Jeff Wheeler's Blog, page 11

The fence between us

I fell for it.

 

A random friend request from a stranger on Facebook turned into a scam to try and recruit the rest of my friends to an internet dating site…or worse. I get a lot of friend requests from people I don’t know, and I assume they are readers who have found me on Facebook and just want to keep informed. I don’t post status updates very often (and never about things like that nasty rash on my back…love the Facebook Song by Studio C! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glVaMyDRpII )

 

So I get a private message from my new “friend” with a come-hither invitation to get to know her better and a phone # to call. By adding this new friend, it gave the spambot access to all my other friends, one of whom (that I know of) also got a private message with a similar request from her. So, needless to say that she’s no longer my friend and now I’m asking folks to send me a private message before clicking on the ‘invite’ button on Facebook. If you are somewhat lucid (and better yet–a real fan), I’ll accept it.

 

The walls between authors and readers have been falling down. It’s more like a fence now…you know, like the kind in my backyard where the wood is a little warped, some of the knots in the panels have fallen out, and even the nails are rusty and the planks wiggle out. And sometimes, when it is really windy, entire panels come crashing down. This is a new world where it is so easy to get in touch with artists we admire. We can follow them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, and who knows what else is coming next.

 

I’m in favor of all this openness. Some writers are terrified of their readers. I’m not. I’ve found you all to be a delightful group. We share some beliefs in common and others not. We don’t see eye to eye on every issue, nor should we. I spend months and months crafting stories that you guzzle down in a couple of hours. But I love hearing from you. I love getting reviews on Amazon, whether they are positive or not. I love getting e-mail from you or tweets. I’m flattered that you enjoy the worlds I live in inside my head.

 

So far, nothing too scary has happened between the fences so far. I think that means that my writing attracts really decent, wonderful people. So far so good. In the spirit of wanting to keep the good things going, here are a few things you should know.

 

My wife has access to my Facebook account on her phone. She can read any post, any time. When the private message from the spambot arrived, the first thing I did was hand her my phone and show it to her. It’s only common sense that we should be transparent with our spouses with our on-line activities. I don’t try to be someone else on-line than I am at home. And I know too many sad stories that started off as Facebook flirtations.
I send my wife copies of all the e-mails I get from my readers. She enjoys reading them too. We both love hearing from you. She won’t e-mail you back however from my account. That would be weird.
Seneca once wrote: “We should live as if we were in public view, and think, too, as if someone could peer into the inmost recesses of our hearts.” I think these are wise words. I’ve been very transparent on this blog about my personal beliefs, my opinions, and my gratitude towards you…my readers and friends. I love hearing when my writing has made someone want to be a better human being. That’s my goal. There is plenty of darkness in this world. We need a few more light bulbs.
I don’t comment on reviews posted to Amazon, unless it’s to respond to a shout out from the reviewer to me personally. Same thing for Goodreads, though I have been known to ‘like’ a review that touched me personally and made me smile. If readers want to discuss my books amongst themselves, that’s great. If you’d like me to comment on something, invite me to the conversation.

 

This year has been an amazing ride as I’ve witnessed the full power of Amazon’s publishing platform. I feel lucky and blessed to have experienced this rise with you. By June we passed 100,000 sales. As of this posting, we’ve more than doubled that across all my books. The ride isn’t over yet. Thanks for being a part of it!

 

Your friend (really),

Jeff

 

P.S. One more thing–I was on TV this month! No, not an interview but I was in San Francisco on business and was caught in the background while the CEO of my company was interviewed by Fox Business News. I’m the guy slinking off-screen about 41 seconds into the interview: http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2663051260001/what-computer-does-the-intel-ceo-use/

 

Now I know what I want for Christmas this year! So many cool tech gadgets to choose from…

Guest Blog by Roberta Trahan: Inspiration (or How Story is Born)

By Roberta Trahan (author of The Well of Tears & The Keys to the Realms)

“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it.”  –Neil Gaiman

One of the most common questions asked of authors by readers is “where do your ideas come from?” I love to hear the answers given by other writers, as they are as varied and unique as the writer. Jayne Anne Krentz once told the story at a reading I attended of how a blue vase she saw in a shop became the foundation for a mystery novel, and then of course, there is Stephen King’s infamous (and facetious) response when asked how he came up with such terrifying stories – “I have the mind of a small boy. It’s in a jar on my desk.” 

In my experience, story itself does not magically appear in mind fully developed and translatable. Rather, story emerges when a raw thought sticks in my craw and demands examination. From examining comes questioning and from questioning comes imagining. And from there, anything is possible.

“I don’t believe that a writer “gets” (takes into the head) an “idea” (some sort of mental object) “from” somewhere, and then turns it into words, and writes them on paper. At least in my experience, it doesn’t work that way. The stuff has to be transformed into oneself, it has to be composted, before it can grow into a story.” –Ursula LeGuin

 Ideas are everywhere. My Dream Stewards series (The Well of Tears and The Keys to the Realms) arose from raw thoughts suggested by a series of random conversations with acquaintances on a number of topics – ancient religions, tribal cultures, Celtic history, and folklore. For example, the magical Order of the Stewards was inspired by an artistic concept for a painting based on Native American shamanism described to me in a conversation with an artist. The mystical well in The Well of Tears was inspired by a historian who told me about an ancient village in Wales that was built around a pool of water that was believed to have healing properties. The powerful amulets in The Keys to the Realms were suggested by an antique necklace I found in a thrift shop. I could go on, but you get the (ahem) idea.

For me, the moment of inspiration is when an idea breaches the surface of random rumination and breathes aloud “What if?” THAT is the moment a story is conceived. It is through the process of answering that fundamental question that a writer then begins to mold a raw thought into a fully formed tale. The source of that idea can in fact be anything – but the inspiration that gives birth to a story comes from a writer’s willingness to entertain and explore the possibilities. And as Neil Gaiman suggest, have the presence of mind to realize when that creative moment occurs.

~~~

In a war ravaged land, a powerful sorceress fights for her family, her order, and the one king who can save them all…

 

“Trahan’s fantasy debut begins a series that echoes Arthurian lore and pays tribute to the spirit of those stories. Inspired by Welsh and Cornish history and legends, this quasihistorical fantasy should appeal to fans of Celtic mythology and Arthurian tales.” (Library Journal)

Roberta Trahan is a former journalist and marketing professional who always wanted to write a book. And then she did. Her first novel, THE WELL OF TEARS (Book One of The Dream Stewards) was released in September 2012. The sequel, THE KEYS TO THE REALMS (Book Two of The Dream Stewards) will be released in May 2014.

To learn more about Roberta and her writing or to connect online, visit her here: Facebook │Twitter │Author Blog │Website

Creating Emotions

I was recently on vacation with my family and watched my eight year-old daughter come to terms with absolute terror. My oldest wanted to go on a ride at the Santa Cruz boardwalk that propels you vertically like a rocket and then zips you up and down, kind of like Tower of Terror at Disneyland but without all the mind games. My eight year-old was determined not to go on the ride at first, but after watching others, she finally steeled herself and made the decision to give it a try. The look on her face before and after was priceless. Terror and Triumph.

 

It led to an interesting discussion later on how powerful emotions affect our minds and our memories. Not many emotions are as powerful as fear. I pointed out to the kids that most of the rides they have been on introduce an element of fear before the exhilaration begins. The steep climb of a roller coaster. Dark rooms and eerie music. Even the Winnie the Pooh ride at Disneyland ups the tension to generate some fear. This makes the experiences memorable, which is what theme parks and attractions are all about.

 

Writers, regardless of genre, work hard to hone our skills at manipulating emotions and books are the emotional equivalent of eating a candy bar. They give our emotions a little jolt and come in a variety of sizes and flavors and ingredients. At the end of the day, a book tries to fulfill an emotional craving. It’s why readers keep coming back. When an author delivers the emotion of boredom, they lose readers. It’s that simple.

 

If you look at the most popular books on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/author-rank/Kindle-eBooks/) you can often judge some of the emotions being sold just by looking at the covers. The variety is amazing, but there are some repetitive themes, especially if you look at the entire top 100 list. What does this say about our society? About human nature? What emotional fixes are we craving?

 

After publishing Deep Magic, I went through some deep soul-searching on whether I wanted to keep writing or whether I should quit and take up a different hobby. I’ve always enjoyed the writing craft and plot ideas continually bloom in my mind. But was it going to be more than a hobby? What kind of books would I choose to write? What kind of candy bars would I produce, so to speak. I saw that the trend in my genre was getting grittier and grittier. Many of the top-selling authors had disturbing themes, harsh language, and vivid violence. I noticed even some of my favorite authors, who I had read for years, began to serve up more offerings with the darker emotions.

 

After staring long and hard at that trend, I decided that I had to be true to myself even if that limited my readership. I also didn’t want my children, my wife, or my friends looking at me with raised eyebrows, wondering why I had chosen to make a dark chocolate bar with lots of nuts. I decided I would continue to write books that would be safe places for minds to wander. I wanted my readers to enjoy feelings of excitement, love, betrayal, duty, and yes…even a little fear. But there are some emotions I’m just going to leave to other writers to deliver.

 

Let me put it this way. To write you have to immerse yourself into your characters and situations. You have to think like the heroes as well as the villains. I learned long ago that the thoughts you entertain inside your mind reveal themselves into your character. So why not write about noble themes so that those themes would become part of my character? Or as William James put it: “Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” Of course, he didn’t invent the idea, it’s in the Bible (Proverbs 23:7).

 

When the manuscript for Wretched of Muirwood was rejected over and over by agents and publishers, I thought that the audience for clean fantasy fiction was probably very small and shrinking. Clean wasn’t the trend. I’m thankful that 47North found it, had faith in it, and began publishing my books in January. It’s proven to me, with data, that there is a demand for positive emotions.

 

My commitment to you—I will keep writing more books like this. Enjoy!

Map of Landmoor world & new cover art

For Michelle (and her London tube commute). Enjoy!

New covers for Landmoor and Silverkin are also ready. See here:

Landmoor: http://www.amazon.com/Landmoor-ebook/dp/B001U3YFP2/ref=sr_1_5_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373756537&sr=1-5

Silverkin: http://www.amazon.com/Silverkin-ebook/dp/B004VWXRFI/ref=sr_1_6_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373758613&sr=1-6

An author’s playlist

Some writers listen to music while writing books. I can’t really do that because it’s too distracting for me, and when I get into my “flow” writing a chapter, I can’t really hear anything outside my head anyways. But I do have an iPod and I have a favorites playlist like anyone else and listen to it when jogging or mopping the kitchen floor. So in case you ever wondered what was on my playlist, these are ten of my top favorites and why, in alphabetical order.

 

Can’t Fight this Feeling (REO Speedwagon) – reminds me of junior high school. It’s also a song I played to a girl I fell in love with and married.
Hallelujah (Canadian Tenors) – I love the harmony of these great singers and the sadness of the song. This is my favorite version, but others are good too. Reminds me of the story of King David and how the mighty can fall. A cautionary tale.
I See Your Smile (Gloria Estefan) – this was the theme song of my Landmoor books as I was writing them. My favorite line: “tell me if I’ve ever made you feel ashamed”
Lead Me (Sanctus Real) – learned about this song on Father’s day on Facebook years ago and it’s become one of my favorites. It’s a great Virtus song and it reminds me of the importance of my most critical job – being a good husband and father.
Magic (The Cars) – a great one from high school. Love the harmony. It’s also about magic. What’s not to like!
Only Hope (Mandy Moore) – from the movie A Walk to Remember … a great Virtus movie. Love how the bad boy turns into a good guy because of a girl with faith.
The Promise (When in Rome) – another favorite from high school and the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Someone to Fall Back On (Aly Michalka) – this is from the movie Bandslam, which I thought was cute. I love movies about geeks and nerds. Favorite line: “I will go crashing through fences…in your name…”
Walk Like an Egyptian (The Bangles) – I’ve always loved this song since the first time I heard it in high school.
You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban) – this is my all-time favorite song. Hearing Josh in concert at the Arco arena was amazing. I love it because it makes me think of my beautiful wife. Wish I could sing like Josh and perform it for her.

 

For the record, my favorite band in high school was Def Leppard—but they aren’t on iTunes yet, so don’t have any of their songs on my iPod. True story—when I was a teenager, I was often asked to play prelude music on the piano in church before our final classes. One Sunday, I played “Love Bites” very slowly and softly. My fellow teens stared at me in shock and horror but I was amazed at how many compliments I got from the adults who had no idea what I was playing. Not sure my parents ever found out, but they sure didn’t enjoy me pounding out “Armageddon It” on the piano at home! My tastes in music have softened a bit since then.

 

Happy July 4th!

The Virtus Summer Reading List

In 1727, Benjamin Franklin established the first Junto club for the purpose of getting people together to discuss morals, politics, philosophy, and business. They liked to swap books and share ideas. So, in the spirit of the Junto and with a respectful nod to Laura who e-mailed me with the idea of creating a summer reading list based on my favorite Virtus-themed characters (both fantasy and not), I present the following. These are my favorite clean books and most I have read more than once. By way of clarification, a Virtus character doesn’t have to always start out that way. Sometimes the best characters show a personal journey to Virtus.

 

The Elfstones of Shannara

(http://www.amazon.com/Elfstones-Shannara-Sword-ebook/dp/B000FBFOEG/)

Virtus characters: Will Ohmsford (a healer who gives up his life goal to help protect an Elven girl who must save the world), Amberle Elessedil (the girl needing protection), Ander Elessedil (the Elven prince who rallies the homeland against a Demon horde), and Allanon (mystic Druid who sacrifices much to save the Four Lands). The first three Shannara books all have strong Virtus themes, but this is my favorite.

 

Lord of the Rings

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Fellowship-Ring-Being-ebook/dp/B007978NPG)

Virtus characters: Frodo and Sam (two Hobbits who give up the Shire to help save the world), Aragorn (studly guy…Viggo nailed him), Faramir of Gondor. The films have become my all-time favorites. The books are good too.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia)

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Lion-Witch-Wardrobe-ebook/dp/B001I45UFC/)

Virtus characters: Lucy (already one) & Edmund (who becomes one). Most people know this story…it’s pretty clear it’s a favorite of mine too. Aslan, of course, rocks as the best kind of Virtus character as he sacrifices himself to save Edmund.

 

The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain)

(http://www.amazon.com/Black-Cauldron-Chronicles-Prydain-ebook/dp/B005EYXACW/)

Virtus characters: Gwydion (the hero everyone admires), Ellidyr (who becomes one). The story-arc of the five Prydain  books is one of my favorites, especially the love story between Taran and Eilonwy and how they become Virtus characters themselves by the decisions they make in the last book. Disney ruined The Black Cauldron with their animated film. Don’t bother with it. The first book in the series is The Book of Three and it’s my least favorite, but important to read in order to understand the plot and the main characters. The Cauldron Born are just terrifying!

 

Fablehaven

(http://www.amazon.com/Fablehaven-The-Complete-Series-ebook/dp/B006ICB68O/)

Virtus characters: Kendra Sorenson (one of the lead characters), Grandpa Sorenson (great man…he’s a gem), Patton Burgess and Lena (love their story!). I love Brandon Mull’s villains. This is a series that kept me guessing and turning the pages late into the night. Has a strong Virtus theme. Even Seth (Kendra’s younger brother who gets into trouble throughout) eventually gets a bit of Virtus by the end, though it takes five books to get him there.

 

The Ill-Made Mute (Bitterbynde Trilogy)

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Ill-Made-Mute-Bitterbynde-Book/dp/0446528323/)

Virtus characters: Imrhien (who goes by many names throughout the trilogy) is a great Virtus character, despite the amnesia. Thorn (a Dainnan ranger), definitely. I also liked some of the cast, like Sianadh, as a Virtus character despite being somewhat of a pirate. Great love story in this series, which I won’t spoil, and a great Virtus theme. Cecilia Dart-Thornton’s writing may not be for everyone (I needed a dictionary as I read it!), but it will expand your vocabulary and her world is incredibly inventive and interesting.

 

Peter and the Starcatchers

(http://www.amazon.com/Peter-and-the-Starcatchers-ebook/dp/B004C43EMQ/)

Virtus characters: Peter and Molly (the main characters) are wonderful together. Lord Aster (Molly’s dad) is also a great Virtus character. Great re-imagination of the Peter Pan mythology and an awesomely chilling villain starting in book 2.

 

Harry Potter Series

(http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Harry-Potter-Collection-ebook/dp/B005CRQ41A/)

Virtus characters: Harry’s parents, of course. Harry, Ron, and Hermione too. Professor Dumbledore, naturally. There are many in this series and the entire plot was a Virtus theme. One of my all-time favorites as well.

 

The Belgariad

(http://www.amazon.com/Belgariad-Set-Books-1-5-Enchanters/dp/0345340442/)

Virtus characters: Most of the main cast of characters have Virtus elements, especially Garion, Polgara, and Belgarath. This band of fun (and funny) characters try to save the world from an evil god. I was entranced by this series, but did not enjoy the sequel (The Malloreon) or follow-ons as much. It was too repetitive with the original material.

 

 

Non-Fantasy Books

 

Jane Austen’s books

(http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Novels-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp/B007PT1PI0/)

Virtus characters: I find Virtus themes throughout Austen’s books and in my opinion it is what makes her characters so memorable. My favorites are P&P, Emma, Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park. Darcy, Jane Bennett, Colonel Brandon, Elinor Dashwood, Mr Knightly, so many great Virtus characters! Love watching these on DVD as well and I have most of her books from Librivox on my iPod.

 

Jane Eyre

(http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Eyre-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B00CYQA3D2/)

Virtus characters: Jane (a quintessential Virtus character). Diana and Mary Rivers also. This is one of my favorite books. Jane’s strength and refusal to give in to Edward Rochester makes this a classic in my mind. The Timothy Dalton version is the best film version I’ve seen.

 

The Ladies’ Paradise

(http://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Paradise-Biographical-Introduction-ebook/dp/B005XN7KTI/)

Virtus characters: Denise Baudu (the lead character). I read this book in college and fell in love with the plot and story. It reminds me a bit of Jane Eyre, where Denise is incorruptible and eventually influences Mr Mouret and changes him.

 

The Secret Garden

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Garden-ebook/dp/B0083Z614S/)

Virtus characters: Mary Lennox becomes one. So does Colin. Great book.

 

A Little Princess

(http://www.amazon.com/A-Little-Princess-ebook/dp/B00BOQPPZ4/)

Virtus characters: Sara Crewe is one from the start and remains one. This book always makes me cry. I’m a big fan of Francis Hodgson Burnett.

 

Seven Little Australians

(http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Little-Australians-ebook/dp/B00849Y1CW/)

Virtus characters: Judy (who becomes one). Great little story with amazing character development. Judy is a pistol at first, but by the end, she is an amazing character. Learned about this book from Librivox as well.

 

Great Expectations

(http://www.amazon.com/Great-Expectations-ebook/dp/B0082SWC30/)

Virtus characters: Dickens’ characters are more subtle. Joe the blacksmith is a great Virtus character. So is Magwitch. Pip slowly, very slowly, becomes one. A favorite of mine since high school. I’m also really fond of Dickens’ Bleak House though I’ve only seen the miniseries and haven’t found time to read it yet. Great film with plenty of Virtus themes in it (Esther Summerson and John Jarndyce are great Virtus characters).

 

North and South

(http://www.amazon.com/North-and-South-ebook/dp/B0082XU0ES/)

Virtus characters: Margaret Hale and John Thornton, the two main characters. The book is great, the miniseries is even better. Love the chemistry between Richard Armitage (Thornton) and Daniela Denby-Ashe (Margaret). There are Virtus themes throughout the book. It’s Pride & Prejudice meets Les Miserables.

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

(http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-50th-Anniversary/dp/0061743526/)

Virtus characters: Atticus Finch. This one comes from my wife and this is her all-time favorite book. I don’t even know how many copies we’ve owned, she keeps reading them to death. Atticus is the personification of Virtus.

 

This was my list of clean Virtus-themed books. In the spirit of Franklin’s Junto, please add a ‘comment’ and include your favorites too and why you think the characters are so!

 

Have a great summer!

A Manifesto on Virtue: http://www.jeff-wheeler.com/?page_id=447

The History of Faith and Authorship

I’d like to give credit to my wife for coming up with the idea for this one. She made a comment recently after reading another batch of reviews that there are subtle themes that tend to repeat in the reactions of my readers. Some love the elements of faith and history that exist in my books. Others, though they enjoy my writing style, can’t imagine a world ruled by faith and so find my writing good but morally objectionable. She was quick to point out that it shouldn’t surprise people to learn that notions of faith would infiltrate the writings of a devout man any more than if she wrote a book, one would find elements of her Hispanic background in her writing.

 

Which brings me to my theme for this posting. Bernard of Chartres once said that we are like dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants (nanos gigantum humeris insidentes). I’ve always loved that quote. Isaac Newton put it this way, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulder of giants.” Every author I know has been inspired by someone who came before him. Every scientist makes the same claim too.

 

Terry Brooks said in a recent TED talk that he was inspired more by William Faulkner than by Tolkien. When I studied Shakespeare’s life, I came to learn that he was inspired by the Roman writer Ovid, which prompted me to read Ovid’s work and I began to see some of the themes and ideas which Shakespeare borrowed from him. One of my heroes is CS Lewis and I learned recently that he was inspired by George MacDonald. I downloaded The Princess of the Goblin for free on my Kindle and was amazed to see some striking similarities to Narnia.

 

My readers know that I love to collect quotes and Lewis has many which I enjoy. He once said: “Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” Amen to that! So many aspects of my books have been borrowed from other sources, yet woven together in such a way as to make them feel original. I make no claims to having an original thought. I merely try to write the kind of books and stories that I like to read.

 

Lewis also said: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” It is so true, and I have found many of my inspirations from history, faith, and other authors who could combine them all in such a way as to kindle my imagination.

 

When I first read Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, I was amazed at how he sewed together themes of faith and science and metaphysics. While he may profess to be an agnostic and an atheist, I still found his writing enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. Just because his religious views don’t match my own doesn’t mean I can’t learn something from him. We should not be afraid of thinking new thoughts or challenging assumptions we hold dear. But CS Lewis put it better: “A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.”

So take it from me, a dwarf standing on the shoulder of giants. An author only brings part of the lunch to the picnic. We bring half of the sandwich. You, the reader, provide the other half (and no, I did not make up this analogy either…another nod to Terry Brooks’ TED talk). I’ve read comments that said my books were too much like Star Wars, too religious, too boring, too fast-paced, too reliant of a higher power, too short, too long, too predictable, too mysterious, and my personal favorite…too addicting. Guilty as charged on all counts! And that’s okay. Thank you for bringing your half of the sandwich with you when you read. I will always bring you my best ingredients.

 

To close with CS Lewis one last time, one of the many giants who I’m proud to have my work compared with, “Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.”

The Soul Crushing Self-Doubt of Writers

I recently saw a tweet by Kate Danley, one of my colleagues at 47North, author of The Woodcutter. It went like this: “Except for the soul crushing self doubt, being a writer is grand!”

 

That spoke to me because all authors experience that insidious soul-crushing force. I have followed several NY Times bestselling authors on Twitters and I hang out with enough authors on-line to have seen this theme pervasively. Authors aren’t the only ones who experience it, but it is pretty common among us.

 

I think it’s time we knock it off.

 

John Adams once said, “A desire to be observed, considered, esteemed, praised, beloved, and admired by his fellows is one of the earliest as well as the keenest dispositions discovered in the heart of man.” I’m pretty sure it’s the same for women as well. I’m guilty as charged. I love reading positive reviews from my readers. I don’t enjoy reading negative ones. But I’m grateful to receive both kinds. Each review marks a new connection with a reader. I don’t expect that my books will universally appeal to every intelligent human being.

 

There is research too that shows that negative emotions take longer to dispel than positive ones:

“Every time a business in the service industry creates a negative emotion in the mind of a customer or client, that individual will share his dissatisfaction with an average of ten people before the emotion dissipates. The same research shows that a person who is impressed with a service will share that positive emotion with an average of only three other people at most. Given this situation it’s obvious why negative news travels faster and farther than positive news.” (Success Unlimited, December 1982, Dwight Chapin)

 

Let’s face the facts. Reading a good review feels great. It’s a big boost to the self-esteem. Sadly, the feeling quickly wears off. Fortunately, it’s the same for the bad reviews too. Those negative feelings wear off too.

 

One of my creative writing instructors in college warned us all to “Beware the Ogre of Author Pride.” What he meant is that the desire to be esteemed and praised (what John Adams said) would override our ability to receive feedback and criticism and thus help us improve as writers.

 

My readers know that I collect quotes from the ages. Here are some of my favorite thoughts given by advisors to ancient Roman emperors (and may apply to NY Times bestselling authors as well.)

 

Plutarch said, “Neither blame or praise yourself.” Doesn’t matter if the review is 1-star or 5-star.
Ovid wrote, “We are slow to believe that which if believed would hurt our feelings.” Enough said Ogre!
Again from Plutarch: “Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.” We should read criticism even from the unworthy. There may be a nugget of truth in the criticism.
A favorite from Seneca: “Away with the world’s opinion of you—it’s always unsettled and divided.” So true!
Another from Seneca, and it applies to women as much as men: “You can tell the character of every man when you see how he receives praise.”

 

Since my books really started to sell this year, I’ve had many requests for advice from writers starting out on their writing journey. I’ll tell you what I’ve been telling them. My only advice  is to not listen to advice like mine. If you ask every writer, you will get his or her opinion. There is no secret sauce. There is no magic recipe. Some writers need a lot of time to write a book. Some need very little. There isn’t a right or wrong way to do it. Some have to write 1,000,000 words before they’ve had enough practice (that would be me). Some get it right after the first draft is done. Some writers say you have to edit-edit-edit. Others say you need to outline-outline-outline. None of that advice matters. The way you write will be unique to you. Write what you love. Set aside some time to do it regularly. And learn to banish that Ogre of author pride and accept feedback and criticism to improve.

 

Now get to work on that next chapter!

Is Mirrowen a Trilogy?

One of the recurring themes I found in the feedback of Fireblood is that readers weren’t expecting a cliffhanger ending (from me…really…) and didn’t know that it was the first book in a series. Let me set the record straight. I tend to write books in three-part story arcs, otherwise known as trilogies. When 47North bought this series, they bought three books. Fireblood is the first. There is no announcement yet when the sequel will be published, but I am almost done writing the first draft and will be ready to start editing it soon. I am not the kind of epic fantasy author that will string you along for book after book.  I like closure and telling stories that have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

 

Next – I’m still gobsmacked by the results of February sales. I can’t release numbers, but I think we’ve exceeded all of our expectations. Shortly after the launch of Fireblood, it became the #1 bestselling fantasy book in the US on Amazon (which happens to be the biggest bookstore in the world). The Muirwood Trilogy held the top 3 spots in the UK for quite a while. As of now, well after a month since the launch, sales are still holding strong and I have four books in the top 20 bestsellers in the US and the UK. Surprisingly, Wretched of Muirwood has been holding its place quite steadily in the top 10. For a brief moment in time, I was in the top 100 authors and even landed, for a few minutes, ahead of JK Rowling.

 

 

I’m overwhelmed by what’s happened and have enjoyed meeting new readers (virtually, of course) from all over the world. I read each and every review left on Goodreads and Amazon. I love getting e-mails from fans and I do respond to them. The majority of comments have been fantastic and show there is truly a niche being met, as my editor David Pomerico dubbed it: “entry-point fantasy” – that enigmatic border between YA and adult.

 

I couldn’t be happier with my decision to go with 47North. I’m determined to make Book 2 of Whispers of Mirrowen even better. Not all the reviews have been stellar, nor was I expecting that. We all have opinions. Some of the less than positive ones, my wife and I affectionately call out as being from Mr or Mrs Pricklepants. I’m overwhelmed by the response to my books so far. Here’s to many more years and many untold stories left to tell.

 

Cheers!

Fireblood

Today is the launch day of my new book Fireblood. It is the first book in the Whispers from Mirrowen trilogy and I’m excited to be sharing it with you. This is a new experience for me and I’ll tell you why. It is the first series I’ve written with the help of a development editor and the full production staff of a publisher. There is a cool map, awesome cover art, and an audiobook version all at the same time.

This is a story that I developed many years ago and is finally seeing the light of day. While I was studying history at San Jose State, I was intrigued by the social and economic devastation caused by the Black Death and how it shaped European history. I conceived the idea of a series of civilizations which banded together to preserve and archive knowledge. They formed a great city in the middle of a lake to protect and preserve their cultures and history. I wrote a series of short stories for Deep Magic explaining the concept and solicited readers of the e-zine to contribute articles and stories fleshing it out. It was a shared world concept which we launched in 2004

Nine years later, I welcome you to the world of Kenatos and a perilous quest masterminded by a brilliant man bearing the stigma of a colossal failure. It is also the story of a persecuted race which can summon fire through their anger. They hold the power of the Fireblood.

Enjoy the ride!

http://www.amazon.com/Fireblood-Whispers-from-Mirrowen-ebook/dp/B008LWDHKO/