For 2020

The Projects that are Underway

Hi fans, friends, and acquittances - 

2018 is behind us, and we're well on our way through 2019. I am currently working on several new books. These books will be available in 2020. I know - why do you have to wait so long? Well, writing books is a time consuming process, no to mention the editing, publishing, and marketing parts. 

As of the writing of this blog post, I have two novellas written. One is a sequel to The Lantern of Dern Blackhammer.  The title of the book is, The White King of Moore. Below is the book-blurb:

Deep below the streets of Moore. Down below the cisterns, and the marvelous sewers; below even the ancient riverbed, is the roof of a once magnificent city. Beneath that roof, sealed by powerful magic and hidden from prying eyes for many centuries, sits a corpse king.

In a world where magic is a standard way of life, exists many city-states vying for power. Among those cities is the great elven capital - Moore! And, within Moore there dwells a secret organization - the Brood - pledged to protect the city - and its government at all cost.

Janaway Cartush is a member of parliament, but her heart is set on being a queen. In a short time, she will address her followers - those craven few that chant her name and praise her political agenda of one ruler to rule all of Moore. At that town square gathering, she will announce her plan to claim Moore and seize power. 

But, as always, the Brood is moving to intercede, and into the fray they will send Ford and his team. The problem? They're tasked with stealing a key that opens a box that contains another key, that will let them into the ancient city below their feet. In that city, they must retrieve the relics of Gomoran the White King of Morrianus.

Unfortunately, Janaways agents are one step ahead. Once they have the magic items, Janaway's claim may be the undoing of that great metropolis - the elven city of Moore.

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The second novella is titled (working title at the moment) Jake and the Solomon Lake Treasure. Below is the book-blurb - 

Jake "Facebreaker" Sharkar lives his life between the lines of law-and-order and outright villainy. Fresh from committing murder, he finds that his employer has a proposition for him. Instead of paying his fee, Jake has the opportunity to help find and share in the reward of recovering the lost treasure of Solomon Lake. 

A long journey, an unexpected accomplice, and wandering aliens, will not keep Jake from garnering glory and promised wealth. Make no mistake, it is unwise to double-cross a man like Jake. And, if those who thought they could double, or triple, or even quadrupole-cross Jake, they have another thing coming. 

Ride from one planet to another, as Jake, Michael, Mickey, and Millicent search the galaxy for the Solomon Lake treasure - a fabled cache of alien artifacts looted and lost hundreds of years earlier. Solomon Lake - that mythological pioneer, miner, and wild-man, who flew by the seat of
his pants and lived a life of a libertine. And, who doesn't want to be a libertine?

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So, that's all I got for now. If you're looking for me on social media - 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/boarerpitchford

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/boarerpitchford

Website:     http://www.boarerpitchford.com

Hi all,

I've been super busy working on several books. Takes a lot of time to write a book.

So, in our relationship, I've not been as attentive as I should - I know, and I apologize. Unfortunately, this is the way I am. Once I'm locked into a writing fit - I'm lost there until I burn out and come back to reality... or what I consider reality. :O)

What have I been working on? Harrow's Gate! This is a work of science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, and romance. Ya, I said romance! It is my first try at adding into the plot a romance that would complement the action/adventure stuff. It was no easy work - considering I'm the guy who wrote In the World of Hyboria - barbarian action and adventure with fierce brutality, war, revenge, torture, good v. evil, and the bonds of brotherhood.. the brotherhood at arms that is. I hope Robert E. Howard is not spinning in his grave! :O) )

Back to Harrow's Gate -

Take a look at the excerpt and see if it doesn't give you a immersive sense and pull you to want to read the story.

Harrow's Gate excerpt from Chapter 2:

Ella’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean I can’t go out?”

Her brother took a step away from her… it looked as if she might attack. “Father says you have to stay in the hotel until they return with the escort,” he said. “Then you can go out... with the escort.”

She leveled her imposing gaze at him.

“They’re not returning until one in the morning tomorrow! How am I supposed to go out then?”

“Not my problem,” Geris said. “Anyway, you’re safer here inside the hotel. Why don’t you invite Crystal or Genya to come up?” He hedged his way toward the open door. “You know, play some quambi or paint each other’s toenails or something…”

She grabbed a vase and hurled it at his head. It missed by an inch and smashed against the wall splashing water and flowers everywhere.

“You’re a man and you can go anywhere you want!” she screamed. “I can handle myself anywhere and in any situation,” she yelled after him, as he ran through the door and down the hallway to the lift.

Ella stomped into the hall and saw him frantically pushing the signal-button for the lift-box. The corners of her mouth twisted up, as her anger ebbed. She huffed, turned on her heels and went back in, slamming the door behind her.

“By all the elements, I’ll have a night out,” Ella swore.

~Lawrence BoarerPitchford

Saucy gal, eh? She's nobody's fool - to say the least. She's a strong woman who knows what she wants when she sees it. The men are no slouches either.

Harrow's Gate excerpt from Chapter 3:

The girls walked a little faster, but two men stepped out from a dark alley just ahead. Both wore battered and frayed bowler hats, ill-fitting dark coats, and threadbare trousers. One of them held a wooden axe handle, and the other produced a long shiny knife.

“Where you think you’re going, my little dearies?” the man with the knife asked. He smiled and showed he lacked both front teeth as well as manners.

“Them’s off to the ball, me thinks,” the ruffian with the axe handle said, as he slapped the hardwood into his palm.

From across the street two men came. They were different, dressed in clean and expensive black trousers, black boots, long black split-tail coats, and black toppers.

“Is this the young Ms. Garland?” one of them said while tipping his hat. “I am enchanted at making your acquaintance, to be sure.”

The other man also tipped his hat and bowed slightly. “Truly a woman of much beauty,” he said. “Please to let me introduce myself. I am Heinz Foltz, the adviser to the Burkmuran government here in Hurgray. I have been asked to seek you out and invite you to visit the Ambassador. Also, the invitation is extended to your lovely friends as well.” He nodded to Genya and Crystal.

“What is this about?” Crystal demanded.

“All will be explained once we are at the embassy,” Heinz said.

“And if we refuse to go,” Ella challenged.

“Then we will take you by force, which is why we employed these fine gentlemen.” He motioned with his hand to the goons surrounding the girls.

Ella moved quickly and kicked Heinz in the leg. The man fell to the side, and Ella shouted, “This way!”

The three girls ran toward a dark alley across the street. The hired goons were on their heels every step of the way. Ella dashed down the road between the high brick buildings only to find it blocked at the end with a wall and a wooden door. She turned and produced a small dagger. Swinging it from side to side, she nearly cut one of the ruffians.

“Now, me lovely, you don’t want to go and do that do you?” said the lead tough.

“I’ll gut the first of you that tries to lay a hand on us!” Ella shouted.

The two Burkmuran men arrived. Heinz pushed his way forward. The green moon was full, and in the dim light of the alley he shook his head.

“You’re a pistol, my little sweet-pie,” he said.

“No, actually I have a pistol, and I’ll kill each of you if you don’t step aside,” Leland said loudly from behind.

“What’s this?” Heinz turned around. “Who in the Height’s Hell are you?”

“None of your business! Now step aside or you’ll be the first to fall,” Leland assured him.

“Ella, Crystal, Genya, come this way,” Tommy said, his saber in his hand and ready for action.

Ella moved forward waving her dagger from side to side to make sure the men stayed out of the way. Once through, the girls ran out to the street.

“Come on,” Ella shouted back, “let’s get out of here!”

Leland and Tommy backed out to the street. “We can’t have you following us, so…” Leland fired his pistol. The loud pop echoed in the alley, followed by a puff of steam as the peroxide weapon discharged.  
~Lawrence BoarerPitchford

See what I mean  - fun - action - and a bit of saucy romance... well,  you'll need to see for yourself.

Harrow's Gate is only 99 Cents on Amazon and Smashwords - there is also a paperback copy if you're crave the feel of paper between your hands - but it is a little more expensive.

www.BoarerPitchford.com
www.facebook.com/harrowsgate

Excerpt from In the World of Hyboria, Grim Determination

CHAPTER 1

A Sticky Wicket

A stench of urine filled the dusty air. The reek of animal dung assaulted the average passerby like a mallet to the nose. But that was not the worst; there was a sticky, acrid taste that coated one’s tongue as well.

Defensive walls, mud-brick buildings, raw sewage, and the din of thousands selling, buying, and chiding one another filled the narrow streets. A monkey on a chain jumped out and held up a small brass cup.

“Be gone, wretched creature,” Benhargan commanded as he stepped over it.

The end of his scabbard struck the monkey on the head. It let out a wail and ran to its master, who wisely kept his mouth shut.

Benhargan’s shoulders sailed above the heads of the Khemi residents. They looked upon him as a freak, a strange anomaly of creation too large to fully comprehend.

Shiyet was a dangerous town. Everywhere he went was dangerous. But, as dangerous a city or town was, it was only half as dangerous as he.

Stopping at a dark doorway he reached for the wooden latch, flipped it up and opened the door.

Inside a cacophony of voices blasted his ears. Men shouted while throwing dice, and argued bitterly. A woman screamed, then laughed with bawdy guffaws. Sweat, stale beer, and blood saturated the very atmosphere of the place.

There was little room to move as each man stood shoulder to shoulder. Benhargan cut through the gathered like a ship’s prow through blue waters. Angry words from grim men followed him, but none so foul as to demand his attention.

A swarthy fellow, like most in the tavern, waved Benhargan over. In his hand was a bundle of brown linen containing something. The man found a table and two chairs.

“Come, come!” he said.

Benhargan pushed his way through the throng and stopped at the narrow rough-fashioned table.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“Oh, great warrior, it is something you’ve been asking for.”

Benhargan frowned. “If you want to see my brass, you’d better be quick about it.”

The man looked around nervously, then unwrapped the item and set it on the table. Dirt flaked off all around it. Along the sides, etched in red ochre, were images of men with spears and shields.

The man dusted it off and smiled a toothless grin.

“You see, it is the thing I told you of.”

To read more, visit:

Barnes and Nobles.com

Amazon.com     Smashwords.com 

What the Hell?

Is science and science fiction colliding? In just the last ten years we as a race have gone from the concept of sending a spacecraft traveling via hyperspace in science fiction only, to theoretical but improbable hyperspace travel, to now believing that it's not only probably, but quite possibly practical (once a few exotic energy sources are ironed out). Quantum teleportation - once only in the domain of science fiction writers, now flourishing as a study in most universities. Printed organs, artificial blood, atmospheric to space and back again planes, high powered plasma ion motors, and lightweight space suits, all now realities.

What's it all point to? It points to the human race becoming a space faring race. We're on the cusp of taking the big leap and leaving this big blue marble for the harsh but intriguing vastness of space. What are the three obstacles that keep us from just taking the plunge? 1) we absolutely need to have some form of artificial gravity - and not some spinning centrifugal force hunk of crap. It must be small and apply to all cabin areas of the craft. 2) we absolutely need to use quantum entanglement to tell atoms to be whatever we want them to be - thus being able to make food with laser light. 3) and, we need to be able to travel vast distances quickly - much faster than the speed of light. These are not tall orders according to physicists today.

Companies like Reaction Engines Ltd., SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Planetary Resources, and the many companies today that are making 3D printers are all blazing a trail off-world. Yes, there are some things that also need to be accessible for us to be space faring - such as a computerized and fully automated medical center, entertainment, artificial and real sex options, virtual reality, robots, and a host of advanced weapons systems. But, having said this, I'm a bit disappointed that the fore mentioned business are not collaborating to make our expansion into-the-void a quicker and cheaper reality. So, this is me chiding those business minded fools to get the fu@$!#@ lead out! Just like I want my flying car, and my jet pack, and my virtual reality games - I want to see the human race take that step before I die. I want it to be a science fiction to science reality. I know that if these innovations, and our desire to explore were to come together, in the next thirty years I will see a average Joe like me, boarding a ground based aircraft using Reaction Engine's Saber engine/motors, flying up from a flight deck to outer space, turn on the plasma engine and propel us to a inter-stellar ship that will take us around the solar system - then engage the hyper drive and deliver us to some distant star system in a matter of months. All the while in the spacious ship we're eating anything that is programmed into the quantum replicator, and walking around because we have artificial gravity. Hurry up you jerks! I'm growing older, and I don't see you getting us going!

So, where does that leave us? It tells me that life really does imitate art - in that all of the things that I've mentioned have been inspired by Star Trek, Star Wars, and a host of science fiction novels. After all, most of our scientists are and were avid readers and watchers of such works. Thank God for the artists. Thank evolution for the scientists! Now, if you're a scientist - get your azz back to work! And, if you're an artist, author, sculptor, etc. get your azz back to work too and start dreaming up more crazy science fiction for our scientists to be inspired by!

~Lawrence BoarerPitchford
Author of -
The Lantern of Dern Blackhammer
Tales of Mad Cows and Brothels
In the World of Hyboria
Thadius
Sawbones
You can find his works at Amazon Books, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes and Nobles, and a host of other distributions.

Oculus Rift and the Future of Gaming

Greetings friends, colleagues, and contemporaries,

 

What is fiction? Fiction is the use of ideas, concepts, and plots that center around stuff that doesn’t exist in our day-to-day lives, and can be intermingled with events, ideas, and persons having actually existed. Fiction is often referred to when discussing books, plays, or movies, but it could also include games as well.

 Computer games have become an ever present technological development stemming from the recent past, and most likely carrying on into our future. Most computer games are works of fiction. Most of these games are derived from ideas, concepts, and plots that didn’t and don’t exist in our day-to-day reality. Why is this important to look at?  Because it is the beginning of a more interactive way of telling fiction stories.

 I played Dungeons and Dragons as a kid (lets the sharp barbs of hypocrisy simmer down). Yes, it had a reputation, and many who played were geeky kids (and some adults) who loved (wait for it) fantasy fiction such as Tolkien and Howard. The medium was dice, paper, and a good O’l fashion story telling. My group of players had a guy who wove amazingly detailed and fun action plots with puzzles, and fighting. If we did something stupid (and often did), he’d rein us in by figuring out on the fly, new plot elements and objectives. Our imaginations were charged, and our sense of reality disengaged. Some of the best time, and funniest times I had were with that group of friends.

I read to recapture that sense of fun – but reading never really had that wonderful effect of being an active player inside the story. And, it’s more than just making decision inside the story. It was the camaraderie and uncensored interaction with my fellow player. It was the quick thinking of the Game Master to change things on the fly, and it was the random events that could not be accounted for, all made the experience memorable and amazingly fun. So, just a fiction book was not going to recapture that for me. Then, Escape from Castle Wolfenstine came out, and everything began to change.

Escape from Castle Wolfenstine, by Id games was the progenitor to the fast and furious action games of today (and tomorrow). It allowed a player to navigate a labyrinth containing hidden passages, treasures, and evil bad guys waiting to gun the player down. The graphics were three-point-perspective, and scrolled as the player moved down hallways. It had a bit map on every wall, floor and ceiling that provided a rich sense of space. The view for the player was first-person, and the intense gun play was unbeatable. This gave me a hint of what would later grow into a form of entertainment that is even today profound.

Next came the massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). This form of game took the Id concept and moved it one step up by allowing thousands of player to connect and play in a single environment. 3DO was a game development company that created the very first  MMORPG titled Meridian 59. This game was more than a proof of concept, it changed the very fabric of gaming forever. Now, I didn’t have to sit at my desk playing a computer game alone – now I had a community I was linked to. Two of my friends signed up and bought the game, and we three made a point to log in to the game at the same time, and play together. This game was the closest I’d come to playing a computer game that gave me the same feeling like I had when playing D&D. There were player-characters; avatars that were controlled by a person. Also, there were non-player-characters; avatars that were controlled by the computer. The real treat was the interaction with the avatars that were controlled by other people – the unintended events, the personality of people that shined through the two dimensional avatar, all this provided a tiny taste of what could be. It didn’t quell that longing to experience that rich environment of D&D again, it merely quieted the desire.

Upon the heels of Meridian 59 came Everquest published by Sony. This was a much larger environment – one could even call it a world now. Here, the game designers were exploring the use of true 3D modeling, and the introduction of physics-based code. It was a step up. After Everquest came Everquest II (EQII), and then came World of War Craft, Age of Conan, and a host of others that improved on the MMORPG model, but not by much. Mostly the area of 3D modeling and physics-based coding were these notable games contributions.   

Now, there’s another revolution that’s taking place in the gaming industry that may take the final hurdle and surpass my D&D love affair; immersive virtual reality (VR). VR has been around for some time now. Its roots, while interesting, are academic for this discussion. How does this add to the evolution of fiction? In a big way. When I played D&D all those years ago, my fertile imagination was so strong that I felt as if I was actually in the story while knowing that I wasn’t. What does that mean? Well, as I played I could joke around with the other players, socialize about our work, school, girlfriends, hopes and dreams, while still portraying our character at every challenge. Of course we knew the fictional setting of the game wasn’t real – just like when one reads a good fiction novel and knows that the setting is just a construct of the author. Now, with VR I can actually feel like I’m inside a virtual world.

New hardware such as the Oculus Rift virtual reality head display is allowing a player to feel as if he, or she is actually inside the game. This reality has been the stuff of science fiction for many years in both movies and book form. In the use of VR, fiction and reality are merging. Those of us who write fiction are now upon a precipice looking over at a genre based juggernaut that will deliver the customer directly into a world of the writers making. Once VR is combined with the next generation MMORPG model, just reading fiction will not be enough for some. Those once glorious readers will begin to migrate to immersion, living out adventures and loves, not just in their imagination, but deep within a computer game, and driving an ever changing content.

Will fiction books be relegated to the dust bin of innovation? No, there will still be those who love to curl up with a good fiction book and let their imagination give them the illusion of being in the story. What does that mean to us authors? That means that our efforts will have to be top-shelf, and just as we once sought to get a movie deal, we’ll be seeking to have our worlds immortalized in the MMORPG game world, where our readers can mingle with our characters, interact with other fans of our stories, follow self-developing plot lines, and experience life in exotic and fulfilling ways, all while never leaving their home. The future is here with the Oculus Rift and the immersion revolution that is just beginning. So, keep writing you authors, keep writing the romance, the science fiction thriller, the high fantasy epic, the seedy erotica story, and know that technology can make each and every one more real than the words used to construct them. My advice to you is to keep an eye on this technology, and follow the VR revolution, for it will have a profound effect on the writing industry.

Author Interview

Greetings oh my brothers, sisters, and only friends!

Recently I did an interview with Lucy Pireel for her Goodreads blogg. If you get a chance and if you're on Goodreads check out my interview with Lucy. She is totally awesome!  http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/4157525-featured-author-lawrence-boarerpitchford#comment_73742459

Also, I'd like to thanks her publicly for featuring me, and might I add her wonderful willingness to help out a fellow Indie author. Please do your part as well. Become involved, participate with your favorite or fellow Indie authors, Blog for them, Tweet for them, mention them as frequently as you can to friends, family and strangers. Remember that the big publishers have money to market their authors, we Indie authors rely on you our humble readers and friends to spread the word. In that way, we at least can try and make a living at what we love, and bring quality fiction to our fans.

Many regards,
~Lawrence BoarerPitchford

Relationships

From my Goodreads blog:

What are the relationships between indie writers out there? This is a very interesting subject. When I first came into the business, I was asked by a fellow indie author to review his work, but he was not willing to review mine. "Why?" I asked. He said that it looked bad to appear to provide reviews that seemed quid pro quo. He was right to think that, since those readers who post reviews can be savage about an authors credibility.

Over the last year I've read Stuart Jaffe's The Way of the Black Beast, Timothy Wood's Grant me Timely Grace, and Rebecca Scarberry's Messages from Henry. Each was a work of the heart by the particular author. But, I can't spend all my time reading - as you've guessed, I'm a writer. Having said that, I try and support my fellow authors as I can. One way I've done this is by putting their web site as a link on my web site. I've written a few reviews, and have gone to fellow author's pages at various sites to "like", comment, or put down some tags for them. Some of them have done the same for me. And, that is really the name of the game as an indie author, networking.

As an indie author, I spend most of my waking time at my day job, or writing. Time for promoting others, and myself is very limited for me.

On the subject of promotion, it is clear that there is little desire by some authors to promote their fellow author's works. Why? It's not clear. Most likely they are under the same stress that I am.
In the market there are few well developed and inexpensive advertising outlets for indie authors, and the personal cost in time and/or money to market one's works is prohibitive in many cases. Having said that, my readership continues to grow - slowly. Visibility is the crucial key to financial success for an indie author. How do we achieve that? There are some suggestions out there, a few books, but it all boils down to money and time; a luxury that most indie authors struggle with. I sure struggle with it.

If you like sword and sorcery fantasy, or historical fiction, check out my works here on Goodread, Amazon Books, Smashwords, or my web site www.boarerpitchford.com. I write action and adventure stories that drive the imagination and titillate the senses.


Regards,
Lawrence BoarerPitchford, Author
Thadius (historical fiction)
Sawbones (historical fiction)
In the World of Hyboria (barbarian sword and sorcery)
The Lantern of Dern Blackhammer (sword and sorcery)