Non nobis domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam

On A Kiss for Damocles winning the 2026 Prometheus Award for Best Novel

I’m still having some trouble wrapping my brain around this. I’ve read in many places over the years that the conventional wisdom is thus: a writer’s first novel is mediocre at best, and even that’s considered unlikely. Yet here I am, sitting on a debut novel that’s placed ahead of authors who’ve written some of my favorites.

I’m no genius, creative or otherwise.

I’m a maladjusted ape with a keyboard and a lifetime subscription to Maladaptive Daydreaming With ADHD.

I’ll cop to a journeyman’s skill at the craft of writing. Tops. I know damn well I’m no master craftsman. I’ve simply had the good fortune to fall in among a great team. Repeatedly.

First with my ancient times gaming group, (Hey, Vic, I’m talkin’ to you!), then the first Beta Readers who I met in Jim Butcher’s fan forum a long-ass time ago and in Baen’s Bar. The family and friends who’ve slogged through my early efforts, patiently pointing out farts that I mistook for a perfect melody. Then with the folks in the Writer’s Dojo, the North Texas Troublemakers, and the Alpha Mercs.

Finally, there’s the crew at Raconteur Press who liked my short stories enough to say “Hey, you have some novels in this setting, don’t you?” (This was before they perfected the “Hey, does my handkerchief smell like chloroform to you?” technique.)

I can’t preach up Raconteur Press enough, folks. Clean, tidy, clear contracts, transparent accounting and payments. Great folks all around.

So, now for some unsolicited writing advice. It’s not Expert Writing Advice, because I’ve a long way to go before I achieve something resembling Mastery. This is more like the journeyman who can tell you how to hold a basic tool and remind you about eye protection.

I’ve had a lot of help. More than any “how to write words” video or book, a wide field of beta readers helped me get here. Did I mention the Writer’s Dojo and Alpha Mercs?

Don’t ignore the many youtubes on writing, many have provided excellent food for thought and tips, just don’t take them as gospel.

The gold standard for improvement is when a beta says “Who’s saying what in this conversation? I’m confused” or “Wait, when did this guy get there? I thought he was off fighting the swarming sociopathic snogfobblers in the other town?” Or just “Dude, this part just kind of drags on. Might want to tighten it up. You done gone and told us that twice earlier in the chapter.” When multiple betas raise a similar issue, pay attention, but keep an eye on whether they’re commenting on a matter of taste or an actual technical issue.

Just don’t treat every beta comment as gospel either. Treat them as a warning light you need to check out, examine, and then make a determination.

And on that note, I gotta get back to tidying up the next novel, Ravati Aziz and the Ghosts of the Long Night.

Thanks, everyone!