Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Friday, October 21, 2016
Daughters of Death
The day has finally come!
Today I announce the release for DAUGHTERS OF DEATH on 11/14/16, available only on Amazon. This book has been a long time in the making, and it is with great pride that I make this announcement.
It hasn't been easy, though. I started writing this story in the summer of 2014, and through setbacks, creative dry spells, and the scheduling demands of being a working father of three, it has taken much longer than I anticipated. I finished the first draft back in March this year, and have spent the last seven months editing, formatting, and commissioning some stunning artwork. In fact, here it is!
But what, you ask, is Daughters of Death about? Below is the official blurb. But if you have not yet read Sons of Sludge, I suggest you avert your eyes, lest spoilers befall you:
"In Zaul’s mind, the game is over. After giving himself up to the APA, his true identity now lays bare before the walls of the nation’s largest Hybrid Reanimate facility, where he will rot for the rest of his undead days under the watch of cruel containment officers. No more disguises, no more deceptions, no more pretending to be human… And no future with the girl he loves.
But Genny cannot accept this new reality as easily. Compelled to repay his sacrifice, she searches for any way possible get Zaul out of the Facility, allying with both the living and the undead to make it happen. Zaul also forges unlikely friendships when he joins the Brains Club, a privileged group of higher-functioning containees who enjoy a better diet, recreational opportunities, contact with the opposite sex – and unsettling attention from the Assistant Director of the APA.
As Genny’s world unravels, Zaul’s becomes stranger. But only one constant is guaranteed: Caesar Ortega is hell-bent on destroying them both. When death and temptation are around every corner, can you keep who you were alive?"
But Genny cannot accept this new reality as easily. Compelled to repay his sacrifice, she searches for any way possible get Zaul out of the Facility, allying with both the living and the undead to make it happen. Zaul also forges unlikely friendships when he joins the Brains Club, a privileged group of higher-functioning containees who enjoy a better diet, recreational opportunities, contact with the opposite sex – and unsettling attention from the Assistant Director of the APA.
As Genny’s world unravels, Zaul’s becomes stranger. But only one constant is guaranteed: Caesar Ortega is hell-bent on destroying them both. When death and temptation are around every corner, can you keep who you were alive?"
This story picks up right where Sons of Sludge left off, so don't worry - your nagging questions from the last book will be answered. And then met with all new ones.
And if you can't wait for 11/14/16 to sink your teeth into some more Hybrid Reanimate mayhem, then I have something for you. By subscribing to my newsletter, you will get Zoo, a Sons of Sludge bonus short story, for the low price of free. Ever wonder who would win in a fight between a ferocious feline and members of the undead? Read Zoo to find out.
I still have a few things to get done before 11/14/16 (have I mentioned that date yet?), but the train will be arriving on schedule. Thank you to all who have waited for the continuation of this story. Your patience will be rewarded soon!
Friday, March 4, 2016
Daughters of Decay Is Finished! (kinda)
124,612 words. 35 chapters. Over 18 months of production. A cast of THOUSANDS...
Ok, maybe not that last part. But the first draft for the Sons of Sludge sequel, DAUGHTERS OF DECAY, is finally complete!
Why did it take so damn long, though? Especially since the first draft for Sons of Sludge was done in about nine months, and edited in two? No, I did not take a year-long vacation in the Bahamas. I'm not even sure what there is to do in the Bahamas. I'd probably end up Netflixing in the hotel room. Here's a couple different reasons why progress has been so sluggish:
First, I've simply had less time. For S.O.S., I only had two children, but now I have three. I also had two days a week set aside for writing, where now I only have one. With two days in a row, you can kind of piggyback off the momentum of the previous day. But when a week goes by between sessions, the creativity train will have long been derailed. You have to start the process anew.
Secondly, I've just lost steam. Writing an entire novel of storyline and character development, living in that world for so long as you tweak them and pull them, mash them down like clay and reshape them until you have just what you want... And then going right into another novel with those same characters, continuing the same story. I love Zaul's narrative, but sometimes finding even more ways to illustrate his inner struggle with wanting to ravage woman and eat humans is tiresome.
Well, at least the hardest part is over. But if you think you'll be getting to read D.O.D. right away, you had best check yourself before you wreck yourself. Did you see that number at the top? 124,612. That's way too much. The last one was about 101,000 words. And I know sequels can be longer, and since I have no publisher I can do whatever the hell I want. But trust me, it needs to be pared down. I also have the annoying yet persistent notion that the ending is too convoluted, and thus needs to be rewritten. Ugh.
But enough complaining about doing what I love to do, which is create! Lemme tell you a little bit about this baby:
I wrote this in alternating narratives, both Zaul and Genny. It gave me a chance to stretch my gender point of view, and hopefully to positive effect. As the title might tell you, this story gives more of a glimpse into the female world of Hybrid Reanimates. I've also written a quasi-sex scene (PG-13 level) for the first time ever. That was, um, interesting...
And not to give any spoilers, but the body count is considerably higher in this one, nearly tripled from S.O.S. I figure when you have an entire building stuffed full of flesh-craving former humans, and armed officers that hate them are standing guard, casualties will be tallied. This is, after all, a "zombie" horror novel. Would you tune into Walking Dead if three episodes went by and not one face was chewed off? Didn't think so.
More updates to come as they occur. My new projected date for release is this summer, a whole two years after Sons of Sludge (has it been that long already?). After editing and proofreading, I still have to format and get cover artwork done. I want it nice and pretty by the time it hits your hands and eyes. And if you're up for the challenge, I just might need some beta readers when the time comes. Peace out.
Ok, maybe not that last part. But the first draft for the Sons of Sludge sequel, DAUGHTERS OF DECAY, is finally complete!
Why did it take so damn long, though? Especially since the first draft for Sons of Sludge was done in about nine months, and edited in two? No, I did not take a year-long vacation in the Bahamas. I'm not even sure what there is to do in the Bahamas. I'd probably end up Netflixing in the hotel room. Here's a couple different reasons why progress has been so sluggish:
First, I've simply had less time. For S.O.S., I only had two children, but now I have three. I also had two days a week set aside for writing, where now I only have one. With two days in a row, you can kind of piggyback off the momentum of the previous day. But when a week goes by between sessions, the creativity train will have long been derailed. You have to start the process anew.
Secondly, I've just lost steam. Writing an entire novel of storyline and character development, living in that world for so long as you tweak them and pull them, mash them down like clay and reshape them until you have just what you want... And then going right into another novel with those same characters, continuing the same story. I love Zaul's narrative, but sometimes finding even more ways to illustrate his inner struggle with wanting to ravage woman and eat humans is tiresome.
Well, at least the hardest part is over. But if you think you'll be getting to read D.O.D. right away, you had best check yourself before you wreck yourself. Did you see that number at the top? 124,612. That's way too much. The last one was about 101,000 words. And I know sequels can be longer, and since I have no publisher I can do whatever the hell I want. But trust me, it needs to be pared down. I also have the annoying yet persistent notion that the ending is too convoluted, and thus needs to be rewritten. Ugh.
But enough complaining about doing what I love to do, which is create! Lemme tell you a little bit about this baby:
I wrote this in alternating narratives, both Zaul and Genny. It gave me a chance to stretch my gender point of view, and hopefully to positive effect. As the title might tell you, this story gives more of a glimpse into the female world of Hybrid Reanimates. I've also written a quasi-sex scene (PG-13 level) for the first time ever. That was, um, interesting...
And not to give any spoilers, but the body count is considerably higher in this one, nearly tripled from S.O.S. I figure when you have an entire building stuffed full of flesh-craving former humans, and armed officers that hate them are standing guard, casualties will be tallied. This is, after all, a "zombie" horror novel. Would you tune into Walking Dead if three episodes went by and not one face was chewed off? Didn't think so.
More updates to come as they occur. My new projected date for release is this summer, a whole two years after Sons of Sludge (has it been that long already?). After editing and proofreading, I still have to format and get cover artwork done. I want it nice and pretty by the time it hits your hands and eyes. And if you're up for the challenge, I just might need some beta readers when the time comes. Peace out.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Blast Radius & The Imminent Completion Of Sons 2
Seasons Greetings!
I know, I know. It's been a while since my last post. But this shouldn't surprise you by now. I need inspiration. Only strike when the iron is hot... or in my case, when there aren't any good TV shows on at the moment. With a lull in my fall television schedule, I've peeled myself off the couch, and assembled this attempt at blogging just in time for the holidays.
And what has Josiah Claus been up to this Yuletide?
A brand new 16 & Strange short story!!! >>>>> (Click on this. DO IT.)
BLAST RADIUS is a little story about a former teen pothead named Iggy, forced to live with his strict grandmother after his parents find out about his partying ways. Just think The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, except with less jokes and B-ball, and more drugs. (Remember the episode where Carlton takes the pills out of Will's locker? Tears.)
Also, think more explosions.
As with each entry in the 16 & Strange series, it touches on an issue that many teens deal with. This time around it's drug/alcohol use.
Let me preface this right now: I never did drugs in high school. I didn't have my first drink until after graduation. I've only smoked weed on a handful of occasions, my first time at nineteen years old. I've never touched pills, crack, meth, heroin, cocaine, or any of that. So I didn't write this story from personal experience.
But look at me. Seriously. I'm a straight, white, Christian male with no disabilities or history of abuse, and my parents are still together. If I only wrote from personal experience, my material would be all sorts of BORING. Variety is the spice of life. I try my best to see through the eyes of others, and hope I don't come off as ignorant or naïve. I apologize in advance for any moments that seem inauthentic. But in the end, I think you'll enjoy it.
And what of Daughters of Decay, the sequel to Sons of Sludge?
It is not dead. I repeat, ZAUL AND GENNY ARE NOT DEAD. Seriously, the first draft is about 95% done. I took a little break to write this short story, but will be back on D.O.D. in full force once my kids' winter breaks are done. Pounding out the first draft is always the hardest, the most time consuming for me. But then, after multiple rounds of edits and peer revisions (by that, I mean family members will read it. Thanks guys!), formatting and cover design, I suspect it will be ready for launch this spring. And it'll be a good'un.
Until then, read something. Anything, from anyone. Don't be like me, and sit around, waiting for Gotham or The Walking Dead to come back on. Read something. And if it just so happens to be a certain short story from a certain you-know-who, then be a pal and tell a friend.
Merry Christmas!
I know, I know. It's been a while since my last post. But this shouldn't surprise you by now. I need inspiration. Only strike when the iron is hot... or in my case, when there aren't any good TV shows on at the moment. With a lull in my fall television schedule, I've peeled myself off the couch, and assembled this attempt at blogging just in time for the holidays.
And what has Josiah Claus been up to this Yuletide?
A brand new 16 & Strange short story!!! >>>>> (Click on this. DO IT.)
BLAST RADIUS is a little story about a former teen pothead named Iggy, forced to live with his strict grandmother after his parents find out about his partying ways. Just think The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, except with less jokes and B-ball, and more drugs. (Remember the episode where Carlton takes the pills out of Will's locker? Tears.)
Also, think more explosions.
As with each entry in the 16 & Strange series, it touches on an issue that many teens deal with. This time around it's drug/alcohol use.
Let me preface this right now: I never did drugs in high school. I didn't have my first drink until after graduation. I've only smoked weed on a handful of occasions, my first time at nineteen years old. I've never touched pills, crack, meth, heroin, cocaine, or any of that. So I didn't write this story from personal experience.
But look at me. Seriously. I'm a straight, white, Christian male with no disabilities or history of abuse, and my parents are still together. If I only wrote from personal experience, my material would be all sorts of BORING. Variety is the spice of life. I try my best to see through the eyes of others, and hope I don't come off as ignorant or naïve. I apologize in advance for any moments that seem inauthentic. But in the end, I think you'll enjoy it.
And what of Daughters of Decay, the sequel to Sons of Sludge?
It is not dead. I repeat, ZAUL AND GENNY ARE NOT DEAD. Seriously, the first draft is about 95% done. I took a little break to write this short story, but will be back on D.O.D. in full force once my kids' winter breaks are done. Pounding out the first draft is always the hardest, the most time consuming for me. But then, after multiple rounds of edits and peer revisions (by that, I mean family members will read it. Thanks guys!), formatting and cover design, I suspect it will be ready for launch this spring. And it'll be a good'un.
Until then, read something. Anything, from anyone. Don't be like me, and sit around, waiting for Gotham or The Walking Dead to come back on. Read something. And if it just so happens to be a certain short story from a certain you-know-who, then be a pal and tell a friend.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, July 31, 2015
What To Expect When Your Name Is Josiah
Josiah. That's my name... I'd say "don't wear it out!", but I doubt overuse has ever been a concern with the name Josiah. I've only met a handful of folks in my life who have shared it, and every time I do there's a certain moment of mutual understanding passed between us. It's not a very common moniker.
But I like it. It sets me apart from the crowd, makes my miniscule existence in this colossal universe just a scosche more special. It's not without its difficulties, though. In fact, there's a list of common hurdles I've run into ever since I was born, and I've subconsciously compiled it over the years. Are they really just minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things? Yes. Should I have gotten over them a long time ago? Sure. But this is my blog, so shut up and read. What to expect when your name is Josiah:
1. You will be spelling your name out every time you give it. And you get used to it pretty early on. Confirming your identity to a call center or tech support? J-O-S-I-A-H. Requesting a table at a restaurant? J-O-S-I-A-H. Sometimes it's best just to push someone else in your party - one with a more common name - up to the hostess stand.
Unless they are somehow familiar with it already, expecting a stranger to construct it on their own is asking for disaster. And even spelling it for them doesn't guarantee accuracy. I once put in an order at Wingstop, spelled it out as usual, and when I picked it up it had "JOESADA" written in sharpie on the bag. Think about what must have been going through their mind to have written Joesada. Unless they were just trolling, that's a special kind of special to come up with that.
And if they can't spell it right when they hear it, they definitely won't say it right when they see it. So...
2. Prepare to be called Joshua. A lot. Like, EVERY TIME YOU MEET SOMEONE NEW. Sometimes, even after you've met them months (or even years) ago. Yes, seriously. And that substitute teacher taking roll? You'll know when to raise your hand.
I don't know how they get Joshua, when Josiah has no "u", and there's two damn letters separating "s" and "h". And their brain must be telling them the "i" is silent. I understand they may have never heard it before, but do people just blurt out whatever comes to mind when encountering an unfamiliar combination of letters? Can't they stop and get Hooked on Phonics™ for just a second? Some do at least attempt correct pronunciation, though. I often find when I'm on a call with a stranger, who sounds foreign to the U.S., they often pronounce it "Jah-SEE-uh". You get an A for effort.
And occasionally, you'll get some more creative substitutes than Joshua. During a months-long teen mission trip to Greece, I had an elderly team leader that couldn't get my name right the whole summer. He called me Joshua, Isaiah, Joel, Ezekiel... and his number one offender, "Joaz". So much Joaz. I guess since it was a mission trip, he was going with the Biblical names. And speaking of which...
3. Thou shalt receive extra attention from Evangelicals. Introduce yourself to an elderly man with a suit and a southern drawl, or a church lady wearing her Sunday best, and the eyebrow-raising will ensue.
"Josiah, huh? That's a good name. Good Bible name..."
Look, I get it. I've grown up in church my whole life. I'm still there (literally) every Sunday, attending service and volunteering in the children's section. I am completely up to speed on the good Hebrew King Josiah. Sometimes, to nip the inevitable conversational direction in the bud, I'll throw down the facts (King of the southern kingdom of Judah at 8 years old, recovered the Book of the Law, stories found in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles) rapid fire, just to get it out of the way.
I appreciate your knowledge of and devotion for the scriptures, but someone called Josiah will almost certainly be aware of their name's origin. I don't need the Sunday School lesson all over again, thank you.
4. If another Josiah is in the vicinity, and their name is called, your head WILL turn. It will be unstoppable. There is nothing you can do. No matter how hard you try, even if you have etched in your brain that another rare Josiah is on the scene, all attempts their companions make to get their attention will get yours as well. Spend your entire life with a name almost no one else has, and any time someone says it, they must be referring to you, right? Even from across the room, your syllables whispered from one person to another are unmistakable. You have been conditioned to detect and respond to all utterances of the name.
It's usually out in public, when a parent has a child bearing your name, and keeps getting after them to behave. "Josiah, come here!" "Josiah, put that down!" "You're in trouble when we get home, Josiah!" And here I am, a grown-ass man, subconsciously taking in all this parental scolding, applying it to my inner child. Burying it in my psyche.
But I suppose that means more and more parents are naming their child Josiah, making it more common. Part of that gives me hope for a better tomorrow. Perhaps the recent popularity of the name will someday make this list obsolete for future Josiahs, and will fall among the ranks of the Bills, the Pauls, the Georges. They won't have to spell it out anymore, or endure another all-too-familiar Bible story.
But part of that makes me a little sad. I'll miss being a special snowflake, one of only a few. I started a new job a few months ago, and there was already a Josiah there. I was nothing new to them. No one even called me Joshua, not once. What the hell? I guess I'll just have to settle for the uniqueness of my last name, and the constant chuckling of dirty old men when they ask, "You related to Kate Upton? Can you introduce me?!?!"
Bonus: It only happened once, but I had someone who saw my name ask if I was Amish. In their defense, I kinda had a chinstrap beard thing going on back then. But I was also using a computer at the time, the epitome of the technology that Amish abstain from, so... yeah. That was fun.
But I like it. It sets me apart from the crowd, makes my miniscule existence in this colossal universe just a scosche more special. It's not without its difficulties, though. In fact, there's a list of common hurdles I've run into ever since I was born, and I've subconsciously compiled it over the years. Are they really just minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things? Yes. Should I have gotten over them a long time ago? Sure. But this is my blog, so shut up and read. What to expect when your name is Josiah:
1. You will be spelling your name out every time you give it. And you get used to it pretty early on. Confirming your identity to a call center or tech support? J-O-S-I-A-H. Requesting a table at a restaurant? J-O-S-I-A-H. Sometimes it's best just to push someone else in your party - one with a more common name - up to the hostess stand.
Unless they are somehow familiar with it already, expecting a stranger to construct it on their own is asking for disaster. And even spelling it for them doesn't guarantee accuracy. I once put in an order at Wingstop, spelled it out as usual, and when I picked it up it had "JOESADA" written in sharpie on the bag. Think about what must have been going through their mind to have written Joesada. Unless they were just trolling, that's a special kind of special to come up with that.
And if they can't spell it right when they hear it, they definitely won't say it right when they see it. So...
2. Prepare to be called Joshua. A lot. Like, EVERY TIME YOU MEET SOMEONE NEW. Sometimes, even after you've met them months (or even years) ago. Yes, seriously. And that substitute teacher taking roll? You'll know when to raise your hand.
I don't know how they get Joshua, when Josiah has no "u", and there's two damn letters separating "s" and "h". And their brain must be telling them the "i" is silent. I understand they may have never heard it before, but do people just blurt out whatever comes to mind when encountering an unfamiliar combination of letters? Can't they stop and get Hooked on Phonics™ for just a second? Some do at least attempt correct pronunciation, though. I often find when I'm on a call with a stranger, who sounds foreign to the U.S., they often pronounce it "Jah-SEE-uh". You get an A for effort.
And occasionally, you'll get some more creative substitutes than Joshua. During a months-long teen mission trip to Greece, I had an elderly team leader that couldn't get my name right the whole summer. He called me Joshua, Isaiah, Joel, Ezekiel... and his number one offender, "Joaz". So much Joaz. I guess since it was a mission trip, he was going with the Biblical names. And speaking of which...
3. Thou shalt receive extra attention from Evangelicals. Introduce yourself to an elderly man with a suit and a southern drawl, or a church lady wearing her Sunday best, and the eyebrow-raising will ensue.
"Josiah, huh? That's a good name. Good Bible name..."
Look, I get it. I've grown up in church my whole life. I'm still there (literally) every Sunday, attending service and volunteering in the children's section. I am completely up to speed on the good Hebrew King Josiah. Sometimes, to nip the inevitable conversational direction in the bud, I'll throw down the facts (King of the southern kingdom of Judah at 8 years old, recovered the Book of the Law, stories found in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles) rapid fire, just to get it out of the way.
I appreciate your knowledge of and devotion for the scriptures, but someone called Josiah will almost certainly be aware of their name's origin. I don't need the Sunday School lesson all over again, thank you.
4. If another Josiah is in the vicinity, and their name is called, your head WILL turn. It will be unstoppable. There is nothing you can do. No matter how hard you try, even if you have etched in your brain that another rare Josiah is on the scene, all attempts their companions make to get their attention will get yours as well. Spend your entire life with a name almost no one else has, and any time someone says it, they must be referring to you, right? Even from across the room, your syllables whispered from one person to another are unmistakable. You have been conditioned to detect and respond to all utterances of the name.
It's usually out in public, when a parent has a child bearing your name, and keeps getting after them to behave. "Josiah, come here!" "Josiah, put that down!" "You're in trouble when we get home, Josiah!" And here I am, a grown-ass man, subconsciously taking in all this parental scolding, applying it to my inner child. Burying it in my psyche.
But I suppose that means more and more parents are naming their child Josiah, making it more common. Part of that gives me hope for a better tomorrow. Perhaps the recent popularity of the name will someday make this list obsolete for future Josiahs, and will fall among the ranks of the Bills, the Pauls, the Georges. They won't have to spell it out anymore, or endure another all-too-familiar Bible story.
But part of that makes me a little sad. I'll miss being a special snowflake, one of only a few. I started a new job a few months ago, and there was already a Josiah there. I was nothing new to them. No one even called me Joshua, not once. What the hell? I guess I'll just have to settle for the uniqueness of my last name, and the constant chuckling of dirty old men when they ask, "You related to Kate Upton? Can you introduce me?!?!"
Bonus: It only happened once, but I had someone who saw my name ask if I was Amish. In their defense, I kinda had a chinstrap beard thing going on back then. But I was also using a computer at the time, the epitome of the technology that Amish abstain from, so... yeah. That was fun.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
I Think I Hit Snooze Too Many Times
Captain's Blog
Stardate: ....... **NOTE: GOOGLE "CALCULATING STARDATE" BEFORE PUBLISHING POST**
Months Since Last Blog: >7
Excuses: Between 0 and 1
Greetings! If you've forgotten about little ol' Josiah Upton, you have every understandable reason to. Things have been pretty quiet on this end, but that doesn't mean I've been sitting on the couch the whole time. Occasionally I'll sit in front of my computer screen, too, and try to finish writing Daughters of Decay, the sequel to last summer's Sons of Sludge.
And speaking of S.O.S., this weekend marks the one year anniversary of its release! *modest, off-key fanfare* If you've put off reading this harrowing teen zombie novel, it's available in both digital and paperback on Amazon. And if you feel inclined to leave a quick review on Amazon, I won't stop you. Swimming in a sea of millions of other e-books, any support given is much appreciated.
Seriously, whenever I log in to my author account and see a new sale or review, I drop my bowl of Reese's Puffs on the keyboard.
Anyway, back to Daughters of Decay. The sequel I was hoping to release right about now, except I'm only a little over halfway done with the first draft. Now I'll be lucky if I put it out in time for my new goal, which is the end of the year. So what's happening that's making it take so long?
Life is what's happening. Nothing crazy - no deaths, no births, no major financial setbacks. Just everyday life. I still work a regular job, I still have three young and wild boys to raise, one of which just barely learning to walk. I live close to extended family, and I'm married to a wife that I actually enjoy spending time with.
By the end of the day, I don't have the time, creativity or energy to climb up the stairs to my "office", sit at the desk, and make up stories about other people's lives. A lot of times I just want to crash in front of the TV and watch other people's made up stories. To be honest, I'm fine with that. It's an exhausting period in life.
But that doesn't mean I've stopped completely. Zaul and Genny still live on in my mind, and their story isn't finished yet. This is what's coming in Daughters of Decay:
Having sacrificed his freedom for Genny's future, Zaul Jarreux faces the dismal remainder of his existence locked up in a federal Hybrid Reanimate Containment Facility. But Genny won't accept this as the final fate of the undead boy she loves. While Zaul interacts with other higher-functioning Hybrids in an exclusive collective known as the Brains Club, Genny looks for a way to get him out of the facility, finding help from an unlikely ally. The clock is ticking, though. Cogs move within the APA machine that will affect the Hybrid population on a national level, and the virus in Genny inches her closer to becoming one of them herself.
Supporting characters Gordon, Gibbs and Dalton return, as well as the psychotic Caesar, who is looking to make Zaul's life in containment more of a hell than it already is. I decided to do something a little different and write it in a dual narrative, alternating between Zaul and Genny's perspectives. I've had to channel my inner angst-filled teen girl for that. I've seen the multiple narrative approach work in other books, so I hope this will go off without a hitch. Release date? A Halloween launch would be awesome, but closer to Christmas is more realistic. Santa Claus better deliver on that.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off on a vacation to see Awolnation in San Antonio. This is the part where I usually promise to make more frequent posts in the future, but I just couldn't live with myself if I hurt you again. *puts finger on lips* Shhh, Shhh.... Don't speak. It's better this way.
(This post brought to you by Reese's Puffs™)
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Sequelus Maximus
Ever heard the phrase, "You can't have just one"?
It implies that the first "one" was so good that another is desired, if not at least warranted.
However, in regards to our entertainment world and the sheer volume of sequels that abound within, that isn't always the case. Often the deciding factor of whether a second (or third, or fourth, or ninth...) installment will go into production relies entirely upon the success of the previous. It doesn't matter how crappy it was, or if no one with any discerning tastes liked it. The question is usually: Did it bring in the big bucks?
This is never more true than in the world of film. I can't tell you how many times I groaned and rolled my eyes when I heard that yet another Transformers: Age of the Moon Revenge was greenlit. It doesn't matter that the critical reception of the franchise has consistently dropped since its inception. People are willing to pay, and Michael Bay and the studio are willing to oblige.
It's not exactly the case when it comes to novels, though. I myself have no publishing deal, and by no means am I an expert on the field, so take what I say with a skeptical grain of "Well-what-do-you-know?" salt. But from what I've read, book sequels are often outlined at the beginning. The publishing company has a certain amount of faith in an author's ability to deliver on a series, a contract is drawn out, and the subsequent books come out on schedule, regardless of the first one's critical or commercial success. However, if your first one was a disappointment, a certain amount of marketing power may be withheld from the sequels (like, all of it).
So, why am I talking about this? What does this have to do with Josiah Upton's diminutive catalogue of literary endeavors? In case you're wondering, I am not producing a Hollywood blockbuster, nor am in contract with a publisher.
It's because I'm writing the second installment in my Sons of Sludge series, tentatively titled DAUGHTERS OF DECAY.
And in regards to a sequel, the above rules don't apply to me. I am just another one of thousands of independent authors - some successful, many more who aren't - that get to make up my own rules. My decision to write a sequel isn't based off what my contract requires (I don't have one), or whether my first one was successful (it really hasn't been). I do it because I want to. I do it because I feel I need to.
I can't have just one.
A few years ago, I was all but certain I would write a sequel to Float. I had preliminary plot points set up, I had an overall direction I wanted the series to go. But then the book went nowhere on Amazon, and I abandoned that idea to take another stab at getting an agent, using a different manuscript, Sons of Sludge. That didn't work either.
Around this time I realized that Float was a starter novel, a valiant effort with good intentions, fueled by a passion for telling (what I still believe to be) a unique story. Any thoughts of writing a sequel for it were scrapped, and the overall concept was to be reborn into a new young adult fantasy manuscript, The Singing Stones.
Yet another attempt at snagging that elusive agent and publishing contract, I went to work crafting my own fantasy world. I filled it with all sorts of characters, both brave and despicable. I drew up a basic outline for the whole series. I wrote about 20,000 words of a first draft.
And then I watched Lord of the Rings again.
By far my favorite work of fantasy, I found too many parallels between that epic story and mine, too many common themes and elements. I almost felt like I was ripping off the master, J.R.R. Tolkien. I had to stop. It wasn't going to work.
All the while, my thoughts and heart kept going back to Zaul. His story felt full and real and solid. It was molded over two years of writes, re-writes, rejection and doubt. And while no book is without flaw - and obviously I'm biased to my own work - it seemed like my best story, the one most worthy to be read. That story isn't finished.
There is no guarantee that completing the series will pay off on Amazon, and it almost certainly won't get me an agent or publishing contract. But there was never a guarantee in the first place. There never will be. And if I must write, I'd rather do it with a story and characters I believe in. Something I believe others can believe in.
And I can't have just one.
It implies that the first "one" was so good that another is desired, if not at least warranted.
However, in regards to our entertainment world and the sheer volume of sequels that abound within, that isn't always the case. Often the deciding factor of whether a second (or third, or fourth, or ninth...) installment will go into production relies entirely upon the success of the previous. It doesn't matter how crappy it was, or if no one with any discerning tastes liked it. The question is usually: Did it bring in the big bucks?
This is never more true than in the world of film. I can't tell you how many times I groaned and rolled my eyes when I heard that yet another Transformers: Age of the Moon Revenge was greenlit. It doesn't matter that the critical reception of the franchise has consistently dropped since its inception. People are willing to pay, and Michael Bay and the studio are willing to oblige.
It's not exactly the case when it comes to novels, though. I myself have no publishing deal, and by no means am I an expert on the field, so take what I say with a skeptical grain of "Well-what-do-you-know?" salt. But from what I've read, book sequels are often outlined at the beginning. The publishing company has a certain amount of faith in an author's ability to deliver on a series, a contract is drawn out, and the subsequent books come out on schedule, regardless of the first one's critical or commercial success. However, if your first one was a disappointment, a certain amount of marketing power may be withheld from the sequels (like, all of it).
So, why am I talking about this? What does this have to do with Josiah Upton's diminutive catalogue of literary endeavors? In case you're wondering, I am not producing a Hollywood blockbuster, nor am in contract with a publisher.
It's because I'm writing the second installment in my Sons of Sludge series, tentatively titled DAUGHTERS OF DECAY.
And in regards to a sequel, the above rules don't apply to me. I am just another one of thousands of independent authors - some successful, many more who aren't - that get to make up my own rules. My decision to write a sequel isn't based off what my contract requires (I don't have one), or whether my first one was successful (it really hasn't been). I do it because I want to. I do it because I feel I need to.
I can't have just one.
A few years ago, I was all but certain I would write a sequel to Float. I had preliminary plot points set up, I had an overall direction I wanted the series to go. But then the book went nowhere on Amazon, and I abandoned that idea to take another stab at getting an agent, using a different manuscript, Sons of Sludge. That didn't work either.
Around this time I realized that Float was a starter novel, a valiant effort with good intentions, fueled by a passion for telling (what I still believe to be) a unique story. Any thoughts of writing a sequel for it were scrapped, and the overall concept was to be reborn into a new young adult fantasy manuscript, The Singing Stones.
Yet another attempt at snagging that elusive agent and publishing contract, I went to work crafting my own fantasy world. I filled it with all sorts of characters, both brave and despicable. I drew up a basic outline for the whole series. I wrote about 20,000 words of a first draft.
And then I watched Lord of the Rings again.
By far my favorite work of fantasy, I found too many parallels between that epic story and mine, too many common themes and elements. I almost felt like I was ripping off the master, J.R.R. Tolkien. I had to stop. It wasn't going to work.
All the while, my thoughts and heart kept going back to Zaul. His story felt full and real and solid. It was molded over two years of writes, re-writes, rejection and doubt. And while no book is without flaw - and obviously I'm biased to my own work - it seemed like my best story, the one most worthy to be read. That story isn't finished.
There is no guarantee that completing the series will pay off on Amazon, and it almost certainly won't get me an agent or publishing contract. But there was never a guarantee in the first place. There never will be. And if I must write, I'd rather do it with a story and characters I believe in. Something I believe others can believe in.
And I can't have just one.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Paperbacks and Promos!
It's been a little longer than I originally anticipated (by about 2 months), but I finally got around to putting Sons of Sludge into paperback, utilizing Createspace's print-on-demand format. I got the proof copy last week, and I must say, physically holding your own book in your own hand is a powerful thing. It's something that I wondered whether I would ever experience.
But to be honest, it doesn't quite fulfill the usual author's dream of seeing their work in print. There was no literary agent deal, no publishing contract. No advance on royalties, or promises of marketing, or scheduled interviews with magazine editors. This was a completely independent venture.
In fact, I could have alternated between the words "boner" and "fart" for a few hundred pages and Createspace still would have made it available, as long as they get their money. In other words, anyone that calls themself an author can do what I did. Furthermore, if I had to pick between paperback sales and Kindle sales of S.O.S., I'd pick Kindle, because I get back a MUCH higher royalty per sale, even though its paperback counterpart is more than double the price.
So why did I do it? Channels. I'm trying to open as many channels as I can for people to find my work. E-book, paperback, blog... I'll even come over to your house and read you my book at bedtime (Okay, maybe that's going too far).
And in this world of increasing digitization, where the purchases of independent novels on Amazon are overwhelmingly the Kindle versions, many people still like to flip the paper pages of a book with their own fingers, just like nearly all of us did for the better part of our lives. I know... what a bunch of weirdos, right?
Anyway, the Sons of Sludge paperback is available now at Createspace (LINK), but if you're planning on getting it, I suggest waiting a few days until it's available on Amazon (LINK), that way it can boost my sales ranking, which is muy bueno.
And if you're one of those people that don't mind reading a great zombie book on a screen, this next part is for you:
Just in time for Halloween, the Kindle version of S.O.S. will be available for FREE download, starting Thursday October 30th through Saturday November 1st!
The first time I did a free promo for Float, I experienced a bounty of downloads, and I suspect this time around will be even bigger. Make sure you take advantage of this promo, and tell all your reading friends to as well. If they come up with an excuse, slap them, and tell them that it is a FREE Kindle book. Repeat the slapping, if necessary.
On my next post I'll be filling you in on what I'm currently writing, and how it will most certainly affect your marriage/socio-economic status/very soul. Don't be a stranger.
But to be honest, it doesn't quite fulfill the usual author's dream of seeing their work in print. There was no literary agent deal, no publishing contract. No advance on royalties, or promises of marketing, or scheduled interviews with magazine editors. This was a completely independent venture.
In fact, I could have alternated between the words "boner" and "fart" for a few hundred pages and Createspace still would have made it available, as long as they get their money. In other words, anyone that calls themself an author can do what I did. Furthermore, if I had to pick between paperback sales and Kindle sales of S.O.S., I'd pick Kindle, because I get back a MUCH higher royalty per sale, even though its paperback counterpart is more than double the price.
So why did I do it? Channels. I'm trying to open as many channels as I can for people to find my work. E-book, paperback, blog... I'll even come over to your house and read you my book at bedtime (Okay, maybe that's going too far).
And in this world of increasing digitization, where the purchases of independent novels on Amazon are overwhelmingly the Kindle versions, many people still like to flip the paper pages of a book with their own fingers, just like nearly all of us did for the better part of our lives. I know... what a bunch of weirdos, right?
Anyway, the Sons of Sludge paperback is available now at Createspace (LINK), but if you're planning on getting it, I suggest waiting a few days until it's available on Amazon (LINK), that way it can boost my sales ranking, which is muy bueno.
And if you're one of those people that don't mind reading a great zombie book on a screen, this next part is for you:
Just in time for Halloween, the Kindle version of S.O.S. will be available for FREE download, starting Thursday October 30th through Saturday November 1st!
The first time I did a free promo for Float, I experienced a bounty of downloads, and I suspect this time around will be even bigger. Make sure you take advantage of this promo, and tell all your reading friends to as well. If they come up with an excuse, slap them, and tell them that it is a FREE Kindle book. Repeat the slapping, if necessary.
On my next post I'll be filling you in on what I'm currently writing, and how it will most certainly affect your marriage/socio-economic status/very soul. Don't be a stranger.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Sending Out An S.O.S.
Wipe the blood off your phone or iPad, and get your undead fingers ready for screen tapping, because the Summer of Sludge is about to begin. In just a few days (on 06/05/14) Sons of Sludge will be launching on Amazon.
But what does it mean for a book to "launch"? Simply put, it is a release, just like the opening night for a movie or the grand opening of a new store. But the reason I use the term launch instead of release is because it is a more active word. I don't just want to release this story, I want to propel it forward past the millions of books already available. I don't just want to "put it out there", I want it to explode in the faces of potential readers.
With the way Amazon works, every author wants their title to be in the top 20... or even top 100. When you're there, browsing readers who aren't exactly sure what they want to try out can see your book, possibly click on it, and maybe even choose it.
And there's more than just the Top 100 list of every Amazon book available. There's Top lists for sci-fi, romance, political, self-help, horror (that's me!), young adult (me again!), etc. Find yourself in any one of those lists, and your chances of gaining new readers dramatically increases. But being absent from them, however, might ensure your book is never found.
More sales leads to more exposure, which leads to more sales, which leads to... You get the idea.
So how does one land a coveted spot in the Top 100 of anything? It's not so much the total number of sales over the entire time your book is available, but rather a healthy spike within a concentrated amount of time, particularly in a day. Between selling 5 everyday over a month (total 150), or only 100 for the whole month, but all on a single day, you'll want to get that single day pop.
That's what a launch day is all about, and that's where you come in.
If you have zero interest in getting your hands on this book, fine. Not everyone likes the same kind of book, not everyone has enough free time to read, and not everyone likes to read books from a screen. I get that, and I'm not trying to pitch to uninterested readers.
But if you are planning on reading Sons of Sludge, I humbly suggest/recommend/insist/demand (don't make me make you!) downloading it on the launch date, 06/05/14. This increases the chances of putting it in any one of those Top lists, and kicking off the Summer of Sludge with a bang.
If you don't own a Kindle, and you've never downloaded an ebook from the Amazon Kindle store, the steps to getting S.O.S. are as easy as human-brains pie:
1. Get an Amazon account. It's free and only takes a few minutes to set up.
2. Get a Kindle Reading App. There's one for nearly every device imaginable (smartphone, tablet, Mac or PC), and it's also free and only takes a few minutes to set up. Here's a link: CLICK THIS. Then you just sign in using your Amazon account (see Step #1).
3. Get Sons of Sludge. It'll be $3.99, it's a great summer zombie read, and you'll be helping out your favorite indie author (me again!).
I'll see you on 06/05/14!
But what does it mean for a book to "launch"? Simply put, it is a release, just like the opening night for a movie or the grand opening of a new store. But the reason I use the term launch instead of release is because it is a more active word. I don't just want to release this story, I want to propel it forward past the millions of books already available. I don't just want to "put it out there", I want it to explode in the faces of potential readers.
With the way Amazon works, every author wants their title to be in the top 20... or even top 100. When you're there, browsing readers who aren't exactly sure what they want to try out can see your book, possibly click on it, and maybe even choose it.
And there's more than just the Top 100 list of every Amazon book available. There's Top lists for sci-fi, romance, political, self-help, horror (that's me!), young adult (me again!), etc. Find yourself in any one of those lists, and your chances of gaining new readers dramatically increases. But being absent from them, however, might ensure your book is never found.
More sales leads to more exposure, which leads to more sales, which leads to... You get the idea.
So how does one land a coveted spot in the Top 100 of anything? It's not so much the total number of sales over the entire time your book is available, but rather a healthy spike within a concentrated amount of time, particularly in a day. Between selling 5 everyday over a month (total 150), or only 100 for the whole month, but all on a single day, you'll want to get that single day pop.
That's what a launch day is all about, and that's where you come in.
If you have zero interest in getting your hands on this book, fine. Not everyone likes the same kind of book, not everyone has enough free time to read, and not everyone likes to read books from a screen. I get that, and I'm not trying to pitch to uninterested readers.
But if you are planning on reading Sons of Sludge, I humbly suggest/recommend/insist/demand (don't make me make you!) downloading it on the launch date, 06/05/14. This increases the chances of putting it in any one of those Top lists, and kicking off the Summer of Sludge with a bang.
If you don't own a Kindle, and you've never downloaded an ebook from the Amazon Kindle store, the steps to getting S.O.S. are as easy as human-brains pie:
1. Get an Amazon account. It's free and only takes a few minutes to set up.
2. Get a Kindle Reading App. There's one for nearly every device imaginable (smartphone, tablet, Mac or PC), and it's also free and only takes a few minutes to set up. Here's a link: CLICK THIS. Then you just sign in using your Amazon account (see Step #1).
3. Get Sons of Sludge. It'll be $3.99, it's a great summer zombie read, and you'll be helping out your favorite indie author (me again!).
I'll see you on 06/05/14!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
The Summer of Sludge
The wait is almost over, and then the Sludge will be upon us. After more than two years of writing, re-writing, editing, querying, agent-talking, more re-writing and more querying, SONS OF SLUDGE will finally be available on June 5th, 2014.
It's about damn time.
For too long I've been aching to let people get their hands on this young adult zombie book, because I am so proud of it, and I believe in the story and characters so strongly. I held off in hopes of getting that elusive literary agent, of landing that publishing contract, and at certain times it almost felt like that could happen. Unfortunately that wasn't in the cards for Sons of Sludge, but thanks to the current tools at the fingertips of today's independent author, this story that I love won't suffer a quiet, anonymous end at the bottom of a drawer (or on my hard drive).
And with the current state of publishing and literature, who knows? More and more writers are releasing their work independently, retaining all rights and creative control, and some are even making more money than if they had a traditional publishing contract. Will that be my reality? Hard to say. To be honest, Float came to a rather early dead-end.
To ensure a successful launch for Sons of Sludge, I employed the work of a professional designer for the cover artwork, and I must say I am rather pleased with the results. There's a few websites that I will be sending this book to, looking to see if they can drop a review for me (and when the book launches, you can leave one too *wink wink*). I also plan to make this book available in print through Amazon, though this might not come to reality on June 5th.
So mark your calendars (for June 5th), and stay tuned for more updates, up until the SONS OF SLUDGE launch date (which is June 5th), and prepare for a Summer of Sludge (starting June 5th). I can't wait to let you read it!
P.S. - JUNE 5TH
It's about damn time.
For too long I've been aching to let people get their hands on this young adult zombie book, because I am so proud of it, and I believe in the story and characters so strongly. I held off in hopes of getting that elusive literary agent, of landing that publishing contract, and at certain times it almost felt like that could happen. Unfortunately that wasn't in the cards for Sons of Sludge, but thanks to the current tools at the fingertips of today's independent author, this story that I love won't suffer a quiet, anonymous end at the bottom of a drawer (or on my hard drive).
And with the current state of publishing and literature, who knows? More and more writers are releasing their work independently, retaining all rights and creative control, and some are even making more money than if they had a traditional publishing contract. Will that be my reality? Hard to say. To be honest, Float came to a rather early dead-end.
To ensure a successful launch for Sons of Sludge, I employed the work of a professional designer for the cover artwork, and I must say I am rather pleased with the results. There's a few websites that I will be sending this book to, looking to see if they can drop a review for me (and when the book launches, you can leave one too *wink wink*). I also plan to make this book available in print through Amazon, though this might not come to reality on June 5th.
So mark your calendars (for June 5th), and stay tuned for more updates, up until the SONS OF SLUDGE launch date (which is June 5th), and prepare for a Summer of Sludge (starting June 5th). I can't wait to let you read it!
P.S. - JUNE 5TH
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Contests and Self-Evaluations
"Good evening, and welcome to Josiah Upton's first blog post in 2014. For more, we go to Josiah."
Thanks, Josiah.
Looking back on 2013, it was both exciting and depressing. Exciting, because of the acceptance of Time Stops in an online journal, and also the slightest taste Sons of Sludge gave me of the world of traditional publishing, from actually being in talks with a real literary agent. It's the farthest I've made it to date.
And depressing, because the aforementioned novel did not actually project me into said world of traditional publishing, and S.O.S. still remains unpublished, unrepresented, and largely unread, except for a select few test readers. Also, I didn't actually write a new novel in 2013. Yes, considerable work was put into rewriting S.O.S.'s ending, resulting in what I believe to be a better, stronger story. But no new projects were started.
So what's on the menu for 2014? I'm glad I asked.
I sent a few updated queries out for S.O.S. back in November, which so far have yielded nothing, so my attention for this novel has turned to the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. The contest itself has yet to be announced (stirring up much anxiety on the message boards, since last year's contest was announced the December before), but I have my pitch, excerpt and manuscript ready to go when it does. Wish me luck!
Another thing on my mind is my first novel, Float. I started reading it again, and have made a startling discovery: It's not as good as I remember.
*gasps from the studio audience*
When I started writing, I heard people talk about the "starter novel", the first manuscript from a new author that, in almost all cases, finds zero success. I resolved myself that I wouldn't fall prey to this statistic, that Float was incredible and worthy of best-seller status, and any agent or publisher who passed on it was a fool.
I guess my eyes have changed. Maybe it's from the process of writing and rewriting S.O.S. to appeal to a specific agent, or perhaps having a better sense of what readers want out of a book, having read many more books myself than before I started. But I can now see its flaws more clearly, and realize the difficulty of finding an audience for this type of story. I understand how readers might not feel engaged, if they aren't musicians themselves.
Do I still think it's good? Of course I do, I wrote the damn thing. And I believe the support and enthusiasm that my friends and family offered was genuine. I still believe the premise is rather original (as original as anything can be nowadays). I still love the characters, and the journey that it takes the reader on. And I still think it's better than some terrible books I've had the displeasure of reading, ones that somehow made onto the shelves.
I'm less biased though, now. I can see it for what it is... *sigh* A starter novel.
But that makes me worried. What if the same is true about Sons of Sludge? What if, a few years from now, I feel the same way about that? What if I enter it into the ABNA contest, and it doesn't even make it past the first cut? I can't answer that question right now. I'm too close, too invested in this story at the moment. I guess time will tell.
But what of the future of the Float series? I said before, I still think the premise is unique, but perhaps my execution was at fault. It seems the vast majority of young adult readers are female, and therefore the genre has much more female protagonists than male. This puts Float (and even S.O.S.) at a disadvantage. The first change is to create a female hero, one I hope my maleness won't taint. (Note to self: Don't immediately describe the character's boobs.)
Also, setting Paranormal Music in a modern setting, with electric guitars and rock/metal bands, is exciting (especially for a guitar-playing, rock/metal fan like myself), but that admittedly limits the readership appeal. For a new setting, I turn to my undying love for the fantasy works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and am putting the Paranormal Stones in a different world, wielded by skilled singers. Swords, horses, monsters, evil kings... all that jazz.
So if the hero is now female, and is on a completely different fantasy world, and all other characters have been removed, is it still Float? For the most part, no. The only thing remaining is the Stones, and even their number and properties have been altered. In most ways, it will be a brand-new book, with a brand-new name.
Much of 2014 will be devoted to building this world, its characters, their quests, and the relationships between them. I've already laid out a very basic outline, and have all of the Stones, and many of the characters, identified. How long until the first book is written? I don't know. I'd like to say before the end of the year, but I'm not sure. Especially since I'll be having a new and utterly adorable baby boy arriving in April, in addition to the two wild ones already under my charge. The life of this author will be just that much more hectic.
So I say again, wish me luck...
Thanks, Josiah.
Looking back on 2013, it was both exciting and depressing. Exciting, because of the acceptance of Time Stops in an online journal, and also the slightest taste Sons of Sludge gave me of the world of traditional publishing, from actually being in talks with a real literary agent. It's the farthest I've made it to date.
And depressing, because the aforementioned novel did not actually project me into said world of traditional publishing, and S.O.S. still remains unpublished, unrepresented, and largely unread, except for a select few test readers. Also, I didn't actually write a new novel in 2013. Yes, considerable work was put into rewriting S.O.S.'s ending, resulting in what I believe to be a better, stronger story. But no new projects were started.
So what's on the menu for 2014? I'm glad I asked.
I sent a few updated queries out for S.O.S. back in November, which so far have yielded nothing, so my attention for this novel has turned to the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. The contest itself has yet to be announced (stirring up much anxiety on the message boards, since last year's contest was announced the December before), but I have my pitch, excerpt and manuscript ready to go when it does. Wish me luck!
Another thing on my mind is my first novel, Float. I started reading it again, and have made a startling discovery: It's not as good as I remember.
*gasps from the studio audience*
When I started writing, I heard people talk about the "starter novel", the first manuscript from a new author that, in almost all cases, finds zero success. I resolved myself that I wouldn't fall prey to this statistic, that Float was incredible and worthy of best-seller status, and any agent or publisher who passed on it was a fool.
I guess my eyes have changed. Maybe it's from the process of writing and rewriting S.O.S. to appeal to a specific agent, or perhaps having a better sense of what readers want out of a book, having read many more books myself than before I started. But I can now see its flaws more clearly, and realize the difficulty of finding an audience for this type of story. I understand how readers might not feel engaged, if they aren't musicians themselves.
Do I still think it's good? Of course I do, I wrote the damn thing. And I believe the support and enthusiasm that my friends and family offered was genuine. I still believe the premise is rather original (as original as anything can be nowadays). I still love the characters, and the journey that it takes the reader on. And I still think it's better than some terrible books I've had the displeasure of reading, ones that somehow made onto the shelves.
I'm less biased though, now. I can see it for what it is... *sigh* A starter novel.
But that makes me worried. What if the same is true about Sons of Sludge? What if, a few years from now, I feel the same way about that? What if I enter it into the ABNA contest, and it doesn't even make it past the first cut? I can't answer that question right now. I'm too close, too invested in this story at the moment. I guess time will tell.
But what of the future of the Float series? I said before, I still think the premise is unique, but perhaps my execution was at fault. It seems the vast majority of young adult readers are female, and therefore the genre has much more female protagonists than male. This puts Float (and even S.O.S.) at a disadvantage. The first change is to create a female hero, one I hope my maleness won't taint. (Note to self: Don't immediately describe the character's boobs.)
Also, setting Paranormal Music in a modern setting, with electric guitars and rock/metal bands, is exciting (especially for a guitar-playing, rock/metal fan like myself), but that admittedly limits the readership appeal. For a new setting, I turn to my undying love for the fantasy works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and am putting the Paranormal Stones in a different world, wielded by skilled singers. Swords, horses, monsters, evil kings... all that jazz.
So if the hero is now female, and is on a completely different fantasy world, and all other characters have been removed, is it still Float? For the most part, no. The only thing remaining is the Stones, and even their number and properties have been altered. In most ways, it will be a brand-new book, with a brand-new name.
Much of 2014 will be devoted to building this world, its characters, their quests, and the relationships between them. I've already laid out a very basic outline, and have all of the Stones, and many of the characters, identified. How long until the first book is written? I don't know. I'd like to say before the end of the year, but I'm not sure. Especially since I'll be having a new and utterly adorable baby boy arriving in April, in addition to the two wild ones already under my charge. The life of this author will be just that much more hectic.
So I say again, wish me luck...
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Time Stops (and The Elation of Submission Success)
NO.
Ever since I started my pursuit as a writer almost three years ago, I've been told "no" almost as much as when I was a little kid, begging for unwarranted toys or candy in a store.
Of course, it never comes across so bluntly as a simple En-Oh. It's usually something along the lines of "Thank you for sharing this with us, but unfortunately we don't believe your story is quite right for us..." Either it's something like that, or in many cases, there's no response at all. But however it's said (or not said), it all still means "No".
Now, I understand agencies and publishers aren't out to dash my dreams. I know they're extremely busy and can't respond to everything personally. I also haven't been in this game very long, and haven't been rejected nearly as much many of my other fellow aspiring authors. But simply put, being told "no", time after time, sucks.
But then someone says "yes"...
A few months ago, while I was waiting to hear back from an agency regarding my revised manuscript for Sons of Sludge (which ended up resulting in another "no") I was at a loss for how I should proceed in the meantime. I've always heard people encouraging writers to never stop writing, but I wasn't quite sure about what to write. My wife suggested that I work on some short stories while I passed the time, and the product of this endeavor was two short tales about teenagers with reject superpowers.
After I finished the first one, Time Stops, I sent it to a handful of literary journals, not expecting much more to come from it, other than the standard rejections I was so used to receiving. And while I did receive some, one particular website sent an email that had never before graced my eyes. They actually said yes. I'd just lost my submission acceptance virginity. And it felt good.
Lunch Ticket, an online literary journal from the MFA community of Antioch University Los Angeles, will be featuring Time Stops in their December issue, which can be viewed HERE. I hope you enjoy it!
And what of my other writing endeavours? While I rejoice in this small victory, my work in the world of literature (or whatever you deem my stories as) is far from over. I've submitted my other short story, The Taxidermist's Daughter, to some journals, hoping to start a winning streak after this isolated incident. I've also sent revised queries for Sons of Sludge to some agents. If nothing comes from that, there's an online novel contest next year that might prove interesting. But whatever the case, this isn't the last you will hear from Josiah Upton, the Amateur Writing Bandit!
And to all my friends and family, thank you for your support. Many of you have expressed enjoyment in my writing in the past, and now having a complete stranger say it's worthy to be read by other complete strangers only affirms your sentiments. I hope to never disappoint you!
Ever since I started my pursuit as a writer almost three years ago, I've been told "no" almost as much as when I was a little kid, begging for unwarranted toys or candy in a store.
Of course, it never comes across so bluntly as a simple En-Oh. It's usually something along the lines of "Thank you for sharing this with us, but unfortunately we don't believe your story is quite right for us..." Either it's something like that, or in many cases, there's no response at all. But however it's said (or not said), it all still means "No".
Now, I understand agencies and publishers aren't out to dash my dreams. I know they're extremely busy and can't respond to everything personally. I also haven't been in this game very long, and haven't been rejected nearly as much many of my other fellow aspiring authors. But simply put, being told "no", time after time, sucks.
But then someone says "yes"...
A few months ago, while I was waiting to hear back from an agency regarding my revised manuscript for Sons of Sludge (which ended up resulting in another "no") I was at a loss for how I should proceed in the meantime. I've always heard people encouraging writers to never stop writing, but I wasn't quite sure about what to write. My wife suggested that I work on some short stories while I passed the time, and the product of this endeavor was two short tales about teenagers with reject superpowers.
After I finished the first one, Time Stops, I sent it to a handful of literary journals, not expecting much more to come from it, other than the standard rejections I was so used to receiving. And while I did receive some, one particular website sent an email that had never before graced my eyes. They actually said yes. I'd just lost my submission acceptance virginity. And it felt good.
Lunch Ticket, an online literary journal from the MFA community of Antioch University Los Angeles, will be featuring Time Stops in their December issue, which can be viewed HERE. I hope you enjoy it!
And what of my other writing endeavours? While I rejoice in this small victory, my work in the world of literature (or whatever you deem my stories as) is far from over. I've submitted my other short story, The Taxidermist's Daughter, to some journals, hoping to start a winning streak after this isolated incident. I've also sent revised queries for Sons of Sludge to some agents. If nothing comes from that, there's an online novel contest next year that might prove interesting. But whatever the case, this isn't the last you will hear from Josiah Upton, the Amateur Writing Bandit!
And to all my friends and family, thank you for your support. Many of you have expressed enjoyment in my writing in the past, and now having a complete stranger say it's worthy to be read by other complete strangers only affirms your sentiments. I hope to never disappoint you!
Friday, November 1, 2013
Hello Again
Yes, I'm still alive!
Sorry for the enormous break in updates, folks, but I assure you, I have been keeping busy... by waiting. Lots and lots of waiting. Let me give you the skinny on what's been going on the past 6 months:
As you may recall, my last post described the despondency of getting rejected by an opportunity that felt like a sure thing. What I neglected to tell you, however, was that the rejecting literacy agency in question did give me glimmer of hope within said rejection. While they generally liked my original manuscript for Sons of Sludge, they turned it down because of issues they had with it's ending, but expressed interest in seeing it again, in the event that I revised it.
And so that's what I did. I took a few months to revise the manuscript, changing the ending to what I thought might assuage the agent's concerns, and resubmitted it to them. Then I waited. And waited. Surely they would end up offering me representation, right? After all the work I put in, just for them?
Well, they didn't. For whatever reason (because they really didn't give me a specific reason), they said "no" again. And this time, that glimmer of hope was AWOL in the rejection. The door is now completely shut. It's extremely aggravating, putting that much time and energy into a dead-end, but I guess that's just the way the industry works. I knew that - more or less - going into this.
And it wasn't a complete loss. I believe my revised manuscript is better than the original, and it has now taken the place as the official copy.
But now what?
Though I'm not too optimistic, and I dread the process, there's still some options to scrape up from the bottom of the literary agent barrel. I can re-query agents that turned me down before, this time offering the revised manuscript. I know it's a long shot, but it's something.
And I promise you, Sons of Sludge WILL be available to read. I suspect it will be rather soon, too, unless by some miracle an agent responds positively, which would further delay its release (ugh). But either way, just like my Undead protagonist Zaul, this story isn't finished with life yet.
While I was waiting, I also wrote a couple of short stories, for a series I am tentatively calling "16 & Strange". TIME STOPS is about a completely paralyzed boy who can freeze time once a day, and THE TAXIDERMIST'S DAUGHTER is about a girl who can experience the lives of dead animals when she lays her hand on them. I may make these little nuggets available for you to read in the near future, so check back now and then.
Also, Float is once again available for free on Amazon, for today and tomorrow only. If you've never downloaded it, or know somebody else who should, now is the perfect opportunity to support your local independent author achieve his small-scale dreams. And if you REALLY love me, and have already read Float, leave a quick review for it on Amazon. This would help me more than you can imagine.
You'll hear from me soon, friends.
Sorry for the enormous break in updates, folks, but I assure you, I have been keeping busy... by waiting. Lots and lots of waiting. Let me give you the skinny on what's been going on the past 6 months:
As you may recall, my last post described the despondency of getting rejected by an opportunity that felt like a sure thing. What I neglected to tell you, however, was that the rejecting literacy agency in question did give me glimmer of hope within said rejection. While they generally liked my original manuscript for Sons of Sludge, they turned it down because of issues they had with it's ending, but expressed interest in seeing it again, in the event that I revised it.
And so that's what I did. I took a few months to revise the manuscript, changing the ending to what I thought might assuage the agent's concerns, and resubmitted it to them. Then I waited. And waited. Surely they would end up offering me representation, right? After all the work I put in, just for them?
Well, they didn't. For whatever reason (because they really didn't give me a specific reason), they said "no" again. And this time, that glimmer of hope was AWOL in the rejection. The door is now completely shut. It's extremely aggravating, putting that much time and energy into a dead-end, but I guess that's just the way the industry works. I knew that - more or less - going into this.
And it wasn't a complete loss. I believe my revised manuscript is better than the original, and it has now taken the place as the official copy.
But now what?
Though I'm not too optimistic, and I dread the process, there's still some options to scrape up from the bottom of the literary agent barrel. I can re-query agents that turned me down before, this time offering the revised manuscript. I know it's a long shot, but it's something.
And I promise you, Sons of Sludge WILL be available to read. I suspect it will be rather soon, too, unless by some miracle an agent responds positively, which would further delay its release (ugh). But either way, just like my Undead protagonist Zaul, this story isn't finished with life yet.
While I was waiting, I also wrote a couple of short stories, for a series I am tentatively calling "16 & Strange". TIME STOPS is about a completely paralyzed boy who can freeze time once a day, and THE TAXIDERMIST'S DAUGHTER is about a girl who can experience the lives of dead animals when she lays her hand on them. I may make these little nuggets available for you to read in the near future, so check back now and then.
Also, Float is once again available for free on Amazon, for today and tomorrow only. If you've never downloaded it, or know somebody else who should, now is the perfect opportunity to support your local independent author achieve his small-scale dreams. And if you REALLY love me, and have already read Float, leave a quick review for it on Amazon. This would help me more than you can imagine.
You'll hear from me soon, friends.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Publication Woes
If only finding representation were as easy for me as for a rapper's hometown.
I know, I know... It's been almost four months since my last post, the biggest gap ever in the now one year history of this blog. I know my readers are few, and somewhere small in the back of their minds, a dying gasp of a whisper itches at them to check for an update. The itch goes unheeded. And, to be honest, I've barely thought about this blog myself.
There are other things on my mind. Namely, the wretched process that is prying one's way into the publishing world. Hoping their polished turd of a book (or at least it feels that way sometimes) will reach beyond the realm of their friends and family. To one day see their work in print, and not because you paid someone to print it.
The first stage - writing the damn thing - I finished at the end of the year. The month of January was spent editing and polishing the aforementioned turd to the best of my ability, and letting a few family members read it. Only positive things were said.
But all that was the easy part. The next step was to find a literary agent to represent my work to a major publisher. SPOILER ALERT: I haven't.
I sent out a wave of email queries to a number of agencies, expecting either rejections, or nothing at all. But, within the first day of my search, an agent requested my first 50 pages! Needless to say I was quite excited, especially since no such luck was found after querying for months with Float.
Then, they asked for the full manuscript. I was awestruck. Periodic feedback was very positive, and my tower of hopes kept building higher and higher. It felt like such a sure deal, that in no time negotiations would be made with a big publishing house to get Sons of Sludge on the shelves. I had the chilled bubbly on standby at all times.
But then, my tower of hopes was smeared with the very turd it was built upon, then knocked over into the mud. And more turds. The agency ended up declining my book.
And now I'm back to square one. Actually, square negative one, as I have less agents to query than when I started. It's quite depressing.
I jest when I say Sons of Sludge is a turd. I actually think it is very good, worthy of print and readership and accolades. And, though I am aware of my personal bias, I believe it to be better than some books already in print, even on some best-seller lists. But what good is that if an agent, much less a publishing company, doesn't feel the same way? I know it's all just part of the game, but sometimes playing the game sucks.
But I guess I shouldn't complain too much. I haven't been at it for too long, where other fellow authors having been searching for an agent for years. And, like them, I won't give up. Thanks for hearing me vent, and hopefully, the next time I post, it'll be that good news every budding author dreams of.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Finally...
Please excuse me while I do a little happy dance, because the first draft for my next novel, Sons of Sludge, is finally complete.
You may recall a little post I made back in May, in which I came to the depressing realization that the already 50,000+ words I had typed up had to be scrapped, in a favor of a more (I think) successful direction and restructuring. Well, put those 50,000+ words alongside the recently completely 95,000+ word rewritten first draft, and you can safely bet I've had my fill of young adult Hybrid Reanimate literature composition.
Don't get me wrong - I love the story, and I think you will too, but it just feels like I've been grinding away at it for too long. Like... like being stuck in a room... with a person, who's... who's just...
Damn it. I can't even come up with a good simile/metaphor. I'm too mentally exhausted to pull it off.
But rest assured, this novel will see the light of day. The decision to overhaul the story will pay off in the editing process, because I'll have better material to work with. A higher quality of clay for my potter's wheel (Metaphor: Nailed it!). The first proofreading go-around will take the longest, with some chapter restructuring, plothole seeking and destroying, and the usual spelling, grammar and punctuation corrections. But even then, it shouldn't take too long. The third and fourth drafts will come even faster.
After the proofreading comes the most dreaded task: searching for literary representation. The manufactured query emails, the tedious contact list scanning, the inevitable impersonal rejections (or more often than not, no reply at all). I hate it. Every author does.
I had no such luck finding an agent to represent Float, but perhaps the premise was a little too obscure, a little too unbankable for an unpublished author. Sons of Sludge definitely has more marketing potential, but I'm still not too optimistic. Like with Float, if I can't find any success with traditional publishing, I will undoubtedly lose my patience and put it up independently on Amazon. Books are meant to be read, not sitting in a desk or on a hard drive, waiting for a deal that will never come.
Also, I feel I must clear the air about something, as a handful of people have brought a certain upcoming film based off of a book to my attention. I knew they would before they even did, as I became aware of said creative work shortly after starting to write my own story. Let me clarify:
Warm Bodies has an undead main character who craves human flesh. So does my book. This protagonist develops feelings for a human girl. So does mine.
The similarities stop there.
Zombies have become so pervasive in our pop culture over the last ten years that a zombie protagonist grappling with the traces of his/her/its remaining humanity was inevitable. My novel isn't the first, and it won't be the last. I don't claim that any of my work - past, present or future - is completely one-of-a-kind, and I don't mind sharing with other authors who have vaguely similar concepts. We all work with the same culture and human experiences. Are we good? Good.
With that out of the way, it's now time for more shameless self-promotion. As Christmas has just passed, some of you may know friends or family members who have recently been gifted a new Kindle, iPad, smartphone, etc. In light of this I am starting another free download campaign on Amazon for Float, effective Saturday and Sunday (29th and 30th). Spread the word, make some reading eyes happy.
Have a Happy New Year, and await my next update on Sons of Sludge with bated breath.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Spooky Blog Post From Beyond The Grave!!!
By "spooky" I mean "commonplace", and by "beyond the grave" I mean "the comfort of my office chair".
Happy Halloween! Tonight, through the magic of disguise, I will transform myself into Thor Odinson, donning a cheap blonde wig, a red blanket for a cape, and a $7 foam hammer intended for use by a toddler. For Asgard! Joining me will be my oldest son Teddy, dressed as the Incredible Hulk, my youngest Ozzy as Buzz Lightyear, and my lovely wife Jessica as sexy Pixar cowgirl Jessie. I'd say I can't wait to go trick-or-treating, but I've already dipped into the bag of chocolates a week ago - but that won't stop me from eating more tonight.
It's been one year since Clyde and his band competed in the Fright Night Band Fight, and 113 years away from the worst night of Zaul Jarreux's undead life.
I don't know why, but I must have a thing for putting Halloween events in my stories. I guess I'm fascinated by the holiday. When I was a very young child my family didn't celebrate Halloween, because the church we attended convinced us that the harmless, creative fantasy aspect of the holiday and its pagan origins were inseparable, and therefore the whole day was purely evil.
I remember turning off the light when any trick-or-treaters knocked on our door, pretending not to be home. I'm glad my parents' views changed and I was able to dress up and celebrate a few years later. One of my favorites is when my wife and I wore matching dresses, and me and my band played a show at my sister's house.
Aside from personal reflection, I'm also using this post to update goings-on with the above-mentioned Zaul and his adventures in my recent work in progress, Sons of Sludge. The first draft is roughly two thirds done, and the completion of this project couldn't come any sooner. I hope once I reread it, while editing for the first time, I can fall in love with the story and characters again, because I'm losing enthusiasm. I feel like I've been writing this forever. I'm planning to power through November and finish it by the end of the month, but who knows.
And once I complete a second or third draft, I'll start submitting it to literary agents. I think this story might have a better chance than Float at a traditional contract because it has a more mass appeal, what with zombies being all the rage with the youngsters nowadays. Then it's onto the Float sequel. I can't wait for everyone to read what I have coming for them!
Stay safe tonight - don't get tangled up with malicious musicians wielding magic instruments, and eat candy, not human flesh. Watch a scary movie or two.
Oh, and high-five to myself, for sneaking in an October post at the very end of the month. I almost didn't make it.
Happy Halloween! Tonight, through the magic of disguise, I will transform myself into Thor Odinson, donning a cheap blonde wig, a red blanket for a cape, and a $7 foam hammer intended for use by a toddler. For Asgard! Joining me will be my oldest son Teddy, dressed as the Incredible Hulk, my youngest Ozzy as Buzz Lightyear, and my lovely wife Jessica as sexy Pixar cowgirl Jessie. I'd say I can't wait to go trick-or-treating, but I've already dipped into the bag of chocolates a week ago - but that won't stop me from eating more tonight.
It's been one year since Clyde and his band competed in the Fright Night Band Fight, and 113 years away from the worst night of Zaul Jarreux's undead life.
I don't know why, but I must have a thing for putting Halloween events in my stories. I guess I'm fascinated by the holiday. When I was a very young child my family didn't celebrate Halloween, because the church we attended convinced us that the harmless, creative fantasy aspect of the holiday and its pagan origins were inseparable, and therefore the whole day was purely evil.
I remember turning off the light when any trick-or-treaters knocked on our door, pretending not to be home. I'm glad my parents' views changed and I was able to dress up and celebrate a few years later. One of my favorites is when my wife and I wore matching dresses, and me and my band played a show at my sister's house.
Aside from personal reflection, I'm also using this post to update goings-on with the above-mentioned Zaul and his adventures in my recent work in progress, Sons of Sludge. The first draft is roughly two thirds done, and the completion of this project couldn't come any sooner. I hope once I reread it, while editing for the first time, I can fall in love with the story and characters again, because I'm losing enthusiasm. I feel like I've been writing this forever. I'm planning to power through November and finish it by the end of the month, but who knows.
And once I complete a second or third draft, I'll start submitting it to literary agents. I think this story might have a better chance than Float at a traditional contract because it has a more mass appeal, what with zombies being all the rage with the youngsters nowadays. Then it's onto the Float sequel. I can't wait for everyone to read what I have coming for them!
Stay safe tonight - don't get tangled up with malicious musicians wielding magic instruments, and eat candy, not human flesh. Watch a scary movie or two.
Oh, and high-five to myself, for sneaking in an October post at the very end of the month. I almost didn't make it.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Misadventures In Marketing
Warning: The following post contains a certain amount of self-pitying and boo-hooing.
So as many of you may know, a couple weeks ago I held a promotional period wherein I made Float available for free on Amazon, which was met with rather positive download numbers, gaining roughly 12 times the amount of readers from the preceding 3 months combined in just two days. It made it into a few top 100 Free lists on Amazon. When the weekend came to a close, I was ecstatic.
But then Monday came, and nothing else happened. I was hoping for a few straggler sales to trail, or at least a handful of positive (hell, even negative) reviews. But nothing. What went wrong? Whatever it was, I wasn't going to accept it. In my desperation, I turned to utilizing Facebook ads. At a low-risk cost, I was able to target Float to a specific audience, only paying when a user clicked on my ad, capping at a predetermined daily budget. Of the nearly 45,000 people my ad was shown to, only 39 people clicked on it. And none of them got themselves a copy, even when priced at the lowest possible rate of $0.99.
W. T. F.
Is it really that bad? Is the only positive feedback I've received just the manufactured product of obligated friends and family members? It may not be a masterpiece, but I know it is (both objectively and subjectively) better than some books I've read in print - even, dare I say, some best sellers. So what was the problem?
Then a little nugget of wisdom I gleaned from an author blog (probably JA Konrath's) came back to me: Only fans will read your stuff. No one is going to buy your material if they don't know you and your writing. When was the last time you read a book that wasn't suggested to you from a trusted source? Sure, there are a few people who actively seek unknown authors, but most of us (myself included) don't venture much past personal recommendations or national sensations.
Maybe, if I had the funds, I could saturate the market with self-paid ads for my book and grab the attention of .0001% who see it. Maybe I could hire a publicist to shove my face in front of people who don't care. But most likely, I'll need to go Tortoise and the Hare on this mother: Slow and Steady.
So, for the time being, I'm not going to focus on ads or fruitless self-promotion. I'm going to keep writing. I'm going to keep blogging. I plan on pumping out a few short stories between novels, hopefully to keep people interested. In time, with tenacity and integrity, I will build my audience one reader at a time, and see where it goes from there.
This concludes the self-pitying and boo-hooing.
So as many of you may know, a couple weeks ago I held a promotional period wherein I made Float available for free on Amazon, which was met with rather positive download numbers, gaining roughly 12 times the amount of readers from the preceding 3 months combined in just two days. It made it into a few top 100 Free lists on Amazon. When the weekend came to a close, I was ecstatic.
But then Monday came, and nothing else happened. I was hoping for a few straggler sales to trail, or at least a handful of positive (hell, even negative) reviews. But nothing. What went wrong? Whatever it was, I wasn't going to accept it. In my desperation, I turned to utilizing Facebook ads. At a low-risk cost, I was able to target Float to a specific audience, only paying when a user clicked on my ad, capping at a predetermined daily budget. Of the nearly 45,000 people my ad was shown to, only 39 people clicked on it. And none of them got themselves a copy, even when priced at the lowest possible rate of $0.99.
W. T. F.
Is it really that bad? Is the only positive feedback I've received just the manufactured product of obligated friends and family members? It may not be a masterpiece, but I know it is (both objectively and subjectively) better than some books I've read in print - even, dare I say, some best sellers. So what was the problem?
Then a little nugget of wisdom I gleaned from an author blog (probably JA Konrath's) came back to me: Only fans will read your stuff. No one is going to buy your material if they don't know you and your writing. When was the last time you read a book that wasn't suggested to you from a trusted source? Sure, there are a few people who actively seek unknown authors, but most of us (myself included) don't venture much past personal recommendations or national sensations.
Maybe, if I had the funds, I could saturate the market with self-paid ads for my book and grab the attention of .0001% who see it. Maybe I could hire a publicist to shove my face in front of people who don't care. But most likely, I'll need to go Tortoise and the Hare on this mother: Slow and Steady.
So, for the time being, I'm not going to focus on ads or fruitless self-promotion. I'm going to keep writing. I'm going to keep blogging. I plan on pumping out a few short stories between novels, hopefully to keep people interested. In time, with tenacity and integrity, I will build my audience one reader at a time, and see where it goes from there.
This concludes the self-pitying and boo-hooing.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Free Literature? Well, I say...
Float for free. August 18th and 19th. Amazon.
I recently enrolled my debut e-book Float in the Kindle Direct Publishing Select program, which allows me to promote my novel for a few days every 3 months. The first promotion will take place this Saturday and Sunday in the Kindle store, where I hope millions upon billions of digital readers will flock to get their greedy fingers on a copy.
Well, maybe not that many.
Sales for my book have practically been non-existent recently, but revenue isn't what I'm concerned with at this stage. Right now I just want to get it in front of as many eyes as possible, and making it available for free is a great way to do so. If you're a long-time-reader, no-Float-purchaser, this is the perfect time to check it out. Or, as my dad would type, "Czech" it out.
Oh, and tell your friends, family members, co-workers, colleagues, neighbors, teachers, distant relatives, doctors, accountants, acquaintances, local grocers, enemies, random strangers you see on the street, and that creepy dude on the bus who won't stop looking at you. You can even tell me if you'd like. I'll act surprised.
Float. Free. Amazon. 18th. 19th. Make it so.
I recently enrolled my debut e-book Float in the Kindle Direct Publishing Select program, which allows me to promote my novel for a few days every 3 months. The first promotion will take place this Saturday and Sunday in the Kindle store, where I hope millions upon billions of digital readers will flock to get their greedy fingers on a copy.
Well, maybe not that many.
Sales for my book have practically been non-existent recently, but revenue isn't what I'm concerned with at this stage. Right now I just want to get it in front of as many eyes as possible, and making it available for free is a great way to do so. If you're a long-time-reader, no-Float-purchaser, this is the perfect time to check it out. Or, as my dad would type, "Czech" it out.
Oh, and tell your friends, family members, co-workers, colleagues, neighbors, teachers, distant relatives, doctors, accountants, acquaintances, local grocers, enemies, random strangers you see on the street, and that creepy dude on the bus who won't stop looking at you. You can even tell me if you'd like. I'll act surprised.
Float. Free. Amazon. 18th. 19th. Make it so.
Friday, August 10, 2012
What happened to July?
There's no getting around it: Last month my blog was post-less. Dormant. Inactive. Taking a cyber-nap. I'm sure two or three of you were lying awake at night, wondering if I had fallen into my digital inkwell, or if I'd simply run out of words to type.
But I've been busy. Oh yes, rather busy indeed...
Well, sort of. From the end of June until this last Wednesday I've been laying down the first section of the Sons of Sludge rewrite. 8 chapters, 27,000 words - I have a good feeling about this. When I read it I get excited, finding myself wanting more of a story I have yet to finish writing. That's when I know my book has some potential.
The whole first section (basically Act I) follows Zaul's first day out in society, after six years of confinement in his caretaker's basement. It introduces most of the characters and shows you just how miserable his unholy existence is. A small glimmer of hope is discovered at the end of the long day, giving him the strength to continue with his life, and sets the scene for Acts II and III, where things spiral down into a fiery pit of complicated madness. There will be drugs, violence and the consuming of human flesh. Aren't you excited?
My current plan is to finish the first draft by November 1st, with an estimated 100,000 words totalled, which means I need to pump out a little over 6k a week. Then, I'll spend November editing, and hopefully have a finished product by the end of the year. Wish me luck.
In other news, I have discontinued the sale of Float on Barnes & Noble. The large majority of people were getting it from Amazon anyway, and there's an exclusive program I can use through them if I don't make my book available anywhere else. It allows Amazon Prime members to digitally borrow my book from the Kindle Owner's Lending Library, and the ability to offer Float for free for 5 days in each 90 day period. I'll let you know when the promotional days will be, so you can bug your friends and family to snag their copy for the low, low price of nothing at all. Stay tuned.
I hope I can squeeze out another post or two before this month ends, to make up for July. Right now I'm just checking in to let you know I'm not dead, and, more importantly, that I haven't given up on telling the world my stories. I have plenty more tales to spin. Until next time...
Friday, June 22, 2012
Sons of Sludge Overhaul
After 30 chapters, 54277 words and nearly 4 months of writing, I have come to a necessary yet depressing realization: I need to start over on this book.
My computer didn't get fried, a dog didn't eat my work in progress, and I didn't get writer's block. It wasn't like I found out this exact story has already been done (although that's always a possibility, says my paranoid self-consciousness). But what I did find was that I've been writing this book outside my usual genre, being young adult.
But how could I have a "usual" genre, since I've only completed one other book? The reason is sort of lame, yet simple: That's the only kind of writing I've done, and recently, the only kind of reading I've done. Hunger Games, Trylle, Divergent, Forest of Hands and Teeth - that's what I've been reading, and they're all teen series.
If young adult is all that I've put out, and all that's coming in, how can I suddenly expect to jump into horror for adults? Even while writing I've noticed teen novel-isms coming through, and they're usually out of place. It's just where I am in this life endeavor. But I do hope, in time, to grow as a writer. To branch out in the future. I don't plan on being in the young adult genre forever.
Unless, of course, it's a rather lucrative path to take.
Which brings me to another, perhaps seemingly lamer, reason why I'm switching the genre on this book: I think it will be more marketable. I think it will sell more easily. I think it will have a better chance at furthering my "career" (fingers still crossed).
If you don't like teen literature, or you're getting tired of it, I apologize. But I know that this shift will make the story better, have it flow out of me more easily, become more cohesive. It will increase chances that fans of the Float series will also be fans of the Sludge series.
Some things in the story are changing, some aren't. The setting's the same. A lot of the character's names and roles are the same, just needs a little tweaking. The protagonist, Zaul, will be starting a new school instead of a new job, and will be living with a sort of guardian instead of living alone. Mainly the tone, the narration, is what needs the most work.
And yes, Zaul will still crave human flesh.
All the work I've done, the time I've already spent writing Sons of Sludge, is unfortunately for the most part down the toilet. But in the end, I think it's a good thing. I think you'll get a better product, and a more powerful story. Wish me luck.
My computer didn't get fried, a dog didn't eat my work in progress, and I didn't get writer's block. It wasn't like I found out this exact story has already been done (although that's always a possibility, says my paranoid self-consciousness). But what I did find was that I've been writing this book outside my usual genre, being young adult.
But how could I have a "usual" genre, since I've only completed one other book? The reason is sort of lame, yet simple: That's the only kind of writing I've done, and recently, the only kind of reading I've done. Hunger Games, Trylle, Divergent, Forest of Hands and Teeth - that's what I've been reading, and they're all teen series.
If young adult is all that I've put out, and all that's coming in, how can I suddenly expect to jump into horror for adults? Even while writing I've noticed teen novel-isms coming through, and they're usually out of place. It's just where I am in this life endeavor. But I do hope, in time, to grow as a writer. To branch out in the future. I don't plan on being in the young adult genre forever.
Unless, of course, it's a rather lucrative path to take.
Which brings me to another, perhaps seemingly lamer, reason why I'm switching the genre on this book: I think it will be more marketable. I think it will sell more easily. I think it will have a better chance at furthering my "career" (fingers still crossed).
If you don't like teen literature, or you're getting tired of it, I apologize. But I know that this shift will make the story better, have it flow out of me more easily, become more cohesive. It will increase chances that fans of the Float series will also be fans of the Sludge series.
Some things in the story are changing, some aren't. The setting's the same. A lot of the character's names and roles are the same, just needs a little tweaking. The protagonist, Zaul, will be starting a new school instead of a new job, and will be living with a sort of guardian instead of living alone. Mainly the tone, the narration, is what needs the most work.
And yes, Zaul will still crave human flesh.
All the work I've done, the time I've already spent writing Sons of Sludge, is unfortunately for the most part down the toilet. But in the end, I think it's a good thing. I think you'll get a better product, and a more powerful story. Wish me luck.
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