As you can see below, I have seen the cover for Steel Justice (Steel Empires #6)! It is absolutely stunning because Brad Sharp did his usual amazing job. All elements of the book are officially completed, and the final layout process is in the works. The expected release date is sometime this summer, and I can’t wait for you to check out the penultimate novel in the series. Some details you can look forward to:
- For the first time, a significant number of scenes from Kane’s point of view
- One familiar weredragon
- Surprise technology
- Two mercenaries you should absolutely not hire for your private investigative needs
Other happenings this month include freshly dyed hair and the usual amounts of reading and writing (too much and too little, respectively). According to local availability, there is a chance that I will get my COVID-19 vaccination sometime in April or May, so I look forward to not being the only plague rat in my immediate social bubble (since the spouse and parents have already been vaccinated due to military status and age). We’re not out of the woods yet, and I agree with how many of my usual summer conventions have already been canceled or gone virtual, but that will certainly be a personal burden lifted from my shoulders.
Until then, it’s a good thing technology gives me a certain amount of access to my social circles, even if I can’t wait to give lots of hugs when I can.
March Wrap-Up
- I think I only added about 100 actual words to Steel Legacy, but I did complete significant rewrites to the first third of the novel that make me much happier with it and increases my motivation to add to the word count in April.
- As mentioned above, all the moving parts that go with the main text of a novel (dedication, acknowledgments, back cover text, etc.) are completed, and I’ve even reviewed the first layout draft! (This is where my technical editor skills come become a bonus instead of a detriment to my author side.)
- Many of the major characters in the Steel Empires universe now have official theme songs (including a character you won’t meet until the final book). In addition, I’ve compiled playlists via Spotify for many of them!
April Goals
- Add 10k to 15k words to the first draft of Steel Legacy.
- That’s it. That’s the goal. Spring is always weird around here, pandemic or not.
In Case You Missed It
On the Website
- Theme Songs: Updated with theme songs and playlists for multiple characters, including Victory and Toria
Book Reviews
- Play Dirty (Wages of Sin #2) by Onley James & Neve Wilder (5 stars)
- Pretty Things by Devon McCormack (4 stars)
- Barretti Security Series by Sloane Kennedy
- Loving Vin (#1) (3 stars)
- Redeeming Rafe (#2) (5 stars)
- Saving Ren (#3) (5 stars)
- Freeing Zane (#4) (5 stars)
- Broken Pieces Series by Riley Hart
- Broken Pieces (#1) (5 stars)
- Full Circle (#2) (5 stars)
- Losing Control (#3) (5 stars)
- I Wished For You by Collette Davison (5 stars)
- Irons and Works Series by E.M. Lindsey
- Free Hand (#1) (4 stars)
- Blank Canvas (#2) (5 stars)
- American Traditional (#3) (5 stars)
- Bio-Mechanical (#4) (5 stars)
- Stick and Poke (#5) (5 stars)
- Scarification (#6) (5 stars)
- To Touch the Light (follow-up novella) (4.5 stars)
- Last-Minute Walk-In (follow-up novella) (5 stars)
- Our Little Secret (Finding Forever #1) by Rebecca Raine (4 stars)
- Room For Love Series by Kate Hawthorne
- Reckless (#1) (4 stars)
- Heartless (#2) (5 stars)
- Faultless (#3) (4 stars)
- Fearless (#4) (4 stars)
- Limitless (#5) (5 stars)
- A Very Messy Motel Brothers Wedding (#5.5) (5 stars)
- The Sharp Edge of Bliss by Sorcha Black (4.5 stars)
- The Rules by Jamie Fessenden (4 stars)
- Perfect Hands Series by Nora Phoenix
- Firm Hand (#1) (4 stars)
- Gentle Hand (#2) (4 stars)
- Naughty Hand (#2.5) (4 stars)
- Slow Hand (#3) (4 stars)
- Healing Hand (#4) (4 stars)
- Unfettered by Kate Hawthorne (5 stars)
- Breaking the Rules Series by E.M. Lindsey
- Renegades (#1) (5 stars)
- Temptation (#2) (5 stars)
- Forsaken (#3) (4 stars)
