so I’ll just say it was brilliant.

After this, we had a kick-around with Alfie’s new football – an official Euro 24 football. Alfie is Freya’s older brother, and is football crazy, just like his dad and uncle.

I amazed the little ones with my Messi-like ball control despite my young niece and nephew bombarding me with questions about the book, Annika Dash and the Unicorn from Space. Questions like, who was the baddie? What was the unicorn called?

I was proud of how little I gave away, though I suspect gasping for air while trying to keep up with Alfie and Freya played a part in this. Puffing and panting, I gave up only a few details – teasers, really – cleverly designed to encourage them to read the book. Freya promised to do this straight away and sat down to examine the map of the City Space Museum, inside the book’s front cover.

Nonchalantly, Alfie performed keepy-uppies while looking me straight in the eye.

“Will there be another book?” he asked. “A sequel?”

The park fell silent.

I stared back at Alfie. Alfie glanced at Freya. Freya narrowed her eyes at me.

Someone gulped. I think it may have been me…

Someone who believes in you

~ GraydonJonesWriter

And… we’re back! Morocco was beautiful. The weather was warm, and the people were friendly. Lying in the sun on the beach, or sitting in the local marina, listening to Billie Eilish’s new album, “Hit me hard and soft“, while sipping mint tea. It was just what the doctor ordered for the good Mrs Jones and me.

We visited a tourist hotspot further down Morocco’s west coast, Agadir. With its long red sandy beach and well-kept promenade overlooked by the old fort and surrounded by the Lesser Atlas Mountains, it was just the right mix of old and new for us.

Annika Dash accompanied me, but only within a notebook into which I scribbled the occasional idea for her second adventure. I didn’t just restrict my thinking to my latest heroine, however. I also considered other projects (First Contact, Escape from Hades), but I’ll write about those separately.

Between walks along the promenade, lunch by the marina, the beach and visits to the Souk, I wanted to lose myself and relax while taking in another story. To that end, I had a book with me, “Run Silent, Run Deep” on which one of my favourite films is based. It starred two Holywood giants, Burt Lancaster and Clarke Gable. I didn’t get time to read it. Instead, I continued listening to a story I’d started on Audible before leaving the UK. This audiobook is so good, that it merits a review of its own and not a short footnote here. I will get to read Run Silent, but not just yet.

Anyhow, I’m not a travel writer so will not do Agadir the disservice of trying to write about it any more than I have. Besides, I’m now back in front of my desk, trying to pick up where I’d left off, and, as you’d expect, I have nothing (zip, zilch, nada).

Then those thoughts writers fear began creeping in: What if I couldn’t complete Annika Dash 2? What if I couldn’t complete Escape from Hades? What if I couldn’t think of anything at all to write about?

Going back onto Facebook — something I avoided while in Morocco — I thought I’d try to cheer myself up by watching cat videos, or my friend, Chris, doing his metal detecting. Instead, I stopped scrolling when I saw a Stephen King quote, referenced by another writer.

“Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to make speeches. Just believing is usually enough.”

I thought of the people who supported me in my writing. What they say. What they do.

Time for a coffee before I try again.

Never let the truth…

~ GraydonJonesWriter

I posted this Facebook pole (which may or may not have anything to do with my follow-up to Annika Dash and the Unicorn from Space) in a group of old school friends. I asked if they remembered which school House they were in. The choices were: Burghley, Sargent, Newton and Tennyson. Being a little cheeky, I added Gryffindor and Slytherin.

It didn’t surprise me that someone would mess about and choose Gryffindor. What did surprise me was looking up who wanted to swap their Muggle life for a pointy hat and broom and discovering Gryffindor received no votes! Is it spooky or Magic (See what I did there?) that it shows 1%?

My programming background tells me it’s more likely to be a Facebook glitch, bug, or coding anomaly; something to make the percentages add up. Whereas the writer in me wants to believe it is some power-crazed alien AI bent on taking over the world, starting with our old school’s Facebook page.

Which do you want to believe? Coding or Magic?

What do I believe? Well, I retreat to that old maxim at times like this:

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story“.

Of course, Annika Dash is just a story…. isn’t it?

Silo (2023- )

~ GraydonJonesWriter

What about Silo on Apple TV? I’d not heard of the novels, but once we re-subscribed to Apple TV, this was the 10th item on our list of things to watch. Yes, I enjoyed Foundation, and maybe I would have written about that had I not been releasing The Unicorn from space while we completed the first two seasons. But I didn’t, and, to be fair, as brilliant as it was, if I had to write about one thing this year, I think it would be Silo.

The actors:

Two of my favourites, Tim Robbins and Iain Glen were, as you’d expect, brilliant. Though I wasn’t sure about the latter’s US accent. The Star, Rebecca Ferguson, shines too, depicting someone thrust unexpectedly into an adventure that they probably didn’t expect but were probably ready to go the distance – no matter the cost.

My favourite characters are Paul Billings, played by Chinaza Uche and Common (the wrapper) who plays Robert Sims, from ‘Judicial’, with a low voice that reminded me of Vin Deisel. I also enjoyed Rick Gomez’s character, Patrick Kennedy, who I would have liked to have seen more of. Finally, Dame Harriet Walker… Is she going to sit on the list that contains Dame Judi Dench, and Dame Maggie Smith as a British treasure? What do you think?

The story:

Without giving up any spoilers, the story starts with two other characters who set the scene, and immediately start you guessing how it all ends. Yes, you do have to suspend a certain amount of disbelief, but this is fiction. I mentioned Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, and that is, without a doubt, brilliant. Very twisty-turny and complex. And I will get around to reviewing it. However, I liked Silo because, even though I first dismissed it as something like the 2008 Film, City of Embers, featuring Bill Murray (sorry, there were many other actors in this, but you can’t forget Bill, can you?) It struck that middle ground that hit the spot for me. Not too long, too complex, and with a twist or two to make it not as predictable as you might think. From the get-go, it had us guessing what the finale would reveal. All I’ll say is that we were not disappointed, and at the same time… let’s just say there are 3 novels.