A couple of weeks ago I received this email:
To say that I was ecstatic would be an understatement. I know that emails and PDFs are sort of a run-of-the-mill occurrence so why would I get SO excited about this one? Let me explain...over the last four years I have traded many Word documents with the folks at Inkshares. And everyone is familiar with how text looks in a Word doc. But when a Word doc becomes a book it undergoes a transformation. A typesetter takes that Word doc and manipulates it into a format that makes it suitable for publishing. I will repeat that last part for emphasis, SUITABLE FOR PUBLISHING.
That is right, friends! We are nearly there, almost to the goal line of an actual. published. book.
And, while this isn’t "final final" it is super gratifying to be at a place where I can glimpse this:
I mean, that is pretty cool, isn’t it?
So, Meghan, what does this mean for us? The folks who pre-ordered?
Let’s get your addresses updated at Inkshares. Head over to: www.inkshares.com and log in. If you have forgotten your password, just click "forgot password" to re-set it. In the right hand corner go to account -->;;;;;; shipping addresses. If you run into any trouble you can email inkshares for help: hello@inkshares.com
What if I want to pre-order and haven’t yet? Eudaimonia Pre-order page
When can we expect it?
I have been told "possibly" the end of August. But this is not a firm date. I will keep you posted as things progress. But, rest assured, all my pre-order folks with get their copy first. No cuts, no buts.
Your friend,
Meghan Godwin
Yesterday, while walking down the street, I looked up to see a friend walking towards me. He was holding an orange book. "That book looks familiar," I said. He laughed. His bookmark was near the back of "Going, Going, Gone!" I took the book and inscribed it, and handed it back. He told me he was going to write a 5-star review. We chatted and walked away. All of YOU, who participated in the crowdfunding, made that moment happen. I will never forget it. Thank you!
"Going, Going, Gone!" sales are excellent. Radio interviews up on stevehermanos.com. Twitter shoutout from YouTube superstar Zack Hample. Fantastic 5-star reviews on Amazon (more needed, please). Your baseball-loving friends will love it. Also, those who enjoy an exciting read about America and what makes it great (and don’t care much for baseball), are also raving about it. It’s all very gratifying. Please reach out to your baseball-loving friends.
Also, for those who pre-ordered, and have not yet received your copies of "Going, Going, Gone!", please email Noah@inkshares.com.
Hit a homer!
Steve
Good news, we have the final artwork for the cover the The Man from Mittelwerk designed by Tim Barber of DissectDesigns and it looks great. (See below.)
Bad news, logistical issues in the publishing industry are going to delay the book until Fall 2022. Apparently supply chain issues, trucking strikes and the demand for shipping materials is causing pretty much every book out there to be delayed several months.
Nonetheless, we are moving ahead on all fronts. We have two short stories: a prequel that Mike wrote (The Perfect Setup) set before WWII and a bonus chapter I wrote (Leaving Detroit) set in 1950. We’ll post these on the www.mzurlocker.com web site in the coming weeks. We’ll be using these and other short stories in order to generate awareness and a mailing list for marketing.
We also had a couple of additional nice quotes from other authors including James R. Benn author of the highly acclaimed Billy Boyle WWII series and from James Kestrel (who may or may not be Lee Child*) author of my favorite book of 2021 Five Decembers.
“A fast-paced, smart debut novel that blends noir and Lovecraftian elements. If you like J.J. Abram’s alternate history Overlord, this book is for you.”
—James Kestrel, author of Five Decembers“From the dark caves of a Nazi slave labor complex to sunny southern California, The Man from Mittelwerk delivers on all fronts. Snappy dialog, a fast-paced narrative, and complex moral questions all combine to make this hard-boiled thriller a winner. Think Chinatown meets The Boys from Brazil - superb!”
—James R Benn, author of the Billy Boyle WWII mysteries
If you aren’t familiar with James R. Benn’s Billy Boyle series, I encourage you to take a look. A couple of my personal favorites are The Rest is Silence and A Blind Goddess. Benn’s books are extremely well-researched and wonderfully told. He’s also a super nice guy.
Let me know what you think of the cover and how you’re doing with all the insanity in the world these days. In addition to my day job, I’m doing my best to keep up with running and learning the piano. How about you? Don’t hit reply, instead send email to ZUrlocker@hotmail.com
--Zack
(*) But probably isn’t. I think.
Howdy! Good news to share, and an opportunity for Canadian fans of Bane of All Things to put it on the awards map.
BoAT has made the Best Novel Eligibility List for the 2022 Aurora Awards. The Auroras are Canada’s annual English-language Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards. They have been presented since 1980 by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA).
These are popularity awards. Anyone who is a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident, and a CSFFA member, can vote for their picks in any of 12 award categories.
How do you become a CSFFA Member?
Easy. Take an annual membership at the modest cost of $10 (that’s in loonies). Please visit the CSFFA Membership Page to create your account and secure your membership. This helps to pay the bills so that the Awards, and their annual ceremony, can take place.
Your deadline is March 26, 11:59 pm EDT
So, don’t wait! Once you have signed up, you can find Bane of All Things on the Best Novel Eligibility List.
There are 11 other award categories as well. As a CSFFA member, you may select up to five different works in each category (if you wish).
How to make your choices
Select works from the dropdown lists, which are sorted by title. If you want to remove an item that you have chosen, select the blank line at the top of the dropdown list. You must click the Update button at the bottom of each nomination form to save your selections. Your choices will be displayed on your nomination central page.
As the award guidelines state:
“You don’t have to nominate in all categories. Nominate those works that you enjoyed, because this is your chance to have your favorite works from 2021 on this year’s Aurora Awards final ballot. The top five most-nominated works in each category will be selected to be on the final ballot."
The awards ceremony is slated for Aug. 13. Even just having BoAT make that top 5 finalist list for Best Novel would be fantastic!
Cheers
Leo
Hello, friends! We’re two months away from launch day, and I have another exciting announcement for you, so buckle up for a wild ride.
I’m not going to waste any time getting to the big news. We officially have a launch event planned, and it’s going to be big! I’ve put too much time and effort into Tantalus Depths to let its arrival come without a bang, so we’re pulling out all the stops.
I’m incredibly pleased to announce that my old alma mater, Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus, has graciously offered to host a launch event for us! There really could not be a more fitting place to do it. Those of you who have been following Tantalus Depths from the beginning might remember that the book’s humble origins began as a creative writing class assignment at that very same university. Kent Trumbull is where Tantalus Depths was conceived, born, and nurtured. The book simply would not exist if not for Kent Trumbull, and returning to the place it began eight years ago to celebrate its publication feels like destiny.
If you hadn’t already marked May 10th on your calendars, do it now, and scribble “7:00 PM” and “Kent Trumbull” underneath it. We’re going to have some snacks, do a little reading, do a lot of socializing, and just generally celebrate this amazing journey together in the place it all began. I hope to see all of you there!
In other news, there’s another lore update on the website this week, this time highlighting the two central characters from my short story Countermeasures: Jay Serpentico and Descartes. Jay Serpentico is a deadly mercenary with no moral code and a terrifying talent for killing. Descartes is an enigmatic criminal mastermind with seemingly limitless resources and no apparent weaknesses. They’re two of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, so what happens when their interests no longer align? Find out in Countermeasures, part of Writing Bloc’s DECEPTION! anthology, and learn more about these two nefarious figures in the “Explore” section of evangraham.org
I’m posting interviews. Two are up and more are on the way: https://www.stevehermanos.com/interviews
Books should arrive in the next week. If anyone wants clear labels, autographed, so you can stick one for each book on the title page, please let me know. I can mail you labels.
To those who ordered multiple copies, PLEASE do not sell copies at discounted prices. This damages sales. If you’re desperate to sell some, contact me.
Thank you so much for your participation in the publication of "Going, Going, Gone!" To those who haven’t bought it, this week is crucial in its life. I’m getting very gratifying feedback. If you have a friend who’s a baseball fan, this is a home run of a gift. I guarantee it.
Please check out the interviews, and let’s have some fun!
I’m off to see a high school baseball game later today! Cheers!
Hello, friends! It’s update time! I have yet more exciting news for you today.
First of all, I want to reveal a surprise project I’ve been working on. I have not one, but two story launches coming up in the next two months. In addition to Tantalus Depths, I’ve spent the past year working on another short story for the Writing Bloc Collective, for their upcoming FAMILY anthology: Empire of Salt. Like Tantalus Depths and my three previous short stories, Empire of Salt is set in the Calling Void universe, but in a place and time we have not yet seen explored.
Set more than thirty years before Tantalus Depths on the toxic ocean world of Hayden, Empire of Salt tells the story of Masuyo Kosawa, formerly the wealthiest and most powerful man in history. Kosawa’s ruthless ambition helped him rise to unprecedented heights as the rest of the world reeled in the aftermath of the devastating Corsica Event. For years it seemed the Ming-Kosawa corporate monarchy could never be toppled.
That is, until Exotech Industries changed everything.
Empire of Salt is a tale of greed, sorrow, ambition, and futility, and is just one of the 21 brilliant stories you’ll be able to find in this excellent new anthology book from Writing Bloc. Look for FAMILY on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most other retailers on April 19th, 2022.
Empire of Salt delves deeper into the rich future history of the Calling Void universe, from the perspective of a man who lived through most of it. If you’re interested in learning more about the dark universe of Tantalus Depths, you don’t need to wait until April. I’m pleased to announce the first new lore file on my website: The Home System.
We’ve already learned about Earth, but what about the rest of our solar system? When Exotech developed the superluminal drive, interplanetary colonization throughout our system went from prohibitively challenging to practically easy. The past few decades have seen a lot of growth throughout the system, and each world has a story to tell.
Learn more about the vast terraforming operations on Venus and Mars, the tragic fate of the Shangxi lunar program, the perils faced by the Argos Mining Syndicate on Io, the revolutionary discovery of life on Europa, and much more in the newest edition to the Explore gallery on evangraham.org: The Home System.