New Book: Channeling My Inner Dickens

 

All things old become new and visa versa.  It used to be, in the olden times, authors like Charles Dickens, Author Conan Doyle, Alexandre Dumas, even later authors like Ernest Hemingway had their novels first published by chapter.  From the Pickwick Papers to Farewell to Arms, books often used to see their first publication in such a format, as periodicals or in magazines like Scribners.  Now, Amazon is bringing that format back to the public.

The first novel in my new series will be published first on Amazon Vella.  Instead of waiting a year or more for the full novel to be edited, formatted, type set, approved, reproved, reedited, cover illustrated, copy edited, content edited... (you get the idea), you will be able to read nearly as I write it.  I say nearly, because of course my publisher will still be editing etc..., but as proof, the first chapters are already up and available and there will be a new installment every week.  So, how does it all work and what is the new book about.

Click on the photo or the links to Vella and follow Pillaging the Sun.  You'll be notified of new chapters (first three are free) and how to continue the adventure.  Be sure to review and give me a thumbs up—just like any other platform, that all helps.

Here's the promo blurb:

Having barely survived an apocalyptic rise in the earth’s temperature, humanity as only recently recovered a small portion of what they lost—of what they destroyed.   The ingenuity of Montgomery Camden's company Ouranos may have scrubbed the skies of carbon monoxide and given those that remain the shining city of Gaia, but if he can’t find a reliable source of power, all will have been for naught.  Harassed by religious fanatics, public riots, the weight leadership and threats to his family, he looks to the sun, sending settlers across the Great Desert.  Liam leads the expedition, hoping to build a new life for his family—hoping to provide the power the city so desperately needs.  But there is more at stake than just solar fields and onyx skyscrapers.  Even in a world where life is precious, when resources are scarce, there will always be those willing to steal to survive.  There will always be those willing to kill.  Filled with action, intrigue, and coming of age drama, Pillaging the Sun is a science fiction adventure that rings with cautionary truth about our own future, while leading readers on a wild, fantasy ride.

I hope you enjoy.  Be sure to comment and interact wherever you like best.  I love hearing from you all.

Brandon

Virginia, July 2021

30 Day Health Experiment (w/ before and after photos)

 Last month I hurt my knee, or it hurt it self, the exact cause is still a mystery, but regardless I was forced to stop running and gain as much holiday weight as possible.  It was obligatory.  Now that the holidays are over, and unfortunately my knee is still weird, I have had to find a new way to get into shape and attempt to see my abs.

For thirty days I took our puppy for a 2.5 mile daily walk and every hour, for 12 hours a day, I did 20 pushups.  I did this while recommitting to a plant based whole food diet.  What were the results at the end of that thirty days?...

As you can see by the pictures below, there was a remarkable increase in muscle mass and overall vigor.  What most surprised me, however, was the increase in height.  One does not expect, over the age of forty, to get any taller, but as you can see, there is clearly 4 inches gain in height.

In conclusion, I highly recommend those looking for a more humane, healthy way of eating, to give WFPB a try and get to walking.

The Wait Is OVER!

 

Scarlet and the Barrier’s Fall

Book 4 of the Scarlet Hopewell Series!

With strange new alliances, Charles Hopewell has finally found away to get to Scarlet…bring down the barrier that separates the two worlds.  But it’s a decision fraught with danger and unforeseen consequences and the army he and Xavier hoped to built is far from complete.  Scarlet herself must decide whether Aiden Thanerbos, the young man she had once thought of as her mortal enemy can be trusted.  She wants to believe.  She is desperate to save the people who look to her for guidance and protection.  Busy cleaning up the mess from the siege on Washington’s Haven, a battle that nearly cost her everything she holds dear in the New World, she is more desperate than ever to fulfill the destiny of the For Tol Don.

In this fourth installment of the Scarlet Hopewell series, worlds collide in grand scope as the final battle between good and evil looms.  Filled with romance, magic, and grand adventure, everything is about to change as the barrier falls.

It has been a long wait...but the day has finally arrived.  Stars have aligned—all the right things have fallen into place—and all with my first and fabulous editor, Miranda Ottewell, and the designers at Minor Manor Publishing, including the beautiful cover designed by Krister Swartz.  I'm sorry it took so long, but I am hoping, and in fact am pretty confident, it was worth the wait.  The great news for all my fans who have stuck with me and the new fans to come, Book 5, Scarlet and the Shattered Throne, is finished and in the final stages of publishing.  So you won't have to wait long for the conclusion to Scarlet's story.  

 

Corona Poetry?

So, apparently, when trying to nail down the ending for my latest book (a new series that is geared more toward adults), I like to amuse myself by writing poetry.  Who knew?  Good or really bad, at least it gives me something to share.  It's also better than my forcing the ending.  It is going to be a large series and I'm adamant that I will give each book a proper ending and not just a set up to the next novel.

The Viral Siege

The pregnant pause, gravely unspoken

as we now live in the perilous space between.

Our foe swarms wearing Hades Helm

and we wait to bear arms until foe is seen.

Yet bear we must under siege.

We struggle by lonely survival suffered,

wanting in ways comical

to those whose compared need it seems absurd.

Middle aged, we hoard in our collective panic,

lashing out at beloved players,

whose wealth we gladly gave for our amusement,

but now deride, the new scape goat Ayers. 

Heedless, leaderless, guided by a barking clown,

our young, once heroes of our future,

act as petri dish revelers.

Dancing throngs waltzing the aged to butcher.

The learned ones, with exponential models,

with their experiments, and evidence, and epidemics,

with their distancing, and isolating,

with graphs of curved pandemics.

Why hear their call for sanity?

When all is a hoax and we shop for our brand

of fact, of figure, of talking personality,

to tell us truth we shout from our own social newsstand.

Somewhere, between logic and love,

between Gautama and Theodore,

are all the provisions to endure the siege, 

and claim victory of this viral war. 

A Dabble with Poetry

Hello out there.  I have been noticing a bit more traffic to my page, no doubt hoping for new books, but finding nothing new and that is a definite failing on my part.  The books I can't do anything about; publishing is a bit complicated, but I promise books four and five of the Scarlet series are coming.  That being said, I thought I should at least share something.  So here is some poetry.  I'm not really a poet, except in the sense that we all are somewhere in our deepest souls, but I like to dabble.  Forgive the COVID bunker ambiance of the video.  I didn't really think about the visuals until after I recorded it.  Be safe.  Take care of one another, from 6 feet away if possible.  Eat your veggies.  And be kind.

Words.

Words that express.

Words that cherish.

That bring us close,

And give life to laughter.

What words would I have for you,

if in their expression

I could explain my heart?

If in their expression

I could gain passage into yours.

Words.

Words of rage.

Words of contempt.

That render,

Making fluid our morality.

What words would I have for you,

If in their speaking

They could give you my pain?

If in their speaking

I could take back my stolen time.

Words.

Words of kindness.

Words that elevate.

That give us hope

And make promises that might just be kept.

What words would I have for you,

If in their uttering

I could heal with compassion?

If in their uttering

I could forgive and be forgiven.

Words,

So inadequate for love,

Much too powerful in hate.

Words.

Give our inadequate love words power with deeds.

Rob those hate words with our furious grace.

London's Calling

Checking in—this time with a bit more than the usual books and tv.  I made it over the Atlantic to London in addition to what I've been reading and playing, so I have some pictures for this post.

I thoroughly enjoyed the city that I can best describe, no offense meant by the disparity in historical ages, as an amalgamation of New York and Washington D.C.  Due to rebuilding after the bombing in World War II, London has a very modern city vibe, skyscrapers and all, with that financial, busy people doing business things energy.   At the same time, there are scores of tourists crowding the streets and around every corner is a monument, statue, or building that speaks to the city's place as a capital and the United Kingdom's storied and lengthy history as an Empire, Kingdom, and nation.

I had the Rick Steeve's book for London and he mentioned that for Americans traveling to London, and England in general, there is a sense of the familiar, almost a coming home.  I can definitely relate.  Despite some obvious differences, plenty for those like myself who relish the cultural nuances experienced when traveling, there is a great deal of comfort and ease about traveling in London.  There is of course a shared language, but it goes beyond that.  For many Americans, England provides our roots, not only in heritage, but in the formation of our country, its laws, and certainly in our culture.  In addition, I have seen London so many times on big and small screens, read about it through 56 Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and heard about it in history books, the whole trip had a visiting relatives feel about it.

And Summer is Knocking

June is upon us: the end of school, outdoor pools have opened, heat has arrived, and I, like many, am reminded that I'm on the wrong end of getting in shape.

Anyway, been a couple weeks and I thought I check in.

Reading


I'm going to start here because in addition to finishing Mythos, I also read Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Landsing, and the later turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read—certainly one of the best non-fiction.  Not to take anything away from Mythos.  If you enjoy the Greek myths, it really was a terrific way to hear the stories of the God and Titans and Stephen Fry is as witty and funny as always.  Despite showing a remarkable knowledge of the subject, his book is very accessible.

As for Endurance, if you don't already know about Shackleton's Voyage to Antartica, don't look it up.  Just buy Endurance and start reading.  You will be riveted by what is not only fantastic writing—the whole book reads like the best of adventure fiction—but by the thoroughly researched true story.  Tears welled up in my eyes at the end and I am not, by nature, a crier.

Currently, I'm onto fiction and at the suggestion of my best of friends (the same friend that introduced me to Joe Abercrombie) I am reading Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

Television

Ready to play with stingrays off the coast of Grand Cayman

I'm late.  I promised every other Friday and instead, its Monday night and I'm just now getting this done.  But, I hope you'll forgive me.  Salt water and MacBooks don't mix and I was with my beautiful wife on a cruise in the Caribbean.  Although, due to the forces of nature, I wasn't able to dive, we did have a wonderful time and it was certainly nice to leave the government craziness and cold weather behind for a week. 

This trip included Jamaica, Grand Cayman,

Paradise Island (also where they film Corona Comercials)

and the always fun Cozumel.  The people in Jamaica were wonderful, friendly, and full of life, but the weather was bad and the beach chilly.  Grand Cayman (my dive location for the trip) was beautiful—apparently the currents prevented the dive.  We swam with Stingrays on a sandbar off the coast and saw sea turtles at the sanctuary.  Definitely one of the more built up islands with sections rather indistinguishable from the United States or England.  And Cozumel.  If you aren't having a good time in Cozumel, you're hopeless.  We took a speedboat to Paradise Island and laid out on the white sandy beach and swam in water a clear postcard blue-green.

But I'm back now, and hopefully back on track with deadlines, posts, and podcasts.  The first reviews for Scarlet and the Queen of the New World have been fantastic.  A few highlights:

Drinking Cortadito in the Havana Bar on the ship  

"I just can not say enough wonderful things about this series! From the first page in the first book, you are completely drawn in!" Sarah P.

"This book is amazing as its predecessors." Erin Tucker

"I have waited close to a year for this book, and I have to say, I was not disappointed!!!"

Long Live the Queen

Click to Buy

The new year approaches—in fact it is well within striking distance—and with it comes the hopes and aspirations, resolutions and lofty goal setting that comes with every annual trip around the sun.  I, myself, have set a lofty goal—one I'm so resolute on that I plan on delivering early.  The great news is, that some of you no doubt are going to resolve to read more.  How fortuitous...
Available today on Kindle and at the start of the new year in paperback, I give you 
Scarlet Hopewell and the Queen of the New World!

It has taken a great deal of hard work from my publisher,
Manor Minor Press, and their team of editors, illustrators, and designers, but it was well worth it.  I'm thrilled to have you all read this third volume in Scarlet Hopewell's adventures and to take you back to Satorium to catch up with old friends, and meet some exciting new characters.

Half a World and Curse You Xbox

Books

Amazon Link

I finished Half a King and without pause moved straight into the sequel, Half a World.  Joe Abercrombie still reigns supreme in my mind, although, now halfway into the second book, I will say that I am a bit confused as who the target audience is.  The language, topically at least, has ventured past what I would consider acceptable for my young adult daughter.  Perhaps more in the fifteen year old range.  Not sure.  Other than that minor confusion, I am loving the series.  The sequel opened up the world of the Shattered Sea quite a bit, brought on new characters, and changed the dynamic of the series toward a grander adventure than Half a King.

Amazon Link

I keep picking away at The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt—five minutes here, ten minutes there.  Don't let the dawdling pace at which I am reading the hefty book lead you to believe I am not enjoying it.  This is certainly not the case.  I find the writing superb and the subject fascinating.  To be honest, I have no explanation for why it is taking me so long to finish it expect to say that maybe I am reading slow because it is so good.

Xbox

I'm having to restrain myself from littering the screen with negative emoticons at this particular sore subject.  The drought continues.  Where are the games?  It seems as if we were better off with the older system.  It strikes me as a bit odd to replace the Xbox 360 with the newest technology only to use it as a glorified tv remote.  

TV

My TV watching has consisted of the following.  Littlest Petshop, Cupcake Wars, My Little Pony, and House of Cards.  I will let you guess to whom the control of the remote control lies.  

Ok, back to work...

Half a King and the Last Episode of Downton Abbey

Sadly, my wife and I have watched the last episode of Downton Abbey and have been forced to search for new binge watching options to fulfill our hour of TV watching in the evening.  After a small period of nomad scrolling through the Roku menus of Netflix and Amazon Prime, we have settled on House of Cards.  I'll let you know how it goes, but so far, it seems pretty good with a heavy focus on politics.  While I do appreciate the occasional political intrigue, I am a little dismayed that in August, well over a year until the 2016 presidential election, my Washington-Post-morning-coffee-ritual has been consumed by candidates for such a distant election.  I am resolved to the fact that the paper will be taken over by such "news" eventually, but in August?  Over a year ahead?  Come on.  Surely there are more important things going on in the world.

Amazon Link

I'm still working my way through The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, the first volume in the pulitzer prize winning biography by Edmund Morris.  It is an excellent book about a tremendous American, but it's dense in its scope and research.  Not boring, by any means, but dense.  Well worth the effort and I highly recommend to any young person (or old) as an example of what a person can achieve with hard work and a persevering spirit.

Amazon Link

I picked up Half a King from one of my favorites, Joe Abercrombie, whose previous books, despite being some of the best Fantasy novels of all time, I couldn't recommend to anyone under the age of sixteen.  Half a King on the other hand, is a young adult offering from the master of character development and raw, in your face action, and so far, it is quite good.  He has, for obvious reasons, toned down some of the blunt violence and language he is so brilliant at, but the book is quite entertaining nonetheless.

As for my writing and the forthcoming Queen of the New World: I'm slowly building the new series I mentioned in my last post.  I'm not throwing all my literary powers at the series just yet, but I'm excited about the direction it's taking.  I'm still hopeful that Queen of the New World (Book 3 in the Scarlet Hopewell Series) will be out by Christmas, but I am at the mercy of the publishers and have little control over the scheduling setbacks they are experiencing.

Hope the summer is finding all well and as always, I love to here from fans and critics.  Don't be afraid to drop me a line.

Brandon

Summer Break

It's well past time I checked in and gave some sort of an update.  It has been a busy couple of months full of moving, author talks, summer time with my wife and daughters, and, after a bit of a hiatus, writing.

After finishing the Scarlet Hopewell Series and turning over the final manuscript to Manor Minor Press, I took an extended break from my good old Mont Blanc and keyboard and let my mind wander.  I had the beginnings of the idea for my new series, but the idea needed some incubation time.  The concept has now fully hatched and the words are flowing onto the page.  I can't say, as of yet, whether I like the new series more or less than Scarlet; she is a hard character to let go of, but I am enjoying the journey, which is a very good sign.

Now, many of you might be asking yourselves, "Wait a minute! We haven't even gotten to read book three of Scarlet and there's two more after that."  I know.  The publishing world is a bit strange.  But, the good news is, you won't be waiting on me to finish, just on the schedule the publishers set out.  The other way around and it could be worse.  I do know that Scarlet and the Queen of the New World has had its first pass with the editor, which means by Christmas, it should be lighting up your kindle or siting on your bedside table.

And with that, I leave you with a picture of our dog, taken with the Disney Faces App.  Why?  Because it was too disturbing not to share.

Book Five?

Hello readers,

I thought I'd check in and drop of few lines.  I might have mentioned that I recently wrapped up the first draft of the last book in the Scarlet Hopewell Series, and as it turns out, while still technically true, there will no longer be four books in the series.  Instead, there will be five.  Now, I promise this is not a drag things out kinda of thing.  It turns out that there was just way too much story to tell for a single fourth volume.  The good news is the story is complete and will be delivered to you all in a timely manner.  You will certainly not have to wait five years between books only to then be taunted by an excellent TV series while you wait desperately for the next volume with no apparent conclusion in sight.  I speak of course hypothetically and am not in any way directing these comments at a very specific author.
Meanwhile, Scarlet and the Dragon's Burden has begun picking up steam and has seen the top of the charts on Amazon in many genre categories, which is fantastic.  So far, everyone seems to be enjoying Dragon's Burden as much if not more than Scarlet and the Keepers of Light.  According to reliable sources (and I don't mean just my family) book three, Scarlet and the Queen of the New World, is even better.  Sorry, had to throw out a little teaser.
Plans from here...Well, there is still a lot of editing, covers, audio books, promotions, and fun to be had with Scarlet in the future, but in the mean time I am brainstorming ideas for the next series.  No hints yet, but I promise I'm not just sitting around my office watching clips of Top Gear and playing video games.  I am most certainly very busy.
I hope this post finds you all well and daydreaming.  Keep reading.
Brandon

The Wisdom of an Editor

I can now say from experience, short lived though it may be, that for a writer, having a good editor is essential.  Especially, if like me, you are prone to imaginative outbursts and tend to consistently overlook things like grammar.  There are two types of editors.  Those who first read your books and tell you whether or not you are completely fooling yourself, then correct some of the obvious blunders you have made.  I can not begin to thank my mother for fulfilling this role for me for so many years.  I think I have finally learned my diner/dinner lesson.  And then there are professional editors, like the fabulous lady whom currently is in possession of Scarlet and the Keepers of the Light.  Two things you learn once a professional editor gets a hold of your work.  First, hopefully, that you have talent and a great story and second, you have made a great deal of mistakes.  Then comes the best part of all...you learn.

Finally, Some News

Welcome to the new formatted webpage.  Put up some new window dressing for my first post in way too long.  It has been a busy and productive 6 months, unfortunately though, not for writing.  I've lost 55 pounds and gotten in fantastic shape.  I switched to an all plant whole foods diet.  I feel like Superman.  Ran the Tough Mudder and started a Master's degree.  While none of these things helps you get the last book in the Scarlet series any faster, they were necessary to get myself in the right place to begin working in earnest.  I lost Leah, my German Shepherd and the inspiration for Dakota, and it was difficult for me to write.  It's hard to bring characters to a page who are so closely tied to something in real life when the wounds are still fresh.  Having already lost Banjo, the inspiration for Cricket, last December, it wasn't easy to move on.  Work has now begun in earnest though and I'm finding it bitter sweet and rewarding to see my beloved dogs live again on the page.
I am also pleased to announce that I have a new, highly acclaimed editor who I will be working with on the final book and also on the revamping of the previous novels in the Scarlet Series.  Starting with Scarlet and the Keepers of the Light, which will see a new cover, formatting, editing for content, and grammar and will be rereleased in March.  We are looking at the last Scarlet Hopewell novel in the series for a late summer release.

Scarlet and the....

Work has begun on the fourth and final book of the Scarlet Hopewell series.  As you can imagine I'm getting a bit of pressure from fans, friends and family not to pull a George R. R. Martin and make them wait too long.  It is still my hope that it will be this coming Christmas for the release, although with the amount of I's and T's that need to be crossed in order to answer everyone's questions and give closure to all the characters will make this certainly the most ambitious of the four books.  As of today, I still don't have a title, but I promise that once I have one I will share along with the cover.
In the meantime, I will try to keep everyone up to date on my work and the republishing of my non young adult fiction.  If you are interested in health, nutrition and excercise, I'm also starting a new blog based on my experiences which I gave a taste of in my last post.  You can get to the new blog by clicking the Superpowered tab above.  Until next time...

Been a While

The funny thing about time is that it keeps moving whether you're busy or bored, happy or sad, at peace or in a crisis.  I've written before about time with a humorous spin on its passage and our perception of it and I mention it here in my fist post in over three months because I have been lost in the phenomenon and have neglected those of you who might enjoy reading new posts.  A lot has happen in three months: some good, some life changing, and certainly one event which comes sadly with getting older.  So, I'm going to catch you up, apologize for missing many a deadline and then tell the Scarlet fans out there when they can expect Scarlet and the Queen of the New World, sorta.

My Nana, the most beautiful person I've ever known.

My grandmother, my Nana, died a little bit before Christmas.  Alzheimer's Disease had taken her mind and eventually her body, leaving only her beautiful soul as a presence in our lives.  My mother and aunt had worked tirelessly to take care of her and until the very moment she passed, they both gave their mother a peaceful and graceful end with more courage than I could ever imagine.  Courage, it seems, comes in many forms, and in my mother and aunt I saw courage of will, strength, and heart.  I don't know when I will ever see such a selfless display of love and devotion again in my lifetime or something so heart-wrenching and beautiful.  Many people have shaped who I have become as a man, father and husband.  I am far from perfect and sometimes cruel.  Sometimes I'm neglectful.  I have a Peter Pan complex that I know annoys a few of the more responsible people in my life.  Sometimes I drift into my own little world.  Sometimes I am arrogant and quick to irritation.  But when I am at my best.  When I'm loving and kind, humble and self assured.  When I feel like I can accomplish anything if I just give it my all.  When I feel loved...I can't help but think of Elizabeth Charles, my Nana.  And now, when I think of courage, I will think of my mother and aunt.

In addition to being a writer, and unfortunately for those of you who only know me through my books and blog, I am a firefighter.  I spent the past year in paramedic school to upgrade from an EMT and have spent the past few months completing my internship so that I could operate as a Paramedic in my fire department.  It took up a great deal of my time and with the other obligations in my life, I let my writing fall through the cracks.  I'm am happy to say that I'm done and am now a fire fighter/paramedic and thus far it has been a highly rewarding decision.  It has added another dimension to what really is one of the best jobs in the world.

So now, the apology.  In big type large font with a countdown timer, I announced that Scarlet and the Queen of the New World would be released on Christmas.  That didn't happen and I'm sorry.  The book is in its final stages of editing and in an effort not to repeat mistakes I made the first time around, I'm not rushing it to print.  Unfortunately I can only tell you that it will be soon.  I don't want to give a deadline and find out that it can't happen.  As soon as I know, however, I will put out a new timer a week or two out and wait anxiously to hear what everyone thinks of Scarlet's continued adventure.  Look for me back on Twitter and Facebook this week.  If you've written me, I'm not ignoring you specifically, more like Twitter and Facebook as a whole.  It was nothing personal and I appreciate you all more than you know.

Finally, thanks for reading.  I hope my absence hasn't completely chased you all away and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments.