Welp, I haven’t updated you in seven months. Sorry about that. In my defense, the last seven months.
I’m still working hard on this every single day. The difference now is that I’m working closely with the Inkshares CEO, Adam Gomolin, to make sure each chapter is as good as it can be. We’ve tossed around the idea of a summer release, but we’ll see. The world is still pretty wild! Just talking about a release is pretty exciting though!
I know some of you have mentioned a concern that all the changes have made this different from my original story and I hear you! I was talking to my husband about how much the book has changed and improved. The structure is much more readable and intentional, the historical aspects are more immersive, the characters are more interesting. So much has changed. In fact, I think you’ll be pretty surprised when you meet this newest iteration of the main character. But it’s still the same story. I told Jared I didn’t know how to explain what still made it the same story and he said something wise. He suggested this book is the same story as the original in the same way every Fitzgerald book is the same story, every Kerouac book is the same story. He nailed it. This is still the same story I always tell-- a story about women and what home (specifically West Virginia) means, about the specifics of time and place and how they affect who women can be. In a way, it’s the same story I’m telling with my nonfiction WVU book too (which is coming along nicely, by the way!). It’s a good story. And I know this can be a good book. Thank you a million times for sticking with me while I learn how to get it right.
Inkshares is running a manuscript contest and I’ve entered my second novel. No need for pre-orders this time. I wouldn’t do that to you, haha. But if you could check it out and follow it, I’d be so grateful. Again, it’s a story about women and West Virginia, but this one has magic and opioids.
I’m thinking of all of you and hoping you’re well. Stay safe and stay healthy. Love and thanks. So much love and thanks.
Hello there my wonderful followers,
I’m back and I’m doing something crazy...well not that crazy. Those of you who frequent this site know that Inkshares is holding another contest. The 2020 All Genre Manuscript Contest and I have decided to throw the Beyond the Code sequel into the mix. It’s called Beyond the Masquerade and I just built a page for it here on Inkshares. I’m still working with the tiny details but it has a synopsis and the two first chapters for all of you to see. Follow the link below or just follow the links on my Inkshares author profile.
https://www.inkshares.com/books/beyond-the-masquerade#
This contest is a little different than the previous contests on Inkshares. Victory isn’t just a pro-order factor, they will also be judging the story itself, as well as reader engagement. So give it a follow, share it around and give your feedback on the sample chapters (this is for me as well. I love hearing what you all think of my work)
Thank you all for your continuing support. I couldn’t of gotten this far without all of you. Wish me luck!
I’m excited to report that my essay related to Young Donald appears in the Washington Post Arts & Entertainment section this weekend:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/donald-trump-satire-michael-bennett/2020/10/17/8047e932-03f4-11eb-897d-3a6201d6643f_story.html
Or, if that link runs you into a paywall, you can read it here:
http://freepdfhosting.com/66fd91643b.pdf
Like a hospital patient pumped full of dexamethasone, I am experiencing irrational euphoria today that Young Donald is finally out! The e-book went out today and paperbacks go out soon.
If you like the book, please review it on Goodreads and Amazon:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54772271-young-donald
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Donald-Michael-Bennett/dp/1950301133
And, if for some reason you don’t like the book, please ask yourself whether you are really qualified to provide literary criticism...come on, not all of us are!
Thanks so much again for the wonderful support! And a huge, special thanks to the Grand Patrons listed in the back of the book, and some others, like the brilliant creative director Jamie Wright and my literary agent (whose commission is paid entirely in beer) Henry Coyle.
Michael

Hello there! Been a while, hasn’t it! I wanted to pop in and let you all know about my latest project, The Red Opera RPG which is currently in its last 24 hours on Kickstarter! This book was a collaborative effort with some other awesome authors you all may know, Rick Heinz, Pat Edwards, Joseph Asphahani, and others! Come take a look!

We’ve got a lot of awesome stuff over on our Kickstarter, even a handmade Leather version of the book, too! So epic!
Additionally, as our last Stretch Goal, we even have a guest appearance by Domadred Steele, one of the main characters from my novel, Rune of the Apprentice! So head on over to our Kickstarter page and...


Feel grateful to be working. Being a remote-working introvert, not much has changed for me. Hope all is well with you my friends and fellow writers. Are you using this time getting busy with writing?
Read an article about the state of booksellers in this pandemic time. It concerned me. Folks are likely shopping at Amazon to get their book fix. I do too, but thought: What if I bought some books on Inkshares? We all have an interest in keeping the enterprise sailing along, right? Whatever happens happens, but I still believe, so I committed to buying five books. Here are my picks:
Abomination
https://www.inkshares.com/books/abomination
Dracula vs. Hitler
https://www.inkshares.com/books/dracula-v-hitler
Welcome to Deadland
https://www.inkshares.com/books/welcome-to-deadland
The Love Fool
https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-love-fool
One Murder More
https://www.inkshares.com/books/one-murder-more
The Talkers are Talking
https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-talkers-are-talking
Okay, there are six now—all trade or hardcover books, me being an old school boomer who likes his paper. Some of these are on my Kindle app but they’re dead to me there. And The Talkers are Talking is still in production. Darn! Guess I’ll have to wait for that one.
Whoa. I don’t really know what to say about everything. Just whoa. This world.
I wanted to let you know I got another letter from my editor. She loved the last draft but there’s still some work to do. I’ll be making a lot of my characters’ direct internal dialogue and making it indirect, and further improving the contemporary story’s setting and relationships. The good news is-- I’m working with the previous manuscript! I’m not rewriting from scratch! This will be an actual new draft, not a total reworking, and that feels AMAZING. We are getting SO CLOSE.
I’ve also been working hard on my WV punk book for WVU Press, which has an official signed contract! Yay!
I hope you are all staying home, staying safe, and staying kind. Please reach out to me if you need some human contact.
I love you,
Becca