Category Archives: Charity

November 24, 2014 · 5:45 pm

Thanks, Worldbuilders auction bidders!

Just a quick note to say a hearty thank-you to everyone who bid on my Worldbuilders auction, wherein I offered a critique of up to 25,000 words of fiction. The final bid was $330, all of which goes to Heifer International.

Honestly, it’s stuff like this that makes the author thing worthwhile. I get to read spiffy new fiction, the winning bidder gets some ideas from a published author, and most importantly, folks who really need a hand get a lot of help.

There are still auctions going as we speak, and Pat Rothfuss and others are offering lots of other goodies at the Tinker’s Packs store. So you can still help out and get cool stuff. It’s a win for pretty much everybody.

Again, thanks to the winning bidder and to Worldbuilders. It’s a privilege to be a part of it.

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November 16, 2014 · 11:54 am

Bid on my Worldbuilders critique auction; improve your fiction, improve others’ lives

Got a piece of fiction you want critiqued? Like helping the less fortunate? Then it’s time to get clicking, y’all.

As part of the fantastic Worldbuilders charity masterminded by Patrick Rothfuss, I’m auctioning off a critique of the winner’s work, up to 25,000 words. I’ll read it, comment within the text, and also give you a write-up of my overall thoughts. If you have questions, we can iron them out via e-mail afterward. With two published novels under my belt, along with a nice bucket of accolades on each, I’m pretty certain I can give you a good critique.

I did this last year and enjoyed the heck out of it while raising some serious bucks for charity. Last year’s critique winner went on to self-publish his work and thanked me in the acknowledgements, which was mighty kind of him. He also donated $395 for my critique, which was amazing and humbling. (I also did a Tuckerization for The Venusian Gambit last year that garnered another $200, but sadly, I don’t have one to offer this year.)

The bidding on this year’s critique is already up to $102.50, and there’s still more than seven days left to go. Can we top last year’s donation? That would give me a serious case of the warm fuzzies.

As a reminder, Worldbuilders supports Heifer International, which helps families and communities around the world become self-sustaining through the donation of farm animals, seeds and equipment. This is more than just a handout, gang — it’s a very real chance at making permanent, positive change that can last generations. You totally want to support this. I know I do.

So click here and get bidding! Also, be sure to check out the other Worldbuilders auctions as well as Pat Rothfuss’ Tinker’s Packs shop, which also supports Worldbuilders. And my thanks to everyone who already jacked that price up. You’re all good humans.

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August 9, 2014 · 9:00 am

“Her Majesty’s Elopus” – A GISHWHES short story

I’ve been slowly getting back to the writing life after several weeks away, and enjoyed a rather unusual jump-start this past week, courtesy of an even more unusual source.

I received an e-mail from someone named Deborah Margarella with the subject line: “Scavenger Hunt!” She was indeed involved in a scavenger hunt, as advertised, and one of the items was:

Get a previously published Sci-Fi author to write an original story (140 words max) about Misha, the Queen of England, and an Elopus.

This was quickly followed by several more e-mails from other hunters, asking for the same thing, which made me believe that this was not simply random weirdness, but a very deliberate weirdness. What was this hunt? Who’s Misha? And what the heck is an Elopus?

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February 18, 2014 · 6:00 pm

Con or Bust auction ends Sunday

Just a quick note to remind everyone that the Con or Bust auction of The Enceladus Crisis and The Daedalus Incident ends Sunday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. EST. This is indeed the very first copy of The Enceladus Crisis available to the general public prior to its May 6, release, so your geek-bragging rights are ensured if you win.

Con or Bust helps people of color attend SF/F conventions if they can’t otherwise afford it. This is awesome because we’re helping fans get their geek on, and the rest of us get in on their perspectives and general fan-awesomeness. Everybody wins.

There’s a ton of great stuff on offer at Con or Bust besides my books. There’s a full directory here. Check it out and get bidding!

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February 10, 2014 · 8:00 am

Con or Bust auction now live! Go bid!

Just a quick note to remind you that the Con or Bust charity auctions went live this morning. This is your first chance to win a signed copy of The Enceladus Crisis, along with a signed copy of The Daedalus Incident. The starting bid is $20, and the auction goes until Sunday, February 23 at 5 p.m. EST. Click here to place your bid on the books!

Again, Con or Bust provides financial assistance for fans of color to attend SF/F conventions, which is an awesome thing all around. And this really is the first copy of The Enceladus Crisis available to the general public prior to the launch on May 6. So get bidding!

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February 5, 2014 · 7:19 pm

Charity auction: Signed copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis!

Last year, if you’ll recall, I did my very first charity bit as an author through Con or Bust, an organization that helps people of color attend science-fiction and fantasy conventions if they can’t afford it. It’s a great charity that allows people to get their geek on while enriching the SF/F community with new fans and new perspectives.

Since I auctioned off an advance copy of The Daedalus Incident last year, I figured I should go one better this year: I’m auctioning off a copy of Daedalus AND a signed advance copy of The Enceladus Crisis. Both books will be signed and can be personalized, if that’s your jam.

The really cool thing is that The Enceladus Crisis isn’t due to hit shelves until May 6, and this represents your very first chance to get your hands on a copy before launch. We’re talking months in advance, people. That’s like an eon in geek-time.

The auction doesn’t start until Monday, Feb. 10, but the auction page is right here for ease of bookmarking and such.

One of the very best things about being an author is being able to do fundraisers like this, and I definitely appreciate folks bidding on my work. It’s a great cause, and I deeply appreciate the support. Thanks!

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January 28, 2014 · 6:00 pm

The Enceladus Crisis heading out to reviewers

Given that The Enceladus Crisis is just my second novel, it might not be accurate to say that it’s always a little daunting to send out those first books to reviewers. But it sure feels like it.

Print previews of the new book in the Daedalus series have been mailed, and I’ve begun sending out electronic files to reviewers. I’m excited about the direction the new book takes in the evolution of the Known Worlds, and I think it’s a pretty good read. (I also had a pair of beta readers concur on this, so that’s comforting.)

But sure, it’s a little daunting to hold up your work and say, “OK, gang. JUDGE ME.” I suppose that’s normal and probably healthy. If I think I’ve actually written the Great American SF/F Novel, then chances are I probably haven’t.

By the way, I’m still sending those electronic files out, so if you haven’t gotten one yet and you want to review it — and, admittedly, you have something of an audience on your blog or site or publication — do let me know and I’ll get one out to you. Bear in mind that it’s a preview version; there are still copyedits to come!

The cover also looks very different from the placeholder you see on this page. We’re still finalizing the details, but the art is just fantastic. I’ll have more on the image and the artist as we get closer to the book’s May 6 launch.

While you wait for the new book to come out, it’s worth noting that the Audible audiobook version of my novella, The Gravity of the Affair, comes out this Friday. And it’s cheap, too — just $2.99! You can pre-order it here. And the ebook version is already available wherever fine ebooks are sold.

On another note, I’m excited to see that reviews for The Daedalus Incident are still trickling in. Caleb Flanagan of the site 20four12 listed Daedalus as one of his top-ten reads of the year, and now follows that up with a full review:

“Is The Daedalus Incident doing something new and different? Yes, I very much think it is. It’s a well-crafted blend of fantasy and science fiction that roars through the pages and keeps you gripped until the very end.”

Click here for the entire review. Thanks, Caleb!

Finally, if you want a shot at winning signed copies of both Daedalus and Enceladus, then it would be really awesome if you supported my 5k run fundraiser for African elephants. Everyone who donates $10 will be entered to win both books. It’s a good cause, and there’s good karma for you. Plus books. And I’ll be sweating it out for a half-hour, which has it’s own entertainment value. So go for it!

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January 22, 2014 · 12:30 pm

Support my 5k-run fundraiser for African elephants and win books!

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed that I ran my very first 5k race on New Year’s Day — and that I managed to run the entire way. This is no small thing, as I’m not a small person. Fueled by this success and the accompanying hubris, I’m joining with my wife Kate and our daughter Anna to do another one on April 26: A fundraiser for the Wildlife Conservation Society to help African elephants.

Since I have this blog, I thought I’d throw it out there to try to gin up support — and to sweeten the deal, I’ll be giving away signed copies of both my books, The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis, to one lucky donor.

Here’s how it works: Go to my fundraising page and pledge money. If you pledge $10 or more, I’ll enter you for a chance to win the books. After the race on 4/26, I’ll choose an donor at random as the winner, and I’ll even personalize them for you if you like.

This is important: If you do indeed pledge $10 or more, please drop me an email at mikemartinezbooks@gmail.com letting me know you did so — and make sure your name matches the name you listed as a donor on the fundraising page so I can confirm it. That’ll also help me reach out to you after the race so I can tell you you’ve won.

Both books will run you at least $30 with shipping, and my scribble inside might be worth a few cents on top of that, so this is a good deal. Plus, you’re helping the Wildlife Conservation Society preserve and protect African elephants and their habitats, so there’s good karma coming your way regardless of whether you win or not.

And finally, you’ll can sit back and smile with the knowledge that I’ll be spending a fine Saturday morning huffing and puffing 3.1 miles. I can only hope it’s all downhill.

Thanks for the support!

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December 23, 2013 · 11:05 am

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment

If you’ve followed my Twitter feed over the past few days, you’ve seen that I’ve been out and about in the world. One of the many, many benefits of being married to my wife, Kate, is that she is a travel writer and blogger, and we tend to get out of the house more often than most folks. This year, we’re spending the holidays in the Southwest, where we really haven’t been before. Already, I’m happy we’re rectifying that.

Christmas will be spent in Taos, New Mexico, and we’ll be with friends in Phoenix, Arizona, over New Year’s. And on New Year’s Day, I’ll be participating in a 5k run/walk. I’m curious to see how the breakdown between walking and running pans out, as this will be my first. That said, if I can be a debut author at 40, I see no reason I can’t be a debut 5k-er at 41.

Speaking of authoring, it turns out that I do my best work on airplanes. I’ve been outlining the third book of the Daedalus series, now tentatively titled The Venusian Gambit, and I went on a very nifty writing jaunt while in the air between New York and here. If I could afford to spend eight hours a day, five days a week on a plane, I’d write as many books as Chuck Wendig and still keep down my full-time job. Long story short, The Venusian Gambit is taking shape faster and better than I had hoped.

I’m able to focus on the third book now because The Enceladus Crisis, the second book in the series, has been sent to the typesetters, which means that, for all intents and purposes, it’s Officially Done. Yes, there will be copyediting, but the major editorial work is finished. My editor, Cory Allyn of Night Shade/Skyhorse, did a great job making a good book great, and my beta readers Drew Montgomery and Dan Hanks were generous with both time and excellent input. We’re on schedule for an April release, which makes me quite happy, given all the fun and games we had with The Daedalus Incident and its multiple release dates!

Finally, I want to give a huge shout-out to the bidders on my Worldbuilders auction items. The naming rights to a substantial supporting character in The Venusian Gambit went for $200, and my critique of up to 25,000 words of writing went for $395. That is some serious, serious money, and there are poor families that will directly benefit from that. The generosity of the bidders is nothing short of mind-blowing. Thank you.

I’m off to explore New Mexico: Land of Enchantment. I’m told, however, that wizards are scarce, so I’m not sure how exactly the state earned this sobriquet. I’ll keep you posted.

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December 20, 2013 · 6:00 pm

My Worldbuilders auctions end Sunday at 8 p.m.! Get bidding!

So when I offered to help out Pat Rothfuss’ Worldbuilders auctions with a few volunteer items, I had no idea what kind of bidding there would be. Turns out, the awesome folks in SF/F fandom are even more awesome than I thought — and I knew they were pretty awesome to start with.

As I write this, the top bid in the auction to include your name in the third book in the Daedalus series, tentatively titled The Venusian Gambit, is more than $110. And the top bid for my critique of up to 25,000 words of fiction is now more than $150.

That is both amazing and intensely gratifying, and speaks volumes about the generosity of the bidders.

And there’s still two more days to go! Both auctions wrap up on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST. That means you can still get in on the fun, and either see your name as a character in my book, or have me give you a detailed critique of your fiction writing.

The proceeds go to Worldbuilders, which in turn donates everything to Heifer International. Already, my two auctions have raised meaningful amounts of money — enough to change some lives for the better. I’m deeply grateful for the response. And the Worldbuilders efforts as a whole are nothing short of phenomenal. You should check it out.

Anyway, you’ve got a little over two days. Get bidding! And if you have already, thank you!

#SFWApro