Monday, August 29, 2011

Ephemeris e-books

The core rulebook for the Ephemeris RPG has now been released in a variety of e-book formats through Smashwords. You can buy it in whatever format you need at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/83508.

In the weeks to come, it should be available from a wide variety of e-book sellers. We will also be releasing all of the game supplements for other retailers as well.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Our trip to Farmington, NM

A week and a half ago, Rebecca's Uncle Joe passed away, so we loaded into the mini-van on Wednesday night and headed to Farmington, NM. The trip down was pretty uneventful, other than my mother-in-law almost falling down an embankment in the dark.
We'd heard that the Motel 6 in town was cheap, but decent, so we booked two rooms there. The cheap part was true, but the place was a complete craphole. When we got there, there was no hot water, and after more than nine hours in the van, we all really wanted hot water. With that not being an option, we headed to lunch. On our way home, we were hit by a huge downpour. When we got back to the motel, my in-laws' room had flooded, and all of their funeral clothes had been drenched. The motel was more than happy to move them, so they moved them into a room with no air...and we still didn't have hot water.
The manager was gracious enough to offer us discount coupons for our next stay at Motel 6. I informed him that we would not be staying at Motel 6 any time in the future...so they refunded both of the rooms for the entire stay...I still feel like we got ripped off.
The funeral was a big affair, and I think most of the town was there. Joe had lived there most of his life, and he'd been a Navy veteran and a former Fire Captain, and he was very popular in the community.
Since he'd been in the fire department, the funeral procession was escorted by two fire trucks, and as we passed the main fire station, all of those left on duty were standing outside saluting the procession...a very touching gesture. I noticed a big difference about funerals in small towns as opposed to funerals in larger cities. For one thing, as the procession was passing through town, cars on the other side of the road were pulling over, and men were taking off their hats. In the "city," funeral processions seem to be seen as an impediment to traffic, and most people are quite rude in dealing with them. Also, the cemetery was right next to a park. As we passed the park, everyone stopped what they were doing and silently watched the procession...and it was a long procession.
Our return home was as uncomfortable as the trip down...you can only fit so many people into a mini-van. The highlight of the trip home was when were on I-25 just north of Walsenberg. Rebecca looked up a hillside, and started shouting "There's a bear." And sure enough, a small black bear was making his way down the hill. It was the first time I've ever actually seen a bear in the wild. I just hope he stayed off the highway.
We're now very exhausted, and we have to start back to work, with Rebecca going in very early today, and me going in very early tomorrow. I also have a lot of catching up to do as well.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Martian Wave as an e-book

Sam's Dot Publishing has released Vol. 2 of The Martian Wave, which I edited, as an e-book.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82388

What's in this issue?

This issue of The Martian Wave includes six evocative tales and five thought-provoking poems that will launch you into escape velocity! Bear witness to first contact with the starship crew of Molly Brown and an alien observer as they communicate via music in “Grand Ol’ Opry” by Laura R. Givens. Join Captain Anjela Stewart and her first mate Chris Lockwood of the Venture Forth, in Robert J. Mendenhalls’s “Full Moon”, as they, and other refugee ships, are turned away from Beta and Moon Base, seeking sanctuary in the wake of earth-destroying asteroid XF11. There are other unique and breath-stealing tales. . .from Robert N. Stephenson’s “A Miner Delay” where AI 7-12 Silva argues with his human-centered boss that he deserves to be sent to earth for an emotional and physical upgrade; Douglas A. Smith’s “Hydrogen” takes you on board the Sir Francis Drake while the crew wrestles with a sudden incapacitating illness. . .Is it connected to their propulsion systems? Dan Thompson’s “Terminator”, propels you into imminent disaster with Engineering Architect Ben Gage and Colonel Katerina Petrovna Mayakovski as they attempt to reform an asteroid to house refugees from the Belt Confederacy and the United Nations of Earth war--amid the imminent threat of an Assassin attack!; and N.E. Chenier’s “Latency”, where research vessel Naut-47 is investigating HRK-a for developers of human colonies. The science crew discovers that not only is the planet suitable for habitation, but there’s something in the environment that expands their latent potential exponentially—but at what cost?
Poets Lee Clark Zumpe, Kristine Ong Muslim, W.C. Roberts, and Shelly Bryant extend their creative tethers across space from “gilded captivity” in an alien zoo to a space trader who sells his organs to survive!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Bandit's Sourcebook

It's taken a lot longer than we ever wanted it to, but The Bandit's Sourcebook for the Ephemeris RPG is now available...

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=94051

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

What have I been up to?

Regular readers of this blog have probably noticed that I haven't been posting much lately, so what have I been doing with my time?

I've been desperately trying to get The Bandits' Sourcebook for the Ephemeris RPG ready, and I'm happy to report that it should be available from DriveThruRPG some time in the next week.

I've been trying to get caught up on submissions for The Fifth Di... and The Martian Wave, which I was way too far behind on, and I'm happy to report that I'm not caught up.

I've also been busy formatting books and e-books for Sam's Dot...that battle never ends.

And on a personal note, I've been busy watching our youngest grow up so fast, and of course our older girls started back to school...so busy times indeed!

And of course I've been working at the "real" job...

Now, if I could just find some time to write...

Sunday, August 14, 2011

No WorldCon for me

I'm really bummed that I won't be going to Renovation this year. With it being so close, I was really hoping that we'd be able to make the trip, but our finances just won't allow it. So, for those of you that are going...have a great time for me!

Hopefully we'll be able to make Chicago next year, but it will all depend on finances again...and with the monkey business going on in D.C., I'm not optimistic...