Lee Stephen

UPDATE! XCD has gone through beta, and I've been working to implement the incredible and effective feedback I was given by my beta readers. I have a date with my designer on January 14th, meaning that as of that day, XCD will officially be in the design phase. What does that mean? That means it's becoming a package, aka an e-book. As soon as it exits the design phase, it will officially be complete and ready for upload. I expect this all to take place before January ends. This is a little further back than I originally thought the release would be, but for the right reasons. This isn't just a novella being thrown together. This thing needs to be the best it can be - the video game deserves that. A lot of effort is going into this from multiple parties. It will definitely be an excellent finished product, from all angles. I'll post here if anything else of significance happens. Enjoy the Christmas season, everyone!

I got a papercut on my right middle finger. In the world of the author, this is like a wide receiver pulling a hammy.

The novella will be very soon (1-2 weeks?). It's in beta now, so this is the end of the road.

EAT IT, 20TH CENTURY FOX.

The betas have officially gone out! Check your emails, chosen few.

WHO DAT! Not the Dirty Birds. Now let's get back to .500! Regarding novels/novellas and betas, yep, they go through the same process. A beta is literally just several other individuals reading over the story to make sure everything is clear and entertaining. Just all part of quality control!

Update: beta is imminent.

I posted this in another thread, but thought I'd also post it here: The novella is on the cusp of being here! It's taken a little bit of time, but that's somewhat intentional. Very much like Goldhawk's mindset with Xenonauts, I believe in taking my time to make sure something's right. XCD recently got reviewed by Chris, some last-minute tweaks are going in (I expect them to be finished within a week), and then it goes to beta. So what's "beta" for a book? Pretty much what it is for a video game. Some fans have been selected to read it and give me their input. It's all part of quality control. This novella can't just be good to me. It has to be acceptable to Chris, respectful of the source material, and enjoyable by the fan base. This is how you ensure something is done the right way and not just the way you think is best. But yes, we are very, very, very close. Beta for a book is a very fast process. Premium Preorders could be reading this by the end of the month.

The novella is on the cusp of being here! It's taken a little bit of time, but that's somewhat intentional. Very much like Goldhawk's mindset with Xenonauts, I believe in taking my time to make sure something's right. XCD recently got reviewed by Chris, some last-minute tweaks are going in (I expect them to be finished within a week), and then it goes to beta. So what's "beta" for a book? Pretty much what it is for a video game. Some fans have been selected to read it and give me their input. It's all part of quality control. This novella can't just be good to me. It has to be acceptable to Chris, respectful of the source material, and enjoyable by the fan base. This is how you ensure something is done the right way and not just the way you think is best. But yes, we are very, very, very close. Beta for a book is a very fast process. Premium Preorders could be reading this by the end of the month.

I was wondering where I could find some cheap uggs!

Hi Xenophob! I'm very happy to address, and hopefully alleviate, some of your concerns. Firstly, changing Mikhail Kirov's name would be a decision that'd have to be Chris's, not mine. With that said, I really don't feel it's a necessary change (and I'd probably try to talk him out of it if he wanted to do it!). More important than a character's name is that that character is realistic and has depth. Mikhail is a very relatable character. You'll definitely be able to get behind him! You mentioned the AK-74's use in 1979, and you'd be absolutely correct...if the novella took place in 1979. It's important to remember that though the game of Xenonauts takes place in the 70s, the Iceland Incident, which is the subject of the novella, happens in 1958. There will also be a small variety of weapons, both Soviet and American, making appearances. In regards to "realism vs. action" in general, I'm not a big believer that one has to choose one over the other. Realism can exist in an action-oriented story. Does that mean everything is going to be 100% accurate? Of course not. There are always things here and there that someone could look at and say, "it wouldn't have happened that way." Oftentimes this is purely subjective, but even if we eliminate subjectivity, you'd be hard pressed to find an author anywhere who is infallible. The question you should care most about is, "does this particular author care about getting it right?" And the answer to that is, yes, I do. I wrestle with entire scenes for days and weeks over the minutest of details - what time the sun should be rising, what species of bird should be chirping in the background, what historical/geographical/cultural significance does a certain place have? In my actual novel series, Epic (most of which takes place in Novosibirsk), I dedicated a huge block of time to learning the card game of preferans just to add a touch of life/depth to a single scene (and I'm not a card player at all). So while it's virtually guaranteed that readers will find something to legitimately point out, it won't be from a lack of effort. Sometimes, things just slip through despite your best efforts, and that's what Crimson Dagger is getting from me. If I had to give you, and readers in general, a warning, it'd be this: remember that this is a novella. That makes it a totally different beast than a full-fledged novel. There's not nearly as much time for exposition and build-up as there would be in a standard book. Crimson Dagger looks to be coming in at just under 29,000 words. To put that in perspective, my past two Epic novels, Hero and The Glorious Becoming, have each had over 150,000. I am absolutely positive that some people will wish I'd have gone into more detail in certain areas, or spent more time focusing on other aspects of the story. Heck, in Epic 29,000 words could be written before the main story arc even arises. So Crimson Dagger takes off in a hurry and goes places in a hurry, not because I don't want to delve into some things, but because that's the nature of writing something this short. With that said, though, I think the book has great pacing. I think readers will love it. Like all books I write, Crimson Dagger will be going through a beta-read procedure. I've already spoken to several posters here (even seeking out the critical) about giving the novella a solid read-through once it's in its final draft form. So the story you read won't just be one I thought was acceptable. You'll also have some Xenonauts fans - one of whom is Russian - and Chris behind it. I want to do justice to this game. It's important for this story to be both entertaining and right. I'm writing Crimson Dagger, but it isn't my story. This is the hard work of Chris, Goldhawk, and the Xenonauts fan base. That I get it right is of the utmost importance to me. I hope this answers a few of your questions and eases your fears some. And if there's anything else you want to know, please fire away. I'm happy to address things. I will be providing an in-depth write-up/preview for the Xenonauts Kickstarter page, too! I definitely want the fan base in-the-know.

Having just finished XCOM myself today, this was the impression I was left with: I became a science-fiction writer because of X-Com: UFO Defense. Had it been this new XCOM on my 386 back then (graphics aside), I don't know that I'd have ever sprinted down this path. XCOM's not a terrible game by any stretch. It's fun, I played for hours, and I had a great time doing so. But for whatever reason, for better or worse, the immersion just wasn't there for me. I'm sure I'll play again at some point, and I'm sure I'll be entertained. But right now, on the heels of just finishing it, I really don't feel drawn to fire up a second campaign. One of the first things I thought as I leaned back in my chair and looked at the endgame screen was, "I'm so glad I get to work with Xenonauts." You guys are doing something awesome. I'm pumped up to be a part of it. This novella's going to be the best it can be.

Quick novella / situation update. Hurricane Isaac really hit our region, but fortunately my specific area got spared some of the worst flooding. Our house was okay, and the only lasting impact Isaac had on me personally was taking away a week of my life, during which I essentially lived at work. Immediately following, however, things got a little crazier. I actually got a call from work one day informing me that my wife was going to have an emergency c-section for our first child, after a routine checkup showed some concerns. Away I went to the hospital, where our firstborn son, Levi, saw the light of day for the first time! Thankfully, Levi is a completely healthy baby boy. My wife, however, suffered a few post-pregnancy complications. We actually spent several days in the hospital, though she is home now and recovering. For those who don't know (I'm guessing most), my wife has type-1 diabetes. The complications she experienced weren't due to diabetes, but because of it, her recovery is a bit more tricky. We have faith that everything will be fine, but as with any situation like this, we'll take all the prayers we can get. It'd be ridiculous to try and convince anyone that this hasn't affected the Xenonauts novella getting finished. The hurricane, the early arrival of Levi, and the subsequent post-pregnancy complications have all cut away at time that would have otherwise gone to finishing XCD (essentially, I lost almost a month). The good news, though, is that progress is being made again. In fact, XCD is printed in a binder and officially in the read-through phase (you can even catch a glimpse of it in my latest tweet @epicuniverse). After I've read it through, it goes to Chris. After he green-lights it, it goes to the beta readers. After they offer their feedback, final edits get made, and the book will officially be ready for you guys. Tonight I read through almost 20% of the book, so if you do the math, this thing isn't far off. Just know that I'm working as quickly as a husband with a newborn and a recovering wife can! Hopefully people understand the situation and forgive the slight delay. With that said, I'm still very optimistic that this thing will be delivered on-time. And that's the update! EDIT: As of night's end, 54% has been edited.

This will be a very quick update. First off, XCD is written. The last two steps are a full read-through and polish by me, then by the beta readers. Basically, it's at the finish line. But more to the point of this update, as some may know, I work full-time for Homeland Security in New Orleans, Louisiana. Currently, our area is under an evacuation order due to what will likely soon be Hurricane Isaac. Though not as strong as Katrina, it is taking a very similar path, which is not good for us. I will be at living/eating/sleeping at work until further notice, as Homeland Security does not evacuate during these events. This will undoubtedly cause a delay in the novella process, but it's unavoidable. This is life in the Gulf South. I'll update as often as I can, but I may be MIA until further notice. Hopefully I'm back sooner rather than later. Our first child is due Sept. 7th. Thanks, tropics!

...like you wouldn't believe...

That's great, man! I would definitely encourage you (and anyone whose enjoyed it) to post a review on Amazon, really for any of the books you'd want to. That's the best way to help an independent series like Epic out - to share with others what you thought about it. It helps and is appreciated more than you can imagine! Regarding the "Ant Hill" in TGB, that's actually just a coincidence. Book 4 was finished before I ever knew XCOM was being remade (2K aside). That's just one of those things!

Glad that you enjoyed DOD. Let me know if you decide to hit the rest of the series! XCD is rockin' and rollin' right now. All it's missing is a soundtrack from Hans Zimmer.

This is just a very quick update, as it's been a while. XCD is currently a hair under 20,000 words and heading toward its finale. I did encounter a bit of a delay in the form of unexpected sinus surgery, from which I'm still recovering, but it shouldn't be enough to delay the novella from being completed. It's looking like this thing will wind up somewhere between the 25,000 - 30,000 word mark, which is solid (typical novella length is around 17k-40k). All in all, I think the story is flowing nicely and will definitely prep people for gameplay! As soon as the story itself is finished and I've given it a good read-through, it'll go into the hands of the beta readers. After that... ...lock and load! **For those on the Twittersphere, feel free to follow me @epicuniverse, as I do post on occasion when XCD is being worked on! It's always nice to have people tracking your progress!

Way to go, Chris! Now I've got some beta readers to get back in touch with...

That's great to hear, Thothkins! Epic is my baby, so it's definitely a hope that people discover the series through Crimson Dagger. Be sure to let me know what you think!

I guess it's high time for an update, no? The novella is on the cusp! The first three chapters are almost completed, which will put the novella at roughly 50% (the current word count is 13,000, for those who keep track of that sort of thing). I will be making a blog post about the book very soon, which will serve as a preview of sorts before it starts getting released. As Chris touched on, the novella will be released chapter-by-chapter specially for those who preordered its level of commitment. This is for a few reasons. First and foremost, this will allow the story to get out there. I write slowly and methodically, as any of Epic's fans would surely tell you. By releasing early, I can effectively be working on the later chapters while readers are enjoying the first ones. Secondly, we want this to be something you're all talking about! Week-by-week will allow a sense of "what happens next?" that getting the entire novella in one fell sweep would make impossible. Why is that important? Because this is about buildup! We want you getting psyched for the game. Nothing will do accomplish that better than feeling as if you've just watched a miniseries about it. That's the vibe we're going for. A lot of people have asked about the novella being made freely available after the release of Xenonauts. Those details are being worked out, but I think leaving you with this will at least put those of you at ease who didn't pay for the preorder: keeping people from reading Crimson Dagger would be an incredible waste. I have no intention of charging for this novella. This is a donation. With that, I've still got some work to do! But get your AK-47s ready, people. You're about to breach a spacecraft.

Progress report time! XCD stands somewhere between 20-30% completed (final read-through and polish notwithstanding) and is getting to its prime. As always, the human element is a focus of my writing style, so those of you who want to feel like you know the protagonist won't be disappointed. This is the story of an event and a man. I hope to do a podcast sometime soon with my Epic cohorts that focuses on the XCD project. If there's anything you wanted to ask me or have me touch on, post here or PM me and let me know (be sure to differentiate between a question for the board and a question for the 'cast!). You can ask me anything, whether about the novella, myself, Epic, or something altogether different. I can't promise I'll answer everything, but I'll do my best in the time allotted (Chris, feel free to push that out to Kickstarter if you'd like - if people there aren't on the forum, they can send their questions to lee@epicuniverse.com or on Twitter @epicuniverse). It should be an entertaining podcast...it always is! I'm excited about the way the story's progressing! I'm looking forward to being able to share it with you all. -Lee

Being indie, my books aren't standard stock at brick-and-mortar stores. You should be able to order them to any store, however. Typically, Amazon is the route most people go to get their hands on a copy. And as I always tell people, if someone wants one of the books and can't find them anywhere, send me a message. I do keep a small stock on hand and have been known to take mail orders from time to time.

Glad you enjoyed the series! Be sure you check out the reaction podcast for TGB at . You might find some of it interesting. (and wow, I never realized how disproportionately people listen to the podcast on iTunes relative to YouTube! I definitely need some more hits there!)Let's tackle that rhetorical question! In a way, I love that you disliked him, because it just goes to show how everyone can feel differently about every character - an emulation of real life. A vast majority of the feedback on Scott Remington is positive (in fact, Stephanie, one of the podcast hosts, developed a full-blown crush on him in book 4). But he's not meant to be "good" or "bad." He's meant to be human. And as humans ourselves, we like and dislike certain people based on their personalities and actions. That you're itching to beat up the protagonist just shows that he's not a cookie-cutter hero to all people. I like that! It's always interesting to see who fans' favorite characters are. There are Becan fans, David fans, Max fans, Sveta fans. Dostoevsky's fan base gets bigger in every book. Esther has people who passionately love her and fervently hate her. It's always interesting to see who draws who's attention and in what way. My aim was just to make everyone real. As for Klaus Faerber's role, I think you'll appreciate the motivation behind that one! Klaus is my one flat-out tribute to X-Com. If you recall, there were dozens of first and last names that randomly generated in UFO Defense as a soldier names, with countless different combinations possible. It just so happened that my first super-soldier / commander / Cydonia-buster was named "Klaus Faerber." I worked hard to make Epic my own, and I think if anyone reads it, they'll definitely see that the plot, characters, aliens, and general depth are much different from X-Com beyond the "military organization fights aliens" aspect. Epic's not X-Com. But X-Com wholeheartedly inspired the creation of Epic. I wanted to insert something into the crux of the story that could serve as a genuine homage (I don't count grays and plasma weapons, since those are pretty common in sci-fi in general). But Klaus Faerber is a tribute. For most of the world, that name means nothing, but for me, it will always be that blond-haired soldier with 80-100 level skills across the board, who could fire an auto-shot through three sets of windows and have every one hit the mark. I needed a legend in Epic. I couldn't think of a more respectful one than someone from the inspiration behind my military science-fiction passion. I love, love, love that he's German. It's different, it's unique, and you know what? Who says it couldn't be? German is not synonymous with "villain." Let's make Vector Squad out of Berlin. Let's show some love to places outside of America. Don't get me wrong. I'm a red-blooded, do-it-yourself American straight out of the south. I love me some US of A. But we don't hold a monopoly on heroes. It's short-sighted (and unfair) to write as if we do. Too many American writers do that already. Bit of a long answer, but hey, long answers are what I do best. Hope this answers some things for you!

No need to fret. Outside of writing, I work full-time for Homeland Security and have been a POC for major National Guard exercises. I got this.