Category: new book

“Friend and Ally”

Sorry, again, for going dark:  much DayJob and work on my books.  In fact, I am very pleased to announce that Friend and Ally is now officially available!

I’ve the physical proof copy of its sequel, “Foes and Rivals,” as you can see below the fold, already in hand and about half re-edited.  The usual minor mistakes and 1-2 formatting errors.  The big part is that the ending is sub-optimal, so I’ll add a few paragraphs to the last chapter and about 100 words to the epilogue.  Nonetheless, it will be out by Christmas!

What an amazing ride:  in four years… five books, four of which are novels.  What was I waiting for all these years?  Thanks for everyone’s support!

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Details, details…

As a guest of the local county library system, I am a “Featured Local Author” for a book fair on Saturday.  My 3+1 prior works are all in the box, ready to go.  I’ll be making a 60×40 inch backdrop will all covers and something about Machine Civilization on it to hang behind me.  Cash to make change and my Square card-reader for the plastic.  I’ve learned from observation to bring candy and put it in a bowl on my table.  People will stop and, guilty about taking something for nothing, ask about the books.  Sneaky, sneaky!

This is a jacket & tie event for me, so I’ll be cosplaying an adult.  An adult with a flask of whiskey; the close of the event could prove much more interesting that its open.

The sole partial fail is that I’ve only five proof copies of “Friend and Ally” available.  I’ll have a sign-up sheet if anyone else is interested, but still, that’s on me.  There will also be a laminated image of the front cover of “Foes and Rivals,” that Jacoby Alley should have complete in two days, with “Coming for Xmas 2018!”

And my table cover.  And the price sheet.  And the easel.  And the business cards.  And…

Oath Breakers

I’m credibly informed they do not keep your breath fresh.

Less than 36 hours after my declaration that “I’m not writing anything new this year!”… I saw something.

No, I’m not writing anything new in November  (he dessemulates); I’m far too busy for the Book Fair of the 17th and the release of “F&R” three weeks later!

But.  I saw the cover of my next book.  It’s bright to dark as you look right to left.  You see the sides of four older teenagers:  machine Henge, with her purple hair & gold eyes looks at her intended, human Gary with love. He returns that look, while back to back with his sister Faustina, with her dark hair & glittering turquoise eyes, as she looks to the figure in shadow on the cover’s left, tempting her to evil.

This is going to be seriously awesome. I’ve explored a little of this in my ‘Second Bridge’ and ‘Worlds Without End’ writing exercises, even noting at the time that Faustina needs her own novel…

That time is soon.

https://machciv.com/category/worlds-without-end/

https://machciv.com/category/second-bridge/

NaNoWriMo 2018

Nope.  Not me.  Right around 2130 of Halloween, I send the third-pass edit of Foes & Rivals to my talented copyeditor, at the same time taking a vow I’d write nothing, original, in November.

I now turn to implementing her edits to Friend and Ally while she processes its sequel.  I don’t think I’ll have F&A ready for the Local Authors Fair on 17 November… maybe “limited edition” proof copies?  Like Niven’s first edition of Ringworld, where the Earth rotated in the wrong direxion.

Besides DayJob, Husband/FatherJob, and WriterJob of 173k words in 7 months, I am so, so tired.

Crossing the divide

After being so far into Nichole’s world over the weekend, my boss asked me about ten minutes into work, “Are you okay?”  At least I was able to confuse her with my reply…

“I am only a little in your world.”

Fortunately I never really crossed  back, so was able to rush home and toss out what’s below.  Starts off playful, but once over the pass, goes dark quickly.  Not sure what, beyond notes, I’ll manage the rest of the week, but I’ll do my best.

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Gotta love them lampshades!

A good weekend:  no one died, in the story or in RealLife, and I was able to lay down 4k words.  Wish my tanjed DayJob boss would get her shit straight with Madam Clio and find another job!  Not one of any of the other pharmacists I work with have issues such as hers; “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”  We’d one dog from southern Indiana; a Westie, so pre-crazy.  Everyone else I’ve known from Indiana seems deranged, just like her.

Anyway.  Show’s over and the Nation is on the move!  A few, short, snapshots to get them over the pass and into the Centralia Valley.  I did get a little sidetracked – still working on it, in fact, but the lead combat force of the horsemen, basically 17,500 dragoons with 2,500 responsible for light to medium artillery, are bearing down on Napaville as we speak.  I allow Rhun a tell about how he plans to run the op against the cannibals, as well as letting you, the pre-readers, know how the turnabout against the City’s Regulars will happen, too.

Those of you that are of the faith, pray for me that I can keep this up all week; I know I cannot do this alone.  Deus Volt!

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Back-flash-back-flash

Sometimes my writing style confuses even me.  I like to flick around in time… my flashbacks will come to present time and then have an entirely different flashback.  This is not something from the classical SF I’ve read, nor is it particularly a thing in the types of anime we watch (which is mostly ‘cute girls doing cute things’).  As a result, with the exception of about 400 words, everything I’ve posted about Nichole’s Book 2 is a flashback from where she is standing looking out to the northeast at the migration of the Nation before their assault on the cannibals.

For about two sentences you see “real time” below the fold, then, God help me, I do it again and flash back to how they got there.  This is her third trip upriver, so I’ve no reason to dwell on details – and I don’t – and just toss a few mile markers down.

AFTER THIS!  After this, I think I will be entirely in ‘present time,’ with the possible exception of a verbal montage to get the Nation across the Washington Cascades.  While I’d not seen Nichole’s interaction with Rye until my fingers tapped the keys, this is an interesting development… one that I’ve no idea where it will lead.

After talking with my wife and teen daughters, there’s nothing particularly afoot this weekend for us.  God willing, that means I can lay down 4k-6k words and get within striking distance of a conclusion to Book 2.  Anyone have any ideas for a name?  I got nothin’ right now:  no-one knows what Foederati means; Enemies at the Gates is clichéd and taken…  I’d like it to be a perversion, if you will, of the first title, “Friend and Ally.”

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