Mental Hash, the Blog of Author W. C. Bauers - W. C. BAUERS

DIE CHRONIKEN VON PROMISE PAEN von W.C. Bauers (19.09.2016)

9/9/2016

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Me either.

Thankfully, the good people at Cross Cult do. UNBREAKABLE, the German-language edition, releases in just over a week!

Erscheinungsdatum: 19.09.2016

Now, for some unexplained reason, I'm craving schnitzel.

Die Kolonisten des Planeten Montana sind es gewöhnt, ignoriert zu werden. In der Pufferzone zwischen zwei rivalisierenden menschlichen Imperien gelegen, ist ihre Welt provinziell und unabhängig. Selbst als vorläufiges Mitglied der Republik verbündeter Welten wird Montana kaum beachtet – bis es zum Krisenherd eines drohenden interstellaren Kriegs wird.
Als Piratenüberfälle die Region zu destabilisieren drohen, beauftragt die RVW ihre Panzergrenadiere damit, der Situation Herr zu werden. Der Angriff wird von Marine-Corps-Lieutenant Promise Paen, ehemaliger Bewohnerin von Montana, geleitet. Vor Jahren schloss sich Promise den Marines an, nachdem ihr Vater bei einem solchen Überfall getötet wurde. Rache ist süß, aber sie hat einen enormen und verheerenden Preis. Und Promise ist keineswegs glücklich, wieder auf ihrer Heimatwelt zu sein, nicht mal, als die Bevölkerung des Planeten, einschließlich seines schillernden Präsidenten, sie als Heldin begrüßt. Was die Sache noch schlimmer macht: Promise wird immer wieder von der Stimme ihrer toten Mutter heimgesucht.

Währenddessen hat der erbittertste Rivale der RVW, das Lusitanische Imperium, die Ereignisse im Montana-System mit Interesse verfolgt. Die Truppen haben nur auf den richtigen Moment gewartet, einen Brückenkopf im Territorium der Republik an sich zu reißen, und nachdem Promises Marines drastisch dezimiert wurden, halten sie den Moment geeignet, um zuzuschlagen.

Release Day! UNBREAKABLE is in paperback everywhere books are sold.

7/5/2016

It's here!

I'm so excited to have the first book in the Chronicles of Promise Paen in a paperback format, and at a lower price point.

Now there's no excuse not to get your copy and dig in. Do me a favor and let me know how it goes. If you'd like a signed bookplate email me at write(dot)wcbauers@gmail(dot)com. I'll send you one on my dime.

Don't forgot the audio edition, here.

Best,

W. C.

Get Your Mind off of the Election. Read a Good Book Instead. (so says io9 anyway)

3/10/2016

io9 just mentioned INDOMITABLE (and by association UNBREAKABLE) among 16 great reads to get your mind off of the election.

Thanks, Charlie Jane Anders! Admittedly, I'm biased. But, I couldn't agree more. Please check it out.

Another great read on the list is Rachel Bach's FORTUNE'S PAWN, book one of the Paradox Series. Full-bite, militaristic science fiction with a plucky character named Devi who looks like a pixie but hits like Thor.

Time to #EscapeElectionFatigue and celebrate #WomenWarriorsRockingMilitarySF!

Geekside News: The Rise of Streaming, the Death of the Networks, and The Chronicles of Promise Paen

2/8/2016

The guys from "Geekside New" were great hosts. We talked about our favorite TV shows (I'm currently enjoying the Shannara Chronicles), the rise of Streaming services and Netflix/Hulu/Amazon "originals" and the death of the networks, and of course my books, UNBREAKABLE and INDOMITABLE (out July 2016).

Zoe is a HUGE fan. I need 5000 rabid fans just like him. Someone, please help Zoe clone himself.

I hope you get a chance to check it out.

W. C.

40 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books That Will Rock Your World In 2016

1/11/2016

My next novel, INDOMITABLE, made this list over at i09.

Whoot!!!

Please check it out at io9.

What a way to start off the week!!!

It's Time to Tag Your Book

11/30/2015

Traditional genre categories very often fail to identify a book's truth wealth.

UNBREAKABLE is classified as a Science Fiction or Military SF novel, maybe a Marine or adventure story, or a space opera. But it's more.

You may not care for science fiction, or military adventure. But what about tales of living through and overcoming loss? Or stories about Mother/daughter relationships? Or frontier adventures? Or political intrigue?

UNBREAKABLE is far more than just science fiction.

Here are a few tags to illustrate the point:

#StrongFemaleProtagonist

#WomenInCombat

#PTSD

#CopingWithLoss

#OrphanStory

#MotherDaughterStory(perhaps my favorite tag)

#Western

#GreatGame

#PoliticalIntrigue

#OvercomingFear

Is it time to #TagYourBook? I believe so. Here's a great post on the subject.

HELL'S FOUNDATIONS QUIVER: One of the Best Book Titles, ever, from a SF Grand-master (IMHO Weber is the "Great One")

10/22/2015

One of my all-time favorite authors, David Weber, just released the latest installment in his SAFEHOLD SERIES. Think Martin Luther's Reformation meets I-Robot...with furlongs of British novelist Patrick Robinson stirred in for good measure. Military-style, historically inspired, Space Opera doesn't get any better. And there's plenty of Naval warfare and cannon fodder too. The books are a treat (though they require a large commitment and a push-through mentality).

HELL'S FOUNDATIONS QUIVER has to be one of the best titles I've seen, for any book, ever. Serious props to the title committee. Love it!

Not familiar with the SAFEHOLD SERIES? Please rectify that now. See here for more information on the series and all things David Weber.

MileHiCon 2015: Stop By and Say Hello

10/17/2015

I'll be at MileHiCon 2015, October 23rd - 25th.

Please stop by and sell hello. You can catch a number of great panels on just about every subject in the 'verse. I'm on four panels and moderating a fifth.

I'll be at the author's co-op table during Friday, 4:00pm - 6:00pm, signing books too.

A new friend of mine and fellow military SF author Jason Kent will also be there. Be sure to stop by his booth and check out his work.

Panels I'm On:

Friday, October 23

2:00pm - Let Your Ears Do the Reading (all about audio books)
10:30pm - Total Recall (2012) vs Total Recall (1990) Discussion

Saturday, October 24

4:00pm - Creator, Content, Consumer, Community: The 4 Cs of 21st Century Pros & Fans

Sunday, October 25

10:00am - Pow! Bam! Writing Good Fight Scenes

Sessions I'm Moderating:

Friday, October 23

6:00pm - Honor Harrington Fan Forum

I hope to see you there!

Cover Reveal! INDOMITABLE, a Hardcore Cover for a Hardcore Military SF novel, hits shelves July 2016

9/29/2015

Award-winning artist Stephan Martiniere hit the cover of INDOMITABLE out of the stratosphere. I'm over Montana's three moons about this cover, which features Lieutenant Promise Paen of the RAW-MC in her mechsuit. The rifle depicted is the Marine Corps, 3rd Evolution, Extended-Range Pulse Rifle, or MC3-ERP (pronounced Mc-Eerp) - standard issue light weapon of the RAW-MC ( in case you were wondering).

Wow, wow, WOW!

INDOMITABLE hits shelves July 26, 2016. Let the countdown begin! Three weeks before that, Tor releases the paperback of UNBREAKABLE.

To Stephan: Brillian. Mechtastic. Makes me want to suit up and go three rounds with Iron Man.

To Tor Books and my intrepid, cosplay-wearing editor, Marco Palmieri: Thanks for the bang-up job. Truly top-drawer publishing.

Please check out my newly redesigned website, www.wcbauers.com, for more information on the book and for the latest news about Promise and the RAW-MC.

Blessings,

- W. C.

Mr. Spock Taught Us All So Much

3/1/2015

Leonard Nimoy's death has been weighing on me all weekend. Aside from being a huge Trek fan for as long as I can remember, Star Trek was a very important part of my relationship with my dad. It still is.

Dad and I watched all the original episodes together, multiple times. And the Next Gen episodes. Deep Space 9 and Voyager. But Kirk and Spock and the original crew were the dearest to us. Special. It's hard to put into words.

Dad took me to see THE WRATH OF KHAN. It's my earliest memory of the theater. I'll never forget the mind control bug burrowing into Chekov's ear. It gave me nightmares. Or the pain on Kirk's face as his best friend died before his eyes.

Friendships of the kind Spock and Kirk shared on and off-screen are rare. Earlier this week, William Shatner tweeted out his love for his friend, that he "loved him like a brother."

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend." I just watched this and couldn't help tearing up. Perhaps that's why Leonard Nimoy meant so much to so many. He gave us a picture of what friendship and brotherly love can and should be. And what it means to lay your life down for your friend.

There is no great love than that.

I hope to see Nimoy on the other side of the veil.