Hi all my buddies! (Can I call you my buddies? I totally feel like we’re buddies at this point) 

So, Space Tripping has officially launched! And honestly, it’s been awesome. I’ve been greatly humbled by the support I received at our first two book signings... Look at this picture!

That’s Space Tripping! On an end-cap at a Barnes and Noble! How cool is that? 

If you’re getting this email, then you helped make this happen. Words cannot do justice to how grateful I am. Thank you. 

And, hey, if you’re in the Chicago area, we have one more book signing scheduled. It is this Friday, March 31st. We’ll be at:

City Lit Books, 2523 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647 - 6:30-8:00pm

If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come say "Hi!" (And do it just like that... literally shout "Hi!" at me)

Byeeeeeeeeeee...

Dear friends and followers,

It has been a while, and I apologise for the radio silence; we are still waiting for an editor to be assigned to us, and can only be patient. And anxious. And anxiously patient....

If any of you are in the Montreal region in April, however, I would like to draw your attention to the following event:

It is as it says above: the Arthur Ellis Awards recognise the best in Canadian crime writing. I’m not in the running (yet) but, being in Montreal, I’ll be there as one of the local crime writers playing host. With me will be Peter Kirby (last year’s winner for Best Crime Novel), Michael Blair, Michael Kent, Jim Napier, Geri Newell, and, of course, Hilary MacLeod who is also the organiser for the event.

In the meantime, here’s hoping for a speedy editorial process.

Hi everyone,

Now that the dust has settled on the first couple of weeks since pre-orders opened, I’ve been turning my attention to trying to drive more traffic to the story page for Rule Britannia. I know I’m treading a well-worn path that a lot of you have taken before me, so I’ve been poking around your updates, social media, forum posts etc to see what has been tried, tested, failed and succeeded at.

I’ve spent my time over the last week or so working on my online presence.  In addition to launching the Facebook fan page for Rule Britannia, I’ve registered a domain name with the intent of setting up an author page (stay tuned). I’ve been trying to get to grips with Twitter, and through Fiverr.com found a consultant who set-up a social media schedule for me to get my head around what to post when, and to where.

All this, and like most of the rest of you, working full-time.  Roll on Easter.

Here’s my pick of the week(ish).

Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid By Sergey Grechishkin
"One eventful middle-class childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Soviet Leningrad.  A mix of a fun memoir and social history of the years preceding the collapse of the USSR."

I said in my review of this book that history is written by social historians like Sergey, the sample chapters (which I enjoyed so much I stopped reading because I didn’t want spoilers for the full book), are engaging and full of the little details that pull you into a story and keep you reading.  Sergey’s book has nabbed three syndicate picks, including the coveted Staff Syndicate, and as of today, is tantalisingly close to 750 - just 52 more pre-orders needed. 

’till next time,
Helen.

Hey everyone! I have news! Important News!

Every year, debut books and new books that JUST came out are eligible for awards! One of them, is easy to vote for, and has a huge impact!

If you think that the Seventh Age: Dawn is your favorite Apocalyptic Novel of the year, let the Dragon people know! There are a ton of categories so you can nominate your favorite stuff all over the spectrum. 

Click Here - to nominate things. You can fill out the entire thing, or only one, and even come back later and add stuff. It’s free. There are a ton of great writers and books to nominate, and it’s one of the bigger Sci-Fi Fantasy awards so even a nomination really matters!

Thank you so much for your time!

Yesterday Inkshares finished the final layout of The Punch Escrow and sent it off for galley printing (that’s book biz talk for advance reader copies). The book’s gotten some AMAZING blurbs from some AMAZING people. I wanted to share my favorites with you:

"An alt-futuristic hard-science thriller with twists and turns you’ll never see coming. I couldn’t put it down." - Felicia Day, author of the bestselling You’re Never Weird On The Internet (Almost), Geek & Sundry founder, and soon to be Kinga Forrester in Mystery Science Theatre 3000!

"This book angered me to my core, because it’s based on an idea that should have occurred to me. The fact that Tal executed it so well, and made such a page-turner out of it, just adds insult to injury." - Scott Meyer, author of the Magic 2.0 series

"The Punch Escrow will have you rooting for its plucky, sarcastic hero as he bounces between religious fanatics, secret agents, corporate hacks and megalomaniacs in a quest to get his life back." - Robert Kroese, author of the Mercury Falls series, Starship Grifters series

More news soon!

-Tal

Exciting news, faoii! Listen up!

Today has been a wonderful day. It was the first day that I felt like myself since I got sick over a year ago. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like everything was going to be okay. Honestly, I had gotten so used to feeling run-down that I had forgotten what a true faoii feels like. I remember now. And it’s wonderful. Today was filled with hope and it made all the doctors appointments, fear, desperation, and pain of the last several months seem worth it. Things are getting better, faoii. We are going to make it.

But, here’s what YOU care about: Five minutes ago I sent in The Last Faoii manuscript to Inkshares. It is the first step in the march to publication-- the march to our campaigns ultimate and most glorious victory. Ready your weapons, faoii. The final battle is about to begin.

Shields up. Now and always.

Faoii-Tahani

Hi all,

I’ve meant to send an update later this weekend, but I’ve been getting many messages from people that their orders are being refunded.

It is true that "And the Wolf Shall Dwell" will not be published under Inkshares and that the book has found a different way to publish, from England. However, it was my understanding that Inkshares would send my solicitor the accumulated funds in order to meet all your orders. 
At the moment it seems like the orders are getting refunded instead. My solicitor is trying to get in touch with Adam, Inkshares’ CEO to understand more.

I will update in due course, at the moment I am at the dark just like you are. Thanks.