It was a simple job—find the naive outlander’s lost journal, lost during a liaison with a local “joyboy”. It sounded liked her client was even more worried about the way he lost his book than he was about the book.
But then the joyboy winds up dead, followed shortly thereafter by her client; and it’s clear she’s not the only one who wants that missing book. Worse, whoever it is, is prepared to kill her to make sure she doesn’t find it.
Pola’s a loner, but this time it’s clear she needs help—if only to make sure no one’s sneaking up behind her with murderous intent.
Just ask Pola Drach, Independent Eye. In a city founded by refugees from a dying earth long ago, she pursues dark secrets and exposes the shadowy underbelly of society. Who killed the ambitious model? And was that who she really was? Who’s forcing shopkeepers to buy worthless stock, and circulating funny money? Why is the youngest scion of one of the city’s richest families suddenly a target?
Ned Cooper had made plenty of enemies with his loud vocal attacks on every religion that wasn’t his, but it didn’t seem to Halvar that was enough to justify a knife in the back. Nevertheless, there he is—dead as one of his own barrels. Then Guardsman Zoltan meets a similar fate, and one with even more suspects given his protection racket on the docks and his constant harassment of the women in the souk.
Are these murders personal, or might they be connected to the muskets the captain of the Belle Fleur was smuggling into Manatas? Was Master Albrecht making gunpowder for those guns? Will Halvar still have a job after his contract expires on New Year’s Day?
The intrepid Dane is once again knee-deep in corpses and on the wrong end of pointed weapons. Can he solve all the mysteries before his term of office ends? And what will he do, stuck in Nova Mundum, if someone doesn’t renew his contract?”
We’re trying something new to give you your series and author fix as soon as possible. The ZP Store is taking advance orders for upcoming eBook Bundles.
Halvar the Hireling, now the Captain of the Town Guard, must deal with the deaths of a messenger boy and a respected professor of mathematics, both of which may be linked to a shipment of arms being smuggled into Manatas. To make matters worse, a cougar has been spotted in the hills north of the town. Sectarian disputes and personal rivalries make for a not-so-happy holiday for this ex-mercenary and reluctant detective.
Artist François Thisdale recently won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. The award is the highest recognition in Canada for Children’s Literature. Two books he illustrated had been shortlisted in previous years. This year he won the Award for his illustrations in the book Missing Nimama. Congrats!
Artist Jared Boggess’ cover for the Assassination of Ambrose Bierce has won the Society of Illustrators 59—one of the top competitions in the states. It will be featured in their exhibit this February. This is his second book cover selected by the Society of Illustrators. Congrats!
Author Rie Sheridan Rose will be participating in this years NaNoWriMo. This will be the 13th year she has participated in the event. Rie commented “some have been more successful than others. ;)” Kudos to all who decide to participate this year. Good luck!
Author Gloria oliver recently released a historical/alternate history/thriller novelette titled Charity and Sacrifice.
Gloria also recently went on an overseas trip for a one week whirlwind tour in the Mediterranean. Here are a couple of tantalizing pictures from her trip.
Author Roberta Rogow’s song “The ship” has been nominated for the Pegasus Award for Best Classic Filk, given by the Ohio Valley Filk Fest. The winner will be announced on November 5, at the convention’s banquet. Let’s wish her luck!
It’s not bad enough that Halvar is stuck in Manatas while Don Felipe is off exploring the New World. Now he’s got a dead ship captain on his hands, a nobleman and his virago wife complaining about their living accommodations, and an enemy from his past who claims to be just passing through.
The bodies, though, seem to keep piling up, while the clues continue to be elusive. There’s something rotten going on, but finding out exactly what it is and whose killing people is turning out to be tougher than any job he’s had so far.
Kate Dolan (writing as K.D. Hays) will be featured in Southern Writers Magazine’s “What’s the Story” section explaining the inspiration for her latest book, Roped In. Since Kate was a jump rope coach for eight years and Roped In is a mystery surrounding a jump rope competition, the story behind the story could have easily stretched to novel length all by itself.
Stephen Tiano – who works as a book designer, Page Compositor and Layour Artist – has been quite busy recently. He’s currently working on three book interiors, one of which is a sort of retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with a transgender twist!
See some of what he’s been working on below.
Author Rajendra Kher has signed a contract with Leadstart Publishing Corp. for his upcoming non-fiction work Life After Life; Lifting the veil on Death. Congrats!
Rie Sheridan Rose has a short story titled “It’s…Complicated” in the anthology Lightships and Sabers which should see release 4/18/16.
Pennwriters – Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction with Barbara Mountjoy (AKA Alana Lorens and Lyndi Alexander)
WEEK ONE:
Discussion of different types of sci fi (hard sci fi, space opera, etc) and fantasy, high fantasy, urban fantasy, etc. Writing assignment will be to sketch out a rough outline of the piece students will be working on for the class, using the above guidelines, whether a short story or novel beginning.
WEEK TWO:
Discussion of tropes and how to avoid them. Drawing characters. Power Point presentation on world-building. Lessons from AVATAR on how to shortcut some world-building by using similar concepts that people already know. Writing assignment will be to continue to embellish the outline with interesting characters, situations and oddities of the world they are creating.
WEEK THREE:
Watching Firefly episode “Out of Gas,” an exercise in learning how to insert small details so that it doesn’t look like heroes are God-moding when they can suddenly do everything at the climax. Writing exercise will be to analyze piece for possible placement of such details.
WEEK FOUR:
Sharing the works we’ve done over the month, feedback offered, “pickles of praise” as well as whatever participants request. Discussion of what might be done to expand this piece into something longer, and encouragement offered!
Babs Mountjoy, who writes for Zumaya as Alana Lorens and Lyndi Alexander, will be teaching two seminars at the Flathead River Virtual Conference. The classes will be: Writing the Series: How to Keep Stories Alive and Building Real and Alien Worlds.
Babs Mountjoy, who writes for Zumaya as Alana Lorens and Lyndi Alexander, will be teaching two seminars at the Flathead River Virtual Conference. The classes will be: Writing the Series: How to Keep Stories Alive and Building Real and Alien Worlds.
Babs Mountjoy, who writes for Zumaya as Alana Lorens and Lyndi Alexander, will be teaching two seminars at the Flathead River Virtual Conference. The classes will be: Writing the Series: How to Keep Stories Alive and Building Real and Alien Worlds.