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.

Get Kenai Free!

My award-winning military space opera novel, Kenai, is free as an ebook until November 2. Get your copy soon! 17,500 people already have.

A new project

Last night, just after midnight, I launched my 6th November writing project, a new mystery book (or so I think - because I write without an outline or, like, preparation, it's a little hard to know for sure where the story will go). I've written a good chunk of a book each November for the past five years as part of NaNoWriMo. Some of my favorite books have come from these projects. Here's what I've done:

Daros in 2020 was the only one I went slowly on, but that was also the year the college I used to work at was losing its way. Every other year, I've done more than half a book in 30 days, and I'm hopeful I can do at least that much this year.

Speaking of losing one's way, NaNoWriMo has been a blast for me to do, but the national organization is doing some sketchy stuff. They've had a scandal associated with the community leaders of their teen writers forums, one they haven't handled too well, and then this year they came out with a policy statement that indicated using generative AI to do your writing for you was fine, which pretty much dispenses with the idea that 50,000 words in a month is any kind of meaningful effort.

Those issues have lost them a good many fans, and for my part, I'm not using their site to track progress or connect with other authors this year. So, I'll be doing a "November Writing Project" this time, which is perhaps the boringest name I've ever created. If you have suggestions for something better, let me know.

I did get started on it last night just after midnight and did another chunk this afternoon. To reach targets above 50,000 words, I pretty much have to write twice a day, which given my slovenly post-teaching-career sleep schedule turns out to be early afternoon and then after midnight. I'm at 3278 words as of now. Here are my opening two paragraphs as a teaser:

Amy stared at the door. She should really get it painted. It was mildewing, with little gray spots in splotchy patterns all over the panels. Or maybe that was mold. What was mildew anyway? Mold? Or fungus? Or something else? She was no expert. She’d tried wiping it off with cleaner and a sheaf of paper towels. That was a week ago, but it had come back even stronger, showing off, maybe resenting the insult of the lemon Lysol. The heat and humidity of a North Carolina apparently provided an ideal haven for whatever organisms love that sweet door-discoloring lifestyle. There must be some kind of paint that repelled it. Maybe somebody at Home Depot would know.

Amy was stalling. She knew this, because the stall was familiar. Comfortable, even, like a warm hoodie. For each of the past five days, at this same mildew-stained door, the stall had turned into a refusal. Every time she came home, full of purpose and fury, or so she thought, it was like she became an unruly show horse ridden up to a terrible jump with four white crossbars and water behind. And those little potted hedges on the sides. Maybe those made it even scarier for the horses. Each time, she’d lost her nerve. Balked. Given up. Gone inside and seen Matt there, papers strewn all over his ramshackle desk in the living room. Waved at him. Asked him what he was doing for dinner.

I'll add more every day from now until December! No idea where it's headed yet, or who Matt even is, but I'll keep you posted.

A new bookshop!

I completely revamped my online bookshop for paperbacks. You can now submit orders immediately, where before it was clunky, and you can request the books be signed or have a message inside if you're giving them as a gift (or just want a message for yourself). If there's somebody you're shopping for for the year-end holidays, consider a book! U.S. shipping is free, and there are discounts for multiple book orders.

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 Neurahack by Eris Goode and Kris Ruhler. This is a cyberpunk book, first in a series intended for young adults and new adults. It's about two unlikely allies, both chewed up by the system, one looking to recover lost status, the other a friend taken by the government. Looks like neat stuff, and has a 4.4 average on Amazon over 28 ratings.

Next, I have A Grave Mistake by Karen McSpade (great mystery author name, by the way). If you're basking in the afterglow of Halloween, this offers a story about a psychic witch working to solve a murder and clear her father's name. It's one of a long series of popular books featuring this character and setting. This one has a 4.6 average on Amazon over 200 ratings, which is very solid.

Finally, I have a huge batch of mysteries and thrillers, all free for Kindle Unlimited customers. There are tons of books here - 100 in all - covering all sorts of mystery, thriller, and suspense topics and subgenres. You're sure to find something fun here.

Thank you!

Thanks so much for signing up for my newsletter. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for upcoming books! I love hearing from readers. If you've read one of my books and wouldn't mind leaving a review anywhere (Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, LibraryThing) I'd really appreciate it! Each review helps me reach more readers. 

I hope you and your friends and family are having a safe and rewarding last couple months of 2024!

May the Bloodmother watch over you - 

Dave