Short Books For Gifts, Meadery Appearance Saturday 12/14, TWW Pre-Order

Anybody want signed copies of FLASHING STEEL, FLASHING FIRE, "Little People, Big Guns," or "Son of Grendel"? Also an appearance at a mead place and TWW pre-order is up.

Back in November I went to Target and bought some padded mailers for sending out The Walking Worm Kickstarter rewards. They proved too small to fit any of the “Long War” books that were my main incentives, but they did fit the shorter horror-comedy novella “Little People, Big Guns,” my Battle for the Wastelands prequel novella “Son of Grendel,” and the short story collection Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire.

So, with various gift-giving holidays like Christmas and Hanukah coming soon, anybody in the United States want signed copies of something short? I’ll sign them and mail to you using US Media Mail. If you’re not familiar, check out the covers and descriptions below.

(My little sister took this photo when the book was new. Check out her YouTube channel.)

Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire is my first book, dating back to 2014. It contains ten short stories, seven of which were published in various anthologies and collections and three unique to this one. If you want to read one of the ten for free, check out the Viking monster tale “Nicor” online at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. The collection also contains commentary on how the stories came to be, such as how “Melon Heads” only exists because I found the titular creatures on a website dedicated to Ohio urban legends back in 2004 or so.

“Little People, Big Guns” is my 2019 foray into the bizarro genre. It’s basically a horror-crime farce in which little people (they generally don’t like being called “midgets”) fight killer animals and terrorists. Here’s a video review from the Books of Blood horror YouTube channel, whose owner really liked it. Horror writer Brian Keene described it as “enormous action and super-sized fun” and horror writer Wesley Southard said it “gives the reader quite the wild ride.” If you like Deadite Press’s cover, check out artist Jim Agpalza.

I don’t have very many print copies left to sign and mail, so this might be your last chance to get one.

When I wrote “Son of Grendel,” novellas were all the rage, and I remember DragonCon panels on how novellas could give side characters their own stories. In this case, I gave Falki Grendelsson — the son of the Battle for the Wastelands series Big Bad Grendel — his own adventure, fighting rebels against his father’s rule in a newly-conquered area. In addition to being an exciting war story, it touches on deeper issues like how race is perceived in this world.

(In addition to fearing one of his many half-siblings might contest his succession on general principle, Falki fears they’d get support because most of the population Grendel rules is white. Falki, as depicted on the cover above, is biracial. And enemies of his father’s rule love to push that button.)

All of these books are $15 each, shipping included. Before shipping that’s roughly the same you’d pay if you bought them from me at a show. Just reply to this email and we’ll work out the details. These would make great holiday gifts for the book-lovers in your life.

“Book Flood” At Viking Alchemist Meadery in Smyrna 12/14

My last event in 2024 will be an appearance at the Viking Alchemist Meadery in Smyrna. Several Atlanta-area authors will be signing and selling there, as part of an event inspired by Iceland’s Christmas “Book Flood.” Here’s the Facebook event.

Since The Walking Worm will not be available for general audiences until February, I’ll have my inventory from previous events. The Thing in the Woods and The Atlanta Incursion (the first two books before TWW), Battle for the Wastelands, its prequel novella “Son of Grendel,” and its sequel novel Serpent Sword, my comedy-horror novella “Little People, Big Guns,” and my short story collection Flashing Steel, Flashing Fire.

The Meadery’s address is 3080 Jonquil Dr SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 and the event will run from 12 PM to 6 PM.

The Walking Worm Pre-Order Is Up For 2/5/25 Delivery

You can now pre-order The Walking Worm e-book, with the different buy links available here. Not just Amazon, but Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and other places. Also on Goodreads here.

The print book won’t be available to order at all until the general release date on 2/5/25 — Kickstarter backers were promised the book two months ahead of everybody else — and thanks to Amazon’s Expanded Distribution, people will be able to get print copies from many different outlets.