Digital-only and digital-first means I’ll have to repeat myself, but figure out how to do so in a way that’s tolerable and sustainable for me and still interesting for people who are plugged in a little bit more.

Michael R. Underwood’s book Annihilation Aria, published by Parvus Press, was supposed to come out in February 2020, but was postponed until May 2020, and then July. As you might guess, due to a certain global pandemic that hit in the meantime, the marketing plan had to be changed up a bit. Fortunately, with experience as a marketer for Angry Robot books, and as a lifelong scifi fan, Michael wasn’t scared of a tech-heavy marketing and publicity campaign.

Michael talks to us about:

• Handselling books to bookstores as a sales rep across the midwest;
• Approaching tabletop roleplaying games as a kid in his hometown, studying them in an academic setting, and performing them live through digital venues;
• The importance of recognizing our privilege and wielding it for good;
• His unique, collaborative experience writing a series for the app Serial Box;
• His new found family space opera, Annihilation Aria, and the promise of more punny titles as the series continues.

Buy Michael Underwood’s Annihilation Aria Here.

Guest Bio

Michael R. Underwood is an author, podcaster, and publishing professional. His series include the Ree Reyes Geekomancy books, the Stabby Award finalist Genrenauts series, and the forthcoming Annihilation Aria. He’s been a bookseller, a sales representative, and was the North American Sales & Marketing Manager for Angry Robot Books. He is also a co-host of the actual play show Speculate! and a guest host on the Hugo Award-finalist The Skiffy and Fanty Show.

Mike lives in Baltimore with his wife, their dog, and an ever-growing library. He also loves geeking out with games and making pizzas from scratch.

Where You Can Find Mike

• On Twitter @mikerunderwood
• On his website at Michaelrunderwood.com
• On Patreon, where you can find his essays on the business of publishing
• Listen to the Speculate! podcast
• Find geekdom reviews and whatnot on the Skippy and Fanty Show