So it was probably inevitable. The world keeps changing, and as artists, we all have to change constantly to keep up. And that’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong.

Today, that means that I finally had to pull the trigger on setting up my own Patreon creator account. I’m late to the story, but lots of other people I know have done their own patreons, and been successful at it. I’m leaving money on the table that frankly could help me be more successful as a writer.

So I talked to several folks about what to do. These are early days for me, and I’m still figuring it all out, but here’s the pitch.

PATREON!!

Every month, I will dig into the backlog of short stories I have, and post one up for everyone at the right level. Right now, that’s more than a dozen stories nobody has ever seen, including three new Science Officer shorts that are part of Season Two (Book Nine when I finally start publishing them again.)

Starting on May 1, The Unbloomed Rose will be available to all my backers, which may or may not include the thirteen people out there who have ever actually seen it. There are two others that I will intersperse after that, with some other stuff and things.

I write mostly science fiction, but there is also some sword and sorcery fantasy in there, including extensions of existing bits I published back when, before SF took off. One Alicia story that picks up her thread. I also wrote a short story that probably needs to be chapter 1 (or prologue, maybe) to a whole Urban Fantasy novel or series. Dunno. Not my comfort zone, but some days the words refuse to not be written, so I had to tell their story. And the rest is in my head and my notes. Seriously. Urban Fantasy. WTF?

But you’ll get to read a new Science Officer short, before anybody else. And some other as well.

My plan is that I won’t actually publish anything that goes up to patrons for at least six months. Maybe longer. Dunno. Still trying to figure it all out. Any constructive advice useful.

Maybe, I’ll do a Patreon collection later, just so you know you already have it and don’t need to buy it again, before individual pub. But you’ll be helping me make a little money on the side so I can afford to take a few more risks. Like publishing an urban fantasy novel that might actually sell, if you folks enjoy it well enough to encourage more. And more fantasy, just so I explore those lands as well. I don’t go down those paths because SF pays the bills and I don’t want to damage that.

But I am also writing at Pulp Speed Two right now (100,000+ words per month), so I’m generating novels on a monthly basis. My short fiction just doesn’t get priority on publication. I just finished a novel yesterday that is scheduled to be published March 2020. And I’m on to the next one today. Them’s novels, mind you. Book five in a series none of you have even heard of yet.

But we’re going to do the Patreon thing, and hopefully we can make it work. Your assistance, support, forbearance, and whatever else would be welcome.

Let’s dive facefirst into the future.