All I can say is, it’s a good thing there’s no law against neglecting a blog, or I would have been tossed in the slammer a long time ago. Aaaaannnnyway, I have a new book out with Jaime Castle called Harrier: Justice. It continues the story of the main character from our Raptors series, but it’s a fresh start, so you don’t have to have read Raptors to enjoy this. And you won’t have to wait long for the sequels! There are two coming out in the next couple of months.
My brother Tim passed away last week. He was still relatively young, in his mid-50s, but he lasted more than ten years longer than my youngest brother, Bill, who died at 41. It’s a difficult thing to process, having both of my younger brothers die before me and before our mom. I tried to pay tribute to him at the celebration of life we had for him last weekend, but I was too choked up to say much. I’m better at processing things through my writing than speaking in front of a crowd of people.
Tim was the most unique and interesting individual I knew. He was a real character. In fact, I’ve used him as the basis of more than one character I’ve written about in my books, stories, and scripts. People liked to give him nicknames, such as Crazy Tim, but the most common one was Spaceman. Not because he was an astronaut or anything, but because he honestly and thoroughly believed that he had been repeatedly abducted by aliens. This wasn’t a phenomenon that began after he started drinking or doing drugs by any means. It started when we were both little kids. For years, I was convinced that I’d either witnessed things or been abducted myself because we would talk about it all the time. I’m not sure how much I believe in any of that stuff anymore, but if it’s true that these things actually happen, then I’m sure it happened to Tim.
Tim was a creator. He loved to write and make art and record podcasts and do standup comedy. But mostly he loved making music. In the last part of his life, he was rarely seen without his guitar, which he’d picked up after being a singer in bands for many years. I’ve always felt that if he had more discipline, he would have been very successful at one or more of these creative endeavors. But, alas, “discipline” is not a word anyone would use to describe my brother.
He was a free spirit. He enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest, sometimes to the consternation of those of us who prefer to keep our feet solidly planted on the ground. Everyone who talked about him last week said how funny he was. He always made everyone laugh, one way or another. His nicknames were earned by many years of hijinks and adventures that most people didn’t believe. Or, at the very least, thought that he greatly exaggerated. He was shot in the head once in an alley. He had more car accidents and concussions than anyone else I know. He said that he was being spied on by hybrid aliens and that they were always out to get him. Once, when he was stuck in Wyoming, he claimed to have walked on foot from Casper to Cheyenne in the snow. When we were young, he was sure he was going to die at the age of 27 like so many of his heroes, such as Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. But he made it past that, and kept on going for almost three decades.
One of the best things about Tim was that he loved everyone and everything–people, animals, nature, and especially his kids and his family. He was the least judgmental person in the world. Except when it came to Billy Shears, whom he was absolutely, one hundred percent, sure replaced Paul McCartney after he died in a car accident in 1966. Tim was on a crusade to end the charade, and he would talk to you about it for as long as you were willing to listen. But, other than that, anyone was free to do whatever they wanted as far as he was concerned.
We could all probably learn a lot from Tim.
Another month, another book. No, Jaime Castle and I don’t write that quickly. We write three books at a time so we can release them close together. That way nobody has to wait too long to find out where the story goes.
The latest is the second book in the Harrier series, and the fifth of the Raptorverse books, The Trench. You don’t have to have read the Raptors trilogy to jump in, but if you did, you’ll find a lot of familiar things.
Here’s the description:
How do you imprison the world’s most powerful supervillains and make sure they can’t escape?
The Trench, a supermax prison at the bottom of the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean—toss them in and throw away the key.
In a world where supervillains reign and justice has a new name, meet Sawyer William Vincent, formerly known as Red Raptor, now Black Harrier. But fame and glory come at a steep price, and Sawyer finds himself imprisoned in The Trench, the most impenetrable supermax prison on Earth, at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
Locked away with no hope of escape, Sawyer’s world takes a chilling turn when the brilliant villain, Crosscircuit, seeks his help for a daring breakout. The stakes are high, and the consequences are dire. Will he choose to join forces with the enemy to survive?
From the minds of #1 Audible & Washington Post Bestseller Jaime Castle and CJ Valin, The Trench is the pulse-pounding sequel in the Harrier Superhero Series that promises a thrilling ride for fans of DC, Marvel, and all things superhero. Get ready for a gripping tale of heroism, betrayal, and the ultimate battle for redemption. You won’t be able to put it down.
Book 3, the final installment of the Gravity City Series by CJ Valin and Artie Cabrera is here. Space will never be the same after this rip-roaring adventure across the stars!
Cursed Dynasty: (Gravity City Book 3)
Shrouded forces are pulling Gravity City and reality to the brink of extinction.
In the wake of the deadly Seagazer attack, Countess Maia Reed is out to even the score and reclaim her city from Dickey Jets with the help of hired guns, while her son, Victor, looms in the shadows and seeks to carve out his prominence in the criminal underworld and beyond.
Charlie Bravo and Boltz-RG, now doing odd jobs for Commucorp, have been ambushed by their employer in the desert on their way back from a shipment run. They must now seek help from an old ally, who may not be too happy to see them after a long and tumultuous hiatus. However, Koya, now a hardened leader of a rag-tag clan of mercenaries in the dunes, still has unfinished business from her past to settle and rekindles her mission to bring CommuCorp and the remnants of Khovalt to justice. She joins Charlie and Boltz on their journey back home, where a myriad of capable enemies and monsters await in the tempestuous desert. The question is, can the crew make it back in one piece before their secrets destroy their kinship and alliance for good?
Meanwhile, in hiding after his squad mates’ plot to kidnap to Rocket backfires, Rangers must come to terms with his future in the GCPD and raising a cybernetic child who has exceptional gifts and is wanted by the most powerful organizations in the city alone. How can the city’s toughest cop keep her and his family safe when he doesn’t know who he can trust, and how can our heroes protect Gravity City when robots rise in mutiny and reality is in peril in the finale of this galactic saga?
Superteam, Book two of Raptors is out! Huzzah!!!
Artwork by Luciano Fleitas
It’s free for members of Audible Plus: https://www.audible.com/pd/Superteam-Audiobook/B091M6JHJH
And available on eBook, and print: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08TCJ8DGM
Description: If you didn’t listen to Sidekick, you’ve gotta listen to that first. Trust me. If you did…Wow. Who saw that coming? I know I didn’t. As you know, I’m the Red Raptor. Now that things have…changed, I’ve asked my friend Amy to help tell the story. No, seriously, she’s just a friend. I mean – I guess if it were up to me? But…no. Okay, so there’s a new threat – a bunch of punks called the Neon Knights. They’re causing mayhem, armed with some kind of plasma-photon-light weapons that I can’t even begin to understand, and as usual, I’ve gotta stop them. However, this time I’ve got help. That’s right, I formed my own superteam. One for the ages. But first, I’ve gotta do my shift at Big Frankie Junior’s. What? You like eating burgers, right? Well, someone has to cook them. We can’t be heroes all the time.
Check out this excellent review of Sidekickat the Indie Aethenaeum!
After a long hiatus getting an entire new series of superhero books ready, my co-author Jaime Castle and I have released the first book of the Raptors trilogy, SIDEKICK: a Superhero Adventure Series. The eBook is currently at the special release price of only 99 cents, but if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free! And if you prefer audiobooks, Sidekick is an Audible Original in the Plus program, so if you’re part of the program, you can listen to it for free!
You can find the book here: RAPTORS 1: SIDEKICK
And the audiobook HERE
Here’s the description:
My name is Sawyer William Vincent—I know, it sounds like three first names—but most people know me as the Red Raptor.
Well, technically no one knows I’m the Red Raptor, he’s just a bit more popular.
Wow. Enough about my name. Let me start over. I’m a superhero—the legendary Black Harrier’s partner. Not sidekick. I don’t care if I’m still in high school. We work together to bring down the city’s most dangerous villains.
When the Black Harrier gets a mysterious note, then goes missing in New York City, things are pretty much left up to me.
But don’t worry… I’ve got this. Piece of cake.
If you like Tim Drake as Robin or ever wondered what Peter Parker would be like if he lived in Gotham, Raptors is right up your alley.
From Washington Post Bestseller Jaime Castle and CJ Valin comes a new superhero universe perfect for fans of both DC and Marvel. Actually, it’s for fans of anything superhero-related… You’re gonna like it. Promise.
An interview about Gravity City, a project I’m very proud to be part of.
Return with us to the wondrous days of Famous Monsters, the science vs. fiction of Omni and Starlog, the satirical humor of Mad Magazine, and the brilliant short stories of the legendary pulp magazines.
Gravity City Digital Magazine — a stunning amalgam of these great periodicals will burst upon the genre by Halloween!
Filled with Mad Magazine lampoon-style ads and spoof gadgets and products, the magazine — aside from its humor — serves as a platform for emerging authors of science fiction, fantasy, and Horror, as well as illuminating interviews and articles about new films, books, and other genre events.
Gravity City is a media partner with Phoenix FearCon Online. FearCon will run until December 31. Gravity City will provide coverage of the film festival’s events. Gravity City is also offering Issues 1 & 2 (now out of print) to all ticket buyers of Phoenix FearCon (https://phoenixfearcon.festivee.com/)
Joining Artie Cabrera…
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A great review for a anthology I was in a few years ago…
Book Title: Chronicle Worlds: B-Movie – Future Chronicles, Book 16
Authors: Matthew Stott, Eamon Ambrose, Jessica West, Christopher J. Valin, Stefan Bolz, Daniel Arthur Smith, Artie Cabrera, Forbes West & S. Elliot Brandis.
Series Editors and Presented By: Artie Cabrera and Samuel Peralta
Editor: Ellen Campbell
Publication Date: October 27, 2017
Available On: Amazon as an eBook
Indie Athenaeum Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
B-Movies. The first thing that comes to mind is cheesy movies made on a shoestring budget featuring science-fiction or horror themes. Some of the typical tropes from these kinds of movies are bad dialogue, wooden acting, crazy events and plot holes you could drive a tractor-trailer through.
There are fake scares, real scares, horrific 
scares and poop your pants scares. Now, imagine an anthology filled with stories like that, but the writing is terrific, the dialogue is well…
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BEYOND THE STARS is a best-selling anthology series from Patrice Fitzgerald and editor Ellen Campbell, along with some of the best sci-fi authors out there. ROCKING SPACE is the new book in the series, and it’s on sale now, with stories from David Bruns, A.K. DuBoff, Patrice Fitzgerald, Patricia Gilliam, Cain V. Hopwood, R.J. Howell, Julia Huni, Patty Jansen, Andy McKell, J.M. Thomas, Nemma Wollenfang, Misty Zaugg, and me!
And just look at that gorgeous cover by Hugo Award-winning artist JULIE DILLON!
Get your copy of Rocking Space HERE!
Trekmovie.com Sci-Fi Wire
Author Christopher J. Valin 