Regular Influx Of New Readers Post and Projects Update

I’m getting a big traffic spike again, so I figure I should introduce myself to new readers. Hi! I’m Jon Del Arroz. I originally dubbed myself “Space Opera Word Pilot” as my primary love in genre fiction is space opera, and I intend on writing that for the rest of my life. Since then, I’ve taken on a number of hats: Christian philosopher, independent journalist, free speech warrior, comic reviewer, game blogger, youtube interviewer, steampunk enthusiast and all around funny guy. So you’ll get a whole assortment of different topics by reading the blog here. My priorities on the blog are: 1. Science Fiction and Geek Culture 2. Free Speech 3. Christianity 4. Random Stuff I Find Amusing 5. Self-Promotion.  I used to write baseball blogs, but I am cognisant of what my readers want… and you never clicked on those. I’m kinda disappointed in you all for that to be honest. Shame! Oh well. Maybe one day someone’ll pick me up for a website as a baseball journalist and I won’t have to bore readers here who don’t want it.

The real goal though is to have you check out my fiction. If you find me interesting, you’ll probably find the cool science fiction and fantasy worlds inside my head even more appealing. Right now, the best way for you to check it out is to read Star Realms: Rescue Run, which is available here:

http://bit.ly/starrealmsnovel 

And in a month or so, I’ll be releasing my 2nd novel, For Steam And Country, which is an extremely exciting steampunk fantasy. It’s fast paced and wall to wall fun. Early reviewers have been floored by it, and I hope it’ll create a resurgeance in steampunk culture.  More details will be here soon, but if you want exclusive updates and a chance at some extra free fiction content, I recommend signing up here:

http://delarroz.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3c0d4761bf596db6605e25975&id=e7c61287b0  – Mailing List

https://www.facebook.com/groups/519333975122120/?ref=bookmarks  — For Steam And Country facebook group

I have several short stories that will be in collections over the next several months as well, and will be sure to update you when those show up.

Summary:

Finished and Coming Soon:

1. For Steam And Country
2. Three Short Stories Which I’ll Announce As It Gets Closer

In Progress:

1. Starcrossed — my baby space opera world which I intend to use as a backdrop for many novels. This has been in my head for decades, first book I wrote, and I tore it apart and am pretty much redoing it from scratch. 3rd Draft 30% Complete.
2. Baseball In Space Novella — hard sci-fi. There’s an opportunity for this and I may rework it soon. 2nd Draft 100% Complete.
3. Reach For The Stars – space opera story, a really fun concept I’ll talk more about later. First Draft 100% Complete
4. Mars Themed Anthology – I’m editing this. Some stories in, invited people. Let’s call it 15% complete.
5. My 2nd pro-journalist article. Interview questions out to pertinent people for the interviews.

Planned Concepts (Priority of these depends on a number of factors):

1. For Steam And Country 2 – Plot 100% written, needs to move to formal outline stage.
2. Star Realms 2 –  Idea is in my head. After I’m done with Starcrossed 3rd draft will start talking to the powers that be about this to see if it’s in the cards (get it? in the cards?)
3. Deus Vult In Space – Outline 100% written. This story actually ended up looking really good and it might get prioritized just because I’m excited about how action-adventury it looks.
4. Flying Sparks reboot? A hero and villain in love, my old web comic. 8 issues in the can, interested in completing story in a 12 issue volume. Would rerelease as graphic novel.
5. A Titan of Faith – Catholic Priest in space. This is real theological stuff with aliens. Semi-hard sci-fi. I have an outline and first draft has 10k words but it wasn’t feeling right so it’s on the shelf for the time being.
6. 5 novel concepts written down with multiple pages of notes, including an epic fantasy, a weird west fantasy, 2 urban fantasies and another sci-fi story. I have a lot of ideas.

And that’s where we’re at right now. Come for the fun, stay for the fiction. I love you all and really really really appreciate you being here.

Tally ho!