Nobody Rung the Bell Yet

It’s been ages since I’ve written a blog post, I know. Shame on me, I know. I should write them more often… yeah, I know that too. I certainly have enough random thoughts to warrant more blog posts… but some of those thoughts might get me in trouble so I try to keep those to myself.

I could rant about the human rights violation that is the SCOTUS, but in my conspiracy-minded opinion, that’s just what they want us to think. I believe a large factor in why they’re doing it is to try and get America’s birth rate back up so it sustains population growth, not stagnation or decline.

Why does that matter? Economy. Our economy is in shambles and propped up by smoke, mirrors, and crime at the institutional level. It’s designed to flourish best when there’s population growth – more people spending, paying taxes, etc every year than the year before. They aren’t willing to figure out how to restructure it so that it’s healthy and stable because that would mean a lot of very wealthy people would get less than they’re accustomed to. But I won’t rant about that since I’d probably come across as a raving lunatic.

I write fiction because it makes more sense than the society we live in. Reality, sadly, has no proper sense of justice or fairness. Sure, in my stories bad things happen to good people, but in the end (usually) the bad things and bad people are served a karmic dish. I don’t like feeling hopeless and depressed and I generally don’t want to encourage those feelings in my readers either. Not if I have any control over it.

We’re in a recession and it’s only going to get worse. Possibly a lot worse. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that didn’t scare me. My day job seems to be somewhat recession proof, but for all of my resting bitch face I still see the impact on everyone around me and it sucks. I want everyone to be successful. Well, okay, I have a short list of people I’d like to see crash and burn – but if you’re reading this the odds are exceptional you’re not on that list.

Anyhow, a lot of people are affected by it or will be. If you’re one of those people and you love to read – don’t buy my books. Not on Amazon or Barnes and Noble or wherever else they’re sold. Instead come over to my site on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/booksbyjason). EVERYTHING is on there, and it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than buying individual books. As a life hack, you can even sign up for only one month, download everything you can get your hands on, and then cancel your membership.

I realize that’s an unusual sales pitch but it’s totally legit. Hell, reach out to me privately if you’re looking for a specific book and I’ll make sure you get it one way or another. I’ve done it already with hundreds of people over the past few years and I don’t plan on stopping. If I can offer some escapism for a few hours and lighten the load I’m happy to do so.

Patreon is my primary release mechanism now for new material. Everything goes there first and, in some cases, only there. Generally I wait 2 – 3 months after releasing a novel on Patreon to put it elsewhere. I’ve got 2 novels right now that my Patreon subscribers have been enjoying for a while now that I’m slowly working on getting cover art so I can publish them traditionally. There are also storylines dedicated exclusively to Patreon that will never be published elsewhere. And, like I said earlier, it’s sooo much cheaper.

With all that said, here’s what I’ve released recently on Patreon:

-Flux: The first story in my next mini-series in The Lost Girls saga about a new heroine that is slowly emerging from her troubled past and embracing the possibilities that the Net and Virtual Reality allow.

-Self Help: The second story in my next Lost Girls mini-series. The same main character is back and this time she needs some help from Bling and Lady J bridging the gap between the VR world and reality.

-The First Wand: This is a story arc I’m several parts into that is a modern fantasy epic. Think of an advanced society that uses magic instead of technology for industrialization. And so far the main characters consist of a vampire, her totally mundane human protector, a confused elf with a chip on her shoulder and a dislike of her misogynistic race, a surly dwarf that is the elf’s mentor / father-figure, and… well…. that’s enough for now. If you want to know more, head on over and read about it!

-No Exceptions: The next novel in my Bloom Chronicles series. This one is a few months from traditional release since it’s only recently finished.

-The Egg of Immorality: Book 4 in the Thirst for Power fantasy series in my World of Kroth setting.

-Numerous shorter stories and novellas that take place behind the scenes in existing settings. They flesh things out, add some color, or just exist purely for entertainment value.

What’s coming next? Well, I’ve got some inspiration for another Dark Universe book after some a short story I’ll be posting to Patreon in the very near future. I also have a similar plan for my next Thirst for Power book that was triggered after a short story I just shared on Patreon. I’ll definitely be continuing my Lost Girls / Dark Earth books and shorter stories as well, but one thing at a time.

So, as you can see, I may not have been blogging much but I have still been very busy. Don’t miss out, come check out my Patreon!

To learn more about Jason Halstead, join his Patreon page, visit his website to read about him, or sign up for his newsletter.