Tag Archives: D.J. Butler

Rob’s Update: FantaSci

Week 12 of 2023

Greetings all

Bonds of Valor
Bonds of Valor

I’m at FantaSci! Which is why I’m a day lat one getting this out.

Bonds of Valor is live. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BZ7BFXN9. 14 great stories of valor with bonds of faith, hope, love, and more.

Todd McCaffrey, Jody Lynn Nye, Glen Cook, D.J. Butler, and Sarah Hoyt lead Team And More into the breach.

Stay tuned next week for next year’s anthology theme. Or if you can’t wait, I talk about it in the CKP YouTube release party we did on Tuesday.

That link is here: youtube.com/watch?v=r4M0qkZWU4s. I had a great time talking with nearly all of the authors.

I had a great time at Planet Comicon. I sold well, and was especially pleased to see how well Postcards from Mars sold. The art in it is really fun and even people who don’t read much thought it was cool.

Because I’ve either been at a con or on the road to a con nearly every day this week, not to mention a variety of mundane tasks to deal with, I had very little chance to write in Farewell, My Ugly. I had one decent writing session, so about 1500 words and I pushed through yet another rough spot, so it wasn’t completely unproductive.

One thing I should mention. I listened to Newsletter Ninja on the way out. This means there’ll be a few changes to the newsletter in the next couple of months. Part of that will mean you’ll get a few extra emails, stuff I should have built into my mailing list from the beginning. The good news is these will have some free stories and extra content.

I mention it now so you’re not surprised. I really appreciate all of you who read this, and want to make sure I’m giving you fair value for both your email address and your time.

But for now, I need to turn my time to FantaSci. Have a great week, everyone.

What I’m Listening To

Rush, Clockwork Angels. I always wear Rush shirts at cons, and this gets me in the mood to be a rock star.

Quote of the Week

Happy birthday to Steve McQueen. Here’s a quote from him that is a real challenge for many writers, but it’s something we have to power through.

“The world is as good as you are. You’ve got to learn to like yourself first.”
– Steve McQueen

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 swirl and I swoop          Swiftly striking my prey

Latest Snippet: Chapter 4 of Farewell, My Ugly

New Mythology Works in Progress

Bonds of Valor is out! Here’s the blurb:

A private eye saves his dead friend.

The Black Company deals with something fishy.

Deathmages, space mages, and forgotten magic.

It’s all here in fourteen stories of valor, heroism, and bonds that tie folk together, for good or ill. There are bonds of love, oaths to gods, and life-long friends.

Will the old, crusty worn-out veteran find his new partner just might be something? Will the knight learn humility from those who serve him? Will Indrajit and Fix restore the path of true love?

Or will the bonds between characters break under the pressure of evil wizards, ancient enemies, or massive dragons?

Come find out.

Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BZ7BFXN9

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • Sowing Spring’s Wrath (3,213)
  • Farewell, My Ugly (71,525)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • The Feasting of Vengeance (3,405)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

Lots this week! Let’s start with The Last Argonaut, by Ian J. Malone. I’ve been waiting for this warball novel in the Salvage Title universe for months! Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BYHP4RX2/.

Then there’s Prince Renegade by Fred Hughes. This is book 5 in his excellent Prince of Britannia series. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BZ79PPBN.

And, of course, Bonds of Valor, which you can get here: amazon.com/dp/B0BZ7BFXN9.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 350.2

Updated Word Count: 107,716

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.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe

Rob’s Update: At MarsCon

Week 2 of 2023

Greetings all

I’m at MarsCon, who honored me with naming me an official guest!

First time as official guest, and I hope I live up to their expectations. I know I have a great schedule:

  • Friday 1-2pm: Creating Alternate World Histories
  • Friday 5-6pm: Worldbuilding: Food and Drink (Moderator)
  • Friday 8-9pm: Researching for Your Story
  • Saturday 3-4pm: Finding Your Bliss Later in Life – Advice for the Late Bloomer
  • Saturday 5-7pm: CKP The Year Ahead
  • Sunday 10-11am: How Many Jobs Has That Author Had? (Moderator)
  • Sunday 12-1pm: “I Got A Great Idea For A Book!”

Going to be a blast. Thanks to Joel Lyons, Dave Cleric, and Erin Cram for all their help.

This was also my first week publishing a riddle on the Patreon. I’m really excited how this is going to go.

On the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month, I’ll post a new riddle. On the other Mondays, I’ll post a snippet from a Work in Progress. I’ll only charge for the riddles, by the way. The snippets are free to all subscribers.

Here’s the first line to this week’s riddle:
In me souls are seen     And once were stolen

I’ve gotten a bunch of work done on Bonds of Valor this week. The cover names are Jody Lynn Nye, Glen Cook, Todd McCaffrey, Sarah Hoyt, and D.J. Butler. What a great list!

This comes out on the 24th of March at FantaSci.

I also started working on Hunting the Hart. This is book 5 in Jon R. Osborne’s excellent Milesian Accords series. I’ll have a release date for this soon.

And with that, I need to go. I’m at the con hotel and there’s schmoozing to do.

What I’m Listening To

The History of English podcast. I wish the podcaster wasn’t so repetitive, but it’s a great thing to listen to as you drive 1000 miles.

Quote of the Week

On January 12th, 1969, the New York Jets shocked the world and changed pro football forever.

I’ve got news for you. We’re gonna win the game. I guarantee it.
– Joe Namath

The Riddles!

I have a new 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 Current Riddle:

In me souls are seen     And once were stolen

Latest Snippet: Chapter 1 of Farewell, My Ugly

New Mythology Works in Progress

I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 FantaSci Short Story Contest open call.

Of note, I’m running behind on edits with all the other things going on. These winners will be back before next week.

Bloodheart, by Justin Doyle
Stars and Shadows, by B.A. Ironwood
The Unwanted Legion, by Casey Moops
The Coward’s Shadow by Fiona Grey

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • Sowing Spring’s Wrath (3,213)
  • Farewell, My Ugly (58,812)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • The Feasting of Vengeance (3,405)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

The new release this week is Prince: War Leader by Fred Hughes. This is the third is his action-packed Prince of Britannia series. Get it here: amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRMRHX97.

Your pre-release this week is book 5 in William S. Frisbee, Jr.’s Last Marines series, Genocide of Mankind. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BS443W6S/.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 337.6

Updated Word Count: 1,836

Firehall Sagas Archives: 738 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

Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe

Rob’s Update: Souls are Seen

Week 1 of 2023

Greetings all

I hope your new year has started off well. Mine has, in general, started off really well. I’m excited about all the projects I’ve got going on, especially my new Riddle Patreon.

I really enjoy writing riddles, and have for something like 25 years now. I actually wrote one yesterday, which comes out on the 23rd of January, just sort of sitting around.

The structure on this one was fun. I suspect it’ll be one of the easier riddles I write, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

My current plan is to post something every Monday. The 2nd and 4th Mondays will have new riddles, and those will generate revenue. The other Mondays will be snippets of works in progress. I started with the first chapter of Farewell, My Ugly this week, and will go at least the opening six chapters and probably more until I switch to The Feasting of Vengeance. At least, that’s the plan, until you all suggest a better one.

I made huge progress on Bonds of Valor this week. I’ve been a bit behind on this as I’ve been catching up on a bunch of stuff, but my edits are going out. This will come out at FantaSci on March 24th.

Speaking of which, I think it’s time to announce the list of authors, and it’s one of the best lists we’ve had.

You know the winners of the contest already:

  • Justin Doyle
  • B. A. Ironwood
  • Casey Moores
  • Fiona Grey

They’ll be joined by:

  • Philippa Anastos
  • D.J. Butler
  • Glen Cook
  • Sarah Hoyt
  • Todd McCaffrey
  • Jody Lynn Nye
  • Jon R. Osborne
  • Aaron Rosenberg
  • Benjamin Tyler Smith
  • Kevin Steverson

What a list. I’m honored by all these amazing authors. Besides, who doesn’t want more Black Company, Necrolopolis, and Indrajit and Fix stories?

I also spent the week finishing A Lake Most Deep. It goes out tomorrow to a couple of alpha readers. I’ll start on The Eyes of a Doll this weekend.

And with that, it’s off to edit another story. Have a great week.

What I’m Listening To

Saturday is the anniversary of Neil’s death. Rush on repeat for the next few weeks.

Quote of the Week

Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back.

Marcus Aurelius

We had a moment on Monday where death might have smiled on national TV. Damar Hamlin, a player for the Buffalo Bills, suffered cardiac arrest on the field. Great news today as Damar asked “Did we win?” He’s not out of the woods, but credit to all involved (except Roger Goodell, but I don’t have time to get into *that* rant).

The Riddles!

I have a new 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:

In me souls are seen        And once were stolen

Latest Snippet: Chapter 1 of Farewell, My Ugly

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.

Current Schedule of New Mythology Press

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • Sowing Spring’s Wrath (3,213)
  • Farewell, My Ugly (58,812)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • The Feasting of Vengeance (3,405)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

Out this week is Crucible of the Gods by D.T. Read. This is book 3 in The Seventh Shaman MilSF series. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0BR6ZC8TB.

Your pre-release this week is Prince: War Leader by Fred Hughes. This is the third is his action-packed Prince of Britannia series. Get it here: amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRMRHX97.

So last week, I screwed up and muddled a couple of titles and authors. I should have said, get Casey Moores’ The Guilted Cage, a new Fallen World novel, here: amazon.com/dp/B0BQRQYL86.

I mixed it up with the latest 4HU novel, To Have and to Hold, by Zane Voss, which you can get here: amazon.com/dp/B0BQ232HPN.

Ah, well.

Oh, and since I’m tossing out links, here’s Pandora’s Box, 2nd in Christopher G. Nuttall’s Heirs of Cataclysm series. It’s here: amazon.com/dp/B0BNPQ61DX.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 334.2

Updated Word Count: 1,213

Firehall Sagas Archives: 740 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

Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe

Rob’s Ramblings: 20Books AAR

I’m back from 20Books and I’ll start with saying it was an amazing trip.

I went with two overall goals: Gain the tools to level up personally and to level up New Mythology Press. Mission achieved.

Sunday night is when things sort of start. I say “sort of” because panels start on Tuesday, but networking and reconnecting is a huge part of the event.

I got a chance to hang out with some of the North Texas Troublemakers on Sunday. This is a collection of some skilled writers and artists from around Wichita Falls. They’re good folk and I don’t get a chance to really hang out with them much, but several of them were at the con.

One was Dorothy Grant, who I’ve crossed paths with before, but mostly knew online. This was a chance to get to know each other in real life. This last bit, by the way, is a huge theme of 20Books for me.

Another was C.V. Walter, an successful romance writer, especially her Alien Brides series. I’m trying to add a bit more of those tropes to my writing to broaden my skill set, and we had a good conversation about that. I put some romance in The Door Into Winter, and she agreed to take a look at what I did and see how I can punch that up a notch.

Also, expect to see her in an upcoming anthology as she’s got some great ideas and plans for valorous deeds. That’ll be 2024.

Monday started with the big vendor show. A bunch of people who offer a variety of services to help authors write. I found some intriguing stuff I’ll be digging through in the upcoming weeks.

I did have a chance to meet Jake of J Caleb Designs. He’s the artist for so many of New Mythology’s Books. He’s talented, creative, and a true professional. I can’t recommend him enough.

The rest of Monday was more networking and hanging out with a bunch of people. I had a great conversation with a friend who I’ve not really hung out with much in real life.

A crew of CKP folk ended up at Giordano’s, a true deep dish pizza, and we had a bunch of chats about this and that pertaining to a various CKP plans.

Tuesday started with a D&D game hosted by Luke Gygax. If you’re familiar with D&D, you might recognize the name. Yes, he’s related. In fact, he’s one of Gary’s kids.

I actually gamed with him twice, having a session both Tuesday and Thursday mornings. We had a blast, but from a professional standpoint, it was a great chance to connect with a few individuals more than we might have otherwise.

I’m certainly going to keep track of Gaxxworx, Luke’s company, and the setting they’re creating for D&D.

After that I hit Dave Butler’s editing for muscular prose. This was a very useful session as I not only learned new things, it also codified a number of things I’d sort of known but hadn’t ever lined out explicitly.

I’ve already started to put some of those things into use. Definitely a chance for me to level up.

Side note on Dave. We’ve been friends for a bit, but at most cons we don’t have time to actually sit and chat. We had a couple of chances, especially dinner on Thursday. He’s a great dude, and I look forward to hanging out again.

Dave was also hanging out with David West and Brad Torgerson. These are two writers I’ve interacted with on the internet, but hadn’t met in real life. Unfortunately, Brad came down with an illness, so we didn’t see much of him later in the week.

I especially wanted to meet with West, as he’s been pushing Weird West stories. As I desire my Libri Valoris anthologies to be broadly ecumenical in fantasy subgenres, I wanted to make sure he knew that Weird West fantasies are absolutely acceptable for these.

Wednesday was more panels, in particular Larry Correia’s one on action scenes. If you’ve read Larry’s stuff you know he makes these pop, and I got a few tips and tricks I’m looking forward to adding to my stuff.

Speaking of Larry, I also got to hang out with him more than I’ve done before. We had a fun lunch at the French restaurant close to the convention including Kacey Ezell, Nathan Balyeat, Mike Massa, and Larry’s wife, Brigit. Cheese was the biggest topic of conversation.

Also, it was great to actually get a chance to chat with Massa, another talented writer I’ve admired for a while but barely known in real life.

The other really useful session on Wednesday was Bryan Cohen’s Less Time, More Readers panel. This had a number of specific ideas on being productive.

The basic theme here was consistent mediocrity. Doing a little thing day after day after day will add up more than big days. We already kind of know this because we try to write some every day, but he pushed for us to do this on everything we do.

He also said it’s best to cut down on the things we try to do, but again, stick with them day after day, week after week. This might seem counter-intuitive but it struck a chord with me because it’s exactly what I talk about to people thinking about joining the SCA.

Many new to the SCA are intimidated by all the stuff. The great outfits, the bling, good shoes, chairs, wooden chests, and at camping events, tents and such-like things. They feel like they can’t do this because they can’t get all this stuff.

The thing is, no one should have all this stuff at the start. I started with tennis shoes, sweats, and plain T-tunic. This is still sufficient to start with. I had bag chairs, not wooden ones. Everything we used was modern.

But over the 25 years I’ve accrued this and that periodically. I made a chest, bought a chair, traded for garb, etc. I have a pretty good kit, but only after doing a bit here, a bit there, over all this time.

I need to do that with my work. Many, including me, often look at established writers and struggle to do all the things they do without remembering they didn’t do all those things at the start, but did some then added on as they got better.

I need to focus on certain things and get consistent with them. Then, when they’re programmed in, add something else. You can expect to see a few changes along those lines in the upcoming months. Some will be behind the scenes, but it will all be more calculated, more planned to do less, but more consistently.

Those were the three panels I got the most out of, though there may be more. I’ll be watching a few of the others that conflicted with other plans. This con, more than most, had productive things opposite other productive things.

Thursday, after the gaming with Luke Gygax, was mostly networking. In particular, I had a chance to really hang out with James Artimus Owens, a writer and artist who’s also one of the main people at Superstars. His class on cover art at Superstars was one of the best things I did there and it was good to actually get to know him a bit.

This conversation actually gave me a chance to consider the relative merits of both Superstars and 20Books. They’re both great for up-and-coming writers, but they have slightly different aims. 20Books seemed to have a much more granular, detailed approach to the business side of things, especially for indie writers who already have a few things out there. Superstars is better for newer writers, and also for those who lean toward tradpub.

Short version: both are great, but one can be better than the other depending upon your goals and circumstances. As both are expensive to attend, I suggest studying each to find the best fit for you. Most of us can’t afford to attend both in a given year.

It seemed like 20Books had more aimed at my specific needs, but again, this is something you need to determine yourself.

Anyway, the event ended on Friday with the RAVE event.  This was an open-to-the-public sales event. There weren’t a ton of shoppers not part of the con and we didn’t have many sales. However, this was a chance for people to show off what they had.

I had a great chat with a number of writers, including some I expect you’ll see coming out in New Mythology down the road.

Overall, it was a fantastic convention and I achieved my goals. I’ve got more tools in my toolbox, more connections in the industry, and more ideas to push my stuff to the next level.

I’ll definitely go back.

 

Rob’s Update: Valorous Deeds

Week 22 of 2022

Greetings all

Nope, this week’s title doesn’t refer to any of the Libri Valoris, though of course I hope you all note the open call for the next anthology, Bonds of Valor, down below.

Instead, I’ll be going to my first SCA event in over two years, the Tournament of Valor in Wichita, KS. I get to see my parents, sell my books, and hit my friends with sticks. What could be better?

Lorelle of the Dark
Lorelle of the Dark

This is an exciting week for other reasons too. We have the cover reveal for Lorelle of the Dark, the next Eldros Legacy novel. This one is by Todd Fahnestock and is a direct sequel to Khyven the Unkillable.

And man, it has an amazing cover as you can see. Lorelle of the Dark comes out on the 14th of June.

By the way, if you haven’t read Khyven the Unkillable yet, you should know it’s a finalist for the Colorado book awards. Then get into the whole of the Eldros Legacy.

But wait, there’s more! No Game for Knights, which includes a new Edward story, is now available on e-ARC from Baen. An e-ARC, for those who’ve not heard the term before, is an electronic advance reader copy. This means you can read the stories ahead of its real release in September, but it may have some errors or oddnesses that will get fixed for the final release.

If you can’t wait to read Edward’s next thrilling adventure, go here: baen.com/no-game-for-knights-earc.html.

It’s an incredible honor to be a part of this anthology. Just look at th author list: Laurell K. Hamilton, Larry Correia, Christopher Ruocchio, Michael Haspil, D.J. Butler, Kacey Ezell, Griffin Barber, Robert Buettner, Sharon Shinn, Craig Martelle, Chris Kennedy, S.A. Bailey, G. Scott Huggins, Nicole Givens Kurtz, and Rob Howell.

I may be last, heck, I may be least, but I’m there and I’m very excited. Ask me in person sometime about my reaction when I heard the news. That involves a bunch of Muppet flailing you just have to see.

I actually started playing around with the next Edward novel, which is long overdue. I am still working my way around a plotting issue in Sowing Spring’s Wrath, and rather than just beat my head against the wall, I started writing something else. 7500 words already, which is about 10% as I’m going to make these shorter, so it’s a good start.

My working title is a bit whimsical, but I might just keep it. I’m going with Farewell, My Ugly for now and we’ll see.

With that, I’d better go pack my armor.

What I’m Listening To

Moving Pictures by Rush. Right now, it’s on The Camera Eye, which is such an underrated song in my opinion. It’s probably the worst song on the album, but that’s because the other six songs are 11+ on a scale of 10 and this is only a 10.

Quote of the Week

Sad to hear that Ray Liotta passed away. My favorite of his roles was, not surprisingly, Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. Here’s my favorite quote of his from the movie.

“Man, I did love this game. I’d have played for food money. It was the game… The sounds, the smells. Did you ever hold a ball or a glove to your face?”
– Shoeless Joe Jackson, Field of Dreams

Dudes In Hyperspace

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

The latest show includes stuff on the Indianapolis 500 with an expert batting for me because I know almost nothing about racing. Still, the Indy 500 is one of those big sporting events I want to go to once, like the Kentucky Derby and a British Open at St. Andrews a number of others. Not something I’m huge into, but I want to experience the thing.

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 is out!

Lorelle of the Dark is next, coming out on June 14th.

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 Door Into Winter, my next novel.

Giveaways
Wicked Villains
Wicked Villains

 

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • Sowing Spring’s Wrath (xx)
  • Farewell, My Ugly (7,503)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

The Abner Fortis, ISMC is now up to 6! books with Tango Two Two by P.A. Piatt. What a start to this series. You can it here: amazon.com/dp/B0B1LPY9JV.

Also, get the e-ARC for No Game for Knights here: baen.com/no-game-for-knights-earc.html

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 320.6

Updated Word Count: 140,648

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

Rob’s Update: Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Week 19 of 2022

Greetings all

The Door Into Winter
The Door Into Winter

The big news is the release of The Door Into Winter, coming next Tuesday! This is the first novel of mine published under the Eldros Legacy umbrella and the fourth novel in the series.

In this, some characters you may know (Irina, Ausartxango, Geirr, and Valentin) head to Svellheim to chase a Giant. Lots of action and adventure, and an ending that came together in a way that I didn’t expect.

To get all the Eldros Legacy books, go here: amazon.com/dp/B09Z9WVKYV

Now that I’m a week away from Planet Comicon and can breathe a bit again, I want to chat about one of the best parts of going to cons in general, and those multimedia ones in particular. That is, of course, getting to see what so many others are doing, even if all you can really focus on are the people who are across the aisle from you or down the row.

This year, I was across from an artist named Nathan Lueth. He’s got a new release, The Canon of Vangel, which I’ll be pushing in the New Releases section below. Here’s a sample of his art, which I thought was tremendous:

Canon of Vangel
Canon of Vangel

He’s just one of many I chatted with during the weekend. If you’re starting in this business, I heartily encourage attending cons. They may or not make money from sales, but they’re invaluable networking and publicity outlets if you can afford them.

Anyway, I spent this week cleaning out stuff and taking things slow after hammering a bunch of stuff out the previous two months.

Part of that, of course, was wallowing in the NFL Draft. This was an especially interesting draft because for once, the QBs didn’t drive the process.

Sunday, my sweetie and I took a bit of a road trip and also got to see my parents for dinner. Such an enjoyable day.

With that, though, I better get back to work. For some reason, these stories don’t just edit themselves.

What I’m Listening To

The Main Monkey Business by Rush. One of two amazing instrumentals on Snakes and Arrows.

Quote of the Week

On this day in 1260, Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire. So, that of course means…

“It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean;
And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!”

Imagine how much more awesome the poem could have been if Coleridge hadn’t been interrupted?

– Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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.

We skipped a week, by the way, because Ian and his wife are celebrating their wedding anniversary. We’ll be back 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+.

The Door Into Winter comes out on Tuesday.

In the Halls of Winter, a wounded Giant awaits.

Irina, Ausartxango, Valentin, and Geirr chase him to Svellheim, a land of ice and secrets as old as the mountains themselves.

The wounded Giant, filled with wrath, is aided by his old and faithful servants, corrupt nobles, and those ruled by greed, hate, and rage. He awaits his pursuers, setting a trap to claim his vengeance.

His pursuers are mighty, but they are merely human. Will their prowess prove enough against the greatest enemy Shijuren has ever known? Or will the Giant bring back an evil thought destroyed two thousand years ago?

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 Door Into Winter, my next novel.

Giveaways
Searching for your next favorite story?
Searching for your next favorite story?

Searching for your next favorite story?

books.bookfunnel.com/wolfstonekickstarter/jotcoxpd4j

Mid-April Military Fantasy/Sci-Fi Giveaway!
Mid-April Military Fantasy/Sci-Fi Giveaway!
Upcoming Events
New Releases

What a great week for new stuff!

Of course, there’s the Canon of Vangel from Nathan Rueth I mention above. You can get it here: canonofvangel.com/

Dave Butler came out with a new novel this week, Abbott in Darkness. It’s not a CKP or NMP book, but it is Dave Butler, so it goes on the list. You can get it here: amazon.com/dp/B09X61NNNW

This week there’s also a new Four Horsemen novel, The Executioners by Jason Cordova and Matt Novotny.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 319.2

Updated Word Count: 137,931

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

Rob’s Ramblings: FantaSci 2022 AAR

Greetings all

I’m home after a great time at FantaSci. This con is in the Research Triangle in North Carolina, so it’s a bit of a hike from Kansas City, but it’s well worth it. To put it this way, I have already bought my pass for 2023.

I got to the hotel on Thursday afternoon, and began the hanging out almost immediately. The best part of cons isn’t really the con, though all of it is necessary for my business, it’s the people.

The first afternoon at cons is therefore a great time of re-connecting. Then, Thursday evening we went to Trali Irish Pub for a group dinner. Then, there was drinking at the bar.

I got to bed far too late.

Friday, I had some errands to run for the CKP Party on Saturday night, then I was back for three straight panels.

Keen Edge of Valor
Keen Edge of Valor

First, we had the release panel for Keen Edge of Valor. In this, we get as many authors who are in the anthology to come to the panel and talk about their story. It’s fun to share all the cool stuff in an anthology, and we had a great time because it’s a great anthology.

Get it here, by the way: amazon.com/dp/B09W91TP24/

Then we had a panel on Killing People and Breaking Stuff, including Mark Wandrey as moderator, Joshua Palmatier, Monalisa Foster, and William Joseph Roberts. This went over how much combat and violence to put in a story. The basic answer is that each of us have to develop a style that works with whatever genre we’re writing in.

Last on Friday night was perhaps my favorite panel on the week, talking about making books into movies. Carolyn Kay did a great job as moderator. Chaz Kemp, Cathy DeMott, and I went over a wide variety of topics and it was a hoot.

Then on Saturday we started with the Chris Kennedy Publishing Year Ahead panel. TL:DR is that there’s a bunch of great stuff coming. For the long version, go to chriskennedypublishing.com.

I had a bit of a break then before going into a panel on podcasting. There weren’t many people in the hall, but that became a good thing as Ian J. Malone sort of turned it into a roundtable. It was a blast, especially because Nicole Givens Kurtz is a hoot, and very, very sharp. Plus there was Kevin Steverson. Really good panel.

Immediately after, we had a great panel on overcoming Writer’s Block with Mark Stallings and Mark Jack Stoumbos. There are tools we can use, but one thing I want to emphasize is that we need to differentiate between those times when writer’s block has to do with the story and times when it has to do with fatigue, frustration, depression, and other things with the writer.

Then I had another panel on alternate history. I didn’t prepare for this as well as I should as moderator because I didn’t find out about it until Saturday afternoon. This is all on me because it was in the program, I just didn’t notice it.

Anyway, I had a Chuck Gannon and Dave Butler on the panel, along with Jason Cordova and Chris Kennedy, so I didn’t have to do much. They just got to riffing on stuff back and forth. At least I’m smart enough to sit back and let them go.

That was my last panel of the day, but then there was a huge evening of socializing. The Four Horsemen Dining Out that FantaSci hosts is unique, as far as I know, and an amazing experience.

Side note: Nick Steverson started the Dining Out off with a bang.

Anyway, then we had the CKP party, which went well as far as I could tell. All I  know is I spent Saturday night chatting and schmoozing until late in the night.

This last part was an issue, because on Sunday morning at 9am I hosted the New Mythology Press year ahead panel. I was really impressed with how many we got to come out on Sunday morning, because I for one wouldn’t have minded sleeping in.

Deadly Fortune
Deadly Fortune

The big announcement was the cover reveal for Deadly Fortune by Aaron Rosenberg. This is a swashbuckling private eye novel with swords and intrigue and pirates.

Then there was time to hang out until Closing Ceremonies. I got to announce the winners of the FantaSci Short Story Contest.

The four finalists were C.M. DeMott, Nathan Balyeat, Chris Hepler, and Jonathan Miller. The winner was Chris Hepler, with his story “The Torturer of Camelot.” A great story that was at the top of my list from the start.

I also announced next year’s anthology theme. It will be entitled Bonds of Valor and while the primary theme of deeds of valor remains unchanged, we’re also adding a subtheme of bonds between characters.

This includes characters in a romantic relationship, buddy adventures, oaths sworn to others, and any other bond between characters.

The submission details are:
Deadline: November 30th, 2022
Word Count: 7-10,000 words
Specifics: Times New Roman, 12 point, and 1.5 line spacing.

Get writing!

As for me, I’m going to look forward to FantaSci 2023. Tickets are available here: fantasci.rocks/

See you there!

 

Interview: D.J. Butler

Next on our authors from Keen Edge of Valor is D.J. Butler. Butler’s story Tales of Indrajit and Fix remind me of Fritz Lieber’s Fafhrd and Gray Mouser.

His story in Keen Edge is “The End of the Story.” It’s titled that because it’s the third of a trilogy of shorts, with one each in Talons & Talismans I and Talons & Talismans II.

And since I know you’ll want more of his two main characters, Indrajit and Fix, I can happily inform you they also star in a full-length novel, In the Palace of Shadow and Joy, as well as short stories in When Valor Must Hold and Songs of Valor.

And speaking of fun characters, wait until you get a load Dave himself.

Interview: D.J. Butler
D.J. Butler
D.J. Butler

Why are you here?

What made you a creator in the first place? My parents gave me a copy of the silver jubilee 25th anniversary edition of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was seven or eight. I stayed in bed for a week reading them back to back to back, and I have been attempting to recapture that experience ever since. Tolkien has influenced what I write on every level, from the genres I choose to write in to the themes and subject matter to my obsession with including music as music in my novels.

What are other major influences on you? Other hugely important novelists to me are Mervyn Peake, Patrick O’Brien, and Dorothy Dunnett. My favorite current novelists in speculative fiction would have to be Tim Powers (I love his playful use of history) and Neal Stephenson (I love the fact that he tackles big ideas within rollicking yarns). There are also songwriters who have had an enormous impact on what I write and how I write it; chief among those would have to be Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave.

Are there lesser-known creators you favor? I love to buy art, including writing, by people I know. Some of the lesser-known writers who are my favorites include: L.J. Hachmeister, who writes young adult space opera adventure, including the Triorion Universe books; David J. West (also writing as James Alderdice), who writes terrific pulp fiction influenced by sources ranging from spaghetti westerns to H.P. Lovecraft to Conan to The Book of Mormon (!!!); Thad Diaz, whose Lunatic City launches a terrific noir cop series set on the moon; and Michaelbrent Collings, who writes principally horror, but has also written a delightful middle grade series called the Billy Saga and a reimagined mashup of Twilight and Peter Pan.

Describe your great Lab of Creation?

The Cunning Man cover
The Cunning Man cover

Where do you work? Home? Coffee Shop? Yes. Also: airports, airplanes, restaurants, trains, hotels, convention center floors, friends’ parlors, and the shotgun seats of moving cars. I still work for a living (as a corporate trainer and consultant), so I have to write when I can. For a time, I was a full-time writer, and I was very good at systematically writing twelve pages every day, six days a week, but that is unfortunately not my situation now. Now, I will go without writing for a month, and then spend a month trying to write 20 pages a day, however and whenever and wherever I can.

What helps you be productive? Deadlines and contracts. Close association with other writers, who are themselves being productive, inspires me. Reader communication is great—it’s very hard to write sequels if you have no idea whether anyone is reading book one. 

What will Lex Luthor use to defeat you?

In the Palace of Shadow and Joy cover
In the Palace of Shadow and Joy cover

What are some of the challenges you have faced that frustrated you? I’m not as productive as I’d like to be. I have long periods in which I do things in my life that are important and good, but are not writing. I have not been as successful as I want to be at writing every day, no mater what.

Which mistake would you try to keep other creators from making? Never forget that, as a writer, you are an entrepreneur. You are shareholder, CEO, business development VP, head of manufacturing, salesman, and customer service, all at once. You are not an employee of your publisher or of your agent. Be actively engaged in growing your business at all time.

Lightning Round

  • Favorite Muppet? Dr. Teeth
  • Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Bonnie Prince Billy
  • Favorite Superhero? Luke Cage
  • Favorite 1970s TV show? Kolchak: The Night Stalker
  • Favorite Weird Color? Magenta
  • Best Game Ever? RuneQuest
  • Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Fall
  • Your Wrestler Name? El Bigote
  • Steak Temperature? Hot. Medium rare.
  • Favorite Chip Dip?  French onion
  • Favorite Cereal? Bacon
  • What Do You Eat For Your Last Meal? Bacon
  • Beverage(s) of Choice? Diet Mountain Dew
  • Do You Have Pets? No

Tell me again where we can find your stuff?

And where can we find you?

  1. LibertyCon in Tennessee
  2. Dragon Con in Georgia

Do you have a creator biography?

D.J. (Dave) Butler has been a lawyer, a consultant, an editor, and a corporate trainer. His novels include Witchy Eye, Witchy Winter, and Witchy Kingdom from Baen Books, as well as The Cunning Man, co-written with Aaron Michael Ritchey, and the forthcoming pseudofantasy thriller, In the Palace of Shadow and Joy. He also writes for children: the steampunk fantasy adventure tales The Kidnap Plot, The Giant’s Seat, and The Library Machine are published by Knopf. Other novels include City of the Saints from WordFire Press.

Dave also organizes writing retreats and anarcho-libertarian writers’ events, and travels the country to sell books. He plays guitar and banjo whenever he can, and likes to hang out in Utah with his children.


Thanks to D.J. for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you have any suggestions or comments about this interview format, let me know so I can keep tweaking it.

Also, thanks to you for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326. If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.

Finally, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.

Have a great day.

Rob Howell

Rob’s Update: And Yet Notwithstanding

Week 44 of 2021

Greetings all

Another new release this week! Talons & Talismans II is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L44T5XW/.

I’m so pleased with the Talons & Talismans project. We put out 30 great stories encompassing over 260,000 words. It included some of the biggest names in the industry like Kevin J. Anderson and Rick Partlow along with a number of authors who published their first story like Rich Hailey and Elowyn Fahnestock.

It also jumpstarted the Eldros Legacy, New Mythology Press’s shared fantasy setting.

In short, these anthologies did everything I wanted and I’m so thankful to all who were a part of it, from authors, editors, artists, and especially, the readers of New Mythology Press. Special thanks to DJ Butler for giving me a two-part story, one for each anthology.

By the way, Talons & Talismans I is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B09HQZDR4W.

But writing never stops, or at least it shouldn’t. I made good  progress with The Door Into Winter, though the number of words added won’t seem like much. I realized I needed to tighten up a number of plot holes, which took some time. I’m much happier with where I’m at right now and I expect I’ll crank out quite a bit next week.

I’m also about to start a couple of short stories. One, of course, will be my next Nick Patara, PI story for all of you on my mailing list. Then I have a chance, if I can meet the deadline, for a really cool project. Not to mention immediately after The Door Into Winter I have promised two more short stories and I finally will bring you all a new Edward mystery.

I love that I have so much I get to write. And with that, I better throw some words at the page.

What I’m Listening To

Rush in Rio. Great album to write to.

Quote of the Week

Happy Veterans Day to all who served. Thank you very much.

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
– Thucydides

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+.

Talons & Talismans II is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L44T5XW/. Eight Eldros Legacy stories

New Mythology Works in Progress

Current open anthology calls:

I’m currently working on the next Eldros Legacy novel, Seeds of Dominion, by Quincy J. Allen.

Giveaways

Three cool giveaways this week.

Autumn Free Book Collection
Autumn Free Book Collection

Autumn Free Book Collection

https://books.bookfunnel.com/readfreefantasyscifibooks/oo8gx0bssu

Your Next Favorite Fantasy
Your Next Favorite Fantasy
The Visit
The Visit

The Visit

https://books.bookfunnel.com/be-a-good-host/tccf56rwww

Lots of free stuff out there and I’m excited to bring it to you.

Rob’s Works in Progress
  • The Door Into Winter (30,837)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)
Upcoming Events
New Releases

Talons & Talismans II is alive, including eight Eldros Legacy stories. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L44T5XW/.

Also out this week is a new Salvage Title novel, this one by Matt Novotny. It’s entitled A Nest of Stars and you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KX8CY54.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 331.8

Updated Word Count: 323,145

Eldros Legacy Archives: 787 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

Rob’s Update: The Hill-Top at Hastings

Week 40 of 2021

Greetings all

Been a great week here. Of course, we’ve been pleased with the response for Talons & Talismans I. It includes stories from a passel of great authors like Kevin J. Anderson, Rick Partlow, and D.J. Butler, of course, but I’m especially pleased with the stories from our open call. The story by J.T. Evans might be my favorite of the 15 stories, but the story by Scott Huggins about a medusa is right up there.

The House Between Worlds
The House Between Worlds

But that’s not all. I got to reveal the amazing cover of The House Between Worlds on Monday. This is the fourth in the Milesian Accords series by Jon R. Osborne, and it comes out on the 26th.

This cover, by the way, was done by Alexandre Rito. Absolutely gorgeous.

I’ve made a bunch of progress this week on The Door Into Winter, my next Shijuren novel. This will release in April.

Why that far away? Because Shijuren, as I’ve mentioned a time or two, is now part of the Eldros Legacy shared universe. The first novel in this world will be Todd Fahnestock’s Khyven the Unkillable and it’s fantastic. That comes out on the 7th of December.

But if you want more content in that world sooner, you can get a bunch of Eldros Legacy stories in Talons & Talismans II, which includes stories from Aaron Rosenberg, Quincy J. Allen, Todd Fahnestock, and a special story from D.J. Butler that follows his story in Talons & Talismans I. That anthology comes out on the 2nd of November.

As you can see, it’s an exciting time for me with all sorts of things happening.

What I’m Listening To

Peyton’s Places, Peyton Manning’s show about football. It is an amazing show, even, I suspect, for people who aren’t football fans. It’s so much about the people, not the game.

Quote of the Week

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. This is a special day in Calontir, the SCA kingdom that includes Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and a part of Arkansas. This is, of course, my home kingdom, so I can’t post an update today without quoting the song Calontir is most famous for singing, though ironically it was written by Malkin Gray (Debra Doyle) and Peregrynne Windrider (Melissa Williamson), who are not from Calontir.

Still, these words are special to us.

Draw up the spears on the hill-top at Hastings,
Fight till the sun drops and evening grows cold,
And die with the last of your Saxons around you,
Holding the land you were given to hold!
– Malkin Gray (Debra Doyle) and Peregrynne Windrider (Melissa Williamson)

New Mythology Works in Progress

Current open anthology calls:

I’m currently working on Quincy J. Allen’s new Eldros Legacy story, Seeds of Dominion. This is a full-length novel starring Rellen of Corsia, who many of you saw in both When Valor Must Hold and Songs of Valor. I know a bunch of you read those stories, because there were a number of people asking for more with Rellen. Well, on 4th of January, you’ll get it.

Rob’s Works in Progress

  • The Door Into Winter (16,981)
  • Rick Blaine (8,845)
  • CB (8,418)

Upcoming Events

New Releases

Lots to get to this week. First, Aaron Rosenberg has released the fourth and final book in his Time of the Phoenix series entitled Cross the Road. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HX2WJCV.

If you haven’t read the earlier books in that series, by the way, Aaron has also released an omnibus version which includes all four stories in one efficient package entitled Time of the Phoenix. You can find this here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HZNP6MP.

Next we have book 3 in the the Luna Free State series by John E. Siers. This one is entitled Valkyrie’s Daughter, and you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FR8ZXF9.

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 332.0

Updated Word Count: 284,475

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