After a few too many years, I’m publishing a new collection of rare and unpublished short stories! WhileVolume One was all science fiction and fantasy stories, this book will be all literary stories with the occasional thriller. Many could even be called “romantic comedies.”
This cover is a photograph taken and edited by my sister, Sarah Marchand. It was snapped in a back alley in the small town of Columbia City, Indiana. The cape, which is part of a Christopher Reeve Superman costume I own, factors into my favorite story in the collection, “The Discarded Gift.” Appropriately, it’s a Christmas story.
The (current) promo copy for the book reads:
FOR THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC IN ALL OF US…
Nathan Marchand dipped into his story vault to take you to fantastical worlds in his first collection, and now he takes you to…your neighborhood.
These (mostly) down-to-earth literary stories feature lost souls in search of redemption and lovelorn romantics in search of, well, love. They look in a graveyard, Washington, D.C., a WWII airplane hangar, an arcade, and the small Midwestern town of Vienna. Their problems range from flat tires to a discarded Superman cape to a kidnapped daughter. At every turn in every story, loneliness and love wage battles for the seekers’ hearts and minds. These everyday heroes never come out unscathed, but their very human quests for connection, no matter how unattainable it seems, cannot be denied. Each story includes a short introduction by Marchand, which gives readers insight into his creative process.
So, get cozy in your favorite reading spot for 15 Tales of the Lost and Lonely, many of which are published for the first time in this little volume!
The tentative release for the book is December 16. Watch for more announcements!
In case you noticed, the posts with my short stories on this website are no longer accessible. That’s because I’m publishing them in my new collection, The Worlds of Nathan Marchand, Vol. 2: Tales of the Lost and Lonely. I did the same thing when volume one was published. Fret not! This collection will include those and previously unpublished stories–including a sequel or two to some of the ones posted here.
More importantly, I will post the cover for Volume 2 Monday, December 1. It will be here and on all of my socials. It’s a photo cover created by my sister, Sarah Marchand, although I did add text.
My goal is to have the book published before Christmas. I need to get into the habit of publishing a new book every year. I’m sure I’ve said that a few times on this website.
Hello, friends, fans, foes, and everyone in between! It’s been a while since I’ve posted an update, but that’s mostly because I’ve been keeping myself busy. I have an uncanny talent for trending toward workaholism. There’s a lot I need to tell you, and a bit I’m keeping close to the vest for the time being.
First, I’ve been thinking that, while I’ve used this website as a blog to post both updates and opinion pieces, I may shift the latter to a Substack. I’m still looking into that platform, but if it seems viable, I may start a new blog there in the next few months. If I do, this website will focus more on updates pertaining to my book and fiction projects.
Speaking of which, I’ve finished editing my next short story collection, The Worlds of Nathan Marchand, Vol. 2: Tales of the Lost and Lonely. The next step is to create the cover, which I’m doing with my photographer sister, Sarah, this week. Hopefully, this book will be out before Christmas. It’s a collection of mostly unpublished literary short stories (although some have appeared on this website). My goal is to get back into the habit of publishing at least one new book every year, starting with this.
On the podcasting front, I continue to record and publish episodes for both The Monster Island Film Vault and Henshin Power V3. However, I am neck-deep in production for a special audiodrama episode I’m co-writing with my friend Joy Metter called Gamera Saves Christmas. In this fanfic, an angry teenage girl and her younger twin siblings are swept up into an adventure where they must help Gamera defeat a reindeer kaiju at the command of Santa’s evil brother, Krampus, who has invaded the North Pole with his Goblin horde. The script should be finalized and sent out to the actors this week. My plan is to release the episode Christmas Eve.
The next book projects for 2026 will be sequels to Destroyer. The first is my current WIP, Apollyon: Body and Soul(working title), which will be followed by Apollyon: Haunted Legacy(working title). I have one publisher who is interested in picking up these and the first book (which may get retitled). I have a second publisher to whom I’ll send proposals for these books.
Amidst all of this, I’ve updated my website with my portfolio. This is an ongoing project, as many of my online articles were on websites that no longer exist, or they were only published in print. A key part of this is the redesigned “Books“ page. It looks much better now and includes all the anthologies I have short stories and essays in.
All of that to say, you have a lot to look forward to from me in the next year! Stay tuned!
This summer (and hopefully before Gen-Con), I plan to release another short story collection that will be titled The Worlds of Nathan Marchand, Vol. 2: Tales of the Lost and Lonely. It’ll be another anthology of unpublished stories spanning my entire writing career, from college to today (well, close enough).
Unlike in Volume 1, these stories won’t be speculative fiction (with one possible exception), but many will involve “nerdy” things. For example, the flagship story involves a young man in a small town trying to return a collectible Superman cape he found in a dumpster on Christmas Eve. You may recognize some of the stories because many were once available on this very website.
As with Volume 1, I’m including short intros for each story that explains their origins. Some stories were written for college classes; others were the products of prompts from a writers group I used to attend.
Currently, my sister, Sarah, is editing the book and working on a photographic cover. Once those are done, it will be in print quickly.
In case you didn’t know, I’ve been part of Scyther Podcasts’ stable of actors for a few years now. This is a group run by Karl Dutton that makes fan-produced audiodramas, most notably for X-Men and Power Rangers. While I’ve played (of all people) Deadpool on X-Men: The Audiodrama and as Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) on its spin-off Avengers: The Audiodrama (which is run by Mitch McFarland), my first claim to fame at Scyther was playing the darkly funny supervillain Rito Bandora (aka Rito Revolto in his original incranation) on Power Rangers: The Audiodrama (see image to the right). Unbeknownst to me, Scyther’s Rito became a fan-favorite.
Because of this and some…spoiler-ific events in PRAD, I pitched an idea to Karl to write and produce a bonus episode that expands on the background for Rito that’s briefly discussed in a few episodes of the main show. He approved the outline, and after a few months of drafting the script, I went into production for my first full-lnegth audiodrama. I say, “full-length,” because I’ve produced shorter drama segments on my flagship podcast, The Monster Island Film Vault, but the longest any of those got was about 20 minutes. This special clocks in at 55 minutes. I Mel Gibson’d the snot out of this; writing, directing, editing, producing, and starring in it. I even commissioned my friend Rebecca Hudgens to do the cover art and purchased the rights to a metal song to use as the episode’s theme song. I’ve joked that the episode should be retitled, “Nate’s Vanity Project.”
So, sit back and enjoy this dark science fantasy comedy!
You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Be sure to watch me be interviewed about the background of this special on The Power Chamber Podcast.
I’m excited to announce that I’m one of the contributors to the upcoming anthology A Time for Everything, a collection of time travel short stories inspired by Ecclesiastes 3. My story involves time travel through ballroom dance!
As an FYI to my readers, I have removed several of my speculative fiction stories from my website. These include “Bow to Your Sensei,” “Baptized in Fire,” and several others. I did so because they’ve been published in my short story collection, The Worlds of Nathan Marchand. You can always read them there. I appreciate your readership and support. Thanks!
My book signings have been few and far between since the pandemic, but now I’m finally getting back into the swing of things! The next six months or so will be quite busy for me when it comes to conventions, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be back in my element (well, my other element). So, here’s a quick rundown of my upcoming appearances.
Local Author Fair – Eckhart Public Library in Auburn, IN DATE: April 22, 2023. TIME: 10am-2pm LOCATION: Eckhart Public Library – Auburn, IN
I’ll be one of 15 local authors from northeast Indiana selling books at the Eckhart Public Library. I’ll also be part of the fiction writing panel (the other two are on nonfiction and poetry). The Brown House Foodmobile and Hoosier Mama food trucks will be there.
Days of the Dead – All Monsters Attack 2: Chicago S.O.S. DATE: May 7-9, 2023 TIME: Friday: 5pm-10pm Saturday: 11am-7pm Sunday: 11am-4pm LOCATION: Crowne Plaza Chicago Ohare Hotel & Conf Ctr. Rosemont, IL
I attended this upstart spin-off convention last fall as a con-goer, but this year I’ll be tabling there to promote Kaiju Ramen Magazine, a publication for which I edit and write. It’s a kaiju-focused con with a guest list that goes on for days. Check out the convention’s website for more details.
JAFAX DATE: June 9-11, 2023 LOCATION: DeVos Place Convention Center – Grand Rapids, MI
My friend Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel is in the process of acquiring a table that he will share with me and our friends Tim and Becky Smith of the Redeemed Otaku podcast. This is an anime convention. I’ve never attended it before, so I don’t know what it’s like. Because we don’t have a table guaranteed, my attendance is uncertain, so stay tuned for more. Read more about the event on its website.
G-Fest XXVIII DATE: July 14-16, 2023 LOCATION: Hyatt Regency O’Hare – Rosemont, IL
The biggest kaiju convention in North America returns to the Hyatt in Rosemont. I’ll be part of several panels on various subjects and attending many events. The details of the panels are still being worked out, so stay tuned! Learn more about the show at the G-FAN magazine website and the event’s new website.
Gen-Con 2023 DATE: Aug. 3-6, 2023 LOCATION: Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN
After taking a year off, I return to the “best four days in gaming” in Authors Avenue. I may also look into hosting some events. This is my flagship convention, and I can’t wait to see my Gen-Con friends again! Learn more about the event on its website.
The next few conventions are events I’m interested in attending or have been offered a spot by friends, but details are still being worked out. I’m including them so you know where I might be. Watch for updates!
I will be tabling at a small
convention, and I have applied to table at another local author event. Both
will be in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The first will be Fantasticon Fort Wayne, which is being held September 21-22, 2019. Eric Anderson, founder of Nerd Chapel and my co-author on the 42 books, will also be there, but we’re not tabling together. The con announced that they would be selling five heavily-discounted tables last week, so I jumped at the opportunity. I wasn’t sure I’d snag a table, but I got lucky (or was “blessed,” if you’re the religious type). I’ll be selling and signing my books (although Eric will be selling the 42, so get them from him) and promoting my upcoming podcast The Monster Island Film Vault, which is launching September 25.
According to the
convention’s website,
Fantasticon is a mid-size show created for true comic book and pop culture collectors and fans. The fans that come to our shows are true collectors that are looking for those rare items for their personal collections. Most leave very satisfied as we pride ourselves on having great dealers and artists at our shows. If you collect it, you will find it at a Fantasticon Show.
Fantasticon is proud to have a presence in multiple cities throughout the mid-west. Currently we are in five different cities, in three different states including Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
We also, are very proud of the fact that our admission price is the lowest of any other comparable shows. And the cost for being an exhibitor or artist at the Fantasticon is far less than any comparable comic cons out there.
While I haven’t received a
confirmation yet, I have applied to table to table at the annual Local Author
Book Fair, which will be held November
30, 2019, from 10am-4pm at the main branch of the Allen County Public Library. Find
out more info here
on ACPL’s blog.
Another Gen Con has come
and gone. As usual, it’s a working vacation for me, but it’s also the biggest
show I do every year. I haven’t heard attendance numbers yet, but I’m sure it’s
comparable to the years with 60,000 attendees.
Calling it a “working
vacation” was more accurate than ever this year. Due to some last-minute
financial setbacks, I didn’t have much spending money, so I couldn’t make it to
many events or buy new games. Couple that with the fact that I wouldn’t leave
my table for more than an hour at a time from 10am-6pm most days, and I spent
most of my time in the dealer hall. My friend and co-author Eric Anderson,
founder of Nerd
Chapel, would slip away and play some games throughout the day. In
other words, I did all the work, and he had all the fun. (Just kidding, Eric!)
I wasn’t able to get to
Indianapolis (or “Indy,” as we Hoosiers call it) until late Wednesday night,
which did throw a monkey wrench into the weekend, but that’s what happens when
you have other commitments right up to the convention. I stayed at the Sheraton
with Eric and his friend Matt Gort (and yes, he has cosplayed the
robot from The Day the Earth Stood
Still), which was a 10-15 minute walk from the Indiana Convention Center. I
went to the ICC to get my event tickets, but even at 11:30pm, the line went on
forever. So, I decided to wait until the next day.
I scrambled to get into
the dealer hall to set up in Authors Avenue before 9am when I thought the VIGs
(Very Important Gamers) would come in before everyone else like in years past,
but that didn’t happen. There was no early access; everyone came in at 10am. I
realized I could’ve gotten my tickets then. That would’ve been nice to know. I’m
pretty sure I was told this was still happening this year. Oh well.
The game Horrified.
Who needs a “booth babe” when you have bearded Waldo? 😛
I spent the whole day in
the dealer hall since I was unable to get my event tickets. I joke every year
that I need a “booth babe,” but Eric cosplaying as a bearded Waldo might been
even better. While financial setbacks left me with little spending money for
the show, I did wander into the play test hall and tried Horrified, a
new cooperative board game themed around the Universal Horror Monsters. My
fellow players and I managed to defeat Dracula and the Creature from the Black
Lagoon. The day ended with what became my nightly routine with Eric: playing
the amazing game Unmatched,
which saw an early release at Gen Con. It’s the glorious lovechild of Heroscape
and Star Wars: Epic Duels, two of our favorite games.
Eric and I with a fellow Starfleet officer.
Friday was much the same as Thursday, although I was able to slip away for one writing seminar at the Writers Symposium. Eric and I both did Star Trek cosplays, with me as Capt. Kirk and him as Cmd. Riker. That evening Eric and I had dinner with a guy (whose name escapes me now, sorry!) who was curious about Nerd Chapel and our work. I (and eventually Eric) then spent the evening at the Love Thy Nerd meet-up, where I played Dice Throne Adventures. I was a barbarian, so I made sure to crush my enemies and see them driven before me. 😛
Speaking of Star Trek, I met Chris Spurgin from Five Year Mission, who gave me a free copy of their latest album for recognizing him. Score!
The upcoming game Deliverance.
Saturday was all work. I
wanted to go to one writing seminar, but I was too busy in the hall. I expected
as much. It’s usually the busiest day. Afterward, me and Eric’s friend Darrin
joined us at the InnRoads
Ministry meet-up. There was food (including homemade pretzel bites that
were my crack for the evening), fellowship, prizes, and of course, games. I
learned about a spiritual warfare-themed dungeon crawl fantasy game called Deliverance, where players
take on the roles of angels fighting demons in a church. However, we spent our
time playing Unmatched and showing it to InnRoads’ leader, Michael. The evening
was capped with Darrin, Eric, and I returning to the Sheraton for one more game
of Unmatched. (By the way, I won every Unmatched game I played and Eric lost
all of his. I felt bad).
The banner that welcomed attendees to the worship service.
Sunday began with the Christian Gamers Guild’s
worship service, which is always a highlight of the weekend. It’s not often I’m
in a room full of fellow Christian nerds worshipping God. I was then in the
dealer hall from 10am-4pm. Eric and Gort left early, so I alone was left to
tear down and return everything to my car (which was in the cheapest parking
garage I could find). The shelving I brought was too cumbersome, so a pair of
Good Samaritans from Texas named Jim and Kathy helped me get everything there.
I never would’ve made it myself. I gave them free books as a thank you,
although Kathy had to insist that they take them.
Trogdor the Board Game!!
Wanting a little downtime
before the two-hour drive back to Fort Wayne, I met up with Darrin, his wife
Michelle, and one of their friends. We tried to find a meet-up but were unable
to find them, so we set up in the lobby and played “Trogdor the Board Game!!”
As a fan of the Homestar Runner website,
I loved it. I’m happy to say we won—everything was burninated!
With that, I drove home.
It wasn’t the best year
of the con (my fellow authors and I have some things we want to discuss with
the managers of Authors Avenue), but it was still a good time.
