[As usual, three weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]
This time yesterday, I was in Montana somewhere. I was in Montana for a while, as we drove the North Dakota route Monday (Minneapolis, Fargo, Bismark, Montana) and stayed in Billings.
Tuesday, got up and got gone early (again) and stopped at an old market in Alberton, MT to visit the Montana Valley Book Store, promising over 100,000 used books. They were not kidding. People on the spectrum should not visit, because you will be screaming at the disorganization. Better, maybe a bunch of you can pool cash and buy the place, then spend a month organizing everything, labeling it properly into the database, and getting the contents online. Some prizes, but I was a blind squirrel finding acorns to get to them. Cute place. PACKED with books. You could spend a weekend (not that far from Missoula and modern hotels) treasure hunting. Probably worth it. Might go back sometime.
Didn’t do much writing this week. Two 13 hour days driving each way. Three busy days seeing family and a few old friends who live in the Twin Cities. And a mariachi band.
Did finish Corsac 8. Sailing Into Darkness, which is what I promised you at the end of 7. Currently planning a kickstarter campaign for the spring. Have a reminder to myself that we need to get the dust jacket hardcover editions caught up through 7 by then.
Not sure what we’ll do for stretch goals and support tiers. Probably the walk-on character and major-character options again, as this series is not done. Ebook, Paper, Hardcover. Catch up (all 8 ebooks) option, but not paper, because that’s a pain in my ass and you can order them now.
Also making notes on finishing Scattered Tribes. Holden, for those of you who have met him and the gang. Hoping to finish those this summer and fall, and have them as a big kickstarter event in Fall of 2027. Five books. Maybe all of them early, then monthly drops into 2028. Character art. Alien art. Crazy shit. Something. Those of you who have read book one here, I welcome your suggestions for what you’d like to see, understanding that Scattered Tribes was always intended as the entry point to a whole new universe of swords, sorcery, and starships.
Already know what the next series in that universe is, because that was the original idea, before I realized I had to write Scattered Tribes to set everyone and everything up first. Grand epic space fantasy opera craziness.
New Boundary Shock just dropped and I haven’t even updated the website yet, but this issue contains #13 in the Last Stand books. I’ll put it out individually next year, so this is your chance to start Season Two early. And see where I’m going, because I got something enormous planned.
Currently writing catch up. This. Newsletter shortly. A new Chace Haig short for Thrill Ride. Still working on Derlyth 4 and Harri 3. And other things.
Mostly, mainlining caffeine this morning and hoping to wake up. Good exhausted is still exhausted and I have a lot to catch up on, so if you need something from me and haven’t heard back by Saturday, poke me again.
Past that, go buy a bookstore and drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. The world needs it.
shade and sweet water,
b
West of the Mountains, WA
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