Gah I was mentioned on the Sword & Laser podcast! Deus Hex Machina is officially FAMOUS! If you haven't watched the latest episode, they interview the current top three Inkshares finalists, and then mention my book at the end. Very exciting stuff. I loved Craig's story about his wife and how he started writing.
We are currently at 94 orders, and the incomparable A.C. Weston has graciously decided to run a little contest in support of DHM. If we get ten more people ordering, up to 104, then she will raffle off an original inked panel she's creating from the DHM graphic novel to one of those ten people. So awesome, I cannot handle it! Check out just one of the awesome panels here:
She's just so good, isn't she? I was so honored when she said she wanted to try her hand at a page from the old script. This sort of makes me want to update the script with the changes from the novel and get the whole thing drawn...but novel first! Focus Mandie!
Anyway, if you want a chance be one of the next ten people to order the DHM!
Lastly, we are halfway to my next novel giveaway raffle, and only 65 orders away from 5th place. I know it seems like a long way to go, but we have a lot of followers so maybe these two contests will pull some lurkers out of the woodwork. I would love nothing more than to end this contest in 5th and maybe even 4th place. I think it's important to have a woman in the top five, don't you?
Alright, I hope I get the chance to do a raffle drawing today, so I'll say see ya later rather than goodbye. Cheers!
Turns out that link I directed you to, the one I thought led to the Sword and Laser podcast interview with me and Craig Munro and Matt Sobin... yeah, it takes you to Inkshares author Melanie Reed's video for her book "Night Terrors."
Yeah. I'd been watching that earlier on youtube and accidentally copied the wrong link. Brain's not working still, it seems. (This campaign has been exhausting!)
Please check out Melanie's book (if you haven't already via the other link!)
And, of course, please enjoy the Sword and Laser video interview, as I'd intended.
Sorry for the double post, everybody!
Hello again, dear readers.
In the spirit of camaraderie, I had a call tonight with author Matthew Isaac Sobin, whose book "The Last Machine in the Solar System" is currently in the #2 spot of the Sword and Laser contest. I've been a fan of Matt's book ever since it entered the race, gladly putting down my money for a copy (now three copies, actually) on the second day of the contest. Although he is my competitor, I wish his book all the best. It's worth your attention as well, so help him get it funded! I'm glad we got together on the phone line. Mostly, we just talked shop about writing, and blew off some steam about the tireless campaign to earn your support. We commiserated about my failed attempts at plastering the city with my AiM posters, and I heard about the fun he had delivering Last Machine holiday cards - both of which netted us about 0-1 readers, maybe... We had a really good time. I can see this as an ongoing thing...
...Ongoing straight to tomorrow (and beyond!) when Matt and I and fellow S&L leader Craig Munro (author of "Bones of the Past") are guests on the Sword and Laser podcast! That's right! My crazy voice will be broadcast for all to hear, so tune in when the episode airs. I'll be sure to post another reader update when it's live.
Look, as far as I see it, there are so many amazing authors and amazing stories here on Inkshares - and especially so for the books gathered in this S&L contest. I mean I even told Matt just before we hung up that I'm a huge fan of Amanda Orneck's "Deus Hex Machina." I think that book is so unique... Ah, I could talk your ear off all evening about my admiration for that work and for so many others, but I'd rather inform you that I...
...just posted three more chapters of "The Animal in Man". Chapter Two. Chapter Three. And Chapter Six. ....hold on... Six? Yeah. That's right. Chapters 4 and 5 are done, but being the perfectionist I am, they don't make me so happy in their current state. I was picking at them with a fine tooth comb, and I saw just way too many spots that needed changing to be consistent with the world as it's evolved throughout this project. I believe you will enjoy 2, 3, and 6 since you'll see meet some new friends, discover the fate of everyone's favorite hyena (sorry, Rick), and perhaps even catch a glimpsssse of the villain's agent (or the villain himself, or both?).
I'd like to leave you with a disclaimer as this update draws to a close: Please please please excuse any inconsistencies or bad grammatical errors you find. "The Animal in Man" is a work in progress. The scale of this project is massive, perhaps you might say Aigaion-sized. It's a lot of work, but I am excited to see it through - to get the first draft finished and then leap back in with the bloody red pen (my students know what I'm talking about!). So please, don't be so critical of the small things that don't add up. Just enjoy.
Today's update is a short one. I just wanted to remind those that are following the book that there are three days left in the Sword & Laser the Sequel contest, and Deus Hex Machina is only three people away from 6th place. Only ONE order away from our next giveaway! Gah! I want to give away a book today! Can we do that please??