
Dear friends and followers,
It continues to be slow on the pre-order front--Summer is meant for lazy, restful naps in the sun--but that does not mean I have been completely idle. I have plans for a second Peterkin mystery game, which I hope to unveil in a couple of weeks.
Wouldn’t it be great if I could just spend all my time writing? Both games and books. I guess I could consider Patreon for that, but I figure the pre-order thing with Inkshares is better. A one-time contribution can lead to publication, which in turn leads to sales and royalties ... it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of games and books, the video-game oriented Nerdist contest just ended, and I am pleased to say that "Too Many Controllers" came in first. A number of you contributed to that win, and we’ve compiled a video to express our gratitude.
It’s a first taste of publication, folks. And that is bloody exciting.
And in the continuing series of introductions to the characters you’ll meet in "Murder at the Veterans’ Club", here’s (Lord) Oliver Saxon, the fifth and last of the club officers:

Here’s a bit of trivia that didn’t make it into the book:
In the UK, a military Mess is normally run by a Mess Committee comprising of seven members: the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and three members responsible for stocking the bar, organising the entertainment, and maintaining the premises. The Veterans’ Club is almost certainly derived from such a Mess, which suggests there ought to be seven members on the board of officers, not five. I blame Bradshaw for this: it is my belief that he proved so efficient as Secretary that he swallowed up the offices of the Treasurer and the member responsible for maintaining the premises. No doubt, once he’s gone, the Vet will find itself in need of an additional two officers on the board to bring them back up to seven.
Then again, has the Mess Committee always been as described, and was it so in the days of the club’s founding?
Until next time: have fun and keep reading.
I’ve got a quick update this week for everyone. First news of important dates:
Besides dates and places to meet up! What would an update of mine be without pictures?! I bring you the final cover illustration for the Front Cover!

Only 21 days of funding remain for Mission 51. I would love to see 9 pre-orders over the weekend. Can you help? Here is how:
1. If you have not yet pre-ordered, please click the green button below and follow the pre-order links. Time is of the essence. I need 4.2 pre-orders a day to qualify for Inkshares’ Quill publication services!
2. If you have already pre-ordered a copy of Mission 51, thank you! Now please take a moment to gently encourage/persuade (harass!) a friend to do the same! :-)
3. If you have already pre-ordered a copy, consider purchasing another one, for a friend, family, or neighbor. It could be a birthday present, or an early Christmas present. Particularly good for readers! :-)
Thanks again, everyone! YOU are the ones launching Mission 51, and I greatly appreciate it!
The Nerdist contest is over. Wow! That was exciting!!
I want to send out a big congratulations to the multiple authors contributing to Too Many Controllers, and to @Prescott Harvey for In Beta, and to @Peter Ryan for Destiny Imperfect. Great job, everyone! I am looking forward to reading your stories!
I do want to congratulate @Alisa King for Are You Sure You Want To Quit?, @Regina McMenomy for Mothering: The Game, and @Matthew Poat for Squids In. That was a very good effort! Alisa just missed the top three, but she made Quill! That’s fantastic! And Regina and Matt are a good ways to that goal.
Congratulations!!! :-)
Last call! Order IN BETA now or, uh, pick it up in bookstores later (hopefully). The Nerdist video game contest ends tomorrow, and it’s been a helluva ride. I’ll be glad to quit hustling and return to churning out the video game-themed hilarity.