And that’s a wrap—MX Publishing’s Kickstarter for A Man Named Baskerville closed earlier today with 81 backers pledging £1,842 (USD$2,241) toward the upcoming Special Edition hardback.
Learn more about A Man Named Baskerville on my web site. I should have more information soon on the hardback edition, as well as an upcoming audiobook.
Thanks, everyone! Here’s to a great 2025.
With MX Publishing producing a special hardcover edition of A Man Named Baskerville, they launched a Kickstarter to get the word out and defray costs. The Kickstarter has done quite well so far, raising nearly $1,700 in two weeks!
There’s still time to join in, and plenty of donor rewards remain available. If you donate before the deadline, you can claim:
You may donate at any level. Even if you don’t wish to donate, please consider sharing this Kickstarter with your friends and followers on social media.
Thanks for reading, and here’s to a great 2025.
As mentioned in my last post, MX Publishing is holding a Kickstarter fundraiser to spread the word of the publication of a special hardcover edition of A Man Named Baskerville as well as a forthcoming audiobook.
Well, the Kickstarter has started, and I’m asking for your help. There are some great donor rewards for your generous contribution:
You may donate at any level. Even if you don’t wish to donate, please consider sharing this Kickstarter with your friends and followers on social media.
(Please note this money does not go into my pocket—it’s used to defray the cost of production, distribution, and marketing.)
That link, in case you missed it:
I’m pleased to announce that I’ve signed with MX Publishing in London to release two new editions of A Man Named Baskerville, my reinterpretation of the classic Sherlock Holmes mystery.
Some time in early 2025, you should expect to see a new hardcover and audiobook of Baskerville. I’m especially excited about the audiobook, as this will be the first one produced for my novels.
In order to offset publication costs, MX Publishing will be running a Kickstarter. The donor gift tiers are still being decided, but you should expect to see signed copies of paperback and hardcover editions of Baskerville as thank-you gifts, plus perhaps a couple more surprises.
You can sign up to be notified when the Kickstarter launches—just follow this link and add yourself to the “Saved” list.
And watch this space too, as I’ll be announcing more details as they finalize. You can click on the blue “Subscribe” button to receive notifications.
Thank you for following me this year! I hope to have lots more exciting news and new developments in 2025.
My Interactive Fiction Competition entry Under the Cognomen of Edgar Allan Poe was reviewed by Justin Kim at The Final Arc. Highlights:
On one hand, it’s a game about dealing with the duality of superficial popularity vs meaningful respect as a career writer. On another hand, it’s a mystery about the last days of famed author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. On yet another hand, it’s dealing with the fallout of making a Faustian deal.
And:
You begin in the modern day as a writer, waking up after an explosion. This character’s past is unveiled as you find clues in Baltimore, Maryland, in the year 1849 as a European who discovers the secret of Poe’s disappearance for his own agenda.
It’s a really great write-up, and I appreciate Justin’s kind words.
I met Justin at NarraScope 2023 where we discussed my last interactive fiction, According to Cain. This year, he volunteered to beta test Cognomen and had a number of important suggestions for me to fix. Thanks, Justin!
Check out more from The Final Arc, including their coverage of other IF Comp entries.
Today is the start of the Interactive Fiction (IF) Competition 2024, which includes my latest IF title, Under the Cognomen of Edgar Allan Poe. Over 67 titles are entered in the competition this year.
The great thing about IF Comp is that anyone can play and be a judge. If you’re interested, you’ll need to play at least five of the entries to submit a ballot. I recommend reading over the judging rules before looking over the full slate of titles. Note that many of these games can be played within your browser without downloading any software.
Voting is entirely optional. You’re free to play as many or as few of these games as you like. All are free to download and play.
Here’s my entry’s blurb:
“There are some secrets that do not permit themselves to be told.”
In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared among the back alleys of Baltimore. A week later, he was found delirious and in disarray. The mystery of his death has remained unsolved for 175 years.
Now it’s your chance to decipher the macabre enigma enshrouding the final days of Edgar Allan Poe—a tale of Faustian bargains, artistic ambition, and immortality…
It’s a parser game, meaning you enter commands as free-form text, which the software interprets as commands and acts upon. Total play time is a little over two hours or so, depending on how well you do.
You can play Under the Cognomen of Edgar Allan Poe directly from the IF Comp game list. If you want a more customizable experience, in terms of colors and fonts, or you want to listen to the game’s soundtrack while you play, I recommend installing the QTads interpreter and downloading the game file to your local machine.
Here’s to a great competition!
On the Interactive Fiction Community Forum, author Brian Rushton has been at work completing his series reviewing every game to win the XYZZY and IF Comp awards. He recently posted his review of According to Cain, the most recent game to win the XYZZY:
Your game, the player’s, while fraught with occasional physical danger, is slow-paced and thoughtful. The remembered past, though, is filled with arguments, violence, deception, starvation, betrayal, and jealousy. Just like the previous year’s winner, What Heart Heard of, Ghost Guessed, progression in this game occurs through unlocking horrifying memories of a past family.
His full write-up can be read on the IF forum. More information on Cain, including how to play, can be found here.
