R.J. Keller's Blog, page 20
July 6, 2009
LLBookReview 100th book results
The results of LLBookReview's contest for the 100th book to be reviewed on the site are in:
Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship by Micha Berman (24%, 270 Votes)Waiting for Spring by RJ Keller (18%, 209 Votes) The King, Father & Mother by Eric Rhodes (18%, 209 Votes)600 Hours of a Life by Craig Lancaster (17%, 197 Votes)Minnie by Ashley Lane (12%, 139 Votes)Exaltations by Richard Garfinkle (11%, 109 Votes)Total Voters: 1,133
Waiting For Spring didn't get the top spot, but it tied for sec
July 5, 2009
"Six-Hundred Hours of a Life"
I just finished reading "Six-Hundred Hours of a Life" by Craig Lancaster, which chronicles 25 days (or 600 hours) in the life of Edward Stanton, a man with OCD and Aspergers syndrome. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's funny and touching and SO well written. I sat at my screen for over five hours and read it in one sitting. (I did get up once to go pee.)
It had been on my To Be Read list for a few weeks, as it was one of the six books nominated for LLBookReview's 100th book to be reviewed
Links of Possible Interest
I was flipping through the older pages of my blog a little while ago (yes, there was a reason for it; something I'll be discussing at a later date) and came across a few entries I posted while I was in the middle of writing or editing Waiting For Spring. I thought some of you might be interested in reading them. Here they are, in the order they were posted:
Febrary 28, 2006: This was when I first dipped my toe into novel-writing waters. The post itself is rather boring, but the comments section rJune 29, 2009
Editor Unleashed/Smashwords Flash Fiction 40 contest
My flash fiction piece, "Reflection," won a spot in the Editor Unleashed/Smashwords Flash Fiction 40 contest! What it means is that my story will be included along with 39 others in an anthology that will be published through Smashwords later on this year. And I won twenty-five bucks. Whoo hoo!
The announcement is here: http://editorunleashed.com/2009/06/29/flash-fiction-40-contest-winners/
"Reflection" is here, if you're interested in reading it: http://editorunleashed.com/forum/showthread.php?t
June 26, 2009
A HUGE thanks to all of you!
Today, I was able to send a check to Spruce Run in the amount of $250.oo (US funds). This included the royalties from the Amazon version of Waiting For Spring - both the trade paperback and Kindle versions - as well as royalties from the 'set your own price' tip jar at Smashwords.
In other words, it was because of YOU.
So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
All proceeds from the sale of Waiting For Spring will continue to be donated to Spruce Run, a domestic abuse project here in Maine tha
June 25, 2009
A Five-Star Waiting For Spring review from Goodreads
“I’ll admit that I didn’t have very high expectations for this book – I’m not sure why. But I was so completely wrong, it floored me.
The writer’s voice is clear throughout the entire story, drawing you in, creating such real characters that I couldn’t force myself to go to bed without reading one more page, one more chapter. So many of Tess’ thoughts could have come from my own mind, her actions so clearly desperate. You could feel her fear, her insecurity. The way her thoughts mingled with her
New Publishing Renaissance article
An article of mine is up on Publishing Renaissance. Warning: pompous blowharding and/or pontificating be there.
“Someone Is Wrong On The Internet!”
June 24, 2009
A video interview!
Mr. Stacey Cochran interviewed me earlier today about “Waiting For Spring.”
It was SO much fun! He really put me at ease, and had some excellent, thought-provoking questions. I attempted to answer them without sounding like a pinhead.
Did I succeed? You be the judge.
And thanks again, Stacey!!!
June 23, 2009
‘Smashing the Cookie Cutter’
I recently had the privilege of contributing an article about Mr. Terry Gilliam to the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Support Site. It’s entitled “Smashing the Cookie Cutter.” Go on over and check it out.
While you’re there you can browse through the other articles, pictures, and videos. I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m looking forward to seeing this movie, and how much I HOPE a U.S. distributor picks it up. It’s one of those movies you’re gonna want to see on the big screen.
“Well…excited and scared”*
Tomorrow I’m going to be interviewed by Mr. Stacey Cochran for his website, Online Book Review. It’s going to be a video interview over da webcam, which means I actually have to do my hair and my make up and get out of my pajamas.
And try not to snort when I laugh. That’s going to be the hardest part, I think.
But I’m very excited to have the chance to talk about my book; the process of writing it and about my decision to publish it myself, and to make it available as an e-book.
I’ll let you know w
