Final Cover Design For Black Earth: Dark Masquerade

As we approach the release of Black Earth: Dark Masquerade - July 25th (less than a month away) - it's time to reveal the cover design for the book. I don't have the full paperback spread yet, but this is the cover for the ebook edition, and the front cover for the paperback.

For those interested in how the mask found on the front cover was created, check out some of my other blog posts detailing the supplies and process used.

Black Earth: Dark Masquerade Cover Design Elements

Progress on Black Earth: Dark Masquerade Cover Design

Release Date For Black Earth: Dark Masquerade

I am almost finished with the edits to Black Earth: Dark Masquerade, and I am happy to announce that the release date for the ebook and paperback versions of the book is set for Wednesday, July 25th of this year. And yes, you read that right, I will be releasing paperback and ebook at the same time. (I know, I still haven't put together the paperback edition of Lost Birth yet, but it's coming!)

Those who have been invited and have agreed to read the book in advance and do reviews on it will receive the digital copy next week. I will also be posting the official cover art - at least for the digital edition - very soon, both here and on my website.

If any of you haven't picked up either of the first two books in the Black Earth series - End of the Innocence or The Broken Daisy - yet, you can grab an ebook double pack containing both full-length novels for a great deal.

Additionally, the manuscript for Black Earth: Bridge to Anaisha - the fourth and final installment in my Black Earth series - is currently being edited and is expected to be released in the next few months.

The New Website Is Live!

After months of tinkering and toiling, my new website - www.davidnalderman.com - is finally up and running! I would love for all of you to check it out when you get a chance. There's lots of new content that wasn't found in the old site, and personally I think this is the best design I have come up with to date.

Some things to mention -

The website now houses the official Expired Reality/Black Earth Timeline. This Timeline encompasses certain key events in both series, giving a streamlined view at the chronology of events throughout both novel series. As more books are released, more information will be added to the Timeline.

One great thing about the Timeline, is that some of the entries tie in with the next big thing on the website -

The Compendium.

The Compendium is an expansive database of information from both the Black Earth and Expired Reality series, all contained in eight categories - People, Worlds, Science and Technology, Artifacts, Businesses, Otherworldly Beings, Locales, and Terms. New entries under these categories will be added to the Compendium each week starting August 1st.

Within certain entries you will find the Classified stamp. These are information panels that will be added at a later time.Some of the entries in the Timeline, such as Nathan Pierce's birthday, tie in with the Compendium, such as Nathan Pierce's profile. Both the Timeline and the Compendium will continue to weave information together seamlessly to give you, the reader, a more immersive experience in the worlds of both my book series.

Right now with the debut of the new website, there are seven profiles which have been added to the Compendium ready for your reading pleasure. These are:
Muriel's Box under Artifacts
Lysallis under Locales
Nathan Pierce under People
Vine Magnate under Otherworldly Beings
Pulse Science under Science and Technology
Sunshine Cola under Businesses
Calamiro under Worlds
And a handful of Terms 

Every new information panel or entry that is added to the Compendium will be announced on the home page of the website, along with major Timeline additions.

Enjoy!

Just a Few More Finishing Touches...

Sorry that I've been away from this blog for the last week. I've been celebrating my birthday, father's day, and trying to finish this website, and trudge through the edits to Black Earth: Dark Masquerade. The good news is I plan on setting the new website live by the end of this week - meaning by this Friday, or if I can't get the glitches worked out in time, this Saturday. And my goal with Black Earth: Dark Masquerade is to have the advanced review copy of the book finished and in the hands of those who are reading it before publication by the beginning of July. This means the next couple weeks are going to involve some very late nights. Good thing I have plenty of tea and coffee stocked in the cupboards!

Anyhoo, I'll try to post here and there in the next couple weeks, but if you don't see me around here much, you'll know why. And I promise I'll make up for the lack of posts on the other end of this. See you all on the other side! :)

Another Year Older...

Even though I turn thirty-three tomorrow, I don't feel a day older than twenty-one. For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a kid at heart, and I honestly don't think I'll ever 'grow old'. That being said, when I look behind me, I see a life full of...well, life. I can't say I have too many - if any - regrets. I've learned much on this walk with God, this journey with my wife, and this last year with my son. It's been a wild ride, one that will someday fill volumes of memoir. I've lived a happy, blessed life. Yeah, it's been full of trials, heartache, and moments I didn't think I'd get through alive...

But here I am. Thirty-three years later. I don't really have anything extravagant planned for my birthday. My birthday tradition usually consists of me wandering around town with my wife to gather up all the free goodies places give out for birthdays. I plan to spend a day off with my wife and son, maybe do a bit of gaming, relax a bit. When Wednesday comes around though, I'll be kicking things into high gear.

For those who haven't heard yet, I received the edits back to Black Earth: Dark Masquerade last week. I've been plugging away at them - there are a TON of them - and my goal is to have the book released to everyone at some point in late July. *ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) will be sent out earlier though. And the new website and timeline should be up and running at some point late next week. I'll make an official announcement the moment they go live.

Well, I'm off to squeeze in another day of editing and web design before my day off. Have a great Monday everyone!

Off the Radar

I'll be off the radar for the rest of this week, at least in terms of this blog. I'm going to be devoting most of my time to completing the website overhaul and the timeline. That way I can use next week to test the website and fix any glitches, and then my plan is to unveil the new website either end of next week or possibly the beginning of the week after that. I should be receiving the edits to Black Earth: Dark Masquerade somewhere in there too, which will prompt an editing marathon on my part so I can get the book to all of you as soon as possible.

See you all on the other side!

Not Much To Say Today

I don't really have much to say today except that I'll be spending most of the day working on the new website design like I have been the past few weeks. Now that I've finally nailed down a direction I want to move in with the layout of the website, I am going to move in it post haste. I also have a doctor appointment I have to take my son to today. Just a basic check up, although it's not going to be fun heading out in 112 degree weather. And then tonight is my weekly writer's meeting with my friend (and cover illustrator for my Expired Reality series), Jelani Parham. So it's going to be a pretty full day.

My goal this weekend is to make some serious headway on the website and draft June's email newsletter. My wife will also be doing some work on the Legion mask for the cover design to Black Earth: Dark Masquerade, which I hope to release the end of this month or early July.

Lots of  irons in the fire. June looks to be an exciting month too with my 33rd birthday and my 7th wedding anniversary! Anyway, I guess that was just a brief update on things. Have a great Friday, and a great weekend, everyone!