LTUE

“Dog Save the King” – Submission Call From Hemelein!

Max Books! , , , , , , ,

Heads up, writers! Hemelein has posted their call for new short story submissions to the latest LTUE Benefit Anthology, titled Dog Save the King!

The LTUE Benefit Anthologies, if this is the first you’re hearing of them, are a feature of Life, The Universe, and Everything, a Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writing Convention/Symposium that’s nearing its 42nd year. The anthology collections, in addition to being fun short story collections full of all sorts of neat shorts, are actually a charity benefit, the proceeds from their sales used to support the cost of running the convention so that students—from elementary school to college—can get in at a steep discount.

Sop basically, buy one of these books, and you’re helping cover the costs of students attending the conference at a student rate, which for a con that’s all about writing and learning to write, is a major boon to all those students.

Alternatively, you can also submit a story to be in one of these books, and help keep the anthology tradition going! Plus, you get to see your name in print (some for the first time) and can attend the con and sign copies for readers! It’s great fun!

In any case, whether or not you can make it, it’s also a blast to submit to, because the LTUE Benefit Anthologies always have some fun prompts, often reflected in the title. Which is why we’ve had prompts like A Dragon and Her Girl, A Parliament of Wizards, or Troubadours and Space Princesses.

Which, naturally, leads us to this year’s prompt and title: Dog Save the King, a collection of Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories that all revolve around canine heroes saving the day for royalty.

If that sounds like a short story you’d want to write, then be aware that submissions close Friday, May 19th, at midnight. You can check out a larger list of requirements below the jump, then head over to Hemelein’s submission post to gather any other details you may need.

Hit the jump for details on Dog Save the King!

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The LTUE 2023 Write-up: Day Three

Max Misc ,

Or, the final day.

And what a day it was. Guys, LTUE is a fantastic con. Awesome panels, wonderful people, so much writing energy coursing through its halls like the vibrant surges of a buzzing neon light.

Seriously, if you’ve not made it to LTUE before, you totally should. LTUE is incredible. And next year? It’s going to go even further. Why? Well, it’s a con named Life, The Universe, and Everything, and it’ll be year 42 for it. If you get that, it’s the kind of con you should be at.

Now, with that said … I am pretty beat. So I’m going to cut the preamble short and head right into the day three write up, because I’m ready to call it a night. As pumped up from LTUE as I am, it’s that kind of energy that can’t quite make up for the absolute exhaustion I feel from three days of pure con. At the same time, this energy will persist through the weekend and on through the next week. I am jazzed to finish off the newest Jacob Rocke adventure and then start work on Axtara – Magic and Mayhem. And hey, I even laid the grounds for the plot to Axtara 3 in my mind while I was attending this LTUE. Don’t worry, it’s not suddenly becoming a trilogy. Each book is still going to be standalone. I just love that dragon. She’s flying far, and she deserves it.

Anyway, hit the jump, and let’s go over what I went to today!

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The LTUE 2023 Write-Up: Day Two!

Max Misc ,

I am tired right now.

How tired? Near the end of the signing, someone handed me a copy of Shadow of an Empire to sign, and I asked them if they wanted a name to go with it. They gave me a name sort of like “Dave.” I said “And how do you spell that?” Puzzled, they spelled it out.

I thought for a moment, looked at them, and then went “Really?”

Now, they thought I’d misheard them because that hall was loud. But in truth … I was so tired that my brain had stumbled on processing the spelling of a very straightforward, four-letter name.

Yeah, it’s been a long day. But what a day!

Now, I actually didn’t make it to as many panels (outside of the ones I was on) as I did yesterday. Largely because a number of them were full by the time I arrived! In fact, one was full with several minutes to go! So good on that panel and those panelists, because it was a packed day! But I also spent some time walking around the con, talking with folks both old and new, signing books—and not just at the signing in the evening, either!

Basically, I kept really busy. I finally had to excuse myself to the green room because my phone was going to die, and I knew I’d need it later.

And I did … but we’ll get to that. For now, hit the jump, and let’s talk about some of the highlights from day two of LTUE 2023!

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The LTUE 2023 Write-Up: Day One!

Max Misc ,

It’s back, baby! 2023’s Life, The Universe, and Everything convention has officially begun!

And already, it’s taken some unexpected twists and turns. Before I dive into the details of some the panels I attended with the usual write-up, I do have some news.

First: I am beat. When you’re at a con for more than 12 hours, you get pretty wiped out, and day one of LTUE was just over the 12 hour mark for me. Pretty solid, but definitely something that can run down the energy levels. I’ll sleep well tonight!

Second: There’s something unexpected going on this year. Some of you may know that I give out little cards for my books, one for each title, with QR codes on the back. Things I can hand to people when they ask, the QR code giving them the first few chapters on their phone for free to read. Plus I give out bookmarks.

Anyway, this year, some of those cards are flying out. I usually put a small stack on the “freebies” table of bookmarks and a few cards, and at the current rate they’re vanishing, I might run right out of a few before the con is over!

That’s a good thing, but it means I didn’t order enough beforehand if so!

Anyway, as you might expect, the first day of LTUE was pretty rocking, as people settled into panels and the creative talk began. LTUE is just plain awesome, and I’m glad I was once again able to be there.

So, without any further ado, hit that jump, and let’s talk about some panel highlights!

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LTUE 2023 Starts Tomorrow – Here are Some Panels to Check Out!

Max Misc , , ,

Hey folks! Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the writing sphere, you’re probably all geared up and pumped for LTUE (that’s Life, The Universe, and Everything) 2023! I say this because 100% of the writing-invested people I know are, so the data’s pretty solid on this end.

But maybe your excitement isn’t quite as energetically apparent as those nearby or that you’ve been seeing online. Maybe this is your first LTUE, and you’re not sure where you’re going to be going or why everyone else is so excited.

This is fine. Totally understandable. I first stumbled across LTUE when I was a college student, and wasn’t at all certain what was going on until I saw a sign on a door proclaiming the subject being spoken about inside an ‘in-depth study of Tolkien’s languages and how they both reflect and intersect with the world he created.’ Or something of that nature. I was intrigued, then excited, then hooked.

Anyway, if you’re planning at being at LTUE tomorrow and haven’t taken a gander at the official LTUE Program Book yet (that’s a PDF link, just for those of you on mobile), well, maybe I can get some of that excitement ramping for you. Because there are—as always—some cool panels to check out, and I’m going through the whole list and picking out a few of my favorites. Some are cool, some are fun, some are interesting, and some I’ll label critical, which just means there will likely be essential writing tips and elements discussed you’ll definitely want to attend if you’re concerned about the topic.

So hit that jump, and catch sight of a few of the panels that have caught my attention. Note that just because it’s caught my eye doesn’t mean there aren’t other awesome panels you may want to attend. These are just some of the ones I’ve noticed and am looking forward to, but I as of yet lack the ability to be in multiple places at once. See you at LTUE!

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Being a Better Writer: How to Use a Writing Resource Like LTUE

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , , , ,

Welcome back writers. I’d venture a guess that you’ll likely be able to guess what big event is going on this week simply by looking at today’s topic.

That’s right. LTUE, Life, The Universe, and Everything, which is the writing convention for writers, is happening this week. It’s a big deal. I’ve been readying myself for several weeks now, making sure that I’m prepared and ready to go when this Thursday rolls around. Which is going to be tricky, because my first panel begins at (shudder) nine in the morning. Which for me is in the range of “Okay, I’m awake, but what time is it?”

Never fear. I’ll be more alert than that. I’m adjusting my sleep schedule to ensure that I’ll be arriving well-rested and prepared to talk writing. If you’re going to be in attendance this year, then I do recommend swinging by the panels I’ll be on, as well as my other appearances. I’d love to say hello, and I’ll be dispensing nuggets of writing wisdom on request. You can see what panels I’ll be on at this link to last week’s news post.

Now, today won’t be the last time I talk about LTUE, as we’re obviously going to have the end-of-day write-ups that I share each year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. But on Wednesday I’ll be posting my own highlights of the schedule, noting which panels I intend to attend or recommending those that might be useful for certain topics or concepts.

But today, we’re diving right in with a sort of special Being a Better Writer post, and we’re going to be talking directly about how to use a writing resource like LTUE.

See, there’s a lot that goes on at LTUE, but one thing that people sometimes forget when they’re in attendance is that first and foremost, LTUE is an educational con. Yes, it’s neat and fun to be able to meet some of our favorite authors and creators in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy space … but we’re not there just to meet them. And when they bring up that book that you really love or that scene that you thought was very cool, they’re not just brining it up because of that—though they definitely love it too. No, they’re bringing it up because they want to illustrate a point, or demonstrate something.

Yes, it’s easy to get distracted by “This is one of my favorite books, and I can ask the author about it when the panel opens up to questions!” But remember that the point of many of these panels—but not all—is to learn. For these authors and creators to pass on the knowledge won by hard sweat and tears. Or that they learned by attending LTUE long ago and have since adapted into their own understanding of writing.

So yes, today I want to talk about preparing for and attending a writing resource like LTUE. So that those of you who are attending get the most out of it that you can.

Don’t get me wrong: There isn’t really a “wrong” way to attend LTUE unless you completely decide against your own prior wishes to attend and learn nothing. One can attend just for fun. I just ask that if you do, realize that the majority who attend are there to learn and understand about writing as well as have fun. So they may ask questions about specific writing processes or situations they’ve been unable to solve in their own writing that you might not be as interested in if you’re there just to meet some authors you love. Just nod and let them ask: they’re there to learn.

And if you are as well—or if you’re going to be attending any similar convention—the you’re going to want to hit that jump. Because today, we’re talking about ways to get the most out of cons like LTUE, to grow your writing talents.

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One Week to LTUE 2023!

Max Weekly Updates , , , ,

Hey folks! Max here with a news update. Though a glance at that headline will tell you what’s dominating this news post.

That’s right, it’s Life, The Universe, and Everything 2023! Which kicks off next Thursday, exactly one week from today! It’s so close!

Being so close, I’ve already been getting my preparations taken care of. Just yesterday a big box of paperback books showed up for sale at the LTUE vendor hall. Two big boxes, actually, but I’ve repacked them into one big—and admittedly quite heavy—box. Hopefully I’m bringing the right amounts. Last year, paperback copies of Shadow of an Empire completely sold out before noon on the first day, a timespan of less than three hours. Axtara copies lasted until the last day before running dry, so I think I numbered them properly that year, but they’ve been selling a lot stronger elsewhere since then, so I upped the number anyway.

Basically, if you got left out of getting a copy of Shadow of an Empire in paperback last year, this year there will be a few more copies—though they’re still likely to go quick, so act fast! Axtara – Banking and Finance copies will also be in good supply, at least for a day or two. I think.

Point being, there will be books at the vendor hall for at least the first day. But that’s not all! I’ll also be at the book signing event, and I’ll be having some fun stuff for the occasion. Given that the majority of my sales are digital, I usually don’t sign a lot at the signing event. Though I do sign some. Mostly I just talk about writing and books to any that come by, and give out cards and bookmarks.

But this year, I’m upping the ante. This year, I’ve got prints of a few of my most downloaded covers. And I’ll be doing giveaways during the signing. So if you want a nice 24″ print of Axtara’s big ol’ grin to take home, swing by my signing booth on Friday, February 17th!

Now, with all that said about LTUE, we’re not done yet! Once again this year I’ll be paneling, and so here’s a reminder of my panel schedule, in case you want to come see me and a bunch of other experts chat about this stuff!

Hit the jump so that all this formatting doesn’t fill the main page or get broken on other sites that link to the primary.

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A Weekly News Post

Max Weekly Updates , , , , , , , ,

Hey, they can’t all be clever titles.

So, a few updates since last week. First and foremost, work on the new Jacob Rocke book trundles on. It’s about a third or so of the way done. This one will be longer than his first outing, but still not as long as Dead Silver, I think. It’s a smaller story, really. However, that means it gets written quicker, and editing (later this year, lets not get too far ahead of ourselves) will be quicker as well.

Anyway, progress continues there. Am I willing to drop any hints at this juncture? Well, let’s just say that a lot of my online advertisements lately have been all about colleges. While you all puzzle on that, let’s move to the next bit of news to talk about which is—

A sale! But not on any of my books. No, not yet (February is coming, more on that below). No, this sale is for a game. A few long-time readers of this site may recall my post of admiration for one Subnautica a few years back. Well, it’s only become a better game since then as the developers have continued to polish it and work to bring it to feature parity with its stand-alone expansion, Below Zero.

Oh, and it’s on sale right now. Along with that stand-alone expansion right now. Through January 30th.

Yeah, I know. I’m supposed to be encouraging you people to spend money on my books. But Subnautica is just fantastic. Besides, I’ll be doing plenty of encouragement for purchasing my stuff at LTUE.

Which is coming soon people! We’re not in February yet, but I myself am in the prep stages. Yesterday I placed my order for a new array of paperback books to be sold at the LTUE vendor hall. A larger number than last year, since everything last year sold out so fast. I’m not joking about that by the way: Every copy of Shadow of an Empire was gone before noon on the first day. I’ve increased the number of books that’ll be on hand this year, but given last year’s sales … that might just mean they sell out by day two.

I’ve still got some other prep work to do in order to be ready for LTUE, however. I need new standees for the signing since Starforge is out, and this year I’m planning on doing some nice prints of a few book covers to raffle off. I’m thinking “one entry for coming by the booth, five for showing proof of purchase of said book.” Which naturally would include brandishing said book.

So yeah, if you’d like a nice matte printing of the covers to Axtara or Shadow of an Empire, maybe even Starforge, be sure to come by the signing booth at this year’s LTUE!

And well … that’s pretty much it. Almost. Sales keep on trucking toward that 10,000 number, but I think the make-or-break moment really will be this year’s LTUE. At the current rate, sales won’t quite reach 10,000 by February’s end if they stay consistent … but they always shoot up during LTUE. So … it’s down to the wire, really.

On a related note, I should figure something out to celebrate the tenth anniversary of both becoming a published author and One Drink‘s publication. One more thing to add to the pile, I suppose.

Anyway, that’s the news. I’m going to get back to work on Rocke’s next adventure! Max, signing off!

Clues Under a Couch – A Weekly News Update

Max Weekly Updates , , , ,

Hey folks! Max here with a weekly update post. There’s not going to be anything Earth-shattering or lifechanging in this post (at least I don’t think so), but if you’re wondering what I’ve been up to and what’s going on, this is the post to check out.

So, with absolutely zero ado, here’s what’s going on.

First up, how’s progress on the new Jacob Rocke book going?

Well. It’s going well. The current draft is sitting at about 22,000 words, and the mystery has taken shape. At a guess I’d hazard this winding up around 60,000-80,000 words long, which isn’t bad. It’s about the size and shape I’d want from a new Jacob Rocke adventure.

So what’s this one about? Well, Rocke’s back on the East Coast of the US this time, having just dealt with another haunted hospital room, when he gets a call from the NSAU. It seems a college student at a nearby university was reporting missing that morning, but the local police force balked the moment they were told she was an unusual, and has claimed the case is out of their jurisdiction. Being the closest agent, Rocke is assigned to the case, and while elements of actual unusual involvement are dubious at best, he’s going to do his job and see if he can’t track the missing student down, especially as the days pass and she remains missing.

So yeah, I’ll probably have that polished off by sometime next month. Which leads me to February, which is a natural segue into—

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LTUE 2022 Writeup – Day Three

Max Misc ,

We sold out, people!

Context, I suppose. As Day Three of LTUE 2022 draws to a close, I can happily report that the entire stock of my work available at the LTUE vendor hall SOLD OUT! In fact, one of the proprietors even told me that I should have brought more copies of Shadow of an Empire as they had sold out so quickly despite the $22 price tag.

Was this awesome to hear? Yes it was. Was it amazing to have a fellow panelist at the last panel of the day pull out a copy of Axtara and excitedly place it on the table for me to sign? Also yes.

Was this LTUE ultimately fulfilling and wonderful? Yes, yes, and yes. I talked with many wonderful people, listened to their stories (literally) and did what I could to push them along. I met starry-eyed new writers with a burning fervor to be the next American great, and grinning fanfic writers who were thrilled to talk about their latest fanwork.

It. Was. A. Blast. I am exhausted, sweaty, smelly, and my brain feels like it’s been stretched and warped for the last several days.

And I wouldn’t trade it for anything. LTUE is a fantastic experience for writers of all skill levels, ages, experience, and position. If you’re wondering “Should I?” for 2023, then allow me to answer:

Yes.

Now then, on with the write-up! Hit that jump!

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