A Quick Note Before Skynet Shuts Me Down

Skynet is live. Computers are aware. For some reason, they're after me.



Personally, it's been an odd day as far as technology goes: my phone refuses to do what I tell it and responds with snarky "error" messages, my computer fails to load webpages while my co-workers zip through Facebook and kitten videos unperturbed and a query email to a literary agent may have gotten lost in the ever-confusing series of internet tubes. There are some bright spots, however!

When I finally DID get my computer to work, I was able to get details on two anthologies I'd like to submit to. One is "World's Collider" (which you can read up on here). The other is through BlackSails Press and is featuring a mash-up of vampires and steampunk. The category was unexpected, but it will add a nice little twist that I can feature in my story.

One other bit of good news from Skynet is that Lulu.com sent me a promo code for people to use if they'd like a copy of "Crawl" or "Indigo," both of which can be found here. Use promo code AWESOME305 to get an additional 15% off until September 30th! Tell your friends!

Have a happy (and safe) Labor Day Weekend! It may be the last one we have before the robot overlords take over, so enjoy it!

~VK

INDIGO Now Available!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I've been working on getting my adult sci-fi novel INDIGO available for purchase. Well, wait no longer! It's now ready for you to buy through Lulu.com and in only a few short days (or seconds if you buy the eBook version!) it'll be in your hands! Here's a short book description to peak your interest:

In a future where waters have reclaimed much of the land and radiation has soured the rest, humanity exists in massive domed megacities. The richest people live in the shining metropolis of Haven, supported by the smog-choked laborers eking out an existence in the bones of the old city below.

Agent Umber is a man trapped between worlds. Having spent his life protecting and serving the people of Foundation City, he knows how to make sacrifices: the same fire that took his right hand also took the lives of his wife and son. So when the top agents of SPECTRUM recruit him for a special case involving the kidnapping of 12 kids, Umber sees his chance for redemption.

Umber soon discovers that not all agents are allies, not all strangers are enemies and the missing kids might just possess the most powerful weapons he's ever faced. To solve the case, he'll have to cut ties with his old life. To survive, he'll have to uncover the secrets of Project: INDIGO.

Pretty sweet, right? So, I know, you're saying, "Enough talk already! How can I get my very own copy?!" Well, if you'd like a paperback copy, click here! If you can't wait for the postman and you need INDIGO right now, click here for the e-version! As a special bonus, if you buy INDIGO from Lulu.com today and use the promo code SCHOOLED, you'll save 20%!

*Note: The formatting is a little funky in the PDF version. It doesn't interfere with the story but it does tweak my OCD ever so slightly. I plan on fixing this as soon as I find my USB drive (that has, oh I dunno, everything I've ever written on it...)

Feel free to leave your feedback for INDIGO on my blog, Lulu product page, Facebook or Twitter! I'd love to hear what you guys think!

~VK

PS: Stay safe, East Coasters! You should probably curl up with a good eBook while you ride out the storm...

Harry Potter and the Lulu Discount

Unless you've been living under a rock in a galaxy far, far away, you've probably heard that the last installment in the Harry Potter movie series premieres this week. What you probably haven't heard is that online book retailer Lulu.com has a special promotion running this week that'll get you 20% off any order. Just enter the word BIG at checkout and save some green! You can use it to purchase a paperback or eBook copy of my novel, "Crawl" or maybe even some Harry Potter books, if you haven't read them yet (for shame)!

Since it's "All Things Harry Potter" week pretty much everywhere there's some semblance of civilization, I thought I'd join in on the fun. Though they seem to do this every weekend, the ABC Family channel had a Harry Potter marathon on over the last few days. I've heard the titles so many times that they almost start to lose meaning. So as I was watching them for the umpteenth time, I started to think of new titles for them, titles that represented either my favorite scenes or most memorable differences from the books. This is what I came up with:

1) Harry Potter and the Troll Bogies
2) Harry Potter and the Letter Opener (honestly, was Gryffindor a goblin? That sword was barely bigger than a wand!)
3) Harry Potter and the Anorexic Werewolf (or Harry Potter and Doctor Who, if you prefer David Tennant as the Doctor instead of Barty Crouch Ju-nee-or the Death-Eater)
4) Harry Potter and the Boob Hats (makes me laugh like a 12-year-old boy every time)
5) Harry Potter and the Awkward Teenage Groping
6) Harry Potter and the...Wait, Are These Kids Even Going to Class Anymore?
7) Harry Potter and the Death of Pretty Much Everyone Else That Was Still Alive: Parts 1 and 2

What do you think, did I hit the mark? Do you have any suggestions for alternate titles? Leave them in the comments below!

~VK

Proof

One of the coolest things about writing a book is being able to see your creation fully realized in the palm of your hands. Before the days of print-on-demand technology, this was probably more of a rare achievement, but no less exciting. Now, thanks to Lulu.com, I can order proofs of my books before I make them available to my adoring fans.

And good thing I did too! Because even though I like this particular cover:



hoo boy did I find a bunch of errors that would scream 'amateur' were this to be available for purchase. Mostly formatting stuff, little things here and there that I have to change for clarification or flow. But the good news is that, not only did I crush half the book in one night (I love this story, if you can't tell yet), I also have four additional copies going out to my dedicated beta-readers. I can only hope they're as excited as I am, before AND after reading it!

In other news, remember to check back on the blog tomorrow morning for this week's installment of the Midnight Society. It's a Lovecraft inspired shorty by yours truly!

Oh and you can save 20% on a purchase of "Crawl" between now and April 26th by entering the code HOP at lulu.com! Just click that brightly colored button over there ^>^>^> or clickity click here!

Lulu Discount!

For those who've already made your purchase, my sincere thanks...and apologies. Lulu just sent me a promo code that would have saved you 20% off a purchase of "Crawl."

If you haven't bought a copy yet, make sure to visit Lulu.com and put in the promo code HAPPY. You can click this handy button on the right side of the screen to automatically put both the paperback and electronic editions in your cart!
(I don't know why Lulu does this, unless it's trickery to get you to buy double copies. For shame, Lulu!)

For you Kindle owners out there, "Crawl" is still available on Amazon.com for $2.99!

~VK