Hopefully I’ll see some of you there. It’s not as big as San Diego, yet, but every year the New York Con gets bigger and better. I don’t have the exact time yet, but I will be there Friday and signing Saturday, although if you see me Friday I’ll sign anything you want, heck, even if they’re not my books 🙂 I know my publisher has some promotional stuff in mind for the show as well.

In somewhat ComicCon related news, I finally watched Thor. I don’t remember much of the actual comic book so I only had the movie to go by, that and my limited knowledge of Norse mythology. I went into looking to be entertained, and in that regard it succeeded. At the same time I don’t know that I’d be lining up to see Thor 2. The whole thing felt light to me, which is fine, but it didn’t completely gel with the movie’s visual tone…and I’m probably sounding like an artsy-farsty critic at this point. It was a popcorn-first date kind of fun movie if you like watching things blow up, sort of Transformers with fewer robots.

I’m surprised to realize I’m not as eager for the book to publish as I was for the first two. It’s not that I don’t think it’s good – I think it’s my best book yet – but when it publishes it will mark the conclusion of the series. I’ve grown very fond of the characters. They’ve lived with me for years now. Saying goodbye to them is definitely bitter-sweet.

More than a few readers have emailed asking me if this really is the end. The answer is yes…for now. The Iron Elves had a beginning, a middle, and now an end. Will I ever come back to them some day? It’s possible. Maybe another book, a series, or perhaps a short story or graphic novel. For the time being, however, this will be their last adventure for some time, and when you read Ashes of a Black Frost I think you’ll agree, they need some R&R after what I put them through.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/us/looking-after-the-soldier-back-home-and-damaged.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23&pagewanted=all
This is heartbreaking. There’s something fundamentally wrong in a country when its warriors and their families have such a difficult time in getting excellent and quick medical help. This is the perfect example of why asking the rich to pay their fair share and closing tax loopholes for corporations like oil companies makes sense.

I’m not one of these people that says all soldiers are heroes as that’s like saying all teachers love kids, all doctors are saints, and all CEOs are crooks. But I do believe that a country makes a pact with its soldiers. In return for risking their lives to carry out the missions given them by their civilian leadership, soldiers, and by extension their families, should expect to be cared for AFTER the war is over, especially if they have been wounded. It just seems like such a simple and honorable thing to do.

The marketing gurus at Simon & Schuster have come up with a terrific idea to introduce Konowa and the lads to the world just before Ashes of a Black Frost comes out. Starting today, and probably lasting just a couple of weeks, the ebook editions of A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows are on sale for $3.99 each. But wait, if you act now I’ll throw in this steak knife that cuts through concrete and peaches (steak knife not included 🙂

I checked and this price is for both Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook for sure, not sure about other formats. This is just the first of many promotions they’re doing in support of Ashes and I’m thrilled.

If you’re so inclined, you can find them here:

A Darkness Forged in Fire
http://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Forged-Fire-Elves-ebook/dp/B001BNDVM4/ref=pd_sim_kinc1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/darkness-forged-in-fire-chris-evans/1100366690?ean=9781439105559&itm=1&usri=a%2bdarkness%2bforged%2bin%2bfire%2biron%2belves%2bseries%2b1

The Light of Burning Shadows
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Light-of-Burning-Shadows/Chris-Evans/e/9781439164587

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Burning-Shadows-Elves-ebook/dp/B002HJV79K/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2