I'm putting my toe in the Dryden Universe

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Remember that post I published a little while ago about franchises? I mentioned the Dryden Universe, a brand new shared environment where authors can set stories - provided they're comfortable for other people to use their characters and ideas.

I've agreed to go ahead and poke my toe in the water in the Dryden Universe. My latest WIP will be fitted in there in a real part of the galaxy (the open cluster M24 in Sagittarius, around 20k years in the future). Apart from that fact (which I don't actually mention) the story as I wrote it is unchanged. The Dryden Universe has assimilated me.

The important thing is the copyright.

It's this one. Creative Commons 4.0 BY-SA copyright.  It means anyone can use my characters, tech and the universe itself to write their own stories. But they must give me attribution and stealing is still stealing. Bear in mind once you've published under this copyright, you can't then go back on that same work and claim exclusive rights - it stands to reason.

There's plenty of room in the galaxy for everyone. The group is inviting participation from writers of science fiction romance of any heat level who are willing to write as part of a creative commons project. There is a Facebook group, and a website. For anyone who doesn't want to self publish, Joel Stottlemire, creator of the Dryden Universe, intends to set up a publishing company which will offer editing, cover art and some promotion. I'm told the royalty will be 50% net. Watch this space for submission guidelines etc.

It's a group venture, aiming to use the group dynamic to generate sales. I figure a 15k short isn't the end of the world if it doesn't work out.  Meanwhile, the new story The Demon's Eye is slated for release in late June/early July. Here's the blurb.

Krystina Merkos is reluctant to leave her home planet, but agrees it’s best that her father doesn’t have to concern himself with her safety while he fights a civil war. The journey on an Imperial warship becomes much more palatable when she discovers that Ben Paulsen, an old flame from her high school days, is a senior officer on the ship.

But it’s not all plain sailing. The captain wants to seduce her, Ben’s trying to keep his distance – and pirates want to sell her to the murderous sect waging war on her father. 

When the frigate is attacked by a pirate fleet intent on capturing Krys, she faces impossible choices. If she hands herself over to the pirates, she will die a painful death. If she doesn’t, everyone will die.
Unless she and Ben can contrive a way out for them all.

Sounds like fun? Find it on Amazon around the end of June.