A.F. Stewart's Blog, page 102
July 22, 2012
A Fantasy to Watch: A Review of the Watchtower
My Book Review of The Watchtower:
I was pleasantly surprised reading The Watchtower by Darke
Conteur. I expected a reasonably
interesting fantasy novel, a short and quick, agreeable read. What I got was a highly crafted, delightfully
intricate book, entangled in a dark and a fascinating fantasy world populated
with captivating characters.
The book starts with
the character of Martin Cunningham, who is looking for a job and getting a bit
desperate. This job urgency is what
brings him to Terin Global, a not-at-all typical place of employment. Once hired, he slowly gets dragged into a
dangerous and strange world.
One of the best aspects of the book is Martin’s
point-of-view, which goes from, “okay these guys are quirky” to “I can’t
believe this is happening” without ever seeming forced or out of step. As a reader, you identify with Martin and are
drawn into the story as he is wrenched from his comfortable beliefs and faced
with another reality.
The plot is fast-paced, but never sacrifices continuity or
believability in favour of keeping the action moving. The reader receives just enough explanation
and back-story to construct the fantasy, without breaking the authenticity of
the real world setting. The Watchtower is a first-rate urban
fantasy and I highly recommend it.
The Watchtower is available at: Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, and B&N Nook
[image error]
July 20, 2012
Review: On Dark Shores 2: The Other Nereia
My Book Review of On Dark Shores 2: The Other Nereia:
The second volume in the On
Dark Shores series, The Other Nereia,
lives up to the promise of the first book and expands the story in an
ever-twisting spiral of strange and secretive happenings. Like the first book, it is a plethora of
sparkling language and delicately woven story.
The Other Nereia
begins where the first book ended, with the immediate gathering of the dangling
plot threads from The Lady. From there we see the consequences of Nereia’s
recovery, Copeland’s continued descent into madness, Blakey’s worsening
addiction, and more on Vansel, Jack, Mickel and their secrets. Also, we see other characters, such as Madam,
begin their rise to the forefront.
As I stated in my review of On Dark Shores: The Lady, JA Clement’s prose is enchanting, and her
subtle touching at twisting the plotlines is just as marvellous in Book
Two. Layer by layer her characters get
more complex and her story more intriguing.
As a reader I was engrossed, speculating at where Nereia’s fate journeyed,
feeling sympathy for Blakey, despite his thuggish actions and wondering what
fortunes would befall the rest as dangers loom.
I can’t say enough good things about the On Dark Shores
series, and I highly recommend The Other Nereia. Of course, now I have to wait patiently for
the remainder of the story.
On Dark Shores 2: The Other Nereia is available on Amazon, Kobo, B&N Nook and Smashwords
[image error]
July 17, 2012
What's in a Name?
Today another guest stops by the blog. Fellow writer Jane Smith is here to chat about why authors may use a pseudonym...
What's in a Name—Writing Under a Pseudonym
As writers we are
constantly considering our craft. There is rarely a moment that goes by without
us thinking about our work in some way or another. We perpetually consider what
the best and most effective voice is for our writing, what words we use, what
imagery we employ, our sentence structure, our titles, and so much more. But,
for many, the name that they will publish their work under just isn't something
that typically comes to mind. Interestingly, however, authors of all genres
have a long history of writing under pen names or pseudonyms. Even some of our
most treasured and well-known works may require a bit of a background check to
learn who the true author is. So, why do authors write under pen names and what
is the benefit of this?
In some cases, authors
write under pen names simply because they would prefer to remain anonymous with
their writing. However, in history, authors would often write under pseudonyms
for somewhat more complicated reasons. Women would often publish their work
under male pseudonyms, so that they could be published in actual publications
and receive more widespread success. In the past, authors have used pen names
and pseudonyms for more political reasons. If an author wrote something that
was politically charged or that criticized the government, they would often
publish their works under pen names to avoid heavy criticism. While either of
these things can still happen today, the use of pen names and pseudonyms in
today's society is much different. Authors working in various genres today may
write under different names for each genre so as to keep consistency to their
"brand". It can be damaging for a writer's reputation if they always
write romance novels and then decide to publish a mystery novel under the same
name. The romance readers may go to the mystery novel looking for that author's
typical writing and be sourly disappointed by the change in genre.
Pen Names and the Blogosphere
Using a pseudonym in the
blogosphere is also a fairly popular endeavor. While the reasons for using a
pseudonym online today vary, there are some things to carefully take into
consideration. Many people suggest using a pseudonym online simply because of
the nature of the online world. With the influx of social media, social
networking, and everything else online, online threats have become more
palpable in recent years. Many bloggers will write under pen names or initials
to avoid threats of identity theft or stalking. While this isn't necessarily common
throughout the blogosphere, it does happen and is something to consider.
Furthermore, much as it did for famous authors working in different social
climates, pseudonyms can protect bloggers from direct criticism.
Some Famous Pen Names
George Eliot (Mary Anne
Evans): Born in 1819, George Eliot was an extremely prolific author in the
1800s, who published under a male pseudonym. Born Mary Anne Evans, Eliot wrote
about her controversial views on faith, religion, marriage, and the government.
At the time, women authors were basically unheard of and were never actually
taken seriously. Under her male pen name, Eliot gained much success as an
intelligent and challenging writer.
Lewis Carroll (Charles
Lutwidge Dodgson): As the author of Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland and Through
the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Carroll was an extremely
successful author during his time and remained one of the most renowned authors
in our history. It is believed that Carroll, born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, wrote
under a pseudonym both because he was unattracted to the spotlight and fame and
because he desired a more neutral name that would be widely appreciated at the
time.
J.K. Rowling (Joanne
Rowling): As a more current example, J.K. Rowling author of the Harry Potter series used a pseudonym for
her hugely successful work. While this pseudonym is not completely masking her
identity, it does serve a purpose. Rowling believed the wizard series would see
more success with her target audience if it was published under a gender
neutral name. Because the primary target originally for the series was
adolescent boys, she worried that an overly feminine name would turn them off
the books. By using initials, Rowling made the books easily marketable to young
boys and young girls.
Jane Smith's informative
blog posts can help you make sense of any personal history situation. Whether
you are pursuing a tenant background
check or pulling an employee's criminal record, feel free to email her at
janesmith161@gmail.com.
[image error]
What's in a Name—Writing Under a Pseudonym
As writers we are
constantly considering our craft. There is rarely a moment that goes by without
us thinking about our work in some way or another. We perpetually consider what
the best and most effective voice is for our writing, what words we use, what
imagery we employ, our sentence structure, our titles, and so much more. But,
for many, the name that they will publish their work under just isn't something
that typically comes to mind. Interestingly, however, authors of all genres
have a long history of writing under pen names or pseudonyms. Even some of our
most treasured and well-known works may require a bit of a background check to
learn who the true author is. So, why do authors write under pen names and what
is the benefit of this?
In some cases, authors
write under pen names simply because they would prefer to remain anonymous with
their writing. However, in history, authors would often write under pseudonyms
for somewhat more complicated reasons. Women would often publish their work
under male pseudonyms, so that they could be published in actual publications
and receive more widespread success. In the past, authors have used pen names
and pseudonyms for more political reasons. If an author wrote something that
was politically charged or that criticized the government, they would often
publish their works under pen names to avoid heavy criticism. While either of
these things can still happen today, the use of pen names and pseudonyms in
today's society is much different. Authors working in various genres today may
write under different names for each genre so as to keep consistency to their
"brand". It can be damaging for a writer's reputation if they always
write romance novels and then decide to publish a mystery novel under the same
name. The romance readers may go to the mystery novel looking for that author's
typical writing and be sourly disappointed by the change in genre.
Pen Names and the Blogosphere
Using a pseudonym in the
blogosphere is also a fairly popular endeavor. While the reasons for using a
pseudonym online today vary, there are some things to carefully take into
consideration. Many people suggest using a pseudonym online simply because of
the nature of the online world. With the influx of social media, social
networking, and everything else online, online threats have become more
palpable in recent years. Many bloggers will write under pen names or initials
to avoid threats of identity theft or stalking. While this isn't necessarily common
throughout the blogosphere, it does happen and is something to consider.
Furthermore, much as it did for famous authors working in different social
climates, pseudonyms can protect bloggers from direct criticism.
Some Famous Pen Names
George Eliot (Mary Anne
Evans): Born in 1819, George Eliot was an extremely prolific author in the
1800s, who published under a male pseudonym. Born Mary Anne Evans, Eliot wrote
about her controversial views on faith, religion, marriage, and the government.
At the time, women authors were basically unheard of and were never actually
taken seriously. Under her male pen name, Eliot gained much success as an
intelligent and challenging writer.
Lewis Carroll (Charles
Lutwidge Dodgson): As the author of Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland and Through
the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Carroll was an extremely
successful author during his time and remained one of the most renowned authors
in our history. It is believed that Carroll, born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, wrote
under a pseudonym both because he was unattracted to the spotlight and fame and
because he desired a more neutral name that would be widely appreciated at the
time.
J.K. Rowling (Joanne
Rowling): As a more current example, J.K. Rowling author of the Harry Potter series used a pseudonym for
her hugely successful work. While this pseudonym is not completely masking her
identity, it does serve a purpose. Rowling believed the wizard series would see
more success with her target audience if it was published under a gender
neutral name. Because the primary target originally for the series was
adolescent boys, she worried that an overly feminine name would turn them off
the books. By using initials, Rowling made the books easily marketable to young
boys and young girls.
Jane Smith's informative
blog posts can help you make sense of any personal history situation. Whether
you are pursuing a tenant background
check or pulling an employee's criminal record, feel free to email her at
janesmith161@gmail.com.
[image error]
July 12, 2012
3 Things to Consider When Creating a Book Cover
Today we have a guest blogger with us, writer Mariana Ashley, who brings her insights on creating that perfect book cover:
3
Things to Consider When Creating a Book Cover
People tend to say "don’t judge a
book by its cover," but unfortunately that's exactly what
happens—especially if you're an "unknown" author. If you just
graduated and want to get your creative writing thesis published, or perhaps
you just want to make sure that your first book is produced the right way, then
it's important to carefully ask yourself all of the questions below when
meeting with your creative director. These questions will help ensure that once
your book goes to press (or goes online), your book cover has enough pizzazz to
attract readers.
Does
it Help Summarize the Book?
First and foremost, you need to make
sure that the book cover actually helps the reader easily identify the genre as
well as helps give some sort of clue of what the book is about. All too often,
publishers are so concerned with stamping the book with raving reviews from
critics that there really isn't much said of what the book is actually about. It can become quite frustrating
for a customer blindly picking up your book. If he or she can't grasp the
concept, the book will most likely stay on the shelf. So does your book cover
help summarize what the book is about? Or is it too conceptual and misleading?
For example, drawing crosses for a sci-fi book could make it look like a
religious book instead.
Is it
Gender Neutral?
If you want to appeal to a larger
audience, then it's best to create a book cover that can appeal to both men and
women. Although The Hunger Games is a
young adult novel, it's one of the best examples on how to accomplish this. The
book cover has only one central color and only one motif to represent the book.
It did not appear too "manly" or too "girlish" and adults
were not embarrassed to have the book cover showing when reading it in public.
That’s the trick— you want both genders to feel comfortable reading your book
in public.
Does
it Look Good as a ThumbNail?
Last but not least, you also have to
consider how it will look online. A good majority of your book sales will be
generated online. If you choose to self-publish your book then of course
naturally your sales will be generated 100% online. Because readers choose to
surf their iPads and tiny smartphones when looking through book galleries, you
need to make sure that your book cover still seems appealing even as a small
little thumbnail. Otherwise, no one will click to see what your book is about
and you won't make any sales.
Hopefully the tips above will be able to
move in a smarter direction when formulating a design for your book cover.
Mariana Ashley is a professional writer
and blogger with a penchant for researching and writing about personal growth,
education, and how technology changes the way we communicate. Mariana is
technically retired after years of teaching middle school creative writing in
Nebraska. However, she still devotes some of her time to professional projects
that involve online colleges
in Nebraska. Please send your questions and comments to
mariana.ashley031@gmail.com. Any feedback is welcome!
3
Things to Consider When Creating a Book Cover
People tend to say "don’t judge a
book by its cover," but unfortunately that's exactly what
happens—especially if you're an "unknown" author. If you just
graduated and want to get your creative writing thesis published, or perhaps
you just want to make sure that your first book is produced the right way, then
it's important to carefully ask yourself all of the questions below when
meeting with your creative director. These questions will help ensure that once
your book goes to press (or goes online), your book cover has enough pizzazz to
attract readers.
Does
it Help Summarize the Book?
First and foremost, you need to make
sure that the book cover actually helps the reader easily identify the genre as
well as helps give some sort of clue of what the book is about. All too often,
publishers are so concerned with stamping the book with raving reviews from
critics that there really isn't much said of what the book is actually about. It can become quite frustrating
for a customer blindly picking up your book. If he or she can't grasp the
concept, the book will most likely stay on the shelf. So does your book cover
help summarize what the book is about? Or is it too conceptual and misleading?
For example, drawing crosses for a sci-fi book could make it look like a
religious book instead.
Is it
Gender Neutral?
If you want to appeal to a larger
audience, then it's best to create a book cover that can appeal to both men and
women. Although The Hunger Games is a
young adult novel, it's one of the best examples on how to accomplish this. The
book cover has only one central color and only one motif to represent the book.
It did not appear too "manly" or too "girlish" and adults
were not embarrassed to have the book cover showing when reading it in public.
That’s the trick— you want both genders to feel comfortable reading your book
in public.
Does
it Look Good as a ThumbNail?
Last but not least, you also have to
consider how it will look online. A good majority of your book sales will be
generated online. If you choose to self-publish your book then of course
naturally your sales will be generated 100% online. Because readers choose to
surf their iPads and tiny smartphones when looking through book galleries, you
need to make sure that your book cover still seems appealing even as a small
little thumbnail. Otherwise, no one will click to see what your book is about
and you won't make any sales.
Hopefully the tips above will be able to
move in a smarter direction when formulating a design for your book cover.
Mariana Ashley is a professional writer
and blogger with a penchant for researching and writing about personal growth,
education, and how technology changes the way we communicate. Mariana is
technically retired after years of teaching middle school creative writing in
Nebraska. However, she still devotes some of her time to professional projects
that involve online colleges
in Nebraska. Please send your questions and comments to
mariana.ashley031@gmail.com. Any feedback is welcome!
June 27, 2012
Interview with author Chris Rakunas
Today I have a fascinating interview with author Chris Rakunas, who has written a non-fiction book about his experiences with the Haitian relief effort after the 2010 earthquake. He talks about the book, his publishing experiences and his upcoming novel, The 8th Doll. Enjoy...
Interview with author Chris Rakunas
1. Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.
My wife and I just moved to a small town in Western Oklahoma called Clinton (pop. 9,000), and I grew up west of here in another small town called Los Angeles, CA (pop. 18,000,000). I grew up body surfing on the beach, and I still have a love for the ocean that comes out whenever I get to scuba dive.
Most of my career has been spent in various healthcare roles, including time as a COO and CEO of hospitals, which I think gave me a unique look at the world. When you get to meet with people who are dying and their families, you get a good perspective on what is really important in life. I never once met a patient who said, “You know, I wish I had spent more time at work.”
I have been very fortunate in life to have traveled a great deal as well, and I try to tie that into my writing. I have spent time in some out-of-the-way places like Lithuania, Mongolia, and Siberia. I just love the little gems you get from travel because it’s a gift that stays with you forever.
2. Please tell us about your book, Tears for the Mountain.
Tears for the Mountain is a non-fiction book about a medical mission trip to Haiti following the devastating earthquake there in 2010. Over 200,000 people died, and over 1,000,000 were made homeless in the blink of an eye, and the need for medical help was immense. I was involved with a team whose job was to deliver 20,000 pounds of medical supplies to local hospitals.
The book goes through how I became involved with the project and ends with the first day back from the trip. It’s partly a chronicle of the trip, but partly meant to give people an idea of what medical mission work is really like. There are funny moments, heartbreaking moments, confusion, passion, terror, and every emotion in between flying at you because that’s truly what the situation was like. One moment you would want to cry because of story someone told you, then you’d be laughing at something hilarious a child did, and then you’d be wondering if you were going to be safe.
There is a nice promotional video that people can watch about the book as well. It’s a nice video to watch after reading the book as well because those photos are all from moments that are mentioned in the book.
3. Why did you write this book?
The book actually started off as a bit of therapy when I returned from the trip. I had a hard time dealing with some of the images and things I had witnessed when I was in Haiti, and a physician friend of mine suggested I write some of it down.
About a year later some people I know suggested that I put it down in a book, so I began writing seriously. The project was never meant to be something that I personally profited from, but instead something that could benefit the orphans at New Life Children’s Home. Once I had made the decision to donate the proceeds to them, I really felt a sense of passion about getting it published and promoting it.
4. What was your goal in publishing your book?
There are two things that I wanted to accomplish. First was to remind people about Haiti. When the earthquake happened, it seemed to be in the news everywhere. People were starting drives to collect goods and money to ship over there, and then suddenly the next week a new reality TV show started, and everyone forgot. The kids who were orphaned by this earthquake are still there. The people who were made homeless are still there. They didn’t go away just because a new season of The Bachelor started.
The other goal I have is to fund-raise. When I got to see Miriam Frederick in action first hand, I knew I needed to do something to support her. Lots of people talk about doing good in the world; Miriam just goes out there and does it. She holds orphans in her arms, she touches mothers who are living in the streets, and she never loses an opportunity to let a child know that he or she is loved. It’s amazing.
I have been thankful that some major news sources like CBS news have picked up the story about the book, and I am always thankful when people tweet about the book or post something on Facebook.
5. What would you like your intended readers to take away from reading your book?
Probably the first thing is to let them know that you don’t have to be some sort of superhero to make a difference in the world. I’m just a regular Joe, but I decided that I was going to ensure that those supplies got to their destinations no matter what, and that’s what happened.
I also want people to get a sense of what things were really like on the ground there. There were a lot of people ‘assessing the situation,’ which ended up being a phrase I hated. I think some people like the drama of disasters, and they’re almost like disaster tourists. It’s ok to be involved with a crisis, but just make sure that you’re focusing your time and efforts on affecting a positive change.
When someone puts down Tears for the Mountain, I hope that they feel compelled to tell others about the story. Whether it’s posting reviews on Goodreads or simply telling a co-worker, every little bit helps.
6. Did anything surprise you about the process of writing Tears for the Mountain?
There were two surprises. One was just how different memories can be. When we were in Haiti, it’s not like we had planned to write a book and kept copious notes and photographs of everything. We went, we did our thing, and then we came home. But when I started writing the book, I shared the manuscript with Dr. Schroering and he and I had some different recollections. (He recalls me saying, “Dude…!” quite often during the trip)
The other thing I learned was that publishing really is a business. I received lots of praise from agents and publishers that said things like, “Wow, this sounds great and reads well, but we don’t do non-fiction right now.” But I received one email from a publisher that said they only did paranormal teen romance, and they’d love it if I could put a vampire into the story somewhere. At first I blew my top because…well, you can’t just add things to non-fiction, and you really can’t add a vampire to non-fiction. But then I realized that that’s just the nature of publishing. Publishers want to have books that sell, and if vampires help a book sell, then they’re going to ask for a vampire in everything.
I was very fortunate to start working with Divertir Publishing because we really had our goals aligned for this project. I try to thank Dr. Ken Tupper, the publisher, every time I speak with him for not making me add a werewolf.
7. I know you currently have a novel in the works. Tell us a bit about it.
I spent the back half of 2011 trying to figure out what I was going to write next. I felt such a strong connection with Tears for the Mountain that I didn’t want to jump into another non-fiction unless it was something I could really stand behind.
For the New Year, my wife and I were down in Mexico with some friends (Melanie Wilderman was one of them, for you Paranormal YA fans), and I was standing in front of the Temple of the 7 Dolls, a major Mayan temple in Dzibilchaltun. I was staring up in awe of it, and suddenly this story popped into my head. I wandered around the ruins for the next few hours, looking at all the different buildings and aspects of the area, and I couldn’t get the story out of my head for the rest of the week.
The 8th Doll ties together aspects of Mayan culture and architecture to weave a fast-paced story about the 2012 apocalyptic prophecy. It is fiction, and it’s the first of a four book series that follows the main character, Alex Guidry, to various places around the world, almost all of which are places I’ve spent time in. I find that the writing is much more interesting when you can describe the smell of the room and the way the air tastes. The mysteries and twists in the book are all factual.
The book will be out by 31 July worldwide, in both paperback and e-book formats.
8. Did you find it more difficult writing a non-fiction book or a fiction book?
This is an easy one. Non-fiction is way harder to write because you can’t change the story! In a fictional account, you can add whatever you want. If you suddenly think of a neat twist that requires a Mercedes Benz and a pile of rubber bands, you just go back 5 pages and mention that there happens to be an SL-500 with office supplies in it.
With non-fiction, you’re bound by the truth, which can sometimes be exciting, but sometimes boring. (Notice that there aren’t any bestsellers about getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist or trimming your toenails)
9. Are there any more upcoming projects for you?
I just finished the second book in the Alex Guidry series, The Eye of Siam. It’s about a jewel heist in Thailand, and I’m about to start the third book, which will take place in Lithuania. I visited an amazing 15th century castle there about 10 years ago, and I have never been able to get it out of my mind.
For anyone who wants to hear about release dates for The 8th Doll and what I’m writing next, I have a page with pretty regular updates. I also love interacting with fans, so I will respond to all emails and messages sent. One thing I have really enjoyed about writing is talking with people all around the globe. On any given day I can be emailing with people in Europe, India, Canada, and Australia. It is very humbling to have someone take the time to let you know that they’ve read your work.
Interview with author Chris Rakunas
1. Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.
My wife and I just moved to a small town in Western Oklahoma called Clinton (pop. 9,000), and I grew up west of here in another small town called Los Angeles, CA (pop. 18,000,000). I grew up body surfing on the beach, and I still have a love for the ocean that comes out whenever I get to scuba dive.
Most of my career has been spent in various healthcare roles, including time as a COO and CEO of hospitals, which I think gave me a unique look at the world. When you get to meet with people who are dying and their families, you get a good perspective on what is really important in life. I never once met a patient who said, “You know, I wish I had spent more time at work.”
I have been very fortunate in life to have traveled a great deal as well, and I try to tie that into my writing. I have spent time in some out-of-the-way places like Lithuania, Mongolia, and Siberia. I just love the little gems you get from travel because it’s a gift that stays with you forever.
2. Please tell us about your book, Tears for the Mountain.
Tears for the Mountain is a non-fiction book about a medical mission trip to Haiti following the devastating earthquake there in 2010. Over 200,000 people died, and over 1,000,000 were made homeless in the blink of an eye, and the need for medical help was immense. I was involved with a team whose job was to deliver 20,000 pounds of medical supplies to local hospitals.
The book goes through how I became involved with the project and ends with the first day back from the trip. It’s partly a chronicle of the trip, but partly meant to give people an idea of what medical mission work is really like. There are funny moments, heartbreaking moments, confusion, passion, terror, and every emotion in between flying at you because that’s truly what the situation was like. One moment you would want to cry because of story someone told you, then you’d be laughing at something hilarious a child did, and then you’d be wondering if you were going to be safe.
There is a nice promotional video that people can watch about the book as well. It’s a nice video to watch after reading the book as well because those photos are all from moments that are mentioned in the book.
3. Why did you write this book?
The book actually started off as a bit of therapy when I returned from the trip. I had a hard time dealing with some of the images and things I had witnessed when I was in Haiti, and a physician friend of mine suggested I write some of it down.
About a year later some people I know suggested that I put it down in a book, so I began writing seriously. The project was never meant to be something that I personally profited from, but instead something that could benefit the orphans at New Life Children’s Home. Once I had made the decision to donate the proceeds to them, I really felt a sense of passion about getting it published and promoting it.
4. What was your goal in publishing your book?
There are two things that I wanted to accomplish. First was to remind people about Haiti. When the earthquake happened, it seemed to be in the news everywhere. People were starting drives to collect goods and money to ship over there, and then suddenly the next week a new reality TV show started, and everyone forgot. The kids who were orphaned by this earthquake are still there. The people who were made homeless are still there. They didn’t go away just because a new season of The Bachelor started.
The other goal I have is to fund-raise. When I got to see Miriam Frederick in action first hand, I knew I needed to do something to support her. Lots of people talk about doing good in the world; Miriam just goes out there and does it. She holds orphans in her arms, she touches mothers who are living in the streets, and she never loses an opportunity to let a child know that he or she is loved. It’s amazing.
I have been thankful that some major news sources like CBS news have picked up the story about the book, and I am always thankful when people tweet about the book or post something on Facebook.
5. What would you like your intended readers to take away from reading your book?
Probably the first thing is to let them know that you don’t have to be some sort of superhero to make a difference in the world. I’m just a regular Joe, but I decided that I was going to ensure that those supplies got to their destinations no matter what, and that’s what happened.
I also want people to get a sense of what things were really like on the ground there. There were a lot of people ‘assessing the situation,’ which ended up being a phrase I hated. I think some people like the drama of disasters, and they’re almost like disaster tourists. It’s ok to be involved with a crisis, but just make sure that you’re focusing your time and efforts on affecting a positive change.
When someone puts down Tears for the Mountain, I hope that they feel compelled to tell others about the story. Whether it’s posting reviews on Goodreads or simply telling a co-worker, every little bit helps.
6. Did anything surprise you about the process of writing Tears for the Mountain?
There were two surprises. One was just how different memories can be. When we were in Haiti, it’s not like we had planned to write a book and kept copious notes and photographs of everything. We went, we did our thing, and then we came home. But when I started writing the book, I shared the manuscript with Dr. Schroering and he and I had some different recollections. (He recalls me saying, “Dude…!” quite often during the trip)
The other thing I learned was that publishing really is a business. I received lots of praise from agents and publishers that said things like, “Wow, this sounds great and reads well, but we don’t do non-fiction right now.” But I received one email from a publisher that said they only did paranormal teen romance, and they’d love it if I could put a vampire into the story somewhere. At first I blew my top because…well, you can’t just add things to non-fiction, and you really can’t add a vampire to non-fiction. But then I realized that that’s just the nature of publishing. Publishers want to have books that sell, and if vampires help a book sell, then they’re going to ask for a vampire in everything.
I was very fortunate to start working with Divertir Publishing because we really had our goals aligned for this project. I try to thank Dr. Ken Tupper, the publisher, every time I speak with him for not making me add a werewolf.
7. I know you currently have a novel in the works. Tell us a bit about it.
I spent the back half of 2011 trying to figure out what I was going to write next. I felt such a strong connection with Tears for the Mountain that I didn’t want to jump into another non-fiction unless it was something I could really stand behind.
For the New Year, my wife and I were down in Mexico with some friends (Melanie Wilderman was one of them, for you Paranormal YA fans), and I was standing in front of the Temple of the 7 Dolls, a major Mayan temple in Dzibilchaltun. I was staring up in awe of it, and suddenly this story popped into my head. I wandered around the ruins for the next few hours, looking at all the different buildings and aspects of the area, and I couldn’t get the story out of my head for the rest of the week.
The 8th Doll ties together aspects of Mayan culture and architecture to weave a fast-paced story about the 2012 apocalyptic prophecy. It is fiction, and it’s the first of a four book series that follows the main character, Alex Guidry, to various places around the world, almost all of which are places I’ve spent time in. I find that the writing is much more interesting when you can describe the smell of the room and the way the air tastes. The mysteries and twists in the book are all factual.
The book will be out by 31 July worldwide, in both paperback and e-book formats.
8. Did you find it more difficult writing a non-fiction book or a fiction book?
This is an easy one. Non-fiction is way harder to write because you can’t change the story! In a fictional account, you can add whatever you want. If you suddenly think of a neat twist that requires a Mercedes Benz and a pile of rubber bands, you just go back 5 pages and mention that there happens to be an SL-500 with office supplies in it.
With non-fiction, you’re bound by the truth, which can sometimes be exciting, but sometimes boring. (Notice that there aren’t any bestsellers about getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist or trimming your toenails)
9. Are there any more upcoming projects for you?
I just finished the second book in the Alex Guidry series, The Eye of Siam. It’s about a jewel heist in Thailand, and I’m about to start the third book, which will take place in Lithuania. I visited an amazing 15th century castle there about 10 years ago, and I have never been able to get it out of my mind.
For anyone who wants to hear about release dates for The 8th Doll and what I’m writing next, I have a page with pretty regular updates. I also love interacting with fans, so I will respond to all emails and messages sent. One thing I have really enjoyed about writing is talking with people all around the globe. On any given day I can be emailing with people in Europe, India, Canada, and Australia. It is very humbling to have someone take the time to let you know that they’ve read your work.
June 22, 2012
Guest Post: 8 Golden Bits Of Wisdom From Successful Authors
Today we have a guest with us, Patrick Del Rosario, and he brings with him a little sage wisdom from famous authors...
8 Golden Bits Of Wisdom From Successful Authors
The world of writing is unique. Those who are successful with it often times learn very valuable lessons along the way, including some bits of wisdom that are applicable to more than just authoring a book.
Here are 8 quotes from successful authors to encourage you to write and live better.
1. “Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.” – This golden tip comes from Kurt Vonnegut Jr., a successful science fiction writer and short story author. Whether it is entertainment value, an escape to fantasy from reality, or factual information, the job of any author is to deliver on what the reader is expecting when they pick up your book.
2. When writing, put "a group of characters in some sort of predicament and then watch them try to work themselves free." – This comes from the well-known and widely respected author, Stephen King. In his book “On Writing”, Stephen King reveals that when he is planning a book, he does not plot out the entire storyline first. Instead, he himself engages with each character and their own struggle, and develops the plot as he writes to help them break free from the challenges they face. This method of writing gives less structure to the story and delivers more of an impact to the reader because you are just as curious as they are how it will all turn out, which transforms the way you author the piece.
3. “Write what you want bottomless from bottom of the mind” – From the masterful mind of Jack Kerouac, author of On The Road, this tip talks to the person behind the writing. Being an author is a very personal job. You display your most inner thoughts, and to be successful at it, you must follow this tip and put yourself on the line.
4. “Have self-confidence” – This one comes from Ian Rankin, a Scottish crime novelist. He has lived the author life of being put through the ringer, experiencing rejection, and yet he has still managed to keep his confidence alive and pick himself up, dust himself off, and keep writing. This is important for any author. Rejection is natural in the publishing industry, but knowing how to overcome it by remaining confident and true to yourself will ultimately make you a success.
5. “Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” – This quote comes from one of the world’s greatest children book authors, Shel Silverstein. It is a great piece of wisdom from one successful author to those who are striving to achieve their dreams. Push forward and do not listen to what you should not do, or what people are telling you not to do at all. Instead, follow your heart and you can achieve whatever you set out to achieve.
6. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” – This famous sentiment from Dr. Seuss shows again the true importance of being you not only in writing but in life as a whole. Do not listen to the naysayers and the people who will inevitably try to bring you down, but instead, trust who you are and you will succeed.
7. “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Famous children’s book author Roald Dahl encourages people and authors in particular to have a fantasy and believe in the magic. Without this, creating a story and living a full life beyond what you can dream will be impossible.
8. “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway sums it up with this quote. Writing is easy but the process is never over. From revisions to new ideas, authors are constantly refining their craft and developing their skill.
What are your favorite quotes from a successful author?
About the Author:
Patrick Del Rosario is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s pioneer and leading providers of Management Courses and certificate iv in training and assessment. When not working, Patrick enjoys blogging about career and business. Patrick is also a photography enthusiast and is currently running a photography studio in the Philippines. If you have a blog and would like free content, you can find him on Google+.
8 Golden Bits Of Wisdom From Successful Authors
The world of writing is unique. Those who are successful with it often times learn very valuable lessons along the way, including some bits of wisdom that are applicable to more than just authoring a book.
Here are 8 quotes from successful authors to encourage you to write and live better.
1. “Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.” – This golden tip comes from Kurt Vonnegut Jr., a successful science fiction writer and short story author. Whether it is entertainment value, an escape to fantasy from reality, or factual information, the job of any author is to deliver on what the reader is expecting when they pick up your book.
2. When writing, put "a group of characters in some sort of predicament and then watch them try to work themselves free." – This comes from the well-known and widely respected author, Stephen King. In his book “On Writing”, Stephen King reveals that when he is planning a book, he does not plot out the entire storyline first. Instead, he himself engages with each character and their own struggle, and develops the plot as he writes to help them break free from the challenges they face. This method of writing gives less structure to the story and delivers more of an impact to the reader because you are just as curious as they are how it will all turn out, which transforms the way you author the piece.
3. “Write what you want bottomless from bottom of the mind” – From the masterful mind of Jack Kerouac, author of On The Road, this tip talks to the person behind the writing. Being an author is a very personal job. You display your most inner thoughts, and to be successful at it, you must follow this tip and put yourself on the line.
4. “Have self-confidence” – This one comes from Ian Rankin, a Scottish crime novelist. He has lived the author life of being put through the ringer, experiencing rejection, and yet he has still managed to keep his confidence alive and pick himself up, dust himself off, and keep writing. This is important for any author. Rejection is natural in the publishing industry, but knowing how to overcome it by remaining confident and true to yourself will ultimately make you a success.
5. “Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” – This quote comes from one of the world’s greatest children book authors, Shel Silverstein. It is a great piece of wisdom from one successful author to those who are striving to achieve their dreams. Push forward and do not listen to what you should not do, or what people are telling you not to do at all. Instead, follow your heart and you can achieve whatever you set out to achieve.
6. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” – This famous sentiment from Dr. Seuss shows again the true importance of being you not only in writing but in life as a whole. Do not listen to the naysayers and the people who will inevitably try to bring you down, but instead, trust who you are and you will succeed.
7. “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Famous children’s book author Roald Dahl encourages people and authors in particular to have a fantasy and believe in the magic. Without this, creating a story and living a full life beyond what you can dream will be impossible.
8. “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway sums it up with this quote. Writing is easy but the process is never over. From revisions to new ideas, authors are constantly refining their craft and developing their skill.
What are your favorite quotes from a successful author?
About the Author:
Patrick Del Rosario is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s pioneer and leading providers of Management Courses and certificate iv in training and assessment. When not working, Patrick enjoys blogging about career and business. Patrick is also a photography enthusiast and is currently running a photography studio in the Philippines. If you have a blog and would like free content, you can find him on Google+.
June 15, 2012
A Dramatic Historical: A Review of Casting Stones
My Book Review of Casting Stones by G. M. Barlean:
I enjoyed reading Casting Stones by G. M. Barlean, very much. It is a taut historical drama, with the emotion played just right and never overwrought.
The book tells the story of James Raven and his family, the tragedy involving his first marriage and the nightmare existence that becomes his second marriage. It takes the reader on a tense ride through his turmoil to the stunning conclusion.
I love good historical fiction and Casting Stones fits the bill. It’s not one of the sweeping epics or historic mysteries I usually read, but it takes a solid story, and marries it with strong, believable characters. Mix in the author’s excellent writing style and you have a winner.
I really liked the fact that author manages not to pull punches when it comes to misfortune while still maintaining a credibility of plot. Nothing goes too far over the top, and the motives and rationales of the characters are realistic. And that is where the heart of the book lies, with the characters. You feel for James Raven and his son, and grow to loathe those responsible for their pain.
It was a treat to read Casting Stones and I recommend it.
Casting Stones is available at Amazon in:
Paperback
Kindle
I enjoyed reading Casting Stones by G. M. Barlean, very much. It is a taut historical drama, with the emotion played just right and never overwrought.
The book tells the story of James Raven and his family, the tragedy involving his first marriage and the nightmare existence that becomes his second marriage. It takes the reader on a tense ride through his turmoil to the stunning conclusion.
I love good historical fiction and Casting Stones fits the bill. It’s not one of the sweeping epics or historic mysteries I usually read, but it takes a solid story, and marries it with strong, believable characters. Mix in the author’s excellent writing style and you have a winner.
I really liked the fact that author manages not to pull punches when it comes to misfortune while still maintaining a credibility of plot. Nothing goes too far over the top, and the motives and rationales of the characters are realistic. And that is where the heart of the book lies, with the characters. You feel for James Raven and his son, and grow to loathe those responsible for their pain.
It was a treat to read Casting Stones and I recommend it.
Casting Stones is available at Amazon in:
Paperback
Kindle
June 13, 2012
Welcome to Shadows of Kings and the Dragon Rising...
Today we have a guest, author Jack Whitsel. Jack is currently on a blog tour for his new fantasy book, Shadows of Kings, and he brings us an introduction this novel, the first in the Dragon Rising series.
Welcome to Shadows of Kings and the Dragon Rising Series
With the June release of Shadows of Kings upon us - I thought I would share a sneak peak of the region and provide a list of characters. Thanks to everyone who have contributed to this journey.
Shadows of Kings
Steel and sorcery clash as the Harhn incursion sweeps through the Hugue. Only Lord Baudouin and Lady Lucia, a Dragon Maiden from the Order, stand in the enemy's path. Only together will there be any hope to repel the onslaught, and preserve the future for a mysterious girl they do not know.
The Players:
Lady Lucia – Dragon Maiden of the Order
Lord Baudouin – Son of Duke Theudis
Rizela – Princess and Sorceress of the Darkfey
Ghruelnar – Sorcerer and leader of the Harhn Horde
Alaric – Dragon Initiate of the Order
Norris – Cousin and Standard Bearer of Lord Baudouin
Flannery – Cousin of Lord Baudouin
Isidore – Knight of Mersalia
Gui - A peasant from Marcellus
Dragana – Young sorceress, daughter of Lord Yannic of the Order.
Celestine - Sorceress
Duke Theudis – Duke of Camille and Standard Bearer of King Amger.
King Amger – King of Mersalia
The Founding:
According to the Hugue Calendar, the region was established over five hundred years ago. Following the Great War between Elves and Men, Humans from the Ancestral Plains, fearing another onslaught from the Elves, left their homes and traveled across the Barren Steppe to the region called the Hugue.[1] The settlers comprised of nobles and commoners from the various cities decimated by war. Together, they made the long journey, putting aside cultural differences in order to start a new beginning. Upon reaching the Hugue, they found the region infested with Harhn and all manner of foul beasts. Led by Lord Theudemund of House Amric, the warriors from the assembly of Men, combined with the native Humans and Halflings of the region, drove the beasts from the Hugue. After this great victory, the Principalities were established. Each sovereign of the three strongest factions were married to one of Theudemund's daughters as a token of good will and to strengthen the newly formed alliances. Theudemund’s son became the King of Mersalia. The other Principalities formed were Pratalsia, Gruneheim, Cadyrnia, and Mersalia. The already existing Principalities were Verslund, Vhor, and Henstubber.
[1] There is no documented evidence that describes who started the war. The scholar’s sentiment suggests the Elves were purely behind the conflict.
You can find more on Jack, his blog tour and his books at his website: www.jackwhitsel.com
Welcome to Shadows of Kings and the Dragon Rising Series
With the June release of Shadows of Kings upon us - I thought I would share a sneak peak of the region and provide a list of characters. Thanks to everyone who have contributed to this journey.
Shadows of Kings
Steel and sorcery clash as the Harhn incursion sweeps through the Hugue. Only Lord Baudouin and Lady Lucia, a Dragon Maiden from the Order, stand in the enemy's path. Only together will there be any hope to repel the onslaught, and preserve the future for a mysterious girl they do not know.
The Players:
Lady Lucia – Dragon Maiden of the Order
Lord Baudouin – Son of Duke Theudis
Rizela – Princess and Sorceress of the Darkfey
Ghruelnar – Sorcerer and leader of the Harhn Horde
Alaric – Dragon Initiate of the Order
Norris – Cousin and Standard Bearer of Lord Baudouin
Flannery – Cousin of Lord Baudouin
Isidore – Knight of Mersalia
Gui - A peasant from Marcellus
Dragana – Young sorceress, daughter of Lord Yannic of the Order.
Celestine - Sorceress
Duke Theudis – Duke of Camille and Standard Bearer of King Amger.
King Amger – King of Mersalia
The Founding:
According to the Hugue Calendar, the region was established over five hundred years ago. Following the Great War between Elves and Men, Humans from the Ancestral Plains, fearing another onslaught from the Elves, left their homes and traveled across the Barren Steppe to the region called the Hugue.[1] The settlers comprised of nobles and commoners from the various cities decimated by war. Together, they made the long journey, putting aside cultural differences in order to start a new beginning. Upon reaching the Hugue, they found the region infested with Harhn and all manner of foul beasts. Led by Lord Theudemund of House Amric, the warriors from the assembly of Men, combined with the native Humans and Halflings of the region, drove the beasts from the Hugue. After this great victory, the Principalities were established. Each sovereign of the three strongest factions were married to one of Theudemund's daughters as a token of good will and to strengthen the newly formed alliances. Theudemund’s son became the King of Mersalia. The other Principalities formed were Pratalsia, Gruneheim, Cadyrnia, and Mersalia. The already existing Principalities were Verslund, Vhor, and Henstubber.
[1] There is no documented evidence that describes who started the war. The scholar’s sentiment suggests the Elves were purely behind the conflict.
You can find more on Jack, his blog tour and his books at his website: www.jackwhitsel.com
June 6, 2012
On the Death of Ray Bradbury
'Photo by Alan Light'
It was with a great deal of sadness that I read today that author Ray Bradbury has passed away at the age of 91.
Ray Bradbury was one of my inspirations, both as a writer and a reader. His words instilled in me a love of short stories that lingers to this day. He showed me stories could be beautiful, poetic and leave a powerful lasting impression. My childhood was littered with his stories, such tales as All Summer in a Day, Uncle Einar (and the other stories about the Elliot Family), The Emissary, and The Fog Horn. They opened my mind to possibilities and strange wonders, and gave me the knowledge that words are more than just plot and dialogue, they are emotion. With them a writer can conjure images of sadness, fear, astonishment, or send a shiver down a reader’s spine. He demonstrated that stories can be timeless.
And that is his legacy.
Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales
May 22, 2012
Adventures in Self-Publishing: A Guest Post by Ethan Jones
Today, please welcome guest blogger Ethan Jones, as he talks about self-publishing and introduces his book that launches today, Arctic Wargame:
My Adventures in Self-publishing
First things first: Self-publishing is a lot of fun and a lot of work at the same time. It’s a venture into an adventure.
I shopped my two novels, Arctic Wargame (out on Amazon on May 22) and Tripoli’s Target (out in fall 2012), to a few hundred agents and publishers over the course of 2009-2011. I received some great feedback. A few agents asked for a partial manuscript and two or three for a full. But no one was willing to make an offer or sign a contract. In the mean time, I kept writing.
I had not considered self-publishing because it seemed like a lot of work and I had truly hoped an agency or a publisher would pick up my works. Upon the suggestion of a good friend, I dusted off my first novel, Arctic Wargame. I found three great beta readers, all published writers, and we took a new stab at my gibberish. Then, I worked with two great editors and proofreaders, to create the best possible work. After formatting it professionally, it finally saw the light of publishing through Amazon.
Self-publishing, like many other things, is not for everyone. It is a lot of work, most of it done independently. It involved a lot of multi-tasking, being creative and relentless. The writer needs to be also a salesman and a publicists, to take care of the promotion and the marketing of the book, and to work with an art designer for the cover. Then, it's the turn to format the work and upload it to the right distribution channels. And let us not forget your social network and web presence.
Of course, most of these services can be contracted depending on your budget, but the majority of up-and-coming writers may not have the necessary sources to cover all or a part of these expenses. Depending on what one is willing to do on their own, the total cost for a book can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
The flexibility, the freedom and the low pressure are three things I liked during my adventures in self-publishing. There are no deadlines, other than those you impose on yourself, and those are quite flexible. If the editor does not return your manuscript on time, there are no upset agents or publishing managers. If the cover art is not acceptable, there is always time for a second or third or fourth draft. Interviews and blog posts can be scheduled around your life, not the other way around. You are free to do as much or as little promotion as you want.
The time-consuming, the learning curve and multi-tasking are three things I struggled with as I ventured into the self-publishing route. The first time is the hardest, of course. It takes a lot of time to find the right beta readers and editors. One must be willing to learn how to give interviews, how to conceptualize a cover design for their work, how to draft a press release and how to handle media inquiries. All these processes take time. Over the course of the same day a writer must wear so many other hats.
Needless to say, all these activities take away a lot of time and energy that otherwise would have been invested in writing another book. But self-publishing offers authors that direct communication to their readers, allows them to make their work accessible to everyone, everywhere in the world, and enables them to keep the price down, while still keeping an excellent margin of profit (70% of the sale price through Amazon, if you work is priced between $ 2.99 and $ 9.99). Above all, it allows the authors to realize their long-time dream of publishing their work and entertaining their readers.
I would love your readers' feedback. They can get in touch with me via e-mail at this address: fictionwriter78@yahoo.com I promise to write to each and every one of them.
My blog - http://ethanjones.blog.com - is the place to learn about my future works, to enjoy exclusive book reviews and author interviews.
I'm also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethan-Jones/329693267050697
Follow me on Twitter: @EthanJonesBooks
Author Bio:
Ethan Jones is a lawyer by trade and the author of Arctic Wargame, a spy thriller available on Amazon as an e-book and paperback. He has also published two short stories: Carved in Memory, a prequel to Arctic Wargame, and The Last Confession, both available on Amazon as e-books. His second spy thriller, Tripoli’s Target, will be released in fall 2012. Ethan lives in Canada with his wife and his son.
Arctic Wargame
Canadian Intelligence Service Agent Justin Hall—combat-hardened in operations throughout Northern Africa—has been demoted after a botched mission in Libya.
When two foreign icebreakers appear in Canadian Arctic waters, Justin volunteers for the reconnaissance mission, eager to return to the field. His team discovers a foreign weapons cache deep in the Arctic, but they are not aware that a spy has infiltrated the Department of National Defence.
The team begins to unravel a treasonous plan against Canada, but they fall under attack from one of their own. Disarmed and stripped of their survival gear, they are stranded in a remote location. Now the team must survive the deadly Arctic not only to save themselves, but their country.
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
Ghadames, Libya
Six months ago
October 10, 3:00 a.m.
The sand dunes sank into darkness as a curtain of clouds dimmed the glow of the crescent moon. Justin limped closer to the small barred window of his prison cell. His bruised chest pressed against the rough surface of the bloodstained wall. He squinted and tried to stand on his toes for a better look. The rusty shackles clawed against the scarred skin of his ankles, and the heavy chain rattled on the cement floor.
“Quiet. Be quiet, you bastard infidel,” a guard growled in Arabic from down the shadowy prison hallway.
Justin stood still and drew in a deep breath, the cold night air of the Sahara desert filling his heaving lungs. Everything went silent again. No rapid steps rushing to his cell. No swearing bellowed by other inmates. He lifted his head, wrapped his free hands around the iron bars, and clenched his teeth, ignoring the jolts of pain from his fingers. With his eyes about an inch over the windowsill, Justin scoped the landscape, searching for the long-awaited rescue team.
Abdul, his connection within Libya’s Internal Security Agency who lay in the cell next door, had confirmed their escape was to take place early that morning. Their previous attempt the night before had failed, despite the inside help of one of the terrorists. Justin hoped this time their plan would be executed with no glitches.
At first, he noticed nothing except the rugged outlines of the steep dunes and the whitewashed walls of the sleepy town. Straining his eyes, he peered again. A small shadow slithered toward the prison wall. Justin blinked to clear his vision and stared at the approaching figure.
Bent at the waist, the shadow advanced at a rapid pace. It quickly disappeared from his sight, and he wondered whether the man had encountered a guard.
Justin’s heart pounded. He placed his ear to the wall and sensed a low grating noise. Someone, the shadow he hoped, was scaling the wall.
The window was at least twelve feet above the ground. He wondered how long it would take the shadow to reach it. A long minute dragged by and Justin was still alone. He breathed faster and faster and urged the man on the freedom side of the wall to make good time.
Finally, a hushed voice whispered in Arabic, “Abdul, Abdul, it’s me, Bashir. You there?”
“I’m Justin,” he replied softly.
“You’re the Canadian agent. Where’s Abdul?”
“In the other cell, around the corner, but that one has no window.”
“When did they move him?”
“A few hours ago, after they gave him a good beating.”
“Can he walk?”
“I think so.”
Bashir went silent for a moment. Justin looked up, but could not see the man’s face through the window. He asked slowly, “Bashir?”
“Shhhh.”
A few seconds later, he heard a scraping sound. Bashir was offering him a large metal key through the window bars. “That’s for the shackles,” Bashir said under his breath, “and this is for the guard.” He produced a black dagger.
Justin grabbed the handle and weighed the weapon in his weak hand. A ray of moonlight glinted off the ten-inch blade.
“Can you do this?” Bashir whispered.
“Yes.”
“You have only one chance. I’ll wait for you and Abdul in two black Nissans by the main gate. Then we’ll drive across the border to Tunisia.”
Justin frowned. “What about the hostages? The two Canadian doctors?”
“The Algerians moved them from their safe house to another location, out of the prison but still in town. My men are on their way there.”
“And Carrie?”
“Yes, your partner is with them.”
Justin breathed a sigh of relief. “OK. I’ll make sure Abdul and I meet you by the gate.”
“You’ll have to be quiet. About twenty men are guarding the prison, and we can’t defeat them all.”
“OK.”
“Abdul knows the way, but if you can’t free him, walk down the stairs and go left. The hall will take you to a small courtyard on the ground floor. There will be a guard or two by the gate. You need to cross into the house next door.”
“Downstairs, then left, then to the house,” Justin said, finding it a bit difficult to concentrate on Bashir’s words.
“Yes. Get to the roof of the house and drop down along the side facing the mosque. Follow the road leading to the main gate. Is it clear?”
“Yes, it is.”
Bashir’s clothes rubbed against the wall, and then silence returned to Justin’s cell. He stared at the key and the dagger in his right hand. Stepping back from the window, he was careful not to jerk the chain and alert the guard beyond the solid metal door. The key fit into the shackles’ padlock. He coughed loudly as he turned the key to cover the dull clunk of the lock snapping open. Now almost free, he removed the metal loops from around his ankles.
First imprisoned in Tripoli after their hostage rescue operation went wrong, Justin and Abdul were subjected to torture by the Algerian hostage takers for two days. After Justin and Abdul attempted an escape and killed a guard in the process, the Algerians––with the help of the Libyan secret police––moved them to Ghadames, an isolated and less risky place in their minds.
Justin wasted no time. He took a deep breath, gripped the dagger tightly, and called out to the guard, “Hey, open the door.”
“Shut up,” the guard roared back.
“I need to talk to you.”
“No. Just shut up.”
Justin banged twice on the heavy door.
The guard’s voice grew louder as he drew nearer to the door. “What’s the matter with you? You want me to break your leg?”
Justin slammed his fist against the door.
“That’s it. You asked for it,” the guard shouted.
Keys clattered as the guard struggled to find the right one to unlock the door. Justin stepped to the side and lifted his dagger high, waiting for the right moment. His hand shook. The weapon felt heavy, straining his muscles.
“I’m going to beat some sense into you now,” the guard barked.
As the guard shoved open the door, Justin thrust his hand toward the man’s throat. The blade slashed deep under the man’s thick chin, severing his windpipe. The guard dropped dead into his stretched arms, blood sputtering from the man’s mangled neck.
Justin used the guard’s black robe and turban to wipe the blood stains from his face and his arms. He stripped the man of his keys, his side arm—an old Beretta 92 pistol—his AK-47 assault rifle and two magazines. Justin dragged the body to a corner of his cell and locked the door behind him.
He tiptoed to Abdul’s cell. On the second try, he found the right key. As he opened the door, the powerful stench of sweat and urine almost twisted his stomach inside out. Abdul was lying against a wall, asleep.
“Abdul, Abdul, wake up.” Justin rustled him.
“Huh? What?” Abdul mumbled with a big yawn.
“Time to go, man.”
“Justin, how did you…” Abdul sat up slowly and stared into Justin’s eyes.
“Bashir gave me a key and a knife.”
“Bashir? When did he come?”
“Tell you later. Let’s go. Can you walk?”
“Yes, yes, I can.”
Justin unchained Abdul’s bruised legs and helped him to his feet. Abdul leaned against the wall before taking a few unsteady steps.
“I’m good. I can do this,” Abdul said.
“OK, follow me.”
“First, give me that.” Abdul pointed at the assault rifle.
“Bashir said we need to break out in silence. Too many fighters for us to kill them all.”
Abdul held the AK-47 in his hands with difficulty and fumbled with the safety switch. Finally, he switched it to full automatic. “Just in case,” he mumbled.
“Let’s go.”
Justin threw a glance down the hall and signaled for Abdul to follow him. They moved quickly to the end of the narrow hallway, their bare feet tapping lightly on the concrete floor, grains of sand gritting their toes.
“We go to the first floor, then left,” Justin said as they came to a spiral staircase.
“Then what?”
“Left through the hall until we reach the courtyard. We have to go through the door taking us to the house next to the prison. Bashir will wait for us at the main gate.”
“What? That’s Bashir’s plan? There’s always a group of guards in the back.”
“He said there should be only one, two at the most, and we have to get rid of them quietly.”
“That’s impossible. They’ll see us as we go outside and kill us.”
“Maybe they’re dozing off.”
“If not, we shoot first.”
“No. We’ll have the rest of the Algerians coming after us.”
Justin winced as his left foot landed on the coarse surface of the first stair. He took two more steps and turned his head. Abdul nodded and followed behind him. Holding the dagger ready in his hand, Justin continued down the stairs. He reached the bottom. The hall forked right and left. A light flickered from the right. Justin stepped back, gesturing for Abdul to stop.
“What’s that way?” Justin asked in a hushed tone, pointing toward the light.
“A kitchen and a dining area. And someone’s awake.”“Don’t worry about it. We’re slipping out the other way.”
Justin glimpsed again toward the dim light, then to the opposite side and began creeping down the hall. He saw a door about twenty steps ahead and figured it was the one opening into the courtyard. Pressing on, he quickened his pace. Abdul’s feet shuffled loudly behind him.
“Quiet, quiet, Abdul,” he said.
“That’s not me.”
Justin turned his head and looked over Abdul’s shoulders. He stared right into the eyes of a man standing five or six steps behind Abdul and pointing a pistol at them. The gunman was of a small, thin stature, clad in a white robe and a black headdress.
“Stop or I’ll blow your head off,” he said in Arabic.
The gunman’s voice crackled abruptly. Its unexpected high pitch startled Justin. The pistol shook in the young man’s hands.
“He’s just a kid,” Justin whispered to Abdul, who was preparing to turn his rifle toward the gunman.
“I will shoot you,” the young man squeaked, this time louder. “You, turn around with your hands in the air,” he ordered Abdul.
Abdul swung on his heels, firing a quick burst.
“No,” Justin shouted.
Bullets went through the gunman. Two large purple stains appeared on his chest as he collapsed over a chair.
“No, no, no,” Justin cried. “He was a kid, just a kid.”
“Who was going to blow our heads off,” Abdul replied.
“We could have talked to him.”
Abdul shook his head. “No time for talk. Now run.”
Before Justin could say anything, someone kicked open the door behind him.
“Down,” Abdul shouted and pointed his AK-47 toward the door.
Justin fell to the floor, while Abdul kept his finger on the assault rifle’s trigger. Bullets pierced the bodies of two guards who entered the hall. Loud cries and barking orders came from two stories above. Rapid thuds of heavy boots echoed throughout the prison. Justin pulled out the Beretta from a pocket of his tattered khakis. As soon as two men running downstairs entered his sights, he planted a couple of bullets in each man’s neck.
“Go, go, go. Move, move!” he yelled at Abdul.
Abdul checked the door and fired a short burst into the courtyard. A few shrieks confirmed he hit his mark, and he dove outside. More gunfire followed. The reports of assault rifles echoed in the night. Heavy machine guns hammering in the distance pounded the urgency of their escape into the Canadian agent. After trading his Beretta for a high-powered AK-47 next to the body of a dead guard, Justin joined Abdul in the courtyard.
Arctic Wargames is available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Wargame-Justin-Novel-ebook/dp/B0084FH6M8/
My Adventures in Self-publishing
First things first: Self-publishing is a lot of fun and a lot of work at the same time. It’s a venture into an adventure.
I shopped my two novels, Arctic Wargame (out on Amazon on May 22) and Tripoli’s Target (out in fall 2012), to a few hundred agents and publishers over the course of 2009-2011. I received some great feedback. A few agents asked for a partial manuscript and two or three for a full. But no one was willing to make an offer or sign a contract. In the mean time, I kept writing.
I had not considered self-publishing because it seemed like a lot of work and I had truly hoped an agency or a publisher would pick up my works. Upon the suggestion of a good friend, I dusted off my first novel, Arctic Wargame. I found three great beta readers, all published writers, and we took a new stab at my gibberish. Then, I worked with two great editors and proofreaders, to create the best possible work. After formatting it professionally, it finally saw the light of publishing through Amazon.
Self-publishing, like many other things, is not for everyone. It is a lot of work, most of it done independently. It involved a lot of multi-tasking, being creative and relentless. The writer needs to be also a salesman and a publicists, to take care of the promotion and the marketing of the book, and to work with an art designer for the cover. Then, it's the turn to format the work and upload it to the right distribution channels. And let us not forget your social network and web presence.
Of course, most of these services can be contracted depending on your budget, but the majority of up-and-coming writers may not have the necessary sources to cover all or a part of these expenses. Depending on what one is willing to do on their own, the total cost for a book can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
The flexibility, the freedom and the low pressure are three things I liked during my adventures in self-publishing. There are no deadlines, other than those you impose on yourself, and those are quite flexible. If the editor does not return your manuscript on time, there are no upset agents or publishing managers. If the cover art is not acceptable, there is always time for a second or third or fourth draft. Interviews and blog posts can be scheduled around your life, not the other way around. You are free to do as much or as little promotion as you want.
The time-consuming, the learning curve and multi-tasking are three things I struggled with as I ventured into the self-publishing route. The first time is the hardest, of course. It takes a lot of time to find the right beta readers and editors. One must be willing to learn how to give interviews, how to conceptualize a cover design for their work, how to draft a press release and how to handle media inquiries. All these processes take time. Over the course of the same day a writer must wear so many other hats.
Needless to say, all these activities take away a lot of time and energy that otherwise would have been invested in writing another book. But self-publishing offers authors that direct communication to their readers, allows them to make their work accessible to everyone, everywhere in the world, and enables them to keep the price down, while still keeping an excellent margin of profit (70% of the sale price through Amazon, if you work is priced between $ 2.99 and $ 9.99). Above all, it allows the authors to realize their long-time dream of publishing their work and entertaining their readers.
I would love your readers' feedback. They can get in touch with me via e-mail at this address: fictionwriter78@yahoo.com I promise to write to each and every one of them.
My blog - http://ethanjones.blog.com - is the place to learn about my future works, to enjoy exclusive book reviews and author interviews.
I'm also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethan-Jones/329693267050697
Follow me on Twitter: @EthanJonesBooks
Author Bio:
Ethan Jones is a lawyer by trade and the author of Arctic Wargame, a spy thriller available on Amazon as an e-book and paperback. He has also published two short stories: Carved in Memory, a prequel to Arctic Wargame, and The Last Confession, both available on Amazon as e-books. His second spy thriller, Tripoli’s Target, will be released in fall 2012. Ethan lives in Canada with his wife and his son.
Arctic Wargame
Canadian Intelligence Service Agent Justin Hall—combat-hardened in operations throughout Northern Africa—has been demoted after a botched mission in Libya.
When two foreign icebreakers appear in Canadian Arctic waters, Justin volunteers for the reconnaissance mission, eager to return to the field. His team discovers a foreign weapons cache deep in the Arctic, but they are not aware that a spy has infiltrated the Department of National Defence.
The team begins to unravel a treasonous plan against Canada, but they fall under attack from one of their own. Disarmed and stripped of their survival gear, they are stranded in a remote location. Now the team must survive the deadly Arctic not only to save themselves, but their country.
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
Ghadames, Libya
Six months ago
October 10, 3:00 a.m.
The sand dunes sank into darkness as a curtain of clouds dimmed the glow of the crescent moon. Justin limped closer to the small barred window of his prison cell. His bruised chest pressed against the rough surface of the bloodstained wall. He squinted and tried to stand on his toes for a better look. The rusty shackles clawed against the scarred skin of his ankles, and the heavy chain rattled on the cement floor.
“Quiet. Be quiet, you bastard infidel,” a guard growled in Arabic from down the shadowy prison hallway.
Justin stood still and drew in a deep breath, the cold night air of the Sahara desert filling his heaving lungs. Everything went silent again. No rapid steps rushing to his cell. No swearing bellowed by other inmates. He lifted his head, wrapped his free hands around the iron bars, and clenched his teeth, ignoring the jolts of pain from his fingers. With his eyes about an inch over the windowsill, Justin scoped the landscape, searching for the long-awaited rescue team.
Abdul, his connection within Libya’s Internal Security Agency who lay in the cell next door, had confirmed their escape was to take place early that morning. Their previous attempt the night before had failed, despite the inside help of one of the terrorists. Justin hoped this time their plan would be executed with no glitches.
At first, he noticed nothing except the rugged outlines of the steep dunes and the whitewashed walls of the sleepy town. Straining his eyes, he peered again. A small shadow slithered toward the prison wall. Justin blinked to clear his vision and stared at the approaching figure.
Bent at the waist, the shadow advanced at a rapid pace. It quickly disappeared from his sight, and he wondered whether the man had encountered a guard.
Justin’s heart pounded. He placed his ear to the wall and sensed a low grating noise. Someone, the shadow he hoped, was scaling the wall.
The window was at least twelve feet above the ground. He wondered how long it would take the shadow to reach it. A long minute dragged by and Justin was still alone. He breathed faster and faster and urged the man on the freedom side of the wall to make good time.
Finally, a hushed voice whispered in Arabic, “Abdul, Abdul, it’s me, Bashir. You there?”
“I’m Justin,” he replied softly.
“You’re the Canadian agent. Where’s Abdul?”
“In the other cell, around the corner, but that one has no window.”
“When did they move him?”
“A few hours ago, after they gave him a good beating.”
“Can he walk?”
“I think so.”
Bashir went silent for a moment. Justin looked up, but could not see the man’s face through the window. He asked slowly, “Bashir?”
“Shhhh.”
A few seconds later, he heard a scraping sound. Bashir was offering him a large metal key through the window bars. “That’s for the shackles,” Bashir said under his breath, “and this is for the guard.” He produced a black dagger.
Justin grabbed the handle and weighed the weapon in his weak hand. A ray of moonlight glinted off the ten-inch blade.
“Can you do this?” Bashir whispered.
“Yes.”
“You have only one chance. I’ll wait for you and Abdul in two black Nissans by the main gate. Then we’ll drive across the border to Tunisia.”
Justin frowned. “What about the hostages? The two Canadian doctors?”
“The Algerians moved them from their safe house to another location, out of the prison but still in town. My men are on their way there.”
“And Carrie?”
“Yes, your partner is with them.”
Justin breathed a sigh of relief. “OK. I’ll make sure Abdul and I meet you by the gate.”
“You’ll have to be quiet. About twenty men are guarding the prison, and we can’t defeat them all.”
“OK.”
“Abdul knows the way, but if you can’t free him, walk down the stairs and go left. The hall will take you to a small courtyard on the ground floor. There will be a guard or two by the gate. You need to cross into the house next door.”
“Downstairs, then left, then to the house,” Justin said, finding it a bit difficult to concentrate on Bashir’s words.
“Yes. Get to the roof of the house and drop down along the side facing the mosque. Follow the road leading to the main gate. Is it clear?”
“Yes, it is.”
Bashir’s clothes rubbed against the wall, and then silence returned to Justin’s cell. He stared at the key and the dagger in his right hand. Stepping back from the window, he was careful not to jerk the chain and alert the guard beyond the solid metal door. The key fit into the shackles’ padlock. He coughed loudly as he turned the key to cover the dull clunk of the lock snapping open. Now almost free, he removed the metal loops from around his ankles.
First imprisoned in Tripoli after their hostage rescue operation went wrong, Justin and Abdul were subjected to torture by the Algerian hostage takers for two days. After Justin and Abdul attempted an escape and killed a guard in the process, the Algerians––with the help of the Libyan secret police––moved them to Ghadames, an isolated and less risky place in their minds.
Justin wasted no time. He took a deep breath, gripped the dagger tightly, and called out to the guard, “Hey, open the door.”
“Shut up,” the guard roared back.
“I need to talk to you.”
“No. Just shut up.”
Justin banged twice on the heavy door.
The guard’s voice grew louder as he drew nearer to the door. “What’s the matter with you? You want me to break your leg?”
Justin slammed his fist against the door.
“That’s it. You asked for it,” the guard shouted.
Keys clattered as the guard struggled to find the right one to unlock the door. Justin stepped to the side and lifted his dagger high, waiting for the right moment. His hand shook. The weapon felt heavy, straining his muscles.
“I’m going to beat some sense into you now,” the guard barked.
As the guard shoved open the door, Justin thrust his hand toward the man’s throat. The blade slashed deep under the man’s thick chin, severing his windpipe. The guard dropped dead into his stretched arms, blood sputtering from the man’s mangled neck.
Justin used the guard’s black robe and turban to wipe the blood stains from his face and his arms. He stripped the man of his keys, his side arm—an old Beretta 92 pistol—his AK-47 assault rifle and two magazines. Justin dragged the body to a corner of his cell and locked the door behind him.
He tiptoed to Abdul’s cell. On the second try, he found the right key. As he opened the door, the powerful stench of sweat and urine almost twisted his stomach inside out. Abdul was lying against a wall, asleep.
“Abdul, Abdul, wake up.” Justin rustled him.
“Huh? What?” Abdul mumbled with a big yawn.
“Time to go, man.”
“Justin, how did you…” Abdul sat up slowly and stared into Justin’s eyes.
“Bashir gave me a key and a knife.”
“Bashir? When did he come?”
“Tell you later. Let’s go. Can you walk?”
“Yes, yes, I can.”
Justin unchained Abdul’s bruised legs and helped him to his feet. Abdul leaned against the wall before taking a few unsteady steps.
“I’m good. I can do this,” Abdul said.
“OK, follow me.”
“First, give me that.” Abdul pointed at the assault rifle.
“Bashir said we need to break out in silence. Too many fighters for us to kill them all.”
Abdul held the AK-47 in his hands with difficulty and fumbled with the safety switch. Finally, he switched it to full automatic. “Just in case,” he mumbled.
“Let’s go.”
Justin threw a glance down the hall and signaled for Abdul to follow him. They moved quickly to the end of the narrow hallway, their bare feet tapping lightly on the concrete floor, grains of sand gritting their toes.
“We go to the first floor, then left,” Justin said as they came to a spiral staircase.
“Then what?”
“Left through the hall until we reach the courtyard. We have to go through the door taking us to the house next to the prison. Bashir will wait for us at the main gate.”
“What? That’s Bashir’s plan? There’s always a group of guards in the back.”
“He said there should be only one, two at the most, and we have to get rid of them quietly.”
“That’s impossible. They’ll see us as we go outside and kill us.”
“Maybe they’re dozing off.”
“If not, we shoot first.”
“No. We’ll have the rest of the Algerians coming after us.”
Justin winced as his left foot landed on the coarse surface of the first stair. He took two more steps and turned his head. Abdul nodded and followed behind him. Holding the dagger ready in his hand, Justin continued down the stairs. He reached the bottom. The hall forked right and left. A light flickered from the right. Justin stepped back, gesturing for Abdul to stop.
“What’s that way?” Justin asked in a hushed tone, pointing toward the light.
“A kitchen and a dining area. And someone’s awake.”“Don’t worry about it. We’re slipping out the other way.”
Justin glimpsed again toward the dim light, then to the opposite side and began creeping down the hall. He saw a door about twenty steps ahead and figured it was the one opening into the courtyard. Pressing on, he quickened his pace. Abdul’s feet shuffled loudly behind him.
“Quiet, quiet, Abdul,” he said.
“That’s not me.”
Justin turned his head and looked over Abdul’s shoulders. He stared right into the eyes of a man standing five or six steps behind Abdul and pointing a pistol at them. The gunman was of a small, thin stature, clad in a white robe and a black headdress.
“Stop or I’ll blow your head off,” he said in Arabic.
The gunman’s voice crackled abruptly. Its unexpected high pitch startled Justin. The pistol shook in the young man’s hands.
“He’s just a kid,” Justin whispered to Abdul, who was preparing to turn his rifle toward the gunman.
“I will shoot you,” the young man squeaked, this time louder. “You, turn around with your hands in the air,” he ordered Abdul.
Abdul swung on his heels, firing a quick burst.
“No,” Justin shouted.
Bullets went through the gunman. Two large purple stains appeared on his chest as he collapsed over a chair.
“No, no, no,” Justin cried. “He was a kid, just a kid.”
“Who was going to blow our heads off,” Abdul replied.
“We could have talked to him.”
Abdul shook his head. “No time for talk. Now run.”
Before Justin could say anything, someone kicked open the door behind him.
“Down,” Abdul shouted and pointed his AK-47 toward the door.
Justin fell to the floor, while Abdul kept his finger on the assault rifle’s trigger. Bullets pierced the bodies of two guards who entered the hall. Loud cries and barking orders came from two stories above. Rapid thuds of heavy boots echoed throughout the prison. Justin pulled out the Beretta from a pocket of his tattered khakis. As soon as two men running downstairs entered his sights, he planted a couple of bullets in each man’s neck.
“Go, go, go. Move, move!” he yelled at Abdul.
Abdul checked the door and fired a short burst into the courtyard. A few shrieks confirmed he hit his mark, and he dove outside. More gunfire followed. The reports of assault rifles echoed in the night. Heavy machine guns hammering in the distance pounded the urgency of their escape into the Canadian agent. After trading his Beretta for a high-powered AK-47 next to the body of a dead guard, Justin joined Abdul in the courtyard.
Arctic Wargames is available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Wargame-Justin-Novel-ebook/dp/B0084FH6M8/
