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.

Progress on new books

What Grows From the Dead

My next thriller is well on the way. In the last week, I wrote a prologue for it (as suggested by some trusted early readers) and I think it will help the story get going. The original draft had us meet the main character at near rock bottom, and the prologue gives you a glimpse of him before the fall, when everything's going well. The story isn't actually about his hitting rock bottom - it's more about what happens afterward. The narrative follows him as he works his way through some unexpected and increasingly dangerous misadventures and has to deal with new problems (or, very old problems just revealed) with help from old friends, family, and new acquaintances.

I had a lot of feedback from friends, family, and early readers on this one. All of them seem to have enjoyed it, but they also gave me great advice about parts that need tightening, parts where they questioned why people acted why they did, or, in one case, a part with a fairly gratuitous Swedish assassin which maybe three folks thought was over the top. I think she's on her way out of the book (she was just a tiny part, so it's no great loss) but it's these kinds of issues that great readers can help you with, especially when you've added something that might not fit but which you thought was fun.

I've been processing all of that feedback and making notes for my final revision pass through the story. I'm hoping to finish up this last edit by next week. Then I'll do a last readthrough on my iPad in the Kindle app - they way most folks read my stuff - to fix any last missteps and make any final tweaks. Still hopefully on track for an early March release

The next one

My next project will be finishing up my first draft of my next comedic fantasy story. It's a new story, not set in Frosthelm, but I am hopeful it will have some of the humor and banter that people seemed to enjoy in Flames Over Frosthelm. It is very much a buddy story like that book, although it moves in some very different directions, and it's a good deal goofier than Flames, which despite the silly parts had mostly a serious plot.

In preparation for that book's publication later this year, I've been working on finding a cover artist and designer. That's been a little tricky. My artist for Kenai, whose work I love, has too much going on and couldn't take this on. My artist for Daros and part of The Woeling Lass, whose work I also love, has become quite successful, which is awesome, and I'm very happy for her, but it also means I can no longer afford what she charges. I looked into another cover design firm who came highly recommended, but they came back with a bid that's about five times my last cover. I found somebody affordable on Fiverr whose made some great-looking covers for other people, and I signed on with them, but then I requested there be no AI-based art in the cover, and they chose to cancel the project rather than do it that way. Not their fault, really - I should have worked that restriction out with them beforehand. I now have another artist working on it who's got an impressive portfolio, and I hope to be able to share his work in March as I get closer to a publication date (probably late April if things go smoothly).

I haven't been able to write more for this fantasy book while working on WGFtD (my awkward unpronounceable abbreviation for the mystery/thriller mentioned above). I really can't work on two different books at the same time or I lose my way, but I've been thinking about it, working out an ending, and I'm really excited to jump back in as soon as I get the current project put to bed.

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 two books I have to share this month:

First, I have The Heisenberg Corollary by C.H. Duryea, which purports to be book one in the awesome titled Slagmaster Cycles. This sounds like a high-concept comedic sci-fi story about a frantic planet-hopping journey across space, something akin to the Hitchhiker's Guide stories. If that sounds like your kind of thing, please check it out, read some reviews, and give the first little bit a try - that's all free to do from the Amazon page linked here.

Then, I have The Mazes of Magic by Jack Massa. This book is a story of ancient Egypt and Greece (so Ptolemaic times rather than the older kingdoms). It's got magic, mythology, gods, and politics - sounds like all great stuff - and it's currently 100% FREE. Have a look today!

Thanks

Thank you so much for being part of my little writing world. I hope you've enjoyed my books so far, and I'm excited to share some new stories with you soon.

May the Bloodmother watch over you - 

Dave