Craig Terlson's Blog, page 15

Something new, and bent

In the recesses of my mind (and my computer, and even this blog), sits a story that won't go away. I mean that in the best way. It's another road book - because I have always loved road books (see Correction Line). I have decided that with the launch of my novel, I want to offer up another tale for readers. Yes, this is to bring attention to my book, I can admit that. But moreover, to release this tale to the wild. To add to that, I left this story unfinished, and releasing here at the blog w...

To market, to market... or psst, you wanna buy an e?

... to buy a fat pig. Isn't that how that went?

Well, in this case I am not writing about that rhyme from my childhood. Last week I released Correction Line as an e-book. Now, the hard part - how to market, without seeming like you are marketing. Terms like soft-market define how smart authors are promoting their work. Sure, there are still tons of writers who tweet, blog, facebook, and be a virtual town crier for their work - and if it worked, I might be doing the same. But I know how annoyin...

Launched

The word launch is a good one when publishing a book - it feels like you've sent it out in to the world, tied to the backend of a shooting rocket. Sure it's up in the sky (or out in the world), but there's a lot of world out there, and the writer just hopes like hell that someone notices it as it whizzes by.

This Wed. was my launch day. It started out pretty quiet, a bit anti-climactic even, but as the day went on and I received messages of congratulations, cheers and general huzzahs, it start...

The premise

So what is this novel about?

Correction Line

If not for the sharp curves of prairie correction lines, grid roads would converge into one point. When encyclopedia salesman Roy Blake meets Lucy, an ex-palmist living in a secluded house, he hits a different sort of curve. After a failed sales visit, Roy returns to find the house trashed and her dog tied up in the basement. Just as he discovers a shelf of glowing mason jars, two men carrying shotguns arrive and start smashing furniture upstairs. Be...

Wait, did I say final

Well, it's not over until the fat lady sings, or maybe the big guy kerns - something like that.

After much mulling, and a plethora opinions, I decided to go back to the somewhat more impactful (can that be a word, because it should be) design.

Edits are done - hope to have this up on Amazon in the next day or so. Maybe even sooner.

Chime in while you can : )

The Final

Once again, thanks very much for all the feedback, both here at the blog and other places where I hang out.

Here is the final cover.

Excerpt Four - Roy

As promised, another excerpt from Correction Line. I thought this small scene was appropriate for Canada Day - what's more Canadian than hunting geese?

Hope you like it.

Roy Blake and his father stood on a gravel road twenty miles from Langton.

"You see 'em Roy?"

Roy looked into an empty sky.

"C'mon, do I have to point them out?"

He squinted, concentrated on trying to see anything birdlike.

"Geez, boy, right over there." Roy's father pointed to a blank part of the empty sky just above a copse of tre...

Timing

Trying to figure out the timing of when I release Correction Line. I have finished the last edit, and just have some bits of formatting, and other things to tidy up. And of course, a couple more tweaks on the cover.

I think I will be able to have it good to go before two weeks. Maybe one, if all goes well.

In the mean time - Stay tuned, as later tonight I am going to put up another excerpt from the novel. Something appropriately Canadian, on this day of national pride.

Type Treatments

Typography, as I have told my students, and as many as you probably have learned, is a helluva lot harder and more complicated than it looks.

I have pushed around my initial type ideas for the cover (keeping the image the same), and have come up with the above. Please comment and let me know what you think - and that includes if you hate it. (Okay, Phil?)

Oh, and here it is in small, online store size.

Edit and by the way - if you came here early and saw a different tagline, well, you are not lo...