Cosmic Shores

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The Clock Is Ticking

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The Clock Is Ticking

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN is almost here! Last time, I promised you I would tell you a little about Alex and Caleb’s new friends in the book. The Elakri are a fascinating species. Closed off from the rest of the universe, they’ve forgotten the heights to which they once rose (see Extinguishing the Stars). Yet within their prison, they shine so brightly.

Laurent is a physicist who unexpectedly finds himself at ground zero of a murderous conspiracy as he scrambles to uncover a secret that will upend every Elakri’s world.

Deunan is a truva (a rebel / hacker / thief / general troublemaker) whose attempts to keep Laurent alive bring her face-to-face with her own buried secrets.

They are both fantastic, and I hope you come to love them as much as I do.

SEE A TEASER EXCERPT

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That awesome StoryBundle I told you about last time? It’s only available for THREE MORE DAYS. Don’t miss out on this one:

In the Sci-Fi Exploration StoryBundle, you can get up to 12 exciting novels of sci-fi adventure and exploration by top indie authors (plus The Thief, which I hope you already have) at a stellar price. What’s special about StoryBundles? For one thing, the books are hand-selected and participation is invitation-only, so you’re guaranteed to get high quality stories. For another, you get to pay what you want (starting at $5 for the core bundle). Want to reward the authors and encourage more independent authors by giving a little more? We love you for that. On a budget and need to save some money? You’ll get a tremendous deal for these books. As a bonus, you can (if you choose) support Girls Write Now, a wonderful nonprofit that helps mentor girls so they can develop writing skills, with your purchase.

CHECK OUT THE STORYBUNDLE

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As part of planning the next trilogy, I’ve been rereading all the Riven Worlds novels. I’ve had a blast writing these stand-alone adventure novels, but it’s so wonderful to be back with the full cast. Which Amaranthe characters are you looking forward to seeing again and finding out what they’ve been up to these last three years? What personal story arcs are you excited to see continue, or enter a new phase? Let me know!

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Get Your First Teaser for The Universe Within, Plus a Special SciFi Exploration Bundle

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Get Your First Teaser for The Universe Within, Plus a Special SciFi Exploration Bundle

First, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. THE THIEF won 2nd Place in the Best Alien Sci-Fi Novel of 2024 competition, and it’s 100% because you made your voices heard. And it lost out on 1st place to David Weber’s newest novel, which in my world counts as its own honor! (See what I did there? 😄) You can read more about all the winners here: “15 Must-Read Best Sci-Fi Books of 2024”

But now it’s time for the next book, isn’t it? THE UNIVERSE WITHIN will be in your hands before you know it (aka, February 20th). It’s been such a joy to hang out with Alex and Caleb again (and their new friends, but more on them later). Here’s your first teaser of their adventure: the hidden world they discover lies beyond a barrier not even Akeso can cross, and once there, Caleb finds himself with nothing but the residue of Akeso that resides in his cells.

SEE THE TEASER

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I’ve got a really special promotion for you today. The new StoryBundle has dropped, and it’s all about sci-fi exploration. For the next three weeks, you can get up to 12 exciting novels of sci-fi adventure and exploration by top indie authors (plus The Thief, which I hope you already have) at a stellar price. What’s special about StoryBundles? For one thing, the books are hand-selected and participation is invitation-only, so you’re guaranteed to get high quality stories. For another, you get to pay what you want (starting at $5 for the core bundle). Want to reward the authors and encourage more independent authors by giving a little more? We love you for that. On a budget and need to save some money? You’ll get a tremendous deal for these books. As a bonus, you can (if you choose) support Girls Write Now, a wonderful nonprofit that helps mentor girls so they can develop writing skills, with your purchase.

CHECK OUT THE STORYBUNDLE

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We’re firmly into 2025 now; the Christmas decorations are packed away (probably), and the daily routines have returned. I’m fascinated by the many ways we choose to reinvigorate our lives with the turning of the calendar. Are you a formal New Years Resolutions person? Did you maybe create a “25 for 2025 List” instead? Or come up with a One-Word Theme for the year? Let me know!

Me? Well, I did all three. Best to cover all the bases, right?

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THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Release Date & Cover Reveal

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THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Release Date & Cover Reveal

…in which Alex and Caleb do what they always do: fly the Siyane directly into a mysterious hole in space while having no idea what awaits them on the other side. Come join them on the adventure when THE UNIVERSE WITHIN arrives on ** FEBRUARY 20, 2025 ** in ebook, paperback and hardback.

You can pre-order the ebook from your favorite retailer today, and it will be waiting for you in your ereader / app on the 20th:

PREORDER THE UNIVERSE WITHIN

“* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

Thousands of years ago, the Elakri were a galaxy-spanning civilization—until one day they vanished. Forced to hide themselves away in the folds of space to escape an unstoppable foe, what was once their salvation soon became their prison.

Alex Solovy and Caleb Marano search the cosmos for signs of an ancient enemy’s return. When they detect a breach in the fabric of space, however, they discover something wholly unexpected: a people lost in time and space, who have forgotten all they once were.

Now Alex and Caleb must navigate a labyrinth of deception and danger on a world on the verge of collapse, as their mission to return the Elakri to their proper place among the stars becomes a desperate race against time to save everyone—including themselves.

The Universe Within is a thrilling sci-fi adventure overflowing with mysteries, conspiracies, and secrets within secrets. On a world where splendor is sovereign and myth is power, truth is the most dangerous weapon of all.”

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The Universe Within takes place three years after the end of Duality(and concurrently with both Medusa Falling and The Thief). Like the other Cosmic Shores novels, it is a stand-alone story and a great entry point for new readers - but it’s also more closely tied in to the Amaranthe meta story arc than the first two books were (it’s Alex and Caleb - how could it not be?). So if you’re invested in What Comes Next™, you don’t want to miss this one.

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There’s only a few days left to vote for the best sci-fi books of the year over at Discover Sci-Fi. THE THIEF has been nominated in the “Best Alien Sci-Fi Book of 2024” category; if you’re so inclined, head over and make your voice heard before the voting closes. Note: this category is on the second page of the ballot, so make sure to click through. You don't have to vote in any of the categories on the first page to do so - but if you've read and enjoyed any of the nominees, I hope you will.

You have my thanks.

VOTE

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Finally, I've got a new interview up with Joy On Paper, a fantastic podcast that celebrates all things books. The interview is about an hour long; we mainly talk about The Thief, but also the larger Amaranthe Universe, Concord, and how we got here over 21 books. Also where ideas come from, convention experiences and more.

If you enjoy the interview, I highly encourage you to hit "Subscribe" on the YouTube channel and drop a quick comment on the video. This helps Joy On Paper reach more listeners - and more celebrations of books is always a good thing.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

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P.S.: I hope you enjoyed the “Extinguishing The Stars” short story! Though several thousand years pass between ETS and The Universe Within, the stories interweave in several intriguing ways that I can’t wait for you to discover. :)

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My Christmas gift to you

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My Christmas gift to you

Just in time for the holiday, I’m thrilled to share that my latest short story, “Extingiushing the Stars,” is now available as a stand-alone story - and is FREE in ebook and audiobook. Merry Christmas!

GET THE EBOOK

GET THE AUDIOBOOK

Here's the blurb:

“The fleet rushed to meet the invaders at the edge of the solar system upon their arrival. Every countermeasure was deployed to stall the enemy’s advance—their forces held nothing back.

No soldier who fought on the battlefield today would ever return home.

With an unstoppable foe advancing on the Elakri homeworld, its leaders face an impossible choice: stand, fight and die, or risk everything on one daring, impossible chance to survive the enemy’s onslaught. But when terrorists kidnap the scientist at the heart of their plan, a retired spy must confront the demons of his past in order to give his people that chance.”

While Extinguishing the Stars works beautifully as its own story, its true power is as a prequel to the upcoming Cosmic Shores novel. If you have any intention of reading THE UNIVERSE WITHIN (and I certainly hope you do), you owe it to yourself to read this first. Alex and Caleb won’t know the story of Extinguishing The Stars when they plunge into the Elakri’s world—but you will.

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So…if you happen to fancy getting me a Christmas present as well, I’ve got just the gift idea. I’m honored to have THE THIEF nominated for “Best Alien Sci-Fi Book of 2024” over at Discover Sci-Fi. If you feel that The Thief deserves such an award, you can head over and cast a vote for our favorite train wreck of a hero. Note: this category is on the second page of the ballot, so make sure to click through. You don't have to vote in any of the categories on the first page to do so - but if you've read and enjoyed any of the nominees, I hope you will!

You have my thanks.

VOTE

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More great news: the cover reveal and release date for THE UNIVERSE WITHIN are coming your way in the next newsletter - expect it in early January. Until then, I hope you all have a beautiful, magical holiday filled with family, friends and good cheer.

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Shiny New Audiobook Store, Plus the Best SciFi Sale of the Year

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Shiny New Audiobook Store, Plus the Best SciFi Sale of the Year

A couple of years ago, I started offering audiobooks directly on my website as a way to offer a lower-cost option to Audible’s often nosebleed prices. And it’s worked, more or less. But to be frank, the whole setup has left a lot to be desired, from the delivery of the audiobook to the listening interface. But it was the best I could do given limited tools at my disposal.

But technology marches ever onward, the options available to indie authors continue to expand, and I’m thrilled to share a massive upgrade to my “direct” audiobook store: AUDIOBOOK STORE.

The store is powered by BookFunnel, just like my ebook store. If you’ve ever downloaded a free ebook when you subscribed to my newsletter, or purchased an ebook directly from me, you already know how BookFunnel works - and you’ve already got a library there!

What hasn’t changed:

  • Lower prices than the retailers

  • The ability to listen on the web

  • The ability to download the MP3 files

What’s better:

  • PRE-ORDERS! You can pre-order the upcoming THE UNIVERSE WITHIN audiobook today, and it will automatically arrive in your BookFunnel library on release (ignore the listed release date - it’s just a placeholder). Pre-order The Universe Within Audiobook

  • A web library where you can view and access all your purchases (audiobook and ebook) in one place whenever you like. No more passwords to remember or pages to bookmark. See it here.

  • A beautiful app to listen to audiobooks (mine and others) on your mobile device and in your car. Get the app here.

Not convinced? That’s cool - which is why you can try it out FOR FREE. Use the code “FREEAUDIO” to get your choice of an audiobook from the new store for free. Just enter the code at checkout.

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Not into audiobooks? I’ve got a treat for ebook lovers, too. Twice a year, I participate in what is possibly the biggest, best giveaway of FREE scifi ebooks around. Over 100 novels and short stories - and they’re ALL SCIFI. No fantasy, horror or other spec-fic-adjacent genres. Now, 100+ books sounds overwhelming, which is why they’re neatly organized by sub-genre: space opera, cyberpunk, dystopian, military, time travel, and many more. Just head for your favorite flavor of scifi and download away.

BUT, BUT, BUT: this giveaway is only available for 2 days, today and tomorrow (Nov. 14th and 15th), so don’t delay.

SCIFI BOOK BLAST

We’re heading into the holiday season, and I’m heading into the home stretch of editing The Universe Within. I’m super stoked about both. I’m so excited for the holidays in the new house, I’ve already started decorating for Christmas. How about you? Are you a “never until after Thanksgiving” person, or did you trade out your Halloween skeletons for snowmen and reindeer?

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The Expanding Universe, plus a new way to read SFF books

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The Expanding Universe, plus a new way to read SFF books

THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE: VOLUME 10 is out in the world! Have you picked up yet? If not, you can grab it from Amazon (or in Kindle Unlimited) today: GET THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE

The Expanding Universe Vol. 10 is curated by Craig Martelle, sci-fi superstar and tireless indie author advocate. My story in the anthology, “Extinguishing the Stars,” is a prequel to my upcoming novel, The Universe Within. Read it now and get a sneak peek at the world Alex and Caleb will discover early next year.

In addition to my story, it features a tale by Martelle plus 18 more stellar stories from well-known authors to rising stars. You don’t want to miss it.

…and IF you have picked it up, and have read a couple of the stories, I and the other authors would so greatly appreciate it if you shared a quick little review. No need to have read the whole (hefty) book - you can just call out any stories you (hopefully) enjoyed. You have my thanks!

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Now I want to share with you an awesome selection of scifi and fantasy books that Kobo has curated to help spotlight its awesome subscription program, Kobo Plus.

What’s Kobo Plus, you ask? Well, it’s a sort of “Netflix for books.” Much like Kindle Unlimited (KU), except it’s cheaper for readers ($7.99 vs $11.99 in the US), it includes audiobooks as well as ebooks, it’s available in a bunch of countries, and it’s fairer to authors. How? Well, in order for a book to be in KU, Amazon requires it to be published exclusively on Amazon (this is why The Expanding Universe isn’t available on other retailers; I’m not the publisher, so it wasn’t my call). Kobo Plus, however, has no such requirement. This means all my books and audiobooks are available in Kobo Plus - and so are offerings from a ton of talented authors.

Best of all? The first month’s free, so you can try it out and see if you like it. Kobo has a great free reading app you can install on your phone, tablet or computer, just like Kindle. So check out these featured ebooks and audiobooks on Kobo Plus today (just a small samplling of the many titles available). Click on a book that catches your fancy, and you’ll be prompted to start your free trial. Enjoy!

SFF BOOKS ON KOBO PLUS