According to Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of USA Book News, this year’s contest yielded over 1000 entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

You can find DAY 9 here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, here for the Kobo, and here on iTunes for the iPad or iPhone. Of course, you can also search for it by name on your favorite device or in your local library using the Overdrive system. It’s also available in paperback from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

You can find DOLPHIN KNIGHT here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, here for the Kobo, and here on iTunes for the iPad or iPhone. You can also search for it by name on your favorite device or in your local library using the Overdrive system. It’s also available in paperback from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Keen says of the awards, “The 2013 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the world. With a full publicity and marketing campaign promoting the results of IBA, this year’s winners and finalists will gain additional media coverage for the summer season.” Keen adds, “IBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.”

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You can find it here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, here for the Kobo, and here on iTunes for the iPad or iPhone. Of course, you can also search for it by name on your favorite device or in your local library using the Overdrive system.

Here’s a bit more about the story, to whet your appetite: Why does Cape Cod, Massachusetts keep changing into Tijuana, Mexico? Don’t ask Patty, the foul-mouthed everything-hater with a memory full of holes. Every time the lump on her head buzzes, Cape Cod becomes Tijuana or vice versa. One minute, Patty sees lighthouses and well-dressed children; the next, she fends off pushy street kids and donkeys done up like zebras. Has she lost her mind, or is someone–or something–driving her crazy? Little by little, the truth seeps through…but the dark secrets it forces to the surface might be far more terrible than any illusion.

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The author also says, “these ongoing compilations shine a light on his writing process and his delightfully cockeyed imagination.” Very nice words from a very cool website. If you’re at all interested in the rapidly expanding genre of superhero fiction, you ought to check it out. You might be surprised at how much cool new fiction is out there, and how much variety there is in terms of tone, character, and subject matter (in addition to all the exciting super-heroics, of course).

And if you’re interested in my book, you can find 7 Comic Book Scripts Strike Again on your Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iPad, or other device by searching for the title. You can also find it here on Amazon, here at Barnes and Noble, here on Smashwords, and here on iTunes.

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You can order Universal Language right here on Amazon or right here on Audible.com or right here on iTunes. If you like science fiction at all, I think you’re gonna love it…especially because of the amazing narration by Audio Élan, one of the premier narrator/producers in the audiobook business.  Audio Élan really knocks it out of the park, creating a memorably thrilling audiobook experience featuring top notch audio acting and unbeatable production values.

Here’s a bit more about the story to whet your appetite:

One mistake by space linguist Jalila could cost an alien species their lives.  The crew of the starship IBN BATTUTA has 24 hours to prepare the people of planet Vox to face an approaching invasion fleet.  But when Jalila mistakenly uses a forbidden slur, the Vox locals attack their supposed saviors.  Drawn into a violent revolution, a “war of words” to decide language dominance, Jalila must rely on other resources when deprived of communication technology and even the power of speech.  As revolution and invasion collide, only Jalila can save her shipmates and the planet Vox by revealing the secret behind the slur that started it all, the dark secret linking Vox and invaders in an ancient cycle of slavery, suffering, lies, and death.

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You can order a copy right here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, and here for other devices. But I’d think twice, if I were you.  This story has a warning in the title for a reason. Dare to ignore it, and you’ll be sorry. You might find it sticks in your head in ways you won’t like, making you do things you’ll regret. One thing’s for sure: it will change your life for the worse if you let it. Do yourself a favor and pass this one by; save your money for the latest harmless trifle that you won’t lose any sleep over. If you’re foolhardy enough to read this anyway, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself for what happens to you. An unhappy ending is guaranteed…though rumor has it that a pair of would-be mystic problem solvers might have forced their way in and neutered this sick saga. Is it worth risking everything to read it and find out? Only if the height of stupidity is your middle name! Because if you get inside, and the story isn’t neutered after all, it’ll be too late to save your sorry butt. So consider yourself warned! They call this a “dark fantasy,” but it’s way too real and much too dark for any “fantasy!” So be smart and DO NOT READ THIS STORY! Get out while you still can! And if you decide to read it anyway, good luck! You’re making the biggest mistake of your life.

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Friday 6:00-8:30pm
Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
Sunday 12:00-4:00pm

I’ll be there all Friday and Saturday with books for sale…and I’ll be happy to autograph, chat, etc. Not to mention, I’ll be giving a presentation on Saturday at 3:00pm (not sure which location yet, but stop by and we’ll point the way).  It’ll be kid-oriented (of course!), but I might deliver a more grown-up show, too, if there’s time.

Children’s authors Nick Bruel and Suzanne Bloom will be there, as will storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston.  Nick is a New York Times-bestselling author known for the Bad Kitty series of books.  Suzanne’s The Bus for Us was selected as the PA One Book for 2013.  Nick and Suzanne will be appearing Friday and Saturday, and Charlotte will perform all weekend.  Click here for more info on these guests.

So if your plans allow, be sure to stop down to the Children’s Book Festival in Cambria City, Johnstown, this weekend.  Click here to link to the schedule.

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What stories will you find inside?  Here’s the action-packed rundown:

“Hell’s Treasure”: A teenage girl has the power to talk to buildings…and the buildings talk back. Driven by guilt over her role in a fatal accident, she prepares to take a deadly leap, until a boy with mysterious powers of his own gets in the way.

“Pieces”: Body Sisk is literally full of holes. Rogue pieces of his body have escaped and taken on deadly humanoid form. His only chance at a new beginning is to hunt them down and force them back into place…if he can.

“Made Guys”: When mobsters get super powers, can anyone stop them? No one expects a group of black sheep outcasts to take a stand against the Temporale crime family…but they do. Can the black sheep seize their own piece of the action from the power-crazed bosses of the Mega Nostra?

“Mr. Straight-Lace Takes A Trip”: The weirdest man you’ll ever meet embarks on a search for love…and ends up falling for the girl terrorist who hijacks his plane.

“Made in J-Town”: The odd little moments that make life profound tell the story of hearts and minds just trying to get by in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

“Solitary”: Super-mobster The Steel Sicilian can’t escape from the prison town of Sargasso, where no one will talk to him…except one of his jailers, who needs a solution to a very deadly problem.

“Dirty”: In a world where “evil” is “good” and vice versa, the ultimate dirty cop leads a war against the scum of the Earth who perform acts of kindness.  But when the cop is framed for good behavior, he finds himself on the run from the same corrupt establishment he dedicated his life to.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it?  The best thing is, this is the latest in a series of script collections.  You can also order 7 Comic Book Scripts, available here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, and here for the Kobo.

This one includes the following seven scripts:

“Super-Powered Poser Blues”: A super-hero stand-in runs into unexpected problems while impersonating a mighty mortal.

“My Date With Godling”: A hard-driving cosmic god-hero launches a mission under false pretenses…a mission that quickly goes from intense to insane.

“The Mime: On Bread Alone”: An endangered priest is protected by a silent hero whose make-believe performances have real world consequences.

“Young Soldiers Never Die”: A future warrior discovers that one man’s idea of a perfect soldier is another man’s idea of pure hell.

“The Child Is Father to the Man”: The younger selves of three great old-time heroes leap forward to the future after suffering their greatest defeat.

“Johnstown Man: Losing Ground”: A blue collar steel town hero battles crime in the age of layoffs.

“Don’t Tug on Superstar’s Cape”: A super souvenir hunter goes after the ultimate prize from the ultimate hero and nearly loses everything in the bargain.

Then there’s 7 More Comic Book Scripts, available here for the Kindle, here for the Nook, and here for the Kobo.

This one includes the following seven scripts:

“You’re Listening to Alter Ego Talk Radio 1050″: A radio call-in psychiatrist gets his kicks doling out advice to nutty superheroes…until he says the wrong thing to a head case with the ultimate power.

“The Cold Shoulder”: How do you handle the world’s mightiest Mafia enforcer gone rogue? Drive him to suicide, and hope he doesn’t kill you first.

“Redneck Neighbor”: What’s worse? Having an obnoxious upstairs neighbor who’s a vampire, or one who’s a country music singer? Put them both together, and your life becomes a living hell.

“The Super Hitman’s Secret Power”: An F.B.I. agent who’s about to lose everything seeks out the one man with the power to save him: his old enemy, the super hitman whose life he ruined years ago.

“Deadly Standoff”: What happens when a superhero finds himself caught in a no-win situation? With a child’s life at stake, can he still find the strength to make a difference?

“Hot Potato”: An STD with a mind of its own seizes control of its host. Can the “Barnacles” be stopped before they drive a good man to commit an unspeakably horrific crime?

“Neil Ballantyne, Hellraker:  No Good Deed”: A priest saves souls by summoning demons, proving the existence of Heaven and God by demonstrating the influence of Hell. But when his scheme goes horribly wrong, only Neil Ballantyne, the supernatural fixer, stands a chance of stopping a rash of atrocities.

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I wrote ”The Spinach Can’s Son” at a workshop in early 2012, and it made a bit of a splash. It’s definitely one of my favorites out of all the stories I’ve written, so I hope you’ll check it out.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I’ve just published my 90th e-book! So far, 7 Comic Book Scripts Strike Again is only available for the Kindle, but I’ll let you know when it goes on sale for other devices and services. Click right here for the Kindle edition. Here’s the cover by Blazing Ben Baldwin his own bad self:

Here’s a bit about what you’ll find inside:

This volume includes seven scripts—a mix of super-mobsters, science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, and humor—from a writer whose work has been published by DC Comics, among others. Robert T. Jeschonek has written plenty of scripts in his career, and these seven will shine a light on his writing process, his wild imagination…and some thrilling and thought-provoking adventures. The latest in a series collecting some of his best work, this action-packed book includes seven scripts:

“Hell’s Treasure”: A teenage girl has the power to talk to buildings…and the buildings talk back. Driven by guilt over her role in a fatal accident, she prepares to take a deadly leap, until a boy with mysterious powers of his own gets in the way.

“Pieces”: Body Sisk is literally full of holes. Rogue pieces of his body have escaped and taken on deadly humanoid form. His only chance at a new beginning is to hunt them down and force them back into place…if he can.

“Made Guys”: When mobsters get super powers, can anyone stop them? No one expects a group of black sheep outcasts to take a stand against the Temporale crime family…but they do. Can the black sheep seize their own piece of the action from the power-crazed bosses of the Mega Nostra?

“Mr. Straight-Lace Takes A Trip”: The weirdest man you’ll ever meet embarks on a search for love…and ends up falling for the girl terrorist who hijacks his plane.

“Made in J-Town”: The odd little moments that make life profound tell the story of hearts and minds just trying to get by in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

“Solitary”: Super-mobster The Steel Sicilian can’t escape from the prison town of Sargasso, where no one will talk to him…except one of his jailers, who needs a solution to a very deadly problem.

“Dirty”: In a world where “evil” is “good” and vice versa, the ultimate dirty cop leads a war against the scum of the Earth who perform acts of kindness.  But when the cop is framed for good behavior, he finds himself on the run from the same corrupt establishment he dedicated his life to.

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And here’s a bit about the plot of my story, “Playing Doctor”:  Can a gnarly lab assistant find love with his smoking hot mad scientist boss? Faithful lab lackey Glugor lusts after sexy Dr. Medici, but Dr. M only cares about taking over the world. She uses him like a glorified guinea pig, turning him into rampaging monsters and strapping him into inventions gone horribly wrong. Poor Glugor takes the heat when the doomsday schemes blow up in his face…but can even the power of his secret passion stand between Dr. M and the deadliest doom of all? It might take a monster of an experiment to build the heart Glugor needs to save his heart’s desire.

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Here’s a photo from another panel, where I talked about the business of writing with my good friend Bob Greenberger and my new friend, Aaron Rosenberg:

And here’s another shot of me and Bob Greenberger, whom I’ve known since the 1980s. He knows the writing game, the publishing industry, and the comic book field inside out…and is a great human being, to boot.

Finally, here’s a link to Bob’s own writeup about Farpoint 2013 on his blog: http://www.bobgreenberger.com/index.php/2013/02/20/farpoint-day-3/

All in all, it was great getting back in the convention state of mind. I’m looking forward to attending another in the not-too-distant future, and in fact have a few likely candidates in mind. It’s a great time to be a science fiction fan, with so many events like these and the cool people who attend them!  And it’s an even better time to be a writer who gets to show up and enjoy the fun while sharing information, stories, and laughter with the fan population.

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