Well, after a few minor technical issues, Ghosts of War is done and in the hands of a small group of beta readers. 

This is an important step and a terrifying one. This will be the first time anyone outside of my head knows how the story ends, which has been a closely guarded secret for, oh, about 6 years now. So yeah, this will be me for the next few weeks:

Though it also means I can have a little bit of a break for a week or 2 while I wait, which will be nice. I need a break.

Until next time.

***If you’re on my author mailing list, you may have gotten this twice, sorry. If you’re not on the mailing list, then sign up HERE. Cheers!***

Hey, gang! It’s been a while. But I’ve kept myself busy! Let’s catch up some, shall we?

1st - Too Many Controllers was pulled from production for reasons beyond our control, but you can already find some of the stories from those amazing authors elsewhere on the webz. (Before you ask, if you invested, yes, refunds will be coming soon, so I’m told)

"So, what’s that mean for your short story, "1989?"

Glad you asked. I am currently working on plans to expand it into a longer tale. Right now I’m not sure if that means a novella (a short novel or long short story) or a full-length novel, but I’ll let you know as soon as I know.

2nd - I’ve been working on Timeless (working title), the indirect sequel to Ageless. I have planned the entire story and it seems to be turning into a full-length novel. I was hoping for something along the lines of a novella. But, alas, it seems that the life of Eugene will not be abridged. Things have been going well with the writing. I am about halfway through the first act with hopes of finishing the first draft by April. Follow the Inkshares draft page HERE.

And here’s the placeholder cover too!

3rd - I have a goal for 2017 to write one short story a month unrelated to any other thing I’m doing. I wrote one in January with the hope of giving it to you guys for free. But it needs a LOT of love, so maybe I’ll hold off on giving them out until they have seen a good bit of revision. I already have my idea for this month’s story. I’m eager to get it out of my head. Incidentally, the January one has a working title of "Cause & Effect."

4th - Happy Valentines Day! Much love to all who have supported this crazy dream of mine. Thanks!

Hello from snowy Boston!

The clock is really ticking down...

Believe it or not, my funding window is down to hours and not weeks -- Feb. 15 is the last day. I’m happy to report a few more orders have come in, but I still need a little over 30 more orders to hit my mid-range goal of 300 pre-orders (and of course, hitting the full 750 would be amazing!).

So, if you’re still thinking about ordering but haven’t yet, now is the time (and you get the discounted pre-order price)! I have to say, getting those orders would be one AWESOME Valentine’s Day gift!

You can order on my Inkshares page: www.inkshares.com/books/shadow-king

As always, thanks so much for your support and interest--I’ll send another update once the funding window closes and let you know where everything stands.

Best,

Susan

Hi Everyone!

It’s February 13, so happy birthday to me!  The universe gave me a birthday gift in the form of at least 2 feet of snow on the ground and a snow day at the University.  Yay!

Of course I’m writing to you not about my birthday, but about some news I’d like to share.  I’ve finished my first editing pass through “More Fun and Games,” the sequel to “It’s All Fun and Games!”  I hadn’t even looked at it since penning it during NaNoWriMo back in 2011, and I’m pleased to announce that it’s a fun little story, with quite a few twists and turns.  The story follows the friends to the busy streets of Providence City as they make their way east and attempt to establish alliances to help them on their quest.

I do all the editing by hand on paper, and then I go back to the computer to input all the changes, working through wording and making other edits as I go.  This acts as a second full editing pass.  Once all the writing has been cleaned up (and some of it was pretty messy), I’ll then turn to think about bigger structural and story continuity issues that may need to be addressed.  Only once that has been done will I start seriously looking at how to bring the book to market.

I’ve been at it for about a month now, and finally finished, so wanted to share.  I’m proud of the story and can definitely see it turning into something everyone will enjoy. 

And now some announcements -

I’ll have a table at the Bangor Toy and Comic Con at the Cross Center over Memorial Day weekend, so if you’re in the area, feel free to stop on by and say hello!

More immediately, I’ll be at TotalCon at its new home in Marlborough, MA the weekend of February 25th, mostly playing in the Pathfinder Society area.  Again, feel free to say hi!

Lastly, since it’s my birthday, if you wanted to give me a present, head over to Amazon or Goodreads and leave me a review!  I’m up to nearly 80 on Amazon, averaging 4.6 stars.  I’d love to break the 100 review barrier!

Some of you folks may get this twice, once from Inkshares and once from my own mailing list.  I apologize for the spam, but am trying to be more savvy about marketing stuff and getting more eyeballs on my posts.

Thanks again for all your support!

Dave

Greetings hexers,

Hello, everyone!

I wrote a short blog post on the topic of immigration. You can find it here:

http://thebestparts.net/immigration-the-entire-journey/

Peace!

Meet Saghan. A venomous viper, hailing from the distant swamps of Drakora. A slithering, green-scaled assassin with little care for life - whether those of his victims, or his own. A slave. A self-aware puppet who knows he can never break the invisible strings of the all-powerful puppeteer.

I commissioned this concept of Saghan about a month ago, and while I received a couple other pieces in the meantime (including this amazing one of Maxan, if you haven’t already seen it), I am so utterly impressed by artist Nic Morales’ interpretation of my character that I’ve sent him to the front of the line. Saghan serves as a foil to Maxan. Whereas Maxan makes choices informed by his sense of right, Saghan has no choice, and has given up on the idea of deciding his own destiny. And yet, we have a fox, and we have a snake... Both creatures known for their cunning, their guile, their deceptive natures. Maxan and Saghan are more alike than they know.

This right here… This portrait… THIS is EXACTLY what I saw in The Animal in Man. Make no mistake, this world is brutal, full of beasts, full of killers.

I truly wish I had more news in terms of the book’s publication date, but no movement has been spied on that horizon just yet. Please continue to be patient, as I am. And in the  meantime, I will continue to post new pieces of concept art as they come in. Thanks as always for your continued support, my dear Animals.

Greeting Jackolytes,

Sync City’s final manuscript and cover have landed with the printers, and events are proceeding nicely. The official publication date for Sync City is February 28th, and, for those of you that pre-ordered the paperback version, they should ship on or around that date (or maybe even earlier – stranger things have happened). With this in mind, it’d be a mighty fine idea to make sure you have your correct earth-based address with Inkshares (especially if you have moved), so this compelling novel of man and machine can cruise unimpeded through the labyrinth of the international postal system.

If you are now thinking, yes, a paperback of time-fractured death and destruction is exactly what I need to see off the dregs of winter, then you can pre-order at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Book Depository, as well as many other fine online bookstores. It would also make a lovely, belated Valentine’s Day gift …

The ebook, which obviously has no postal issues to deal with, is still available for the limbo low price of $5.99 at Inkshares.

Stay tuned!

Cheers,

 Peter

Another thrilling week has passed and it is time for an update! The Walls are Closing In is sitting at 229 orders, a mere 21 orders from the first milestone of Quill light-publication (250 orders), and above the ideal rate of funding for the full Inkshares contract (750 orders). Chug chug chug.

The book received a bit of spotlight on the Inkshares blog in a post by Elena Stofle, Operations Manager at Inkshares. Thank you, Elena!

"Castle’s tale about a walled United States is exciting, maddening, and full of hope. Two walls have been constructed at the northern and southern borders of the United States—with no way in or out. Patricia is a brave and intelligent heroine living between the border walls with a thirst for the truth about life before the Seclusion, and the future that could be had if the walls were to come down.

I have only read the chapters posted on Inkshares, but I am so excited to read more about this epic, futuristic tale that is so different and fresh in the sea of modern dystopian stories that are out there. "

The full post can be read here

Next weekend, February 16th through 20th, I will be attending the San Francisco Writer’s Conference. I am eager to dive into classes for both journalism and fiction writing, and network with other authors. There is one session that I am particularly looking forward to - Writing the Resistance: Authors as Activists and Agents of Change.

The Walls are Closing In has been nominated for three syndicates this month!

If you happen to be a member of Staff Syndicate, Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate, or Rite of Passage Syndicate, and deem that The Walls are Closing In fits the bill, I would be eternally grateful for your vote. 

That is it for now. Thank you again for your support. Until next week!