Welcome, new folks!

Hi, there. If you've joined the mailing list recently, I want to make sure you get your free Frosthelm book, Traitors Unseen. If you haven't gotten it, you can get it free here (the site will ask you to sign up for this newsletter, which you're already getting) or here from Smashwords. It's also on Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Please, enjoy with my compliments.

A cover reveal

I got the cover finalized for my new mystery, Unwelcome Matt. The release has gone a little slower than I'd hoped (more on that below), but the cover is ready to go. The art is by Abby Blanchard, and the cover design by Olivia Pro Design.

The official trophy picture

I got my little plaque and stand all set up, so my trophy for Kenai for the SPSFC win last year is ready for display! The ray gun trophy is quite something - you can see how big it is with the book for scale. If you're interested, the sculptor who made it, Scott Nelles, has a short video on his site that shows some of the steps of the modeling and casting. Direct link to the video is here.

A game to play

I usually write little Javascript video games for the Indie Fantasy Addicts Summer Reading Challenge, where authors can sign up to host a fun little weekly game over the course of the months-long reading celebration. This year, I wrote one where you move a little reader around to pick up flying books. It has a high score list and everything! Give it a try if that's your kind of thing - all you need is a browser.

Writing update

It's been a little tricky getting some time and headspace to finish up Unwelcome Matt. I've been traveling a little recently, and I was involved in a really cool visit by comedian Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall to our local comedy club. I got to perform some improv with him, which was really fun. Kevin (in the light blue shirt second from left) was great to work with, and so very funny.

All of that means I'm going to have to push Unwelcome Matt to a late July release. I have some non-writing things to get done in early July here, but I should be able to focus on it and get it all finished up starting next week. I'm so very close - just need to do a final editing pass with a couple of reader suggestions in mind, and then I'll be all set.

Sarah and I are making steady progress on our joint romance novel project, Best, named after the all-to-common closing line of academic emails. We're up to 13 chapters and 25,000 words, and it's my turn to go next.

I also have a sci-fi short story to finish up for an anthology, so that should round out my summer writing. I've got two other books projects I'm going to take on in the fall, but I'll share more about those later.

Some stories to try

I'm part of several author collectives, and we share each other's work to try to help all of us reach more readers. In many cases, the books we share are are free or discounted. Sometimes, they ask that you sign up for a newsletter like this one. Here are some new books I have to share this month:

First, I have Joe Jurassic by Jamie K. Schmidt, which just looks like a hoot. A Jurassic Park situation, if that park were run by Florida Man. Today is release day!

Next, I have Out of Darkness by C.G. Harris, the first book of the Rax series. This is a sci-fi dystopia kind of thing, with a blind slave rising to power and fighting his oppressors. This is a free book, so you can give it a try at no cost!

Next, I have Song of Sleeping Dragons by A.G. Houser. This new book, released just last week, has forbidden magic, princesses, dragons thought long extinct, and a bunch of other great stuff. It's on sale for only $0.99!

Next, I have Liv at the End of the World by K.H. Walters, a comedy sci fi novel. Liv and an alien, Shine, observe humans in their final days as they are threatened with destruction by heartless aliens worried about the spread of old age.

Next, I have The Edge of Betrayal by A. Adeshile, about a hapless would-be thief whose life gets turned upside down when a task he's given by the local guild goes sideways. This is a free introduction to Adeshile's In For a Crown series.

Finally, I have a whole bunch of mysteries and thrillers, many of which are free on Kindle Unlimited. There are over a hundred and twenty here to choose from! There's sure to be something that tickles your fancy.

Thank you!

Thanks for being part of my newsletter community! I'm excited to get my new mystery out soon, and I'll have some other projects as the year progresses. Watch this space!

May the Bloodmother watch over you - 

Dave