Several years ago, I started work on a short sci-fi novel called They're Watching Over You. It began as a short story assignment for a creative writing class, but I kept working on it after that assignment was finished. My original concept was a re-telling of Milton's Paradise Lost, but as I started to plan it out, it took off in its own direction. It eventually developed into a war story about the rebellion against an all-powerful Big Brother-ish organization called ANGELS. I worked on it sporadically, but perhaps a year later I had a completed manuscript of some 60,000 words.

It then sat on my computer, untouched, for another year. Simply put, I didn't think it was any good, and given that I was busy with college and work, I didn't give it much more thought.

One day I was browsing Craigslist, and came across a call for submissions from a publisher called Malachite Quills. So, what the hell, I dusted off that old story and sent them a sample.

They accepted it, and said they wanted the full manuscript. I went through the whole editing process, and they were very easy to work with, even though it was all done online. Eventually it was listed on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com as an ebook. Somehow it still didn't really seem real.

A few weeks ago I got an email that they were planning to release a paperback edition of the book. It just recently went up on Amazon, and there's a copy on its way to me. NOW it seems real. I will soon have a physical copy of a book that I wrote, with my name on the cover.

They're Watching Over You

So, what's my point? Well, I have a few.

First and foremost: OH MY GOD MY BOOK IS OUT IN PAPERBACK!

Second: You never know who's going to accept that thing that you thought was garbage. I know I was anything but confident about They're Watching Over You, but here we are.

Third: Malachite Quills is a great publisher for new writers. This can be a brutal business, but these guys were always patient, polite, and helpful as I went through the whole process for the first time.

That's all from me for today. Stay classy.

-Eric

PS: The manuscript for War of House Wolf should be finished by the end of this month. I'll keep you posted!

Oh. Right. I have a blog.

Well, the big news right now is that I've finished the first draft of my fantasy novel, War of House Wolf. I'm now beginning the editing process. There's a good bit of expanding to be done, exploring other characters' points of view, etc. It's a bit over 75,000 words now, and I'm aiming for about 100,000 when all is said and done.

The other exciting thing is that I got my first ever paycheck for my writing. Hopefully there will be a whole lot more where that came from!

New Paltz has come back to life, now that college is back in session. I may have graduated, but a lot of my friends still go to school here, and it's great to have them all back.

In sadder news, Dimensions Project seems to have ground to a halt. More on that as it develops. If it does end up never being published, rights to the stories that I wrote will revert back to me, so you'll get to read them one way or another, never fear!

...

I've run out of books to read. Any suggestions?

Well, I guess I'll be heading off to bed now. Good night, world!

-Eric

With my first novel on the shelves, I was planning to try to crank out War of House Wolf, my (significantly longer) fantasy novel loosely based on New Paltz LARP. At a current word count of sixty-something thousand, I'm guessing that it's a bit over halfway done. However, that's going to have to be sidelined for now, because the gas pedal is being firmly pressed on Dimensions Project, and I am going to have a much bigger role in it than I initially thought. I signed on intending to write one or two of the stories; I now find myself responsible for four to six of them. That is in no way a complaint, mind you: more work is always welcome.

I can't say too much about the Dimensions Project (non-disclosure agreement, don'tchaknow), but it's a collection of sci-fi and fantasy short stories, each taking place in a different universe, that will all eventually tie together. Don't expect that to happen just yet, though: this is only the first of many such volumes. We're aiming to be published in time for New York Comic Con, which will be in October.

Stay classy, wherever-you-are.

-Eric

...And I am now officially published! They're Watching Over You is now available for the Kindle on amazon.com, and for the Nook on Barnes and Noble's website. 

 

Pretty, isn't it? Cover art by J.R. Quion, edited by Krissa Lagos, all made possible by Malachite Quills. 

If you're interested in owning a copy of your own, or at least seeing what it's all about, check out one of these links:

They're Watching Over You for the Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007QUPAKC

They're Watching Over You for the Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109867318?ean=2940014188555&itm=1&usri=they%27re+watching+over+you

If you like some good, action-packed sci-fi, or know anyone who does, spread the word!

-Eric Henn

PS: I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped me and supported me (you know who you are!). I would never have gotten this far without you.

Well, we were expecting They're Watching Over You to be out sometime in February, but we're running a little bit behind. I've just sent off the last of the edits for final approval, and my best guess is that the book will be available in early to mid March. More details as they occur!

-Eric

With the publication of my first full-length novel, They're Watching Over You, on the horizon, it seemed appropriate to have my own little corner of the internet where I can share my thoughts and keep my followers (do I have followers?) up to speed.

The story is set on Earth in the not-so-distant future. ANGELS, the Autonomous Neoelysian Group for the Enforcement of Laws and Statutes, had been manipulating human history from behind the scenes for millenia, but as of the start of this book they have stepped forward and assumed absolute control of the planet. The story follows Robert Lanzer, a member of the rebel group known as SATAN (Soldiers Against the Tyranny and Atrocities of Neoelysium), as he and the other soldiers fight back against this all-powerful foe.

The fine folks at Malachite Quills Publishing have been putting my manuscript through the wringer, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. It should be available as an e-book in about a month (subject to change).

In other news, I am one of a team of local writers working on an anthology of science fiction and fantasy short stories. Unfortunately, that is all I can say about it at the moment, but I promise you it's going to be very exciting. It's called the Dimensions Project, so look for it in bookstores and comic shops sometime in 2012!