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