Hello y'all. Welcome to the annual announcement of all things Rogue Blades. First things first: RBE will not be announcing any new open calls in 2021. Instead, RB will be catching up on all outstanding titles on both sides of the house in the following order:
RBF: Scott Oden Presents: The Lost Empire of Sol
RBE: SLaughter is the Best Medicine
RBF: Robert E. Howard Changed My Life
RBE: No Ordinary Mortals
RBE: We Who are About to Die
RBE: Challenge! Stealth
RBE: Skovolis: City of Thrones
RBE: Assassins: Clash of Steel In addition, RBE will continue its transition of past titles into new editions and updated e-book formats. Additional info specific to each title follows. Rogue Blades Entertainment is delighted to officially reveal the gorgeous cover to NO ORDINARY MORTALS from M.D. Jackson in the book coverage below. As you read below, you'll learn RBE has aggressive expectations for the year. Rogue Blades Foundation has several potential projects in mind, but these will all be on hold until the current two titles are published and financial obligations met. Scott Oden Presents: The Lost Empire of Sol is funded and in editing and formatting. Robert E. Howard Changed My Life is not funded, but will be returning to editing/formatting to include the newly added Appendix REH and other additional goodies gained during the delay. RB will be posting here at the Home of Heroics regularly, covering all the RBE & RBF news and sharing the heroic. Posts will appear consistently from myself and Ty Johnston (RBF VP), with the occasional appearance of guest posters. If you've an interest in posting a regular or semi-regular column covering the heroic, please reach out and share your idea. RBE put out 3 titles for the first time in one year during 2020, mostly due to the assistance of Ty Johnston and the patience of the accepted authors. 2021 has potential to be RBE's biggest production year, from the onset with help from Anna Tippett and finally, hopefully, delivering on some long-overdue titles for some very loyal writers.
Thank you for reading RB titles and sticking through the long and lean times. It is a beautiful thing to bring a new title into this world, yet it would be for naught without each of you. May 2021 deliver on all your writing and reading aspirations!
Scott Oden Presents: The Lost Empire of Sol (RBF)
This first title from Rogue Blades Foundation is in editing (AUTHORS: y'all should receive edits by the end of January) and formatting (I am learning how to properly add interior cover art). The special pre-release offer will remain available until the book is ready for release, which - dependent upon editing returns and production speed - should be by end of February.
SLaughter is the Best Medicine (RBE)
RBE's last remaining title from 2019 will immediately go into editing once The Lost Empire of Sol is in production. Goal is to have this out by end of March. AUTHORS: I aim to have edits to you during February.
Robert E. Howard Changed My Life (RBF)
The aim is to have this title out by the annual Howard Days (June 2021), whether they happen or not. The book was ready to go last Howard Days when the world stopped and the projected funding dried up. There's still insufficient funding to produce this book, but in the meantime we've increased the contents with a 33rd essay, salutes to the passing of Charles Saunders, Father of Sword & Soul, and an Appendix REH of recommended further readings from the contributors. After wrapping SLaughter is the Best Medicine, I will reformat the book and turn it in for production. As an FYI, if donation and other funding is unable to meet the need, RBF will be forced to procure a loan, essentially then putting all future work by either side of RB on hold until the debt is paid.
No Ordinary Mortals (RBE)
Thanks goes to M.D. Jackson for taking my last-minute cover request and producing a terrific interpretation for RBE's first superhero title. This book is co-edited by Anna Tippett, and the initial 9 accepted stories have been edited. There are 3 more stories being added, which will also receive Anna's editing touch at submission. Once these stories are edited and REH Changed My Life is wrapped, this title will go into formatting and production. Potential release is late spring to early summer.
We Who are About to Die (RBE)
The second of RBE's 2020 anthologies will immediately follow No Ordinary Mortals. AUTHORS: Editing will begin after REH Changed My Life is released and during the production and release of No Ordinary Mortals. This means that hopefully both 2020 titles will see publication in close proximity and by mid-summer.
Challenge! Stealth (RBE)
RBE's second ultimate writing and support challenge will finally see print in 2021. I know there's been disappointment at this long delay, and sadly Mary Rosenblum, one of its judges, will never get to see the finished product. This is another entertaining collection of heroic interpretation sure to delight, and I look forward to holding it. AUTHORS: Edits will begin after We Who are About to Die is released.
Skovolis: City of Thrones (RBE)
RBE house author Frederick Tor and house logo character Kaimer will put out their collection and finally deliver on all that promise of a decade+ ago. Another terrific cover from M.D. Jackson truly brings the tone of Kaimer and his city Skovolis.
Assassins: Clash of Steel (RBE)
And finally, RBE will return to the CLASH OF STEEL line and bring back the Assassins anthology. Original contracts on this title have long dried up and withered away, and I'm aware of numerous of these tales appearing since. That is of no issue, as RBE extends invitation to all of the accepted stories and their authors to remain. After all of the previously listed titles are published, I will be contacting each author with a new contract followed by editing. I'm undecided on the ultimate final format of this title (originally it was going to be 4 e-books and a single thick print version), but I want the CoS line to continue and I want to see the stories I accepted so long ago in print under the RBE name.
That's that, dear readers, fans, friends, and supporters. Fingers crossed RB delivers on all the above. Thank you for all you do to encourage us, the authors, and the artists, who complete, and frankly, carry our work. Without them, we'd have no heroes to explore or share.
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