Well, we successfully launched the Kindle edition of my first novel, Engage at Dawn: First Contact, on Tuesday, 15 September.  Yes, yes, it’s been published in paperback for several weeks now, but the logistics associated with that meant I needed to build a launch event around something I knew was going to happen on a specific date.  So, I hope I can interest you enough to read it, and please, please, please post a review on your bookseller when you finish.

I built the story around something I knew well (when you’re new, that’s what you do)—the crew of a Coast Guard cutter facing a challenging and dangerous mission.  What sets this book apart from all the other likable-and-dedicated-military-team-doing-the-job stories is that I gave them a nudge from the conventional world into a first contact science-fiction scenario.  I presented my best estimation on what would happen if a very high-caliber cutter crew was sent to locate an alien landing site and fight off some pretty nasty examples of humanity along the way.  The characters are as true to life as I could make them—they are not superheroes or super-soldiers, just relatable people who look after each other and get the job done every day. I’ll quote directly from the book’s protagonist’s description of the crew: “They mess around and get on each other’s nerves, but when things go crazy, nothing gets between them.”  There is no one-to-one match between any character and anyone I with whom I served.  However, I took the best parts of the people I knew and built the characters around them.

 

This novel is the first act in what I hope will be a successful series built around this crew and their new mission focus.  Namely, go in with a low footprint and discretely solve a challenging maritime problem in the Southeastern U.S.  I hope to have your feedback on this first act to help me flesh out the stories and develop the characters.  Please don’t hold back if you have any suggestions.

 

I’m sure you noticed I have a second work published, a novelette called Vis Major.  It is a side-story to First Contact built around what was originally a sub-plot in that novel focused on the aliens’ perspective.  As the original story evolved, I realized this sub-plot “explained” too much of what was going on, and took down the tension.  Since that tension was an essential part of the novel, I decided to take out this sub-plot.  I realized it might make a nifty sci-fi short story on its own, so I fleshed it out while waiting for the novel to clear editorial review.  It complements the novel but stands alone very well.  I think you will enjoy it, so give it a read and, of course, post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, or Booklife, please!

 

Well, that’s all for this edition.  Thank you again for taking the time to stop by and give it a look.  Once the dust settles after the big launch, I hope to produce the next edition with any news and answers to questions you have posted.  In the meantime, please stay safe and look after each other out there!

 

Respectfully,

EMH