This week something pretty amazing happened. Inkshares sent me the back cover text and author bio for The Punch Escrow. I was also given an official publication date, which is a lot further in the future than I originally imagined, but makes sense. The book will be released at San Diego Comic Con (July 19, 2017) and will be given a big promotional push by Geek & Sundry there. We haven’t even started coming up with what sort of pomp and circumstance we’ll do, but I’m sure it’ll be fun. Anyway, the rewrite is moving along swimmingly. Some days more swimming than others. Right now with around 35% of the rewrite complete, I can’t seem to get out of the limbo that exists between 28,000 and 29,000 words, but I’m very motivated by deadlines and I’ve committed to handing in the manuscript by November 1, so I’ll get there. For those curious about the back copy and author bio, here’s what they look like (some of you who have been with me since the beginning of this campaign will note that International Transport has gotten better at marketing, they’ve eliminated "Journey" from their slogan):

Back Cover Synopsis:

It’s the year 2471. Advancements in nanotechnology have enabled us to control aging. We’ve genetically engineered mosquitoes to feast on carbon fumes instead of blood, ending air pollution. And teleportation has become the ideal mode of transportation, offered exclusively by International Transport—a secretive firm headquartered in New York City. Their slogan: Departure... Arrival... Delight!

Joel Byram, our smartass protagonist, is an everyday twenty-fifth century guy. He spends his days training artificial-intelligence engines to act more human, jamming out to 1980’s synthpop—an extremely obscure genre, and trying to salvage his deteriorating marriage. Joel is pretty much an everyday guy with everyday problems—until he’s accidentally duplicated while teleporting.  

Now Joel must outsmart the shadowy organization that controls teleportation, outrun the religious sect out to destroy it, and find a way to get back to the woman he loves in a world that now has two of him.

Author Biography Back Cover Version

Tal M. Klein was born in Israel, grew up in New York, and currently lives in Detroit with his wife and two daughters. When she was five years old, his daughter Iris wrote a book called I’m a Bunch of Dinosaurs that went on to become one of the most successful children’s book projects on Kickstarter —something that Tal explained to Iris by telling her, “your book made lots of kids happy.” Iris then asked Tal, "Daddy, why don’t you write a book that makes lots of grownups happy?" Tal mulled this over for a few years, and eventually wrote his first book, The Punch Escrow. It won the Inkshares Geek & Sundry Hard Science Fiction publishing contest, and will be the first book published on the Geek & Sundry imprint.

Greetings!

First, it’s so exciting seeing all the images people have been sending of their copies of the book or them holding the book.  I’m saving all of these, of course.  Be sure to get a picture of some interesting place you choose to read it for a bit.  It’s been fun sharing those.

Second, you are able to review Rise on Amazon.com, BN.com, and Goodreads (and mark it as reading on that last one if you still are).  The BN page is a bit dodgy with the reviews.  Some people have reported it won’t accept the review while a few have managed it.  I appreciate your attempting to do so.  It really does help.

In other news, I’ve resumed editing Fall around my re-write of After Man.  It’s fun revisiting this new adventure in the same world as Rise after taking several month off from it.  I can’t say Fall will have as many edit run-throughs as Rise did but it is still getting a meticulous comb over.  If you’re as eager to read this second book as I am in editing it, why not go ahead over to Inkshares and preorder your copy today.

Finally, yours truly recently was a guest on the Write Brain podcast, hosted by Inkshares veterans Paul Inman and Jean-Francois Dubeau.  We had a blast discussing cake, Dragoncon, authors we like to read and don’t like to read, and, yes, even Rise.  Be sure to look for it in whatever podcast app you use, episode 30 or go to http://www.jfdubeau.com/writebrain/ to listen.  Additionally, in two weeks time on Oct 7, 2016 I have the privilege of appearing on a podcast on a network I’ve been a fan of since 2009, Frogpants Studios.  I’ll be appearing on the Current Geek podcast hosted by Scott Johnson (of The Instance podcast fame for you WoW players) and Tom Merritt (a name that will be familiar to most of you as he’s the guy on the front cover of Rise giving that amazing blurb).  I’m really excited and a bit nervous to be appearing on any show on this network but I’m sure it will be fun.  If you haven’t discovered the library of shows Frogpants Studios and friends of the network are making, I highly recommend going to frogpants.com and checking them out.

Happy reading and listening!

https://www.inkshares.com/books/bad-medicine-slay-it-queen-Hello queens, friends, supporters, stalkers and curious people.

Today is one of those rare Friday nights when I actually have plans, so I’m announcing the winner early!

The next queen joining the cast of Bad Medicine: Slay it Queen! is Miss Peaches Putnam (AKA Holly Masi)

Peaches Putnam is a shoe obsessed queen, known in the drag community for her Cirque Soleil-style performances.

Congratulations Holly!

Remember you can win too. Pre-order, send me your drag name and you can be a character in the book.

Also, I have new concept art. This time from French comic artist, Pier Caltafer. The way he imagined Bad Medicine is very Jinx Monsoon look alike. I’m also loving the post-apocalyptic New York City.

Seen my book through the eyes of so many diverse artists gives me life!

Finally, I will be posting the second chapter this weekend. It is a meaty one and full of surprises. I hope you like it.

Have a fierce weekend!

Hey Campers!

Happy Wednesday! 

I wanted to share this new interview I did with Inkshares author Alastair Luft. This one focuses more on my writing process. 

Read the new interview here: http://www.alastairluft.com/blog

Current sales 659/750! I am so close, but sales have slowed drastically. Please continue to share my book with your friends and convince them to preorder. Remember, you can preorder up to ten copies to give away to friends, and if you become a "Super Backer" you will have access to drafts of the book before anyone else! 

Thank you so much for your continued support! Have a wonderful evening!

Kyle T. Cowan