Once again, Les Petersen does a bang-up job bringing the mysterious alien vibe!
Soul Code Chapter 1
Enjoy!
There were no windows on Beredul. Especially not in the deep bunker-like depths of the long-abandoned fadohl depot facility now called Grand Central, where the Earth-humans and their Wiyert allies had set up the command post for planetary operations. So it was hard to know if it was really morning or not, but it certainly felt like one. Tired and cranky.
Joey Ramirez checked that his sidearm was firmly seated in the leg holster, tucked a handful of energy bars in a side pocket, swallowed the last precious dark drop of coffee in his mug, and glanced about to see if he’d forgotten anything before heading out. He’d noticed a certain reluctance lately to leaving the area the Earth team had repurposed as living and working quarters. Even though he was the only one there now, the familiar ammo cans, gear, and personal stuff the others had left behind gave it a homey, lived-in feel. He hoped they were doing OK. He hoped they would come back soon.
Not that he disliked the Wiyert. Tough characters, in a real bad situation. He was glad to help. Thing was, though, they never shut down. They were always in hard combat mode. Never laughed. He’d seen a kinda sorta smile on a couple, the ones they’d rescued from the planet they’d been stranded on, but they’d been hanging around Earth-humans for longer. Thing he really missed was somebody to joke around with.
Didn’t matter. He had a job to do, and he couldn’t do it here in what they called the Unready Room. It was more of a wide corridor, really. The main opening led, through a few doors and passageways, to the immense underground open space that had previously stored several hundred ancient robotic devices and now contained a giant Wiyert refugee camp. A small US flag was pinned to the wall facing the open area with the hastily scrawled text “You Are Now Entering the American Sector” underneath. Not that any of the Wiyert could read it—yet—but it served as fair warning that their usual rules didn’t apply past that point. Continue reading
Soul Code is in the pipeline!
The book is FINISHED! Beta reader reports are coming in, and hardly anyone is reporting injuries so things are progressing nicely. The cover artist has been summoned (and I always have to remember to go around the pentagram *clockwise* since he’s in Australia…). The editor’s schedule has been consulted.
Yep, there will be a book soon. I’m thinking of putting up a chapter or two here to help soothe the itch of waiting…
Emerging from the Depths…
Yes, it’s been a long time. I have a lot of really good excuses which I will not bother you with, because the only thing my dear readers really care about is WHERE IS THE BOOK??? And who can blame them? I wondered where it was myself.
Soul Code is almost done. Because of editor schedule issues it will not be available until early 2019, but it WILL be out. Now with more feral AI spaceships!
Meanwhile, the short stories are popping up in print (finally). The schedule and locations as I know them:
October-ish 2018, “Crossing Over the River” in Pulphouse issue #4
November 2018, “Our Man in Basingstoke” in Fiction River: Spies
June 2019, “Need to Know You” in Fiction River: Summer Sizzles
July 2019, “Restoration” in Fiction River: Doorways to Enchantment
Further Pulphouse news
I had mentioned previously I would have a (new!) short story published in the first issue of the newly revived Pulphouse magazine. Turns out there’s more… I managed to sell yet *another* story, a reprint of “Coyote and the Amazing Herbal Formula”, for their Issue Zero. Even though it was originally a premium for the fundraising Kickstarter supporters, it is also available on Amazon. Pulphouse is a …quirky … publication. How quirky? They published that story with glee! And it’s a pretty weird story if I do say so myself…
The official first Pulphouse issue, I am reliably informed, should be available at the end of January 2018 and will have my new story in it. Such exciting times we live in!
An interview, and a bundle
My first novel Firehearted is part of the First Glimpse of Secondary Worlds bundle, and the bundle curator has posted a short interview with me on her website!
The bundle is available for pre-sale, and publishes May 26. Twelve full novels for less than $10!
Pulphouse and Anthology News
First off, Pulphouse, the famous magazine of quirky speculative fiction, is coming back to life. (Yay!) And…guess who sold a story that will appear in the very first issue? I am quite excited about the return of Pulphouse and really looking forward to seeing that story in print. (Should be out January 2018.)
Next, I have also sold stories to three different anthologies in the Fiction River series! No idea yet when they will appear, but I will update here when I know.
Work continues on Soul Code, slightly delayed by Life Stuff. Nothing bad, just timesucks. And the day job doesn’t help either. Someday…
WWI German sub attacked by sea monster. Fluffy?
I had never heard of this until today, I swear! A German sub has been found on the sea floor off Scotland. It was scuttled after being captured, the German crew assuring their captors that a sea monster attacked and damaged it so badly they could no longer dive.
It appears Fluffy the kraken came by his German-hunting talents quite naturally…
Preorders for Light in the Darkness
If by chance you ordered the boxed set of Light in the Darkness, had it cancelled, and did NOT get the email from Amazon about it being reinstated, yes, it is back. And fabulous. Note that the 99 cent price is only good for the preorder! Once it goes live the price increases. We still don’t have the final word on how much, has to do with file sizes and all. You try jamming 12 full novels in one computer file! Even if you sit on it like a suitcase, it isn’t easy.
Update: The price increase happens when the full file is uploaded, which will be October 8. The new price then will be $1.99 –still a raging bargain–but if you want the ultra cheep rate preorder now!
The Noblebright boxed set is NOT CANCELLED!
On the off-chance that you preordered Light in the Darkness: a Noblebright Fantasy collection and got an email from Amazon about “the publisher cancelling”, no, we didn’t. There has been… let’s call it confusion in the minds of Certain Large Parties. Unilateral actions were taken. Emails and phonecalls are being made to get things working again. The boxed set is ready to go, all the authors are on board. We WILL get it to readers, one way or another, and at the promised promotional price of 99 cents. Unfortunately, re-pre-ordering may be necessary. Sorry.
Adventures are nasty things that make you late for dinner. (sigh)