NEWS/EVENTS ARCHIVES

October 29, 2008

1. •New Review for Slave of the Legion
   

Please see REVIEWS - SLAVE at left for a new review of my third book, Slave of the Legion. 

October 11, 2008

1. •Soldier Audio again on XM Radio!
   

According to XM Radio’s Sonic Theater schedule, Soldier of the Legion will again be broadcast in its entirety beginning on October 15, 2008.  For those of you who are subscribers to XM Radio, this is your chance to listen to this exciting and well-produced audio of the first book in the series.  The story will be broadcast in half-hour segments, with each segment on the air three times per day (so you have three chances to not miss it!)  The schedule will continue each Monday through Friday until the end of the story.  In the eastern time zone it will be heard at 5 AM, 1 PM and 7 PM on Channel 163.  Happy listening! 

1. •Secret of the Legion Coming Soon!
   

Secret of the Legion is Book 4 of the six-part Soldier of the Legion series.  It is scheduled for release in January 2009 and that’s when you should be able to order it.  We’re just about through with the final editing process and are also working on the cover art.  Our hero Thinker was last seen in a ConFree detention facility but I can assure you that he’s not going to stay there.  There’s a special mission awaiting him and he has no choice about accepting it.  It’s quite a mission and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

1. •Soldier Audio on XM Radio
   

The Soldier of the Legion audio broadcast on XM Radio in July (below) was successful and we expect XM Radio to rebroadcast the story periodically.  I’ll let everyone know when it returns.  I’d like to do audio versions for all these stories but I can’t find an audio publisher willing to take on the task.  If anyone knows an audio publisher that might be interested, please let me know. 

June 27, 2008

1. •Soldier Audio to be Broadcast on XM Radio
   

The unabridged, full-cast audio recording of Soldier of the Legion is now scheduled for broadcast once again on XM Radio.  If you are a subscriber, tune in to XM Radio’s Sonic Theater on Channel XM 163 beginning on Monday June 30.  The program will be broadcast in half-hour segments, Monday through Friday, at 5 AM, 1 PM and 7 PM (Eastern), featuring the same segment repeated three times each day.  For Central time, that’s 2 AM, 10 AM and 4 PM.  Broadcasts will continue until the full nine-hour recording is completed.  This national exposure should familiarize new listeners with the Soldier series.  Soldier was last broadcast on XM Radio in 2006, and we can thank Elaine Davenport of the Writer’s Audio Shop for making it happen again.     

1. •New Soldier MP3 Audio Disk
   

The unabridged, full-cast MP3 CD of Soldier of the Legion is now available for ordering in addition to the downloadable version, for those who prefer a hard copy.  Please click on PURCHASE at left and then on Writer’s Audio Shop.

June 1, 2008

1. •Chesapeake Bay Writers Club
   

I recently joined the Chesapeake Bay Writers Club, and I’ve been very happy with them.  They are very active and have a large membership.  Their June 2008 website has a Members’ Showcase on me and the Soldier series.  Any writer who lives in Southeast Virginia should consider joining.  They’re a friendly bunch. In addition to the Showcase article they’ve given me a  personal website on their site.  Please see http://www.chesapeakebaywriters.org/

May 31, 2008

1. •BaltiCon
   

BaltiCon is a very popular con and one of my favorites.  The latest was held May 23-26 in the Hunt Valley Inn Marriott, and I was invited.  I met several old literary friends there and made some good new contacts as well.  I sat on a panel about future space weaponry and moderated another panel on old-time SF.  Both panels were well-attended and there was a lot of interaction with the audience.  I also had a table in the Dealers Room to sell my books and wish to thank everyone who bought copies. My thanks to the BaltiCon people too.  It was a fine con!   Now all I have to do is pay the People’s Republic of Maryland the tax bite of 6 percent for every book sold.  It seems a bit high to me, especially since I’m not a Maryland resident. 

My next SF convention will be MarsCon in my home town of Williamsburg, VA, January 16-18, 2009.  Please see http://www.marscon.net/

  May 3, 2008

1. •Thanks to my Readers
   

Recent sales figures confirm that there are a whole lot of people out there who like the Soldier series and are buying the books.  I genuinely appreciate your interest and wish to thank everyone who bought a book.  If you like the series I would welcome any comments.  I will soon be receiving book reviews of Slave of the Legion from SF professionals, but I also welcome any comments/observations from my readers.  If you have the time and would like to do it, please type up a para or two with your thoughts on the series, or on the latest book.  I love feedback and may post it here if you agree.  Please send any comments to andrion2@cox.net   Thanks, Marshall.

April 27, 2008

1. •RavenCon
   

Well, that was fun!  I attended RavenCon on April 25-27 in Richmond, and met with many of my con friends.  Thanks to everyone who bought my books and I’m glad we had a chance  to chat in person.  I enjoy these cons in part because they’re so unusual.  It’s as if cultist gangs of bizarrely dressed space pirates swoop in periodically to lay waste to some target world while carousing, celebrating past outrages and trading rare and exotic goods.  Outsiders can only stare and ask “What’s a RavenCon?”  Thanks to Michael Pederson and Tony Ruggiero for organizing everything while keeping the troops in line. 

April 20, 2008

1. •RavenCon and BaltiCon
   

I will be attending both RavenCon on April 25-27 in Richmond, VA and BaltiCon on May 23-26 in Maryland.  I’m very much looking forward to both, and hope to see some of you at these conventions.  Please stop by the Dealers Room and look for me.

RavenCon: http://www.ravencon.com/

BaltiCon: http://www.balticon.org/  

March 30, 2008

1. •Amazon Chaos
   

Having grown into what is probably the largest and most successful bookselling company on earth, Amazon.com has apparently decided it can now bully and intimidate publishers and authors at will.  They have recently announced (quietly) that the “buy” buttons for POD books being advertised on Amazon.com will be deactivated for books not published by Book Surge, an Amazon-owned POD firm.  I have always been a faithful Amazon customer, buying thousands of dollars worth of books from them over the years, but that may soon change.  My three books in the Soldier series are still for sale on Amazon but if those “buy” buttons are deactivated, Amazon will get no further business from me.  Newton’s third law of motion:  for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  Truth is, I don’t need Amazon to buy books or to sell my own books.  A firestorm against Amazon’s action is already beginning.  Please see Writer’s Weekly at   http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/004597_03272008.html         

March 28, 2008

1. •Purchase Options
   

You can now purchase Books 1, 2 and 3 of the Soldier of the Legion series from my publisher BookLocker, from Amazon.com or from Barnes & Noble.com.  You can also download the audio version of the first book.  Just click on PURCHASE from the menu at left and choose your link. 

March 15, 2008

1. •Audio News
   

I have a few audio copies of Soldier of the Legion (book 1) still available, at a bargain price.  At present you can download the audio version for $19.95 (see PURCHASE at left).  If you prefer to get a hard copy rather than download, I have the following available:

Soldier of the Legion unabridged full cast audio, 9 hours on 8 CD’s.  These are original Timberwolf audios that used to cost $49.95.  I always thought that price was far too high  These CD’s are for people whose computers don’t take MP3 CD’s. My price:  $20. 

Soldier of the Legion unabridged full cast audio, 9 hours on 7 cassette tapes.  These are also original Timberwolf audios for those of you who can play cassette tapes but not CD’s.  These were originally priced at $44.95.  My price: $20. 

If you wish to buy either the 8 CD set or the 7 cassette tape set, please write me with a check for $20 and I’ll mail you the product.  I will pay postage.  My address: Marshall S Thomas, 4929 Westmoreland Dr, Williamsburg VA 23188.  

We will soon have MP3 hard copies of Soldier of the Legion available for purchase on-line (9 hours on one disc).  Stay tuned for that.

I continue my efforts to record all future books in this series on audio.  No progress so far, but I’ll let you know!

February 4, 2008

1. •Slave of the Legion
   

At last!  The third book of the Soldier of the Legion series is now available for purchase as a paperback or downloadable e-book.  Slave of the Legion can be bought by clicking PURCHASE on the menu at left.  My thanks to BookLocker for making this possible.  Slave of the Legion is quite a story and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

1. •New Website
   

At first glance, this may look like the same old website, but it’s not.  I am now using Apple I-web to construct and edit this site.  It’s a lot easier to use for me, and you have a lot more choices with the many images/pix/photos on the site.  You can view them in small, medium or large views or as a slideshow.  If you click “download” you can see the largest view.  Please look over the site.

October 4, 2007

1. •New edition of Soldier of the Legion
   

A new edition of my first book in the Soldier series, Soldier of the Legion (Book 1), has just been published by BookLocker. Please see the PURCHASE section at left to order the book on-line. Book 2 in the series, The Black March, is also available from BookLocker. Book 3, Slave of the Legion, is on schedule for release in January 2008. I'm still looking around for an audio publisher to do audio recordings of Book 2 and subsequent books. I'll keep you informed!

August 24, 2007

1. •New articles in Futures
   

Please see the FUTURES section where I have added some new information on artificial life and cancer vaccines.

August 22, 2007

1. •Ordering Soldier of the Legion Audio Products
   

Please see the PURCHASE section at left for details on how to buy Soldier of the Legion audio products. The very popular Soldier CD audio products are now available on-line from Audible.com.

July 4, 2007

1. •Carved in Stone
   

Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate Independence Day, it's time to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. In Yorktown the Victory Monument is an imposing reminder of those brave men who dared impossible odds, took on an imperialist superpower, and fought on to total victory. Carved in stone at the base of the monument are these words:

THE PROVISIONAL ARTICLES OF PEACE CONCLUDED NOVEMBER 20 1782 AND THE DEFINITIVE TREATY OF PEACE CONCLUDED SEPTEMBER 3 1783 BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND GEORGE III KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

DECLARE

HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY ACKNOWLEDGES THE SAID UNITED STATES VIZ NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS BAY RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS CONNECTICUT NEW YORK NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIA DELAWARE MARYLAND VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA TO BE FREE SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATES

June 26, 2007

1. •Futures
   

I have added a new section to this website entitled 'Futures.' Please click on it from the menu at left. This section was inspired by the increasingly rapid pace of scientific progress, and includes information on that subject. Please give it a look-see.

May 30, 2007

1. •Timberwolf Press has Closed
   

I've just learned from the CEO of Timberwolf Press that they have closed down permanently. This is a shame because they did a terrific job on my first book and the audio CD as well. The CEO Bill Armstrong has given me all rights to Soldier of the Legion. What this means for those who want to buy copies is you'd best not order from Timberwolf because they're not there any more. Please see PURCHASE at left for details on how to order the books.

May 28, 2007

1. •BaltiCon!
   

I spent most of the Memorial Day weekend at the BaltiCon SF Convention at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn.   BaltiCon is a large con and is always interesting and fun.  I passed out a lot of propaganda and made pretty good sales of Soldier of the Legion, both the book and audio versions, and The Black March as well.  I got the impression that interest in the series is growing, since some of the buyers had already read (or listened to) Soldier and wanted the sequel, Black March.  Several people mentioned the XM Radio broadcasts of Soldier as what had sparked their initial interest.  Everyone who listened to those broadcasts said they liked the audio. 

I was struck by how friendly everyone was and how complimentary they were about the series.  I very much enjoyed meeting and chatting with all these folks, and I am happy that my books are of so much interest.  It was fascinating to learn about the individual backgrounds of those of you who bought the book or audio, which included military service and even tours in Vietnam during the war.  I'm always pleased when military vets tell me they like my stories, and anyone who served in Vietnam is like a  blood brother to me.  It's amazing how Vietnam changed us all, and how the mere mention of the place can bring a torrent of eerie images from the distant past, when we were all young and exploring strange new worlds.  As one of you noted, we were different people when we returned.    

Anyway I thank everyone who bought my books and stopped to chat, civilian or military, and  I don't think I've ever met a finer group of ladies and gentlemen.  I told everyone that Book III, Slave of the Legion, will be released in January 2008.  If I can make people a little happier with these stories I believe that will be reward enough.

My thanks to those who organized BaltiCon, and a tip of the hat to Timothy  Doyle,  Tony Ruggiero and Tee Morris. 

April 22, 2007

1. •RavenCon
   

I'm just back from RavenCon in Richmond, VA. This was a very enjoyable three-day SF con at the Double Tree Hotel by the Richmond Airport. It was a first-class hotel and a first-class con. My friends Michael Pederson and Tony Ruggiero were the powers behind this con and it all worked out fine. I was in the dealer's room most of the time, but I also sat on two panels about Military SF and Hard SF. Those were both well attended. I had the privilege of sitting by Guest of Honor Robert Sawyer on the Hard SF panel. He is Mr. Hard SF and he is a gentlemen and a scholar, as the phrase goes. He was nice enough to drop by my dealer's table later to chat. My thanks to everyone who bought copies of Soldier of the Legion and The Black March. If you have time after reading the book (or listening to the CD), please send feedback to me via this site. I'm always open to comments from readers. RavenCon's website: http://www.ravencon.com/

February 27, 2007

1. •SheVaCon
   

I attended the SheVaCon Science fiction convention in Roanoke, VA, on February 23-25 at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood Hotel. It was my first time at SheVaCon but there were plenty of familiar faces there. My thanks to everyone who bought copies of Soldier of the Legion and The Black March. I spent most of my time in the Dealers Room so I missed some of the fun but had a great time anyway. SheVaCon's website: http://www.shevacon.org/

February 12, 2007

1. •Balticon Podcast Audio Interview
   

During last May's Balticon I was interviewed for their Podcast and it recently went on-line. It was a fun interview and so I've put in a link under Interviews (left). Please click and enjoy!

1. •The Future - Slave of the Legion
   

Just so everyone will know I am serious about publishing this entire series in a timely manner, I'd like you to know the status of Slave of the Legion, the third book in the series. Slave is now in the editing process. I plan to release it in early 2008. By "early" I mean January. Assuming that sales are good for The Black March, which has just been released, you can depend on reading the third book early next year.

In Slave of the Legion, the survivors of Squad Beta march blindly but willingly into the bloody crucible of combat, protecting the people of ConFree from the Omni horde with their own bodies and souls. Will anyone survive? It seems unlikely, but Thinker knows that as long as a single trooper remains alive, the squad will keep on fighting. He knows he is a slave of the Legion, but as events unfold he realizes his only loyalty is to his own squad.

1. •The Black March - Reviews
   

The first review is in for The Black March. Please click on Reviews - The Black March at left. We expect more reviews soon.

January 22, 2007

1. •The Black March
   

The Black March - An Apology and a Promise

I know fans of Soldier of the Legion have been waiting, far too long, for the sequel.  The Black March is now available for purchase.  Let me repeat that; it feels so good:  The Black March is now available for purchase!  The reason that it is now available is that I decided to stop waiting patiently for events to transpire that were out of my control, and to take direct action instead.  As a result, The Black March can now be ordered directly on-line from my new publisher, as well as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and the other usual places. I'd recommend buying from the publisher for now as I'm not sure how long the books will take to find their way to Amazon, etc.  Please click on http://www.booklocker.com/books/2771.html My apologies that it took so long. 

And here's the promise:  the third volume will follow the second, and the fourth volume will follow the third, and the fifth volume will follow the fourth, and the sixth volume will follow the fifth, and you're not going to have to wait years between books.  As long as there is demonstrated reader interest in these stories I am going to continue to put them in print.  It's not a matter of writing them – the whole series is already written.

The Black March is an exciting, intense human interest action-adventure science fiction story.  Please see OVERVIEW – BLACK MARCH for a quick description.

1. •Marscon
   

I attended Marscon 2007 in Williamsburg, my home town, from January 19 to 21 at the Holiday Inn Patriot hotel. My new book, The Black March, arrived from the publisher just in time for MarsCon. I had a ball at MarsCon, which is my favorite Con of all time. I'd like to thank all the fans who snapped up copies of the new book and new readers who bought Soldier of the Legion as well. It was great seeing all my old friends again. My thanks to the MarsCon folks for another great convention. MarsCon's home page is http://homepage.mac.com/desmarais.org/marscon