L.E. Thomas's Blog, page 4

Life Happens

There is a movie streaming on Amazon Prime called "The Words." It's an interesting flick if you have time to check it out. I won't spoil it, but let's say it is the story of authors, so it draws me in with that premise. Side note: I am a sucker for any story involving authors. Anyway, there is a line in the movie where one author asks another why he didn't write more or what happened. "Life," he breathes. I think that quote sums up what has happened to my blog updates. I loathe explaining and whining. Let's say 2019 has been full of ups, downs, and quagmires. Around March 2019, I decided to remove the blog from the website when I realized I wasn't providing updates. Today, I am rectifying this and resurrecting the old blog. You may ask why? I still receive lovely emails from around the world asking about the Star Runners Universe. To you, I'd like to say thank you for your support. You are what keeps me going. Yes, I am still writing. I never stopped. The sixth novel in the original storyline is moving along with more words being put on "paper" each day. My deadline is to finish the first draft this summer. With that in mind, I'm going back to writing.

Making time to write

I am writing this today in the middle of an anticipated snow event in north Georgia. All surrounding schools have been canceled, the roads are nearly devoid of traffic, and I find myself being able to work from home. I thought it was time I answer a question I receive quite often in emails from people around the world: "How do you find time to write?" This question is second only to, "where do you get ideas from?"The ideas' question is impossible to answer. I love stories, both hearing/reading them and sharing. I am always daydreaming when I should be working, driving, concentrating, etc. I don't know where the stories come from other than me thinking something would be cool. But the finding time to write question is a little easier to answer--anytime I can. For example, the expected snow shut down my world today, giving me an opportunity to get extra writing time! Confession: I have two jobs other than writing. One is a full-time job, and the other is not. Make no mistake; writing is the dream job. But it's an up and down journey full of great months and slower months, triumphs and pitfalls. When Netflix calls to make Star Runners into a series, then I'll consider jumping into the full-time author lifestyle. :)So having more than one other job requires me to write at odd times whenever I have the chance. I write in the early mornings mostly, trying to cram in words before leaving for the "day jobs." There are times I realize I should be sleeping, but then I think of the people who are waiting for the next novel, and I keep going. I don't care if only one person out there wanted another Star Runners book--I'm going to write it! However, deciding to embark on writing a series of novels demands a firm commitment. It means spending hours locked inside a room, ignoring friends and family, and sometimes refusing to sleep until the story is completed. There will be roadblocks as life does everything to prevent to completion of the series. Sometimes you would rather catch a few extra Zs. Sometimes you'll want to do this: Don't. If you have this story inside of you, write it! The clock on all of our lives is ticking every second, hour and day. In fact, I had better get back to work since I have this extra day of writing!Please drop me a line if you are interested in discussing more about the life of an author. I am by no means an expert. However, I would be happy to share with you any tidbits I've learned over the years. Look forward to hearing from you! Stay frosty!- LET

2019: Looking back, forward and up!

January is always a time of year when every person, publication, and business seems to be producing an annual report, a recap of their year, a presentation for stakeholders, etc. Having written, designed and produced several annual reports in my lifetime, January has always been a depressing and stressful time following the joy of the holidays. (For those of you wondering, it is not the weather. I love winter and the cold. Yes, it's true.)So I've always avoided writing a similar "annual report" for Star Runners to avoid flashbacks. After receiving several flattering emails about what is in store for the Star Runners Universe, however, I decided to work on a sort of recap for all of you as well as a look into what's planned for 2019. Here we go:2014-2015: The BeginningNovels released: Star RunnersStar Runners: Revelation ProtocolStar Runners: Mission WraithI have written on this website extensively about the beginnings of Star Runners and my writing. You check out a post here if you'd like to read more about how this entire adventure started. But I thought I'd revisit this differently today. See, I spent a lot of time traveling over the holidays. It left me with plenty of time to reminisce about what had transpired in my career(s) and my passion for writing. I don't know why it took me years to realize this, but I told my wife I feel like my eyes have been opened to a truth I wanted to share with you considering embarking on your dream whether it is writing or something else. Write if you honestly feel like that's why you're here. You don't have to be perfect--just write. Life is all too short. I was first paid for writing in 1999. The same year I also started my first novel (which was not Star Runners). Star Runners was published in 2014. Why the delay? Because I wanted to wait until I was perfect. Here's a newsflash: I'm far from perfect. So are you. But I poured everything I could into writing. It's all I've ever wanted to do. All the other careers and jobs I've had were just sideshows to the main event. My wife and best friend were responsible for starting me on the latest chapter in my aspiration of sharing stories with others. Without them, well, Star Runners might still be on my hard drive waiting to be perfect. Instead, I did the absolute best I could at the time and released it into the world. I will be forever grateful I did.2016-2017: LearningNovels released:Star Runners: ScorpionsI look at this as a period of learning. The Star Runners Universe was briefly published by another company. During this two year period, only one new novel was released in the Star Runners Universe. However, I kept writing every day as I always try to do. The result is several finished manuscripts waiting to be published (more on that later). At the end of 2017, the rights to the Star Runners Universe were returned to Shadow Max Publishing where it all began. And boy was there a lot of work to do. 2018: Back on TrackNovels Released:Star Runners: Dark SpaceGhostOne year ago this month, I was buried in work for Star Runners. How do I go about publishing four pre-existing books? I started looking at this an opportunity. What if I went back and edited the first four novels one more time? I ended up trimming each book, making them leaner and tighter. I was so proud of the work I was doing. I took life's speed bumps as the chance to keep improving. I think the result was fantastic. The sad part was no new work was being released. I didn't care. I wanted those original books with their original covers back into the world. I finished the process for the initial four books in the middle of 2018 with Star Runners: Dark Space right behind them. The year culminated with the release of the first collaboration with C.G. Adams in the Star Runners Universe: Ghost. For reasons I'll leave for you to discover, this was the perfect follow up to Dark Space.2019: Refocused, RechargedIt's the first week of 2019 as I write this post. It's always an odd time of the year as we all accept the fact we ate and spent too much in December as well as pause to comprehend it's over. But it's also time to start looking forward. And what a year it's looking to become. I'm excited to say the Star Runners Universe debut novel of C.G. Adams is expected to release this year. The manuscript is nearly finished and, from the bits I've seen, it's going to blow you away. I have invited him to come by the "News Around the Stars" blog soon to say hello. Stay tuned for that update. Also, some of you have asked me about the next Star Runners book with Austin and company while others have politely demanded I get to work. Well, I'm happy to report the book is underway (just pounded out more words this morning). Nearly every novel published or in the works leads to the events of SR 6, so I'm having a fantastic time writing it. So many scenes and incidents have been leading up to the events in this book. I will drop updates from time-to-time, but I do plan on releasing the book this year. I will keep you posted. I wrote more about SR 6 here. I also have four additional manuscripts completed three to four years ago--all essentially started as a detailed backstory to the events in Star Runners 6. First will be Invasion. If you have read Scorpions, you know the Zahl Empire was involved in a particular invasion of the planet known as Tarrafa. This novel is from the point of view of the people living on Tarrafa. What would it be like to be a victim in a Zahlian invasion? That's the basic premise of this story. The other three started as one novel that became a bit too Tolkien in length. This trilogy is set on the world of Ashia, a planet first mentioned in Star Runners: Mission Wraith and appearing in other books. I plan on having all of these edited and produced for a summer release (I hope). The trilogy was an epic and intense writing experience for me. I will be providing more updates as we move forward. If you have been counting, 2019 could see six novels released in the Star Runners Universe. Exciting times! Let me close with a quick note of gratitude to all of you for reading this update. Some of you have been there since the beginning. I still remember the initial emails I received from people who had read SR 1. I will never forget the feeling of realizing people from around the world were reading Star Runners.No matter what else happens to me for the rest of my life, you have made every second worth it. Thank you. Stay frosty!- LET

Ghost - Now Available!

Ghost: A Star Runners Universe Novel is now available!Would you like a sneak peek? Read on!**A woman carrying a small child ran from the trees at the settlement’s edge, her eyes bulging. She yelled at an old man standing at the well. He grabbed the child, and they disappeared. Panic swept through the huts. Two teenage boys sprinted through the huts and scurried up the mountain in the direction of Tanyo’s hunting party.Taffman backed away and turned to the waterfall. Should they take their chances and jump? How far was the water below? “Don’t even think about it,” Jacob said. “That’s not the way.”Taffman made an attempt to slow his breathing. “Jacob—”“That’s not my name,” he said, pushing Taffman against the cold rock. “Look at me. Stay here until it’s over. You hear me? Do not move from this spot.”A machine-gun rattled in the distance. Single shots from a rifle responded. A ragtag group of villagers formed a broken battle line. Mostly old men, young boys and a few mothers all armed with black and red rifles or swords. One woman held jagged rocks within her apron. An explosion ripped through the camp and sent Taffman’s ears ringing. Another blast tore apart a small hut near the cave, hurling thousands of splinters. The guard outside the cave stood upright, a large wooden shard penetrating his neck near the jugular. “Guard!” Jacob yelled.The guard gurgled and fell.Another rumble hit the mountain above them. Rocks tumbled on the dying guard, shattering the gate to their makeshift prison. As the dust settled, Jacob tossed their guard’s rifle to Taffman and disappeared into the smoke.The village burned. Fires reached into the treetops. Gusts twirled the flames. Villagers fought the blaze with water buckets and blankets, struggling to save their homes. Others remained hidden, trying to return fire at the unseen enemy lurking in the trees.And then he saw them.Warriors clad in black emerged from the forest like shadows, their skin covered in a tar-like pitch. Red stripes ran down their faces from their eyes to their jaws. It had to be the forces of the Ronhal Clan. The men leading the war party carried compact machine-guns. The line of villagers attacked with their primitive weapons, hurling rocks and unleashing single blasts from muzzle-loading rifles. Taffman braced himself as the two forces clashed in the burning village, bullets zipping through the air. One attacker gunned down a woman and her child as they fled. An elderly man stood from behind the well, hurling a spear at the warrior. The spear struck harmlessly on the armored shoulder, but the elder fled before the soldier returned fire. The remainder of the paltry village defense melted under the relentless assault. Ronhal Warriors poured from the forest, murdering anyone who stood their ground. Other villagers withdrew, firing as they retreated.Taffman glanced at the dead guard. The piece of wood remained in his throat as a growing pool of blood mixed with puddles of mist. I must do something, he thought. He kneeled and took aim with the ancient rifle. A Ronhal Warrior paused at the well, screaming at his men, directing their efforts toward Taffman’s side of the camp where the only opposition remained. The warriors hurried up the incline, firing endlessly into the villagers’ desperate attempt at a reformed battle line. The woman wielding rocks from her apron appeared in the tall grass, striking the leader in the head and knocking him to the side. Two warriors fired and the woman fell. Taffman swore and fired, the rifle recoiling as it sent a cloud of smoke into the air. Despite the villagers’ attempts at defense, the invading horde powered forward. Some hurled flaming projectiles toward the villagers to add more fire to the forest.Taffman fired until the rifle clicked. He searched the guard for more ammunition. To his surprise, he found the Zahlian pilot’s pistol in the guard’s belt. He activated the gun and crawled through the path filled with rubble. The Ronhal Warriors formed a line at the settlement’s edge, taking cover behind the fences lining the field. They fired into the defenders. Survivors withdrew up the mountainside as their numbers dwindled. Two women who hadn’t fled spun and twirled as machine-gun blasts tore into them. No one remained inside the village to return fire. Old men and women cowered behind rocks and fallen trees, holding children in their embrace as they awaited certain death.Suddenly, a man covered in soot rushed out of a burning hut, sprinting through the decimated village toward the Ronhal Warriors. Taffman couldn’t see his face, but the man wore no shirt, his skin covered in ash. Using throwing knives, he dispatched two warriors before they knew he was there. A third, standing nearby, dropped when a sword plunged into his throat and pulled upward. In the midst of the fire threatening to ignite the entire forest, Taffman remained on his stomach, unable to do anything but watch. The ash man spun through the warriors. Three fell in a heap by a single shot from a recovered rifle. Two more died in a flash from their machine guns. The man flipped, rolled in the grass, appeared from behind a burning building, split throats and withdrew before the warriors could return fire. Before Taffman realized it, a dozen warriors had fallen just past the center of town. And the soot-covered man disappeared again.Standing between the main battle line and the village, the Ronhal leader held his hand high as he stared in disbelief at his force lying on the ground behind him. Four warriors continued away from the settlement, their fire trained on villagers higher up the mountain. The leader and his five remaining men walked back to town, their weapons raised. They paused near the well and formed a perimeter around their leader. Taffman couldn’t hear, but he saw the leader speaking to his people.Rising from behind the Ronhal leader, a hand emerged from the well and slapped around the man’s mouth. A knife thrust deep into the leader’s left eye, sending blood streaming. While straddling the well’s entrance, the ash man dropped three more attackers with a pistol and dropped the spent weapon. As the remaining two warriors spun around, the man hurled a knife into one’s throat and pushed the dead leader onto the last surviving attacker. The two tumbled into the mud around the well. The man jumped to the ground as his sole remaining enemy crawled away in the mud, his machine-gun forgotten under his leader’s twitching body. The ash man strolled toward the crawling warrior pleading for his life, begging for mercy as he cried and pulled himself away on his stomach. The man placed one foot on the warrior’s back, yanked the head back, and cut his throat. Releasing his victim, he kicked the machine-gun into his hands. Breathing heavy, the killer looked at Taffman. Blood mixed with gray ash over his face and body. Familiar cold, steel gray eyes stared back.Jacob. Taffman’s jaw dropped as they peered at one another across the flaming landscape. The man he had trekked through the forest with was more than a killer—he was the grim reaper himself.In the distance, the firefight continued at a higher elevation as the remaining warriors hunted the last of the fleeing villagers. Taffman turned to see the flames spreading out into the forest. When he turned back to the well, Jacob was gone. Taffman shook his head. It had happened so fast. The attack. Jacob’s lethal response. It had been over in less than a few minutes. He had fired but hadn’t hit anyone. Jacob might have killed as many as two-dozen men in minutes. Who was he?**Continue reading here!

Ghost Overview

A reader asked me recently, "So what is Ghost about?" I answered, "An assassin in the Star Runners Universe." A pause. "So how does he know Austin?" "He doesn't." Silence. "I thought it was a Star Runners book." "It's set in the same universe." Pause. "Oh, that's cool." This exchange got me thinking. After all, C.G. Adams and I have been building the Star Runners Universe since 1992. It started as a roleplaying game and evolved into writing books (even though we still ponder relaunching our RPG efforts). We still have all the notes, images and maps from way back then all the way to now. But until four years ago when the first book in the Star Runners Universe released, we had never unleashed our ideas into the world. They remained on our computers, in our notebooks, and our imaginations. So we come back to the original question; What is Ghost: A Star Runners Universe Novel? Ghost is just a slang term or legend given by those who fear him to an intergalactic assassin with numerous identities operating within the Star Runners Universe. The novel is about those who encounter or cross paths with the Ghost and those who are hunting him. If you have read Star Runners: Dark Space, you know that novel opened up the Star Runners Universe in a big way, transporting you far beyond the world of Austin and the other Star Runners in the Galactic Legion. Well, Ghost takes that idea and catapults it forward. There will be familiar locations and planets as well as numerous new places. There will be familiar terms (curvature drives?). You will see glimpses of the inner workings of the Zahl Empire. In fact, most of the book takes place within the Zahl territory. Here is a sample of additional characters you will meet in Ghost: You will get inside the head of the commanding officer of a Zahlian All-purpose Response Cruiser that has made appearances in several of the Star Runners books. You will see what it's like to drive a tug for the Zahlian Merchant Marines and what happens when this simple man crosses paths with destiny. You will encounter members of an elite squad of special forces determined to serve the Zahl at all cost. You will hear whispers of an organization operating in the shadows and searching for lost spacecraft. You will walk alongside a Zahlian Marshal from a bygone era as he tracks his prey. So while Ghost is the primary character in the novel, the story is as much about those he encounters as it is about him. It is an entirely different experience than the existing books in the Star Runners Universe--and that's what makes it unique. It was a chance for us to pull back the curtain and reveal a bit more of these worlds we've spent nearly three decades creating. And we're never going to stop.

From Tizona to Ghost - A Four Year Journey

How about that dramatic title, eh? The release of Ghost: A Star Runners Novel marks four years to the day that Star Runners dropped on Christmas 2014. I have mentioned to people numerous times I had no idea anyone would ever read the book. It was published to keep a promise to a young man I was mentoring. Four years later, I have no intention of stopping with numerous finished manuscripts in various stages of the editing process. I'm even more excited about the prospects of the Star Runners Universe than I was in 2014. Ironically enough, sections of Ghost were written long before any adventures of Austin Stone. Ghost was a looming figure over a series of short stories I dabbled with almost twenty years ago. He was my character born of late night sessions of a homemade RPG called Star Runners I created with my friend, C.G. Adams. The novel dropping on Christmas 2018 is a result of countless hours of gaming, dreaming and imagining worlds far away. But the game, Star Runners, was created around 1992 when we wanted to start building our worlds. We dreamed of the Legion battling with Imperial interceptors long before Star Runners was ever released into the world. Now, we are both working to create more tales in the Star Runners Universe to share. I hope you will continue to join us for these adventures. Speaking of new adventures, I need to get back to work. The sixth Star Runners book will mark an end to Austin's initial journeys that began in 2014, and I am deep into writing this next novel. I will keep you posted. For now, stay frosty!- LET

Ghost - The Hunt Begins December 25

Some doubt his existence. Some are hunting him. Some will die by his hand.Efficient. Deadly. Untraceable. An intergalactic assassin with numerous identities strikes without leaving any hint of his existence, giving him the moniker: Ghost. His lethal work will touch lives across the galaxy, from the military to the primitive farmer to the Zahlian Merchant Marine. In the wake of death follows a capital ship captain hunting for a target he scarcely believes in and an over-the-hill marshal who still has another chase in him. But what happens with the flawless contract killer may have reached too far during a job? When all clues lead to one place, and his pursuers back Ghost into a corner, all bets are off. Experience the sinister side of the Star Runners Universe in this tale about an assassin who may have reached the end of the line.

Scorpions Attacking Audible!

Continuing the celebration of the four-year anniversary of the Star Runners Universe,the fourth entry, Scorpions, is now available as an engaging and adventurous production ready to assault your auditory senses!Bob Dunsworth has produced an incredible experience, bringing the entire story of Star Runners: Scorpions to life in a way I could have never expected. I cannot wait for your to experience this performance!If you haven't experienced Star Runners on audible, books 1 through 4 are now available. Download them today to prepare for your upcoming holiday travel!

Four Years in the Star Runners Universe

The first book in the Star Runners Universe published four years ago this December. What a ride it has been. Of course, the stories set in the Star Runners Universe have been bouncing around my head for nearly thirty years. But my crazy ideas were never shared with anyone other than my wife and best friend in 2014 (both of them are the reasons I published the first Star Runners book). Never in my wildest dreams would I have dared to expect so many people around the world would be reading these books. I wake up every day and pinch myself back into reality, struggling to believe others are reading the tales of Austin Stone in the cockpit of a Trident. Things have been a bit quiet on the release front as of late, but that doesn't mean more stories are not in the works. There are currently five books with new characters in the Star Runners Universe that are finished and in different stages of development. More information is coming soon on these new titles.A FREE short novelette with new characters will also be released for newsletter subscribers this month as a thank you for being the most awesome supporters I could ever have imagined.I am also currently writing the sixth book in the adventures of Austin Stone, bringing a close to the original story that began in 2014. Speaking of Austin, the audiobook for Star Runners: Scorpions will be released in the very near future (hopefully in time for Christmas). So the Star Runners Universe is not slowing down anytime soon. I hope to keep writing for you all for years to come. I'm feeling quite sappy at the moment, so I'll just close this post with a wink, a smile, and a note of appreciation to all of you who continue to send emails, tweets, and posts. You rock my world. Stay frosty, Star Runners!- LET

Scorpions Audiobook in production!

It's been a long time coming, but I'm happy to report production is underway on the audiobook for Star Runners: Scorpions - the fourth book in the Star Runners Universe. I have received more emails from people who have experienced the Star Runners Universe only through audiobooks than I ever would have imagined. These people have been patiently waiting, wondering when the audiobook of Scorpions would see the light of day. For a myriad of reasons, the project was delayed. Now, it is on the horizon. I will be giving more updates as they are available. I just wanted to share this exciting news with you! Stay frosty!