Books!

If You Want More Project Hail Mary, Buy Indie

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So I finally got the chance to sit down and see the new film adaptation of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, and to very little surprise, it was great! If you’ve read the book—I have, and also enjoyed it immensely—the movie is pretty much a one-to-one translation of that book onto film, with some fantastic special effects work. If you know the plot of the book, there are no surprises here, and the only changes are very minor and done either to better show something to the audience or just to make the way the plot jumps around between Grace’s present and his flashbacks as his memory returns a little easier to follow (which, I’ll note, isn’t disrespect to the book, they are different mediums and a book can do stuff in a way a film can’t, so this is very understandable).

Basically, if you enjoyed The Martian, you’ll enjoy this. Personally, I think The Martian will remain my preferred favorite of the two, but that’s preference, not any sort of slight against the absolute Science-Fiction fun that this flick was.

So consider that my review, for what it’s worth. If you liked The Martian, you’ll like this. If you didn’t enjoy The Martian, you’re more than likely not going to enjoy this.

However, that’s the preamble of this post. Yes, Project Hail Mary is good. You’ll likely enjoy it if you like Sci-Fi. But as the credits rolled, and I was sitting there thinking about what I’d just watched and comparing that to the discussion I’d seen of the film (and book) on social media, one question I’d seen quite a bit in discourse online kept sweeping through my head: Why don’t we see more stuff like this?

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Beta Invites for “Axtara – Armies and Accounting” Sent! Check Your Inboxes! And More!

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I know. I don’t usually put up a new post after Monday until Wednesday to give the current Being a Better Writer article a bit more time on top of things. But there’s enough drive for haste behind this one (and past experience has shown that giving these emails a post is a vital part of the process) that I figured I’d break the rule for today.

Beta calls and invites have been sent out for Axtara – Armies and Accounting! If you’re a former Beta Reader that wished to remain a Beta Reader, check your email inbox! They actually went out last Thursday, with the first six chapters of the book uploaded to the system that night. The remaining chapters were uploaded yesterday. The entirety of the book is ready for Beta Reading.

So former Beta Readers, check those email inboxes! Either for the call or the invite to the chapter list if you’ve already responded!

Other news? Why certainly! If you’re a Super Supporter over on Patreon, the first chapter of Armies and Accounting (pre-Beta) is available to read! We don’t even have a cover, but there’s a collection for it. Just head on over to the Patreon to check it out. And if you’re not a Super Supporter, your options are A) wait or B) become a Super Supporter. In a few weeks, as the release of Armies and Accounting slowly nears, there will be a reveal post for all supporters, and then a while later, as before, it’ll be here on the site too.

Amusing side story before going further, someone once reached out to me to inform me that I had spelled “Patreon” wrong in several posts across the site, because I referred to the supporters as “Patrons” rather than the ‘correct’ “Patreons.” My explanation of the word “patron” was met with a stony silence followed by a ‘well I guess if you want everyone to know you’re wrong and can’t spell.’ And to this day I think of it every time I have to type out “Patreon.”

Other news? Well, I’m looking at ways to fund the art for the cover and internals of Armies and Accounting. Kickstarter is a possibility. The goal is to have a cover and two maps, but after that LTUE teen panel (in which a bunch of teen readers spoke about what they wanted to see in books), more art and internal illustrations would be cool. Obviously though, not cheap. The cover and maps alone all but beg for a fundraiser of some kind, but additional internal illustrations would make it a certainty.

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Three Dictionaries, Beta Reading, and Other News

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I’m going to try and keep this quick. I want to get back to Beta editing.

But yes, readers, your eyes have not deceived you. Beta editing! Axtara – Armies and Accounting is now in Beta! I finished the primary Alpha pass this last week, and I’ve spent the last two days doing pre-Beta work, which is still ongoing … But I sent the Beta Invites out yesterday anyway for the first Beta pass.

So yeah, we’re drawing one step closer to the release of the third Axtara book. As soon as I’ve gotten everything into the hands of the Beta Readers, I’ll also be reaching out to the cover artist of the first two books to start looking at figuring out what the cover might look like. Unlike the first two books, where I actually had a really strong concept for the cover long before I contacted Codie, I don’t really have an idea of what I want to feature on the cover of this one, so I’m going to have to work out a few possibilities to float and see what Codie likes the concept of.

Also, I am going to be looking at getting this installment of Axtara something else that’s been requested quite frequently: Maps! Yes, that’s a plural. A map of Elnacier (incomplete, obviously, so that later areas can be fleshed out as new books require, because I haven’t planned that far ahead) and also a map of the important areas of the continent.

Don’t worry, they’ll go up on the site too. Now, as to how I’m going to pay for all this? Haven’t figured that out yet. Maps aren’t free, and cover art definitely isn’t. My options are “Sell more books,” “quadruple Patreon support,” “kickstarter,” or “miracle.”

In other words, if you’re a fan of the series, keep letting the world know. Publishing as a whole is really struggling right now, for a multitude of reasons, but as an author, I’m in that struggle.

Now, on to happier news after that abrupt dose of reality.

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A Battle with a Pirate Captain (Writing News)

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Hey folks! Max here with a somewhat late Friday news update! Was taking care of personal stuff, so sorry for the delay.

So, what’s new? Well I’ll give you a clue: That title was not about book piracy (not that it’s nonexistent). No, it’s about book piracy.

Okay, enough games with words. This week was the final battle of A Pirate Planet. In fact, it’s not quite over, though its nearing its conclusion. I mean, lets be honest, if you have a Treasure Island-like scenario for a book, even Sci-Fi, why wouldn’t the story end in a climactic showdown between the protagonist and the pirate captain?

What kind of showdown I’ll leave for you to discover. But it has a lot of action. Even if there are other elements to it that are what clinch victory.

Yeah, A Pirate Planet will likely be done (the draft, that is) next week. Which means … I’ll be diving into pre-Alpha editing for Axtara – Armies and Accounting! Exciting!

Oh, and there will probably be more Axtara after this book too. There’s just … so much fun to be had in this setting. I’m still not positive what my next project will be—perhaps I’ll even put it to a vote amongst my Patreon supporters again—but know that yes, more Axtara is on the table. I even inadvertently wrote the opening scene in my head the other day while out on a walk.

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“The Phoenix” is Now Available! Come Celebrate at the Reddit AMA!

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It’s here! That’s right, today is September 16th, which means The Phoenix has arrived at last. Phew! What a wait, right? The longest, I think, for any of my books ever. If you’ve been a long-time fan, that is. You can grab your copy now if you didn’t pre-order by clicking that cover above!

And that’s almost it. But if you’re wondering about the “longest” comment above, want to celebrate the release, ask what’s next, etc, then you should know I’m doing (as usual) a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” over on that site. Which is exactly what it sounds like: Ask me anything! You can find that here, so please, drop on by and ask something! Mingle with the weird online space that is social media! And enjoy reading The Phoenix while you wait for answers to your questions.

See you there, and enjoy the book!

“The Phoenix” Final Preview – Chapter Three – Full Release September 16th!

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Well folks, this is it. The final preview for The Phoenix. To read more, you’re just going to have to buy the book! Which, fortunately for you, is only $5.99 and comes out in three days.

New here? Seeing this for the first time? The Phoenix is an Urban-Fantasy Mystery about a man who cannot die trying to solve his own murder.

Yeah, it’s that kind of book. It’s a ton of fun, it’s out in a few days, and you should absolutely click that cover to the side and pre-order a copy for yourself.

Of course, you can always wait to do that until you’ve tried the first few chapters for yourself, which you can do right here without any additional effort. This particular post is the final preview, so all of Chapter Three, and you can find Chapters One and Two at those links I just offered if you feel like reading them in order or something.

Hit the jump for the preview, enjoy, and then go pre-order The Phoenix so you can get to reading it as soon as it drops on September 16th!

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Four Days Until “The Phoenix” Releases!

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Yes, this is a news post, but really. Why wouldn’t I talk about The Phoenix when it’s coming out in a few days? That is the big part of the news this week.

So yeah, a little more detail if you need it. It comes out September 16th. It’s $5.99. You can pre-order it here, read the first two chapters here and here. The third preview chapter drops tomorrow, so if you need it to really make your decision, check back Saturday morning to see where the plot is going.

Elevator pitch? A man who cannot die must solve his own murder.

Yeah, that’s good isn’t it? Oh, and it’s not a cop-out by the way. It doesn’t weasel out of it in the opening chapters and go “Well, it was almost a murder.” Not happening here. Give that first chapter a read and find out for yourself! Then pre-order, and happily enjoy a pretty fun little mystery when it drops next Tuesday.

Now, with that, there will be a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Tuesday. There will be a link here on the site to the AMA, so feel free to drop on by and ask about, well, anything! A fun thing to do for another book launch.

Now, some of you might be thinking “Wait, didn’t you just have a book release? And a Reddit AMA?” That’s right, I did. That’s because The Phoenix is the second book to release this year. Blood Less Vile came out last month, the final book to come out of the schedule slip caused by the 2023 landslide. If you haven’t picked that one up, by the way, I do recommend it. The book, I mean. I advise heavily against landslides. Jacob Rocke—yes, that Jacob Rocke—returns at last to investigate the case of a missing college student. Of course, for Rocke to be on the case, there has to be something … unusual … going on, and soon enough it shows up. This one has a really fun showdown at the end, which I won’t spoil here. You’ll just have to read it. It’s more serious than The Phoenix (which is more lighthearted), but still a solid mystery.

Okay, what else is going on? Hit the jump.

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“The Phoenix” Releases in Five Days!

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Ladies and gentlemen, The Phoenix is almost here. That’s right, my eleventh book, an Urban-Fantasy Mystery about a man who cannot die trying to solve his own murder, drops September 16th!

This one is a lot of fun, folks. But you don’t have to take my word for it. You can read the first few chapters here on the site already: Chapter One here, and Chapter Two here. And if you’re a Patreon Supporter? You can read the first four chapters there. With number five dropping Monday, the day before The Phoenix comes out. Chapter Three for the public, meanwhile, will drop Saturday.

Also, you can pre-order The Phoenix here. If you were planning on picking a copy up, I do encourage it: Pre-orders feed the algorithm, telling other folks “Hey, you might like this.” Which in turn drives more pre-orders and basically helping get the word out.

Of course, you’re also more than welcome to share links to the book or even those preview chapters on social media. Spread the word!

Also, there will be a Reddit AMA the day of. Mark your calendars!

“The Phoenix” Preview – Chapter 2

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“What’s this?” some of you may be asking. “I thought you just released a book!”

Yeah, that’s right. I did. Blood Less Vile, which you can totally go snag for $5.99. I’d certainly recommend it.

But it turns out that due to a whole scheduling … thing … that basically created a titanic backlog, I ended up with two books awaiting editing at the same time. And so while Blood Less Vile just dropped, we’re already facing another release with The Phoenix! An Urban-Fantasy murder mystery in which an immortal man who can’t die attempts to solve his own murder.

Interesting, no? Better yet, with The Phoenix dropping September 16th, if that pitch sounds at all interesting to you, well you can read the first two chapters starting right now! Because the first chapter dropped Monday, and the second chapter is … well, this is the post! It’s here! So if you’ve not read anything from The Phoenix, you’ll probably want to click that link there to the first chapter, and then hit the jump here for the second, but hey, I’m not your boss. Read them in whatever order you like. And if after one or two of them you have a desire to read even more previews before the book drops on the 16th, well, Patreon Supporters are getting a look at the first five chapters (the last two coming next week) rather than the first three the public will eventually get. They get bonus looks and previews at other stuff too, including some as yet unpublished short stories, so it’s always worth considering!

All right, enough said. Hit the jump, and enjoy the second chapter of The Phoenix. Then go pre-order a copy!

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“The Phoenix” Preview – Prologue and Chapter 1

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If you missed the news last Friday, today being a holiday in the US means that there’s no Being a Better Writer post. But hey, that’s okay, we’ve got some big things to show off anyway. If you missed Friday, then you’re in for a treat today. Because we’re giving what readers saw Friday it’s own news post. That is, today is dedicated to the first chapter preview of The Phoenix – An Unusuals Mystery, which releases September 16th and is now available for pre-order. Just click that link. Or the cover there.

If you’re a newcomer to the site, The Phoenix is my eleventh novel, an Urban-Fantasy Mystery about a man who can’t die attempting to solve his own murder.

Oh yeah, it’s fun.

But don’t take my word for it. Read the preview below! Then go place your pre-order so you can finish the adventure the day it releases on September 16th!

Prologue

Almost everyone asks me what it’s like to die.

I can’t blame them. To be honest, I’d like to know myself. Sometimes that’s even been my answer. Though it’s not a well-received one. Once it even got me killed. So there’s that.

But the truth is, in an unfair way, I don’t know. I’m not even certain what I’m doing counts as death. Sure, my body winds down, my heart stops, the blood ceases to flow.

Then it happens. My bones stitch themselves back together. My wounds close. Every injury and scar vanishes. I wake up.

And I don’t remember a moment of it.

There’s been some variance I’ve figured out over the years. The more extensive the injury, the more I forget. Died because my heart stopped? I forget a few minutes. Blood loss? Maybe an hour. Something that’s gone through my brain, or removed a limb? That’ll cost me a few days.

The more severe the injury, the worse the memory loss. I was beheaded once. I lost a few months. Burning alive seems to be the worst; that took years from me, and I only determined the how because someone told me what had happened.

Point is, I don’t know what it’s like to die. In a way it’s almost like a cruel joke: The man who’s lived and died a thousand lives can’t recall a single death.

I’ve learned to accept it. Not that I suppose I have much choice. But the world’s a big place, with plenty to do and see even now, and for the most part I’ve made it work. Outside of my inability to stay dead, there’s little else about me that’s Unusual.

Until I have to solve my own murder, that is.

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