Span Tags

I was proofreading the version of That Hideous Slumber approved for publishing and was mortified to find SPAN TAGS lurking in more than one chapter. They're leftover from when I used blogger as my word processor, before a kind friend gave me a copy of Microsoft Word. What I didn't know was, I'd filled my story with HTML tags that needed to be deleted and repaired. I REAMED my book for them and would have sworn on my life that I got them all, but when I brought up the offending chapter on my phone, there they were. I published a book with random code instead of italics, ruining the experience for my readers.

Needless to say I'm embarrassed that I put out a shoddy product like this. It mars the launch of my book terribly. If you are reading this after having purchased my book and you're upset, please let me know and I will do what I can to make it right. Email me (leuke0@gmail.com) with your email receipt from Amazon, and I will provide you a new copy for free.

The print version, coming this weekend will (Lord willing!) be free of all remaining typos. I was going to launch it today but I want to make sure I get it right, so I'm going to take a little extra time. I'm also going to be resubmitting the Kindle version, so if you haven't bought the digital version yet, but you're considering it, hold off for just a bit until I get a better version up there.

That Hideous Slumber

My first book, which you may recall being plastered all over my blog last year (It was pretty much the only thing I posted) has now been officially published. You can buy it on Amazon for a measly $3.99. Read and enjoy, llamas!!

Child of Thunder Chapters 1-6

My gathering of chapters for Child of Thunder was a little out of date and unlabeled, so I decided to go ahead and make a new one that included chapter six. In other news, my first book, That Hideous Slumber, should be available for purchase sometime tonight. It got rejected for a minor issue, but it should be good to go soon.

Child of Thunder

1. Worlds of Storm

2. Slack-jawed and Stupefied

3. Strange Coincidence

4. The Taste of Blood

5. Low Voices, Low Times

6. White Vulture

EEEEEEEEEEE

I just submitted my book to the Kindle store for publishing...!! You should be able to purchase it by this time tomorrow. Unfortunately, it's just going to be in digital format for now, but a print version should be coming soon. There's also going to be a limited edition type deal where you can get two bonus short stories... but that'll be forthcoming as well as neither story is finished yet (but anyone who buys the book now will still get to read them here for free).

Be sure to let me know what you think!! Many thanks to Jeremy Cook for help editing and designing the cover. I'd also like to thank Joel Petraglia for his loyal readership to the end, and Chad Fopma and Jesse Applegate for some very helpful opinions.

Assuming Amazon lets it through I guess... but I'm not sure why they wouldn't.

Dearest llamas... the next time we meet... I just might be a published author. Ten plus years of hard work... finally coming to fruition. Phew.

Overslept

I overslept twice this week, one was on a Saturday and was of little consequence, the other made me late for work. I was baffled by this second time because I had all my alarms set correctly, and somehow I slept through it all regardless. It gave me an idea for a poem about sleeping through something else pretty important. If the response to this poem is strong, I've got three or four I never typed up that I might look into posting as well.

“Overslept”

I wound my way through a dark tunnel,

an endless procession of sleep

sleep that brought histories to life

things made and unmade, remember and forget

all gone once I awoke

stamped out by fingers rubbing eyelids,

by daylight

And all was truly washed away,

Lost in my dreaming

I slept the world away, waking to white sand and quiet

My bed lay by the sea

lost and out of place,

while I stood and rubbed my eyes again

Faint music filled the air,

Golden sounds,

I looked for the one that slept beside me,

and the bed was empty

But I felt a hand on my shoulders and knew I wasn’t alone

The day I slept through the end of the world

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

So it's been a looooong time since my last post so I felt it appropriate to slip in a quick update on the life, the universe, et all.

1. Still plugging away at Child of Thunder. Recently hit chapter 14.

2. Hoping to publish That Hideous Slumber very soon (a week or so)

3. Working on two short stories to be included in deluxe/digital versions of That Hideous Slumber, "The Two Deaths of Atlas Kinnley" and "Eleanor's Dream." I'm also planning to throw in the first chapter of Child of Thunder, which barring any delays will

4. be released around November, in a similar format to its older brethren.

5. Back on nights again... surprisingly more at peace about it than I was last time... no insomnia so far...

Alright, later llamas!!