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Happy July, everyone! I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. I just returned from a morning hike and thought I'd share the photos. Anyway, some significant changes are coming to the Star Runners email list that will include more free books and early access to upcoming novels. If this sounds interesting to you, or click the image below to sign up! It's completely free, I only send a couple of emails a year to respect your inbox, and you can unsubscribe anytime. It's just a cool way to stay in touch with you guys! The next email is going out this month. For now, stay frosty,LET

He was a steady fixture of my childhood growing up. He lived in a house on the street directly behind my own.Never one to shy away from a grin or a boisterous hello, he was a constant throughout my formative, dreadful years of middle school on into high school. I have fond memories of him and his lovely wife, Helen. His name was Lee Brown, although, to me, he was always Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown was a WWII veteran who served in the 5th Ranger Battalion landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy during D-Day 76 years ago as I write this.I cannot stop thinking of him today. I want to share a few vivid memories I have of him.A so-called blizzard struck Georgia when I was in the early days of middle school. My parents happened to be out of town, so we stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Brown. I remember watching the entire Star Wars trilogy with Mrs. Brown over several days since icy roads prevented us from driving. They treated us like their grandchildren, providing incredible meals and hospitality. It felt like home. During our stay, there was a painting on the wall. I will never forget it.When I was young, paintings always captured my interest almost as much as books. I asked Mr. Brown about it, and he explained it depicted a moment he remembered. Then he took his finger and moved it across the painting, pausing as if pondering what he wanted to say. "I was ... right about here when I heard, 'Ranger, lead the way,'" he said in a soft voice. I looked at Mr. Brown as he told me a little more about a story I had only read about in my history classes. This morning as I was writing this post, I looked up the painting thanks to Google. Now I know it was created by James Dietz. It's hard to describe how I felt staring at that image today.The blizzard stay at the Browns led to another fascinating memory. I received a middle school history assignment instructing us to interview someone about the past. Because of his painting, I chose Mr. Brown. I remember hesitating to call him. Of course, he was gracious, and soon I had my interview date set. My heart raced as I walked through the woods to his house. The notebook trembled in my hands. I think I may have even brought a tape recorder. I had never been nervous around Mr. Brown before, but now I was terrified for a reason I cannot explain. He welcomed me with that bright smile, placing his arm around me as we walked to the dining room for our interview. Mrs. Brown smiled and said hello, quickly disappearing into the back of the house to give us privacy for the meeting. She had placed cookies and milk on the table in anticipation of the conversation. And the painting was still on the wall. Our conversation started with the days before D-Day and soon focused on the events of June 6, 1944. He made it easy on me, answering all of my questions with a nod. I don't remember all the details except that he was generous, taking time to remember one of his scariest days.Following Normandy, he took part in the Battle of the Bulge and Europe's liberation, including the German concentration camp at Buchenwald. But he left out the horrific details of war and its effects, respecting my age and possibly not wanting to relive details. My grandfather rarely discussed the war, either, so I understood. The tragedy is that I do not know where my notes went. I do not have the paper anymore. I do not have the recording of our interview. All I have is a lingering feeling of being welcomed into Mr. Brown's memories. It was the final time I remember being in the Brown's house.Time went on. I graduated high school, got involved in all the things teenagers do. I occasionally waved at Mr. Brown through the woods, but never again spoke to him at length.And then I went off to college to start the rest of my life. My father and I went to see Saving Private Ryan in 1998 over a summer break when I was not taking classes and working construction. On the way home, I'll never forget dad saying, "That movie makes me want to give Mr. Brown a hug." "Me, too," I said, still reeling from the movie. But I didn't see the Browns when I was home that summer. I went back to school in the fall.Eventually, I was told the Browns moved about 30 minutes away. My parents told me Mr. Brown worked as a greeter at a nearby Wal-Mart. I always meant to stop by and tell him what he meant to me, but life has a way of seeming oh so important that there isn't enough time.Still, I always followed news stories of Mr. Brown over the years, read with interest when, in 2009, he was chosen by the President of France to receive their highest honor for valor, the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. Time went on. I read a story about him retiring from Wal-Mart at the age of 90 to spend more time at home with his wife. I had missed my chance to see him at the store but thought I would send him a letter soon. Mr. Brown passed away in January of 2016. I never sent the letter. I hope he knew what his stories meant to me. I wish he knew how much I appreciated their kindness and willingness to allow us to stay during the "blizzard." As I get older, I start to realize more how fast time passes. There are so many events I did not know were important when they were happening. As Moonlight Graham says in Field of Dreams, "At the time I thought there would be other days. I didn't realize that was the only day." If you are reading this post, I would like to remind you to do those things you are putting off - especially when it comes to friends and family. Talk to those you love or care about and get to know them. There is nothing worse than the cold reality of knowing there is no more time. For Mr. Brown, I appreciate more now than I did as a middle schooler what he sat down to tell me that day. He was a quiet hero in my neighborhood. I am thankful for his service. I am grateful he took the time to answer my questions about D-Day. I was blessed as a child to have such a stable family next door.Thank you, Mr., and Mrs. Brown. You are both unforgettable.

The world turned upside down in 2020. It started practically at the end of 2019 and has continued to now. Life has been increasingly busy and unpredictable. But I received an email from a reader recently that sent my head spinning. They asked if I was going to write another Star Runners book. Since they were quarantining due to COVID-19, they wanted another book to read.I was both humbled and saddened. My other responsibilities had carried me away from the Star Runners Universe this year. I hate to say it, but it's true. My mentor always said, "Don't complain and never explain." So I won't. Life happens. I stared at the question for a long moment. The truth is that I have several manuscripts finished and ready for my editor. Beautiful covers are designed and prepared. I hope to release at least some of them in 2020. I have one more book to write before I finish the initial plan of books I started working on nearly ten years ago. Then, I plan to step back from the universe for a bit. Like many of you, I feel the time is right to do a self-evaluation in this strange period in which we live. I am not sure what that means at the moment other than to say I have been pondering the future and what I will write next. I promise I will provide more updates in the future as release dates materialize. For now, I want to thank those of you patiently waiting for another book in the Star Runners Universe. They are coming. Please take care of yourselves and each other. Stay frosty, my friends,LET

Christmastime is here! What better way to celebrate than announcing a new title to the Star Runners Universe Audible library! was a story I had to write. I think the original idea came from an interest in conveying a story from the point-of-view of the people on the world of Tarrafa as the Zahl Empire attacked during the events of Star Runners: Scorpions. There's even a very brief cameo of Ryker in one of the opening chapters. I knew it was a risk to write a book away from the original characters of the series, but it was a gamble I had to take. I am so glad I did. I am very proud of the results. But all the audiobook listeners had to wait...until now! To make the project even more enjoyable, I reunited with the infinitely talented Mikael Naramore, who created the audiobook for Star Runners: Mission Wraith! Mikael is incredible to work with and the ultimate performer. He made Invasion come to life, lifting the story to a completely different level. I am thrilled to present his hard work for you. Seven other audiobooks that take place in the Star Runners Universe are also available. Check out details at . I have taken up enough of your time for now. I wish you all a fantastic conclusion to the year with lots of time with family and friends. Thank you for your support over the last five years of the Star Runners Universe. Every one of you who have spent any time in the Star Runners Universe has changed my life in ways I cannot even begin to explain. I appreciate you.

I have always been a reader first, listener second. I still love holding an actual book in my hand and getting lost in another world. But I know many others prefer listening to their books. When I'm spending about three hours a day in the car, I certainly love being able to "read" via Audible rather than staring taillights and bumpers for hours on end. With that in mind, I have an exciting announcement for those who have only ever listened to the Star Runners Universe. Two titles in the SRU are coming in time for the holidays. Bob Dunsworth provides his considerable talents to the tale that opens up more of the Star Runners Universe than ever before! His ability to utilize voice enhancements throughout the production blew my mind. I can't tell you how cool it is to hear chatter between fighters that sounds like a Star Runners communicating through a speaker. So cool! I had a blast listening to his work on this novel, and I know you will, too! I will announce the second Audible release soon. Stay tuned! For now, check out the official information for Dark Space. True friendship has no boundaries.Being a recruiter for the Galactic Legion of Planets is a safe and secure job for Josh Morris as he tries to re-enter a "normal" life following his captivity at the hands of Dax Rodon and the Tyral Pirates. But he is tortured by a vow he made to the smuggling group known as the Barracudas to return their ship. Once he decides to leave Earth, Josh has no idea his past is hunting him, seeking revenge. What follows is a heart-pounding adventure discovering new worlds and cultures, narrow escapes, and thrilling space battles as Josh travels to the farthest regions of the galaxy—and beyond it into the unexplored Dark Space—to keep a promise and help a friend, unknowingly sparking events leading to a conflict of terrifying scope unlike any the stars have ever seen.

It is a great pleasure to announce the audiobook release of Ghost: A Star Runners Universe Novel!Narrated by the talented Kevin Murphy, the tale of Ghost shows a darker side of the Star Runners Universe you are familiar with from the stories of Austin, Ryker, Nubern and more. Chock full of shootouts, betrayal, and intrigue, Ghost is the perfect way to spend that Audible credit you've been hanging onto!

The website, NFReads.com, published an interview with L.E. Thomas this week.

The actual process of writing has not changed much over the years. It still involves making the time to write and putting one word after another.However, the writing industry continues to evolve. From traditional publishing to the independent route or a hybrid of both, there are options for authors seeking to get their work out into the world. I listen to podcasts and read about the industry nearly every day. For years, many people subscribed to the ultimate goal of what they call rapid release. What this means is publishing an entire series at once or publishing one book every six weeks or so. The idea is that publishing more often will gain you loyal followers and also garner the attention of Amazon's holy grail algorithm. I have the utmost respect for any author who can crank out polished work so quickly. I am not one of them.As some of you may know, I never subscribed to the idea of rapid release. I can write the first draft of a book in a few weeks. If you consider most of the novels I have written are all around 100,000 words, I can finish the story in two or three months. But I like to edit slowly, taking my time as the initial draft becomes something more precise. And I cut a lot. I'm talking tens of thousands of words sliced from the first draft.For example, some beta readers have asked me about deleted scenes, especially from the first Star Runners book. Some scenes went into other books (you wouldn't believe where the battle over Atlantis once took place) while others are still on a hard drive where they will stay. In most cases, I have no regrets of scenes I've cut.I always wanted to give the reader everything I could with each novel, aiming to provide a solid standalone story that was also part of a more significant arc. My wife has complained about buying short books for full price that never wrapped up anything. I didn't want to do that to anyone who took a chance on my books. I am writing all this to say I knew I would never be able to transition to the rapid release format. Was it better? Did it lead to more sales? It sure seemed to work for many authors. It was not right for me. Now, I've heard the winds of change are shifting toward spending more on advertising. Some authors are angry about the change calling it a "pay to play" scenario. Maybe I'm naive, but it doesn't bother me. I spend a little on advertising each month but not the thousands I hear some authors pay. So what's my version of rapid release? I'm still writing stories because I cannot imagine doing anything else. I can't stop. And I feel so blessed any of you ever give me a chance. I have a few manuscripts in various stages of review. I want to publish a book or two a year for the rest of my life. Invasion (left) was released earlier this year. Will I have another ready before 2019 is over? I doubt it. I can't believe it's already Labor Day. But I will keep you posted on my progress and let you know. For now, have a great start to the month! Keep smiling and, of course, stay frosty!

My family moved to St. Louis in the early 80s. I was in kindergarten and had to move in the middle of the year. But I didn't mind. Moving seemed like a great adventure. I fell in love with everything in St. Louis, from the schools to the people to the local sports--especially the Cardinals. It happened to be this was where I started playing baseball for the first time, so naturally, I became a ridiculously fan of the Cards. My first professional baseball game was with Dad and his best friend in Busch Stadium. I remember I couldn't believe how big the stadium was!Anyway, we moved after a little more than three years. I never went back until this summer. Since the 1980s, I've had other chances to see the Cardinals in Atlanta. But I have yet to return to St. Louis for a game. I came close once during a conference for work, and it was during the World Series. However, I came down with pneumonia and was advised by my doctor not to fly. He said it could cause serious complications. Still, I almost went on the trip anyway despite how terrible I felt. I ultimately decided I would have another opportunity to go to a game � someday. So Dad and I planned a road trip to the WWI museum in Kansas City this summer, and the trip grew from there. Dad is an excellent trip planner and could have had another life as a travel agent or something similar. One of the stops on the trip was, of course, a Cardinal game. We drove from Atlanta to St. Louis for the night game. I was thrilled. And then the game was canceled due to weather. I couldn't believe it. I usually try to stay positive. However, maybe the universe didn't want me to go to a Cardinals game in St. Louis? Of course, I felt that way before I realized how serious the weather situation had become. You might remember the string of terrible weather across the midwest in May of this year? The TVs in the hotel showed the tragedy citizens across Missouri were dealing with, and I felt fortunate we made it safely. While we were bummed, it didn't take long to realize our disappointment was not a big deal compared to what people in the path of those storms coped with that month.We were able to dodge the dangerous weather, hoping we change the tickets. It wasn't allowed, and we couldn't stay for the late game because of our itinerary, so we donated the tickets to the military.Instead of going to the game, we ended up grabbing a hotdog across the street and watching the Cards on the TV. It was an awesome venue! We had a blast.I guess sometimes it doesn't matter if your plans don't work out as long as you stay positive. Besides, the best experience was hanging out with Dad.