Looking Back and Moving Forward: Writing Goals for 2023

Looking Back and Moving Forward: Writing Goals for 2023

2022 was a busy year for me. For the first time in too long, I scored an amazing animation writing gig. Huzzah! I’m currently freelancing on “Scooby-Doo! and the Mystery Pups” for Warner Bros Animation and loving every minute of it. It’s a preschool show that doesn’t talk down to the little ones, so don’t worry, parents, guardians, and animation-loving adults, you won’t have to leave the room when it comes on. There’s a huge lead time in animation, so SDMP won’t start streaming until in 2024 (HBO Max/Cartoonito).

In other 2022 news, the editing on WW (Ghost Star Adventures Book 2), working title, is nearly complete—so close that I’ve taken the step of commissioning eBook and print covers for this fun, action-packed sequel to my YA space opera, Ghost Star. I received a preliminary/test cover yesterday that blew my mind thanks to cover coolness overload. WW will be published in early January of next year. General announcement and cover/title reveal to come.

Speaking of 2023, I have a few author/writer goals lined up…

1.      1) I solemnly swear I’ll finish the novel-length version of Undrastormur (A Viking Fantasy Adventure). As mentioned last year, I’m updating and combining the first two shorts with an all-new third adventure. The end result will be a stand-alone middle grade, fantasy adventure novel set in the fascinating world(s) of Norse mythology. I’m so close to being finished and just have to knuckle down and get it done.

2.      2) I’ve had a mockumentary-style spec screenplay percolating for a while. 2023 is the year to do it.

3.      3) A Dragonfriend omnibus.

4.      4) Lots and lots of novel and short story ideas (thinking about giving Vella a try) that I’ve made note of but won’t even begin to entertain starting until I complete goals 1-3.

That’s all for now. Happy 2023 reading, everyone!

**

 

Roger Eschbacher lives in Los Angeles with his awesome family, a hilarious Border Terrier, and a grumpy Russian tortoise.

In addition to writing fantasy and sci-fi adventure novels, he writes TV animation for Warner Bros., Netflix, Cartoon Network, Hasbro Studios and more. Roger’s YA space opera Ghost Star is a winner of the Kindle Scout competition and received a publishing contract from Amazon’s Kindle Press imprint.

Ghost Star and other books by Roger are listed on his Amazon Author Page which can be found HERE.

 

Ghost Star Scores Kindle Book Deal for August 2022

From my awesome publishers: 

"The Kindle Press team is excited to let you know that Ghost Star will be promoted via Teen & Young Adult Kindle book deals in the US marketplace, starting 8/1/2022 and running through 8/31/2022. 

Your book will be offered at 0.99 USD during the promotion period." 

Nice! I'm excited about this as Kindle Book Deals are always a great way to introduce new readers to Galen and his adventures. Thanks, Kindle Press!

CLICK HERE to get your deal.

Housekeeping note: The currently Untitled Sequel to  Ghost Star is scheduled for publication in late September of this year. Yay!

 

 

 

 

 

He'd battle an empire to save his family!

When his father and crewmates are attacked and killed by a ruthless alien commander, young Galen Bray becomes the new captain of the GHOST STAR, a notorious smuggling vessel. Barely escaping capture, Galen sets out to rescue the only other survivor of the vicious attack, his sister Trem. Along the way, he discovers a mysterious people thought wiped out long ago, his family's surprising origins, and a destiny he never imagined . . .

 

#ghoststar #YA #scifi   #spaceopera #amazon #kindle #kindlepress #kindlebookdeals 

 

Ghost Star (Ghost Star Adventures Book 1)

He'd battle an empire to save his family!

When his father is killed by a ruthless alien commander, young Galen Bray becomes the new captain of the notorious GHOST STAR. Now it's up to him to save what’s left of his family.

 Available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ip8kHq #YA

 

 

#scifi #spaceopera #spacemarines #adventure #military #kindlepress

When his father and crewmates are attacked and killed by a ruthless alien commander, young Galen Bray becomes the new captain of the GHOST STAR, a notorious smuggling vessel. Barely escaping capture, Galen sets out to rescue the only other survivor of the vicious attack, his sister Trem. Along the way, he discovers a mysterious people thought wiped out long ago, his family's surprising origins, and a destiny he never imagined . . .

Ghost Star: The Excerpt

 

Thought I'd share a brief excerpt from Ghost Star. In this scene, our hero Galen discovers his mortal enemy, Lord Mohk, has a little problem with his spacecraft...

GHOST STAR Excerpt

Ghost Star (Ghost Star Adventures Book 1)
by Roger Eschbacher

**

Galen squinted at the massive vessel before them. A strange sparkling stream trailed behind it. “That’s weird.”

“What is?” said Eria, glancing up from her weapons display. “Oh, that is weird. Some kind of gas?”

“The vessel is venting fuel from one of its rear engines,” said Lancer Bartrice.

“Why would they do that?” said Galen.

“It is my guess the engine was damaged during the encounter with the gas giant that crushed its sister ship,” said Lancer Bartrice.

Galen shook his head. “They tripped all the way here with a fuel leak? That’s insane!”

“That’s Mohk,” said Eria.

“Magnifying.” Lancer Bartrice zoomed in on the Lingering Death’s gigantic rear engine array. An assortment of repair craft and bots hovered around a sizable rupture in the vessel’s stern. A steady torrent of sparkling fuel poured out of the crack in the ship’s skin. The small army of bots clinging to the Lingering Death’s exterior were attempting a repair with a large armor plate. “They’re trying to fix it,” said Galen, hope rising in his chest. “Using a mag plate.”

“So?” said Eria.

“No vacuum welding, see? No flame.”

“Ohhhh!”

Lancer Bartrice shuddered violently when a missile exploded behind them.

“Snat!” said Eria, bringing up the munitions inventory on her vidscreen. Toward the bottom of the mostly empty list was a single nuke-level explosive device. “Oh, yes. That will do nicely. Get me over there.”

Galen zeroed in on the fuel-venting engine. He brought Lancer Bartrice closer, and the portside batteries of the damaged ship dutifully opened fire. Galen dodged it the best he could, but the defensive fire repeatedly came close to taking out the nimble Lancer Bartrice altogether. The exploding ordnance buffeted them around like a hover kite.

“Something tells me they don’t want to play,” murmured Eria.

Galen grunted. I wonder why?

A direct hit from an Imp boltfire battery temporarily blinded Galen, ghosting his vision with a bright flash that almost knocked Lancer Bartrice out of commission. Every electronic system on the ship briefly flashed off, and the engine cycled down before, thankfully, everything came back online again.

“We can’t take any more hits,” said Lancer Bartrice, who sounded groggy.

“I hear you,” said Galen. “We’re almost there.”

He guided Lancer Bartrice under the massive battle cruiser, hugging the vessel’s hull. The arcs mirrored his flight path and kept up their relentless assault from behind.

Galen pulled up hard, following the curve of the hull as it transitioned from keel to broadside. “Ready, Eria?”

“You have no idea how ready I am.”

Galen broke free of the Lingering Death’s hull and did a barrel roll directly over the venting fuel. “Now!” shouted Galen.

Eria calmly slid her finger over the weapons vidscreen, and a small egglike package, no bigger than a bandyball, shot out from one of the gun ports and made a graceful, tumbling arc toward the Lingering Death.

“Enjoy, my Lord Mohk,” said Eria.

Galen banked violently and leaned on the throttle, knowing he had only a few brief moments to put as much distance as possible between them and the biggest time bomb in the Rex Cloud.

A horrific flash filled the cockpit, and then, for Galen, there was nothing at all.

**

You can purchase Ghost Star HERE (Amazon Affiliate Link). Thanks!

#YA #scifi #novel #spaceopera #action #adventure #aliens #military #kindlepress

 

"Ghost Star" is now on promotion for $0.99 until Sunday, May 16, 2021!

He'd battle an empire to save his family!

When his father and crewmates are attacked and killed by a ruthless alien commander, young Galen Bray becomes the new captain of the GHOST STAR, a notorious smuggling vessel. Barely escaping capture, Galen sets out to rescue the only other survivor of the vicious attack, his sister Trem. Along the way, he discovers a mysterious people thought wiped out long ago, his family's surprising origins, and a destiny he never imagined . . .

"Ghost Star" is now on promotion for $0.99 until Sunday, May 16, 2021. 

 

Thanks!

 

 amzn.to/2Ip8kHq 

 

 #YA #spaceopera #kindlepress

Busy Busy Busy!

Been super busy the past couple of weeks. I finished the “final” edit of the Elvenking: Leonard the Great, Book 3 manuscript ("final" is in quotes because, as my fellow authors know, you're never really finished). Now formatting/reformatting the interior of all three books in the series with a new design template from Book Design Templates - it's super easy to use and looks great.

New covers for Dragonfriend, Giantkiller AND Elvenking should be here by the end of the month. Exciting (for me, anyway)!

Waiting in the wings: Full novel version of Undrastormur and completion of the first draft of Ghost Star 2 (don't have a name for that one yet)!  Doing my best to stay positive and make this crazy year as productive as possible! #fantasy #scifi #author

 

Such a Deal! GHOST STAR On Sale $0.99 All April

As you saw in an earlier post, Amazon decided to do a price-drop marketing promotion for Ghost Star. All this month my little YA space opera is discounted from $2.99 to $0.99 per Kindle copy. Not too shabby for anyone looking to save a couple of bucks on an action-packed sci-fi read.

There are TWO WEEKS left on the promo, so if you haven't already picked up your copy, now's a good time to do so.

Also, please share this bargain with your family and friends. I'll thank you for it and I think they will too.

Clicking HERE will take you to the Ghost Star Amazon page.

Thanks!

GHOST STAR: Special Discount for the Month of April

Starting today, Ghost Star takes its place on Amazon's MONTHLY DEALS page. That means the book, normally priced at $2.99, will be on sale at $0.99 for the entire month of April. Yay!

Pick up your own Kindle copy, or, if you already own it, share the news with your sci-fi adventure, bargain-loving pals.

You can shop the promotion by going HERE. Just type Ghost Star Adventures in the search bar.

Please spread the word and thank you for your support!