Jotham Austin, II lives in Chicagoland with his wife and two sons. He has his PhD in Botany, and can be found taking electron micrographs of cells at The University of Chicago. His Rom-Com novella, “Tomorrow May Be Too Late” will be published as part of the romance anthology, “Askew Ever After,” January 2021. His debut novel, a sci-fi psychological thriller, ‘Will You Still Love Me, If I Become Someone Else?” will be released February 2021. Jotham recently started a newsletter that explores the science in science fiction (signup at jothamaustin.com). Preorder books and Follow Jotham on social media at https://linktr.ee/Jothamaustin
Since the last time we chatted it has been nothing but snow, snow, snow, and more snow. My trusty yellow snow shovel has gotten a lot of work in the last couple weeks. I hope everyone that’s been getting snow and cold are staying safe and healthy.
In all of this wintery wonderland fun, my debut novel, ‘Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?’ releases on February 23rd. Click here to check it out!
I have realized that once I start shoveling and am half way through clearing the driveway an idea for a story, a scene, or a great thread of dialogue between two characters pop up in my mind. And by the time I’m finished shoveling, the idea is—poof—gone to the wind!
Does this ever happen to you (shoveling, in the shower, landing a rover on Mars)? Let me know!
The Rabbit Hole of Research, will return next month, and I’m cooking up something special for these Modern Times!
Not to fear, the back issues of Rabbit Hole of Research are posted on my website, and If you missed an issue (or you are new to my newsletter) go check them out here. They are a fun take on the quirky science in Fiction books and movies. And I’ll be back in March with an exciting new episode. I have gotten a few reader requests—plasma arrows, Independence Day, Tenet—I am making a list and checking it … well that’s a different story. LOL
The official release of my debut psychological technothriller novel, “Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?” is less than 2 weeks away—FEBRUARY 23rd!!
Preorder ebook version from major retailers around the world (only 99 cents, the price will go up after release):
I will have paperback copies and bookplates that I will sign and ship off to you for sale on my website soon!
Keep your eyes out for a virtual launch party, where I’ll read an excerpt and you can ask me anything.
Check out my author website for preorder links, updates, events, links to my books and newsletter signup.
If you have read an advance copy of “Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?” —thank you for taking time to read it—You can start posting a review on Goodreads and BookBub, I’ll be sending a reminder email to ya with links to add your review.
I’m super excited to finally get my novel into your hands! Thanks for your continued support!
I’m a featured artist on Romance Happy Hour and will be reading an except of my Rom-Com novella, ‘Tomorrow May Be Too Late”, during the January 21st Romance Happy Hour at 8pm CST! There are some amazing cocktails on the website for you to make and bring along to the reading.
My novella will be released in the Askew Ever After Box-Set, January 19th 2021. This will be a limited release, so mark those Calendars, or better yet you can pre-order at your favorite e-book store here! If you already placed an order, thank-you. Preorder is 99 cents, this will go up after release!
Here is a picture of my desk when I turned the lights out on 2020– and 2021has started with a bang!
I was working hard to get you the next edition of the Rabbit Hole of Research, but it’s not quite finished. It seems I have a bi-monthly newsletter now, one with updates, promos and another traveling down the Rabbit Hole of Research. Next month there may not be a Rabbit Hole of Research offering, because a lot of my time is being dedicated to marketing efforts building up to the release of my debut sci-fi psychological thriller, “Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?”
Not to fear, the back issues of Rabbit Hole of Research are posted on my website, and If you missed an issue (or you are new to my newsletter) go check them out here. They are a fun take on the quirky science in Fiction books and movies. And I’ll be back in March with an exciting new episode. I have gotten a few reader requests—plasma arrows, Independence Day, Tenet—I am making a list and checking it … well that’s a different story. LOL
Speaking of marketing, I have been reaching out to fellow writers and influencers asking for blurbs and endorsements for my debut novel. I’ve had two great interactions after sending request email out.
I have been following an awesome comic writer, Jon Parrish. I meet him at a comic con a few years ago, and there is a long story about the mystery of a truck with a ClusterF@#K sticker (ClusterF@#K is the title of one of his comics). Turns out it was my truck—mystery solved. I signed up for Jon’s newsletter and reading his musings was one of the inspirations for me to start Rabbit Hole of Research. Jon’s newsletter is like looking into the mind of a creative—the successes, the struggles and everything inbetween. Jon wrote back to me and passed along some good newsletter advice and his motivations, “a newsletter should inform, educate, and/or entertain, and I try to do one of these with every one.” Please go and check out Jon’s work and sign up for his newsletter: Secrets and Shadows
The second interaction from my promotional efforts was from Mary Mcann! Mary is many things, a talented poet and story teller, performer, radio host, pioneer of internet radio, voice talent on audiobooks, and supporter of writers like me. I meet Mary while I was living in Tempe, AZ (late 90’s early 00’s) and she inspired and gave me sparks of confidence that people would enjoy and want to hear my words. There is always a longer story, but not only did Mary give me a platform to share my words, but through a series of performances after that, I met Georgia, my wife!
It was exciting to reconnect with Mary after many years, and after a year with no Cons connecting with Jon. I am looking forward to getting their feedback on my debut novel (and the other folks that are reviewing my novel—thanks in advance). Got my first five Star review on Goodreads!!
Personally, I never imagined that my writing career would start to lift off as it has, and I’d be worrying about marketing, Newsletters or launch dates for novel’s and stories.
Thanks for reading! Stay Healthy and Sane!
Follow me on the internet for updates: Social Links
I know what you are saying, “Jotham, it’s holiday season, where’s the holiday Rabbit hole of Research.” Bah humbug. Lol. Okay, don’t throw any snowballs at me. You want a holiday tie in to giant insects, never fear the internet rabbit hole always delivers: Edmund Gwenn, best known for his role as Santa Claus in the classic Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street, plays Dr. Harold Medford in “Them!”—Now that we have that matter settled, how big can bugs get.
So, I like to think there are three categories of giant bugs in fiction: 1) Human to insect experiment gone wrong—i.e The Fly; 2) assisted evolution (chemical, nuclear fallout, etc accelerates growth): Them! (A-bomb testing in desert), Let The Ants Try, by Frederik Pohl (a great short story combining time travel and giant insects); and 3) giant insects from outer space—Starship Troopers (a great mix of military satire and giant insects, “The only good bug, is a dead bug…” *** On a personal note, “Let the Ants Try,” originally published in the Winter 1949 issue of Planet Stories, was one of the first science fiction stories I ever read (and no, I’m not that old). It was in an anthology (i couldn’t remember the name) my dad was reading and he thought I’d like the story. I had forgotten about this until writing the newsletter. And the internet never fails: the anthology was edited by Robert Silverberg “Mutants: Eleven stories of science fiction” and yes I ordered it); back to the giant bugs— ***
So, should we be investing in giant fly seater technology or is giant insects just a fiction fantasy? Let’s go down the Rabbit Hole of Research and find out. Click here to read more
4. Atlas Moths are bird sized insects. They have a wingspan of 1 foot in length. The cocoons of Atlas moths are so large they are used as purses in Taiwan. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attacus_atlas)
5. Tarantula Hawk are wasps that are so large they feed on tarantulas. They are 2 inches long with a stinger that is 9/32 inches and can deliver one of the most painful insect stings in the world. Luckily, they are docile unless disturbed. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk)
7. Titan beetle is one of the largest beetles in the world reaching lengths of 6.6 inches long. Know for their short, curved and sharp mandibles that can snap pencils in half and cut into human flesh. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_beetle)
8. Giant water bugs, also know as toe-biters and alligator ticks can reach lengths of 4.5 inches. They get their name because they are known for their powerful bite. In Thailand they are considered good eating, and black lights, which draws in the insects, are used to harvest them. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belostomatidae)
9. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world. It has a wingspan of over 1 foot. It was discovered in 1906 and the first specimens were collected using shotguns. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Alexandra%27s_birdwing)
10. Actaeon Beetle, another giant beetle, can grow to lengths of >5 inches and 1.5 inches thick. It has thick armor and almost no natural predators. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaeon_beetle)
12. Goliath bird eater, also in the tarantula family and is the largest spider by mass (6.2 ounces) and up to 5.1 inches in length. Bird-eating derives from an early copper engraving that shows it eating a hummingbird, but they rarely prey on birds. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_birdeater)
17. The Japanese spider crab is the biggest Anthropod. It has the advantage of living underwater where it’s weight is supported (more on that later). They have a leg span of 12.1 feet from claw to claw, a body size up to 16 inches and can weigh 42 pounds. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_spider_crab)
Before we get going, I want to take a few words and thank you all for trusting me with your time, reading my words, giving feedback and encouragement. Hopefully, I can continue to entertain you all. Have a Healthy, Safe and Happy holiday season.
It has been a long and crazy year, and the one thing I tried to do is maintain balance. For me that’s balancing my science research work life, writing life, and family life. Exhausting just writing it! I was working hard to get you the next edition of the Rabbit Hole of Research, but it’s not quite finished. A number of things came up at work and family, and I didn’t want to send out crap. I would never send out anything that I didn’t feel was worth your time reading. I do put a lot of effort into the research and the writing of the Rabbit Hole of Research. I hope you have been enjoying then and the next edition should be ready next weekend, a nice holiday read.
If you missed an issue (or you are new to my newsletter) go check them out here. They are a fun take on the quirky science in Fiction books and movies.
I have been busy with other projects and marketing. Marketing is the thing no one talks about when you are writing your novel. But, building platforms, like this newsletter, Twitter, Instagram, etc, becomes very important as book launches approach. Also, marketing efforts take up more time than you think. The more you put in the more you get out. With that said I wanted to get this special edition newsletter off to you because I am working with some other authors to share our stories with our networks of readers. So please click on the links below and check out their stories.
Personally, I never imagined that my writing career would start to lift off as it has, and I’d be worrying about marketing or launch dates for novel’s and stories. 2021 will be a busy year with the two releases, January and February, and I will also be working on several new stories. I have been accepted into three anthologies:
1) Moonlight Anthology— A paranormal Romance novella— if you remember a few newsletters ago I was researching werewolves—“Finding Light on The Dark Side of The Moon”—released October 2021
2) Emerging Worlds Anthology—an after isolation novella—“The Cure”—released November 2021
3) Virus Apocalypse Anthology—a horror pandemic Anthology (yes a fictional story)—“Long Way Back Home”—released March 2022
Also, I have been working on a new novel, ‘The Cost of Us” that I will be querying to agents soon and a graphic novel script. And, as early reviews about my novel form Advance Readers come in, I have started to outline a part 2!
And you will be getting your monthly fix of Jotham via the Rabbit Hole of Research Newsletter. I have been contemplating also using YouTube, Twitch, TikTok or Podcasts to bring you more Rabbit Hole of Research. What do you think?
I know this year has been crazy, but are you looking forward to any holiday traditions? Email me and let me know!
This year we put 20 of our favorite holiday movies into a tin Star Wars can (5 movies each) and we have been randomly drawing them:
So far we have watched 5:
Nightmare before Christmas
Let it snow
A Christmas Carol (1951)
Daddy’s Home (questionable Holiday movie, there was a Christmas in April scene, but…)
Klaus
Follow me on the internet to see what other movies are on the list! Will your favorite make it on our list? Social Links
A few people have asked how I started writing novels. Even though I have been writing since I was a teenager, the decision to write novels came 10 years ago.
10 years ago today I had surgery to repair my ruptured Achilles tendon. During my recovery I started writing again, but didn’t want to write poetry. I started to draft a novel, and a year later I finished writing my first novel, “Pretty Small Things.”
It wasn’t a good novel, but I learned a lot, joined writing groups, critique and beta readers, and did a lot of reading and writing to find my style and voice.
4 years ago (6 years after getting back to writing) I finished the first draft of “Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?”
2 years ago I got an offer to publish from @rhetaskewpublishing.
And this is just the beginning. I am editing two novels which will be looking for a home soon and I have two novellas being published, one in the fall of 2021 and the other spring of 2022.
So, after a number of delays due to Covid, I’m super excited to reveal the cover and release day for my debut scifi psychological thriller novel, ‘Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else’.
Check out the Cover, let me know what you think and mark your calendars because the book will be released on 23 February 2021!
I want to thank Dusty Grein who worked with me on the cover (he used my original illustration in the design) and Jennifer Soucy for her final round of edits and formatting. Thanks to Mandy and the rest of her team at RhetAskew Publishing. We are all excited to get this story out to you guys.
I want to another big thank you to all the family, friends, beta-readers and writing group members who helped in many ways-directly and indirectly-to get this novel done.
Preorders will start in a couple weeks. There will be more updates about signed copies, book swag, special giveaways, book tours, and any other news. As always my newsletter subscribers will be the first to know, so sign up!
Happy October y’all! This is one of my favorite months of the year, because of Halloween and our annual Pumpkin Carving Party. This year would have been the 14th year that we hosted the party, but due to Covid we had to cancel. Yet, it got me thinking about killer plants. “But Jotham,” I hear you all screaming, “It’s October, and we want to hear about vampires or zombies or—”
Wanna read more sign up for my Monthly Newsletter: The Rabbit Hole of Research! If you are just here for Writing Updates, Cool Reads and Giveaways, read on!
Writing Update:
My debut sci-fi psychological thriller, ‘Will you still Love Me, If I become Someone Else?’ Is in production! This means a release date and cover reveal will be coming up. In preparation of this I am building my advance reader list. These will be the first readers of the book, a number of you have already singed up, but I still have some spots left. If interested in learning more and getting a free digital copy of my book, please sign-up here
My Rom-Com novella will be released in a Box-Set, and the new cover was revealed. You can pre-order at your favorite e-book store:
https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/a345dd12-abf3-11ea-958f-5bbbdc6aeba6 I’m getting excited. I cannot wait to share this story with you all!
My Rom-Com novella, ‘Tomorrow May Be Too Late, will be released in the Askew Ever After Box-Set, December 21st 2020. The very sexy cover was revealed, and look mom, my name is one the cover!! You can pre-order at your favorite e-book store here! If you already placed an order, thank-you.
GiveAway
Click Here to follow some amazing authors across the web and enter to win hardbacks of A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy, Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar, War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi, and Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee, plus a Children of Blood and Bone pillow, a Shuri travel mug, a City of Brass notebook, and An Ember In The Ashes sticker!You can also come back every day for special tasks that will earn you daily entry points! You can also come back every day for special tasks that will earn you daily entry points!
Cool Comics and Graphic Stories
I hope everyone takes some time to check out Guerrilla publishing and support all the Chicagoland comic creators! This is an amazing group of writers and artist. Check them out here! Or You can follow them on Instagram Formed in 2017 the award winning Guerrilla Publishing brings a new type of revolution of indie comics. With titles such as Humalien, The Epic Misadventures of Deathbag, The Ralphs, Kaneesha, and Tales from the Cryptic Closet, Guerrilla Publishing goes across various genres not limiting themselves to one type of storytelling for one type of age group. Head on over to GuerrillaPublishinggroup.com check out the various title and read the Revolution!
A Thriller to Keep you Up at Night
I just finished reading Shawn’s Debut Novel, “The Tear Collector”. If you are a fan of Stephen Kings psycological thriller/horror, then this is a must read.
When a young autistic girl goes missing from a small Appalachian community, the residents of Harper Pass descend into chaos. Brooks Raker and his friends stumble across the police investigation, and as they dig deeper into the mysterious events, the boys realize the fate of their missing classmate pales in comparison with the evil lurking in the shadows of the quiet little town.
With four boys who believe something sinister is at work, and an ambitious reporter breathing down his neck, Detective Holt of the Harper Pass Police Department must confront his doubts and follow the evidence. A chain of disappearances and suspicious deaths, leads Holt to the doorstep of the mysterious and reclusive Professor Wadlow who may know exactly what has come to collect in Harper Pass.
Can the detective and the boys work together to unravel the dark secrets of Harper Pass before those secrets devour them all?
