First, I want to apologize to all the mailing list subscribers. I did everything to get your email out on time except press the “Send” button. It was in the Outbox going, “Well? You gonna hit send?”
In any case, happy 4th of July! Let me tell you, Anthony goes all out for the 4th. The fireworks started in June and the display a few blocks away last night was spectacular.
The title to this week’s update, by the way, comes from The Blacksmith of Brandywine, a fantastic song about a guy in Pennsylvania during the Revolution who helped Washington elude a trap only to lose his family. He then took revenge on the redcoats before dying. Here’s a good link on the story: hoofcare.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-blacksmith-of-brandywine-story-of.html and here’s a link to the best version of the song I can find on the web: youtube.com/watch?v=PpCbxwVjaX0. This isn’t a great version, though. Sabaton really needs to do a proper version because it’s as metal a story as you’ll ever find.
A Hope In Hell
On to the big news. A Hope in Hell, the thrilling conclusion to Christopher G. Nuttall’s Heirs of Cataclysm trilogy, comes out on Tuesday. The advance reviewers have been unanimous that it’s great and a fitting end to this post-apocalyptic swords and sorcery.
It was a very productive week otherwise, too. A Lake Most Deep is in the can and will go out to the advance readers this weekend. The Eyes of a Doll is at the proofer, so it’s ahead of schedule. Where Now theRider went out to the editor today.
And I promised you a cover reveal, so here you go! Jake did an amazing job here, and while it’s similar to the first cover since it’s the same scene, it’s so much stronger. He’s really amazing.
Also, note the cool thing right over the “E” in Lake. Glen Cook, yes that Glen Cook, wrote me out of the blue that since I’d edited him a few times, he thought he’d take a look at the Edward novels. He started his review with, “That’s a damn fine read.”
Yes, my head is still blown.
Glen’s been one of my favorites for a long time, and to have the creator of the Garrett, P.I. series, one of the foundations of the fantasy/mystery subgenre, say that about A Lake Most Deep was astounding.
Let’s see, what else? I finished a sooper-sekrit project and sent it off. We’ll see what fruit that bears. I also mostly finished a new short story which I’ll send out this weekend.
Also this week, H.P. Holo invited me to join her on her podcast on July 22nd. We’ll be talking about A Lake Most Deep and whatever else comes to mind. If you haven’t seen her stuff before, you should check her out. She’s a rock star, as is Jacob, her husband.
H.P. Holo Q&A
And look at the graphic she made for this episode! And here’s the link if you want get updates on Facebook: facebook.com/events/234711226078834.
Whew, so much going on and next weekend might be even more awesome.
What I’m Listening To
Writing this with Law & Order in the background. S. Epatha Merkerson is so good as Anita van Buren. She’s one of my favorite TV characters ever.
Quote of the Week
Here are the original words to Blacksmith of Brandywine from its writer, Pat Garvey.
Original Words by Pat Garvey
Sep 26 – ’63
Chorus Make it one for Washington and all his gallant men And one for the girl that once was mine. Make it one for the darlin’ boy I’ll never see again And don’t forget the Blacksmith of Brandywine.
As we rode down to Brandywine
There was a sight to see
A giant man with a hammer in his hand
Lying dead ‘neath a cherry tree
And all around him on the ground
In fatal disarray
A score of men who would never fight again
Nor travel on the King’s Highway.
Then quietly we dug a grave
And gave him burial there
And passed the day a ridin’ on our way
Till we met with a musketeer.
From him we learned the story of
A brave and angry man
Who undertook the British enemy
With a hammer in his hand.
Chorus
There lived a man in Chester town
Away from the cannon’s roar
Of manner mild, he’d a woman and child
And he loved them twenty times o’er
Till a Tory spoke of a plot one day
To waylay Washington
He left his home and family alone
And to the General he did run.
When he returned the next morning
A horror struck his eyes
His family slain by Tory gun
And his house it burned the skies
The Blacksmith reached for his heavy sledge
And gave a practice swing.
Next day at the line on the field of Brandywine
You could hear his hammer ring:
Chorus – Pat Garvey, Blacksmith of Brandywine
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.
Rob’s Works in Progress
Sowing Spring’s Wrath (3,213)
OG (2,379)
Hyarkeen (2,991)
Farewell, My Ugly (73,704)
Rick Blaine (8,845)
The Feasting of Vengeance (3,405)
Upcoming Events
Pennsic War, July 28 – August 13, Slippery Rock, PA, pennsicwar.org
Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy came out a couple weeks ago. 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.
And don’t forget, A Hope in Hell by Christopher G. Nuttall comes out on Tuesday!
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 351.6
Updated Word Count: 204,881 (I went back and caught up with some stuff I should have added a while ago)
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 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.
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.
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?
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/.
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.
My supervisor was looking over my shoulder all week.
She’s not a bad boss, but man, does she have to use her claws?
In any case, it’s been a solid week here. Good progress on Farewell, My Ugly. I’m now over 70,000. I had aimed at 80,000, but I think it’s going to run to about 100,000 after all. Oh, well. I should still have a full draft at the end of April.
I also wrote another femtostory for another anthology in the vein of Postcards From Mars. This one had a steampunk theme, and Cedar Sanderson gave me a great image as inspiration.
I call them femtostories because to me, a microstory is about 1000 words. These are 50. Picostory is probably more correct, but I think femto- sounds more fun.
If you want to see the image, I will put it up on my Patreon site on Monday along with a new snippet from Farewell, My Ugly.
Bonds of Valor
The big thing this week is the cover reveal of Bonds of Valor. J. Caleb Studios did another excellent job, as you can see by this cover.
Take note of the amazing list of authors. It’s an incredible honor to work with such masters as Todd McCaffrey, Jody Lynn Nye, and Glen Cook.
This is another Black Company story, and as I’ve mentioned before, it’s so fun to publish these as that’s one of my favorite series.
By the way, many of these authors will be joining us on CKP YouTube on Tuesday, the 21st. The YouTube link is: https://www.youtube.com/live/r4M0qkZWU4s.
I hope you’ll join us.
I also hope a bunch of you join us for the release of Bonds of Valor at FantaSci is about a week. Where has the time gone!
Side note, Sarah’s story is my favorite story I’ve had the pleasure to edit.
With that, I better go to bed. It’s going to be a long, exhausting weekend at Planet Comicon.
I can’t wait.
What I’m Listening To
My computer hum. I was chatting with Becca Gardner, who’s a great writer and an even better arranger of publicity. She’s really helped Todd Fahnestock, who’s also staying here for the con. However, she went off to do projects and I’m enjoying the white noise.
Quote of the Week
I love William Butler Yeats. He has such a vivid way of sending emotions through the reader with his poetry. Here’s a quote I love. every fantasy author should know.
Seriously, how good is this?
“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.”
– William Butler Yeats
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 3 of Farewell, My Ugly
New Mythology Works in Progress
Bonds of Valor comes out next Friday! 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?
And The ChimeraCoup, book 1 of Christopher G. Nuttall’s amazing Heirs of Cataclysm series, is now out in audiobook. Get it here: books2read.com/u/bxrG6d.
Your pre-release this week is 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/.
Tracked Items
Today’s Weight: 350.8
Updated Word Count: 106,969
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We continue our interviews from Keen Edge ofValor with the FNG, Nathan Balyeat. He was one of our four finalists for the FantaSci contest, so clearly I really enjoyed his story, especially the twist at the end.
This is, by the way, his first published story, and it better darn well not be his last.
Nathan Balyeat
Why are you here? This includes influences, favorite creators, steps along the way, and dreams down the road.
I’ve always wanted to be an author, but in a classic act of self-sabotage over many years, I have been my own worst enemy. I’ve had a legitimate hesitancy to put words on a page because there’s no way that it would ever be as good as the authors that I love.
But over the years, I’ve spent time with the authors that I love, and they’ve been nothing but encouraging about doing it. Their consistent advice? Just do it.
So, I did. Special thanks to Chuck Gannon, Kevin Ikenberry, Jason Cordova, Mike Massa and you, Rob, for the encouragement.
I could list a dozen favorite authors and have a different reason for why they are my favorite, but I’m honestly over the moon to be in the same anthology as one of them, Glen Cook
Right now, I’m focusing most of my writing efforts on a science fiction novel and series inspired by the life of William Marshal. I do plan on continuing to do short stories set in the Five Kingdoms and the world of the Fellblade as well.
Describe your great Lab of Creation? This includes where you work, what do you listen to (if anything), things you have to have in your work environment, and stuff you’ve tried that haven’t worked.
The biggest challenge to productivity for me if finding somewhere to write that isn’t my desk at home. I have an amazing setup, but I find there’s too many things demanding my attention and that I’m not able to easily switch my mental state from those things to the world in my head.
My best productivity is done with a cup of coffee and noise canceling headphones running a random playlist. There’s a handful of songs I have reserved for writing certain scenes, but telling you what they are might spoil a future surprise.
What are your superpowers? This includes things you like your creations, specific techniques you do well, and some favorite successes.
I’m not sure that I’ve leveled up enough as a writer yet to have a specific style or something that I can claim that I do well.
I have spent my life studying history and got my degree in it, so I’d like to hope that I’m able to bring some of that to life without subjecting my readers to infodumps and walls of text.
What will Lex Luthor use to defeat you? This includes challenges you’ve faced that frustrated you, learning experiences, techniques for overcoming creative challenges, things you’d have done differently, and advice for new writers.
As I mentioned before, I’m my own worst enemy when it comes to writing. There’s always this little voice that says “it’s too much work,” or “you’ll never be good enough.”
There’s an epic saga I’d like to tell at some point, and I’ve spent decades convincing myself that I’m not skilled enough to tell that story. I’m convinced that I’m right on that front.
So, I compromised with myself and am writing a another saga that’s not quite as epic first. I have a brute force approach to productivity right now where it’s a matter of just sitting down to do it.
Lightning Round
Actor/Actress You’d Like to Play Any Character You’ve Created: Charlie Cox would make a fantastic protagonist… might be taking some inspiration from him for another project.
Favorite Muppet? In my (very small) World of Tanks clan, I’m Sam the Eagle for being so serious. Really though, it’s Gonzo’s chickens. Poor birds…
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Jain. She’s a French singer/performer, singing in heavily accented English, who spent a lot of time living in Africa. She has a unique style, with catchy beats and upbeat lyrics and themes.
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? There’s a few weeks in the fall in the Midwest that are just about perfect. You can keep the winters though.
Favorite Superhero? It has been Daredevil since I was a little kid.
Best Game Ever? The one that you’re playing with your friends.
Favorite 1970s TV show? M*A*S*H
Nathan’s Support Squad
Do You Have Pets? (provide pictures if you want) I have three, large, healthy weight cats. Hannibal (Grey and almost 20lbs), his littermate Murdock (orange and fluffy at 15lbs), and the new kid, Peanut that I rescued at 8 weeks old from a diner parking lot last year after two weeks of trying. He’s trending to be around 18lbs, but is still growing.
Favorite Weird Color? French Blue
Best Present You’ve Ever Received? A set of carbon steel skillets.
Favorite Sports Team? Sadly, I’m a masochist here and continue to cheer for the Detroit Lions.
What Cartoon Character Are You? I identify the most with Frye from Futurama.
Your Wrestler Name? Bad Grammar
Your Signature Wrestling Move? The Plot Twist
What Do You Secretly Plot? The same thing we do every night, Pinky, to try and take over the world.
How Will You Conquer the World? By accident.
Best Thing From the 60s/70s/80s/90s? (pick your preferred decade) mp3s from the late 90s started making a lot of music that was out of print available again. Those cassette tapes that I lost as a kid could be found once more online. Now I can fit more songs than I can listen to in a year on a drive that fits in the palm of my hand.
Favorite Historical Period? Principate Rome, but I’m using 12th century England as an inspiration for my current project.
Person In History (Living or Dead) You Want To Hang Out With? William Marshal. Coincidentally, from 12th century England.
Steak Temperature? Medium Rare
Favorite Chip Dip? I don’t always dip my chips, but when I do they are corn chips and it is guacamole.
Beverage(s) of Choice? Coffee is kind of a requirement to stay functional and creative anymore, but for relaxation a well made rye old fashioned does the trick.
What Actor or Actress Should Portray You in Your Biopic? Nobody should be subjected to that script.
What Question Should I Add to the Lightning Round? Favorite Dad Joke… mine is: “Why do seagulls fly over the sea?” Answer: “Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels.”
You can also find me on the new Mythology Press Discord.
And where can we find you?
My 2022 convention plans include attending FantaSci in March and LibertyCon in June. Let me know if there’s a good convention elsewhere I should attend.
Do you have a creator biography?
Nathan is a US Marine Corps veteran who is currently a project manager by day, historian by education, and writer because the voices in his head have become too loud to keep locked up anymore. He currently lives in Michigan where he is working on more stories to share, including a science fiction series inspired by the life of William Marshal.
* * * * *
Just so there’s no confusion, if Nathan doesn’t come through with a fantasy adaptation of William the Marshal’s life, I’m gonna…
Well, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Can’t kick him in the shins, he’s meaner and tougher than I am. Can’t insult him online, he’s my Pathfinder Gamemaster and I like my character. Can’t not offer him beverages, not in my nature, and besides, he’s actually a skilled mixologist so that wouldn’t be much of a hit.
Songs of Valor came out on Friday, and boy, do we have a bunch of readers to thank. We hit number one new release in a couple of categories and were top ten overall in some categories as well. A worthy start to a great book.
As part of the lead-in to release date, I did some story sketches, along with some fun nicknames for our authors. I thought it’d be cool to gather those sketches together. Plus, I didn’t do the nicknames for the initial three authors, because it sort of happened in that post and then a number of people enjoyed them.
So here we go:
The first story is by the Grand Admiral, David Weber, and is called The Dragon and the Drunkard. Such an honor to work with David, and this was one of his first stories ever. It’s perfect for a release this week, as this story involves a leprechaun, a dragon, the Rainbow Bridge, and an interesting legal situation. And scotch. Lots of scotch. I like scotch, by the way.
Next is the Beerzerker, Jon Osborne. This story, Smoke and Shadow. is another from his really cool urban fantasy Milesian Accords series. In general, I love stories that mix mythologies and look at them in new ways. This is something Jon does really well. Also, spoiler alert, buy some jellybeans. You’ll find out just how important they can be in this story.
Third is Benjamin Tyler Smith‘s On a Wing and a Train. Side note here, one possible name is the Shirker, because he clearly planned for their baby to be born on the same day as Songs of Valor just so he didn’t have to help promote everything. Clearly. Some people will do anything to get out of promo work.
Anyway, Benjamin’s real nickname is Speaker to Dead Things because I love his fantastic Necrolopolis series, and this is another story in that series. The elevator pitch: The mean streets of the City of the Dead are no place for an honest necromancer, even if he is drinking buddies with the God of Death. Especially when he has a partner who really puts the fatale into femme fatale. By the way, this is the first of five stories in the anthology that are winners of the FantaSci short story contest. Also, he says he’s got a Necrolopolis novel on the way, and I’m really excited to see it.
Next comes from the Big Boss, Chris Kennedy himself. This is a great coming of age story called The One You’d Least Expect. I love stories where someone grows into the challenge. This is one of those, and it’s especially interesting because of the nature of those in question. Also, just saying, this is an *origin* story, so maybe one day I can nag him into a full-length novel. Or series. Because he’s not busy doing other things, of course.
Next, the Bright Newbie, Melissa Moroney Olthoff. I call her the bright one because she’s so cheerful and enthusiastic. Even so, Oathbreakeris a tough, gritty story of love, strength, and courage. It will leave you wanting more, as it did for me. This was the second of the winners of the FantaSci short story contest.
Who else could the Crusty Old Sergeant be but Kevin Steverson? Changesis a story in his Balance of Kerr universe, and I really like it because it gives him a chance to expand that world and add some really cool characters with his normal fast-paced sort of adventure. It will come as no surprise to those who gamed with me in the RPGA back in the 90s that Londar is my favorite character.
Captain Mohawk is, of course, Quincy J Allen and he wrote another Rellen story entitled What the Eye Sees. This is high end swords and sorcery stuff, with a hint of noir. Spoiler alert. I foresee huge things for Rellen in 2022. Huge with a capital huge.
Next is Songbirdby the Mountie, who is obviously Jamie Ibson. Now he wrote this story while he was still living in British Columbia and hadn’t yet leveled up to New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada. Even so, this is a great origin story of a guy finding his magic, and more importantly, his purpose. The third winner in the FantaSci contest.
Following that is Backupby the Renaissance Man. Dave Butler is annoying talented. Reads like 80 languages. Is a musician. Has a law degree. Is now a teacher. And he writes stuff. Great stuff, in fact. This is another Indrajit and Fix story, and I think these are modern versions of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, which are, not surprisingly, some of my favorite characters ever.
Side note: I almost chose the Mustachioed Loomer for Dave, but I figured that was too obvious.
Dama Quixote, Sarah A. Hoyt, gave us One More Flight, a story about old soldiers trying to make their way after their service time should be done. But sometimes, old soldiers have to get back in the saddle, and stand up to mighty foes.
Next is the Evil Eyebrow. On second thought, maybe I should have called Casey Moores the EEEEVIL Eyebrow. If you’ve seen him, you know what I mean. Anyway, his story A Quaint Pastime is also about an old soldier. This one is trying to find his place in the next war. With a twist. Lots of aerial action and dogfighting in this one, and this is the fourth winner of the FantaSci contest.
Next is a story by J.P. Chandler, the Legal Beagle. The third of three in a row about old soldiers, this story is about a warrior who has fought and fought and fought and he’s done. He’s got a last stand left in him, though. And it turns out there are others ready for that stand. This is the fifth of the stories that the FantaSci crew are going to have to pick from.
Chandler’s story hit me in *all* the feels. I cried when I read it the first time, the second time, the third… well, you get the idea.
Next comes the Arrogant Editor. Let’s just say today’s launch success didn’t make me any less arrogant. My story in this, Magnum Opus, let me delve into Katarina, one of my favorite characters in the Edward series. What happens when evil has to be the good guy?
Then is the Ancient Master. Glen Cook‘s not really ancient but he sure he is a master. I’ve loved his stuff for years and was very happy to have a Black Company story here. Cranky Bitch has all the cynicism and War weariness you’ve come to expect from that series.
And finally, the Accountant of DOOOMMMM. Larry Correia‘s The Dregs is fantastic, full of action, and with a cool twist at the end.
What a great lineup that was, and they gave me fun stories. I was honored to get to edit all this.
I’m also proud at being a part of the FantaSci short story contest. They are going to have a heck of a time selecting from the stories from the winners.
Thanks to all involved in what turned out to be an awesome project.
Songs of Valor got released at midnight Eastern on Amazon. This is a great anthology of fantasy stories including a bunch of amazing authors. David Weber, Larry Correia, and Glen Cook are the biggest headliners, but there are so many more.
I’ve been running a little encapsulation of each story on Facebook and MeWe this week. Don’t worry, if you’re not on Facebook or MeWe, I’ll gather them together this weekend for a blog post.
I had a pretty good week of writing with The Ravening of Sorrows. The word count won’t entirely show it because I finally figured out the exact soul of the story. This is common for me. I get to this point and I finally grok the story arc that really fits. In this case, that meant going from the start in a pass that tweaks a few things to make the breadcrumbs lead where I want them. Nevertheless, I’m over 70k with a bunch waiting to insert. Getting there.
Making progress on a number of other projects, too, so another all-around productive week.
What I’m Listening To
Saucy Sailor by Steeleye Span. They have such an amazing version. It’s one of those I have to listen to a few times whenever it pops up on my media player. Also, if you haven’t listened to Steeleye Span, you should check them out. They’re an interesting melding of rock, English folk, and traditional stuff.
Quote of the Week
Today is the birthday of Vinegar Joe Stillwell, US general. Now, he didn’t invent this phrase. It’s attributed actually to British army intelligence early in the war. However, Stillwell like it and used it frequently. Also, it’s the perfect phrase for those valorous ones who face whatever bastards try to hold them back.
“Illegitimi non carborundum”
― Joe Stillwell
PS: It really doesn’t mean “Don’t let the bastards down.” It doesn’t actually really translate to anything. So go with what you know it really means.
New Mythology Works in Progress
New Mythology Press Anthology Announcement
New Mythology is pleased to offer another open call for four spots in our anthology scheduled to be released in late October.
Deadline: 31 July
Words: 7k-10k
Manuscript: In .doc or .docx file format, Times New Roman, 12pt, 1.5 spaced
Send To: rob@chriskennedypublishing.com
Prompt: Write a fantasy story involving a beast or monster. While the story can include elements of horror, it should not be a horror story; it should be a fantasy and lean toward the heroic. Feel free to make the beast or monster your protagonist, but if not, the creature must be a central figure, (like Grendel in Beowulf).
As mentioned, we will choose the top four stories out of those submitted to add to the anthology. This is especially aimed at newer authors, though authors of any experience can enter.
Quincy Allen double-dips this week, as he has a story in Songs of Valor *and* he has a new release with Marc Alan Edelheit called Forging Destiny. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YY1LNBJ.
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.
Well, this has been a wonderful and eventful week for me. On Wednesday, Chris Kennedy gave me the opportunity to become lead dog on New Mythology Press, his fantasy imprint. This means I’ll be taking submissions and guiding the accepted books through the process of publication.
This is incredibly exciting and I look forward to bringing you all a bunch of great stuff to read.
I’ll be adjusting some things related to my weekly email as part of this. I’m going to start sending them out Thursday to better flow with Tuesday releases for New Mythology Press. I’ve added a New Mythology Works in Progress section where I’ll discuss what’s going on there. There will be more changes as I adapt to this amazing new opportunity.
Thanks again to Chris.
By the way, if you’re interested in submitting a novel to New Mythology Press here are the basics:
New Mythology Press Novel Submission Guidelines
Novels of 80 to 120k words
In .doc or .docx file format
Times New Roman, 12pt
1.5 spaced
Can be fantasy of any type, epic, urban, high, whatever. Needs to have heroes doing heroic things, just like you’ve come to expect from all the books from CKP.
However, this does not mean I’ll stop writing. Not at all. I actually had a great week of progress on The Ravening of Wolves, getting about 6k done despite not writing at all yesterday because it was my sweetie’s birthday. It’s good to get back into the groove.
With that, I better get working. I’ve already got submissions to read. Exciting stuff!
What I’m Listening To
Rush, all of it. Neil died a year ago Thursday and I’m not over it.
Quote of the Week
I’ve probably used this quote before, but it’s too powerful not to use again. It comes from the last song on the last album by Rush. Neil nurtured one hell of a garden.
“The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect”
– Neil Peart (1952 – 2020), “The Garden” from Clockwork Angels
New Mythology Works in Progress
Songs of Valor is basically complete. It goes to the editor this weekend. I’m really proud of how this turned out and you’ll want to get it when it comes out in March. Here’s the list of fantastic stories and ridiculously good author list, along with a note if they’re part of an existing series:
The Dragon and the Drunkard by David Weber
Smoke and Shadow by Jon Osborne (Milesian Accords series)
On a Wing and a Train by Benjamin Tyler Smith (Necrolopolis series)
The One You’d Least Expect by Chris Kennedy
Oathbreaker by Melissa Olthoff
Changes by Kevin Steverson (Balance of Kerr series)
What the Eye Sees by Quincy J. Allen (Rellen series)
Songbird by Jamie Ibson
One More Flight by Sarah Hoyt
A Quaint Pastime by Casey Moores
Backup by D.J. Butler (Indrajit and Fix series)
The Hill to Die On by J.P. Chandler
Magnum Opus by Rob Howell (Shijuren series)
Cranky Bitch by Glen Cook (Black Company series)
The Dregs by Larry Correia
I’m still amazed by this collection of talent. Truly an honor to be a part of it.
This week’s spotlight is on Christopher Woods and William Joseph Roberts, who put out their own take on the Salvage Title universe with Smuggler’s Run. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S71RJP5.
Today’s Weight: 345.8
Updated Word Count: 2,396
Shijuren Wiki: 725 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.
