The Aztecs. Ya gotta love them.

I mean how can you not love a civilization that tore the hearts out of more innocent, trusting human beings than the Season 11 auditions for American Idol? Of course, the Aztecs first got their victims drunk and gave them a nice panoramic view of the kingdom from the top of an architectural marvel, so who–I ask you–are the real barbarians?

Anyway, I got to thinking…there’s been a lot of hoopla about the year 2012 because it marks the end of the Aztec/Mayan calendar. But what would the Aztecs have made of the year 2012 if their empire had survived that long? In fact, what would a 21st-century Aztec empire even look like?

And because I’m on a murder mystery kick (I and the rest of America, apparently), I further got to thinking…what if a series of murders took place just as the 21st-century Aztecs were about to close the books on their calendar and start a new one?

Which is where I got the idea for a series of mystery stories to be presented under the heading Aztlan–the name of the Aztec city where these stories take place. Not in the form of novels, because that would be almost normal, but instead in the form of e-novellas.

The plan is to publish the e-book Aztlan: The Last Sun later this  month and the e-book Aztlan: The Courts of Heaven a few months later, and then to collect them as a single, novel-length paperback in August. So all you 21st-century Aztec murder-mystery novella fans make sure to check this site for further announcements–or we may just have to get you drunk and treat you to that panoramic view of the kingdom.

Peter David has been the self-proclaimed “writer of stuff” for several decades now and most of you know him for his lengthy runs on The Incredible Hulk, Star Trek and X-Factor. Some of you also know his creator-owned effort Fallen Angel and there are those who know him for some terrific Star Trek novels including his personal corner of the galaxy with Star Trek: New Frontier.

But how many know of him as a writer of original science fiction and fantasy? As a reminder, there is his King Arthur trilogy, his Sir Apropos of Nothing books, and other novels and short stories.

There’s a lot fewer of you who know this than there should be because if you like his comics, you’re sure to enjoy his original visions. It’s certainly one reason he’s a part of Crazy 8 Press. He has been sharing new works such as The Camelot Papers and The Hidden Earth novels with you. Here comes something else for you to enjoy. Back in 2011, Peter sold the novelette “Bronsky’s Dates With Death” to the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Locus named it one of the year’s best.

It’s a wonderful work and deserving of attention. More specifically, it’s worthy of your attention. The work is eligible for a Hugo Award nomination and the deadline for nominations is March 10. We’re offering the story free of charge if you just click over to here.