Scott Moon on the Many Hats of #SelfPub Authors and Book Pricing @ScottMoonWriter #AmWriting

Wherein we discuss the most agonizing decision a writer makes since deciding to publish

Self-published authors wear many hats–writer, editor, marketing director, cover designer and more. Many of these tasks can, and often should be, left to paid professionals. The indie crowd is full of creative people who can do it all. I thought I was such a prodigy once, but realized I needed to pay people to edit and design book covers. Could I do it? With training and practice, why not? But there are issues of objectivity and time management. Like many writers, I decided to focus on my first love and put the other parts of self-publishing in the (very modest) budget.

Unfortunately, decisions are harder to contract out. Which means I have to decide how to price my urban fantasy and science fiction novels. In this post, I will list factors I’ve considered and make some general statements regarding my final decision.

Perceived value

Readers may judge a book by the price. Ninety-nine cents screams “indie author.” Legions of angry writers clamor against low priced books, calling the strategy a race to the bottom. How can the industry survive if the product is so cheap?

Business Pricing

The cost of the book is balanced against how many units must sell at a certain price to achieve a reasonable return on investment. The point is to make money. The strategy is to price the book as high as it will sell, following the rule of supply and demand.

Emotional Pricing

Selecting a price based on how much heart and soul the author put into the manuscript. Emotional pricing could also be influenced by ego; real authors use real prices. I tend to believe my writing is pretty darn amazing. Things would be simpler if everyone would just acknowledge my expertise in this area. I’m a hero author in my own mind. And my mom says I’m special.

Wherein I just make a decision

I did not set out to start a business. Like many writers, I have a generalized goal of “writing full time.” Professional business persons must cringe at this oft repeated, laughably vague declaration. It is also a bit ridiculous, since few traditionally published authors have achieved this gold standard of success. I know that I need to write great books full of interesting characters striving toward compelling goals. I know to show more often than I tell and I understand the value of hiring the best paid editor I can afford.

I also understand I must build an author platform. If I wrote non-fiction, I could build a resume based on knowledge and experience. Do speaking engagements. Lead seminars. Get a PhD in awesomeness.

How does a novelist demonstrate expertise other than to write novels that can’t be put down, or turned off, or whatever?

My first marketing concern, after writing the best book possible, is to get the word out. I want people to read my stories and be entertained.

For quite a while, I read the blogs on ebook pricing and took the welfare of the industry to heart. But in the end, the decision is really simple. The price of a book should be the price that sells. A fat advertising budget or a viral You Tube video might raise the perceived value and demand. Skyrocketing sales would drive the price up, though some might argue it shouldn’t.

At the end of the day I ask myself two questions. Is my book selling? Am I reaching more readers than I was yesterday?

This is a hotly contested topic in the publishing world, so please abuse me with your comments if you must. (But keep in mind I am an artist, and thus very sensitive.)

Lost Hero

Changed by captivity and torture, hunted by the Reapers of Hellsbreach and wanted by Earth Fleet, Kin Roland hides on a lost planet near an unstable wormhole.

When a distant space battle propels a ravaged Earth Fleet Armada through the same wormhole, a Reaper follows, hunting for the man who burned his home world. Kin fights to save a mysterious native of Crashdown from the Reaper and learns there are worse things in the galaxy than the nightmare hunting him. The end is coming and he is about to pay for a sin that will change the galaxy forever. 

Books

Enemy of Man: Book One in the Chronicles of Kin Roland was written for fans of military science fiction and science fiction adventure. Readers who enjoyed Starship Troopers or Space Marines will appreciate this genre variation. Powered armor only gets a soldier so far. Battlefield experience, guts, and loyal friends make Armageddon fun. 

Movies

If you love movies like Aliens, Predator, The Chronicles of Riddick, or Serenity, then you might find the heroes and creatures in Enemy of Man dangerous, determined, and ready to risk it all. It’s all about action and suspense, with a dash of romance—or perhaps flash romance. 

From the Author

Thanks for your interest in my novel, Enemy of Man. I hope you chose to read the book and enjoy every page. 

If you have already read Enemy of Man, how was it? Reviews are appreciated! 

Have a great day and be safe.

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Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – R

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"Moxie’s Problems" by Hank Quense & What You Didn't Know @hanque99 #AmReading #Fantasy

Seven things you don’t know about Moxie’s Problems

The original Moxie story was a short story that I couldn't sell. I loved Moxie’s character and I was determined to put her into her own novel.

I was half-way through Moxie’s Problems when I put it on the side to write a series of non-fiction books called Self-publishing Guides. I did that because I got angry at all the misinformation floating around the internet on self-publishing.

I was able to return to the Moxie novel fairly easily because I always develop a series of mind-maps for my novels before I start to write the first draft. I had maps for the major characters, the plots and subplots and a third which is a graphical synopsis. These mind-maps allowed me to get back into the novel very quickly.

Some of the adventures in the novel, especially for King Artie were originally short stories I wrote a long time ago, but were never published. The Dogs of War and the Isolde adventure are two such short stores. The initial football game between the Knights and the Saxons was a short story I sold four or five times.

Originally, the novel was set in a fantasy land and Moxie was a dwarf. Her three knightly companions were a dwarf, an elf and a human. The fantasy setting conflicted with my plan to use Camelot as a backdrop so I had to change it.

The Camelot background bothered me for a while. The problem was my story bashed against the traditional Camelot legends and not in a small way. My Camelot was radically different and I felt it would annoy reads who hoped for a retelling of the traditional legends. My solution to this problem came with a sprinkling of scifi dust. Once I realized my Camelot took place in a parallel universe, I had my justification and it even encouraged me to develop more non-traditional aspects of Camelot.

One character I really enjoyed writing about was Tristan. In the story he is Camelot’s Bard and the world’s worst poet. I wrote a number of doggerel poems for him. I also made him a schizophrenic. His warrior self and his poet self are in a constant battle for supremacy of his mind. His poet self wants to soothe enemies with words, while his warrior self wants to attack audiences with his sword.

Do you enjoy untypical coming-of-age stories? Well, you won’t find one more untypical that Moxie’s Problem. Moxie is an obnoxious, teen-age princess who has never been outsider her father’s castle. Until now. The real world is quite different and she struggles to come to grips with reality. The story take space against a backdrop of Camelot. But it isn’t the Camelot of legends. It’s Camelot in a parallel universe. So, all bets are off!

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Fantasy, Sci-fi

Rating – G

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Connect with Hank Quense through Facebook & Twitter

Website http://hank-quense.com/wp/

Across Worlds: Collision by S. A. Snow @BooksbySnow #AmReading #Excerpt #Erotica

Jane slowed and stopped, her heart pounding in her chest. She lifted her water bottle to her lips and drank deeply, droplets running down the line of her throat. Her body was slick with sweat, and it pooled between her breasts and at the small of her back.

The sun was coming up, and she placed her hands on her hips, leaning back, both to stretch her back muscles and to marvel at the colors piercing the sky. She glanced at her watch. Six-forty-two. Time to head home and get ready for work. There was no telling when she would get to watch the sun rise again—probably never.

Jane’s eyes widened and she gasped when the ground began to shake. She grabbed a tree for stability and looked around wildly. Earthquakes weren’t commonplace in Washington, D.C. The wind picked up, smacking leaves her in the face and swirling dust around her just as a roar filled the air. The sound of engines was deafening.

She craned her neck to look through the branches of the tree she held onto, and her hand went to her mouth as she took several steps away from her safety net. Her head fell back, and she stared in awe. It was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.

Chrome and metal melded together to make a hull that was almost matte and looked like liquid all at once. It was dotted with windows, and she could barely make out the lines of the doors. The engines were bigger than the largest plane she had ever seen.

With one shudder, the roar died down and the engines stopped spinning. Three holes in the bottom of the ship opened up and great metal poles descended. Jane couldn’t help her curiosity as she stepped closer. One metal pole crashed into the ground a hundred yards from where she stood. It broke soil, and claw-like structures folded down, creating an anchor, presumably to keep the ship in place.

She approached it carefully. A small crowd gathered as other people made their way over to see what was happening. Jane wound her way through the people and reached out slowly, her hand making contact with the pole. She jumped back before relaxing. It was cool and smooth to the touch.

Jane expected six months undercover to be hard; she expected it to be lonely and bleak. She didn’t expect to find love. 

Jane Butler, a CIA operative, is assigned the task of infiltrating the Xanthians and determining if they’re a threat to humanity. Going undercover as a Xanthian mate, she boards the transport ship and meets Usnavi—her new mate. After spending six days traveling through space, Jane is ecstatic to explore the Xanthian station and soon sets out to complete her mission. The only problem? Usnavi—and the feelings she is quickly developing. 

Fumbling their way through varying sexual expectations, cooking catastrophes, and cultural differences, they soon discover life together is never boring. As Jane and Usnavi careen into a relationship neither of them expected, Jane uncovers dark secrets about the Xanthians and realizes she may no longer be safe. When it becomes clear she’s on her own, Jane is forced to trust and rely on Usnavi. Simultaneously struggling with her mission, her feelings for Usnavi, and homesickness, Jane faces questions she never imagined she would have to answer.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Blended Science Fiction, Erotica

Rating – NC17

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Brandon Overall Shares an #Excerpt from SUPERHUMAN NATURE #SciFi #Fiction

Neil opened the doors to the library and stepped inside.  He scanned the room, unsure of what exactly he was looking for.

“Can I help you, Sir?”

The librarian behind the desk stood up and spoke to Neil.  He obviously looked lost.  She wore a bright red dress and had her hair back in a bun.  She was curiously pretty and young for a librarian.

“Oh, no thanks ma’am. I’m just looking for someone I was supposed to meet here.”

“Are you looking for Mr. Delmont?  He’s the gentleman sitting over there in the black hat.”

Neil looked where she was pointing, and saw an older looking man sitting down.  He stared directly at Neil with his hands folded on top of the table.  When Neil made eye contact with him, the man bowed his head as a greeting to beckon Neil over.

Neil walked cautiously over to Delmont, scanning the man’s appearance as he inched closer.  His eyes were fixated on the hat.  It was a black wide-brimmed fedora.  It definitely looked unique, but also familiar.  Neil could have sworn he had seen it somewhere before.

“Richard, it’s a pleasure to meet you.  My name is Carl Delmont.  I’m honored that you flew all the way here to speak with me.  That must have been quite the trip.”

The man stood up and held out his hand as Neil got close.  It took Neil a second to remember the alias he had used in the email.  As soon as he heard the man’s old, raspy voice, Neil recognized who it was.  It was the man from his dream – the man who had given him the warning.

Neil tried to hide his surprise from the man as he shook his hand.

“Mr. Delmont, it’s a pleasure.  I was lucky to catch a flight out on short notice.  Thank you for meeting me here like this.  I hope I didn’t ruin any weekend plans of yours.”

Delmont removed his hat and smiled.  His face was wrinkled, despite only being in his mid 50s.  His hair was grey and parted down the middle.  It was relatively long, and extended outwards from his ears.  He had the appearance of a tired man who had lived a full life in half the time.  His bright blue eyes were calm.  Neil didn’t get the impression that he was speaking with a crazy man or a scam artist, but he reserved judgment for a little while at least.

“Please, Carl is fine.  If you don’t mind, I have reserved a study room that we can use to have a more…private conversation.”

Delmont beckoned towards a private study room a little ways away.  Neil felt a bit uncomfortable about going into a soundproof room with a potentially shady guy like Delmont, but his curiosity got the better of him.  He proceeded towards the room, with Delmont trailing silently behind him.

Superhuman Nature is Brandon Overall’s first novel. It was written and published during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a 2nd Lieutenant in late 2013.

Neil Hitchens was a senior ROTC Cadet in college. He was just weeks away from graduating and becoming an Officer in the United States Army, until a strange dream set off a chain of events that would twist his life into something he could have never prepared for.

In the days following his dream, several strange happenings occurred that he began to suspect were the result of his own actions. Before long, he discovered that he had the ability to control the world around him with his mind.

What started out as an unpredictable ability quickly evolved into an extraordinary power that had the capacity to change the world. It didn’t take long for the government to find out what Neil could do.

They knew having such limitless potential on the side of the US Military could give them limitless political influence, and they would stop at nothing to get Neil to do their bidding. They would find out what happens when you back a dangerous animal into a corner.

Neil spent his whole life believing he would amount to greatness, but he never expected how greatness could corrupt even the most innocent of minds.

Buy @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Boy Meets Stone - @PMPillon Shares an #Excerpt from THE REALITY MASTER #YA #SciFi

BOY MEETS STONE

Again only Frank could join Joey and his dad for their second consecutive weekend in Big Sur. Joey didn’t worry that this would become a pattern because he knew that summer would arrive soon and his other friends would have more time to accompany him south; and maybe to other places also such as Yellowstone. Joey’s dad had said he would make plans to visit the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming during the summer.    

Grandpa Karl had told them that if they visited him again within a couple of weeks they could help him plant his substantial vegetable garden, hoeing and putting in fertilizer and seeds. As with everything else, Karl followed few rules about planting; for instance, he tried to grow vegetables that his soil and climate contraindicated. And as a result, his corn and peppers fared poorly every summer because of insufficient warmth. And he chronically failed to stagger his crops, so he had a hundred cucumbers and other vegetables all coming up at once, much of which he traded or was forced to bestow gratis on his grateful Big Sur neighbors rather than allow it to spoil. One thing Karl did right was planting vegetables in the sun that needed more of it, such as tomatoes, melons, squash, and some herbs. 

The Palo Alto threesome arrived at Karl’s before noon they worked for several hours tilling, fertilizing and planting, so Joey and Frank weren’t free to hike until late afternoon; although they enjoyed the planting, they were eager to set off along the trail again. Joey led the way as usual, heading again towards the cliff. 

When they were near enough to see it, Joey again saw a gleam near the top, this time showing steady, not blinking, so he turned towards Frank and asked, “What do you think that is?”

“You saw something up there last time. Let’s climb up there.” 

But Joey demurred, saying he preferred to keep hiking. Frank saw neither glint nor gleam, though he had stood and gazed at the same spot that Joey was looking at. This baffled Joey, as the gleam was bright. They continued up the trail, gathered some firewood and headed back. As they passed the cliff again, 

Joey saw the same gleam coming from the same spot and again asked Frank about it, but again Frank said he saw nothing, so Joey asked, “How can you keep saying you see nothing? There’s something shining up there, like a can somebody threw out or something. But it makes no sense cuz it’s overcast, so there’s no sun shining on it.” 

Still, Frank denied seeing anything and again suggested they climb the cliff. Joey refused because Frank was no rock climber and could put them both in danger. Joey was mindful that Frank had carelessly snowboarded into a tree at high speed and his left knee remained gimpy to this day because of it. If he wrecked that knee climbing the cliff, it would be Joey’s fault for not trying to stop him from doing it. Frank was no keeper of the faith when it came to safety. The co-founder of Esalen Institute, down the coast a ways, was killed by a falling rock one day when he was hiking with friends, and the same thing almost happened to Joey once because of Frank’s carelessness. While Joey was swimming in the Ventana River, he saw Frank climb straight up the nearest slope through chaparral until he disappeared into dense woods further up. Joey got curious, so he went to the spot where Frank started his climb. To follow Frank, Joey would have to clamber up a vertical section that was higher than his head, like a tiny cliff, and get his feet onto or beyond a thick tree root traversing the path that Frank had followed to continue upward. 

Just as Joey was about to start climbing, a huge rock came barreling down the path. Taken by surprise, Joey froze in place as it came straight at him, and fortunately, it hit the thick tree root and bounced over his head. If the rock had hit Joey it might have killed him. Later, he told Frank what happened and Frank admitted he sent the rock down on purpose, just to watch it bounce and roll. Frank then recited his own concocted law of the wilderness that You never go up behind someone ifhe doesn’t know you’re following him. Joey retorted silently, How about a rule that you never roll a big rock down a slope unless you know it won’t hit somebody in the head! Frank deserved to be severely reprimanded, but in those days Joey was a reticent nine-year-old, so he didn’t verbally express his rejoinder to Frank’s absurd dictum. But he resolved to be more cautious in the future, being now fully cognizant of how perilous nature trips with Frank could be. The matter of the light in the cliff left in abeyance, Joey and Frank returned to the shack, and later Joey’s dad drove them into Pfeiffer for a hike on one of its scenic trails down to the ocean. After that they ate dinner at a restaurant nearby and got back to the shack after 8 PM.

His celestial companion was waiting for him

Precariously climbing a sea-side cliff near Big Sur, ten-year-old Joey Blake was as yet unaware that near his grasp was an object, so odd, mysterious and alien to earth that it would change his life forever and the lives of countless others in the next few astonishing days. Reaching up as far as he could for a handhold it was just there; it had subconsciously lured him, occupied his mind, and made him find it. It was like he was meant to see and discover this object of unimaginable power … the power to change reality.

Time travel and more

This young adult series of sci-fi fantasy novels begins with The Reality Master and continues through four other exciting and amazing stories about time travel and mysterious alien devices. Joey and the reader will face dangerous shadowy criminal organizations, agents of the NSA, bizarre travelers from other times and even renegade California bikers and scar-faced walking dead.

- Vol 1 The Reality Master
- Vol 2 Threat To The World
- Vol 3 Travel Beyond
- Vol 4 Missions Through Time
- Vol 5 The Return Home

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Genre – Science fiction, Fantasy, Young adult

Rating – G

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Connect with PM Pillon on Facebook & Twitter

@SMMceachern on Writing & SUNSET RISING #Dystopia #SciFi #BookClub

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Yes! I still remember the very first word I ever wrote—“tree”, but I forgot the r.  Oh, and I wrote it on the living room wall, which is probably why I remember it so well. Lol! I progressed to writing on paper in Kindergarten and my teacher was so impressed with a poem I wrote, she put it up on the class corkboard for all to see. That was a good day. I won a few more literary awards during my school years and my grade eight English teacher encouraged me to write something for publication. In retrospect, I should have tried, but I didn’t have the self-confidence back then.

What writing are you most proud of? 

Sunset Rising is my debut novel and it’s doing really well, but I think my writing has improved in the second book of the series, entitled Worlds Collide.  I’ve had really great, positive feedback from beta readers. It’s due out this month (Feb 2014) and I’m excited for everyone to read it.

Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it?

Worlds Collide is the second book of the Sunset Rising series.  Sunset Rising ended in a bit of a cliffhanger and Worlds Collide picks up exactly where it left off.  I’ve done a lot world-building in this second novel and introduced new characters. Some mysteries from the first book are solved in WC, but new ones are added in preparation for the third book. The first three books will establish a series that could go on for infinity (kinda like Star Trek).

When did you first know you could be a writer?

I always knew I wanted to be a writer, so it’s kind of weird that it took me so long to write my first novel. I did a lot of academic writing throughout my studies and career, so I guess that helped satiate my desire to knit words together.  However, when I had my first child, I made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom (and that was a tough thing to do!), so that writing outlet was gone. Now both my kids are in school and I have more time to myself.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My teenage daughter and I do buddies reads all the time, mostly young adult contemporary fiction.  Before we started reading together, I hadn’t really read any young adult novels. I fell in love with the genre! And I already had an idea for a novel, based on academic research I had done years ago, so everything just came together and I started writing.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

If you could hit a “reset” button on the world, what would you change about it? Would you try to rebuild what we already have or go in a completely different direction? I hope the Sunset Rising series will get readers thinking about what kind of future lays before us and what they can do now to shape it.

How much of the book is realistic?

Sunset Rising is science fiction/fantasy with roots firmly planted in reality.  I think anyone who keeps abreast of world events (politics, climate change, dwindling resources) accepts there’s a possibility of a third world war. In chapter seven, my main character flips through some old, preserved magazines and scans the news headlines leading up to the nuclear war.  Three out of four of the headlines were taken directly from the news on the day I wrote that page.  I wrote a trivia question about it on Goodreads if anyone wants to check it out:https://www.goodreads.com/trivia/show/168358-in-chapter-seven-of-sunset-rising-book

Can you tell us about your main character? 

Sunny O’Donnell is a seventeen-year-old slave born in the Pit.  At heart, she’s very stubborn and extremely resourceful.  When her life starts to fall apart, and every one she loves is threatened, she looks for a way out. The “way out” means teaming up with someone she considers the enemy, but she’s willing to make that sacrifice in order to save everyone she loves.  She just doesn’t count on her enemy being a good guy. So begins an unexpected romance that seems destined to fail.

How did you develop your plot and characters?

My plot was pretty much developed when I started writing Sunset Rising. My characters always develop as I write them, which means even though I have a plot worked-out, my characters sometimes take it in a different direction.  In writing circles, I’m what you call a pantser—I write by the seat of my pants.  I have a rough outline in my head, but no direct path from point A to point B.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? 

There are two sides to everything I write: what I meant and what the reader perceives.  These two things don’t always agree.  Beta readers are the best people to let me know when I’ve missed the mark.  Then comes the hard part of rewriting what I said in order to clarify it for the reader.

Why did you choose to write this particular book? 

Sunset Rising is a cautionary tale. I’ve woven a lot of current real world problems into my story, such as: bonded slavery, human rights, poverty, nuclear arms, and corruption in the government.  It’s my sincere hope that young adults who enjoyed reading Sunset Rising might visit my blog and see the links for UN Slavery Today and United Nations News Centre.  You can find my blog here: http://smmceachern.wordpress.com/category/my-posts/

February 2024: Desperate to find refuge from the nuclear storm, a group of civilians discover a secret government bio-dome. Greeted by a hail of bullets and told to turn back, the frantic refugees stand their ground and are eventually permitted entry.  But the price of admission is high.

283 years later…  Sunny O’Donnell is a seventeen-year-old slave who has never seen the sun.  She was born in the Pit, a subterranean extension of the bio-dome. Though life had never been easy, the last couple of months had become a nightmare. Her mom was killed in the annual Cull, and her dad thought it was a good time to give up on life.  Reyes Crowe, her long-time boyfriend, was pressuring her to get married, even though it would mean abandoning her father.

She didn’t think things could get any worse until she was forced upstairs to the Dome to be a servant-girl at a bachelor party.  That’s when she met Leisel Holt, the president’s daughter, and her fiancé, Jack Kenner.

Now Sunny is wanted for treason.  If they catch her, she’ll be executed.

She thought Leisel’s betrayal was the end.  But it was just the beginning.

“Sunset Rising” is Book One of a series.

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Genre - YA Science Fiction, Dystopian

Rating – PG-16

More details about the author

Connect with S.M. McEachern through Facebook & Twitter

Website http://smmceachern.wordpress.com

The Soul of the World (Legends of Amun Ra) by Joshua Silverman @jg_silverman #SciFi

Kem dives to the ground in desperation, covering his head and neck from the rocks raining down. I didn’t see that coming. I thought I was quiet, he thinks.

The announcement of Cadmus’ elimination booms over the intercom. Well, at least I don’t have to worry about a vengeful brother.

The dust and debris settle from the crumbled wall. Find Kesi. Kem trots towards the end of the path. Before he gets there, he sees a shadow along the wall.

Dio turns the corner and spots him. She’s already throwing blue spheres before he knows what happened.

Kem hits the floor hard, dodging the first two. Dio hurls more at him.

His heart beats like a jackhammer in his chest. He is covered in dirt and sand. Kem swerves left, then right, ducking from a shot aimed at his head. He looks back at Dio, who walks with determination, shooting at him. Will she not let up a little? Got to slow her down.

Buy Here

Genre – Science fiction, Fantasy

Rating – PG-13+

More details about the author and the book

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Website www.legendsofamunra.com; www.joshuagsilverman.com

Enemy of Man (Chronicles of Kin Roland) by Scott Moon @ScottMoonWriter #SciFi #BYNR

Kin told himself to focus on his job, find critically wounded survivors, make sure everyone in Crater Town did their part, and create a list of structures rendered unsafe by meteor strikes. He had no business interfering with the Fleet, especially since his status would earn him death, preceded by torture, yet he hurried toward Muldoch’s home.

Though the man was a deserter, much of his Fleet training remained. He performed every task efficiently and kept his quarters squared away. He had helped Kin fight raiders who came down from the mountains. He had scoured the foothills to find a missing child. Kin often wondered why Muldoch refused to fight for the Fleet. He had shown bravery many times on Crashdown.

Several Fleet troopers surrounded Muldoch in the street near his small house. One shouted, “On your knees. Don’t move.”

“I must report to the well to help with the bucket line. Can’t you see the fires?” Muldoch asked, desperation in his voice. His eyes darted from one man to the next as color left his face.

The trooper nearest Muldoch had a new helmet, though the rest of his armor was scarred and scorched. “Don’t move and don’t talk.” He pointed his rifle at Muldoch’s neck where a Fleet labor camp tattoo marked him. “This is doing the talking for you, traitor.”

Two troopers, a corporal and a lance corporal, stood facing each other, heads bent as they listened inside their helmets to an electronic message Kin couldn’t hear. When they looked up, they nodded. FSPAA helmets didn’t reveal emotion, but Kin could sense the smiles behind the visors by the rhythm of their nods. They returned to the group.

“I have confirmation. This man is Brian Muldoch, a deserter and coward,” the corporal said.

Kin watched New Helmet elevate his weapon a few inches and fire one round before Muldoch could beg for mercy. Blood splattered the street and armor of the men standing in a circle. Muldoch’s body fell forward. Nothing above his teeth remained.

“Do you have a problem?” The corporal’s tone implied having a problem would be a problem for Kin.

“What did he do?” Kin asked.

“Deserter.”

“No trial?”

“No need.” He stepped close to Kin and looked at his neck and hands.

Kin focused on the body of Muldoch and exhaled slowly, steadying his anger and fear. His tattoos had been removed. The painful procedure cost a fortune. Muldoch should’ve done the same thing. Kin clenched his fists and hoped the troopers didn’t notice the tension coursing through his arms, shoulders, and neck. Before Hellsbreach, Kin always maintained control over his unit and forbade frontier justice, but he wasn’t their sergeant and they wanted blood.

New Helmet moved closer. “Does he have a marker?”

The corporal looming over Kin hesitated. “No. I thought he would. He walks like he was Fleet.”

Kin stared at Muldoch’s body and said nothing. These troopers were as unprofessional and violent as any Kin had encountered, but he didn’t confuse their sloppy gear and mob mentality for incompetence. Killers who enjoyed killing barely needed a reason to pull the trigger.

“I asked you a question.”

“No you didn’t,” Kin said. Shouldn’t have said that. Shouldn’t have come here at all.

The trooper stared at him, shifting the weight of his armor from foot to foot several times. Without the armor, he might be Kin’s size, but in full FSPAA gear, he was a giant. “Get out of here.”

The lance corporal, the smallest in the group, slid his hand back and forth on the barrel of his rifle with increasing intensity, as though stoking his courage. “Shoot him like you did that Reaper on Hellsbreach.”

New Helmet pushed the lance corporal aside. “He never shot a Reaper. A Reaper wouldn’t hold still like this corpse and if it did, one bullet would only make it angry.”

Lost Hero

Changed by captivity and torture, hunted by the Reapers of Hellsbreach and wanted by Earth Fleet, Kin Roland hides on a lost planet near an unstable wormhole.

When a distant space battle propels a ravaged Earth Fleet Armada through the same wormhole, a Reaper follows, hunting for the man who burned his home world. Kin fights to save a mysterious native of Crashdown from the Reaper and learns there are worse things in the galaxy than the nightmare hunting him. The end is coming and he is about to pay for a sin that will change the galaxy forever. 

Books

Enemy of Man: Book One in the Chronicles of Kin Roland was written for fans of military science fiction and science fiction adventure. Readers who enjoyed Starship Troopers or Space Marines will appreciate this genre variation. Powered armor only gets a soldier so far. Battlefield experience, guts, and loyal friends make Armageddon fun. 

Movies

If you love movies like Aliens, Predator, The Chronicles of Riddick, or Serenity, then you might find the heroes and creatures in Enemy of Man dangerous, determined, and ready to risk it all. It’s all about action and suspense, with a dash of romance—or perhaps flash romance. 

From the Author

Thanks for your interest in my novel, Enemy of Man. I hope you chose to read the book and enjoy every page. 

If you have already read Enemy of Man, how was it? Reviews are appreciated! 

Have a great day and be safe.

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Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – R

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Brandon Overall's Superhuman Nature #Excerpt #SciFi

“Hitchens!”

Neil heard his name in the distance, but his eyes were closed.  He didn’t know where this sound was coming from.

“Hitchens, wake up! They’re coming!”

Neil realized his eyes were closed because he was asleep.  He opened them to find a figure over him, shaking his shoulder to wake him up.  As his vision cleared, he could clearly see that the figure was a man who was wearing an Army uniform with a Kevlar helmet and protective vest.  He could also see that he was not in his bedroom anymore.  He didn’t know where he was, but he sensed the urgency in the man’s voice, and knew that they needed him.

He got out of bed and found himself fully clothed in a uniform as well.  He did not have a vest or helmet, but he somehow knew that it did not matter.  They were not necessary.

“Get up there Hitchens!  We need you now!”

The man looked familiar. Neil saw his nametape.  ‘Steele’, the name of the Professor of Military Science in his ROTC program.  That explained why the man looked familiar.

However, this man did not have the black oak leaf of a Lieutenant Colonel on his chest.  In its place was a single star.

Neil ran outside of the mud hut he was sleeping in and found himself in an unfamiliar part of the world.  He was not in Michigan.  This was not his college town.  The ground was covered in sandy dirt and rocks.  The buildings around him were all made of mud or wood.  He saw tan tents, generators, and giant four wheeled vehicles that he didn’t recognize.

As his drowsiness faded, he began to recall the facts.  He was somewhere in the desert in Afghanistan, and he was on a Forward Operating Base.  Of course; this was his life now.  Upon further reflection, the thought of being at a college seemed silly.  It had been weeks since he was at college.

He knew what the General woke him for.  He had a job to do.  It was a job that only he could do.  He searched for the tower near his mud shelter that would give him vantage over the entire area surrounding the FOB.  He didn’t search with his eyes.  He didn’t need to.  He searched with his mind.  The whole FOB was his.  His body and the base and everything inside of it were tools at his disposal.

The tower was a short distance away.  He climbed to the top and saw what the General was concerned about.  Off in the distance, a little over 3 km away, were dozens of trucks and busses filled with people.  The vehicles were headed towards the southern wall of the FOB.  Rather, they would have been, except there wasn’t a southern wall anymore.  It had just been blown up minutes before Neil had awoken.  In its place was a smoking pile of rubble.

The men in the trucks were carrying weapons.  They were coming to break through the wall and try to overrun the FOB.  With that many people, there was no doubt that they would be able to inflict heavy casualties.  Neil wasn’t worried about that, though.  He knew they would never even get close.  That was why Neil was there – to stop them.

Neil closed his eyes.  He did not need them.  He felt all around him.  He could feel all of the beating hearts, all of the ancient stone and sand, and all of the dust particles in the air around him.  He pushed his mind outwards to the south.  He felt the snakes, the spiders, the scorpions, the struggling plant life, and finally the men in the trucks.

They were his now.  He could do anything he wanted with them.  He knew there was only one thing that he wanted them to do.  He wanted them to die.  There were many ways to make them die.  He decided it would be quick.  These men were not evil, they were just misguided.  They were defending their homeland against perceived aggressors.  Neil was not concerned with the politics of war.  He was only concerned with doing the job he was sent there to do, because he was the only one who could do it.

Neil felt for the stem connecting the brain and the spine in each of these men.  He held his open hand in front of his face and imagined the sensation of closing his fist around a Styrofoam cup.  That’s all it would take to finish his job so he could go back to sleep.  Neil closed his fist.  The trucks in the distance slowed to a halt.  His job was done.

Superhuman Nature is Brandon Overall's first novel. It was written and published during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a 2nd Lieutenant in late 2013.

Neil Hitchens was a senior ROTC Cadet in college. He was just weeks away from graduating and becoming an Officer in the United States Army, until a strange dream set off a chain of events that would twist his life into something he could have never prepared for.

In the days following his dream, several strange happenings occurred that he began to suspect were the result of his own actions. Before long, he discovered that he had the ability to control the world around him with his mind.

What started out as an unpredictable ability quickly evolved into an extraordinary power that had the capacity to change the world. It didn't take long for the government to find out what Neil could do.

They knew having such limitless potential on the side of the US Military could give them limitless political influence, and they would stop at nothing to get Neil to do their bidding. They would find out what happens when you back a dangerous animal into a corner.

Neil spent his whole life believing he would amount to greatness, but he never expected how greatness could corrupt even the most innocent of minds.

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Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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