I’m just going to open with the final cover for The Seventh Age:

I want to thank all of you, the people who have supported me, in helping pick directions, refine options and taking the time to vote. 

Ashley Marie Witter, the Illustrator, who crammed me into her intensely busy schedule of Squarriors. You can check out more of her artwork and rabid apocalyptic rodents by clicking HERE.

Scott over at Cyantype Covers. They did a fantastic job making different options and helping pull everything together for the final version you see today. My finest metal (\m/ >;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;. salute goes to the work that they have done. 

Lastly, to Emily, Avalon, and everyone at the joint Girl Friday / Inkshares production team for helping take the very nebulous concept of a cover into something this badass. 

My sincerest thank you to everyone involved,

~Rick Heinz. 

Yay!  I have some GREAT NEWS!!!  I’ve put up another chapter (it’s purty chapter five), which is cool and wonderful for y’all (again, tis all written and such, these are just happy little things!  One of my friend’s favorite scenes is in this chapter, wherein our protagonist interacts with the human named Ambrosia)!

In other news, I’ve just finished painting my 100th page for these short story compilations.  Yay!  Anyone else who decides to order 2 or more copies of Borehole Bazaar can have a spiral bound book of several of the short stories -- also all hand illustrated (this is not a scan one and print routine, folks!)-- sent to them, then please do so!  I’d love a DM so I can praise you in that moment, too!  I wish y’all an amazing day and hope you like your treats!

Hello everyone!

Gentle readers,

Huge thanks to the following folks for their support this past week:

• Errin Nicholas-Bilek
• The other Jeremy Thomas
• Phil Rood
• Danielle Mahon
• Tahani Nelson
• China Wendel

And especially Thomas J. Arnold, who was my 142nd, 143rd, and 144th preorder.

Going into the final six days of the campaign, I have been tightening up the outline in preparation to implement some draft notes I’ve received from beta readers, and working with Adam Gomolin to bring the second half of the novel from not existing to not sucking. It’s come a long way from the humble little novella it was in March, but I still need to sell 106 preorders in order for this project to reach Quill.

If you’ve already preordered your copy, consider preordering another to foist upon friends and family.

If you haven’t yet, I really need your support. If you’re not in a position to spend another $10, I totally understand (I’m not either, you’ll notice from the lack of "preorder swap" DMs) but would still appreciate your spreading the word on social media.

We only need to sell like 20 preorders a day to reach our goal, we can totally do this.

-J.

Hey Campers!

Wednesday updates are becoming my favorite updates. I really enjoy taking a day off my campaigning to throw recommendations at other people’s books that I think really deserve at least as much of your attention as my own.

This week, I want to spotlight M. Robert Randolph’s book, Wings of the Crallow.

In the first paragraph alone, Wings of the Crallow snatches up your attention, then immediately subverts your expectations. This is the kind of experience you can expect to have throughout all of the story currently available to read. The highly symbolic prose of the story’s content lies somewhere between Stephen King’s Dark Tower and ancient epic poetry.  Modern writing terminology doesn’t even properly convey what this story is. It’s not merely a story, it’s a journey. Wings of the Crallow is a timeless, utterly phenomenal story I cannot recommend higher. Pre-order it immediately.

And on a separate note, Tantalus Depths has just passed 600 pre-orders!
 

I’m completely over the moon about this. Tantalus Depths is so close to that finish line...
We still have a lot left to do, but we’ve made it so much farther than most books manage here. I feel destined to reach that sweet, sweet 750. We only have 19 days to get there, though, so everyone get ready for the final push!
Also, as promised, I’ll be releasing chapter 2 as a reward for getting us to 600. Expect me to upload that and my video reading of it some time tomorrow!
You are all such incredible people for getting Tantalus Depths this far. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

My dear Animals,

After this update I’m out. Radio Silent. Taking a Hike. You could say I’m ‘Going Astray.’ (Alluding to Animal in Man’s first chapter.) You won’t get another update from me until my manuscript is done, I swear it. And in this final update before its arrival, I’m pleased to report that the writing is progressing faster now than ever before. But enough about my own work. I wanted to shine a brighter light on three sci-fi novels that have totally got me on their hooks this week.

Lady Timekeeper: Cities in the Dust is co-authored by two very dear friends of mine, Marie Green and MK McFadden, who I’ve known for almost three years now. We grew up on criticizing each others’ work in Full Sail University’s Creative Writing Master’s program, so I can tell you truly: there are no other authors I know better ‘round here than them, and their work is worth your attention. Writing about time-travel can be extremely difficult (I know, I’ve tried), but Marie and MK manage to weave two of the most important story elements into the complexities of the concept: ACTION and SUSPENSE. Go follow Lady Timekeeper right now!

For the second spotlighted book… A quick story, if I may: so the other day I was in the forums dropping my two cents about comment etiquette, when an unfamiliar name came up as a notification. “Kaytalin Platt liked your…” etc. etc. So I checked in on her, and lo and behold found this amazing story she’s putting together, “The Living God.” Right now, as I type this, there are simply NOT ENOUGH FOLLOWERS on that draft. It’s another story about time travel (I’m sensing a theme here!), but it’s set in an epic fantasy world. It’s like Jeremy McGuire (or whoever) said in his movie, “You had me at ‘Time Mage.’” Please go follow Kaytalin’s draft.

Another quick[er] story: I got an email yesterday informing me that Brien Shores’ novel “I Think You Dropped This” has returned to Inkshares for a renewed funding campaign. What sort of world do we live in where writing this good can’t make its funding goal? Perhaps a world where people who are reading this aren’t clicking this link to check out Brien’s amazing book. I don’t want to live in a world like that. The mouse is in your hand, as is the power, to make that ardent wish a reality. ...OK, ok, enough with the meta… The bottom line is, Brien’s storytelling is a mind-f**king good time. You will be pleasantly puzzled one moment, and laughing out loud the next. Go check out “I Think You Dropped This.”

(One last look at the breathtaking artwork for The Animal in Man, shall we? Credit to artist Ilie Vaduva.) 

Peace out, you Animals. No more updates from me until the big one hits, but if you ever want to get a hold of me, I’m a DM or a tweet away.