If you missed the first announcement, Rix Banner is back at it again. Unfortunately for him, that means questionable ships, worse repair jobs, and problems that absolutely refuse to stay fixed. In Jump Drives and Coffee Stains, the second book in the Spaceship Mechanic series, space travel looks a lot less glamorous and a lot more like crawling through engine compartments with a wrench and a cup of coffee.
The Spaceship Mechanic series has been a breath of fresh air for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every bit of exploring prior works like Junkyard Pirate and Oldest Starfighter, but those stories were more serious, with lots of combat and anxiety. Boltguns and Duct Tape and now Jump Drives and Coffee Stains have plenty of action, but there are a lot more light-hearted moments, which I really appreciate. Further, Rix Banner is an unflappable fixer of things, with a dry wit and a good head for business. Coupled that with a sassy best friend and Beverly, the smart-Alec, symbiote from Junkyard Pirate and humor ends up weaving throughout the stories. I, for one, enjoy this immensely.
Does this mean we won’t see another Junkyard Pirate? Or maybe another Rookie Privateer? Nope, don’t read that. I’m just enjoying the moment.
You might have noticed that over the last three weeks, I’ve kind of disappeared. If you did, that’s because that exactly happened. On a trip to our favorite Hawaiian Island, Kauai, on Valentine’s Day, I proposed to Cindy and she accepted. And yes, I put the ring on her right hand because I was flustered. Fortunately, the kind people in the restaurant just accepted our mistake and didn’t point it out. We’re both excited and humbled as we look forward to living our lives together.
Of course, living a full speed like we do, the day after we got back from Hawaii, she went in for the first of two tendon surgeries on her leg and is laid up, recovering, which is keeping us both quite busy.
Switching gears to project updates. I have two projects in the works. The first is Book 3 in the Spaceship Mechanic series, Ray Guns and Late Fees. I *think* I’m about 75% complete through the story, which means probably a June release … but don’t be surprised if that slips to July. The second project is my gamelit / RPG – Wizard Prince, two book doublet that continues the universe I started with Drakon Prince. And if you’re wondering about Drakon Prince, I’m expecting to finish a sequel of Drakon Prince before I re-release all four books in sequence, probably in 2027. As you well know, plans will change, but that’s the best I know for now.
Thank you for being part of my story telling life. The feedback I receive from readers and listeners inspires me to work hard and keep plugging away. Without wonderful readers and listeners like you, I would have little interest in writing, as, for me, this is a conversation.
