Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 332
July 14, 2011
5-Star review for THE CRYSTAL FACADE
I'm psyched that THE CRYSTAL FACADE has received a new 5-star review from Katy at Goodreads. You can read the full review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/181165435
Here's a couple of highlights:
Katy's review
Jul 13, 11
A fast-paced and exciting book, I spent much of it alternately yelling at the characters for doing ridiculous things and at the authors for putting the characters through such distress. It was highly engrossing and, in a rare change of pace, even better than the first book.
Anyone who enjoys science fantasy adventure should enjoy this second book in the Otharian series – don't miss it!
Thanks Katie! So glad you enjoyed the book. THE CRYSTAL FACADE is the second book in our "Rule of Otharia" series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book without having to read the first book. Happy Reading!
Here's a couple of highlights:
Katy's review
Jul 13, 11
A fast-paced and exciting book, I spent much of it alternately yelling at the characters for doing ridiculous things and at the authors for putting the characters through such distress. It was highly engrossing and, in a rare change of pace, even better than the first book.
Anyone who enjoys science fantasy adventure should enjoy this second book in the Otharian series – don't miss it!
Thanks Katie! So glad you enjoyed the book. THE CRYSTAL FACADE is the second book in our "Rule of Otharia" series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book without having to read the first book. Happy Reading!
Secret of Indie Publishing by Dean Wesley Smith
The following article is taken in part from Dean Wesley Smith. The article plus many other helpful posts can be found at Dean's website here: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/
This post deals with product. Take it away, Dean.
Why Having More Product Is Better Than Having Less Product.I have heard over and over and over from indie publishers how their sales are not what they expected, or how they hope to promote their way to a big seller on their one book. Up to now I have mostly just bit my lip and kept my mouth shut.It just doesn't work with one or two or even five stories up. Or at least it doesn't work that way unless you are fantastically lucky and wrote a great book on the exact right topic at the exact right time. I hate planning on being lucky to make it. I want to plan on hard work and quality writing.So how can an indie publisher plan on making a living, paying the bills, without "luck" coming into play and without sending out thousands of flyers as I suggested last chapter?Simple, actually. You have to write more.And if you write more, you can count on the churn, the coin drop, the arm pull, the grind, whatever you want to call it.An indie publisher needs a lot of products across a lot of sales locations all selling small amounts.I have talked about this in various ways in other chapters and in other places. But here I want to try to be clear and put it together quickly one more time because this kind of thinking is critical to indie publishers.Produce Model vs Long Term Sales ModelRemember this?Publishing for the last sixty-plus years has worked on the produce model, meaning that traditional publishers treat every book as if it is a piece of fruit that will spoil if not sold quickly. They made every book into an "event" to help sell the books quickly. And if the books didn't sell quickly, they were pulled from the shelves like bad fruit and trashed.The reason for this is actually fairly simple. Physical shelf space is limited and the number of books being produced far, far exceeded the shelf space available. So if a book didn't sell quickly, it was replaced with one that might.Now, with electronic publishing and POD publishing, the shelf space is unlimited. And there is no hurry. A book can just sell along at a pace and as readers hear about it and find it, the sales can grow slowly.That unlimited shelf space is the largest change in publishing the electronic device has brought about. And we have just begun to see the ramifications of that one aspect of bookselling alone.Now, all publishers can do the work to list a product for customers and just leave it to sell.Indie publishers need to lead the way into long-term thinking.Books do not spoil.And a reader who finds your book four years after you publish it is just as good as a reader who finds it the day after you publish it.Places to Sell BooksJust this last week Kindle opened up its store in Germany and made selling through it automatic for all of us. Nice!Kobo is opening stores in numbers of countries this next month.iBooks already sells in many countries.And the expansion continues of electronic book sales around the world every day and more and more people buy readers and smart phones.Here in the States, the percentage of electronic book sales compared to traditional book sales continues to expand. And that's not even counting that indie publishers, with some work and minor investment, can sell into the bookstores with POD books as I have been talking about.Indie publishers need to start looking at the averages. And make writing new product the most important thing you do every day.Indie Publishing AverageThe problem with indie publishing at first is that the writers watch their numbers and get discouraged. I have told the story many times how last May Kris walked into my office and made an off-handed comment about how the three short stories I had put up quickly in December of 2009 were making $12.00 a month on Kindle. They were the only three we had up at that point.Three old short stories. $12.00 per month one site. Was I discouraged at that? Heck no. (But many writers would be.)Honestly, I had forgotten they were even up. And $12.00??? Holy crap! I wouldn't even let myself believe it for a while. I just kept doing the math over and over and over.Across my office are sixteen metal file drawers full of short stories. Kris has double that. And that is not counting the massive number of large file cabinets downstairs with novels in them. All stories and novels basically dead to the old way of produce-thinking. I swear those file cabinets turned from an ugly puke-brown color to pure gold as I stared at them.I have far more than a hundred short stories, Kris has two or three hundred, and yet three old stories were making us $144.00 per year. Holy crap! (You do the math. And don't forget to add in collections at $2.99 and $4.99.)Was I discouraged at seeing only $12.00 of sales? Nope. I got excited.With some help Kris and I formed WMG Publishing. We have been off and running since last July.WMG Publishing now has over 160 stories, collections, and novels up and the list is growing steadily every month.Again, just do the math. Trust me, 160 stories, collections, and novels sounds like a lot, but you can get to it as well given time and a lot of writing, even if you don't have a backlist like I do.Indie publishers need to write like an old pulp writer. Fast and hard and get it into print.Sales NumbersSo what can an indie publisher count on for sales? Is there a floor?With one story? Not a clue. You might not sell a single copy across all twenty sites in a month.With ten short stories, you should be able to start seeing average sales.I use five sales per story average for short stories and collections across all sites and to be honest, many, many people tell me that after twenty or so short stories, that average is low (when you count all sites and not just Kindle). It is low, very low for me and Kris, but I like to be very conservative.Novels sell better, so I use a floor of twenty-five sales for novels total per month across all twenty sites.But again, you must have a decent number published and selling so the amount can average. (I am not talking about Joe Konrath numbers here, just us normal mortals.)The Math AgainUsing my friend's example of writing drive, let me see what she might make.—- Short story sells for 99 cents. You get 35 cents minimum. Up to 60 cents on some sites, but use 35 cents for now.5 x .35 = $1.75 per story per month. Or $21.00 per year per story.—-—- Five story collections sell for $2.99. You get 70% or $2.10.5 x 2.10 = $10.50 per collection per month. Or $126.00 per year.—-—- Ten story collections sell for $4.99. You get 70% or $3.50.5 x $3.50 = $17.50 per collection per month. Or $210.00 per year.—-Writing five short stories can make you in one full year of really minimal sales $21.00 + $126.00 + $210.00 = $357.00 per year.Writing 50 stories in a year as my friend is working at doing can make $3,570.00 per year at minimal sales.Writing 50 stories a year for three years will give you a base income of over $10,000.oo. Assuming the average stays on the bottom at five sales for each story or collection across all twenty sites. Which it will not with that many stories available.Now, say you stopped and the sales just continued on. In 9 years you would have made over $30,000.00 if everything stayed the same and the sales stayed on the bottom. And you didn't write another word.SummaryNo matter what you do as an indie publisher, you must be writing first. You must be creating product.In the first golden age of fiction, the pulp writers got very, very rich at 1 cent per word in the middle of the Depression.We are in a new golden age of publishing.We can write a few books, treat them like events and spoiling fruit, or we can write all the time, have fun, write what we want, put them up, and then just keep writing.We now have the choice to go either to traditional publishing or do it ourself with indie publishing.But just as it has been for hundreds of years, the writers who will make it on either side, traditional or indie, are the writers who just keep writing.And that really is the secret.
This post deals with product. Take it away, Dean.
Why Having More Product Is Better Than Having Less Product.I have heard over and over and over from indie publishers how their sales are not what they expected, or how they hope to promote their way to a big seller on their one book. Up to now I have mostly just bit my lip and kept my mouth shut.It just doesn't work with one or two or even five stories up. Or at least it doesn't work that way unless you are fantastically lucky and wrote a great book on the exact right topic at the exact right time. I hate planning on being lucky to make it. I want to plan on hard work and quality writing.So how can an indie publisher plan on making a living, paying the bills, without "luck" coming into play and without sending out thousands of flyers as I suggested last chapter?Simple, actually. You have to write more.And if you write more, you can count on the churn, the coin drop, the arm pull, the grind, whatever you want to call it.An indie publisher needs a lot of products across a lot of sales locations all selling small amounts.I have talked about this in various ways in other chapters and in other places. But here I want to try to be clear and put it together quickly one more time because this kind of thinking is critical to indie publishers.Produce Model vs Long Term Sales ModelRemember this?Publishing for the last sixty-plus years has worked on the produce model, meaning that traditional publishers treat every book as if it is a piece of fruit that will spoil if not sold quickly. They made every book into an "event" to help sell the books quickly. And if the books didn't sell quickly, they were pulled from the shelves like bad fruit and trashed.The reason for this is actually fairly simple. Physical shelf space is limited and the number of books being produced far, far exceeded the shelf space available. So if a book didn't sell quickly, it was replaced with one that might.Now, with electronic publishing and POD publishing, the shelf space is unlimited. And there is no hurry. A book can just sell along at a pace and as readers hear about it and find it, the sales can grow slowly.That unlimited shelf space is the largest change in publishing the electronic device has brought about. And we have just begun to see the ramifications of that one aspect of bookselling alone.Now, all publishers can do the work to list a product for customers and just leave it to sell.Indie publishers need to lead the way into long-term thinking.Books do not spoil.And a reader who finds your book four years after you publish it is just as good as a reader who finds it the day after you publish it.Places to Sell BooksJust this last week Kindle opened up its store in Germany and made selling through it automatic for all of us. Nice!Kobo is opening stores in numbers of countries this next month.iBooks already sells in many countries.And the expansion continues of electronic book sales around the world every day and more and more people buy readers and smart phones.Here in the States, the percentage of electronic book sales compared to traditional book sales continues to expand. And that's not even counting that indie publishers, with some work and minor investment, can sell into the bookstores with POD books as I have been talking about.Indie publishers need to start looking at the averages. And make writing new product the most important thing you do every day.Indie Publishing AverageThe problem with indie publishing at first is that the writers watch their numbers and get discouraged. I have told the story many times how last May Kris walked into my office and made an off-handed comment about how the three short stories I had put up quickly in December of 2009 were making $12.00 a month on Kindle. They were the only three we had up at that point.Three old short stories. $12.00 per month one site. Was I discouraged at that? Heck no. (But many writers would be.)Honestly, I had forgotten they were even up. And $12.00??? Holy crap! I wouldn't even let myself believe it for a while. I just kept doing the math over and over and over.Across my office are sixteen metal file drawers full of short stories. Kris has double that. And that is not counting the massive number of large file cabinets downstairs with novels in them. All stories and novels basically dead to the old way of produce-thinking. I swear those file cabinets turned from an ugly puke-brown color to pure gold as I stared at them.I have far more than a hundred short stories, Kris has two or three hundred, and yet three old stories were making us $144.00 per year. Holy crap! (You do the math. And don't forget to add in collections at $2.99 and $4.99.)Was I discouraged at seeing only $12.00 of sales? Nope. I got excited.With some help Kris and I formed WMG Publishing. We have been off and running since last July.WMG Publishing now has over 160 stories, collections, and novels up and the list is growing steadily every month.Again, just do the math. Trust me, 160 stories, collections, and novels sounds like a lot, but you can get to it as well given time and a lot of writing, even if you don't have a backlist like I do.Indie publishers need to write like an old pulp writer. Fast and hard and get it into print.Sales NumbersSo what can an indie publisher count on for sales? Is there a floor?With one story? Not a clue. You might not sell a single copy across all twenty sites in a month.With ten short stories, you should be able to start seeing average sales.I use five sales per story average for short stories and collections across all sites and to be honest, many, many people tell me that after twenty or so short stories, that average is low (when you count all sites and not just Kindle). It is low, very low for me and Kris, but I like to be very conservative.Novels sell better, so I use a floor of twenty-five sales for novels total per month across all twenty sites.But again, you must have a decent number published and selling so the amount can average. (I am not talking about Joe Konrath numbers here, just us normal mortals.)The Math AgainUsing my friend's example of writing drive, let me see what she might make.—- Short story sells for 99 cents. You get 35 cents minimum. Up to 60 cents on some sites, but use 35 cents for now.5 x .35 = $1.75 per story per month. Or $21.00 per year per story.—-—- Five story collections sell for $2.99. You get 70% or $2.10.5 x 2.10 = $10.50 per collection per month. Or $126.00 per year.—-—- Ten story collections sell for $4.99. You get 70% or $3.50.5 x $3.50 = $17.50 per collection per month. Or $210.00 per year.—-Writing five short stories can make you in one full year of really minimal sales $21.00 + $126.00 + $210.00 = $357.00 per year.Writing 50 stories in a year as my friend is working at doing can make $3,570.00 per year at minimal sales.Writing 50 stories a year for three years will give you a base income of over $10,000.oo. Assuming the average stays on the bottom at five sales for each story or collection across all twenty sites. Which it will not with that many stories available.Now, say you stopped and the sales just continued on. In 9 years you would have made over $30,000.00 if everything stayed the same and the sales stayed on the bottom. And you didn't write another word.SummaryNo matter what you do as an indie publisher, you must be writing first. You must be creating product.In the first golden age of fiction, the pulp writers got very, very rich at 1 cent per word in the middle of the Depression.We are in a new golden age of publishing.We can write a few books, treat them like events and spoiling fruit, or we can write all the time, have fun, write what we want, put them up, and then just keep writing.We now have the choice to go either to traditional publishing or do it ourself with indie publishing.But just as it has been for hundreds of years, the writers who will make it on either side, traditional or indie, are the writers who just keep writing.And that really is the secret.
July 13, 2011
Interview with Faith Mortimer
Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?The Assassins' Village:Bound and gagged, the shocked and terrified victim recognizes his assailant. Days later, another body is discovered. Is this another murder? If so, how many assassins stalk the village?
In a picturesque Cypriot village an expatriate theatrical group gathers to discuss their next play; but when the curtain rises it'll be murder. A blackmailer stalks the cast – a group riven with jealousies, rivalry, sexual tension and illicit affairs.Unbeknown to each other they all attempt to find solutions to their problems. Some believe it lies in murder. Can they find the blackmailer? And can they find that all important 'little black book' – the chronicle of their misdeeds.
When a body is discovered, Diana, a cast member, turns detective to draw up a suspects list. After the police get involved one of the suspects is found hanged - another murder or the suicide of a guilty person? A visit to a villager's home uncovers an ancient assassin's weapon. Could this be the murder weapon? Is it possible that an assassin lives at the heart of this formerly peaceful and idyllic village?
Love, hate, murder and high drama all feature in this classic historical detective story. With a long list of suspects, some dramatic twists and the odd red herring, the reader is left guessing until the final curtain falls.
Brief Excerpt from, The Assassins' Village :As the victim stared with revulsion, his throat gagged and he retched. Stomach churning, he felt a warmth spread beneath his loins. Screaming in panic he tried to pull away from the calm face of his attacker, only to realize that it was futile. The end, when it came, was swift, a thrust and a sharp twist. At first, there was no wound; then the blood flowed and grew like a blossom of deep red peonies spilling their petals to hiss upon the hot honey-colored rock. Satisfied, the assassin bent down, removed the pretty blue scarab ring from the victim's finger, placed it in the bag and walked away without another look.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?Yes, I did –but only briefly. I received a super review from Harper Collins when The Assassins' Village was voted as number one last November and tentatively made the rounds of agents and some other publishers. Most sent me very nice, encouraging letters, but I got the message that no publisher was looking to take on any new writer just for the moment. Not wanting to waste any time I decided on the Indie route.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I don't belong to any group, except one on Facebook, who will give good advice when I ask for it. Their help has been invaluable.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?I really couldn't stand the thought of writing possibly dozens of letters to agents and publishers. I also liked the idea of being my own boss and controlling my publication and when and what I wanted to write in the future.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?No. I wished I had looking back, but at the time I couldn't afford it. Maybe my next book will benefit from a good editor. I do have one in mind who was recommended by a writer friend.
What have you've learned during your self-publishing journey?I've learnt how to be more self-disciplined and I've set up my own website/FB page/Twitter account despite being a complete dinosaur with all things digital – And vowing never to get involved. Now I'm a convert!!
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Yes, on Smashwords and when The Assassins' Village is in paperback form (in a week or so) it will be sold on The Book Depository.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I rely on Facebook, Twitter and my website, which I believe should be a writer's main marketing platform. Good blog posts and a friendly approach to everyone are my criteria.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Yes! I should be writing now. Tomorrow…is another day they say…!
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?I would like to tell other authors that you're never alone in your work. The actual writing is a lonely business, but with today's technology at our fingertips there's always someone out there who is willing to give help and advice when you're looking for inspiration and just need a little friendly chat. I've made hundreds of friends on Facebook, Twitter and from followers on my website. Some are amazing and we share loads of news and often trade ideas.
Don't ever feel you are alone - there is no need to be. And don't ever, ever give up! If you feel a deep yearning inside then you are going to get that first book written. Good luck and remember I'm always there with a willing and ready ear. If you would like to connect with me feel free to join me on Facebook
What's next for you?I've just published a short true ghost story on Amazon, and I'm about to start a small collection of other short stories that will be in one book. I'm also in the middle of my third full-length novel – Children of The Plantation. A mystery drama set in Malaya in the 1950s and 1960s with the odd murder or two! Hopefully I'll have this completed by the end of the summer –fingers crossed.
You can find me and my books on; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FaithMortimer.Author and Twitter http://twitter.com/FaithMortimer
You can find my books on http://www.faithmortimerauthor.com (website)http://amzn.to/f1kf3r The Assassins' Village Amazon.co.ukhttp://amzn.to/eiTYgR The Assassins' Village Amazon.comhttp://amzn.to/mH41d6 The Crossing Amazon.co.ukhttp://amzn.to/g7TL00 The Crossing Amazon.com
The Bamboo Mirror is also available on Amazon, and all books are on Smashwords. The Crossing is also available in paperback and soon you will be able to buy a paperback version of The Assassins' Village on Amazon.
July 12, 2011
Blog Tour Stop - BLEEDER by LK Rigel
Thanks, Deb, for inviting me to tell your readers about the Bookish Snob Bleeder Book Tour , which started July 9 and ends with its last stop on August 1 at my blog.
At each tour stop, there will be something new – an excerpt, interview, or a post about the world of Apocalypto, on things like tattoos and totems or the nature of the heroine's phoenix totem versus the villain's black dragon.
The other fun thing about this tour: At the final tour stop, we're giving away a $100 gift certificate to either Amazon or B&N, winner's choice! On each stop of the tour, the host is posting a trivia question. Everybody who answers correctly gets a chance in the drawing for the prize, so if you answer each trivia question on the tour correctly, you'll have more than twenty chances.
And to make sure you have the right answers, just consult the Lexicon Apocalypto!
This is a great time for Bleeder (Apocalypto 3) to be on tour because Amazon has made both Space Junque (Apocalypto 1) and Spiderwork (Apocalypto 2) free! I don't know how long they'll remain free – so grab them now.
The tour runs through the end of the month. A complete schedule is here at my site. The final stop is August 1 at my site where we'll have the drawing for the grand prize.
July 11, 2011
Review: CENTURIES OF JUNE by Keith Donohue
4 of 5 starsCopy provided by Goldberg McDuffie Communications, NYC.
CENTURIES OF JUNE is the story of one man's journey when he's confronted with haphazardness of life. The book opens with a man, we later learn his name is Jack, who somehow falls in the bathroom and hits his head. From an awkward position on the bathroom floor, he watches helplessly as "a scarlet river seeped into the grout." It is a compelling opening and I was curious to see what the author would offer up next. Mr. Donohue tells an intriguing and engaging tale. Jack is no longer on the floor with a hole in his head, but healed and wearing a bathrobe. He soon discovers that there are 8 women in his bed. He returns to the scene of the fall, and along with an older man he believes to be his father, listens while the women unfold their stories. One by one, the women enter the bathroom and tell tales of love, disappointment, murder and betrayal. Somehow Jack is always at the center of each one even though the stories span centuries in American history. It is this personal connection with each story that keeps the reader reeled in. Add into the mix a dash of humor and a talking cat named Harpo and you have part dream sequence, fantasy and mythology all rolled into one.
While I found each story entertaining and unique, the book meanders along. There is no careening toward a climax, but instead the author takes the reader on a wonderful ride. I found I could put the book down between stories and it took me longer than usual to read it. However, the eighth and final story is the most compelling of all and a great twist to the book. This is the story you cannot put down and must read to its unexpected conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed CENTURIES OF JUNE and would recommend it to those who love to be entertained by a story with a good twist. The author has a fantastic writing style and I look forward to reading some of his earlier novels.
Review: CENTURIES OF JUNE by Keith Donahue
4 of 5 starsCopy provided by Goldberg McDuffie Communications, NYC.
CENTURIES OF JUNE is the story of one man's journey when he's confronted with haphazardness of life. The book opens with a man, we later learn his name is Jack, who somehow falls in the bathroom and hits his head. From an awkward position on the bathroom floor, he watches helplessly as "a scarlet river seeped into the grout." It is a compelling opening and I was curious to see what the author would offer up next. Mr. Donahue tells an intriguing and engaging tale. Jack is no longer on the floor with a hole in his head, but healed and wearing a bathrobe. He soon discovers that there are 8 women in his bed. He returns to the scene of the fall, and along with an older man he believes to be his father, listens while the women unfold their stories. One by one, the women enter the bathroom and tell tales of love, disappointment, murder and betrayal. Somehow Jack is always at the center of each one even though the stories span centuries in American history. It is this personal connection with each story that keeps the reader reeled in. Add into the mix a dash of humor and a talking cat named Harpo and you have part dream sequence, fantasy and mythology all rolled into one.
While I found each story entertaining and unique, the book meanders along. There is no careening toward a climax, but instead the author takes the reader on a wonderful ride. I found I could put the book down between stories and it took me longer than usual to read it. However, the eighth and final story is the most compelling of all and a great twist to the book. This is the story you cannot put down and must read to its unexpected conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed CENTURIES OF JUNE and would recommend it to those who love to be entertained by a story with a good twist. The author has a fantastic writing style and I look forward to reading some of his earlier novels.
July 8, 2011
Writing with a Co-Author by Rebecca Forster
Heck Yeah! Writing the Book on TogethernessBy Rebecca Forsterwww.rebeccaforster.comRecently, I was terribly disappointed by a movie I had looked forward to seeing. The story was thin, the plot holes deep and characterization shallow. When I saw four writers credited for the script, I realized why the movie never gelled. Odd slices of brilliance had flashed and fizzled in a jumble of visions, styles and pressure to perform.
Which leads me to the question of the day: How do creative partnerships thrive and turn out one saleable, seamless product? To answer that question, I joined Scott Gordon, a superior court judge and author, who partnered with Alex Abella, a seasoned nonfiction writer, to publish Shadow Enemies: Hitler's Secret Plot against the United States and Debra L. Martin who teams with her brother, David W. Small on the Rule of Otharia fantasy books. Then I threw in my two cents because my son and I partnered on two book-to-screen adaptation projects.
The plan: Does there have to be one?
Rebecca: Our plan was to adapt my books for the screen.* It seemed simple enough, taking my source material into a screenplay. It turned out to be more intricate than I ever imagined. While the skeleton of the story was there, the presentation in screenplay form was completely different from a novel format. I had to lean on Alex's expertise but first I had to acknowledge that, in this arena, he knew better than me. We ended up with me writing the first pass then we sat for hours at the kitchen table going over every line, stage direction and piece of dialogue until we got it right.
Scott: We started from a solid foundation of researchable fact and a subject that intrigued both of us. Alex and I shared research responsibilities. Once we had all the information we could gather, we locked ourselves in the law library (with a ton of Diet Coke) and came out only when we had a very detailed outline. Alex used his amazing narrative skills to describe how Hitler's spies were recruited, trained and landed in full Nazi uniforms on our shores. Because of my legal background, I picked up the story as it traveled through the court system, the presidential politics and military tribunal. We definitely played to our strengths.Deb: Luckily, my brother and I share a love of the fantasy genre and specifically of psi powers (i.e. telepathy, etc.) so we had a focus. The planning process was extensive and time consuming. We had to share our individual visions for the book and combine them so that we could build the characters and the fictional society from the ground up. For us the planning and immersing ourselves in all the details were critical before we ever began to write.
Execution: Two people/one voice
Rebecca: Because we were working in visuals voice wasn't as big a factor as it would have been for a novel. This project was about pacing. Our age difference really got in the way, not our talents. When we were working on our romantic comedy my sensibilities were from the Carey Grant era and his were The Hangover. With our psychological thriller I had created a wonderful villain in the book and plot points that I thought were chilling. Alex kicked them up ten notches so those same points became gruesome. I can honestly say, he made both project thrilling while he acknowledges my expertise in characterization and plot trajectory.
Scott : Because we had divided the subject matter so specifically, we each wrote our sections. When it was time to edit, we were extremely diligent. Through that process, there seemed to come a melding of both our voices resulting in what you called a 'seamless third voice'.
Deb: We thought we could each write a chapter and then put them together. That plan was a disaster. Our success as co-authors came after much practice and creating detailed outlines not just for the book, but for each chapter. Still, we weren't rigid and were always open to a chapter that was enhanced beyond the outline. I also continually edited as we went along. Then we both do a full edit, let the project sit and edit once more before publication. That smoothed out snags.
Rough Patches: Keeping the relationship sane & productive
Rebecca: If a mother and son could be divorced we would have been after the first project. I would get upset because the source material was mine and I thought it was perfect. Alex, also thought it was perfect – for a different time and different audience. The second time we worked together we laid ground rules for resolving disagreements: stop working, reference sections of the source material that bothered us and offer alternative language until we found common ground.
Scott: What? Authors can have creative differences? Seriously, rough patches are a given when you have two authors and one project. I think our disagreements helped the creative process. We had to pull back, think of the project and be frank and direct. The process of hashing out our differences in viewpoints and style made the book richer.
Deb: Dave lives in California and I live in Boston so when we got together, we worked extremely hard during our in-person visits. But there was one 14-hour editing session that disintegrated into raised voices and ego kicking. Suddenly, we started to laugh and called it a night. The next morning we came to a great compromise for the scene. Now we realize that you have to leave your ego at the door and work for the good of the story.
So, what the heck. Write with a partner but before you do make sure you're a good match. Be civil, be honest, be clear about the purpose of the project, iron out the combined vision and recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses. If you need a little inspiration pick up Shadow Enemies or Quest for Nobility in the Rule of Otharia series and see how two teams of pros turned out their impeccable books. And when my script becomes a movie, you're all invited to join me and my partner for popcorn.
*The first is in development, the second is being reviewed by producers.
July 7, 2011
Interview with Kevin Newman
Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?This is a collection of short stories. Most of the stories are experiments in fiction, and these experiments range from the vernacular, themes, plot and narrative used. They also span genres.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?Yes and I still am. In the meantime, I wanted to get myself out there and since I'm not too keen on the effort needed to get short stories published in magazines vs the rewards involved, I decided to self-publish a collection of them and offer them for free.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?Not really, I just surround myself with highly critical people. That helps.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?It was one venue among others that was useful in helping me find my audience.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Not for this work. I scrutinized it myself.
What have you've learned during your self-publishing journey?A great deal. I'm also sure there's quite a bit more to learn. But the most important things were: finding out who the various free self-publishers were, what their criteria were and various aspects on how to market an eBook.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?The Book is on Smashwords, Blurb, Lulu and most importantly, my own website www.voxnewman.com
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I used all the above, in addition to paid internet advertising.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Yes. The marketing takes up pretty much all the available time I would have to write. I'd like to get back to essentials. This is probably why one needs a traditional publisher.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?
Brian S Pratt pretty much covers it. The best advice I got was after I goggled him.
What's next for you?I'd like to finish up some other novels and also get a publishing contract.
**All Night by the Rose is currently FREE at Amazon. Click on the icon below to download.
July 6, 2011
New Release: THE OVERTAKING by Victorine Lieske
From New York Times bestselling author of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS...
High school senior Shayne Bartlet has been kidnapped, his powers disabled and his memory altered. He's having a bad day…and he doesn't even know it.
Shayne thinks he's a typical teenager at a college prep boarding school on Earth. He couldn't be more wrong. The girl he likes is keeping secrets–which doesn't work too well when Shayne begins to hear her thoughts.
Danielle knows she can't fall for Shayne. It would never work out between them. For one thing, she's lying to him about who she is. She's responsible for his kidnapping. That tends to cramp a relationship. Besides, she's leaving his planet in a few weeks.
At least, that was the plan…
This is a sweet romance, appropriate for all ages.
This book is 59,000 words, 288 pages in paperback.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050P4ZEC
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Overtaking/Victorine-Lieske/e/2940012413246
Reviewers Comments:
Another thrilling journey by this author! The Overtaking is well written, with its draw you in and keep you there pacing. This series will be a definite page turner since it features the perfect combination of action and romance.
This was such a fun a clever little book! I really loved how the plot unfolded its mysteries in sprinkles over the course of the story. Definitely made me want to keep reading. The characters were easy to sympathize with and I ended up really liking them.
Author Bio:
Victorine and her husband live in Nebraska where they manufacture rubber stamps for the craft industry. They own and operate Victorine Originals Rubber Stamps from their home, where they raise their four children. Victorine has a degree in Art from BYU Idaho, and designs many of the rubber stamps they sell. She has always loved to read, and in her spare time she writes.
High school senior Shayne Bartlet has been kidnapped, his powers disabled and his memory altered. He's having a bad day…and he doesn't even know it.
Shayne thinks he's a typical teenager at a college prep boarding school on Earth. He couldn't be more wrong. The girl he likes is keeping secrets–which doesn't work too well when Shayne begins to hear her thoughts.
Danielle knows she can't fall for Shayne. It would never work out between them. For one thing, she's lying to him about who she is. She's responsible for his kidnapping. That tends to cramp a relationship. Besides, she's leaving his planet in a few weeks.
At least, that was the plan…
This is a sweet romance, appropriate for all ages.
This book is 59,000 words, 288 pages in paperback.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050P4ZEC
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Overtaking/Victorine-Lieske/e/2940012413246
Reviewers Comments:
Another thrilling journey by this author! The Overtaking is well written, with its draw you in and keep you there pacing. This series will be a definite page turner since it features the perfect combination of action and romance.
This was such a fun a clever little book! I really loved how the plot unfolded its mysteries in sprinkles over the course of the story. Definitely made me want to keep reading. The characters were easy to sympathize with and I ended up really liking them.
Author Bio:Victorine and her husband live in Nebraska where they manufacture rubber stamps for the craft industry. They own and operate Victorine Originals Rubber Stamps from their home, where they raise their four children. Victorine has a degree in Art from BYU Idaho, and designs many of the rubber stamps they sell. She has always loved to read, and in her spare time she writes.
July 5, 2011
Interview with Amy Saunders
Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?Not this time around. I've always gone that route in the past with little success so after mulling over my choices, I decided I wanted to try something new and give self-publishing a whirl.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I don't though I've considered it. My sister has been the biggest help in giving me solid criticism. I owe her for helping me to get Dead Locked off the ground.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?A big part was my lack of finances, but it was much more than that. I have always been a bit independent, going my own way, and self-publishing is all about that. The more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea of taking charge of my own publishing fate. Fortunately, for people like me who don't have money to drop on traditional self-publishing routes and who favor doing the work themselves, Amazon has made self-publishing possible.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?That would have been nice but it was not in my budget at the time. I have a lot of writing and editing books and I try to read as much as possible, analyzing how everything is done and then applying it to my own work. I'm still figuring things out but I did the best I could at the time.
What have you've learned during your self-publishing journey?So much! I've learned (again) that I love doing things on my own. I discovered that I have more drive and self-discipline than I ever imagined. And I definitely realized that what I've always wanted to focus on is what I'm meant to do.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Dead Locked is also available through other major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Sony as well as Smashwords and for mobile readers via Scrollmotion.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?My core marketing program is the triple threat of blogging, Facebooking (I'll just make up my own word for that), and tweeting. Marketing is a constantly shifting project and I'm always open to new ideas and methods as well as improving what I'm already doing. I'm also a part of the BestsellerBound forum for indie authors, which has proved to be a helpful community. I love online marketing but I try to seek out local opportunities too and along that line I was a part of a library's local author day back in January. I've tried book trailer contests, posting ads on various sites, and promoting on different forums. With most of these methods, you only have some time to lose so I figure it's worth trying at least once.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Absolutely! Rhys Bowen, a mystery author I follow, once tweeted something to the effect that she needed a device to turn back time to fit everything in. Somehow that made me feel better. If a prolific, established author feels that way, it makes sense that I would.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?Stay positive and focus on your achievements, however small. Most importantly, have fun! You've worked hard to get this far so enjoy it.
What's next for you? My next novel, The Jester's Apprentice, is underway and I'm aiming for a summer 2011 release. I've also released a free short story delving into the romantic background of my two main characters from Dead Locked. And my short story, Stained, is featured in the first BestsellerBound Anthology. I also have other short stories in the works that I plan to release between novels. I'm keeping busy!
