Monthly Archives: September 2021

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: Tacos, Talons, & Talismans, Oh, My!

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Week 38 of 2021

Greetings all

Tuesday! Yes, I mean the next one. October 5th. Talons & Talismans will be released to the public. There’s so much you’re gonna love in this and I can’t wait for you all to get a chance.

Talons and Talisman I
Talons and Talisman I

But what about tacos? Hey, I gave you the book. I suspect we all have our favorite taco place where you can get the tacos of your persuasion, pull out your copy of Talons & Talismans, and you’ll soon be in your happy place.

Speaking of happy places, I have just found out today is International Podcast Day. Happy Another Day of Being Awesome to Ian J. Malone, Kevin Steverson, and our awesome fans on Dudes on Hyperspace. I’ve been so pleased to be a part of this. Thanks for having me!

This was not my most productive week. I don’t often get sick, but Friday and Saturday were complete losses and much of Sunday. Feeling better and I’ve gotten lots done the last few days, but it’s catching up.

The big thing this week for me was to really get into gear with The Door Into Winter. I’m trying something new, and it’s a modicum of plotting. (Don’t fall over dead of shock, Quincy J. Allen). Actually, it’s more like Rich Weyand’s theory of river crossings.

Todd Fahnestock pointed me to the book Save the Cat Writes a Novel. Basically, it lays out 15 beats that all good novels need and this week I built myself a beat sheet for The Door Into Winter.

In one sense, I’m doing this to fix a particular thing. I always struggle getting from 50-75,000 words. Somewhere between there, I have a huge slowdown as I don’t know what to write. This will help.

In another, it’s because I’m getting close to leveling up again. In general, my way of doing things has been to jump in, screw up a lot, learn, get better, find new mistakes to make, get better. Lather, rinse, repeat until I feel like I can actually understand the thing enough for manuals and instruction stuff to be really effective for me.

One could say, it’s part of my transition from journeyman to master. I can’t really understand the stuff until I’m a journeyman but I can’t be a master without understanding the stuff. I’m in that point where I can work on that process with my writing, and it’s exciting.

Also, from a pantser’s perspective, this process is actually surprising useful so far. I’m simply jotting down ideas, and I can already tell nothing on the Beat Sheet is locked down. However, I have already realized how mutable and adjustable it is as I discover how I can make the novel better.

That’s why I’m a pantser, by the way. I always find ways to make a novel better during the writing process that can change my entire story. This allows for that, so I’m giving it a try.

Speaking of which, I’m going to go write!

What I’m Listening To

Happy people at Brewbakers. The music is wretched, but for some reason people seem to be really enjoying their conversations today. Honestly, that’s usually the case here, but for some reason it’s the dominant vibe I’m enjoying here today.

Quote of the Week

In honor of today’s international holiday, I’ve decided to give you a quote from Dudes in Hyperspace.

“Man, I totally screwed that up.”
– Me, in just about every show 🙂

There is, fortunately, a response every time.

“Don’t worry, I can edit that out.”
-Ian J. Malone, which is why my quotes are in the outtakes 🙂

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Have you downloaded your copy of Here There Be Giants? Five free micro-stories and you get signed up for the Eldros Legacy newsletter. You can find it here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

New Mythology Works in Progress

Current open anthology calls:

The House Between Worlds, fourth in Jon R. Osborne’s Milesian Accords series, goes out to advance readers this weekend. Email me at rob@chriskennedy.com if you want to be a part of the advance team.

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (7,717)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

This week we have more great stuff in Charles Gannon’s Terran Republic universe entitled Watch the Skies. This is a braided novel that includes the great Gannon himself, Kacey Ezell, Kevin Ikenberry, and William Alan Webb, which is a heck of a lineup. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GW3CJM7.

Out this week on audio is an anthology I contributed to, Gates of Hell. It’s another 4HU anthology and my story follows-up with Rick Blaine chasing down those who’ve attacked the Queen Elizabeth’s Own Foresters. You can find it on audio here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087T7FW9M.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 332.0

Updated Word Count: 283,858

Shijuren Wiki: 797 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Founder in the Eldros Legacy series

Weekly Update Archive

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: The Bon Homme Richard

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Weeks 36-7 of 2021

Greetings all

Oh, hey, where did last week go? I looked up and suddenly it’s Thursday. The next Thursday.

Sorry about missing an update, but it’s been a really good time around here.

The big news is the release of It Takes All Kinds, an anthology in the Salvage Title universe created by Kevin Steverson. It includes my story “Careful With That Axe, E.U. Gene.”

My, what an interesting title, and clearly obvious to Pink Floyd fans where it came from. In fact, I put 232 intentional band name and song title references into the story (Not lyrics, that goes against copyright laws). I also put in an occasional historical rock reference.

Here’s the deal. The first person to send me a list of all 232 correct references will receive a free gift copy of all six of my fantasy novels. Yep, that’s right, I’ll send all six to your Amazon account for free (can’t do other accounts because of KU restrictions).

To enter, track the references in my story and send me an email to rob at rob howell dot org. You find all 232 references and you get 6 free novels. If, after 15 October, no one has found all 232, the person who’s send me the most will win, so if you only found 226, send it over. Who knows, you might be the one.

I might have had a little fun writing that one.

Last week, with the help of Chris Kennedy, we got Talons & Talismans I in the can. I’m even starting to get some things back from the advance reviewers and they like it. I’m not surprised.

I finished a story last week, which of course I’ll talk about at the right time.

I’ve been working on The Door Into Winter, which is starting to shape up. That should be done at the end of December. This is my first entry in Eldros Legacy / Shijuren, starting a new series entitled the Legacy of Legends. This will be a four book story arc and, with the help of Mark Stallings, Marie Whittaker, Todd Fahnestock, and Quincy J. Allen, will culminate with big doings in Ertha (the new world name as opposed to the continent of Shijuren).

In the meantime, I’ve been hammering away at New Mythology projects, which I’ll touch on soon.

What I’m Listening To

Perry Mason episodes. The sweetie is working from home and it’s one of her favorites.

Quote of the Week

It’s the anniversary of the Battle of Flamborough Head. What else could today’s quote be, but:

“I have not yet begun to fight!”
– John Paul Jones, from the deck of the Bon Homme Richard.

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Khyven the Unkillable is about to reach the final editing stage. This is Todd Fahnestock’s first in his Legacy of Shadow series. That comes out in December.

Quincy J. Allen has been hammering away at Seeds of Dominion, the first in his Legacy of Demons series. Expect that one in January.

New Mythology Works in Progress

Talons & Talismans I is in the can. Go Team! Not only that, but check out this amazing cover art!

Talons and Talisman I
Talons and Talisman I

Talons & Talismans II is in the final editing stage. I’ll show you that cover in a couple of weeks.

The House Between Worlds, book 4 in the fantastic Milesian Accords series by Jon R. Osborne, is almost done. I’ll be looking for advance readers next week.

Wow, that’s a lot! And more coming.

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (5,337)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • SOTI (9, 761)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

Not just one, but two new Salvage Title books.That’s what happens when I miss a week around here.

First, It Takes All Kinds, an anthology of new beings in the universe including my Rolling Stones in “Careful With That Axe, E.U. Gene.” That one is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FZVXQ8M.

Then there’s Salvage Mother, by Kevin Steverson and Kacey Ezell. That one is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G9HW68Q.

Then there’s a new 4HU novel by Casey Moores, Rise of the Bull. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FNV6XRF.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 334.2

Updated Word Count: 282,946

Shijuren Wiki: 791 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Founder in the Eldros Legacy series

Weekly Update Archive

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

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Rob’s Update: One Guy Going Boom!

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Week 35 of 2021

Greetings all

Been a great week here. Talons & Talismans One is edited. I’d send it to get it into the machine today but I tend to try and give me a day to sit on things so I can remember what all I’ve forgotten.

The House Between Worlds will be back to Jon Osborne tomorrow. Really, it’s a great book, entirely fitting given the rest of the Milesian Accords series.

Not a ton of writing here as I’ve been pushing out editing content like mad. It’s been really productive, though, and I’m proud of what we’ve done. You’re going to love it.

Next week, on the 13th, I have another short story coming out. It’s entitled “Careful With That Axe, E.U. Gene,” and it’s set in Kevin Steverson’s great Salvage Title universe.

This is one of my favorite stories that I’ve ever done. I set myself a bit of a challenge. Christopher Woods and William Joseph Roberts packed their novel Smuggler’s Run, also set in the Salvage Title universe, with as many pop culture references they could insert into the prose. They even applied to Guinness World Records as the titleholder in that category.

Guinness said they couldn’t track the category well enough to actually make it a category, but I set myself the challenge of beating their record, at least in terms of references per page.

And then I gave myself an extra difficulty factor (because of course I do). Anyway, I limited myself strictly to classic and metal rock band names and song titles. I managed to stick in over two hundred references. I’ll list exactly how many on release day and I’ll send anyone who gets all of them a free e-book I’ve written of their choice.

Now, of course, today is a pre-holiday for me. It’s the ceremonial start of the NFL season and I get to watch the Cowboys play right off the bat. Don’t worry, Sunday is still a major holiday to me and I plan on watching as many games as I can.

I had my fantasy football league draft on Monday, too. Was there any doubt I’d have a team? I mean, seriously, if anyone was going to play fantasy football it’s a lifelong NFL fan who is the publisher of a fantasy imprint.

Speaking of the NFL, Ian J. Malone, Kevin Steverson, and I had a great time talking the upcoming season with Nic Gurley on the latest Dudes in Hyperspace podcast. Nic knows his stuff and we talked about the upcoming season, some challenges facing teams, players and the league itself, and we made some long-term projections for years to come.

Here’s my prediction about the Cowboys, since they’re my team. They’re going to get beat tonight. A fully healthy Bucs team at home *should* win.

But the Cowboys are relying on a bunch of young players this year. It’s usually the case that teams like that will have some challenges early in the season but round into form late in the year.

So I think they’ll lose tonight, but win the NFC East in the end of it all and I expect them to do some damage in the playoffs.

I’m so ready for some football!

What I’m Listening To

Dog & Butterfly by Heart. I can pinpoint exactly when I first heard this song. Some kid (I don’t remember who) brought it into our 4th grade music class. I was captivated then, and I still think that’s Heart’s best album ever.

Quote of the Week

I miss John Madden as a commentator. It’s true that we have some amazing commentators now like Tony Romo, but it’s hard to remember just how revolutionary he was. His personality combined with his knowledge of the game was something we’d never seen before.

“You got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Talons & Talismans Too is almost ready to go to the editor. Why do I mention that here? Well, because all of the first ten (yes, ten) novel authors in the Eldros Legacy contributed to the anthology, including a bunch of Eldros Legacy stories.

Call it a prequel of sorts.

New Mythology Works in Progress

Current open anthology calls:

I’m currently working on The House Between Worlds. The two Talons & Talismans are getting close (One is 99.9% done). Then after that I turn to Steven G. Johnson’s two novels that finish his Forge and Sword trilogy.

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (1,043)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • SOTI (7,948) (Formerly MON)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

Jamie Ibson gives us a whole new future merc series, Myrmidons, Inc. The first in the series is Myrmidons Inc: Urbicide. “Genie” assassins, mercs, and a lot to remind you of Shadowrun and Blade Runner. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F6QRGBZ/.

And if you’re interested in the Peacemakers from 4HU like I am, you can get the start of that part of the 4HU series for less than a dollar. It’s Peacemaker by the great Kevin Ikenberry who will be guest of honor at FenCon next weekend. Sale lasts only another day or so, so check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0752J8M3K.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 334.0

Updated Word Count: 272,426 (It jumped because I went back and looked at all the stories I’d edited and submitted in the past couple of months).

Shijuren Wiki: 789 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Founder in the Eldros Legacy series

Weekly Update Archive

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: The Eldros Legacy

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Week 34 of 2021

Greetings all

This is one of the most important updates I’ve sent out. I’ve said many times that big things are happening in my world and we’re ready to spill the beans of the sooper-seekrit project.

Welcome to the Eldros Legacy!

What is the Eldros Legacy? It is an expansion of Shijuren, which is only one of five continents in the world of Ertha. Quincy J. Allen has created the continent of Daemanon, Todd Fahnestock brings us Noksonon, Mark Stallings with Drakanon, and Marie Whittaker with Pyranon.

The characters you’ve grown to love in the earlier Shijuren series are still a part of the Eldros Legacy. Irina, Ausartxango, and Geirr have to complete tasks unfinished in None Call Me Mother . Edward has many more cases to solve in Achrida and the Empire of Makhaira. However, they’re now part of a larger, more vibrant world.

Starting in December with the release of Khyven the Unkillable by Todd Fahnestock, you’ll get an action-packed story on the first Tuesday of each month.

Yes, we are serious about giving you a novel or anthology a month staring in December 2021 and that means we’ll need help. This is a huge shared world project that will include many other authors before we’re done. You’re going to love what we’ve got planned.

Welcome, fans of the Eldros Legacy. And congratulations, fans of Shijuren. You got in on the ground floor of something special.

Thanks to Quincy, we’ve built a brand new website, and we will have a newsletter for fans just of the Eldros Legacy. It’s here: https://www.eldroslegacy.com/.

If you want to sign up for that one, go here: https://www.eldroslegacy.com/contact/newsletter/.

Or, even better, if you’d like to get a free collection of short stories to get a taste of the Eldros legacy while joining the mailing list, go here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

Man, have I been wanting to talk about the Eldros Legacy for a long while. The five of us started working on this project in January so we could make sure we’d be able to deliver what we promise. Khyven the Unkillable is essentially in the can (expect an artwork reveal soon), and Seeds of Dominion by Quincy, Embers & Ash by Marie, The Forgotten King by Mark, and The Door into Winter by myself will follow in succeeding months.

Whew. Time to take a breath.

Because I’ve got lots more going on. The first Talons & Talismans went out to the editor today. The second is almost complete and should be ready at some point next week. I’ve got a story in that called The Shield of the Innocent.

Lots more stuff about New Mythology below.

I’m still playing with stuff for The Door into Winter, which now you all know is not only another Shijuren novel, but also an Eldros Legacy novel.

I’ve got a short story coming out in a few weeks as well in It Takes All Kinds, an anthology of stories set in Kevin Steverson’s Salvage Title universe. It’s titled: “Careful with that Axe, E.U. Gene,” and when we get to the release date, I’ll spill the beans on its special feature.

With that, I think it’s time for Jack Stack’s BBQ (Mark Stallings’ favorite place) with my sweetie.

What I’m Listening To

Been a good day of music at Brewbakers. Also a bunch of the regulars. Something about seeing the same faces. There aren’t many theme songs like that of Cheers that get the human condition quite so well.

Quote of the Week
Today, in 1964, Alvin York died. This is a fairly famous quote, but I love it.
I had orders to report to Brigadier General Lindsey, and he said to me, “Well, York, I hear you have captured the whole damned German army.” And I told him I only had 132.
― Alvin York.
Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

The final edits for Khyven the Unkillable by Todd Fahnestock are in process and we’ll be showing of the amazing cover art by Rashed AlAkroka soon.

New Mythology Works in Progress
Current open anthology calls:

I’m currently working on The House Between Worlds, the fourth in Jon R. Osborne’s Milesian Accords series. This is going very quickly because Jon’s a great writer.

Also, as mentioned, I sent off the first Talons & Talismans to the editor. You can expect the cover reveal for that in next week or so. The cover is by Jake Caleb, who did the great covers for When Valor Must Hold and Songs of Valor.

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (1,043)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • SOTI (7,948) (Formerly MON)

Upcoming Events

  • FactoryCon, 22-24 October, Coinjock, NC
    Details in the CKP – Factory Floor on Facebook.
  • 20BooksTo50K, 8-12 November, Las Vegas, NV
    http://20booksvegas.com/

New Releases

This week we have China Mike, the second in Paul Piatt’s ISMC series. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DJQH2N9.

Tracked ItemsToday’s Weight: 334.8

Updated Word Count: 184,964

Shijuren Wiki: 767 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Author of the Shijuren-series of novels

Weekly Update Archive

If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org