Announcement: ‘Heritage Lost’ Release Planned For Dec. 6

If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve likely heard me mention my sci-fi novel, Heritage Lost. Admittedly, I’ve held quite a few details close to my chest, but that’s changing now! Having grown tired of brick walls standing in my way, I’m breaking through like the Kool-Aid man — complete with an “Oh, Yeah!” — and planning for a Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, release for Heritage Lost.

The story is a long time coming with numerous drafts that stretch back to my time as a sophomore at Purdue University. Since those early days, the story has evolved a lot, and I can’t voice enough how excited I am to share the fruits of my labor.

The Story

As for the story itself, here is its current book blurb:

At thirty-four, Captain Katya Cassius knew she faced the twilight of her military career as a Magistrate officer on board The Maelstrom. She just hadn’t imagined she’d be shoving it down a trash compactor and launching it into space. But no good deed ever goes unpunished . . .

One simple rescue mission. That’s all it takes to land Katya and her two-person crew in the midst of a cover-up with the discovery of the Magistrate warship Aletheia‘s slaughtered crew — save for one survivor, an Oneiroi toddler. Despite the species’ reputation as the Magistrate’s mind-destroying enforcers, Katya rescues him. This act of mercy only ends with her own comrades in arms turning their weapons on her ship.

To evade arrest or death, The Maelstrom crew deserts and fades into a region of Magistrate space known as the Fringe. But the Magistrate is never far behind. The boy’s uncle, Akakios, stalks each of their stops. Tasked with keeping his people’s greatest secret and sorrow safe, he must succeed even at the cost of his own nephew’s life. Under no circumstance is Plasovern to receive Sotiris.
Caught between former comrades in arms and a terrorist organization, the lurking danger buried in the boy’s genetic code might prove deadlier than both combined. An adopted child herself, Katya refuses to abandon or airlock the toddler, even as he reshapes her mind and uncovers her forgotten childhood.

A blend of space opera and military SF, if you’re a fan of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica (2004), and Dark Matter, it’ll be right up your alley.

Be On The Lookout

In anticipation of the impending release, I’ll be sharing more about the story’s characters, alien species, and the galaxy of Heritage Lost at large. In September, look for the regular releases of two short stories from The Resnik Days collection, which will show what Katya and crew were up to before they landed on The Maelstrom.

For anyone wanting to stay in the loop, follow my blog or any of my social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and my newest, Instagram. I will also be launching a newsletter soon.

Closing Thoughts

I really look forward to sharing this journey with you all, from the really fun parts to the moments where I’ll want to pull out my own hair. If you’re a reader, I hope you’ll enjoy seeing the behind the scenes of putting a novel together. If you are a fellow writer, I hope something from my experience will be beneficial to you, especially if you opt to self-publish as well. I will continue to update my blog with topics not related to my impending release, too.

Currently, the manuscript is undergoing final line edits with my editor, and I look forward to getting those corrections back so work can begin on formatting. I intend to do the formatting myself. Additionally, I’ve commissioned an incredibly talented cover artist; she’s already working on a custom-painted cover. So far, I’m just blown away by how beautiful everything looks. I can’t wait to share it with everyone!

Wish me luck as I embark on this crazy adventure. I just hope I keep my sanity intact.