Rob’s Update: Recovering from Madness

Week 33 of 2022

Greetings all

The second Wednesday at Pennsic includes Midnight Madness. Basically, this means we’re open until midnight, most merchants have some sort of specials, and a bunch of people plan fun things to do to turn it into a bit of a swirling, shopping festival.

It’s a blast.

It’s also exhausting, especially the day after. We did well last night, but neither I nor the potter who’s selling stuff out of my booth are very energetic.

This has been a week of a lot of work. I finished the editing of The Chimera Coup, the first book in a new series by Christopher G. Nuttall. The series is entitled The Heirs of Cataclysm and if you’ve read Nuttall before, you know it’ll be full of action and great challenges for the characters to overcome.

You’re gonna love it.

Embers & Ash
Embers & Ash

Of course, Tuesday is the release of Embers & Ash by Marie Whittaker. This will unlock all 5 continents of Eldros.

I wrote when I could, which wasn’t as often as I expected because we’ve had so many sales. I did get words in here and there, but seriously, it’s been a great war for sales. Still, I got about 5k written across several projects.

I have also been editing Responsibility of the Throne, the sequel to G. Scott Huggins’ excellent Responsibility of the Crown. This comes out in November. There have been a few other things that got finished I will announce in the upcoming weeks.

I also got confirmations of two new events, so check the listing of where I’ll be for where I’ll be.

It may seem surprising, but Pennsic is perhaps my most productive two weeks of the year, and this year was even better.

What I’m Listening To

Bagpipes in the distance and the occasional cannon shot to signify a battle’s beginning and ending. (No, it’s not fired at the actual battle)

Quote of the Week

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Maldon in 991. I actually wrote about this battle in Trouble in the Wind. It’s a fairly famous battle because of the poem written about it, which describes the Viking raiding fleet, a battle of the causeway, and a decision by the leader of the English, Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of East Anglia.

The most famous part comes after Byrhtnoth’s death, where his warriors stand up and declare they’ll fulfill their oath and die at his side.

In the SCA, one of my favorite songs concerns this battle. It’s written by Rosalind Jehanne and here’s perhaps my favorite passage from it. Note how well she follows the Anglo-Saxon alliterative poetic style and still uses the rhyme and arrangement of modern songs. Combining two such disparate genres is incredibly difficult.

“Death is our doom     But let us die with honor
All that lives after     Is what the bards do say
Fight to be worthy     Of fame in the future
Let them remember     The deeds we do today”
– Rosalind Jehanne, Battle of Maldon

Dudes In Hyperspace

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

The latest show includes a delicious conversation about BBQ with Jim Nettles.

Also, since I’ve been at Pennsic and couldn’t record, we skipped a couple of weeks. We’re going to make that up next week.

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+.

Embers & Ash by Marie Whittaker is coming on August 16th!

Currently available:

Get all the Eldros Legacy novels at: amazon.com/dp/B09Z9WVKYV

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.

It must also be a fantasy story. Any type is welcome, urban, epic, high, western, gothic, whatever, it just have to have magic. Finally, it cannot have been published anywhere else before.

I’m currently working on The Pain Bearer by Kendra Merritt, book 7 in the Eldros Legacy.

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • Sowing Spring’s Wrath (3,213)
  • Farewell, My Ugly (23,151)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
  • The Feasting of Vengeance (3,310)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

Two new releases this week. First, in the the Fallen World comes Cause and Effect by Brisco Woods. It’s the 17th book in this great post-apocalyptic series. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0B8JCXDV3.

Next is a book I’m criminally behind in talking about. This is Kayla Krantz’s The Council. It’s book one in a new fantasy series called The Witch’s Ambition. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0B855VDQ5.

I’m also remiss in not mentioning that No Game for Knights is available for pre-release on Amazon here: amazon.com/dp/B0B57DS9JD. It’s a great honor to be a part of this.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 323.0

Updated Word Count: 148,778

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

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