Monthly Archives: April 2022

Weekly Update

Rob’s Update: NFL Draft Week

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Week 18 of 2022

Greetings all

It’s the week of the NFL Draft!

Yes, I know I’m crazy, but I really love the draft. I enjoy the research and studying prospects, and I tend to keep track of my pet cats throughout their careers, especially the ones that go in the later rounds.

If you want a non-first round pick that seems like someone that’ll be fun to follow, I’d suggest Bernhard Raimann. He’s an Austrian kid who played on a youth American football team in Vienna. He started as a wide receiver, got bigger and played tight end, and now he’s an intriguing offensive tackle prospect. He’s a little old, and not the biggest out there, but he’s got good athleticism and might be something. He’ll hear his name called tomorrow.

The Door Into Winter
The Door Into Winter

Anyway, it’s been a really productive week. The Door Into Winter went out to the review team. And guess what! We have a cover reveal. I love this cover. It’s so kinetic and the colors match me.

The week actually started with Planet Comicon. I had a great time and I had my best-selling year yet. My feet hurt, though. Been a while since I’ve had to do that sort of thing.

I also finished an editing project that I’ll be talking about much more down the road.

I’ve started working on the sequel to The Door Into Winter, which I’m tentatively titling Sowing Spring’s Wrath. Mostly, I’ve been playing around with some Save the Cat Beat Sheet ideas.

I’ve got a ton of projects in the wings coming, and I’m really excited about what we’ll be bringing in the summer and fall.

What I’m Listening To

I’m listening to draft coverage on the Dallas Cowboys network, which is actually one of the best across the board draft shows around.

Quote of the Week

This quote comes from the performer at the first concert I ever went to. My mom took me to see Willie Nelson at Cessna Stadium, the Wichita State football stadium, when I was in 7th grade or so. Fun, strange experience. Anyway, Willie’s birthday is today, and here’s a great quote from him.

Indecision may or may not be our biggest problem.
– Willie Nelson

Dudes In Hyperspace

Follow the Dudes In Hyperspace here:
bleav.com/shows/the-dudes-in-hyperspace-podcast/

The latest show includes discussions on character building.

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Get five free stories and signed up with the Eldros Legacy mailing list! Here There Be Giants is at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

The Door Into Winter comes out on the 10th of May!

Currently available:

New Mythology Works in Progress

2023 FantaSci Short Story Contest open call.

The theme is Bonds of Valor, and you story must include deeds of valor centered around bonds between characters. This could be a romantic relationship, a buddy adventure, oaths to kings, or whatever you can come up with.

Deadline: November 30th, 2022
Word Count: 7-10,000 words
Specifics: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spaced.

I’m currently working on The Door Into Winter, my next novel.

Giveaways
Tales of the Future
Tales of the Future

 

Tales of the Future

books.bookfunnel.com/maysff001a/hqjxwa6r8l

Military Space Opera and Cyborgs
Military Space Opera and Cyborgs

Military Space Opera and Cyborgs

storyoriginapp.com/bundles/04d190a6-a86b-11ec-bd85-dfe21ce89d01?bundleLinkId=CBbHu1T

Boundless
Boundless

 

 

Boundless

storyoriginapp.com/bundles/b9cecff0-a3e3-11ec-aebd-5b561e3fd270?bundleLinkId=vfqwZMt

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (1,043)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • VAL (571)
Upcoming Events
  • Updated list coming soon

New Releases

Another Steverson with another Salvage Title story. Stop me if you’ve heard this before! This time, it’s Nick Steverson, with Consequences. You can get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09YC47GMG.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 323.2

Updated Word Count: 137,048

Eldros Legacy Archives: 813 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

Rob’s Update: When the Dragons Grow Too Mighty

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Week 17 of 2022

Greetings all

This was one of those weeks where I did a bunch of work, but it’s not something that turns into specific product yet. Lots of editing, some small projects, and so on.

However, that all changes this weekend with Planet Comicon. I’ll be in booth 1746 all weekend, and I look forward to chatting with so many people.

These kind of big comicons are exhausting, and I’ll be dragging on Sunday, but they’re also inspiring and give me a great creative push, at least once I can get my head back above water.

I’ve a bunch of friends there too. Todd Fahnestock, James Young, Jennifer Stolzer, and a host of others. That’s part of the fun, and it’s been way too long since I’ve seen a bunch of these.

The Door Into Winter comes out on the 10th of May, and of course, that’s also exciting. Release dates are kind of like Christmas, in that you have to wait to open the presents, or in this case, the response.

I’m going to cut it short for now, because I set up today and we also recorded another Dudes in Hyperspace podcast, and I’m beat.

What I’m Listening To

The clacking of my mechanical keyboard. I’m so tired I didn’t put on my headphones to listen to anything.

Quote of the Week

Yesterday I got to see Primus for the first time. They’ve been on my list, and this was especially the concert for me as they played all of Rush’s A Farewell to Kings. They did really well, and it’s been a while since I had a Rush quote. This one’s from Madrigal, which is not one of Rush’s more well-known songs, but I love these lyrics.

And I’m so lucky to have finally found the “you” mentioned in the last line.

When the dragons grow too mighty
To slay with pen or sword
I grow weary of the battle
And the storm I walk toward
When all around is madness
And there’s no safe port in view
I long to turn my path homeward
To stop awhile with you
– Rush, Madrigal

Dudes In Hyperspace

Follow the Dudes In Hyperspace here:
bleav.com/shows/the-dudes-in-hyperspace-podcast/

The latest show includes stuff on the Masters, which didn’t turn out nearly as dramatic as they often do.

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Get five free stories and signed up with the Eldros Legacy mailing list! Here There Be Giants is at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

The Door Into Winter by me is coming soon!

Currently available:

New Mythology Works in Progress

2023 FantaSci Short Story Contest open call.

The theme is Bonds of Valor, and you story must include deeds of valor centered around bonds between characters. This could be a romantic relationship, a buddy adventure, oaths to kings, or whatever you can come up with.

Deadline: November 30th, 2022
Word Count: 7-10,000 words
Specifics: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spaced.

I’m currently working on The Door Into Winter, my next novel.

Giveaways

None this week so you can take a break. As one subscriber said, I’m running out of time with all this awesome free stuff! More to come next week, so better catch up quick.

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • VAL (571)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

New stuff in the Fallen World! Among the Embers is a new anthology with Kevin Steverson, Marisa Wolf, Jon R. Osborne, and, of course, the universe founder, Christopher Woods, plus a bunch of other great authors. You can get it here:

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 322.6

Updated Word Count: 136,524

Eldros Legacy Archives: 813 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

Rob’s Update: The Door Is Opening

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Week 16 of 2022

Greetings all

It’s always exciting when I finish a big editing pass on a novel. The Door Into Winter went off to the editor and will come out on the 10th of May.

For those who thought I said the 9th, I did, but only because I apparently can’t read a calendar. The 9th is a Monday, and we do our releases on Tuesday. One day I’ll learn how these calendar thingamajigs work.

Anyway, I love how The Door Into Winter. I always go into that big edit knowing I’ve got some weak spots, places where the narrative isn’t as strong as it needs to be. But that’s why I do this particular pass, and it’s a terrific story.

I love stories of heroes doing heroic things, so that’s what I always write, and this has all that.

Also, of course, we’re still celebrating Aaron Rosenberg’s amazing story of skullduggery and mayhem, Deadly Fortune. Thanks to all of you who supported the release.

This week, I’ve turned my attention to Embers & Ash, by Marie Whittaker. This has more of a gothic fantasy feel. It’s a about a princess coming of age to ascend to a cursed throne. Fun stuff.

I also started on a new project that I can’t talk about just yet, but I’m loving it so far. More of a mil-fantasy thing.

Tonight, I’m headed off for a small trip with the sweetie to see the stepdaughter. Most importantly, she and her fiance are now in a place to take their kitty back, so it’ll be a meow-filled ride.

With that, I better get moving.

What I’m Listening To

Chop Suey by System of a Down. Such a great song to jam to.

Quote of the Week

Here’s a teaser quote from The Door Into Winter. Something I’ve always wanted in Shijuren were dwarves, my favorite of the standard D&D/Tolkien-style races. We’re calling them Delvers, or in Svellheim, the Dvergr.

Here’s something from a pair of new characters:

Sakhroa took a deep breath. “We mine in uncertain stone. I cannot but continue to dig, yet without bolstering it will collapse and slay us all.”

“Should this vein prove fruitful, I shall bring you that bolstering.” Karreka bowed slightly. “The path inside is fraught with peril.”

“The path outside is treacherous,” replied Sakhroa.

“Only in paths conjoined can we preserve our kin,” they said in unison.
– The Door Into Winter

PS: I also added undead, which I absolutely love as bad guys.

Dudes In Hyperspace

Follow the Dudes In Hyperspace here:
bleav.com/shows/the-dudes-in-hyperspace-podcast/

The latest show includes stuff on the Masters, which didn’t turn out nearly as dramatic as they often do. .

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Get five free stories and signed up with the Eldros Legacy mailing list! Here There Be Giants is at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

The Door Into Winter by me is coming May 10th!

Currently available:

New Mythology Works in Progress

2023 FantaSci Short Story Contest open call.

The theme is Bonds of Valor, and you story must include deeds of valor centered around bonds between characters. This could be a romantic relationship, a buddy adventure, oaths to kings, or whatever you can come up with.

Deadline: November 30th, 2022
Word Count: 7-10,000 words
Specifics: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spaced.

I’m currently working on Embers & Ash and something new, The Chimera Coup.

Giveaways
Free Books of All Genres for April
Free Books of All Genres for April

Free Books of All Genres for April

storyoriginapp.com/bundles/9ce792e6-a064-11ec-8156-034d0f9bf4b0

Free Book SF & F
Free Book SF & F

Free Book SF & F

books.bookfunnel.com/sffmegapromo/kafblovzsx

No Fooling April Giveaway
No Fooling April Giveaway

 

No Fooling April Giveaway

books.bookfunnel.com/rtb-aprilgiveaway/nep8fizkq1

The Music
The Music

And another book swap with Jessica Lewis. This time it’s her story The Music. Get it here: storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/7b679af6-08f9-11ec-a5c7-9f431ddfa2ec?swapId=817f5c40-a4c0-11ec-a182-7f20841f5e9a

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • VAL (571)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

This week we have Elaninae, the second in Jo Boone’s Combined Service series. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09X9KCSZS.

And of course, we’re still celebrating Aaron Rosenberg’s Deadly Fortune. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09X3Q44FR.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 320.6

Updated Word Count: 135,836

Eldros Legacy Archives: 813 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

Rob’s Update: Rock Chalk

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Week 15 of 2022

Greetings all

Deadly Fortune
Deadly Fortune

Wow! Another great week highlighted by the release of Deadly Fortune, Aaron Rosenberg’s first Eldros Legacy novel.

This is a swashbuckling tale of pirates, murder, hidden secrets, and mystery. It’s set in the Areyat Islands, a corner of Shijuren that Aaron claimed for his own. You can get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09X3Q44FR.

But that’s not all!  We’re almost to the final stretch on The Door Into Winter. I spent the week doing my developmental edit pass. Tomorrow, I’ll receive the other devedit pass, this one by Leslie Bridgwater, and by Sunday, I’ll have all that inputted and sent to the copyeditor.

It comes out in a month and I’m so excited! Let me just say I cried at the end in the places I wanted people to cry.

Because of my focus on The Door Into Winter, I didn’t do a whole heck of a lot else except try and clear through a backlog of small projects.

I didn’t do a whole lot more this week except clear out a few small projects that have backed up here and there.

This means two things. One, the people on my mailing list will get another free story.

Two, Under a Midnight Clear, last year’s Nick Patara, PI freebie story for my mailing list, is now available for everyone in e-book only format on Amazon. You can get it here: amazon.com/gp/product/B09X6L8DJ8/.

By the way, those of you on my mailing list who’ve already read Under a Midnight Clear, I’d love it if you gave it or the first book in that series, Silent Knight, a review. Well, truth be told, we live on reviews so I always appreciate reviews, no matter which book.

Oh, yeah. One other thing. I certainly didn’t graduate from the University of Kansas, but I had a very fun year living on that campus and attending basketball games with far more consistency than attending classes.

That was not an easy game to watch, at least not for my blood pressure, but…

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, KU!

Ahem. Anyway, this championship will provide an extra treat at FantaSci 2023.

Tonight, I’m going to relax before a hard, but exciting weekend of editing!

What I’m Listening To

It’s a Sabaton kind of day, and right now it’s The Art of War, which is a fantastic album interspersing Sun Tzu quotes throughout. I love it.

Quote of the Week

KU has had 8 men’s basketball coaches. One of them has a losing record at the school. That would be James Naismith.

We’ll give him a pass, though, since he invented the game of basketball.

I am sure that no man can derive more pleasure from money or power than I do from seeing a pair of basketball goals in some out of the way place.
– James Naismith

Dudes In Hyperspace

Follow the Dudes In Hyperspace here:
bleav.com/shows/the-dudes-in-hyperspace-podcast/

The latest show includes an interview with Cam Rogers, a Bleav Network golf expert about the masters. .

Cool Stuff In Eldros Legacy

Get five free stories and signed up with the Eldros Legacy mailing list! Here There Be Giants is at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qabsr57lq3+.

The Door Into Winter by me is coming soon!

Currently available:

New Mythology Works in Progress

2023 FantaSci Short Story Contest open call.

The theme is Bonds of Valor, and you story must include deeds of valor centered around bonds between characters. This could be a romantic relationship, a buddy adventure, oaths to kings, or whatever you can come up with.

Deadline: November 30th, 2022
Word Count: 7-10,000 words
Specifics: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1.5 line spaced.

I’m currently working on The Door Into Winter, my next novel.

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

Deadly Fortune by Aaron Rosenberg, the third book in the Eldros Legacy. It’s a fun swashbuckling yarn of pirates, murder, and intrigue. Get it here: www.amazon.com/dp/B09X3Q44FR.

Under a Midnight Clear, the second of my Nick Patara, PI short stories is live. This year’s case leads Saint Nick to Diamond Dave’s strip club. Get it here: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09X6L8DJ8/.

And over on the SF side of things. P.A. Piatt just released his 5th! Abner Fortis ISMC book, Diplomacy. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09WTG77S7.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 320.2

Updated Word Count: 134,245

Eldros Legacy Archives: 813 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