Tracy Falbe's Blog, page 45

Rys Rising featured Kobo freebie today at Spec Fic Daily

If you enjoy the genres of sci fi, fantasy, and horror you should follow the listings at Spec Fic Daily. This book discovery blog is cool because it includes a variety of retail outlets. A multitude of book blogs are very Amazon Kindle focused because that's a popular device and Amazon has an affiliate program, but not everyone reads on a Kindle, so it's nice to find a place to browse genre titles and have links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

Rys Rising: Book I is my ongoing free fantasy ebook to promote the whole series, and it was placed on the Spec Fic Daily home page today as the featured freebie at Kobo. Kobo is considered an upcoming ebook retailer with an international focus. I've always had some sales at this important globally focused store, and I hope today marks the point when I get to establish a better presence with Kobo customers. One thing that is cool about Kobo is that it sells its content in openly accessible formats. It's not trying to restrict you to a certain device. 

Fantasy author available for interview on fantasy genre podcasts

Fantasy genre podcast producers in search of indie writers are invited to contact me for an interview. I'm the author of 8 fantasy novels and have been self publishing since 2005, way before it was cool. In addition to always writing more novels I have begun producing my backlist for the audiobook market. For complete details please see my news release below. Anyone is welcome to republish the text of the news release and use one or both of the mp3 audio promos for my fantasy audiobooks Union of Renegades and The Goddess Queen.

Please feel free to share these mp3s excerpts from my fantasy audiobooks.
mp3 promo Union of Renegades
mp3 promo The Goddess Queen

News release: February 4, 2013


Get ready for more indie audiobooks - fantasy author Tracy Falbe producing second fantasy novel for audio market

Expanding opportunities for indie writers now include audiobooks. Like other authors, fantasy writer Tracy Falbe is grabbing her chance to place her novels in Audible and iTunes through the do-it-yourself option at Audio Creation Exchange www.acx.com.
Falbe is midway through the recording of The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II, the sequel to her first audiobook Union of Renegades. Using a monthly installment plan with her narrator Andrew Wetmore, she is on schedule for a late summer release of the completed 158,000 word audiobook that will total roughly 16 hours.
Currently 14 chapters are complete and available at her website http://www.braveluck.com/. They are bundled into 2-chapter episodes for $1.50 each to help finance production. Completing The Goddess Queen for the audio market is important to Falbe because when coupled with Union of Renegades, listeners will get a complete story as many plot lines are tied up.
Having a viable chance to be part of the popular audiobook market is exciting for Falbe, who’s been publishing since before indie writers had good outlets for their fiction. Although the success of her first audiobook Union of Renegades has been modest, initial listener responses were positive and she has had requests for The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II.
“I’m planning on ramping up my audio marketing efforts once I have the second novel completely recorded. Then I’ll have enough product ready to justify marketing expenses,” Falbe said.
She considers audiobooks a logical place to expand in the worldwide digital marketplace. Since the ebook retail marketplace began including indie writers, she has been growing her audience for her fantasy ebooks. Falbe is the author of two fantasy series quartets, The Rys Chronicles and Rys Rising. In October 2012, she published her eighth novel Love Lost.
She considers the audio production of Union of Renegades and The Goddess Queen to be a pilot program for her business. It gives her a way to test the market. She dreams of enough success to invest in recording all her novels someday.
Audiobooks in mp3 format are easy for her to sell worldwide from her websites, but it was the opportunity to be distributed into the dominant Audible marketplace that convinced her to invest in audio production.
“All I’ve ever really needed is a chance to be available to fiction lovers whatever the format. Not everyone likes my work, but when they do, they want more,” Falbe said.
Tracy Falbe can be contacted at tracy [AT] falbepublishing [DOT] com   

Favorited on Etsy this week

Over the past 7 days at Etsy, I've had 6 items at my shop be favorited by other shoppers. This means that people at Etsy clicked on the heart when viewing my items to place it in their favorites section. This action also gives the item a little merchandising boost because it might get shown in the recently favorited spots.

People use their favorite lists at Etsy for a variety of reasons. Foremost you can use it to make a list of items you're considering buying. After browsing, you can go through your favorites and choose the winner. I also click favorite just because I like something and think it is cool and want to show it off to people in my circles. I suspect other people do the same thing. Even if a person does not buy a thing they favorited, it's still a little positive vote in the system because each listing keeps a tally of how many favorites it gets. You could also use the favorite button to keep track of items you want to collect into an Etsy treasury.

So what got love at my shop this week?


Digital vintage image of Three Bears - high res JPEG for worldwide download  2 Rys Rising epic fantasy series - Indie fiction - 4 ebook novels for nook, kindle, pc, ipad, and more 1 Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood vintage full color digital illustration - high res JPEG for worldwide download 1 Digital vintage full color image of Cinderella & Prince at wedding banquet - high res JPEG for worldwide download 1 Digital image of red 14th century medieval knight on horse - high res JPEG for worldwide download 1 Indie fantasy audiobook 19 hours of epic listening mp3 download worldwide - Free sample available If you're an Etsy seller please comment with a link to an item that got favorited in the past week. 

Why did I make up my own magical races for my fantasy series?

Many years ago when the world was not quite so messed up and a lot more ice was around the poles, I started writing fantasy novels. During the initial stages of drafting Union of Renegades, I had to make decisions about my magical races. The usual suspects are elves and dragons. I very much love elves and dragons, but I wanted to be a little more creative than just plucking a standard tool out of the common toolbox.
This is when I came up with the rys and in later novels the tabre, which are pretty much just like rys except their skin is a different color. The rys are admittedly elf-like in some ways. They have innate magic as part of their physiology, and they are pretty snooty, except for Shan, but that’s because he’s so powerful that being a snob is pointless.
What are the attributes of the rys?They are long-lived but not immortal.  Magical abilities vary among individuals. Most rys are “common” meaning they possess basic capabilities like casting heat spells and limited range landscanning.  A rare subset of the species is supremely gifted. They can see across vast distances, read minds, influence thoughts, create enchanted crystals, cast battle magic that breaks walls and incinerates people, levitate, repel other magic, seize souls of the dying, and even alter flesh. The most powerful can hibernate, a very long time if need be. Reproduction only occurs if both the male and female want it to. This means that they can have sexual relations, but pregnancy will only occur if both partners wish it. As you can imagine, they don’t have many offspring, but they don’t really need to.  Due to their small population, rys and tabre leaders prefer to control large human societies as a way to gain resources and display their superiority. The loyalty of many people can also have the effect of boosting their magic. They can be vulnerable to physical attack when they are in spellcasting trances. This is why the elite rys often employ a cadre of bodyguards, either human or rys. In retrospect, I realize that I would probably have an easier time marketing my novels if I had just put elves or dragons or angels in them. Then they would have familiar elements popular with fantasy readers instead of a new magical race concept that triggers no specific meaning or response in potential readers. I guess this is why I got all those rejection letters all those years ago. I suppose I’m forced to agree that my fantasy novels are “hard to market” because they are not pure cookie cutter genre fiction.
Even so I can promise you that my novels are populated by diverse characters and civilizations. I don’t sugar coat the world. Sometimes the endings are happy. Sometimes they are decidedly not. I pack in intrigue, gritty battles, passion, the occasional monster, and good parties. And for those that really get into my work, there are thoughtful elements meant as metaphors to mirror the habits and errors of human societies. 
At the very least, I hope to entertain you and make you care about the characters. That’s what a good story needs to do regardless of genre.
Get to know the rys and read this short excerpt from Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I in which Shan kills for the first time.

Shan stalked his victim with pantherish ease. His perceptions allowed him to know the exact location of the Sabuto and even which way the warrior turned his head. Shan circled the warrior and approached him from his left side. The rys knew that the warrior did not see him.
He is at my mercy, Shan thought. He could incapacitate the Sabuto with a spell of sleepiness and kill him with ease, and Shan suddenly saw how with his magic he could simply strike the human dead in a variety of ways. But Shan was determined to do it with the sword. Only experiencing the danger of close combat could teach him courage. 
Shan rushed the warrior, but did not kill him in his moment of surprise. The Sabuto attacked but his weapon could not match the speed of the rys. Shan had every advantage, especially in the night. His advanced senses let him feel every movement of the warrior as it happened, and he could react perfectly. 
Finally, Shan accepted what he had chosen to do and struck the man down with effortless precision. The slender sword penetrated the man’s heart, and he cried out once before he died. Shan pulled his sword back swiftly, as if expecting to keep the spurting blood off his weapon. He could feel the heat coming off the thick stream of blood. He could feel the body of the man perish as it was suddenly unplugged from its life-giving force, but Shan was the most sensitive to the soul lurching from the body that had so abruptly evicted it. Shan had always been especially sensitive to souls departing bodies. The soul of the Sabuto warrior recognized him as a rys, and Shan experienced the shock and confusion of the man, who had never expected a rys to be guarding the camp. Shan watched the soul rise, beckoned by the next world. When people died Shan saw much more than humans and most rys. 
The energy of the soul dissipated and Shan was thankful that it did not linger. He looked at the body heaped on the forest floor. The bloody corpse proved Shan was a killer. Shan struggled against the self-loathing he suddenly felt. He told himself that the dead man was Taischek’s enemy and he was justified in killing his friend’s enemy. But the only thought that helped Shan at all was that he had taken his first real step toward being King of Jingten.

If you enjoyed this excerpt you can download the entire novel Union of Renegades for free.
Get the free ebook
Get a free 3-chapter audiobook sample.

14 Chapters of The Goddess Queen audiobook completed

I've got new chapters of The Goddess Queen fantasy audiobook ready to go. Month by month, my narrator Andrew Wetmore and I making progress toward the completion of this audiobook. I've had inquiries as to when the novel will be complete. My estimate on that is September 2013. I wish it could be sooner, but I've had to budget audio production in monthly installments.

But I have 14 chapters ready for listening! That's close to 7 hours of audio continuing the 19 hours of epic listening begun in Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I.

Today I published Chapters 13 and 14.

In Chapter 13 Suffer This Ugliness, Miranda witnesses the horrors of war up close and triggers a dispute that forces Dreibrand into a duel to defend her.

In Chapter 14 The Revenge of King Taischek, the rock solid alliance between the dear friends Shan and Taischek cracks during a heated difference of opinion.

Enjoy this sample from Chapter 14 and then head over to Brave Luck Books and start downloading 2 chapter episodes. They're only $1.50 each.

Sample from Chapter 14 The Revenge of King Taischek.
In this audio sample you'll hear part of a crucial argument between Shan and Taischek, whose filled with bloodlust from a recent victory and wants Shan to use his magic to lay waste to a city.

My reflections on writing after publishing 8 novels

I had a guest post published today at the blog of author Vanna Smythe. It's about my reflections on my writing career now that I've published my eighth novel. I've been writing since 1997 and this milestone made me pause to consider if I could or should write more novels.

See my conclusions about writing more novels. 

Renovating a house is like writing a novel

I've been a novelist for many years, but I'm new to house renovation. In November my husband and I gutted the upstairs of our 1950 home down to bare boards. Woeful lack of insulation and inadequate ventilation prompted us to engage in this spree of destruction. The upper level of our home had always been a hot box in the summer and a meat locker in the winter due to its deficiencies, and we were going to tolerate this no longer.

Although it's three months since the demolition and we're still not done, I can happily report that things are coming along and substantial improvements have been made. Having properly installed insulation and functional ventilation are great. The upstairs is officially livable, and the recent subzero weather has really put it to the test. For the first time since buying our home, it feels comfortable despite the winter chill. I don't have to wear a snuggie and a stocking cap in the house anymore.

Now that I've spent many hours and days becoming a remodeling contractor, I've had a lot of time to reflect on the process. It ain't easy. That's for sure. Renovations are not new construction. You don't get to build up everything just right from scratch and have everything fit together like in those do-it-yourself demonstration videos. The house has had decades to settle, creating tiny variations between the studs. And of course there are all the puzzling weirdnesses from prior remodelings. Like why is my closet door a 5-sided polygon? Why didn't whoever built it just frame the doorway 12 inches farther away from the slanting ceiling in my finished attic space? Now we have to reframe the door opening and move all the electrical wires on that wall because someone in the past thought a 5-sided door would be an OK thing to do.



So, how is renovating a house like writing a novel?

1. It always takes longer than you think. This is a commandment chiseled in stone by God. There are always unexpected setbacks and delays getting materials. We can spend a whole afternoon picking out and ordering materials. And then spend another afternoon picking up the materials and unloading them. And tasks simply take longer than expected, especially when old boards hold onto nails like they're powerful magnets. And anyone who has ever repaired or built anything knows that projects demand unlimited trips to the hardware store.

Similarly writing novels also takes longer than I plan. Disciplined dedication to daily word counts often falls short of reality. Sometimes I need to ponder what I'm going to write next instead of actually writing for that day. Other times I need to stop and do research so I can write something that is realistically acceptable. And sometimes I need to wait for a character to tell me want he or she would do.

2. You won't get everything right the first time. Despite careful measurements and cutting, the board will not always fit. Maybe it's not level. Maybe there's something in the way that won't let you fit the board in. This happens in writing all the time. Planning a story and creating a story don't always fit together. The process is a constant give and take between creativity and technical requirements. I'm always laboring over transitions between scenes and trying to structure dialogue so that it flows naturally and advances the story with crucial information. The nearly daily need to use a chisel and keyhole saw on my house renovation is an apt metaphor for the process of crafting and editing a novel.

Renovating a home and writing a novel are both laborious jobs, but they share the trait of being immensely satisfying. Every board I attach or chapter I write pleases me, builds my skills, and boosts my confidence. I'm now getting quite proficient with a caulk gun, table saw, and finishing nailer. I love the work because it involves a lot of problem solving and attention to detail. Any yes, both renovation and writing sometimes require a willingness to pry something apart and do it all over, but it's worth the trouble to get it right. Now that I've shared these observations in written form, I'll go put on my plaid flannel and get my work gloves. I still have lots of lovely pre-finished carsiding to put on the walls and many 40-degree angle cuts to deal with. Then, if I have any mental energy left, I'll work on my new novel tonight.

Voice talent job announcement for home canning audiobook

I am auditioning voice talent for the recording of my Home Canning Guide for Everyone Who Eats. This short guide about how to preserve food at home with easy to learn canning methods has been a successful publication. The information is in demand as more and more people grow food, become aware of the need to support local food, and desire a way to increase their personal food security.
Home canning was once common domestic knowledge employed in millions of households. It still is popular today and a new generation is interested in learning home food preservation. Some online reviews of the ebook version from experienced canners even stated that my guide offered good advice and new things to try.
The Home Canning Guide for Everyone Who Eats is a short how-to publication that will equal about 2 hours of audio when recorded.
What I need from a voice recording professional is clean audio read in a pleasant voice. I’m not specifically skilled at cleaning up background noise from recordings, so I will rely on the voice talent to provide audio files with clean sound ready for consumers. I can handle the editing of sound files and assembling them into the final audiobook. The voice talent person can provide audio in short segments as she records each section and recipe.
I am very much leaning towards using a female for this audiobook. Any North American accent should be fine.
This will be a freelance job and a work-for-hire arrangement, meaning that the voice talent will have no expectation of future royalties from the sale of the audiobook. She will be paid for her professional time and the final audiobook will be copyrighted to Falbe Publishing.
Applicant must be willing to use the Guru.com freelance marketplace to accept this job. Guru will allow us to escrow your payment in a holding account. This allows the voice talent to see that I have put up the money, and I can release the payment when I am satisfied with the deliverables. The Guru system will also handle the processing of a 1099 tax form for you at the end of the year, which is very convenient for me.
Please note: I will increase the compensation of the winning job bid by an appropriate amount to cover the majority of the Guru escrow and freelancer fees.
Please see this job posting at Guru for more details.
Place bids through the Guru system please, but you may contact me directly if you have questions about this job.
The Home Canning Guide for Everyone Who Eats has enjoyedconsistent sales at various ebook retailers since its publication in 2011. I plan to sell the audiobook from my websites and also bundle it with the pdf ebook version. Additionally it will be placed for sale at Audible.com. 

Quickie Paperback Giveaway - Win all 4 fantasy books of The Rys Chronicles

I feel like giving some attention to the first fantasy series I wrote, The Rys Chronicles. I've been so focused on my newer novels that I've been neglecting the marketing of my first epic that I wrote from 1997 to 2003.

I started my publishing company by producing these novels as 6 x 9 trade paperbacks. I still have some in stock although the vast majority of my income comes from ebooks. I know many people still prefer a nice comforting hunk of paper instead of ereading, so I'm doing a print giveaway. I read both books and ebooks myself.

Over the next 7 days U.S. residents can enter to win the drawing for The Rys Chronicles. The prize is 4 paperback novels:

Union of Renegades
The Goddess Queen
Judgment Rising
The Borderlands of Power

I'll sign all the novels for the winner and ship them out next week.

Free samples:

If you would like to preview the content of my epic fantasy you can download Union of Renegades for free or listen to 3 sample audio chapters from the audiobook.

About The Rys Chronicles:

Grandiose ambitions and desperation drive this fantasy epic of colliding civilizations. The Rys Chronicles is a fantasy quartet spanning seven years and revealing the tragedies, challenges, and triumphs of a diverse cast of characters.

Packed with personal duels, epic battles, magic, romance, and the corrupting influence of great power, this fantasy series introduces the rys, a rare super race whose most powerful members can kill across great distances, read minds, influence actions, and even enslave the souls of the dead.

Follow the journey of Shan, a good-hearted rys whose struggle against evil begins to warp his morality. Victories only bring greater challenges when hidden enemies seeking vengeance for an ancient genocide rise to punish the rys for their ancestors' crimes.

Drawing runs from Jan. 16th to Jan. 23rd.
Any bloggers wishing to mention this giveaway to their readers can grab the form code. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy People documentary by Dmitry Vasyukov and Werner Herzog

Happy People - Promo May 14, 2010 from Kay Mode on Vimeo.

I'll be keeping an eye out for an opportunity to watch Happy People: A Year in the Taiga because it was directed by Dmitry Vasyukov and Werner Herzog. I became a Herzog fan after watching Cave of Forgotten Dreams and Grizzly Man. He has dozens of other films, but the two I've already watched impressed me with his thoughtfulness. Herzog also has one of the most patient and beautiful voices to listen to as he narrates or interviews subjects. His European accent soothes with innate wisdom and every gently articulated word flows with meaning.

In Cave of Forgotten Dreams Herzog entered the Chauvet caves of Southern France. Astounding art from the Stone Age adorns these cave walls that were sealed off for thousands of years. The artistry of the work is exquisite. Every remaining trace of color speaks of purely inspired genius. The caves also contain relics of cave bear skulls now covered with mineral drippings. There is also a mind blowing place where the tracks of a child and a wolf go across the floor side by side. The art in these caves drew my mind back to the beginning when people were knowingly part of the animal world instead of disembodied from Nature. Watching Cave of Forgotten Dreams was a transcendent experience that truly made me feel the scope of human history.

Grizzly Man is a different experience. It explores the life of Timothy Treadwell, a man uniquely crazed as he chose to spend more and more of his life among Alaskan Grizzly Bears until he and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were eventually devoured. It's a tragic tale that made me ponder what drew Timothy to the ancient realm of the beasts. He was called back because he could not live in our world.

I don't really know what Happy People is about except that it presents an isolated community in Siberia. I know that Herzog will teach me something. He'll be able to inform me about something I never knew or never properly contemplated. I look forward to the experience.