Red Light Bytes: March Edition
Catching Up on the Latest with 365 Infantry
Greetings Friends,
Dropping by, saying hi, and filling you in on all the latest with the series. And I’ll be frank, it’s a miracle I have time to tell you at all. I’ve been ricocheting between exploits in musicmaking and videomaking on top of the work I’m doing for 365, hence why I called off the fiction portion of Red Light Bytes for the immediate future (it shall return!)
I also want to be candid with my readers, writing this quarter hasn’t been easy. Not just with trying to keep so many irons in the fire, but because I am setting out on growing and developing arcs and narratives across the series, a task which is both exciting and daunting. It’s perhaps the mountain I’ve both dreaded and waited to climb, having set up a myriad of mysteries, quandaries, and predicaments over the past year. But we have some terrific stories waiting for you, so check back next week on March 11th to catch up on the adventures of Gibson, Val, Lita, Nic, Knox, and the whole gang on 365 Infantry!
So, what’s new?
Paid Exclusives
NEW STORIES: Note the plural. I’ve released a special little duology that wraps up a certain martial artist’s story in the series. He was a holdover from the series’ pre-production phase, and I felt it was only fair that, as we move into a new phase, to tie off that particular loose end. You can find that wonderful story here, available exclusively to paying subscribers
TOP-DOG DOSSIERS: So, I had a bit of an epiphany with this particular corner of the site, the behind-the-scenes articles. I’ve decided that these articles will be available to all paid subs. Our first article on the Roman inspiration behind certain corners of the series is out now! More on what we treat the Generals to later!
COMICS: We’ve got two little strips in the works. Nothing serious, no grand continuity, but fun pieces of work from Kevin and I that try to look at the world of Haven and the Wastelands in a different way. Release date TBD, will be made available to all paid subs.
ONGOING SERIES: Alan Firedale will remain the sixth branch of the quarterly magazine, with Episode 2 slated to join the latest adventures of the Infantry and their friends on March 11th. Recon Agent Roger Steele (introduced in print exclusive “Lions Among the Lambs”) will be given a serial under the name Steeled Spies, but I am still trying to sort out the best release schedule. I’d want him to be a monthly staple, but I may need time make that dream a reality. But you will be hearing more from him before the year’s out, that is guaranteed. Both will be available to all paid subs.
RED LIGHT BYTES: It pains me to say this, but going forward, Red Light Bytes as a flash series will be mostly paywalled. A single flash story per month will be made available to all readers, but a return to the weekly format may mean 3-4 out of the maximum 5 stories/month are reserved for paid members. Simply put, I want to incentivize paid subscriptions to the platform without having to paywall the main magazine. That said, all previous RLB content through to “She Digs ‘Em Wild” will remain free.
FOR THE GENERALS: So, with behind-the-scenes content pulled off the table as an exclusive for General of the Armies subs ($100/year), what perk will we be affording these generous folks? Simple: free books! Any future eBook releases under the 365 Infantry brand will be made free to all General of the Armies readers, starting with the eBook release of the 2022 Annual Collection! And as a bonus, we’ll also be gifting the first volume of our Alan Firedale soundtrack to Generals upon its release next week! The package will be sent out on March 12th, the first step in our humble way of saying “thank you” to these most generous supporters. And speaking of support…
Supporting the Force!
THE BOOK: The 2022 Annual Collection is available now on both Amazon and Lulu in paperback and eBook form, and it has been quite the experience publishing it. Quirks aside, I’m proud of the end result. This omnibus collects all 24 of last year’s stories, plus the previously mentioned backdoor pilot to Steeled Spies. They’re only $10 USD in paperback and $5 digital. This may be the best way you can support us financially. Months’ worth of hard work and dedication gathered in a nifty package.
TEEPUBLIC VS. REDBUBBLE: I’m battling my merch stores to the death. We have an excellent array of designs available on T-shirts, pins, mugs, and more, and would be grateful if you could help us figure out which store you prefer buying from. Our Redbubble storefront has seen more engagement, but our brand-new TeePublic store is where actual sales have been made. Which do you prefer? Only one way to find out. Grab some regalia today and see the difference for yourself.
DISCOUNTS ON TEEPUBLIC AND REDBUBBLE ARE AVAILABLE NOW, AS OF WRITING THIS!
Your purchases not only keep our lights on, but our artists receive a cut of the royalties from their excellent designs. Out now is Spookitty’s killer art of superstar spy Roger Steele!
DONATIONS: We still take plain-old donations on Ko-fi and PayPal.Me if you can’t spare the change for clothes or books. And more over, just to reiterate, my core principal of donations is one I still believe in. If every one of our readers gave us an American quarter ($0.25 USD) for each issue we release, that alone would be enough for us to keep going. So however much or however little you can spare, it is not only welcomed, but appreciated.
Conclusion
We've got big plans for 2023 and they keep getting bigger. Come back next week for the big guns to be brought out as we unleash Spring 2023 of 365 Infantry on the world. We’ve got weird, wild, and shocking stories planned for this quarter that will take all your favorite hard-boiled hounds and wicked wolves into the streets of Haven and the wide open spaces of the Wastelands beyond, all with surprising discoveries lurking around every bend.
May God bless you and this Force. See you next week!