Ingredients
Big words, small words, punctuation, and even — for no extra charge — some blank space. Sarcasm, philosophy, introspection, and a bit of the old ultra-violence. One invulnerable woman with a short fuse and sharp tongue. Nothing the FDA approves of.
Description
Just because Rin is indestructible doesn't mean she can't be hurt. On her quest to remedy an ancient sin, a single act of casual cruelty sets off an avalanche of events which threaten to destroy everything. Rin must rein in her assistant, a man of fierce attachment and questionable conviction, while avoiding her devious ex-husband, who will stop at nothing to reclaim her. In the balance lies her heart and the fate of the world.
Dosage
Now that the first book is done, I will take a different approach going forward. In keeping with the preference of a majority of my readers, I will start book 2 soon and put out episodes as they are ready rather than starting later and adhering to a strict schedule. My hope is to complete book 2 within 8-12 months, but that may turn out to be overly optimistic or overly conservative.
Side Effects and Contraindications
Disclaimer: This is a work of original fiction. Any resemblance to real people or other fiction is purely coincidental.
Warning: This work may not be appropriate for highly sensitive readers, those who demand a strict adherence to genre fiction tropes, and those afraid of big words. Reader discretion is advised. As a point of comparison regarding the first point, if you are okay with Game of Thrones you’ll probably be fine with this.
Common Questions
Are these actually common questions? In an infinite ergodic universe, every question will be asked an infinite number of times. However, our universe is closed and finite, so who can say?
When do new episodes come out? Going forward, as they are ready (which I expect will be once every week or two). For book 1, I followed a stricter regimen and they came out every Wednesday and Sunday, except when I messed up the scheduling. They typically come out around 1 AM EDT.
How many episodes will there be? Book 1 had 79 episodes, but it was rather large. Going forward, the books probably will have 40 or so episodes each.
How big is each episode? I aim for 2500 words, but I also try to break at an appropriate point. So far, episodes have ranged from 1370 words to 3150 words. The average has been around 2300 words. That’s around 11 pages of a mass-market paperback.
What is the difference between the free and paid subscriptions? I’ve dispensed with paid subscriptions, so the answer is “literally nothing.” If you wish to show your support, The Tale of Rin: Protege is for sale as a Kindle ebook and paperback. Even better, tell your friends about The Tale of Rin. The more readers, the merrier.
I just discovered The Tale of Rin. Am I too late to the game? Of course not! When you subscribe, you will have full access to past episodes. The Tale of Rin: Protege already is out as a Kindle ebook and paperback, so you may find it easier to read it in that format. Otherwise, I’ve pinned a post on the homepage with handy links to the first episode. Substack has added next/prev links at the bottom of each post, though these also navigate through the occasional update post. But they’re still much handier than the alternative. Once you subscribe, you’ll start receiving new episodes by email as they become available.
What will happen when the book ends? The first book already has. As the series reaches each natural break point, I will offer ebook and print versions for sale. The Tale of Rin is projected to be 5 to 6 books long (depending how I demarcate them), of which the first 3 already have been written or mostly written. So far, the first (and longest) has been fully published. For now, my plan is to keep all episodes (past books and present) available on substack indefinitely. However, if the serialization process grows unwieldy as a result I may change this policy. However, I will give ample warning if that is going to happen.
What should I expect? That’s a rather vague question. Death and taxes, probably. Also, bad television, somebody complaining about something, and lots and lots of football. As far as what you should expect from The Tale of Rin, the first book focuses on constructing the world and laying out the philosophical groundwork. There’s plenty of action, but it’s less action-heavy than books 2+. In those books, things spiral out of control fast.
A Personal Note from Your Doctor
This is my first serialized novel, so please wish me luck! I hope you enjoy the world I created and have a thrilling journey through it. Whether or not you find Rin an amiable companion, I'm sure you will find her an interesting one.
Also check out my other sites
Dubious Stuff: I recently started this substack. It will be a free showcase for ultra-short fiction, short stories, poetry, short essays, and a few shorter math explorations. Note the emphasis on “short”. Unlike my primary blog, A Place of Sand, I plan to post snippets, ruminations, and writing fairly frequently.
A Place of Sand: This is my personal idea blog. Though there is some overlap with Dubious Stuff, the pieces tend to be longer and more substantive (think academic papers or essays). I also tend to post less frequently.
Other Books of Mine
If you like my writing, I have novels and books of flash fiction for sale as well.
The Delivery (novel): "THE DELIVERY is a quick and quirky read blending the horrors of bureaucracy with the pressures of conformity. ... Halpern's dialogue is witty and filled with wordplay echoing some of Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter's lyrical conundrums." --- IndieReader. Wilbur is an unassuming little man living an unassuming little life. He and his wife have a stereotypical 1950s existence, but in modern America. One day, he arrives home to discover a mysterious crate. His attempts to deal with a seemingly minor mistake lead to an escalating series of absurdities, straining his marriage, leaving the couple's lives in tatters, and leading him to question his place in the world. Do millions perish? Does the world end? Does Wilbur figure out how to make photocopies? The Delivery is what happens when Kafka meets Monty Python.
PACE (novel): "A pitch-black global thriller that is nevertheless supremely intimate." -- Kirkus. A mysterious Front, originating in Scotland and slowly expanding outward, threatens humanity's existence. In defiance of the known laws of physics, it only kills humans and is otherwise undetectable. Panic-stricken nations struggle against both the advancing menace and a tide of civil unrest. Desperate individuals must find their own paths,and find them quickly. Although very slow, the Front can be deceptively difficult to escape. Mankind has only a few years to pool its rapidly dwindling resources and save itself from extinction.
The Last Cloud (flash fiction): Meet the superhero Spleen Squeezer, discover the true story of Eden, and travel to the safest city in the world in this 3rd collection of unclassifiable ultra-short pieces by K.M. Halpern. But wait, there's MORE!!!! For the same price, you get twice the wisdom, twice the wit, twice the heartpounding absurdity. Learn the danger of having ears, the importance of being unlikable, and how to achieve quality as an executioner. But it's a limited time offer. Delay and it could be too late. Since that's true of all things, it must be true of this. Don't condemn yourself to an eternity of unrelenting regret. Buy now, Now, NOW. Operators are standing by. Don't you realize how inconsiderate it is to keep them waiting?
The Way Around (flash fiction): More absurd, horrifying, and downright inexplicable shorts from the author of "The Man Who Stands in Line." Included are such soon-to-be classics as Buzz-Saw Bob, the sport of pendulum watching, yet another secret to ultimate success, the art of gasping, a neighbor who is definitely not Mr. Rogers, and Buddha's morning commute. I legally can't promise that this book will transform you into the demiurge you were meant to be. All I can say is that no medical studies have proved otherwise and the FDA moves very slowly.
The Man Who Stands in Line (flash fiction): "Don't let their brevity fool you; these works are tenacious, earnest and overflowing with gloom. ... the lasting impression of the writing within is without question." --- Kirkus. Killer flies, amorous dinosaurs, angry buildings, and one very large fish --- all in a single volume. THE MAN WHO STANDS IN LINE takes a surreal and humorous view of the usual questions of self, purpose, and society. This quirky collection of flash fiction, vignettes, and poetry is variously absurd, dark, and comic. A monstrous blister, the secret to immortality, and a lost piece of brain are just a few other oddities one will encounter in this one-of-a-kind book.
If you prefer other venues to Amazon, here is a list of direct links to places in the US and overseas to purchase print or ebook versions of these.
I also plan on releasing a book of short stories and a 4th book of flash fiction fairly soon. At some point after each novel in the Rin series is fully-serialized, I intend to publish it in print and ebook form as well. Subscribe to keep apprised of developments!
