No Redeemed?

 

The new Steven Spielberg film Disclosure Day, see: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2026/06/disclosure-day-film-review.html, has been criticized for ending too abruptly. I think enough people have seen it now to make spoilers fairly redundant. In the final scene the heroes battle the villains to take control of a TV studio. The heroes win and broadcast an array of classified UFO videos on the global networks, and even invite a real alien in front of the camera; an act of "catastrophic Disclosure". We are shown many shots of people standing still in silence watching the broadcast. Then we see Margaret, the heroine, sitting in front on the TV cameras as newsreader and she simply says: "Listen." What happens next?... Nothing, the playback simply cuts to the credits. Nothing happens next; that's the end of the film. To begin with I agreed with the people who said that this finale is a bit too truncated and sudden. There should have been some kind of epilogue scene in which we see the results of Disclosure on the world at large. However, over time and with reflection, and a couple more viewings on the movie now I have it on home media, see: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2026/09/disclosure-day-dvd.html, I've changed my mind. I think that moment was the right moment to end the story. The reason I think so is because of an article I wrote a while ago. It's to do with something said by the British author China Miéville, that it is not possible to produce a credible and inventive fictional portrayal of a social order on the other side of some catalyzing and revolutionary transformation. The Legacy Prorgramme has us so hypnotized and institutionalized that we cannot think beyond it and any attempt to do so will inevitably fail and produce something domesticated, banal, trite and dull, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2023/12/piw-in-fiction.html. I find myself agreeing with China and this is why I think Spielberg and Koepp did the right thing in terminating the narrative at that point.

That forces me to confront an uncomfortable question: What about Redeemed? The third instalment of the Roswell trilogy, Roswell Redeemed- Humanity After Disclosure, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2018/12/roswell-redeemed-is-here.html. I won't give you any spoilers, but the three books can be summarized thus: Rising, fake Disclosure; Revealed, real Disclosure, Redeemed, what happens afterwards? The title gives it away, actually. I've come to see the final book as lesser compared to the first and second. I don't think Brendan Quilley is as deep and complex a character as Siobhan and Clane. He doesn't develop and contemplate in the way his sister and father do. I've come to see him mostly as a pair of eyes and a mouth for myself in the story; not a character, but a medium for me to tell it. That is a bad way to write and on reflection it has left me unsatisfied with the character and therefore the novel. Perhaps that is because it is set specifically in a post-Disclosure world, a world that I cannot properly envisage because it has not yet happened. I know not everybody will agree. I know many people, especially fellow authors, will cringe at that and accuse me of surrender, making excuses, or even intellectual cowardice. I don't think so. I have come to the conclusion that maybe I should not have written Roswell Redeemed. The conclusive scene, "returning to their roots", at the end could have been fitted into the ending of Revealed. Despite this, I will not be altering what I have published. Redeemed will remain on the press in its current edition. I do think the final book does have other elements that I like and have value. There is no going back for a writer. Whether I am right or wrong will be judged by history. It is only in the post-Disclosure real world that we will be able to compare my imaginary picture to what that world is really like. I've a feeling we won't have to wait much longer.
See here for more information: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2020/02/ufo-disclosure-portal.html.
And: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2023/01/ben-emlyn-jones-live-at-truth-seekers.html.

Return to St Kilda

 

The BBC have uploaded a documentary onto YouTube. It is called Residents Return to St Kilda After 50 Years and was first broadcast on TV in 1980. It charts the voyage of a number of people who are taking a trip to the remote islands of St Kilda. They are the survivors of a group of thirty-six people who were evacuated from the islands in 1930, at their own request, because their community had become too small to sustain itself. The visitors were all now elderly and were young when they were taken away from their island home. The forty-eight minute documentary gives an informative history of the abandoned archipelago, one also covered very well in the book The Life and Death of St Kilda by Tom Steel. The visit takes place exactly fifty years after the evacuation, the 29th of August 1980. It's a strange feeling to watch these aging former islanders walk around the derelict dry stone walls of their former homes. They appear unfazed by it though, perhaps because they were children at the time they left. None of them regret the evacuation, although some of the older generations did. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB2SQuHAJoQ. Steel describes in very moving words the grieving of the last thirty-six as the ship carried them away never to return. They had a difficult time adjusting to the very different life of the Scottish mainland, as one would expect. The last St Kildan passed away in 2016. Rachel Johnson took part in the documentary and was 93 at her death. She was eight when evacuated and she settled in Clydebank where she lived for the rest of her life. The reason I took such an interest in this story is because St Kilda features heavily in my second novel Rockall (The Aldyth Press 2004), especially in the first chapter, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2009/02/rockall-chapter-1.html. In the story a fictional surviving St Kildan, Fiona, returns to the island with her children and grandchildren to resettle the land. This has never happened in real life and now the last native link is broken with the death of Rachel Johnson. A transient human population began again on St Kilda in the late 1950's and that continues to this day. They are mostly scientists from the National Trust for Scotland; and the military garrison from the Outer Hebrides Missile Range. Typical of governments, the establishment of the Range almost resulted in the remaining buildings being broken up to build their roads. The Trust happily stopped them and organized stones being imported. I included the St Kilda story as a fitting prelude to the subsequent discovery of the Erk-Dwa-La on Rockall. I'm enthralled by examples of what happens when modernity meets isolated peoples; as well as being filled with melancholy, which comes out in my novel. I think this is what draws me to the eventuality of St Helena Airport, see: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2020/02/st-helena-airport-portal.html. It is possible to visit St Kilda as a tourist and the Scottish travel vlogger Ruth Aisling has done so, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uar6xdpRxpc.

Roswell Sales Increase

 

I've just had a rather pleasant surprise. The way my book publishing works is that I receive a royalty payment from The Aldyth Press' print-on-demand platform once every three months. I've just had one for £287. Since the first book was published ten years ago these quarterly payments have averaged about £40 to £80. They have been consistent, but have never radically increased. I've certainly never had one half as high as the one I've just received, except during the three launches. What has caused this sudden boom-time? I don't know. I have not bought any extra ad space. I have not just had a major review. I have mentioned my books during a few interviews, but then again I always do that anyway. I'd like to find out what did the trick because then I'll do much more of it. Is this upwardly mobile trend going to continue? Obviously I hope so. Then again it could be just a blip. Time will tell. Either way, if you are one of my customers who has contributed to this mysterious bonanza... thank you very much! Do tell others about Roswell Rising and its sequels. I have kept my sales stats a secret until now because the trolls would have responded with both "It's a grift!" and "Pah! What a failed author he is!" without understanding the contradiction between those two smears. In order to pre-empt them against another accusation they're bound to make: yes, I will be telling my accountant about this. The last thing I want is the taxman spoiling the occasion by kicking my door down. I hope all my new readers really enjoy the books.
Roswell Rising is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2016/08/roswell-rising-is-here.html.
Roswell Revealed is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2017/10/roswell-revealed-is-here.html.
Roswell Redeemed is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2018/12/roswell-redeemed-is-here.html.

Rising Review by Brian Allan

 

I have had a new review written for Roswell Rising- a Novel of Disclosure. It is by a good friend of mine somebody I've known since 2006 when we met at the Probe conference; Brian J Allan, see here for an interview we did: https://hpanwo-radio.blogspot.com/2016/09/programme-204-podcast-brian-allan.html. Brian is a highly experienced paranormal and UFO investigator from Scotland and says the following about Roswell Rising:
The author of this book, Roswell Rising- A Novel of Disclosure has a profound knowledge of both UFOlogy and the paranormal, and it shows. This is a fast-paced entry into the ever-popular UFO disclosure genre and skilfully blends conspiracy fiction with action-thriller elements. The author promotes the popular notion that governments have long concealed extraterrestrial contact, and the novel's central premise revolves around what happens when those secrets finally begin to unravel, pretty much as they are doing right now. The story follows a group of protagonists drawn from military, intelligence, and civilian backgrounds as they uncover layers of hidden knowledge tied to the Roswell incident. The author's strength lies in his ability to keep the plot moving; the narrative rarely slows down, and readers looking for momentum-driven storytelling will likely find themselves pulled along by its urgency. There's an almost cinematic quality to many scenes, with quick cuts between perspectives and a steady escalation of stakes. Where the novel really stands out though, is in its unapologetic embrace of conspiracy culture. It doesn't just flirt with "what if's" and "maybe's" it dives in headfirst, presenting a world where suppressed technologies, secret alliances, and extraterrestrial truths are not just possible, but imminent. For readers who enjoy speculative fiction rooted in real-world myths and government secrecy, this aspect is particularly engaging. Overall, Roswell Rising is an entertaining thriller, which prioritises big ideas and relentless pacing, making it a solid choice for fans of UFO lore and disclosure narratives. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Brian for that and I'm glad he liked the book; but, to be honest, even if he didn't, any respectable reader's opinion will gain the book attention and therefore sales. Brian is plain-speaking and would be honest about his views if he didn't enjoy it. He knows that I wouldn't get offended as a result. If you want to be a successful author you have to grow a very thick skin! My advice to new author-publishers is that not a wasted penny is spent by sending out review copies. For the price of just a single book, the right review in the right place and at the right time, by the right person can be as beneficial as a thousand pound advertising campaign. Brian has not published his review independently yet, but he plans to put it on retailers' pages and, hopefully, in magazines. He's a respected voice in the paranormal community and so will encourage many people to purchase. It's almost ten years since the book was published and back then I also had a review by Steve Mera from Phenomena magazine, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2016/10/roswell-rising-review-in-phenomena.html. I've had some problems from certain quarters in this regard, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-trolls.html; but Brian and Steve's support has more than made up for it.
See here for details about the book: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2016/08/roswell-rising-is-here.html.

New Roswell Movie

 

Literature should have a completely random output seeing as it is the work of individuals, usually working completely alone. We should see books and films about all kinds of things popping up without any reason or pattern, but that's not the case. Fiction is far more governed by fads and trends. Waves of concepts come and go in an organized pattern like current affairs. The possible reasons for this are interesting to contemplate. Obviously writers are inspired by the real world and then by other writers, so there is a growing snowball effect once one writer publishes something; however the authors' coach Jane Dorner thinks it's caused by something "morphic". That could be the case, but whatever the reason, right now the prevailing direction seems to be towards the UFO Disclosure issue. This is good news for me because, of course, that is the central theme of my own works and so it will definitely contribute to my sales figures, see: 
Roswell Rising is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2016/08/roswell-rising-is-here.html.
Roswell Revealed is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2017/10/roswell-revealed-is-here.html.
Roswell Redeemed is here!: http://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2018/12/roswell-redeemed-is-here.html.
 
As I've said before, I got the idea for Roswell Rising after listening to an interview with Stephen Bassett, see: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2015/07/aurora-novel-of-disclosure-sample-first.html. It struck me immediately that this was a really fertile and original idea and that I wouldn't be the only person who would come up with it. Therefore I must admit I felt a sense of urgency is getting Rising written and published. There is no copyright on new ideas, but I wanted to win the inevitable race. As it happened I needn't have worried. A decade later there is still no other fictional work on paper or on the screen that tells an alternative history of the Roswell incident; my works remain unique. Today that might be about to change. The Hollywood Reporter has brought out an article that discusses how fashionable the concept of UFO Disclosure is in fiction. Of course we're all aware of the upcoming film by Steven Spielberg called Disclosure Day, see: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2026/02/disclosure-day-trailer-livestream.html. It turns out this hotly anticipated release is not alone; there are others coming up the pike. Joseph Kosinski, who recently brought us Top Gun Maverick starring Tom Cruise, is making something similar with David Grusch as a consultant. Another creator is Bryce Zabel, somebody I have met several times and somewhat know personally. I bumped into him a few months ago at Contact in the Desert, see: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2025/06/ben-in-desert-2.html. Zabel describes his new movie as a "crime scene... about what happens to ordinary people when the impossible crashes into their lives." He plans to focus on the witnesses and investigation by people like Stanton T Friedman and Don Schmitt. Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ufo-disclosure-movies-spielberg-kosinski-roswell-1236522458/. I can't help wondering if this production might have an alt-historical bent though, because I know Bryce was contemplating just such a project. This was as part of a series of general alt-histories he was contemplating, including one about what if The Beatles had not split. However, I know the ET issue is his prime interest so I had no doubt he would focus on the Roswell episode. He even said so about the time Rising was launched. Does this bother me? No. I think Bryce and I are different enough people and have a different enough worldview that his own take on the concept will be distinctive to himself and will in no way plagiarize my own. We spoke about it briefly at the time and I said as much. So I look forward to whatever the creator of the Dark Skies series and co-author of AD- After Disclosure has to offer. It is really good that the idea of UFO conspiracies is so popular now that they warrant their own innovative genre in the popular arts and entertainment.
See here for further background: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2020/02/ufo-disclosure-portal.html.
And: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2020/09/not-alone-by-craig-falconer.html.

Roswell Sales Links

 

Christmas is coming! I know it's only October, but in the world of bookselling the season always starts early to catch the present buying rush. We also have Black Friday before then. For this reason I have created sales links for all three books of the Roswell Trilogy including QR tags. If you know anybody who might be interested in copies, or anybody who'd like to buy them for another person, please share it with them.

Roswell Rising
https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=I01P8QVdC8bDDoyXlsjlXZ6kY6pwCiUwwX1IGfizl7i

Roswell Revealed

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=6bdgDBYvPwD60Y3kcc3bPBxmYOrKNRO3Epri9OEyunK

Roswell Redeemed

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=BlcqbFrcfd1FmZzV9qRvUMyzljK2Ei0CRQsyOBOwSdb

Redeemed in Months!?

 

Since the previous mishaps, see background links below, I have adopted the habit of regularly checking the Amazon pages for the Roswell trilogy. I was dismayed, but not surprised, to see that the page for Roswell Redeemed currently states that if you order the title it will be "usually dispatched within 6 to 7 months" in bold red lettering! Source: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roswell-Redeemed-Humanity-After-Disclosure/dp/0954222997. Redeemed seems to be the problem title of my catalogue. Along with the issues listed below there is another niggle so minor I've not reported on it, but in my current mood it feels more irritating. Redeemed does not appear when you search for my author's name or as recommended links from the other books' pages. You can, however, find Rising and Revealed recommended from Redeemed's page. I don't quite understand why that should be the case and yet not in reverse. Anyway, it's one more thing to moan about to technical support, along with this current obstacle. I have double-checked with the printer and I can assure you that if you order a copy of Roswell Redeemed- Humanity After Disclosure it will not take six or seven months to arrive; it will turn up much sooner. In fact if you look at the drop down seller menu you'll see the delivery dates and it totally contradicts what is in the page proclamation. However, the latter might put people off before they look at the sellers and prices. So where did this "6 to 7 months" rubbish come from? Was it something done by the trolls? Was it just an innocent error? Some fake complaints? Either way, I'll get it sorted out.
See here for background: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2021/06/redeemed-available-again.html.
And: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2020/08/one-star-for-redeemed.html.
And: https://hpanwo-bb.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-trolls.html.