Stories in the Ether, Issue #2 Available NOW
Greetings!
Today we are very pleased to announce that Stories in the Ether, Issue #2 is now available in both ePUB and PDF formats! For only $2.99 you can pick it up from DriveThruFiction.com, Lulu, Smashwords, Amazon Kindle and soon at the Apple iBookstore and B&N Nook Store.
I’m excited as ever to keep this project going and it doesn’t look like anything is winding down any time soon. Since starting Stories in the Ether last March we have received nearly 200 submissions and (somehow) managed to publish a new story on our blog every Friday. It’s been a ton of work that, honestly, has limited the amount of game development I’ve been able to do in recent months. I’m not worried though: home is where the heart is and right now my heart and soul are behind this project. The cover art for Issue 3 is already in place and I’m hard at work on editing and getting it ready for publication. Look for the Issue 3 ePUB and PDF sometime soon after the 2012 New Year, and Issue 4 early next spring. The final book – a massive print anthology of Stories in the Ether, should be available by Summer 2012… but let’s talk about this issue, yes?
In Issue 2 of Stories in the Ether you’ll find nine wonderful short stories of steampunk, fantasy, and science fiction – mostly by new authors whom I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I have. If you are familiar with the project, then you know that all of these stories have appeared on our blog in recent weeks and months for FREE. So, why a $2.99 ePUB/PDF? Because this is your way of saying Thank You to the authors and artists who have contributed to the project. 60% of the revenue generated from SitE sales are returned to the writers and artists who created these works. So ask yourself, is this project worth supporting? I think the answer is a resounding YES.
Issue #2 opens up with “What Roads” by Marissa Wolden, an steampunk tale of a fox looking to escape his past and, perhaps, find love–if only things were so easy. You’ll also find “Truth” by Ian Vassilaros, a fantasy tale in which a young paladin in training struggles with the meaning and purpose of his life’s path; “Saying Your Goodbyes” by Jim Reader that treads the line between games and fiction, and how we play them.
If you’re looking for hard hitting action and steampunk wushu, then take a read through “Cole Jenkins & The Mechanical Advantage” by Sevan Taylor, it won’t disappoint. This issue’s cover art, by Paul Hagwood, can be found in the next story, “Aelfie of Glen Coe” by Craig Comer. This is a fantastic steampunk story that hints at a much larger world of fantasy & magic where all the Queen’s men are bent on rooting out the last of the fey–a personal favorite of mine.
If you’re looking for time traveling scientists, then the cross-genre telling “21st Century Man” by Paul Jones will deliver. This is followed by “Pursuit” by Haper Collins published author Tucker Cummings: flash fiction at its best with a twist. “Origin of Brass” by Michael Burnside plays on another steampunk trope that mixes sci-fi, androids, and things not meant to be known by Man. Your reading will then come to end with a horror tale by Alexander B. Joy, “Nightmare Ink”, where a young woman’s writings seems to go far beyond her cell at the local insane asylum.
Along with all these great stories, you’ll also find some wonderful art by Paul Hagwood, Matt Lichtenwalner, Kenya Ferrand, and Rob Torno. We’re lucky to have these great artists part of the project, and from the looks of future issues it seems like our luck will continue for a while.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Stories in the Ether! You and the other fans have really been extremely supportive since Day 1 – and for that you have my thanks and a commitment to keep pushing the envelope every time I publish something new. Don’t forget though – if you like what you read here, make a point of sharing it with your friends or writing a brief review at the site where you purchased Stories in the Ether.
Stop by the DriveThruFiction store and check out the Free PDF preview of Stories in the Ether, Issue #2 - then buy the version that suits your reader best: ePUB or PDF. We have also bundled both the ePUB and the PDF together with a 33% Discount!
Again, you have my sincere thanks for your continued support.
All the best—Jonathan.
