AN ANDOVER author is launching her first book with an event at an independent business in the town later this month.

Cat Randle is holding a free, ticketed book launch of her sci-fi comedy The Somewhen Chair at The Geek Emporium in Andover on Monday, April 25, from 6 pm to 8 pm.

There will be readings, tea tasting, and games. People attending are encouraged to dress up as a pirate, robot or agent of SENDA.

Cat said: "Agents of SENDA can be anybody, from ordinary dress up to full steampunk regalia!”

In the novel, main character Clarke Clarkson is trying to finish his final year dissertation when he discovers a mechanical maid in his attic and a secret laboratory under his house.

When dashing pirate robots kidnap his father, he sets off to rescue him on a time-travelling chair accompanied by his mother, a time-travelling agent of SENDA called Aroha and his guardian, a mechanical maid, called Merciful Grace.

Cat says the book is a “ ten-year labour of love” inspired by NaNoWriMo-National Novel Writing Month. The first draft was completed in July 2013.

SEE ALSO: Andover businesses to celebrate one year since opening 

"In hindsight, a time-travelling comedy was a tad ambitious for my first sci-fi novel,” said Cat.

“I wanted to create a comedy that would sit up there with my sci-fi heroes like Mary Gentle, Jasper Fforde, Robert Rankin and Terry Pratchett. I adore Red Dwarf, and I wanted to make a novel that will make you laugh aloud while pocking fun at the magic hand's wavey science used on sci-fi television shows."

Cat is no stranger to being published. Her science fiction short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including Rutherfords' Dreams, The Out of Time Cafe and children's anthologies for Simon and Schuster.

She has a distinction for her Master of Creative and Critical Writing from Winchester University, and has achieved second place in South-East comedy slams. Her monologue was one of the chosen six to be performed in the Test Valley Monologue competition in 2021.

Before the pandemic, Cat would regularly travel around the open mic circuit testing out ideas for her book in the guise of a steam-powered mechanical maid called Merciful Grace. "The Art House in Southampton and Moving Voices are my home away from home,” she said.

“I met Professor Elemental, who was very encouraging. I am so glad they have been able to survive the lockdowns and have come back stronger."

SEE ALSO: Cat Randle wins Test Valley Arts Foundation monologue competition

Cat met her publisher when she read a chapter of her book at the steampunk festival Cobbles & Cogs at the Milestones Museum in Basingstoke in 202, between the first and second lockdown.

"Word got back that when he went to dinner, all he did was rave about my book, and I had to say yes,” she said.

“Stephen C. Davis understands the vision of a parallel universe where anything can happen. Tenebrous Texts has been a great support.”.

The Somewhen Chair is the first of the Clarkson & Tuwhare trilogy, and a book of short stories based on the multi-verses will be published around Christmas time.

Cat continued: "I wanted to write a book I wanted to read, full of faraway places and exciting worlds.

“I once talked to Terry Pratchett, who implied that the characters tend to take over. In my case, it's the what-ifs. What if the Maori took over the universe? They had a good go in Star Wars as clones. What if women became promi-nent scientists and men stayed home and raised the kids? What if there was a pirate ship full of women who plundered the multi-verse for chocolate?”

You can book tickets to the launch event at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-somewhen-chair-book-launch-tickets-293634577927?fbclid=IwAR2W073VJX8GbGR0KGz7xoEKT1AEzEEKf6LrJAWAjUyycKsmIzXVWnNYfp4.

Alternatively, contact The Geek Emporium on 07983 269676.

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