Maybe it’s just me, but the end of summer is a double-edged sword for me. On the one hand, I enjoy the promise of cooler weather coming in the next few months. On the other hand, I hate the transition from summer to school season, and that’s purely from negative nostalgia. Negalgia? No, that sounds terrible. Anyway… The end of August was always a dreaded time for me, because it meant school was right around the corner. It’s been many years since I had to sit in a classroom, but I remember that particular feeling like it was yesterday.
I know a lot of people who miss their school days and wish they could go back to that time. Not me. While I’d like fewer responsibilities and more free time to play video games or read books, I do not miss being trapped in a classroom for seven to eight hours out of a day. Not one little bit.
That said, I’m currently listening to the soundtrack for a PlayStation 1 game called Star Ocean: The Second Story. A game from my middle school days! So… Yeah, there’s some good times from there, I suppose.
If you’re out of school like me, what feelings does this time of the year dredge up for you, if any? And if you’re still in school, how do you like the transition from summer to the academic season? Hate it like me, neutral, or do you like it?
Chronicles From the World of Guilt is out:
Chris Durston’s Chronicles From the World of Guilt is out on Amazon. If you’re in for a wild and strange tale of Earth’s destruction and what comes after it, this is for you:
What is Guilt?
Is it an enormous flying whale? Maybe an alien, come from deep space to punish us? Some call it an angel or a god, others a demon.
What nobody can deny is that it is the end.
These tales chronicle the story of the Earth in the centuries after the apocalypse: struggles for survival against twisted, horrific foes; small moments of kindness and warmth in the dark; life going on, even as the whole world changes.
These are the Chronicles from the World of Guilt.
Darkness in a Sky of Embers audio is an excellent gift for your ears:
Catori Sarmiento’s Darkness in a Sky of Embers is a great listen for anyone who enjoys Young Adult fiction. This harrowing military sci-fi tale is an exciting adventure from start to finish:
There could be no doubt of the terrifying presence of the Helgrammaw….
Madeline Yazzie had seen them when the Ashfall came. The day of humanity’s upheaval. The day when the creatures arrived and her morbid curiosity drove her to see them again with her own eyes, and kill them…
Misfits of Magic release week:
Our Misfits of Magic anthology is off to the first reader crew, and it is slated to release this week! Look for it to drop on Friday, and get ready for many tales of daring adventures through all manner of fantasy realms!
Dwarves, Dragons, Demons, and more!
If you love axe-wielding barbarians, shape-shifting dragons, possessed toys, or cryptic assassins, then grab your traveling pack and join in the adventures.
In this collection, you’ll find ten tales of fantasy, with new fiction by Writers of the Future winner, N.V. Haskel, a new Raven and the Crow short by Michael K. Falciani, a tale of Draven the Redwolf by William Joseph Roberts, and more.
Fans of Robert E. Howard, Lin Carter, David Eddings, Robert Jordon, and Karl Edward Wagner are sure to enjoy this fantastical collection.
Blood, Sweat, and Steel closed to submission:
The submission deadline for the Blood, Sweat, and Steel anthology has closed. Now the hard work begins of going through all the great stories we’ve received! Look forward to its release sometime in the near future.
No matter how many centuries pass and what kind of advancements are made, there are two truths to the existence of sentient life in the universe: there will be war, and those wars will ultimately be fought by creatures of flesh and blood. They may be encased in steel and given the most incredible equipment and weaponry available, but inside that steel they sweat, and they bleed…
