fingers crossed

Agreement Incapable

I regret to inform you that the motley gang of linear thinking helots and malfunctioning bots infesting Amazon are at it again. And now they've gotten back around to setting beloved Mil-Sci fi authors Jason Anspach and Nick Cole in their sights. Nick broke the news on Twitter. In case…
September 25, 202320 Comments
Mousetrap Murders Banner

The Mousetrap Murders

Today's newpub showcase features a crime thriller by one of my cherished clients. And it's no stretch to tell you that I would recommend this taut mystery novel even if I hadn't edited it. See for yourself what I mean: A man wakes up in his car, unaware of how…
September 22, 2023
Calling It Quits

How to Know When to Quit (And Start Over)

New authors often find themselves lost in the creative wilderness, wrestling with the decision of whether to keep wrestling with a problem manuscript or cut their losses and start over. Writing a book is a challenge. There's no shame in realizing that a project isn't working as planned. Let's look…
September 21, 20238 Comments
Neopatronage Rising

Neopatronage Rising

Innovation is a constant series of creative disruptions. When new ideas meet an established system that's no longer fit for purpose, the result is a shakeup of the order, followed by a new status quo. That's what happened over a decade ago when Amazon put a Kindle in everyone's hands,…
September 15, 20234 Comments
ah! the atmosphere

Setting the Atmosphere

Special Offer: All writing is persuasion. But knowing what approach works and when can be a challenge. Let best selling ghostwriter Joshua Lisec show you the best persuasive techniques to supercharge your writing. Check out his offer now. Writing is about more than scrawling words on a page. It's about…
September 12, 20232 Comments
Tech Guide 2 APOD Cover 640

Tech Guide 2 Is Go

The new tech guide is here. Get yours now! The lushly illustrated Combat Frame Tech Guide II is now available on Amazon in digital and print! Like our first guide, the eBook makes a handy reference for the novels' white-knuckle mech action that's ready to go whenever and wherever you…
September 8, 2023
Princess of Mars protagonist John Carter

How to Write Protagonists

If your protagonist sucks, your story will suck. The engine that drives every story has three parts: a protagonist, something the protagonist wants, and an antagonist (human, environmental, psychological, etc.) who obstructs the protagonist's attainment of that goal. When you relate what the protagonist does to overcome the obstacles in his…
August 29, 20232 Comments
Zero Wing

Make Your Time

For new writers, the challenge of finding a dedicated time to write amid the demands of everyday life can feel like navigating a maze. We all know the exhilaration of having a story to tell or an idea to convey, yet the modern world piles on commitments that seem to…
August 22, 20232 Comments
Final Home

The Final Home

It's newpub book spotlight time! This one's a bit overdue, but good things come to those who wait. From our good friend, author Alexander Hellene: The Reaper has landed! His mission: find the secret of immortality and destroy any who stand in his way. With the Global Union closign in…
August 17, 2023
World Building

The Builder of Worlds

World-building is the element that sets the sci-fi and fantasy subsets of adventure fiction apart from other genres. If you're a budding SFF author, it's am indispensable craft. And mastering it requires finesse and ingenuity. Yet it's not as daunting as some new writers fear. Today, let's explore the intricate…
August 10, 20236 Comments