Tony Valdez liked an update for Blood Dawn

The Nerdist Collection Contest is almost at an end. I am not in it, but I've made friends with many of the authors in the contest and have loved showing support for their work along the way. Even after the Nerdist competition, there will still be several great projects funding and I look forward to our continued work together.

I thought instead of giving you a long list, I'd share with you my number one favorite project that's not in the top 5.

Now, this has been hard for me to do. But I confess, one has stood out for me above all others (keeping in mind I am an epic fantasy reader and love sprawling epics with maps and immersive worlds).

So here it is, my number one top pick:

Rune of the Apprentice, by Jamison Stone.

I've shared Jamison's book with you before, and his guest post over on my blog (haven't seen it yet? Read it here.)


Rune of the Apprentice felt to me like a novel after my own heart. I was blown away by Jamison's maps, his diligent world building, and his passionate tale about a young orphan's quest to stop his special gift from killing him.  Reading Jamison's work, I'm at once transported to something out of a Brandon Sanderson book -- yes, his writing is that good.

Jamison also draws his own maps. They're spectacular! I want to share one with you here:

Isn't that amazing? If you love immersive epic fantasy, you should definitely go to his page for Rune of the Apprentice and read more, and consider backing his project:

https://www.inkshares.com/projects/rune-of-the-apprentice

Jamison is also giving all his profit raised from pre-orders to charities that support military families. Inspired to write Rune of the Apprentice during long periods where he would be away from his wife during her service in the military, Jamison is doing something very generous by giving back to those who struggle with similar issues of separation. This is a great cause, all around, and I'd love to see you support this book to help it come to life.

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    Tony Valdez liked an update for I Think You Dropped This

    It's time for me to cram yet another update into your already too full inboxes.

    The sad truth is that I am far from the top 5.  The happy truth is that I'm much further along than I had expected!  This contest has done one major thing for me and that was to push me to get my book out there.  It's a great feeling that some people think that this thing that I've worked on for so long is not only worth their time but also enjoyable.  Also it's a great feeling to know that some people are very polite and preordered out of their good nature.  Another great feeling is the one that people I know get when they preorder and I shut up and leave them alone.  
    I offer my sincere congratulations to all that have made it into the top 5.  Your talents and exhaustive efforts are being rewarded and even though you can't hear it I applaud you.  I especially want to congratulate and thank Rick and Dave.  Who were supportive of me very early on and really helped with my book gaining momentum. If you haven't preordered their books yet feel encouraged to check them out here:
    https://www.inkshares.com/projects/the-seventh-age-dawn
    and
    https://www.inkshares.com/projects/it-s-all-fun-and-games

    For five in the contest this is the end, for the rest this is only the middle.

    I won't drag this out longer than it needs to be so I'll leave you with Congratulations to the Top 5's!  

    and preorder my book:  http://t.co/lKEuSDmp0R   

    Cheers!
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      Tony Valdez liked an update for Rune of the Apprentice

      This is the look of EXHAUSTION as the awesome Baltimore Comic Con came to a close!

      I'm currently feeling the same with the Nerdist Inkshares contest ending tomorrow at 12 noon! I want to offer a HUGE congratulations to the top 5 winners. I can only image your exhaustion and am truly impressed with the high numbers many of you have gotten.

      While I have already pre ordered nearly everyone's books on the top 20+ and am VERY excited to read all the top books, I want to give a special shout out to my convention loving friend Richard Heinz and his AWESOME book The Seventh Age: Dawn. It is his book I am most excited about reading and I highly suggest that all of my new Comic Con friends to check it out! He is a HUGE con goer, so if you have extra credits, spend it on his book!

      NOW, for those of you who have not yet Pre-Ordered RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE... 

      Holy love of the Arkai! GO PRE-ORDER RUNE RIGHT NOW! Jeez!

      The Inkshares contest ends at twelve noon tomorrow and I know RUNE can get in the top ten! Regardless, much like Aleksi (the hero of RUNE) I will fulfill my Runic destiny and not just surpass 1000 pre-orders, but well into the tens of thousands! To do so, however, I need your support NOW! 

      Please show it now by suggesting RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE to your friends and family to get the word out! Your support means the world to me. Thank you!

      Really. THANK YOU!

      Click this link below to Pre-order RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE 

      Then, click below to check out and order Richard Heinz and his AWESOME book The Seventh Age: Dawn - New Comic Con Friends, this is really worth your time to check out!


      Thank you to all my backers and CONGRATULATIONS to the WINNERS! See you soon!

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        Tony Valdez followed Kelly Rice Birklund
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        Tony Valdez sent an update for Dax Harrison

        Just a super quick update: Dax Harrison now has a Facebook page!

        facebook.com/DaxHarrisonBook

        SO much easier to direct people to, rather than inkshares.com/projects/dax-harrison-random-number-they-won't-remember...

        Spread the word, guys and gals!

        -Tony :)

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          Tony Valdez liked an update for She Is the End

          Hey, nerds! Look I did an interview about the coloring book for the Inkshares blog looook!

          I had a bunch of new ideas for collaborative projects while I was writing it, so... be prepared for more cool stuff to come along...

          In other news, I decided Tuesday should be Museday. I'll highlight things that inspire my writing! Get it? 

          First up: music! I'll be creating and sending out youtube mixes filled with songs to help you get to know my characters - twelve songs per character for the twelve episodes in my book. (I would also love to listen to any mixes you all have for your characters or books!)

          Here's your Museday Mix: RELAI EDITION featuring...

          Wake Me Up - Birdy
          Get Home - Bastille
          Blow - Ke$ha
          Elastic Heart - Sia
          I'm a Mess - Ed Sheeran
          Titanium - David Guetta ft. Sia
          Hopeless Opus - Imagine Dragons
          Empire - Shakira
          Gold - Imagine Dragons
          Fly - Nicki Minaj ft. Rihanna
          Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde
          Shake It Off - Florence and the Machine


          And here are some fantastic recommendations for your consideration:

          A Soul to Steal by Anthony Russo:
          Its 1948 and private eye C.A. Cavanaugh handles cases regarding magic and all that it implies. Haunted by his partner’s death, he’s ready to leave Hollywood until Winnie, his partner’s daughter, shows up to claim fifty percent of the business. (This one looks really good - a fun blend of hard-boiled and magical.)

          Forty Days by J. Durbin:
          Dr. Nerana Jackson awakens to find herself stranded on a ghost ship, drifting in orbit near an alien star. Now, she must piece together what happened to the crew and why before time runs out - or she may join them.
          (Main-character-wakes-up-in-a-travel-pod buddies! I would read books like this every day of my life. Classic and awesome.)
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            Tony Valdez liked an update for A God in the Shed

            So it comes to a close.

            It's been a crazy month and a half. I want to thank everyone of you for paying attention to this project so far. I especially want to thank those who have pre-ordered. You guys are amazing.

            The day isn't over yet though and, purely as an exercise for my ego, I'd love it if we could finish this in the top ten still, maybe even climb to 9th place. There's a few of you who receive this that haven't pre-ordered yet but would have my eternal gratitude if you did (it's free if you follow these instructions). If you've pre-ordered already, then ask you spouse or a friend to toss in a pre-order.

            Why push so close to the end? Because this isn't over. While the Nerdist Collection contest nears the end we still have work to get this book funded and every little bit helps. So let's finish this in style and with dignity.

            Look, I even sketched out little Audrey from 'A God in the Shed' for you. How could you say 'no' to a dead child?

            Morbid humour aside, thank you again you continuous help. The Inkshares platform is part of the democratization of art and literature on the internet and you're now part of it. You're helping culture flourish in new ways that favour the artists. That is no little feat.

            Pat yourself on the back. You earned it.

            JF

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              Tony Valdez liked an update for U-Turn at Next Synapse

              I probably should update seeing that everyone else is. The contest ends tomorrow, and I have done what I could. I made it to the 15th spot and hung in the top 20 for a good duration of this contest and for that I am thrilled. As of right now (1:53 PM PST) I am barely holding on to the 17th rung of this harrowing ladder. With only selling one to maybe three copies a day, U-Turn At Next Synapse has been unable to keep the stamina up with with the 23-64 copies a day Giants. 

              The contest is over, but the possibility of being published is not. I have 47 days. Repeat 47 Days to have 817 copies pre-ordered by you and your friends, and the world.  

              How many people can you get to take the U-Turn? Where two stories meet on the crossroad of a crumbling psyche:


                   It was just blind chaos; accumulating as much destruction as they possibly can. We had traveled a lot of road. To be driving in silence was exhilarating. It was pushing back the exhaustion, the burn in my thighs; the body, slowly dying, had exerted what it could. I was in pain, but it was more than just physical. The core was shot. I pulled out the crumpled piece of paper from my pocket, looked over the map, the crude lines resembling rooted weeds of a mansion estate. Even a widespread living quarters had the most intricate buds. There, I saw that Dragon’s Point was ten minutes out. My rest stop...ours.

              ...

                          Christ! The kid! Jerry ran over to Johnny. The outer glass casing of the street lamp was fractured and the pieces were all around where John was moving. This light was damaged and it was done recently. Jerry ran over to help John out with the investigation that was taking a turn, finally. John was looking at the light from every angle on the ground, moving from position to position, sometimes on his back, other times on his knees, one with a jump backwards,  reenacting what might have happened. John pointed his arm miming that he was holding a gun for each scenario. Jerry scooted around John, tiptoeing around the fragmented covering.

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                Landon Crutcher followed Tony Valdez
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                Tony Valdez liked an update for Monkey Business

                Hi guys! We're in the closing hours of the Nerdist contest now. I just wanted to say good luck to all of you near the top. Very exciting stuff! If you haven't chosen one of the top contenders yet, you might want to do so now. It looks like the battle for fourth and fifth place will be a tough one.

                I'm going to keep it short, end it there and conserve further marketing efforts until later in the week when the madness has ended. Good luck and good night!

                - Landon


                https://www.inkshares.com/projects/monkey-business

                https://www.facebook.com/landonwrites


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