Tony Valdez liked an update for The Slave Prince
Define The Slave Prince

’Define: state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of.’ - result from typing ’Define’ in the Google search bar.

What is The Slave Prince? What is it about? 

Imagine yourself as a child. You’re seating in the living room with your parents, and they’re talking about transferring you to a private school. From time-to-time, your mother leans over and nags about your grades. Your father, well, he’s giving you this ’don’t worry kiddo, I’ve got your back’ look. Everything is normal. 

This is your house. The dog at your feet is yours. His name is Sam. And Bob the cat is also yours. You named him Bob because he’s yours. Your brother, who’s upstairs playing an MMO, thinks Bob is a stupid name. But you don’t care, because Bob is yours. 

This is your life. This is what you know. This is all you know.

Everything about this life shapes who you are. And then one day, you wake up and realise you are not you. 

The couple downstairs, arguing about a dinner party, are complete strangers. The boy in the bedroom next door isn’t your brother. Sam is not your dog. You didn’t name Bob, Bob. And what you believe to be your true identity... isn’t true at all.

You don’t know who you are, and it has nothing to do with your memory. You know these people, you know the world you live in, you just don’t know... you. 

This is what The Slave Prince is really about. Yes, there’s magic and adventure. But there’s also a prince who has lost himself. And in this journey of self-rediscovery, he learns that it isn’t just about choosing a side. It’s about... something else altogether.
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    Tony Valdez liked an update for Sunshine is Forever

    THANK YOU! 

    We have crossed 250 preorders, which means Sunshine is Forever will officially be published by Quill! I am so freaking pumped. This is a great achievement, but we are here to achieve something even greater! 

    To reach the widest audience possible, we need to get 750 preorders! At 750, I will be guaranteed even wider distribution, so I really hope you will preorder today, if you haven’t already!

    Dive into the first 8 chapters, and fall in love. Let’s all work together to help people with depression, and make Sunshine is Forever a Bestseller!

    https://www.inkshares.com/books/sunshine-is-forever

    Kyle T. Cowan

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      Tony Valdez liked an update for Cape’s Side Bay

      Hello Cape’s Side Bayers!

       Hope you’re having a wonderful day!

       Yesterday I was greeted with some wonderful news! Cape’s Side Bay has been selected for the GREAT SCI FI syndicate pick for August! It always means a lot when your fellow authors, and people you respect, support your work, and believe in what you are doing. A big BIG thank you to the Great Sci Fi Syndicate, you’ve given me and Cape’s Side Bay a huge boost, and I am extremely grateful! I’ve attached below the reasoning and the shiny new button you can see on Cape’s Side Bay’s main page!

      Also, if you are into science fiction I definitely recommend you check out this syndicate! Matthew Isaac Sobin does a great job as the head of it, he finds fantastic science fiction books each month, and it was a pleasant surprise when he informed me that Cape’s Side Bay would be August’s selection.

      Just over 100 orders to go! The home stretch continues. 

      Please, as always, recommend, share, and order! Cape’s Side Bay is oh so close to becoming a reality. Let’s get it there!

      https://www.inkshares.com/books/cape-s-side-bay

      All the best,

      James

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        Tony Valdez liked an update for A Beast Requires

        Well, I now have an awkward author video up on the campaign page. Yes, that is my hair, and not, sadly most of it is not coming back.


        Eventually I will have a better one up, something with bells, whistles, and if I’m lucky, a craft services table. So if you’ve ever wondered what I sounded like, or what the cluttered charm of my home office looks like, then this is the video for you! Alas, no cats in the video. They were too busy sleeping to be bothered to make a guest appearance. Also, feel free to judge me on my books. I do it all the time.

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          Tony Valdez liked an update for After Man

          First, update on After Man.  I’ve finished rewriting act one and am digging in deep on act two.  Unfortunately, I’ve had a rough month or so as I’ve been working through some personal issues.  Some of these greatly affect the story that is Rise and her sequels.  Some also affect After Man’s narrative.  Either way, it’s drained all the creative out of me and I’m just starting to get that groove back.  So, stay tuned for more on that front.  I will upload a few more chapters in the coming weeks.

          Now, on to something else you can help with.  Many of you also preordered Rise.  Some haven’t and are just getting introduced to it.  Here’s a copy of the update I sent there.

          We are one month away from the release of Rise into the world wide wild!  And Rise needs your help yet again when this happens.  Well, really before it happens.  Here’s how.

          Bookstores!  Go to them wherever you see them and request they stock the book.  All you need is the book title and my name and they will find it in their system to order.  Even if you have a copy coming, doing this helps tell bookstores there is interest in this product and gets them putting copies on their shelves for you to, I don’t know, take friends to get.

          Amazon!  This is the big one.  The number of reviews a book gets is critical in getting it visibility on Amazon’s pages.  The magic number for this is 100.  Don’t assume everyone else will do this so you don’t have to.  Just go real quick and knock it out.  And your review does NOT have to be a work of literary note itself.  It can be something as simple as “I like this book” with a star rating to show how much.  Pro tip: in the subject line put “ARC review” or “Advance Reader Copy review”.  That tells people looking at the reviews who see you aren’t a “verified purchaser” because you didn’t buy it from Amazon that you did read it because you had special access early.  Second Pro tip: copy pasta!  Once you put one on Amazon, go to Goodreads, copy and pasteJ  And Bn.com.  And Indigo.  Anywhere you want.  You can reuse the same review on all of them.

          Now for the big question.  When?  Well, with bookstores, now!  With the reviews, do them as soon as you can.  Amazon won’t open it up for reviews until about 2 weeks before or less.  I’ll be sure to send out a reminder once I notice it.

          Now for the last big question.  The release party.  I’m still ironing out some details but Michelle and I will be at Dragoncon.  Don’t worry, it won’t happen at con so you don’t have to rush out and get a con badge.  When I know more details, I’ll let you know.  It’s only meant to be a little deal for all of you who supported this project in GA and who come to Dragoncon to come see me and chat about the book.  For those of you in Europe, I’ll have another in Frankfurt after I get back.

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            Tony Valdez liked an update for Rise

            We are one month away from the release of Rise into the world wide wild!  And Rise needs your help yet again when this happens.  Well, really before it happens.  Here’s how.

            Bookstores!  Go to them wherever you see them and request they stock the book.  All you need is the book title and my name and they will find it in their system to order.  Even if you have a copy coming, doing this helps tell bookstores there is interest in this product and gets them putting copies on their shelves for you to, I don’t know, take friends to get.

            Amazon!  This is the big one.  The number of reviews a book gets is critical in getting it visibility on Amazon’s pages.  The magic number for this is 100.  Don’t assume everyone else will do this so you don’t have to.  Just go real quick and knock it out.  And your review does NOT have to be a work of literary note itself.  It can be something as simple as “I like this book” with a star rating to show how much.  Pro tip: in the subject line put “ARC review” or “Advance Reader Copy review”.  That tells people looking at the reviews who see you aren’t a “verified purchaser” because you didn’t buy it from Amazon that you did read it because you had special access early.  Second Pro tip: copy pasta!  Once you put one on Amazon, go to Goodreads, copy and pasteJ  And Bn.com.  And Indigo.  Anywhere you want.  You can reuse the same review on all of them.

            Now for the big question.  When?  Well, with bookstores, now!  With the reviews, do them as soon as you can.  Amazon won’t open it up for reviews until about 2 weeks before or less.  I’ll be sure to send out a reminder once I notice it.

            Now for the last big question.  The release party.  I’m still ironing out some details but Michelle and I will be at Dragoncon.  Don’t worry, it won’t happen at con so you don’t have to rush out and get a con badge.  When I know more details, I’ll let you know.  It’s only meant to be a little deal for all of you who supported this project in GA and who come to Dragoncon to come see me and chat about the book.  For those of you in Europe, I’ll have another in Frankfurt after I get back.

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              Tony Valdez liked an update for Asteroid Made of Dragons

              Blink.

              Blink.


               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_lwocmL9dQ

              This video, in its ENTIRETY, is how I feel. I’m on an award list next to N.K. Jemison  and Jim Butcherrrrrrrr.

              You did this. All of you that took the time to answer my plea and nominate me – and I cannot thank you enough. It makes me feel fantastic. This is great for exposure for AMOD and I was already going to be at DragonCon – so now MY SWAGGER WILL UNHOOK PLANETS IN THEIR VERY ORBITS. It is your fault that I will act like an even bigger asshole at the con! Feel the surge of pride!

              Now – if you haven’t already registered to vote –  you should!

              http://application.dragoncon.org/dc_fan_awards_signup.php

              You should vote for me – and my Sword & Laser/Inkshares shelf-brethren: The Life Engineered by J.F. Dubeau and An Unnattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel.

              BUT

              LET’S BE CALM AND RATIONAL FOR JUST A SECOND.

              Take another look at the bracket I’m in. Here’s who I’m up against.

              • the writing Guest of Honor of DragonCon / perennial NYT  bestselling author
              • A book that has already won both the Nebula AND the Hugo (guys. it is sO goood)
              • Darth Vader of the Sad Puppies (who I’m sure is Googling my book as we speak. I’m sure he will be displeased, my book features ladies who both speak AND have opinions.)
              • Some other guys who seem very nice!

              SO. What does my book have going for it? Well – you guys AND:

              IT’S THE ONLY BOOK WITH ‘DRAGON’ IN THE TITLE.

               

              SO LET’s DO IT!

              Okay – okay. Honestly, I’ve already won. This is all I ever wanted out of The Dragon Award – to get nominated, get a little more attention on the book, etc. Thanks again to everyone who nominated me. You made this happen. (I always say that like an accusation…) I get to pretend to be a big shot for a little bit longer – the awards actually get announced AT the con, which adds the perfect amount of sizzle to the weekend.  It’s fun to be at the big table for a hot second – even though I’m still wearing my bib. So vote! Vote for MEEEE. But with the knowledge that I already feel awesome and I’m going to have a blast with this entire situation all the way through someone else winning the Dragon Award that should have been miiiineeeeeee.

              With heart-eyes emoji for you all –

              Dragon-Nominated Author [hey this is a thing now!]

              G. Derek Adams

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                Tony Valdez liked an update for Exile, Magus

                Unplanned update time!

                When I got home and checked my email last night I was quite excited to see that I had been chosen this month for the Epic Fantasy Syndicate.  Beyond being a boost for Magus’ order number it was a huge boost to my confidence.  We still have a long way to go though, so keep referring others to Magus and order if you haven’t already.

                I want to share a map now, but I’m on my phone so that will have to wait.  Look for it tomorrow. 

                Thanks for all of your support, and keep reading amd enjoying!

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                  Tony Valdez liked an update for The Amaranth Chronicles: Deviant Rising

                  This is so Unreal...

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                    Tony Valdez liked an update for The Punch Escrow

                    Hello you lovely readers!

                    One of the few things I enjoy about flying is the ability to write without interruption. It was on just such a very delayed flight two days ago that I was able to pull together this update to let you know what’s going on:

                    Inkshares and I have finally agreed on a final scene list for The Punch Escrow. I can honestly tell you that getting to this point has been incredibly challenging, but very fulfilling. I was just telling my wife yesterday that I would be frustrated with the editing process, but every single time we do an iteration the story becomes exponentially more clear and exciting. This last round of edits was all about ensuring every beat in the story pops. This picture might give you an idea of the sort of granularity I had to get into when composing this latest iteration of the narrative:

                    Yep. Our protagonist hears the call of nature, but can’t find a bathroom in order to heed it. Even this seemingly innocuous scene is an important beat in the narrative, otherwise it would not be there. By the time this latest rewrite is done, nearly 80% of the 2nd draft, which itself was 50% different than the 1st, will be entirely rewritten. I would expect there to be less than 10,000 words of commonality between the first draft of the manuscript and this latest one. Crazy, right?

                    (Yes, crazy)

                    Incidentally, bathrooms in the 25th are architected to be extremely efficient, absolutely no running water. Waste is dehydrated and recycled, all that remains of what can’t be reclaimed is dust. High pressure air enriched with sanitizing nanos is used to cleanse your nether-regions and hands. Totally sanitary, good for the environment, and unwasteful. We actually have much of the capacity to do this today (okay, not the sanitizing nanos), but bureaucracy inhibits progress. 

                    In other news, I have submitted to final draft of my short story Morcom is here. for the Too Many Controllers anthology, which will be coming out on the Nerdist imprint, possibly even before The Punch Escrow. It’s a 6,758 word story about a mysterious program developed by Alan Turing, designed for a computer that he knew would not exist for nearly a century after his death. Incidentally, it’s based on a true story! The narrative is told through various press clippings, blog entries, and even Slack chats. I’m very proud, and happy with it.

                    That’s it for now. Don’t forget to keep up with my twice monthly column on the intersection of science fiction and present reality, The Future Is Now, on Geek & Sundry.

                    Peas,

                    Tal

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