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I just released the second compilation of The Secrets newsletter issues. This one is focused on plotting. I’m fairly well known for putting together novels and short stories full of twists, turns and surprises. The eleven issues in this package cover the basics of plotting, methods for actually finding a story, and the tricky negative story arc, one of the more fun and difficult types of stories to write.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to handle complicated stories with lots of kinks to them, this package is the perfect place to start.

Just click on the image above to go to the store and pick it up.

We’ve added another two tales to the iReady line of books available for your iPhone or iPod Touch:

Brewed Fortune is now ready to be loaded onto your iPod Touch or iPhone. It’s a Merlin Bloodstone mystery story, set at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. The tale involves an ancient feud and fearsome curse, both of which require blood.

Least of My Brethren is a Purgatory Station story. I also think it’s one of my best short stories. Some people talk about writing as being cathartic, and it’s true for this tale. I wrote it shortly after having to have a beloved dog put to sleep. In this tale Father Flynn is called upon to administer the Last Rites, but before he can, he has to wrestle with the question of what actually makes a man human, and how to determine if he truly has a soul.

The stories each sell for $2.00.

Thursday evening, May 1st, I’ll be at Wordsmith Hall from 6-7 pm game time, which is 9-10 pm Eastern time. I’ll be hanging out, and will be happy to answer questions about writing, the return of The Secrets Podcast or anything else.

At the same time, Far Point Media will be streaming the live feed of their show “Slice of SciFi.” You can come in, listen and chat.

This convenient link will land you close to Wordsmith Hall. I’ll be in the front room or, if a lot of folks show up, we’ll shift to the roof.

Boilerplate below about Second Life. You can learn more at The Second Life web page. Check it out, download the software, and come on in and chat.

Second Life, for those who have never chatted online, is a graphical chat interface. It does not cost money to register or use. It operates on a “micro-economy” model, which is to say that you can uses it for free, but you can do a lot more if you just pay a little more here and there. I sell books in Second Life to cover the costs of promoting my work and having the space to hold seminars. Lots of other wildly creative people turn out really cool products to feed their habits, too.

If you hit the link above, download the software and head into Second Life, you can find me by searching for “Noble Charron.” That’s the name of my alter-ego in the world of SL. You can find the bookstore by searching on books, or ThirdLife, or clicking on this convenient link, which will take you directly there. When you arrive, please click on the sign at the front of Wordsmith Hall, so you can be added to the ThirdLife group, so I can get you announcements about things we will be doing.

Peer Review is one of my favorite stories. I wrote it in 1992 for an anthology called Superheroes edited by John Varley and Ricia Mainhardt. It’s a superhero story about Revenant, a shadowy character who strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. I’ve always liked superheroes who are normal people trained to the pinnacle of human achievement. I guess that’s because I’ve never been bitten by a radioactive spider and wasn’t born on another planet.

In this story, Revenant sets out to remove a six year old boy from a religious cult’s compound. His sister needs a marrow transplant and his mother has stolen him from his father to prevent the donation. Unfortunately for our hero, some true superheroes—Strike Team Alpha of the American Justice Commission—are set up to keep Nathan in that compound. Brains versus brawn in a story of heroism and a couple of laughs.

This edition of the story includes an afterword in which I discuss the character, how the story came to be written, and why Revenant currently appears in Aaron Williams’ graphic novel series PS238.

Click on the graphic above to go to the store. Peer Review sells for $3.

I’m very happy to offer a collection of thirteen issues of The Secrets newsletter containing a series on World Building. It covers everything about putting together great SF and fantasy worlds. This includes the larger issues to think about as you develop things, and then techniques through which you can tease and amaze your readers. This information is perfect not only for aspiring novelists, but gamers, too, will find it invaluable.

This package is comprised of The Secrets issues 27-39.

Just click on the image above to go to the store and pick it up.