Dear friends and followers,
It continues to be slow on the pre-order front--Summer is meant for lazy, restful naps in the sun--but that does not mean I have been completely idle. I have plans for a second Peterkin mystery game, which I hope to unveil in a couple of weeks.
Wouldn’t it be great if I could just spend all my time writing? Both games and books. I guess I could consider Patreon for that, but I figure the pre-order thing with Inkshares is better. A one-time contribution can lead to publication, which in turn leads to sales and royalties ... it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of games and books, the video-game oriented Nerdist contest just ended, and I am pleased to say that "Too Many Controllers" came in first. A number of you contributed to that win, and we’ve compiled a video to express our gratitude.
It’s a first taste of publication, folks. And that is bloody exciting.
And in the continuing series of introductions to the characters you’ll meet in "Murder at the Veterans’ Club", here’s (Lord) Oliver Saxon, the fifth and last of the club officers:
Here’s a bit of trivia that didn’t make it into the book:
In the UK, a military Mess is normally run by a Mess Committee comprising of seven members: the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and three members responsible for stocking the bar, organising the entertainment, and maintaining the premises. The Veterans’ Club is almost certainly derived from such a Mess, which suggests there ought to be seven members on the board of officers, not five. I blame Bradshaw for this: it is my belief that he proved so efficient as Secretary that he swallowed up the offices of the Treasurer and the member responsible for maintaining the premises. No doubt, once he’s gone, the Vet will find itself in need of an additional two officers on the board to bring them back up to seven.
Then again, has the Mess Committee always been as described, and was it so in the days of the club’s founding?
Until next time: have fun and keep reading.
I’ve got a quick update this week for everyone. First news of important dates:
Besides dates and places to meet up! What would an update of mine be without pictures?! I bring you the final cover illustration for the Front Cover!
WELCOME TO EARTH, EXILE!
A long time ago the planet Earth, birthplace of the human race, was a beautiful green and blue jewel of a world…the centerpiece of the Sol system! It had sprawling cities with towering skyscrapers, jungles, deserts, rainforests, tundras, oceans, rivers, lakes and a population that numbered in the several billions!
However, that was before the Cleansing deemed the world fit for destruction and the atmosphere was scorched and made unbreathable. Clouds of dust and ash now block the once nourishing rays of the sun, the soil has become contaminated and every living thing that was not relocated to Avalon is now long dead. Once the centerpiece of the system, it is now the one world everyone wants to avoid. It is a barren wasteland of outcasts, criminals, and exiles just like you!
That’s the good news! Earth salvage is one of the most valuable commodities in the system, prized by collectors and scientists from Avalon all the way to Pluto! Objects that were once part of everyday human life are now highly sought-after artifacts of immense value. You will become an indentured scavenger, braving the harsh wasteland in search of treasures worth more than you can imagine. And if you’re lucky, after say, your tenth expedition, you may even be eligible to get a small percentage of the profits! What better incentive to survive this poison landscape than the possibility of earning your own meager pay!
Being an Earth scavenger is not a “success overnight” path. In most cases, it’s not even a “success over several months” deal. But, with the proper training, equipment, and support, anyone can succeed as a scavenger! Sometimes, we even have one or all of those things available to new recruits such as yourself!
Besides the toxic atmosphere and crumbling landscape, what other dangers can you expect to find in the wastelands of Earth? Well, there are mutants, twisted by long-term exposure to the poison air and radiation. “Freelance” scavengers, otherwise known as “bandits” roam the wastelands, some of which have even taken up cannibalism. The once towering skyscrapers are now decaying safety hazards and there are sinkholes, quicksand, dust storms and probably more nightmares than anyone could ever possibly bear. For others, that might spell an immediate “no way, I’m not going anywhere near there”. But, for you exile, it spells adventure.
(Also, you’ve been legally bound to indentured servitude, so it’s not like you have a choice anyway.)
So, go out there and fetch yourself a fortune or at least a fraction of one while you toil away under the moderately brutish leadership of a master scavenger. One day, he may even release you from indentured servitude and you can become a “free” scavenger. That’s right, you too can be your own boss and the entire, muddy, destroyed expanse of a once beautiful planet can be your office!
On the other hand, if you die, please know that we will make every effort to make sure your carcass doesn’t get stolen by cannibals to be used as bait to trap other scavengers with better survival skills than you.
Enjoy your stay and happy hunting!
-Welcome brochure for Earth exiles, produced by Axis Earth Salvage, Inc.
Two women are about to brave the wasteland that used to be the planet Earth to uncover a plot to destory the utopian society of Avalon. One is a hardened spy, the other is a scientist from another time.
Want to find out what happens next? Pre-order now!
I had to disappear for a while thanks to chronic illness, but I’m back writing and updating as planned. Making good progress with Thanatos!
Hello, readers and writers!
Welcome to our 11th Detective Sunday! I hope everyone is doing well, and likewise to any projects some of you are currently doing. The first week of the pre-ordering campaign isn’t where it is supposed to be at the moment, but that’s because this is a first-time experience. However, this whole week, I’ve been focusing on grabbing the attention of friends, family, and potential authors to assist with our numbers. As I look at other projects with a big number of followers and recommendations that are around the same time as myself, I recognize the problem. Still, that doesn’t mean I won’t achieve my goal. Big things can start small, so help SPREAD THE WORD and ORDER followers! Also, for those who are interested in being a patron and supporting my current project and those to come, I’ll leave a link to my account. Oh, last thing, if any of you know any good artists who are good at drawing characters or backgrounds, let me know. I plan to send a restricted amount of art rewards to those who order in the specific category of prices, but it isn’t a solid idea at the moment. Thanks for attending and reading.
https://www.patreon.com/ajones5555
Until next time, A.J.III.
Good day to you all. Just a quick one today.
First, our GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK contest is going strong. It ends tonight at 3am EST (midnight Pacific.) If you want to have a character in BLUE WATER named after you, get those preorders in. If you’ve already ordered, refer someone else, and your name is in the running. But the clock is ticking. Get ’em in.
Secondly, BLUE WATER has been in the running for funding for less than two weeks, but this is the second time we’ve tried for publishing. Our first round was during the Nerdist’s first contest. The campaign was rushed previously, and we fell short mainly because I had no plan. This time is different.
But something is still here from before. Something rushed that took no planning. Our COVER. The jacket for BLUE WATER was pulled from a teaser for the webseries, and hastily photoshopped together, so that we didn’t have to use the generic Inkshares cover. It served it’s purpose at being a replacement, but honestly, hasn’t done much for us in terms of grabbing attention. And since Inkshares works by grabbing attention, it’s time to retire it.
So with that in mind, in the not too distant future, next Sunday A.D. (to borrow a phrase from another successful crowdfunding campaign in hopes that some of their good fortune rubs off on us) we’re debuting the NEW BLUE WATER COVER. I promise you, it will turn some heads, which will in turn snag some clicks.
So tune in next week, and see it here folks. In the mean time, get those preorders and referrals in to BE A CHARACTER IN BLUE WATER!
Thanks a bunch,
Joseph
Good news. Out of hospital and my son is doing well, although with mono the next 6 weeks need to be taken really easy, and he can’t be biking, climbing, jumping round etc. As his summer fun is now strongly hindered, he has come to the conclusion that this is justification for an xbox one or playstation 4.
Wonderful updates!
First, the initial manuscript for The Madness of Mr. Butler, albeit not finished, is going quite well. I’ve even enrolled in Camp NaNoWriMo in order to hold myself accountable. The story has blossomed into something far beyond what I originally thought. It is becoming a story that surprises me as I bring it all together. I know that once I am done I will be handing in my best work. So, on with your much deserved apology, my dear readers.
I am sorry that the story is taking a while to submit, but I’m also not sorry...and he’s why:
Beyond it just being a busy place around here with infants and toddlers and new jobs and obligations, I am intentionally not rushing the story. This in no way means I’m being lazy. In the stats for Camp NaNoWriMo, I’m averaging 2300 words per day that I have occasionally sacrificed sleep in order to write, as there is no other time. I am putting in a ton of work on this book, and it’s all good work. The way I see it, when you all supported me and helped me win the contest, what I won was a publishing deal. A MAJOR publishing deal. And that means I work until I think the manuscript is the best it can be. I’m not going to hurry and get it done just to get you a book. That is not the habit of a professional author, and by being honored with a contest win, I intend to behave like a professional author. The great folks at Girl Friday are going to do their best with my book once I submit it, they can’t make it good when it’s not.
This is a positive thing. I’m not down on myself or being perfectionistic. In fact, I’ve become quite flexible when it comes to the story. A lot of it has admittedly changed for the better, because once I got these characters interacting, the story became something much more than just about some crazy guy. At this rate, my little 241 page satire might push 300 pages. I’m not sure. Right now I’m just growing everything in the garden until I have to go back, transplant, weed, and mulch.
So I’m not making promises about release dates yet. I’m making promises about quality. You will receive a great book when it’s all said and done. But I do apologize about the wait. It honestly takes a long time to produce any book. You just happened to be there for the moment the agent approved to sell the idea, which is waaaay ahead of publication for any book.
In the meantime, I still have stuff for you to read.
I want to give you a free book if you’d like. It’s only a first draft, but if you email me at madmrbutler@gmail.com, I’ll send you a PDF of An Adventure with Dada, a book I finished during last NaNoWriMo. I’m not bugging you to buy it this time. I’ve been told that I was crazy to try and fund another book, and perhaps those who said that were right. The funding campaign ends in 9 days, and I have 143 copies left to sell in order to make Quill. I could ask for an extension, like so many others have, but I’m going to respectfully bow out and let this one expire and revert to draft. This means those of you who invested (THANK YOU!!!!) will get your money back (unless it completes a Hail Mary in the next week), and the book reverts to draft format. Those of you who chose to follow the book will still be followers, if you wish to be. My plan for that book is to maybe try again after I submit the Butler manuscript. I just need to give Mr. Butler my full attention right now, so it’s time for that campaign to be done. Thank you for your time, support, and attention. If you want a free copy, like I said, just let me know. (I’ve been told it’s quite a fun book with a great story, actually.)
On a side note, I started a draft for an idea I’ve kicked around for a little while. It’s called "The Widower’s Wife," and it’s going to be a bizarre comedy. It’s about a grumpy curmudgeon whose nagging wife dies suddenly, and just as he thinks he is about to get to spend his last years in peace, her ghost starts haunting him relentlessly. It’s just an idea, but if you want to follow that or check it out, I’d appreciate it.
If you’re curious about some of the changes I’ve made to The Madness of Mr. Butler, head on over to the page, because several days ago I quite sneakily updated the teaser, synopsis, and I took down the old chapters and put up a new draft of the prologue.
I hope you enjoy!
Have a great summer everyone!
-Michael
Only 21 days of funding remain for Mission 51. I would love to see 9 pre-orders over the weekend. Can you help? Here is how:
1. If you have not yet pre-ordered, please click the green button below and follow the pre-order links. Time is of the essence. I need 4.2 pre-orders a day to qualify for Inkshares’ Quill publication services!
2. If you have already pre-ordered a copy of Mission 51, thank you! Now please take a moment to gently encourage/persuade (harass!) a friend to do the same! :-)
3. If you have already pre-ordered a copy, consider purchasing another one, for a friend, family, or neighbor. It could be a birthday present, or an early Christmas present. Particularly good for readers! :-)
Thanks again, everyone! YOU are the ones launching Mission 51, and I greatly appreciate it!
