Quick Update Post

Busy week, so I’ll keep this one brief.

I’m still playing catch up. This is what happens when I take a vacation. 🙂

In not writing, but related news, scroll down to the last couple blog posts if you missed them. We have a Book Bomb this week. Also you can vote for Son of the Black Sword as one of the best fantasy novels of the year.

Last week I was doing continuity edits for other author’s stories in the MHI anthology that is coming out next year. Now they go on to Bryan Thomas Schmidt for the final edits. There are so many talented authors in this, and the stories are all over the board in terms of topic and characters. It is really cool.

Before that I wrote a Bubba Shackleford MHI in 1897 story, but that is for a different Baen anthology that I can’t talk about yet I don’t think. I did post up this little teaser on the MHI fan page on Facebook.

“I’ve done men’s work before. I used to work for Buffalo Bill Cody. Mr. Cody said if a woman could do the same work as a man, no reason she couldn’t, and get paid for it too.”
“Buffalo Bill? Wait…Hannah Stone. I’ve heard of you!” Abrams clapped his hands with glee. “We’re in the presence of a celebrity, boss. Annie Oakley taught her to shoot.”
“Mr. Cody made that up for the show. I already knew how to shoot when I got there and I was a much better shot than her.” It was obvious Hannah was not fond of her supposed mentor. “But she was more famous and popular because she was better at the talking part… and show business… And generally liking people.”
Well, she certainly wasn’t a cup of sunshine. Bubba remembered her story now. It had been in the papers all over the place.
“Way I heard it told is you got fired from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show because there was an accident and your partner got hurt.”
Hannah thought about how to phrase her response for a long moment. “The events which occurred could be described in such a manner.”
“You were supposed to quick draw, shoot from the hip, and knock a cigarette from out of this fella’s mouth at ten paces.”
“Twenty. The crowd always loved that trick. We did it plenty of times. Last show there was some… extenuating complications.”
“That’s some mighty big words to say you blew his lips off.”
“Well, in my defense, Mr. Shackleford, Bob was being awful shaky that day. I’d warned him not to skip breakfast.”

Starting today I’m doing the final edits of Alliance of Shadows. Mike is done with his half, and now I get to do one last clean up pass. (and write my last chapter!) This book is awesome, and I think it is a fitting end to the Valentine and Lorenzo story.

The Tom Stranger audio book comes out next week. And remember, if you order it now, it is FREE. Now if you are like me and you think the only thing better than free is something featuring a time travelling space manatee, then you are in luck. Oh, and it stars this actor guy who was in Firefly, Chuck, and the Last Ship, if you are into that sort of thing. (okay, seriously, Adam kills it)

In personal news, my oldest has just got her learner’s permit, so I’ve been a driver’s ed instructor every night. (a glimpse into my driving instruction, actual quote from me: “Oh, hey, look at that adorable fluffy puppy on the cornerDON’T LOOK AT THE FLUFFY PUPPY EYES ON THE ROAD!) On the bright side, she’s learning quickly, and we’re still alive. On the downside, having a kid turn 16 makes you feel super old.

The Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge eARC is available now at Baen.com
Son of the Black Sword on the Gemmell Award list. Fans Can Vote

44 thoughts on “Quick Update Post”

  1. Intriguing sample, but why make Anne Oakely who historically is so awesome to look so lame–“because she was better at the talking part”– in comparison just to boost the character Hannah Stone’s shooting ability?

    Is Hannah really that good, or just a jealous trash talker like Anne Oakley’s real life rival, Lillian Frances Smith? Maybe I’m not reading between the lines.

    1. Oakley isn’t lame. It is a snippit, not the entire story. Sheesh. Stone is extremely anti-social and doesn’t like interacting with people. Oakley was a celebrity and people loved her. Stone spends half the story trying to make a smile that doesn’t look painful. Stone also thinks she’s the best shooter alive. (she also shot her partner in the face on accident!)

      In other words, no, you aren’t reading between the lines, because you are missing the other 8,000 words of lines. 😀

      1. I see. Sorry for the misunderstanding and knee jerk reaction. Oakey is one of my historical heroes who overcame great adversity to become a shooting legend.

  2. I think I took about 10 years off my Dad’s life when learning to drive. Bless him, the only thing he ever said after the most hair-raising incident was, “Well, now I know I can get to the brake if I have to.”

  3. Hahaha! Good luck with the driver’s ed. I’m the designated driving instructor for my family. They send me out with the worst cases because I’m unflappable even in the face of certain destruction. I also teach new drivers in my pickup. Because Mama Conrad didn’t raise no fools.

  4. I’m with you on the kids making you feel old. My twins graduate this year and my youngest will probably get her learner’s permit over the summer.

  5. “On the downside, having a kid turn 16 makes you feel super old. ”

    Heard that. ~:) I remember when transistor radios were new and high tech, and when “Made in Japan” meant crappy.

    1. Bakelite phones! With rotary dials! And tailfins on cars too heavy to need them! TV’s you had to WALK TO to change the channel!

          1. >I was lucky growing up: we had a whole 14 channels.

            Depends on whether you had a TV that had working UHF.

            I lived in Chicago, so in theory I had 8 or so channels to work with (tho sometimes, if the atmospheric conditions were just right, I could pick up stations from farther away). But parents didn’t bother repairing the TV for six or seven years, so I was stuck with VHF only for most of the 70s. Which is a good reason why I turned to books.

      1. That’s why we old timers are hard of hearing. If the TV was too loud we were too lazy to get up and go turn it down. Heck, I can’t even FIND the volume control or power switch on my TV now. If I ever lose the remote that thing will keep on playing forever.

        1. My dad got a TV with one of the first remote controls. It had little bells inside that got struck with a ringer when you pushed the buttons hard enough. TV reacted to the sound.

          Of course that meant it changed channels whenever a truck drove past;)

      2. Oh my ghod we’re such a bunch of old bastards. Bwaha! What a hoot!

        Wait for it… black and white TV! And my personal favorite, points ignition. What a PAIN that was!

      3. B&W with 4 channels on a good day that signed off with the National Anthem at 1:00 AM. Party line rotary phone. Milk in glass bottles and jars. Swamp cooler A/C units. Reel to Reel and phonographs , 8-track was state of art!

      4. I remember when we finally got a color tv and being stunned to see that Fred Flintstone’s outfit was /orange/.

  6. Training up a driver for your tank, eh? “Look at the fluffy puppy. DON’T LOOK – ” *squirt* “Never mind.

  7. Test: Am I in moderation Purgatory forever?
    If not, great. If so… I’m clueless why.

    But I am in great anticipation about a Bubba piece regardless.

        1. and is not going to be fixed anytime soon as it would require “free time” on both mine and Larry’s parts… sorry, guys.

          1. I know Jack. I’m sorry if I sounded critical; that wasn’t my intent. I know you’ve beat your head against that particular wall a number of times. You and Larry have more important things to do.

  8. A lot of things can make you feel old e.g. realising that ‘Doctor Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog’ was six years ago . . . but I’d imagine having a daughter turn sixteen is one of the better ones.

  9. During my 3rd driving lesson, with my husband as instructor…

    Rhys: See those rabbits and kangaroos and wallabies? They’re FANTASTIC stand ins for pedestrians and if we hit any of them, it’s okay because we don’t get charged, and the car is under warranty and insured!

    Me: There are no wombats. The ‘roos are the only things to worry about.

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