We’re coming to the close of summer, and it’s as hot as Hades in the southern United States. We’ve had a few hints of lower temperature, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that walking outside is like moving slowly through boiling water. It’s as humid as heck and hot enough to cook your food on the blacktop. But that’s why we have air conditioning, right?

Myself, I’ve been keeping out of the heat by finishing up edits on Drowning Earth. The writing has been done for a while now and even made it through copy edits and an alpha read. Right now, I’m applying those edits and getting it ready to send out to a proofreader.

So what’s next after that?

I’m glad you asked 😉 I’ve got something fun in store coming soon to a Kickstarter near you. Yes, you read that right. It’s already up on Kickstarter, and I intend to start it on September 5th!

Wait! That’s a little less than two weeks away!?!

I know… you’re telling me. That’s why I’ve been so busy finishing it up and preparing all the other fun stuff I have planned. You might not remember it, but I teased the opening chapter well over a year ago. I even showed you the challenge coin before that. Those are all things I have planned. Don’t worry if you don’t remember it, I’ll share out links again soon.

But wait… there’s more.

I can’t just release a paperback. There’s not a lot of fun in that. This is my first Kickstarter, and the whole point is to offer something unique and never before seen for my fans. Well, I’ve got a few tricks in store for you.

Maybe I should show you a little hint. You’d like that, right? Who doesn’t love a good hint?

I said it’d be little, didn’t I? I can’t give away all the fun stuff just yet. But… (yes, there’s always a but), I will tell you this. I love books. I mean, who doesn’t, right? Well, I love well-crafted books that don’t just look run-of-the-mill on the shelf or on my e-reader. Obviously, electronically, there is only so much you can do. A cover is the biggest thing, but you can also do some small things inside.

I’ve got those planned…

What about the physical book, though? There’s more you can do there, right?

Why, yes, there is. At first, I was thinking of only doing a paperback this time around. But then I thought, why stop there? I mean, this is a Kickstarter, and the whole goal is to dream a bigger dream. While I wasn’t prepared to bury myself in leather-bound glory like some readers in fantasy, but I was prepared to step it up. So I will tell you this. There will be a hardback coming, and it will have some amazing new art from Tom Edwards.

While I can’t tell you or show you yet, it’s coming. No, really, I don’t even have it myself. I promise. I can show you this, though. It’s something leftover from the original design iterations I did with Tom, and it inspired me to think of something cool for the hardcover edition.

This is a picture of the HMS Bancroft. It’s the submarine at the center of this new series. Well, not the center, the characters are the center. This is just a supporting cast member. But a cool one at that.

Tom was working on designing the boat when he sent me this test sheet. It was to show the 3D-renderer he put together to reuse on the covers. He was testing the boat from different angles to see if it looked right. Stunning, isn’t it? I bet you can see why I was inspired by it. Especially after I haven’t looked at it in so long.

I’m excited to share what I have coming, and I truly hope you can support me in this endeavor on Kickstarter. I’ve always dreamed of telling stories to people in writing, and with this new series, my dream is really taking flight.

How you can help.

Below is a link to my Kickstarter, and while it hasn’t started yet, you can still use it to support me and get notified when it does. Just click the “Dive in” button or image below and then click the “Notify me on launch” button there on the Kickstarter landing page.

That’s it. Kickstarter and I will take care of the rest.

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BOOK 1 IN THE PORTALVERSE: ELEMENTAL ORIGINS SERIES

Drowning Earth

Are you fascinated by modern technology?

Have you always been intrigued by ancient mythology?

What if I told you that myths were in fact mere shadows of reality?

Welcome to Drowning Earth, Book 1 of The Portalverse: Elemental Origins Series. Dive deep into a narrative where cutting-edge tech meets age-old legends.

Join a submarine commander navigating both the tides of war and the mysteries of fate. The world may be on the brink, but for adventure-seekers, this is just the beginning.