The March issue of The Fifth Di...

The March issue of The Fifth Di... is now available.  This issue: The Fifth Di… features some of the best science fiction and fantasy fiction and poetry. In this issue: Henry Brasater, Wayne Carey, G.O. Clark, and many more.
You can order it from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/fifth-di-march-2014/ and if you use coupon code "zines" it will be 20% off.
You can also order a variety of formats from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/411191.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Nine (Tulmath Space)

The latest supplement in our Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available:
The Tulmath are the most peaceful of the six species, focusing more on trade than on anything else.  They may want to dominate the other species economically, but they aren’t usually the type to go for military domination.   Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems they struggle to try to control, and the systems that they hope will launch them deeper into space.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space.  The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Nine (Tulmath Space).
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-9-tulmath-space/
Order from DriveThruRPG at:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/126737/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Nine-Tulmath-Space

A reprint sale

I've sold the reprint rights for my story "Origins" to Tales of the Talisman.  It will appear in their Winter issue...not this winter, but next winter.  This is a great magazine, and I always love when my work appears here.

Healthcare in the 21st century

After having two days of watching the American healthcare system in action, I'd have to say that I'm very disappointed.  The people who were responsible for Alexis' care were outstanding, some of them even amazing.  Everyone did everything they could to make a scared little girl, and her scared parents, as comfortable as they could.  The problem was that the hospital was horribly understaffed.  The first time she needed pain meds, they didn't have any of them on the floor, so they had to order them from the pharmacy.  That took about an hour and a half...which for pain, especially pain in a small child, is completely unacceptable.  The other problem was that there weren't enough nurses in her section of the hospital.  They were friendly and seemed skilled, but there were too many patients for them, so we had to remind them often of what she needed.  In fact, when it was time for us to be discharged, there was actually only one nurse working.  The desk was being run by a nurse who was supposed to be on her lunch break, so she was eating and working at the same time.
So, kudos to everyone for taking care of my little girl, but something needs to be done about staffing in hospitals.  I realize that a lot of this has to do with the insurance companies, and whether someone thinks Obamacare is the best thing to ever happen, or the worst, I think most people would agree that there is a desperate need for an overhaul of the insurance companies in this country.

Surgery tomorrow

Tomorrow will be Alexis' surgery.  The surgeon, of course, tells us how it's just a very routine and simple surgery, but there's nothing routine or simple about having your three year old operated on.  The surgery is expected to take 45-75 minutes, but I can already imagine that that will be the longest 45-75 minutes of our life.
She's expected to stay overnight, but we will hopefully be bringing her home on Thursday.  Obviously we will both be staying at the hospital tomorrow night, while the older girls stay with grandma and grandpa.
Even though she's young, she's expressed some fear about the surgery, so we're doing everything we can to keep her mind off of it.  Rebecca will be taking five days off, so we can both be here to help her recover.  We'll obviously be watching a lot of movies, especially a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...her current favorites.

Why there are no black holes in the EEG

I've had a few people ask me why the volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica don't include things like black holes, pulsars, quasars, nebulae, etc.  The answer is pretty simple.  When we designed the game we wanted it to be as close to hard SF as we could make it.  Yes, we did include hyperspace and yes, all of the species are basically at the same technological level, but those were necessary for the game.  All of the stars listed in each of the volumes are all actual stars, and we've done our best to use what modern science knows about those systems to create planets that might be realistic.  Granted, when we get to the systems that are more than 200 light years away, we're going to have to create some stars because it's a lot harder to see some of those stars (like G and M stars.)
Having said this, as far as science knows, there are no black holes, pulsars, quasars, or nebulae with a couple light years of us...so we didn't include them.  We want the game to be as realistic as possible.

If only I'd had money

Looking back to late 2012, early 2013, I can honestly say that I wish I'd had money at the time.  If I'd had money, I think I would have tried to talk Tyree Campbell into letting me take over Sam's Dot Publishing.  It was an amazing small press publisher, and when I see what's happened to it after Tyree left, I'm truly sad.
When I first started working for James Baker at ProMart, Tyree was an unpublished author, and then I picked up his first story, and the rest was history for him.  When Jim was sick in the hospital and dying of cancer, he'd really wanted me to take over ProMart, but I wasn't able to because of finances, but luckily Tyree stepped in and took the company to the next level and beyond.
Now, I wish I could have taken over and continued the things that Jim and Tyree started.  There would have been a lot of authors and editors who wouldn't have been left hanging.
Still, even if I can't save Sam's Dot (which I still wish I could), I'm going to do the best I can to keep Jim's dream alive at Nomadic Delirium Press.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-One (Arbonix Space)

The latest supplement in our Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available:
The Arbonix are the only race in the Ephemeris RPG that can fly.  They basically want peace, and the chance to colonize, but they’re ready for a fight when they need to be. Now you can learn about their sector of space. Learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems they battle to try to control, and the systems they’ve devoted to their religious need to find out about their origins.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space.  The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Twenty-One (Arbonix Space).
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-twenty-one-arbonix-space/ Use coupon code "ephemeris" to get 20% off.
Order from DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/126131/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Twenty-One-%28Arbonix-Space%29

Busy day

Yesterday was quite the busy day.  Our middle child, Juliah turned nine, which is almost impossible to believe.  When I first met her, she was only two, and now here she is almost a tween.  So there was much cleaning, cooking, and baking yesterday...and as I look around the house today...I notice that it's quite trashed.  I guess I know what I'll be doing soon...
Yesterday was also Alexis' pre-op appointment.  There wasn't much to it.  The doctor asked if we had any questions.  He explained what was going to happen, and they gave us scrips for antibiotics and pain medication for after her surgery.  It's getting closer, and it's getting all too real...

EEG pictures

I've been asked a couple of times why we're using pictures of stars on the covers of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica when there are so many more dramatic images from space that we could use.  The simple answer is that each of the stars shown is actually in that sector...
Sector 3 is Miaplacidus
Sector 8 is AU Microscopii
Sector 13 is Zeta Doradus
We're not sure what the star will be for Sector 21 (Arbonix Space), but we wouldn't be surprised if it was Mizar...

January recap

14 days of '14
A glimpse of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Three (Melanathee Space)
The Nomadic Delirium Press Bookstore
Alexis' surgery
New Year, New Game
EEG Sector 8
A new collection
A preview of EEG: Sector 8
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Eight (Althani Space)
The Ephemeris RPG, a rebirth?
EEG Sector 13
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector 13 (Culthan Space)
Really people?