Rob Howell's Blog, page 45
July 24, 2018
Interview: Michael J. Allen
Greetings all
One of the most intimidating moments I’ve had so far as a writer came at Constellation in October last year. I was on a panel of writing military science fiction. What was intimidating was that Orson Scott Card was to my right and David Drake was too my left.
Wowza.
Anyway, there was a fourth member of that panel, Michael J. Allen. In truth, I think we both did pretty well. We each made a point or two, but we were also both smart enough to learn from the rock stars.
Interview: Michael J. Allen
Portrait of Michael J. AllenWhat is your quest?
I’m searching the Nothing looking for the Awesome. In his online classes on creative writing, Brandon Sanderson teaches there’s always room for more awesome. I strive to create stories that match what I’m looking for in the bookstore. I love old things made new, creating elements everyone knows with a twist mixed in with something new to create (I hope) the awesome.
What is your favorite color?
My favorite color would have to be silver. As before, I endeavor to make new from old in a way that is understandable. I want the logic to be consistent. In an upcoming release I created a world guarded by phoenixes, but I wanted every element represented, not just fire. That meant figuring out what a water or a life based phoenix might rise from if killed. So for something like a modern day water phoenix to rise from her essence, she might have to watch tearjerker movies in her nest to build up enough tears to be reborn.
What is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush? (
Plaid of course. I come from a hard work equals success background, all measurable and quantitative. As a writer the equation ceases to be linear. A constant frustration in my writing career revolves around reaching the success rate my old world brain tells me I should be making in this new world as an author.
Cover of DiscardedWhat are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
When discharged, my hand grenade creates a swirling rainbow vortex straight into fairy land, summing thousands of flesh eating sprites—talk about tasted by the rainbow. If I had to pick one technique I use well, it would be bringing dialogue to life. I admit I worry sometimes that my stories contain too much dialogue, but it comes so naturally once I’ve figured out the internal/external goals, motivations and conflicts of a given character. A story is about people, and making the people real required them to be as fully formed in my imaginary world as you or me…probably more you.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? Animal came to mind first, and who doesn’t want to live without bothering to filter or apply self control., but as I started to answer I remembered Grover from Seseme Street, a kind goofy guy who happens to be a bumbling superhero reminiscent of The Greatest American Hero.
Crunchy or Creamy? That’s a rather personal question, don’t you think?
Cake or Pie? Pie, one to the face is a hell of way to win a planet from the Klingons (See “How Much for Just the Planet” by John M Ford)
Lime or Lemon? Lime, the overlooked but sweeter infiltrator from the citrus regime.
Favorite Chip Dip? It depends on who’s in the tub with me.
Wet or Dry? The night was sultry.
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Danny Kaye, though you probably would know who he was if you saw him. (Rob’s Note: This isn’t terribly surprising given Michael’s sartorial style. He is always very well dressed. Maybe not as nice as my Rush t-shirts, but worthy of the Danny Kaye style)
Whisky or Whiskey? Rum, the only drink for a pirate.
Favorite Superhero? Greatest American Hero/ SuperGrover
Steak Temperature? Medium Rare and damn the consequences!
Favorite 1970s TV show? Battlestar Galactica
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Winter, it’s damned hot in the south.
Favorite Pet? I’ve had a lot of dogs over my life, so that’s a hard choice. She’s not the best behaved of all the dogs I’ve trained, but my black lab Magesty is a dyed in the wool cuddler.
Best Game Ever? Wing Commander: Privateer (or its spiritual progeny Elite Dangerous)
Coffee or Tea? Choosing between tea and not tea, always choose the tea.
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Science fiction, you can have all the same wonder, magic and weird races as with fantasy, plus a bunch of cool toys everyone can play with—well, okay. Some fantasy might have better toys.
What question(s) would you like to ask me?
Who was the professional author you wanted to meet most and how’d the meeting go (assuming you’re not still stalking)?
My Answer: Well, without a Tardis or something like it, I can’t meet any of the authors I really want to meet. Tolkien would be fun, especially if we could break down the Finnsburh Fragment and Episode together. I would love to talk language choices with Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I’d really like to meet the writer of Beowulf and hear him perform it. Same for Homer.
If we’re talking people who are actually alive today, then I’ve been lucky enough to meet most of them. David Drake, I mentioned above. I’m met David Weber, Larry Correia, John Ringo, and a bunch of other Baen authors at LibertyCon. All of them have been generous with their experience to a fledgling writer such as myself.
Cover of Fey WestTell me again where we can find your stuff? (All the web presence you’d like me to link to)
www.deliriousscribbles.com
facebook.com./deliriousscribbler
amazon.com/author/deliriousscribbler
And where can we find you? (Events and cons you’re scheduled to attend)
July 26 through 29 Raleigh Supercon
August 30 through Sept 3 DragonCon
Also, I have two new releases.
Discarded (Released at DragonCon)
Fey West
Do you have a creator biography?
Michael J. Allen is a bestselling author of multi-layer science fiction and fantasy novels. Born in Oregon and an avid storm fan, he lives in far too hot & humid rural Georgia with his two black Labradors: Myth and Magesty. Warped from youth by the likes of Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams, Gene Wilder and Danny Kaye, his sense of humor leads to (in order) occasional surrender, communicable insanity, a sweet tooth and periodic launch into nonsensical song.
Fresh out of teenagers, his days are spent writing in restaurants, people watching and warring over keyboard control with the voices in his head. On those rare breaks from his highly contested 102-key self-therapy program, he can be found experimenting in the kitchen, enjoying bad Sci-Fi movies, playing D&D or the occasional video game, getting hit with sticks in the SCA or hanging out with the crew of Starfleet International’s U.S.S. DaVinci.He’s great at remembering names – if they’re fictional, and knows basically nothing about music.
To learn more about Michael, check out his website at www.deliriousscribbles.com
Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
The same question I asked you. Which pro did I want to meet most? For me, unfortunately, it was Terry Pratchett, and I was not fortunate enough to make his acquaintance. (Rob’s Note: He would indeed have been fun to meet, especially tossing ideas back and forth)
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
July 23, 2018
Rob’s Update: Finding My Way
Greetings all
Wow, so much to get to.
First, welcome to all the new subscribers. There’s quite a few of you from LibertyCon, InConjunction, and OComicCon. Thanks for joining in to my little corner of weekly madness.
Well, it’s usually weekly, scheduled for every Thursday. However, this is actually last week’s update. Also, this week’s update is going to be a little late. I’ll probably do it on Saturday at Pennsic since most of Thursday will involve hundreds of miles of interstates between here and there.
Why am I late this week? Well, mostly because I spent the last week nesting and organizing.
Some of that is because my Mom gave me a new desktop computer for my birthday. I’ve needed one for a while, as my old system no longer could keep up with my typing speed. Thanks, Mom!
The new system also allows for up to 4 monitors, and I’m in the process of figuring out how to use all of them. I also spent the week organizing a variety of data, including some old CDs I uncovered while unpacking. I found a bunch of pictures from my 2006 trip to England and Macedonia that I thought I had lost. I’ll post some of them one of these days. You might even get to see pictures of Achrida as I remember it.
I’ve also been nesting and organizing since the move. Thanks to Johan and Tigernan, the house is now merely a home with some clutter as opposed to a storage unit with showers.
Part of the challenge has been to replace as much of the carpet as we could before moving stuff on to it. We’ve replaced it with bamboo flooring. I can’t recommend this stuff enough, at least up to this point. It’s cheap ($1.69/sq ft), looks good, and has already shown to hold up pretty well. We got the heavy stuff, 5/8 inch, and it has a solid feel to it that thinner laminates don’t have.
Anyway, we have cool new floors in the TV rooms and office, which we are really enjoying.
Then, yesterday, Tigernan came over and moved box after box to get stuff at least to the right floor. The garage is now open and useful again. All of the furniture, with the exception of Giulia’s desk, is in the right place for now. Also, there’s a huge pile of trash that Olathe will take tomorrow and be gone. Much of this is stuff from the storage shed, which he took up front.
I am, for the first time since I moved to Olathe in 2011, truly organizing my workspace.
It’s nice, especially since I want to be more productive going forward.
Current Playlist Song
Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood’s live version of “Can’t Find My Way Home.” One of my all time favorite songs.
Quote of the Week
Today is the birthday of John Rutsey, the original drummer of Rush. He only played on their debut album, so today’s quote comes from that album.
“I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years
Well, I sang some sad songs
Oh yes, and cried some bad tears”
-Rush, “Finding My Way”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
TAV (2,841)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Not a darn thing as I’ve been nesting, though I intend to do a OComicCon AAR
Upcoming Events
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
No spotlight this week, as I have been focused on other things. However, I have some neat ideas for Pennsic if we can make them work.
Today’s Weight: 384.4
Updated Word Count: 156551
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 12, 2018
Rob’s Update: Too Silent To Be Real
Greetings all
InConjunction went reasonably well. I didn’t sell as much as I’d hope, but I made some new connections that could be very useful. I also really enjoyed my panels and spending time with Jon Osborne, who was next to me.
Still, I was really glad to get home. I am not as enthralled with 11 day trips as I once was. This is especially true since I knew there was work to do on unpacking.
This week has not been terribly productive in terms of writing. I’ll have to focus on that next week. However, it’s been a productive in other ways and been an enjoyable week.
My apprentice came down for a few days. She helped us unpack, organize, and joined us on a variety of errands. The best part, however, is that I had planned to visit Finola, the Fyrd Mom and founder of Calontir’s Soup Kitchen, to read a portion of Brief Is My Flame. This portion was the one where I first describe the character I based on her. Her daughter Jenna provided chicken soup and cookie dough, traditional Soup Kitchen choices, and told some stories of Calontir’s past. I had a great time as was very happy the apprentice was with me.
We also did some nesting. The floor in the main portion of my office was completed on Tuesday, so we got to move in the two big bookcases I planned to put in here. We also moved in a bunch of things, and unpacked most of the old SF/F magazines that I own. I’m putting them in here because I’ll be reading one of them a week and writing a blog post to review them starting in late August.
This week, I’m off to OComicCon. I’ll set up tonight and we’ll see how this show goes. I’ve never been here before, but I think I’ll do well.
Have a great week, everyone.
Current Playlist Song
Right now, it’s the “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” by Gordon Lightfoot. I enjoy this song for a variety of reasons, but as a writer I’m amazed at how much he packs into every word. Great song.
Quote of the Week
On 12 July, 1862, Congress authorized the establishment of the Medal of Honor for the US Army. So, today’s quote comes from Alvin York, who won the Medal of Honor for taking a machine gun nest. This quote came from his memoirs.
“I had orders to report to Brigadier General Lindsey, and he said to me, ‘Well, York, I hear you have captured the whole damned German army.’ And I told him I only had 132.”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
TAV (2,182)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Interview – J.L. Gribble: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1237
Upcoming Events
13-15 July, O Comic Con, Omaha, NE https://www.ocomiccon.com/
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is on J.L. Gribble. You can find my interview with her at http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1237 and you can find her website at https://jlgribble.com/.
Today’s Weight: 388.0
Updated Word Count: 155,799
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 11, 2018
Interview: JL Gribble
Interview Questions
I met J.L. Gribble on a panel at ConFluence last year and we had a very good time.
J.L. Gribble PortraitWhat is your quest?
I love writing books that I want to read. For too long, the publishing industry has determined the trends and fads, so I love that my small press lets me experiment with my fiction and tell stories that don’t fit nicely in any one genre. Romeo and Juliet with werewolves and weredragons? Time travel with a twist? I’m free to stretch the limits of my imagination, regardless of whether such things are “not done” in the urban fantasy genre.
What is your favorite color?
For a long time, my favorite color was blue. I was never a girly sort of girl, so I felt that acknowledging my love of purple would be a betrayal of things I pushed against. Now, as I take a look around my computer desk, at my purple Kindle cover, my purple post-it notes, my purple computer mouse, etc., I’ve learned to embrace what I love no matter what I think others might interpret from it. So while I love epic high fantasy tales and intricate, politically driven space opera, I’m also not afraid to shout my love of contemporary and historical romance novels with their happily ever afters. In embracing that love, I’ve learned a lot about how to create real, well-rounded relationships in my own storytelling.
Steel VictoryWhat is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?
It all boils down to time, doesn’t it? You can’t measure speed without it. Like everything else, time has a price. When you’re working full-time, writing at least one book a year, managing two blogs, and trying to maintain at least some semblance of health, time isn’t free. I had to learn that it’s okay to say no to things that might be “easy” on my end but would still cost me precious time. It can be frustrating and guilt-inducing, but the best thing possible for a creative’s mental and physical health is sometimes to NOT take every opportunity that comes along.
Steel MagicWhat are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
I wish I was the sort of writer who could sit at a computer for hours on end and crank out the words. Instead, I’m a huge fan of the concept of “writing sprints.” Set a time for as little as 5 and as many as 30 minutes and write as fast as possible until the alarm blares. Then get up and do something else for a bit, preferable a task that does not include the computer. My best writing day ever was 3500 words. I also cleaned every window in my house.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? Grover! Ironic, considering I’m not always a cheerful person.
Crunchy or Creamy? Crunchy chocolate sprinkles on toast. Creamy peanut butter in cookies.
Favorite Sports Team? I married into a Brazilian family, and the World Cup is currently happening. I am legally obligated to answer with the Brazilian Men’s Football Team.
Cake or Pie? New York style cheesecake. Preferably one I made myself.
Lime or Lemon? Lime, as long as it’s in a caipirinha.
Favorite Chip Dip? Queso
Whisky or Whiskey? Tawny 10-year port
Favorite Superhero? My husband
Steak Temperature? Medium-rare
Favorite 1970s TV show? M*A*S*H
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Summer!
Favorite Pet? I live with three amazing Siamese cats who definitely remember their species were once worshipped as gods.
Best Game Ever? Spinner
Coffee or Tea? All of the above, plus chai
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Both. At the same time.
J.L. Gribble CatsWhat question(s) would you like to ask me?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Rob’s Answer: To play for the Dallas Cowboys. To fly an X-Wing. To be a paladin of legend.
I’ve always been partial to fantasy.
Tell me again where we can find your stuff?
I regularly post book reviews, LEGO builds, and author interviews at www.jlgribble.com.
I’m also the film review editor for www.SpeculativeChic.com.
You can also find me posting wacky stuff and plenty of cat pictures on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter)
Twitter (www.twitter.com/hannaedits)
Instagram (www.instagram.com/hannaedits)
And where can we find you?
My schedule for the rest of 2018 includes Pittsburgh’s Confluence in at the end of July, Salt Lake City’s FanX Salt Lake and Washington DC’s Capclave in September, and Baltimore’s ChessieCon in November.
Do you have a creator biography?
By day, J. L. Gribble is a professional medical editor. By night, she does freelance fiction editing in all genres, along with reading, playing video games, and occasionally even writing. She is currently working on the Steel Empires series for Dog Star Books, the science-fiction/adventure imprint of Raw Dog Screaming Press. She is also the film review editor for SpeculativeChic.com. Previously, she was an editor for the Far Worlds anthology.
Gribble studied English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She received her Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where her debut novel Steel Victory was her thesis for the program.
She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and three vocal Siamese cats. Find her online (www.jlgribble.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter), and on Twitter and Instagram (@hannaedits).
Steel Blood
Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
You should have asked when is your next book release?
People keep congratulating me on finishing my book trilogy. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW: Book 4 in the Steel Empires series, Steel Time, will be released September 2018 from Dog Star Books. Steel Time brings together the leading ladies from Steel Victory, Steel Magic, and Steel Blood as they encounter a literal race against time. The cover reveal is coming soon, so readers have plenty of time (haha, see what I did there?) to catch up on the three previous books!
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
July 5, 2018
Rob’s Update: Grey My Way
Week 27 of 2018
I’m in Indianapolis at the Lincoln Square Pancake House getting ready to load in for InConjunction. They have a take on biscuits and gravy involving jalapeno cornbread and queso. I had to try it.
Anyway, I’m slowly recovering from LibertyCon. What an amazing time. My detailed after-action report is here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1224. LibertyCon is so good, that all 750 tickets for 2019 sold out in 6 hours yesterday. Actually, 5 hours, 52 minutes, and 20 seconds, but who’s counting.
I’ve got mine, don’t worry.
The big result, from my perspective, is a slight change in priorities and focus. I’ve got two books currently planned, None Call Me Mother and The Feeding of Sorrows (working title for the Four Horsemen novel). However, I’m going to turn more focus on some short stories.
This weekend is InConjunction, which is a much different con. I’ll be involved in a variety of panels plus I’ll be selling in the author’s alley next to Jon Osborne, another writer in the 4HU. Then I get home as quickly as I can. I should be back to Olathe on Sunday night.
I’m ready. It’s been a crazy last two months, and I still have a month or so to go. It’s been productive, and I’m really happy with the direction everything is going, but I am so glad I don’t have anything huge scheduled for a while after Pennsic.
Anyway, the stories aren’t going to write themselves, so I better get back to work.
Current Playlist Song
Something too low to hear over the voices of other guests, but with the occasional country twang.
Quote of the Week
I heard this song on the drive yesterday, and as my birthday approaches, it seems more and more relevant.
My life is slipping away
I’m aging every day
But even when I’m grey
I’ll still be grey my way
– Rush, “I Think I’m Going Bald”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6560)
TAV (2,007)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
LibertyCon AAR: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1224
Interview – Rob Hobart: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1229
Upcoming Events
6-8 July, InConjunction, Indianapolis, IN http://www.inconjunction.org/
13-15 July, O Comic Con, Omaha, NE https://www.ocomiccon.com/
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s interview was with Rob Hobart, an amazing gamer and now a writer. You can find the interview here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1229 and his Amazon page at: https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Amatsu-Empire-Moon-Book-ebook/dp/B07CWKP2LW/.
Today’s Weight: 386.8 (Last week)
Updated Word Count: 154,715 (Finally totaled up everything)
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 3, 2018
Interview: Rob Hobart
I first met Rob Hobart in the mid-90s when I was often going to gaming conventions. He was one of the best DMs around working with Living City and the RPGA.
He, along with Parvez Yusufji, gave me one of my favorite role-playing experiences ever. At a Weekend In Raven’s Bluff I hosted in Wichita mumblety years ago, they DMed a Cthulhu scenario using two parties of six, one on a boat, the other on a submarine, with each group only communicating by walkie-talkie.
We all died, of course. Cthulhu is like that. But man, that was fun.
What is your quest?
After many years working in the RPG hobby and industry, primarily for Call of Cthulhu and Legend of the Five Rings, I’ve decided to move on to writing fiction – which is actually what I intended to do back in my college days, before I got distracted by those pesky games. J I’ve recently self-published my novel The Sword of Amatsu, the first volume of an epic fantasy set in a samurai-themed world.
What is your favorite color?
I’ve always had a taste for adventure stories – whether fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, or otherwise – that have more serious and sometimes tragic themes. This probably goes back to my lifetime interest in history, especially military history. Even in gaming, the RPGs I was drawn to most strongly were the ones rooted in history and that took danger, death, and Evil seriously.
On the other hand, I reject nihilism, and I don’t care much for the “subvert for the sake of subversion” trend that I see in a lot of recent storytelling, fantasy and otherwise. I write stories that incorporate tragedy and suffering, but that nonetheless seek to evoke heroism and virtue. Both of the five-year organized-play campaigns I created for Legend of the Five Rings were built around this duality of tragedy and heroism, and I am trying to do the same thing in my fiction.
Rob HobartWhat is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?
For me, actually getting started writing is always the hardest part. I can tell stories in my head all day long, but forcing myself to just sit down and write them is often incredibly hard. During my time working on Legend of the Five Rings, it was usually the hard reality of deadlines that forced me to overcome this obstacle and actually get work done. As a self-published writer I still wrestle with this challenge, and have developed a variety of tricks – such as posting word-count updates on my FaceBook page – to try to create a sense of obligation that will keep me from procrastinating into oblivion.
In my early days of writing, during and right after college, my other big challenge was in writing characters who were markedly different from myself, especially female characters – like many young men of a nerdly persuasion, I was hapless at dating. I actually wrote two entire novels then which were unpublishable (though proving to myself that I could write entire novels was valuable) and the flat, shallow depictions of women and relationships in those books makes me cringe now. This weakness was partially solved by sheer practice, and partly by marrying and having a daughter.
What are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
I think my strength, when I’m writing at my best, is found in evoking a strong emotional response from the audience. The second Legend of the Five Rings organized play campaign I ran ended with a room of a hundred people crying and cheering, which was exactly the result I was hoping for. So far, if reader feedback is to be believed, I think I’ve managed to do the same with my fiction.
One of my touchstones in this regard is actually drawn from the (in)famous anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. That story as a whole was – at least in my view – a hideous evocation of cruelty, nihilism, and despair. But the “Asuka awakens” sequence in the final Evangelion movie, in which she regains her mojo, connects to her long-lost mother, and annihilates the invaders – all to the accompaniment of glorious, triumphant music – is a brief divergence into a different and infinitely better movie, one in which heroism and virtue would have redeemed the whole series. A lot of what I’ve written over the last fifteen years has been an attempt to create a story like the one that scene should have belonged to, and to evoke the emotional response that scene creates in first-time viewers.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? – The Skeksis
Crunchy or Creamy? – Creamy. (This question better be about peanut-butter…)
Favorite Sports Team? – St Louis Cardinals
Cake or Pie? — Pie
Lime or Lemon? — Lime
Favorite Chip Dip? – Queso
Wet or Dry? – Um…
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? – Two Steps From Hell
Whisky or Whiskey? – Yuck!
Favorite Superhero? – The Punisher
Steak Temperature? – Medium
Favorite 1970s TV show? – None. They were all terrible.
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? – Spring
Favorite Pet? – Sweety, a mixed-breed dog I got when I was 9 years old.
Best Game Ever? – Legend of the Five Rings, of course!
Coffee or Tea? – Coffee
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? – Probably Fantasy, although I enjoy both
Tell me again where we can find your stuff?
www.robhobart.com
https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Amatsu-Empire-Moon-Book-ebook/dp/B07CWKP2LW/
Biographical info:
Rob Hobart is a lifelong fan of fantasy, science-fiction, Japanese pop culture, role-playing games, and military history. He worked for eight years in the role-playing game industry, serving as line editor, co-designer, and eventual Lead Design of Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition. He lives in rural Missouri with his wife and daughter.
He may, or may not, also be the immortal 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
July 2, 2018
LibertyCon 2018 AAR
I’m sitting at Prince Street Pizza in Gallatin, TN and I’m exhausted.
Which means my plan is proceeding apace.
I’m in Gallatin because I’ll be staying at Mark and Joy Wandrey’s place for a few days before going to InConjunction this weekend. I’m exhausted because LibertyCon is the best SF/F convention around.
The best part of LibertyCon is the amount of professional networking. I got to plan for new projects and learn from some of the best in the SF/F world. It’s changed my writing schedule a bit, and that’s a good thing. I’ll talk about that more as time goes by, but some of it is too ill-formed at the moment to really discuss yet. However, I’ve planted some seeds in Shijuren and other universes that should end up being very fruitful. I begin the AAR with the networking comments because those started on Thursday before anything else.
I’d like to especially thank Steve Jackson, Bill Fawcett, and Chuck Gannon for taking the time to answer questions and pass on some of the lessons they’ve learned. Great stuff for all of them, and they’re the biggest reason I’ll be adjusting my plans over the next year.
My first panel happened on Friday at 2pm. This panel discussed historical fiction and also history in fiction. It went very well because Louise Herring-Jones, David B. Coe, and I all had good experience with historical processes as well as fiction. We all had lots of good stuff to say. Coe, in particular, showed off why he was a deserving guest of honor with his discussion about his Thieftaker Chronicles set in Revolutionary War-era Boston.
The rest of Friday involved getting this arranged for Jamie Ibson’s party, Opening Ceremonies, and my Author’s Alley stint. That all went smoothly, including a number of sales in the Alley, which can often be hit or miss. We held Jamie Ibson’s room party in my room to make life easier for Brandy, and it went well. I went to bed late.
Even though I fell asleep late, I was up and lively at the Four Horsemen Roundtable at 10am on Saturday. I had the new laptop set up and showed off some of the wiki, along with showing the author pages. I also edited and added a few Wiki pages live, much to the delight of the audience in a few cases.
Then was the banquet at noon. The banquet is always an interesting animal for me. I don’t usually get big sales or networking, but it’s always enjoyable. Chuck Gannon, by the way, was an amazing MC.
At 3pm I then had a reading. I used Chapter 7, which is the chapter including Olga Belobashnina Cherepanova. It’s actually a perfect section for reading, as it’s essentially an entire story arc on its own. It’s only about 15-18 minutes, which usually means I have more time, so I also read the Epilogue to Brief Is My Flame, which doesn’t really include spoilers, does include the riddle, and hints at what’s coming in None Call Me Mother. The reading went well, though there weren’t many people there. Unfortunately, a woman who heard my reading last year and wanted to hear this year’s showed up after I was done. I ended up giving her my reading copy of the text at the Kaffeeklatsch. Nice, very smart woman who I’m glad likes my stuff.
Anyway, then was my autograph session. That was not particularly well attended, at least not for me, but I got to do some more networking.
At that point, it was time to prepare for the Brief Is My Flame / Four Horsemen room party. I’d like to thank Jamie for helping and contributing, even though he had to be at a different party. Anyway, it was a huge blast. My new drink, the MAC Round, went very well. I sold a few books, made a number of new readers, and we had a great time. I got to sleep about 3.
Which meant the Kaffeeklatsch at 10am was damned early. I made it, but I was generally content to let people swirl around me.
Following that was the Upcoming in the Chris Kennedy Publishing panel. I was in that panel because I’ll have two follow-ups to “Where Enemies Sit” from For a Few Credits More. The first is a short story for the Lyon’s Den anthology that I’ve talked about a couple of times. The second is the full-length novel. I announced the working title of the novel, The Feeding of Sorrows, which, like “Where Enemies Sit,” is a line from the Havamal.
I just want to take a quick moment and thank Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey for letting me be a part of the 4HU and tagging along on their coattails.
Anyway, that was the last thing I had scheduled for the con itself. I went to closing ceremonies, entitled the Bitch at Brandy session where they actively solicit ways to improve LibertyCon. I have no doubt this is one reason this is the best-run convention going. The big announcement was next year’s LibertyCon will be at the Read House on 31 May – 2 June, which is about a month ahead of their traditional date. However, that means LibertyCon 2019 is only 11 months away.
Sunday night at LibertyCon includes a traditional trip to a Brazilian steakhouse and more socializing / networking, and then back to the hotel for the Dead Dog party. Last year at this party, I got to do a play-test of a game similar to Cards Against Humanity with Steve Jackson. This year, I got to play one of the newly released versions of the game, Conspiracy Theory, and even won a copy to bring home. It’s a hoot.
The only real problem with LibertyCon is that there’s so many cool people to talk to and only three days to do so.
Again, I’d like to compliment the staff of LibertyCon. I’m quite serious when I say it’s better run than any other con I’ve ever seen, and it’s not close. Brandy Spraker does a fantastic job organizing things. Rich Groller is the most on-the-ball programming guy around (by a wide margin). It’s actually kind of silly how quickly he responds to stuff. Matthew Fanny keeps track of memberships, and I was a bit of a jerk to him this year as our circumstances kept changing and I switched plans with my membership four or five times. He just took care of me, even though I wasn’t easy. Misty Kat Gutierrez-Walker had the game room thrown at her at essentially the last minute, but, as she has done in the past, kept things going.
This year had to have been hard on them. They didn’t know if they were going to have a site in 2018, so they basically did the normal work of a con in about 6 months, instead of a year. That also included adapting to a new site (the Marriott Downtown), which had very particular rules. A great hotel in many ways, but not necessarily great for LibertyCon. Anyway, they did it all and the only real issues I saw came from hotel weirdnesses (like not having stairs from floor 3 to floor 2 that did not go through “employee only” areas!?!?).
This is my fifth LibertyCon, and like all the others, I’ve come out with improved plans and greater goals. I’m definitely earning a place and a name in this business in great part because of this con.
So, I know where I’ll be the weekend after Memorial Day in 2019.
June 28, 2018
Rob’s Update: In Orbit at LibertyCon
Week 26 of 2018
Greetings all
Before I get into anything else, let me just say that Brief Is My Flame is now officially live on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Brief-My-Flame-Kreisens-2/dp/1946415049.
Here’s the blurb:
An ancient foe threatens the realms of the west. Irina Ivanovna gave up her throne to search for that threat, and now finds herself pursued by a skilled runelord. Etain Muirghein must discover the truth before the other captains of the Western Isles rise against her. Ivan Yevgenich has spent his life defending his people but now faces the greatest Kreisic leader ever to hold a sword. And Geirr Stronghair wishes only to keep Svellheim at peace, but uncovers something more terrifying than war.
Fear and anger have seeped into the very stone of the Kreisens. No one knows the source of the poison, but all can see the flashing steel and searing flame that come in its wake.
Will rivals overcome centuries of hate to become allies? Will a riddle nearly two thousand years old reveal the means of saving Shijuren? Or will the swords of good men taste the blood of those they should protect?
The rulers of the western realms are right to worry…
Anyway, no need to worry about me because I am safely in orbit at LibertyCon in Chattanooga, TN. This is by far the best SF/F con I’ve ever seen. The people who run it are excellent, and the quality of the guests is fantastic. I’m honored to be a part of it.
However, while I made the trip successfully, my laptop did not. It was not unexpected, so I had budgeted for it. I’m now typing on an Acer Predator Helios that one review said was not full-featured enough to be a proper gaming computer and not cheap enough to fill that niche. Oddly, it fits my qualifications perfectly.
The only issue was that it took most of my day to go down to Atlanta and get it from Micro Center. They have a fairly wide choice of laptops, unlike most places, and there’s at least one in the KC area if I need servicing. Two hours each way, but that did mean I could have lunch with Duke Thomas, and that’s always fun.
However, I’m back in the hotel room getting ready to go out and see people. Here’s my LibertyCon schedule: http://www.libertycon.org/programming/pros2.php?pid=326
Gonna be a great time.
Current Playlist Song
My friend Bryan challenged me to listen to the entire Rush corpus in chronological order. Listening to Rush songs I haven’t listened to in a while is amazing. I always like them even more than I already did, and something new strikes me. The one yesterday was “Before and After” from the first album. Even then, they were something more.
Quote of the Week
Today is the 92nd birthday of Mel Brooks, one of my favorite film creators. Here’s a fantastic quote that we should remember more often in my opinion.
“Humor is just another defense against the universe.”
– Mel Brooks
News and Works in Progress
TAV (2,007)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Interview – Chris Kennedy: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1215
Upcoming Events
29 June-1 July, LibertyCon, Chattanooga, TN https://libertycon.org/
6-8 July, InConjunction, Indianapolis, IN http://www.inconjunction.org/
(ed. note: InConjunction instead of Battlemoor)
13-15 July, O Comic Con, Omaha, NE https://www.ocomiccon.com/
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s interview was with Chris Kennedy and you can find it here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1215. His Amazon page is here: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00E4MIJA8/.
Today’s Weight: 386.8
Updated Word Count: Still have collected, but it’s around 160,000.
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 369 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
June 26, 2018
Interview: Chris Kennedy
Greetings all
This week’s interview is with Chris Kennedy, who has shown many of us how to be an independent writer. He’s written several series of his own, founded a publishing company that supports other independent authors, and, along with Mark Wandrey, started the Four Horsemen Universe of which I’ve contributed.
He’s taught me quite a bit already, and I suggest you listen to him and watch what he does.
Interview: Chris Kennedy
What is your quest?
I want to sell a million books. Failing that, I want to help my authors sell ten million books.
What is your favorite color?
Science fiction…with a side of fantasy.
Chris KennedyWhat is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?
Not coming from a writing background, I had to learn to do it right. I read blogs for 15 minutes a day for four years to help develop my craft and my ability to sell more books. I’m still not totally where I want to be, but I’m a much better writer than when I started, and I’m a lot closer to the goal.
What are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
I like writing gritty combat and a good motivational speech once in a while.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? Animal.
Crunchy or Creamy? Definitely crunchy. I don’t know why they make that other stuff.
Favorite Sports Team? UNC Tarheels basketball (despite their showing in the NCAAs last year), NY Yankees baseball, and Atlanta Falcons football.
Cake or Pie? Pie…but why can’t I have both?
Lime or Lemon? Lemon…because you can put it in Corona and make it taste better.
Favorite Chip Dip? Helluva Good Sour Cream and Onion
Wet or Dry? Sopping wet. (Rob’s Note: He’s a Navy guy)
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Two Steps from Hell. Outstanding for combat writing music.
Whisky or Whiskey? Bud Light. (Rob’s Note: Sigh)
Favorite Superhero? Gal Gadot Wonder Woman. Because Gal Gadot.
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Fall
Best Game Ever? In # of hours played? Everquest.
Coffee or Tea? Diet Pepsi
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Scifi, with a side of fantasy.
What question(s) would you like to ask me?
How many MAC rounds can a trooper survive?
Rob’s Answer: If we’re talking a magnetically accelerated piece of tungsten, then zero if the trooper isn’t in a CASPer. If we’re talking the fully-loaded magazine of MAC rounds we’re going to have at our LibertyCon party, I would say most can survive five or so, depending upon rate of fire and body mass. However, this survival is likely to be more painful and the target might prefer the quick death of tungsten.
Tell me again where we can find your stuff?
Website: Join the mailing list at https://chriskennedypublishing.com and get a free short story!
Patreon: Joint the Patreon following at https://www.patreon.com/ChrisKennedy110 and get art and snippets before anyone else!
Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00E4MIJA8/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisKennedy110
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.kennedy12/
Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
You should have asked, “Do you have any free book promotions coming up soon?”
Why yes, yes I do.
Both “Janissaries” and “Cartwright’s Cavaliers” will be free this weekend. Want to introduce someone to my writing or the 4HU? This is your chance to do it—get them to pick up a free copy this weekend!
You can find them here:
Janissaries: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I59QVL0/
Cartwright’s Cavaliers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRZKM95
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
June 21, 2018
Rob’s Update: Our Hearts Shall Be Bolder
Week 25 of 2018
Brief Is My Flame is done! It’ll be live on Amazon next week.
I’m excited. I have definitely leveled up, both in terms of writing and in terms of production. I’m very pleased with it.
I want to take a moment and apologize for not getting last week’s update out on the blog. For some reason, WordPress wouldn’t take it. I did email it out to my list, however. Also, I should be back on my normal schedule.
The move is going apace. We have gotten a floor replaced in one room, and that has helped tremendously. The cats are adjusting. Nearly all the stuff is in the house in Olathe. We will be starting my office in the next couple of weeks, and when I get back from Pennsic I’ll finally have something designed to my specs in a comfortable room.
Over the next week, I clear up a bunch of things I’ve not paid attention to between the move and the book. I also will finish TAV, and hopefully make some progress on a 4HU novel, but that may wait until after LibertyCon.
A week from today, I should be in Chattanooga getting ready for LibertyCon. This is one of my favorite events of the year, and I’m really looking forward to it.
My next month is still extremely busy, but I think I’m at the top of the roller coaster.
Current Playlist Song
I’m with my mom today at the hospital for a scheduled procedure, so I’m not really listening to music, so I’ll quote something I used in Brief Is My Flame. Many thanks to Jonna Bernstein for letting me use these words.
For our hands shall be the harder, and our will shall be the wiser
And our hearts shall be bolder as our strength must end
Come and follow me to glory, so that when they tell the story
We shall not be forgotten in the halls of men
– Jonna Bernstein (Rosalind Jehanne), “Battle of Maldon”
Quote of the Week
This week’s quote is the blurb for Brief Is My Flame:
An ancient foe threatens the realms of the west. Irina Ivanovna gave up her throne to search for that threat, and now finds herself pursued by a skilled runelord. Etain Muirghein must discover the truth before the other captains of the Western Isles rise against her. Ivan Yevgenich has spent his life defending his people but now faces the greatest Kreisic leader ever to hold a sword. And Geirr Stronghair wishes only to keep Svellheim at peace, but uncovers something more terrifying than war.
Fear and anger have seeped into the very stone of the Kreisens. No one knows the source of the poison, but all can see the flashing steel and searing flame that come in its wake.
Will rivals overcome centuries of hate to become allies? Will a riddle nearly two thousand years old reveal the means of saving Shijuren? Or will the swords of good men taste the blood of those they should protect?
The rulers of the western realms are right to worry.
News and Works in Progress
TAV (2,007)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Over 100 new Wiki additions. Here are a few.
Ingvaeonic Cohort: http://robhowell.org/shijuren/Ingvaeonic+Cohort
Aurilius Ianuarius Sergius: http://robhowell.org/shijuren/Aurilius+Ianuarius+Sergius
The Finola: http://robhowell.org/shijuren/Finola
Cyrielle Tiitus Tiryaki: http://robhowell.org/shijuren/Cyrielle+Tiitus+Tiryaki
Sveinn Njalsson: http://robhowell.org/shijuren/Sveinn+Njalsson
Upcoming Events
29 June-1 July, LibertyCon, Chattanooga, TN https://libertycon.org/
6-8 July, InConjunction, Indianapolis, IN http://www.inconjunction.org/
(ed. note: InConjunction instead of Battlemoor)
13-15 July, O Comic Con, Omaha, NE https://www.ocomiccon.com/
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
I didn’t do an interview this week, so I’m putting the spotlight on Jonna Bernstein, who let me use one of her songs in my book. You can find her stuff at: http://www.rosalindjehanne.com/
Today’s Weight: 385.2
Updated Word Count: Something like 150k, but I’ll know for sure next week.
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 349 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
