Inspired by great sci-fi such as Orwell's 1984 this exciting romantic adventure is the perfect quick read for your Kindle or book club.
Safe in the City is a 10,000 word dystopian short story, following Ruby as she struggles to free her mind in Dome City, where boredom is a crime, and love and sex are banned.
Safe from the post-apocalyptic world outside, life inside Dome City revolves around celebrity hysteria, televised public outpourings, and quick-fix pleasure. Everything is on film - life is like a video game and movie combined. But after Ruby accidentally stops taking her night-time sleep drugs, she’s plagued by a background buzz of dissatisfaction, and she realises that life holds much more than the lies spewed out by the governing Alliance.
When handsome heart-throb Harry Heaven comes knocking on her door in the dead of night, Ruby finds a secret world outside the Dome, as well as a treasure trove of truths inside of herself. With Harry at her side, Ruby discovers love, life’s purpose, and how to keep a peaceful mind – gifts which are free to us all.
Safe in the City draws upon dystopian themes of how to be happy, combining them with the author’s own experiences of Buddhist philosophy and meditation, resulting in a gripping plot, heartfelt characters, and hints of how we can all be free.
You'll never look at a potato peeler in the same way again!
This short story always seems popular in Germany!
Community Centre Twelve throbbed like a tabloid talk show. Clammy palms clapped out a riotous rhythm. Boots stamped. The chanting pitched to a frenzy.
“Ha-rry! Ha-rry! Ha-rry!”
The compere knew exactly when to release the beast. “Citizens, pleeeease welcome your host for this confession session – Harr-eeeeeey Heaven!”
The curtain fell to reveal Harry the heartthrob striking a pose like a catalogue model. Twenty-five years old, delicious, and deadly. Fans asphyxiated themselves with cheers of adoration, as he spurted forwards, high-fiving, shaking hands, and blowing kisses to the faithful. One woman screamed in ecstasy. Another fainted. Harry, forever the pro, ignored the insanity and stood before his public, silently absorbing their passion.
“I want to smash that idiot’s face in with a brick!”
Ruby turned to see who’d shouted, but saw only gleeful faces, slavering.
No one was being dragged out and beaten, which could only mean that the voice had come from inside Ruby’s skull. Odd. If this was what happened when you stopped taking your sleep drugs, perhaps it was time to resume the daily dosage quick.
Harry slung a hand on his hip. “Welcome to Wednesday’s Confession Show!”
“Ha-rry! Ha-rry! Ha-rry!”
Harry quietened them with a nod. “Thank you. And now it’s your turn to be a SupaStar – it’s time for the first five to come on down!”
| Language | Status |
|---|---|
|
Dutch
|
Already translated.
Translated by Marlies Perman
|
|
French
|
Translation in progress.
Translated by Louise Chaumont
|
|
Italian
|
Already translated.
Translated by Ramona Di Ventura
|
|
|
Author review: A pleasure to work with - thank you very much! |
|
Portuguese
|
Already translated.
Translated by Marcos Branco
|
|
|
Author review: A pleasure to work with, and a very fast translator, who kept me up-to-date at all stages! Thank you very much for a great job! :) |
|
Spanish
|
Already translated.
Translated by Raquel Bermudez
|
|
|
Author review: A pleasure to work with - thank you so much! :) |
