First: I have scaled back the tight grip that I held on comments.  I had a few blogs that descended into spam, so I’ve likely over reacted in the way I hate when other people do it (punish a few by making things nearly impossible for everyone).  Akismet is patrolling, and into every blog a little spam will fall.  Hopefully it doesn’t go too crazy.  (I’m also hoping that by saying spam three times, this is where they’ll land, spambots are weird that way).

Second: I’m going to be hitting Balticon on Saturday.  It’ll be my first time at a con with my writing name, rather than my regular name, on my badge.  Find me!  Ask me for a networking card!  Gawk at how many times my fantastic wife was able to get “DL” and “Thurston” onto a 3″x5″ piece of card stock (hint: 5 and 4).

Third: The Rust experiment has been closed.  I love the story, I love the book, I love that it taught me I could write novel-length fiction.  I love that anyone supported it.  But it is what it is: written quickly by a novice, edited by an amateur, and slung together into ePub formats by someone who was learning as he went.  Going forward, it’s not what I want to be the face of my fiction.  I thank everyone who read it, even (hell: especially) the guy who gave it two stars on Amazon.  He taught me I’ve reached a point where I can let negative critiques roll off my back and just keep right on going.  There’s a time where that wasn’t true.  To everyone who read it and liked it, I’m thrilled, for everyone who read it and didn’t, thanks for at least giving me a try.  One day it might be back in some format, but I can’t say when or how.

That is all.

Continuing to be told July on the publication of Steam Works, so I’m still hoping that anthology actually does happen.

The bigger news is about Rust. Several months ago I put Rust out for the Kindle and on Smashwords, largely to explore the process and see how it works for a series of posts over on Unleaded. I left it out there because, what the hell, why not? Well, I recently got my first review on Amazon. Two stars. Ouch. And that started the wheels in motion for eventually pulling it back offline. This isn’t a petulant “someone didn’t like my book so I’m taking my ball and going home” move, but rather one that I’ve always sort of planned. The review drove home that Rust isn’t necessarily the best public face for myself. It was a Nanowrimo project with a plot that’s disjointed at times, a bizarre conclusion, and probably less editing than I would have really liked to do. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t throw out a completely unedited Nano project, I gave it several passes. But in part that’s the problem: I gave it several passes. And I’m really not the world’s best editor.

So Rust will probably come down before the publication of Steam Works.  It won’t be today, but it’ll probably be in the next month or so, and likely without notice.  Anyone who still wants a copy is still free to grab one, just remember to keep your expectations low.  I know, that’s the hard sell right there, isn’t it?

I’m likely talking to some new readers.  At least I hope I am.  I’ve been participating in 5 Minute Fiction the last two weeks (if you’re reading this on the morning it was posted, it’s not too late to vote for my story to help me move from a distant last to merely a distant 4th place) and have seen the readership of my blog spike both Tuesdays and stay higher-than-usual in between.  It’s been a hell of a lot of fun doing these pieces the last two weeks, and plan to keep going and evangelize it to other writers as I can.  It’s all the fun of Nanowrimo with just 1/10800th the time commitment!

Finally, I’ve been talked into Balticon, though will likely only be attending one day of the event.  It’s going to be my first attempt at attending a con semi-professionally.  Yes, I’m going to actually meet people and not shyly wander around and not ask questions in panels.  Fortunately I’ll be guided by much more extroverted friends towards the right people to meet and talk to.

So there’s the week that is for me.  It’s Wednesday, which means I’ll also be posting over on Unleaded today, just as soon as I figure out what I’m going to talk about.  No.  Seriously.  I haven’t a clue right now.

#4 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Thrillers > Technothrillers
#5 in Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Technothrillers

Holy crap, when I discovered it yesterday it was 12 and 22.  I love you too, UK!

What I will be traveling with are cards I’ve printed up with a small ad for Rust, including a pointer over to Smashwords and a short-term coupon.  That’s part of what’s great about Smashwords, it’s nice to be able to offer an exclusive Capclave price.  Cause people like things when they’re cheaper.  Suggestion: Avery #8869.  They’re “print to the edge” cards, with “clean edges”.  What that means is each card is set off from every other card, so you can make your graphic a little large than the card to make sure it fills as thoroughly as possible.  And the clean edges really do pop out as advertised and don’t look like they got torn out of a perforated sheet.  Add in a color printer and I think they really look sharp.

I’m happy with the cards, and I’m looking forward to going.

This post cross-posted with Unleaded – Fuel for Writers