Plugs
Calling Australia, Canada, and India!
Categories: Plugs
Tags: Conroyverse, Sale
Most months I’ll put a book on sale for a week and share the specifics via my newsletter (and hey, maybe you should subscribe so you don’t have to read about these things on my website).
I manage this using a tool called the Amazon Countdown. Currently, these countdowns are only available in the US and the UK. Everyone else is just out of luck. This annoys me. It’s like Amazon doesn’t want me to give readers in other countries a break. How do they expect me to further my plans for World Domination™?
This month I am fighting back. In an effort to reach more readers in other English-speaking countries, from March 5th through the 11th I’ll be manually reducing the price of my three book sampler Conroyverse in Australia, Canada, and India.
For the span of this one week, the normal prices — $11.99 in Australia / $9.99 in Canada / ₹449 in India — will drop to $3.99, $2.99, and ₹99, respectively. If this manages to spread word of the Amazing Conroy, Angela (Gel) Colson, and Melody Wilder to even a handful of readers in other parts of the world, I’ll consider this effort a success.
March 2023 Sale!
Back when I was a kid, March was the windiest of months and everyone flew kites. The local electric company even put out a little booklet on making your own kite and specifying proper safe kite-flying behavior (i.e., away from power lines). The booklet featured a cartoon character whose body and limbs were jagged lightning bolts and whose head was a glowing light bulb. But I digress.
This month I’m exited to share two different sales. First up, from March 13th through the 19th, my publisher at LMBPN is putting the box set of the entire Adrenaline Rush trilogy on sale for just 99¢. So, if you haven’t yet sampled how Brian Thorne and I write action SF, this is your opportunity!
And later, it’s time for Nebula-nominated novellas to go on sale, and I happen to have four of them all bound together in a single ebook. That’s right, from March 25th through the 31st, Galactic Capers of the Amazing Conroy — which includes Barry’s Tale, Calendrical Regression, Barry’s Deal, and Trial of the Century — will also be available for just 99¢ (or 99p in the UK) via an Amazon Countdown Deal.
You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to construct a kite.
February 2023 Sale!
If it’s February it must be time to put Ace of Corpses, Book One of the Freelance Courier series, on sale!
Beginning Sunday, February 12th and continuing through Saturday, February 18th, this ebook will be available for just 99¢ in the US and 99p in the UK (or FREE in KU) as part of an Amazon Countdown Deal.
Alas, as usual, Amazon only allows this kind of promotion in these two countries. Personally, I think it’s a huge snub to folks in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but until I achieve complete world domination, there’s nothing I can do about It. But rest assured, it’s on my list!
Be aware that it’s my intention to release a total of nine books in this series (three sets of three story arcs). I’ve already written and published the first set, and I’m working on Book Four right now. Yes, putting this title on sale is a shameless attempt to get you hooked and trick you into buying the other books. There’s I’ve said it.
Here’s the blurb:
To appease an alien senate, a newbie courier accepts what should be an easy gig: retrieving a misplaced corpse from a mausoleum world.
But the deceased is a planetary king, he’s not really dead, and he doesn’t want to go home!
Angela “Gel” Colson is not your typical Human teenager. She’s left her adopted father and siblings behind, scrounged enough cash to purchase a derelict spaceship, and started her own courier business taking jobs no one else wants.
All that may be true, but it’s not the real story. Gel only appears to be Human. She’s actually a mutant variant from a race of teleporting aliens who have hidden in plain sight for millennia. They don’t believe she can keep their secret. If she doesn’t convince them otherwise, they’ll resolve the problem by putting her to death!
Can she run her company, stay out of trouble, and not reveal her powers to outsiders? Not if the “corpse” has anything to say about it.
January 2023 Sale!
Way back in 2001, I wrote a short story about a stage hypnotist and his alien companion animal. It was only supposed to be a one-shot. Oops. Since then, I have returned to those same characters time and again, creating more stories, novellas, and novels, detailing their adventures and expanding their universe with a plethora of alien races.
You’d think that would have been enough, but no. Those books gave way to a spinoff, developing a minor character and giving her a series of her own. Enough already right? Nope. A year later, the first book of a second spinoff series appeared.
CONROYVERSE is a sampler, consisting of the first novels in each of these three series set in the same fictional universe. It also includes “Buffalo Dogs,” the short story that started it all. Here’s what you get:
BUFFALITO DESTINY (The Amazing Conroy)
Cleaning up Earth’s worst toxic waste site with omnivorous buffalitos seemed like a good plan, until ecoterrorists target the Amazing Conroy, stage-hypnotist-turned-CEO. Meanwhile, a tour bus of aliens is trying to convince him to embrace a mysterious purpose amidst ancient Mayan ruins.Now the fate of the Earth hangs on a single decision.Conroy will need all his hypnotic skills, the support of his best friend, and insight from his dead aunt, if he is to save himself, the buffalitos, and the planet. And just maybe, along the way, he’ll find his true destiny.
ACE OF CORPSES (Freelance Courier)
Angela “Gel” Colson is not your typical Human teenager. She’s left her adopted father and siblings behind, scrounged enough cash to purchase a derelict spaceship, and started her own courier business taking jobs no one else wants. All that may be true, but it’s not the real story. Gel only appears to be Human. She’s actually a mutant variant from a race of teleporting aliens who have hidden in plain sight for millennia. They don’t believe she can keep their secret. If she doesn’t convince them otherwise, they’ll resolve the problem by putting her to death!
SLICE OF ENTROPY (Pizza in Space)
Melody Wilder just needs to complete her dissertation and life will be perfect. Alas, that’s not going to happen. She hasn’t picked a topic yet, her undergraduate loans have been “un-forgiven” with a vengeance, the university is about to strip her of her stipend, her job, and her apartment, and a pirate-priest minotaur is systematically destroying all her hopes and dreams. Meanwhile, alien bear cub physicists are trying to extradite her best friend on charges of violating the laws of conservation of matter every time he makes a pizza! And things are just getting started.
For a limited time, from January 15th thru 21st, you can pick up the CONROYVERSE ebook for just 99¢ (or 99p in the UK) exclusively on Amazon (or FREE in KU).
In these times of global pandemics, weather disasters, and political stupidity, this is the kind of light, fun, escapist SF we all need!
My “Firm” Chicon8 (Worldcon 80) Schedule
Categories: Plugs
Tags: Appearances, Conventions, Reading
The fine folks at Chicon8 have released a “for,” schedule and I have permission to share it with you. Things may change, but here’s the current plan. I’m still hoping to get a Reading, and that someone will come forward to set up the fan favorite Strolling with the Stars and that I’ll get to participate.
You may notice that all of my programming is over and done with by mid-afternoon. This is deliberate and I’m very grateful to the convention for accommodating my restrictive schedule. In theory, I should have more than enough spoons to do all these things (plus grab a restorative nap prior to going off to dinner).
Thursday, September 1st
2:30 pm | Randolph 1 | Relaxing Reads.
When the world is filled with stress, do you want low-stress, low-stakes novels? Our panelists discuss their favorite relaxing reads, and dig into what elements make something “cozy”. We’ll talk about how SFF stories that don’t revolve around action and saving the world can still be compelling reads, and invite our audience to share their favorites.
With Steven D. BREWER (m), Jeanne DeVore, Rachel Gutin, and Rachel Neumeier.
Friday, September 2nd
11:30 am | Crystal Foyer | Table Talk.
Small group discussion with me (I suspect advance sign-up is a requirement). Come by and we will talk about all the (Lawrence) things!
Saturday, September 3rd
2:30 m | Grand Hall I | Future Food.
Plant-based meat, golden rice, insect snacks, Soylent. We all need to eat, and that makes food an enormous market for innovation. Our panel considers which foods might become staples and which may become luxuries in the future.
With George Jreije (m), Elektra Hammond, P H Lee, Sara A Mueller, and Karl Schroeder
Sunday, September 4th
2:30 pm | Michigan 3 | The Art of Working With Illustrators and Cover Artists.
You’ve managed the writing, editing, and now just need your visual creative components. Does a cover artist also lay out the cover text, spine, and back cover design? Do you approach the same artist for all your visual needs, from covers to interior illustrations to logos? What are standard payment expectations and lead times for projects? Can’t you just do the art yourself, or with pictures you found online? Artists and publishers answer all these questions and more.
I’ll be moderating, and panelists include Stephanie hans, Esther Jones, Alex Shvartsman, and Alyssa Winans.
Monday, September 5th
10:00 am | Autographing | Signing.
I’ve written a bunch of books in the last couple of years. This is your chance to bring them so I can sign ’em. Plus, everyone who comes to the table gets a copy of my genuine Science Fiction Trading Card. Such a deal
It’s likely that some of the above will be in flux, and/or I’ll have supplementary information to share, but here’s where it all stands as this moment. If anything does change I’ll post an update.
April 2022 (what to expect)
I’m writing this on April 2nd (aka, Doctoral Day) but as I’m waiting on a couple links, I don’t expect to actually post this for several days. But lots of cool things (as relates to me and my writing) are happening this month and it seemed like a good plan to set up this page with all the relevant information in one place, so here we are.
KICKSTARTER
Beginning on April 11th, I’ll begin crowdfunding a new collection, Transcendent Boston and other stories. It’s a very modest Kickstarter with a base funding goal of only $1000 (though if you want to push me to just under $42 million I suppose I’d be okay with it. There’s a variety of support levels and some nice stretch goals too. I especially like stretch goals because every supporter wins without having to spend any more money.
Many of the stories earmarked for the collection have previously appeared in specialty or share-world anthologies, and as such are now out of print. So the idea here is to take advantage of one of the perks of indie publishing and save these tales from oblivion.
Anyway, please check it out. That link leads to a place holder to tell you about the campaign and will allow you to ask to be notified when it goes live. One way or another, the book will come out in June. A successful campaign ensures there’ll be a trade paperback as well.
STORY BUNDLE
Next up, beginning on April 13th and running for three weeks, I’ll be included in the “Celestial Sagas” Story Bundle, which is a fancy way of saying Space Opera. My novel Slice of Entropy (book one of the Pizza in Space series) will be part of an assortment of books which you can pick up for one low price, and you get to set that price! Here’s the link for that.
NEW BOOK!
But the big event for me this month is the release on April 26th of Soul Bottles, Book One of the Demon Codex series that I wrote with Brian Thorne. Long time readers will recognize my protagonist, a professor of demonic languages, from the short story “Fries With That” (available in my collection Sweet Potato Pie and other stories.
Books two and three will follow over the next two months, and it’s only fair to warn you you that Brian and I are working on several more books. Right now, Amazon has Book One available for preorder, but feel free to lock it in now while you’re thinking about it.
