It’s been said, more than once, that I’m not all that great at promoting myself. I am, first and foremost, a writer. I like writing, and everything else about this job, it isn’t always as exciting to me. If I had my druthers, I would just stay home, write, and collect checks. But that’s not how it works, and it’s not as if I hate promoting myself. I’m just not great at it. But I do have stuff coming up and some updates to give. Let’s get to it.

I’ll be at SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON in July.  It’s very cool news because I’m going as an invited guest. I even have a spotlight panel on Saturday, July 12th, a Q&A session moderated by my fellow DFW Writers Workshop writer and author of Tracked from Penguin, Jenny Martin. I know how big SDCC is, so I don’t expect a large audience for a lowly mid-list writer such as myself. But if you happen to be in the area and are lucky enough to have tickets and have an hour to kill, I’d love to see you there.

(Speaking of Jenny Martin, her new book Tracked is out, and while I haven’t read the whole thing, I’ve heard a lot of it at our workshop and can say it’s a great book. I hate to resort to such simplistic descriptions as X meets Y, but it’s Hunger Games meets Fast & Furious. Jenny is just getting started on her career, but I have a feeling she’s headed for big things, so check her out.)

I’ll also be at the DFW WRITERS CONFERENCE later in July. My writers group, the DFW Writers Workshop, has been putting on this conference for a few years now. Among the speakers will be Charlaine Harris (author of the Sookie Stackhouse books as well as many, many others) and Kevin J. Anderson (author of so many books I couldn’t even begin to list them) as well as agents, editors, and loads of guest speakers. I’ll be there in my own capacity, more as a member of DFWWW than as a writer, but I’ll be doing something official too. I don’t know exactly what yet. But it’s a great event, and if you happen to live in the area, you might want to check it out.

In writing, I’m currently working on the second CONSTANCE VERITYnovel. As you may or may not be aware, I’ve moved to a new publisher (Simon & Schuster) with a three book deal. The Constance Verity trilogy will be my first trilogy, and features Constance, who is a combination of Doc Savage, Imperator Furiosa, and just a regular person trying to live her life. Like much of my work, the series has its roots in classic pulp sensibilities but with my usual dash of ordinary life added as part of the mix, and I’m hopeful it’ll take off like a rocket, leading to my inevitable fame and fortune.

The first novel isn’t due out until next year, so you’ll just have to be patient, Action Force.

I’ve also been writing a ton of shorts, as you’re no doubt aware. If you like them, perhaps you’d consider becoming a contributor to my PATREON page. Your call, of course, and I certainly won’t be upset if you just choose to enjoy the stories. No obligation on your part at all.

On the other hand, I’m toying with writing an original novella, releasing it weekly segments as part of the shorts. One featuring WREN &HESS, who seem to have become breakout characters among the bunch of recurring ideas that keep popping in these stories. In fact, if my Patreon page reaches $200 a week, I’ll do just that. So if you love Wren & Hess and would like to read a meatier story with our two favorite overworked Constables then maybe spread the word.

In the meantime, Wren & Hess, Jago Jones, Ernie the Hero, and Super Janine (as well as plenty of standalone characters and spinoff stories) will continue to come your way. All I ask is that, even if you don’t feel like contributing to the Patreon page, you spread the word. Tell your friends. Let them know. I don’t write these stories for myself, and the more people reading them, the better I feel.

So that’s the update. Thanks for reading, and thanks for continuing to read. This humble novelologist can’t do it without you.

Keelah Se’lai

Fighting the good fight, Writing the good write,

LEE