Ian J. Malone

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

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IJM is worried about College Football

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Sitting at my desk, closing out the day with some sports-radio analysis of National Signing Day for college football. Remember when today meant something before the advent of the early signing period? I get why things have changed. But for me, it’s just one more nail in the coffin of the college football fan experience that I was raised with as a kid in the Deep South. Throw in all the turnover nowadays via the Transfer Portal, and I fear that CFB is becoming the NFL, which is to say, it’s a sport of mercenaries. There’s no loyalty to the colors or the community — or the program, in this instance. It’s all about “get me to the League or I’m out to someplace that will.”

 

I threw a party for the ages in 2002 when my Buccaneers went to the Super Bowl. This year, I’ll celebrate with frozen pizza and maybe some takeout wings because I honestly couldn’t be more indifferent about the outcome. If Tampa wins, great. If they don’t, whatever. Every one of those players still makes millions to play a game, and I’ll still be up at 4:30 am the next morning to work on my next novel. That’s not sour grapes. I just know my place on the ‘sports is a business’ totem pole.

 

In closing, I say all that to say this: I don’t want college football to become the NFL. I want to care about the program and university that I grew up with, the one that I gave four years of my life to between undergrad and grad school. I don’t want to be indifferent, and yet I’m afraid that’s exactly where this is headed.

 

Only time will tell, I suppose. In the meantime, there’s always college baseball.

 

GO NOLES!!!

Renegades reign supreme: ‘Mako’ tops bestseller charts on Amazon, Apple, and more

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Huge thanks to the folks over at Theogony Books and Chris Kennedy Publishing for landing a coveted BookBub scifi listing last weekend for my debut novel, MAKO. Our ad and supporting social media posts went viral, with the book itself taking Amazon bestseller status in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.

 

MAKO was also the #1 science fiction book on Apple, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble for much of Sunday.

 

And yes… we even beat Star Wars. 😉

 

 Grab your copy of MAKO today then be sure to check out books two and three in THE MAKO SAGA series as well as the Makoverse spinoff  novel, DETRON CITY VICE.

IJM is now on MeWe

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Much has been made lately about alternative social networks and their place on the net. I’m not here to litigate that topic. What I will say is that I’ve been having an absolute ball over on MeWe lately. For one, MW’s stance on user privacy and data collection is simply awesome. For another, the platform isn’t all politics, all the time like some others. It’s built on sharing common interests and growing community around topics we all love, which for me is everything from books and writing to college football and tailgate food.

 

Mostly, though, MeWe gives me the unicorn of all unicorns on my news feed — control. I can filter content by contact posts, group posts, page posts, or all the above. Better yet, there’s no algorithm to decide what I do or don’t see. It’s just all right there, how I want, when I want it. That’s unheard of anymore on terrestrial social media.

 

SIDE NOTE:  I also dig the nifty little profile feature that lets you tell followers what you’re eating, drinking, listening to, reading, and watching on TV at any given time. (Yeah, I’m a nerd. We established that a LONG time ago.)

 

FYI, I’m not planning to leave Facebook or Twitter anytime soon so don’t freak out. I will, however, be spending more time on MeWe moving forward because it’s frankly just more fun to be over there.

 

You can find my profile at https://mewe.com/i/ianmalone3 if you wanna connect. Otherwise, I’ll see you around the old FB and Twitter spheres. Or, well. You know. When they’ll allow you to see my content, that is. 😉

IJM chats ‘Detron City Vice,’ the craft of writing, and more with the Charlotte Readers Podcast

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Huge thanks to Landis Wade and his staff for having me on the show. It’s always a treat to talk the ins and outs of storytelling with a fellow writer.

 

NOTE: Landis was recently a guest on The Dudes in Hyperspace Podcast where he discussed his holiday-themed novel trilogy, the Christmas Courtroom, and whether or not Die Hard is an actual Christmas film (pretty sure we all know the answer to that by now). Click here to give a listen!

NEWS: IJM to collaborate with Chris Kennedy for new 4HU novel, ‘The Street Survivors’

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I am beyond thrilled to announce two very important things today.

  1. Seventh Seal Press has formally accepted my story pitch for the next installment in the Swamp Eagle Security mercenary series, which is set in the mega-bestselling Four Horsemen Universe (4HU).
  2. 4HU co-creator Chris Kennedy has signed as a collaborator to help pen the novel.

Aptly titled The Street Survivors, this new story will serve as the direct sequel to 2018’s Free Bird Rising while continuing the stories which are currently being told in the 4HU Guild Wars series.

The Street Survivors by Ian J. Malone and Chris Kennedy is slated for worldwide release in 2021.

Stay tuned to the IJM newsletter and News Desk as more details unfold.

IJM interviews NASCAR driver Corey Lajoie on The Dudes in Hyperspace Podcast

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Hey gang. Happy Friday!!! I know this isn’t writing related, but you know I’m a racing nut so naturally I had to share. 😉

NASCAR driver Corey Lajoie stopped by The Dudes in Hyperspace Podcast this week to discuss his career in racing and the trials of being a small-budget team competing against stock car titans like Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, and Joe Gibbs. Corey also weighs in on Kevin Harvick’s playoff collapse at Martinsville, his preferences for beer, burgers, and music at a grill-out, and casts his vote won who’d win a fight between Batman and Iron Man in The Two-Minute Drill.

We close the interview with a discussion of Corey’s favorite charity, Samaritan’s Feet, and the physical toll of driving a 500-mile race in 140-degree-heat on a driver.

Other Topics Discussed on this Episode

  • The Mandalorian premiere and Season 2 outlook
  • Florida/Georgia and Clemson/Notre Dame CFB predictions
  • Is Tampa the favorite in the NFC?
  • Favorite Sean Connery movies
  • Best Cold -Weather Beers during Fall
  • Should NASCAR’s playoff system be tweaked… again?

Where to find the show:

To learn more about Corey and his partners, visit https://coreylajoieracing.com/

To learn more about Samaritan’s Feet and their mission to provide shoes to kids and families around the world, visit https://www.samaritansfeet.org/

Have a great weekend, y’all!!!

Ian

PS – If you’re wondering which driver is getting my support in Sunday’s NASCAR title fight now that Harvick is out, stay tuned to social media.

IJM unveils ‘Detron City Vice’ patches, donates royalties to C.O.P.S.

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Hey everybody! I’m thrilled to announce that the agency patches for my new novel, Detron City Vice, are now available via the IJM patch store! Moreover, I’m donating 100% of my author royalties from these items to the Concerns Of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), a national non-profit organization serving the families and colleagues of America’s fallen law enforcement officers.

This is an amazing group, y’all. I kid you not. As someone who served four years in law enforcement as a civilian during the early 2000s, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible work these folks do, and just how much it’s desperately needed.

Click here to buy your Detron City Vice patch today and show your support for C.O.P.S!!!

All IJM patches are sold in sew-on or hook-and-loop (Velcro) styles for $9-10 and are stitched by Rob and Laura Marshall of Creative Gems GA.

About Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)

Each year, between 140 and 160 officers are killed in the line of duty and their families and co-workers are left to cope with the tragic loss.  C.O.P.S. provides resources to help them rebuild their shattered lives.  There is no membership fee to join C.O.P.S., for the price paid is already too high.

C.O.P.S. was organized in 1984 with 110 individual members.  Today, C.O.P.S. membership is over 54,000 survivors.  Survivors include spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and co-workers of officers who have died in the line of duty according to Federal government criteria.  C.O.P.S. is governed by a national board of law enforcement survivors.  All programs and services are administered by the National Office in Camdenton, Missouri.  C.O.P.S. has over 50 chapters nationwide that work with survivors at the grass-roots level.

C.O.P.S. programs for survivors include the National Police Survivors’ Conference held each May during National Police Week, scholarships, peer-support at the national, state, and local levels, “C.O.P.S. Kids” counseling reimbursement program, the “C.O.P.S. Kids” Summer Camp, “C.O.P.S. Teens” Outward Bound Adventure for young adults, special retreats for spouses, parents, siblings, adult children, extended family, and co-workers, trial and parole support, and other assistance programs.

C.O.P.S. knows that a survivor’s level of distress is directly affected by the agency’s response to the tragedy.  C.O.P.S., therefore, offers training and assistance to law enforcement agencies nationwide on how to respond to the tragic loss of a member of the law enforcement profession.  C.O.P.S. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  C.O.P.S. programs and services are funded by grants and donations.

To learn more about C.O.P.S. and its mission, visit the group’s official website at https://www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org/.

NEW RELEASE: Detron City Vice is here!

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Today’s the day! My new novel, Detron City Vice, the next installment in the Makoverse is now for sale on Amazon! Click the link below to grab yours today and please take a moment to leave it a review if you enjoy the story. I know I beat that drum a lot but believe me. It’s important. Even two or three sentences with five stars make all the difference for small press titles like mine.

https://www.amazon.com/Detron-City-Vice-Universe-Novel-ebook/dp/B08J6K3HBT/

NOTE: Detron City Vice is a standalone novel meant to serve as book one of an entirely new series set in the Mako Universe, or “Makoverse.” If you haven’t read the other Saga books then you’re still fine to follow this story.

Story Synopsis:

Do you belong to the City?

The age of human division should’ve ended five years ago when the decades-old war between the Auran Alliance and the Alystierian Empire drew to a close. Turns out, things change.

When the League of Independent Worlds, aka “the Bog,” announced its secession from the Prime Territories, debate raged across the galaxy. For some, the move was an affront to the peace for which so many had paid the price. To others, it represented a clean break from years of superpower neglect and a fresh start on a new frontier where a being’s destiny could be its own.

Fast-forward to present day and one truth remains: “Folks in the Bog make frok-tons of money.”

Nowhere is this more evident than in the bustling streets of Detron City, a place where thrills are chased by thousands, deals are made to impact millions, and where temptations lie in wait beneath the neon glow and lavish excesses of the city’s nightlife for anyone seeking an escape.

It’s also a place where people vanish.

Danny Tucker is a retired Auran staff sergeant and an ex-cop from Miami living in Detron City. He just got a call. A friend’s son has gone missing.

IJM unveils “Detron City Vice” soundtrack playlist

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“Detron City’s eastside housed an entirely different class of clientele from the everyday starport crowd. Those were the patrons who arrived on yachts and high-end starliners, most of them looking to close the kinds of deals that impacted millions or blow off steam in the neon wonders, thumping beats, and illicit thrills of Detron’s Dreamland District.”

DETRON CITY VICE arrives Sept. 18, 2020 to a Kindle or bookshelf near you. In the meantime, grab a taste of the music that inspired this bold new re-imagining of the Makoverse by downloading the Detron City Vice Soundtrack playlist. It’s FREE, only on Spotify!

Mako: The Motion Picture 2020

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Hey folks. In the spirit of The Mako Saga’s release through Theogony Books, and given that we’re now less than a month from the Detron City vice launch on Sept. 18, I thought it might be fun to dig back into the IJM News Desk archives and dust off an old favorite for updating.

Welcome to Mako: The Motion Picture 2.0!

Lots of people have asked me over the years who I’d task to shepherd a Mako film onto the screen, and the actors I’d love to see as part of that project. Well, I’ve given it some thought and here goes.

The following is my dream list for a Mako cast and crew. Let the games begin! 😊

AUTHOR’S NOTE: If you want to know what a Mako film would sound like, be sure to check out the Mako: The Soundtrack playlist on Spotify (free to listen after you download the app).

Director: Jon Favreau

So, has anyone reading this post NOT seen Iron Man or The Mandalorian?

If there were ever a director to nail a Mako movie, it’s Favreau. He just gets it. Beyond the fact that everyone’s favorite Swinger makes an awesome action piece, he’s also extremely adept at showcasing the unique charms and nuances of an ensemble cast. That’s a necessity in a Mako film.

Screenplay Writer: Dave Filoni

Those who listen to The Dudes in Hyperspace Podcast know how much respect I have for Dave Filoni. Put simply, the man is almost singlehandedly responsible for everything that is great about Star Wars in the post-prequel era. Star Wars: The Clone Wars? That’s a Filoni creation. Same with Star Wars: Rebels and several of the marquis episodes from The Mandalorian.

The bottom line for me is this: Filoni knows how to tell groundbreaking stories in the sci-fi/space opera genre with genuine weight and a real emphasis on characters relationships. Couple this with his connection to Favreau from their time together on The Mandalorian, and he’d make a phenomenal scribe for a Mako film.

CAST

(Actor’s real ages as of 2020 were not a factor in this post.)

Lee Summerston: Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) — I’ll admit it. I’m a total mark for Dean Winchester. Having conceded that, Ackles is the perfect choice for Lee. He looks the part, he knows his way around a sidearm in an action sequence, and he’s a Texan, which gives him the requisite “country boy swagger” one needs to stick the role. He also plays “conflicted” better than many give him credit — an important trait given the amount of time Lee spends in his own head.

Danny Tucker: Justin Hartley (This is Us) —I know Hartley from way back in the early-2000s for his work as the original Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on Smallville, and it’s that role that lands him the part of Danny Tucker in a Mako film. For starters, he’s got the look (blond, tan, lean build, good smile), though he also plays “strung out on the ragged edge” better than most. Couple that with his skills as a martial artist in an action sequence and Hartley’s my guy for Danny.

Evelyn “Mac” McKinsey: Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) — In my initial post, I casted Rosario Dawson for the role of Mac, mostly for her work on Clerks 2. For the record, I still think she’d rock the part. Now, however, many years and many new Makoverse characters later, I need our favorite Night Nurse for a different role (more on that later).

This takes me back to the drawing board to the very actress who I modeled this character after to begin with — Elizabeth Banks, specifically the character she played in the Vince Papale biopic, Invincible.

Hint: Banks’s character in Invincible was a smartass, sports-loving bartender from New York with a take-no-prisoner’s attitude toward her customers and a love for running with the boys. Sound familiar?

Hamish Lunley: (Unknown Actor) — Honestly, I’ve racked my brain for years on this one, but to no avail. The truth is, Mako: The Motion Picture would require an actor every bit as unique as the Hamish character himself, and there’s just no one I know of in Hollywood right now who could fit that bill. So, I say we cast an unknown (from the theater ranks, perhaps?) and roll on.

Link Baxter: Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) — I challenge anybody to name one actor in the movie business, past or present, who plays “hot-headed, punk-ass good guy” better than Jesse Pinkman. Seriously, I’ll wait.

*taps toe while listening to the Jeopardy theme*

No one else would even read for this part if I could get Aaron Paul, period.

Dr. Madisyn Reynolds: Rachel McAdams (True Detective, Wedding Crashers) — McAdams has shown a lot of depth in her career, and as any Makoverse reader will attest, that’s key for playing Madisyn, a character who evolves quite a bit from book to book.

BONUS: McAdams looks great as a redhead.

Dr. Katie Summerston: Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) — Any chance to put Starbuck back in space is fine by me. However, my love of Ron Moore’s BSG reboot notwithstanding, Sackhoff would make an excellent Katie. She’s sassy and quick-witted, but she’s also a very cerebral actress who conveys a lot of confidence on-screen.

Katie is funny and charming, sure, but she’s also more than capable of taking command in a crisis when needed. Sackhoff does all of that and then some.

Chief Engineer Kris Wyatt: Connor Trinneer (Star Trek: Enterprise) — Mild-mannered gentleman with humble origins and the engineering IQ of a savant… Trip Tucker, maybe?

Trinneer would nail Kris Wyatt. Furthermore, it’d be nice to see him in more than a bit role outside of Enterprise.

ASC Fleet Admiral Markus Katahl: Dennis Haysbert (Major League) — Long before Haysbert was the spokesperson for All State, he was (and still is) a decorated actor. His portrayal of Jonas Blane in CBS’s The Unit was out-of-this-world good. Combine that with his physical stature and presence on-screen, and Haysbert would make a phenomenal Katahl.

Alystierian Commandant Alec Masterson: Ian McShane (Deadwood) — McShane is a world-class actor, no matter the medium. It was his portrayal of Al Swearengen, the sleazebag bar owner with the silver tongue in HBO’s Deadwood, however, that earns him the role of Mako’s top villain. Alec Masterson must ooze evil through every pore of his character, from the manner in which he carries himself physically to the way in which he annunciates his speech.

Simply put, Masterson should crawl up your skin like a disease. McShane would deliver that in spades.

Alystierian Chancellor Lucius Zier: Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Thor) — Do I seriously need to explain this one? He’s Anthony freaking Hopkins, y’all. Nobody does “noble patriarch” better.

Sgt. Major Keith Noll: David Ramsey (Arrow) — ‘John Diggle’ would kill as the hard-nosed, battle-hardened drill instructor for the Renegades.

Dr. Jon Reiser: Michael Shanks (Stargate: SG1) — In addition to the obvious fact that both characters are brilliant scientists who wear glasses, Jon Reiser and Daniel Jackson (Shanks’s SG1 character) have a lot in common, from their academic demeanor to their ability to drop a line on a dime.

Sgt. Nathan Briggs: Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order, Doctor Strange) — Bratt is a rangy actor who’s been in this business for a long time. Most know him as Detective Rey Curtis from Law & Order. However, it’s his role as ex-junkie-turned rehab superhero William Banks from A&E’s The Cleaner that lands him the Briggs role. That show ended long before its time.

Other notable cast members:

Les Reegan: A young Lou Diamond Phillips (Henry Standing Bear from Netflix’s Longmire)

Obadiah “Doc” Khard: Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth from Justice League)

Wade Shotzel: Michael Cudlitz (Abraham from The Walking Dead)

Remy Tanaka: Osric Chau (Kevin Tran from Supernatural)

Xayna Lorne: Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano from The Mandalorian)

Auran President Rick Wylon: Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy)

ASC Capt. Vince Ryan: Joe Flanigan (Col. John Shepherd from Stargate Atlantis)

Shannon “Layla” Baxter: Michelle Rodriguez (Letty from Fast and Furious)

Kendu-Tephala Rikanun: Jason Momoa (Aquaman)

Spiggy (voice): Sam Witwer (Darth Maul from Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

That’s gonna do it for now, gang. Take care, stay safe, and drop me a line on social media if you think somebody else deserves a shot at one of these roles.

Cheers,

IJM