Michael K. Rose's Blog, page 4

New Release: GHOSTS OF FORGOTTEN EMPIRES Vol. II by Michael J. Foy

Ghosts of Forgotten Empires Volumes I and II tells the story of an American free lance intelligence operative. So what’s the big deal? Don’t we already have a sea of excellent character heroes in this genre like Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Scot Harvath and Gabriel Allon? Maybe, but do any of them view lessons learned from watching Star Trek as their compass in life? Could any of them deal with threats to our existence as a species on this world we now call Earth? Ancient and possibly alien artifacts are discovered in Egypt. A few individuals acquire them by questionable means including Cord and another top intelligence operative from Russia. They are instantly endowed with god-like abilities and threaten a new cold war with destructive powers that make a nuclear deterrent look quaint. Cord will have to rely on his scholarship of all things Star Trek to help him cope with not only earthly enemies but also an otherworldly threat. Will he recognize, in his mysterious family history, the secrets of a forgotten empire to defeat humanity’s earthly and unearthly enemies?
Available at Amazon: Ghosts of Forgotten Empires Vol. I Ghosts of Forgotten Empires Vol. II
***
Michael J. Foy was born to Irish immigrants in upstate New York. At 4 and then again at 12 years old his parents moved the family to London for a year before returning to the U.S. and permanently settling in the Boston area. Michael graduated Northeastern University in 1979 with an engineering degree and worked in that profession until 1992. In 1993 he changed careers and became a recruiter servicing the publishing industry and founded Publishing Search Solutions in 1997. In essence his literary career has spanned two other careers but has always been his first love.
Since college Michael harbored the desire to write science fiction. In 1991 he sold an option for his first novel, False Gods, as a screenplay to Timothy Bogart the nephew of Peter Guber, Producer of Batman. Tim’s California based production company adapted material for the big and small screens.
Michael has since published Future Perfect, a Science Fiction novel and local bestseller, The Kennedy Effect and the Ghosts of Forgotten Empires series. He was also an early pioneer in publishing short stories over the internet including the Solar Winds of Change, The Adventure of the Moonstone and A Land to Call Our Own.

SULLIVAN'S WAR - Free July 11-12!

This Friday and Saturday (July 11 & 12), my action-adventure sci-fi novel Sullivan's War will be free at Amazon! Also free is the associated story "Sergeant Riley's Account," which gives a little background to Sullivan's War but is by no means crucial to understanding it.
Follow the appropriate links below to get your free copies. If you like Sullivan's War, please visit this page to read about the rest of The Sullivan Saga. Also note that The Sullivan Omnibus, which collects the entire story, is on sale for just $4.99 through Sunday, July 13. Details here .
Get your free Kindle copy of Sullivan's War at: Amazon US Amazon UK
Get your free Kindle copy of "Sergeant Riley's Account" at:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing -- 016: Host Your Fellow Writers

This is my blog. It's all about me. You came here to read about me. You want to know what I have to say! Right? Hello?
Well, sure. To an extent. But you're probably also here because you like science fiction or just books in general. You might be here (and reading this) because you're an author yourself. So if all I did was talk about me and my books, well, unless I have a new release or other special announcement, chances are you've already heard it.
So how do I keep you coming back? How do I get you to keep visiting and seeing that list over to the right of all the wonderful books I have available for purchase? Occasionally, I suppose I'll have to blog about something other than me and my books. It's... it's a great burden, but it must be done.
One thing I like to do in particular is host book features for other authors. Unlike writing reviews or conducting interviews, these are really, really easy. In about five minutes you can have a new blog post about another author's book, helping them out, but also increasing the value of your blog's content. Readers get to see something new and, even while they're reading about someone else's book, your name and book titles are right there for them to glance over at (like in the sidebar). Plus, that other author is going to drive traffic to your blog. I've even seen people land on my blog while Google searching for information about the books I've hosted.
I don't mean for this to sound so blatantly self-serving. I really do like helping out other authors, and as solitary an act writing is, once you've been doing it for a while, you'll come to realize just how valuable the connections you've made with your fellow writers really is. We have strength in numbers, and any opportunity to help each other out should not be passed up. But for those of you who, for whatever reason, don't do much of it, I'm just trying to give you a little extra incentive.
So, since people love numbered lists, here's what you need for a quick, easy book feature which will add value to your blog and keep readers coming back for more:
1. The book blurb.2. Links to the book and the author's website/blog.3. An image of the book cover.4. An image of the author (optional)
And that's it. You can organize it in any way you find aesthetically pleasing. If you have read and enjoyed the book, it's a nice touch to add a comment at the beginning saying so.
Also keep in mind that if someone does post a book feature for you, offer to reciprocate. And don't forget to share the post on Facebook, Twitter, etc., whether you're the host or are being hosted. If someone's hosted you, it's especially important to share it far and wide as thanks. But it's good for you, too. Sometimes a reader just needs to see your book presented in a different context to get interested in it. 
So go find an author you like and send them a message offering to host a book feature! I want a 500-word essay on my desk by the end of the week about how mutually beneficial it turned out to be. (That's a joke. Please don't send me essays.)
Until next time,Michael K. Rose
***
If you're enjoying the series so far and would like a single page to bookmark, I'll be adding each of my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing  here . Also be sure to subscribe by email (see the box in the sidebar) to be automatically notified about my new posts.

101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing -- 015: Your Book is Not Static

I recently changed the covers for several of my books. I had been unhappy with a few of them for a while, and lagging sales prompted me to finally do something about the lackluster appearance of those books.
So far, I have received many great comments about the new covers and I believe the updated look had led to a boost in sales.
While I was updating the covers, I also took the opportunity to upload new eBook files with updated "Also Available" sections with hyperlinks directly to each book's Amazon page. The "About the Author" section also received an update.
It is important to remember in this digital age that your book is not a static entity. Uploading a new eBook takes only a few minutes, and with print on demand technology, even print copies can be easily updated, and there's no reason you shouldn't make those updates when you need to. (Note: minor changes do not require a new edition with a different ISBN number, but if you do a major revision, you should produce a second edition.)
If you do decide to give your books a bit of a makeover, here is a list of several things to consider:
1. Make sure your list of available works is up to date. If you release a new book, it should be fairly easy to go back and add it to the lists in all your other books. Remember that these days most people are reading on tablets, so hyperlinking to a web page about the book or even the Amazon product page is a good way to encourage readers to go for the next one.
2. Check that your author bio is up to date. If you've released the fourth book of a series but the bio only mentions three, or if you've received an award or made it onto a bestseller list, you can mention these things in your updated bio.
3. Some authors like to include quotes from reviews or other authors at the front of their books. If you do this, be sure to add any really good quotes that have come in since you first published. Once your book has been out for a while, you'll have a lot more quotes to choose from.
4. Re-check for formatting errors. There's always a chance something slipped through the first time, so giving your book a page-by-page check is never a bad idea. Look for proper indentation, chapter/section breaks and, in the case of print copies, page numbers, margins and proper spacing.
5. Fix any spelling/grammatical errors. When I re-did the covers for The Sullivan Saga, I did a complete read-through of each book. If you have the time, this is not a bad idea--plus, if you're writing an ongoing series, doing this can remind you of characters or plot points that you can still build upon. Also look for repetition of words in the same paragraph, awkwardly written passages and anything that may cause confusion. Even small changes in this area can greatly improve the reading experience. If you don't want to do a complete read-through, there's still a possibility someone has sent along a few typos they noticed. Don't forget to find and fix them.
6. Make sure the organization and formatting of each book in a series is the same. For example, if chapter numbers are left justified in one book but centered in another, standardize them. In print editions, make sure you use the same fonts throughout.

***
If you're enjoying the series so far and would like a single page to bookmark, I'll be adding each of my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing  here . Also be sure to subscribe by email (see the box in the sidebar) to be automatically notified about my new posts.

New Release: THE SULLIVAN OMNIBUS!

The entirety of The Sullivan Saga is now available in a single volume: The Sullivan Omnibus! This collection includes Sullivan's War, Sullivan's Wrath and Sullivan's Watch as well as the novelette "Sergeant Riley's Account" and the short story "Sleep," both of which take place in the same universe.
The omnibus is on sale for just $4.99 through Sunday, July 13. Get it for your Kindle here:
Amazon US Amazon UK
Prepare For an Epic Science Fiction Adventure!
Richard Sullivan is a wanted man. He’s killed key politicians on both Earth and on his home planet of Edaline. When his reasons for doing so are revealed, Frank Allen, the agent assigned to the case, begins to question his own loyalties. His pursuit of Sullivan takes him across the inhabited galaxy and sets them both on an adventure that will change the course of human history.

New Release: REIGN OF BLOOD OMNIBUS by Alexia Purdy

Get the entire post-apocalyptic adventure in one volume! 
Included in this omnibus package are books 1-3 with 2 bonus short novellas. A highly imaginative post-apocalyptic series that is not your usual dystopian read. All packaged together to keep the action and adventure nonstop!
Together, these 3 books and 2 short stories have 373+ Amazon reviews! A highly anticipated and loved series which packs a punch and is made to devour, literally!
Get it for just $3.99 for a limited time!
Amazon US Amazon UK
Reign of Blood #1:
"Never tease anything that wants to eat you. My name is April Tate and my blood is the new gold. Vampires and hybrids have overrun my world, once vibrant with life, but now a graveyard of death shrouded in shadows. I fight to survive; I fight for my mother and brother. The journey is full of turns that I am quite unprepared for. And I'm just hoping to make it to the next Vegas sunrise..."
In a post-apocalyptic world, a viral epidemic has wiped out most of the earth’s population, leaving behind few humans but untold numbers of mutated vampires. April is a seventeen-year- old girl who lives in the remains of Las Vegas one year after the outbreak. She has become a ferocious vampire killer and after her family is abducted, she goes searching for them. What she finds is a new breed of vampire, unlike any she has seen before. Unsure of whom she can trust, she discovers that her view of the world is not as black and white as she once thought, and she's willing to bend the rules to rescue her family. But in trying to save them, she may only succeed in bringing her fragile world crashing down around her.
Disarming (Reign of Blood #2)
The world has changed. One must adapt to survive or hold on to the crumbling shards of humanity.
April continues to hold her fragile world together, but the ties that hold her family together are quickly unraveling. Rumors of a massive human underground settlement draw her to the shadows of the city once more in search of other survivors more like her, even with the hybrid vampires opposing her every move.
The darkness hides secrets along with the continued threat the Feral Vampires create, but a greater evil hides within the city. Something tells April that the humans will be less than welcoming of her, and that's if she can find them before the Vampires do. Joining sides with the enemy might be the only choice she has left.
Amplified (Reign of Blood #3)
Who wants to be the prey in a world full of hunters?
In the aftermath of the end of her world, April Tate decides that it's high time to leave the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas. After learning the origins of a Zompire Plague remedy, she risks her life to steal the antidote, makes the decision to separate from Jeremy for a while, and joins a small band of new and old comrades on a trip to the Pacific Coast. There they search out a legendary hive of vampires who are more than just wild, blood drinking creatures, they could be the very people she needs to help her.
On a mission to save the last of humanity, April will use the antidote to save some from eternal damnation, but will her decision bring hope for the future or create an ever bigger, unforeseen devastation?
Resonant (Reign of Blood Prequel)
Surviving is worse than death…As the first days of the end of humanity tumble across the city of Las Vegas in the form of an overwhelming viral infection, turning almost everyone into vampire-like creatures, April Tate will find out what it really means to survive. What does it take to make it out alive in a place where everything is but a withered echo of its former self, and death does not come willingly?
Elijah: The Miel Chronicles (A Reign of Blood Companion Story)
These are the journeys of Miel, the Keeper of the journal.
The workings of heaven are shrouded in mystery and myth, leaving us to only theorize as to what awaits us when we pass.
There are those among us however, that are special cases.
These are good people that have committed a horrendous crime, such as murder.

SHORT STORIES is Now THE VAST EXPANSE BEYOND!

Hello, all!
As many of my books are receiving face lifts, I felt it was time for my collection Short Stories to get not only a new edition but a new title as well. The Vast Expanse Beyond takes its name from the final story in the collection and is, I feel, a much more intriguing title than simply Short Stories. The collection has, of course, also received a new cover.
The content of the book has been revised and slightly reordered (the notes now appear at the end of the book as opposed to directly after each story), but the content is essentially unchanged. I hope to have Amazon send update notices to all previous buyers of the collection, so if you have Short Stories, you will hopefully be able to update it soon.
Check out The Vast Expanse Beyond here .
A print edition is coming soon, so watch for further announcements!
Best,Michael K. Rose

Review: Bastion Science Fiction Magazine

Bastion Science Fiction Magazine may be a brand new publication, but the presentation, editing and story selection are as good as anything you'll find from Analog or Asimov's. The amount of fiction is impressive: nine stories in the May 2014 issue. A few didn't really grab me (which happens with the aforementioned Analog and Asimov's as well, so that's no major criticism), but several really impressed me, particularly Eric Del Carlo's "Nigh," a story about a race of people who exist alongside humans--and can predict the exact date of any person's death. There's a lot more to the story than is apparent at the beginning, and the character development is considerable for a short story.
Rounding out my top three stories in this issue are Jessica Payseur's "Wruyian Sands" and "A Rather Different Sort of F-Bomb" by Marty Bonus. Both of them present unique visions of the future, the first from the perspective of a little girl trying to understand an alien culture while coping with family issues, and the second as an exploration of what a person is willing to do to save humanity.
Another story I particularly enjoyed is Mark Patrick Lynch's "A Considerate Invasion." It definitely reminded me of some of the classic science fiction stories of decades past. Indeed, Bastion's home page states: "Short stories reminiscent of the golden age." They have certainly succeeded in creating a magazine any writer, past or present, would be proud to be published in.
I received a copy of the second issue in exchange for an honest review, but I've already bought and begun reading June's issue, #3. I look forward to enjoying the magazine for many more issues to come.
Click here to check out Bastion's website! Individual issues are available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Weightless Books .

DEAD MEDIUM by Peter John

The deathly silence is about to be broken. She disliked the company of others and death did little to warm her spirit. She had led an independent life and she faced death in much the same way. She was finally alone, finally free from the mindless babble of others, at least that's what she thought. May Elizabeth Trump was the rarest of spirits and she was none too happy about it either. She was a dead medium, a ghost who can speak with the living, and her services were to become in great demand. Flung into the limelight and smothered with unwanted attention, May soon discovers that it is not only ghosts with long awaited messages that have taken an interest in her. Something dark was lurking in the shadows, stalking her. Even the dead are not left to rest in peace. 
Dead Medium: A humorous, character driven story and a unique vision of life after death. Not your average ghost story.
Click here to get Dead Medium for your Kindle!
***
Peter John was born in Bromley Kent, England in 1973. He gained an interest in creative writing at the age of 14 and was published during the 1990s in several poetry anthologies. He has been happily married to Jo since 1996 and currently lives in Sidcup Kent, not so far from the tree.
You can connect with Peter at his website , blog , Facebook or Twitter .

A New Look for The Sullivan Saga!

Hello, all! Sullivan's War first came out in July of 2012. Sullivan's Wrath arrived in February of the next year. Now that Sullivan's Watch has been out for a while and the story has reached its conclusion, I felt that it was time for the series to get a new look. 
To that end, I have updated the covers for all three books. Sullivan's War and Sullivan's Wrath have received completely new covers! Sullivan's Watch retains the same artwork, but the layout has been changed to match the others. I hope these new covers will appeal to a new set of readers, and if you've read any books of the series and enjoyed them, please do tell a friend! It will take a little time for the updates to post on Amazon, but the new covers can be seen below. To read more about the series, please click here .
Thank you to all my readers who have encouraged me during the writing of this series. If the demand is there, there just might be another Rick Sullivan story in the works. I have some other projects I want to complete first, so stay tuned!
Best,Michael K. Rose