Cover Reveal: "Walking Out of War" by Scott Bury

Author Scott Bury plans on releasing Walking Out of War, the third book in his nonfiction/memoir trilogy, on February 22nd.

Until then, here's the cover (which I think looks cool).

Scott describes his trilogy as "based on the experiences of my father-in-law, a Canadian drafted into the Soviet Red Army in World War 2."

The first two books in the series are titled Army of Worn Soles and Under the Nazi Heel.

I'll update you when the third book is set up for pre-orders.

Back to the Source - A Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) Documentary

If, like me, you're fascinated by medieval-style hand-to-hand combat, especially swordplay, then you must watch this beautifully produced documentary.

It's about a growing group of dedicated martial artists who are using period source material (primarily treatises and instruction manuals written by medieval sword masters) to revive this storied martial tradition.

Winner Winner NaNoWriMo Dinner!

Okay, I don't know what that headline means either, but I do know I won the 2016 National Novel Writing Month challenge today. Woo hoo! Clocking in at a little over 50k words (see stats diagram below) at around 11:00p on 11/26.

Did I finish Elvenking, the third book in the "Leonard the Great" series? Nope. Not by a long shot. A quick outline check tells me that I've got eight or more chapters left and previous experience tells me that I've got around 30k+ words to go before I'm completely finished with the first draft.

During the editing portion of my noveleering, I tend to cut out a good 20k and usually end up with a complete MG fantasy novel that's around 60k words, give or take a few grand.

That's cool. As I mentioned in my announcement post, I wasn't expecting to complete the first draft of this novel, just write the first 50k words of it.

In case you haven't guessed it already, I use the NaNo challenge to jumpstart me into action and move me past my paralysis at the thought of starting a huge writing project like a novel. So far I'm 5 for 5 in beating the challenge (knock on virtual wood), so I guess it works for me.

If you've ever had that itch that says you should at least try to write a novel before you croak, I recommend giving National Novel Writing Month a shot. Like it did for me, it could be just the thing you need to help you stop itching and start writing!

iAi Featured Book of the Month: "The Secret Voice" by Bob Nailor

The year is 1961. In a quaint, rural NW Ohio town, secrets are coming to light. Daniel Yoder, an Amish boy with a dream, wants to attend high school against the strict rules of the Amish church. Surprisingly, the Bishop and Daniel's father both agree to let him attend. At school, Daniel meets the newly-hired chorus teacher, Julie Bronson, the sole black person in the all-white community. Julie discovers Daniel has the gift of song and tries to encourage his talent. Together, can this pair conquer adversity and the stresses pitting them against both religious stereotypes and racial prejudices? Everyone has secrets - some kept better than others. Still, secrets tend to surface. Nobody can hide from who they truly are in... The Secret Voice.

To purchase Bob's book, please visit its Amazon Page.

To learn more about Bob and all of his books, please visit his Official Website.

Super Mario: Underworld

"Mario enters the upside down."

NaNoWriMo 2016: I'm Back!

After a five year absence, I've decided to give the National Novel Writing Month challenge another try. This year, my novel project is Elvenking, the third book in the Dragonfriend series.

As many of you know, the NaNo challenge is to write a complete 50k word novel during the month of November. I fudge just a little on that (Hey, it's allowed!) by saying I'll be writing the first fifty thousand words of my novel, but not necessarily completing it.

I've finished four NaNo novels to date and self-published two of those four (I'm querying a third).

The NaNo "word count/percentage completed" widget is now residing in the column to the right. Starting at midnight on Nov. 1st, you'll be able to keep track of my daily progress. Feel free to praise or mock me, depending on how I'm doing.

If you're looking for a writing buddy, I'm sillyroger over on the NaNo site. There's no obligation to being a "buddy," but I do find it motivating to see how my friends are doing throughout the month.

Are you taking the NaNo challenge? If so, good for you. It's a little scary, but very satisfying. Try it!

p.s. The cheesy cover for Elevenking is just something I mocked up to motivate me. The finished product will look much better!

UPDATE: As of Saturday, 11/12, I'm at 26409. That's just over halfway there!

Goodreads Review: Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes

Beowulf: A Tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes by Nicky Raven
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This "translation" flows well and is a great way to ease younger readers into a true classic. The artwork is superb. Recommended.

View all my reviews