Brave Men Run Release Date Set

(from Matthew Wayne Selznick's blog)

All right, gang, it’s time to reveal the street date of the Swarm Press paperback edition of “Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era.”

July 13, 2008

Mark your calendars, my friends — that’s the day you’ll be able to purchase the book from Amazon.com! I hope you will help me concentrate all initial sales on that one day, so that we can make a big impact on the Amazon sales charts and show the world, once again, the incredible power you have in the world of publishing!

But Matt, I’ve Already Got The Original Edition

If you’ve already purchased the “Little Monster” edition of “Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era,” well… thank you, and congratulations! You’ve got a collector’s item, because that baby is officially out of print. I’d still like you to shell out your hard-earned cash for a copy of the Swarm Press edition. See, the day after “Brave Men Run” drops is my birthday, and all I want is for you to buy a copy of the new edition of the book… in fact, if you do, I’ll make it worth your while with a little something-something:

Simply send me a picture of yourself with both the original Lulu.com edition of the book and the new Swarm Press edition, and I’ll send you an autographed book plate. But wait! You’ll also be entered into a contest — everyone who sends me a picture of yourself with both books in hand, before September 1st, 2008, will be eligible to win…

• Grand Prize: A character in the next novel of the Sovereign Era, “Pilgrimage,” named after you, including a special note in the acknowledgements!
• Second and Third Prizes: Goodies from Swarm Press, to be announced.

There’ll be one winner for each prize… and *everyone* who enters gets the book plate.

Stay Tuned For More Big News About July 13!

I plan on making July 13, 2008 a fun day for everyone… be sure to check back here or subscribe to my newsletter for updates on what I have in mind!

Meanwhile… tell everyone you know about July 13, 2008!

Praise for Mur Lafferty's PLAYING FOR KEEPS from James Patrick Kelly

"If you think you know how a superhero novel is supposed to read, then you'll find PLAYING FOR KEEPS a revelation. Part satire, part thrill ride, this saga of a ragtag band of superheroes with a most unlikely assortment of abilities starts at a gallop and then accelerates. Now the world knows MurLafferty's superpower: she can astonish us!"

--James Patrick Kelly, Hugo- and Nebula-award winning author of Burn

PLAYING FOR KEEPS by Mur Lafferty (Coming August '08)

Swarm Press is proud to announce the acquisition of the superhero novel Playing For Keeps by well-known podcaster and writer Mur Lafferty. Swarm will release a trade paperback edition of Playing For Keeps in August '08, and the podcast edition of the entire book can currently be heard free of charge here.

About Playing For Keeps

The shining metropolis of Seventh City is the birthplace of super powers. The First Wave heroes are jerks, but they have the best gifts: flight, super strength, telepathy, genius, fire. The Third Wavers are stuck with the leftovers: the ability to instantly make someone sober, the power to smell the past, the grace to carry a tray and never drop its contents, the power to produce high-powered excrement blasts, absolute control… over elevators.

Bar owner Keepsie Branson is a Third Waver with a power that prevents anything in her possession from being stolen. Keepsie and her friends just aren’t powerful enough to make a difference… at least that’s what they’ve always been told. But when the villain Doodad slips Keepsie a mysterious metal sphere, the Third Wavers become caught in the middle of a battle between the egotistical heroes and the manipulative villains.

As Seventh City begins to melt down, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad, and even harder to tell who may become the true heroes.

“Playing For Keeps is hip, intelligent and loads of fun.”
--Ken McConnell, author of Starstrikers

About Mur Lafferty

Mur Lafferty is an American podcaster and writer based in Durham, North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with a degree in English. She was, until July, 2007, the host and co-editor of Pseudopod. She is also the host and creator of the podcasts Geek Fu Action Grip and I Should be Writing. Visit Mur online at her official site.

Coming August 2008 From Swarm Press

Sneak Peek: SENTINELS: WHEN STRIKES THE WARLORD by Van Allen Plexico

Click here to read the first 3 chapters of Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord

The power-mad Warlord stands poised to conquer--or destroy!--the universe itself. Can anyone stand in his way?

Enter the Sentinels: College student Lyn Li... brilliant inventor and smart-alec Esro Brachis... beloved hero Ultraa... flamboyant showman Damon Sinclair... and mysterious alien powerhouse Vanadium.

When at last they all clash atop the Warlord's floating city, can the world itself survive?

Pre-Order Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord now and get free shipping!

"Really stands out as top-notch among its genre."
--Adrian Watts, author of Golden Age Adventures

Keep up with SENTINELS author Van Plexico at his blog!

Van Allen Plexico--author of the SENTINELS superhero novel series (coming this summer from Swarm Press)--has revived his long dead blog. Keep up with Van's books and various other projects including art previews, links to stories, and interviews here:

http://plexico.blogspot.com/

Recent posts include a tiny teaser preview for one of Chris Kohler's awesome new illustrations for the Swarm Press edition of SENTINELS: A DISTANT STAR and details on the upcoming 4th book in the SENTINELS series.

Sovereign Summer - An Avatar For You!

Sovereign Summer is getting closer… that glorious season when “Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era” is published in paperback from Swarm Press!

I’ll be doing all kinds of things as the great day gets closer, and I’m hoping I can depend on you for help spreading the word. Here’s a little icon, suitable for use in Twitter, Facebook, as your Gravatar, in forums… anywhere you like! Spread it far and wide, and whenever possible, please include a link back to http://www.bravemenrun.com… with thanks!

If you use the icon, leave a note in the comments, with a link to where folks can see you it in action.

Thanks! Have a bitchin’ Sovereign Summer!



Many, many thanks to Rick Stringer for the awesome seal of the Donner Institute for Sovereign Studies!

(From Matthew Selznick's blog.)

SENTINELS superhero novel series now available for pre-order!

Pre-order the exciting small press reissue of Van Allen Plexico's highly praised superhero novel series SENTINELS (Vols. 1 - 3)!

Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord Ultraa... Pulsar... Vanadium... Esro Brachis... Who are the Sentinels? From the moment Lyn Li foils an attempt to kidnap her from her own college campus, she is plunged into a new world, and a new life. Working--and battling--alongside a brilliant inventor, a famous super hero, and an enigmatic alien powerhouse, Lyn will confront the monstrous menace of the Warlord and his minions. When at last they clash atop his vast, floating city, can the world itself survive? Equal parts old-fashioned pulp adventure, comics-style super hero action, and science fiction wonderment, SENTINELS: WHEN STRIKES THE WARLORD has something for everyone who enjoys a brisk, fast-paced journey into excitement.
($14.95 - Available June 2008)

Sentinels: A Distant Star After helping to save the world, all Esro Brachis wanted was a little peace and quiet. Then the giant robot attacked. And the alien warships landed in his back yard. And then things got really crazy. At least he has a beautiful alien warrior woman at his side--if only she didn't want to kill him! SENTINELS: A DISTANT STAR continues the journey and the excitement in a bigger, bolder adventure, with all your favorite heroes and villains back for more... and with many new wonders to encounter!
($14.95 - Available July 2008)

Sentinels: Apocalypse Rising Menaced by no fewer than three alien invasion forces, the Earth cries out for its heroes. But the Sentinels have vanished! And now Pulsar stands alone, down but not defeated, and determined to rescue her teammates... and her world. APOCALYPSE RISING is a dynamic and gripping novel in its own right--and the climactic chapter in the Sentinels saga!
($14.95 - Available August 2008)

Pre-order all 3 novels with free shipping from Swarm Press now!