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Welcome everyone,I like science fiction and fantasy for a lot of the same reasons, but they are very different and often have a distinct group of readers. I grew up on both, starting my serious reading adventures with the Doomfarers of Caramonde by Brian Daley.It’s a story about a Vietnam era soldier who takes his APC crew through a portal to a magical world and has a bunch of adventures. By today’s standards, from a marketing perspective, this is a portal fantasy. I loved it because it involved going someplace impossible and doing amazing things in a dazzling new world where anything was possible.I used to read it every year, but haven’t touched it for a while. Maybe I should go back and decide if it’s as good as I remember.As time went by, I discovered authors like David Weber and John Ringo. I read Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. There were others who wrote more scientific fiction, and science fiction that probably was better classified as space fantasy.What genre is Dune, really?I’ve always been very happy in a book.I’ve read thrillers, post apocalyptic stories, and historical fiction. It really just depends on my mood.Right now I am enjoying science fiction and I have been invited to write in a major post apocalyptic series.Regardless, I’m extremely fortunate to write stuff that people actually want to read. Maybe I’m not full-time, but I’m loving it and am often blown away by the support I get from people I never met before I started publishing books.Until next time,Scott

I never know what to write in the bio section.Should I be ultra-personal? Awkward. Uber professional? Boring.I decided to make the bio a blog rather than just a static page, which is probably dumb, but I’m going to do it anyway. Maybe from time to time, I can update it and make it relevant instead of this boring thing people skip over.Who knows?So why don’t we just start with this. My name Scott Moon, and I write. I’ve been in law enforcement for a long time, with ups and downs and many interesting experiences. I hope that gives me a way to make my stories better, with a deeper understanding of people in every type of situation.I love my friends and family. I’m religious but don’t preach about it and respect others in their own religious beliefs. A perfect day for me would be writing for hours, then working out once or twice, maybe even attending a Brazilian jujitsu class or something.I’d like to be a full time writer, since I’ve already put in twenty-one years at my current, soul sucking job. (Trying to keep it real. You get it, right?)Take care,​Scott

I’m having a really fucking hard day. But it will get better and tomorrow’s a new beginning.Once I’m done with my interview for the lieutenant position at my regular job, things will get better. It feels like a failure because I had hoped to be a full time writer by now. I get in my own way a lot.Why do I struggle when I have a nearly perfect life? Good friends, family, a steady job, my health, and a decent amount of success writing fiction (which has always been my dream).Who knows? It is what it is. I have more wonderful opportunities and so many excellent writing friends it’s crazy. I’m really blessed. So thanks for that. You know who you are.Wish me luck.​Peace.

Yes, it’s true. I’m in another anthology (along with some fantastic authors: Richard Fox, MD Cooper, CJ Carella, Josh Hayes, Tim C. Taylor, Logan Scott, JR Castle, Navin Weeraratne, and Rick Partlow).The story I submitted is Ash Roland, originally started as part of Weapons of Earth. During the early drafts, I fell in love with the story of Kin Roland’s brother, Ashton, and Tabitha (William Orlan’s mother).When Weapons of Earth was done, it became clear that Ash’s story didn’t fit, but I couldn’t let it go. So when JR Handley invited me to submit a story to his anthology, I knew what I had to do.Ellen Campbell edited the collection and really pushed me to make the story as good as possible. I hope you’ll read it and give me some feedback.Ash is a rogue and a pirate lord face with an impossible situation. The story has action, suspense, and a dash of romance. The cool part is, this anthology is packed full of great Mil SF, so you can’t lose by giving it a ready.Be safe,​Scott

Yes, I read romance. For a lifetime consumer of science fiction and fantasy, this may seem unusual. But why not, I say.I watch romantic comedies at the movie theater. A lot, if not most, thrillers, space operas, epic fantasies have some romantic elements / sub plots… which we all enjoy. The other reason I read so broadly is that I just love stories. A good story is a good story, that’s all.What have I read or listened to lately?The Terran Strike Marines (Podium Publishers pack) (audiobook) which I wrote with Richard Fox. Hearing Luke Daniels narrate it has been a dream come true. So awesome.Running From a Rock Star (audiobook). Absolutely fun and hilarious. I will be reading and listening to more by Jami Albright.​Wrath by Isabella Starling. I’m just starting this. It’s way outside my comfort zone. It’s BDSM erotica, I think, and a revenge plot. What is keeping me reading? I hate the villain in this story so much it makes me want to punch things. We’ll see how far I get. Starling is a good writer; I’m just not sure this is a genre I want to read.Thoughts?Tell me I’m an idiot. Or a geek. Or say something nice. It’s up to you. I regret nothing.

Keystroke Medium has started a book club. The show hosts are reading The Event by Nathan Hystad and encouraging viewers of the show and listeners of the podcast to participate. Please check out the live episode on April 2nd. We’re going to talk about this book! Come join us!

The Event (The Survivors Book One)

Nathan Hystad’s debut science fiction novel has become a best seller in several categories including Alien Invasion, Action / Adventure – Travel, and Science Fiction – Metaphysical & Visionary and earned over forty reviews within the first two weeks of publication.

Fans of these genres might know Nathan from the anthologies he produced and edited through Woodbridge Press: ​

Explorations: Through the Wormhole (Explorations Volume One)

Explorations: First Contact (Explorations Volume Two)

Explorations: War (Explorations Volume Three)

Explorations: Colony (Explorations Volume Four)

A lot of amazing things have happened recently.Writing collaborations, insane weather patterns, and new friends.This morning I had big plans for the day. Why? Because it is my day off from work, all the kids are at school, and my wife works. A few things went wrong with this plan but will get to that later.I have four kids across a wide spectrum of ages. One of my middle children is in college and on the rowing team. I remember this particular part of the training season fondly, or maybe an absolute horror, but yes fondly. I was in shaped back then.So my daughter is on her way to indoor training, translation let’s see how bad this can hurt until it’s time to get on the water again. She informs me, possibly in a slight panic, that an ice storm has completely encased her Jeep in frozen precipitation. I calmly explained to her that I’ve done this before and even though she thinks it is basically un-scrapable, that we can get it done.The Moon teamwork begins. I use all the skills I’ve learned in Kansas and abroad, notably how to cut grooves of the ice with the scraper and then break those down. I lean my two hundred pound frame into the work and begin to clear away the windows. Sleet and snow continued to pour down.Then, a flash of lightning.Keep in mind it is very dark this early in the morning… And snowing.Why is this so amazing? Probably because I’ve been writing a novel with Richard Fox called The Rage of Winter. It is set on a winter world and has some similarities with the Winter War of nineteen thirty-nine — except in a sci-fi environment with the fate of the entire galaxy at stake. Last week I did research on Google about thunder snow, because it sounded cool.Thunder snow is extremely rare. For reasons that are slightly beyond my scientific capacity to explain, but that I can basically understand if I read it from someone else, you get a thunderstorm in the winter with flashes of lightning. Very cool and scary.So that was different. I made a video and put it up on our Keystroke Medium Facebook group. The Rage of Winter is the second book in the Terran Strike Marines series I am writing with Richard Fox. The first book, The Dotari Salvation, is alive and well and never has too many reviews… Hint, hint. Please and thank you. (All the books mentioned in this article are available through Kindle Unlimited, a service I was on the fence about for a long time. Now I couldn’t live without it. I’m reading more than ever before!)My solo work is still coming along nicely, but I have had fantastic opportunities to collaborate lately. In addition to Richard Fox sharing his writing awesomeness with me, teaching me his very impressive plotting and pacing techniques, I’ve been working with Craig Martelle on the Darklanding series.Darklanding is something really special in the world of science fiction. We originally conceived it as something like Firefly meets Tombstone and other old westerns. The characters have taken on a life of their own since then and fans seem to really like it. Episode five, An Unglok Murder, is coming out very shortly and will be a little bit of a murder mystery. Despite my background in law enforcement, I’ve never written a murder mystery. So this is mostly space opera / Western, but there is a little bit of whodunit.I hope you will check it out. Each episode after number three is thirty thousand words, a decent sized novella. (And, spoiler alert, six and seven are complete…ready for launch every 18 days. What started off as a short tale at the end of the known galaxy is now pushing two hundred thousand words and will be three hundred thousand by the time it’s all said and done.)So back to what’s going on today. Turns out we had a snow day which has cut into my writing productivity, but hey the kids like it. Except for one who has a migraine kid, thanks to my genetic code. Life is always interesting. Sometimes it’s less easy than other times. I’m happy to be here and feel blessed. Once we get through today’s headache, there will be great celebration!I hope you have an aweome day.Scott