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Real quick update today, folks. I’m currently spanking the scantily clad buttocks of my KINSLAYER edits, and will hopefully be handing them over to The Powers™ next week. The book is feeling kinda ‘rad’ as we used to say in the 80s (yes, I’m old, shut up) – it’s undergone a Banner-esque transformation over the last couple of month thanks to my awesome editors, and is now Hulking right the fuck out. I’m feeling really proud of it, and can’t wait for y’all to read it.
BUT
We’re a little ways out from September, and while we have cover reveals and synopsis reveals and all the cool stuff for book 2, I figured I should give you something to tide you over in the meantime.
SO
If you head over to my 100% official, seal of the king, licensed to kill website thing, you’ll notice a new button up in the top right hand corner called BONUS STAGE. This is a reference to an old video game I used to play in the 80s (SHUT UP) but whatever. Point is, if you click on the BONUS STAGE button, you’ll find a bunch of what I hope is Cool Stuff™ – STORMDANCER desktops, full color maps, clans logos, the original scribble I did for the map of Kigen City waaaaay back in 2010, the original kanji our awesome calligrapher did for our book headings, and so on. You’ll also find a PDF of a tale I wrote, called PRAYING FOR RAIN.
PRAYING FOR RAIN is a short story set in the world of the LOTUS WAR trilogy. It was supposed to be a kind of “showcase” story to introduce people to the city of Kigen and the broad concepts of this little world I’d built. Originally I planned to release it prior to STORMDANCER dropping on bookstore shelves, but after it was finished, I decided it was a little too… dark. Not that STORMDANCER isn’t dark, it’s just I wasn’t sure I wanted PfR to be people’s first taste of Shima. Kinda the way you behave on a first date, you know? You don’t want to mention that time you unleashed your latent telekinetic abilities on that schoolbus full of first-graders until at LEAST date #3.
Point is, the story is a little grim. Pretty. But grim.
It’s about a girl we meet (very briefly) in the pages of STORMDANCER. End of Chapter 4, iirc. You might remember her.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.
Much love.
February 6th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Hay Jay, is this to be read prior to reading the first or would it be considered a 1.5…I have your book on my night stand and I’m fighting myself to not call off work just to hide in bed and read it all day.
February 6th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Hi Sam,
TBH, you can read it before or after. There are no huuuuuge spoilers in there. Originally, it was intended to be read first, but you can easily treat it as a 1.5
February 6th, 2013 at 8:35 pm
Love it! Definitely dark, but good back story for how she ended up there.
Thanks for something to tide us over1
February 6th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Glad you enjoyed it
February 6th, 2013 at 9:49 pm
That was amazing! Thanks!
February 6th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
You’re totally welcome
February 7th, 2013 at 2:02 am
As soon as I get home I’M READING THE SHIT OUT OF THAT PRAYING FOR RAIN!
(I’m currently at work, 15 mins to go, alone, waiting for Sam to take over from me, with nothing much to do until she comes.) I HOPE IT’S AWESOME, JAY!
February 7th, 2013 at 2:33 am
lol, I hope so too!
February 7th, 2013 at 3:54 am
I found you via twitter today, and I LOVE your novel’s concept and the excerpt I read. I can’t wait to get it! Oh, and awesome sites too
February 7th, 2013 at 4:03 am
Thanks Rhonda! Really hope you enjoy it
February 8th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Loved the short story, Jay! I also love the cover. It’s nice, and very simple. And it matches STORMDANCER’s cover. I admit if I wanted to marry a cover, it would be STORMDANCER’s.
I’m praying that KINSLAYER will have a pretty cover too. (It probably will, but I’d better not jinx it.)
February 14th, 2013 at 11:30 am
Oh, and by the way; I saw your ‘vlog’ on YouTube.
A.) That must have been awkward, pretending to be a 16 year old Japanese girl.
B.) You’re poor dog.
and , C.) That was a great idea with the swear jar to be donated to charity.
February 11th, 2013 at 11:46 pm
You are so not old…* rolls eyes * now I AM OLD!! Not that I am proud of that…anyhoo. I shall go forth and seek out these words to read….. * going forth*
Mich:)