Hey folks, I hope you're well and moving ahead with your plans. As usual, I'm working on my most important project.
After a hiatus of about 6 months, I'm back in the saddle and making great progress.
A small change of plans with the book series, which improves it by leaps and bounds so here is one of the new covers.
This is the original cover I had designed for the first book but I had added an image of Andrea and her dog because most of the books in this genre include a figure in the foreground. And so I think it's important to keep this image similar to other books in this genre. Although, that being said, I've noticed that just about anything goes in this sub-genre (post-apocalyptic) as long as you're showing some kind of explosion event. This image is inspired by those atomic blasts that the government tested back in the 50's.
I've had to revamp this first book because I've expanded the story to 3 books in this series and so I've made some subtle changes to Book 1. Book 2 is complete and Book 3 has reached chapter 8 and almost done. I have an amazing ending for this series and look forward to writing it and putting it out there in early 2020.
The good part is that the series is far better with more depth and it flows much better and makes more sense how I've organized it now. I'm very excited to finally finish the three books by the end of this year so I can start to promote them early in 2020 leading up to the debut of the board game on September 11, which is in its final stages of testing.
New Sepia tone box with book offer.
What a great way to start the new year, with a new product on the market. It's going to be exciting to promote these books along with the companion game. I've taken my time with it for several reasons but mostly, I'm careful to design it all as best I can.
I'm confident that once I polish the three books and the game, everything will come together as intended and sales will hopefully reflect all the work I've put into this project for the past 4 years. Sales are of course important for this and any project, however I'll feel good about it either way because this project is meaningful to me and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
I'll be posting the other two books in this series, Epic Apocalypse, and Beyond the Apocalypse soon, using the new font.
The offer on the box is for a free e-book download, which helps promote the 3 book series on Amazon.com.
A lot going on with this project but the best is yet to come next year when everything is on the market at the same time. At that point I can focus on promotions while I finish work on another board game, Warpd!, which is also close to completion.
Enjoy the holidays and have a great new year, folks. I'll see you on the other side with more exciting news very soon.
BTW, the new Tesla Cybertruck is available for pre-order. Deliveries begin around 2022. Very awesome truck and I mention this Cybertruck in my story. It's how Andrea and Maria flee Austin after the initial nuclear attack. And yes, these 2021 models should still be running in 2157. That's only 137 years away. Imagine that.
Okay folks, while you're patiently and anxiously waiting for Millennium's big debut in 2020, check out this Top 10 list on BGG, a.k.a. BoardGameGeek by Robert Carroll.
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. Anybody out there? Not yet. I get it. I haven't posted here in a while so any momentum I had going with SEO a few months ago has gone back to zero.
Good news is that after several mishaps and unforeseen delays, I'm finally printing the second prototype box for the new Millennium board game, so here it is in all it's glory, for whatever this is worth, just for kicks and giggles. I've decided to give this cover a bit of sepia-tone instead of full black and white. I think it works and most likely this will be the box cover that goes into production.
This time around I'm happy to say this current version of the game is playable on all levels from start to finish so I'll be play-testing the heck out of it and fine-tuning anything that needs tweaking. The new launch date is September 11, 2020 so I hope I can stick to that and meet that deadline this time around.
Blah, blah, blah. nobody cares. In fact, all the pretty packaging doesn't mean a thing unless the game is totally playable and engages gamers on a deep level. Superficial game concepts will never cut it so you need something meaningful beyond all the great artwork.
Sure, you need amazing artwork as click-bait, so to speak. But once gamers get a hold of your game and play it out in real life and in real time, you'll need a stronger hook to keep them engaged and interested until the game ends.
And in case you're wondering, the box cover must tell a story. Most games don't because they leave most of the game imagery to the player's imagination and that's a good thing but a better idea is to tell a story with your cover art so you can not only attract potential buyers but also engage them with a storyline at first glance.
Your marketing needs to be worked into
your stories so you can
use stories to market your books.
In this case, I've featured an Android, Andrea, holding a gun (central protagonist) front and center with her dog Apollo beside her, smack dab in the middle of traffic--a scene set in the 1930's. Yes there's a story in there somewhere and it's deep, wide, and long. How long? Well, that's the real hook. There's an entire novel (300 pages featured on the front of the box) about Andrea and this fascinating cast of characters.
I'm about half way done writing the novel, which in fact will also be released as 3 separate short stories that tie in all the game activity with scenes from where the apocalypse first struck in Austin, Texas.
Here's a behind the scenes preview:
Around the middle of book 2 (Epic Apocalypse) Andrea and Maria are stuck with their stolen Tesla pickup, now running low on power in Jacksonville, Florida after fleeing from Austin weeks ago. So they're deep into their adventurous trip north to New York City along with everything that happened since, which is documented in book 1 (Edge of The Apocalypse).
I'm slowly but surely working my way into book 3 (Beyond The Apocalypse). This is where things take an unexpected turn (again) and the girls are blind-sided with another life-altering dilemma. You gotta love it folks! I'm having a blast putting this down and can't wait to finish it and present it to fans of apocalyptic stories. This is the core audience, by-the-way, but I'm weaving in a bunch of sub-plots that have mass appeal.
I know, I'm a long way from promoting this new series but it helps to be inspired along the way. Otherwise, what's the point in living at all? Your marketing needs to be worked into your stories so you can use stories to market your books. That's something to keep in mind as you write. In fact, movie trailers are designed around specific throw-away scenes so think about that while you're writing your next book because it works both ways.
Millennium is alive and well!
Okay, I didn't plan to write such a long, short post but you get the idea. Millennium is alive and well and coming to a store online soon enough so it's an exciting time all around. I really look forward to playing this game in person with several different players to see how they respond to it overall.
I have a feeling they're going to love it and get hooked. And that's the beginning recipe for going viral. Everything must click so that everyone engages and gets excited at the same time and for the same reasons. That's how things are shared and word-of-mouth turns into a flashpoint that fires up the masses and therefore boosts sales in the long-run. Those initial sales also help potential positive reviews, which in turn starts conversations and begins to convert curious shoppers. There's a lesson in here somewhere but I digress.
Check out the game and if you're a curious reviewer, let me know and I'll send you a free game box in exchange for an honest review on Youtube or your game blog.
In case you missed the initial promotion, here's a second chance to get your free copy of Edge of The Apocalypse, Book 1. https://tinyurl.com/y89w5rwg
The first book of the series literally opens with bang, as the leading edge of nuclear attacks make landfall on Austin, Texas.
The time is here and now, people. This is it! Follow Andrea, a misguided Cyborg, with her dog, Apollo, and her best friend, Maria, as they traverse an American wasteland in the post-apocalyptic year 2157.
Book 1 is now available. Books two and three are due in 2020
Good news for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, because Book 1, Edge of The Apocalypse is now available on Amazon in paperback and eBook editions. https://tinyurl.com/y89w5rwg
I titled the new series, The Edge of Time and it includes two other books, Epic Apocalypse, Book 2, and Beyond The Apocalypse for Book 3, which will include time-travel events.
I'm very excited about this new series and although I never set out to write about the apocalypse, it turns out that this is topic I really enjoy writing. I got the idea several years ago while developing the Millennium board game (Andrea's Journal) and one thing has led to another and here I am, writing my second book in the series.
So, as if I didn't have enough on my plate already, I've set out to finish two more books. Funny thing is that as daunting as that sounds, I find it very satisfying and a lot of fun to do, so it's not a chore, but a joy for me to accomplish, hopefully in a year or so.
The board game is all but finished and I hope to launch it this September 11 without a hitch. I can't wait for that because Millennium has evolved in amazing ways that I had never thought of when I started designing it back in 2016. It pays to be patient and to sleep on ideas until they are ready to be shared.
These new books are part of the evolution of the board game and writing them is the only option for me. I must write these books and hopefully many more in this genre, not only because the time is right, but because right now this is where my heart and soul is and I'm seizing the moment.
It's going to be a whole new world of exploration in this genre, both post apocalyptic fiction as well as the YA and millennial category of readers.
Lots to learn and a lot to do as things move along towards the year 2020. Here's the link to the new blog,The Edge of Time series of books. I'll also be talking about the book cover designs for all the new books and anything related to the genre.
As an aside, I started watching the post-apocalyptic thriller, Bird Box, a Netflix favorite. I bailed out of it after 20 minutes or so, but I plan to give it another chance this weekend. I didn't get the blindfolding idea. Seemed like a gimmick to me but I'm open to anything so let's see if I can finish watching it this time around.
I did enjoy the opening scenes with Sandra Bullock and her sister, played by Sarah Paulson. Nice tension and dialog.
The movie is actually based on the debut novel Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Rotten Tomatoes has given it a mixed 3-star review and also says that the film lacks tension but has solid performances.
Too early to tell, but we'll see how it ends. That's the true test for any story and I'll post my review and rating in my next post. Stay tuned for much more!
Wise words this author now lives by because I have a good feeling about this amazing new series of books.
What is amazing to me is how this story has seized my mind and soul to the point where I think of very little else except to immerse myself into this apocalyptic world and go along for the ride of a lifetime because writing this series is the most fun I've ever had professionally. What more can one ask for?
I'm constantly taking mental notes, taking notes on my phone, notes on napkins, I'll scribble scene ideas wherever I can at any given time. I often wake up in the middle of the night or early morning to jot down plot events or chapter headings. I am totally obsessed with this story and that's a good thing because I'll have to live with it for a good while until I finish it.
The idea for the book(s) came to me as soon as I thought of including a journal for Andrea's character for the Millennium board game. Nice touch for the game, I thought as I proceeded to outline Andrea's journal. But in the back of my mind, all I could think of was; this could make a good novel or a series of books. Who am I kidding? I barely have time to breathe just trying to finish the board game.
But as the months went by, the journal kept growing and ideas just kept flowing and I couldn't stop writing. Still can't.
Long story, short.
I wrote the first draft of book one in about a week and started outlining and writing the second book as I went along. Before long I had the concept for the series locked-in and hope to publish the two remaining books by early next year.
None of this was planned. It just evolved out of the journal and I am so grateful that I've seized the moment and I've run with it. Best part is that I'm enjoying and savoring every word and every scene as if I was there.
And I am.
I hope you will be too.
Join me on this extraordinary odyssey of words, events, and short stories that I believe can brighten our outlook of the future and add meaning to our days.
Happy New Year, people! We've made it to another amazing year and I'm wishing you a prosperous new year and an exciting and inspiring time reaching your dreams.
For me, there's no better way to start the new year than with new and fresh business plans and ideas. If you're not growing and learning new and exciting things every day, life becomes a monotonous series of daily events. And so with that frame of mind, I'm committed to venture into unknown territory with no fear, no apprehension, and certainly high expectations as I hope you are too.
Pursue what's possible and everything will fall into place. Trust what you know and follow your passion to wherever it takes you and beyond. You'll be surprised how far you can get on a whim.
So along with the new year, comes a new box for the Millennium board game. Yes, this game is alive and well and just about to hit the shelves this coming September 11, 2019, with its companion book, The Edge of The Apocalypse.
The book (available in three formats) will be published sooner but the official launch for both products is 9.11.2019.
New Book Cover
In case you missed it, here's the new cover for the book. As you can see, I've added a pier and Andrea's dog, Apollo. I resolved the problem with the missing feet and so the book should trim close to how this one looks. I think I'll keep these colors and not try to match the book cover to the board game cover.
Although, the more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to tone down the colors on the book cover to almost black and gray, mostly because when you pair these products in one shot they should match in some way. I don't think that will make or break the presentation either way but I'll juxtapose a gray version of the book cover to see how they look together.
There are subtle differences to the game box too. I switched out the main font for the Millennium name because the Montalban font is more distinctive and looks more futuristic. I also toned down the grunge filter so the name stands out a bit more.
About The New Box
The big difference with this new box is the style of the box itself. This is Game Crafter's 9x12 Large Retail Box. At first glance it's a bit unusual because the sides (from the top of the cover) don't reach the bottom of the box. The top and bottom of the box halves (each 1" deep) meet half way to the middle and that's why it looks split. See the Game Crafter video to see how they explain the reason for this kind of box. They claim it's stronger and more durable when folded this way.
I'm sure it is a sturdier box but I'm not so sure it's a great idea for the sides because it limits the width (2 inches) of the space for images, but I do think it looks different and eye-catching enough that buyers might be inclined to pick up the box off a shelf just out of curiosity.
One can also try to match the bottom of the box to the top of the box to create a seamless image on the 2 inch sides but I doubt these images will match up because the first prototype box top was off by almost half an inch! I'm not sure what happened with their registration marks but the cover was way off, with the name too close to the edge on the top of the box. I'll be sure to comment about that when they print this next 9x12 prototype. Either that or I'll be more careful to position the cover image exactly how I want it t appear.
We are all born with great intuition and natural instincts.
These qualities are all we need to survive in life.
Thriving is just a matter of details.
I never fussed about it because these are only prototypes, but I hope this next box looks a lot better than the first. Another concern was how dark most of the images printed. I've made adjustments to the artwork by increasing the brightness about 20% on Photoshop so when the PNG files upload and you enable the color filter, the artwork will not appear or print as dark as it did before. This box is also big enough to fit the 6-fold game board that I'm using so I can fit the entire U. S. map as opposed to just the east coast as in the first game.
Millennium has evolved in so many ways and my advice to game designers is to start with a solid core concept and develop the game from that concept outward until you reach a conclusion that satisfies the players.
You must have a clear event or incident that sets the game off and leads to both short-term and long-term goals leading up to the game's conclusion and the big finale; the ultimate strategy and final goal that makes the game worth playing from start to finish.
Millennium's Concept
In Millennium's case, a nuclear explosion in Austin, Texas, sets the game off in a big way and triggers apocalyptic events revealing the attacker's Manifesto with their warnings and taunting demands. As explosions randomly ripple across the land, you solve clues and anagrams to stay clear and avoid the next bomb.
You can also rescue survivors for extra points as you try to avoid a variety of obstacles and pitfalls along the way. You can find different modes of transportation, such as electric cars, scooters, and even an Amtrak train.
If you reach Brooklyn, NY, you can travel back in time via a time portal at the Meridian line via Coney Island's Astroland Amusement Park. Each of these events and cities have card decks to help you get there and accumulate points as you go.
In short, it's an interesting and fun American history lesson as you make your way across the map to your nearest safe haven.
There's much more to the game, including video links, a Rule eBooklet with all the game rules and game play you need to know, right on your phone or tablet. They are minimal because the game is designed intuitively since events happen sequentially as they might in real life.
As the day of publication nears, I'll post more details about how to play the game. The rule book is only about 15 pages long and the game is very easy to learn. In addition, all card decks provide plenty of information on your next move so it's a quick game to learn as you play.
