Rather than drone on myself, I'll simply repost what Phobos editor John Ordover has already published to various mediums:

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For Immediate Release
Contact: John Ordover
phoboseic@aol.com

THE PHOBOS CHALLENGE STARTS NOW!
Phobos Books proudly presents
The Phobos Challenge
otherwise known as
REALITY COPS: THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF VALE & MIST.
An open, web-based, serial anthology that anyone, from anywhere, can submit to.

If we think your story is the best one submitted that month we’ll buy it from you (with actual money) and then post it on our website at www.phobosweb.com/valeandmist.

At the end of each monthly installment, Interdimensional police officers Harlo Vale and Mistico Patrone will find themselves in a new, unfamiliar situation – much like the “oh, boy” teasers the end of each Quantum Leap episode. That’s part of the challenge, because each author should strive to leave the next one with a compelling and demanding setup—and that author will in turn have to live up to the challenge, in addition to setting the challenge for the next writer.

To be eligible for inclusion in this anthology, your story must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words in length, begin with the ending of the preceding story, and end with the characters shifted into a new dimension different from the last. Please also carefully consider the series bible, guidelines, and legal points as described at www.phobosweb.com/valeandmist.

Episode One of VALE & MIST, “Home on the Strange” by Star Trek writer Kevin Dilmore, is now available for reading. Episode Two will appear on September 1st and a new episode will appear the first of every month. August 15th 2004 is the deadline for submissions for Episode Two, September 15th for episode three, and going forward the 15th of the month will be the deadline for each new episode , with that month’s story selected and posted by the 1st of the next month. That means there will be only two weeks from when each new V&M story is posted for those interested to write and submit a V&M story based on that month’s cliffhanger.

That’s also why it’s called a challenge.

If you’re looking for stories similar in tone to what we’re looking for, read THE HITCHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY or Robert Sheckley’s MINDSWAP and DIMENSION OF MIRACLES. Good examples of characters adjusting to alien transformations can be found in Jack Chalker’s WELL OF SOULS series.

Stories should be submitted as emailed attached documents in MS Word, Word Perfect, or RTF format. The email for submissions is on our site at www.phobosweb.com/valeandmist.

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So, there. Have at it!

Killian Melloy has posted a new review of Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War, giving the entire anthology a glowing 5.0 review. Hot dawg!

My writing partner, Kevin, is striking out on his own.

After his auspicious solo Trek fiction debut with "The Road to Edos" in last fall's Star Trek: New Frontier - No Limits, it seems the writing bug has taken a big ol' hunk outa Bubba's hindquarters. No longer content to remain second banana on our joint endeavors, he went and landed himself a gig over at Phobos Books, kick starting their all-new, web-exclusive series Reality Cops: The Continuing Adventures of Vale and Mist. It's a round robin sort of affair, where YOU could be the one to supply the next episode. Check out Kevin's installment, "Home on the Strange," and see what all the fuss is about. Then, if you've got the guts, start cranking out a submission for the next episode!

Complete info, including submission guidelines, can be found at the site.

Got word today that Amazon.com is now shipping Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War. Hot dawg!

Today is also the day that Kevin and I hold our book signing at the Barnes & Noble store in Leawood, KS. If you happen to be in the area (and I know a couple of folks who actually do live around here), stop on by and say "Howdy!"

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's historic first landing on the moon. As a NASA enthusiast, particularly of the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo era, I never grow tired of looking back on this momentous accomplishment. Though the American space program was born out of so much political bullshit, there's no denying that the efforts expended to realize such a feat have provided numerous advances in science and technology which the rest of us lumps take for granted.

Damned shame we've come this long without anything to top that.

Oh, and for those of you out there who insist it was all made up, I offer this little side trip.

After that, report to Central Control so that you can be tagged and monitored.

Finally!

Star Trek: S.C.E. editor Keith DeCandido has finally gotten approval for the latest batch of cover art, including the one for my next collaboration with Kevin, Where Time Stands Still. The artwork is once again provided by artist Mike Collins.

Had a blast at the Shore Leave 26 convention this past weekend in Baltimore. Got to hang out with a whole slew of Trek writers, including finally being able to put faces to names I'd only met via the Internet. If you're at all into the Trek fiction published by Pocket Books, this is without a doubt the con for you to attend. I'm already saving my pennies for next year.

For those of you living in the Kansas City area, Kevin and I will be holding a book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore located in the Town Center Plaza, 4751 West 117th Street, in Leawood, on Saturday, July 24th starting at 3pm. The store manager has told us they've ordered bunches of copies of Foundations, A Time to Sow, and A Time to Harvest.

Hope to see you there!

...Leave, that is.

At long last, it is the time of the Gathering, when loads of Trek fans -- some of whom by the grace of all that's holy actually get paid to indulge in their hobby/obsession/whatever -- make the pilgrimage to Baltimore for the annual Shore Leave convention. For 26 years, the volunteers behind this con have continuously produced what many believe to be the epitome of what a fan-run con should be. Having only attended one of these so far....well, that was all I needed to be convinced.

Kevin and I are making the trip again this year, and this time we're taking our wives so that we can throw them into the deep end of the fandom pool. That should make the nights interesting....

In addition to the "Meet the Pros" mass meet-n-greet on Friday night and discussion panels where we'll be rapping about the Star Trek: S.C.E. series as well as this year's A Time to... miniseries, we'll be crashing other panels and activities all over the hotel all weekend.

Then, of course, there's the bar.

There's always the bar.

It tasks me.

It tasks me, and I shall have it.

Anyway, why am I posting now, when the friggin' thing doesn't really start until Friday afternoon? Cuz I'm leaving...on a jet plane, and won't have a computer til I get back again.

In the meantime, feel free to talk amongst yourselves. Yes, both of you.

Looks like Bill Williams over at TrekWeb.com gets the Gold Star, turning in the first review of the forthcoming anthology Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War. Seems that ol' Bill was rather stoked about the book, judging by his review. Be sure to check it out!