What started as a boss encounter for Maggie in the RPG Scales of Time: The Land of the Scorched ends up becoming an unusual adventure full of twists, turns, and dragons...lots of dragons.
Dear Machiners!
There are mere hours left in the Nerdist Video Games contest on Inkshares!! As many of you know, I have been competing in this contest with an amazing group of authors. We are now T-Minus 13 hours until the contest ends - and we’re aiming to finish strong and take first place!
Our book,Too Many Controllers is a collection of fifteen short stories across genres, time and realities connected by one theme: video games. We all love video games, or know someone who does, so it would be wonderful if you supported this excellent anthology. I can almost guarantee that there is something for everyone in this book!
And here’s the best part for all you machiners and fans of The Last Machine in the Solar System: my short story will feature Jonathan, the last machine, and his creator, Nikolai. This story will take place many billions of years earlier than the events of the novella, while Jonathan is still young, and Nikolai still lives.
Much more to come as the journey continues! Thanks again for your tremendous support!
Lore update: 
The moral implications of a completely customizeable human genome have not been resolved by the time of Tantalus Depths. Most parents only want to use this technology to ensure the lifelong health of their children, but some may make alterations that are morally ambiguous. Where would you stand on this issue? And how does this technology play into the lives of the Diamelen’s crew?
Dear Friends
There are only 24 hours left to get a signed copy of Too Many Controllers, the anthology that I’m part of with another 14 talented authors.
As I have told you before, this anthology is participating in the current Nerdist contest. We are in first place, and we want to stay there, so I need you to order a copy right now.
Too Many Controllers is a collection of fifteen short stories across genres, time and realities connected by one theme: video games. We all love video games, or know someone who does, so there are no excuses not to get it.
Also, this collection is pokemon free, and I know many of you will appreciate that!
Have a fantastic day
Yup, here we are; the last day of the Nerdist Video Game Contest.
If you haven’t heard, I’m participating with 14 other extremely talented writers in an anthology that you can pre-order now. I feel privileged to part of this group of fantastic artists and I believe you will be impressed with what they have to offer. However, if you’re looking to be part of the action. If you want to get a signed copy with whatever other bonuses we throw in. If you’re the kind of person who likes to point at cool things and say "I was a part of this.", then you better hurry my friends. July 15th at 3pm EST, the contest is over.
We want to finish with a bang. You want to be part of the action. So follow this link and get yourself this 1-Up of a book. It’s your last chance. There are no save points.
Back to A God in the Shed content soon...
JF
As a side note: How did we not name the e-reader level ’DLC’ for our campaign?
Lemme tell you about Christopher Irvin… This guy is the author of WRESTLETOWN, a book with a title so intense it can only be written in caps, g*****it! A book with a premise so creative, it can only be truly expressed by its amazing cover art and in-book illustrations. ...and Chris’ Inkshares page for it also does an excellent job explaining it, of course. See for yourself!
Chris is also the author of “Burn Cards,” “Federales,” and more dark, gritty crime fiction. I’ve always been a huge fan of noir stories, but sometimes I need to get away from the mid-20th Los Angeles of Raymond Chandler and see some unexplored, modern locales, to read some stories with modern themes and meaning. I think “Federales” is going to do that for me, taking place in Mexico, deep in the cartel wars. More horrible people doing horrible things to each other…
Were you thinking that would lead to something about “The Animal in Man”? Well, Chris was gracious enough to feature my book as a guest blog on his website, so if you want to know a little more about my story’s exploration of violence, you can get your AiM Reader Update fix over there. Thanks again (to Chris Irvin, to everyone!) for your continued support of The Animal in Man.
I know I said that my previous update was going to be the last one until the contest came to a close but I just received a note from fellow Inkshares author Christopher Irvin that a guest blog post all about SQUIDS IN that we put together a while back has finally gone live. You can read it here - http://christopherirvin.net/2016/07/13/inkshares-interview-matthew-poat-squids-in/
Christopher is currently funding his illustrated novel WRESTLETOWN and it both sounds and looks absolutely awesome. I certainly have my physical copy ordered and I would encourage you to go and order a copy too - https://www.inkshares.com/books/wrestletown?referral_code=9df46898
With regards to the contest, it looks like 5th place is out of reach now after a surge of support for "Mothering : The Game" but I don’t begrudge that. The book is wonderful and I myself have ordered a few physical copies.
Now I just need to try and secure 6th place which may prove tough since both "SideScroller" and "A Soldier’s Crest : Imperium" are currently nipping at my heels. If only I could get Hendrix the octopus to help out, but he’s gone AWOL.
Matthew
This is not a drill...only one day left to get your preordered, first edition copy of the gaming anthology Too Many Controllers. I will be contributing a cyberpunk short story to this future masterpiece, and if you are a fan of Deus Hex Machina, you are gonna want to read this story because it’s canon. Tomorrow the funding period ends on TMC, so now is your last chance to get your copy.
I am in the planning stages of my short story, but will have it completed by the end of the month. Here’s the premise: Amiina Kym is a brilliant research scientist, the sort who graduate from med school at 18 and complete grad school in a year. Being in the 28th century, she attended university virtually, she spent her entire grad school career working to create a cure for the horrible disease that killed her mother. But she’s at an impasse.
First there’s the fact that she’s living out on a floating algae farm off the coast of Orange County. It’s not exactly like you can get research supplies easily when you’re on a former oil rig in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Second is that although she’s narrowed down the last component she needs for the serum, that component no longer exists; it was killed off centuries ago by the Los Angeles Plague.
So Amiina is stuck in her research, stuck in a dead end job playing nurse to a bunch of crotchety algae farmers, stuck without a degree to justify the time and expense she’s poured into this serum. The only thing that saves her from going completely insane is Dyad Online, the VRMMO she spends every spare moment playing, and her dashing battle partner known only as Harrow. When fighting the last boss of the game becomes much more than just getting the world first kill, Amiina learns that digital decisions have real world consequences.
Right now I’m running with the working title of "Final Boss," and I’m excited to delve into a world of high stakes gaming, digital adventure, and virtual romance. Want to know more about Amiina? Then preorder your copy of Too Many Controllers today and find out which DHM character makes a cameo!
Greetings Destiny-followers,
The end is very much nigh and the contest is getting hot, hot, hot. Friday midnight is the witching hour, and for Destiny Imperfect to remain upon this earthly realm we need to keep ahead of two worthy titles. Right now we are 2nd. This is very good, and this is all thanks to you. But 3rd and 4th are within 6 orders of Destiny’s position. Things are, most definitely, getting tight.
So where to from here? For those of you that have leapt aboard the crazy train that is Destiny Imperfect, the answer is easy. Think of one person that would benefit from the eye-opening, mind-searing, cultural phenomenon that Destiny Imperfect is … errr… destined to be. Take them gently by the hand, ease their way through Inkshares maze and guide them to the pre-order button. The next part is up to them … you can lead a person to Inkshares, but …
For those that are at the Destiny Imperfect station but have yet to buy a ticket, now would be a very meaningful time to do so. Your pre-order could make the difference between Destiny careening boldly into the future or being stuck at one of the sidings of life. You can be a difference maker, and you can say you were there at the beginning. Do it for Destiny!
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Peter
