I know what you’re thinking: Another update so soon? Well, this one has been a long time coming. Even the animals are talking about it...

That’s right! The team at Inkshares has informed me that production has really started ramping up for The Animal in Man I: Violent Heart, and the book will be hitting bookstore shelves on September 25th of this year! Granted I’ll need to keep my s**t together well enough to meet all the deadlines on my end, but I owe YOU - my supporters, my greatest strength through all this, the thing that’s kept me going - and I’ll get it done.

Friend me on facebook, look me up on Twitter, stay tuned to your email for more upcoming updates on book signing events in and around Chicago as that wonderful date draws near! And if you haven’t already, check out my new and improved promotional video for “The Animal in Man.”

THE MOST IMPORTANT UPDATE....IN THE WORLD. 

 Want some news? Here’s some news... 

 To the best of my knowledge, very shortly (if not right now) Ghosts of War: Retribution will be off to the printers. 

That right, it’s D-O-N-E, done. 

 Edits have been done, copy edits have been done, covers have been done and finalised, the interior has been designed and finalised. Done. 

 So what now? Well, there is one thing that is rather important:

Shipping Addresses! 

 Since Ghosts had its backing period so long ago, undoubtedly some of you have changed address in the meantime. If you want to receive your physical copy of Ghosts of War: Retribution, it’s very important to update your address on the Inkshares site (or just confirm it to be super safe). Just follow this simple guide to fix everything up: 

 With that squared away, you should safely receive your print copy (provided you bought one) some time before the general release date of the 17th of July. If things stick to the current schedule, I believe that backer print copies (and ebooks) are set to go out around the 15th of June. 

And now onto some pretty things. 

Like the final full cover spread (the final book is 416 pages, and should be just under an inch thick): 

and the blurbs pages and title page:

That’s all for now. I’ll be doing a couple more updates in the run up to release, and I’ll make sure to keep reminding you all about confirming your shipping addresses. I want make sure everyone gets their books.

Until then...

Oh hi, how you doing? Feeling good? Having a good spring? Do you even have spring where you live?

Here in Alabama the flowers are in bloom, the trees are green again, and the pollen plague is in full effect. I’ve been nose down in writing projects, but none of them have been the Circuit sequel because alas they’re for my day job. But hey, we got our first game launched, so that feels good. 

This week I negotiated terms for the Sister of the Circuit audiobook. I’m happy to announce that the amazing Jill Crenshaw will be narrating for Isidore, Dax, and CRI-LUX. I could NOT be more excited. I can’t wait to hear this story with her incredible acting ability. All is lined up to have the audiobook launched the same time as the other formats, so July is going to be a BIG month.

Have I mentioned the launch team to ya’ll? I’m pre-building the book launch team now, you know, reviews and such, but I am giving away mugs, bookmarks, shirts, and a huge prize at the end for one lucky member. Want to be part of this? Head on over and sign up!

Well, backers, it’s out in the world.

I’ve just started receiving notifications that the first copies of Blue Water are being received. I’m not quite sure the timeline on eBooks yet. I’ll contact Inkshares and have an answer for you shortly.

I am so excited/terrified right now in the best possible way. I know this book is the culmination of not only my work but of everyone along the way who ordered one and told a friend. I hope you enjoy it.

 And if you do, please tell your friends again. We don’t get the full brunt of a massive advertising campaign to get this book noticed. It’s just us and the word of mouth. I know some people were nervous during the crowdfunding stage to purchase a book by an unknown author from an unknown website without the promise that it would ever get published you’d get your money back. So now, thanks to the people who believed in this book enough to still throw in some cash, we can take care of all those issues. Except for the unknown author part. Blue Water is a finished novel, people are reading it currently, and it’s available for pre-order from Amazon, a more well-known retailer (no offense to Inkshares, who I still encourage you to purchase the book through.)  So share that info with anyone who was on the fence, especially if you really like it. 

 Thank you all again for paving this road. I wouldn’t be here without literally every one of you. 

Joseph

Dear friends and followers,

It has been a rather intense two months. February and March were both spent going over the book with a fine-toothed comb and rewriting significant parts of it. Streamlining. After spending two months doing absolutely nothing except This Book, it feels more than a little strange to suddenly not be working on it. The pretty-much-final document was sent in to design last week, and now it’s out of my hands.

For now, Inkshares is sending it around to various people and places to get blurbs and reviews--I wouldn’t know where to begin, personally. I’ve heard that some really nice things have been said, and it’s all very exciting.

For you, though, you’re probably wondering when you’re going to finally get your hands on the finished product. Near as I can tell, we’re looking at an official publication date of 31 July 2018. Now that all the vagaries of writing and editing are over, I doubt if there’ll be anything to change the date again.

The question now is, who should I kill next?

Space Crew, brace for landing.

You may have already received an updated directly from Inkshares today. I just got confirmation that, yes, your books are being shipped now. 

Those waiting on e-books should get them May 1. 

Regarding a launch: 

After a lot of consideration, I just don’t think I’m the kind of writer who gets a bunch of pals together in the physical realm. At least not at the moment. I don’t want this to be about me, so much as the book itself. But at the same time, some have expressed interest in some kind of event, so I think we’re going to do an online launch. 

I don’t have the exact date or method yet, but it will likely take place on some social platform. So please, if this interests you, follow my Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates and invites. You can also use them to show off those physical copies if you become so enthused. 

Oh, and by the way, WE DID IT. This wouldn’t have been possible without you. Backers, your prizes will come separately, shortly after the launch. Great job everyone!

Your Solicitous, Still Somewhat Satisfied Space Captain,

-AC

Update!
Just a short one today, but a worthy one.

Proteus has finally passed 300 preorders! We officially have more pre-orders than the Somnambule has crew members (conscious ones anyway. We still need to sell about 49,700 copies to match the number of colonists in stasis. We’ll get there). This is solid progress! We’re slowly crawling up on the halfway mark, and I’m hoping to reach it within the next two weeks. We’re slightly behind schedule, but not by very much, and progress has still been pretty steady overall.

I’ve mentioned it before, but the stretch between 250 and 500 pre-orders is a vast, empty wasteland for a pre-order campaign. We’re right in the middle, so we don’t get to feel the surge of excitement that accompanies the first couple weeks of a campaign’s launch or the similar surge as we see the finish line approaching. Right now, nothing seems to make an impact. But I assure you, it does.

Please keep showing your support by liking and sharing Proteus on all your social media. Tell all your family and friends about this book, online and in person. I know I say that every time, but I can never overstress how important it is to spread the word. If you haven’t yet pre-ordered a copy, or if you think you’d be willing to order a second or third one to support the project, I implore you to do so. Proteus only becomes a book with your help. I’m just the writer here; you’re the ones who can turn it from a concept in the notes on my computer to a printed book on shelves worldwide and in your own hands.

Thank you as always for your support, it means more to me than I’ll ever be able to express. I cannot wait to share this book with all of you.