I had to pause writing the complex plot of the Pulse novel at the end of 2018, for a whole range of reasons, but writing has recommenced in 2021. This website features some of the background information gathered in the process of writing. Below is a taster of some of the main characters in the novel, but don’t expect me to give away any juicy bits of the plot quite yet. You’re just going to have to wait that little bit longer for The Pulse.
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1. Carl Reeves – Devon
If he was honest, Carl was intrigued about the whole Space Weather Centre project when he first started there.
2. Helen Coughlan – Devon
As the alarm chirped its high-toned warning, Helen opened one bright green eye gingerly. Hell, it was still dark outside.
3. Matt Mills – Texas
Matt Mills stood off to one side, making sure all the class could see the massive bulk of the nuclear reactor.
4. Robert – Prime Minister
The Prime Minister looked around the room at the meeting of heavyweights and the emergency response team.
5. Tina Randall – Texas
Tina was at the front of her science class, the low winter sunlight slanting through the broad windows.
6. Burt Rains – Boeing 777
In the cockpit of 777 Pride, Captain Burt Rains viewed the autopilot screen and checked their planned Arctic flight path.
7. Dave – Chichester
Dave saw the enormous black SUV sweeping in at high speed off the feeder road and onto the busy two lane motorway.
8. Francoise – Canada
Francoise sensed rather than heard the buzz of the door. The bell was old and sometimes went dead.
9. Rod – US Pacific Coast
Rod Jenson had been a trucker since his early twenties, having seen Duel and Convoy as a teenager at his local cinema.
9x. Astrid – Norway
It was crisp and cold that morning in January but, for Norway, positively balmy at minus ten degrees Celsius.
Acknowledgments
Dedicated to my wife Susan and dad Ron, who was always reading, thinking, educating, making stuff and smiling.
Appendix
Detailed explanations of over 90 terms related to the novel and space weather with definitions and notes.
Author
Brought up in Derbyshire, Andrew Kerry-Bedell studied mechanical engineering at Salford University.
Carrington Event 1859
Diary of Richard C Carrington, Astronomer, Sept 1st 1859. ‘While engaged in taking my observation of solar spots…
Concept
The initial idea for the novel The Pulse came from the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven, prior to a daring casino robbery…
Effects
So what would really happen to us if a future major ‘space weather’ event were to occur and hit the Earth?
Mitigating risk
Space weather has always occurred, but reliance on modern technology makes us susceptible to its impact.
Reports & Links
Over 30 publications on the industry, technology, society and financial impacts of space weather around the globe.
Science
There is a large volume of scientific papers and documents on solar pulses, EMPs and geomagnetic storms.
The Sun awakens
That morning, a single photon was sitting at the centre of the sun, vibrating wildly at five million degrees Celsius.
All events portrayed in this novel are fictional and the people featured bear no resemblance to any real people, living or dead. However, all of the technical aspects mentioned in the novel are based on the latest technical reports or most current solar science, and it is fair to say that even the world’s best solar scientists don’t have all the answers, as yet. But for any specific technical errors or omissions, I offer my sincerest apologies.
The moral right of Andrew Kerry-Bedell to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.