I am beyond thrilled to share that AFTER DEATH has won First Place in the Nerdist Sci-Fi Contest! After two years of struggling to find representation for a novel I began writing in 2009, this is a very welcome win.

As I await further instructions from Inkshares, I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, everyone who pre-ordered a copy, everyone who shared the link with friends, everyone who talked the book up at campouts and birthday parties and lunches. 

I want to thank all my closest friends and family, all my extended family, all my old high school and college friends who came through (some after years of not having spoken), all my current and past coworkers, and all the strangers who connected via Instagram, Twitter, and the AFTER DEATH Facebook page. 

I want to thank Alex Dow, my buddy at Facebook, and Dan Wyatt, proprietor of the Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, WA, for their help getting word of my book out beyond my own circles of friends. 

I want to thank my wonderful friend and favorite actress Anna Campbell for performing the voice of Cara in my book trailer, and for recording Mariel Higuera and Betsy Currie, who performed the voices of Icara and Meryem. I want to also thank the great Michael Wynne, the brilliant graphics artist who made the cards for the trailer.

I want to thank Sina Grace for providing the quote on which I leaned so heavily.

I want to thank Katherine Forrister for giving me a run for my money. I could totally have lived with finishing second to her.

I want to thank my boys, for their incredible excitement at my gradual rise up the leaderboard and eventual win.

And most of all I want to thank my amazing wife Kelly, who has not only been unbelievably supportive during an exhausting few weeks of campaigning, but who rose to the challenge herself and hustled just as much as I - if not moreso - to sell this book. Easily half the pre-orders were directly due to her. I literally could not have won without her. And believe me... with her, I really won.

So thank you all so, so much. I am truly, deeply humbled and moved by the staggering show of support I’ve received. 

I’m not entirely sure what happens next, but rest assured you will be updated as things progress toward the publication of AFTER DEATH!