G. A. Franks

Hi, I’m G.A. Franks, but you can call me Gareth. I’m an author from Cheltenham in the UK. I work in education for my day job, but I’m also a musician, and over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have played all over the UK at some amazing venues with some great bands – Who knows, you may even have seen me play at some point!

I released my first book, ‘That Time I had That Killer Virus Thing’, during the 2020 lockdown, shortly after surviving a nasty dose of Covid-19. It was a short, real life account of my (VERY!) close call with the virus and got some great reviews, but I have unpublished it for now, simply because I intend to re-release a longer and more detailed version. (It turned out that the virus wasn’t quite done with me when I published the book!)

In the meantime I published my first fiction novel, ‘Maelstorm, book one in the Gideon Rayne series’. And yes, it’s supposed to be Maelstorm not Maelstrom! Read the book or its sequel to find out why. (And maybe at some point I’ll explain how the name came about!)

I began writing Maelstorm over Christmas of 2019, not long before the world changed! I finished it during lockdown as I recovered from the virus that had nearly killed me. My day job doesn’t pay much, so I had to edit the book myself through the post viral fog with help from my wife (hence there may be one or two errors in the early editions, snap em up…they’ll be worth a fortune one day 😉

Maelstorm at its heart is a bit of love story to my beloved childhood cartoons such as M.A.S.K. and Centurions, as well as more modern works such as the excellent Gen:LOCK from Rooster Teeth featuring David Tenant of Dr Who fame. The idea first came to me as I walked home from the pub, I wondered what the world would look like in a hundred years time and my Walter Mitty-like instincts kicked in and I began to fantasise about a team of hi-tech heroes saving the day.

I published the book through ‘Next Chapter Publishing’, who were very helpful and did a far better job than I would’ve had I just quietly slipped it onto Amazon as I had first intended. I was thrilled when the book quickly became the number one bestselling new release in its category!

I followed up Maelstorm with a slightly ‘grittier’ sequel ‘Derecho’, which brought Gideon’s story to an end for now, although if the demand is there, I do have a plan for a part three if people want it! I loved writing in Gideon’s world and would be keen to explore its dark corners. (Although always free of bad language, inappropriate content or excessive gore!)

My first book aimed at younger readers, ‘Jake & the Nefarious Glub’, set in the fictional town of ‘Bisby by the Sea’, was released in December 2020. The book is aimed at 8-12 year olds, but I must be honest here, it still makes me chuckle and I’m in my 40s. There’s plenty there for all ages to enjoy. Its very much at its best when read aloud and is quite gross in places! The main character, Jake, is on the autistic spectrum, although this is not explicitly referred to in the book, (See my blog post on the issue). The character is an amalgamation of some of the fantastic neuro-diverse people that I’ve known over the years (and me!)

In summer 2022, I began the next story set in the odd little town of Bisby by the Sea – ‘The Time Driver’. This was a story I really wanted to write, and at its core is about something we can all relate to – that feeling when boring things last forever and when you’re doing fun stuff, time just races past! The book is aimed at 10-15 year olds, but I think straddles all ages. (In my head-canon it also links my two very different worlds too!)

Why not take the time to pick up a copy of Maelstorm or Derecho (or both!) and join Gideon on a journey into the scary world that is New Britain in the year 2120! Or maybe a trip to the magical town of Bisby by the Sea is more your thing!
If you’ve read one of my books, please do take the time to leave a review, as a new author it really helps to increase their visibility in the marketplace.
Thanks

G A Franks

What People Are Saying about ‘Maelstorm’

“Gripping from front to back.” – Amazon Review.

“Fast paced and difficult to put down.” – Amazon Review.

“A future blockbuster.” – Online comment.

“A gripping read with a fresh look at a dystopian future.” – Good Reads Review.

“Fresh, cinematic and exciting.’ – Amazon Review.

“The end of the world has never been so entertaining,” – Amazon Review.

“Grips you from the start and keeps you wanting more,” – Amazon Review.

‘The last couple of chapters were even more ‘page turner’ than the start…Definitely film material.” – Online Comment.

What People Are Saying about ‘Jake and the Nefarious Glub’

‘A page turner that any child will enjoy and relate too. Highly recommended’ – Amazon Review.

‘This is a fantastic children’s story which is very well written. It is an endearing tale which celebrates children’s differences, friendship and the magic of books.’ – GoodReads Review.