Posted on

GLEAM UPON THE WAVES, One Week Old

It’s Tuesday, which means Book IV of The Bell Forging Cycle, Gleam Upon the Waves, has now officially been out for a week! 🥳 There’s always a bit of trepidation launching a late-series book. Series are fickle, and sales tend to drop dramatically between each installment. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised! Sales have been solid. And, based on early feedback, people seem to like this one. Hooray! So big thank you to everyone who’s picked up a copy of Gleam or dropped me a note. It means the world to me, and I hope you enjoy your time in the Territories.

Finished? Leave a Review!

Already finished Gleam Upon the Waves? Please leave an honest review either where you purchased the book or over on Goodreads. (Or both! Both is great.) Not only will your reviews help me out, but they’ll also assist your fellow readers in finding books they’ll enjoy. Oh yeah. Tell your friends! Word of mouth is key to any books success.

DEAD DROP Live Returns Tonight

It’s Tuesday, which means tonight I’m going to do another live stream. Please join me from 6–7 PM PDT over on twitch.tv/kmalexander. I’ll be giving a behind-the-scenes look at the different work that goes into creating an Old Haunt and answering any questions you might have. Should be a good time and you should come.

Signed Copy Update

Right now, Amazon is telling me I’ll have my copies in mid-April. (Right around the 15th) Signed copies will be available in the store immediately after they’re received. Thanks for your patience. I know a few of you are as eagerly awaiting this shipment as I am. I wish it could be faster, but I couldn’t order copies of Gleam until the book went live, which delays their production and shipment.

I know I sound like a broken record when I tell you how much I appreciate your excitement and passion about my weird little series. But it does mean a lot, and it keeps me going. Thank you for making Gleam Upon the Waves one of the books you chose to read this year. That is an honor I don’t take lightly. I hope you enjoy your time with Wal as he embarks on his latest adventure. There’s more to come and I cannot wait to sharing it with you.

Posted on

Book Reviewers, I Have ARCs for You!

Gleam Upon the Waves is a little under three weeks away. There’s a sample chapter ready for you to read right now. You can even go and preorder it! (And you should.) But I’m also sitting here looking at a handful of Advanced Review Copies eager for a few bold and ambitious reviewers to claim. So, if you run or write for a review site and are interested in acquiring an ARC of Gleam Upon the Waves for a future review, then let’s connect. Just shoot me an email, let me know your name, your site’s address, and your preferred shipping address. (If you prefer a digital copy—let’s talk.) Act now! Supplies are limited, and ARCs will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis. (I’m going to keep this US only for now, but if you live elsewhere, reach out. Maybe we can figure something out.)

Remember, Gleam Upon the Waves is the fourth book in The Bell Forging Cycle. While the first few books can be read out of order, I’d say by this point, book four is dependant on the previous three. If you’re interested in reviewing the series from the very beginning, don’t be afraid to reach out. I still have a few ARCs from earlier books, and I’m always happy to work with any reviewer or review site. Just follow the same instructions as above.

If you’re not a critic and don’t run a review site, you can help out by leaving an honest review after Gleam Upon the Waves arrives. Where? I’d suggest two places: 1. where you purchased the book (if possible) and 2. over on Goodreads (or any social media platform of your choosing). Positive or critical, remember reviews are first and foremost for other readers. They help out us authors by making sure the right readers find novels they’ll enjoy.

Nineteen days, roaders!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to ensure it’s not spammy and contains interesting and relevant information. Sign Up Today →

Four Ways to Support Your Favorite Authors This Holiday Season
Posted on

Four Ways to Support Your Favorite Authors This Holiday Season

If you read my blog, odds are you’re a book lover. And like most book lovers, we all have our favorite writers—folks whose next book we’re eagerly awaiting, authors we reference to exhaustion, and people whose books we’ve read over and over and over. (As of today, for me, that’s Daniel Price’s final chapter in his Silvers trilogy, Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, and all of China Miéville Bas-Lag books.) The holiday season is the perfect time to continue to support your favorite creators. Below I’ve listed four ways to further support your favorite storyteller (and only one costs money.)

Buy Their Books as Gifts1. Buy Their Books as Gifts

You already own the book yourself, and you probably don’t need two copies on your shelf. But, if you love a book, chances are someone else will as well! Why not gift your friends and family the work of your favorite author? It’s a great way to help influence the growth of an author’s audience, and the added sales will look great when they pitch their next novel to publishers.

Leave Reviews2. Leave Reviews

Reviews are vital to the author/reader relationship. But reviews aren’t for the writer, reviews are for other readers. Your honest thoughts and opinions can convince other readers to pick up the work of your favorite author, and in turn, it can help grow a fanbase. More reviews also unlock opportunities for authors to connect with new markets. They don’t have to be long detailed book reports; a quick review of a few sentences works as well as a long one. (As a reader, I actually prefer them.) So fire up Goodreads or pop over to the ol’ Amazon and let the world know how you felt about your favorite books.

Share Their Work Online3. Share Their Work Online

Most people are active on social media. Be it Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, or perhaps you run a blog like this one. No matter your follower count, you can help out the creators you admire by share their work with others. Talk about your favorite books over the years. Share a passage you love. Draw fan art! Do interviews! Like reviews, sharing can help expand an author’s audience.

Request Their Books at Your Local Library4. Request Their Books at Your Local Library

Libraries want books people want to read! If your favorite author isn’t there, why not ask the library to stock their books? Many people rely on libraries for discovering new work, and you can help widen your favorite author’s reach with a simple request. Your library will appreciate the effort, and so will your fellow readers.

That’s it! If you’re looking for a way to continue to support your favorite author this holiday season, why not try one of these simple tips? Three of them don’t even cost money, they take very little time, and all of them can have a significant impact on an author’s success. This holiday season, take time to support the creators you appreciate.

❄️🎄❄️

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

The Bell Forging Cycle
Posted on

Buy My Books, Leave Reviews, and Tell Your Friends

I’m nearing the end of draft zero for Gleam Upon the Waves, (note the significant update to the tracker in the sidebar) and as a result, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Bell Forging Cycle as a whole. I’m immensely proud of the series so far, and I think you’ll be surprised where it’s about to go.

I don’t do nearly enough self-promotion these days—mainly because I find self-promotion boring and I like to keep the stuff I post here as interesting as possible. But occasionally I feel it’s important for me to remind everyone that I write rad books and you can buy them pretty much anywhere. It would be swell if you did. It supports me, my work, and the series.

To make it as easy as possible I’ve included direct links to purchase below.

Book I: The Stars Were Right

The Stars Were RightPaperbacks: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Powell’s • BAM! • Direct
eBooks: Kindle • Kobo • Nook • iBooks • Google Play • Direct
📖 Click here to read the first chapter!

Book II: Old Broken Road

Old Broken RoadPaperbacks: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Powell’s • BAM! • Direct
eBooks: Kindle • Kobo • Nook • iBooks • Google Play • Direct
📖 Click here to read the first chapter!

Book III: Red Litten World

Red Litten WorldPaperbacks: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Powell’s • BAM! •  Direct
eBooks: Kindle • Kobo • Nook • iBooks • GooglePlay • Direct
📖 Click here to read the first chapter!

If you’ve bought and read my books, please take five minutes and drop me a review on Amazon or Goodreads—positive or critical. Reviews help me out a lot, and they help out your fellow weird-fiction readers as well. It’s one of the most beneficial things you can do to aid a writer, novel, or series you appreciate.

Be sure to spread the word by telling your friends about my books as well. (Heck, send ’em a link to this post.) Post about them on social media. Share links on Reddit. Talk about them on your blog. Word of mouth is the best way to assure the success of the stuff you love. That goes for me and my work as well as anything else you appreciate.

If you have already read, reviewed, and spread the message of my series: thanks! You’re helping make these books possible and you’re the reason I’m able to write the next book in the series. I’m excited to wrap up Gleam and get it in your hands as soon as I can, it’ll be worth the wait.

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

You do the talking
Posted on

You Do the Talking

Today marks the 2nd birthday of Red Litten World, the third book in The Bell Forging Cycle. I tend to talk a lot about my books. So to change things up, I figured it’d be fun to celebrate the anniversary of Red Litten World by letting you speak. Below is a collection of reviews written by readers. I pulled these today. All of the selected reviews are all public, and I’ll link to their location. Since it’s Red Litten World’s birthday, let’s work backward from there…

Red Litten World by K. M. AlexanderRed Litten World

“…weird fantasy fiction at its finest.”

— Review of Red Litten World on Amazon

“It is pretty rare that I like the third book in a series as well as the first, but I do. The third book in this series is just as well-paced, suspenseful and intriguing as the last.”

— Review of Red Litten World on Amazon

“Reasonably entertaining Lovecraftian trilogy.”

— Review of Red Litten World on Amazon

“Thank the sweet little baby lord above that I had Red Litten World to keep me company! And I finished it in one day! And it was glorious!”

— Review of Red Litten World on Goodreads

“Red Litten World is the best so far. Loved being back in all the rich texture and detail of Lovat.”

— Review of Red Litten World on iBooks

Red Litten World by K. M. AlexanderThose reviews sound interesting?

Buy Red Litten World, the third novel of the Bell Forging Cycle, in eBook or paperback today!

∙ Learn More →
∙ Buy Now →

Old Broken Road by K. M. AlexanderOld Broken Road

“…one of the few male written dark fantasies with some extremely well-written female characters.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Amazon

“K.M. Alexander knows how to craft an interesting story and I can’t wait to devour the rest of his works.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Amazon

“Well written and deftly plotted with great character development and plenty of thrills and action.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Amazon

“Wish I could rate this one at six stars.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Amazon

“A delightfully creepy journey into uncharted lands of imagination and dread.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Goodreads

“Actually a 3.5.”

— Review of Old Broken Road on Goodreads

“Amazing followup to The Stars were Right! Love the exploits of Wal and his crew!”

— Review of Old Broken Road on iBooks

Old Broken Road by K. M. AlexanderDare to travel the Broken Road?

Buy Old Broken Road, the second novel of the Bell Forging Cycle, in eBook or paperback today!
∙ Learn More →
∙ Buy Now →

The Stars Were Right by K. M. AlexanderThe Stars Were Right

“The book never lulls. It’s hard to put down. The characters are likable, and the plot is well written.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Amazon

“One of the most imaginative action/suspense fantasy horror/thrillers I’ve ever read.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Amazon

“A great new spin on Lovecraftian themes, and definitely worth a read!”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Amazon

“This is like reading for a book by Jack Vance in his prime for the first time, a Jeffrey Thomas’ Punktown story, or one of Gene Wolfe’s New Sun novels.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Amazon

“It is very rare to run across a Lovecraftian inspired tale that grabs a hold of you and doesn’t let go.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Amazon

“A gritty adventure through a city rich with life and death, in the style of a tale told over some cheap whiskey at a dusty dive bar on the outskirts of a bizarre Lovecraftian town.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Goodreads

“Alexander does a fantastic job evoking a tangled, towering city of hidden alleys, bustling markets, colorful inhabitants, and plenty of those hole-in-the-wall diners with the best local cuisine you’ve ever had.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Goodreads

“I fell in love with the protagonist Waldo from the start. Almost as much as I love the world in which he lives.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Goodreads

“The world is explained as needed by the main character and neither leaves us guessing about important story elements nor bores us with a world-history.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Powell’s

“If you are a hp Lovecraft fan then this book is for you. (Even if you arnt you should give it a read!) What a fantastic book!”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on iBooks

“This book changed the way I look at fantasy as a whole. It was also loaded with a ton of what I’d consider mystery as well. I read straight through the night and couldn’t put it down.”

— Review of The Stars Were Right on Barnes & Noble

The Stars Were Right by K. M. AlexanderThe Firsts are stirring…

Buy The Stars Were Right, the first novel of the Bell Forging Cycle, in eBook or paperback today!

∙ Learn More →
∙ Buy Now →

Huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time and left reviews on my books. Reviews (both positive and negative) are vital to the success of a novel and its future promotion. Without a minimum number, a lot of promotional houses won’t let someone like me submit special offers on their work. Likewise, new readers won’t know what to expect before they make a purchase. So if you like a book (or a series of books) be sure to leave a review.

I know a lot of readers get stressed about reviews, but they tend to overthink them. Reviews don’t need to be an extensive book report, and you’re not writing an article. (Unless you want to of course.) Just write up a few quick sentences saying why you liked or loathed a particular novel. It helps a lot.

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

Happy 4th Birthday to The Stars Were Right
Posted on

October Begins: A Month of The Bell Forging Cycle

Hey! I’m back from the green hills of Scotland and look: it’s October 1st—the start of the best month. Here in Seattle that means the nights grow longer (more time for reading), summer is behind us (more time for jackets), and the days are getting cooler (more time for uh… coffee).

This October 1st also marks the fourth anniversary of the arrival of The Stars Were Right. For those who somehow found their way here without knowing the details, Stars is the first novel in my dark cyberpunk post-post-apocalyptic dystopian weird-western cosmic-horror urban-fantasy adventure series: The Bell Forging Cycle. (It’s hard to pin down, okay.) Since the launch, it has been my most successful book, and I’m still really proud of it. I’ve sold thousands of copies and garnered hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. (I could always use a few more if you’re feeling particularly generous.)

If you’re looking for a new book, you can pick up eBook copies for only $2.99! It’s the perfect companion to the cool fall evenings (or warm spring mornings for those in the Southern Hemisphere.) Links to purchase can be found right here.

For those who prefer reading paperbacks, all month long you can pick up a signed version of any of my books and receive free shipping from my store. (US only, sorry.) Just use the code: BFCMONTH on checkout. The code expires Halloween at midnight.

October is a big month for The Bell Forging Cycle series, and I’ll have more fun stuff to post throughout the month. So stick around there is more to come, and for the long-time roaders out there who are itching for more, I still suggest you: Look West.

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →