Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Friday, March 27, 2015
Conscience of a Blackened Street
The new short story set in the world of Seven Crows and possibly eluding to what is in store for the kids from the first novel, Conscience of a Blackened Street is now LIVE on Amazon Kindle.
March 31st - April 4th: Conscience of a Blackened Street will be FREE for Kindle.
If you cannot get a copy for free, e-mail Justin at apoc@huntandkillam.com and get a copy for Kindle or in PDF e-mailed directly to you for FREE! Miss the promo, e-mail Justin anyway!
March 31st - April 30th: Seven Crows Book I will be $0.99 for Kindle.
And the Seven Crows RPG (beta) is still free at RPGDriveThru.
This is your chance to check out Justin Killam's amazing fiction for free and get into the Seven Crows world for a great price! If you like, please spread the word and post a review on amazon.com.
Thanks and enjoy!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Need!
Happy New Year!
A former student of mine was home from university for the holidays and ran up to me in the grocery store today, "Seven Crows was amazing, I need a whole bunch more copies for friends of mine at university. I literally have a sign out sheet for my copy, so many people want to borrow it!"
Awesome start to the new year, thanks!
Which brings me to my uber-should-have-been-obvious insight of the day. I can make an order for copies (any number big or small) of Seven Crows at any time and ship them anywhere. So if anyone wants a bunch of copies (unfortunately unsigned) just email me and we can arrange a shipment to be delivered directly to you.
Next:
Have not been writing as much as I should, booo! Sorry, been focused on my gaming a lot lately, both for fun and research. My wife and I got our first Kickstarter backed board game this holiday, Euphoria, an amazing board game that we are enjoying a lot!
I wrote a short story about one of the agents in the game, Amanda the Broker, and a situation that could actually occur in the game. Good stuff, enjoy, and check out Euphoria at:
Need: a Euphoria Short Story
- Amanda the Broker -
by Justin Killam
“Really, this is all you have to offer me?”
Her voice came out smooth as silk, filled with the promise of happiness and loss of pain. It could have been the sound of a rusty grate dragging across metal teeth, for all that he cared. His attention was captured completely by only one thing; the vial in her hand, full of magically swirling clouds of lightly glowing green.
Bliss...
He wanted it, needed it, would do anything to get it... Unconsciously licking his lips, and wringing his hands, he glanced away from the vial and up into her eyes. There he found no promise of pleasure, only a steely gaze of disappointment and denial. He whimpered, the shakes coming over him uncontrollably.
“Really now, you know what I need,” she said, boring into him with those cold eyes while flashing a winning smile. With a flicker of her hand, the wonderful vial disappeared, “so come back when you have it.”
Once more the pathetic wretch before her whimpered, “I can’t get it... I’m not allowed to work in the tunnels any longer...” Tears sprung unwilling from his eyes, “please, I just need...”
She leaned down towards him, wrapping an arm around his quaking shoulders and pulling him into a comforting embrace. “Shhhh... I know,” she whispered, soothingly. “I know how hard it is, when you can’t get what you need. I know... I know...”
Slowly his shaking began to lessen and she released him. His eyes darted over her, seeking the vial, but it was still absent.
“I have a need just as bad as you do, my friend. Do you believe me?”
He nodded, but only slightly.
“Good, and will you help me get my need if I help you with yours?”
This time he nodded much more enthusiastically, hope flooding his watery eyes.
She smiled, once more speaking with a voice full of that promise of satisfaction, “good boy.”
She pulled out that blessed vial of green bliss and put it in a small container that locked closed with a quiet hiss and a snap. A worker designation was printed on the side. Then she passed it over, watching with satisfaction as he took it from her with only a slight tremor in his hands.
“Take this to the incinerator, do you know the place? Can you get work there?”
He nodded again and her smile blossomed more fully.
“Good, I have a friend working there now, take this to him and tell him Amanda needs him back. Then you both can share it, yes?”
This time he was practically hitting his chest with his chin, so forcefully was he nodding his head back and forth. He turned to leave, but she caught hold of his arm and spun him back towards her. Gone was the warmth of her smile and the understanding in her voice, leaving nothing but the icy steel in her eyes.
“Do not come back here, ever again, unless you are bringing me exactly what I need. Do you understand?”
He nodded slowly and carefully, and she let him leave the Apothecary to scurry back to the streets of the golden city; a city that was quickly becoming hers. She smiled at that as she returned to the counter, but the smile faded as she picked up the ever-annoyingly-ineffective tablet and went back to her work.
Messages from her many contacts flooded in, filtered and sorted by field of interest and importance. The bulk of messages came from her own people, the Icarites. An increasing percentage of them were hate filled threats. She chuckled and trashed them all. Let her people whine and protest all they wanted, all trade between the Icarites and Euphoria would continue to be channelled through the Apothecary of Productive Dreams, of which Amanda was the sole owner. The Bliss would flow, but only by her directive.
She sifted through the other messages, organizing and redirecting her interests, everything moving towards the inevitable conclusion of her gaining dominion over all Euphoria. Things continued to move according to plan, which was pleasing, yet no smile touched her face. As each task was completed using the electronic tablet, her annoyance grew.
“Not fast enough!” she abruptly screeched.
With a scowl, she tossed the tablet across the table, uncaring when it crashed to the floor. She sat there, trying to calm herself, but her mind flashed back to what she needed... the intimate connection of mind to Org, completing digital efficiency directed by pure thought. The freedom and the power of a digital existence; her addiction. Promised to her, but kept unsatiated and dangling before her in this golden city with its own private server of virtual and augmented reality.
Amanda opened her eyes as her own words, spoken earlier to the Euphorian addict, echoed back to her. She knew she would never get what she needed, unless she had exactly what her secret benefactor needed. With a sigh, she cleaned up the shattered pieces of the tablet, and found a replacement so she could get back to work. She would get what he needed, and then she would find her own bliss in the Org once again.
She had work to do, this time she went back to it with renewed purpose. Hours later, after dark had fallen and she was still working, she stopped only when there was a rumble from outside in the streets. She looked up from her tablet, eyes reddened by the strain of staring at the screen for so long.
“What was that?” she asked herself.
Outside, people ran by the shop. Their silhouettes flickered across the front windows of the Apothecary, and Amanda’s curiosity grew. She secured the tablet with its record of her secret manipulations, and left the shop to follow the growing crowd of Euphorians. Dread claimed her only when the street lights began to dim and flicker off and on. The energy, Euphoria’s greatest commodity and the source of its power, was being drained.
Amanda stopped following the growing crowd of people running towards the source of the rumble. She didn’t need to see what was going on, she already knew. The Wastelanders had broken through the protective walls of the city. They were stealing the city’s power, her power. All her plans began to fall apart and she wondered if the Org would ever be hers.
It was all she could do not to sit down on the curb and cry.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
HalCon
Seven Crows: Free RPG, HalCon Demo Games, Novels, and Giveaways!
Friday
Unfortunately Apocrypha Studios won't be able to make it to Halcon until late Friday night, so we don't have anything scheduled for Friday. However, if we get in and setup, and you see us (Table 301 right when you walk into the game's floor) feel free to stop and say hi and enter our 7Crows give away draw.
Saturday
Our BIG day! Seven Crows RPG Demos. Seven Crows novels for sale. Giveaway Draw!
Seven Crows Novel by Justin Killam
The first novel published by Apocrypha Studios, Seven Crows is a supernatural thriller narrated by the imaginary friend of a group of orphans who discover strange abilities awakening within them and dark entities begin to hunt them. It is suitable for both young and old adults, has been getting rave reviews online, and is the first of a planned series. The novel is available on kindle, kobo, and iBooks, but paperback copies will be available for sale at our table all weekend long. $10 a copy, including an autograph by the author.
Seven Crows the RPG: Shall Darkness Arise
Demo games of the new RPG: Seven Crows, using pre-made characters, will be run several times during the day. Stop by to sign up for one of the sessions. Everything will be provided, but feel free to bring your own RPG dice or even download the RPG and create your own characters to bring with you. The RPG is free and can be downloaded at DriveThruRPG.
Giveaway
Apocrypha Studios will be giving away 5 digital copies of the Seven Crows novel (Kobo or Kindle). Stop by our table to fill out a ballot. Join a demo game or buy a paperback copy and get yourself more ballots (you can fill out a ballot for a friend with a kindle or kobo). After Halcon I will draw the five winners and email them with details on how to get their copy of Seven Crows on their Kindle or Kobo.
Viticulture
Board gamer enthusiasts, especially those who are into kickstarter, have probably heard of Jamey Steigmaier and Stonmaier games. He has taken the kickstarter board game scene by storm, with his extremely successful Viticulture boardgame and his new game, Euphoria, which is due out next month. This past summer he ran a contest for board game designers to expand Viticulture, the wining entry will be used in next year's expansion kickstarter. That winner is Apocrypha Studios' own Justin Killam, who will be bringing Viticulture with him to play if anyone is interested. Stop by to sign up for a game, we might even play the winning expansion! Keep an eye on Apocrypha Studios for future boardgame designing, and check out Stonemaier Games if you haven't already.
Games and More Games
There is a reason Apocrypha Studios is on the gamesroom floor, we LOVE to game. So even when nothing is scheduled, we will be playing whatever we can! Come join us!
Sunday
More of the same! We have to head out early afternoon, but until then we will be running demos, selling books, signing autographs, taking more ballots for the prize draw, and playing more games!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Seven Crows RPG Free
The Seven Crows RPG
It is live and free to download at DriveThruRPG.com! You've read the novel (I hope) and now you can create your own 7Crows characters, develop the powers emergent, get a sneak peak into the Outlands (which will be upcoming in the next novel), and explore the many mysteries of the 7Crows world. The RPG uses our own unique RPG system, the Providence System, which blends physical, mental, and spiritual conflict. It uses a standard set of RPG dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12), but also uses some unique 7Crows designed dice. You can download the 3D Printer blueprints here.
The RPG will continue to be free, please share it with friends, gamers, and everyone! If you would like to support the continued creation of 7Crows Fiction and RPG material, please purchase the Seven Crows novel, available on Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, and iBooks.
This is only the beginning of both the novels and RPG material, stay tuned!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Apocrypha Studios is returning to Hal Con!
Apocrypha Studios is returning to Hal Con!
I am excited to announce the release of my first novel, Seven Crows. A supernatural thriller set in the world of Eden Falls, Seven Crows is suitable for adults of all ages. I will have copies of Seven Crows available for purchase ( $10 ) AND I will be having the release of the Seven Crows RPG at Hal Con. You all will have the FIRST chance to purchase the Seven Crows RPG!
One crow for sorrow,
Two crows for joy,
Three crows a girl,
Four crows a boy,
Five crows for silver,
Six crows for gold,
Seven crows a story,
Never to be told.
– anonymous folk poem
Seven orphan children;
Bron: poor child of sorrow and resolve in the face of a town of bullies. Mab: capricious child of boundless mirth, and fierce protectiveness. Kendra: young girl struggling to find herself in the whirlwind of an exclusive school. Akeem: a reader of what should not be, withdrawn and scheming. Onshuuko: a student of perfection and tradition, haunted by demons. Nathaniel: a “good” boy, struggling with his own power and just trying to remain good. Unknown: perhaps the biggest mystery, will this story ever be uncovered?
Bound together by fate and a mysterious friend that only they can see, these seven have been separated ever since the incident that left their orphanage in ruins. Years later, something powerful and frightening begins to awaken within them, darkness stirs around them, and they are propelled out into the world to find each other once again. This is only the beginning...
Bound by fate,
Seven Crows awaken
to power and tragedy.
Like previous years, I will also be running RPG gaming, this year I will be running an scenario for the Seven Crows RPG. For those of you who have been involved in previous Hal Con games of Eden Falls, Seven Crows is set in the same world, but is a sort of prelude to the Eden Falls world.
The novel, Seven Crows, is already available on Kindle and Kobo, and if you are on Goodreads you can enter into a draw for a free softcover copy of Seven Crows (the draw will be September 8th). If you pick up a copy of Seven Crows, I thank you. Please let me know what you think of it and drop a review on Amazon.com (reviews really help draw attention to the novel). Thanks for your support and see everyone at Hal Con!
Kindle:
Kobo:
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