What Better Diversion Than a LEGO Project?

Today's post sneaked up on me. I even have a draft of what I'd planned to talk about, and apparently I never got back to it . . . and it didn't magically write itself.

So instead, I'm going to toss out something fun that has (almost) nothing to do with grammar rules and editing, but will provide endless hours of fun.

When Bricks Get Their Wings Kickstarter project

My good friend/sibling/partner in crime, Stephen Fender, is working on yet another new project, so of course, being the incredible backhaver that I am, I'm going to tell you all about it.

A departure from Stephen's Kestrel Saga space opera books, his Star Trek fan fiction projects, and his current stand-alone space sci-fi novel Master of the Void (a retelling of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to be released in spring of 2017), this project is geared toward kids and adults alike.

When Bricks Get Their Wings is the newest Kickstarter from this guy, and I'll just post the link here and let you check it out for yourself. It's part building brick project, part storybook and all enjoyment.

Unlike other franchises, the LEGO company seems to be amenable (and realistic) about their customers and fans in general. They have clear guidelines about what can and can't be done when creating things that involve their products, and are happy to allow others a little piece of the pie, so to speak.

Check it out and see if this sounds like something you'd like to support, or share it with someone who would enjoy it.

I'll see you all in a couple weeks!

And now, for something you'll really like . . .

So yes, I’ve only been back to the blogging world for a handful of weeks, and I had planned on posting only every two weeks. I still do, but this is a timely interruption for something I don’t want you to miss.

Since I’m Stephen Fender's slave editor and have worked on all his novels so far, I wanted to be sure to promote what he’s doing right now that some of you may be interested in, and I didn’t want to wait and possibly run out of time.

If you enjoy science fiction—specifically space opera—you’d enjoy pretty much anything Stephen has written. Over the past couple years, he’s managed to do a little Star Trek fan fiction as well, through the use of Kickstarters. Because his ever-growing fan base has been demanding more, he’s launched a new Kickstarter for his own Beta Sector novels, with a new one titled Master of the Void.

This campaign has a lot going for it, and based on the results of Stephen’s previous campaigns, you’re in for a good read and fun perks if you become a backer.

Master of the Void takes place during a period known as the Great Galactic War, a nearly ten-year struggle between the peaceful worlds of the Unified Collaboration of Systems and the destructive Kafaran Empire. This particular novel is based on Jules Verne’s classic, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, woven as a modern retelling that uses the thematic essentials from 20,000 Leagues and elements specific to Fender’s own Beta Sector universe, creating something new while keeping the grand adventure of the old.

The campaign met its initial goal within the first three days of launch, and because Stephen’s the generous guy he is, he’s offered perks galore and stretch goals people actually want to stretch for. I’ll let you visit the Kickstarter to see those rewards for yourself, so as not to be a spoiler for all of it. Here’s the link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1910450936/beta-sector-master-of-the-void

For those of you who wonder if you’ll really get what you pay for, here’s a glowing testimonial from a previous backer, Tim Knight, in a blog post, complete with photos of the finished products:

http://heropresstwo.blogspot.com/2016/05/now-this-is-how-you-deliver-kickstarter.html

The blog post starts off with “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Stephen Fender delivers incredible Kickstarters.” I have to agree. Great writing, high-quality design on all perks, fun giveaways—all the components are there. I’m proud to have worked on the books with him, and a little jealous of his graphic design skills when it comes to patches, posters, maps and more.

The campaign ends in just over three weeks, so you don’t want to miss your opportunity to get in on something special. And as a special “extra,” if you have a blog and share the project on it, send the blog link to Stephen and you’ll get a free gift from him.

Jolly Rogers Productions: http://jollyrogersproductions.net/

Previous Four Years War Kickstarter

Previous Romulan War/Tech Manual Kickstarter