Finalized files have been sent to Createspace and Smashwords, so I’m finally ready to make the announcement in a formal way: A Brief History of the Future, my collection of essays/nonfictional bits will be released on July 1st. It’ll be out in trade paperback, and all major ebook formats.

AND: The paperback won’t be available for purchase until the release date, but you can preorder the ebook right now OVER HERE and if you do it’s a dollar off what the eventual list price will be (right now it’s $2.99 down from $3.99). You can also download a sample, about 20% of the book.

FURTHERMORE: Tomorrow I’ll be launching a giveaway for a signed paperback-and-ebook package edition. So watch for that.

I want to make it clear: None of this content is exclusive to the book. It’s all available for free online. The value added here is A) it’s in a convenient, (I think) attractively packaged collection for all reading location eventualities, and B) you’re sending money my way in a larger cut than you would be with a publisher who is not me. Which may not be value added for you, but given that as of now I have no job for the fall – though I think I’ll be okay – boy I sure do appreciate it.

Let me tell you: I love how easy Smashwords makes it – they really are a great service – but even so, formatting an ebook is tedious. Especially if there are a lot of links. Which there are in mine, because blog posts with a lot of in-text links don’t translate well to book form, and the way I dealt with that was to go crazy with the endnotes. It’s not the most elegant solution but it’s the one I went with.

In any case, I’m pleased to say that I appear to have managed the thing. Which is good to know, because right now there’s a better than average chance that I’ll have to do it for the Line and Orbit sequel.

Anyway. I’m excited about this. I hope you are too.