Greetings hexers and machina jockeys,

Today emails are going out with the ebooks of Sister of the Circuit. By now everyone who ordered physical copies should have them in their hands, which means Isidore and Dax, Surge and Evite are ready to sear your eyeballs with their adventures. 

It’s a surreal day. 

For my part I have been working with the amazingly talented Jill Crenshaw, finalizing the audiobook. My plan is to have that launch on July 3rd along with the paperback and ebook publication date (you know, for people who aren’t awesome backers like you). If you’re the sort of person who likes your books read to you, it will be available on Audible and I’ll send out a link when it’s ready.

If you’re a fan of reviewing things, would you mind reviewing the book once you’ve read it?  Every voice talking about Sister of the Circuit on Amazon, Goodreads, iTunes, whatever, is a huge help.  

Thank you so much for your support, and have a great weekend.

Ready to have some fun? 

You’re looking at some initial Animal in Man cover designs!!! Somebody pinch me - - This is really happening, isn’t it?!? There are elements from all three of these that I really, really like. While #1 definitely captures the proportions of the animal-creatures I see in my head, Inkshares has wisely advised me against endorsing a cover that potentially forms images for readers. I couldn’t agree more. #2 is probably the closest runner-up. I really like the minimalist design, how the cover managed to take my story and form an icon from it. Pretty cool! But what’s it really saying? There’s a fox… Some swords… Hmm… Exactly. Not much. #3 is solid too, since it really accentuates a defining characteristic of the story’s hero, Maxan, a fox with mismatched gold and green eyes. (That’s important, I swear.) BUT… again, his eyes aren’t what the story’s all about.

Now this… This is what the story’s all about. 

May I present to you the desired direction, ladies and gentlemen, for The Animal in Man’s cover!! This one truly captures the sense of violence, danger, brutality, and darkness that Book I: Violent Mind is going for. It captures it so well, in fact, that I’m already dreaming of the cover variations for the rest of the series, Book II: Ferocious Heart and Book III: Undying Soul. Remember, my dear animals, this is not the final cover. Believe me when I say that you’ll be the first to know once that comes in. Thank you all, as always, for all the patience and support.

So, the manuscript for Murder Happens was submitted about 4-weeks ago and they have a 2-month turn before reading for the first assessment. If readers and/or authors are interested in learning more about the process, try following Murder Happens. No obligation and once the dev edits come back, I’ll be posting more discussion-worthy updates.

https://www.inkshares.com/books/murder-happens

It’s been a long time coming, friends, but these little ladies have arrived. By now those of you who ordered physical copies should have received shipping notifications. When your books arrive, I’d love it if you posted a photo of them. I can’t wait to see how far the mech crew has spread.  

This is a book that was driven entirely by you, the readers. Without the interest in this book, it wouldn’t exist. It would still be a jumble of graphic novel pages, barely a whisper of what it would become. 

So today I celebrate you. Thank you for this gift of a book. 

May the Code replicate eternal.

Hello there wonderful followers!

Beyond the Code has been climbing in both orders and reviews. Things are going great and i have some news I want to share. My author website is up and running. Check it out to find links on where to buy Beyond the Code, reviews, podcast appearances and more. It will be a one stop shop for any news regarding my life as an author. Take a look and let me know what you think. 

http://www.kelseybarthel.ca/

Kelsey Barthel

Happy June!
We’ve been busy here preparing for a move, which is exciting, but also a good distraction from waiting for my turn with the developmental editor at Inkshares. It seems like he will get to look at my book this summer. 

In the meantime, I’ve kept busy with some other writing projects. I’m working closely with a new group called Writing Bloc, contributing to their blog and assuming the role of Project Manager for a short story anthology that should come out this fall. You can check out Writing Bloc and my contributions at https://writingbloc.com/.

I spoke at a panel on The Art of Publishing at the Claremont High School Literary Festival Word Play on May 19 and had a great time!

I also just finished outlining a new novel-- this one is speculative fiction and I’m really excited about it! I’ll keep you all updated as Rock of Ages moves forward. Thank you so much for your support!

I’m starting a revolution. ANOTHER revolution, to be exact. Around the sun. And it begins today. Because today… is my birthday! Yes, that’s right! And I’d like you to know it’s totally OK if you forgot to get me something. Because it’s NOT TOO LATE! 

For my birthday, it would be really great if all those who’ve followed The Animal in Man could make a pre-order. What you’ll get is a SIGNED COPY on September 25th. But, at the very least, it’d still be pretty swell if you followed me and my book(s) on Inkshares, and then hit me up on facebook and twitter (@BulletTime000). And at the very, very-VERY least click Like on this reader update. (It kind of makes me feel special. :D)

You should know, I got YOU something too. Coming up in June, I’ll have new character concept art to share as well as promotional giveaways as the September 25th release date approaches. (Hint: by pre-ordering NOW, you’re eligible for the drawing. Just sayin’!) Stay tuned!

As always, THANKS to all the supporters of The Animal in Man.

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!