# Ghost Fleet (SF) - They came from the past to save the present



## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ghost Fleet may have started with a song, but I won't sing to you, I promise. I have no desire to lose my audience so quickly.

Lieutenant-Commander Mart Britlot wants to save the human Confederation from the Tlartox by enlisting allies that no one else believes in; Tlartox Admiral Tlomega desires to destroy the Confederation in retribution and thus restore her people's dignity; and the Tlartox underground conspirators--well, no one knows what they want, but everyone will find out.

Ghost Fleet: Military Science Fiction / Space Opera 104k words.

Novels come about in many strange ways. The road to Ghost Fleet is no exception.

Back in 2000 my girlfriend from the East Coast visited me, and I sang to her a few words of the song "Wasn't that a Party" by the Irish Rovers. She didn't quite believe there could be such a song and so stated. My injured dignity (for how could she impugn my good word) drove me--and us, as it happens--to a used record/tape/CD store, where I searched through the "I" section and actually found an Irish Rovers tape which had that precise song on it. I bought it and promptly put it in my truck's tape-player.

She was forced to apologize, abjectly and profusely. ["Okay, I guess you weren't lying _this_ time"--which is about as abject and profuse as she gets in her apologies to me.] Vindicated, I proceeded to listen (and force her to listen) to the rest of the tape and came across another song--one which I'd never before heard--that quite caught my imagination.

Imagination works in weird and wonderful ways. Occasionally there is a straight-line progression but more often there is a jump. Thus, the old sailing vessels of "The Day the Tall Ships Came" turned into my Ghost Ships.

The idea of ghosts has a profound effect upon us. Perhaps their existence gives proof that death is not the end of everything and though many of us 'believe', there is no proof. Ghosts could be that proof. Images and items from the past carry power. They show that we are part of a continuum, that others truly existed before us, and still more will exist after us. From these we get a sense of belonging, and little is more important.

Thus, the idea of Ghost Ships held a fascination for me. "What if?" my mind said to me, and I listened. This particular 'What if?' called forth a single scene and, from that, the reaction to the event from different viewpoints, and I knew I had a novel on my hands.

I knew where I was writing to, now I only needed to get a starting point, a set-up to what I considered a powerful scene. I began writing and, in the following 58 days, I played "The Day the Tall Ships Came" at least 500 times. I even made a tape which had that song 10 times in a row. I arrived at that scene and then wrote on, not knowing just how this story would end. Yet, 58 days and 85,000 words after beginning, I had my first draft. The second draft grew it to over 100,000 words and I've been tweaking it ever since.

Now, I turn it loose for those of you who might to judge for yourselves whether or not it's worth looking at. Please, download a sample and then decide. Warning: Those who hate multiple viewpoints and 'head-hopping' might want to pass this one by.

Inspiration comes from odd places and I find lyrics to songs a particularly potent area to mine. So, my thanks to The Irish Rovers and to you who take a look at Ghost Fleet, even should you decide against it.

Synopsis from the Product description, which isn't up yet.

Ghost Fleet - military SF 104,000 words

The superstitious call them Ghost Ships. Experts say they are scanner echoes tossed out of the past by the Phenomenon. The rumors and a cryptic entry in an ancestor's diary propel Lieutenant-Commander Mart Britlot of the Confederation navy into the dangerous Sivon sector of space. There, Britlot hopes to find help for the Confederation, now facing a two-front war.

As the last living Confederation descendant of the Adian nation, Britlot is obsessed with finding the ghost ships, believed destroyed during a mass emigration 300 years in the past. He dreams of riding to the rescue at the head of the never defeated Adian fleet; he dreams of finding family after the death of all his near relatives at the hands of the Combine. He'll drive his ship and crew beyond endurance to achieve this.

The felid Tlartox Empire, eager to avenge their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Confederation, has voted to annul the long-standing peace treaty. The glory of The Hunt beckons. Admiral Tood Tlomega has focused on the human planet Lormar, with its great naval base, as a fitting target for retribution. She will return dignity to the people of Tlar. She will return them to the path that Tlar illuminated so many centuries ago.

But a small band of Tlartox underground conspirators intend to rake a claw across the plans of the war-mongers, and give both the Empire and the Confederation something they hadn't counted on.


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## Daphne (May 27, 2010)

I have downloaded the sample - having read three of your books, I'm already a fan, so this is going straight into my top ten TBR list. I put my comments about Courtesan on your thread:
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,26684.msg834793.html#msg834793


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Hi again, D.A., congratulations on your book.

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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm pleased to welcome Ghost Fleet as our next KB Book of the Day!


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Harvey says I should make a neat-o post in this thread, as Ghost Fleet is book of the Day for Saturday 15 January 2011. Give a little background information or some trivia about the writing of the book. Perhaps a little excerpt. Good ideas, Harvey, and thanks for the hints. I have just the thing to bring up . . . . . ARGH! CLAWS!

STAND BY STAND BY 

The Tlartox Empire has just taken over this thread and perhaps KindleBoards itself. I, Fleet Admiral Tood Tlomega of the Tlartox Navy, knew that Boulter wouldn't stand up to a good scratching . . . and a good scratching is just what he deserves. For reasons known only to himself, the human D.A. Boulter has written of my exploits, of my actions, as if I were the - what is the human expression? - Bad Guy of the piece.

When Tlar, who came from whence we know not, brought the tox ('the people', you would say) together and unleashed within us a yearning for the stars, she knew that only by remaining true to ourselves could we accomplish that feat. We are, and remain, predators. Others are prey. Thus it has always been, thus it shall ever remain. And, before she left (to where we can only speculate), Tlar spoke unto us, telling us to never forego the Hunt. And we did not.

Even after reaching the stars, we maintained the Hunt. Claw and fang against horn and hoof, or variations on the theme. Other worlds beckoned and we answered the call. Other species became our prey.

Then, one day, the captain of one of our ships spotted 'the Others'. Another race with technology. And another hunt was born. Our technology and tactics against those of the furless humans. Infinitely interesting and challenging, this hunt enabled us-and the humans-to progress beyond the limits we thought both nature and technology had imposed upon us. The Hunt kept the tox sharp, alive . . . until the Peace of Tlenfro. Peace with the humans ended the Hunt and, with that end, something died within us, also. We abandoned Tlar's stricture to never forego the Hunt. How could we call ourselves the People of Tlar, the Tlartox, when we kept peace with the humans? What dignity remains in such circumstances?

Why keep fleets and armies if not to use them against opponents? What use in having a warrior klatch if there is no war, a hunter klatch when the only worthwhile hunt has been banned? What worth have you if you do not take on the most challenging of opponents?

The human Confederation must also have recognized this, for they restarted their own Hunt, this time against the forces of the Combine. And we looked on in envy. What hunt did we have that could compare?

I have little regard for humans. You are weak, furless and, mostly, lacking in honor. Yet, I can sympathize with your Admiral Jens Knerden, who also rejoices in the Hunt. He knows the glory of victory over superior enemy forces, using tactics, stratagems and weapons to best advantage. I understand the awarding of honors to your Captain Ten Llemartol, the hero of Restovine, who drove off the superior forces attacking that planet and its defenseless population.

Why then, do you not understand that we, too, need the Hunt? Why then, can you not understand what drove me and mine to resume it? What honor is there in sitting in ships of war that never fire a shot in anger? What glory in endless patrolling without action? Humans, I can answer that question for you in three words: There is none. And yet, your historian, this D.A. Boulter, would have you believe that I, personally, started the conflict out of a desire for my own gratification. He does not understand.

Without the Hunt, we have no dignity. Without the Hunt we cannot justly claim kinship to Tlar. Without the hunt we are not Tlartox. Thus, if we must kill you to maintain our dignity, to remain true to Tlar and to ourselves, I will lose not a moment's sleep over it. We are Tlartox and you are, despite your impressive technology, organization and cunning, only prey.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I am well into this and enjoying it a lot.
As you probably know from other comments (and my sig line) I am a C.J. Cherryh fan.
So it is wonderful to see an element of the Hani combined with the Merchanter wars that I can relate to.
I by no means want to imply that any other work was an inspiration for yours. 
This book is terrific.
I just bring my personal orientation to the table when I read a book.
And so I automatically start with comparisons.
But I really like what you are doing.

Please keep doing it.

Just sayin.......


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

geoffthomas said:


> I am well into this and enjoying it a lot.


Thank you for your kind words. I hope you continue to enjoy "Ghost Fleet" to the end. As a bonus to you alone (and anyone else who finds it) I've just put up a free short story from the Tlartox universe on Smashwords. Link can be found in my sig.

[Edited to add] Prey is now free on Amazon, too.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

i picked up Ghost Fleet, I'll give it a shot
mainly because I love Cherryh!


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> i picked up Ghost Fleet, I'll give it a shot
> mainly because I love Cherryh!


First, Thank you. I hope you enjoy Ghost Fleet. Then: Oh, oh! Remember that it was not I who compared myself with Cherryh. I like Cherryh and find it flattering that my writing is compared favourably with hers, but I would not make that claim for myself.

Let me know how you find Ghost Fleet. I can take it: The Good, The Bad, The Indifferent . . . Hmm, is there a movie in that.

Certainly, my characters are not indifferent. Many of them are assigned to antiquated warships, recommissioned in desperation. They know that their vessels have limited prospects of survival in modern war; their commanders know that they and their crews will likely die merely in order to buy time--and they find no joy, nor honour in this. Yet, desperate men and women may accomplish that which the complacent never can. And, always, there exists hope, even if faint.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ha! Ghost Fleet, to the delight of Tlartox everywhere, has taken over the lead in sales of my books for February. This is the first month that Courtesan did not lead, and only the second month where Courtesan did not account for over 50% of my sales.

Ghost Fleet has garnered two 5-star reviews in the UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Fleet/dp/B004IK8GJ0/. Admittedly, one looks like a friend wrote it. However, I have never heard of or from either of these people before, but I thank them for their time and effort. [Had I wanted a friend to write a review, it wouldn't look like it.] Amazon.com customers have thus far not reviewed.

The fur markings of my four major Tlartox characters relates to four cats I've known. Fleet Admiral Tood Tlomega has the colouring and markings of Toodles the Cat (RIP) my father's cat, who lived with me from 1992-1999; Star Admiral Sab Tlorth has the orange tabby markings of Sabo (aka The Sabby Tabby) (RIP), my brother's cat, who lived with me from 2000-2002; Vom (aka The Master) resembles Scheissmeister (aka The Vomitron) (RIP) who spent many good years with my girlfriend along with his partner in crime, Shadow, whose markings and temperament are displayed in Shads Efdur. Of the four, only Shadow remains. He's about 18 years old now and developed a very raucous meow after Scheismeister abandoned him in order to seek out his 10th life. Without someone else to alert the household to mealtime, Shadow found it necessary to develop that aspect of felinity to a degree perhaps a little greater than absolutely necessary.

The humans in Ghost Fleet came entirely from my imagination, but with such great feline models at hand, how could I not use them? Ghost Fleet, in part, stands as a tribute to these four cats who inspired me and whose individuality and remarkable personalities reminds me to hold all beings in high regard. [Kinda hard where mosquitoes are concerned, but I'm getting there . . . slowly and haltingly.]


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I did finish this book and liked it a lot.
Yes I also found Courtesan a terrific read.
But Pelgraff remains my favorite.
But Ghost Fleet is a great read, lots of fun and a real page-turner.

Just sayin......


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

geoffthomas said:


> I did finish this book and liked it a lot.
> Yes I also found Courtesan a terrific read.
> But Pelgraff remains my favorite.
> But Ghost Fleet is a great read, lots of fun and a real page-turner.
> ...


Yes. I, also, like Pelgraff best of the four that I have up, but it doesn't sell: 41 books in 7 months.
Ghost Fleet: 29 books since the 10th of January.

I'm not getting rich doing this (it's barely paying for Joe E. Katt's food), but I find it satisfying that some are enjoying the years of work I've put into my writings.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

If your work stays available, I believe that it will find a market.
It is too good not to.

Just my humble opinion (and you have discovered how humble I am).


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Someone just bought the 2000th Kindle copy of "Ghost Fleet". (10 other copies were sold via Smashwords & the venues it distributes to.)

So, I thought I might take this opportunity (milestone reached) to bump this thread. [We can bump the thread more than once every 120 days, right?] "Ghost Fleet" also reached a high of 1706 in the Amazon Kindle book rankings. Rah team!

The Tlartox claim that their deeds of derring-do have led to the sales; the Confederation Navy disputes this claim and ships of the 'Ghost Fleet' sigh.

Ghost Fleet received a great review which stated in part:

"The things I really liked about this book are spoilers, even referenced obliquely."

and I thought: "Exactly." I've had a difficult time preparing a blurb for Ghost Fleet for just that reason. The things I want to say, which I hope might sell copies, are spoilers which I wouldn't want to give away. Well, 2000 people have bought without the spoilers, so I must have done something right.

All in all, I'm extremely happy with "Ghost Fleet's" progress and I wish to say, "Thank you" to all who've given "Ghost Fleet" a try--even if you ended up not buying.

Live the Joy.

Doug


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## Izzy Hammerstein (Jul 6, 2011)

Hi

It's a labor of love writing fantasy and Sci-Fi.
Nice work.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I purchased Ghost Fleet because of how much I enjoyed Courtesan and Pelgraff.
And it is good enough that I would buy them based upon how much I enjoyed Ghost Fleet.

Just sayin.....


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

With some astonishment, I note that I've not updated this thread for almost a year. I guess I should remedy that fault.

The overall response to Ghost Fleet gratifies me. Putting hour after hour and day after day into a work of the imagination brings forth trepidation. Will your peers or public appreciate it, or will it lie untouched on the dusty shelves of time. Unlike a wage-slave job, writing brings with it no guarantees of even minimum-wage remuneration. Yet authors have faith. They have something else, too: The knowledge that whether or not their book 'sees a profit', it remains a creation, thought made manifest in words.

Ghost Fleet has succeeded in a financial sense, for some 4500 people have purchased it. This pleases me, for it allows me to feed Joe E. Katt and allows me to continue writing. However, the fact is that I wrote it with no thought of monetary success. I doubted that anyone would ever see it, though I hoped. I wrote it because I had to. The idea presented itself and wouldn't let me go.

I note that Memorial Day in the US is upon us. A time for remembering those who sacrificed for their country, their way of life. So, perhaps it is appropriate to bring Ghost Fleet to the fore once more. This is not a book about the glories of war. Far from it, though the younger characters may look on it as such in the beginning. It is a book of the sacrifices brave beings (human or Tlartox) are willing to undertake for their ways of life, to protect their families and friends. And it presents a 'what if' that has niggled at me for years. _What if everyone could see?_

And so, once again, I offer Ghost Fleet for your perusal. Download a sample, take a look. If it pleases, you might consider picking it up.

Ghost Fleet, now with a new cover.

​


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Once again I get the warning that at least 120 days have passed since anyone last posted in this thread. Where does the time go? Almost another 1/2 year passed, and what have I to show for this expenditure of time? Characters call out to me to, "Tell my story!" yet I sit numbed to their calls.

I've received word that Shadow cat, the namesake for Shads Efdur in Ghost Fleet, has started the long, inevitable decline. At about 20 years, he's had a good run for a cat. But Shads Efdur will live on, and every time I read a few lines from the book, I'll remember the gentle, inquisitive nature of Shadow.

What are books if not memorials to things we've seen, thoughts we've had, experiences we've undergone (enjoying or not enjoying as the case may be)? It gratifies me that the pleasure I had in writing Ghost Fleet has been in some part echoed by those of its readers who have chosen to comment. I thank you all, both those who have read and those who will.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ghost Fleet is now 30 months published. Back in Jan 2011, seven months into my Kindle publishing career, I had hoped I'd sell a few copies of it. It has exceeded my expectations. But, above all, I'm just pleased that people enjoy my years of labour. That makes it all worthwhile.

On a sad note, Shadow Cat, my inspiration for Shads Efdur, has passed away and gone to Cat Heaven. He was the last of the four whose markings (and in some cases natures) inspired my Tlartox characters.

Thank you to all who've read Ghost Fleet.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ghost Fleet: still out there and still as ghostly as ever. Take a look a the sample, enjoy the aliens, complain about the unpronounceable names.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Well I am posting again because I am a fan.
I recently re-read Ghost Fleet.
And it was just as good as the first time.
Your books are good story-telling.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ghost Fleet

Military SF. The Tlartox are on the move, and the human Confederation threatened. Can anything stop them? Check out Ghost Fleet and find out.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Ghost Fleet

The Confederation Naval High Command decides to abandon the planet, Lormar, to the unstoppable advance of their old enemy, the Tlartox.

The local fleet commander, joined by unlikely allies, interprets his orders creatively, thus ensuring that the Tlartox will pay a heavy price for their revenge.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Smashwords.com is having their annual "Read an ebook week" sale.

The following books of mine are 50% off for the week -- now selling for $1.50 - $2.00 (No automatic loading, you have to load it onto your e-reader yourself. Availible in .mobi (for Kindle), pdf, epub, etc. or you can read it online in your browser.

Use the code RAE50 to get your 50% off.

Ghost Fleet 50% off -- $2.00
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/38098

Courtesan 50% off -- $1.50
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/45733

In The Company of Cowards 50% off -- $1.50
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/234829

A Throne At Stake 50% off -- $1.50
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/574710

Enemy of Korgan 50%off -- $1.50
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/176245

The Steadfasting 50% off -- $2.00
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54720

Pelgraff 50% off -- $2.00
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/20606

Pilton's Moon/Vengeance is mine 50% off -- $1.50
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25791


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

Hmm. Been 3 years since I updated this thread.

Ghost Fleet

They came from the past to rescue the present.

After the Felid Tlartox Empire attacks The Confederation, making it a two-front war, Lieutenant Mart Britlot goes looking for allies -- the long disappeared Adians. Even if he finds them, will they return with their undefeated fleet to aid those they left so many years ago?

Britlot doesn't know, but he must make the attempt -- one which might cost him his life.

It's war on a galactic scale, and no one is safe. Pick up a copy of Ghost Fleet and navigate past 'The Phenomenon' to find the GHOST FLEET.


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