Tag Archives: Natasha Hayden

News, Appearances, Announcements

I’m returning to Summer’s Stories!

After graciously hosting my first ever book signing for Pandora’s Box last year, I’ll be returning to Summer’s Stories in Kendallville, Indiana, with Natasha Hayden and Timothy Deal to sign and sell copies of Destroyer. The signing will be September 17 from 1PM-3PM. It will be primarily for Destroyer, but I will also bring a few copies of my other book(s) (see my next announcement).

So don’t miss this rare opportunity to get a copy of this new novella from Novel Concept signed by all three authors!

News, Appearances, Announcements

New book signings posted

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I just updated my “Appearances” page with two new book signings.

On Saturday, September 24, 2011, I will return to the former campus of my alma mater, Taylor University Fort Wayne, for the Fort Wayne Celebrates event. This (hopefully) annual event is the replacement for my campus’ homecoming. My friends/fellow authors Nick Hayden, Natasha Hayden, Timothy Deal, and perhaps a few more will be present, signing and selling books at a booth in the event’s marketplace from 12PM-5PM. We’ll be there off and on while enjoying the many events going on that day, but please come see us. I will be selling and signing copies of Pandora’s Box, Destroyer, and the forthcoming The Day After.

Then Saturday, October 15, 2011, I will be signing copies of Destroyer at the North Webster Community Public Library from 10AM-12PM. I may also bring a few copies of the other aforementioned books.

Stay tuned for other news about book signings!

News, Novellas, Announcements

‘Destroyer’ now available as an ebook!

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It was a little more difficult to do than I expected, but Destroyer, my recently self-published novella co-written with Natasha Hayden and Timothy Deal, is now available as an ebook on www.Smashwords.com! Now you can download it and read it on your Kindle, iPhone, and other mobile devices. Just go here. You can also check out my Smashwords profile page (although it’s not much different from my profile here).

Be warned: I am still working out some bugs with the book’s formatting. So, if it looks a little odd in places, let me know, and I’ll try to iron it out. Thank, faithful readers!

News, Novellas, Announcements

‘Destroyer’ now available in print! (FINALLY!)

Cover art by Tyler Sowles

After fighting a long battle with Lulu.com‘s cover wizard program, I am ecstatic to announce that Destroyer has been self-published in print! This is a  novella I co-wrote with Natasha Hayden and Timothy Deal from 2008-2009 as part of a year-long “Pulp Fiction Project” we and our writer friends did. I chose to write a “monster story” (which, as one guy pointed out, meant I could write “everything from Frankenstein to Godzilla”) and spent three months writing part one (about 10,000 words). The goal was to have a 30,000 word  book by the end of the project. Then at our follow-up meetings throughout the year, we drew names from a hat, and that person wrote the next section of the story. Those fell to Natasha for part two and Timothy for part three.

I decided several months ago it was time for this to get published.

Destroyer tells the tale of a group of scientists and soldiers who create a giant cybernetic dragon to end a war, but the creature goes berserk and strands them in Moscow, one of the enemy capitals, and goes on a rampage.

I know that sounds like a B-movie plot, but I promise you it is closer to the movie Cloverfield, and it even has some shades of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was, I will admit, inspired by a few Godzilla movies.

Regardless, it is available here on Lulu.com as a paperback and as a downloadable PDF. It will soon be available as an eBook on www.SmashWords.com, so you can take it anywhere on your mobile device.

Prepare yourself for some thrills and chills, readers!

News, Announcements

‘Destroyer’ cover art finished and revealed!

After a month of work (and a few short delays), the cover art for Destroyer, a pulpy science fiction novella I co-wrote with my writer friends Natasha Hayden and Timothy Deal, has been finished!

Take a gander:

The cover painting for 'Destroyer' by Tyler Sowles.

This cover painting was created by Tyler Sowles, who I found by placing an ad in the Godzilla fanzine, G-Fan. I highly recommend checking out Tyler’s website: www.thekillustrator.com. If you’re into monsters and/or superheroes, he has a lot of artwork related to those sorts of characters.

Destroyer tells the tale of a group of scientists and soldiers who create a giant cybernetic dragon to end a war, but the creature goes berserk and strands them in Moscow, one of the enemy capitals, and goes on a rampage.

The book will soon be available in print from www.Lulu.com and as an eBook from www.SmashWords.com. It will also be the latest “publication” from Novel Concept (more on that later).

Stay tuned for more updates.

News, Announcements

‘Pandora’s Box’ reiewed on Natasha’s Shelf

My friend Natasha had the honor of being the first to review my first novel, Pandora’s Box. She posted her review on her website, Natasha’s Shelf, where she reviews many books, movies, and TV shows. I was very happy withy what she said. You can read it here. Be sure to subsribe to her site as she has many great insights in her reviews (and I don’t just say that because she’s my friend).

News, Announcements

Audio version of ‘Pandora’s Box’ prologue posted!

Remember that podcast I was on this week? Well, the hosts of the podcast, my amazing friends Nick Hayden and Tim Deal, surprised me today by posting a recording of Nick’s wife, Natasha (who, by the way, was the winner of the tagline contest I had a few months back), reading the prologue of Pandora’s Box!

In my excitement, I posted this comment on their website:

“Oh. My. Gosh! I can’t begin to tell you how excited this makes me! Heck, my hands are trembling with excitement as I type this. This is an absolutely wonderful surprise. In fact, it reminds me of an idea I had for an audiobook version of my novel. It would require two readers, one as the narrator (I had imagined I would read for that), and one as [Pvt. Brewer’s] journal, which would be read by a woman.

“I had actually thought about recording a recitation of the prologue myself, but you’ve beaten me to it, and I thank you.”

What makes it perfect is that Natasha is a redhead, just like Pvt. Brewer.

So what are you waiting for? Go listen to this great reading!

News, Announcements

Tagline Contest Winner

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It wasn’t easy picking a winner for the Tagline Contest. I received many creative, funny, and downright cool entries. I had to pick the one that best described me and my website. But after careful consideration, I have made up my mind.

And the winner is…

::drum roll::

Natasha Hayden with, “A Man from Another Time Exploring Another Universe.”

Her tagline will be added to my site, and she will receive a free autographed copy of my first novel, “Pandora’s Box,” when it is published.

But since many of the entries were so good, I have decided to list the “Honorable Mentions,” all of which I will use on the pages of my website, so be sure to go back and explore the site to find them.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Nick Hayden: “Down the wormhole…”
Keith Osmun: “Author, world-builder, and available bachelor.”
Amanda Luedeke: “Let there be legends.” (This sounds so awesome, I may use it as a title for a story).
Jeremy Sheer: “Where every entrance is a new destination.”
Sean Smuts: “Here there be stories.”

Now I will give out some Stan Lee-style “No-Prize” awards for the remaining entries.

MOST LIKELY TO APPEAR ON MY BUSINESS CARD
Bridgette Oakes: “Author, world-builder, pioneer.” (And I promise it will be on my business cards).

THE “WHAT-THE-HECK?!” AWARD
Christopher Michael Carson: ” The world is better without war and destruction in our lives.” (Seriously, dude, what does that have to do with my website?)

NERDIEST TAGLINE
A tie between…
Van Tilburg: “Bazinga!” (a line from CBS’s “Big Bang Theory”)
Sean Smuts: “Never tell me the odds…I already beat them.” (Funny, though you apparently missed the rule that said there was limit one entry per person. Were you submitting one for your wife, Becky?)

THE “COULD-HAVE-BEEN-HONORABLE-MENTIONS-IF-I-HAD-MORE-ROOM” AWARD (These may be used on my website, too)
A tie between…
Zach VanHuisen: “A plethora of galaxies beyond mere imagining.”
Laura Brooks: “Dive into the unexplainable, indescribable, world of Nate.”
Sarah Marchand: “A man with a pen and the heart to back it up.”

Thank you all so much for your participation! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!