H. Paul Honsinger's Blog, page 4

Jason Kirk, Editorial Lead with 47North, publishers of the Man of War Trilogy, announced today (7 April 2015) that 47North has advanced the publication date of Brothers in Valor from 7 July 2015 to 30 June 2015.  I know that it’s only a week, but–as we say in the South–we takes what we can gets.

This may be good news to some of you.

Deadly Nightshade, a 37,000 word novella about the 16 year old Ensign Max Robichaux on his first deep space solo mission, is now available as a Kindle eBook.  See the link below.  Here’s the blurb.

Max Robichaux’s thrilling adventures didn’t begin on 21 January 2315 when he took command of the USS Cumberland at the age of 28.  Somehow, before that date, Max became an expert on battle tactics, the psychology of command and leadership, the customs and fighting techniques of the mysterious and powerful Vaaach race, and how to devise innovative strategies to defeat superior enemy forces, bringing his ship and his men home when the odds are against him.

Deadly Nightshade tells a small but crucial part of that story, shedding light on how Max became the creative, innovative, deadly warrior readers have come to know in the “Man of War” Trilogy.  In June 2304, the 16 year old green Ensign Max Robichaux is given a small but fast and stealthy ship to penetrate enemy space, observe a mock attack on a new kind of enemy battle station, and return with reams of information on the station, enemy weapons, enemy tactics, and other valuable intelligence.

Max finds that his vessel’s capabilities as well as his own courage and tenacity tested when a Vaaach ship intervenes in the Krag exercise and takes Max away from his task and from any hope of rescue.  It seems that the Vaaach have their own uses for the young ensign and his nearly invisible craft.  Max must fight his way past a superior force of alien fighters to come to the aid of a race being victimized in one of the most horrific ways imaginable.  Once there, he must call upon every ounce of courage and deepest parts of his humanity to save millions of lives through making what may prove to be the ultimate sacrifice.

Deadly Nightshade is a novella-length (approximately 37,000 words) tale of adventure, courage, tenacity, and sacrifice.  It packs everything Honsinger’s readers expect—realistically staged space combat, deep character development, believable aliens, and the thrill of being on a warship in deep space—into a compact package.  Fans of Honsinger’s other books will gain interesting insight into the events that helped make Max Robichaux the officer we meet in the “Man of War” books.  It is also an easily accessible entre to the series for new readers.

Here’s the link:

Deadly Nightshade

I am very pleased to announce that the talented, award-winning voice actor, Ray Chase, will be narrating the audio book version of Brothers in Valor, slated for release on July 7, 2015.  Ray provided the voice talent for the recordings of the first two volumes of the Man of War trilogy.  I think he did an “outstanding” job and most listeners seem to agree.

In my opinion, Ray is a substantial asset to this franchise.  I consider myself lucky to have him associated with my work and I look forward to hearing his performance of my words.  It’s really cool to hear them read by a professional.

Amazon has announced a publication date of July 7, 2015 for Brothers in Valor, Book III of the Man of War Trilogy. It is available for pre-order in Kindle and paperback formats at the link below. The audio book is typically not made available for order until it has been produced, which has not happened yet.  I am still expecting the simultaneous release of ALL formats:  Kindle, paper, audio download, audio CD, Pfelung crystalline encoding matrix, etc.

It’s already doing pretty well in pre-orders, apparently.

Yes, I want it sooner, too but I have little say in the matter.  Heck, I found out about the date from a Facebook comment from a fan who saw it on Amazon.  Deeply in the loop I am not.

Here’s where you can get yours: http://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Valo…/…/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0…

I know the updates have been a bit thin on the ground lately, but I’m one of those writers who believes that his readers would rather be more focused on finishing the next book than on blogging. Here’s where we are on Book III of the “Man of War” Trilogy, Brothers in Valor (or “BIV”). A few days ago, I finished the rewrite based on editor Mike Shohl’s “conceptual edit” of the original manuscript. Mike liked it a lot (or, perhaps, spared my feelings by telling me that he did), shot me back a few more suggestions that I pulled an all-nighter to implement in 20 hours of straight work, and shot back to him. He approved it and forwarded it to the publisher, 47North.

The “Editorial Lead,” Jason Kirk (whom I generally refer to as the “Uber Editor,” mainly because I haven’t a clue what an “Editorial Lead” does) says that a publication date will be announced in a few weeks. Naturally, I will proclaim, promulgate, and shout it forth here as soon as the publisher notifies me.

A few notes on what you are going to be getting in this book. First, it is action heavy–space battles, a two chapter long boarding action, lots of “fun with nuclear weapons.” Without any identifiable decision to do so, I seem to be moving from a “Patrick O’Brian Model” more to an “Early Heinlein Model.” This book contains a lot less of Max and Bram sitting in Max’s Day Cabin drinking Wortham-Biggs Four Planet Community Coffee and eating Cajun/Southern food and a lot more shooting and blowing things up. Second, this novel is a bit shorter than the first two, but has more battle and action sequences than they do, so I don’t think that anyone is getting shortchanged. Third, the “early Max” flashback that I mentioned a few times didn’t make it into the final version. Expect it to appear in a later book, in a separately issued novella, or some other place.  I’m environmentally friendly and throw nothing away.

Fourth, the ending is a shocker. Big time.

Now, back to work. The story continues in what is tentatively titled the “Brothers of the Black Sky” trilogy, consisting of To Stations My Lads, Our Courage Defiant, and Hearts of Steel (titles tentative, your mileage may vary, not available in all states, check local laws, written near a kitchen where wheat products are in use).

Let’s see if I can get this one done a lot (A LOT) faster than the last book.

Now, where’s that map of the galaxy . . . .

My first novel, To Honor You Call Us, has been “nominated” for the Best Science Fiction Novel of 2014 on Goodreads.  It is one of fifteen nominations for this award which is made based entirely on fan voting.  Although there are some truly excellent books in the lineup, I would appreciate my readers at least considering voting for my book.  You can do so here: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-science-fiction-books-2014.

As far as I can tell, the “nominations” are based purely on the book’s metrics on Goodreads–what the average rating is, how many reviews, how many ratings, etc.  The book’s average rating of 4.13 stars out of 5 places it fourth among the nominated books.  I would be overjoyed to finish fourth in the voting–I think it would represent a huge boost in the book’s visibility and would also be a a nice selling point for the launch of the third book in a few months.

Anyway, I would be grateful for your consideration in this race.  Please cast your vote in this first round of voting by November 8, 2014.  I will make an announcement in this space telling you how the book did in this round.

After many false starts, interruptions, detours, and other delays from illness, moving, shipping my daughter off to college, and otherwise, Brothers in Valor is within striking distance of being written.  The publisher and I have agreed on a deadline of September 25, 2014 for the first draft manuscript to be complete, and it is looking as though I’m going to get it done by then.  If experience is any teacher, it will take Conceptual Editor Mike Shohl (a true pro) and I about a month to get through the edits, all of which would put the book in the hands of readers sometime in the first quarter of 2015.  

I’m expecting that the publisher (47North) will give me a publication date after Mike and I furnish a date by which we expect to be done with our part of the project.  

I promise you guys that the gap between this book and the next (there WILL be more books about Max, Bram, and the rest!) will be much shorter.  I’m hoping to put out a book every six to ten months after that.  

My wife, who has published more than a dozen successful Planetary Romance/Fantasy novels, has just published her latest:  the concluding volume of the “Orbs of Rathira” Trilogy, Quest for the Heart Orb.  Your humble blogger played a very small role in editing this very exciting offering–I think it’s a great book for people who like space fantasy adventures told from a more feminine perspective than my own testosterone-soaked tomes.  I have never had an interest in the genre, but I have fun reading these books.  You can check it out on its Amazon page here:  http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Heart-Orb...

The page for the first book of the trilogy, Quest for the Moon Orb  is here:  http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Moon-Orb-....

Those of you who follow my Facebook page or are familiar the other sharings of my personal life here and there around the web know that my constant companion for the last several years has been the 185 pound English Mastiff, Daisy.  A gentle, loving giant, she has been at my side while I write, drooling out the window of my car as I run about the town doing errands, and has kept my spirits up through her antics as a huge, but always joyful and playful puppy.

No more.

Daisy passed away suddenly from complications of Addison’s Disease on Saturday, June 14, 2014.  She is the first dog I have ever had, and one of the closest friends I have ever had.  Words cannot express the loss.  

Because of my well-known wit and facility for writing breezy, short prose (not to mention my well-known availability on very, very short notice!), I am this week’s Featured Blogger on the Amazon Fantasy and Science Fiction blog.  You can read my chortle-worthy thoughts on Military Science Fiction here:  http://www.kindlepost.com/2014/05/mil....  That’s the “permalink.”  The link for the “running” version of the blog is here:  http://www.kindlepost.com/science-fic...