New Prose Works Debut at Shore Leave

So, come Friday night at the Meet the Pros event, I will be representedin not just Crazy 8 Press’ Thrilling Adventure Yarns, more on thattomorrow, but three other releases.

eSpec’s Mike and Danielle Ackley-McPhail had some personalissues that slowed down their momentum and growing line of titles, the perilsof self-publishing, but they have gotten back to releasing titles thanks toimproved circumstances and Kickstarter support.

According to the back cover: When fire and steel meet fleshand bone, a soldier learns a hard truth: you’re not fighting for Glory andHonor, but for survival, for you and your comrades, and you will be damned ifyou’re going to leave any of them behind.

And here’s the line-up for those interested:

Join us for twelve stories of military heroism and couragein the face of a hostile enemy.

James Chambers, Brenda Cooper, David Sherman, RobertGreenberger, Lisanne Norman, Bud Sparhawk, Robert E. Water, Eric V. Hardenbrook,Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jeff Young, Aaron Rosenberg, Christopher M. Hiles.

Also back in 2017, I wrote for their  Beyond the Cradle: If We Had Known and was pleased with how that turned out. So, when I got invited to contribute to their follow-up, Beyond the Cradle; Footprints in the Stars I was happy to work something up. The result, I think, is a stronger story than my first offering, but you the reader will have to tell me. Copies will be available at Shore Leave, the official on sale date isn’t until Oct. 1

Here’s the back cover copy:

To follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before,first we must find them.

Dreaded hope settles over mankind as we stare into theheavens, looking for a sign we are not alone. Fearing we will find it, puzzledwhen we don’t.

Among the stars or in our own backyard, lose yourself in thewonder of these tales as we humbly posit mankind’s reaction to the awesomecertainty that ‘they’ are out there…or at least, they were…

Footprints in the Stars

With stories by Gordon Linzner, Ian Randal Strock, RobertGreenberger, Dayton Ward, Aaron Rosenberg, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jody LynnNye, Christopher L. Bennett, James Chambers, Keith R.A. DeCandido, RussColchamiro, Judi Fleming, and Bryan J.L. Glass. (See, I’m in some very finecompany.)

And for those in attendance at Shore Leave, the followingauthors there the book will be Dayton Ward, Aaron Rosenberg, DanielleAckley-McPhail, Christopher L. Bennett, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Russ Colchamiro,and series editor and cover designer, Mike McPhail.

But wait, there’s more!

I was interviewed by long-time friend Diane Baron for her The Fandom Fifty, spotlighting Maryland creators, which will also be debuting at Shore Leave.

It’s from Firebringer Press and they noted in their blog:

The Fandom Fifty is a collection of interviews andanecdotes from many of the organizers, guests, and attendees of Maryland’s SFConvention scene. The Baltimore region is home to a number of popular andenduring SF cons that include Farpoint, Balticon, Shore Leave, and others. TheFandom Fifty covers much of the rich history of the cons and honors many of thededicated people who make them happen.

Attendees of Shore Leave 41 will be able to buy copies ofThe Fandom Fifty–and all other Firebringer Press titles–at the Friday nightMeet the Pros book fair from 10PM to midnight.

Further, Diane, Steven H. Wilson, and Phil Giunta will hostthe traditional Firebringer Press Presents discussion panel in Salon A from1-2PM on Saturday to celebrate The Fandom Fifty’s launch!

We’ll also showcase Firebringer’s current titles and updateeveryone on what’s to come, including the third volume in the Middle ofEternity anthology series and the next installment of The Arbiter Chronicles,Steve Wilson’s popular SF series.

Yes, there are repeat authors here and in Thrilling AdventureYarns; it’s a benefit of being part of a small tight-knit community ofauthors. No two line-ups are identical so readers get some new and somefamiliar names with each book. And yes, it means Keith, Aaron, and I all havebragging rights about the number of books we’re debuting in this week. Sadly,Keith wins and he’ll happily tell you all about it.

#Tags: Aaron Rosenberg, Brenda Cooper, Bryan JL Glass, Bud Sparhawk, Christopher L- Bennett, Christopher M- Hiles, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, David Sherman, Dayton Ward, Diane Baron, Eric V- Hardenbrok, eSpec Books, Firebringer Press, James Chambers, Jody Lynn Nye, Judi Fleming, Keith DeCandido, Lisanne Norman, Mike McPhail, Russ Colchamiro, slider