Dear friends and followers,

Things are really progressing! We have:

• Galleys! And a new cover!
  
• Reviews! Blurbs!
• Interviews! (You’ll want to check this out.)

So, first off, the galleys. LOOK! Inkshares posted this to Twitter a few days ago:

Yes, there’s a blurb there from Andy Lewis of The Hollywood Reporter. It says, "A mystery that recalls the best of Golden Age detective fiction. With fresh characters and unique twists, Huang has created a whodunit with just the right mix of old and new."

If you head over to one of the online retail outlets like Amazon, you’ll see a few other blurbs too: 

• "Dorothy Sayers is alive and well and writing under the name of Christopher Huang. A Gentleman’s Murder echoes the traditional mysteries in the best sense: no car chases or explosions, just great characters and a feel for time and place." - Rhys Bowen, author
• "Settings and atmosphere captured perfectly from nearly a century ago, complex characters, and a compelling mystery―Christopher Huang’s A Gentleman’s Murder is a must read for fans of Anthony Horowitz, Charles Todd, and Anne Perry." - Daryl Maxwell, Los Angeles Public Library
• "A dazzlingly atmospheric debut that transports you to 1920s London. A Gentleman’s Murder is a meticulous mystery that will keep you guessing until the end and please fans of both Agatha Christie and Gillian Flynn." - Sarah Nivala, Book Soup

Over on Goodreads, Advance Reader reviews are already coming in.

And interviews. Well, interview, singular ... for now. I exchanged a few friendly words with Jacqui Castle, author of The Seclusion, on her blog. Here’s the link. (While you’re at it, why not also check out The Seclusion? It’s quite the disturbing little dystopian epic.)

And we’re on track for the official publication date of 31 July 2018. TALLY HO!

Let me get to the point: There’s a sequel to A God in the Shed being published an it’s titled Song of the Sandman.

“Oh great another campaign.”

Nope.

We’re just going to go ahead and publish Song of the Sandman. There’s still a pre-order page however and I’d love for you to pre-order your copy today.

Well, obviously it helps the publisher with the initial publishing costs, but more importantly, it allows me to offer some exclusive perks to my readers.

Pre-Orders get you:

• For digital pre-orders you get the book early. I’ve seen readers get their e-copies up to two weeks ahead of the official release date.
• For physical copies, you get a signed book in the mail
• Physical copies also come with the e-book through the Inkshares website
• If you pre-order 3 physical copies or more, your name will appear in the book’s acknowledgements. NOTE: This one is subject to extremely tight timing as the book is already in the middle stages of production. You want you name in this book? Don’t delay.
• I’m going to be putting together a few art pieces and getting prints to slip into the signed copies. 

Pre-orders also allow me to put together project page with information about the book which, let’s face it, is pretty exciting.

Check out Song of the Sandman now and consider putting in a pre-order. Show Inkshares the raw power of A God in the Shed readers.

Thanks!

JF Dubeau

Temporary cover

Hello, readers! I hope you are having a fine Memorial Day weekend. We tried to have a yard sale, but it got rained out, and then no one came (I really do need to work on my sales skills). Instead I’ll settle for writing and attempting to get through my massive TBR pile.

Lots going on in Dubiel-land. I can’t share much yet, but there are a few cool things in development. Let’s just say you’ll be able to read something I’ve written by the end of the year! I’m also nearly halfway done with the draft of my new novel, THE ENIGMA VARIATIONS. Not sure if I should crowdfund it or pursue traditional publishing. What say you, readers?

While you wait for news, visit me at www.caridubiel.com or in person at a few events coming up!

June 9, 2018 - I’ll be moderating the indie publishing panel at Killer Heat, at the South Euclid branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library.

June 23-24, 2018 - Hang out with me at the American Library Association conference. I’ll be roaming the exhibit floor. (Sadly, I will be gone before Michelle gets there.)

June 27, 2018 - I’m on a panel with my Sister in Crime Annie Hogsett and Ylleya Fields at the Shaker Heights Public Library.

Happy reading and writing!!

My amazing friends and supporters, 

I have good news for you about Curio Citizen! 

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I have the privilege of working with Matt Harry, Inkshares’ Head of Story Development, as my editor. During the past few weeks, we have discussed my manuscript and decided on a few specific changes to strengthen the book. I am excited to start writing those changes based on Matt’s expert advice, and I know Curio Citizen will be an even better book come publishing time. 

Day one of writing those changes was not without distraction. This little Curio showed up in our attic this morning--I’m afraid we will not be integrating him into our society as Carmen wishes the paz would do for her, but something tells me this snake would prefer it that way also.

    .

But I will power through this and any other distractions thrown my way to get Curio Citizen into your hands as soon as possible, and in the best quality possible. Thank you again for all of your support and patience! I will continue to keep you updated as the process continues.

If you or anyone you know would like to pre-order a copy of Curio Citizen, follow this link! 

 https://www.inkshares.com/books/curio-citizen

--Katherine

Thanks to your continued support, Proteus has finally hit the halfway point in its publication campaign! We are now officially over the hump: from now on, we are closer to the end of this journey than we are to the beginning.

There is a LOT of work left to be done, though. It’s taken a full year to get this far (though that includes several long breaks while I worked on editing Tantalus Depths) and now we have only a little over a month to get the rest of the way there. That’s a lot of ground to cover, but I know we can do it, if we all work together. I know I say this every update, but I cannot stress this enough: telling your friends and family about Proteus is so, so important. If everyone who has already bought a copy found one other person and convinced them to order one too, this journey would be done overnight.

Remember, sharing social media posts is extremely helpful, but telling your friends and family about the book in person is even more impactful. Talk to your brother, co-worker, spouse, anyone you know who might be interested. You’ll be amazed how many people are interested in supporting the arts. I know I have been.

Even if the only thing you can offer is emotional support, I will certainly take that too. I’m not the kind of guy who takes to this crowdfunding thing easily, and it is the most emotionally draining thing I’ve ever done. I’m committed to getting this thing done no matter what, so I’m willing to take that toll, but words of encouragement are always welcome.

Alright, enough of the sales pitch. We’ve hit the halfway point on our journey, just like the crew of the Somnambule at the beginning of Proteus.  At the end of our journey is a publication deal for Proteus, but at the end of the Somnambule’s journey is something much more precious. I think it’s time we found out what’s so important that the Expansionary Coalition thought it was worth the massive undertaking of shipping 50,000 souls halfway across the galaxy, don’t you? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the planet Bella Rosa: The Promised Land.

 What’s of worth in your wallet?  

Chapter two of Face of the Assassin, now available on Inkshares, reveals the true value of money when Javier Perez confronts Klaus Panzer and schools the older man in global economics. By instructing Panzer about what truly gives money its value, Javier goes out on a limb as the world’s wealthiest, most powerful man does not take kindly to being anything but in control.

Face of the Assassin on Inkshares

https://www.inkshares.com/books/face-of-the-assassin

Click on the READ heading on the webpage to access the Chapters

Plus check out the updated opening paragraph for Chapter One.

A great big thank you to all the people who’ve already pre-ordered the novel.  I am very grateful for your faith and financial support.

I encourage everyone else to follow the link and pre-order the book.  Your support brings the campaign closer to succeeding so the entire story is published.  Your role in this is crucial, your actions will result in you being one of the very first to receive the complete published novel.

Share this message with your family and friends and help put the “CROWD” in crowdfunding.  

Thank you.

Bill Brewer aka, William Schiele   

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...

Hi!  I’m finishing off the semester at SF State this week (20 units, and I expect all A’s except for one B), so I should be a bit more "present" in the coming months.  One more semester like this (only 19 units :D) and I’ll be out!

But my personal life aside, I’m happy to report that Amazon is up to 10 reviews, sales have been good, and copies are available at most SF bookstores, and even at Pegasus Books in Berkeley!  I’ll be driving about and getting copies on shelves in the coming weeks, so if you’re local to the Bay Area, keep your eyes peeled!

On a similar note, I want to thank everyone who has read Borehole Bazaar, but I also want to encourage folks to keep the book moving.  Much like a penny, the value increases with circulation, not just with initial sales.  If you know someone who would LOVE this story, even if it wasn’t quite your cup of tea, then please feel welcomed and encouraged to LEND THEM YOUR COPY.  

That’s right.  If those I wasn’t able to reach aren’t of a mind to buy a book, but they would enjoy reading the story, it’s to my net benefit that they have access, and that is where you come in:  Please share your copies.  What this does, first and foremost, is allows for the words to become more than just ink and glue and paper and and some pretty images.  It allows the book to take a step toward becoming real.  What it also does, and I kill the magic by stating this, is it potentially increases visibility among populations outside the mainstream, which in turn could drive future sales with recommendations or "cult classic" status in ten years or even encourage folks to keep their eyes peeled for Book Two, Three, ecetera all the way to Twelve.  

Now, don’t get me wrong here:  I’d love a proffitable sale as much as the next author.  But I can never forget when I was literally starving because I couldn’t afford food, when I wore three to six layers inside my house because my roommate and I couldn’t afford heating, when we left the TV off and read by daylight or one bulb on our rescue couch in the living room together.  Those days were made for free books lent by friends and acquaintances.  That’s when I developed my love of well-worn pages and discovering "mystery crumbs" in the binding.  I used to try and guess what they were, back then.  So, if you’ve got a copy and you’re not going to read it again for a month, keep the book in motion.  Don’t let it gather dust.  It’s not a statue or shelf decoration.  It’s a book, made all the more precious for each time its spine risks creasing.