Assaph Mehr's Blog, page 66

Lessons Learnt

A short story – but one that does not involve Felix. At least not in his usual home world. I’m sure he’d agree with it though.

Never practice magic when you’re drunk.

So you have a bottle or two of Chianti over dinner, when inspiration strikes on how to speed up creating century eggs and corner the market. You raid the fridge for half a dozen, gather yourself to the basement, fire up the old pentagram, and give it a shot. One minute you are standing there over your cauldron, happily ch...

Giveaway! Free signed Copy!

Hi guys,

I’m running a giveaway on Goodreads for Murder in-absentia! Enter for a chance to win a free signed copy of the most exciting fantasy murder mystery (with an historical bent and a splash of horror) released this year!

Go here to enter:www.goodreads.com/book/show/26867372-murder-in-absentia

Winners will be announced on Jan 1st – a perfect start to the new year :)

New Cover?

Hi guys,

I’m not entirely happy with the cover for Murder in-absentia, and have been thinking of getting a new one. I have been researching options that won’t bankrupt me, and have been thinking about Derek Murphy from CreativeIndie before (www.bookcovers.creativindie.com).

By chance I found out that he runs a 12-day giveaway now! So naturally I entered… :) He’s actually running 12 giveaways, with stuff authors and book-lovers would love.

So whether you’re an author, a reader, or just someone...

What it takes to become an author

Unless you somehow missed it, I recently published my debut novel. For those who asked about how I didit, and as a sort of learning exercise, Irecently wrote an article for Lifehacker about what it takes to become an author. You can read it in full here:www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/12/the-complete-guide-to-writing-your-first-novel/

While the article contains a lot of information, about what I learned and the best ways to do things, the essence is simple:

Perseverance.

Writing a novel is (mostly...

Interviews

Two interview thingies (that’s a technical term):

First, an interview with me by fellow author Martin Wisely. If you ever wondered what lies behind the official blurbs, check this out:wilseymc.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/fast-friday-indie-interviews-assaph-mehr.html

Second, for those who do not know, I also run a blog dedicated to interviewing characters out of book. Yep, the characters. It’s a great exercise for both readers and writers. For authors, it forces an introspective look attheir chara...

Dealing with Piracy

I have always maintained that digital piracy is unavoidable, and it is therefore better to treat it as a compliment. Itis not a lost sale but more like a book borrowed from a public library – andwith the right attitude, you canpotentially gain a long-term fan.

I have been approached by Mobilism.org about it, and they have graciously published an interview with me on the subject. You can read it in full here:

New Directions – Part II

The story takes place about twelve years before the events of Murder in-absentiaand during 79CE in Rome (wellafter the events of Nemesisby Lindsey Davis).

This story is fan-fiction. Marcus Didisu Falco is Lindsey Davis, and Gordianus the Finder is Steven Saylor.Bothare used without permission but with much love and admiration.

Make sure to read Part I first.

Rome, 68 AD

I woke up naked on a side of a hill, above a proper road. Behind me was a volcanic peak similar to Vergu, and off to the...

Conventions and Bookstores

Murder in-absentia is now being carried by Galaxy Books in Sydney. If you’re around the QVB – check them out! They’re a really great store for sci-fi and fantasy buffs.

Over the weekendI’ve also had my first ever book signing at BezerkaCon. The conventions was well attended, and the book was well received. You can see the display appealing to the right crowd ;-)

New Directions – Part I

The story takes place about twelve years before the events of Murder in-absentiaand during 63 BCE in Rome (just after the events of Catilina’s Riddle by Steven Saylor).

This story is fan-fiction. Gordianus the Finder is Steven Saylor, and isused without permission but with much love and admiration.

Egretia, 523 AUC

Never practice magic when you’re drunk.

I woke up naked, lying on the grass of a clearing next to a tree stump. It looked like a wooded hillside. I had no clue where I was. I onl...

Book signing!

I will be at BezerkaCon this Sunday, November 15th, for book signing!

BezerkaCon is a brand new tabletop gaming and artisticconvention organised by the Sydney Roleplaying Games Association. It will be held in Balmain Town Hall.

Come drop by if you want a personally signed and dedicated copy, or just to say hello :-)