Project Ark

Project Ark is a YA sci-fi trilogy by author LT Gibbons. Buy the paperback here! Or download the ebook from Amazon,...

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The complete Project Ark trilogy in the flesh! AKA in paperback 🙊 Available now from Amazon.com at http://a.co/eGNTQWe #newbooks #books #fiction #yalit #yafiction #teenbooks #teenfiction #reading #lovereading #teens #youngadults #scifi #sciencefiction #newrelease

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Project Ark Book Review

Thanks for the 5 star book review Jocelyn! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1876794590?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1#

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All 3 books in the Project Ark trilogy are on special this week! 99c kindle deal ends October 4th... Join Earthling Mia and her alluring, other-worldly new high school friends on the glittering, futuristic planet Usonia: Out-of-this-world escapism. http://a.co/jgMnP2u

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It's Project Ark's 3rd birthday today! 3 books, 3 years - now that's something to celebrate.

In honour of the teen sci-fi trilogy's 3rd anniversary, every Project Ark ebook is available for the very special birthday price of 99c for US friends (click here: http://a.co/jgMnP2u) or 99p if you're in the UK! (http://amzn.eu/dvzeSLB).

The birthday deals are running all week until 4 October! (Everyone else has a birth week these days, right?) 

Happy reading! And now we’re off to eat cake...

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The Project Ark book trilogy turns 3 this month! Escape out of this world and discover the glittering utopic planet Usonia... The complete teen sci-fi trilogy is available now from Amazon: http://a.co/caG1LYT 

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Book reviewers wanted for new YA scifi story

The Project Ark team is looking for reviewers! We'd love genuine readers to rate the latest instalment of the series, Planet Salvation, on both Goodreads and Amazon. If you'd like a free copy of the ebook so you can read and review it, please email [email protected] before the end of July 2017 :) #reviewers #bloggers #writers #bookreviews #bookreviewers #bookbloggers #newbooks #freebooks #scifi #YA #goodreads #amazon #kindle #ebooks

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Planet Earth has been wiped out after the most final war in history. The last remaining survivors have made it to the planet Usonia - a secret colony built after WW2 to protect the human race in the event of nuclear warfare.

In the final instalment of the Project Ark trilogy, 16 year old Earthling, Mia McAdams and her friends from all over the universe must work together to save the human race. One last time.

Planet Salvation is out now! And to celebrate, Project Ark and Operation Earth are FREE on Kindle ALL WEEK!

http://a.co/hk3kpYx

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Happy Birthday Operation Earth!

We can’t believe it’s been a whole year since Operation Earth was released! To celebrate, we have a signed copy to give away to one lucky reader. Enter now for your chance to win… Good luck!

https://www.goodreads.com/givea…/show/195306-operation-earth

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!!! GIVEAWAY !!! I’m giving away SIGNED copies of both Project Ark and Operation Earth over on Goodreads! Click through to enter, and good luck! 

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Project Ark is now available on Amazon! Download it FREE here, and the sequel Operation Earth!

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hey guys! getting back into tumblring means I need a bunch of new blogs to follow, so please like/reblog this post if you’re a book blogger so I can check out your blogs! :)

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Happy Birthday Project Ark!

Project Ark turns 1 today! 🎉

Celebrate on Twitter with the hashtag #HappyBirthdayProjectArk 🎂🎁 🎉🎈💫🚀🌐

You can read book 1 of the teen scifi trilogy for free here:  🎁

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The wait is over... Operation Earth, the much anticipated sequel to Project Ark, is out now! Available exclusively through Amazon in paperback and for Kindle: http://amzn.com/B010GDH7EM

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Devi Nair Book Review of Project Ark

Thanks to Devi Nair for this wonderful review of Project Ark:

https://theverdictsout.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/book-review-of-project-ark-by-l-t-gibbons/

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Project Ark Review & Interview

Check out this lovely review of Project Ark and an interview with author LT Gibbons on The Bohemian Housewife's blog

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Project Ark - Chapter 17 - Final Chapter

My shoulders slumped in desolation. I watched my dad walk out of the meeting room and as he saw me, his face broke into a smile. That manipulating liar. Everyone was right about him all along. I was a complete fool.

He headed straight towards me and raised his thumbs in the air. “We did it!”

I looked up. “What?”

“We did it!” He laughed. “Everyone agreed to your proposal. It was unanimous.”

I ran over and threw my arms around him, squealing with laughter. Dad spun me around until we were both dizzy and collapsed on our backs on the nearby sofa.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he said. “We still need to get the majority of Usonians to agree. Otherwise we’re back to square one.”

I frowned and looked at my watch. “We’d better get going; I’ve got work to do.”

  I worked on my proposal for half of the night, and then slept fitfully, my sleep interrupted by dreams that I was submerged in murky polluted waters or falling down never-ending canyons built from landfill waste on either side. I kept waking up either gasping for air or gripping onto the side of the bed in terror.

I awoke before sunrise and crept out of the house quietly so as not to wake my dad. I arrived at school just as it was opening and headed straight to my desk. I slid my jacket off as I sat down and began logging into The Administration’s portal. I entered all of my details and then marked the proposal as high priority. I’d just about finished typing in my proposal when Mr Kepler walked through the door.

“You’re early, Mia! You look terrible; is everything alright?”

I looked up from my frantic tapping and nodded, without stopping for a second. Once I’d entered the last few words, I called Mr Kepler over to check it for me.

“I’m very impressed, Mia. There’s no doubt you’re a McAdams.”

“Will you endorse it for me? It says all high priority proposals need to be endorsed by another Usonian before The Administration will look at it ahead of other submissions.”

“Of course. Just hit submit and I’ll log in and do that straight away.”

I sat back in relief and then a wave of tiredness seemed to hit me.

“Go home and rest, Mia, you look like you haven’t slept a wink.”

I opened my mouth to argue but a yawn slipped out instead. I reluctantly picked up my things and sloped back home to bed.

  The next few days were agony. My father went back on the next flight later that day so I was left to my own devices all weekend. News had quickly broken about my talk with Conan. I’d never felt so popular, but I was too anxious for visitors. Both Stella and Noah tried to distract me but I must have been such terrible company that they both gave up in the end. By the time Monday came around, I was looking forward to school, purely as a way to take my mind off the proposal.

I was met by an excited buzz of chatter when I reached the classroom. I was the last to reach my seat and had just slipped off my jacket when Mr Kepler walked in, closing the door behind him.

“Good morning, class! I can tell by the racket coming down the hall that some of you have already heard the news this morning….”

I sat confused. What news? I started to regret not looking at the paper that morning. I was so preoccupied that the words kept swimming in front of my eyes and I’d had to put it down.

“I can tell from your expression, Miss McAdams, that you have no idea what I’m referring to,” Mr Kepler said in his usual cheerful tone.

I shook my head.

“All Usonians have been issued with an impromptu referendum this morning. A high priority proposal has been submitted to The Administration and it will be put to vote this morning.” He looked at me poignantly. “As usual, of course, we won’t know the subject until the referendum commences in a few minutes’ time.”

My body tensed. This was it. It was make or break for the future of Usonia. I worried that people wouldn’t understand the severity of their decision. That if the majority voted against early migration, Earth would intervene and life on Usonia as we know it would be over.

All screens flashed to life, beaming the adjudicator’s image around the room. I had difficulty concentrating, I was so anxious.

“Good morning, fellow Usonians.” Her clipped, robotic voice had everyone sitting upright in their seats instantly. “My name is Astrid Wright and I have the pleasure of acting as your adjudicator for today’s referendum. Thank you for joining us today at such short notice. It is most unusual for referendums to be announced over the weekend - as you know - we Usonians value our leisure time infinitely. However, on this occasion, time is not on our side. You will have been aware that the government officials of Earth have been in meetings at The Administration for the past week. This referendum is the result of those meetings, and as part of the agreement, we have committed to vote on the subject today. Without further ado, today you will be asked to vote on the following topic.” She cleared her throat. “The Administration proposes to commence migration from Earth, immediately.” The entire room gasped in shock and my stomach sank. The adjudicator continued. “The proposal suggests we begin migration slowly and gradually, as a means to organically increase the rate of construction and production, without over-stretching resources and causing damage to our planet.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief and let my body relax. After she’d gone over the pros and the cons, our screens flashed up with the voting panel. The pros were on the left and listed: additional workers, population diversity, increased funding, and improved interplanetary relations. The cons were listed to the right: small population increase, small resource strain, increased construction, integration concerns.

When I looked at the proposal like that, stripped back and in black and white, it didn’t look so clear cut. I suddenly wanted to leap up and scream out what the alternative was. It took all my strength of will to stay in my seat with my mouth tightly closed.

The adjudicator reminded us of the voting rules and then started the clock. I didn’t waste a second, pressing ‘Yes’ firmly, the second that voting commenced. I sat upright in my seat and looked around to see my classmates’ brows furrowed in concentration. Stella was chewing her fingers, reading and rereading her screen. Al was hunched over his desk, agonising over his vote. I glanced at Noah but he was the only one sat back in his seat. Arms folded and expressionless. I watched as slowly, one by one, the remainder made their decisions. It was the longest five minutes of my life.

The countdown from ten began and our screens went blank as soon as voting closed. Everyone waited in pained silence while the votes were counted. I looked down at my hands in my lap and noticed that my knuckles had gone white, I was clenching them together so tightly. I didn’t want to think about the consequences if the proposal wasn’t passed. I closed my eyes and took slow deep breaths.

The classroom erupted with noise and my eye lids flicked open. It took a second for my eyes to adjust and focus, scanning the bar chart in front of me. One bar towered over the the others and my heart rate increased rapidly. I could hear it throbbing in my ears.

“Thank you for your patience, neighbours,” the adjudicator spoke. “The results are in and I can confirm that the majority has voted in clear favour of the proposal. The migration from Earth will commence imminently. Thank you for voting and please have a wonderful day.”

I let out an enormous breath that I hadn’t realised I’d been holding and smiled with relief. Stella skipped over to my desk, pulled me up with both hands and then danced me around in circles.

Mr Kepler came over and shook my hand. “Well done, Mia, you should be very proud.” He turned to the rest of the class. “Take five, class! We all deserve a few minutes to celebrate.”

Everyone bustled excitedly out of the classroom but just as I reached the doorway, I felt a tug on my arm and I was pulled back into the room. Noah stood in front of me with an expression on his face that I hadn’t seen before.

“You’re amazing, do you know that?” His eyes were shining with admiration.

I shook my head, embarrassed.

“Well you are. What you did saved Usonia, and everything we stand for. We owe you everything.”

I couldn’t look him in the eye, I was so caught off guard by his close presence, by his words. And then I felt his fingers on my chin, tilting my face upwards so that I couldn’t avoid meeting his gaze. His eyes softened and closed, and then suddenly his lips were on mine. A soft, warm, lingering kiss. A kiss that emptied my brain of all the thoughts that were swimming around my head. His hand pressed into my lower back, pulling me closer towards him and my body melted into his.

We were brought back to reality with a noisy cough. “I wondered where you two had disappeared to,” Stella said rolling her eyes.

We broke apart and laughed, embarrassed. The room quickly filled with our noisy classmates and the spell was broken.

“Ok, class, who feels like learning some languages?” Mr Kepler asked, clapping his hands.

  Over the next few weeks, everything seemed to settle into some form of normalcy. I was spending more and more time with Noah and Stella, and Priscilla had become almost like a surrogate mother to me.

My days had quickly become peacefully routine. I’d be awoken by the natural light and birdsong, and slowly wander into the kitchen. I’d select my breakfast and then while it was cooking, I’d read the paper with a glass of fresh juice. On weekdays, I’d walk into school with Stella and Noah, and on weekends, Priscilla would pick me up and take me to the markets. I hardly ever seemed to be alone in the evenings. I was making new friends every day, and I was always being invited somewhere for dinner. I finally felt like I truly belonged on Usonia.

Everyone was excited about the new arrivals from Earth and workers had gone into overdrive trying to make sure everything was ready for them. It seems silly now that I ever doubted the Usonians. They’re such inherently good people that I should have known they would always have voted to help the people of Earth.

About six weeks after my dad left, I was scanning the paper before school, cramming scrambled eggs into my mouth as I read. I turned the page and my fork froze half way to my mouth, spilling the contents across the table. The headline announced that 20 presidents and prime ministers from Earth were to descend on Usonia today. I felt my entire body tense up. I couldn’t believe it. After everything we’d done, they were still going to intervene? My fork dropped to the table and bounced to the floor. I pulled the paper closer and started to read the article without daring to breathe.

Stella barged excitedly through my door and I looked up. “Have you seen the news?” she asked, gasping for air.

“I’m just reading it now...” I looked at her questioningly.

“They’re calling for volunteers to go to Earth. The governments need help preparing the people of Earth for future interplanetary integration. Anyone willing to help out needs to report to The Administration now.” She paused for breath. “Are you in?”

She waited for my response, her face beaming with excitement. Stella wouldn’t survive a day alone on Earth. There was no way I could let her go without me.

I steeled myself. “Ok… You can count me in.”

*** The end ***

Book 2 set for release in 2015.

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Download Project Ark in full from: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Nook Kobo Google Play Smashwords

Or order the paperback from: Amazon

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Project Ark - Chapter 16

I was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. The man I held accountable for my great grandfather’s death, the man trying to destroy the only place I’d truly belonged... That man was my dad? A man whose beliefs and ideals I thought were my own? The man I’d loved more than words could ever convey? The two just didn’t match up. It didn’t make any sense.

“Wait right here, Mia,” my dad said in an unfamiliar, commanding tone. He went back into the meeting room, said a few words to his colleagues, and then promptly returned. “I think it’s about time everyone broke for lunch. Priscilla, do you mind if I take Mia off your hands for an hour? I think we’ve got a few things to discuss.”

“Of course not, Con’, I mean, ahem, Daniel.” Priscilla blushed.

I stood as still as a sculpture while my dad marched off towards the exit. He turned back as he reached the door and beckoned for me to follow. Priscilla gave me a little shove and I walked hesitantly towards the door.

Neither of us spoke once we got outside. Dad pushed on, heading towards the woodland, and started hunting out a trail for us to follow. After a while he dropped back so we were walking side by side.

“So… How was New Mexico?”

I looked up sheepishly but didn’t say a word.

He glanced at me with knowing eyes and then allowed us to walk in silence for a few more minutes before speaking again. “It must have been a surprise bumping into me here.”

“That’s the understatement of the century,” I retorted and then snapped my mouth back shut firmly.

Dad laughed. “Oh Mia, it’s so good to see you.”

I scowled at him. “I don’t even know who you are! You’ve lied to me for almost my entire life!”

“You lied too…”

“I had to!”

“So did I, Mia.” He looked at me earnestly.

I sulked, but I knew he was right. We pressed on, rambling through the forest together in silence.

“I must say, I was as surprised to see you here, Mia.”

I stopped for breath, propping my hands on my hips for support. “Yeah, it’s a long story.”

“And you’re happy here? You look well. You seem… different.” He analysed my face. “Healthier.”

“I love it here. I really love it. It must be the most beautiful place in the universe.” And then my face clouded over. “But you’re trying to destroy it.”

He frowned. “I’m not trying to destroy it, Mia. I’m trying to end this apartheid between the planets. I’m trying to stop the protective, nationalistic bigotry that is happening under your own nose. Usonians are living a privileged, elitist lifestyle on a practically empty planet, while millions are suffering on Earth. Do you think that’s fair?”

I was stunned into silence.

“All I’ve ever stood for is freedom, choice, equality and honesty. The people of Earth no longer have that. We need to stop the lies. Stop the segregation. Now, before it’s too late.”

I was horrified. None of those ideas had even crossed my mind. I pushed off ahead, allowing myself time to collect my thoughts. My dad followed closely behind. He didn’t speak, knowing I needed the time to process what he’d said.

After we’d walked for some time, we reached a tree that had fallen across our path. I sat down on the trunk, exhausted, and my dad followed suit.

We were both silent for a while and then I spoke slowly, trying to carefully articulate all the thoughts that were whirring around in my head.

“I honestly hadn’t looked at it that way.” I felt heart broken. It was as if I’d discovered Usonia was my evil fairy tale stepmother, and beneath all that superficial beauty, lay an ugly witch.

 My dad looked relieved. “I’m so glad you see it my way. If only we could convince all the other Usonians that we need to stop all of this eco nonsense and start ramping up construction… Although with any luck, by the end of this week, we won’t have to convince anyone on this planet of anything.”

“What do you mean?” I asked nervously.

“If we can’t come to a mutual agreement over the next couple of days, presidents from all over Earth will intervene and we’ll reassume control of Usonia.”

“No!” The scream was out of my mouth before I‘d had chance to think. My dad looked at me, stunned, and the words just tumbled out of my mouth. “That would completely undermine Usonia’s political system. The people of this planet are their own rulers. Everyone from the age of eleven has rights, responsibilities and privileges that people on Earth wouldn’t even dream of. It’s a system that has resulted in political harmony since humans first landed here in the 1950s. It’s a system that could solve a huge chunk of the world’s problems if it was introduced on Earth. Don’t take that away from us. Don’t take that away from the entire human race.”

My dad stared at me in shock. He was silent for a while, considering what I’d said.

“But how will we get the Usonians to agree to forgo their ecological ideals so that we can speed up construction on the planet and prepare for mass inhabitation?”  

“You won’t. Usonians are educated on sustainability, ecology, nutrition and politics from an early age. There’s no way they would agree to harming the planet in exchange for interplanetary equality. And neither would I. There has to be another way.”

My dad looked surprised. “You never struck me as the hippy type. I never would have thought you’d believe in all this airy fairy, greenie rubbish.”

I stood up and turned to face my dad in exasperation. “Caring for the planet isn’t about protecting nature so that we can all hug trees, hold hands and sing hymns. It’s not about preserving the planet for future generations - nobody really cares whether our decedents have oil or trees hundreds of years down the line. Humans are far too selfish and short sighted. Nor is it about some contentious idea that the damage we’re causing is bringing about climate change.” I took a breath. “It’s about keeping the air we breathe clean so that there’s less sickness on the planet. So that we live longer. It’s about keeping our rivers and seas clean so that we can swim safely and drink the water without getting sick. It’s about letting fruit and vegetables grow naturally so that we’re not ingesting harmful chemicals. It’s about protecting our ozone layer so that the sun – the very thing that gives life on our planet – doesn’t end up being the cause of our demise. It’s about reusing and recycling so that we’re not amassing tonnes of ugly land fill or harming wildlife.” I looked pleadingly at my dad. “All everyone is trying to do is create a better life for the human race. Why can’t everyone stop fighting and start working together to accomplish that?”

He mulled over my words and then looked at me. “Did you have something in mind?”

I thought for a minute. “My great grandfather suggested something about increasing the population gradually. We could begin selective migration earlier than planned, which would give us more workers to help finish colonising the planet. As long as the number of immigrants was carefully managed so that resources weren’t stretched… It should result in organic, incremental growth.”

“When did you get so smart?”

“You can blame my new school.”

“I’ll have words with Mr Kepler when I see him next.” He winked. “Nice idea in theory. How would we make it a reality?”

“Well, the people of Usonia would need to vote and agree on an early, gradual migration…”

“How would we get it to public vote?”

“All Usonians have the right to put proposals forward for referendum. I can do that. But do you think the other officials from Earth will agree to this compromise? Will it stall the government intervention? At least until it goes to public vote?”

“Leave that to me.” He looked at his watch. “We’d better get back; the meeting will be resuming in ten minutes.”

Dad stormed down the hill and I hurried after him.

“Where are you staying by the way?” I asked, short of breath.

“They’ve put us up at the hotel next to the transport interchange.”

“Would you rather stay with me?”

He turned back. “I’d love to… If you’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Now that GG’s gone, the house is kind of lonely. It would be nice to have you there.”

“Well that’s settled then. I’ll collect my things from the hotel and come straight to you once this meeting’s over.”

When we got back to The Administration building, the government officials were solemnly filing into the meeting room. My dad gave me a meaningful look and then saluted me goodbye. I crossed my fingers on both hands and raised them for luck and then began circling the room to look for the rest of my class. I found them milling around near the door and Mr Kepler spotted me and waved me over.

“Ah, here she is! Everyone present and accounted for... We’d better get back to school before the rain comes.”

The rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur. I couldn’t concentrate on anything and Mr Kepler seemed to allow me to drift into my own world. I was sick with worry about what the government officials would say to my idea. I looked at my watch almost every minute, trying to push time forward with mental force. When the bell rang to signal the end of the day, I bounded out of my seat and headed straight for the door without a backward glance. I reached home in record time and burst through the door only to be greeted by an empty house. I paced around the living room, biting my nails, for as long as I could stand before turning on my heels and marching straight towards the garage door. I programmed the co-ordinates to the interchange hotel, jumped into the cap and sped off to find my father.

Minutes later, I hopped out at the hotel and strode towards the reception desk. “Could you please call Daniel Moore for me?” I started to ask before I’d even reached the receptionist.

“I’m afraid he hasn’t returned from his meeting yet. Would you like me to take a message or would you prefer to wait in the lounge?” the male receptionist asked pleasantly.

I was already half way back to the cap by the time he’d finished his sentence, calling, “No, no thank you!” behind me.

I punched in the code for The Administration and within minutes I was climbing back out of the cap and running towards the meeting rooms. I almost skidded to a halt outside the door just as it swung open and a crowd of government officials spilled out of the room. Everyone looked disconcertingly pleased with themselves, and my stomach twisted. We’d lost. All of us. Usonians, the human race… We’d all lost.

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Or order the paperback from: Amazon