It’s the 2nd Thursday of Pennsic and that means one thing: It’s the day after Moonlight Madness, which means everything is slow in the merchant area.
Moonlight Madness is as much roaming around with friends in the merchant area as it is a shopping time. We had a great evening, with a lot of traffic interested in our vine-ripened, organic, dolphin-safe madness, so it was a lot of fun.
Overall, Pennsic has been incredibly busy. My writing output is nowhere near what I expected, but that’s because we’ve sold way more than ever. In fact, on Monday, we’d sold more than we had at any previous Pennsic. There were several irregular expenses for this Pennsic having to do with the new trailer and other such things so I hoped to break even. We did way better than that.
I got 20 copies of A Lake Most Deep and I sold them. In fact, I had people coming up asking for The Eyes of a Doll. And Where Now the Rider. So all that is exciting.
That being said, I did make some progress on Farewell, My Ugly. I got through an editing pass to catch up with where I’d lost track during the move, and I added a number of scenes to conclude various threads. I’d hoped to be in the 90s by the end of the week, but the 80s with a lot of sales will have to do.
I also had quite a bit of interest in Rob’s Riddles. Obviously, more subscribers there would be very nice.
I entitled this Madness Recovery Program, but the truth is there’s so much left to do before leaving, that program will have to start when we get home. We have the kingdom party tonight then the long process of packing out. I should be on the road Saturday morning and it’ll be good to get back to the kitties.
With that, I better take care of the customers coming into my store.
What I’m Listening To
Conversations around the merchant area, like last week. It’s a beautiful day here and people are strolling about enjoying the last couple of days of Pennsic. A pair of friends are warping the last two looms I have for sale, and they’re talking weaving stuff that is way too complicated for me.
Quote of the Week
Happy birthday to Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull! That’s one of my favorite bands ever, which is probably not a real surprise.
This quote is from Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day, which is in my top 10 songs of all time.
“You were bred for humanity and sold to society.
One day you’ll wake up in the present day,
a million generations removed from the expectations
of being who you really want to be.”
– Jethro Tull, Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
Your pre-release this week is more MilSF awesomeness! It’s Stand on Xanadu, book 9 in John E. Siers’ amazing Lunar Free State series. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0CF441GQ7.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 352.0
Updated Word Count: 208,641
Firehall Sagas Archives: 743 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.
I’m at Pennsic! The shop is set up and I’ve been selling. Going to be a fascinating year as this is Pennsic 50.
I had a great week. Obviously, it’s been a week or so since A Lake Most Deep, book 1 of the Firehall Sagas, came out. Thanks to all who helped, including especially Larry Correia, for contributing to such a great release.
It was a bit challenging to keep abreast of comments and other things on social media as I literally got on the road on release day. However, it meant that at stops I had the pleasant task of checking and answering. Again, thanks very much.
The Eyes of a Doll
Of course, at New Mythology, we set things up so we put out a bunch of books in a series in quick succession, so today I’m giving you the cover reveal for book 2, The Eyes of a Doll, which comes out on August 29th.
Jake has done a great job again on this cover and I’m honored to get to work with him.
As mentioned, I left for Pennsic last week and was setting up Friday afternoon. For a variety of reasons, setup this year was particularly hard and complicated. I didn’t really recover until yesterday morning, in fact, though part of that was the effort to run and clean up my yearly bardic circle.
However, I’m here at the shop now, fully operational and selling like a madman.
As you can see, I have books, including more on the shelf perpendicular to the main table, pottery from Lobster Rose pottery, looms, yarn, and even some wooden folding chairs.
A goodly selection, if I do say so myself.
I’ve gotten a bunch of editing done on Farewell, My Ugly, plus some quasi-outlining I hope to write tomorrow during the slow times. Overall, I’ve made good progress on the book given the challenges, and I’m excited how it’s going.
And in fact, I’m going to throw some words on the page now.
What I’m Listening To
Conversations in the merchant area as I sit here inside my tent.
Quote of the Week
Happy birthday to Ernie Pyle!
“I love the infantry because they are the underdogs. They are the mud-rain-frost-and-wind boys. They have no comforts, and they even learn to live without the necessities. And in the end they are the guys that wars can’t be won without.”
– Ernie Pyle
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
Also, Chris has a variety of special announcements this week on his mailing list, too many for me to list here. There are books on sale, new audiobooks, and he needs launch team readers. Go here to become a part of his email list: chriskennedypublishing.com/newsletter/.
Side note, I could also use more launch team readers, so send me an email at rob@chriskennedypublishing.com to get added to the list.
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.
It’s Wednesday, which is about right. I need at least a few days to recover from the awesomeness that is LibertyCon. I hated missing it last year, but I suppose I made the right choice. I am still married, after all.
Anyway, before I get going into my weekend, I want to take a moment to thank all the crew at LibertyCon. Brandy Hendren is a rock star among rock stars, and her crew is the single best organized con crew out there. I deal mostly with Rich Groller (programming) Matthew Fanny (gate) because I never get a chance to go to the best con suite around (Vonn Gants and crew), the art show (Ann Robards), or the game room (Misty Kat Gutierrez-Waller). And that doesn’t count all the behind the scenes folks.
That crew is amazing, but it’s not really a surprise. We often talk about how much LibertyCon is a family, and this is the core of the family. They’ve all done the job for a while, helping their family members have a great time.
I thank them all the time, but it’s really never enough.
Anyway, I was so ready for LibertyCon that last Tuesday night I couldn’t sleep. It was like Christmas Eve, so I gave up the ghost, got up at 430am and was on the road by 5 to Murfreesboro, my stop on the way. It’s good to have friends to crash with, especially when they make chicken and mashed potatoes for a weary traveler.
I got to the hotel early on Thursday and did a bunch of work in the room before heading down to the lobby.
The lobby at the LibertyCon hotel on Thursday night is a trap. A great trap, a wonderful trap, a trap worthy of Grimtooth, but a trap nonetheless.
There are friends there I haven’t seen in at least a year, lots of them! I flitted from friend to friend, getting snatches of conversation, talking business, the past year, beer, writing, and all the other things in swirling conversations that make the Thursday night at LibertyCon one of the single most important days of the year professionally.
We closed down the bar and then went to a room party. This was an oft-used plan by many at the bar. Marriott might want to reconsider closing the bar right at midnight.
Friday was breakfast at the City Cafe. Sadly, they’re being forced to move a few blocks away. It’s a shame as it was only a block away from the hotel and it is really good.
Then I got into panels starting at 1pm. This was the Out of the Trailer Park anthologies panel led by William Joseph Roberts. He’s a really smart dude and the driving force behind Three Ravens Publishing. If you haven’t checked that company out, do so. They’re really good.
Anyway, I’m not saying I committed myself to writing a redneck version of Beowulf, but I committed myself to writing a redneck version of Beowulf for a future anthology.
After that, I was generally off until 8pm and my Author’s Alley stint from 8pm to 10pm. I was really pleased with how this went. I only sold 4 books, but I talked to a bunch of folks and that’ s a big part of why I do those slots.
More importantly, I had bought a rolling toolbox to make setup and teardown go smoothly. It holds 4 stacks of books, so about 40 or so without difficulty. It also came with a smaller case that holds promo and setup stuff like the Wandering Signature Chart and the big d20. I can bungee two racks on top and it was really easy, so that’ll be a help going forward.
I was originally scheduled to be on Author’s Alley until 11pm, but the CKP Year Ahead panel went from 9pm to 11pm, and I skipped my last hour (actually I donated it to Cedar Sanderson, who couldn’t make the con) to go do the New Mythology portion of the presentation.
And that’s where I lost my name.
I showed up to find they were mostly through the New Mythology portion and that Kacey Ezell had impersonated me. Apparently, she’s a better me than me.
A Hope In Hell
So I took her tiara and tagged in. I got there in time for not one, but two cover reveals. The first was for A Hope in Hell, the conclusion to the Heirs of Cataclysm trilogy by Christopher G. Nuttall. This comes out on July 11th and it’s the post-magical-apocalypse swords and sorcery series you didn’t know you’d love but you will. The art, by the way, was done by Laercio Messias.
Then came the most exciting part of the presentation. I’m re-releasing all of my books under New Mythology Press starting with A Lake Most Deep on July 25th. This is the first of the Edwardsaga, the fantasy mystery series.
The Firehall Sagas schedule starts like this:
July 25th: A Lake Most Deep
August 29th: The Eyes of a Doll
October 3rd: Where Now the Rider
November 7th and every 5 weeks afterward for a good while, something else.
No surprise that I’m excited. These books have updated art, maps, new edits, and a better layout. Basically, I’m taking all that I’ve learned over the last decade and refreshing them. I’ve said a number of times that while I love A Lake Most Deep because I created good characters, a great setting, and a challenging mystery, I didn’t execute the writing well. No surprise there, it was my first novel. Now, however, I’m as proud of the writing as I am the story and this is true for all the rest.
A Lake Most Deep
Did I mention art? Here’s the other cover reveal. This art is by J. Caleb Designs, one of my favorite cover artists around. I think you can see why. It’s much the same cover as before, but it’s so much more energetic and strong.
On top of this, I’ve been pleased to get a couple of blurbs from other authors. Glen Cook, yes that Glen Cook, the one who wrote the Garrett, PI series, said A Lake Most Deep is “a damn fine read.”
Yes, my head exploded when I got that email.
Also, at LibertyCon, Larry Correia gave me a writer blurb: “Rob mixes intrigue, murder, and magic in to his own cool blend.” Plus, Dave Butler agreed to get me a blurb as well. I’m honored by their trust and hope to live up to everything they expect of me.
Back to LibertyCon. Following the CKP panel, we had a CKP YouTube internet thing. This was a hoot. I sat in the back and heckled, not that it needed my heckling to be hilarious. Check it out here: youtube.com/watch?v=x35cP0ir34M. Uhhh, not safe for work, or your ribs from laughing too hard.
Saturday started with the brunch. We had a fun table including Gary Shelton the donut god, Ann Margaret Lewis (who’s releasing her first CKP title soon), and Scott Huggins, writer of the Responsibility series.
The theme for our table was, “Dammit, Scott!!!” The banquet was set up so each table would go up in succession, with the table number drawn randomly. Scott said he had terrible luck with this sort of thing and we’d go last, so every time another table was called, we yelled, “Dammit, Scott!!!” Then Scott McIntosh-Mize got in line and we yelled it at him too. He was appropriately confused. Then they said the last table to be called would get a prize, so we yelled “Dammit, Scott!!!” when we were second to last. We may have had to wait, but we had more fun than all the other tables.
Scott’s working on book 3 in his Responsibility series right now, by the way.
At noon I had a reading with Patrick Chiles. He’s a hard SF author writing with Baen and his first reading reminded me of Inherit the Stars, at least it had the same sort of awesome puzzle from James P. Hogan. That’s still one of my favorite books, even if some of the scientific basis hasn’t entirely held up in the nearly 50 years since it came out.
For myself, I read the new first chapter of A Lake Most Deep, which is much stronger then the first chapter of Farewell, My Ugly.
Then I had another long break until panels at 7, 8, and 10pm. The first was a panel on Writing from the Perspective of a Historian. In general, I enjoyed the panel, and David B. Coe did a good job of moderating it.
I think the key thing to remember about this topic is that history doesn’t have to make sense, but fiction does. Also, there’s always another level to the history, and at some point you have to cut that off in fiction to keep the reader in the story.
Then there was another panel on history, this time writing for history, and again moderated by David B. Coe. It wasn’t an exact reply, though, as it was focused more on worldbuilding.
He asked what 3 things we start with, and my answer is that all the worldbuilding has to provide kinetic energy to the story. Hence, I start with foundational stuff like the magic system and also the ancient history that is hidden in the epic fantasy quest. Then I start with regional stuff to create trade routes, political tensions, and such. Then I mention my Wikipedia random article process to create a database of ideas for characters, places, and events.
Then came the Great Tiara Exchange of Ought-23 and me getting a new name.
On the schedule it was the Valkyries panel where a bunch of authors in The Valkyrie Protocol anthology talked about their story. Kacey Ezell introduced herself as Rob, so I took her tiara again. This, by the way, was a huge blue-stone studded tiara as opposed to the simple circlet from the previous night.
I rocked it the rest of the night.
But I’m getting ahead of myself, as the Joelle Presby introduced herself as Rob. Then Melissa Olthoff introduced herself as Rob. So I introduced myself as Kacey Joelle Olthoff to much rejoicing.
All the while wearing the tiara balanced on my head. Did I mention it didn’t fit? It was just perched there, but I never once had it fall off.
Back to the panel, which had some business moments. Marisa talked about the plan to keep writing in that world, and that a number of books were coming out along these lines, ultimately concluding with an Avengers-like book with all the characters kicking ass. I don’t have time to write a book, but Vigdis hasn’t saved her last soul.
Side note: www.irocktiaras.com is available and I might need a new website.
Following the Valkyries panel, we retired to the bar to close it down. Then went to room parties. Then we went on an excursion!
I skipped right over the part where Trisha J. Wooldridge was at her first LibertyCon with her brand new release, Shadows, Ash, and Prophecy. She seemed to have a great time and is a great addition to the CKP crew. She’s also working on book 3 in that series right now.
Shadow, Ash, Prophecy
Here’s the cover, by the way.
She was staying at a neighboring hotel, so we formed a party amoeba and escorted her home. Then we returned to the room party.
I usually do my major night of reveling on Thursday, but apparently I was too hyped to stop. I closed out the room party, then spent time helping Nathan Balyeat edit a story. A drunk editor can be good, but he either sacrifices his editing skill or his ability to phrase things nicely. Fortunately, Nathan didn’t kill me, but I was like a director yelling, “cut, cut, cut!”
Then I realized it was 6am and I had planned to drive to Fayetteville, AR after the con.
Ooops.
Well, I packed my stuff up except just what I’d need and took it down to the car. Went to the breakfast buffet, which opened at 630. Then I caught a few hours of sleep to join the Kaffeeklatsch.
After that was the Four Horsemen panel and suddenly, the tables turned.
They started the presentation and were introducing all the people up on stage when they came to an empty chair. Kacey Ezell’s chair.
Yes, I jumped up and did my best Kacey impersonation. To be fair, she’s a much better me than I am of her. I apparently can’t do a soft, higher-pitched voice without doing it in Southern. Still, it was a lot of fun and most of the crowd had been to the previous panels so was in on the joke.
At that point, I got out of Dodge as quickly as I could because I was already tired. I figured if I got out early, I could stop for a nap or two, which I did. However, leaving LibertyCon is not a fast process, something I appreciate. Lots of people to hugs, lots of goodbyes, and even a homemade cookie.
The trip home wasn’t terribly eventful, though I did make a detour when I saw the weather going through the middle of Arkansas. I ended up going north around it and getting a hotel in Mountain Grove, MO instead of stopping at a friend’s house in Fayetteville. Ah, well, I got home safely.
Overall, LibertyCon was as awesome as usual, maybe even more so since I’d missed it last year. Never again, unless I can’t help it.
All the business things I’d hoped to cover got covered, and more. I got to hang out with a people I haven’t had much of a chance to before, including Patrick Chiles, Howard Andrew Jones and the Holos. I met a bunch of new folks, too.
So, can we go back next week? I already miss my family.
Lilies was great, as to be expected. Overall, weather as good as could be hoped for and a bunch of opportunities to sing. I’m rusty around a singing circle so I’m spending July practicing.
But now it’s on to LibertyCon. I left Wednesday morning at 5:07am. I intended to leave at 6am but I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep. It was like sleeping on Christmas Eve.
It’s been four years since I’ve been able to come to LibertyCon. This is such an important event for me, both professionally and sentimentally. I came here first in 2015 in order to help get a feel for how to be a pro writer. I’d never have the career I have without it. It is also one of those cons where things get done in a myriad of conversations.
Shadow, Ash, Prophecy
Anyway, there’s a ton going on this week, so let’s get to that. Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy is Live! Get it here: amazon.com/dp/1648557732. This is book 2 in Trisha J. Wooldridge’s amazing Asian-themed epic fantasy, and focuses on the fey of her world in a battle against an evil prince.
Coming soon is A Hope In Hell. It’s the conclusion to Christopher G. Nuttall’s action-packed post apocalyptic swords and sorcery series the Heirs of Cataclysm. I’ll have a cover reveal here at LibertyCon Friday night in the CKP Year Ahead.
Two weeks after that is A Lake MostDeep, book 1 of the Firehall Sagas by yours truly. I’ll reveal that cover tomorrow night as well.
As most of you know, this is a re-release of my fantasy series. That means we’ll have a bunch of them out in sequence, including not only the 7 currently published novels but more. Much more. The Eyes of a Doll, book 2, is coming out August 29th. Where Now the Rider, book 3, is scheduled for 3 October. And something more every 5 weeks after that for a while. A long while.
Exciting times for me.
Back to the CKP Year Ahead. Not only will I have the two cover reveals, but I know Chris has a number of surprises too, so you won’t want to miss it. It starts at 9pm in CC Ballroom E on Friday night.
Alan Parson Project House of Usher. Let’s start the weekend with some Poe.
Quote of the Week
Happy birthday to one of the forefathers of my profession, born on this day in 1856. Might be time to read the Allen Quatermain adventures again. In the meantime, here’s a quote from King Solomon’s Mines.
“It is far. But there is no journey upon this earth that a man may not make if he sets his heart to it. There is nothing, Umbopa, that he cannot do, there are no mountains he may not climb, there are no deserts he cannot cross; save a mountain and a desert of which you are spared the knowledge, if love leads him and he holds his life in his hand counting it as nothing, ready to keep it or to lose it as Providence may order.”
― H. Rider Haggard, King Solomon’s Mines
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
Current Schedule of New Mythology Press
Of note, this now includes our recent releases, so if you’re not sure what we’ve put out lately, you can go here and check.
Pennsic War, July 28 – August 13, Slippery Rock, PA, pennsicwar.org
New Releases
Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy is out! Get it here: amazon.com/dp/1648557732. This is book 2 in Trisha J. Wooldridge’s amazing Asian-themed epic fantasy, and focuses on the fey of her world in a battle against an evil prince.
The big release this week is a whole new set of threads in the Four Horsemen Universe. Thought we were done? Not at all. Check out The Phoenix Initiative: The First Missions for seventeen! stories totaling 160,000 words! You won’t want to miss it, so get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0C7YZCFCK.
New Author Alert! Please welcome Nic Plume to CKP Factory by checking out her Shadows of Peace series. Your pre-release this week is Tinaree: Trial by Inferno. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0C8SDFJR5.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 351.2
Updated Word Count: 117,862
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
I’m sending this via the magic of scheduling. I’m at Lilies War, so instead of talking too much about my week, I’ll hit a couple of high points then give you the first chapter of Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy.
A Hope in Hell and A Lake Most Deep are in progress. Expect more details next week.
By the way, last week I typed July 24th instead of July 25th as the release date for A Lake Most Deep. To be clear, it comes out on the 25th, which is a Tuesday, not the 24th, which is not.
And with that, here’s the first chapter of Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy, book 2 in Trisha J. Wooldridge’s excellent Asian-themed epic fantasy series, The 27 Kingdoms.
* * * * *
Chapter One – Things That Shouldn’t Be
Shadow, Ash, Prophecy
In swirling darkness, fear redefined itself for Blessedhunter Koki.
Her insides twisted in one direction, her body the other. Images and memories—familiar and foreign—pelted her foggy awareness.
Byria, her Byria; Byria’s dragon; poisoned illness; mountains and giants’ magic; shaking, breaking earth.
Reflective black stone made by fire in a cave of boiling water.
Mokin’s spiritcall rune drawn in blood.
Years of muscle memory allowed Koki to land in a stable crouch that at least felt familiar. Her stomach heaved. She spit out burning bile. Smells assaulted her, smells she knew intimately, smells that carried yet a different fear.
Years of experience sharpened Koki’s mind and senses with her next breath. She was still in danger. This danger she knew well.
She was in Lakan’s home.
A particular room in Lakan’s home, though light hardly penetrated its walls—walls within walls, for it was a room hidden in the central strangler fig lattice within the Magicleader’s large hut. Blood of beast and person mingled with pre-storm air. Sticky, still, and prickly.
She needed to leave. Now. No. As soon as it was safe, as soon as she wouldn’t be discovered. Panic had its purpose in survival, but this wasn’t the place. Her heart beat faster than the wings of hummingbirds.
The cut on her hand from which she’d drawn Mokin’s spiritsigil pulsed. Not pain, but something through the tacky blood still seeping over her palm tugged at her attention. Like a thread or string. Pulling.
Like lightning, Mokin’s spiritcall rune flashed in her vision, illuminating the secret room.
Koki flinched deeper into a crouch, barely containing a gasp.
A person-sized reflective surface, like the stone the dragon had fired, balanced upright on a stand of Ancestor Wood. Her stomach twisted even more. Ancestor trees were never to be harmed. What had become of the souls entrusted to this tree?
Had Lakan always had such a thing?
It had always been after sundown, darker than now, when she’d pulled Mokin from this room. Tied, bleeding from the runes his father had carved into his flesh, and writhing from painful magic burning his blood. She’d observed their surroundings only to ensure their safety.
That sensation in her cut hand yanked at her heart. No, not quite. Like a string from her heart to her hand, something tugged her in the direction of the room’s hidden entry.
Koki crept closer to the hinged wall. Dizziness clung to her movement, forced her to focus more on moving her body than attending to her surroundings. The silence of the hut was more distracting than the loudest spring birdsong raucous.
Trembling climbed her limbs, and she had to stop and lower to a knee, lest she fall. I need to get out of here! Koki mentally shouted at her uncooperative body. I need to find Mokin! As if to confirm her intuition’s declaration, another pulse rippled from her heart to her hand toward the wall.
But she couldn’t move.
Koki shook as if from fever, or when she’d lost all that blood from the leopard fight. If she were discovered—and discovery was more likely if she tried to move in this state—she’d be in danger worse than that attack. What that danger was, she didn’t know, but she trusted her instincts.
“You know what you need to do.”
Mokin?
He’d spoken into her mind a few times when it had been necessary. This didn’t feel quite the same, though she perceived the thought in his voice.
The thought was correct.
Koki closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She willed herself to be unseen, unheard, undetected. Glamour rippled around her.
Breathing, breathing, she knelt on both knees, a more stable posture. The ground within this room was damp, almost muddy. She thanked her sharp senses for noticing such a detail and thought no further on the observation. It wasn’t immediately necessary for her survival.
Still no sounds.
Per the light that did filter in, it was daytime. Lakan’s hut was just outside the village, somewhat isolated, as was the home she and Mokin had built—as far from his father as possible. The sounds of the village wouldn’t reach the house. But…
There were no birds, no animal movement. Not even at a distance.
It was more silent than the barren lands heading toward the mountains. The silence swirled Koki’s nausea like a spoon stirring a pot.
Wrong.
Considering what Koki knew Lakan had done in this room, he’d likely glamoured it to buffer noise coming in or going out.
Ancestors and gods! Koki began the thought as a profanity. Then, like when instinct positioned her spear before she focused on a target, she gestured in prayer. Ancestors and gods, all blessed spirits and souls, please… Please, what? Just please, with my heart and spirit. Please…
The sting of tears and her bleeding palm impinged upon her awareness.
Pulling a cloth from a belt pouch, she wrapped her cut hand and got to her feet, doing her best to smooth the almost-mud and hide any blood she’d spilled. Proper washing could come later.
Her instincts spoke more primally, and Koki surrendered to them. As if she stalked prey, her feet found the quietest, most secure steps. Her bandaged hand slipped below her leopard tunic, palm pressing to where her heart beat behind her chest bone.
The beating slowed, as did her shaking, with each breath Koki took. She cracked open the secret room’s door, and sounds filtered in to her heightened senses.
Unfamiliar birds cooed nearby, as if from a coop. Odd, as Mokin’s family had never kept birds, but not immediately important. From farther away, she picked up the sounds of the village common.
Even considering the distance, the sounds of her people seemed… less. Not muted, but… fewer?
More worrisome than unexpected birds, but still not an urgent concern.
No one was nearby. She could leave unseen and unheard, so she did.
That string sensation pulled her heart and wrapped hand to the east, toward the Ritual Circle that held council and holy meeting huts, the Blessing Pools, and the speaking and ritual dais. Swallowing hard, Koki followed the call, trusting it like her hunting senses.
She cringed upon passing a pile of decomposed bamboo and branches—once the hut at which Mokin had apprenticed under Motherhealer Choli, his mother. Koki was surprised anything still remained of it—that Lakan had never removed it—after over a century of abandonment.
Reaching for her spear, Koki found only air and scowled. She vaguely remembered being unable to hold her spear after pulling the poisoned arrow from her shoulder and running. She cursed.
Then again, no weapons were permitted in the sacred areas.
Willing glamour to cover her, she broke into a jog with surprisingly less pain than she expected. Koki gave thanks that she’d lost her spear. The last thing she needed was to offend the gods and ancestors.
* * * * *
Have a great week everyone!
What I’m Listening To
The sound of singing around a campfire.
Quote of the Week
This is a line from one of my favorite campfire songs, Battle of Maldon by the amazing Rosalind Jehanne
For our hands shall be the harder, and our will shall be the wiser
And our hearts shall be bolder as our strength must end
Come and follow me to glory, so that when they tell the story
We shall not be forgotten in the halls of men
– Rosalind Jehanne
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
First Line of Next Riddle:
With fierce heart Defend I your soul
Latest Snippet: Chapter 1 of Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy
Pennsic War, July 28 – August 13, Slippery Rock, PA, pennsicwar.org
New Releases
This week we have New Horizons by Chris Kennedy. This is a collection of sixteen of his best short stories. You don’t want to miss it. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0C7BP8PJ3.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 351.8
Updated Word Count: 116,537
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
Hey, look, I remembered today is Thursday. Go me! I’m back on schedule, except for the fact that there’ll be no regular update next week as I’ll be at the War of the Lilies and not have enough internet access to post.
However, I’m going to try something out, so expect something special.
I’ve had another great week and there’s so much coming out soon!
Shadow, Ash, Prophecy
Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy went to the ARC readers yesterday. If you’re on the team, check your email. This is the 2nd book in The 27 Kingdoms by Trisha J. Wooldridge. It’s Asian-themed epic fantasy with dragons, fey, and as you can see on the cover, a tough bad guy.
By the way, with all that’s coming down the pike, I’m going to need a bunch more ARC readers. If you’re interested in becoming part of the advance team, send me an email at: rob@chriskennedypublishing.com.
But wait, there’s more! A Hope In Hell, the high-powered conclusion of Christopher G. Nuttall’s excellent Heirs of Cataclysm trilogy, is in process. The target date for release is July 11th.
And yet, even more!The Firehall Sagas, the re-release of the former World of Shijuren is nigh.
A Lake Most Deep by yours truly gets re-released on July 25th. It’s got a new cover, an editing pass to streamline the story, but with all the same mystery and adventure.
Expect the rest of the Firehall Sagas to come out in sequence, about every 5 weeks at least through 2023 from that point.
I can’t tell you all how excited I am with this release. I love A Lake Most Deep, but it suffered from normal first-novel issues. The characters, mystery, and setting are great, but I wasn’t as good a writer in 2014 and 2015 as I am now. Not only that, it has a new opening scene I really love.
Plus wait until you see what J. Caleb Designs did for the cover. It’s amazing.
There’s also been a bunch of unpacking and organizing here. Bit by bit, the boxes are getting emptied. We can even sit at a pew or two.
Now all I have to do is learn how to back up a trailer. This hasn’t gone well yet, but I’m learning.
As you can see, Richard Groller and the rest of the programming staff have given me a great list of things to do. By the way, I’ll be reading the brand new opening scene to A Lake Most Deep.
With that, I better get back to work. Lots to do before leaving for Lilies. Have a great couple of weeks, everyone!
What I’m Listening To
Take the Long Way Home by Supertramp. Seems fitting now that I’ve move back to the Wichita area after all those years away.
Quote of the Week
Happy birthday to Jerry Stiller. You may remember him from Seinfeld, King of Queens, or as Ben Stiller’s dad.
I remember him from the videos he made for Rush concerts. Here’s one to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Cz9VjjvCE.
“Did I miss the band? Where’s the band? Where’s my man Lerxst? Hit me baby. And the skinny guy, Dirk. Give it to me. And the other guy. Yeah, the Professor! Where are you guys?”
– Jerry Stiller
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
Pennsic War, July 28 – August 13, Slippery Rock, PA, pennsicwar.org
New Releases
This week we have Pirates & Payback from Nick Steverson and Melissa Olthoff. This is the second of their Salvage Treasure trilogy in the Salvage Title universe originally created by the amazing Kevin Steverson. Get your fast space opera action here: amazon.com/dp/B0C6QWXCB6.
Also in Kevin Steverson’s Salvage Title universe, It Takes All Kinds, an anthology of fun races including my story Careful with that Axe, E.U. Gene. Get it in, electronic, paper, or audio formats here: https://books2read.com/u/bQApGE.
Your pre-release this week is New Horizons by Chris Kennedy. This is a collection of sixteen of his best short stories. You don’t want to miss it. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0C7BP8PJ3.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 351.8
Updated Word Count: 115,029
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
As you can see, I’m a day late to sending this week’s update. There have been some delays in the moving process and I just didn’t have time yesterday.
Overall, buying the house has been a smooth process, but the move has been awful, thanks in part because of our amount of stuff. However, we have not been helped by our moving company. They basically screwed up to this point and we *still* have a truckload of stuff.
I’m giving them a chance to make it right, so I won’t name them yet, but I’m incredibly pissed off right now.
But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if I have to rent a UHaul on top of all this, it’ll all fit at this point. At some point, very soon, we’ll have everything in Anthony and be settling in. I anticipate a good week of work, real work, next week.
Also, this is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, and my mom’s birthday falls around Mother’s Day every year so it’s a double chance to tell mom how awesome she is.
She is awesome, by the way.
As for work, I’m nibbling away, doing maintenance level stuff. I’ve lost basically a month of production, which, to be honest, was to be expected.
So everything is delayed, but as I tell people, there are reasons and excuses. A move is a reason. Boy, is it a reason.
Time to take advantage of Brewbaker’s and do some editing. Have a great week, everyone.
What I’m Listening To
The sounds of Brewbaker’s. I’m going to miss this place. It’s been a really productive writing home. If you’re ever near 95th and Renner in Lenexa, KS, you should try it out. Their truffle fries are really good, as is their southwest chopped salad, especially with extra fresh jalapenos and avocado.
I’m eating that right now, in fact.
Quote of the Week
May 12 is a huge day for birthdays, including not just one great quote machine, but two, Yogi Berra and George Carlin. Also born on the 12th is Katherine Hepburn, Ving Rhames, Burt Bacharach, Florence Nightengale, Emilio Estevez, Tony Hawk, and a host of other fairly big names like Lou Whitaker and Leslie Charteris. Also, who knew Mary Kay had a last name. It’s Ash, by the way.
But I have to give a double-shot since how can I pick between George and Yogi?
“Meow” means “woof” in cat.”
― George Carlin
He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.
― Yogi Berra
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
I apologize for the hiatus on the move. Back to full speed soon, hopefully next Monday. Thanks for everyone’s patience.
And there’s a ton of things going on with CKP, so many I can’t really get to them all. You should also subscribe to Chris’s email list *and* get a free story. Go here: chriskennedypublishing.com/newsletter and sign up.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 354.0
Updated Word Count: 112,158
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
I bet you all are tired of hearing stuff about the move. Good news we now start the last week of getting out of the old house. Yes, it’ll take months, many months, to fully organize the new place, but getting everything down to one house will be a huge victory.
One more week of bouncing up to Olathe or down to Anthony about once a day. That’s 3.5 hours each way, by the way. I’m ready to be done with it.
I’m also ready to really get back to proper work. We’ve been pushing through this move at warp speed, and I’m glad because I’d hate it if it really dragged. I mean, when I look at what we’ve done since April 11th, I have to say, it’s been impressive, especially since neither of us truly believed we’d get the house in Anthony until close actually happened.
We’re ecstatic about the new house and I daresay you’ll get some cool pictures as we get rooms and things organized. I’m hoping to have my main working area arranged by next Thursday and have a full week of work starting then.
I’ve been nibbling at Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy, book 2 of the 27 Kingdoms series by Trisha J. Wooldridge. I’m behind, but making progress. I hope to have that ready to publish at LibertyCon.
Partially, that’s because the art is done and it is awesome.
Anyway, I need to get back to packing. Have a great week everyone.
What I’m Listening To
La Villa Strangiato by Rush. Seems apt for my life right now. Intricate, amazing, and long.
Quote of the Week
A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.
In 1904, work on the Panama Canal started. I had the great pleasure of transiting the canal in 2016, and much of The Eyes of a Doll was written on that cruise, so here’s a quote by Teddy about the accomplishment.
“A finer body of men has never been gathered by any nation than the men who have done the work of building the Panama Canal; the conditions under which they have lived and have done their work have been better than in any similar work ever undertaken in the tropics; they have all felt an eager pride in their work; and they have made not only America but the whole world their debtors by what they have accomplished.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
I apologize for the hiatus on the move. Back to full speed soon, hopefully next Monday. Thanks for everyone’s patience.
Also, it’s not a new release, but there’s a sale on The Last Stand, book 1 of the Guardian Covenant by Chris Kennedy and Kevin Ikenberry. Get it here: amazon.com/gp/product/B0BJNW843S. Get it for half off now!
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 352.4
Updated Word Count: 111,491
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
It’s been a very productive week here in Robville, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the cats are in control (especially Wynnifred).
Hunting the Hart is almost in the can. ARC Team readers can expect to get copies next week.
This is the fifth in Jon R. Osborne’s excellent Milesian Accords series and follows the adventures of Erin as she tries to save her love from getting hunted and killed. A curse has turned him into a stag, the mightiest in the forest and a prize for any hunter.
Plus, he’s got an ancient foe who’s come back to seek revenge.
The release date on this got pushed up because of convention schedules, so it’s coming out on February 21st! Yes, we know that’s only a month away, but we’ve been juggling art, editing, and all the details and didn’t want to announce a date before we knew it’d be ready.
Hunting the Hart comes out on February 21st. Spread the word thoughout the Dunwold.
I did a bunch of work on Bonds of Valor, too. It’s mostly in the can. One story I worked on came from Sarah Hoyt. All I can say is, wow, that woman can write. It’s one of the best short stories I’ve read in a long time. The only spoiler I’ll say is it’ll blow fans of Shakespeare away.
Here’s a good news/bad news thing. The bad news is that I’ve been wretched at dealing with slush submissions. I’ve routinely lost track of them for far too long.
The good news is I’ve revamped my process for these and the results look good. I at least went through a couple of the most egregious submissions and I’m on the way to catching up.
Still, I’ve owed a number of authors an apology, and I’m making good as best I can. I am sorry.
I made progress on The Eyes of a Doll too. I aim to be done with it in a couple of weeks. Given the juggling of a some deadlines, that’s ambitious, but I’m making progress.
I gave you all a bonus riddle last week that I thought of when I was driving home from MarsCon. Here’s the riddle:
Occidentally, I weave innocence
I’ll give you a few sections to think about it before giving you the answer in the Rob’s Riddles section below.
I also started a new Firehall Sagas short story, one that goes into a particular bit of history I mention in A Lake MostDeep. I’m in a race with a couple of other writers to finish it next week to go into Bonds of Valor.
I had an author have ongoing health issues that prevented them from providing the level of quality they expect, and time just ran out. It’s a shame when this happens, but it’s far more important that authors take care of themselves.
This is probably the most important thing I have to say this week. It’s true for everyone, of course, but if you’re a creator of anything, the most productive thing you can do is keep yourself healthy. No one writes their best stuff when they’ve got more important things to worry about.
With that, I better throw some words on the page.
What I’m Listening To
Right now it’s Lessons by Rush. It’s from side 2 of 2112, and it’s one of those hidden gems you get out of deep tracks. The opening is so smooth and strong.
Quote of the Week
So let’s have a quote from Lessons.
Sweet memories Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me Giving me a reason why
I know that My goal is more than a thought
I’ll be there When I teach what I’ve been taught
– Rush, Lessons
Rob’s Riddles
I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.
First Line of Next Riddle:
I have neither handle nor spout, yet I am stout
Latest Snippet: Chapter 2 of Farewell, My Ugly
Bonus Riddle: Occidentally, I weave innocence
As I mentioned to one who commented on this, with a riddle of only 4 words, they all have to matter, except for I.
I used the basic meaning of “western” for occidentally here, not the more common usage of “western countries.”
Weave is here to give me a verb (yay verbs), but I chose it specifically for its letters.
Innocence and virginity are often intertwined in poetry.
Weave has W and V, and the riddle popped into my head while I was driving through West Virginia.
Yes, the part where I mentioned I wrote it on the drive back was also a clue.
So there you go. And yes, my mind is a little twisted and overly intricate. Who knew?
Coming out this week is Point Break, book 3 in the Guardian Covenant. This is a joint mil SF project with Chris Kennedy and Kevin Ikenberry, so you know how good it has to be. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BSMLDQ27.
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.
I’m back from MarsCon! It was as good a time as one could have with insomnia. I mean, if I’m going to stay up to 5 and 6am, I want to have at least been out reveling, but sadly that wasn’t the case.
The con itself was excellent. I got to hang out with too many great people to name. Probably the best part was going over New Mythology plans with Chris Kennedy. We’ve got a goodly amount coming down the pike. I’ll get into that in a moment.
I was on 6 panels, which is a great load from my perspective. I moderated panels on Food and Drink in SF/F and then one on the other jobs authors have had. Let’s just say this one turned fowl thanks to Kelly Grayson and Mark Wandrey.
I was also on a panel of CKP upcoming stuff. There’s a lot. Just saying.
Then there were panels on Advice for the Late Bloomer, Researching for your Story, Creating Alternate World Histories, and “I Got a Great Idea For a Book.” Good stuff.
Back stuff coming down the pike, let’s talk about Hunting the Hart, the fifth book in Jon R. Osborne’s Milesian Accords. It actually went to the editor today and I’ll have a firm release date next week, but it’ll be out soon.
I did some work on The Eyes of a Doll for the re-edits. By the way, if you want the old versions for nostalgia’s sake, I’m going to pull them down next week, I think.
I got feedback on the new version of A Lake Most Deep and it was very positive. I’ve a couple of things to clear up, but it’s basically ready to go when the time comes.
I’m almost ready to send Bonds of Valor to the editor. That’ll happen next week. Cover reveal will happen in mid to late February. Once again, I’m honored to get to work with such talented authors.
It’s interesting. There are weeks where I think I got almost nothing done but look up and see a bunch of stuff. This was one of those weeks, and I know I didn’t do as much as some because I’m always a bit slow coming back from a trip. Still, I’m quite pleased in retrospect. Now, off to do some more editing.
What I’m Listening To
Tai Shan, by Rush. I know a lot of Rush fans get down on this song and it’s often chosen as one of their worst. That may be true, but I really like it.
Quote of the Week
Today’s a great day for birthdays, but in the end, the choice was easy. Happy birthday to Edgar Allen Poe, and here’s one of my favorite poems of his. It is, by the way, without any ravens.
Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow: You are not wrong who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand– How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep–while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?
– Edgar Allen Poe, A Dream within aDream.
Rob’s Riddles
I have a new Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work.
Plus a bonus riddle! I thought of this one while on the drive back from MarsCon. By the way, it’s just one line total, so here is the whole riddle. I think this one is really easy, but your mileage may vary.
This week we have is book 5 in William S. Frisbee, Jr.’s Last Marines series, Genocide of Mankind. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BS443W6S/.
Your pre-release this week is, Point Break, book 3 in the Guardian Covenant. This is a joint mil SF project with Chris Kennedy and Kevin Ikenberry, so you know how good it has to be. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BSMLDQ27.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 342.0 (I didn’t quite make it. I’d been aiming to stay under 340 with all of the holidays, travel, and events. I’d have made it, I think, if I’d slept better at MarsCon. Still, it’s not as bad as it could have been).
Updated Word Count: 29,234
Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 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.
