Howdy, and welcome to the next edition of my Mostly Monthly Author Newsletter. Hard to believe fall is already here and it’s time to close the pool.
It’s Can*Con time!
We are only weeks away from Can*Con—Conference on Canadian Content in Speculative Arts & Literature.
Can*Con has grown to become a premier event in Canada for authors, gamers, poets, and illustrators of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and other creative works that defy easy categorization. Attendees include anyone looking to publish, sell, or market a creative work, along with publishers, literary agents, and publicists in search of new talent. Newbies can freely rub shoulders with successful authors/creators with advice to share.
Can*Con takes place at the Sheraton in downtown Ottawa from Oct. 13 to 15. I will be moderating a panel on the first day titled Let’s Create a Chivalric Order!, with Claudie Arsenault, S.M. Carrière, and Ed Greenwood. I expect this had something to do with the fact that my novel, Bane of All Things, features such an order.
The Crucible Tree hits a speed bump
Over the summer, I ran a pre-order campaign on my publisher’s website for my next novel, The Crucible Tree (sequel toBane of All Things). As I have said before, this is one approach my publisher, Inkshares, uses to select and fund new projects.
Unlike self-publishing, I don’t incur the production and marketing costs out of my pocket. Inkshares pays those bills out of the pre-order revenue. Inkshares also handles the production, marketing, and distribution like any conventional publisher.
Well, I regret to announce that the pre-order campaign has been something of a flop and I will be looking at other options for getting this book published. Not sure if that will still be through Inkshares, or some other avenue. I will keep you posted.
If you did pre-order The Crucible Tree, have no fear. When the campaign ends later in October, Inkshares will issue you a refund back to your credit card. (There is always a chance that I could still come to some other arrangement with Inkshares. We will see.)
Bloodsown needs beta-readers!
Meanwhile, I have been picking away at edits to Bloodsown. I am looking for volunteers interested in reading a draft and providing feedback on character, plot, pacing, and so on. If you are interested, email me at Leo at leovaliquette dot com
I have made references to this project before. Rather than fantasy, this is more science fiction. The story takes place centuries after this world has been ravaged by engineered bioweapons and AI run amok. The society that’s risen from the ashes fears the modern technology of our time and condemns anything, or anyone, that’s notably different as “Abomination.” But this fear and intolerance might doom what’s left of the human race. It’s a post-apocalyptic mashup of dieselpunk, horror, and frontier western.
And as for me
I am glad to say my latest MRI continues to show the cancer is dormant. The question is whether it would remain so if I were to discontinue the gene therapy treatment that I have been on for 16 months and counting. My doctors still can’t say.
So, I continue to be in treatment and endure the various side effects of these medications. It sucks, frankly. I’m still not permitted to drive (that’s also due to being on anti-seizure meds for two years and counting). Thanks to this pharmaceutical cocktail, I am still limited in how functional and productive I can be each day. On the other hand, I’m still here when I otherwise might not have been. So, can’t complain about that. It continues to be one day at a time. Small victories matter.
That’s all for now. Stay safe and keep reading!
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