My first book, Lightning Scarred and Other Stories launched this morning on Amazon through their Kindle Unlimited program, which means any KU subscribers can read it for free. It’s met with overwhelming kindness so far, for which I am deeply grateful.

It is a beautiful book filled short stories, original eddas, and Viking-inspired interior art. In addition, it includes a comedic essay by Konrad Bennett Hughes and a story co-written with Steve Stein. It has been professionally edited by one of the best editors in the business, Mia Kleve and proofread in parts by Mistress Editing and Ma Chrzaszcz.

It is, in short, ready.

What’s it about? So glad you asked.

Twice a year, a portal to the magical land of Thule opens to Arctic adventurers. The shifting snow and deadly waters hold hungry death and frozen fear. Can anyone survive the monsters and mages of the uncharted frozen wastes?

The stakes? Life and death. The reward? The favor of the gods.

These vividly-realized historical fantasies teem with colorful characters: Viking leaders, fractious gods, a Jewish maiden out of her depth, sentient polar bears looking for food, and others. Pick up Lightning Scarred and Other Stories today for an unforgettable expedition into the curdled sea.

There were a number of things I should have done in advance that could have made life easier today. I’m going to list them here just in case someone else has a first book coming out soon.

First, I should have set up my Facebook Author page ahead of time. It had to be done today and there were plenty of other things to do as well.

I should have pre-written all the posts in the various Facebook groups and for Twitter and Instagram so that I could have scheduled their release, or at least had it ready to go. As it stands now, I’m behind. One of my friends shared my book notification from Facebook to Twitter because I was so far delayed. I am so grateful!

I should have made and tested the art to go with the posts.

There are probably more things I’ve missed, but on the whole it has been a good launch and has met with such wonderful kind acts by my friends that I am overcome.

Now I need to work on the next submission to Cave Creek and figure out what I need to do to make a paperback copy of Lightning Scarred.

Be well, friends!