Sales!

11 SEP 2018

I took a look today at Amazon's Author Central and found out three anthologies with my stories in them sold recently! The three are Den of Thieves (proceeds go to a charity), Incarceration, and Protectors of the Veil (which I get no money for). It's always nice to see sales. I truly do appreciate the anthologies and Carol Hightshoe in particular. Some day I may make enough money from sales to stop my regular day job. But it probably won't be until I retire.

Still working on my next release, that short story about witches in winter. 

Was thinking recently about new story ideas. One that stuck was "Birds of Stone." Another writer suggested that I was thinking of gargoyles, but my thoughts are of something smaller. Not artist/author Jean 'Moebius' Giraud's Arzach's flying stone bird either. Something smaller. Like a rock pigeon maybe. I don't know. It's very early in the thought process. If you've never seen (can't really say 'read' because there are no words) Arzach, you owe it to yourself to do so. Great storytelling with no text. 

Photo for today: Arzach

Incarceration is Now Available!

20MAY17 

"Predictive policing my ass."

Happy Saturday! I have wonderful news to share. The Last Horn, my latest story is now available in the Incarceration anthology from Wolfsinger Publications, for sale through Smashwords and CreateSpace! Go get it now at a discount using the following codes:

Smashwords: Incarceration on sale at Smashwords 

- use code: XJ86G to receive a 25% discount on Incarceration – 25% discount is only good through 5/31/17

CreateSpace here: Incarceration on sale at CreateSpace - use code: 9HW5GHYR to receive a 25% discount – 25% discount is only good through 5/31/17.

The anthology features seventeen futuristic stories about capturing and punishing people for the crimes they commit. My story includes the following future tech:
Auto License Plate Detection? ✔

Facial recognition? ✔
Punitive comas? ✔?
Other new tech to make bad guys pay for their crimes? ✔✔✔

Here is a preview:

The rookie read out loud from his phone, “E-COP, the latest software in predictive policing, also known as computer-based crime analytics. E-COP is intended to enhance, not replace, the feet on the beat.” 
“Get it in your head now, Parkinson. No box is ever going replace a badge. Predictive policing my ass. Just means they can reduce the force and spend the money on computers and geeks instead.” He took another sip of coffee.


Picture for today is the great cover for the anthology. 

Incarceration!

The cover art for the next anthology featuring one of my stories:

Story is titled The Last Horn. This future fiction is for all my law enforcement friends and harps upon the evils of too much money and power. Release is scheduled for this month. More details to follow soon.

Another Short Story!

15 APR 17 I have another short story in the pipeline! A total departure from my normal genre, this short story is a crime story. Set a few years in the future, it focuses on a dastardly man who goes to extreme lengths to get the ultimate Viagra. It was written specifically for an anthology about incarceration in the future. The anthology is due out later this year. This will be the second short story published this year, a third story, horror genre, is at another publisher as well, still awaiting final approval.

My wife also has a story in the same incarceration anthology, which is very nice and another change from the usual. The anthologies that we have been a part of so far have leaned more toward my neck of the woods genre-wise: Fantasy. She has felt like the odd man out and now in this anthology, I am the odd man out. Even though I wrote a story that fits with the theme of the anthology it definitely is not my comfort zone at all. Feels good though to stretch my writing wings.

What I really want to do now is write a fantasy story about police and incarceration. Makes my mind juices water. How would the police develop in a world of magic? Might makes right? Truth spells? Crimson Bands of Cytorrak or some similar means of restraint? Would there be sheriffs? Cops? Makes you think. Reminds me of Corwin being blinded in the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Now that was a punishment. It also makes me think of the Xanth series by Piers Anthony and the banishment of those who have no magic.

In my main fantasy setting, as times change, incarceration and policing change dramatically. It is something that I am still working on. I like the idea of justice. I may have found my next story idea!

Picture for today: A Snowy Sentinel, to go along with the theme of policing.