Remember that thing I told you about in July that I couldn’t tell you about? No longer!
Earlier this year, I joined a story anthology with a space crime theme. What’s space crime? For me it’s about bounty hunters, gangsters, bank heists, and con men. It’s books like Harry Harrison’s Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat and Derek Künsken’s Quantum Magician, or shows like Firefly, The X-Files, and The Mandalorian. In short, space crime covers a lot of territory.
I started with a simple premise: a man trying to get out of the game before it’s too late, and a robot with a secret. Not too shabby, but what was their story? How do they know each other? Are the friends, strangers, or enemies? I went right to work, which means I stared out the window for a few hours, thought about all the crime stories I’ve seen or read, and wrote three or four almost-stories that month before hitting on one that clicked: a clone mechanic facing “planned obsolescence” who serves as corner-man for a robot gladiator, and their gangster owner looking to move up in the syndicate.
I then moved onto each character’s problem, because problems make stories interesting. The clone character, Chance, is nearing the end of his life and has become jaded with the fight game. His connections to the underworld have given him a measure of protection and respect in a culture that treats clones as second-class citizens and he thinks maybe it’s time to retire and spend his few remaining years. But will the boss let him?
Mr. Campbell is an up-and-coming figure in the underworld, but as he transitions from foot soldier on a backwater station into the big leagues, he’s realized he can’t go around in cheap clothes and a beat-up spaceship. Business is business, whether or not it’s legit, and Campbell has to look the part of a successful businessman if he’s to be taken seriously. That means looking the part: expensive suits and a spaceship with a punch drive. His pitbot operation makes him steady money, but he’s going to need more to bankroll his new lifestyle and climb the syndicate ladder.
Grimthorn is a pit fighting robot, a veteran of countless fights under Chance’s care. As a robot in the Human Confederacy it’s not allowed to be a fully sentient AI, but despite its limited processor Grim’s honed fighting skills and survival instincts make it a title contender. Grim’s only directive is to survive the next match, but what happens when that’s threatened by events outside the pit?
It’s a fun little story, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The anthology drops October 12, on all platforms except Amazon (Don’t worry, it’ll be available on Amazon on October 12, and as much as I’d like to rant on Amazon’s pre-order rule silliness, it’s a story for another time).
I know several of the authors in this anthology and they write some pretty groovy stuff too. I think you’ll like it.
