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Authors Jacob & H.P. Holo

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Authors Just Talk About … Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2) – THIS SUNDAY @ 8pm EST

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Authors Just Talk About … ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS (Season 2)

Sunday, March 23rd @ 8pm EST

Authors Melissa Olthoff, Marisa Wolf, and Jesse James Fain just talk about Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2)! (Moderated by Edie Skye/H.P. Holo.)

For more information about the panelists and their works, visit their websites below:

Melissa Olthoff: https://www.melissaolthoff.net/
Marisa Wolf: https://www.marisawolf.net/
Jesse James Fain: https://amzn.to/4eVtmKo
Edie Skye: https://edieskye.com/
H.P. Holo: https://holowriting.com/

Find Baen books here: https://www.baen.com/

Support the podcast/feed the host’s coffee-fueled word count here: https://buymeacoffee.com/holowriting

Watch on YouTube
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WATCH ON X

Also, watch our discussion on Arcane (Season 1) here: https://holowriting.com/2024/10/20/authors-just-talk-about-arcane-league-of-legends/

And read H.P.’s earlier review of Arcane (Season 1) here! https://holowriting.com/2022/03/19/arcane-tv-review/

Book Blast: Discount Dan (Discount Dan’s Backroom Bargains #1) by James A. Hunter

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books.

Now, for this one: A bunch of my friends frequently tag me as the one who got them hooked on Dungeon Crawler Carl, so 1) I am delighted to be your corruptor 😈, but also 2) author buddy of another author buddy James A Hunter has just released a LitRPG with BIG DCC VIBES.

Admittedly, I haven’t read it yet, but c’mon, it’s got a series title like DISCOUNT DAN’S BACKROOM BARGAINS and this googly eyed dog monstrosity on the cover and a mimic toilet LIKE WHY ARE YOU STILL LOOKING AT THIS SCREEN GET IT NOW

READ DISCOUNT DAN HERE!

For real, how can you turn down this face?

Discount Dan: A LitRPG Adventure

Discount Dan’s Backroom Bargains #1

by James A. Hunter

***

Noclip In, No Way Out…

All Dan wants is to find a way home. He’d settle for a beer, a bite to eat, and a place to sleep off his hangover.

But, in an endless, ever-changing dungeon cobbled together from twisted carnivals, abandoned shopping malls, janky laundromats, and condemned insane asylums, getting a bit of shut-eye is harder than it sounds.

Dan has accidentally “Noclipped” into the Backrooms—a bizarro, extra-dimensional Alice-in-Wonderland world, overrun with horrific nightmare creatures known as the Dwellers. No one ever gets out. Hell, forget about leaving, if Dan wants to survive the week, he’s going to need to harness the strange game-like magic of the Backrooms, make some very sketchy allies, and carve out a little safe haven to call his own.

And he’s going to need to do it fast because Dan is being hunted. The Flayed Monarch of the 999th floor has marked him for death and no one walks away from the Skinless Court with their hide intact…

“The book is a f***ing delight. I enjoyed the absolute hell out of it and think it’s an excellent use of pop culture to make something fun and horrific and awesome.”– Eric Ugland, Author of the Good Guys and Bad Guys

“Buckle up, buttercup! James Hunter takes you on a balls-to-the-wall adventure that’s as insane as it is awesome.” – Jez Cajiao, Author of Arise and Rise of Mankind

“Discount Dan is a fun, fast-paced read with awesome game mechanics, surprising humor, and a brutal adventure you won’t want to put down!” – Dakota Krout, Author of Completionist Chronicles, Full Murder Hobo, and The Divine Dungeon

READ DISCOUNT DAN HERE!

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

New Audiobook Alert: The Dyson File (Gordian Division #5) is Here! 🎧🚀

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Hey, y’all! 😄 H.P. here!

It’s a good day to be an audiobook listener, especially if you’re a fan of the Gordian Division!

The audiobook for The Dyson File (Gordian Division #5) has officially landed, and it’s ready to infiltrate your eardrums with high-stakes intrigue, futuristic detective work, and corporate espionage on a MEGA-megastructure scale.

Once again narrated by Gabriel Vaughan and released by Recorded Books, this thing brings The Dyson File to life with gripping tension, sharp dialogue, and an immersive sci-fi atmosphere that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.

What’s in store?
  • A macabre techno-mystery. It starts with a supposed suicide, but nothing is what it seems. 😮
  • Detectives in space! Themis Division’s Isaac Cho and his Admin partner Susan Cantrell take the case, uncovering a deadly conspiracy that could reshape humanity’s future. 🔍
  • Self-replicating swarms gone rogue. Because what’s a good sci-fi thriller without a few out-of-control AI-driven machines? 🤖
  • A race against the clock. Lies, backstabbing, and political maneuvering are just another day at the office when entire planets are at stake. ⏰

(Also, beware the fuzzle menace. That is all.)

🚀 Ready to listen? Grab your copy now!

LISTEN TO THE DYSON FILE HERE

Have you read The Dyson File already? Excited to experience it in audio form? Let us know in the comments! 👇

March 7th-9th! Grab Monster Punk Horizon #1 and Monster Girl Tamer #1 for JUST $.99 in the Mana and Might Promo!

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Hey, y’all! 😄 If you love LitRPG and GameLit you’re gonna want to jump on this!

For the next three days, you can grab a bunch of FREE and $0.99 books, either from some seriously talented women authors and/or about some kickass ladies! 💖✨

GRAB YOUR FREE and $.99 eBOOKS HERE!

Both Monster Punk Horizon #1 and its spicy offshoot Monster Girl Tamer #1 and are in there for JUST $.99 – and it’s a perfect time to read both, because I just finished the first draft of Monster Girl Tamer #2!

You’ve gotta grab ’em fast, though, ’cause these deals are gonna disappear on March 9th.

Also, FYI, a fun perk of this promo is that, when you buy these eBooks at $.99 on Amazon, you can add the Audible narration for just $7.49 – which means you can effectively get both the eBook and audiobook for less than $10!

GRAB MONSTER GIRL TAMER #1 HERE!

Monster Punk Horizon Audiobook Cover
GRAB MONSTER PUNK HORIZON #1 HERE!

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

Book Blast: The Last Dragon Knight (The Dragon and the Crow #1) by Tim Akers

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Hey, y’all! 😄 I have lots of cool author friends who write lots of cool books, and occasionally I like to show off those books. That said, my pal Tim Akers has a new epic fantasy thriller out today and IT’S GOT DRAGON WARRIORS IN IT! 🎉

Book Cover for The Last Dragon Knight by Tim Akers
READ THE LAST DRAGON KNIGHT HERE!

You may remember Tim from my fangirling about Knight Watch and Wraithbound, and now he’s back with a story of a former assassin who wants to live a quiet life – but, between a blessing from a Crow, a curse from a Dragon, and a past that just won’t leave him alone, he’ll have to make a last stand to defend his new home.

Tim’s writing is always fun, so go check it out! 😄

Book Cover for The Last Dragon Knight by Tim Akers

The Last Dragon Knight

The Dragon and the Crow #1

by Tim Akers

***

Betrayed by his friends. Driven from the land he swore to protect. Hunted by the legions of Hell. Cursed to carry the Dragon’s fury in his soul. Determined to survive.

Corem Holt was once an assassin, before he was a warrior. Before he was a cataclysm in the shape of a man. Blessed by the Crow and cursed by the Dragon, he fled the destruction of his homeland. It was a destruction for which he was responsible.

To his friends, he is a traitor. To his enemies, he is the last real threat in their endless war. Both will hunt him to the ends of the earth. And so he hides. He tries to live a simple life, to survive, to be happy. But mostly, he tries to forget what he has done.

All that comes undone when his past catches up to him. What starts as a chance encounter with an old enemy rapidly devolves into a battle for life and death, not just for Corem, but for the people he’s come to love while in hiding. To save them, he must make one last stand far from home, far from the throne he was sworn to protect, far from the memories that brand him a traitor. For anyone else, it would be impossible. For Corem, it’s inevitable.

Because he’s not just a hero.

He’s the last Dragon Knight.

READ THE LAST DRAGON KNIGHT HERE!

NOTE: As Amazon Associates, we earn a wee little commission on any Amazon purchases made through qualifying links on this page.

Dancing with Destruction is up for pre-order!

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It’s pre-order time again, this time a sci-fi anthology! 😄

Dancing with Destruction comes from Editor Jason Cordova at Baen Books, and has a super fun origin story.

Basically, cover art was commissioned for another of Baen‘s books … but the resulting illustration ended up not fitting the vibe the publisher was looking for.

However, it was still a kick ass piece of art.

So, Jason presented this art to a handful of authors – ourselves included – and said, “Hey, want to write a short story for an anthology based on this cover?” 😀

Jacob saw this art and immediately said “HECK YES! I already have the perfect Sol Blazers story in mind.” But then he looked at his packed writing schedule. 😬 Then he looked to me and said, “What if we make this a Jacob Holo + Edie Skye collaboration?” 😏

Thus we get “The Joy of the Chase,” an adventure in Jacob’s Sol Blazers universe wherein our underpaid heroes take a simple missing persons job on a deserted jungle habitat … and find it not so deserted at all. In fact, it’s a whole lot hotter than expected. 😈

Also, if you weren’t aware of my love for over-the-top 80s action movies, you will be after this short. Yes, I watched Predator for research. Yes, Jacob had to cut plenty of 80s action movie references, and YES, Jason cut more. 🤣

(This is not the version where Nathan + Aiko chase an acid-bleeding monster through simulated vents made of interwoven jungle branches, but I assure you, it’s still cool.)

Dancing with Destruction releases on July 1, 2025, but you can pre-order it in trade paperback now!

Pre-ORder On AMAZON

Pre-ORder On BOOKSHOP

Also, if you have no idea what Sol Blazers is, go check it out! It’s basically adventure space opera for people who are mad that Firefly never got a second season, with catgirls, sassy androids, and maybe a lil’ mild cosmic horror. 🤣

Freelancers of Neptune Book Cover

BUY FROM AMAZON

BUY FROM BOOKSHOP

Recipes on Top: Perfect Donkey Sauce Grilled Cheese

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Someone at MarsCon said they missed my grilled cheese posts, and I do hate to disappoint my fans. 🤣

This month’s grilled cheese is my go-to recipe, perfected through much Science and Experimentation and LOADS of calories. Enjoy! 🥪🧀

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices Sara Lee Hawaiian bread
  • 2 tbsp Tillamook butter, softened
  • 2 slices mozzarella cheese (I used Publix ’cause it was on sale.)
  • 1 slice provolone cheese (I used Sargento ’cause I don’t like Publix’s provolone, even when it is on sale)
  • as much Donkey Sauce (or garlic aioli) as your heart desires

Instructions:

  • Preheat a frying pan to medium-high heat.
  • Let pan cool to medium-low heat. Plop 1/2 of the butter in to melt.
  • Use the remaining butter to butter both pieces of bread.
  • Plop one piece of bread in the pan butter-side-down. Squirt the desired amount of Donkey Sauce on it, then layer one slice of mozzarella, one slice of provolone, and the other slice of mozzarella atop the bread. Squire more Donkey Sauce on it, if desired. Place the other piece of bread on top, butter-side-up.
  • Let sandwich cook slowly until it reaches desired toastiness and meltiness. (Don’t cook it too fast/hot or the toastiness-to-meltiness ratio will be off.)
  • Plate finished sandwich and drizzle Donkey Sauce over the top for extra fanciness.

Babble: 

I impulse-bought Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Donkey Sauce solely ‘cause it’s called Donkey Sauce, and put it on everything for like a week, including this sandwich. (It’s basically a garlic aioli, which already puts it in HELL YEAH territory.)

The Hawaiian bread wasn’t working out for a lot of my previous experiments (It made everything too rich), but this one? HOOOOOOOOO BOY. The provolone and mozzarella that I used are both subtle enough that Hawaiian bread complemented them well. Add the Donkey Sauce for extra pizzazz, and this one became chef’s kiss.

*I only used a little bit for the photo to make it look vaguely bougie, but then dumped it on afterward.

We chatted Tropes on Book Career Network: Worlds Asunder!

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Merry Christmas Eve, y’all! 🎄 An interview of ours went live today and we figured y’all might enjoy it while you do your holiday driving. 😊

David Shadoin and H.Y. Gregor of Worlds Asunder invited us onto their show to talk tropes, and … we talked a lot, so it’s a two parter. 😆 Part One is now up on A TON of platforms, all collected here.

LISTEN TO WORLDS ASUNDER HERE

The special thing about this podcast is I lifted the “WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THE LAST JEDI IN THIS HOUSE” rule for the first time since 2017, just for Worlds Asunder. 😆

It was super fun, so go give it a listen!

The Weltall File (Gordian Division #4) audiobook is out!

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Hey, y’all! 😄 H.P. here!

You’ve been waiting patiently, and now Gordian Division #4: The Weltall File is finally out on audio from David Weber, Jacob Holo, Baen Books and Recorded Books!

This is hands-down my favorite of the File books – I mean, with a mystery set at the multiverse’s first trans-dimensional gaming tournament, how could it not be? 🎮😁 – and once again, Gabriel Vaughan‘s done a great job narrating Isaac and Susan’s adventures.

We hope you enjoy it! 😄

LISTEN TO THE WELTALL FILE HERE

The Weltall File

Gordian Division #4

***

Written by David Weber and Jacob Holo
Narrated by Gabriel Vaughan
Published by Baen Books and Recorded Books

***

Come for the games. Stay for the murder. 

A mystery in the Gordian Division universe.

The Weltall Tournament’s professional VR games were supposed to be a symbol of cooperation between SysGov and its militaristic neighbor, the Admin. But that was before star Admin player Elly Sako received a death threat, written in blood next to a copy of her own severed head. The Admin’s Department of Temporal Investigation swiftly seizes control of the crime scene, and the tournament transforms into a flashpoint of charged politics and conflicting jurisdictions. 

SysPol Detective Isaac Cho and DTI Special Agent Susan Cantrell—partners in the officer exchange program—are sent in to take charge of the investigation and bring the situation under control. But solving this mystery won’t be easy, and the pair struggles to determine who is telling the truth. A jilted relationship between players soon explodes into signs of a far-reaching conspiracy, and the two detectives find themselves racing against time before the tournament ends. 

Because the killer will be the only one who wins, should they fail.

LISTEN TO THE WELTALL FILE HERE

Dazzle’s SEEKRIT SALE: Black Friday! Use coupon code “SIGNED-BOOKS” to get 25% off all signed books.

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*Note from H.P. – Dazzle is our marketing manager and he doesn’t understand how secrets work.

Meowdy, friends! 😸 I’m Dazzle!

H.P. told me I needed to plan a Black Friday sale, but I don’t understand how days can have colors, so here’s just a LONGGGGG signed book sale.

Enter coupon code “SIGNEd-BOOKS” for 25% OFF ALL SIGNED BOOKS

I like chewing on books and these are the ones that taste best:

Freelancers of Neptune Book Cover
FREELANCERS OF NEPTUNE (SIGNED HARDBACK)

H.P. said to say Freelancers of Neptune is a fun space opera adventure but mostly I remember THERE’S 😸 A CAT GIRL 😸 AND A WHOLE SPECIES OF 😸 CAT PEOPLE 😸 AND THERE’S ONE SCENE WITH LOTS OF 🐟 TUNA 🐟 AND I LOVE IT

The Weltall File Book Cover
THE WELTALL FILE (SIGNED HARDBACK)
THE WELTALL FILE (SIGNED MASS MARKET PAPERBACK)

I don’t know what time is, but I do know about video games and alternate universes are and The Weltall File HAS A CROSS-UNIVERSE 🎮 VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENT 🎮 and also there’s CRIME and a CRIME-FIGHTING CYBORG and a CRIME-FIGHTING NORMAL GUY (but he’s ok too, I guess).

I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT (SIGNED PAPERBACK)

H.P. said to warn you that this one is 🌶️ SPICY 🌶️ but I didn’t think it tasted very hot, so instead I’m going to say that I’M IN THIS ONE AND YOU SHOULD READ IT BECAUSE I RUN* A LIBRARY IN IT 📖

*one room of

H.P. also said Black Friday lasts more than one day (HOW? 😮), so this sale will run through, idk, Monday, December 23rd, I guess.

Enter coupon code “SIGNED-BOOKS” for 25% OFF ALL SIGNED BOOKS

Surprise! 😄 A new mecha short story from Jacob!

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Hey, y’all! 😄 This short story’s been turned in so long that honestly, we forgot about it until Raconteur Press told us the anthology was out. 🤣 That said, if you’ve been jonesing for some giant robot action, check out Giant Stompin’ Robots, edited by our good author pal James Young.

READ GIANT STOMPIN’ ROBOTS HERE

It’s got a bunch of kickass giant robot stories in it, but it especially has a new short set in the Titan Mage universe I wrote as Edie Skye! (Be warned: The short’s not spicy, but the series is.) “Once a Titan Mage” basically boils down to “What if John Wick, but with a giant robot?” with all the epic action that implies.

Also, if you haven’t read it yet, I’ve got a story (as Edie Skye) in the companion volume Giant Freakin’ Robots:

READ GIANT FREAKIN’ ROBOTS HERE

“I’m in Love with a Helicopter” involves transforming helicopter mechs and epic battles with air pirates … but is ultimately inspired by that one Armored Core VI tutorial that kicked my butt so many times I developed Stockholm Syndrome and started to love it. 🤣

Speaking of which, I gotta show off this review from Tangent Online, which loved the entire anthology … but especially loved Rion, Sevas, and Jenny’s adventure.

If you’re into giant robots, we hope you’ll give both a look! 😄

SIGNING TOMORROW! An Afternoon with Authors @ The Tangled Web in Spartanburg, SC

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Hey, y’all! 😄 H.P. here with exciting news for fans of book signings and awesome authors!

We’ve got a group signing with David Weber and Jason Cordova coming up THIS SATURDAY, October 26th at The Tangled Web comics and games shop in Spartanburg, SC (418 W. Blackstock Rd; Spartanburg, SC 29301).

I’ll be moderating a panel/reading between the four of us from 2-3pm, and then we’ll be signing/generally hanging out from 3-5pm! 😁

Also, some special perks!

First, the shop has an ~ AMAZING ~ coffee bar, and I aided in several drinks of delicious testing to help design The Beany, just for fans of Freelancers of Neptune!

Second, if you purchase any of our books from the shop, you’ll get 10% off your entire purchase (*some exclusions apply)!

Also worth knowing: The shop’s event room has seating for about 20. After that, it’s standing room only, so if you want to ensure a seat near the front, be sure to get there early.

We hope to see you this weekend! 😁