Matthew S. Rotundo's Pixeltown

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you have undoubtedly heard me mention my novel Petra.  You might have been following along when I banged out the first draft.  Or maybe you came in while I was working on the sequel, Petra Released.  Or more recently, perhaps, you’ve seen my updates on the (excruciatingly slow) progress of Petra Rising.  And somewhere along the way, you might have asked, “Golly gee, Matt, is there any chance that any of us will ever get to, you know, actually read Petra?”*

I’m happy to report that the answer is yes.  And soon.

That’s right, folks:  I’m publishing Petra.

Yes, I’m jumping into the self-publishing pool.  This was far from an easy decision to make, and it’s definitely a risk.  I don’t mind telling you that I’m a bit scared.

But I’m also excited.

And scared.  Did I say that already?

Anyway, you might have questions.  I’ll take a stab at some answers:

So what is this Petra, anyway?

It’s the story of a far-future prison world.  Petra is the final repository for the worst of the worst—no appeals, no parole, no escape.  But it also hides many secrets, which could shatter society if they ever got out.  And somewhere in the dark heart of Petra, the jailbreak of the millennium is on . . .

Sounds exciting!  When will it be out?

I’m targeting next month for the ebook release, probably just before Thanksgiving.  I hope to have more firm dates soon.

Will there be a print edition?

Yes, I plan to make a print edition available at some point.  I’ll let you know when I know more.

What possessed you to venture into the world of independent publishing?

That’s a long story, probably a separate blog post.  For now, suffice to say that now seems like the right time to try it.

What comes after Petra?

Then comes Petra Released, early in 2016, I hope.  And sometime after that, Petra Rising.  I mean, once I finish it, and all. Watch this space for updates.

So it’s a trilogy, then?  Will there be other Petra stories?

These three novels will complete a story arc, but there is definitely room for further adventures, assuming anyone is interested.

Have you always been this cool, Matt, or is it a more recent development?

Aw, gee.  You flatter me.

If you have any other questions, drop me a line in the comments.  Good wishes are also welcome.

Here we go . . .

*Probably you’ve never actually asked that, but work with me here, wouldya?