Category Archives: Writing

January 6, 2014 · 12:30 pm

For your award consideration, my writing from 2013

So this is a bit new to me, obviously, since The Daedalus Incident is indeed my first published fiction. Plus, there’s always the feeling that it’s slightly gauche to toot one’s own horn. But I’m not actually the first one to float the idea that Daedalus  might be worthy of consideration, which was admittedly quite pleasing to see. And if this three-time Hugo winner can do a post like this, I figure it’s kosher for me to throw this out there.

So with an awkward mix of newbie enthusiasm, hard-won realism and attempted modesty, here we go: For Your Consideration, the stuff I wrote in 2013. I’m also including the editors and cover artists I worked with, because frankly, I think they’re even more deserving than I am.

The Daedalus Incident (novel, Night Shade Books, May/August 2013) by Michael J. Martinez, edited by Ross Lockhart, cover illustration by Sparth

  • A genre-bending cross of historical fantasy and space opera with hard SF and a pinch of steampunk-sans-steam, The Daedalus Incident was named one of the best genre novels of 2013 by Library Journal and Buzzfeed, and received a number of pretty darn good reviews and media mentions as well. There’s an excerpt up on io9 if you want a sample. Eligible (as far as I know) for most major genre awards, as well as first-novel awards.

The Gravity of the Affair (novella, NLA Digital, December 2013) by Michael J. Martinez, edited by Jeff Seymour, cover illustration by Arvin Concepcion

  • A novella set in the Known Worlds of The Daedalus Incident, this novella (which squeaks in just above the lower word-count limit) details the first command of British naval hero Horatio Nelson on the seas of Ganymede and in the Void. You can find excerpts here and here. Eligible (again, as far as I know) for most major genre awards.

It’s also worth noting that I am indeed eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer — this page even says so.

There were a metric ton of awesome books out there this year, and while I would be thoroughly giddy to be even nominated, my expectations remain quite realistic. I’m just starting out, after all, and I know I’ve got more work to do.  The fact that there are already a few people out there who think my work might warrant consideration for recognition is absolutely lovely, and I deeply appreciate it.

Thanks, y’all.

#SFWApro

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January 3, 2014 · 7:21 pm

Book review roundup from the road

While the East Coast struggles under the weight of a foot of snow and shivers in below-zero temperatures, I ended up stranded…in Phoenix, Ariz.

I know. I really expect no pity, nor do I deserve any. I actually feel a touch guilty about the beautiful weather here. But with the flights dicey ahead of the storm, we decided on discretion over valor and parked here until Sunday. Thankfully, we have lovely friends here willing to put up with us for a few more days.

In the meantime, I came across a few book-related items over the past few days I thought I’d pass along. I remain very grateful for all the positive words and reviews The Daedalus Incident continues to receive, and I hope The Enceladus Crisis, coming May 6, is a worthy successor.

  • The gang over at the Skiffy and Fanty Show (an outstanding podcast and site) posted their favorite books of 2013, and The Daedalus Incident was among a superlative list of works. Paul Weimer wrote: “This is the novel someone might write after watching Treasure Planet and wanting to do it *right*.” Thanks, Paul!
  • Caleb Flanagan of the book review blog 20four12 took a look back at 2013: “The Daedalus Incident was an absolutely spectacular debut for Michael J. Martinez, so much so that I’ve added him to my “must read” list already. He took some amazing chances with his storytelling and put together a tale that is unlike anything I’ve seen.” Caleb also put Daedalus on his top-ten list for the year, and it’s among some amazing company. Caleb is now officially awesome.
  • Blogger and author David Agranoff wrote a nice review of Daedalus as well: “I love super weird science fiction. This is just that, but it is also very smart. It is clearly well researched and thought out, not just in plotting and characterization but also in its take on the fake history. I believe this is a debut novel, it is a strong debut. I can’t really think of another novel just like it.” Thank you, David!
  • Finally, the excellent cover art and design of The Daedalus Incident got some love from blogger Carl V. Anderson on Stainless Steel Droppings, who listed his favorite SF/F covers of 2013: “Sparth is another artist working in the digital medium whose illustration excites my interest. His cover work for The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez, coupled with the design elements over which the title and author designation are placed, make for a striking cover.” That they do.

Reviews really do matter — they’re signposts on the road, left for other readers to decide on their next steps. As an author, I’m very grateful when someone takes the time to write about my work. And it doesn’t have to be on an established blog or site, either. A few (hopefully) kind words on Amazon, B&N or Goodreads can really make a difference. So for everyone who has spared some time and words for my work, thank you!

 #SFWApro

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January 2, 2014 · 1:31 pm

Final release date for The Enceladus Crisis! Coming May 6!

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope 2014 is treating you well. As for me, we’ve nailed down a final, no-kidding, get-ready-for-the-awesome release date for The Enceladus Crisis, the sequel to The Daedalus Incident. 

May 6. 

We were thinking we might go a bit earlier on it, but frankly, after the fun and games Daedalus went through with its release dates, we wanted to be absolutely sure that print, e-book and audio were all ready to roll at the very same time, and that the new Night Shade publicity machine is purring along smoothly.

So instead of the preliminary date of April 1 (which I wasn’t too enamored of, given the whole punk’d holiday thing), we went for May 6. And it will be glorious.

Of course, in the meantime, you can pre-order The Enceladus Crisis from your favorite local bookstore, as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can also get caught up by reading The Daedalus Incident and my e-novella, The Gravity of the Affair (vendor info at the book links). I mean, I’d hate to leave you without the sailing-ships-in-space goodness you’re craving. I’m nice like that.

Meantime, I’m still here in Arizona. We were going to fly back home today, but there’s something of a bad-ass winter storm reading to pummel the warmth and joy out of the East Coast, and flying into said storm seemed rather dicey. So instead of suffering through a foot of snow and sub-zero temperatures, I’ll be suffering through bright sunshine and mid-70s temperatures until Sunday morning.

Life’s rough, I tell ya.

Oh, and for those of you who don’t follow my Twitter feed, I did indeed run my very first 5k on New Year’s Day here in Phoenix. And by run, I mean…actual running. The whole way. (Except for when I stopped to tie my shoe.) Managed a respectable 36:04 time, which left me giddy and punch-drunk. Of course, this morning my legs are full of cactus spines and pain-demons, but it’s totally worth it. I may even do another one in the future, should my legs start working normally again. There are worse ways to ring in a new year.

#SFWApro

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December 31, 2013 · 5:50 pm

Farewell, 2013! Happy 2014!

The sun setting on the Arizona desert...and on 2013!

The sun setting on the Arizona desert…and on 2013!

Figure I’d take care of the new year’s greetings a bit early, as I’m planning on getting up early tomorrow to do a 5k. Yes, it could be as comical as it seems at first blush, especially given the hilly, cactus-strewn terrain here in Arizona.

I wanted to give a proper fare-thee-well to 2013, as it was a pretty kick-ass year. After much trepidation and no few delays, The Daedalus Incident finally saw the light of day and was very well liked by folks, which did my heart good. I also signed a deal for The Enceladus Crisis, which will be available April 1, and The Venusian Gambit, which should be around some time next winter. The Gravity of the Affair also went from Web freebie to actual for-sale novella, too.

I also went to my first SF/F convention, met lots of cool people, did my first book reading/signing, and raised nearly $700 for charity through this whole authorial thing. The latter is reason enough to keep going. The rest really is gravy.

There were a ton of people who helped make 2013 awesome on the book front, including super-agent Sara Megibow and the Night Shade Books team — or teams, rather, both old and new. To them, and to the reviewers and bloggers, my fellow authors who were so generous with their time and wisdom, and to everyone who took the time to give my work a read…thanks.

So far, 2014 looks to be just as exciting. The Enceladus Crisis is coming out, and I’m excited about the direction the Known Worlds are taking. I’ve started in on The Venusian Gambit and, let me just say, I’m even more excited about how this series is going to wrap up. And from there…who knows? As a writer, I have options. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Of course, none of this would be any fun without a wonderful wife and daughter, great friends and family, and all the other good stuff life has to offer. No matter what happens with the writing thing, I’m a lucky guy.

Have a great New Year’s holiday, everyone. Stay safe and make smart choices tonight. And for the new year, I humbly suggest you count your blessings, tell your loved ones you love ’em, enjoy life and try new things.

OK, 2014…bring it!

#SFWApro

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December 28, 2013 · 10:52 pm

A few noteworthy book-related bits from the road

New Mexico was really lovely. Taos is a world away from the hustle and bustle of New York City, and it was a lovely place to spend Christmas. And yes, Santa found us just fine. Dude probably invented GPS. Tonight I’m in Flagstaff, Arizona, preparing to venture to this canyon thing they got up in these parts. They say it’s a “grand” canyon, but it’d have to be one impressive ditch to earn that name. We’ll see.

I did see a meteor crater though, and that was pretty grand in and of itself:

Meantime, while the family and I have been exploring the Southwest, I’ve seen a few cool book-related tidbits I wanted to share. So here we go:

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December 23, 2013 · 11:05 am

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment

photoIf 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.

#SFWApro

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December 16, 2013 · 5:30 pm

First review of The Gravity of the Affair

Very excited to see the first review of The Gravity of the Affair, courtesy of Joe Frazier of Joe’s Geek Fest. And, as it turns out, he liked it, calling it “a gem of a novella” and going on to say:

…we leave The Gravity of the Affair enamored of [protagonist Horatio] Nelson, the Known Worlds and Mr. Martinez’s delightful writing. You need not read The Daedalus Incident to read this work, but if you haven’t read it, you certainly will want to after this whets your appetite.Its sequel, The Enceladus Crisis, is arriving Spring 2014. This brief dive back into the Known Worlds reminds me why that seems like such a long wait. Once again, well done Mr. Martinez.

Thanks, Joe! For the full review, click here. And for a variety of sales options, click on the novella’s page on this blog. Still waiting to hear what’s going on with the Audible version, but since they paid actual cash money for the rights, one thinks the audiobook will show up soon…!

#SFWApro

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December 13, 2013 · 8:00 pm

Explaining my superpowers on Skiffy and Fanty

I’ve done a fair number of guest posts on various blogs in support of The Daedalus Incident and, of late, The Gravity of the Affair. I’ve enjoyed writing them, too. But my hat’s off to Shaun and Jen over at Skiffy and Fanty for coming up with a great theme for their guest posts: My Superpower.

So today I’m talking about my very own superpower at Skiffy and Fanty — my super-powered burrowing writer-mind! What does that mean? Well, in short, I can get into “the zone” pretty quickly when it comes to writing. Great for grabbing an hour, burrowing in and getting the words out.

There’s more to it, of course, including a notable drawback to being so single-minded and focused. Want to know more? Check out the post!

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December 12, 2013 · 9:15 am

Live from WorldCon, it’s the SFSignal Podcast (with me)

Apparently, you don’t need a TARDIS to go back in time and space — just the Hugo award-winning SFSignal Podcast.

I sat down with Patrick Hester on the first full day of WorldCon back in late August in San Antonio, Texas, and we had a great chat about books, conventions and all sorts of other stuff. I admit, I kind of forgot this podcast was in the hopper until I saw it posted this morning, so now you get to take a trip back to Texas with us. We talked about The Daedalus Incident, the upcoming The Enceladus Crisis and my experiences thus far at my very first SF/F convention.

To bring you up to date on a few things since:

  • The Enceladus Crisis has been scheduled for release on April 1, 2014. Get stoked.
  • The Gravity of the Affair wasn’t mentioned in the interview because it wasn’t really a thing yet, but it’s out now in ebook at all your favorite vendors, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBookstore, and Google Play .
  • The third book doesn’t have a final title yet, but I’m leaning toward The Venusian Gambit. Who doesn’t like gambits?
  • For 2014, I’m on the fence about attending the WorldCon in London, mostly because of the cost and time. I’m weighing a visit to DragonCon, however.

Anyway, the podcast is up and running, available wherever fine podcasts are…downloaded, I suppose. Thanks to Patrick for a great conversation. Give it a listen!

#SFWApro

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December 6, 2013 · 9:22 am

The Gravity of the Affair now available!

gravitycover-hiresThe Gravity of the Affair is officially released today, and available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Google Play and Kobo! (I expect links for the Audible.com audiobook to go live later today.) It also has its own Goodreads page, complete with a fresh review!

As a reminder for newcomers here, The Gravity of the Affair is a novella set in the Known Worlds of The Daedalus Incident. It follows the young post-captain Horatio Nelson, destined to become England’s greatest naval hero, during his first command sailing on the seas of Ganymede and Europa. When his first engagement with the enemy ends in defeat, he must face up to his failure — as well as a formal board of inquiry.

Will Nelson fulfill his destiny? Or will his actions in the Void ’round Jupiter snuff out his career before it begins?

The Gravity of the Affair is available in e-book for around $2.99, depending on the vendor, and will be up on Audible soon. You don’t need to have read The Daedalus Incident to enjoy the novella; if you have, though, you’ll see some nuggets of interest there. If you haven’t, it’s a great introduction to the worlds of the Daedalus series, if I do say so myself.

To celebrate the launch of this latest bit of work, I’ve written a guest post today over at the Hugo award-winning SFSignal, wherein I discuss world-building as a series evolves from a stand-alone novel. Check it out!

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