I’ve really had fun writing Astrid Maxxim and her Hypersonic Space Plane– more fun than on just about anything I’ve written lately.  I guess that’s why I jumped into writing it.  I’m really happy with what I’ve written too.  I go back and re-read chapter one again and again.  It really tickles me.

Others could disagree with me, but I think the best of the series up until now was book 1, followed by book 2 and book 3.  When you look at it, you could say I’ve been going downhill.  This book changes that.  I think it is the best of the series by far.  Part of that is because this book is more self-aware than the others.  Also Astrid is a little older (15) and is experiencing some growing.

The official release date is October 24th.  I can reveal right now that it will be available wherever fine ebooks are sold for 99 cents.  Just like the others.

I swear I didn’t mean to do it.  After spending the last part of my summer vacation finishing Astrid Maxxim and the Antarctic Expedition, I had no intention of jumping into another.  I had planned to get right back to 82 Eridani: Journey, which is sitting right here half done.  In fact, I had thought that I wouldn’t do another Astrid Maxxim book for a year or two.  I just couldn’t stop writing about Astrid.  I just continued on into a new book, and now I’m done.

I’ve actually done more writing since school started than I did during the summer.  This isn’t because I don’t have plenty to do.  It’s because my wife started back to work too, and I have a lot of time alone at home.  I think this may be the quickest first draft I’ve ever written– 20 days.

When I hit the halfway point in the new book, I contacted Matthew Riggenbach at Shaed Studios, who has done all the Astrid Maxxim covers, and had him get started.  He does fantastic work as you can see and is a joy to work with.  I have no idea if I’m easier or harder to work with than his other clients, but I gave him some pretty specific requirements on what I wanted and he really pulled it off.

Anyway, it’s done.  And now it has an official release date: 10-24-14!

And if you know any 8-14 year-olds who read ebooks, please buy them a copy of Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike.  It’s just 99 cents, and they’ll like it.

P.S. I had Matthew go ahead and create the next Astrid Maxxim Cover, even though I haven’t actually outlined my idea for the book.  So I don’t know when I’ll write book 5, but I will.