I am reformatting and reworking the paperback books for the current titles of the METAVERSE.
I am making each series with a simplistic interior design that allows the reader to pick up their favorite books and know what series they belong to. (Also, says it on the cover)
These are some simple fixes.
May fix a few pieces of the grammar, too.
But the books will have a more congruent look through each series.

I am hoping to have all done by the end of this week so I can concentrate on Odyssey Star: Into the Unknown.
Well that is the plan for now.

Been thinking of how I can rework the covers to make them more exciting and more like movie posters.
Not sure how I will pull it off but I will figure out a way.
The book covers to me have no pizzazz.
Yes, I created the covers.
Yes, I drew the covers.
But to me they do not pop like I want them to.
Although, I hear that people like the cover to the Phoenix Hunter.
I happen to like the cover to Mind Games myself as well as the Grimoire of Darkness cover.
But I have not created the Odyssey Star: Into the Darkness cover because I am not satisfied with the cover itself.
I have the basic layout I want but not satisfied with how the artwork turned out. Not sure one of the characters on the cover needs to be there or I am missing a character on the cover. Not sure..

Oh well, I am thinking aloud.

Men's college basketball is at an all-time frenzy.
Brackets filled out before last Wednesday.
People prediciting who the tournament should go.
Then, came the tip-offs
From there on to now brackets became busted, including my own.
Teams expected to win, lost.

Virginia, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Xavier... All gone

Virginia lost to UMBC?
UMBC did not get past Kansas State though

North Carolina made it past the first round in Charlotte to lose to Texas A&M in the second round.
North Carolina watched the last 4 minutes of play with Texas A&M scrubs in as they lost by 21 points.

Cincinati got past the first round to lose to Nevada by 3

Xavier made it unscathed to the second round.
That is where Xavier got knocked out by Florida State.

As these upsets were going on, Loyola-Chicago was still continuing its miraculous run to the Sweet 16 by eliminating a 3 seed in Tennessee.

This year is showing that even non-traditional basketball powerhouses are just as good as some of the traditional ones.
Who will wind up as National Champion.
My bet is on Villanova, but I would not count Texas A&M at this point. They have an easier trek than most until the Final Four. Michigan is next. But their biggest test may be the other remaining SEC team, Kentucky, which Texas A&M can only meet in the Final Four for a shot at the championship game. If they make the Elite 8, TEXAS A&M will be in their own back yard, essentially SAN ANTONIO.

The image shown here is just the penciled and inked drawing of what will be the front cover in the end. I may pull some elements apart to make the cover a bit better or may even rework the cover on better paper for a cleaner look. Who knows.

However, this is the basic idea for the cover. Not completely finished, but very close
​
Enjoy...

A YOUNG REDHEADED MAN walks through a thick brush in a forest on a distant planet. In his hand he carries a pistol. He is wearing a dark blue uniform with gold trim. His shoulder length locks are pulled back into a ponytail.

“Alright, Macon, where are you?” He mutters to himself.

“Harley, shut up.” The young man hears in his ear. “I ain’t that far away. Just head straight about a couple hundred meters. You should come to a clearing where the shuttle it.”

“Gotcha, Macon.” Harley responds. Then, he hears a growling sound nearby. The brush shakes as well. Harley stops in his tracks and listens intently.

Something’s not right here. Harley wonders. His teke powers sense a big powerful creature nearby. Stay calm, my big friend.

The creature rises to its feet. Harley looks up at the large reptilian creature with a long neck. The scales shimmer as light strikes it. Harley gulps as he slowly backs up.

The creature lowers its head towards Harley. He stands very still. He takes a deep breath. The creature’s bulging red eyes stare at Harley. There is a single horn on its long snout. Three horns emerge from the back of the creature’s head.

“Harley, time is short.” Macon says through the ear piece. “You need to get your ass moving.”

“I have a situation here.” Harley mutters through gritted teeth.

“Turn your camera on the glasses on.” Macon says.

Harley taps a button on the right side of the frames. A display pulls up on the glasses. “You seeing this thing, Macon?”

“Yeah, kid, I see it.” Harley hears. “Hold your position. Do not alarm the dragor. I am on my way.”

“Dragor?” Harley mutters. He lowers his pistol slowly and holsters it. He spreads out his arms.

The dragor crooks its head. It studies Harley. Then, it snorts. Air blows past Harley. Mucus follows the initial snort. It covers Harley’s face and torso. Harley turns and removes the mucus covering him.

“Ugh.” Harley says as he shakes mucus from his hands onto the ground. Then, he hears the roar of the shuttle above him.
The dragor’s eyes open wide. He roars and raises his head towards the shuttle. Anger comes from the dragor.

“Macon, get out of here!” Harley shouts as an energy begins to form inside the dragor’s mouth.

To be continued in ODYSSEY STAR: INTO THE UNKNOWN, published by Galaxia Press, out April 20, 2018!

I still have the April 20, 2018 date for publishing a book.
However, the original book in that slot for METAVERSE, Order of the Blue Moon: A Moontripper Novel,  has been pushed back to the June slot. This pushes back all the other METAVERSE books too by 2 months. In its spot, Odyssey Star: Into the Unknown will be published by Galaxia Press and Rising Dragons Publishing.

Odyssey Star: Into the Unknown is on the way to being finished. I am 14 chapters into the story. I feel it being near the conclusion within the month of March, it will be done.

I am a very big baseball fan as many in my life know.

Major League Baseball is in Spring Training now. There is quite a bit of time until the World Series Champion is crowned.

Quite a few of the playoff teams from last year have added even more fire power to already potent lineups.

I have yet to judge the potential individual awards for who will be candidates for MVPs, Cy Youngs, and Rookies of the Year. However, I have seen other predictions about who will win the World Series. 

Some say that with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton, the NL MVP, that the Yankees will win the World Series. I laugh at them. He likely will see his strikeout total rise but will not top his new teammate Aaron Judge, who will lead in that department. The Yankees will get to the playoffs. But the Red Sox added J.D. Martinez, who had a really good last year and will likely help Boston return to the playoffs likely as the AL East Champions. However, neither will make their way to the World Series. The AL West Champion, and defending World Champions, Houston Astros, added strength to their already formidable rotation with another ACE Pitcher. This gives the Astros 4 ACES: Kuechel, Verlander, Cole, and McCullers. Likely the best one through four staff in the majors. The lineup of the Astros saw no shakeup in the offseason, only minor role players left or were let go.

Thus I see the American League Playoffs shaping up this way:
WildCards: New York and Minnesota
AL East Champs: Boston
AL Central Champs: Cleveland
AL West Champs: Houston
AL Champs: Houston beating Boston

The NL is likely to come down to the pitching overall. With Arrieta still not with a home, the Cubs will finds a way to slide into the playoffs in a really weak division. The toughest division looks to be the NL West where 3 teams could emerge to make the playoffs: LA, San Francisco, and Arizona. The NL East looks to be dominated by Washington until someone steps up to take the reigns from them. Not very likely.

Thus I see the National League Playoffs shaping up this way:
Wild Cards: San Francisco and Arizona
NL East Champs: Washington
NL Central Champs: Chicago
NL West Champs: Los Angeles
NL Champs: Washington beating Los Angeles

I do not see a repeat of last years amazing world series, but I do not see the Washington Nationals to claim their first either. Houston will win the World Series versus Washington. Washington has the moxie to get through a rather tough NL Playoff bracket. But they do not have enough to take on the starting rotation or to silence the bats of the Houston Astros.

I predict that the Houston Astros will repeat as World Champions. I am not biased. Even though, I am a fan of the Astros. I look at this through logic and statistics. The Astros have the AL MVP and most consistent player the last five years, Jose Altuve and two former CY Young winners, Kuechel and Verlander, and a potential two other Cy Young candidates in Cole and McCullers.

As for the individual awards... I will have to determine my thoughts on those later in the year and later in Spring Training. With less than a month before the regular season begins, we will see everything ramp up and let's "Play Ball!"