X-mas in July at DriveThruFiction

 

The time has come for DriveThruFiction's annual X-mas in July sale. This is your chance to save up to 25% off of a wide variety of titles, and this includes many of my titles. You can download novels, short story collections, and even individual short stories. What a deal!!! A short story for just 74 cents! Head over to https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse/pub/16618/J-Alan-Erwine and start downloading today.

 

One More Good Trade is the Deal of the Day

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog:

For the next 24 hours, you can download One More Good Trade from DriveThruFiction for 50% off. That means you can get the book for just $1.50, and this is a book that you can read over and over again because you can choose different paths for your character each time you read it! Download it today at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/365386

Your name is Anthony Jones. You’re a Human free Trader. Your ship is called The Longest Night, and you have two crewmates, Tora-no, a four-armed Althani Soldier and Creeoona, a Tulmath Cyber Wizard. Three adventures lie open to you, which one will you pick, and what will happen along the way? You get to decide what happens in this story, as you pick your way through various plot twists.

 

The Smashwords sale is still running

 

While you're looking for deals on science fiction to read, please keep in mind that the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale is still running, which means you can download my short story collections and novels for 50% off. The sale only runs through the end of July, so make sure you take advantage of this great offer soon. Download today at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine

 

You're almost out of time to get your second Taste of Madness

 

Time definitely flies, and your time is almost up if you want to download A Taste of the Madness Vol. 2. This collection will only be available for a couple more weeks, and then it will be gone forever...and remember, if you're a Kindle Unlimited member, the download is FREE!

Go get your taste today at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3Y63ZNY 

 

Divided States of America sale

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog:

Is America doomed? Will we eventually fall into a group of individual nations, instead of being one united nation? This is the idea behind the Divided States of America. Created by longtime Nomadic Delirium Press editor J Alan Erwine, many different writers have decided to play in this "universe," and now, for a limited time, those stories are available from DriveThruFiction at 33% off. Head to https://www.drivethrufiction.com/saleguide.php?src=sgrc and you can start downloading individual titles or the first collection.

Can America be saved?

 

Future Syndicate II is the Deal of the Day

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog: 

Today is your chance to download Future Syndicate II for just $1.50 at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/300435

Many would like to think that as our species evolves, crime will disappear, but most know this is not true. Crime has always been with us, and it always will. Future Syndicate II features stories told from the point of view of the criminals, sometimes bad people, sometimes people forced to make bad decisions, but always, in the eyes of society, criminals.

Tales of Interstellar Space is the Deal of the Day

 

For the next 24 hours you can download my Tales of Interstellar Space for just $2. That's half off the usual $3.99 cover price.

Welcome to fifteen stories from prize winning science fiction author J Alan Erwine. Be prepared to explore a variety of locals throughout interstellar space. You’ll find wars, exploration, aliens, humans struggling to survive…and sometimes failing, and sometimes succeeding…but more than anything, you’ll find yourself questioning what’s possible…

Order from DriveThruFiction at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/313297

 

World Building

 

A few weeks ago, I posted about a book called Aliens and Alien Societies. Another book in that series is World Building by Stephen L. Gillett, who is both a science fiction author and an essayist who has had numerous works published, including being a major contributor to Analog.

This book has everything a writer needs to create a well-balanced and believable science fiction world. In addition to going into detail about what it takes to create a believable world, it also gives you the equations you need to properly figure out everything you can about your world. And while some might think this isn't important, the simple fact is that if you're writing science fiction, you have to get the science right, and this includes the math. And, let's face it, science fiction readers love to catch authors in science mistakes...don't be one of those authors!

This book was a huge asset to me when I was writing A Problem in Translation. Several times when the Astrid enters a new system, a string of numbers about the star and the planets are listed off by one of the crew. I painfully worked out all of these details with this book right next to me to make sure that everything would be accurate. This, I think, gives the book more authenticity.

Check out the book at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CB1WUFY

And while we're talking about A Problem in Translation, grab it as well at https://amzn.to/44hpoGp

I've updated my Wordpress site

In an effort to make it easier for everyone to find my current books in print, I've added "pages" to my Wordpress site. They appear in the header above the blog posts. This will allow my avid readers, and I know there are oh, so many of you out there, to find my books without having to scroll through the blogs.

Hope this helps. Head to https://jalanerwine.wordpress.com/ and check it out...and make sure you follow the links and buy something...and then review it...

 

June Bestseller

 

My best selling title for the month of June was my collection of all three of my novels, A Trio of Wonder.

For the first time in one collection, all three of prize-winning science fiction author J Alan Erwine's novels appear together. The Opium of the People tells the story of what happens to one man in America when the radical Christian right seizes control of the government. Red Moon Rising brings you the story of one young man's struggles to save the environment and take down the company that he blames for his brother's death. A Problem in Translation tells the story of humanity's first contact with aliens...aliens that are difficult to understand, and that seem to demand an almost godlike reverence from all of the other aliens that the humans meet.

Order from Amazon: https://amzn.to/44vhQQb

Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1013735

Order from DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/308899

50% off at Smashwords

 

Smashwords is currently having their Summer/Winter sale, and you can save 50% off of all of my short story collections and novels. The sale lasts through July, so head over there, and be sure to share the link!

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine

McConnelsville: The Village at the Crossroads

 

McConnelsville, Ohio was a sleepy little village that most of Ohio had forgotten before the war, but now it has become a center of trade, and a growing political power in the world that’s rebuilding after the war.

Your characters are headed there. Are you going to try to take things over for yourself, or are you going to try to join up with Victor Edmundson and use the little town as your base of operations?

This Rocks on the Other Side RPG adventure is designed for a group of characters between 8^th and 12^th level.

Order from DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/444525

Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1420061

Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CB9573JD

Rocks on the Other Side sale

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog:

World War III has destroyed much of the world, and what's left is forever changed. Your characters are survivors of the war, and now they must try to survive in a world filled with radiation, mutant animals, mutant plants, and mutant people. Do you try to restore the world, or do you try to take whatever you can? The choice is yours...

Now is your chance to start playing Rocks on the Other Side, with all of the titles available for 33% off.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/2805

Rainbow's House of Herbs: A Rocks on the Other Side RPG Supplement

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog:

How are you doing, man? No, I mean how are you really doing? Like the real you, man?

My name’s Rainbow, and this is my House of Herbs. Just by looking at your aura, I can tell that you’re in need of some of what I sell. You name it, I have it. Pick me ups, strength boosts, aura enhancements, stuff to treat radiation, yeah, I have it all. So, hey man, please feel free to look around, but I have to ask that you don’t touch anything.

I know it’s a real bummer and all, and I know it’s not like peace and love and everything, but I’ve got a pistol and I’ll have to shoot you if you try to steal anything.

Yeah, sorry dude. I know it’s a real downer, but that’s how it has to be.

Welcome to Rainbow’s House of Herbs, a supplement for the Rocks on the Other Side RPG. Here you will find all kinds of herbs that can give your character a short term boost that they might need. You can enhance attributes, health, even help fight off radioactive contamination. All of this from some tiny little plants.

Order from DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/442659

Order from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3NL5WvR

Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1412962

Disharmony of the Spheres is the Deal of the Day

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press Blog:

Today's deal of the day at DriveThruRPG is Disharmony of the Spheres. You can download it today for just $2.00 at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/224315

Mental illness is very common in our society, but it’s also very misunderstood. Many view those with mental illnesses as being weak, but there is a great deal of strength in those that must battle their own minds on a regular basis.

Disharmony of the Spheres focuses on characters with mental illnesses that are still able to be successful. They may not completely overcome their illnesses, but they are able to beat them back and succeed.

In this volume, you will find the fiction of Ian Brazee Cannon, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, MH Bonham, David Lee Summers, Nicole Givens Kurtz, Kate Runnels, Michael Morgan, L.J. Bonham, Carol Hightshoe, Francis W. Alexander, and Terrie Leigh Relf.

The sequel is in progress

For many years now, people have been asking me to write a sequel to my first contact novel A Problem in Translation. Well, I started working on the new novel today. So, in a year or two, all of you will get your wish, and you'll be able to find out what happens to now Ambassador Shiro Takahashi, the crew of the Astrid, everyone's favorite alien from the book, Grisan, and they pesky and annoying Lemec. Hopefully I'll surprise you with where this one ends up going...

In the meantime, if you haven't read the first book, please feel free to grab a copy at any of the following:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/46c702W

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1010399

DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/306999/A-Problem-in-Translation

 

A surprise in your e-mail every month?

 Everyone likes the surprise of a blind pack, or the surprise of the mystery boxes where you don't know what science fiction item, or Harry Potter trinkets, or whatever you might be getting that month, right? Well, what about a surprise e-book in your mail box every month?

That's right, for just $2 a month, you can get a random e-book delivered from me every month. This could be a novel, an RPG, a short story collection, or even an anthology I've edited. Sounds like a great deal, right? So head over to https://app.gumroad.com/products/bsdkq/edit and start your subscription today.

Aliens and Alien Societies

 

I've decided to start posting about books that have had some kind of influence on me. They might be novels, short story collections, non-fiction books on writing, politics, or books that have just had some kind of emotional impact on me. These will be posted at infrequent intervals...just pretty much whenever I feel like posting them...but it might be a nice break from all of the promotional posts.

This is a book that is an almost must-have for any science fiction authors that want to write about aliens, because let's face it, science fiction readers love to catch authors up in mistakes they might make. There are other books on this subject, but this one is written by Stanley Schmidt and edited by Ben Bova...and any science fiction author should know that they are giants in the field, and so the book deserves some respect just for their names being on it.

The book looks at developing aliens and their societies starting with evolution and moving on from there. The book is a bit science and math heavy, but most science fiction writers should be able to understand it, since let's face it, if you're writing SF, you need to know your science.

Throughout the book, Schmidt uses examples in fiction that demonstrate the concepts he's talking about, and the book features an extensive reference listing at the end that will allow writers to dive even deeper into some of the subjects. The book was written in 1995, so some of the science is a bit dated, but that doesn't take away from the great information that the book will give you.

As a curious aside, you all know that I'm an editor as well as an author, so it shouldn't be a surprise that when I read something, I also read it with my editor's hat on, and I did catch several typos in the book. It does nothing to take away from the book, but if these can get past the likes of Stanley Schmidt and Ben Bova, then it makes me feel better about some of the typos I've missed over the years.

To pick up a copy of the book, head to https://amzn.to/42OuYhP

A Problem in Translation is the Deal of the Day

 

DriveThruFiction has selected A Problem in Translation as the deal of the day for today. A science fiction novel that is normally priced at $2.99 can be yours for just $1.50. Download it today at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/306999

Humanity's first contact with an alien species, the Lemec, is complicated by the fact that the aliens don't use an entirely verbal language…not only that, but the other aliens in their "domain" seem to worship the Lemec as some type of gods, and as they seem to anticipate every move that Captain Shiro Takahashi and his crew make, humanity begins to think that maybe the other aliens know something that they don't.

Hello there

 

Did I just quote Obi-Wan Kenobi? Why, yes, I did. Every once in a while, I figure it's a good idea to introduce myself to some of the people that have found this blog more recently...that way they don't have to go digging through old blog posts to try to figure out exactly who J Alan Erwine is.

So, who am I? I'm a science fiction author and editor, and I'm also a role playing game designer. I've dabbled in fantasy fiction and horror fiction, but science fiction is definitely my main genre. As an author I once had a reviewer refer to me (and I'm paraphrasing) as having the voice of one of the classic science fiction authors, but without the issues of the classic authors. My guess is that they meant that my voice is similar to that of Asimov, Heinlein, or Clarke (which isn't a surprise since they were such a huge influence on me), but that I have a more modern way of writing. And this isn't meaning that they were trying to say (or that I'm trying to say) that I'm as good as those authors. I just think they meant a modern version of their style...but who am I to interpret book reviewers.

As far as my role playing games, I've created, or helped to create three different games...Ephemeris, The Battle for Turtle Island, and Rocks on the Other side. The first is a science fiction game, the second is an historical fantasy game, and the third is a post-apocalyptic game.

If you're interested in checking out my work, you can find it just about anywhere that science fiction is sold, but here are a few places you can check first...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/J-Alan-Erwine/author/B0035AMA0A

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine

DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse/pub/16618/J-Alan-Erwine

Gumroad: https://jalanerwine.gumroad.com/