Hello all!

I have news!! A few days ago, I received the copy edits for Curio Citizen! This round of edits focuses on minor grammatical errors (I use WAY too many unnecessary hyphens, haha) and making sure formatting is consistent throughout the manuscript. This stage of edits is a big step forward, as it means that the manuscript is ready to go and all that remains is the book production itself!

I reviewed the edits and also had the benefit of working with a Spanish translator to ensure the Spanish in the book is correct. I even found a translator who is from the specific Puebla region of Mexico where Carmen’s mother was from so I could include the proper dialect that Carmen would have learned in her bilingual household. It was a fun and enlightening experience, and I think it will add to the quality of the book and pay homage to the culture Carmen comes from.

When I hear more news, I will be sure to let you all know! I appreciate your care and dedication in asking me about the status of the book, and I thank you for your patience. We’re getting closer!

Best wishes,

Katherine

It’s March 8, 2023, the 1st anniversary of the publication of "Going, Going, Gone!" Thanks to everyone who participated in crowdfunding the novel. It was named one of the best books of 2022 by Kirkus Reviews. Now, instead of saying "Congrats, Steve," or sending a thumbs-up emoji, please post a 5-star review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. That would be much more greatly appreciated. No well-wishes, just take 5 minutes and type a three-sentence, 5-star review. Then, I will thank YOU.

Thank you to Adam G,. and the Inkshares production team, for producing a very beautiful book. It’s percolating through the baseball world, and when I show it, the cover and design makes people’s eyes pop.

“...raucously entertaining...riveting…lyrical…Readers will stick with this riotous page-turner to the last out.” – Kirkus Reviews, Best Books of 2022

 “Hermanos contrasts present and past in lively, exciting scenes. The novel’s heart—it’s got heaps—is in how the game changes these men, and how they change the game…”– Publisher’s Weekly, Editor’s Pick

 “Funny, imaginative, and thrilling!”– Zack Hample, YouTube star

 “A great novel…you start reading it and you don’t put it down.” – Marty Lurie, KNBR sports radio, San Francisco

 “Steve Hermanos blends ‘Back to the Future’ with ‘Field of Dreams’ in Going, Going, Gone!, a fast-paced tale about time-traveling baseball players that also touches on issues of race and politics.”– IndieReader, starred review

 “Amazing…absolutely fascinating…so much fun!”– Eric Schubring, WOJB - FM, Wisconsin Public Radio

 “A baseball novel you will love and enjoy.”– Rob Hakala, WATD - FM, Cape Cod, Mass.

 “An oasis in the desert.” – Paul McCaffrey, The Paulie Mac Podcast

 “Steve Hermanos’ writing is worthy of your attention.”– Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club

 “A rollicking rollercoaster ride through the essence of what makes America worthwhile.— David Henry Sterry, author of Satchel Sez

 “A fascinating journey through time, filled with surprising twists and inside curves.”—Hugh Delehanty, author of Eleven Rings

“Fantastical invention...a delight.”—Lamar Herrin, author of Fractures

 “Interesting and fun.”—Warren Lawrence, WKNY - FM, Kingston, New York

 “Do you ever wish you could live in somebody else’s mind? I’d like to live in Steve Hermanos’ mind for a day.” – Tony Rhein, The Paulie Mac Podcast

 SteveHermanos@yahoo.com

SteveHermanos.com

Instagram @stevehermanos

100 Best Indie Books of 2022 by Kirkus Reviews, "Going, Going, Gone!" is on the list! Written to be the most exciting baseball story ever, please let your baseball-loving friends know about "Going, Going, Gone!"

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/best-of/2022/indie/books/

Very, very big news! Kirkus Reviews: "Readers will stick with this riotous page-turner to the last out...A raucously entertaining, richly atmospheric science fiction sports fable."

Awesome publicity! The book, and I, are featured in baseball YouTube legend Zack Hample’s latest video at the 9:05 mark. Zack gets 200K views per video!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k09Q84FWu4o

Those who pre-ordered, but DID NOT receive their copies of "Going, Going, Gone!", please contact Noah@Inkshares.com to figure it out.

If you read the book and enjoyed it, or are reading it right now, PLEASE post a 5-star review to the "Going, Going, Gone!" page on Amazon, and the page on Goodreads.com. This is very important to the success of "Going, Going, Gone!"

Thank you very much! Lots of wonderful things and comments about GGG! ("Steve, your book ruined two night of my sleep.")

Feel free to reach out.

Steve

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

Thanks to those who’ve sent me selfies holding "Going, Going, Gone!" One came from Jerusalem. It’s fantastic that the book is being read far and wide.

Radio interviews here: https://www.stevehermanos.com/interviews

As mentioned before, PLEASE DO NOT put books for sale on the secondary market. This hurts current sales. The first month of a book’s publishing life is essential. If you want to give books away, please wait until the end of the year. Again, please do not sell them on the secondary market, or give them to someone to sell for you.

5-star reviews contribute to the success of the book. Amazon, Goodreads, BN.com. Please reach out if you need help finding where to enter your review.

Baseball fans are resonating with the book. Gratifyingly, so are non-baseball fans.

Here’s a great review: "Steve Hermanos, has authored a wonderfully compelling and imaginative novel. With wit, intelligence and compassion he has created three unforgettable protagonists. As the story proceeds, you will feel the increasing urgency of their mission. Their struggles are populated with some of the most memorable figures from the early twentieth century and they achieve a vibrant presence on the page. If you appreciate fiction crafted with empathy, humor and skill - you will enjoy Going, Going, Gone !"

Thank you!

Steve Hermanos