We did it! The Punch Escrow is getting published!!

I’m on a plane and my laptop battery is about to die, so I have to make this quick. You lot have done something which my wife would have heretofore deemed impossible: I am speechless. So, while I do a little happy dance to myself, I wanted to recognize a few people, and then we’ll get on to all the raffle winners and such tonight (alas, victory doesn’t afford me the ability to shrug off my job).

Rachel Klein: I know it’s not easy being married to me. Thank you for putting up with my creative obsessions. I love you.

Iris and Violet Klein: My two beautiful muses. You’re too young to understand, but you’ve given my life purpose.

My extended family. Especially the Brown ladies, who are making me discuss my book at their book club at our next family reunion. Thankfully there are no sex scenes, although the protagonist does get naked once or twice. (’ey lord! Bless his soul!)

My “staff” (+3 of great friendship, 20% savings throw bonus when asking others for favors) – These folks have gone above and beyond to assist me in various phases of the book. Without them, The Punch Escrow would not be: Peter Birdsall, John Hannon, Joe Santoro, Dave Sontag, Ian Ellison, Russ Mitchell, Dan Salinas, Ben Murphy (kindof), Ryan Potter, Meredith Peruzzi, Acar Altinsel, Robert Kroese

My Inkshares “mental support” crew: James Rasile, Rick Heinz, Pat Edwards, Peter Bats, and my arch nemesis Brian Guthrie (who, despite the fact we were competitors, was always on hand to help me understand the Inkshares contest process, and teach me promotional tips and tricks).

Micah Pegman - Won the shirt raffle this week!

Our top 3 referrers in the past 96 hours (each gets a "teleporting" The Punch Escrow coffee mug):

Pete Downing

James Rasile

Nicola Sarjeant

Stay tuned for the MAJOR PRIZE announcement. Also, if any of you who participated in the Penguin Magic promotion have not gotten your Tarbell 51 code, please let me know, don’t bother the Inkshares or Penguin Magic support people.

More soon!

-Tal

More on Trekonomics at Time magazine

Dear all,

A quick update to let you know Time just published this piece by yours truly on their website: http://time.com/money/4330029/star-trek-robots-jobs/

You may read, comment and like on Trekonomics’ official facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TrekonomicsBook/ or @ me on Twitter (@trekonomics).

More coming soon, as publication date is approaching. 

In the meantime, 

Live Long, and Prosper

Manu

We’ve had another big spike of new supporters today, thanks to all of you! Tomorrow is the last day of Geek and Sundry’s Hard Science Fiction Contest, and I’d still love to see how much farther we can go. Keep the pre-orders coming in! Share everything everywhere! Put it on all the social media, tell all your friends, blackmail all your enemies, just get it out!
Also, if you’re interested in seeing a more in-depth, more personal look at both the story and the author, check out this interview a dear friend of mine did with me for her youtube channel. We get a bit further into the story and themes than I have so far. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3qRbqE74gE

As tomorrow happens to be my birthday, and I turn the grand ol’ age of 35. I figured I would make this update about something a little more personal. 

I mentioned once before that The Seventh Age book was inspired by events in a role-playing game universe that I created years ago. Like any LARP, costumes and props play a fantastic roll. I’ve attached only a mere handful of my favorite pictures from the games that were played. 

Here are some of the pictures that inspired me to turn my imagination into an actual book:

There are some extremely talented crafters that played in our games over the years.

And AnotherAnd the final one:

The box of red buttons was one of my favorite game sessions still. If you like these kind of updates as well, or want to know more about the expanded world of The Seventh Age, follow the project page please. I’m on a quest to achieve 1000 copies as well, so if you know anybody who likes sarcastic urban fantasy... please recommend to a friend. 

Also, how does everyone feel about me using this update reader feature as sort of a weekly blog? Leave a comment, email me at CrankyBolt@gmail.com, hit up up on twitter @crankybolt and let me know!

Thanks to you, it’s a BOOK!

I woke up this morning to the fantastic news that Pilot X smashed through the 750 preorder goal we needed to get fully published by Inkshares. That means this is a real book now with a real editing process about to start and real book marketing et cetera.

I know I’ve said this a lot but I cannot thank you enough. 

Pilot X thanks you too. He really has come a long way since we mistakenly thought he was a crashed airline pilot in the 1990s. Wow is he more than that. He’s not even human. And I can’t wait for all of you to get to know him and his world better. There’s a planet of monks who discover the Dimensional War, a small hut with three Pilot Xs working in it, and of course the Pineapple Planet. 

But all of that will come soon enough. For now you’ve made my year!!

Y’all rock.

Tom "Not even out of bed yet" Merritt

We’re only 8 Pre-orders away!!! As promised here’s more art!

This is the Concept Art for Aurelius and his Storm Chaser. Enjoy!

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