MileHiCon 46 recap

So, MileHiCon 46 has come and gone.  Even though my schedule was not as hectic this year as it was in years past, this con seemed to fly by much faster.  It seemed like we were leaving just hours after we got there...
After checking in on Friday, we went straight to my panel on how small press publishers choose their covers.  It was a great panel, with a lot of the usual suspects, and in many ways, it turned into the praise Laura Givens show (she was in the audience.) We had a lot of good laughs on the panel, and I think we may have actually said some important things...although you'd have to check with the audience on that one...
After the opening ceremonies, I had a signing as part of Author's Alley.  I sold some stuff and signed some things, but mostly it was a chance to talk to other authors.  Many of them were the usual suspects, while I did get a chance to catch up with a couple of people that I haven't seen in years.
Saturday's first panel was about world design in games.  We had some RPG people and some video game people, and at first it didn't seem like the mix was working that well, but it did seem to come together, and I think we once again imparted some wisdom upon the SRO crowd.
A couple of hours later, I had a panel on Kicsktarters, and I really felt that panel was informative, because I definitely learned some things...things that I will be trying to implement when I do the Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk Into a Space Bar.  Watch for details soon.
That night we went to the masquerade.  Every year before the masquerade they allow kids up on stage that did masks at the mask making table.  This year, only two kids went up on stage...my two youngest.  Jul had made a rabbit mask, and did a shy rabbit pose.  Lex had on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt, and a red mask, so she did her best Raphael pose on stage.  The masquerade had some great costumes this year, but it seemed much shorter than usual...but it was still a good time.
After the masquerade, I managed to track Laura Givens down, and we hashed out the details for the cover of A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk Into a Space Bar.  I think it will look very cool, and I'm sure Laura will have something for me very soon to share with everyone.
On Sunday, I didn't have any panels, which I think is a first, so we took in parts of the Critter Crunch, and then we carved pumpkins with the Pumpkin King.  Eventually we ended up at Sci-Fi Name that Tune, and for some reason that I can't even begin to fathom, I volunteered to be one of the players.  I have to admit that my geek knowledge is much more specific than most of the fans, so I knew I was going to embarrass myself, but I did any way.  Before we started, I said it was my goal to get at least one right.  I doubled my goal!
After that it was the closing ceremonies, which are always a melancholic event, since it means that the Con is over.
All things being said, it was a great Con, but it went way too fast this year...

My revised MileHiCon schedule

I've had another panel added, so here's my revised MileHiCon schedule:
Friday 4 pm, Wind River A: How the Small Presses Choose their Covers
Friday 8 pm: Autograph Alley
Saturday Noon, Mesa Verde C: Creating Gaming Universes
Saturday 2 pm, Mesa Verde B: Kickstarter & Beyond: Successful Crowd-Sourcing

If you want a copy of Taurin Tales, make sure you track me down early, because I'm hoping to sell out fast!

Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored is now available as an e-book

My new short story collection is now available as an e-book in all the formats you might want to read: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/486135.

Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored is now available

My latest short story collection, Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored is now available from Alban Lake Publishing.  Here's what they have to say about it...

Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored by J Alan Erwine
More than anything else, science fiction deals with questions that begin, “What if?” You’ll find that distinguished author, editor, and publisher J Alan Erwine asks a lot of those questions in “Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored.” What if your society requires you to kill 200,000 people? What if a new lobe should sprout in the human brain, and what would it make humans capable of? What if we had to choose between alien life forms?
The answers that Erwine provides will keep you thinking about them long after you’ve read this. And that, too, is the purpose of science fiction.

http://store.albanlake.com/product/where-the-fleet-of-stars-is-anchored/

Taurin Tales is here!!!

The long-awaited release of Taurin Tales has finally arrived.  The book is now available in print and as an e-book.
What is Taurin Tales?
Taurin Tales is a shared world anthology featuring some of the top names in small press science fiction. The Taurins were created by science fiction writer, editor, and game designer J Alan Erwine. Once he had created them, he invited some of his favorite writers to play in the universe, and further flesh out these new aliens. Thus was born Taurin Tales.
The stories in this collection cover a large aspect of Taurin life…grand space adventures, small character studies, the tackling of difficult social issues, the past and the future of the Taurins.
Included in this collection, you’ll find David Lee Summers, D. Moonfire, Ian Brazee-Cannon, Tyree Campbell, Anna Paradox, Laura Givens, and Rick Novy.
Order the print or pdf version from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/
Order the e-book at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/472428
Order the print or Nook version at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taurin-tales-j-alan-erwine/1120310691?ean=9780980170399
Order the print or Kindle version at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8AIN5S
Order your copy today!

Nomadic Delirium Bundles

Nomadic Delirium Press has released seven new downloadable bundles on their website.  Six of these feature things I've written, edited, or are part of the Ephemeris RPG universe.  These are some really great deals, and you should check them out at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/shop/.

Taurin Tales is almost here

Wednesday will be the official release of Taurin Tales, so you only have a few days left to pre-order your copy...
Order the print version from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/
Order the e-book from Smashwords at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/472428
Order the print or Nook version from Barnes & Noble at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taurin-tales-j-alan-erwine/1120310691?ean=9780980170399
Order the print or Kindle version from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8AIN5S

My MileHiCon 46 schedule

Looks like this year is going to be a bit of a light one for me.  Here's what I'll be doing (keep in mind, this is still tentative):
Friday 4 pm, Wind River A: How the Small Presses Choose their Covers
Friday 8 pm: Autograph Alley
Saturday Noon, Mesa Verde C: Creating Gaming Universes
I'll be attending other events, and I will, of course, have copies of Taurin Tales with me everywhere I go, so you can always buy a copy from me...and remember Ian Brazee-Cannon and Laura Givens will also be at the con, so you can get all of us to sign your copies.

September recap

The Taurins are coming to the Ephemeris RPG
Taurin Tales pre-release
Pre-order the print version of Taurin Tales
Pre-order the e-book version of Taurin Tales
Pre-order the Kindle and Nook versions of Taurin Tales
10 day sale at Nomadic Delirium Press
One month to go
Crazy busy
17 days to go
Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector 28

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector 28

Sector 28 of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available...
The exploration of “Unexplored Space” continues with Sectors 28.
Sector Twenty-Eight is one of the largest sectors in “Unexplored Space,” although the eleven species have not done much to colonize the sector.  There are quite a few dead colonies from ancient species, and some other unexpected mysteries in some of the systems.  Most importantly, however, is that this sector is home to the Mosicans, a species that has only recently gained interstellar travel.  So far, they’ve only colonized a few sectors, and they’re yet to meet any of the other eleven species, but they certainly will at some point in the future.  You will also meet the Taurins, a species that is on the edge of interstellar travel, and is close enough to the original six species that once they achieve interstellar travel, they will quickly meet the original six.
Pick up your copy at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/137992/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-TwentyEight.

Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored

My new short story collection, Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored, is set to be released by Alban Lake Publishing in early October.  The e-book version will be available very soon, and the print version will be available later in the month.  Of course I'll have purchase links posted as soon as I get them.
This collection is a group of stories about space exploration, a definite passion of mine.  All are previously released stories, but for those of you that have not read all of my work, I think this will be a great addition to your libraries.
As soon as I have a cover and order links, I'll be posting them all over the internet.
Hope you enjoy the collection...

17 days to go

There are just seventeen days left until the release of Taurin Tales, and you can still pre-order it from a number of sites.
Order the print version from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/
Order the e-book from Smashwords at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/472428
Order the print or Nook version from Barnes & Noble at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taurin-tales-j-alan-erwine/1120310691?ean=9780980170399
Order the print or Kindle version from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8AIN5S

Crazy busy

Things have been beyond crazy busy around here lately.  My part time job has been steadily adding hours to the point where I'm now over 30, and I'm sure I'll be hitting full time hours in the weeks to come.  It's great for the money (which we desperately need), but it leaves little time for me and Rebecca to see each other...as we're basically working opposite schedules to make sure that one of us is always here with the kids.
In addition to all of the work, I'm still trying to keep up with my writing, editing, and game design schedule...although the writing is suffering the most.  Taurin Tales has now been delivered to the printers, and I can't wait to see what it will finally look like.  I've also finally finished Sector 28 of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica...the one that has been tripping me up for a while.  But considering that it's over 12,000 words, and it introduces two new species to the game (including the Taurins), I think it will be well worth the wait.  It should be out early next week.  It also took a while because there are so many star systems in this one.  Many of the stars that make up the Hyades can be found in this one...and that's a lot of stars.
I'm also working on a few other things...but I can't talk about those right now...

One month to go

There's just one month to go until the release of Taurin Tales, and the pre-sale is still on.  You can order it from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/.  You can order the e-book version at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/472428.  You can order the Kindle version at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8AIN5S.
Only one month, and then you can see what these wonderful writers came up with...

10 day sale at Nomadic Delirium Press

Starting Wednesday, September 10th, Nomadic Delirium Press will be having a ten day sale on almost all of their titles.  Many of these were written or edited by me, so this is a great chance to pick up some of my work.
The sale will feature both e-books and print books, and each day, a different set of books will be featured.
Be sure to check out the sale every day at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/shop.

Pre-order the Kindle and Nook versions of Taurin Tales

The Kindle and Nook versions of Taurin Tales are now available for pre-order.  Soon Amazon and Barnes & Noble will also have the print versions as well.  If you'd like to order the Kindle version, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N8AIN5S, and to order the Nook version, go to http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taurin-tales-j-alan-erwine/1120310691?ean=2940046140446.

Pre-order the e-book version of Taurin Tales

The e-book version of Taurin Tales is available for pre-order in a number of formats from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/472428.  You don't even need an e-reader to read it...you can read it right on your computer screen.
Taurin Tales is a shared world anthology featuring some of the top names in small press science fiction. The Taurins were created by science fiction writer, editor, and game designer J Alan Erwine. Once he had created them, he invited some of his favorite writers to play in the universe, and further flesh out these new aliens. Thus was born Taurin Tales.
The stories in this collection cover a large aspect of Taurin life…grand space adventures, small character studies, the tackling of difficult social issues, the past and the future of the Taurins.
Included in this collection, you’ll find David Lee Summers, D. Moonfire, Ian Brazee-Cannon, Tyree Campbell, Anna Paradox, Laura Givens, and Rick Novy.

Pre-order the print version of Taurin Tales

The print version of Taurin Tales is now available for pre-order, and if you order before the release date, you can get it for $1 off the cover price: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/.
Taurin Tales is a shared world anthology featuring some of the top names in small press science fiction. The Taurins were created by science fiction writer, editor, and game designer J Alan Erwine. Once he had created them, he invited some of his favorite writers to play in the universe, and further flesh out these new aliens. Thus was born Taurin Tales.
The stories in this collection cover a large aspect of Taurin life…grand space adventures, small character studies, the tackling of difficult social issues, the past and the future of the Taurins.
Included in this collection, you’ll find David Lee Summers, D. Moonfire, Ian Brazee-Cannon, Tyree Campbell, Anna Paradox, Laura Givens, and Rick Novy.

Taurin Tales pre-release

The pre-release party for Taurin Tales is underway.  You can pre-order the print version, the e-book, or the Kindle version by going to http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/, and following the appropriate links.  The list price for the print version will be $10, but if you order it before the release date, your price will be just $9.
Other retailers will start to have the book available in the days and weeks to come.
Please-Tell all your friends!

The Taurins are coming to the Ephemeris RPG

When I first created the Taurins for the Taurin Tales anthology I really liked what I had come up with.  When I read the stories the authors had come up with for the anthology, I decided that I wanted to do as much as I could with these aliens, which would include a second anthology that I'll start reading for next year.  Yesterday I was working on the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica and I came upon the star system that I used for the Taurins' homeworld in the anthology, and I decided that the Taurins were going to be in the Ephemeris RPG.  They aren't an interstellar species in the game, but they are an interplanetary species, and that might lead to some interesting games.  This sector of the EEG should be out some time in the next couple of weeks.

August recap

The final days of the Taurin Tales Kickstarter
$340 to go
My individual stories as e-books
Damn car
The future of the EEG
Taurin Tales update
Taurin Tales release date
The September issue of The Fifth Di... is here
Taurin Tales table of contents

Taurin Tales table of contents

Here's what you'll find in Taurin Tales when it's released on October 15th:
Hiding in Plain Sight by David Lee Summers
Something Alien by D. Moonfire
A Peaceful Evening by Ian Brazee-Cannon
Fade to Green by Tyree Campbell
Blindspot by Anna Paradox
Surf’s Up by Laura Givens
Sorting Through the Rubble by Ian Brazee-Cannon
Across the White by Rick Novy
The Iphis Crisis by Tyree Campbell

The September issue of The Fifth Di... is here

You can now download the September issue of The Fifth Di...  Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/467806, and order today.
The Fifth Di... features some of the best science fiction and fantasy fiction. In this issue: Robert P. Hansen, Rik Hunik, J. L. Neves, and Fredrick Obermeyer.

Taurin Tales release date

From Nomadic Delirium Press: The long-awaited, and hopefully much-anticipated release of Taurin Tales will be on October 15th.  We will be posting info about the pre-release in the next few weeks.

Taurin Tales update

I'm currently in the process of editing the submissions and laying out the format for Taurin Tales.  We are shooting for a release date some time in October.  In the next week or two, we should have an exact release date, and we should also have information about the pre-sale shortly after that.

The future of the EEG

For months, Nomadic Delirium Press has been releasing two to four editions of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica every month but now the releases have slowed down.  This has prompted some to ask me whether or not there will be more sectors covered in the future.
The answer is a most definite yes, although with me working a "real" job now, the releases will be more spread out...and I do have some definite surprises planned for the future of Ephemeris, so please stay tuned.

Damn car

We were already having financial problems, and now we're starting to have problems with our only car.  I guess as the saying goes, "When it rains, it pours..."
We're both going to be picking up a few extra hours at work over the next couple of weeks, so that will help, but it's really cutting into our time together, and my work-at-home time.  Some day this will all pay off...right??????

My individual stories as e-books

I'm slowly turning most of my published stories into individual e-books.  Most of the stories will be selling for $0.99, although I will probably make a few of them available for free.
The first group has been posted at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine, and I will continue to post more as I have time.
The stories are also available on Kindle.  You can just search out my name there...but there will be a lot of titles in addition to my individual short stories that you will have to sift through...but you can always buy those too!

$340 to go

There are only a few days left in the Taurin Tales Kickstarter, and we just need to raise another $340.  I know we can do this, so please help us out if you can...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales

The final days of the Taurin Tales Kickstarter

We're into the final week of the Taurin Tales Kickstarter, and things are looking bleak.  We still have a long way to go, so any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.  You can get print copies of the book, even signed print copies.  You can get your name adapted for the next issue of Taurin Tales.  There are some really great rewards, so if you have a few extra bucks (which I know, most of us don't,) please help.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales

July recap

The Martian Wave: 2014 is finally here!
Nomadic Delirium Sales
A reprint of Sad Grey Eyes on Tharsis
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 26 & 27
The Genre Mall is back!
Christmas in July
Time is running out to help Taurin Tales
You're almost out of time to save on a number of my titles
Starting the new job today
More dream attacks

More dream attacks

People who have been reading this blog for a while might remember that a quack of a surgeon put me on neurontin a while back to deal with the chronic pain I suffer from.  The drug did nothing to help with the pain, but it did leave me with some nasty side effects.  I eventually weaned myself off of the crap, and decided to just deal with the pain.
One of the side effects that I suffered from was something that I started calling dream attacks.  In these dream attacks, I would have one bad dream or nightmare after another, most of them involving the death of a loved one.  They would go on an on all night, waking me up over and over again, and leaving me feeling completely exhausted and depressed in the morning.
Unfortunately, this is a side effect that has never entirely gone away.  I still suffer from these damn things every once in a while.  It's a horrible feeling laying in bed for eight hours a night dreaming about nothing other than the death of your loved ones.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if your doctor is ever considering putting you on this medication, please, please, please give it some serious thought.  I would not wish these feelings on anyone.

Starting the new job today

Tonight I start my new part time "real" job.  It's definitely going to help having a second income, as we are most definitely struggling financially...still trying to pay the over $1000 we owe for Lex's surgery is just a start.
Although the money will be nice, working again will have its challenges.  Rebecca and I already have very little time together, and this is going to cut into that to a great degree, as we have to work opposite schedules.  I'm certainly going to miss the extra time I've had with her and the kids.
It will also be difficult for me to keep up the writing, editing, and game design schedule I've had going, as pretty much every free second I've had has been devoted to that.
Like I always say, sleep is over rated, I'll just have to sleep less to keep up my productivity...

You're almost out of time to save on a number of my titles

There are a lot of sales going on in July, and many of my titles have been available at discount, but those sales are almost over, so you're almost out of time.
All of the Nomadic Delirium e-books (which includes a lot that I've written and edited) are available for 25% off from Smashwords.  Go to: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium
Nomadic Delirium also has all of the Ephemeris titles available for 30% off...many of these are ones that I've written.  You can find them at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/shop
DriveThruRPG and DriveThruFiction have a Christmas in July sale, which includes a lot of my titles.  You can find these at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=2805 or http://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=2805
The Genre Mall also has e-books at 10% off, and several of those are mine as well.  Go to: http://jalanerwine.com/thegenremall/shop/ and use coupon code "new" at checkout.
They all end on the 31st, so order now...and of course, order often!!!

Time is running out to help Taurin Tales

There's not much time left to help raise money for Taurin Tales.  This is going to be a great collection, and I'd really love to be able to get this out to readers in September.  If you'd like to help, you can go to Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales, or you can help out by going to Indiegogo at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/taurin-tales.
Thanks ahead of time for all of your support.

Christmas in July

The folks at DriveThruRPG and DriveThruFiction are having a Christmas in July sale, and all of the Nomadic Delirium Press titles are 25% off. This is all of our Ephemeris RPG titles and all of our fiction titles.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=2805
http://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=2805

The Genre Mall is back!

The Genre Mall is back!!! For years, The Genre Mall was one of the best places on the net to find small press speculative fiction titles. It's now back as an outlet for e-book titles. There are currently publications from two publishers up on the site, and I already have five more committed to sending me their works as they have time. For the moment, until the financial situation at Casa de Erwine improves, I'm hosting the mall on my own website, but that will change in the future.
If you're a reader, go get yourself an e-book... http://jalanerwine.com/thegenremall/shop/!

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 26 & 27

The exploration of “Unexplored Space” continues with Sectors 26 & 27.  You’ll find a few colonies in this tome, but you’ll also find lots of planets waiting to be explored, and planets that were once colonized, but no longer are.
There are more machine culture colonies that have been abandoned; some of which may have treasures beyond imagination left on them.  Abandoned and destroyed colonies of an ancient culture  known as the Glikth are here to be explored.  Plus there are the usual mysteries that can be found where no one has been in centuries.
You can order this new supplement from Nomadic Delirium Press at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-twenty-six-twenty-seven/.  Order before July 31st, and it's 30% off...like all of the other Ephemeris titles
or you can order it from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/132040/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-TwentySix--TwentySeven

A reprint of Sad Grey Eyes on Tharsis

My short story, "Sad Grey Eyes on Tharsis" has been reprinted in the new issue of Outposts of Beyond from Alban Lake Publishing.
http://store.albanlake.com/product/outposts-of-beyond-july-2014

Nomadic Delirium sales

There are a couple of sales going on at Nomadic Delirium Press this month.  Here are the details for both of them:
All of our e-books are on sale at Smashwords for 25% off for the entire month of July.  Go to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium and order today.
This includes our latest release, The Martian Wave: 2014, plus all of our novels, zines, anthologies, and RPG products.
Order now…order often…

The end of July marks the five year anniversary of the release of the Ephemeris Science Fiction Role Playing Game.  To celebrate, we’re putting all of the Ephemeris products on sale for 30% off through our website.
Now’s the time to stock up on all of those supplements you’ve wanted, and if you haven’t started playing the game…there’s no better time: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/shop

The Martian Wave: 2014 is finally here!

The Martian Wave: 2014 is finally here!
The Martian Wave features stories about the exploration and colonization of space, with special emphasis on our solar system. In this issue, you’ll find alien microbes and aliens that are like nothing you’ve ever imagined. You’ll be taken to icy worlds, and the sands of Mars. You’ll even get a look at Earth trying to regain its place in the stars.
The volcanoes of Io and the deep dark of space are also waiting for readers. Many stories paint a possibly grim future for humanity, but others are truly optimistic. No matter the tone, all of the stories and poems in this issue capture the adventurous spirit that make Humanity what it is.
Step inside, and be transported to places you’ve never imagined…maybe even places you never could imagine.
You can order the print or pdf e-book from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-martian-wave-2014
You can order the e-book in a variety of formats at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436463
You can order the print or Nook version from Barnes & Noble at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-martian-wave-j-alan-erwine/1119477692?ean=2940045933223
You can order the print (and soon you’ll be able to order the Kindle version from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0980170389

June recap

Back to work...
New Ephemeris titles in print
1000th blog post
Taurin Tales Kickstarter
Who are the Taurins?
The Ephemeris website
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 24 & 25
Last night's presentation at DASFA
New Taurin Tales Kickstarter rewards

New Taurin Tales Kickstarter rewards

We've added new rewards for the Taurin Tales Kickstarter.  We're planning on doing a Taurin Tales 2 collection, and you have a chance to have your name adapted for a main character, or you can suggest a plot line for the next collection.  These are just some of the new options.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales

Last night's presentation at DASFA

Last night, I, along with Ian Brazee-Cannon and Laura Givens, did a presentation about Taurin Tales for the Denver Area Science Fiction Association.  We talked about what we had created so far, answered questions about the book, and then had a long discussion about what people might like to see in Taurin Tales 2, which will be an open anthology that we will start reading for later this year.
I got a lot of ideas, and had a lot of fun.  It's always a good time to hang out with people that don't always view the world the way every day people do...people who love science and science fiction with a passion.
Something else that came up is that people would like to have a chance to be incorporated into Taurin Tales 2 in some way, so we've added Kickstarter rewards that will allow your name to be adapted by one of the authors into Taurin...and we've added a few other Kickstarter rewards.  Please check them out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales, and help us out.  We really want to get this book out on September 1st.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 24 & 25

The exploration of "Unexplored Space" continues with Sectors 24 & 25.  You'll find a few colonies in this tome, but you'll also find lots of planets waiting to be explored, and planets that were once colonized, but no longer are.
There are more machine culture colonies that have been abandoned, and civilizations that have died, plus worlds that are screaming out to be explored, with dangers that characters can't even begin to imagine.
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-twenty-four-twenty-five/
Order from DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/131278/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-TwentyFour--TwentyFive

The Ephemeris website

Nomadic Delirium Press has updated the Ephemeris portion of their website.  They've listed all of the titles that are currently available for the game, and there are a lot of them.  They've also put in purchase links to a variety of vendors.
The site can be found at http://www.nomadicdeliriumpress.com/ephemeris/main.htm.
Although not all of the supplements were written by me, most of them were, and seeing them all listed like this is kind of overwhelming.  I knew that I'd written a lot of supplements for the game, but I guess I never realized just how many.  If I had to make a guess, I'd say it's over half a million, and there will be another eleven thousand coming out later this week.
That's enough for now.  I guess I have more supplements to write...

Who are the Taurins?

As we've mentioned, we're running a Kickstarter for an anthology called Taurin Tales, which brings up the question, exactly who are the aliens in Taurin Tales?  Below is the description I gave to the authors for them to start creating their stories.
Please support the Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales
The Taurins are six limbed creatures with greyish-green skin that resembles that of a lizard, although they have a layer of fur on their back that can range through most colors. The Taurins back limbs are four toed and act completely as feet. Their middle limbs have digits that have one joint each. They normally use these limbs for walking, but they can use them to carry items if they need to, although these limbs tend to have the dexterity of a one year old human child. The Taurins front limbs have four digits, each of which has four joints, giving them outstanding dexterity.
Taurins have five eyes. They have two on the front of their heads that give them stereoscopic vision. They also have one eye on each side of their head, and one on the back of their head. Their front eyes are able to see into the near-infrared, but their other eyes are completely color blind, and they can only see about 100 yards before things become too blurry for them. The Taurins have two ears that are actually set in their head, instead of protruding like human ears. Their range of hearing is about 20% greater on each extreme than a human’s hearing. Taurins have sensory glands that cover their body that give them a sense of smell, but it’s only about half as good as a humans. Their mouth has three layers of razor sharp teeth, and although the Taurins are omnivorous, they prefer a carnivore’s diet.
The Taurins wear clothing that covers the majority of their bodies. The clothing is usually worn for comfort and ease of use, but there are times when the Taurins like to dress up.
From a technological standpoint, the Taurins are slightly ahead of Humanity. They have interplanetary travel, but they don’t yet have interstellar travel. So far they’ve colonized their home planet’s two largest moons, and although they’ve explored the third moon, they’ve found it to be too small to colonize. They also have limited research colonies on the two planets closest to their homeworld.
There are three major nations on their planet, nations that manage to cooperate, but only about as well as the US does with China or Russia. Although there are “racial” differences among the different Taurins, there is actually very little racism, although there is a group of Taurins that have light green fur on their backs that have been exploited as slaves for centuries, and although slavery no longer exists, these Taurins are often looked down upon by the other Taurins.

Taurin Tales Kickstarter

Nomadic Delirium Press is going to be publishing a new shared world anthology, and we're hoping to publish it in September.  The book will be called Taurin Tales, and here are some of the details...

Taurin Tales is a shared world anthology featuring some of the top names in small press science fiction.

Taurin Tales is a shared world anthology about an alien species called the Taurins.  The concept was designed by science fiction writer, editor, and game designer J Alan Erwine.  From there he invited several writers to contribute, and together they formed Taurin Tales.
The authors in the collection will be David Lee Summers, Maggie Bonham, Rick Novy, Ian Brazee-Cannon, Laura Givens, Dylan Moonfire, and Anna Paradox.
Most of the stories have already been delivered, and we're shooting for a September 1st, 2014 release date.
Please help us out by supporting our kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/taurin-tales

1000th blog post

This is my 1000th post on this blog.  I feel like I should have something profound to say in this moment, but I don't, so I'll open this up to questions.  If you'd like to know anything, feel free to ask.
All I ask is that you please post the questions at jalanerwine.blogspot.com, as this blog feeds all over the internet, and I don't often visit some of the places it goes...

New Ephemeris titles in print

Nomadic Delirium Press has released two new Ephemeris titles in print.  You can now get The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/129004/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Near-Space?manufacturers_id=2805, or you can get The Ephemeris Species Compendium of Deep Space Species  at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130262/The-Ephemeris-Species-Compendium-of-Deep-Space-Species?manufacturers_id=2805.
Near Space gives you:
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space looks at the sectors of space that are near to Colonized Space, but that haven’t been completely explored yet.
You’ll find colonies that have been set up by some of the six sentient species, and you’ll find worlds that will make good colonies.  You’ll also find things that you might not expect…civilizations that have fallen, weird intrusions of hyperspace, and signs of intelligence that still might be out there.  This and more awaits players and game masters in The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help take your Ephemeris game to the next level.
And the new species compendium gives you:
In the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica volumes about Unexplored Space, you were introduced to five new species that live out in Deep Space, an area of space more than two hundred light years from Earth.  Now you can learn all about these species…
The Alexans: Small explorers that mostly want to be left alone
The Ernya: An aggressive species that wants to conquer
The Julahmo: The Beaten Ones, as they’re known…victims of countless wars with the Ernya
The Khruntha: The grand conquerors of Deep Space, a species so violent that they make the Ernya look tame
The Lomisians: The Librarians of the galaxy, a peaceful species that wants to learn everything they can, but that has been forced into war over and over again.
Learn about all five of the species: their languages, their points of view, their variant species, and the special classes that are only available to them.

Back to work...

With the insane medical bills starting to roll in, and with some other financial disasters that have hit us, it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work...at least part time.  This is far from what we were planning, since Rebecca and I already have almost no time together.  Now we'll almost never see each other, except when we're sleeping.
And sleep will have to be cut back on, at least from my part, since I still want to try to keep writing, editing, and game designing as much as I can.
Things were working out really well with me working at home, except for the financial aspects, so now life has once again turned itself upside down for us.
Needless to say, neither of us are happy about this...

May recap

Eryn wants to go to Washington D.C.
The Martian Wave: 2014 cover
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 22 & 23
The Martian Wave: 2014 pre-sale
The Ephemeris Species Compendium of Deep Space Species
The insane cost of health care

The insane cost of health care

We finally received all of the bills for Alexis' surgery.  Even with 90% "coverage," we owe over $1,000.  Keep in mind, this was a morning procedure, and then a one night stay in the hospital.  Given that we have 90% "coverage," it would seem safe to assume that the insurance company is paying $9,000, but this isn't the case.  Due to deals they strike with doctors and hospitals, they're only paying a little under $4,000.  They should be assigning the 10% we owe after they get their discounts, but of course that's not how it works.  Let's face it, corporations, especially the likes of the insurance companies are basically what's running this country these days.  Anyone that thinks that "We the People" truly have a voice is deluding themselves.
Needless to say, this has put a serious dent in our finances, and since Rebecca still hasn't gotten her promotion, we may be forced to rethink a lot of things we have going on right now...which will only make life more difficult.
Let's just say that I'm not at all happy with insurance companies right now...

The Ephemeris Species Compendium of Deep Space Species

In the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica volumes about Unexplored Space, you were introduced to five new species that live out in Deep Space, an area of space more than two hundred light years from Earth.  Now you can learn all about these species…
The Alexans: Small explorers that mostly want to be left alone
The Ernya: An aggressive species that wants to conquer
The Julahmo: The Beaten Ones, as they’re known…victims of countless wars with the Ernya
The Khruntha: The grand conquerors of Deep Space, a species so violent that they make the Ernya look tame
The Lomisians: The Librarians of the galaxy, a peaceful species that wants to learn everything they can, but that has been forced into war over and over again.
Learn about all five of the species: their languages, their points of view, their variant species, and the special classes that are only available to them.
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-species-compendium-of-deep-space-species/
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130262/The-Ephemeris-Species-Compendium-of-Deep-Space-Species
This e-book will also soon be released in print...

The Martian Wave: 2014 pre-sale

The 2014 issue of The Martian Wave will be released on July 1st, and when it is released, the cover price will be $10, but you can pre-order it now for just $9 by going to http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-martian-wave-2014/
The e-book is also available for pre-sale, and you can order it for $3.99 by going to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436463
What do you have to look forward to in this issue:
The Martian Wave features stories about the exploration and colonization of space, with special emphasis on our solar system. In this issue, you'll find alien microbes and aliens that are like nothing you've ever imagined. You'll be taken to icy worlds, and the sands of Mars. You'll even get a look at Earth trying to regain its place in the stars.

The volcanoes of Io and the deep dark of space are also waiting for readers. Many stories paint a possibly grim future for humanity, but others are truly optimistic. No matter the tone, all of the stories and poems in this issue capture the adventurous spirit that make Humanity what it is.

Step inside, and be transported to places you've never imagined...maybe even places you never could imagine.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 22 & 23

Welcome to “Unexplored Space.”  The EEG Sectors 22 & 23 introduces you to the sectors beyond “Colonized Space” and “Near Space.”  This tome introduces you to the systems that the six species are only just starting to colonize, the systems that they could colonize in the future, and also tells you about some long dead civilizations.  In addition, it brings you some surprises once you reach the outer systems of Sectors 22 & 23…
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-22-23/
Order from DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/129775/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-TwentyTwo--TwentyThree
Order the Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBGKLN4

The Martian Wave: 2014 cover

Here's the cover for the 2014 issue of The Martian Wave. The official release date is July 1st, but we will be starting a pre-sale very soon, so get ready to order your copies.

Eryn wants to go to Washington D.C.

Our oldest has the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. during the Summer of 2015 on a trip that's run by Worldstrides.  She will have the chance to visit most of the monuments, see the National Museum, and get a better idea of the history of our country.  Unfortunately, it looks like her school isn't going to be doing anything to help them with fundraising, leaving them to raise all the money on their own.
Given that, we're doing everything we can to help her raise the money, and we've set up a page on Go Fund Me for anyone that would be willing to help her.  The site can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/8wknt8.
We know money is tight for everyone, but if anyone is able to help her out, it would be greatly appreciated.  This would be one of the most amazing experiences she'll have as a young lady, and we really want to send her.

April recap

Nomadic Delirium Press titles on Kindle
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica Sectors Five & Six
What's next for the Ephemeris RPG
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Seven, Eleven, Twelve, & Fourteen
I love weeks like this
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Fifteen-Twenty
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space
My oldest is going to D.C.

My oldest is going to D.C.

Our oldest will be going to Washington D.C. next summer. We're looking for ways to help her raise money. If anyone would be willing to help her out, please follow the link below.
Thanks ahead of time!
https://olr.worldstrides.net/scripts/cgiip.exe/RegisterOnline/PaymentLogin.htm?ttype=gift&custid=102629001&custlname=Noli

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space

All of the "Near Space" supplements have been combined into one book.  At the moment, this is only available as an e-book, but we should have it available as a print book in May.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space looks at the sectors of space that are near to Colonized Space, but that haven’t been completely explored yet.
You’ll find colonies that have been set up by some of the six sentient species, and you’ll find worlds that will make good colonies.  You’ll also find things that you might not expect…civilizations that have fallen, weird intrusions of hyperspace, and signs of intelligence that still might be out there.  This and more awaits players and game masters in The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Near Space.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help take your Ephemeris game to the next level.
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-near-space/
Order from DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/129004/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Near-Space
Order on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JXPWC04

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Fifteen-Twenty

The last of the "Near Space" tomes of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available.
Now’s your chance to explore the final sectors of Ephemeris “Near Space.”  You’ll learn about the colonies that have been established, the worlds that are waiting to be colonized, and the other oddities that populate these six sectors.  Learn about planets that once held civilizations, and no longer do, or learn about hyperspace rifts created by a war of Cyber Wizards, or learn about the asteroid obstacle course that the Althani have created.
These are just a few of the things waiting for you in The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Fifteen-Twenty.
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-fifteen-twenty
Order from DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/128957/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-FifteenTwenty
Order the Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JWZU15S

I love weeks like this

On Monday night, I started on the final "Near Space" supplement for The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica.  I typed the last word yesterday morning, and the rough draft of the supplement comes out at over 10,000 words.  I love really productive weeks!  It will have to go through a couple of revisions, and I hope to have it ready to go by the end of next weekend.  That will complete "Near Space," and I'll be moving on to "Unexplored Space," which will have what I hope will be some great surprises for everyone who is playing Ephemeris.
10,000 words of game writing is a little bit easier than 10,000 words of fiction, but I'm still happy with it, and I hope to be diving into fiction hard very soon.  For now, I'm just toying with it a little bit, but the game supplement writing is going strong, and for now, that needs to be my focus.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Seven, Eleven, Twelve, and Fourteen

The exploration of the Ephemeris: Science Fiction RPG universe continues with The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Seven, Eleven, Twelve, and Fourteen...
There’s more to the Ephemeris universe than just “Colonized Space.” Now you can get a chance to explore those sectors where the six species are only just starting to colonize, or even where none of them have been before.
The EEG: Sectors 7, 11, 12, & 14 continues to explore the space between the colonized sectors of the Ephmeris RPG.
It will be posted in our store shortly, but for now, you can find it at DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/128574/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-Seven-Eleven-Twelve-and-Fourteen
It should also be available on Kindle very soon as well.

What's next for the Ephemeris RPG

As many of you know, we recently finished releasing the supplements for the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica for the colonized sectors of space, and now we're working on near space.  We still have unexplored space and deep space to go, and we have some fun surprises in store for all of you game masters and players...we may even go beyond deep space, depending on how future supplements are received.
We're also thinking about the possibility of introducing mass combat rules, so that huge space battles can be solved much easier than they can now...and this may be very important because...well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Hope you're enjoying the game, and if you have ideas, please feel free to pass them on to us.  The best way is on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ephemerisrpg/.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors Five & Six

The exploration of "Near Space" in the Ephemeris RPG universe continues...
There’s more to the Ephemeris universe than just “Colonized Space.” Now you can get a chance to explore those sectors where the six species are only just starting to colonize, or even where none of them have been before.
The EEG: Sectors 5 & 6 continues the exploration of “Near Space.”
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-5-6/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/128195/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-Five--Six

Nomadic Delirium Press titles on Kindle

Nomadic Delirium Press has now added all of its e-book titles to the Kindle.  This includes several of my titles, including everything I've created for the Ephemeris RPG.  Over the years, Ephemeris has done pretty well through Amazon, and now hopefully with all of the supplements also available, we'll see a further increase in sales.
For some reason, Amazon has some very screwy rules for the royalties it pays to publishers that use Kindle, so NDP was forced to raise prices on a few titles, but it was only a few.
Feel free to search Amazon for any of my titles...they should all be there now...

March recap

The stitches are out
E-book sale
GM's Day at DriveThruRPG
Holy Crap! There's a teenager in the house
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Ten (Human Space)
The new Cosmos
Insurance company BS
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space
A debilitating sneeze
Idioms About Idiots
My writing process-Blog tour
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 1, 2, & 4
New print versions of Ephemeris titles
The Ephemeris Omnibus 2013 in hardback
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space in paperback

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space in paperback

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space is now available in paperback.  This supplement lets you explore the sectors of space that are "controlled" by each of the six species.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127376/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Colonized-Space
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space is a combination of the first six volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica.  It looks at each sector of space that is controlled by one of the six species.  An invaluable supplement for anyone playing the Ephemeris Science Fiction Role Playing Game, especially those that have been looking for campaign settings for their games.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help elevate your Ephemeris game to the next level.
Before ordering, please keep in mind that this supplement contains the same information that was released individually in the EEG for sectors 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, & 21.

The Ephemeris Omnibus 2013 in hardback

Over 600 pages of hardbound rules for the Ephemeris RPG, and we're talking full size 8 1/2 X 11...a must have for any Ephemeris game master or player.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/113551/The-Ephemeris-Omnibus-2013
The Ephemeris Omnibus 2013 features the Ephemeris core rulebook (with some rule changes, including mutli-classing), and all of the rule supplements that have been released as of the end of 2012.  All of the species and class supplements have been blended into the core rulebook to create a massive (over 200,000 words) rulebook that will allow you to play the most extensive Ephemeris game you'd ever want to play.

New print versions of Ephemeris titles

We've released print versions of two more Ephemeris titles.  You can get The Ephemeris Omnibus 2013 at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/113551/The-Ephemeris-Omnibus-2013?manufacturers_id=2805 and you can get The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica; Colonized Space at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127376/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Colonized-Space?manufacturers_id=2805.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 1, 2, & 4

A new supplement in the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available.  We're starting to look at "Near Space."  These are systems that are close to the main systems of the six species, but actually aren't under their control.  In many places, you'll find worlds that have been colonized by one of the six species, or you might find worlds that had been colonized by an ancient species, or you might find something even stranger.
This supplement looks at three of the sectors of Near Space.
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-1-2-4/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127723/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-One-Two--Four

My Writing Process-Blog Tour

Today I’m participating in a blog tour where authors discuss their writing process. My friend, the extremely talented David Lee Summers, posted last week. You can learn about his writing process here: http://dlsummers.wordpress.com.
So, sit back, and you'll get a chance to learn something of how I write...

What am I working on?
After spending a lot of time working on novels, I'm taking a bit of a break and going back to writing short stories.  This is where I cut my teeth as a writer, and as much fun as I think novels are to write, I enjoy short stories even more.  I think trying to condense a great deal of detail into a very small number of words is every bit as challenging as writing a novel, but in a very different way.
I've also been spending a great deal of time writing supplements for the Ephemeris RPG, which is a very different kind of writing, but just as challenging and just as fun.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
While you can definitely see the influence of writers like Asimov and Heinlein on my work, I think my work tends to focus a lot more on the individual as opposed to the "big" idea.  Much of my work centers around the idea of the individual oppressed by society, or technology.  Although I often try to paint an optimistic picture of the future, much of my work is pessimistic.  I also think I focus a lot more on dystopias than many other writers.

Why do I write what I do?
I think the answer that "I have to" is a pretty good reason.  I've been fascinated by science fiction since I was a very young boy.  I first saw Star Wars when I was seven, and yesterday was probably the 50th time that I've watched it (or maybe it's more), and I've loved everything SF ever since.  Science Fiction also gives me the opportunity to express some of my concerns about society in a way that isn't necessarily preachy.  Authors have been using SF to talk about the ills of society for decades, and I'm just following their lead.

How does your writing process work?
Much of my writing is done in my head before I even sit down in front of a keyboard.  Since I have three kids, ages 3-13, actual writing time can be difficult to come by, so I more or less have to write whenever I have time..
If I'm working on a hard SF piece, I will also spend a great deal of time researching the science I'm going to use because I want to make sure I get it right.
Once I start writing, I'm not the revise as you go type.  I tend to plow through a story until I get to the end.  Once I'm done, I let it sit for a bit and then go back and do massive revisions.  A lot of times my rough drafts are deficient in description, so I go back and add that in the second draft.  Once that's done, I let it sit again for a while before I do a third draft.  After that, I hope the story is done, and I move onto the next story I want to write.

Next week:
On Monday, March 31st, please visit the following blogs to learn about these wonderful authors:

Ian Brazee-Cannon - Ian Brazee-Cannon is a writer, film maker, game designer, podcaster as well as a husband and father. His short stories have been published in The Fifth Di..., Wondrous Web Worlds, Forgotten Worlds, Tales of the Talisman and May-December Publications' anthology 'Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy'. Ian has been working with Nomadic Delirium Press on supplements for the Ephemeris RPG. He is one of the founders and regular co-hosts on the Amateur Skeptics podcast. Ian has also involved with Dangling Carrot Films, Running Riot Productions and Ijin Productions as a writer and director on their projects.

Michael Merriam -
Michael Merriam is a science fiction and fantasy author living in Hopkins, MN with his wife and an overly energetic Maine Coon. Like most writers, Michael has done a variety of odd jobs over the years including: actor, late night disc jockey, short order cook, bassist, and booking agent for a puppet troupe. Michael is legally blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. He has published three novels, two short story collections, three single-title novellas, and over 80 pieces of short fiction. Michael is also an active blogger and spoken-word performer who enjoys burgers, single-malt scotch, and attending SF conventions. Visit his website at www.michaelmerriam.net

Idioms about idiots

It's a new t-shirt vendor that offers you the chance to express your opinion of some of the truly frustrating people in the world...http://www.cafepress.com/idiomsaboutidiots.

A debilitating sneeze

I had just gotten Lex to sleep on Thursday night when I felt a really powerful sneeze coming on.  I wanted to do my best to not wake her up, so I did everything I could to restrain it.  Once I did sneeze, I felt my bad ribs pop and move around like crazy.  Needless to say, I've been in almost debilitating pain ever since, and have not been getting much sleep.  If I had to rate the pain, I'd call it a seven or an eight, and you have to keep in mind that I have a very high threshold for pain.  I can't get comfortable unless I'm sitting up, and then it has to be on something soft like the couch...not the best way to sleep.
This made us decide to do some research on possible corrections.  One thing we found is that there are very few surgeons that will actually re-do the procedure I had on adults.  And of course we also found that in general, insurance companies won't cover it, and the procedure runs $10,000-$30,000.  We don't know if a complete re-do would be necessary, because we were having trouble finding surgeons who even had any idea of what they might be able to do for the pain, and the one we did find was a quack and a half.  Once I'm insured again, we will renew the search.
Also in our research we began to wonder if my procedure had been screwed up.  Even all those years ago, it was typical for a surgeon to insert a bar to support the sternum, and given that I had the worst case my surgeon had ever seen, I'm forced to wonder why this bar wasn't inserted.  Yes, it would have been another procedure two years later, but maybe that would have helped me avoid all the pain I'm in now.  I'm sure no doctor will say that because they'd worry that I'd sue my surgeon, but he wasn't all that young at the time of the procedure, so I'm not even sure if he's still with us.
For now, I just have to try to deal with the pain.  The 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours just isn't doing the trick anymore.  No matter what, this is an awful place to be, and so far we haven't found anyone that might be able to help me out of it.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space

We've combined the first six volumes of the EEG into one tome, and it's now available:
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space is a combination of the first six volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica.  It looks at each sector of space that is controlled by one of the six species.  An invaluable supplement for anyone playing the Ephemeris Science Fiction Role Playing Game, especially those that have been looking for campaign settings for their games.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help elevate your Ephemeris game to the next level.
Before ordering, please keep in mind that this supplement contains the same information that was released individually in the EEG for sectors 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, & 21.
 Order from Nomadic Delirium Press at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-colonized-space/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127376/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Colonized-Space
We are also working on releasing this as a paperback.  More details as they are available.

Insurance company BS

We got a letter from our health insurance notifying us that they aren't going to pay for Alexis' overnight stay after her surgery because they deemed it unnecessary.  I'm not exactly sure what their criteria are for "necessary," but I think it's ridiculous that a health insurance company thinks they know more about health care than the actual doctors.  From the beginning, it was expected that she would stay overnight.  The only reason she wouldn't have is if they only had to remove the cyst, but the fact that they actually had to remove part of a bone from her neck made the overnight stay necessary in the eyes of our doctor.  This is the kind of BS that needs to stop.
When I was unsuccessfully trying to get treatment for my chronic pain, the health insurance company wanted to refuse a cat scan for me.  I really love these guys.
Based on the rambling letter they sent us, it sounds like they actually aren't going to screw us over, but instead they're going to screw the hospital over.  And people wonder why health care is so expensive.
We need a complete dismantling of the insurance industry, not stop gap fixes.

The new Cosmos

I watched the new Cosmos series last night.  I have to admit that being a huge fan of the original series, I was a bit skeptical about this one.  After watching the first episode, I'd have to say that I'm not as skeptical as I was, but I'm also not completely sold on it either.  I liked that they made it different enough from the first series that it didn't seem like a rehashing of that series.  I also liked that they paid tribute to the original series, especially showing Carl Sagan's planner with the name Neil Tyson on one of the Saturdays...it was a nice way to show some continuity.
Will this show be able to live up to what the original series did?  It's hard to say.  The original series had a huge impact on a lot of people, especially me.  I was only ten at the time, and fascinated by science, so this hit me at the perfect time.  That's a little hard for the new series to live up to.
Thinking back to the first series, the first episode was a little slow, just like the new series...more of a tease for both than an actual episode.  Suffice it to say that I will tune in next week, and hopefully this one will pull me in like the original did.

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Ten (Human Space)

The Human sector of space has now been charted in the latest installment of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica:
The Humans are the newest species on the celestial block.  Some view them as a breath of fresh air, while others view them as being the biggest threat the galaxy has ever seen.  Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems that they couldn’t colonize, and the systems that they hope will lead them to galactic colonization (conquest).
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space.  The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Ten (Human Space).
Pick up your copy from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-ten-human-space
or
Pick up your copy from DriveThruRPG at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127192/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Ten-Human-Space

Holy crap! There's a teenager in the house!

My oldest turns 13 today.  That's absolutely unbelievable, and something that we're not entirely ready for.  We're so proud of the young woman she's becoming, but we hate watching her fall into a lot of the pitfalls that we fell into as teens.
I remember my teen years as a mix of good memories, and truly horrible memories.  Being a teenager is never easy, and I think for girls, especially in modern American society, the challenges are one hundred times worse than they are for teenage boys.  Still, we're doing everything we can to support her as she grows up, trying to help her avoid the mistakes we made as kids (and often failing miserably.)  We hope that she realizes that we will be here for her through the good choices and the bad choices, and we hope that she will come to us, instead of giving into some of the insane things her friends (or boys) might try to talk her into.
Needless to say, the next few years will be interesting...to say the least.
And just in case she's reading this instead of paying attention in class...Happy Birthday, Eryn! I love you.

GM's Day at DriveThruRPG

Now through March 8th all Nomadic Delirium Press RPG titles are on sale at DriveThruRPG for 30% off.  This includes all of the Ephemeris titles, as well as The Battle for Turtle Island.  If you haven't tried the games, this is a great chance to give them a shot.  If you are playing Ephemeris, then this gives you a chance to pick up some of the supplements for less than you'd normally pay.
Go to

E-book sale

March 2nd through March 8th you can get any of Nomadic Delirium Press's e-book titles for 25% off. Simply go to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium and use coupon code REW25. This sale is good all week on any of their titles, and you can use it as many times as you might want to.
This sale includes one of my novels, two of my short story collections, all of the Ephemeris products, and several zines that I edited.  Grab them while you can!
 

The stitches are out

Alexis had her stitches removed Friday.  There's still a nasty bump by the scar, but the doctor says that's caused by her neck trying to adjust to the hyoid bone being removed, and over time, everything should go back to normal.
Overall, her health is good, and we've had the best outcome we could for.  We're just very glad that this ordeal is over, and we hope to never have to go through anything like it again.

February recap

EEG pictures
Busy day
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-One (Arbonix Space)
If only I'd had money
Why there are no black holes in the EEG
Surgery tomorrow
Healthcare in the 21st century
A reprint sale
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Nine (Tulmath Space)
The March issue of The Fifth Di...

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?