Two weeks from today is Remembrance Day; Veterans Day in the US; or Armistice Day as it was called originally. This year, it marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in the First World War. When we pin the poppy to our lapel this year, remember that it’s not just about thanking our veterans, but about acknowledging the ongoing cost to them. The First World War drew our attention to the phenomenon of PTSD; and while a lot has changed since then, PTSD remains a reality for many.
Among the Inkshares books to consider this season: "Blasted by Adversity" and "The Battle Within". The first is a biography; the second, a fictionalised thriller. Already published and available, both books deal with the trials of the aftermath, and would be well worth the read.
Don’t forget that Cat’s Paw still needs your support. It appears that the deadline has been moved to the 14th of December, giving us a bit more breathing room; let’s not waste it. Be sure to check that your order really has gone through. Remember, if I haven’t thanked you by email or by direct message or by some other form of communication, that probably means I haven’t received news of your order -- which in turn means that Something Is Wrong.
ONE WEEK TO GO until the official Launch Event for "The Animal in Man: Violent Mind" at the Book Cellar in Chicago!
I’m hoping we can pack the house and get a little mini-reunion going for my old Gage Park High School kids and their favorite English teacher. (...did I say ’kids’? You guys’re like 24 now. Holy chr...) Of course, all my friends, family, and fellow sci-fi/fantasy nerds are welcome as well!! SEE YOU THERE!!
Here is the info: Thursday, Nov. 1, 7:00-9:00 PM at...
** I do want to inform the original backers (during the contest three years ago) that due to a delay in printing the demand for the books, you unfortunately won’t be receiving your signed copy in your mailbox before this event. I utterly regret this circumstance. I have been assured by my publisher that the copies for the Book Cellar event will be there on time. I am very sorry. I’m flying out to San Francisco to sign YOUR copy of the book as soon as they can print more. I will totally understand if you come out to the event and don’t buy one (another one) because you already have one on the way. **
Those of you who are in Montreal might be interested to know that the Montreal West Public Library will be hosting a Night of Mystery and Suspense this Wednesday, 24 October, at 7:30pm. I will be there, of course, along with John Kalbfleish ("A Stain Upon the Land") and Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan ("Where Bodies Fall", "The Courier Wore Shorts", and many others) to read, meet, and greet. Do stop by if you can!
Meanwhile, we’re at the halfway mark of the Inkshares Mystery & Thriller contest with "Cat’s Paw" in second place. If you enjoyed "A Gentleman’s Murder", I’m sure you’ll love "Cat’s Paw". Do check it out -- as was the case before, your support is what enables books like this to happen.
Speaking of making books happen, there seems to be some good stuff happening on Inkshares right now. I mentioned Z. Z. Traver’s "Gumshoe Rules" back when the contest started, and I still think it’s worth checking out. Aside from that....
"The House That Fell From the Sky" features a house that appears in the middle of the city out of nowhere. A bunch of people are set to enter and investigate, and you know that nothing good can possibly come out of it. A book trailer just went up on the page a few days back, and it gives a pretty nice idea of the sort of flavour and atmosphere we should expect.
For those of you who prefer epic fantasy, there’s "Bane of All Things". The tech level’s a little more advanced than usual -- they’ve got gunpowder -- and it looks like we’ll be dealing with some interesting questions about loyalty.
And of course, don’t forget "Cat’s Paw". Let’s make this book happen!
Dear friends and followers,
It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, so for those of you who celebrate it, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving. For my part, I would like to give thanks for the progress "A Gentleman’s Murder" has made since its release back on 31 July.
I assume all of the above means, in the words of Sally Field, "You like me! Right now, you like me!" And I hope you like me well enough to consider backing "Cat’s Paw". Important as it is to give thanks for the past, it is as important to look to the future. With this second novel, I want to give you the same degree of enjoyment, if not more, that you and other readers seem to have derived from "A Gentleman’s Murder". Experience has shown that it can be done; all it needs now is your go-ahead.
Quite aside from this, of course, I must thank all of you who’ve expressed your confidence in me with regard to "A Gentleman’s Murder": those of you who backed it, who introduced the book to your friends, and who afterwards wrote reviews of it on Amazon and Goodreads. May you have as much and more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.