Midwest Magic Chronicles Boxed Set

of course) with my permission and I might've actually replied with a HELL YEAH…I can't say for sure. I had to sign a contract and everything. It was very cool. Then a new journey had begun. I decided to kick the Xbox (mostly), keep the weird hours, and work at the minimum wage job until I could afford not to. I read a ton, wrote a ton, submitted a ton, got rejected a ton, but through it all, I learned a ton more. (Seriously, I wrote like four books that will never see the light of day just to "find my voice.") This was like a five-year process of sucking really hard before I even got decent. And that's okay because I enjoyed every second of writing and reading and learning. And I still do.

In 2016, I decided to learn the indie author game, sucking pretty hard at that at first, then not sucking so much. In 2017, I wrote a zombie apocalypse series and it took me to a point where I no longer needed that minimum wage job or the degree I got from the University of Akron.

Then came Martha and Michael with Oriceran, and the Midwest Magic Chronicles were born out of our talks and discussions. I'm so grateful for them and for all of you who read my work and talk to me and root me on.

Whew, okay. Sorry for rambling…again. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's never to late to "find yourself" and do what you want to do. Just as long as you're willing to work hard and suck at it for long enough until you get good.

Eh, I guess what I'm really trying to say is, Relax, guys. There's still time to figure this crazy thing called life out.

Author Notes - Martha Carr December 19, 2017

I asked the offspring what he wanted for Christmas and at first, he did his usual joke of saying, “Farts.” Something about the male population that finds that funny. He kept it up long enough that when I was in the grocery store and saw they were selling a baking mold in the shape of the poop emoji I got it for him. Anyway, he finally said, “I don’t really need anything. My life is great. I want for nothing.”

That’s my long way of saying this is shaping up to be one of the best Christmases ever for me. Not because of all the great things that happened this year like starting a new Universe with Magic Mike that will have put out 20 books in under six months by the end of the year. By the way, Flint Maxwell is my favorite millennial and resident night owl and wiseacre. Wueeeee! He brings that same sensibility to his series, along with a dark edge (check out his Jack Zombie series for some more… you won’t regret it) and can really tell a good tale. All of you Leira Chronicles fans keep a keen eye for a little crossover action in Midwest War… That’s all I’m sayin…

This is a great year because despite the harder times (like Hurricane Harvey) and even the good times like a rockin’ potluck celebration here at the house with a lot of people including Magic Mike and Mrs. Magic Mike, we all know what really matters. Each other. And, even as Authors and Fans we are there for each other to listen, tell a joke, show some compassion and cheer when something wonderful happens. That’s what makes us all the richer every single day. Thank you everyone for making this such a great year. I can hardly wait to see what 2018 brings and all the conversations and good books to come. More adventures to follow! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a very Happy New Year!

Publisher Notes - Michael Anderle December 19, 2017

First, thank you for reading through this fantastic tale (yes, Sherlock is my favorite… I particularly liked the line in book two about “ice cream not going with lemon floor cleaner”) and now you are reading my notes, as well.

Anytime an author can make me root for an animal; I’m all in!

I think I took a little longer than 20 something-something years (I think Flint’s in his mid 20’s?) to figure out this thing called life.

Oh, I had jobs, even good jobs by the end of my 20’s. By my thirties, I was working at a Microsoft Development Company (a software company that developed using Microsoft products) and making a nice salary.

Well, as much ‘real money’ as one can do without a degree. What I liked about the computer software and programming field is they don’t give a @#%@# what your background is, if you can program like a monster.

And while I wasn’t a monster programmer, I was pretty good, and that got me going for at least fifteen years. Then, I went through a downturn in life and found myself in California up in the mountains (Lake Arrowhead) and not sure what I should do. I had three boys and a strong desire to not ever work for someone again.

Eventually, all of my ‘get money overnight!’ Internet options faded into the dust, and I went back to work. Not for anyone specifically, but I had my own company and became a technology website and sales consultant to pay the bills.

Which sucks.

Because this was 2010. If I had started writing, then I’d be ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!!

Or, maybe not. It’s funny how life will never tell you the truth.

Maybe it took until 2015 for me to write that first book so that the perfect storm of people and practices were existing at just the right time to allow me to grow and flourish and help other authors like myself.

And meet people like Flint and Martha.

And you!

Either way, I’m not going to ever request a change in reality. The fact you are reading these books is the most magnificent future