Ian J. Malone

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

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“Mako: Genesis” is here!!!

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For those craving something new from the Makoverse, today is your day!

As previously announced, Mako: Genesis (the short story prequel to Mako, starring everyone’s favorite loud-mouthed Tuskan pilot, Link Baxter) is now available for download. Here’s the catch, though: it’s not for sale on Amazon.

The only way to get this story is to sign up for my email list, which you can do here if you haven’t already.

Oh, and did I mention that Mako: Genesis is totally FREE?

Story Synopsis:

Link Baxter defied orders on Mako Assault’s nineteenth environment to save Markus Katahl. Neither he, nor the others could’ve ever known what that started.

Witness the moment when the Renegades first came to Jon Reiser’s attention in “Mako: Genesis,” the action-packed short story available only to members of the Ian J. Malone email list.

The Genesis of Genesis

I’ve been meaning for some time to:

  1. Pen something new for the Renegades, and;
  2. Pen something exclusive for my email listers as a way of saying “thank you” for supporting my work.

It’s no secret that I’ve been undergoing something of a rebranding of late with my books, and frankly this just felt like the right time to roll this project out.

Mako: Genesis also gave me the chance to “put right what once went wrong” with one of The Big Five: Link (That’s Quantum Leap humor… Kids, ask your parents).

In going back over Mako for the second edition, it occurred to me that everyone got a proper backstory except for Link. He’s small. He’s brash. He’s a lawyer who hates his job, and blows off steam at night by flying starbombers into hot zones and shooting bad guys from extreme distances in a videogame. Beyond that, not much else is known about him in the beginning.

Genesis gave me the chance to flesh Link out a bit in those early days — who he was, why he hated his life, and what inevitably put him on that plane to San Diego with the others. You’ll even find out what drew him to sniper school as an MOS in the game, as well as later when… well, just later (keeping it spoiler-free here).

It goes without saying that all five of the Renegades changed a lot over the course of three books. However, in some respects, I think you can say that’s truer for Link than anyone. Read this story then think about where he’s at in life when the final page turns for At Circle’s End. Think about who he’s become, what his priorities are, and what it is in life that truly makes him happy.

Link came a long way, man. Read Mako: Genesis and you’ll know what I mean.

More short stories to come

FYI, this will not be the only one of these that I write. As mentioned on social media, I’ve got Colonies Lost on deck in the coming months, and I plan to write a prequel short for that one as well (titled Nightfall). Since you’re already subscribed to this list, you’ll have that (in addition to Genesis) as soon as it hits.

Again, these short stories are not available for sale to the public. They’re solely my way of saying thanks for following my work, and continuing to put up with my emails. LOL

Hope you enjoy Mako: Genesis and drop me a line anytime if you’ve got questions.

Cheers,

Ian

PS – Big thanks to my pals at Streetlight Graphics for helping me retool the original Mako cover for a new generation. I’ve always loved that cover, and am glad to see it sticking around.

Calling all beta readers!!!

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Yo, gang! I’m working on a new Mako short story which will be a freeie for my email list subscribers. I need some beta readers to help me polish it out. Should be done in the next day or so.
 
Shoot me a message via the contact page if you’re interested.
 
Story Synopsis:
 
Link Baxter defied orders on Mako Assault’s nineteenth environment to save Markus Katahl. Neither he, nor the others could’ve ever known what that started.
 
Witness the moment when the Renegades first came to Jon Reiser’s attention in “Mako: Genesis,” the action-packed short story available only to members of the Ian J. Malone email list.

‘A Family Tradition’ is live on Amazon

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Hey y’all, it’s finally here! For a Few Credits More is officially live on Amazon! Click here to score your copy in ebook or paperback!

For those unaware, this marks the second in a series of anthologies set in the bestselling military science fiction world known as the Four Horsemen Universe (4HU).

My entry, A Family Tradition, tells the story of a young man in Jacksonville, FL who is left to pick up the pieces when his older brother (a mercenary and local hero) passes away in a tragic starship accident at the pentacle of his success. It’s a tale of legacy and loss, though ultimately it’s the story of a family pulling together in search of better days — days that may well be at hand with a stranger’s proposition that could change everything.

I hope you enjoy A Family Tradition, as well as all the other fantastic works in this anthology. I can tell you that we as the authors are extremely proud of them.

Cheers, y’all. Have a fantastic Friday and I’ll catch up with you later.

Ian

PS – Favor to ask: Hit me up via email and or social media once you’ve read the story. I’d love to hear what you thought of it.

About the 4HU

The 4HU is a brilliant new military science fiction canvas from the minds of Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey, both Amazon bestsellers in the genre.

Here’s a quick blurb from the publisher (Seventh Seal Press):

It’s the Twenty-Second Century. The galaxy has opened up to humanity as a hyperactive beehive of stargates and new technologies, and we suddenly find ourselves in a vast playground of different races, environments, and cultures. There’s just one catch: we are pretty much at the bottom of the food chain.

Enter the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates Humans from the majority of the other races. Enter a galaxy not only of mercenaries, but also of Peacemakers, bounty hunters, and even a strung-out junkie in the way of a hired assassin.

To date, the 4HU has seven books for sale on Amazon.

IJM’s take on ‘The Defenders’

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Hey, y’all.

So, finally got off my duff and watched Netflix’s THE DEFENDERS. Eh… not bad. I give it a solid B.

Daredevil is still hands-down the best thing about this universe, followed closely by Luke Cage.

I now find Jessica Jones to be less obnoxious than before, though not nearly enough to warrant a second pass at her standalone series.

Iron Fist, on the other hand (aka The Dollar Tree version of Oliver Queen), annoyed the crap out of me from the moment he hit the screen… pass!

BRING ON THE PUNISHER!!!

Cheers,

IJM

IJM sites down with ‘The Write Stuff’ Blog

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Got to talk scifi, writing, Mako, and more with Raymond Bolton of The Write Stuff blog. You can find the full interview here!

About the blogger:

Raymond Bolton lives near Portland, Oregon with his wife, Toni, and their three cats, Georgie, Sophia & Courtney. Reviewers have been generous with praise, offering such comments as, “Eschewing the more commonly overt manifestations of alien technology and the well toted elements of fanciful magic, Bolton breathes originality into the genre with his singular focus on telepathy.”

Debating tailgate menus and predicting Bristol

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Hmmm. I can’t decide what I want to cook for Bristol tomorrow night. Really been craving some wings lately, but it’s somewhat of a chore to pull out, cook with, then tear down and clean my smoker to make that happen.

Aug 22, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) leads Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) during the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

On the other hand, there’s always my fallback option: Bratwurst parboiled in beer with sweated onion and garlic then grilled over low heat and served in a hearty baguette with spicy mustard and veggies steamed in a beer bath.

*drums fingers*

I can’t even lie, man. The brat sounds pretty darn good. That should tell you something about my wings that this is even a contest. Alas, such is the plight of a lone race fan in Raleigh-Durham.

Race Predictions 

Bristol is, without a doubt, one of my favorite tracks on the NASCAR schedule. It’s just a fun watch, mostly because it’s one of the few venues left where we still get quality, door-to-door racing (when they haven’t ruined the track surface, anyhow).

So, who takes the checkers tomorrow night in Thunder Valley?

*drums fingers again*

As much I’d love to see my boy, Harv, take the win in the 4, it’s tough to bet against the 18 at Bristol. “He Who Shall Not Be Named” is always good there, plus that entire team has been hotter than a firecracker of late.

Other drivers to watch out for tomorrow:

  • Martin Truex (dominant this year)
  • Kyle Larson (speaking of firecrackers)
  • Matt Kenseth (my dark horse is auditioning for rides next year)

Happy Friday, y’all. Have a great weekend and best of luck to your respective drivers tomorrow… unless, of course, that’s Kyle, in which case I hope your night sucks.

RUAH!!!

IJM

IJM 2017 ConGregate Appearance Schedule

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Hey folks. ConGregate weekend is almost upon us! See below for my panel schedule, and see y’all in High Point!

Friday, July 14

3:00pm — Full-time Creative Work on a Part-time Schedule (ET)

  • Samantha Dunaway Bryant
  • Glenda Finkelstein
  • Chris Kennedy
  • Ian J. Malone
  • Michael D. Pederson

4:00pm — Star Trek: The Next Generation – 30 Years Later (AP)

  • JT “The Enginerd”
  • Barbara deBary-Kesner
  • Ian J. Malone
  • Gary Mitchel
  • Chris Shrewsbury

5:00pm — Signing Table: Ian J. Malone and William C. Tracy

6:00pm — Supernatural: The Legend, Lore, Myth and Magic of Monsters (ET)

  • Gail Z. Martin
  • Stuart Jaffe
  • Ian J. Malone

Saturday, July 15

10:00am — Signing Table: Simon Hawke and Ian J. Malone

12:30pm — Supernatural – Tethering to the Real World (ET)

  • Gail Z. Martin
  • Stuart Jaffe
  • Ian J. Malone
  • Nancy Knight

3:30pm — The Stages of a Writer’s Experience (ET)

  • Ian J. Malone
  • Paula S. Jordan
  • Gail Z. Martin
  • William C. Tracy
  • Timothy Zahn

8:00pm — Writing Believable Military Science Fiction – or “How to Not Suck at Mil SciFi” (ET)

  • Chris Kennedy
  • Ian J. Malone
  • Alan Pollack
  • Toni Weisskopf
  • Richard C. White

Sunday, July 16

1:00pm — Logistics of Distribution (ET)

  • Roger Carden
  • Chris Kennedy
  • Ian J. Malone

Project update, anthology story coming in September

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Hey y’all. It’s been a few weeks since my big announcement about the Colonies Lost publishing deal. So, thought I’d stick my head out for a quick update about my plans moving forward.

As mentioned in my last blog, the delay of Colonies Lost means I’ve now got time to devote to other projects that I might not have gotten to otherwise (this year, anyway).

Here’s a quick rundown of what those are, after which I’ll give details:

  • For A Few Credits More anthology short story
  • Mako second edition, trilogy relaunch
  • New Mako novel (untitled)
  • New Mako short story (untitled)
  • Nightfall: A Roanoke Short Story (Colonies Lost prequel)
  • Colonies Lost launch

So yeah… I’m busy.

For A Few Credits More anthology short story

As previously announced, I was invited to write a short story for the forthcoming second anthology set in the Four Horsemen universe (FHU).

I now have a tentative release date for that — September 15, 2017.

For those not familiar with the series, the FHU is a brilliant new Military Science Fiction canvas from the minds of Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey, both Amazon bestsellers in the genre.

Here’s a quick blurb from the publisher (Seventh Seal Press):

It’s the Twenty-Second Century. The galaxy has opened up to humanity as a hyperactive beehive of stargates and new technologies, and we suddenly find ourselves in a vast playground of different races, environments, and cultures. There’s just one catch: we are pretty much at the bottom of the food chain.

Enter the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates Humans from the majority of the other races. Enter a galaxy not only of mercenaries, but also of Peacemakers, bounty hunters, and even a strung-out junkie in the way of a hired assassin.

To date, the FHU has two books set in its space: Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Wandrey and Asbaran Solutions from Kennedy. The next book — A Fistful of Credits (anthology) — will arrive June 30, and be followed by four more books by year’s end.

  • Winged Hussars (novel) by Mark Wandrey
  • The Golden Horde (novel) by Chris Kennedy
  • For A Few Credits More (anthology) by various authors including yours truly
  • Peacemaker (novel) by Kevin Ikenberry

So, what does an IJM short story look like in the FHU?

I don’t want to say too much because there’s something of a thematic element here that likeminded fans of Southern rock will quickly detect.

*cough* FREEBIRD!!! *cough*

Alas, I’d be a jerk if I didn’t at least throw you a bone or two. So, here goes:

  • Set in Florida: The story is set in my home state, specifically in the city of Jacksonville. (Fun Fact: Jacksonville, FL is the largest city in the United States by land mass.)
  • Florida has changed… a lot: The Sunshine State is a very, very different place in the 22nd century. Case in point: it’s not even called “Florida” anymore.
  • Jacksonville = Merc Capital of the Deep South: For a bevy or reasons, mostly economic, Jax has risen to prominence as one of the biggest centers for mercenary operations on Earth. It’s also home to the largest hub, or “starport” as they’re known in the FHU, south of Houston, Texas.
  • The Cult of Apple is No More: Anyone who follows me on social media knows the love/hate relationship I have with Apple products. I guess I was feeling rather spiteful the day I wrote this, because the fruit giant is officially sliced in the FHU. Sorry, oh ye followers of Jobs. Your cult is dead. I freakin’ killed it. (I love fiction writing.)

Again, my story along with all the others in For A Few Credits More will arrive this September. On behalf of everyone who contributed, we hope you enjoy them.

Mako 2.0

As many know, the original Mako novel went through quite a few incarnations before finally going to print, and even then it took some tweaking afterward. I’ve since gone on to finish the trilogy, an experience I’d like to believe has made me a better writer. As such, the time has finally come to upgrade that initial book so it falls in line with the others in terms of story and style quality.

Enter Mako: Second Edition.

Just so we’re clear, nothing will change in this version of Mako. It’ll simply be a cleaner, more polished read on par with its counterparts. I will, however, take the opportunity to “trim some of the story fat” in an effort to pick up the pace a bit.

An example of this might involve the game, Mako Assault. It’s an intragap part of the story in the early going, though that ceases to be the case as the main arc progresses. By trimming some of those details, it tightens the narrative, increases tempo, and keeps the focus of the story where it truly belongs — on the characters today.

Relaunching the Saga

In addition to craft, I’ve also learned a lot about cover design in the last few years — specifically the need for series uniformity.

I was extremely fortunate when I released Mako to have a dear friend who specialized in graphic design. He built an amazing cover, no doubt about it. As the series progressed, however, he was no longer available, meaning I had to hire another artist. Thus, in turn, created a break in design style which is why the covers for Red Sky Dawning and At Circle’s End look so drastically different for that of Mako.

It’s time to correct that.

In the coming months, I’ll roll out brand-new covers for all three saga books, starting first with that of Mako 2.0. The process will then conclude with the cover reveal for…

A new novel set in the Makoverse

I told you after At Circle’s End that I wasn’t done with these characters, and I meant it. In fact, I’ve got stories in mind for each of The Big Five (Lee and Mac, Danny, Link and Hamish). Some of these will be standalone stories. Others may lead to new series on their own. We’ll just have to wait and see.

The first of these “spinoff” books will center on Danny Tucker and his crew from Overlook. Think of them as the A-Team of that universe— or at least, that’s what they’re working toward.

The novel itself should be short (70,000 words or so) and packed with action. It’ll also find Danny in a very different place than he was in At Circle’s End — a happier place. He’ll need that, too, for what’s coming in the days ahead.

As was the case with the other books in this universe, I will indie publish to retain full control over the story, its themes, and its cover. Because of this, there shouldn’t be much of a lag once the manuscript is finished. That means I can get it onto shelves quickly.

Expect the Danny Tucker book in early-2018.

Full Disclosure: I already know the title but don’t want to give it away until I have the cover. Believe me, die-hard fans of this series will understand why when they see it.

A Mako short story

Quick note here: I’ll also be penning a brief Mako short story for distribution to my email list. Not sure what this will look like yet, but expect something light and fun to the tune of 3,000-5,000 words.

Nightfall: A Roanoke Short Story

Like the Mako short story, this will be another 3K-word quick-hitter for my email listers. Unlike the former, though (likely a fun, wisecracking standalone story), Nightfall will serve as a direct prequel to the vents of my novel Colonies Lost (tentative title now), due out next year from Red Adept Publishing.

I already have the cover for Nightfall, so look for a reveal sometime in the coming months. The story itself will drop in early-2018.

Colonies Lost release

Finally, if I play my cards right, everything I’ve laid out above will serve to ramp up momentum for the launch of Colonies Lost. I won’t expound on that story here, as I’ve already done so in earlier blogs. Just know that I’m still every bit as jacked for its release as I was then, perhaps even more so now that I’ve got a partner in Red Adept to help me make this story all that it can be.

Whew…

Okay, gang. That’s it for now. As you can plainly see, I’ve got tons to do in the days, weeks, and months ahead, so let me get to it.

Take care, stay cool this summer, and thanks as always for supporting my work.

Cheers,

IJM

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