Lots of good stuff happening, but I’ll be brief (mostly because I’m writing this update during my lunch hour, and I’m starving). First, please be sure to check out my latest The Future Is Now column on Geek & Sundry. This time I examine just exactly how close we are to putting human feet on Mars. (close than you think!)

Now, I get about ten emails every week asking me, "Is the book done, yet?" - So, as is my charter, I will show you just exactly where I am in the rewrite:

As you can see, I’m very, very close to being done with the first rewrite. I’m staying up extra late and waking up extra early every day this week to get it done, and in my editor’s hands in order to meet the Inkshares manuscript delivery deadline of August 1. If I get that done I think there’s a good chance the book will land on the early side of 2017.

While we’re here, I’d like to also update you on the short story I’m writing for the Too Many Controllers anthology, which, if you haven’t already acquired, you really should. As promised, since the anthology reached its 300th reader target, I’m unveiling the name and synopsis of my contribution. My story is entitled: Morcom is here. Here is the synopsis:

A journalist researching the UK’s World War 2 Colossus computing program at Bletchley Park inadvertently unearths Alan Turing’s most complex, clandestine program. A tome of handwritten code designed for a computer that he knew would not exist for decades after his death. Many believe the program to be an artificial intelligence game Turing designed to defeat his own famous test. A one hundred million dollar XPRIZE challenge is announced, awarded to the first person or team who could successfully execute Turing’s opus. A team from the University of Michigan thinks they’ve got what it takes.

Lastly, I wanted to call your attention to my editor, Robert Kroese, and his new book The Big Sheep which is officially available for purchase today. I’m a huge fans of his writing, and this book is sure to entertain. It’s half Philip K Dick, half Douglas Adams. What’s not to love? You can get yourself a copy from Amazon, or, if you’re a collector, autographed copies are available from Schuler Books.