Spinward Fringe: Strange Horizons and Close Encounters - It's Alive!

In the process of writing eight books in the First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe series, a lot of extra material has been generated.

So much, in fact, that the Spinward Fringe series has started to become a universe. While I was looking through the contents of the digital vault where I keep all the bits and pieces that get cast aside when I'm editing I realized that some of the material is actually quite good. Frontline, for example, had over 11,000 words cut and buried in those words are two pieces that could stand on their own. One of those pieces, Landing on Leeds, is featured as the first part of the Strange Horizons and Close Encounters serial.

Here's the full concept behind the series:

It's a place to tell peripheral and background stories that didn't fit in the books, and preview parts of the books that haven't been released and to tell stories about characters who are experiencing life in the universe in a very different way.

• It will be a free series.
  
• It's a living document! Meaning that you get more content by by re-downloading the file instead of downloading another eBook when each part is released. Instead of a bunch of little files mucking up your device, you'll have one bigger, changing file with a text index.
• Each part will be a short, spanning between 1,500 and 5,000 words.
• Some stories will be split into multiple parts.
• When the book reaches 100,000 words it will go to print and another living document will be created.
• Guest writers will eventually be welcome.
• There will be no Spinward Fringe big picture spoilers.
• Most of the series will be fresh material that does not appear anywhere else.
• At least two parts will be available per month unless the project ends or something else comes up, in which case everyone will have fair warning.
• The story lines will be named. For example: the serialized story line starting in August is called the Nerine storyline.
• Some of the pieces will be stories from different characters' histories, such as Frost's, Alice's or Oz's.
• This project won't interfere with work on the regular Spinward Fringe series. In fact, the first six parts are already finished.
• The quality of each piece will be the same as the work in the regular Spinward Fringe Series.
• This will be taking the place of the Dark Arts serial. I may eventually develop that story into a book unless there's enough reader support for the serial to continue, in which case I'll find time for it.
  

Without further delay, here's the link to Spinward Fringe: Strange Horizons and Close Encounters. This version is compatible with all readers. You'll find a short story about the arrival of the Holocaust Virus in the core world city of Leeds and a preview of the next Spinward Fringe Fracture book which does not spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read Spinward Fringe Triton or Frontline. Part one of the series is unrelated to this storyline.

Oh, and about the cover graphic. I can't claim credit for the elements of the piece, I only composed it, but you can certainly expect a visual upgrade on future Spinward Fringe covers. After celebrating a year of writing independently and earning a living it's time to take things up a notch. I hope you enjoy the new look! The artists are credited in the eBook.

RL

[What do you think of the living document concept?]