Video book trailer now available!

Posted on September 5th, 2011

The book trailer for The Caldarian Conflict is now available. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Comments are welcome!

Press Release for The Caldarian Conflict

Posted on September 1st, 2011

Wanted to share my latest press release with all of you: My novel is now available!

For Immediate Release:

Just in time for International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19), author Mike Kalmbach has released his debut fantasy novel, “The Caldarian Conflict” (ISBN:978-1466246812).

This isn’t your typical pirate novel. Of course, there’s plenty of swashbuckling adventure as a corrupt military deals death to enraged pirates using questionable methods. However, this story follows Brother Mendell,a monk caught in the crossfire as he seeks justice for an unfairly executed prisoner.

No one is safe as Admiral Cain and his ruthless assistant Krell struggle to maintain complete secrecy over their plan. Their goal isn’t merely to rid Caldaria of pirates; they have much loftier ambitions. Anyone with too much knowledge must die.

Mendell struggles to unravel the mystery before he, too, becomes a casualty of”The Caldarian Conflict”.

“I wrote a book I’d enjoy reading,” says Kalmbach. “Full of plot twists, complex characters, and a protagonist who sees the world differently from most people.”

Reviewer Danielle Allen agrees. “Telling the story from the perspective of a monk gives the reader a unique viewpoint of the moral dilemmas that Mendell faces and a fresh angle on pirate novels in general…Characters’ motivations and plot twists are slowly revealed throughout the novel, always keeping the reader engaged. The novel ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the sequel!”

“The Caldarian Conflict” is available at Amazon.com, BN.com, CreateSpace.com, and other channels.

About the author:

Mike Kalmbach lives in southeast Minnesota and has a Master of Science degree in software engineering from the University of Minnesota. Moonlighting as a freelance editor, he has edited numerous full-length manuscripts as well as countless shorter works. He also leads the Rochester MN Writing Group and is a founding member of the Rochester Writers Collaborative.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mike Kalmbach
Email: [email protected]
Book cover and author images available by request.

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE

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Rochester MN Writers Festival 2011 Press Release

Posted on February 21st, 2011

The third annual Rochester Writer’s Festival will take place on April 9 at Bethel Lutheran Church.  Writers will have the opportunity to participate in up to four 90-minute seminars and panel discussions, as well as the opportunity to have their own work critiqued by a local freelance editor.  The day culminates in a final networking event where writers have the opportunity to talk with instructors, local authors, freelancers, and each other about our biggest passion.

This year’s festival will feature keynote speaker Mike Kalmbach as he talks about how writers need craft, creativity, and community to succeed in today’s connected world.  Besides moonlighting as a freelance writer and editor, Mike Kalmbach also currently leads the Rochester Library Writing Group and is a founding member of the Rochester Writers Collaborative.  As a freelance editor, he has edited numerous full-length manuscripts as well as many more shorter works.  Mike is active as a blogger and on Twitter.  He also organizes monthly Writer’s Night Out events at area coffee shops so Rochester writers can network and grow through greater connections.

Classes will include topics like selling your work, how to write better fiction, writing children’s plays, and the five secret markers found in every good story.  Seminars will include topics on leveraging social media and what local editors are looking for in a story and pitch.  Critiques of an author’s submitted works will need to be submitted by March 18 in order to guarantee a proper evaluation.  Critiques are a separate charge.

Writers should contact Rochester Community Education to sign up for a half-day or full-day seminar, or for details on how to submit their work for critique.  Costs are detailed below.

Seminar list:
– The Perfect Pitch – Frank Bures
– Write in a Flash – Helen Chen
– Writing About Yourself: A Generative Workshop – Jennifer Koski
– Please Don’t Feed the Saboteur – Roseanne Bane
– Write the Children’s Play That Theatres Are Looking For – Joan Sween
– The Five Secret Markers Found in Every Good Story – Tom Overlie

Panel list (see Rochester Community Education brochure for details):
– Meet the Editors – Ellington Miller-Starks and Steve Lange
– Promises and Pitfalls of Social Media – Brad Marsh and David Fingerman

Complete instructor list:
– Frank Bures
– Helen Chen
– Jennifer Koski
– Roseanne Bane
– Joan Sween
– Tom Overlie
– Ellington Miller-Starks
– Steve Lange
– Brad Marsh
– David Fingerman

Costs (click to register):

– Full day registration (includes lunch):  $59 (on or before March 9), $69 (after March 9)
– Half day registration AM (does not include lunch):  $35
– Half day registration PM (does not include lunch):  $35
– Critique:  $50

Rochester MN Writers Festival 2011

Posted on February 21st, 2011

The Third Annual Rochester Writers Festival will be held on April 9 at Bethel Lutheran Church.  For those who sign up for a full day session by March 9, you get a $10 discount!

Don’t want to go all day?  We also have the option of signing up for just a half day.

New this year:

  • Networking session after the main event.  It’s a great opportunity to meet local writers and talk with instructors.
  • Yours truly will be the keynote speaker!
  • One-on-one critiques are available to help you improve your work (separate registration, only 12 spots available)

Sign up soon…space is limited!

For more details and to sign up, check out the Community Education site.

Please forward this to any other writers who may be interested.

My Name is in Space

Posted on May 16th, 2010

Kind of a cool link I stumbled across today…my name is on the Stardust spacecraft.

I’d long-forgotten about this.

Back in 1998, I had the opportunity to have my name inscribed on a microchip on the Stardust spacecraft.  The spacecraft was designed to go to a comet, collect dust, and return it to Earth.  This mission was successful.

Kind of cool–especially since one microchip will remain on the spacecraft, and one was returned with the collected dust.  Being a part of history, even with such a small thing (having one’s name inscribed on a spacecraft) is an amazing feeling.

Funny how you can participate in something, but forget about it until a dozen years later.  Ironically enough, I remember reading news articles about the return of the collector, but had forgotten the small detail that my name was inscribed on the craft that collected it.  It’s a small measure of immortality, to know my name will float in space for millenia to come.