Hello ,
I've been doing a lot of driving lately, both for work and for LA Con V/World Con. While I've been on the road, I've been thinking about the origins of Birthright.
The most complete version was a story I wrote about 30-ish years ago called Wanderlust, which I later renamed to Wandercurse. It was the first novel-length work I had ever produced. I worked on it during a period of unemployment. It was the first time I could work on a piece of creative work unfettered by time constraints, and except for being unemployed, it was a great time. I still have a copy of that version in a binder within arms-reach. The Willstone Legacy is now quite different from that story, but the roots are still there.
During my pondering, I realized that there were actually a couple of earlier versions; both take place when Landros (the main character) is quite a bit older. He isn't the main character of those tales, but through writing those stories, I came to learn that Landros has quite the epic background which needed a series of its own to fully develop.
One of those earlier stories, I still plan to write as a series of novels in the Willstone Legacy. The other was a short story called The King's Thief and deals with a young man who fancies himself 'the greatest thief in the world', but who finds himself fleeing from an evil, revenge-seeking wizard after stealing a favorite magical artifact. The thief enlists Landros Willstone to help him get out of his predicament and set things right.
I seem to remember having an old, beat-up copy of that story somewhere, which I'd love to read again. My new quest is to find that copy to see if my recollections hold up. When do, I'll be sure to report back.
Novel Notices
I started my read through and initial edits on Act I of Birthright. I'll save heavier edits for after I return from vacation.
As we head into Fall, I'll also be doing some light edits to the Mechhaven series to prepare them for the forthcoming Omnibus edition.
Mechhaven Promotions! I'll be running some ebook promotions in mid-September. Expect an extra email this month, around 09/14 to announce the specials!
Upcoming Appearances
If you'd like to meet me in-person and purchase a signed book, be sure to check out my appearance schedule below:
WorldCon 2026/LAconV August 27th-31st
I'll be with Ingrid Moon and the SoCal Sci-Fi & Fantasy Crew. We're at located in D09, Tables 3 and 4, way in the back. Hope to see you there!
GameACon 2026 October 17th and 18th
This was my best show last year, so I'll be back at The Shops @ Palm Desert. This time, I'll be bringing friends! I'll be exhibiting with the other authors of the SoCal Sci-Fi & Fantasy Crew. More details to come.
LA Comic Con October 30th-November 1st
This will also be a SoCal Sci-Fi & Fantasy Crew event. We'll be in the small press section. More details to come.
Featured Authors
I have six featured authors this month! One may be a repeat from last month, by what the heck, why not? :-)
SURVIVAL STARTS BEFORE THE AFTERMATH…
Elliot Adams thought his routine mission on Mars' surface would be uneventful-until a violent storm changes everything, leaving him and his two crewmates stranded on the desolate Martian flats.
Cut off from help and with one critically injured, time is running out. Elliot must risk everything if they're going to survive. Battling the storm, the elements, and his own limits, survival will demand more than training-it will demand everything.
Red Storm is a gripping prequel adventure, revealing Elliot Adams' fight for survival on Mars before the events of The Aftermath take place.
Retirement Starship Mysteries: A Humorous Space Cozy Mystery Series, Books 1-3
Nobody promised retirement would to be safe.
Especially if the captain of the retirement starship cruise turns up dead in the middle of an interplanetary cruise.
Welcome to the Fresh Start
In the good old days, some wise old people would tell you that every cloud has a silver lining.
The first thing Marcy realized the day she boarded the Fresh Start was that these people were simply full of crap.
The second thing she realized was that her list of problems could actually grow faster than kids starting to cry and fight, and wanting to go to the bathroom all at the same time in her classroom back on Earth, a fact which she had previously thought to be statistically impossible!
John MacAlister's latest job starts the way most of them do-on fire.
Discharged from the Star Corps and scraping by on bad contracts, John's down to one real asset: Alvis, a salvaged robot prototype with relentless logic, stubborn ethics, and zero patience for John's impulses.
Freedom from a lunar holding cell comes with strings: find Ril - a runaway teen who knows things the wrong people need kept quiet.
Hand her over, walk free.
Protect her, and he becomes the target.
The smart move is obvious.
John's never been smart.
Alvis has the data to prove it.
Earth is dying. Humanity's only chance is to leave it behind.
The year is the not-so-distant future, and Earth can no longer sustain life. The atmosphere is breaking down. The sun's rays scorch the land. Storms rage with merciless fury. With nowhere left to run, humanity faces its final choice: stay and perish-or abandon the cradle of civilization forever.
In a desperate bid for survival, nations unite to launch a massive evacuation. Giant ships-Noah's Arks for the modern age-carry humans, animals, and plants into the stars. Most will sleep in cryogenic stasis, waiting for a new world to call home. But not everyone is asleep.
On the United Nations flagship, a handful of leaders and scientists remain awake, guiding the search for habitable planets while battling political power plays, secret agendas, and backroom deals. Meanwhile, teams of explorers are dispatched across the galaxies-risking everything to find a safe haven before humanity's fragile hope runs out.
But the first step is the hardest: leaving Earth behind.
Destination TBD… How To Evacuate An Entire Planet is the gripping first entry in Teddy Scot's bold new space opera series of planetary exploration and survival. Packed with high-stakes exploration, political intrigue, and the raw fight for humanity's future, this is the beginning of an epic saga where every decision determines whether we live-or vanish among the stars.
If you love The Expanse, Battlestar Galactica, or Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series, this book will keep you turning pages late into the night.
Begin the journey today-and discover what it takes to save an entire planet.
A struggle for the fate of humanity
In this tale of space opera and cosmic adventure, the Ambassador of a mysterious and ancient family must forge a path through chaos to overcome the terrible enemies that desire humanity's destruction.
Her plan to avert galactic catastrophe will unite a band of survivors who have faced every imaginable danger and disaster.
This story forms a prologue to the Infinite Void series.
Group Promotions
I've noticed that with a monthly newsletter schedule, the dates don't always line up correctly to be in some of the group promo. There won't be any group promos this month, but I'll try to have some ready for the next newsletter.
Until next time, have fun and read a lot of books!
Greg Sorber
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