Ah, The Smell of a New Book

"The Memory of My Shadow" is Released in Print, eBook, and Audiobook

When I began writing “The Memory of My Shadow” in 2018, the world was a very different place. Artificial Intelligence was firmly in the realm of science fiction but the horror show of school shootings was only hitting it’s stride. I’m not sure what exactly drew me to weave these two themes together, but I was consumed for a time by this story I hope you’ll consider reading now that it’s in a traditional format.

It’s been a long journey to bring this book to print and I’ve been fortunate to have so many wonderful readers along the way who gave me feedback and cheered me on. Now, I’m happy to announce that you can buy the printed book, ebook, and audiobook just about anywhere you like.

Why Read the Book?

“The Memory of My Shadow” is a book about pushing boundaries and searching for a way to heal from trauma as much as it is a psychological thriller that dives deep into AI in a way that challenges our definition of consciousness. It’s a book told from the perspective of a powerful woman who has succeeded beyond her wildest dreams but is struggling for her soul. While the story has the hallmarks of great science fiction, at it’s heart, it’s a very human and emotionally centered novel. Fans of movies like “Her” and “Ex Machina” will love this story. Fans of books like “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick and “The Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris will also be intrigued.

I had a wonderful discussion with

Kimberly Warner

where we dug deep into why I wrote the book during an interview in January of 2024. You can check it out below.

Ben Wakeman's Memory of My Shadow

Get a Signed Copy

There’s nothing like the feel of a book in your hands. Become a paying subscriber to Catch & Release, and I’ll send you a signed copy of “The Memory of My Shadow” for FREE if you live in the U.S. Don’t want to subscribe right now? No problem. For just $20.00, a signed copy can be yours! Just click the button below to fill out the form.

Note: Outside the U.S. there will be some additional cost for shipping.

Buy the Book and eBook Anywhere

I’m distributing the novel through Lulu which means you’ll be able to purchase a copy of the print or eBook edition at any of the usual places including Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and anywhere that Ingram distribute which is pretty much everywhere. It may be a couple more weeks before the print edition is widely available because every outlet has it’s own approval process. The fastest way to get the print version right now is direct from me using the form mentioned above.

Get the Audiobook, Narrated by Me!

One of the great joys I’ve discovered since I began releasing this story as a serial on Substack two years ago is how much I love narrating. To narrate well requires an immersion into the characters— you must become them. I made so many improvements to the novel while sitting in front of the microphone. Dialog and inner narratives that seemed great when they were just on the page, rang hollow when spoken out loud.

While I’ve performed on stage for most of my life, I was always singing. While I’ve always loved doing accents, a curse/gift I blame on too much Monty Python at an early age, I’ve never really taken them seriously. Narrating Magdalena and Henri in this book stretched me into new and uncomfortable places and I came to love these characters at a much deeper level having to give voice to them each week in the tiny bathroom that is my makeshift studio. Another exciting aspect of this project was it was my first one to write a musical score to accompany.

« Special Limited Time Offer »
Get the Audiobook for just $7.99 if you buy it before September 21, 2024!

You can access the audiobook wherever you normally listen including Google, Audible, Spotify, and Apple Books as well as all these services I’ve never hear of!

« Special Offer for Spotify Users »
The first 25 people to respond in the comments and make the request will receive a promo code to get a free copy of the audiobook on Spotify.
A rating from you on the audiobook would be lovely but is not required.

Help Me Spread the Word

If you love this book or you just love my work and want to help me find a wider audience, there are a few incredibly powerful things you could do to help. As an independent writer, I rely on the kindness and enthusiasm of readers like you who share my work far and wide.

Leave a Review on GoodReads

Goodreads.com is a wonderful place where we all discover great books and it’s driven by reviews written by people just like you. Take five minutes to leave a star rating and a couple of lines about why you loved the book. This is huge for me and I’m so grateful to you for taking the time to do it.

Rate the Audiobook

As you know, our world is ruled by algorithms. The only way for my little book to see the light of day on big platforms like Spotify, Audible, Apple, and Google is when it’s been rated by fans like you. It takes less than one minute to do, but it make an enormous difference in helping people discover my work. Just click the buttons below to go directly to the book and give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!

Thank You.

Your support of my work means everything to me. I’ve worked very hard for a long time in relative obscurity so your acknowledgement of my writing matters more than you have any idea and I never take that for granted. My wish for this book, like every other novel I’ve published, is for it to find you and to give you some new perspective that makes you feel something. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Happy reading and listening!