Christopher Husberg's Blog, page 21
June 21, 2016
DUSKFALL Teaser #3: Winter
Winter, a tiellan woman whose people have long been oppressed by humans, is married to and abandoned by Knot on the same day, when robed assassins attack their wedding. Her nascent magical abilities will lead her to a deadly addiction—and phenomenal power.Available for pre-order NOW on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzc
http://www.christopherhusberg.com/
Book trailer produced by Cosmic Reach Media (http://cosmicreachmedia.com).Winter: Kseniya SovenkoDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
http://www.christopherhusberg.com/
Book trailer produced by Cosmic Reach Media (http://cosmicreachmedia.com).Winter: Kseniya SovenkoDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
June 20, 2016
How to Support Your Local Authors
Well, tomorrow is the big day, folks. My first novel shall be released upon the world!
In anticipation of that, I thought I'd try and answer a question that I get asked in varying forms more and more often, and that's along the lines of "how can I best support you as an author?"
Well, the short answer is that there are a LOT of things you can do--but some help more than others. Let's start with the most obvious (and I'll frame it referring to a sort of nebulous grammatically questionable plural-form author, because just referring to myself feels super pretentious...even though that's obviously what I'm getting at here...).
Buy the book! Again, obvies, but of course it's true. A few other perhaps less obvious things in regards to buying the book, though:Having trouble thinking about what to get someone for a holiday/birthday/whatever? Get them the book! There is LITERALLY no limit to the number of people you could buy a book for ;-). This also goes without saying, but the more copies you buy of an author's book, the more you support them. (That said, I certainly don't expect anyone to go out and buy a bunch of copies of my book. Seriously, I'm going to be ecstatic if you pick up just one!)Buy the book during the first week of publication. The sales numbers during the first week are what matter the most--they're weighted the most when it comes to algorithmic ranking and search engines, and it shows my publisher that they maybe aren't wasting their time with the author, strengthening the possibility that you'll see more of their books in the future.Post reviews! Amazon and Goodreads are the most helpful places. Reviews are almost as helpful as someone buying the book. They don't have to be long, just a few sentences, but they help IMMENSELY. They're really a form of word-of-mouth marketing, but with the added benefits of aiding search algorithm placement.Tell people you enjoyed the book! Word-of-mouth is still the single most powerful marketing tool. If you enjoyed the book, don't be shy about telling people.Post about the book on social media, and/or re-share the author's posts!Attend the book launch, signings, readings, etc.!If you're looking for even more ways to support a local author, or an author who might be a friend of yours, Dave Butler (a fantastic author in his own right, by the way) compiled a great list of a ton of items to consider. Check it out!
One more thing. All of the above is helpful, but you should never feel obligated to do any of it. I for one would be immensely appreciative if you did anything on that list to help me out, but I don't expect it from you or anyone. You don't owe me or any other author anything. But, if you know me, like me, want to support me, and most importantly, if you enjoyed the book, then please consider doing any one or combination of the the things above :-).
In anticipation of that, I thought I'd try and answer a question that I get asked in varying forms more and more often, and that's along the lines of "how can I best support you as an author?"
Well, the short answer is that there are a LOT of things you can do--but some help more than others. Let's start with the most obvious (and I'll frame it referring to a sort of nebulous grammatically questionable plural-form author, because just referring to myself feels super pretentious...even though that's obviously what I'm getting at here...).
Buy the book! Again, obvies, but of course it's true. A few other perhaps less obvious things in regards to buying the book, though:Having trouble thinking about what to get someone for a holiday/birthday/whatever? Get them the book! There is LITERALLY no limit to the number of people you could buy a book for ;-). This also goes without saying, but the more copies you buy of an author's book, the more you support them. (That said, I certainly don't expect anyone to go out and buy a bunch of copies of my book. Seriously, I'm going to be ecstatic if you pick up just one!)Buy the book during the first week of publication. The sales numbers during the first week are what matter the most--they're weighted the most when it comes to algorithmic ranking and search engines, and it shows my publisher that they maybe aren't wasting their time with the author, strengthening the possibility that you'll see more of their books in the future.Post reviews! Amazon and Goodreads are the most helpful places. Reviews are almost as helpful as someone buying the book. They don't have to be long, just a few sentences, but they help IMMENSELY. They're really a form of word-of-mouth marketing, but with the added benefits of aiding search algorithm placement.Tell people you enjoyed the book! Word-of-mouth is still the single most powerful marketing tool. If you enjoyed the book, don't be shy about telling people.Post about the book on social media, and/or re-share the author's posts!Attend the book launch, signings, readings, etc.!If you're looking for even more ways to support a local author, or an author who might be a friend of yours, Dave Butler (a fantastic author in his own right, by the way) compiled a great list of a ton of items to consider. Check it out!
One more thing. All of the above is helpful, but you should never feel obligated to do any of it. I for one would be immensely appreciative if you did anything on that list to help me out, but I don't expect it from you or anyone. You don't owe me or any other author anything. But, if you know me, like me, want to support me, and most importantly, if you enjoyed the book, then please consider doing any one or combination of the the things above :-).
DUSKFALL Teaser #2: Astrid
Astrid seems just a girl, but she’s impossibly strong, has lived for centuries, and her eyes glow strangely at night. Uncover the mystery of what she is—and what she fears—in Duskfall.Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, released June 21, 2016. Pre-order now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzcCast:
Astrid: Nichole Hrouda
Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle RobinsonDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
Astrid: Nichole Hrouda
Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle RobinsonDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
June 18, 2016
DUSKFALL Teaser #1: KNOT
As many of you are aware, we've been working with Cosmic Reach Media to make a book trailer for Duskfall, and I'm super excited to announce that we're going to start premiering content today!
We'll unveil three teaser trailers: one this morning, one tomorrow morning, and one Monday morning, and then premier the full trailer at the book launch party Tuesday evening.
It's gonna be awesome, folks!
So, without further ado, I present the first Duskfall Teaser: KNOT.
*****
Knot was pulled from the frozen waters of the Gulf of Nahl, stuck with arrows and near to death, Knot has no memory of who he was. But his dreams are dark, and he can kill a man with terrifying ease.Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, released June 21, 2016. Pre-order now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzcCast:Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle Robinson
Astrid: Nichole HroudaDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media. Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
We'll unveil three teaser trailers: one this morning, one tomorrow morning, and one Monday morning, and then premier the full trailer at the book launch party Tuesday evening.
It's gonna be awesome, folks!
So, without further ado, I present the first Duskfall Teaser: KNOT.
*****
Knot was pulled from the frozen waters of the Gulf of Nahl, stuck with arrows and near to death, Knot has no memory of who he was. But his dreams are dark, and he can kill a man with terrifying ease.Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, released June 21, 2016. Pre-order now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzcCast:Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle Robinson
Astrid: Nichole HroudaDirected by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media. Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)
June 17, 2016
DUSKFALL Release Party!
IT'S HAPPENING, FOLKS!
It still feels surreal to me, but everyone keeps insisting that my debut novel, Duskfall, will officially be released upon the world next week. We'll be having a book launch party at Weller Book Works (the bookstore at Trolley Square) in Salt Lake City, UT next Tuesday 21 June from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.
For more details and updates, check out the EVENT PAGE ON FACEBOOK!
If you're in Utah, you should consider stopping by to celebrate with us! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell everyone (EEEEEVVVVRRRYYYONNEEE*)!
If you aren't in Utah, fear not! We'll be live streaming the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30 PM MST) on the interwebz. Just check in here, my professional Facebook page, the event page, or my twitter account for the link a few minutes before the event begins, and that should connect you!
But if you can make it, you're in luck! There'll be plenty of swag at the launch party for everyone who attends, as well as t-shirts for the first 30ish people! And refreshments, too :-).
The swag is coming together quite nicely :-).
As many of you may be aware, we've been working on a book trailer for Duskfall, and if all goes according to plan, we're going to premier that at the book launch party! We're very excited to show that to everyone; we've been working with an awesome media studio (Cosmic Reach Media) to make it as cool as possible.
But, most importantly--and best of all--you'll be able to buy signed copies of Duskfall, hear me give a brief spiel and a reading from the novel, as well as a Q&A with the author (yeah, the author is totally me...I just wanted to say it). That stuff will make up the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30ish PM), and the second hour will be devoted to signing, hanging out, and generally having a good time!
It's gonna be a cool think, ya'll. This has been in the work for quite some time, now, and we are excited, grateful, and looking forward to this as well as whatever else life has in store.
Come celebrate with us!
* If you don't get that reference, allow my friend Gary Oldman to contextualize it:
It still feels surreal to me, but everyone keeps insisting that my debut novel, Duskfall, will officially be released upon the world next week. We'll be having a book launch party at Weller Book Works (the bookstore at Trolley Square) in Salt Lake City, UT next Tuesday 21 June from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.
For more details and updates, check out the EVENT PAGE ON FACEBOOK!
If you're in Utah, you should consider stopping by to celebrate with us! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell everyone (EEEEEVVVVRRRYYYONNEEE*)!
If you aren't in Utah, fear not! We'll be live streaming the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30 PM MST) on the interwebz. Just check in here, my professional Facebook page, the event page, or my twitter account for the link a few minutes before the event begins, and that should connect you!
But if you can make it, you're in luck! There'll be plenty of swag at the launch party for everyone who attends, as well as t-shirts for the first 30ish people! And refreshments, too :-).
The swag is coming together quite nicely :-).As many of you may be aware, we've been working on a book trailer for Duskfall, and if all goes according to plan, we're going to premier that at the book launch party! We're very excited to show that to everyone; we've been working with an awesome media studio (Cosmic Reach Media) to make it as cool as possible.
But, most importantly--and best of all--you'll be able to buy signed copies of Duskfall, hear me give a brief spiel and a reading from the novel, as well as a Q&A with the author (yeah, the author is totally me...I just wanted to say it). That stuff will make up the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30ish PM), and the second hour will be devoted to signing, hanging out, and generally having a good time!
It's gonna be a cool think, ya'll. This has been in the work for quite some time, now, and we are excited, grateful, and looking forward to this as well as whatever else life has in store.
Come celebrate with us!
* If you don't get that reference, allow my friend Gary Oldman to contextualize it:
April 27, 2016
Rain (Also: World Horror Convention 2016!)
The weather has been cloudy, wet, and dreary in Utah as of late, and I'm loving it. Writing while it's raining outside, and I'm nice and cozy inside, is one of my favorite things.
There's rain in them thar hills.It's also perfect weather for the WORLD HORROR CONVENTION*! (Cue crash of lightning and Vincent Price-style dramatic musical intro)
It so happens that the 2016 World Horror Convention is right in my backyard this year in Provo, UT--which means, of course, I'll be attending! I'm fortunate enough to have made it onto a few panels as well. I'm pretty excited about the whole experience--I've never been to WHC before, despite the con taking place in Salt Lake City just a few years ago. I think this will be a slightly different experience from the normal Sci-Fi/Fantasy and media cons I usually attend, and I'm looking forward to that.
Here's my official schedule for WHC 2016 (descriptions in quotations marks "" are WHC's descriptions of each panel):
Thursday 28 April at 2:00 PM - "Horrific Fantasy: A Touch of the Macabre"
"Dark fantasy as a sub-genre that often dances across the line between fantasy and horror. Is there a line, and how can you effectively cross it?" I'm very much looking forward to this panel. I usually tell people I write "epic dark fantasy." A large part of why I classify my work as "dark fantasy" is the fact that I like to integrate elements of horror into my writing.
Friday 29 April at 9:00 AM - "Using Social Media Effectively"
"Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Goodreads, etc. are all good places to promote yourself as a writer, but how do you do so effectively?" This will be an interesting panel, as I'll get to represent the group of writers who maybe have a book deal in the works or a book coming out soon, but have not had much of a social media presence before breaking in to the industry. I've done quite a bit of research on this, and have a solid plan for moving forward on social media before, during, and after the release of my first book.
Sunday 1 May at 9:00 AM - "Graduate School Possibilities for Writers"
"For those who are interested, there are a lot of places you can get an M.A. or M.F.A. that will help you as a writer. Come find out some of the possibilities." Considering I have an MFA in Creative Writing, and that I learned about the process of preparing, choosing, and applying to MFA and MA programs (both through research and trial and error), I think I'm an ideal candidate for this panel, and I'm looking forward to sharing what I've learned.
I'll also be attending other panels and presentations, and generally just stalking the halls of the hotel looking for fun things to do and interesting people to talk to. It'll be a good time.
So if horror, dark fantasy, and awesome authors and artists strike your fancy, you should definitely come check out WHC 2016.
* Notate bene: correct pronunciation is key, here. Don't make the same mistake I did and accidentally tell someone that you're attending the "World Whore Convention."
