The Worlds of Bruno Lombardi (and Other Stuff)

Wow, the summer just flew right by.  This has been another hectic year for me, and for Martinus Publishing.  Altered Europa has done well, and without giving away too much at this time, I’m in the early planning stages for a new Alternate History anthology (expect to read more about that toward the end of the year).

Yesterday, The Worlds of Bruno Lombardi was released.  You can get your copy here right now!  Of all the writers I’ve encountered during my tenure as an editor, Bruno is by far one of the most imaginative and entertaining.  He’s one of those little known talents that should get more exposure, so I encourage everyone to grab a copy of this short story collection.  It’s only $2.99, and it contains several of his best pieces, including 3 never before published stories!  Really, go check it out right now.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait...

Okay, moving on with the blog, I’m currently in the middle of putting together “Forbidden,” a collection of stories about things that are banned or denied, generally by society or government, but some stories will also focus on forbidden acts that are merely against the rules of certain individuals or dieties.  Yet again, I preface this by saying this is not a collection of “sexual taboos” or anything like that.  It seems that any time you ask for submissions about something that’s “forbidden” the first thing that people think about is sex.  No, I will not publish your rape or incest fantasies.  Yuck!  But those of you who want to write about something that isn’t X-Rated, here is the submission page: MartinusPublishing Submission Guidelines.

I apologize to those of you who have not heard back from me yet about your “forbidden” submission.  I have a pile of stories for this one, and picking the best from them is proving difficult.  Plus, I still haven’t read half of them, because of my busy schedule.  When I’m not working my regular contractor job, I’m taking care of four kids and trying to do a million home improvement projects before winter strikes (and people wonder why I don’t have time to go out on a date).

So, that’s about it for right now.  Submit your stories, read Bruno’s stories, and come back to this blog to keep updated.

Our Heroes Through Tomorrow (Cover Reveal & Pre-Order)

It has been a long month since I last posted to the blog, and in that time I have had some great progress with the new Author Spotlight series, and have in fact completed work on the 2nd volume in this set.  Without further ado, I am pleased to share with you the cover for "Our Heroes Through Tomorrow," a collection of stories by Dan Gainor:

 

Cover art by Mirko Calusic

 This fantastic collection includes some of Dan's greatest short stories.  If you haven't encountered his fiction before, you really must have a look at what wonders he weaves!  Here are the six stories contained in this collection:

Unintended Consequences

 In a future where nuclear weapons no longer function, conventional warfare rears its ugly head as America becomes the target of a hostile invasion, and a young computer wiz finds himself in the thick of the fight.

We The People

 A billionaire rancher seeks to rekindle the spirit of America... by cloning the Founding Fathers!

Soul Tracker

 A science-fiction epic of alien worlds, conjoined souls, and one man's quest to become the ultimate warrior.

Original Sin

 College students set out on a quest to prove that time travel is possible, only to find themselves stranded in an all too familiar past, with a crucial decision to make about altering fate.

Just Desserts

 Aliens seek to neutralize the "human threat" through a virus that makes "zombies" all too real... only, what will be the true consequence of this bio-warfare?

Drawing A Line

 In a future where humanity is conquered and fragmented amidst the stars, the last soldiers must hold the line between warrior and pirate as they struggle to fight for freedom and survival.

This story collection is an Amazon Kindle exclusive, and is currently available for pre-order.  (GET YOUR COPY RIGHT HERE)  Reserving a copy will assure that you receive this book on September 2, 2016, the official release day!

I am hopeful that this collection will have many readers.  Martinus Publishing needs a new hit, and these stories deserve the exposure.  If the Author Spotlight series takes off, it will facilitate further investment in future collections.  I am hopeful for commercial success, but as always, I remain committed to publishing stories that I enjoy and love to read.  Sales merely make it easier to do that.

The third volume in the Author Spotlight series is currently in the works, and I'll have more news about that release as we get closer to Fall.

Let's see where this road will lead us...

Martinus Publishing Author Spotlight Series

It's hard to believe that it's already April, and next week I'll be turning 36.  There is so much to be done, and with the latest Martinus Publishing releases being largely overlooked and under-bought, I feel the need to finally get something new moving.

Over the next few months, Martinus Publishing will be releasing a series of single-author mini-anthologies.  These will be e-book only collections, featuring short stories by some of my favorite and most prolific authors.  The collections will contain several stories that have been previously-released in past MP anthologies, as well as some new, never before published stories.  This will give readers the opportunity to check out more stories from individual writers.  I'm calling these the "Martinus Publishing Author Spotlight Series," and they'll be bargain priced at only 99 cents each!  Anyone can afford that.

The first in our spotlight series will be a collection of my own stories, which I'm cynically calling "Escapist Garbage."  I feel it's time that I finally put something of my own out into the market again, and this sampler has a cross section of my entire writing career, with 2 never before seen pieces, along with some old favorites.

So, for those of you who are ready to read more of my writing, order yourself a copy of Escapist Garbage today!