Joseph Asphahani sent an update for The Animal in Man

My dear Animals,

After this update I’m out. Radio Silent. Taking a Hike. You could say I’m ‘Going Astray.’ (Alluding to Animal in Man’s first chapter.) You won’t get another update from me until my manuscript is done, I swear it. And in this final update before its arrival, I’m pleased to report that the writing is progressing faster now than ever before. But enough about my own work. I wanted to shine a brighter light on three sci-fi novels that have totally got me on their hooks this week.

Lady Timekeeper: Cities in the Dust is co-authored by two very dear friends of mine, Marie Green and MK McFadden, who I’ve known for almost three years now. We grew up on criticizing each others’ work in Full Sail University’s Creative Writing Master’s program, so I can tell you truly: there are no other authors I know better ‘round here than them, and their work is worth your attention. Writing about time-travel can be extremely difficult (I know, I’ve tried), but Marie and MK manage to weave two of the most important story elements into the complexities of the concept: ACTION and SUSPENSE. Go follow Lady Timekeeper right now!

For the second spotlighted book… A quick story, if I may: so the other day I was in the forums dropping my two cents about comment etiquette, when an unfamiliar name came up as a notification. “Kaytalin Platt liked your…” etc. etc. So I checked in on her, and lo and behold found this amazing story she’s putting together, “The Living God.” Right now, as I type this, there are simply NOT ENOUGH FOLLOWERS on that draft. It’s another story about time travel (I’m sensing a theme here!), but it’s set in an epic fantasy world. It’s like Jeremy McGuire (or whoever) said in his movie, “You had me at ‘Time Mage.’” Please go follow Kaytalin’s draft.

Another quick[er] story: I got an email yesterday informing me that Brien Shores’ novel “I Think You Dropped This” has returned to Inkshares for a renewed funding campaign. What sort of world do we live in where writing this good can’t make its funding goal? Perhaps a world where people who are reading this aren’t clicking this link to check out Brien’s amazing book. I don’t want to live in a world like that. The mouse is in your hand, as is the power, to make that ardent wish a reality. ...OK, ok, enough with the meta… The bottom line is, Brien’s storytelling is a mind-f**king good time. You will be pleasantly puzzled one moment, and laughing out loud the next. Go check out “I Think You Dropped This.”

(One last look at the breathtaking artwork for The Animal in Man, shall we? Credit to artist Ilie Vaduva.) 

Peace out, you Animals. No more updates from me until the big one hits, but if you ever want to get a hold of me, I’m a DM or a tweet away. 

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    Joseph Asphahani liked an update for I Think You Dropped This

    Hello all,

    It’s been about 9 months since I’ve sent one of these out and that was largely due to my previous funding not going so well.  Depending on how you look at it anyway.  Yes my book didn’t hit it’s goal, which wasn’t awesome but was easy to make peace with.  It started out not published and ended similarly.  Still not published but it had grown more of an audience than it ever would have sitting on my hard drive collecting digital dust.  What I came out of it with was a group of talented new friends that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.  They are a great group of people from a very welcoming community.  I am proud of their successes and appreciate all the support they’ve given to me and many others.  
    It is because of this community and their support that I have decided to put my book back up for funding again.  I honestly have hopes but no expectations.  I set the funding up for a year because I noticed that the interest came in spurts and this would allow for people to find it at their own pace.  Already the campaign is going well at less than a day in.  Rick, Amanda, James, Joseph and Kendra have been great and helping that along.  This time around I want this to be pressure free.  If you preordered last time then that makes you awesome but there is no obligation to do it again, you are still awesome.  It would be great if you did order again but just knowing that you believed in it is great too.  Thanks for following along and supporting me and this project.  

    Cheers,

    Brien
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      Joseph Asphahani commented on an excerpt of I Think You Dropped This
      This is fantastic. I mean, the character’s delivery of it is so deadpan. I can’t tell if he’s serious or silly - and that’s indicative of the ENTIRE chapter. Is any of this actually true?! Does he actually mean what he’s telling me? Is this a time-traveler trying to record his stream of consciousness in a battered notebook or a creative liar just coming up with some interesting con? ...I might be going too deep on the interpretation, but the fact that your chapter ends with me doing so is a clear sign that I’m on the hook here. Consider it pre-ordered, sir!
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      People who have liked this comment on a chapter of <i>I Think You Dropped This</i>

        Joseph Asphahani highlighted an excerpt from I Think You Dropped This
        Once a week me and three other guys would play doubles basketball in the junior sized gym. I now know what it’s like to be in the NBA.
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        Joseph Asphahani commented on an excerpt of I Think You Dropped This
        Gotta criticize this beer-attendant guy... Is he dressed up in costume like the rest? I think this little scene could be better. I was surprised that Adam’s mistake with the year 2007 didn’t confuse the guy. But right here, this quote, I think it would be cool if the beer-guy went full-on Ren-fair-immersion-mode and was like "Thank ye, m’lord for your custom! Enjoy thou’s visit to 1422!" (or whatever year). This kind of stuff would further throw readers (and Adam) off, and still achieve the comedic effect.
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        People who have liked this comment on a chapter of <i>I Think You Dropped This</i>

          Joseph Asphahani highlighted an excerpt from I Think You Dropped This
          Ha, yeah it’s still 2007. Enjoy your trip into the past.
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          Joseph Asphahani commented on an excerpt of I Think You Dropped This
          Yeah, but were there frilly cuffs? The frilly cuffs are often a dead giveaway, I’ve found. Like Seinfeld’s puffy shirt.
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          People who have liked this comment on a chapter of <i>I Think You Dropped This</i>

            Joseph Asphahani highlighted an excerpt from I Think You Dropped This
            got back on my feet, and headed in to the crowds of LARPers. I don’t know if they called themselves that yet but they were the same group of people dressed in period costumes taking themselves way too seriously.
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            Joseph Asphahani commented on an excerpt of I Think You Dropped This
            HA! I don’t know if you did this on purpose, but the funniest thing about this is the fact that he grabs a paper bag and the story/narration doesn’t skip a single beat, and all the time I’m like "Dude, WHERE did the damn paper bag come from?!?" Are you doing this on purpose?! Are these just accidents in the writing? Man, I hope it’s the former: accidents on-purpose. Because it’s really messing with my mind. Loving this!
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            People who have liked this comment on a chapter of <i>I Think You Dropped This</i>

              Joseph Asphahani highlighted an excerpt from I Think You Dropped This
              “Oh shit, is that a guy walking in a suit of fucking armor?” I drop to my knees to avoid detection. I started hyperventilating. I grab a paper bag off the ground and breathe into it deeply. All I could feel was panic spread across every inch of me. I wanted to cry but couldn’t figure out how. I kept breathing into the bag when something partially under the corner of the tent caught my eye. Was it a small scroll? Was it a piece of parchment? I grabbed it and held in front of me: 13th Annual Renaissance Fair!
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