Announcing VIRTUAL SHADOWS, third Jane Colt novel

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while. I've been reviewing and interviewing and spotlighting and hosting like mad, but it's about time I sat down and wrote a proper blog post. Though I guess it's about a specific book, so maybe it's more of an elaborate spotlight.

Anyway, I'm happy to announce that the third Jane Colt novel, which feels like it's been in the works forever, will becoming out this July! Things are a little different this time, though. I'm going indie on Book 3, dipping my toe into the self-publishing pool. The reason is simple: this is the final chapter in the Jane Colt trilogy, I want to take the reins. I've loved working with Red Adept Publishing, and I always imagined I'd be submitting Book 3 to them. Then, as I was writing the book, I realized that I had a very specific vision for what I wanted to happen. I also realized that, since I'll be participating in two huge events later this year (GenCon and the Brooklyn Book Festival, both of which have tens of thousands of attendees), I really, really wanted the whole trilogy to be available. Just in case anyone wanted to buy the whole series, you know?

Now, this realization came in January. GenCon is in August. Six months is a blink of an eye in the publishing world, and Red Adept has a full plate. The only way to ensure that Book 3 will come out in time for GenCon is to do it myself. However, just because I'm on a short timeframe doesn't mean I'm rushing through it. In fact, half the reason I found myself in this predicament is because I spent so long on the plot, outline, and backstories for Virtual Shadows and didn't get the dang book drafted until this past January. The other half is because I procrastinated.

Funnily enough, I'm going to be working with pretty much the same team that I would be if I'd gone through Red Adept's publishing house. When I spoke to Lynn (captain of the starship Red Adept) to let her know that I wanted to go indie, she was very supportive and said that, since I hadn't submitted Virtual Shadows to the publishing arm, I could still engage the company's independent editing services if I wanted. For ethical reasons, Red Adept doesn't accept clients for books their publishing arm has rejected (this would cause a conflict of interest, since it could look like the company is rejecting a book in order to push the author toward spending money on editing services). But because I never submitted in the first place (and hadn't been rejected), there's no conflict. 

Which is awesome, because I was planning on hiring an editor and proofreader for Virtual Shadows anyway and had no idea who else I'd turn to. Lucky for me, my editor for Artificial Absolutes and Synthetic Illusions, the fantastic Karen Allen (who's just as kick-ass as Indiana Jones's girlfriend), had an opening available in her indie editing schedule. It's kismet! I'm also hiring Streetlight Graphics, who did all the layout and art for the previous two books, for Virtual Shadows because I want all three books to match visually. 

Of course, all this is costing me a pretty penny, but I'd rather subsist on ramen than put out a substandard book that didn't match the first two. Actually, I rather like ramen, especially when you throw in an egg and some... but I digress. Anyway, I doubt I'll ever make the cost back (let's face it, there aren't exactly screaming hoards of raving fans pounding on my door for the last installment of the Jane Colt trilogy), but at this point, I honestly couldn't care less about the money. I'm neurotic about finishing things, and finishing strong, and that's the only thing on my mind as I sally forth into the world of indie authors.

All this is my long-winded way of saying that this summer, the Jane Colt saga will be coming to its thrilling and explosive conclusion (I swear, I'm an author, not a Hollywood PR office). It's crazy that this journey I embarked on four years ago is coming to an end, but also really, really exciting. Wish me luck!

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Virtual Shadows (Jane Colt, #3)

Life on the galaxy’s lawless Fringe isn’t easy. Nevertheless, Jane doesn’t regret sacrificing her comfortable life to protect the young man she loves. But the very place she took him for safety is slowly killing him, and her world is shaken again when her brother, Devin, reenters her life.

Determined to discover the identity of those behind a vicious bombing near his agency’s secret base, Devin defies his superiors and ventures into the dark corners of the universe. When he realizes that the attackers have their crosshairs on the mysterious woman who saved his life, the mission becomes personal.

Jane joins her brother on his quest and battles a chilling adversary hell-bent on destroying her homeworld. Entangled in a web of interstellar intrigue, virtual deception, and murderous agendas, Jane races to find answers—before the enemy wreaks devastation upon all she once knew.