The disappearing middle class

There has been a lot of talk about the disappearing middle class in America.  After doing our taxes last month, I can attest that the middle class is most certainly disappearing.  We are middle class, or at least lower middle class, and every year becomes more and more of a struggle for us.  When we first moved in together, I left my fast food management job, but Rebecca kept her full time retail supervisor's job.  Those first years were difficult for us, but we got by...even if just barely.
Now, almost seven years later, Rebecca is still a full time retail supervisor, I'm now working part time as a retail supervisor, and I'm making more than ever from writing, editing, and game design, and we aren't making ends meet.  The simplest explanation is that the cost of everything is rising dramatically, while our incomes are not.  When we get our annual raises, we get 2-3%, but the cost of everything is rising much higher than that.  Our rent goes up about 5% annually, and everything else follows suit.  It's no wonder that people making middle class income, especially lower middle class income are struggling more and more each year.  We can't keep up with rising costs, and as long as pay rates stay low and don't increase accordingly, all of us in the middle class will continue to struggle.
That's enough economics for today.  Off to do some work...have to make some money somehow...

February recap

Very slow month of blogging.  I promise more soon.  Life has just been crazy busy of late...

My jury duty experience
Happy birthday, Jul
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica Sectors 33-35

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 33-35

The exploration of “Unexplored Space” continues with Sectors 33-35.
You'll find more new colonies for your group to explore, and lots of places that have not been explored by any of the current eleven species.  The remnants of the Glikth-machine wars litter two of these sectors, and there's a new species that has not reached interstellar space.  Will they survive, or will someone like the Culthan come along and exploit them?
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/144976/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-ThirtyThree--ThirtyFive

Happy birthday, Jul

Today is Juliah's tenth birthday.  I now have the three T's in my house...a teen, a tween, and a toddler.  No wonder my hair is going gray so fast!  When I first met Jul, she was even younger than Lex is now, and here she is a 4th grader and a tween.  Today we're going to the zoo for their free day and then having a small party.
I can't wait to see who she becomes as she grows up.

My jury duty experience

Many of my Facebook followers probably know that I was one of the "lucky" 9,000 to receive a jury summons for the upcoming trial of the Aurora theater shooting, or "Suspect A" as the local news media is calling him because they don't want to glorify his name...which is one of the few rational things I've seen from the news media in a long time.
I've now been dismissed from the trial, so I can actually talk about my experience, which still seems a bit surreal.  As always, the first thing we had to do was go through the metal detectors.  We were then given our badges with our juror numbers and sent to the second floor of the building.  Once there, we again had to empty our pockets, and this time the deputies actually searched through our stuff.  We were then sent to a small courtroom where we sat for something like 90 minutes, constantly being told to keep our phones turned off, even though we weren't actually doing anything.
They then escorted all of us (and I'd guess there were 150-200 of us) to a larger courtroom.  As we walked in we were pointed to seats.  Somehow I had the "good fortune" of being sent to the jurors box.  As I approached the box, I could see all of the prosecuting attorneys, all of the defense attorneys, and then I saw HIM.  Suspect A was there.  This was one of those cliched moments where my flesh crawled and my stomach did somersaults.  I've written those words before, but I'd never quite felt that feeling as strongly as I did that day.  I've never been that close (10-15 feet) to a mass murderer.  My seat in the jury box gave me a perfect view of him, and at one time I'm pretty sure we made eye contact, although he was trying to look detached...obviously trying to play up the insanity defense.
Once we were sworn in, we took a recess, and then we had to fill out a long questionnaire on a wide variety of topics (by this time he'd been removed and hopefully sent back to his hole).  The questionnaire, I'm sure is what disqualified me.  I have kids to take care of, I can't take 4-6 months off from work, I'm opposed to the death penalty, and I understand the difference between mentally ill and insane, which they seemed to be using interchangeably, even though they shouldn't.
Now I've been dismissed, and I couldn't be happier!

January recap

No sale
New Year, New Game
One week to go in the pre-sale
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-Nine
A Robot, a Cyborg and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar is here
The frustrations of writing
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 20-32

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sectors 30-32

The exploration of “Unexplored Space” continues with Sectors 30-32.

There are more young colonies to be explored, and even some well established ones.  There are more remnants of the Glikth-machine war, and even a few abandoned Organic colonies.  Plus there are other mysteries, including a possible solution to the greatest danger that faces travelers of Hyperspace...
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/143534/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-Thirty--ThirtyTwo

The frustrations of writing

Last night I started on a new story, and it was going really well.  I managed to get 1,500 words written, which is good considering I have three kids, but then I suddenly realized I had done the one thing that authors hate most...or maybe it's one of the many things authors hate most.  I'd painted myself into a corner, with no way to get out.  Somehow I'd gone left when the story should have gone right.
I had no choice but to go back and cut some of the story out...going all the way back to where I first detoured.  So, when all was said and done, the 1,500 words I'd written became 350.  Oh well, I can still work with what I have.  I'll just be more careful to stick with the original idea...

A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar is here

The book is finally here! You can order your copy, print or electronic, today from a wide variety of sources.
A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar is a serious literary work of science fiction and fantasy stories that looks to delve into...who are we trying to kid? This book is a collection of comedic science fiction and fantasy stories written by some truly talented authors.
The book includes stories from Francis W. Alexander, Lou J. Berger, Wayne Carey, James Dorr, Laura Givens, Alan Ira Gordon, John Grey, Carlos Hernandez, Gilda A. Herrera, Ahmed A. Khan, Sheryl Normandeau, Robert Lowell Russell, John Skylar, Glen R. Stripling, and Scott Virtes.
You'll be taken to alien bars, alien planets, and any funny place these authors could come up with. You'll meet meddling appliances, aliens with strange habits, and aliens trying to live on or visit Earth. There are even time flies and a cloned genius. This collection has everything you need to tickle your funny bone.
Order from Nomadic Delirium Press: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-bar/
Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/499752
Order from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSCJRF8
Order from Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-bar-j-alan-erwine/1120892093?ean=2940046451153

The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-Nine

The exploration of “Unexplored Space” continues with Sector 29.
Sector 29 is one of the more heavily colonized sectors of “Unexplored Space,” with the Althani and the Ernya stretching deep into this system. In addition to their expanding colonies, you’ll also find more Glikth and machine colonies that have been destroyed for centuries. Plus there are other species living in this sector, and one that was living until only recently…
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/142724/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-TwentyNine

One week to go in the pre-sale

There's just one week left in the pre-sale for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar...
A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar is a serious literary work of science fiction and fantasy stories that looks to delve into...who are we trying to kid? This book is a collection of comedic science fiction and fantasy stories written by some truly talented authors.
The book includes stories from Francis W. Alexander, Lou J. Berger, Wayne Carey, James Dorr, Laura Givens, Alan Ira Gordon, John Grey, Carlos Hernandez, Gilda A. Herrera, Ahmed A. Khan, Sheryl Normandeau, Robert Lowell Russell, John Skylar, Glen R. Stripling, and Scott Virtes.
You'll be taken to alien bars, alien planets, and any funny place these authors could come up with. You'll meet meddling appliances, aliens with strange habits, and aliens trying to live on or visit Earth. There are even time flies and a cloned genius. This collection has everything you need to tickle your funny bone.
Order from us: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-bar/
Order the e-book from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/499752
Order from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSCJRF8
Order from Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-bar-j-alan-erwine/1120892093?ean=2940046451153

New Year, New Game

DriveThruRPG is running a sale for the next week called "New Year, New Game," and the Ephemeris RPG is part of the sale. You can pick it up for 15% off the regular price by going to http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/63664/Ephemeris.

No sale

A couple of days ago I wrote about finishing a story for an anthology that I'd been invited to contribute to.  It turns out that the editor actually liked the story.  Unfortunately, he didn't receive enough submissions to actually publish the anthology, so the story is homeless.
Earlier today, I re-wrote the first line of the story, which was completely necessary as the story started with a very cliched line (which it actually had to have for the anthology), and sent it on its way.  Now it will start to make its way from magazine to magazine until someone actually decides they like it enough to publish it.  I'm confident that this will happen at some point...but what that magazine will be is hard to say.

December recap

One week to go
$265 to go
The Space Bar pre-sale has begun
$240 to go
$120 to go
Last chance
Thank you!
Don't forget to pre-order your copy of A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar
Cutting it close
2014 in review

2014 in review

Another year is coming to an end, so I suppose I should take a look back at this year, although I might not want to.  From a professional standpoint, I didn't do anywhere near as much writing as I would have like to this year.  I started several stories, and I even started a new novel, but I only finished two stories.  The simple fact is that I don't have enough time to write.  At the moment, our financial situation is a bit grim, which means I have to focus more on editing and game design because I see the money from those endeavors more quickly than I do from writing.
As an editor, I saw the release of Taurin Tales this year, and I also completed A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar, which will be released in just over two weeks. And from the game design perspective, I wrote a lot of supplements for the Ephemeris RPG. Most of these were written early in the year before I had to go back into the "real" work world.
On a personal level, 2014 was mostly a good year.  The kids continue to grow and I'm very proud of most of the things they're doing.  Marriage is still bliss.  I couldn't ask for a better partner to navigate the harshness of reality with.
The biggest downer of the year has been our deteriorating financial situation.  Alexis had surgery early in the year, and even though she was insured, the bills have been outrageous.  We're still paying a little bit each month, and hoping to keep them off of our backs until we get our tax return.  We quickly learned that just one of us working wasn't enough to pay our bills, so I had to go back into the "real" work world.  Rebecca is still hoping to get promoted at some point in the coming year, but until then, things will be a struggle.  Sadly, rent and other bills go up by a much larger percentage than the annual raise she saw...and that's how it always seems to be.  This, to me, seems to be the main reason why we're seeing a shrinking of the middle class.
2015 will hopefully be a good year, we have big plans...we just have to come up with the means to make all of those plans a reality...
Happy New Year, everyone. See you in 2015!

Cutting it close

At the end of October, I was asked to submit a story for an upcoming anthology.  The deadline for the story was Dec. 31st.  I just finished the story and sent it off.  Needless to say, I cut this one close.  This story was a bit of a departure from what I usually write, so I'm not sure how it will go over, but I'm certainly hoping it gets accepted.
I'll let everyone know at some point in the future...

Don't forget to pre-order your copy of A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar

The pre-sale for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar is in full swing now, and you can order the e-book or the print version from a wide variety of places.  Here are a few, but any bookstore should be able to get it for you...
Order from Nomadic Delirium Press
Order from Smashwords
Order from Amazon
Order from Barnes & Noble

Thank you!

Copied from the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:
We wanted to thank everyone for supporting our Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar.  The project was successfully funded, and we are all very grateful for that.  Even if you weren't able to help financially, but you reposted our links, we appreciate that as well.  Every little bit helps.
I'm sure the authors would like to thank you as well, since this means that the book is that much closer to making a profit, which means more money for them.
Thanks again!

Last chance

Today is your last chance to back our Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar. Pledge soon: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

$120 to go

The Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar ends Sunday night, and we only need an additional $120.  This is very doable, so any last minute pledges would be greatly appreciated!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

$240 to go

Our Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar has almost come to a close, and we still find ourselves $240 short. If you've given any thought to possibly donating to this Kickstarter, we ask that you now do it. We're offering some really great rewards.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

The Space Bar pre-sale has begun

We've officially kicked off the pre-sale for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar.  The list price for the print version will be $10, but you can order it for $9 from the Nomadic Delirium store by going to http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-bar/
Smashwords has the e-book at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/499752
And you can order the Kindle version at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSCJRF8
The official release date for the book is January 15, 2015.

$265 to go

There are only a few days left in our Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar, and we still need to raise an additional $265. This book is going to be a really fun read, so please help out with whatever you can.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

One week to go

There's just one week to go in our Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar, and we still have a long way to go.  Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.
Please pledge at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

November recap

E-book sale
A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar contents
A 4th birthday
A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar cover
The Space Bar Kickstarter has begun
Breaking the silence
Two weeks to go

Two weeks to go

There are just two weeks to go in the Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar, and although the Kickstarter got off to a great start, it has slowed quite a bit since.  This is going to be a really fun read, and we really need your help in getting it off the ground...so anything you can contribute would be appreciated.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b

Breaking the silence

I haven't posted much of late because, as always, I've been crazy busy.  I'm still working the "real" job while I try to continue to get stuff done at home...not always easy.  Plus, the holidays are crazy time with three kids, so I don't always do everything I'd want to do, and most of the time, the first thing to suffer is blogging.
Professionally, here's what's been going on lately:
Much of my time has been dedicated to promoting the Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar.  With a name like that, you know it has to be worth picking up, and if you want to help the Kickstarter (which would be greatly appreciated), you can at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b.
I've also been working on putting together the anthology, which means a lot of editing and formatting...tedious, but fun work.  I'm also getting the December issue of The Fifth Di... ready.  And I wouldn't be me if I wasn't annoying people by promoting my two most recent releases, Taurin Tales as an editor and Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored as a writer.
Not to be forgotten, I have been doing some work on the next installment of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica, although not as much work as I might like.
Finally, I've actually been doing some writing.  I've started working on a story that I should have written a long time ago, and this became very obvious to me with the recent passing of a writer friend.  I don't want to say much about the story right now, but I will blog about it as it progresses.
Hopefully that's a good enough update for now, and I'll try to blog more as time allows...

The Space Bar Kickstarter has begun

We've officially launched the Kickstarter for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar.  It can be found at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1521750492/a-robot-a-cyborg-and-a-martian-walk-into-a-space-b, and any support you can offer is greatly appreciated.
There are some great rewards associated with this Kickstarter, so what are you waiting for...

A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar cover

Here is the awesome cover for A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar.  The book will be released on Jan. 15th, and we will be launching a Kickstarter very soon for this project, so keep your eyes on this page.

A 4th birthday

It's hard to believe that four years ago today Alexis came into our lives.  In those four years we've watched her grow and change so much.  She's now a young lady with so much personality, and we all love her so much.  Every day we are so proud of the things she does, and we can't wait to see who she grows up to be.
She will be having a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles party in a little while, and she is so excited.
Happy birthday Alexis!

A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar contents

These are not in the order that they will appear in the anthology, but here are the stories that will be appearing in A Robot, a Cyborg, and a Martian Walk into a Space Bar, which is due to be released on January 15th, 2015.
Big Momma Mead’s Meandering Motherspot for Trollops, Lushes, and Loons by Francis W. Alexander
Share and Share Alike by Wayne Carey
Cultural Clash by Glen R. Stripling
Galaxy Sedge by Lou J Berger
Dizzy by Alan Ira Gordon
Baby Cubed by Scott Virtes
T. Gips and The Time Flies by Ahmed A. Khan
Slippery, dangerous by Gilda A. Herrera
American Moat by Carlos Hernandez
Tasteful by Laura Givens
Rover by Sheryl Normandeau
Escape from Planet NOPE by John Skylar
Toast by James Dorr
The Question by Robert Lowell Russell
Star-Fight in the Twenty-First Sector by John Grey

E-book sale

Nomadic Delirium Press is having an e-book sale that lasts until the day before Thanksgiving.  Many of their titles are listed for 10-50% off, and this includes a number of titles that I either wrote or edited.  For example, you can get Taurin Tales for 30% off at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/taurin-tales/, or The Martian Wave: 2014 for 10% off at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-martian-wave-2014/, or The Ephemeris Omnibus 2013 for almost 50% off at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-ephemeris-omnibus-2013/, or Seedlings on the Solar Winds, and other stories for almost 50% off at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/seedlings-on-the-solar-winds/.

October recap

I'm a day late with this because I've been sick as a dog, but here's what I was talking about in October...
My MileHiCon 46 schedule
Taurin Tales is almost here
Nomadic Delirium bundles
Taurin Tales is here!!!
Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored is now available
Where the Fleet of Stars is Anchored is now available as an e-book
My revised MileHiCon schedule
MileHiCon 46 recap

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...