Leo Valiquette followed Tower of Babel
Tower of Babel
Tower of Babel
Berlin 1935. A coming of age story and love triangle between three young men: A poor German, an affluent Jew and the mysterious son of an automobile magnate. How will they survive the existential threat posed by Hitler and his mad whims?
Leo Valiquette liked an update for The Undying Vrykan

I wanted to let you know that my book, The Undying Vrykan, is available on Amazon! Publishing this book is something I’ve been thinking about doing for a while, and I appreciate your support! Here’s the link to my book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TQ99JM1/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Thanks! William Bartlett

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    Leo Valiquette liked an update for Going, Going, Gone!

    Yesterday, while walking down the street, I looked up to see a friend walking towards me. He was holding an orange book. "That book looks familiar," I said. He laughed. His bookmark was near the back of "Going, Going, Gone!" I took the book and inscribed it, and handed it back. He told me he was going to write a 5-star review. We chatted and walked away. All of YOU, who participated in the crowdfunding, made that moment happen. I will never forget it. Thank you!

    "Going, Going, Gone!" sales are excellent. Radio interviews up on stevehermanos.com. Twitter shoutout from YouTube superstar Zack Hample. Fantastic 5-star reviews on Amazon (more needed, please). Your baseball-loving friends will love it. Also, those who enjoy an exciting read about America and what makes it great (and don’t care much for baseball), are also raving about it. It’s all very gratifying. Please reach out to your baseball-loving friends.

    Also, for those who pre-ordered, and have not yet received your copies of "Going, Going, Gone!", please email Noah@inkshares.com.

    Hit a homer!

    Steve

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      Leo Valiquette liked an update for On Home
      Hi friend!
      How’s it going? I hope you’re doing well.My kiddos are in school for the last day before spring break, so it seemed like a good time to reach out. 

      Things are getting busier here, which feels weird after two years of taking it relatively easy. We are headed up to Lake Arrowhead for a few days over break, I’ll be in Palm Springs for a weekend in April for my sister’s bachelorette party, we’re going to Legoland in May, my sister’s wedding is in June, and we’re going to West Virginia for a couple weeks in July. I’m tired just writing all of that, haha.

      The West Virginia trip is exciting! I’ll be reading and signing books at A New Chapter Books in Lewisburg on my birthday, July 30! I really hope some of you all can come say hi!

      Speaking of books, I finished the rom-com and am querying it—a process that is both exciting and frustrating. There are big changes happening in publishing right now, with lots of editors stepping down because of poor treatment. Agents are frustrated because it means they don’t have a lot of people to submit to, and thus authors are frustrated because they’re getting more rejections. Long story, short…big publishing houses are making plenty of money. It needs to go to all the people who make books happen.

      I’m still writing for the local paper here, but I’ve also started a new site, Redlands.town.news, where I can share some more unapologetically progressive hyper-local news. I hope you’ll subscribe if you’re local.

      What have you been reading lately? My favorite recent reads are People You Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke, the upcoming The Chasm by Jacqui Castle, and the Fifth Season by NK Jemison.Let me know how you are, what you’re up to, and what you’ve been reading! Oh! And if you’ve been meaning to leave a review of On Home on Amazon and Goodreads, this is your reminder. ;)

      Thank you!!
      Becca


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        Leo Valiquette liked an update for Going, Going, Gone!

        Thanks to those who’ve sent me selfies holding "Going, Going, Gone!" One came from Jerusalem. It’s fantastic that the book is being read far and wide.

        Radio interviews here: https://www.stevehermanos.com/interviews

        As mentioned before, PLEASE DO NOT put books for sale on the secondary market. This hurts current sales. The first month of a book’s publishing life is essential. If you want to give books away, please wait until the end of the year. Again, please do not sell them on the secondary market, or give them to someone to sell for you.

        5-star reviews contribute to the success of the book. Amazon, Goodreads, BN.com. Please reach out if you need help finding where to enter your review.

        Baseball fans are resonating with the book. Gratifyingly, so are non-baseball fans.

        Here’s a great review: "Steve Hermanos, has authored a wonderfully compelling and imaginative novel. With wit, intelligence and compassion he has created three unforgettable protagonists. As the story proceeds, you will feel the increasing urgency of their mission. Their struggles are populated with some of the most memorable figures from the early twentieth century and they achieve a vibrant presence on the page. If you appreciate fiction crafted with empathy, humor and skill - you will enjoy Going, Going, Gone !"

        Thank you!

        Steve Hermanos

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          Leo Valiquette liked an update for RESURGENCE

          Hey Everyone!

          I wanted to provide all of you with an update on RESURGENCE and the pathway I have been on since you placed your order. As I mentioned in a previous email, I have been at work on rewrites since publication was confirmed in early 2020. I received some incredible feedback from the editors at Inkshares, and I have been planning out a story that will certainly leave all of you at the edges of your seats until the very last page. That being said, I am still working on transferring these ideas into the story. While I had hoped to have been done with these edits and rewrites at this point in the process, the pandemic has totally transformed my career as an educator.

          The teaching profession has been extremely challenging since the pandemic hit in early 2020. Passionate educators like myself have poured our hearts and souls into our students, hoping to ensure a positive, productive, safe, and caring learning environment. While there have certainly been some incredible moments, some of which I will detail below, the task of working with students both online and in-person has left all of us completely drained...not to mention the fact that kids all across the nation are in need of far more support than they are currently receiving. All of this being said, I absolutely love teaching and working with future innovators, leaders, and inventors on a daily basis. I am determined to do everything I can to help them lead successful lives, including seeking better ways to instruct my students.

          At the height of the pandemic, I was offered half-off tuition to obtain an educational technology degree from Central Michigan University. While I had planned to wait until the publication process was over to pursue higher education, the offer was too good to pass up on. After a year and a half program, I am proud to say that I have graduated from CMU with a degree in learning, design, and technology. The skills I have throughout this program have been extraordinary. As a result, I have been able to provide students with a truly innovative technology learning experience, one that allows students to collaborate with local businesses, write meaningful fiction, display their learning in local bookstores, etc. 

          I am proud to share with all of you that my efforts have been acknowledged by the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL). On March 17th, I will be awarded the MACUL Innovative Teacher of the year award at DeVos Place. Please check out the official press release. I was asked to share this with local radio, newspaper, or other media outlets. If you know of anyone, I would be incredibly grateful if you shared it with them!

          While these past two years have been exhausting, I now see light at the end of the tunnel, and I can’t wait to get back into RESURGENCE. I don’t like to provide excuses, but I thought it was important to share the journey I have been on since first connecting with you. I appreciate your understanding. Stay tuned for more updates as I move forward and let me know if you have any questions!

          Thank you,

          Alec

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            Leo Valiquette liked an update for Lost in the Fog
            I’m excited to share a profile of me that was recently written by the amazingly talented Andrea Moran of Kirkus! 


            Kirkus Reviews Magazine
            An Interview With Michael Ostrowski
            BY Andrea Moran
            A Disgraced Journalist Finds Himself Involved in an Epic Art Heist

            Writer Michael Ostrowski’s latest novel, Lost in the Fog, is a love letter to San Francisco—one full of shootouts, art thieves, and lots of booze. “I really wanted to make San Francisco its own character,” explains Ostrowski. “I lived there for eight years and just fell in love with the place. Every weekend, I would explore a new section of the city, like Strawberry Hill, and so many of those places are featured in my story.”

            Alongside the Golden City, readers are introduced to a host of other colorful characters in this twisty thriller. Camden Swanson is a former journalist who can’t quite seem to pull himself together after being fired, much to the chagrin of his long-suffering artist girlfriend: 

            “The official reason listed for his termination was “misconduct by egregious disregard for facts.” His superiors claimed he maliciously fabricated a story to create an Orson Welles–type War of the Worlds hoax. But at the time of the incident, Camden believed the city was being attacked by half-monkey, half-snakelike creatures. Dropping acid can do that to you.”

            While working as a gallery attendant, Camden becomes unexpectedly mired in an art heist that couldn’t possibly go more wrong. Also roped into the plan is Veronica Zarcarsky, a hotel worker who has big dreams of becoming a journalist. 

            Camden’s personal demons are at once painful to read and completely relatable—given the turmoil of recent years—as he continues to self-destruct: “With each chicken wing and beer, his tenuous grasp on morality began to fade away. He was committed to being the thieves’ hostage tomorrow and had taken the leap of faith in believing they would keep their word and not kill him.” 

            Even as he and Veronica are forced to ultimately work together to save their own lives, Veronica’s eagerness to investigate and establish herself as a journalist is a compelling contrast to Camden’s hardened, defeatist attitude at having had it all and lost it. Yet as Camden’s situation spirals further out of control, becoming bigger than himself, Camden does something remarkable: He pulls himself together.

            And that’s a message that Ostrowski hopes resonates with audiences of all backgrounds. “The character of Camden really came from that place in my life where I just didn’t know what to do next….So it’s ultimately a story of redemption, of learning how to go out and live your dreams,” explains the author. 

            The novel may have grown out of Ostrowski’s experience of getting to know San Francisco, but that’s not where the similarities end. Prior to moving there, he worked as a museum gallery attendant and would often spend his time while on duty scribbling poems and other snippets in his notebook. “[The job] was a bit boring,” he says, “but I kind of viewed it as an art history class. I read so many books about artists, particularly Henri Matisse, that the ideas just started bubbling. But it wasn’t until I actually moved to San Francisco that the story elements really came together.”

            Writing came early and naturally to Ostrowski, who first remembers dashing off a story about a trip he took with his parents when he was about 8 years old. Currently residing in Miami Beach, where he writes and works in human resources for a hotel management company, he previously pursued a career as a journalist while dabbling in screenplays and short stories. Heavily influenced by detective writers like Robert B. Parker and Dashiell Hammett, Ostrowski pivoted from literary fiction in his first novel (A Model Community, 2003) to the mystery/thriller genre for his current release.

            And it’s safe to say he nailed it. Kirkus Reviews praises Lost in the Fog, noting, “thriller enthusiasts will want to add this well-sculpted heist drama to their collections.”

            When Ostrowski began writing Lost in the Fog, he was initially unsure of what form it would take. Novella? Short story? Something else entirely? Partway through writing what would turn out to be a novel, and after spending so many years with the now-beloved characters, he realized that he had enough material for not just one or two books, but at least three. The next book in the series, which is partially written and (mostly) planned out, will find Camden and Veronica in Hawaii. The third novel will take place on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago. “I feel like there is a lot more to explore with these two characters,” says Ostrowski. “Not only in terms of their journalistic exploits, but also their relationship to and with each other.”

            Alongside the adrenaline-fueled chases, hails of bullets, and nail-biting interrogations, readers will also find a healthy dose of humor to ease the tension. Whether it’s Camden describing the taste of expensive wine as “light but complex…with a hint of clowns on a bright summer day” or two heist accomplices who have been sworn to secrecy spilling their guts to a pair of indifferent strippers, the characters somehow make trying to stay alive inherently humorous. 

            There is much to be said for keeping a sense of humor and viewing life itself as an adventure. And that lightness, often found within dark moments in the novel, is something Ostrowski hopes audiences will appreciate. “Life isn’t always what you want,” he explains. “But if you have that positive attitude, you can still laugh about it.”

            Andrea Moran is a professional copywriter and editor who loves all things books.

            https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/an-interview-with-michael-ostrowski/
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              Leo Valiquette liked an update for The Man from Mittelwerk

              Good news, we have the final artwork for the cover the The Man from Mittelwerk designed by Tim Barber of DissectDesigns and it looks great. (See below.) 

              Bad news, logistical issues in the publishing industry are going to delay the book until Fall 2022. Apparently supply chain issues, trucking strikes and the demand for shipping materials is causing pretty much every book out there to be delayed several months. 

              Nonetheless, we are moving ahead on all fronts. We have two short stories: a prequel that Mike wrote (The Perfect Setup) set before WWII and a bonus chapter I wrote (Leaving Detroit) set in 1950. We’ll post these on the www.mzurlocker.com web site in the coming weeks. We’ll be using these and other short stories in order to generate awareness and a mailing list for marketing. 

               We also had a couple of additional nice quotes from other authors including James R. Benn author of the highly acclaimed Billy Boyle WWII series and from James Kestrel (who may or may not be Lee Child*) author of my favorite book of 2021 Five Decembers. 

               “A fast-paced, smart debut novel that blends noir and Lovecraftian elements. If you like J.J. Abram’s alternate history Overlord, this book is for you.”
               —James Kestrel, author of Five Decembers 

               “From the dark caves of a Nazi slave labor complex to sunny southern California, The Man from Mittelwerk delivers on all fronts. Snappy dialog, a fast-paced narrative, and complex moral questions all combine to make this hard-boiled thriller a winner. Think Chinatown meets The Boys from Brazil - superb!”
              —James R Benn, author of the Billy Boyle WWII mysteries 

               If you aren’t familiar with James R. Benn’s Billy Boyle series, I encourage you to take a look. A couple of my personal favorites are The Rest is Silence and A Blind Goddess. Benn’s books are extremely well-researched and wonderfully told. He’s also a super nice guy.

              Let me know what you think of the cover and how you’re doing with all the insanity in the world these days. In addition to my day job, I’m doing my best to keep up with running and learning the piano. How about you? Don’t hit reply, instead send email to ZUrlocker@hotmail.com
               --Zack
              (*) But probably isn’t. I think.  
                   

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                Leo Valiquette sent an update for Bane of All Things

                Howdy! Good news to share, and an opportunity for Canadian fans of Bane of All Things to put it on the awards map.

                BoAT has made the Best Novel Eligibility List for the 2022 Aurora Awards. The Auroras are Canada’s annual English-language Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards. They have been presented since 1980 by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA).

                These are popularity awards. Anyone who is a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident, and a CSFFA member, can vote for their picks in any of 12 award categories.

                How do you become a CSFFA Member?

                Easy. Take an annual membership at the modest cost of $10 (that’s in loonies). Please visit the CSFFA Membership Page to create your account and secure your membership. This helps to pay the bills so that the Awards, and their annual ceremony, can take place.

                Your deadline is March 26, 11:59 pm EDT

                So, don’t wait! Once you have signed up, you can find Bane of All Things on the Best Novel Eligibility List.

                There are 11 other award categories as well. As a CSFFA member, you may select up to five different works in each category (if you wish).

                How to make your choices

                Select works from the dropdown lists, which are sorted by title. If you want to remove an item that you have chosen, select the blank line at the top of the dropdown list. You must click the Update button at the bottom of each nomination form to save your selections. Your choices will be displayed on your nomination central page.

                As the award guidelines state:

                “You don’t have to nominate in all categories. Nominate those works that you enjoyed, because this is your chance to have your favorite works from 2021 on this year’s Aurora Awards final ballot. The top five most-nominated works in each category will be selected to be on the final ballot."

                The awards ceremony is slated for Aug. 13. Even just having BoAT make that top 5 finalist list for Best Novel would be fantastic!

                Cheers

                Leo

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                  Leo Valiquette liked an update for Tantalus Depths

                  Hello, friends! We’re two months away from launch day, and I have another exciting announcement for you, so buckle up for a wild ride. 

                  I’m not going to waste any time getting to the big news. We officially have a launch event planned, and it’s going to be big! I’ve put too much time and effort into Tantalus Depths to let its arrival come without a bang, so we’re pulling out all the stops. 

                  I’m incredibly pleased to announce that my old alma mater, Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus, has graciously offered to host a launch event for us! There really could not be a more fitting place to do it. Those of you who have been following Tantalus Depths from the beginning might remember that the book’s humble origins began as a creative writing class assignment at that very same university. Kent Trumbull is where Tantalus Depths was conceived, born, and nurtured. The book simply would not exist if not for Kent Trumbull, and returning to the place it began eight years ago to celebrate its publication feels like destiny. 

                  If you hadn’t already marked May 10th on your calendars, do it now, and scribble “7:00 PM” and “Kent Trumbull” underneath it. We’re going to have some snacks, do a little reading, do a lot of socializing, and just generally celebrate this amazing journey together in the place it all began. I hope to see all of you there! 

                   In other news, there’s another lore update on the website this week, this time highlighting the two central characters from my short story Countermeasures: Jay Serpentico and Descartes. Jay Serpentico is a deadly mercenary with no moral code and a terrifying talent for killing. Descartes is an enigmatic criminal mastermind with seemingly limitless resources and no apparent weaknesses. They’re two of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, so what happens when their interests no longer align? Find out in Countermeasures, part of Writing Bloc’s DECEPTION! anthology, and learn more about these two nefarious figures in the “Explore” section of evangraham.org    

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