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I'm afraid I can't access the Novella due to the fact I didn't link my account to my premium pre-order, I was....a tad lazy at the time and never bothered to do it. By the time I realized the Novella was out and I can no longer acquire my premium order badge, I'm now stuck in quite a jam.....I'm hoping somebody could help a poor fellow out of this ordeal. Appreciate any info on the subject.

It's always fun getting to discuss stories with readers after they've gotten a chance to read. For those who have finished XCD already, what were your thoughts? Could you guys relate to Mikhail throughout his situation? Did anyone pick up on the mind control element before the reveal? Do you feel like you'll be jumping into a living, breathing world come Xeno's release? It was definitely a shift writing something so similar to Epic conceptually but in a totally different time period (near-future vs. late 1950's). It was also new writing in someone else's universe, XCD being in Chris's. There's always that feeling of needing to tread respectfully to ensure that, while you're still making the story your own, you're not taking it off in a direction the original creator didn't intend. This was a unique project in a lot of ways. It's just nice to finally be able to talk about it. And to finally have it out there! I hope the wait wasn't too painful.

Greetings all! I received the go-ahead from Chris this weekend to upload Crimson Dagger on Amazon. You can find it HERE. "Officially," the novella's publication date is logged as June 1, 2013, though obviously those of you who received it as part of the premium preorder package got a chance to read it earlier. So how can you help? By reviewing Crimson Dagger, of course! If you read it and enjoyed it, put your opinions out there in the form of an Amazon review. What did you like about it? Did it get you excited about Xenonauts? Does it stand on its own, Xenonauts aside? These are all things that will get people checking it out. If you received it earlier as a preorder goodie, you can mention that, too. That kind of thing won't hurt! Just be honest and that's all that matters. The thing to keep in mind is that there will be people who have never heard of Xenonauts before who will discover it through Crimson Dagger. That was a big motivation for this thing getting done, in addition to having it as a Kickstarter goodie. An enjoyable experience reading the novella will translate into readers looking into the game. Having the game and the novella out there creates a sort of Xenonauts universe. We want people checking that out! Having reviews posted for the novella will help accomplish that. I know at some point Chris will have XCD posted on the site publicly for free. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't allow you to set list prices as free. Until things change with Amazon, that's the best we can do. There may be some back door loopholes out there to help make it free, but I need to look into it. It may or may not be able to happen. I'll definitely keep everyone posted as things develop. Thanks to everyone who had such positive comments toward XCD in the goodie forum here! I'm so glad it helped to flesh out the Xenonauts universe for you. It was a ton of fun to write. Take care, all! P.S. - Yes, Chris, you officially have editor cred on Amazon. Welcome to the literary ranks.

(First and foremost, thank-you, Chris, for allowing me to post this!) For anyone curious about my pre-XCD series, Epic, you'll get the chance to dip your toes in the water for free between April 2-4, when the first book in the series, Dawn of Destiny will be FREE on Amazon Kindle. This is part of a huge promotion for the series in what should garner Epic a slew of new fans. If you've read Crimson Dagger, you'll have a good idea of what to expect in the Epic series, except with much more time dedicated to character growth and development. XCD is essentially the equivalent of a single battle in Epic. I loved writing XCD. But Epic is my baby. You'll definitely get a feel for where I come from as a writer, and you'll absolutely see the influence of games like X-Com in the way I write military science-fiction. I dedicate a slew of time to character storylines in every book, so if you enjoy attaching yourself to a character and seeing where their journey takes them, this will be right up your alley. I also want to let you guys know that I'll be doing a live Twitter-chat at 7:00 pm CST (hashtag #epicchat) on Wednesday, April 3, to discuss Epic and writing in general. I am also more than happy to talk XCD, so don't be shy about bringing it up! You can find me on Twitter @epicuniverse. And if you feel so inclined, definitely feel free to spread the word (about DOD being free and the Twitter chat)! As most folks know, I'm an indie, so we live or die by word of mouth. Every little shout-out counts. I'm excited about getting you guys into Epic, and hopefully catching some of you on the Twittersphere! It should be a ton of fun.