Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 59

Author Peter J Foote to appear at East Coast Comic Expo May 20-21

Peter J Foote, author of the short story The Silence Between Moons from the 2016 Sci-Fi From The Rock anthology will be appearing with and signing copies of the collection at the East Coast Comic Expo in Moncton May 20-21st 2016.

Other guest include Canadian comics legend Sandy Carruthers, whose greatest success was illustrating The Men in Black, the comic which later became, Men in Black. Carruthers also worked on Captain Canuck,  was the Editorial Cartoonist for the Charlottetown Guardian newspaper, and published a book of editorial cartoons entitled Sh-It Happened.

Foote will be appearing not only to promote his work on “The Silence Between Moons” but also to promote his bookstore, FictionFirst.

Fictionfirst Used Books specializes is previously enjoyed Sci-fi & Fantasy Novels, Roleplaying Manuals and Graphic Novels. The store is run out of Foote’s home in the Annapolis Valley and open by appointment only, though they ship Canada wide. At over 5000 titles strong, interested parties are encouraged to request a copy of their inventory via his Facebook page.

 

Just read ‘Stealing Back Freedom’ by Chris Walsh… now what?

So you just read Stealing Back Freedom, the first short story set in the new Gold and Steel book series, from Sci-Fi from the Rock and you’re wondering, as well you should be: what happens next? What happens to Orangecloak? Where does the story go from here?

“Stealing Back Freedom” is merely prelude to a lengthy, astonishing adventure that fantasy fans have been waiting years for. The first novel in the Gold and Steel series, As Fierce as Steel, is available now! Anyone who enjoyed “Stealing Back Freedom” should check it out, and then come right back to Engen Books next year for Fantasy from the Rock for the next chapter in Chris Walsh’s epic fantasy saga!

 

As Fierce as Steel by Christopher P. Walsh

As Fierce as Steel is the inaugural entry into the world of Gold & Steel, a new fantasy series from Canadian author, Christopher Walsh. It is centered around the lives of two women, those of the Lady Orangecloak and Lady Marigold Tullivan. One is the leader of a brave group of young men and women in open rebellion of their government. The other was born into that patriarchal world and destined for greatness, as a trophy wife, a fate she will do anything to alter.

Exodus of Angels

As Leigh struggles to get control of her powers and Theo returns to the demons of his past to find her aid, Victor and Jaycee venture to a palliative care unit in Los Angeles which holds a dark secret.

Exodus of Angels (Paperback)

Ellen Curtis / Matthew LeDrew

Purchase:

Canada:

Exodus of Angels (amazon.ca)

Exodus of Angels (chapters.ca)

US:

Exodus of Angels (amazon.com)

Exodus of Angels (Barnes&Noble)

Kindle EBook: Exodus of Angels (amazon.ca)

Kindle EBook: Exodus of Angels (amazon.com)

 

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-1926903286


Release Date:
April 01, 2016


Status:
Available


Book Type:
Paperback (5 x 8 in)


Cover Price:
US $19.99 / CAN $19.99 / UK £12.99


Page Count:
244




Related Titles

 

Just read ‘Whitecoat’ by Ken Tam… what now?

So you just read the Whitecoat prologue from Sci-Fi from the Rock and you’re wondering, as well you should be: what happens next? Are there other Champions? How did the world get to be this way in 1940? What am I missing? the story was amazing and I need to know!

First, calm down. This is a perfectly normal reaction… you’ve just been KenTaminated. Sadly there is no cure, but there is a treatment: The Champions series by Kenneth Tam.

 

Whitecoat by Kenneth Tam

Since 1881, Britain, Canada and the United States have been colonizing another planet. Now it’s 1940, and tensions between the world’s Empires are mounting because the English-speaking nations enjoy exclusive control over a uniquely powerful resource: genetically-enhanced humans known as ‘Champions’. Lady Alex Smith is the newest Champion, and her best friend Stephanie Shylock has joined the British Army so they can work together. Along with Sergeant Mike Strong, a veteran soldier with a colorful reputation, these two must follow in the footsteps of their famous parents, and save the world… perhaps both worlds.

War Footing by Kenneth Tam

As 1941 arrives, global tensions have reached new heights. War between the British and German empires seems increasingly likely, but more worrying is the revelation that Emily, the first Champion, has turned against her government. When Lady Alex Smith, Second Lieutenant Stephanie Shylock, and Sergeant Mike Strong begin to investigate the rogue Champion’s plans, a series of violent attacks unleash chaos around the world. Is Emily seeking to destroy the system she helped create… or are others using her actions to conceal their own, more dangerous agenda? War Footing includes five novellas that have previously only been available in the ebook format, plus an exclusive bonus chapter.

Harm’s Way by Kenneth Tam

War with Germany has been declared, but at the dawn of 1942, Britain seems reluctant to strike first. Despite great superiority in both arms and technology, Churchill searches for answers instead of revenge, leaving two worlds to anxiously await a clash of empires unlike anything seen in human history… a clash which Alex, Stephanie, and Strong will miss. While Sass, George Devlin, and the Hospitality Department investigate the attacks of 1941, and Elspeth Cornish searches for Duncan’s lost children, the whitecoat and her friends are confined to a Jimmystown classroom, supposedly out of danger. But is anywhere truly safe from the enemies of the Champions? Harm’s Way includes five novellas that have previously only been available in the ebook format, plus an exclusive bonus chapter.

Scar Tissue by Kenneth Tam

Those responsible for the war between Britain and Germany have been revealed, but as 1942 gives way to 1943, the real danger appears to come from the return of Lady Emily. Supported by an unlikely cabal of conspirators, she moves between all sides of the global conflict, while preparing a campaign of her own… But who is the target of that campaign? The British Empire has long benefited from the strength of the Champions, but as Emily’s designs shine a new light on the children of the savages, Alex, Stephanie and Strong must investigate questions that have gone unasked for decades. Together with Elspeth, George, Constance, Vanier, and the Saa, these three must peer into the past, and uncover truths that could reshape society across two worlds. Has the rogue Lady been right to claim that ordinary people are the greatest danger to the Champions? Is a newer, deadlier war close at hand? Scar Tissue includes five novellas that have previously only been available in the ebook format, plus an exclusive bonus chapter.

 

All are available in Print and eBook! Check them out ASAP and enjoy![image error]

Call for Fantasy submissions!

After the colossal success of Sci-Fi from the Rock this past 10th Anniversary weekend, Engen Books has decided to continue the line with Fantasy from the Rock, to be available in Spring 2017 at the eleventh annual Sci-Fi on the Rock convention.

“The response from fans was enormous and overwhelming,” said Engen founder Matthew LeDrew. “We we able to publish a number of first-time authors alongside established pillars in the Newfoundland science-fiction community like Kenneth Tam and Scott Bartlett, of Iceberg Publishing and Mirth Publishing, respectfully. Engen Books has always been a fan of placing new talent alongside established talent, giving those new voices a chance to shine in a way they may have have otherwise.”

While the inaugural volume was titled Sci-Fi from the Rock, it in fact told PG-rated stories from the fantasy, science-fiction, and thriller genres. This new collection will focus more heavily on genre-specific stories, with each successive volume then showcasing different talent within the Canadian writing scene.

Editors Ellen Curtis and Erin Vance are scheduled to return to helm the project.

As Fierce as Steel author Christopher Walsh has already expressed interest in returning his fantasy series, The Gold and Steel Saga to the collection. “[Engen Books] has created a place, at least locally, that helps local writers get a foothold in that world and gives the advice and encouragement needed to convince them to try at all,” said Walsh. “If not for Engen, I’m willing to bet there’s a lot of young writers telling stories outside of the local publishers scope that would not have any platform at all to try or would have given up entirely already.”

Other authors have expressed interest, but anyone can submit to be a part of this Spring 2017 collection! Deadline is December 31, 2016 but get your stories in as quick as you can, as it gives our wonderful editors more time to work with you and make sure it is as good as it can possibly be!

 

What is the target audience?

For this specific collection, we’re going for an equivalent of PG. Rather than limit our authors creatively, we encourage them to write from the heart and allow us to work with them to fine-tune the work after the fact.

Example: for Sci-Fi from the Rock, Christopher Walsh’s story had featured a fair amount of cursing. As a compromise, we settled on switching it out for classic-comic style “#@$#” bleeps. We feel it captured the classic all-ages style we were going for while remaining true to his work, and both parties were happy with the arrangement. [image error]

What genres will be accepted?

This year we will be focusing on fantasy. Fantasy can actually be broken down into several sub categories, such as High Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Fae Stories,  and more. We hope to have an eclectic mix of the Fantasy genre represented, and encourage people submitting  to find new and exciting ways to use the genre as well as using the standard storytelling mechanisms of the genre.

Will Non-Fantasy Stories be accepted?

As a general rule, Engen Books has a policy against turning down a good, well-written story; but we will be giving clear preference to stories that fit the genre. People submitting who we do not feel fit the genre may be informed that Engen would like to hold back the story for a later collection. Regardless, for this collection, Fantasy comes first.

Who can submit?

Any Canadian author with a link to the Sci-Fi on the Rock convention, which is our partner. This link does not have to be substantive! It can be someone involved with the convention, an Engen Books author, an author from Newfoundland, an author from Atlantic Canada, or any author looking to celebrate great Canadian genre writing!

Example: In Sci-Fi from the Rock, Peter Foote wrote “The Silence Between Moons” and asked if, even though he had never been to Sci-Fi on the Rock, if he could submit. We said as long as he wanted to help celebrate the genre and the act of coming together as a community around stories we all love, he was welcome, and his tale is one of the best in the collection!

When do submissions close?

December 31, 2016 11:59 PM Newfoundland Standard Time.

Do you have questions?

Ask them below by commenting on this post, we will answer you post haste![image error]

Happy Writing!

Kevin Kendall shows off artwork for new Erin Vance project

Kevin Kendall shows off his “Song of the Mockingjay” artwork

Anyone familiar to the science-fiction scene in Atlantic Canada is no stranger to the work of Kevin Kendall, who photo-realistic renditions of everything from acclaimed actors to Halloween’s greatest horrors has captured the imagination and awe of anyone who sees them. He is perhaps less well known for teaming up with Engen Books on occasion to produce some glorious covers, such as the international edition of Black Womb.

At Sci-Fi on the Rock 10, Kevin was hard at work for his next Engen Books cover: the first Engen Academic title, the printing of Erin Vance’s 2015 Honours Thesis Song of the Mockingjay: Katniss Everdeen’s agency in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series.

Kendall’s work helps bring this upcoming project to life! Be sure and stay tuned for more announcements from Kendall, Vance, and other Engen Academic Essay projects!

Sci-Fi on the Rock: 10 years of awesome, dysfunction, and kentamination for the win.

April 1-3 this year was the tenth consecutive year for Sci-Fi on the Rock, a science-fiction convention that has become one of the largest fan and volunteer-run conventions of its kind. The Sheraton Newfoundland Hotel was filled to — from my understanding — near capacity and it resulted in one of the best weekends for the convention ever, by many metrics.

But not all metrics are measurable. This was the greatest weekend Engen Books has ever had by many metrics, not the least of which: sheer joy and pride. I’m going to attempt to explain why in a very stream-of-consciousness way.

Kenneth Tam, Matthew LeDrew, and Ellen Curtis behind the Engen Books booth. Dreams = come true.

Life has an odd way — sometimes — of linking things back together in very cohesive ways. Life isn’t a narrative. Life isn’t narratively pleasing, everything circling back to form a complete story… except sometimes.

The return of Kenneth Tam to Sci-Fi on the Rock was one of those moments, on a personal level. Kenneth Tam was the first guest at the original Sci-Fi on the Rock in 2006, which is in and of itself an Engen Books anniversary. As Ken himself put it this year while we all attended the Most Dysfunctional Writing Panel: “Ten years ago Matthew LeDrew came to my panel on how to break into publishing and scribbled everything I said on a sheet of paper furiously. The next year he came back with his own company and novel. Now ten years later, we’re all in this room because of that.”

Which, to be fair, is a flattering lie.

Gold Nail Polish, New Friends, and a Couple Good Foot Stomps

  I just took off my gold nail polish, which means that SciFi on the Rock is offically over for me. Am I recovered from three full days of meeting and greeting, selling and yelling yet? No, of course not. Does one ever recover from a brand new experience? Not really; I think what happens instead is you just adapt to this new aspect of your life. And, just like it took me a long time to adapt to the experience of driving across the country and back, I think it’s going to take me a while to adapt to SciFi on the Rock 10.

In all honesty, I feel somewhat disoriented. I went from SciFi on the Rock – nearly twelve hours a day for three days – and then was expected to return to the routine of life. Rather like Dorothy must have marvelled at the thought of returning to Kansas after experiencing Oz, or Frodo wondered at how Hobbiton could feel like home, I am looking around my world and thinking that it doesn’t quite fit anymore.

(Of course, that could be the exhaustion speaking. I am already remembering my place in this routine I have established over the last few weeks.)

How to explain SciFi on the Rock? How can I possibly convey the constant sense of motion, the energy in the air that almost makes you claustrophobic, or the wonder at seeing all these different people in their costumes trying to disguise their slight nerves with face-paint or a mask? Where people think they’ll be accepted – but maybe they won’t be – and the relief and happiness that fills their expressions when you recognize what character they are playing as. How to explain the sudden lurch in your stomach and jump of your heart the first time someone asks for you to sign a book – and then the sudden horror as you realize you have no idea what to write for them. Could I possible do justice to the constant headache from all the noise and people and socializing, but also how you push past the headache because here are smiling people wanting to talk to you about shared passions? And watching people talk to people; strangers minutes before, and strangers minutes later, but for this brief period of time spent gesturing and grinning wildly and stammering over their words: family.

Maybe some people were hoping I would go over the events of the weekend, but unless I really concentrate, it’s difficult for me to separate events. There was a book launch – and I’d like to thank everyone that came and listened to me stumble over my words since I wasn’t expecting to read from my story. And thank you to all the authors that contributed to SciFi from the Rock; it was a huge success, and it’s all thanks to you – and two panels. Two very different panels, I might add; most panels don’t allow you to shout at Matthew LeDrew with a foot stomp for emphasis or mutter sarcastic comments to Ellen Curtis and Scott Bartlett and get a thumbs up from a fan in the front row when they overhear (that’s the Dysfunctional Writing Panel, in case anyone was wondering). The other panel, while slightly nerve-racking since I didn’t have a clue what I was supposed to say, was just as wonderful since questions were asked and answered and for once I actually felt like part of the Engen Crew. Although I’m aware that Ellen and Matthew have welcomed me with open arms – something I super appreciate – I’m finally beginning to feel like something more than the weak link.

And I met people! So many people I don’t think I could name them all – some of them I had met before, but for the first time I felt like an equal and not a nuisance. I finally got to meet Kenneth Tam and Chris Walsh; Jay Paulin, Ariel Marsh and their crew; Matthew Daniels, Sam Bauer, Larry Gent, and a dozen other people I never got the surnames of. Sorry, guys. I’m usually okay at names, but I think my brain just reached its limit this weekend.

So what was SciFi on the Rock 10? For me, it was a glimpse into a world I want to be a part of: a world where people cared about the same things as me, where I got to talk about things that I loved, and got to inspire and help people who love these things too.

When SciFi first began ten years ago, I don’t think anyone expected it to grow into something like this. And when Erin Vance was fourteen, she never thought she’d grow into an editor and writer with one degree and another one on the way. Which just makes me wonder what exactly the next ten years holds, for both SciFi on the Rock and everyone it touches.

I bet whatever it is, it’s incredible.

Sci-Fi 10 starts tomorrow!

Sci-Fi on the Rock 10 starts tomorrow, April 1, and last until April 3 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland. In attendance will be Engen authors Matthew LeDrew & Ellen Curtis, as well as Engen Head-Editor Erin Vance!

The weekend is jam-packed with events and panels from your favorite Engen authors, contributors, and friends!

Friday, April 1

5:00-5:50pm in the Roddenberry Room:

Book Launch for Sci-Fi From The Rock!

Celebrating 10 years of Sci-Fi on the Rock with this special commemorative volume featuring over twenty short stories by some of Atlantic Canada’s most impressive indie talent in science-fiction!

Saturday, April 2

11-11:50am in the Nimoy Room:

Finding a Partner in Crime: A Guide to Story Collaboration

with Jay Paulin & Ariel Marsh!

Struggling to find a co-writer or co-creator for your project? Having a tough time compromising with a partner? Join the author of Spooky’s Gambit to learn the tricks that have allowed us to thrive together for five years.

3-3:50pm in the Tolkien Room:

Take Control: Why You Should Self-Publish Your Fiction and How to Do It

with Scott Bartlett, author of Flight or Fight

Full-time indie author Scott Bartlett will outline the benefits of independently publishing your fiction in today’s rapidly changing market and will also take you through how to do it. He’ll finish with a reading from book 1 in his new dystopian satire trilogy.

6-6:50pm in the Lucas Room

The Most Dysfunctional Writing Panel Ever

with Engen Books and friends

Join a convention tradition as an all-star cast of authors debate the merits of each other’s writing advice. Come with questions to ask, and stay for the laughter that ensues.

Sunday, April 3

9:30-10:20am in the Roddenberry Room

Ambassador Series: A New Era in Publishing

Kenneth Tam, author of Whitecoat

Kenneth Tam was Sci Fi on the Rock’s first guest in 2007, and he returns for the tenth anniversary to offer a special workshop about the changing face of fiction publishing.

Author of more than 50 titles, with numerous books in the Amazon Top 100 lists, he has watched the publishing industry go through massive changes over the past 14 years –– and has helped his family’s independent house, Iceberg Publishing, thrive during this tumultuous time.

Sharing first-hand experiences about web, media, events, photo shoots, marketing, advertising, and of course, writing, he will offer up-to-date sights into the strategic reality of publishing. Anyone interested in writing and releasing their stories is invited to bring their questions.

11:30-12:20 in the Lucas Room

A Totally Awesome Book Launch! Emma Awesome Hits the Stage in Her Print Debut

Jay Paulin, author of Spooky’s Gambit

Dig comics? Dig rock and roll? Dig graves? Then join Ink’d Well Comics for the launch of Emma Awesome! Join us for a talk about comics (web and print), weekly schedules, and the creative process.

12:30-1:20pm in the Tolkien Room

Small Press Publishing

with Matthew LeDrew, Ellen Curtis & Erin Vance

Join Engen Books’ Matthew LeDrew, Ellen Curtis, and Erin Vance as they take you behind the scenes of operating a small press publishing company and bringing books to print.

Also all day, every day drop by the Engen Books booth to chat about books and catch our newest releases, including Sci-Fi from the Rock, Exodus of Angels, and Sinister Intent!

Sci-Fi from the Rock eBook available!

Sci-Fi from the Rock launches at the 10th Annual Sci-Fi on the Rock in just 7 days!! What’s that you say, that’s too long to wait to get your hands on the newest stories by the most influential independent authors in the Atlantic provinces? 7 days is too long to go without reading about the first Super Galactic Space Explorers prose story? The introduction to Kenneth Tam’s Champions series? The first story in Chris Walsh’s Gold and Steel series? The birth of Ali House’s new universe?

Well you’re in luck! Just for you guys, the book is available for download on Kindle now! Download at an amazing discount, less than $4 CAD, to get all the action, suspense, and thrills you can handle!

Those reading this after the fact who already have a physical copy: fear not! Sci-Fi from the Rock is a part of the MatchBooks program! Owners of the physical book can receive a digital copy at an extreme discount: only 99 cents!

So you say you just can’t wait? You don’t have to!!