The year might be ending, but I’m not quite done wringing the life out of it yet. I’ve got several things on the burner that I thought I might share.

First, I’ve got a new cover for my novel Follow The Chupacabra. I didn’t think my first cover really conveyed the feel of the book, looking too much like the cover for a horror novel, among other problems. My designer did a great job with the original cover—it was my concept, after all, and I acquired the base illustration that he heroically doctored to make presentable—but I think my original cover concept was just flawed. Follow The Chupacabra is a contemporary fantasy that brings the legendary creatures of the American Southwest to life. The new cover, by Laura Gordon at The Book Cover Machine, captures the otherworldly feel of the book, and hints at the alternate worlds inside. What do you think? (And by the way, this e-book is still on sale for 99 cents through the end of the year.)

I’ve been pretty quiet about my next project, but it is coming together nicely, and it won’t be long until it’s finished. It may not be on sale by the end of the year, but certainly an early 2014 release. And in this novella, I dive into classic space opera. I’ve been a fan of that genre as long as I can remember. I love the grand scale of SF stories that span the galaxy, with faster-than-light starships grappling with plentiful alien races. This type of book has fallen out of favor lately, as our depressed nation embraces the post-apocalyptic (and who can blame us?). But I wanted to create a story that unapologetically jumped out into the larger universe and was just pure fun to read. So, picture the remnants of the human race huddled in domed cities on far-off worlds. They survived near extinction 1000 years ago in a war with hostile aliens, but now are protected by mysterious god-like beings. But when a new power arrives in force, even the gods of mankind may not be able to stop them. And our best hope lies with a devoted acolyte of the city’s guardian god, and a maintenance worker who knows all the secrets that sustain The City—and maybe even the gods themselves.

What else? I’ve registered for a table at Staple, the independent media expo in Austin, Texas, on March 1-2, 2014. I’ll be selling and signing all my novels, so come on down and say hey. (Technically, I haven’t received confirmation yet, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be in.) This event is a great way to support those of us creating books, comics and artwork on our own. There was some very cool stuff for sale last year. Hope to see you there!