In the advent of the publication of my book Written In BLOOD in January I am offering free downloads of a sample PDF containing 10 chapters from the edited portion. The book is still in final draft and I hope to have it published by as late as January 25. Meanwhile, the PDF will be available until the end of the current year. To order, visit the product page at http://www.antellus.com/book/WrittenInBLOOD.html.

Written In BLOOD is the 8th book in my science fiction vampire series Children of The Dragon, a chronicle of the Xosan, living vampires from the planet Antellus. They are stories of science fiction, fact and fantasy, myth and history, tragedy and triumph, linked together by the theme of the vampire as hero.

It is hard to imagine that books have survived a myriad of attempts to remove them from the human cultural landscape over the course of several centuries, and yet it may be that books will not emerge from the internet era unscathed. Yes, I am employing a double negative, because even now publishers are shedding authors and old business models like so much dead skin, and bookstores, even large chains like Borders, are closing stores right and left. Such draconian measures are a direct result of the unintended consequences the internet has created. Even dear old eBay, which prides itself as being the best place to sell anything under the sun, has lowered its listing fees in order to generate more product. The problem is, booksellers know that the readers aren’t buying.

I read that Burger King is now offering Spam for breakfast in Hawaii. I guess the islanders love the stuff. You know the product Spam? It comes vacuum-sealed in a can that you have to peel open. It’s pale pink and when you shake it from the can it lands—kerplunk!—like a giant pencil eraser onto your plate. Except there’s icky, gooey stuff sticking to it. They said that’s gel, but they surely don’t mean jell-o. It’s nowhere as appetizing.

I just stare at it and go, “Bleech!” and then dispose of it.