Ian J. Malone

Character-charged sci-fi with a shot of Rock & Roll!

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Colonies Lost update, IJM joins an anthology in time for summer

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Cowboy 2

Hey guys, apologies for the radio silence the last few months but life around the Malone house has been pretty hectic. Nevertheless, that’s still no excuse for the fact that I really do need to get better at writing these. So, expect to see more blog posts in 2017 and beyond.

Okay, let the news begin…

A new book looms on the horizon

For those who don’t know, my new book is tentatively titled Colonies Lost and will not be set in the Mako universe. It’s an entirely new story about a present-day U.S. Marshal from North Carolina (Trip Hackett) who finds himself on the outs with his agency and in need of work to support his family.

Enter the enigmatic “Mr. Smith.”

Smith seeks to enlist the aid of someone who specializes in finding people — specifically, his boss’s daughter who has mysteriously gone missing.

Trip takes the assignment, and so begins the inevitable trek down the rabbit hole. In the end, he’ll be asked to find the girl, stop a conflict that could trigger an interplanetary war, and while he’s at it, solve one of the greatest mysteries in American history.

(Hint to the Latter: Google The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island.)

I won’t lie to you, people. This has been a HUGE undertaking, and one far greater than I set out to tackle when I started this project. It’s taken a lot of research, and a crap-ton of worldbuilding, the likes of which I’ve never done before. Suffice it to say, though, I’m really happy with the direction this project has taken, and I’m almost ready to unveil it to the world.

Where do we stand?

I’m on track to have the initial beta manuscript done by the first week in March. From there, it’ll go to a cop friend of mine for subject matter proofing (Trip’s a U.S. Marshal, not a pizza guy. He has to read like it). Once my subject matter guy is finished, I’ll make changes and be ready to roll for editor submissions.

Ah, but here’s the rub…

Before I go to press with my company, Sharkflight Publishing, I want to give this book a pass through a handful of agents and some larger publishers. I do this because I think this story has real potential to strike. That said, I won’t sit on it long, nor will I sell it to just anyone. If I get a reputable bite, so be it. We’ll talk. If not, I’ll go to press with Sharkflight after two months or so.

If Colonies Lost sells, I don’t know when it’ll release as that would be dictated by the publisher. If, on the other hand, I publish it myself, expect it to hit sometime this summer.

But wait! There’s more!

Not only am I working on content for my own projects, but in very short order I’ll be developing content for others. I’ve been asked by Amazon bestselling Military SF authors Chris Kennedy and Mark H. Wandrey to pen a short story for the second of two anthology books due out later this year.

The anthologies will be set in the duo’s Four Horsemen universe, and boy is it a doozy (see books cited below for more info).

In addition to myself, Kennedy, and Wandrey, here are some of the other authors who’ll be involved in this project:

  • Nick Cole
  • Christopher Nuttall
  • Doug Dandridge
  • Brad R. Torgersen
  • Sarah Hoyt

Oh, and the foreword is being written by NYT bestseller and Baen Books stalwart Chuck Gannon, so there’s that.

The first anthology is titled Fistful of Credits (frickin’ love that), and is slated for release later this spring. Anthology two (the one I’m in) should arrive this summer. In the meantime, readers can bone up on all things Horsemen with Cartwright’s Cavaliers and Asbaran Solutions, books one and two of The Revelations Cycle series.

So there ya have it, folks — the latest and greatest from yours truly, Ian Jazner Malone. As always, stay tuned here as news unfolds, and email me anytime if you’ve got questions.

Cheers, and talk then.

IJM

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Trip Hackett update + events abound in NC!

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Hey folks, what’s the good word?

It’s been a while since I’ve written, so I thought I’d take a few minutes and bring you up to speed on what’s been happening.

Work on Trip Hackett continues

I’m deep into editing on the second draft of my next book, THE NEW WORD: A TRIP HACKETT NOVEL. All and all, I’m really happy with the way it’s going, though it has been somewhat of a learning experience (aren’t they all?). It’s a very different kind of book for me. Yes, it’s still sci-fi. But Trip is a very different character than the Renegades, with a very different skillset. It also bears mentioning that the world I’m dropping him into (named Sunoro) is quite different than those of Aura and Alystier in that it’s much more grass roots. Think the Industrial Revolution with alien tech.

My goal is to be ready for an editor by Christmas for a late-spring, early-summer release in 2017. Stay tuned for more details as they come.

honorcon-logo

Spend Halloween weekend with me at HonorCon in Raleigh

Halloween weekend marks the return of HonorCon to the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown, and I’m “honored” as always to have been invited back as a panelist. This is a great event, no matter what strand of the SF&F genre you’re into. Of course there’s military SF (It’s the official con of the HONOR HARRINGTON series… duh!). There also loads of venders, panels, guests, and workshops to attend.

This year’s guest of honor is actress and writer Claudia Christian. Christian is best known for her role as Commander Susan Ivanova on the hit television series Babylon 5.

Other guests include the following authors:

  • David Weber
  • Chris Kennedy
  • Greg Cox
  • Christopher Nuttall
  • Marko Kloos

As for me, I’ll be in Authors Alley and on several panels. Hope to see you there!

For more information, or to register for the convention, visit HonorCon online.

The NC Writers Network fall conference

If you miss me at HonorCon, you can also find me the following weekend at the annual fall conference for the North Carolina Writers Network. I’ll be teaching a class that Sunday, titled “Beyond Vanity: How Indie Publishing Builds Professional Writers.” Come say hi and check out the class. If you’ve ever had interest in publishing a book, it’s my hope that these contents will put you on a path to making that happen.

Plus, who knows? Maybe one of the myriad publishers/agents in attendance meets you in the crowd and offers you a contract. Stranger things have happened, right?

The conference will be held at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, Nov. 4-6. Visit the event’s official webpage for more details.

All right, gang, that’s gonna do it for this one. As you can see, I’ve got tons to do and not much time to do it. So back to the office I go.

Take care, stay warm, and see you around the inter-web thingy.

Cheers,

IJM

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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

Giving the boot to movie reboots

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Hey guys, IJM here.

So, I inadvertently found myself watching the trailer for the new Lethal Weapon TV show the other day, and walked away from it totally pissed. Can somebody please tell me why we need this?

Lethal Weapon

Before I go any further, it should be stated that Hollywood has every right to do whatever they want with their properties. As a rights-holder myself, I firmly believe that. Heck, they could reboot Casablanca if they wanted. That doesn’t mean I, as a consumer, have to support it with my hard-earned ticket money.

It should also be noted that I have zero issue with sequels. None. I don’t care if it’s the eighth one in a series, i.e. the forthcoming Fast 8. If it’s a good script, set in a world I know with characters I like, then bring the noise and let’s see what you’ve got. After all, that is, by definition, a new story.

Reboots, on the other hand, annoy me. They’re essentially a studio saying, “Hey, we need a quick cash infusion. Somebody paid a lot of money for this once. Let’s remake it with young faces and today’s technology, and maybe they’ll buy it again.”

Enter this television show.

Newsflash, people: Lethal Weapon was a great franchise, with innovative, fun stories played out by world-class actors. Could I have done without the fourth one? Sure, but that’s a different discussion for a different blog.

Back to the reboot. Say what you will for Mel Gibson, the man was, and forever will be, Martin Riggs. Just like Danny Glover will always be Roger Murtaugh, Joe Pesci will always be Leo Getz, and Gary Busey will always be nuts. It’s the way of the universe. To bring in an all new cast for a modernized spin on the same stories — on the small screen, no less — just feels cheap.

What’s next? We gonna pull some kid from Glee, give him a Glock, a wife-beater, and bare feet then call him John McClane for a CW Die Hard series? Gimme a flippin’ break.

This is why I had no interest in seeing the Robocop reboot a few years back. It was nothing personal against the cast or crew. I just didn’t care. I’ve seen that film, I’ve heard that story, and it’s one of my all-time favorites. Any Robocop film that doesn’t even acknowledge what came before feels like a store-brand knockoff, and Alex Murphy deserves better.

I felt the same way about the Footloose reboot, the Point Break reboot, and yes… the Ghostbusters reboot. I’m also not going to see Ben Hur.

Oh, and FYI? Apparently lots of other fans agree with me because every one of those films tanked at the box office.

In closing, I will make an exception to the no-fly reboot rule for comic book films. In many instances, these are stories that’ve existed since the early twentieth century, and they’ve been reinvented a thousand times over in print. So there’s a certain expectation among genre fans that they’ll be handled the same way in film.

Thanks for letting me rant, folks. I feel better. And for those who’ve never seen Lethal Weapon, do yourselves a favor. Don’t watch the TV series. Find the original online, pop some popcorn, crack a beer, and get ready to remember why the 1980s reign supreme as the greatest action generation of all-time.

*Drops the mic*

Cheers,

IJM

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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

New book, character sports allegiances, and early CFB thoughts

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Greetings, all!

HOLY FREAKIN’ CRAP, IT’S HOT!!!

Moving on.

Update on the new book

I managed to bang out another thousand words this morning, thus bringing my total so far to just under 30k. At this rate, I’ll have a first draft by the end of September, and a beta manuscript by Christmas. I say that, mind you, as this story grows like a weed every time I sit down at my computer. Seriously, when I first started this project, I expected it to be a nice, compact little 300 page scifi/alt history adventure tale. But no, it’s gotta run off and get all complex and epic on me… stupid imagination. LOL

OBX

Back to the matter at hand: I will take a break from writing next weekend so the Mrs. and I can vacay in the Outer Banks (OBX) for a few days. I’m really excited about it, too. That’s a part of NC that I’ve yet to visit and I hear it’s gorgeous. It’s also loaded with American history, and I’ll need that as research material for my next book… more on that in later blogs. 😉

Oh, one other thing.  I found out last night that Smalls and I are going hand-gliding in Kitty Hawk on Friday so keep an eye on my Facebook page for photos after.

Trip Hackett, sports enthusiast

As any reader of The Mako Saga knows, my characters tend to be sports fans. Shocker, I know. First there was Mac, the Yankees fan. Then came Link, the Bronco, Hamish the All Black, Danny, the Dolphin, and Lee, the Buccaneer — all of whom cheer for Florida State because, well, that’s what good guys do.

So, where are the allegiances of my new guy, Trip Hackett, native son of the Tar Heel state?

Drum roll please….

Braves Logo

Yep. My man is a Braves fan.

I know, I know. Most locals from the OBX area tend to support Washington or Baltimore teams, but hear me out on this. Right out of the gate, I knew I wanted the All-American element of baseball in this story. Thematically, it just fits, and when you read it next year, you’ll understand why. That said, North Carolina has no MLB club, which leaves me with two options: the Nationals (aka the Montreal Expos prior to 2005) or the more likely choice, the Oriels.

There’s just one problem with the latter: While the Os were solid during Trip’s childhood in the mid-90s, they paled in comparison to the Braves who were at the peak of their popularity with guys like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Chipper Jones. Add to that Atlanta’s accessibility back then (they were televised almost nightly on TBS) and LOTS of people outside of Fulton County, Georgia were Braves fans.

So, there you have it. My guy’s a Bravo.

Okay, so maybe there’s one more reason. *sigh* Fact is, a lot of my peeps back home still haven’t forgiven me for making Mac a Yankee. So there. We square now or what?

Ridiculously early thoughts on college football

With ACC and SEC Media Days having just ended, the time is almost upon us to start talking college football.  It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? Like Christmas or Happy Hour or BOGO milkshake day at Cookout.

Coming out of ACC Kickoff, a lot of folks are picking Clemson to repeat as conference champs. And you know what? I’m good with that. They’ve got arguably the nation’s top player under center (Deshaun Watson) and a full arsenal of weapons at his disposal.

That’s the group, you’ll recall, that pushed Bama’s defense to the brink in last year’s national title game. They’re a great squad, deserving of all the accolades they’ve gotten.

Now, do I think they’ll be conference champs? No, I don’t. It’ll be Florida State, for three reasons.

  • Reason 1: The Tigers’ defense is poised to take a significant step back this season due to heavy losses in the draft and graduation.
  • Reason 2: Clemson will travel to Tallahassee this fall for what will likely be one of, if not the biggest game of the CFB season.
  • Reason 3: In addition to home field advantage, FSU has two other things going for it: a defense tat’s expected to be ferocious and a generational talent at running back who’s healthy for the first time in a year.

It’s the tried and true formula, folks — a running game that slashes and a defense that smashes. Advantage, Noles.

It’s also worth noting that Louisville could be decent, provided of course that Bobby Petrino can steer clear of mopeds and co-eds for the duration of the season.

As for the rest of the ACC… eh, we’ll see.

That’s it, people. I’m off to that place that gives me money to play on Twitter all day. (No really. I’m in charge of social media.) Take care, email me anytime if you’ve got questions, and for the love of Pete, STAY COOL!!!

Cheers,

Ian

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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

Mako Saga wrapup, new book details, and a Goodreads giveaway

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Mojito

Hey folks, welcome to summer and another edition of the Mako Manifesto! I hope this blog finds you well and, preferably, on a beach somewhere with a mojito in one hand and a book in the other.

We can dream, can’t we? LOL

First off, I want to thank everyone who helped make the At Circle’s End launch a success — especially those who reviewed it on Amazon. To date, everyone seems to like the story a lot, and that’s a big deal for the last chapter in a series, no matter the medium. Letdowns are always possible — The Sopranos, anybody? — so I’m profoundly happy that everyone enjoyed The Renegades’ ending as much as I did.

I also can’t forget to thank ABW Voiceovers and everyone else who helped make the At Circle’s End audiobook a success. Andy Wehrlen always does a superb job on these, but he was especially on top of his game for this one. Really, really great stuff.

Next on the docket — Marshal: A Trip Hawkins Novel

I’ve already done some world-building for the next set of Mako books, one of which will follow the adventures of Danny and the Overlook crew, while another will feature a standalone story starring Link and Hamish (Think Butch and Sundance with a crap-ton of sarcasm).

Having said that — and please don’t kill me, Mako fans — but I’ve decided to table those for now in favor of something all new. It’ll be sci-fi, of course, but with a hard splash of alternate American history.

As a lot of you know, my reading tastes tend to fly all over the map, from urban fantasy to murder mysteries or thrillers to space opera. That said, next to sci-fi, one of my all-time favorite genres is still the American Western — specifically the Sackett series from Louis L’Amour. Those books are just a blast to read, and I’ve long since wondered what it would look like to take characters from that era — in this case a little earlier, e.g. New World, circa early-seventeenth century — and plug them into a modern-day science fiction setting.

Enter Trip Hawkins, a wrongfully disgraced U.S. Marshal from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

Naturally, this story will take place on another world, but it’ll still feature characters from our Earth, seeking an escape from everyday problems.

Sound familiar?

What can I say? As a writer, I’m a sucker for a sandbox that lets me play with wicked-cool spaceships and David Lee Roth references. Only in this case, it’s more like Waylon Jennings… but I digress.

As specified above, the book is tentatively titled Marshal: A Trip Hawkins Novel and I hope to have a somewhat finalized synopsis for you soon.

Goodreads giveaway

One other housekeeping note before I go. If you or anyone you know would like a signed copy of Mako, surf on over to www.goodreads.com. I’m running a four-week giveaway there through the month of June. You’ll need a Goodreads account to sign up, but from there, the process is pretty straight-forward.

Other ways to get a book signed:

Either works.

That’s gonna do it for this one, gang. Everybody take care, be safe if you’re traveling for Memorial Day, and see you back here for the next installment of the Manifesto!

Cheers,

IJM

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SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

Curtain falls on bar buddies in space with final book in ‘Mako Saga’

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ACE Promo Cover

— For immediate release.

DURHAM, N.C. – In 2013, science fiction fans welcomed the release of MAKO, the debut novel from author Ian J. Malone about five college friends, dubbed “The Renegades,” who become intergalactic war heroes by way of a videogame. The book met immediate success, rising to fourth on Kindle’s Military Science Fiction list, and eventually spawned a sequel, 2015’s RED SKY DAWNING.

Now, one year later, the curtain falls on sci-fi’s most beloved band of bar buddies in AT CIRCLE’S END, the third and final stanza of Malone’s MAKO SAGA.

Story Synopsis — (spoilers ahead for Red Sky Dawning)

In the months since his disappearance, Danny Tucker has retreated to the darkest corners of Alystierian space in search of intelligence on the empire’s new chancellor, Alec Masterson. Backed by a crew of outcasts and fighting from the shadows as the enigmatic Rogue centurion, Danny will stop at nothing to achieve his mission: absolute vengeance for Masterson’s now infamous “Return to Fear” demonstration.

Still, try as he might, Danny can’t remain underground, and with sightings of the Rogue growing more frequent, Lee Summerston won’t rest until the lost Renegade is found. Meanwhile, in the core, Aura stands on the brink of annihilation as imperial forces, aided by an ancient enemy, draw ever closer to her shores.

In the end, scores will be settled, and brothers will rise united… or they’ll all burn together.

“This is very much a story about loyalty,” said Malone, a native Floridian now living in Durham, North Carolina. “At their core, these books have always been about family. That’s why book two was so hard to write, because in a lot of ways it saw that spirit fractured. In this story, we see the family come back to each other, and that was a really cool ride to take.”

While THE MAKO SAGA is unquestionably sci-fi, evidenced by soaring starfighter battles and high-precision tech, fans of the series laud its use of other genre elements such as romance and political intrigue to tell its story. Even still, its success is and has always been irrevocably tied to its six main characters.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia in this one,” Malone said of the saga’s finale, “for the characters, the fans, and for me as a writer. This time we all got to go home.”

AT CIRCLE’S END is now available in ebook and paperback on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the iBookstore. The audiobook will arrive in early-summer on Audible and iTunes.

*************************************************************************

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

Curtain falls on bar buddies in space with final book in ‘Mako Saga’

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(BLOGGER’S NOTE: Here’s the press release that went out via my publisher, Sharkflight Publishing.)

— For immediate release. ACE Promo Cover

DURHAM, N.C. – In 2013, science fiction fans welcomed the release of MAKO, the debut novel from author Ian J. Malone about five college friends, dubbed “The Renegades,” who become intergalactic war heroes by way of a videogame. The book met immediate success, rising to fourth on Kindle’s Military Science Fiction list, and eventually spawned a sequel, 2015’s RED SKY DAWNING.

Now, one year later, the curtain falls on sci-fi’s most beloved band of bar buddies in AT CIRCLE’S END, the third and final stanza of Malone’s MAKO SAGA.

Story Synopsis — (spoilers ahead for Red Sky Dawning)

In the months since his disappearance, Danny Tucker has retreated to the darkest corners of Alystierian space in search of intelligence on the empire’s new chancellor, Alec Masterson. Backed by a crew of outcasts and fighting from the shadows as the enigmatic Rogue centurion, Danny will stop at nothing to achieve his mission: absolute vengeance for Masterson’s now infamous “Return to Fear” demonstration.

Still, try as he might, Danny can’t remain underground, and with sightings of the Rogue growing more frequent, Lee Summerston won’t rest until the lost Renegade is found. Meanwhile, in the core, Aura stands on the brink of annihilation as imperial forces, aided by an ancient enemy, draw ever closer to her shores.

In the end, scores will be settled, and brothers will rise united… or they’ll all burn together.

“This is very much a story about loyalty,” said Malone, a native Floridian now living in Durham, North Carolina. “At their core, these books have always been about family. That’s why book two was so hard to write, because in a lot of ways it saw that spirit fractured. In this story, we see the family come back to each other, and that was a really cool ride to take.”

While THE MAKO SAGA is unquestionably sci-fi, evidenced by soaring starfighter battles and high-precision tech, fans of the series laud its use of other genre elements such as romance and political intrigue to tell its story. Even still, its success is and has always been irrevocably tied to its six main characters.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia in this one,” Malone said of the saga’s finale, “for the characters, the fans, and for me as a writer. This time we all got to go home.”

AT CIRCLE’S END is now available in ebook and paperback on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the iBookstore. The audiobook will arrive in early-summer on Audible and iTunes.

*************************************************************************

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, REVIEW AN IJM BOOK TODAY!

Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

Please Note: Clicking “yes” on the “Did you find this review helpful?” line for other four and five-star reviews is also extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. It is much, much appreciated.

IJM invades podcast land with The Brotherhood of the Evil Geeks

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Had a blast talking Mako, Star Wars, comics, writing, and more with The Brotherhood of the Evil Geeks! Listen to the podcast here!

About the Geeks:

Sequestered in the dankest depths of the Evil Lair, the Brotherhood of Evil Geeks strive to bring you their honest opinions on the entertainment that we all love. Comics, video games, movies, TV shows, and geek culture in general are dissected, reviewed, then re-assembled by each Evil Geek with devious care and nefarious ingenuity.

New book to arrive early, IJM’s summer movie preview + more

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Greetings, people! Welcome back to the Manifesto!

My, oh, my is stuff going on. Let’s get to it.

At Circle’s End to arrive early

ACE Promo Cover

The third and final chapter of THE MAKO SAGA is officially in the can and ready to roll — early, in fact. My crew over at Streetlight Graphics did me a solid and got my files ready on the double. As such, I was able to bump up launch day from April 12 to April 8. That will coincide with a book blogger blitz I’ve got planned (try saying that one five times fast) and a Kindle promotion which I’ll get to in a minute.

Everything in the way of books drops April 8 on all sales channels. That’s the e-book and paperback on Amazon, as well as the e-book on various other platforms, including B&N, Kobo, and the iBookstore.

Haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet? Do so now!

Sadly, fans of the MAKO audiobooks will have to wait a bit longer for theirs. Andy Wherlen (my narrator/producer) is a busy man these days. Factor that in with the usual 60-90 day turnaround time for sound editing and production, and you can expect the AT CIRCLE’S END audiobook to arrive sometime by early-summer.

Amazon giveaway for Mako

Up until now, I’ve been running a promotion on my website whereby those who sign up for my mailing list get an e-copy of MAKO for free. Beginning on April 8, however, readers will be able to download it directly from Amazon — for five straight days. This is to help usher in the release of AT Circle’s End, and hopefully attract new fans to the series.

So what’s the takeaway here? If you know someone who’s been toying with the notion of giving the Renegades a shot, tell them here’s their chance to do it.

Evil Movie Review: The Summer of 2016

Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know the crew over at The Brotherhood of the Evil Geeks blog. Good people, those geeks (see my recent guest appearance on their Transmissions from the Evil Lair podcast).

In any event, I conned them into letting me spin up a guest post, in which I got to preview my Top 10 list for the Must-See movies of summer 2016.

Here are a few of the highlights:

On Batman v Superman — This is the film that, cinematically speaking, will either catapult DC into true rival status with Marvel or potentially cripple their brand to a point not even salvageable by the Batman franchise.

On Captain America: Civil War — Story: check. Top-level acting talent: check. Effects: check. Directors with a proven track-record of being able to weave it all together into the perfect tapestry of motion picture excellence: CHECK.

On Warcraft — This film is primed to be one of, if not the best big-budget fantasy film we’ve seen since Return of the King.

On Suicide Squad — If DC does intend to hedge their bets on Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad looks to be the perfect picture with which to do it.

You can check out the entire blog here.

Okay, guys, I gotta jet. I’ve still got tons of prep work to do for the launch, plus another guest blog to write for Bull Spec and at least two press releases.

Ah, the joys of being an author AND a publisher. LOL

Stay groovy, everybody. As always, you know I’m grateful for the support.

RUAH!!!

IJM

*************************************************************************

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Customer reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others are vital to the success of independently published works like those of Ian J. Malone. As such, if you enjoy his books, please consider leaving them a brief review on the retailer of your choice. (One or two sentences will do wonderfully.)

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Brown Bags & Books, Mako 3, illogicon wrap-up + more

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Hey guys, hope the holidays were great to you and yours, and 2016 finds you well.

Lots to get to in this one and not much time for blogging so let’s dive in.

Brown Bags & Books

In an effort to read more in 2016, I’m launching a new post series on social media called “Brown Bags & Books.” At least once a month, I’ll post up links to the books I’m reading during my lunch break at work (a favorite reading time of mine). Sometimes it’ll be sci-fi but not always. I’ve also been known to pick up a western from time to time, as well as a good urban fantasy, a crime drama, a suspense thriller… you get the idea. Any of this could make the list, so expect the unexpected.

FYI, I’m always up for recommendations so feel free to drop those in the comment section. If, on the other hand, you choose to critique one of the books I’ve read, that’s cool, too. I’d only ask that you keep it clean… HONEST, but clean.

Update on AT CIRCLE’S END

Last week was a big deal as I finally got the content notes back from my editor for AT CIRCLE’S END (the forthcoming final book in THE MAKO SAGA). Great news… it doesn’t suck!!!

I say that only partially in gest. I didn’t think it would be bad. However as the author and someone who is totally biased toward the characters, I wanted to see them have the best possible, and while I thought I’d achieved that, I couldn’t know for sure until someone else with a neutral/professional eye had taken a gander at it.

As it happens, my editor really liked the book. That’s enormous praise coming from her because like all good editors, she’s subtle as a sledgehammer when stuff’s wrong. Do I still have tons of work to do? Sure. That’s always the case coming off a beta draft. But I don’t have much in the way of re-writes, and that’s no small thing when it comes to hitting deadlines.

Now it’s on to my line edit, due Feb. 19. After that comes proofreading then it’s off to post-production formatting.

In all, I’m on target to have AT CIRCLE’S END on shelves by the end of spring. Stay tuned before then, however, as I’ve still got the cover reveal to do and the pre-order run.

A NOTE FOR MY EMAIL LISTERS: As always, you’ll totally get the hookup first. That’s how this works.

NOTE TO THOSE NOT ON MY EMAIL LIST: You might want to join my email list. Just sayin’. 😉

Illoigocn 2016 wrap-up

Without fail, I always have a blast at Raleigh’s annual illogicon, and this year’s edition was no different.

Among the panels I got to be involved in:

  • The Economics of Indie Publishing
  • The Sporting Geek
  • The History of Sci-Fi
  • Sci-Fi in modern TV
  • NSFW: Balancing the Writing Life and the Work Life for Success

I also got to moderate my first panel, “State of the Wars: A Chronological Discussion of Star Wars through the Decades.” We had a ball, too, picking apart every aspect of the franchise from the original trilogy to the Clone Wars to the Expanded Universe, and of course, The Force Awakens.  Good times and spoilers were had by all, and I can’t wait to do it again next year once Rogue One has hit theaters.

Big thanks to Gerty and the programming staff for having me, as well as all of my fellow panelists: Chris Kennedy, Margaret McGraw, Josh Leone, Gail Z Martin, Susan Griffith, and others. Hanging out in your sandbox was a treat, and I really appreciate the opportunity to do so.

Okay, gang. That’s gonna do it for now. Take care in the New Year, stay warm wherever you are, and please don’t forget to drop my books a review on Amazon if you haven’t already (MAKO, READ SKY DAWNING). In addition to sales, those really are vital to the success of indie works — mine included.

Until next time… RUAH and GO NOLES!!!

IJM

PS – I write this on the day after the world lost Glenn Frey, legendary sing/songwriter and co-founder of The Eagles. I, like millions of others, grew up on Frey’s music. Be it Hotel California from my dad’s old vinyl collection (which I still own) or his occasional stints on Miami Vice, Frey had a huge impact on my listening tastes as a kid and still does to this day.

“Take it easy,” my friend. You will be missed

BOOK SYNOPSIS: At Circle’s End (The Mako Saga: Book 3)

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In the months since his disappearance, Danny Tucker has retreated to the darkest corners of Alystierian space in search of intelligence on the empire’s new chancellor, Alec Masterson. Backed by a crew of outcasts and fighting from the shadows as the enigmatic Rogue centurion, Danny will stop at nothing to achieve his mission — absolute vengeance for Masterson’s now infamous “Return to Fear” demonstration.

Still, try as he might, Danny can’t remain underground, and with sightings of the Rogue growing more frequent, Lee Summerston won’t rest until the lost Renegade is found. Meanwhile back in the core, Aura stands on the brink of annihilation as imperial forces, aided by an ancient enemy, draw ever closer to her shores.

In the end, scores will be settled and brothers will rise united…or they’ll all burn together.

AT CIRCLE’S END is the soaring climax to Ian J. Malone’s epic space opera series, THE MAKO SAGA, and a heartfelt sendoff to scifi’s most beloved band of bar buddies turned intergalactic heroes of war.

New book update, character-naming contest, HonorCon, and more

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Hey guys, welcome to fall and another edition of the Mako Manifesto!

As you’ve no doubt guessed from my snazzy new website, I’ve had tons going on lately. I’m right, smack dab in the middle of wring the next MAKO book, I’ve got HonorCon coming up and, oh by the way, there’s that whole day job and family stuff to squeeze in as well. Like I said, busy, busy.

Nevertheless, it’s been a while since I’ve written one of these and I wanted to bring you up to speed on all of this and more, plus offer details on how you can win a chance to name a character in my next novel.

So, without further ado *claps hands like Mister Miyagi* let’s do this!

Work continues on MAKO 3

AT CIRCLE’S END, the direct sequel to RED SKY DAWNING and the final book in THE MAKO SAGA, is coming along nicely. I wrapped the first draft last month and am well underway with edits for draft two. This is the “flesh out” portion of my process. Whereas draft one is a rocket-ship of typing for the sole purpose of getting the story onto paper, draft two is where I go back in and flesh out the story which hadn’t yet crystalized on the first pass.

In total candor, I did try my hand at an outline for this one, but it just didn’t stick. I heard it said once that there are two types of writers: architects and gardeners. I guess I’m somewhere in between. I love the structure of an outline and the time it saves with editing. But when my brain takes off—writers, you know exactly what I’m talking about—I can’t not drop the reins and let the horse run. In my experience, those are the moments when the story and the characters come to life, and to handcuff that with an ironclad outline just feels wrong.

Full disclosure: That happened a lot in this book, particularly toward the end, and I think it made for some really special stuff that fans of this series will truly enjoy.

Right now, my plan is to have AT CIECLE’S END ready for submission to my editor by Christmas, which puts it on track for a Spring 2016 release.

Help me name a character!

Ever wanted to name a character in a book? Now’s your chance! All you have to do is sign up for the IJM mailing list via the form on this page and you’re in! The winner will be drawn on December 11 and notified via email, at which time he or she can name a hero or a villain in AT CIRCLE’S END.

Results will be announced on social media.

(If you’re already on my mailing list, you’re already in the drawing.)

Halloween at HonorCon

Lastly, for those of you running around the Triangle this Halloween, be sure to stop by the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown (3415 Wake Forest Road). See, there’s this guy named David Weber… he writes stuff… and that’s where he’ll be holding his second annual military science fiction convention. Activities start on Friday, Oct. 31, and run through Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1.

Jokes aside, I can’t tell you what a treat it is for me to be returning to this event. I had a ball there last year, and the staff was incredible to work with.

This year, I’ll be expanding my role at HonorCon by serving alongside my good friend and colleague, Chris Kennedy, as a panelist on the following sessions:

  • Genre Blending: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and More
  • Alien Worlds and Races
  • The Economics of Self-Publishing

Please Note: I’ll also have an Author Table set up on site, so feel free to stop in and say hello.

For more information on HonorCon, including program schedules, guest lists, registration information, and more, please visit the convention online at www.honorcon.org.

Okay gang, that’s gonna do it for now. As always, drop me a line via email if you have any questions. Also, please don’t forget to show your support for my series by posting a review for MAKO or RED SKY DAWNING. Those are always much appreciated.

Ruah, and see you at HonorCon!

IJM