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Human Release! ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

What’s the best way to celebrate the famous win of Mexican underdogs against overwhelming forces? For me, it’s to run around like a crazy woman announcing the Human release! In your case, have some awesome Mexican food, relax, and pick up a copy of Human to enjoy while you munch.

For those contemplating following me on Twitter, I generally don’t tweet links to buy my books other than on a release or sale date. On May 6, I should return to my usual tweet habits.

About HumanHuman by Karen Diem

Death? Acceptable risk. Taxes? No problem. Ancient magical cutlery of mass destruction? Bad, very bad.

Following a brief foray into the world of superpowered vigilantism, extreme sports enthusiast and halfhearted tax preparer, Zita Garcia, wants her old life, her shiny new abilities, and none of the consequences. She’s even willing to hide her powers since the alternative means endangering her family and living life as a literal lab rat.

Unfortunately, villains are searching for the pieces of a decrepit magic dagger, hurting innocents and fueling nasty anti-super protests. Her close friends, who helped before, are barely speaking to her, and one of them stands in the path of the violent hunt for the knife.

Zita better dig out her mask—fast.

Human is the second in the Arca superhero urban fantasy series, and as a movie would be rated “R” for immoderate language, lame sexual innuendo, and comic book violence. While Human can be read as a standalone, it contains minor spoilers for the first book in the series.

Human Release Availability

Human is currently available on Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords and most major book retailers in both ebook and paperback format. To avoid boring people to tears, I’ve only listed the most popular places. If you’d prefer, you can read the first chapter before purchasing.

NOTE: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you make a purchase from an Amazon link on my site, someday I may earn a few cents from it.

What Happens in Vegas… Tourists

On December 2, 2016, I released the new Arca short story, Tourists. It’s approximately 10,500 words long, and, as usual, includes immoderate language and comic book violence. The events within occur after Human (scheduled for release May 2017), but do not provide major spoilers.

Description

Tourists - An Arca Short Story - Karen DiemLas Vegas welcomes and flamboyantly entertains millions of tourists annually. It’s famous for it. However, the latest visitors may be more than even Sin City can handle.

To avoid endangering others or revealing their real identities, Zita Garcia and her friends, Andy and Wyn, planned to practice their respective superpowers in an abandoned section of the desert. Visit Las Vegas, a crowded city filled with people with cameras? No way, no matter what Zita’s heard about the buffets.

But when possible aliens invade the infamous Las Vegas Strip, what can Zita and her friends do but rescue the city (and all that food)?

No Elvis impersonators were harmed in the writing of this story.

Availability

This free short story is only available to newsletter subscribers, both new and existing. December 2016 subscribers also receive the other newsletter-exclusive short story, Washout.

Super Progress Extraneous Exclamation Points

Things! Things are happening! Woo! Admiring my grasp of language yet? It’s late here, so forgive me. Here’s the latest Super progress and a bit more:

  • If things work out, Super will release on May 5, 2016. It seems like an auspicious date for Zita Garcia. If it misses, I will post the new release date and make it as close to then as possible. The most likely reason for it to miss is if I have trouble converting it to the necessary formats.
  • The cover artists have the details of Super in their hands, and have told me to expect the cover in mid to late April. I can’t wait to see how they interpret the book; they’ve received excellent reviews from other writers. This site will also receive a style update when those cover images come out.
  • Additionally, my friendly neighborhood beta readers will be getting the latest draft of the book at the end of the week. With any luck, they’ll have some feedback to make it a better book.
  • I’ve hooked up a newsletter for anyone interested in keeping track of the latest updates, and getting some freebies specifically for my subscribers. I’m outlining a free short story now for those who sign up – if people sign up before I finish it, it’ll be available in the first newsletter after completion.
  • Book Two is getting the final touches on its outline. Writing will begin during the beta reader review period. I’ll switch between writing that and the freebie short story dependent on which is progressing better. I’m trying not to get distracted by a Halloween novella, but that might happen too.