SUMMER IS WINDING DOWN BUT BOOK 4 IS ON THE WAY!

Here we are…

Summer will be winding down soon. I say that, but I live in Tampa, Florida, where summer never really ends. We just go through various degrees of hot depending on the season. This is the time of year when I start really wishing things would cool off, but then I have to remind myself that it doesn't happen until late December here in Tampa.

Anyway, you are here for writing information, not a weather report…

I’m finishing up the first edit of Book 4 in the Humanity Shattered Series. This story picks up a month or so after the events of DEMETER-9. I am pretty sure I have landed on the Title of COLD HARBOR. So far, the titles in this series have been destinations relating to the story. Well, that is true here as well.

After I finish this edit, I'll send it out to Advanced Readers for feedback. Advanced Readers, you'll hear from me soon! I just have a little more cleaning up to do before I would even attempt to show it to someone.

I’m pretty proud of this story. I’m really curious to see how it lands. It's a bit of a turning point in the overall story of Humanity Shattered. The story really gets its genesis from a friend of mine I was talking to about DEMETER-9. He mentioned the team needed a win. At the time, all I could think was, “Well, they are alive, aren't they? Isn't that a win?” But it got me thinking. How would the team get a win in a continually collapsing, war-torn galaxy with an extinction-level virus running amok that was most likely a tool of war? It created an interesting problem to solve, and solve it I must!

Keep in mind this story is a win for the team, as much as that can happen. Obviously, there are more reveals, more danger, and more mutations. It’s also a honker of a story for me. I think I mentioned the initial draft came in at around 99K words. Well, after the first round of editing, I am still over 97K. I expect that to drop a bit, but I imagine it will be over 90K by the time it releases. Just for reference, DEAD STATION was at 60K, and both TRESSELL 113 and DEMETER-9 were in the 70-75K range. So yeah, it's a bit juicy.

I am already working through concepts for the next installment of the overall story… Yeah, book 5. I know how I want it set and what happens; now I just have to write it. I get like this when I get to the editing phase. I start daydreaming about the next project. Shiny Objects!

So, I need some help choosing the cover for COLD HARBOR. I wanted to take a little poll and get your opinion. Just a simple vote: which one do you like the best out of the concepts laid out below? I have labeled them covers 1-5. If you don’t mind, reply to this email and let me know by simply saying “I like “ and the number. Thank you for your help with this.

Shamon

P.S. The image is from a recent trip to BANFF. If you have not been, I recommend it. The whole area is stunning. We did a lot of hiking and exploring, and it did not disappoint. Even with the constant threat of wildfires.