It's my birthday - and I have presents for you!

I don't need an excuse to give away some free stuff to my readers, but having a birthday is as good a reason as any. I can't give away copies of my novels that Orbit owns the rights to, but there are some things I do control, and I've made them either free (or as cheap as the various online outlets will allow).  I also have several chances to win a VERY limited edition of an early release of my next novel.  Let's start with that one because it's something quite special. The print run will only be ten books (and I'm only giving away five copies), so it will be the envied due to its rarity. But probably even more importantly, you'll get to read the story a year or more before it's officially released.

Rhune is still in the very early stages of creation. Neither my agent nor my publisher has seen it yet. In fact, the only one other than myself who has seen it is my wife, Robin. Needless to say, it won't be the released version, but that's part of its charm...you'll be one of the few people who will see the differences between the initially written book and the final version. Also note, this book hasn't gone through the various editors that will polish it before the official release, so don't be surprised if you find various typos and/or other imperfections. Still, both myself and Robin have edited it, so it's not like you are receiving a rough first draft. The printed book will be the same version the beta reader will be receiving, and I don't release anything to others until I'm satisfied with the story. For those not familiar with this book, here is an introduction:

In the land of the Rhune, trees can tell the future; raow can’t sleep before adding more human bones to their beds; crimbals steal children through secret doors in the forest, and the gods are beyond reproach. But Raithe does the unthinkable when his father is slain...he fights back. From this act of aggression rises the legend of the God Killer, the seeds of a rebellion, and the question of whether the gods are all powerful.

Okay, so how can you enter for a chance to win?  Well, there are several ways to do so...and you can sign up multiple times if you are eligible.

• Beta readers - 1 drawing will be made from those who filled out the survey. You don't have to do anything else to be entered - you have a 1 in 415 chance to win (yes there were that many beta readers signed up!)
• Goodreads users -  2 drawings will be made from an official goodreads giveaway. I have no idea how many entries there will be, but if past giveaways are any indication, it will probably be 1 in 800. If you aren't yet a member of goodreads, you can sign up for free. Here is the link to enter.
• Dark Room member - 1 drawing will be made exclusively for member of The Dark Room (presently about 860 members).  Click on the link in the header to enter.  For those who don't know, The Dark Room is a secret and private group where readers get access to special perks (like this one). If you aren't a member and want to become one, send me an email (michael (dot) sullivan (dot) dc (at) gmail (dot) com - with the subject of DARK ROOM INVITE.
• Everyone else - 1 drawing will be made from those who sign up for the Rhune early release notifications. Currently, there are 190+ people signed up. Here is a link to add your name to the list.

All drawings will be made at the same time (to make it easy for me to co-ordinate the shipping) 12:00 am EST on November 13. I should also mention all of the giveaways are open regardless of location...I'll spring for the more expensive overseas shipping.

 Okay, so that takes care of the giveaway...let's move on to other things. When I released "The Jester" (the short story I wrote for the Unfettered Anthology) I enrolled it into the Amazon Select program. The down side, is I have to make it exclusive to Amazon...but the upside is they allow five days in ninety to make it available for free. I have indeed set it to free for the next two days.  You should find it free on all Amazon sites.  Here is the link for the US version. Here is a bit about that story:

Who Will Have the Last Laugh? Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive. This is a 7,200 story of adventure, bonds of friendship, and a recognition that the choices we make dictates the future we find.

One last thing, which isn't a freebie (because it's not in Amazon Select so not eligible for the five free days promotion), but is the absolute cheapest I can make it.  My latest novel has been reduced to $0.99 in the US (and the lowest possible price allowable in other countries) for a few days. This is usually priced at $4.99, so that's a saving of  80%. For those reading this post, if you want a free copy...I don't mind losing the $0.34 I make per copy when you buy online.  Just email me michael (dot) sullivan (dot) dc (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject of FREE HOLLOW WORLD and let me know what file format you wish.  Here is the link for the US version. Here is a bit about that story:

The Future is Coming...For Some, Sooner Than Others Ellis Rogers is an ordinary man, who is about to embark on an extraordinary journey. All his life he has played it safe and done the right thing, but faced with a terminal illness he’s willing to take an insane gamble. He’s built a time machine in his garage, and if it works, he’ll face a world that challenges his understanding of what it means to be human, what it takes to love, and the cost of paradise. He could find more than a cure for his illness; he might find what everyone has been searching for since time began…but only if he can survive Hollow World.

Okay, so there you have it my birthday presents to you include:

• Several chances to win a very limited early edition of Rhune: Book 1 of the First Empire
• Free short stories for all (for two days)
• Highly discounted (or free if you email me) copies of Hollow World

This is just a way of me saying thanks for all the incredible support you've given me over the years. I'm hard at work finishing up The First Empire Series and hope to have some new novels for you soon.