In my Sunday update I alluded to something in the works involving me that I was really excited about, but I didn’t give specifics.  Well, now that the new Nerdist contest has begun and the unveil has happened I feel the time is right to tell you about it.

I have a feeling more than a few of you have already seen this particular entry into the contest - Too Many Controllers: An Anthology.  Well, that was my news.  In case you haven’t checked it out yet, I am one of the 15 authors contributing a short story to the collection.  I’ve mentioned before that science fiction was one of my first loves, and a major reason I’m so excited about this collection is that I’m finally going to get a chance to show that love to you all.

That’s all I’m really going to say about the project here, since when you clicked that follow button you were doing so for Exile, Magus.  If you’re interested in keeping up to date with what the 15 of us are doing(myself, Andre Brun, Elayna Mae Darcy, J.F. Dubeau, Brian Guthrie, Paul Inman, Richard Heinz, Ricardo Henriquez, Christopher Huang, Tal M. Klein, Billy O’Keefe, Amanda Orneck, Elan Samuel, Matthew Isaac Sobin, and Jamison Stone), then go follow Too Many Controllers so you can stay up to date as we release more details of the stories contained within.

In case you’re worried that this may delay progress on a campaign relaunch for Exile, Magus, don’t be.  Magus is fully written and just really waiting on a proper developmental edit and publisher.  Currently I’m waiting on my work schedule to slow down enough to have time to properly promote it before I start another campaign.  I’ll have more on that topic when that time is closer, though.

For now I’ll just thank you all for your time, and hope you enjoy yourselves and your reading!

I have been quiet for way too long.  Sorry about that, I’ve just head a busy work schedule.  It has been nice to see new followers to the book while I’ve been largely inactive, so to everyone following the book whether new or old follower I just want to say thank you for sticking with me.

Finally, in case you haven’t already heard about it there’s an event on Inkshares starting tomorrow 5/30 and running until Saturday 6/4 called Draftshares, in which the current draft content uploaded for Exile, Magus will be participating.  Feel free to speak your mind fully about the book and project page, I have thick skin and truly critical feedback is always welcome.  Anyway, read more about Draftshares below, and thanks for your time everyone!

Just a quick one.  Work continues on the polishing of Exile, Magus as well as the continue development/growth of material beyond the book.  There is some news looming on the horizon, but nothing to announce yet though I will be giving a bit more detailed rundown in the next newsletter which will be sent out 5/1.

There are other things beyond Exile, Magus I want to talk about though.  While my focus tends to be sci-fi/fantasy I do also enjoy more mainstream fiction as well, which unfortunately isn’t currently represented as heavily on Inkshares.  This made me quite happy to hear that For the Love of Fiction Syndicate has been founded with a focus on more mainstream fiction.  More specifically they describe themselves as focusing on fiction, realistic fiction, chick lit, young adult, romance, memoir, and narrative non-fiction.  Hopefully this interests some of you, and you’ll join them in trying to grow the presence of these genres on Inkshares.

Finally, I want to talk about "Scribbles: A Collection of Words" by Tabi Card.  Its down to the final 6 days of its funding period and in need of your help to meet the Quill goal.  The samples posted make it clear that this will be a wonderful collection of short stories which I want in my hands, so I’m hoping you’ll all order copies now so we can make this happen.  She’s also running giveaways for art prints as detailed on the book’s page, and a promotion giving away a signed copy of her story "Five Minutes" to everyone who orders.  She can tell you about it better than I can in the video on her book page which you can also check out here.

That’s all I’ve got for this week, so as always I wish you all a good day(s).  Keep reading and enjoying!

As promised, a long overdue weekend update.

I’m currently working to get the 2nd issue of my newsletter up and ready to send out by 5/1, and was happy to make my self-imposed deadline by sending out the 1st issue on 4/1 complete with a map sketch, bit of talk about the future of Exile, Magus, a dialogue between two characters which shed a bit of light on two ancient civilizations mentioned in Magus - Melexi and Thirosia, and a darkly comedic short story poking fun at a few tropes.  For any of you who are interested in reading that first issue then sign up for the newsletter before 4/30.  On 4/30 I’ll send out the April newsletter again to everyone who has signed up after it was sent out.  On 5/1 I’ll send out the May newsletter of course.

What about the progress of Exile, Magus?  Well, its mainly the super dull background work right now.  Polishing, contacting artists, and so on.  For any of you wondering if I’ll be making another go of trying to fund on Inkshares, yes I will.  I just want to make sure I’ve got a full strategy in place instead of jumping in blind again, so for now I’m focused on the dull background work which is why I’ve been so very quiet as of late.  Don’t worry though, I’m still here and I’m still working.

That’s all I’ve got for today, so thanks for your time, have good weekends everybody, and of course keep reading and enjoying!

Hey everybody, I know I’ve been quiet lately but that’s just because I’m still in work mode.  This update isn’t about me or Exile, Magus though(I’ll talk about that this weekend).

Right now I just want to make sure you’re aware of a great book which I hope to see hit 750 preorders soon so that it can get the full Inkshares treatment.  Its currently near that funding goal with only 133 pre-orders needed as of this typing to get full funding.  I think it’s worth your attention and I hope you’ll agree. Check it out:  

Need more incentive?

• Each pre-order enters you into the ‘I want to kill a reader’ raffle. The winner will have his name and likeness used in the book as a minor character that gets killed off. The author will work with the winner to find the appropriate means of demise to satisfy both the winner and the story.
• Each physical copy of A God in the Shed will be signed and numbered as an exclusive first edition item.
• Free, exclusive A God in the Shed bookmarks will be included with the physical copies and mailed to eBook supporters.
• Orders of three or more copies guarantees your name to appear in the Patrons list printed at the end of the book.
• You get to enjoy the satisfaction and pride at having supported both art and literature.

A God in the Shed is the first part of a trilogy that pushes the line between beauty and horror by telling a story that changes how we look at magic and the world around us. You have a chance of being part of making this book a reality and supporting a new author on his journey.

Not much to report at this time, just getting ready to send out my first newsletter on Friday(4/1).  Most of my detailed updates will be through the newsletter from now on, so be sure to sign up if you haven’t already.  This first one will have a map, 1 informative short story, and 1 satirical short story, with both stories set in the same world as Exile, Magus.  If those are things you’d be interested in, then be sure to sign up for the newsletter here  since I’m only signing up those of you who either fill out the sign up form or message me directly to ask to be signed up.  I hate to cut it short, but I have to get back to typing up story related items.  Have a good weekend, and keep reading!

Exactly 1 week from today my first newsletter will be sent out, so sign up for it here if you haven’t already!  On the 1st of each month I’ll be sending out a new one with an update on the current progress of getting Exile, Magus in shape for another run.  In addition I’ll be including other exclusive content and sneak peeks such as maps, articles describing background information on my world and its peoples, short stories, and artwork once I can afford to start the commissioning of such.

On the artwork front I’ve compiled a list of artists I’m most interested in doing each of the 15 pieces of artwork I want for the book, but I also know there’s always the possibility of talent hiding under my nose that I don’t even know about.  With that in mind, if any of you are yourselves artists, whether that is with drawing, painting, digital, or any other still-visual media I’m leaving out then feel free to contact me if you would be interested in trying to get a bit of side-work making a piece for the book.  Even if I don’t hire you for Exile, Magus once I’ve gotten this book out and start looking at really getting Exile, Hunted ready for publication I’ll need new art for it (18 new pieces actually if memory serves).  For now though my focus is entirely on Exile, Magus’ art though.  Contact me here on Inkshares, via Facebook or Twitter, or fully direct by email (redtom.mythmaker@gmail.com) if you’re interested.

That’s all I’ve got for now.  Thanks for your time, and hope to see you on the newsletter roster soon.  Enjoy yourselves and keep reading!

Just checking in with a brief update. Today is my 6th day off work in 6 weeks, so it has been more than a bit hectic. I continue working on various materials for and relating to Exile, Magus, but due to the time constraints of my work schedule and the general physical exhaustion it brings on that work has been slow. There’s a silver lining though. Based on what was said in our Thursday meeting we’re going to be able to stop the excessive overtime for at least the next few months, maybe even until the end of this season. The slow down is kicking off in a big way for me since I’ll have a 3 day weekend this coming week as well as another 3 day weekend the following week. That means I’ll have as much time off in these next 2 weeks as I did in the past month and a half! Even after that we’re scheduled to be back to a normal 5 day work week, so I’ll actually have time to get things accomplished.

With all this time off rapidly approaching my brain is swimming with all the (currently unpaid but loved deeply by me) work that I’ve been having to put on the backburner and/or creep slowly into. I’m having a hard time deciding just what to focus on first, which means I’ll probably be skipping between projects maniacally the entire time. The only thing set in stone in my mind is that I will finally complete some beta-readings I’d promised to do. You may also be wondering if this means I’ll be getting back to Sunday reviews. Probably not since I’ve built up such a large backlog of other things I need to do at this point.

The main announcement on the Exile, Magus front at this point is that I’ve decided to start an email newsletter to more directly keep in contact with and update everyone interested on my progress. In addition to the status updates each month, I’m starting a monthly newsletter. It will mainly be detailing the progress which has been made each previous month, but I also intend to include exclusive, sneak peek content such as maps, short stories, bits of background lore about my world and its people, and so on. I’ve already sent out an email to those of you who I have email addresses for, but for the rest of you feel free to email me at redtom.mythmaker@gmail.com if you also want to sign up for the newsletter. I want to make this more of an interactive matter than the typical newsletter, so also feel free to include any comments/feedback or requests for newsletter content when you message me to sign up. Here’s hoping I hear from the lot of you.

Final bit for today is solely on the current contest. I have been watching it(especially during the craziness of these last few days) with all the rapt attention that most folks reserve for sporting events. I’m not much of a sports fan myself, but a literary race for the top just turns me into a whooping, screaming, and often nonsensical superfan. So of course I’ve picked out favorites, those books which move beyond the realm of “I really want to read this book” into “OMG I must read this book!”

Unfortunately some of those have dropped below the top 10, and thus are not likely to make it. There are however 3 remaining which are in truth my dream team of winners which are currently still high in the rankings. I realize that I will likely not get to see all 3 of them in the final winner’s circle, but I can still dream!

Anyway, the 3 books I would most like to see finish in the top 3 are(in no particular order)

“The Life Interstellar” by Zack Jordan

“The Traveller’s Cup” by AC Baldwin

“Lucky” by RH Webster

Ultimately though I just have to say good job to those of you in this contest. Even if you didn’t get named to my own personal top 3, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve caught my eye because this top 10 is filled with great choices (not to mention all of the great choices that aren’t currently on the top 10).

That’s all I’ve got for this week. I’ve got to do lowly human chores such as laundry and house cleaning now. This place has reached nearly full blown clutter mode during these hectic few weeks and I fear what may be hiding under the piles of clothes or behind the empty Cheerwine bottles. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and keep reading!

This will be my last Sunday recommendations/reviews for a while. I’m finally forcing myself to admit that with the large amount of mandatory overtime I will not be able to keep up a regular schedule to continue these posts while also working on the new content and changes for Exile, Magus as well as other content related to it. With that said after today I’ll be moving to a far more rational method: review a project when I first read it if I like it, and use the handy recommend button on the project page to recommend any book I think is worth your attention(I too often forget about that button). As such if you are interested in continuing to get recommendations from me, then you should go ahead and follow my author page here as well if you haven’t done so already. With that its time to get to the reviews of 3 books I’m really excited about.  Remember:  bold letters = links to click.

“The Life Interstellar” by Zack Jordan: Too often aliens in science fiction end up seeming like humans in funny costumes. This is not the case with Zack Jordan’s opening excerpt ’Heart to Heart’, where an alien perspective juxtaposes with human emotion and makes both far more powerful as a result. In both this excerpt and the two others currently posted he effortlessly breathes life into both his characters and the setting making it easy for us to accept his world as reality, while also planting the story’s hooks into us so that we don’t want to know where it will all end up, we MUST know where it all will end up. I only wish the book was in my hands now so that I can submerge myself fully into it.

As an added note, I just have to say that Mr. Jordan has the best reader updates I’ve seen in all my time on Inkshares. They come in the form of short fiction pieces, typically in world advertisements/messages and so on, which further serve to give you a view of this of the wider galaxy of his world. They’re a joy to read, so if you’re not already following this book then you should and you should read every update when it arrives.

“Lucky” by RH Webster: With a clear vision of a future we can easily see growing out of our own world’s present, Ms. Webster quickly engages my mind in thoughts of where we are heading. Add to this her excellent characterization which makes us truly empathize with her characters, and I for one cannot help but feel I live in this future alongside of the characters. These two elements bring with the promise of truly great science ficion, and make me eagerly anticipate the full book.

“A God In the Shed” by JF Dubeau: The opening scene instantly transported me back to my own childhood spent playing in the wooded hills and hollers, and the nostalgia it provided only deepened the sense of dread which was soon to follow. As the story progresses Mr. Dubeau expertly uses dialogue and narration to add to this and in doing so creates a sense of true horror, be it that of death most savage, supernatural terror, or worst of all the darkness in the heart of mankind. As we follow the trail to the heart of the mystery of the events which have been transpiring in town, we are brought fully into events through excellent description and characterization. I certainly can’t wait to see where its all heading.

Time for a previously unscheduled update, and has nothing to do with my book. This time I’m doing what I can to make sure that someone else’s book hits goal. Many of you are undoubtedly already aware of Byron Gillan’s “The Children of the Forest”, and if you’re not then you should be. This book has been on my own personal “Top 5 books I want to see published through Inkshares” list since the moment I laid eyes on it. Well, its down to the last couple of days to meet its funding and is only 18 orders away from hitting the Quill goal as of me typing this.

If you haven’t already checked this one out, and if you have found my opinion to be worth your time in the past, then you should go to “The Children of the Forest” project page. It is filled with both beautiful artwork and excellent sample chapters which are well worth your time. Look them over, and if you find yourself agreeing with my assessment of the book’s quality, then order it immediately!

In addition to the quality of the story, Byron also has some of the best additional rewards for ordering, or at least ones that most appeal to a geek like me: custom pins(e-book & up); a soft-cover collectible book containing artwork, world notes, essays, and the entire 1st act of “The Children of the Forest” to tide us over while waiting on the full book(paperback orders & up); and a 15 page art booklet(orders of 3 or more paperbacks). Seriously, I have an unhealthy love for art books and pins.

So, to reiterate: check this book out and if you love the content posted even half as much as I do, then don’t delay in ordering it! There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to get this book at least 18 orders by this time tomorrow, or for that matter by 12 hours from now. Okay, I’ll stop beating my salesman drum now(but you still have to check it out), and try to get a bit of work done before bed. Thanks all for your time and patience.