Just a brief post to keep everyone apprised of what I've got going on.
First off, break out the champagne! I just signed a contract with Silver Shamrock Publications for my haunted house novel, HIDDEN HEARTS. If you look back through the entries here, you'll see a few while it was in development, and come this November, you'll get the chance to see the finished product. Stay tuned for more information as it comes closer to release.
Next up, I do have two convention appearances coming up in the next few weeks. Next Thursday, I'll be headed to Providence for NECON 39. It's going to be my first time there, so if you attend, come say "hi" and help me get over the nerves. Also, if you're interested, there will be a limited number of copies for WHAT SLEEPS BENEATH at the Bloodshot Books table, that I will be more than willing to sign if you ask.
I'll be home for a week, and then it's off to Williamsburg for Scares That Care Charity Weekend 6, where I'll be set up in the first floor vendor's room. Again, stop in and chat, and if you're of a mind, I will have copies of all my work available for purchase and signing! I'll also be doing a public reading on Friday night, August 2, at 9:00 PM, so come and listen to me and Lucas Milliron do our best to entertain you.
That's it for now, but keep watching for me to start regular posts on here again very soon!
Showing posts with label The Boring Business End of it All. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Boring Business End of it All. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2019
Monday, February 12, 2018
On the Horizon
It's been a busy week for me, and one where I haven't managed to get a lot of actual writing done. That always leaves me feeling out-of-sorts, but sometimes it's just unavoidable. I have made some progress on both SATYR and WARLOCK, as well as knocking out the prologue of my modern-day fairy-tale that will be up after one of those is done. Also, since my brain never seems to shut off, I've been tinkering with other ideas. So, in the interest of helping myself keep things straight, here's what's coming down the pipeline for me in the next few months.
First, I have made arrangements to do some behind the scenes work on books for other folks as well. I won't be going into detail on that because I'm honestly not sure how much I'm allowed to say about it, but once I can announce more, I will.
Second, if you're expecting signed books from me, they ARE coming, I promise. It's been rough finance-wise the last few weeks, and I just had a vehicular emergency to deal with, but I'll be getting those in the mail VERY soon. I am sorry for the delay, but some things just can't be avoided.
Next, as I mentioned, I'm working on two books at once again. This time around, it's easier than the last time I attempted it. I think because it's helping to keep things fresher for me, more fun. I get stuck on one, I switch to the other, and vice-versa. No more trying to hammer my way through when the story's not showing me what's next fast enough. I'm even planning a third project, so all of those should be getting progress updates in the very near future.
Finally, I'm tinkering with an idea. It was originally going to be a feature on this site, but that may be changing to something else. I'll announce it once I have more of an idea what format it's going to take, and exactly how it's going to work.
Also, I have something planned for late spring that I'll be announcing sometime next month, and have a new novel coming from Bloodshot Books near the end of this year or start of next year, so keep an eye out for announcements regarding that as summer crosses into fall. I'm also working on some other things that I hope to have announcements for in the very near future. I may not be very vocal about what I'm doing, but rest assured there is A LOT going on. I just have to wait until there's something to talk about before doing so.
That said, you can make sure to check out my latest appearance on Armand Rosamilia's Arm Cast Podcast by clicking here. He even does a brief review of MUDCAT on the air, which I had no idea was coming when I recorded the interview. It's looking like everyone so far has enjoyed reading that one as much as I enjoyed writing it, so that is an immeasurable relief!
Anyway, back to the grind stone, and keep your eyes peeled for more announcements soon!
First, I have made arrangements to do some behind the scenes work on books for other folks as well. I won't be going into detail on that because I'm honestly not sure how much I'm allowed to say about it, but once I can announce more, I will.
Second, if you're expecting signed books from me, they ARE coming, I promise. It's been rough finance-wise the last few weeks, and I just had a vehicular emergency to deal with, but I'll be getting those in the mail VERY soon. I am sorry for the delay, but some things just can't be avoided.
Next, as I mentioned, I'm working on two books at once again. This time around, it's easier than the last time I attempted it. I think because it's helping to keep things fresher for me, more fun. I get stuck on one, I switch to the other, and vice-versa. No more trying to hammer my way through when the story's not showing me what's next fast enough. I'm even planning a third project, so all of those should be getting progress updates in the very near future.
Finally, I'm tinkering with an idea. It was originally going to be a feature on this site, but that may be changing to something else. I'll announce it once I have more of an idea what format it's going to take, and exactly how it's going to work.
Also, I have something planned for late spring that I'll be announcing sometime next month, and have a new novel coming from Bloodshot Books near the end of this year or start of next year, so keep an eye out for announcements regarding that as summer crosses into fall. I'm also working on some other things that I hope to have announcements for in the very near future. I may not be very vocal about what I'm doing, but rest assured there is A LOT going on. I just have to wait until there's something to talk about before doing so.
That said, you can make sure to check out my latest appearance on Armand Rosamilia's Arm Cast Podcast by clicking here. He even does a brief review of MUDCAT on the air, which I had no idea was coming when I recorded the interview. It's looking like everyone so far has enjoyed reading that one as much as I enjoyed writing it, so that is an immeasurable relief!
Anyway, back to the grind stone, and keep your eyes peeled for more announcements soon!
Saturday, November 18, 2017
The Fun of Writing Fantasy
I have two loves when it comes to fiction: horror and fantasy. Just as I've lost myself in a novel by Stephen King or Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon or Brian Keene, so, too have I gone to other worlds in tales by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R.R. Martin. By extension, I've tried my hand at writing fantasy, too, to mixed results.
One of the first original novels I did was fantasy. I intended for it to be the first of a series, and while I think there were some good bits, most of it was utter garbage that will hopefully never see the light of day--at least not in the form it is now. A few years ago, I tried again. I got through a few chapters, and then I put it down. It just wasn't time.
Then a friend and I came up with a fantasy world for a Dungeons & Dragons game, and something clicked. I picked that in-progress novel back up, read over it, and realized it wasn't as bad as I thought at the time. So I went back to work on it. And finished it. And then finished the second book in what will probably be a trilogy called The Time of Ashes Cycle.
Here's the problem: I'm a pantser by nature. That means I have a story idea and start writing. I don't plan things out, I don't think very far ahead, I just let the characters and story pull me along. Fantasy, due to the intricacies inherent in the genre, doesn't work well with pantsers. Therefore, I've had to do a hybrid plotter / pantser thing that I am totally not used to.
One of the first original novels I did was fantasy. I intended for it to be the first of a series, and while I think there were some good bits, most of it was utter garbage that will hopefully never see the light of day--at least not in the form it is now. A few years ago, I tried again. I got through a few chapters, and then I put it down. It just wasn't time.
Then a friend and I came up with a fantasy world for a Dungeons & Dragons game, and something clicked. I picked that in-progress novel back up, read over it, and realized it wasn't as bad as I thought at the time. So I went back to work on it. And finished it. And then finished the second book in what will probably be a trilogy called The Time of Ashes Cycle.
Here's the problem: I'm a pantser by nature. That means I have a story idea and start writing. I don't plan things out, I don't think very far ahead, I just let the characters and story pull me along. Fantasy, due to the intricacies inherent in the genre, doesn't work well with pantsers. Therefore, I've had to do a hybrid plotter / pantser thing that I am totally not used to.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
And Breathe...
I'm finally doing it. I promised it before, and ended up going back on it time and time again, but this time I'm actually going to follow through: I'm taking a break.
I've discovered as I've worked my way through OBSESSED (formerly CLUTTER) that the words have been coming harder and harder. Where I was finishing a chapter a night, now I'm doing good to finish a chapter in three or four days. The story's there, it's just not coming as easily as it once did. At first I thought it was because of some of the things I was trying to do with this one, but then it occurred to me that it was more because I was creatively exhausting myself. So, to try and reverse that course, I'm going to take a break.
As it stands right now, I've got about three or four chapters left to go with OBSESSED. I'm going to finish those up so the story is out of me like some terrible childbirth, and then I'm going to shift my focus to other things until sometime after Scares That Care in July. I've got ideas and things on the bench, but I"m going to hold off starting them for now. One, the third book in the Time of Ashes Cycle, has a long planning period before I can even think about digging into it, as well as a third and second draft respectively on the first two books in that series. I've also got what may turn out to be a modern-day fairy tale rattling around in my head, and while I'm excited to start on it, I know I'm not where I need to be to write it just yet.
Instead of new stuff, then, I'll be working on revisions for the literal mountain of manuscripts I've accumulated over the last couple of years. I really want to get my post-apocalyptic tale cleaned up and submitted (got a couple of targets in mind), I need to finish getting the Cochran books squared away, and then I've got the stand-alone stuff to fine-tune as well. Somewhere in that I'd like to play with some of the less broad tales floating around in my imagination, and maybe send some of those into the wild (anthologies? Patreon? newsletter? all or none of the above?). I also need to get back to focusing on the business end of this somewhat, too, since I've got THE JOURNAL OF JEREMY TODD launching right before Scares, and MUDCAT in the pipeline for edits and publication soon, too. I want both of these to do well, so that means I need to pay attention.
So, a breath. A break. And then back to the insanity once my gray matter recharges. Of course, knowing myself as I do, I'll probably get too restless to actually relax and will be right back into the thick of it before I know it.
I've discovered as I've worked my way through OBSESSED (formerly CLUTTER) that the words have been coming harder and harder. Where I was finishing a chapter a night, now I'm doing good to finish a chapter in three or four days. The story's there, it's just not coming as easily as it once did. At first I thought it was because of some of the things I was trying to do with this one, but then it occurred to me that it was more because I was creatively exhausting myself. So, to try and reverse that course, I'm going to take a break.
As it stands right now, I've got about three or four chapters left to go with OBSESSED. I'm going to finish those up so the story is out of me like some terrible childbirth, and then I'm going to shift my focus to other things until sometime after Scares That Care in July. I've got ideas and things on the bench, but I"m going to hold off starting them for now. One, the third book in the Time of Ashes Cycle, has a long planning period before I can even think about digging into it, as well as a third and second draft respectively on the first two books in that series. I've also got what may turn out to be a modern-day fairy tale rattling around in my head, and while I'm excited to start on it, I know I'm not where I need to be to write it just yet.
Instead of new stuff, then, I'll be working on revisions for the literal mountain of manuscripts I've accumulated over the last couple of years. I really want to get my post-apocalyptic tale cleaned up and submitted (got a couple of targets in mind), I need to finish getting the Cochran books squared away, and then I've got the stand-alone stuff to fine-tune as well. Somewhere in that I'd like to play with some of the less broad tales floating around in my imagination, and maybe send some of those into the wild (anthologies? Patreon? newsletter? all or none of the above?). I also need to get back to focusing on the business end of this somewhat, too, since I've got THE JOURNAL OF JEREMY TODD launching right before Scares, and MUDCAT in the pipeline for edits and publication soon, too. I want both of these to do well, so that means I need to pay attention.
So, a breath. A break. And then back to the insanity once my gray matter recharges. Of course, knowing myself as I do, I'll probably get too restless to actually relax and will be right back into the thick of it before I know it.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Random Musings: A General Update
It's strange to look at the posts I've made on here the last month or so and see mostly reviews for other folks, and notices on the Summer of Consequences Publicity Tour, and little else. Don't get me wrong, neither of those are a bad thing at all; it's just a little surprising considering what I expected this blog to be when I first started out with it. So if you'll indulge me a little selfishness, here's a snapshot of what all's going on with me right now.
First, I want to explain why all the reviews. It's simple, really. Since I published Consequences, I've discovered how supportive the horror community is. Doing all these reviews is my way of paying that back somewhat; no more, no less. Plus, I read a lot, so why not toot the horn for some of the great books I've had the privelidge of enjoying the last little while? To that end, there's another one coming later this week, and I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
On the publishing front, Consequences has been getting rave reviews, which still blows me away. I never expected this kind of reception when I put it out there, but I am eternally grateful that it's done as well as it has. To think that I managed to break the stereotype of self-published books being poorly written, poorly edited, and therefore poorly received is a relief. And there's more on the horizon! The Journal of Jeremy Todd is currently expected to be released by Sinister Grin on June 1, 2017 (though that can change, in either direction). My short story "In the Moonlit Forest Glade" will be coming out in Full Moon Slaughter, edited by Toneye Eyenot, from JEA Press probably in October. And, to top it all off, I'm working on something now that has me kind of excited. I'll say more when I know more, but keep your eyes peeled for an announcement pretty soon.
I've also been writing like crazy. The killer catfish tale that started as a joke is now finished, as you've seen if you monitor my progress bar. Mudcat ended up being much different from what I expected, hopefully in a good way. Time will tell. It's currently simmering while I work on other things, awaiting the time I start in for the second draft. Alone in Babylon, my post-Apocalyptic tale, is nearing its end as well, and I'm a little sad by that. I really connected with my main character here, and am not looking forward to letting him go. Unfortunately, that's how it works. I've reached the point where I know how the story ends, which means it won't be long now before I type "The End" and move on to whatever's next. I'm thinking something a little lighter in tone for the next one, and have a couple of ideas, so we'll see what pans out.
My self-edits have taken a bit of a back seat as other things play out, like the secret project, and changes at the day job, but as things begin to settle back down, I'll be getting back to them more consistently. I'm currently working on the second draft of Off the Beaten Path, with a long-overdue edit to the third Cochran book, Blood Games, to follow.
Speaking of the Cochran series, Demon at the Window is still making its rounds through submissions, so hopefully I'll have some news on it soon.
And that's pretty much where I'm at right now. Lots going on, but it's all behind-the-scenes stuff that translates to a waiting game. I do have some more meaty posts rattling around in my head that I just need to sit down and write once I have the time. Until then, thanks for stopping by, and keep checking back for more as it comes!
First, I want to explain why all the reviews. It's simple, really. Since I published Consequences, I've discovered how supportive the horror community is. Doing all these reviews is my way of paying that back somewhat; no more, no less. Plus, I read a lot, so why not toot the horn for some of the great books I've had the privelidge of enjoying the last little while? To that end, there's another one coming later this week, and I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
On the publishing front, Consequences has been getting rave reviews, which still blows me away. I never expected this kind of reception when I put it out there, but I am eternally grateful that it's done as well as it has. To think that I managed to break the stereotype of self-published books being poorly written, poorly edited, and therefore poorly received is a relief. And there's more on the horizon! The Journal of Jeremy Todd is currently expected to be released by Sinister Grin on June 1, 2017 (though that can change, in either direction). My short story "In the Moonlit Forest Glade" will be coming out in Full Moon Slaughter, edited by Toneye Eyenot, from JEA Press probably in October. And, to top it all off, I'm working on something now that has me kind of excited. I'll say more when I know more, but keep your eyes peeled for an announcement pretty soon.
I've also been writing like crazy. The killer catfish tale that started as a joke is now finished, as you've seen if you monitor my progress bar. Mudcat ended up being much different from what I expected, hopefully in a good way. Time will tell. It's currently simmering while I work on other things, awaiting the time I start in for the second draft. Alone in Babylon, my post-Apocalyptic tale, is nearing its end as well, and I'm a little sad by that. I really connected with my main character here, and am not looking forward to letting him go. Unfortunately, that's how it works. I've reached the point where I know how the story ends, which means it won't be long now before I type "The End" and move on to whatever's next. I'm thinking something a little lighter in tone for the next one, and have a couple of ideas, so we'll see what pans out.
My self-edits have taken a bit of a back seat as other things play out, like the secret project, and changes at the day job, but as things begin to settle back down, I'll be getting back to them more consistently. I'm currently working on the second draft of Off the Beaten Path, with a long-overdue edit to the third Cochran book, Blood Games, to follow.
Speaking of the Cochran series, Demon at the Window is still making its rounds through submissions, so hopefully I'll have some news on it soon.
And that's pretty much where I'm at right now. Lots going on, but it's all behind-the-scenes stuff that translates to a waiting game. I do have some more meaty posts rattling around in my head that I just need to sit down and write once I have the time. Until then, thanks for stopping by, and keep checking back for more as it comes!
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Things to Come: An Update
The reason I haven't posted much on here as of late has less to do with not having things to discuss and more to do with finding time. There's a lot in the works, so let me try to catch you up on them.
I'm almost done with The Harlequin Legacy. In fact, I expect to finish it within the next few days. While my pace has slowed from when I started, this still will mark the tenth novel I've finished since getting serious about this last July. I do have a post I'll be making reflecting on that once it's done, but for now, I've still got the last couple of scenes left to write.
From the looks of things, The Journal of Jeremy Todd will be coming out around June of 2017. Things can change, of course, but that's the date Sinister Grin has set, at least tentatively. The only thing I know for certain is that I have to have the final manuscript in their hands by December 1 of this year, so I'll let you know how things work out.
Consequences is about to start a summer publicity tour online, so stay tuned for developments with that. I'll be posting things here, of course, as well as on Facebook and Twitter, and you can also check out Erin Al-Mehairi's page over at Hook of a Book for details, since that's who's running it. If you'd like to be involved somehow, just let her know (contact info's on her site and the Hook of a Book FB page) and she'll coordinate all that with you!
I've begun to think about the next project up after THL, and I think I'm going to pull Justicar back out and finish it up. I've done ten horror novels in the last year, so I think maybe I should go for something different. Not that dark fantasy is so far removed from horror, but since that world doesn't exist, it will still be a nice change of pace for me.
Demon at the Window has just started the submissions phase of its existence, so stay tuned for how that plays out. I wouldn't look for it to see the light of day until after Jeremy Todd, though, so don't get your hopes up too far.
And that's pretty much everything! I will try and keep this page updated as I can, but as you can see I'm busier than ever with a lot of irons in the fire.
See you on the tour!
I'm almost done with The Harlequin Legacy. In fact, I expect to finish it within the next few days. While my pace has slowed from when I started, this still will mark the tenth novel I've finished since getting serious about this last July. I do have a post I'll be making reflecting on that once it's done, but for now, I've still got the last couple of scenes left to write.
From the looks of things, The Journal of Jeremy Todd will be coming out around June of 2017. Things can change, of course, but that's the date Sinister Grin has set, at least tentatively. The only thing I know for certain is that I have to have the final manuscript in their hands by December 1 of this year, so I'll let you know how things work out.
Consequences is about to start a summer publicity tour online, so stay tuned for developments with that. I'll be posting things here, of course, as well as on Facebook and Twitter, and you can also check out Erin Al-Mehairi's page over at Hook of a Book for details, since that's who's running it. If you'd like to be involved somehow, just let her know (contact info's on her site and the Hook of a Book FB page) and she'll coordinate all that with you!
I've begun to think about the next project up after THL, and I think I'm going to pull Justicar back out and finish it up. I've done ten horror novels in the last year, so I think maybe I should go for something different. Not that dark fantasy is so far removed from horror, but since that world doesn't exist, it will still be a nice change of pace for me.
Demon at the Window has just started the submissions phase of its existence, so stay tuned for how that plays out. I wouldn't look for it to see the light of day until after Jeremy Todd, though, so don't get your hopes up too far.
And that's pretty much everything! I will try and keep this page updated as I can, but as you can see I'm busier than ever with a lot of irons in the fire.
See you on the tour!
Sunday, May 15, 2016
The Ink is Drying...
...and so I'm thrilled to announce that The Journal of Jeremy Todd has officially been picked up by Sinister Grin Press for release in 2017!
I don't have specifics on a release date or anything like that; it's still exceptionally early in the game. But you can rest assured I'll be providing that information as soon as I have it.
I think it's safe to say I'm overjoyed to have my name alongside influences of mine like Kristopher Rufty, Jonathan Janz, and Ron Kelly, not to mention some of the awesome writers I've discovered through them like Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, David Bernstein, and Brett McBean.
Thanks to Tristan, Matt, Travis, and the rest of the SGP crew for taking a chance on me, and I look forward to working with you!
I don't have specifics on a release date or anything like that; it's still exceptionally early in the game. But you can rest assured I'll be providing that information as soon as I have it.
I think it's safe to say I'm overjoyed to have my name alongside influences of mine like Kristopher Rufty, Jonathan Janz, and Ron Kelly, not to mention some of the awesome writers I've discovered through them like Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, David Bernstein, and Brett McBean.
Thanks to Tristan, Matt, Travis, and the rest of the SGP crew for taking a chance on me, and I look forward to working with you!
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Looking at the Numbers
Consequences has been out for a while, and while my sales figures aren't all that high (not unexpected since the only real marketing push I've given it has been through social media and on this site), I'm starting to see a trend here that's got me thinking about how to release and distribute anything in the future.
When I released it, I did the paperback through CreateSpace (owned by Amazon), and digital versions through both Kindle Direct Publishing and Draft 2 Digital, which put me in Apple iBooks, Barnes and Noble nook, and Kobo. Over the last couple of weeks, something interesting has emerged from the sales reports about that, though.
I've pushed the links for everything; why leave anything out, right? What I'm seeing is this:
When I released it, I did the paperback through CreateSpace (owned by Amazon), and digital versions through both Kindle Direct Publishing and Draft 2 Digital, which put me in Apple iBooks, Barnes and Noble nook, and Kobo. Over the last couple of weeks, something interesting has emerged from the sales reports about that, though.
I've pushed the links for everything; why leave anything out, right? What I'm seeing is this:
- Paperback is still the most popular format, outselling the (cheaper) digital editions by a wide margin;
- Next is the Kindle edition;
- Dead last is combined .epub versions.
Now when I say dead last, let me clarify that: I've sold two copies in .epub format. One in iBooks, one on Kobo.
That's not very impressive.
And yes, I know most of what I've sold so far have been "friends and family" sales, but still, even among that small group the results are becoming pretty clear.
Amazon is dominating the market. Makes sense, actually: I own a nook, and I run the Kindle for Android app on it. Kindle has their Unlimited program where you can read for free if you're a part of it (the author gets royalties based on page views), but it requires exclusivity to Amazon for distribution to be part of it. Which means I'm not.
So I'm thinking. Yeah, I picked up two sales I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, but how many potential page views from KU am I missing out on? I'm a new author in this field, after all, and I'm sure there's folks out there who would rather take a free chance for them (and I still get paid, albeit less than a purchase) than to fork over money on something they're not sure they'll like.
So is it even worth it to release to the other outlets?
I'm working on getting some more reviews and publicity to push Consequences, really try to reach a wider potential reader base, so I'm not carving anything in stone yet. But the odds aren't looking good for .epubs.
The digital book world may truly belong to Amazon now.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Don't Read Too Much Into It
If you actually noticed, I've pulled The Journal of Jeremy Todd from the "Upcoming Releases" section on the site. That DOES NOT mean it was rejected; I still haven't heard anything one way or the other, and know that Sinister Grin is still wading through the submissions they received during their open submission period. There's still hope for it, but since there's no telling when an answer will come, I went ahead and pulled the notification.
Believe me, I can put it back just as easily if something develops, but right now my focus is on getting the word out about Consequences, so I'll deal with other stuff as it comes.
And if I end up self-pubbing whatever's next, once I make that decision (it's going to be a little while, so don't expect anything soon), I'll update the site with that, too.
Believe me, I can put it back just as easily if something develops, but right now my focus is on getting the word out about Consequences, so I'll deal with other stuff as it comes.
And if I end up self-pubbing whatever's next, once I make that decision (it's going to be a little while, so don't expect anything soon), I'll update the site with that, too.
Monday, April 18, 2016
A Learning Experience
It's official: Consequences is now available as a paperback and eBook. You can use the links in the New Releases section or on the Bookshelf page to get it if you're so inclined.
Getting there was... interesting... to say the least. But at least I learned a few things, so the next time I self-publish a book, I'll have a better idea what to do. Here's a few things I figured out.
Getting there was... interesting... to say the least. But at least I learned a few things, so the next time I self-publish a book, I'll have a better idea what to do. Here's a few things I figured out.
- CreateSpace doesn't have any easy way to set up pre-orders or pre-releases. As soon as I approved the proof copy, it was live on their e-store and on Amazon less than an hour later, ready for sale. A full week earlier than I'd intended.
- It's hard to plan a release date when your Expanded Distribution isn't consistent. When I set up the title in CreateSpace, I selected not only Amazon, but other distributors as well (Barnes and Noble, for example). Almost a week later now, and it still doesn't show up for purchase in any of the expanded channels. It will, eventually, but I have no way to know when that will be. It also doesn't help that CS doesn't update you when it is ready on those other channels, so I just have to keep checking. Not a big deal, just something I wan't expecting.
- As they say in the Boy Scouts, "be prepared". As soon as I announced a release date, I had requests for signed copies. Since I use a POD distributor, that makes a lead time for any copies I order. Hence, it takes nearly two weeks to get copies in, signed, and out to the people who paid for them. Something else I didn't factor in.
- In connection to that, some reviewers want print copies instead of digital ones. Since I have to order them, that adds time I could be using to send them out.
- Listing on Amazon isn't flawless. Supposedly, if you have a paperback and Kindle edition, they'll automatically link up within 24-48 hours. That didn't happen. It wasn't a big deal to get it done, mind you, just something I hadn't considered.
- Apple takes forever. I used Draft2Digital for submission to B&N nook, Kobo, and iBooks. I set it up for pre-order (which I can do with all digital editions, just not the paperback), and within a couple of days had confirmation that it was up on nook and Kobo. Apple iBooks? Still waiting. And the wait time isn't consistent with them, either, so I have no idea when it'll be up. The hope is that once it goes live at midnight tonight, it'll propagate, but I have no way to know for sure. That's annoying.
- Have a marketing plan ready BEFORE releasing. Even if it's just where to send review copies, life gets so much easier when you know how to promote it. This time, I waited until it was out to start working on that; I won't be making the same mistake again.
All of this can be attributed to it being my first time doing this, so I'm not freaking out about it. It just means that next time, I'll have a better idea of how to do things, and in what order. And even with the issues, it's finally out there. I have fulfilled my dream of getting a book published. I've held it in my hands, and I won't lie, I giggled as I opened the box it shipped in.
So I'm living proof it can be done. I won't say done successfully, because time will be the one to tell on that one, but I pulled it off. If anyone's curious how it was done, here's what I used:
- The cover was designed using Creative Commons License images from freeimages.com and pixabay.com, a commercial friendly font, a template from CreateSpace, and GIMP. Oh, and a LOT of time learning how to put it together.
- Paperback formatting was done in MS Word. There's tutorials all over the net, but the bottom line is: learn to use the Styles bar. It will save your life here.
- I lucked out and had someone volunteer to do the eBook formatting for me, but it was done using Sigil to build it, and Calibre to convert it to Amazon's preferred format.
- As you probably figured out, I went through CreateSpace for the paperback printing and distribution, as well as the ISBN registration. It takes some learning, but it's not that bad, and the books have looked awesome so far. Just wish the offered a pre-order option...
- For Kindle, I went direct through Kindle Direct Publishing. It was a one-page form for the book information, and a second page for pricing and distribution, and that was it. Extremely easy, just make sure you format according to their guidelines.
- To get everywhere else digitally, I used Draft2Digital. They were also pretty easy to use, though I can't speak to royalty distribution yet. I'll update once I know.
Notice something about that list? It's all freely available. Sure, you can pay at almost every step of the way to get packages and the like, but if you're not afraid to do the work yourself, you can do it at no charge. That said, allocate some money for print proofs, ARCs (Advance Reading Copies), final copies for signing, and some money for postage. Set up a PayPal account to collect payments for signed editions, and it might not be a bad idea to look into pricing for marketing, if you don't know what to do on your own.
Oh, and cross your fingers. Hard work will take you a long way, but it doesn't hurt to have some good breaks along the journey!
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Coming Closer
It's getting close, so close I can almost taste it.
I'm talking, of course, about the imminent release of Consequences upon the screaming masses.
I know, I know. Screaming masses? Give me my fantasies, all right?
Anyway, I am currently about two-thirds of the way done with the final edits. Once I finish those, I get to complete the interior formatting for the print edition so I can lock the page count and get the correct template to my cover artist. Once she's done, I send it off to the person doing my eBook formatting, then it's ready to go.
I've already started the process with CreateSpace, which means the book now has an ISBN and ISBN-13. For those of you who just looked at those acronyms with utter confusion, it stands for International Standard Book Number, and is basically the number found in the UPC code on the back of every book released nowadays. Acquiring the number is an intent to publish, and gets the book listed (after the release date hits, of course) in the Books In Print database. Basically, having that number means I have a real, honest to goodness book on my hands. As Victor Frankenstein would say, "it's alive... alive!"
With all that being said, here's the kicker: a release date has been set, along with a backup.
If things go well (fingers crossed they do), it will be released on April 19, 2016 for Kindle and Paperback, with epub versions for Nook, iBooks, and the like on April 22, 2016. The backup dates are exactly one week later.
I do have an extreme backup date, in the event things get seriously fouled up along the way, but I'm not announcing it since I'm hoping I won't have to. If things look like I'll have to push it until then, I'll let you know.
But for now, let's focus on the good. Look for more announcements in the coming weeks as it gets closer to escaping my eager hands. There's lots still to do, but I'm closer now than I was when I sat down in front of that blank page back in July of last year.
I can wait a little longer.
I hope.
I'm talking, of course, about the imminent release of Consequences upon the screaming masses.
I know, I know. Screaming masses? Give me my fantasies, all right?
Anyway, I am currently about two-thirds of the way done with the final edits. Once I finish those, I get to complete the interior formatting for the print edition so I can lock the page count and get the correct template to my cover artist. Once she's done, I send it off to the person doing my eBook formatting, then it's ready to go.
I've already started the process with CreateSpace, which means the book now has an ISBN and ISBN-13. For those of you who just looked at those acronyms with utter confusion, it stands for International Standard Book Number, and is basically the number found in the UPC code on the back of every book released nowadays. Acquiring the number is an intent to publish, and gets the book listed (after the release date hits, of course) in the Books In Print database. Basically, having that number means I have a real, honest to goodness book on my hands. As Victor Frankenstein would say, "it's alive... alive!"
With all that being said, here's the kicker: a release date has been set, along with a backup.
If things go well (fingers crossed they do), it will be released on April 19, 2016 for Kindle and Paperback, with epub versions for Nook, iBooks, and the like on April 22, 2016. The backup dates are exactly one week later.
I do have an extreme backup date, in the event things get seriously fouled up along the way, but I'm not announcing it since I'm hoping I won't have to. If things look like I'll have to push it until then, I'll let you know.
But for now, let's focus on the good. Look for more announcements in the coming weeks as it gets closer to escaping my eager hands. There's lots still to do, but I'm closer now than I was when I sat down in front of that blank page back in July of last year.
I can wait a little longer.
I hope.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Take a Deep Breath
Since I started getting serious about writing back in July, I've been pretty dedicated. I've written nearly every day, and it's allowed me to do more than I ever would've expected to do. Once I get finished with the one I'm on now, I'll have completed first drafts on eight books, with one nearly to the point of being published independently and others in various stages of the editorial or submission process. That's a lot. Had you told me I'd have accomplished that back in July, I wouldn't have believed it.
Things have changed in my day job lately that has caused it to suck up more of my time and sanity than I like. It's only temporary, but it's still a mental drain. That's made keeping my schedule of working on the new stuff every night and doing edits throughout the week before making the changes on Monday tough to keep up with. As a result, my editing backlog is growing and growing at a rate that's starting to become intimidating.
To that end, I'm going to do something I didn't think I would. Once I finish the one I'm working on, I'm going to take a week to two week long break before starting anything new. Instead, when I would normally be working on that, I'm going to try and get something cleared out on my backlog of edits. My hope is that this will help me get caught back up again. If I devote the time I spend on new things to that, I should be able to knock it back down to a manageable size again fairly quickly.
Not that I'm done with new stuff; quite the opposite. I already have ideas in mind for what's next on the list, and for the one that's up after that. I have basic concepts for things beyond that. So the new stuff is still coming, I just need to make sure I'm not repeating myself or getting into a place where I'm only looking at first drafts to be able to submit to traditional publishers and not relatively finished works that will stand a better chance of being noticed among all the other submissions they get.
I just need to learn to pace myself, and take a deep breath now and again.
And in case you think I'm getting lazy, think again. I have three (about to be four) books waiting to get a second draft, am working toward getting Consequences out for purchase by the end of April, waiting to hear back still on Jeremy Todd, and still have a lot of work to do on getting Homecoming to the quality I think it can be. I'll be working, and you'll definitely still be hearing from me. Like I said, one to two weeks. That's all.
Call it a working vacation. Eight first drafts: I think I've earned it.
Things have changed in my day job lately that has caused it to suck up more of my time and sanity than I like. It's only temporary, but it's still a mental drain. That's made keeping my schedule of working on the new stuff every night and doing edits throughout the week before making the changes on Monday tough to keep up with. As a result, my editing backlog is growing and growing at a rate that's starting to become intimidating.
To that end, I'm going to do something I didn't think I would. Once I finish the one I'm working on, I'm going to take a week to two week long break before starting anything new. Instead, when I would normally be working on that, I'm going to try and get something cleared out on my backlog of edits. My hope is that this will help me get caught back up again. If I devote the time I spend on new things to that, I should be able to knock it back down to a manageable size again fairly quickly.
Not that I'm done with new stuff; quite the opposite. I already have ideas in mind for what's next on the list, and for the one that's up after that. I have basic concepts for things beyond that. So the new stuff is still coming, I just need to make sure I'm not repeating myself or getting into a place where I'm only looking at first drafts to be able to submit to traditional publishers and not relatively finished works that will stand a better chance of being noticed among all the other submissions they get.
I just need to learn to pace myself, and take a deep breath now and again.
And in case you think I'm getting lazy, think again. I have three (about to be four) books waiting to get a second draft, am working toward getting Consequences out for purchase by the end of April, waiting to hear back still on Jeremy Todd, and still have a lot of work to do on getting Homecoming to the quality I think it can be. I'll be working, and you'll definitely still be hearing from me. Like I said, one to two weeks. That's all.
Call it a working vacation. Eight first drafts: I think I've earned it.
Monday, January 25, 2016
One Door Closes, Another Opens
I heard back from Samhain Publications regarding my submission of Consequences this morning, and unfortunately it was a "no". Honestly, I somewhat expected that, so while it's still disappointing and - no sense lying about it - hurts a good deal, it wasn't really a shock when I read the email.
I could go into a rant over why I think it was ultimately rejected and how "if things were different..." and all that, but what would be the point? Things happen like they're supposed to, and to rant and rave otherwise would be unprofessional. So I won't.
What I will do is what I've already done. I've contacted someone who is willing to work with me on cover art for a really low (read as: nearly nonexistent) budget. I'll also be seeking out someone to do editorial services for me on the same budget. Then, we'll go the self-publishing route. Easy as pie.
Obviously this is still early in the process, so I don't have anything resembling a release date yet. I am shooting for sometime around the end of March or April, but that could change. Also, I am waiting to hear back from Sinister Grin about The Journal of Jeremy Todd, so depending on how that goes my timelines might change anyway.
It's not the news I wanted, but it's not the end of the world. Just have to head down a different road. It's all a part of the process.
So today, I'll mope a bit. Tomorrow is another day, and there's a lot of work to do.
More as it develops!
EDIT:
So a lot can happen in a day....
Since making that post this afternoon, I have managed to get both a cover artist, editor, and eBook formatting lined up for Consequences, all in trade for experience, exposure, and just to be helpful. I also had a Facebook chat with someone tonight that made my day more than they may ever really know, and helped me realize I'm on the right path, it's just going to take some time.
Now if only I'd known when I made this post originally how apt the title would turn out to be....
I could go into a rant over why I think it was ultimately rejected and how "if things were different..." and all that, but what would be the point? Things happen like they're supposed to, and to rant and rave otherwise would be unprofessional. So I won't.
What I will do is what I've already done. I've contacted someone who is willing to work with me on cover art for a really low (read as: nearly nonexistent) budget. I'll also be seeking out someone to do editorial services for me on the same budget. Then, we'll go the self-publishing route. Easy as pie.
Obviously this is still early in the process, so I don't have anything resembling a release date yet. I am shooting for sometime around the end of March or April, but that could change. Also, I am waiting to hear back from Sinister Grin about The Journal of Jeremy Todd, so depending on how that goes my timelines might change anyway.
It's not the news I wanted, but it's not the end of the world. Just have to head down a different road. It's all a part of the process.
So today, I'll mope a bit. Tomorrow is another day, and there's a lot of work to do.
More as it develops!
EDIT:
So a lot can happen in a day....
Since making that post this afternoon, I have managed to get both a cover artist, editor, and eBook formatting lined up for Consequences, all in trade for experience, exposure, and just to be helpful. I also had a Facebook chat with someone tonight that made my day more than they may ever really know, and helped me realize I'm on the right path, it's just going to take some time.
Now if only I'd known when I made this post originally how apt the title would turn out to be....
Monday, January 18, 2016
First Status Update of 2016
Pretty concise title, right? What can I say, I'm saving the creativity for the work.
The Perception of Reality has now passed the fifty percent mark. It's on track to have the first draft complete by the end of the month. This one is up and down for me. Sometimes I think it's running short, other times I think it's running long. I guess the only way I'll know for sure is to look back once it's finished, right?
On the editing front, I finally finished the second draft of One Last Dance. Next I'll be tackling a third draft on Demon at the Window, then it goes into the trunk to await submission or release time. After that, I'll tackle Blood Games so I can get it and PoR out to the beta readers.
So far, Hidden Hearts is receiving decidedly positive feedback from the beta readers who are done with it. My wife actually blew through it in less than a week, which for her is lightning fast to read a book. It's officially her favorite of everything I've written, so it will be the next submission once I do another draft of it. Not sure where yet, but I'll keep you posted.
On the submissions front, I did hear back from the publisher about Consequences - well, sort of. The sixteen week waiting period came and went, and nothing. I emailed for a status report and was informed that due to some staffing changes, they were backlogged. I already knew about the staff changes, and expected this, so I agreed to the additional four weeks they asked me to give them. Hopefully the old adage about good things coming to those who wait proves true there.
I did submit the full manuscript of The Journal of Jeremy Todd back around Christmas, so I'm pretty sure I've still got some time to wait before getting a decision on that one yet. Keeping my fingers crossed, though.
And that's where I'm at! I'll keep you all in the loop as more things develop.
Until next time!
The Perception of Reality has now passed the fifty percent mark. It's on track to have the first draft complete by the end of the month. This one is up and down for me. Sometimes I think it's running short, other times I think it's running long. I guess the only way I'll know for sure is to look back once it's finished, right?
On the editing front, I finally finished the second draft of One Last Dance. Next I'll be tackling a third draft on Demon at the Window, then it goes into the trunk to await submission or release time. After that, I'll tackle Blood Games so I can get it and PoR out to the beta readers.
So far, Hidden Hearts is receiving decidedly positive feedback from the beta readers who are done with it. My wife actually blew through it in less than a week, which for her is lightning fast to read a book. It's officially her favorite of everything I've written, so it will be the next submission once I do another draft of it. Not sure where yet, but I'll keep you posted.
On the submissions front, I did hear back from the publisher about Consequences - well, sort of. The sixteen week waiting period came and went, and nothing. I emailed for a status report and was informed that due to some staffing changes, they were backlogged. I already knew about the staff changes, and expected this, so I agreed to the additional four weeks they asked me to give them. Hopefully the old adage about good things coming to those who wait proves true there.
I did submit the full manuscript of The Journal of Jeremy Todd back around Christmas, so I'm pretty sure I've still got some time to wait before getting a decision on that one yet. Keeping my fingers crossed, though.
And that's where I'm at! I'll keep you all in the loop as more things develop.
Until next time!
Monday, December 21, 2015
Blockages: A Progress Update
Have you ever had a time where you thought you would be able to get something done on a specific schedule but then when you actually started on it, things turned out completely different from how you envisioned it? Yeah, that's me now. It's not all bad, just unexpected.
I'm still plugging merrily along on Hidden Heart, the haunted house tale I started right before Thanksgiving. I just no longer think it's going to be done by Christmas like I first thought. Part of that is just the sheer scope of the story I'm telling that I never would have even guessed at when the idea came to me. This thing is constantly growing. Incredibly so. To the point that I've already reconsidered the original length estimate once, and am probably going to have to revise it again. Based on the progress meter, I'm at just over 77% complete; based on the story that's left in my head, that's higher than is truly accurate. This may well be the first horror novel I've done that tops the 100,000 word mark, at least on the first draft. That number was always something attributed to epic fantasy in my mind. I'll know in a couple of days whether I have to rethink that distinction or not.
Something else I didn't take into consideration was how the holidays were going to affect my writing schedule. As much as it pains me to admit it, I've taken more days off while doing this one than in all the others combined. That's not from lack of desire to tell the tale, though. It's just how things have panned out. The day job, work Christmas parties, shopping for the kids and the wife, visits to family for holiday dinners, all of it is enough to wear anybody out. Figure doing two full-time jobs on top of all that, and exhaustion doesn't begin to cover it.
I'm a little disappointed in myself for this, even though maybe I shouldn't be. I mean, since July I've finished first drafts on five novels (and am at least 2/3 done with a sixth, I think), second drafts on three of those, about halfway through the second draft on a fourth, and done a third and fourth draft on one of them. Two have been submitted to potential publishers, and I have laid the groundwork for self-publishing whichever ones don't get picked up by a traditional publisher. I also started revising another novel I finished years ago, and am about a quarter of the way done with that. That's a heck of a lot of work to get done in just under six months. And I'm proud of that. Maybe it's only right that I take a few extra days off; it just makes me feel guilty to do it. Not like I'm letting any of you all down--hard to do that when I haven't released anything for you to pick up and read yet, right? More like I'm letting myself down. Foolish maybe, but there it is.
On top of all that, in case you've been living in a cave for the last year or so, the new Star Wars movie came out. If you never picked up on it before, I'm a geek. That means I've been waiting on this for a while. Saw it today; that's why I didn't get any editing done on the second draft of One Last Dance. Totally worth it, though. Thank you, J.J. Abrams, THAT was the Star Wars I remembered from being a kid.
I'm hoping that once the new year rolls around and all the major holidays are over I can get back on my normal schedule where I do my first draft work every night and edit throughout the week so I can put the changes in the computer every Monday. Maybe it won't, but that's my hopes at least.
In the meantime, I'm now hoping to be done with Hidden Heart just after the first of the year, at which point I'll be starting on the fourth (and possibly last; we'll see) Cochran book. After that I have another idea for a standalone in mind, and after that, well, I guess we'll know when we get there, won't we?
And since I probably won't post before then, all of you have a very Merry Christmas, and a glorious New Year!
I'm still plugging merrily along on Hidden Heart, the haunted house tale I started right before Thanksgiving. I just no longer think it's going to be done by Christmas like I first thought. Part of that is just the sheer scope of the story I'm telling that I never would have even guessed at when the idea came to me. This thing is constantly growing. Incredibly so. To the point that I've already reconsidered the original length estimate once, and am probably going to have to revise it again. Based on the progress meter, I'm at just over 77% complete; based on the story that's left in my head, that's higher than is truly accurate. This may well be the first horror novel I've done that tops the 100,000 word mark, at least on the first draft. That number was always something attributed to epic fantasy in my mind. I'll know in a couple of days whether I have to rethink that distinction or not.
Something else I didn't take into consideration was how the holidays were going to affect my writing schedule. As much as it pains me to admit it, I've taken more days off while doing this one than in all the others combined. That's not from lack of desire to tell the tale, though. It's just how things have panned out. The day job, work Christmas parties, shopping for the kids and the wife, visits to family for holiday dinners, all of it is enough to wear anybody out. Figure doing two full-time jobs on top of all that, and exhaustion doesn't begin to cover it.
I'm a little disappointed in myself for this, even though maybe I shouldn't be. I mean, since July I've finished first drafts on five novels (and am at least 2/3 done with a sixth, I think), second drafts on three of those, about halfway through the second draft on a fourth, and done a third and fourth draft on one of them. Two have been submitted to potential publishers, and I have laid the groundwork for self-publishing whichever ones don't get picked up by a traditional publisher. I also started revising another novel I finished years ago, and am about a quarter of the way done with that. That's a heck of a lot of work to get done in just under six months. And I'm proud of that. Maybe it's only right that I take a few extra days off; it just makes me feel guilty to do it. Not like I'm letting any of you all down--hard to do that when I haven't released anything for you to pick up and read yet, right? More like I'm letting myself down. Foolish maybe, but there it is.
On top of all that, in case you've been living in a cave for the last year or so, the new Star Wars movie came out. If you never picked up on it before, I'm a geek. That means I've been waiting on this for a while. Saw it today; that's why I didn't get any editing done on the second draft of One Last Dance. Totally worth it, though. Thank you, J.J. Abrams, THAT was the Star Wars I remembered from being a kid.
I'm hoping that once the new year rolls around and all the major holidays are over I can get back on my normal schedule where I do my first draft work every night and edit throughout the week so I can put the changes in the computer every Monday. Maybe it won't, but that's my hopes at least.
In the meantime, I'm now hoping to be done with Hidden Heart just after the first of the year, at which point I'll be starting on the fourth (and possibly last; we'll see) Cochran book. After that I have another idea for a standalone in mind, and after that, well, I guess we'll know when we get there, won't we?
And since I probably won't post before then, all of you have a very Merry Christmas, and a glorious New Year!
Thursday, November 19, 2015
A Quick Progress Update
Hopefully I can do this one without rambling too much. Just a quick little note about how everything's going.
The third Cochran Investigations book, Blood Games, is on track to have the first draft finished by Thanksgiving at the latest. It's looking like it'll be the shortest of them so far, but it still might surprise me. I've wrapped up most of the subplots aside from the final acts on them, and am well into act three on the main plot, so hopefully this one is racing toward the finish line.
Once that one's done, I'll be starting on another standalone. This time it's a haunted house tale I'm really looking forward to digging into. The initial working title is Hidden Heart, and if it plays out like I expect it to, it will be less blood and more subtle creep factor. At least that's the intent. I suppose I'll know for sure once that first draft is done.
The second draft on The Journal of Jeremy Todd is finished, and if I get a full manuscript request I'll just have to format it and send it out. I personally can't believe I finished this draft this fast, and I swear I hope to never have to try that again. My brain was hurting by the time it was done.
Since that's finished, I'll go back to the edits on One Last Dance to try and get the second draft of that one done as well.
OLD and Journal are both in the hands of beta readers now, along with Demon at the Window, so I'll be waiting on feedback there before I start on any further drafts of those.
Since I need to take a break before starting the edits on Blood Games, I'll use my normal editing time to try and get Homecoming finished up.
On the submission and potential publication fronts, since the open submission period for Sinister Grin runs until the end of the month, I'm not expecting to hear back from them about Journal until sometime after that. They didn't give a lead time on their guidelines page, but I'm figuring up to six weeks there. Consequences is now past the halfway point in the waiting period on it (December 9 will be 12 weeks, and I could have to wait up to 16), so I'm not out of the running yet. I know the publisher was going through some editorial staff changes in regard to their horror line, so I don't know if that will affect anything or not. I've seen nothing on their site to indicate it, so I have to assume the original wait time remains in effect until I hear differently.
And that's it, you're all caught up! I'll update again once I finish Blood Games, or if I get a publisher response I can talk about, whichever comes first!
The third Cochran Investigations book, Blood Games, is on track to have the first draft finished by Thanksgiving at the latest. It's looking like it'll be the shortest of them so far, but it still might surprise me. I've wrapped up most of the subplots aside from the final acts on them, and am well into act three on the main plot, so hopefully this one is racing toward the finish line.
Once that one's done, I'll be starting on another standalone. This time it's a haunted house tale I'm really looking forward to digging into. The initial working title is Hidden Heart, and if it plays out like I expect it to, it will be less blood and more subtle creep factor. At least that's the intent. I suppose I'll know for sure once that first draft is done.
The second draft on The Journal of Jeremy Todd is finished, and if I get a full manuscript request I'll just have to format it and send it out. I personally can't believe I finished this draft this fast, and I swear I hope to never have to try that again. My brain was hurting by the time it was done.
Since that's finished, I'll go back to the edits on One Last Dance to try and get the second draft of that one done as well.
OLD and Journal are both in the hands of beta readers now, along with Demon at the Window, so I'll be waiting on feedback there before I start on any further drafts of those.
Since I need to take a break before starting the edits on Blood Games, I'll use my normal editing time to try and get Homecoming finished up.
On the submission and potential publication fronts, since the open submission period for Sinister Grin runs until the end of the month, I'm not expecting to hear back from them about Journal until sometime after that. They didn't give a lead time on their guidelines page, but I'm figuring up to six weeks there. Consequences is now past the halfway point in the waiting period on it (December 9 will be 12 weeks, and I could have to wait up to 16), so I'm not out of the running yet. I know the publisher was going through some editorial staff changes in regard to their horror line, so I don't know if that will affect anything or not. I've seen nothing on their site to indicate it, so I have to assume the original wait time remains in effect until I hear differently.
And that's it, you're all caught up! I'll update again once I finish Blood Games, or if I get a publisher response I can talk about, whichever comes first!
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Another Wait Begins
I mentioned in my last entry that one of my top 2 publisher choices opened up submissions until the end of the month. Well, now I'm in the waiting game with them.
I just submitted the first fifteen pages of The Journal of Jeremy Todd to Sinister Grin Press for consideration.
I didn't want to announce I'd done it until I was confident that I was going to have the cleaned up version completed before that deadline. Well, since I just crossed the 60% mark in three days, I'm confident I'm going to pull it off. Following the pace I've been working on it, I should have the new draft completed by this weekend. Since I doubt I'll be hearing back from them by then (though I suppose it could happen, since they're only asking for the first fifteen pages from each submission), I should have time to spare.
Why didn't I wait until the new draft was completely done? Simple. My nerves were getting to me. If I didn't do it now, I might have ended up talking myself out of it. Better to do it while the irons were hot, so to speak. Since every person who read over those fifteen pages after I had them ready DEMANDED more, it felt like maybe I had something there.
Or maybe I didn't. I'm always the harshest critic of my own work, and have a healthy dose of paranoia to boot, so I guess we'll wait and see.
If it's a full manuscript request, I'll do a happy dance and send it off to wait again. If it's a so sorry, thanks but no thanks, well, it's not like I'm in any worse position than I am right now, is it? I'll dust myself off and move on.
But for tonight, I'm going to watch the new episode of Arrow and then dream about that hopeful final "yes". I'll face reality when I have to. Isn't that the easiest way to do it?
Heh, and now I hear Aerosmith in my head. Thanks, Stephen Tyler. I think I will dream until my dream comes true....
I just submitted the first fifteen pages of The Journal of Jeremy Todd to Sinister Grin Press for consideration.
I didn't want to announce I'd done it until I was confident that I was going to have the cleaned up version completed before that deadline. Well, since I just crossed the 60% mark in three days, I'm confident I'm going to pull it off. Following the pace I've been working on it, I should have the new draft completed by this weekend. Since I doubt I'll be hearing back from them by then (though I suppose it could happen, since they're only asking for the first fifteen pages from each submission), I should have time to spare.
Why didn't I wait until the new draft was completely done? Simple. My nerves were getting to me. If I didn't do it now, I might have ended up talking myself out of it. Better to do it while the irons were hot, so to speak. Since every person who read over those fifteen pages after I had them ready DEMANDED more, it felt like maybe I had something there.
Or maybe I didn't. I'm always the harshest critic of my own work, and have a healthy dose of paranoia to boot, so I guess we'll wait and see.
If it's a full manuscript request, I'll do a happy dance and send it off to wait again. If it's a so sorry, thanks but no thanks, well, it's not like I'm in any worse position than I am right now, is it? I'll dust myself off and move on.
But for tonight, I'm going to watch the new episode of Arrow and then dream about that hopeful final "yes". I'll face reality when I have to. Isn't that the easiest way to do it?
Heh, and now I hear Aerosmith in my head. Thanks, Stephen Tyler. I think I will dream until my dream comes true....
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Two At Once?
In case you pay attention to the progress meter regularly, you may have noticed that The Journal of Jeremy Todd has been changed to reflect the second draft is starting on it, even while I have yet to finish the second draft of One Last Dance. There is a reason for it, and it's a good one.
This might end up changing some things, too. I don't know yet, but here's what's happening.
When you're an aspiring author who has no money, like me, you tend to shoot for traditional publishing before going the self-pub route. There's one reason for it, one thing that makes the lower royalty rates seem worth it. To avoid paying for an independent editor and cover art. I'm guilty as charged here, though I feel I have to say not once have I ruled out self-publishing as a viable option. But if I can save some money on the front end by taking a little less on the back end, I'm okay with that. I'm doing this because it's what I feel compelled to do, not because I expect to get rich at it. I have a day job to pay the bills; this is just to give me fulfillment in my craft, my life, and help me to make the dream of having people pay to read my work come true.
There's a problem with this, however, and I'm sure I'm not the only author who's come across it. You have to find a balance between quality and that desire that's driving you. It's why I'm willing to pay some money if I have to in order to self-publish. It's why I researched the options before deciding on my course of action should I go that route. I'd go into detail on what my plan is in that regard and why, but it's not relevant to this.
The thing that made me bang my head against my keyboard was that so few small horror publishers are accepting submissions right now (not trying for one of the big five because of that balance I mentioned. Not getting into it here, but Google "Author Royalties Agency Model" or spend some time reading through J.A. Konrath's blog, conveniently linked at the lower right of this page as "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing", and you'll understand). Many of the ones that are fall when weighed on that balance of quality versus desire. I have the desire, they can't provide the quality I want.
Then today I discovered that one of my top two choices (the other being where I sent Consequences), the one that was closed for submissions when I started researching, is now opening their submission channel until the end of the month. That's not a very big window.
In submitting for potential publication, there's this thing called "Simultaneous Submissions". Basically, it means submitting the same work to multiple potential publishers at the same time. Some allow it, some don't. Since there was nothing stating one way or the other on this publisher's guidelines page, and since sending Consequences there as well would feel like giving up on the other one when it's halfway through it's waiting period, I found myself in a pickle about how I should proceed.
Let me go ahead and say there were other factors involved in making that pickle. I'm not getting into them here either, because I'm not going to comment on the situation one way or the other since my gut says one thing, my brain another, and my heart yet another. But there was something I had to take into consideration while I debated with myself.
Ultimately, here were my options:
1. Send Consequences to both and hope one said yes. Fifty fifty odds, right? Or would that be one in four since both companies could say yes or no? I'm not good with calculating probabilities, and like Han Solo said, "never tell me the odds".
2. Withdraw Consequences from consideration and submit it to the other publisher. Like I said, giving up when it's just now at the halfway point in the wait time I was given.
3. Submit something else to the other publisher.
Since I know Consequences has to come out before the Cochran books do, there's only one other option to send. And considering the publisher I'm looking at here, it might actually be a really good fit. Better than the one I sent Consequences to would be.
So I made a decision. I'm going with number 3.
The second draft of One Last Dance is going on hold for the time being, so I can try and hammer out a submittable draft of Jeremy Todd. Technically, since the submission only wants the first fifteen pages, I could just focus on those, send it in, and call it a day. But if they ask for a complete manuscript, then what? I've just screwed myself. So I'm going to polish those fifteen pages and send them in, then polish the rest in preparation in case I get a full manuscript request. Ergo, Jeremy Todd takes precedence over any other revisions in my personal pipeline.
I'm not mentioning publisher names yet because I'm not a hundred percent sure I can pull this off. I'm going to try like hell, though. If I manage it, you'll know about it and I'll give you the dirty details here. If I don't, well, they'll take submissions again at some point, and at least I'll know I gave it a shot.
So here's to hoping, and let's see how strong my desire really is.
This might end up changing some things, too. I don't know yet, but here's what's happening.
When you're an aspiring author who has no money, like me, you tend to shoot for traditional publishing before going the self-pub route. There's one reason for it, one thing that makes the lower royalty rates seem worth it. To avoid paying for an independent editor and cover art. I'm guilty as charged here, though I feel I have to say not once have I ruled out self-publishing as a viable option. But if I can save some money on the front end by taking a little less on the back end, I'm okay with that. I'm doing this because it's what I feel compelled to do, not because I expect to get rich at it. I have a day job to pay the bills; this is just to give me fulfillment in my craft, my life, and help me to make the dream of having people pay to read my work come true.
There's a problem with this, however, and I'm sure I'm not the only author who's come across it. You have to find a balance between quality and that desire that's driving you. It's why I'm willing to pay some money if I have to in order to self-publish. It's why I researched the options before deciding on my course of action should I go that route. I'd go into detail on what my plan is in that regard and why, but it's not relevant to this.
The thing that made me bang my head against my keyboard was that so few small horror publishers are accepting submissions right now (not trying for one of the big five because of that balance I mentioned. Not getting into it here, but Google "Author Royalties Agency Model" or spend some time reading through J.A. Konrath's blog, conveniently linked at the lower right of this page as "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing", and you'll understand). Many of the ones that are fall when weighed on that balance of quality versus desire. I have the desire, they can't provide the quality I want.
Then today I discovered that one of my top two choices (the other being where I sent Consequences), the one that was closed for submissions when I started researching, is now opening their submission channel until the end of the month. That's not a very big window.
In submitting for potential publication, there's this thing called "Simultaneous Submissions". Basically, it means submitting the same work to multiple potential publishers at the same time. Some allow it, some don't. Since there was nothing stating one way or the other on this publisher's guidelines page, and since sending Consequences there as well would feel like giving up on the other one when it's halfway through it's waiting period, I found myself in a pickle about how I should proceed.
Let me go ahead and say there were other factors involved in making that pickle. I'm not getting into them here either, because I'm not going to comment on the situation one way or the other since my gut says one thing, my brain another, and my heart yet another. But there was something I had to take into consideration while I debated with myself.
Ultimately, here were my options:
1. Send Consequences to both and hope one said yes. Fifty fifty odds, right? Or would that be one in four since both companies could say yes or no? I'm not good with calculating probabilities, and like Han Solo said, "never tell me the odds".
2. Withdraw Consequences from consideration and submit it to the other publisher. Like I said, giving up when it's just now at the halfway point in the wait time I was given.
3. Submit something else to the other publisher.
Since I know Consequences has to come out before the Cochran books do, there's only one other option to send. And considering the publisher I'm looking at here, it might actually be a really good fit. Better than the one I sent Consequences to would be.
So I made a decision. I'm going with number 3.
The second draft of One Last Dance is going on hold for the time being, so I can try and hammer out a submittable draft of Jeremy Todd. Technically, since the submission only wants the first fifteen pages, I could just focus on those, send it in, and call it a day. But if they ask for a complete manuscript, then what? I've just screwed myself. So I'm going to polish those fifteen pages and send them in, then polish the rest in preparation in case I get a full manuscript request. Ergo, Jeremy Todd takes precedence over any other revisions in my personal pipeline.
I'm not mentioning publisher names yet because I'm not a hundred percent sure I can pull this off. I'm going to try like hell, though. If I manage it, you'll know about it and I'll give you the dirty details here. If I don't, well, they'll take submissions again at some point, and at least I'll know I gave it a shot.
So here's to hoping, and let's see how strong my desire really is.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Where Did That Come From?
You are seeing things correctly. There is a new listing on the progress meter, it has never been up there before, and it is already listed as a third draft in progress. I can explain.
Back in 2005, I started what ended up being my first original novel. I freely admit I really had no idea what I was doing with the actual writing craft part of it, but I knew it was a story I wanted to tell. I finished it in 2006, a year and a half later, and then filed it away.
Some time passed, and I found myself working in a bookstore in a college town. Someone I worked with there, a lovely woman named Patti, was an English major and agreed to do an edit on the first draft for me. When I got the manuscript back from her, I was floored. Stephen King mentions in On Writing how he reacted the first time he ever saw one of his pieces of writing edited. All I can say is that reading is one thing, seeing is something completely different. And this wasn't even from a professional editor, just someone who knew what they were doing.
Out of the nearly 270 pages I gave her, maybe five did not contain markings of some sort. It opened my eyes to the process, and I was re-energized. I wanted to make this work. I started banking on it, to a degree.
Let me go ahead and say it now: while I thought I understood how the publishing industry worked, I truly had no clue. The other thing I neglected to take into consideration was that the economy was bottoming out due to the recession, and the industry was shifting into eBooks, which were nothing more than a novelty at this point. We won't even touch the fact that I was a first-time, never before published author who was expecting his first submitted work of any kind to be the ticket to fortunes. Bottom line, I was an idiot. But I digress.
I got to work and finished a second draft at the end of 2007. Thinking the book was as done as it could get (hilarious to look back at now, but that was what I thought), I pulled out a copy of the Writer's Guide and queried a bunch of agents. I did get one request for the full manuscript, which I sent off gleefully only to be told they didn't feel passionate enough about it to offer me representation. I know now that it was a polite way of saying it wasn't good enough.
Life took over, I got discouraged, and into a manuscript box and the depths of my hard drive it went.
Fast forward to now.
I sat down and wrote Consequences with the intent of trying for publication through a small press, or doing it myself if no one bit. While working on it, I realized that if I did self publish, there were these things called formatting guidelines to follow if I didn't want it to look like something a five-year-old threw together one rainy afternoon. Several people offered to do it for a price, usually $200 and up, but since I'm not exactly rolling in cash here, I decided why pay for it if I could learn to do it myself with a little work? Only I didn't have a finished manuscript to practice with.
So I dug through my hard drive and digitally dusted off Homecoming. As I worked on formatting, I realized there were parts of the book that weren't that bad. With a little polish, it might even be salvageable. Then I finished Consequences, moved on to Demon and the rest and forgot about it. Sort of.
It sat in the back of my head. See, this was my first, and you never forget your first. So I decided to conduct a little experiment. I was going to teach myself how to edit using Word's "Track Changes" feature, since any professional editor I use nowadays will be using the same method. In doing so, I was also going to see if I could breathe some new life into this old manuscript, maybe apply some of the things I learned in the intervening years and make it something I would be willing to put out there for other people to read and not wince any time someone brought it up.
The first step? Clean up. It took no time at all to realize that I had no idea how to properly format a manuscript, even in draft form, back when I started this one. Since I now use a Word template already set up with the styles I need for new projects, I copied and pasted the entire mess into the template, then spent roughly six hours fixing my old formatting errors. Once that was done, it was time to start playing Doctor Frankenstein.
I decided to go from scene start to scene break: make the edit notes, copy and paste it into a new document, then make changes. I learned a few things in doing this. First, I had no idea how to break chapters properly. Chapter one became chapters one and two pretty quickly. Same for two becoming three and four. I'm sure more will appear as I go, too. Second, there is definitely something to be said for letting something rest for such a long period of time before approaching it again. As I write this, I've got fifty pages into what is effectively the third draft but feels more like a complete rewrite. Out of that fifty pages, I've made 480 edit comments. On some pages, Word has to collapse all the notes because they won't fit in the margin of the page otherwise. Honestly, it's made me a little afraid to see what a professional editor would do to one of my manuscripts that I've already done four drafts on. Excuse me while I shiver uncontrollably for a second.
The third and fourth things I learned I'll put together, since they belong that way. I've gotten better at my craft since that first attempt. To my mind, the fact that I have that many notes in such a short span reinforces that fact. Everything I've changed, removed, reordered, or rewritten has made the story stronger. But that only makes sense, because like any other craft, writing can only be perfected through practice.
Homecoming was not the only thing I wrote in the years between when I first started it and when I developed the work ethic I have now with it. While I have no plans to give those stories the same treatment I'm giving this one (though I'm not ruling it out, either), I have a funny feeling that if I did, I'd be able to see improvement with each successive one. Since I got serious serious about this in July, I've finished four more first drafts and am almost halfway through a fifth. But there's even more than that, if you think about it. I did four drafts of Consequences before I submitted it, and I'm about to start the third for Demon at the Window, and am in the midst of the second for One Last Dance. That means, in a sense, eight complete books, plus two halves (first for the current one, second for OLD), so nine books since July. I'm not tooting my horn about being prolific; just reinforcing the bit about practice bringing improvements.
I have no idea if I'll be satisfied with the final result of this experiment, whether or not I'll call it a success or a failure, but it's definitely been a learning experience. I feel good about it, at least for now. So it goes on the progress meter. If it doesn't work, I'll remove it again. But maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to someday get to see that dream of having Homecoming with a cover and binding in my hands and yours.
Wish me luck!
Back in 2005, I started what ended up being my first original novel. I freely admit I really had no idea what I was doing with the actual writing craft part of it, but I knew it was a story I wanted to tell. I finished it in 2006, a year and a half later, and then filed it away.
Some time passed, and I found myself working in a bookstore in a college town. Someone I worked with there, a lovely woman named Patti, was an English major and agreed to do an edit on the first draft for me. When I got the manuscript back from her, I was floored. Stephen King mentions in On Writing how he reacted the first time he ever saw one of his pieces of writing edited. All I can say is that reading is one thing, seeing is something completely different. And this wasn't even from a professional editor, just someone who knew what they were doing.
Out of the nearly 270 pages I gave her, maybe five did not contain markings of some sort. It opened my eyes to the process, and I was re-energized. I wanted to make this work. I started banking on it, to a degree.
Let me go ahead and say it now: while I thought I understood how the publishing industry worked, I truly had no clue. The other thing I neglected to take into consideration was that the economy was bottoming out due to the recession, and the industry was shifting into eBooks, which were nothing more than a novelty at this point. We won't even touch the fact that I was a first-time, never before published author who was expecting his first submitted work of any kind to be the ticket to fortunes. Bottom line, I was an idiot. But I digress.
I got to work and finished a second draft at the end of 2007. Thinking the book was as done as it could get (hilarious to look back at now, but that was what I thought), I pulled out a copy of the Writer's Guide and queried a bunch of agents. I did get one request for the full manuscript, which I sent off gleefully only to be told they didn't feel passionate enough about it to offer me representation. I know now that it was a polite way of saying it wasn't good enough.
Life took over, I got discouraged, and into a manuscript box and the depths of my hard drive it went.
Fast forward to now.
I sat down and wrote Consequences with the intent of trying for publication through a small press, or doing it myself if no one bit. While working on it, I realized that if I did self publish, there were these things called formatting guidelines to follow if I didn't want it to look like something a five-year-old threw together one rainy afternoon. Several people offered to do it for a price, usually $200 and up, but since I'm not exactly rolling in cash here, I decided why pay for it if I could learn to do it myself with a little work? Only I didn't have a finished manuscript to practice with.
So I dug through my hard drive and digitally dusted off Homecoming. As I worked on formatting, I realized there were parts of the book that weren't that bad. With a little polish, it might even be salvageable. Then I finished Consequences, moved on to Demon and the rest and forgot about it. Sort of.
It sat in the back of my head. See, this was my first, and you never forget your first. So I decided to conduct a little experiment. I was going to teach myself how to edit using Word's "Track Changes" feature, since any professional editor I use nowadays will be using the same method. In doing so, I was also going to see if I could breathe some new life into this old manuscript, maybe apply some of the things I learned in the intervening years and make it something I would be willing to put out there for other people to read and not wince any time someone brought it up.
The first step? Clean up. It took no time at all to realize that I had no idea how to properly format a manuscript, even in draft form, back when I started this one. Since I now use a Word template already set up with the styles I need for new projects, I copied and pasted the entire mess into the template, then spent roughly six hours fixing my old formatting errors. Once that was done, it was time to start playing Doctor Frankenstein.
I decided to go from scene start to scene break: make the edit notes, copy and paste it into a new document, then make changes. I learned a few things in doing this. First, I had no idea how to break chapters properly. Chapter one became chapters one and two pretty quickly. Same for two becoming three and four. I'm sure more will appear as I go, too. Second, there is definitely something to be said for letting something rest for such a long period of time before approaching it again. As I write this, I've got fifty pages into what is effectively the third draft but feels more like a complete rewrite. Out of that fifty pages, I've made 480 edit comments. On some pages, Word has to collapse all the notes because they won't fit in the margin of the page otherwise. Honestly, it's made me a little afraid to see what a professional editor would do to one of my manuscripts that I've already done four drafts on. Excuse me while I shiver uncontrollably for a second.
The third and fourth things I learned I'll put together, since they belong that way. I've gotten better at my craft since that first attempt. To my mind, the fact that I have that many notes in such a short span reinforces that fact. Everything I've changed, removed, reordered, or rewritten has made the story stronger. But that only makes sense, because like any other craft, writing can only be perfected through practice.
Homecoming was not the only thing I wrote in the years between when I first started it and when I developed the work ethic I have now with it. While I have no plans to give those stories the same treatment I'm giving this one (though I'm not ruling it out, either), I have a funny feeling that if I did, I'd be able to see improvement with each successive one. Since I got serious serious about this in July, I've finished four more first drafts and am almost halfway through a fifth. But there's even more than that, if you think about it. I did four drafts of Consequences before I submitted it, and I'm about to start the third for Demon at the Window, and am in the midst of the second for One Last Dance. That means, in a sense, eight complete books, plus two halves (first for the current one, second for OLD), so nine books since July. I'm not tooting my horn about being prolific; just reinforcing the bit about practice bringing improvements.
I have no idea if I'll be satisfied with the final result of this experiment, whether or not I'll call it a success or a failure, but it's definitely been a learning experience. I feel good about it, at least for now. So it goes on the progress meter. If it doesn't work, I'll remove it again. But maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to someday get to see that dream of having Homecoming with a cover and binding in my hands and yours.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Off to the Betas
The second draft of Demon at the Window is officially complete. Strangely, this one came in a little longer in length than the first draft did. I did add an extension to one scene to clarify something I mentioned and never fully answered, but I thought I'd still cut enough to make it shorter, like normal. Oh well.
The next step is to get this one formatted and then it goes out to the beta readers for feedback. While I wait for that to come in, I'll still be working on the first draft of The Ideal Companion Journal and will be starting the edits for the second draft of One Last Dance.
I'm moving through this stuff pretty quickly, but that's how I want it, the more that I've thought about it. If I do end up self-publishing this stuff, my goal is to release a book every three months, for a total of four a year. I'm not going to say that's how it will pan out, but that's the goal. I still plan on Consequences being first, and I suppose from there it will depend on whether or not I submit the Cochran books for publication or decide to do them on my own.
We shall see, I suppose!
The next step is to get this one formatted and then it goes out to the beta readers for feedback. While I wait for that to come in, I'll still be working on the first draft of The Ideal Companion Journal and will be starting the edits for the second draft of One Last Dance.
I'm moving through this stuff pretty quickly, but that's how I want it, the more that I've thought about it. If I do end up self-publishing this stuff, my goal is to release a book every three months, for a total of four a year. I'm not going to say that's how it will pan out, but that's the goal. I still plan on Consequences being first, and I suppose from there it will depend on whether or not I submit the Cochran books for publication or decide to do them on my own.
We shall see, I suppose!
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