Andy Frankham-Allen's Blog: The Welsh-Londoner, page 12

The Indie Chart with J. T. Wilson

This will be the first guest spot in a while, so who better than fellow Hirst scribe and good friend, J.T. Wilson… I'll allow him to introduce himself.

The Indie Chart

Hello, I'm JT Wilson, and in 2010 I had the novel 'Cemetery Drive' published by Hirst Publishing. It's been twelve months since I proudly announced my first foray into published writing and in that time I've been on a journey where there's been a lot of laughs, a lot of tears, a lot learned, and a lot of clichés written in the pre-ambles to pieces. So what have I learnt from my life on an indie publishing house? Here's some of it. Please don't take this as any sort of guidance or advice: I never said I was a role model.

1. Being published doesn't immediately mean a one-way ticket to stardom

I held lofty dreams as I wrote 'Cemetery Drive' that I would march into my workplace one day with a huge advance contract and announce "So long, suckers! You'll see me holding the Pulitzer!"or something. When the publishing deal was agreed, I dusted off my speech and wondered if my employers would even get the Pulitzer reference. Perhaps not. Of course, things don't pan out like that. I realised that I would have to sell somewhere in the region of 10,000 copies to be able to indulge in writing as a career. At last count, I'd estimate sales to be about 150. Still, I'm not alone here: Robert Rankin was still working as an artist and carpenter when the Brentford Trilogy was published; Franz Kafka never did quit his job; and a friend of mine had a book published through Publish America only to receive a royalty cheque for $1.86.

2. Everyone is a writer

When I was publishing stories on LiveJournal and quietly hacking away at 'Cemetery Drive', the only other author I knew was the prodigiously talented Die Booth, whose artwork adorns the cover of my book. Suddenly, however, I announced the publication of 'Cemetery Drive' and everyone's an author. Here's a family member who has always wanted to write a novel (by the way: if you want to write a novel, just, y'know, do it). Here's a work colleague who's writing romantic comedy on the quiet. Here's a professional wrestler who's already had a cookery book published (I swear I am not making this up). Here's a guy you wouldn't think could string two sentences together who writes poetry. It's bizarre how many fellow authors show up. And that's before you get to the amount of authors who are with your publisher and doing amazing work.

3. People who have no interest in your book are apparently fascinated at the prospect of a sequel

It's all very well being a writer and shutting yourself up in an ivory tower where you can write books about being a writer who shuts themselves up in a dark tower, but unless you're Stephen King, this shit won't wash and you have to engage with the public in the hope of hoodwinking them into buying a copy of your book. Book signings mostly involve talking bollocks with other authors under the guise of selling, then going to get pie-eyed with the authors/publisher/whoever to toast a successful day's work, but there are parts of talking to the public too, of course: engaging with your audience and all that. Bear in mind, of course, that unless you're Dan Brown or JK Rowling, the public in general won't have a clue about the content of your book so be prepared to explain the plot many, many times over the course of the day. Other people will always be able to summarise your plot better than you will: feel free to steal their summaries for your own use.

The most interesting thing I've found from the signings I've done, though, is that people will always ask "is there a sequel in the pipeline?" or similar. This is shortly before wandering off, not buying your first one. As nobody who asks this question at signings has ever bought my book, I have no idea what the correct answer is to this question. In my case, the true answer is "I'm writing another book, but it's not a sequel to this book" but the correct answer could easily be "No, I'm retiring from writing after this" or "Yes, this is the first in a 487-part series."

4. Nobody will ever appreciate your art as much as you do

The funds for the publication of 'Cemetery Drive' were generated by people pre-ordering the novel, which is a massive risk for a debut novel, of course: people are buying the book on the expectation it'll be good because they think you're witty or incisive or smart or hot, one of those things anyway. And when they actually read it and like it, and can prove this by quoting segments or lines or plot parts, that's a shock, although a shock that's good for your ego.

But as much as people will love parts of your book, people won't love or even understand all of it and your favourite character or segment might get totally passed over in reviews, brutally edited out of the audio version, and generally unloved. It's the same as being in a band- you might enjoy playing a four-minute bass solo, but that doesn't mean everyone else will.

A related point, although perhaps not enough to note separately, is that no matter how long you agonise over whether someone will notice the blatant reference to their characteristics or even their name, you'll get away with it about 99% of the time. But then, I once played a song called 'Sarah' at a gig where the Sarah who the song was about was present, and she never raised it, so draw your own conclusions.

5. A bizarre combination of ego and shyness can occur in some situations

I used to go into Waterstones and look at where my book would conceivably be (next to Jeanette Winterson I'd hoped) on the shelves. Now it's actually in Waterstones I can't go in and look. I want to know what people think of my book and have reviews on the website and all that but I'm too shy to pry too much. People have pretty much only said nice things about it and that's good and all but surely someone didn't like it? Like who? And why? And yet I can't bear to ask.

6. Anything is more exciting than work

Whenever I'm asked "what made you decide to write the book?" I don't know how to answer the question and look away, mumbling awkwardly about compulsion. There isn't a conscious decision to write. I wrote 'Cemetery Drive' because I felt that I had to, and that I had to before the idea withered and died. When I then expanded the story outside of the novel with additional parts, it took an entire week and I was convinced that I'd gone completely insane but I did it because once I'd thought of it, I had to do it. The second and third novels, which are in semi-complete stages, are being written because I feel that I have to write them. Of course, with no deal to write a second book and no clamouring demand for it, this necessity to write exists only within me. Still I am compelled because I am compelled to write.

But on the other hand, writing can be massively frustrating and tedious as soon as it feels like work. Whenever I had some free time, I'd work on the book, but if I didn't feel inspired, I'd just end up reading Wikipedia. Tonight, I was supposed to be editing 20,000 words out of 'Cemetery Drive' for the audio version and yet here I am writing this. The comedian Dave Gorman, out of ideas for his novel, learnt about Googlewhacking and wasted his publisher's advance on meeting Googlewhacks rather than ever writing one word of his novel. If writing seems hard, it won't get done.

 

In the second of this series, which will be published no later than 2016, I'd expect, I'll be reporting back on my life on the bestsellers' list, having a £12million film script and fretting over which yacht to buy. Stay tuned, reader.

'Cemetery Drive' can be purchased directly from the publisher, or from any good book stockist. An eBook version is in the pipeline (really? Joe asks.Yes, says Andy, I know things you don't. :p).

The best of Anne Rice and Stephen Donaldson

Well, well… the sales of 'Seeker' are still driving forward, with it doing quite well during its first two and a half weeks of publication. No word on the sales of the print version as yet, but I do know that the eBook is at number #7 on the fantasy chart at OmniLit.com. The book is now listed at almost every e-retailer, and is available to order in almost all high street booksellers.

Now let me share with you this marvelous review from author Anne Brooke, in which she says; "In my younger days, I lapped up with great joy both the vampire novels of Anne Rice and the vast and fascinating fantasy novels of Stephen Donaldson and, to my mind, there's been nothing to beat either of them since. I'm pleased to say now that I've been at last proved wrong in that assumption. Andy Frankham-Allen's 'Garden Saga' fantasy series, of which Seeker is the first, takes the best of both those authors and combines it into a slow-burn, deep and surprisingly rich novel of one man, Willem (or Will) who, like Donaldson's magnificent leper hero, Thomas Covenant, isn't at all what he thinks he is. Frankly, I was gripped from the first page and couldn't put the darn thing down." To read the full review, why not pop over to Vulpes Libris?

In other news, Space 1889 & Beyond is gearing up, with the first four of six stories now commissioned. Story one, "Hearts of Stone" is being written by yours truly, and story two, "Vandals on Venus" is being written by award winning fantasy author, K. G. McAbee. The authors of stories three and four will be announced as soon as the contracts are signed and sealed. In the meantime, why not whet your appetite by popping over to Frank Chadwick's new 1889 blog, in which he rounds up all news pertaining to the rapidly expanding Space 1889 universe…

Getting it out there…

It's been a week since Seeker was launched and I hear sales (both print and digital) are doing quite well. It's quite an exciting time, really, with many comments coming my way like 'it's worth way more than £10' and 'an exceptional fantasy novel', and my all-time favourite so far, 'this pulls you into it, better than Twilight.' A phrase I will never tire of hearing. My publisher and I are currently working on setting up a few signings across Wales and England, and I've been invited to a signing in Ireland, too. No dates as yet, we need to wait until the book is properly on the system (which takes a couple of weeks), and then we shall see. I'll announce the dates as and when I get them, of course.

The launch itself went quite well, I thought, although it began for me the day before. Saturday 19th March; I was visiting my sister in Southend, England, one of the main locations of Seeker, and while there I figured I'd drop a few promotional posters off. One such place is a small coffee shop called Cafe Reviver, run by a friend of mine called Gary Willis. While there, Gary offered the use of his cafe as a place to do a signing – an offer I intend to take him up on later this year, most likely in the summer. So if you're in Southend during the summer, look out for this bearded chap sitting outside a cafe on Queens Road surrounded by books. From there I popped into the Halfway House, a former place of employment and also a location used in the book, to drop off another poster and catch up with some friends. There I got into a conversation with a former-customer of mine, Linda Knights (all the time I worked there and I never knew her name), in which I discovered both she and her father, Charlie, love reading. They got quite excited about me releasing a book, and promised to pick up a copy as soon as it hit the shops. So, I consider the trip to Southend successful. After my brief visit to the Halfway I was picked up by my very good friends Ryan Hunter and Ben Theobald (who were travelling all the way to Wales just for the signing – that's dedication!), and began the long journey back to Wales; a journey which proved to be rather amusing, especially when, by the time we reached the toll booth at the Severn Bridge, the three of us we bouncing and singing along with Christina Aguilera and 'Fighter'. I looked at them, laughed, glanced around at all the other cars and said, 'can you spot the gay car?' Shame on us!

The actual launch took place on the Sunday, March 20th, and I have to admit that during the lead up to it the nerves were beginning to set in. Ryan, who was to do a reading (maybe!) thought he'd be nervous. Ha! He had the easy part. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, and after a bit of faffing around regarding parking meters, we met Tim, head honcho of Hirst Publishing, to help him carry boxes of books to the venue. Boxes of my book! What a strange feeling. As soon as we got to his car, Tim ripped open a box so I could finally see my book. And it was awesome! Everything up to this point (the short stories published in the official Doctor Who anthologies, the eBooks, even the proof beta-copies of Seeker) – everything! – paled in comparison. Finally, after many long years I was holding the fruit of my labours. Not only that, but the summation of the dream I'd had since I was sixteen. And yet, somehow, I managed to contain my excitement. I was intent on not being some excitable geek, but rather the seasoned author. Calm, collected, reserved, and maybe, just maybe, a little cool.

The venue was the King's Cross Bar, and the staff there were incredibly helpful. Setting up the stage, complete with hanging chains, and allowing me to reorganise their tables (which we did put back when we were done!). Flyers were already on every table, just to inform those who came for breakfast. We arrived plenty early, which did mean a lot of waiting around, and an anxious publisher who wondered how many people would turn up, and when, and what time should we start and… yeah, you can imagine. Me, I just took it all in my step, after all we did have plenty of time and there was no immediate rush. Slowly, but surely (as the saying goes), people started to arrive. Primarily there were many I knew, friends and family invited, but there were plenty of others, too, just general visitors to the pub who were a little curious as to what was happening. Alas the first potential disaster struck near the time of the 'event', when I discovered that my cousin could not make it to do her reading. It bothered Ryan more than anyone, though, as he didn't like the idea of doing one alone, so I managed to persuade Jolene Ferries to read the piece my cousin was due to read. Problem solved, disaster averted.

Tim took to the stage to do his introduction, only to find that the mic didn't work anymore. Another potential disaster that was an easy fix; dislodged batteries, no problem.  In his introduction Tim pointed out that I was the first author he took onboard without even reading their book, simply because 'Andy was recommended to me by Gary Russell, and if Gary Russell doesn't know a good writer then who does'. As introductions go, that isn't too shabby. Cut to Ryan, doing his reading. He said afterwards that his whole body was shaking with nerves, but despite an initial stumble over a few words, I think he acquitted himself very well indeed. This is the passage he read;

She leaned in closer and whispered his name in his ear. Sam reacted with a start, his movement so sudden that Lilly almost fell over, but she regained her balance in time for Sam to rip off his glasses and point at the mirror.

'It's you!' he shouted, then staggered backwards.

Lilly moved quickly to steady him. He blinked a few times, and looked around wildly.

'What… where… who…?' His eyes came to rest on Lilly. 'You. Where am I?'

'Sam, it's me, Lilly. Come back to me.'

For a moment he just looked at her, and the hatred written over his face made her heart ache. Whatever he was seeing, or whoever, had caused him so much pain. She placed her palm against his cheek.

'Sam,' she said, using her most calming voice, 'come back to me. Wherever you are, you don't need to be there anymore.'

Before she realised she was going to do so, Lilly tiptoed and placed her lips against his. At first there was no response, but slowly Sam's mouth opened and their tongues met. For what seemed like an eternity they remained like that, their tongues gently probing the other's mouths, but then pulled apart.

Sam smiled at her.

'Lilly, what are you doing here? You should be at work.'

'It's almost seven,' Lilly pointed out, nodding to the carriage clock on the mantle.

'Seven?' Sam walked up to the clock, examining it closely. 'But it…' He turned back at Lilly. 'It was four o'clock when I put those shades on. I've been out of it for almost three hours.'

Lilly's first thought was that she should be worried, but other than some dried blood on his ears Sam seemed okay. Still, three hours…

Ryan may think he was nervous, but it never showed, indeed Ryan received a round of applause for his reading. Then it was time for James Gent and me to take to the stage. James was also nervous and, although I shared those nerves initially, as soon as I stepped on the stage my nerves blinked away. In many ways I like to entertain, and so I sat down, relaxed, raised my mic and just got on with it. Intent on making sure people understood a little something of Seeker and keep them amused, too. Which I think we did a pretty good job of. James asked his questions, I answered them, talking about the themes of sexual identity, and how in many ways the two leads, Willem and Jake, are flip-sides of the same character. We also discussed the difficulties of re-inventing vampires, and promised there'll be no sparkling in 'The Garden'. By the end of the discussion I think it's fair to say that we got across the point that Seeker 'is good'.

The rest of the launch was taken up by people mingling, enjoying the sun, me sitting at the table signing books (we went through a box of twenty in total), and sending Ryan and Lisa out to blitz the streets with flyers to let people know that Seeker exists. They even nabbed one or two people outside Waterstone's.  Just as I was about to wrap up for the day, a girl in yellow came over, and bought a copy for her nan, who apparently likes 'books like this'. I'm hoping so, otherwise it's a nan who's in for a bit of a shock. The launch ended with some fun pics of the the remaining group, and my tipsy mother who managed to down a whole bottle of wine in an hour.

It wasn't until much later that I realised somehow Jolene managed to get out of doing her reading. So, sorry, Ry – she hoodwinked ya!

People keep on asking how many books we sold that day, and I keep pointing out that it wasn't a sales drive, but a launch. It was all about getting the book out there, making people aware of its existence, and this we did. With the help of freebies from Rainbow eBooks, a prize in the shape of a Rubik's Cube, and free wine, we managed this in style! So, big thanks to all that came along.

It's been a week since, and already one shop is stocking the book; The Comic Guru in Wood Street, Cardiff. Sales are doing very well; I went through a box of twenty books myself in two days, and I know that Hirst have received a fair few orders since, not to mention a 'bunch' of sales for Seeker in the first two days at Untreed Reads.

If you're looking for a decent read, then you could do a lot worse than checking it out directly from Hirst Publishing, or Untreed Reads Publishing (if you buy the eBook from UR, you can get the exclusive prelude, Serere, free). The digital edition is slowly appearing in the listings of most e-stores, and the print version will soon start appearing in all good book retailers.

Until I have signing dates and locations to announce, why not pop over the to blog, The Accidental Author, and read Jesse Greever's interview with me, where I discuss the writing of Seeker and a little of what's coming up.

One Week to Launch

Just one week away from the launch of 'Seeker'… Here's the final excerpt, to whet your appetite.

 

'I need to talk to you about Curtis.'

Jake's good humour left him abruptly and he sat up straight, casting a quick glance to the hallway beyond. 'What about him?'

Willem held up a hand, and said quickly; 'Don't worry, he's not been harmed or anything like that. I'm just concerned for his wellbeing.' He let Jake relax a little before asking; 'How many times has Curtis stayed here in the last two weeks?'

Jake thought about this. 'Three, four?'

'Three, right. Two of those nights have been in the last three days. I don't know what's going on with Ren, and right now I don't much care, but a kid Curtis' age needs stability, not pulled from pillar to post.'

'Agreed. So what do you suggest?'

'I'm not sure, exactly, but I'm seriously thinking of bringing the Social in.'

Jake's eyes widened in surprise, although Willem wasn't sure why. It was a natural conclusion after the last few weeks. 'That is a seriously bad move, guy, get them involved and Lawrencia could end up losing Curtis.'

'Want to explain to me how that's a bad thing?'

Jake shook his head, and threw his cigarette into the back yard, without even trying to stub it out first. 'How this for a start; if Curtis ends up in Care you might never even get to see him again. He gets put up for fostering, next thing you know he's lost in the system, just another unwanted child. Name changed. How long before you lose track of him?'

That hadn't occurred to Willem; he had only been thinking that Curtis was in danger around Jimmy, and unfortunately by extension his sister. 'Worst case…'

'Scenario? Yeah, I'm hearing that a lot. Someone needs to consider these eventualities, Will, cause it seems like your brain isn't functioning properly at the moment.'

'Oh, come on, just 'cause I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone a bit?'

Jake didn't answer; instead he stood up and left the kitchen. Willem narrowed his eyes, but followed nonetheless. The two of them stopped by the lounge and looked in on Curtis, who had fallen sleep watching CBeebies.

'Tell me, Will, do you really want to lose that kid? 'Cause I know I don't.'

Willem stepped back and rested against the wall. He closed his eyes and let out a breath of air. Now he thought about it, Jake was right. He opened his eyes and looked at Jake, who was still looking into the lounge. Jake loved Curtis; as far as Curtis knew Jake was as much his uncle as Willem was. Blood didn't matter in this case; it was the familial bond that counted. 'What do you suggest?' he asked.

Jake never took his eyes off Curtis. 'Speak to her, work something out. I don't know the details, but there is shit going on you're not aware of, guy, and I'd lay money on Lawrencia waiting for help from her big brother.' He looked back at Willem, and there was something in his eyes that made Willem believe him. 'Maybe you can become his legal guardian, temporarily at least, until she gets rid of that dead weight?'

Now it was Willem's turn to be surprised. 'Come on, really? Even if Lawrencia did agree to that, how can I look after him full time? My workload is…'

'Not insurmountable. Way you tell it Steve is amazing at his job, so I'm sure he could take a whole load of weight off your shoulders there.'

'I suppose.' Willem mulled it over, and he had to admit the idea did have much potential. Jimmy would never stand for it, but Jake would no doubt happily take care of that, and once Curtis was out of harm's way Willem didn't care two shits about what happened to Jimmy. Getting Lawrencia to agree, though, that would be a tough one. She'd take it as a personal attack.

'Okay, let me think this over, and when I get back we'll talk more.'

'Cool.'

The launch takes place at The King's Cross, Mill Lane, Cardiff, from midday to two. All are welcome to attend; not only will Andy be on hand to answer any questions, but he will also be discussing the themes of the series, as well as why it is that vampires are still so popular, and the difficulties of finding new things to do with such an old myth.  Copies of the book will be on sale, which Andy will happily deface at no extra cost. For every book bought and signed, a place in the free-prize draw will automatically follow.

From 9pm, the usual Sunday night karaoke will be taken over in celebration of the book's release; and it will be a Vampire Themed night. The three winners of the prize-draw will be announced throughout the night!

'Seeker' is published by Hirst Publishing, and will also be available as an eBook through Untreed Reads Publishing (who have also published an exclusive eBook prelude to 'Seeker', available now).

 

'Seeker' launch…

My new (and first) novel is launched two weeks today, and this is an open invite to anyone who loves to read. Booksellers, journalists, reviewers, you're all welcome. The launch is taking place at The King's Cross, Mill Lane, Cardiff, CF10 1FF.

Enjoy this extract…

Ste sat down and started leafing through the sheets of paper that were on the desk. 'What's next, then?'

'Well,' Willem began, giving up on even considering a fourth chair, 'I want you to take notes, make sure we get everything said down. Don't want to slip up on this. I'm still finding it hard to believe that Kurt would try to scam me like this, it's so not a Kurt thing. And yet the evidence…'

'… Pretty much says string the idiot up by the short and curlies,' Ste said, all trace of humour gone. 'And haven't you learned from last night that people often step out of character?'

Willem thought back to last night on the webcam, and nodded. Yep, that was definitely new for him. 'Maybe, but there are character types that people usually fall into, read about it on Wikipedia. Let me see; melancholy, sanguine… erm…'

Ste nodded slowly at this. 'Right,' he said, even slower, 'and we all know that Wiki is written by experts in their fields. Only, you know, not. People are not like characters in a book, dude, you can't define them so easily, slotting them into particular personality types. People shift and change their attitudes, their desires, everything, all they need is the right… incentive.'

There was distant smile on Ste's face as he said this, but Willem wasn't sure he wanted to know the why of that. Instead he kept his tone light. 'You really are the insightful professor of life, aren't you, Mr Krueger?'

'What can I say, Will, I'm multi-talented. And you know, there's plenty going on in my world you'd not believe even if I did tell you. Not unless you experienced it yourself.'

Willem narrowed his eyes. 'Is that an invite?'

'Don't know, dude, wouldn't be up to me. I'd have to ask Robin.'

'Right, the mysterious Robin. Anyway, what did you say the other day about your mixer menu?'

'True that.' Ste nodded, lips pursed in thought. His face broke out into a wide grin. 'Maybe I'll have to speak to Robin. I know he wants to meet you.'

'You two talked about me?'

A dark shadow passed across Ste's features, but an instant later it was gone. He leaned forward. 'Anyhow, I meant what's next with you and Charlie?'

'Oh. Him,' Willem said, waving a hand as if Charlie was the last thing on his mind. Ste was clearly not convinced by this attempt at indifference, so Willem sat down in the chair he'd prepared for Kurt. 'Gonna meet up with him this weekend.'

'Ah.' Ste sat back and steepled his fingers, with a smile on his lips.

'Ah what?'

'Nothing, just glad to see you're doing something about this. Been a long time.'

Willem nodded. He couldn't argue with that, really.

'Yeah, that's right. Jacen.'

Willem whistled. 'Now there's a name I haven't really thought about in a long time.' And it really had been a long while, Willem realised, a good three years in fact. Jacen and Willem hadn't worked out too well, obviously since they were no longer dating, mostly because Jacen couldn't deal with Willem's commitment to his work. Jacen wanted to go off and do stuff, experience the world a little, and he wouldn't have it when Willem tried to explain they'd have plenty of time for that later when they were financially secure. Jacen had quickly found someone else, quite an adventurous guy from what Willem had since heard. 'I wonder where he is now?'

'Probably off doing what you should have done a long time ago, Will,' Ste said, and let out a gentle cough.

'Still not too sure, though,' Willem said, wondering what it was about Ste that made him want to open up so freely. 'I mean, Ren's fucked off again and I'm stuck with Curtis tonight. Not that I mind, since I love spending time with him, obviously, and better him being with me than around Jimmy, but what happens when I'm away? She can't just knock on my door whenever, then.'

'So?' Ste held his hands up to ward off the words that were about to erupt from Willem's mouth. 'Seriously, it's not your problem. You have your own life, and every once in a while you need to remember that.'

'That's a selfish attitude there, Ste.'

'Probably, but as someone once said, once in a while you need to give yourself permission to be selfish. You can't carry everyone all the time. Eventually you'll buckle, and I hate to break this to you, Will, but you've been buckling for a while now.'

 

New Exclusive eBook Release

Now out, my special eBook exclusive prelude to the forthcoming Garden series, 'Serere, A Prelude'. The eBook is now available from The Untreed Reads Store, as well avarious other online retailers such as OmniLit and Amazon. However, if you go directly to the Untreed Store then you will also be able to get 40% off any of my previous releases when you purchase 'Serere, A Prelude'. This offer is good throughout March…

 

Mr Busy Returns

Okay. So I'm back…

Followers of this blog will remember how I said right at the beginning that I am rubbish at keeping up with blog entries. I think it's fair to say that a gap of three months is all the proof needed. Although, in my defence, I have been very busy in the interim. Thus, this entry will be a bit of an update, bringing all you lovely readers back up to speed on where things are with my various projects.

First of all, 'The Garden' saga begins very soon indeed. What is it? I hear you ask. Well, essentially it's a four-book urban fantasy/horror series, and book one ('Seeker') is being published in print and electronic formats simultaneously by Hirst Publishing and Untreed Reads Publishing. It is a series I was 'clearly meant to write', according to my editor at Untreed. Here's the blurb…

Meet Willem Townsend: London-based entrepreneur; loyal friend; loving uncle. He seems to have everything going for him, but deep down Will is trapped by work, family, and the sheer mundanity of daily routine. Stepping outside his comfort zone he begins an internet romance and, despite the reservations of his best friend Jake, Will arranges to meet his lover for a weekend getaway.

The weekend passes, and not a word is heard from Will. Jake organises a search for his friend, fearing the worst, and as Jake's frenetic hunt progresses, he begins to realise that Will may have meant more to him than he was willing to believe.

In Southend, a naked man is found in a garden, suffering from a trauma that he cannot recall. And when the memories come flooding back, they are borne by blood. He holds the key to a secret world where the price of entry is death…

The book launches on March 20th at The King's Cross bar in Cardiff, and will be on general release (both in print and eBook) from Monday March 21st. You can currently pre-order the book directly from the Hirst website. Those of you wishing to attend to launch, can find out more about it on this Facebook page. Everyone who attends the launch and gets a copy of the book signed automatically gets entered into the prize draw, the winners of which will be announce throughout the Vampire Themed Night bash at the King's. One of the prizes will be a coupon for a free copy of the exclusive eBook prelude being published by Untreed Reads…

 

Which brings me to, 'Serere, A Prelude'.

The novelette will be released at the beginning of March, and will only be available online (it will not be available in print – at least not in 2011, if ever), and serves as a introduction to 'Seeker' specifically, with a few hints of things to come in book two (the title of which will not be announced until near the end of 2011, for reasons which will become clear to those who read 'Seeker'). And, as a taster, here's a small excerpt from 'Serere, A Prelude'…

Isobel Shelley waited, as she promised she would, but it was getting dark and the rain had started to fall. Not that either thing bothered her personally, but it was terribly inconvenient. She lifted her lantern, which she did not really need, of course, but appearances were important, and looked out to the northern carriage way. The Green was quiet, most people safely indoors, sheltered from the cold, but Isobel could not be sure she wasn't being watched. Newington Green, home to the free-thinkers and dissidents, had history, and the people who tended to gravitate to this place knew better than to take things for granted. Probably one of the many reasons she loved living on the Green.

The sound of hoof beats crunching gravel drifted over to her, and she focused on the approaching shape. A gig pulled by a single horse, two people jostling about in the carriage as the wooden wheels managed to find every ditch and trough in the path. Both figures were dressed in the finest cloth, one looking down, his head bobbling about as if he were asleep, but the second, holding the reins in his hands, was looking firmly ahead, mindful of the mood of the horse. The gig slowed, and stopped right next to Isobel. She smiled, finally able to see the countenance of the young driver.

Young and as radiant as ever, Hareton Wesley smiled down at Isobel, and tipped his bicorn hat. "Miss Shelley, you are still a diamond of the first water, I see. A pleasure indeed."

Isobel curtsied slightly, with a smile of her own. It had been some time since she had seen anything of Hareton, and was not displeased to see him once more. "Young Master Wesley, an' you and the gentleman like to follow me?"

The gentleman in question looked up, clearly not asleep. An austere looking man of some fifty years (which certainly meant he was older), he raised an eyebrow at Isobel and edged his lip in the form of a very slight smile, which looked somewhat strange on such a Friday-faced man. Hareton looked at him, no doubt awaiting instruction, and the gentleman nodded. "As Miss Shelley says, so shall it be," the gentleman said, in an accent that sounded almost German, although it had a cadence that Isobel could not quite place. She was not particularly well travelled, but accents did not usually stump her so. "Do lead on, dear lady."

"As you wish," Isobel said and tuned away, lantern still held aloft, and led the way across the Green.

 

Next up, although announced elsewhere, I can finally announce it to all those who read this blog; at the end of 2010, after much hard work and much discussion, Untreed Reads Publishing have secured a licence to produce original eBooks based on Frank Chadwick's Space 1889. This steampunk series will consist of two novels which bookend four novellas, written by well-known genre authors. I am the series Commissioning Editor and Creative Consultant, which means I'm responsible for putting the whole thing together. Quite a task it's proving to be at the moment, but amazingly good fun, too. Further information will be released over the forthcoming months, including a definite launch date.

Due to the busyness of me, this does have a knock-on effect on Legacy which was being released at one book a month. So far three volumes are available, and can be purchased here, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK. Volume 2.2 will be delayed a little while, but as soon as I have time in my schedule I shall get on to it. Once again, I will keep you updated on developments there.

Publishing Prescott Style

Self Publishing by John Prescott

Hmmm, I feel honored to be asked to be a guest blogger on Andy's page.  I promise I won't keep you long. I will share some of my insights, successes and failures with self-publishing.  So here goes….

I did a ton of research when I got serious about my writing.  I studied the market, the publishing industry, and other avenues that writing takes.  I became pretty frustrated with the 'state' of the industry and decided to do a book of short stories to try and get somewhat of a fan base started and since traditional publishers don't take too kindly to short story collections the decision was pretty much made up for me by going the self-publishing route.  I want to say now that it's a choice I am happy I made.

I want to stress that if you do go the self-publishing route be prepared for A LOT of hard work, but its rewarding hard work and as my grandfather always told me, "There's nothing wrong with hard work."  I agree with that 100%.  This will also be a big challenge for you and you need to make up your mind that you want to do it way before actually starting it.  You are basically starting your own business and if you're not 110% dedicated to it you won't succeed.  I know that sounds harsh but it's the truth, plain and simple.

The good thing about self-publishing is that you reap all the profits from selling your work.  You don't have to split royalty payments which are very slim with a publisher.  The downside to this is that you don't have the marketing dollars to spend that a big publisher does, but thanks to web and many other useful online sites this is becoming less of a problem.

Ok, so now you've made up your mind, I'm going to self-publish…now what?  There are numerous questions you need to ask yourself and the most important one is, what do I want to achieve with my writing?  Do I want to sell just a few books for some extra cash or do you want to aim higher and do this for a living?  All are good questions but you need to decide before you take the plunge.

So, now you've got your mind made up and you're ready.  Now what?  Well, hopefully you have a novel or short story collection ready.  The options available for self-publishing now are tremendous thanks to new electronic technology.  You have plenty of choices to choose from such as: Print on Demand, E-books, and PDF sales. A lot of choice are there before you and you can pick and choose as you wish.  I chose to go through Amazon's Create-Space with their print on demand service (one I HIGHLY recommend), and through their Kindle store front as well.  I do want to say that Create-Space is a breeze and a pleasure to work with.  They go over all the steps and the process if pretty simple and explained for everyone to understand.  Once you upload your book (to be printed) they will send you a confirmation they have received your files and will tell you if they are ok to print.  If they are ok you are ready order a proof and wait for it to come in the mail.  Once you ok the proof (it usually comes to your house within a week) it goes live within 24hours to the world on their website and you also have your own e-store through them.

You can then order books directly from them to sell yourself.  This is one option I highly suggest you do.  I will give examples why in a few.  The Kindle process is pretty much the same way, except you don't get a proof mailed to your door, but what you do get is a preview on your computer of what your book will look like on the Kindle. So any changes can be made on the fly.  I do want to say there are other book selling sites out there; one good example is Smashwords.  Many of my author friends have stuff up there and are doing quite well with that website.  So do your research and hey, why not put your book up on all of them?

 

Now you have your books (assuming you ordered some physical copies to sell to people) and are wondering what to do.  I am going to list the things I did once I got my books in.

Always keep copies of your book with you.  You never know when a potential sale will happen.
Schedule some book signings. I do want to say don't waste your time with the big chain stores i.e. Barnes & Noble, Bordes, etc.  This I foresee will change in the future but as of right now a print on demand book is still scoffed at by the big boys.
Think of all the places that might be willing to sell your book for you.  You will NEVER know if someone will take your book in their store unless you ask!  In my home town I have my book in every hotel gift shop.  This has really been a blessing and a gold mine for sales.  Just think of all the people coming and going or stuck there for a week or more on business and need something to read and if that person has fellow friend(s) there on business with them…another sale!  The best part about this is that the book leaves the hotel with the guest and is more than likely passed on to someone else.  So your book is now being seen by more people in a totally different location that your home town.  Hopefully they like it enough to get their own copy or maybe just by word of mouth sales.  This is a great promotional tool and it only cost you about 30 minutes talking with the owner of the hotel.  Not too bad eh?
Schedule some readings at your local library/coffee shop/ or anywhere you can think ok.  Everyone I've met so far gets excited when they can say they personally know a writer/author.  You will be surprised at the turnout.  Don't be discouraged if you don't have a lot at your first one.  You have to let the word get spread around a bit, but I can say that your next one you will see more people and if they like your stuff your next one will have even more people.
See if your local newspaper will do a small article about you.  They surely won't ever do one if you don't ask them to!
Always, ALWAYS be thinking of how to promote your work and then get out there and do it.
If you are serious about your writing get a nice website done or start a wordpress blog to promote your work. WordPress is highly customizable to the point where it actually becomes a website.

Well, there is enough there above probably to have your mind going in about a million different directions.  I do want to add one more list for you.  It is as important as the list above.

Network with other writers.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Most were in your shoes at one time.
Sign up and get a Facebook account and spread the word.  Facebook has been a godsend for me.
Make sure you get a good editor for your work (even if you have to pay a little for it). This is one area I wish I had taken more time with.  Not that I'm complaining about the editor I used with my first short story collection. He's great and he did me a wonderful job, best of all it was free.  But I wish I would have let a few more people see it in the writing world before it went to print.  I have however gotten it re-edited and touched up and now it's in tip top shape.  So let this be a warning or hint on one step to that you do before putting your book out!
Another place to help get the word out is a site called Scribd. You can put up a story there for free and let people come to your page and download it.  Smashwords allows you to put up stories for free as well, and I can tell you that some of my friends are seeing further sales because of this very thing.
Keep on writing.  Please don't stop just because you have a book out, unless of course you don't plan on writing another one.
If you do plan on making writing a career, write and keep submitting to places that will accept your work.  Usually the online mags give you a little section for your bio and HEY why not plug about your book there!
Set a goal for yourself with sales. I've found I'm more apt and willing to get out there and sell my books with a goal sheet hung up on my wall above my laptop.
Don't get discouraged! Keep at it!
This is probably the most important thing to me.  THANK the person that buys your book.  REALLY thank them for opening up their wallet and buying something that you wrote for their entertainment.  It goes a LONG LONG way, trust me on this.  I know you can't thank everyone, the Kindle and Amazon sales don't let you see who purchases your book, but the one's you sell in person you can and you should!

 

Ok, I've taken up enough of your time.  I am going to provide links to the various sites I mentioned above.  I hope this has helped you in some way, even if only a little bit.  I want to thank Andy again for letting me be a guest on his blog, Thanks man! I appreciate it!

One last thing I want to do here and if I didn't do it I wouldn't be practicing what I preach.  Here are the links to my books I've self-published. If you buy one, THANK YOU for purchasing them.  It means more than I could ever say!

Before Sunrise (both the physical and Kindle links are there): http://www.amazon.com/Before-Sunrise-John-Prescott/dp/1451537913/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290329867&sr=1-3

M is for Monster: Paperback- http://www.amazon.com/M-Monster-John-Prescott/dp/1453865675/ref=sr_1_82?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290330015&sr=1-82

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/M-is-for-Monster-ebook/dp/B0049P1QOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1290330084&sr=1-1

You can also visit my website here: www.john-prescott.com and my Publisher's website here: www.darkcontinents.com

Links for sources mentioned above:

Amazon Create-Space: https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-product-page.html?topic=200354160&ld=AZOnDemandMakeM

Amazon Kindle Author Page: http://forums.digitaltextplatform.com/dtpforums/kbcategory.jspa?categoryID=2

Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com

 

Best,

John Prescott

 

Legacy 1.1: Requiem

It's here!

I am very pleased to announce that volume 1.1 of Legacy is now officially available in print. Requiem collects the first half of season one stories, from The Catalyst right through to The Flames of Chambrook. That's 188 pages of Doctor Who action!

Followers of this blog will be familiar with a few of the stories, as I've run them on here recently. However, as an incentive for buying the print edition, it includes two stories not published on this blog. First up we Greg Miller's The Ugly Bug Ball, a story which originally saw ePublication in 2006, and secondly we have The Flames of Chambrook from the imagination of A. R. Montacruz. This story is an exclusive to Requiem – although originally written in 2006, it never got finished in time and has thus never been seen nor read by anyone other than the editors.

Requiem is being published by Frankallen Books, and distributed by Lulu. It costs £5.25; but for the first week only it's going for £4.99! As a labour of love, the contributors do not make a penny from the publication of this book, and all royalties go directly to Cancer Research. So, in effect, not only are you buying a series of interesting stories, but you're also helping those suffering from cancer.

Edited by Andy Frankham-Allen, Greg Miller and Elizabeth Medeiros, Requiem features stories by Andy Frankham-Allen, Christoph Lopez, Niall Turner, Greg Miller and A. R. Montacruz, with an exclusive foreword by Montacruz and a cover by Andrew Orton.

You can buy it directly from the Requiem page…

A small note; I shall be running more season one Legacy stories in the new year, as a lead in to volume 1.2…

Vampire Knight #1

Today I am proud to present the opening segment of my new, serialised, eBook, Vampire Knight. Although I have a general idea of where it is going, I've no definite plan in mind. Thus, in many ways, this is something of an experiment. A story that will develop week-by-week, chapter-by-chapter. I will, of course, be making notes along the way, so that the novel follows a logical path in terms of story.

So, please do join me on this journey, as we all see where the characters lead…

VAMPIRE KNIGHT - Prologue

September, 1883.

The heat was intense, a little too much so, if Liam O'Connor had anything to say about things. Not that he did, of course – Lord Lockhead made sure O'Connor knew his place, and offering opinions was not it.

He removed his necktie and ran his fingers along the inside of his stiff collar. Why he had agreed to go on this expedition was beyond him, but then he remembered with a sardonic smile. He had no choice. In this forest, so far from civilization, it was easy to pretend otherwise, but one glance at the man walking ahead of him was enough to remind him of his place. He was only a butler, and an Irish one at that. And it was a common fact that it was a hard job to get anywhere in London without the right breeding. Wasn't a nice situation, but that's how it was. O'Connor had come to accept that over the years, but he didn't like it. Neither did he like this forest he was in now.

'How much longer, Mr Lockhead?' he asked.

Lord Oliver Lockhead III was his employer, although O'Connor knew that Lockhead still had the old master/servant mindset. Not a nice man, all told. Grumpy, and stern. Tall, with greying hair and a thick beard. Clothed in an expensive suit, Lockhead looked very out of place in the forest. O'Connor was sure he had heard Clark trying to convince Lockhead to change his clothes. Lockhead would have none of it.

That had been back in London, nearly two hours ago. Yet O'Connor could not escape the feeling that he walked the whole world to get to the forest.

Lockhead held up a hand and the group came to a halt. He glanced at each of them, then rested his gaze on O'Connor. 'A little bit of patience and stamina is all that you require, young man.' Always the superior tone. O'Connor hated it. Lockhead indicated the trees in front of them. 'Besides, it is just beyond those trees there.'

'How do you know that?'

Lockhead sniffed. 'I have been here before. Now, be quiet and follow me.'

O'Connor stood his ground, and hefted the sword he was made to hold to a more comfortable position. Lockhead didn't even blink, he just turned away. Obviously the conversation was over as far as he was concerned. None of the others seemed concerned by Lockhead's knowledge of the layout of the forest. As they followed Lockhead, O'Connor stepped over to Clark, Lockhead's most trusted advisor. Clark was a rather large man in stature, but his dress sense was much more sensible than that of Lockhead. Khaki safari clothes, with a hunter's rifle in his hand.

'How has he been here before?'

Clark glanced at O'Connor, his aged eyes looking puzzled, affronted that a butler should address him in such a casual manner. For a second Clark didn't answer, then with a slight shrug, he said; 'Don't you ever listen, O'Connor? It was Lord Lockhead over there that first discovered the link.'

O'Connor paused and watched Lockhead progress towards the edge of the forest. 'Oh.'

*

The little group came out into a rather large clearing. O'Connor was last, but came to a stop the quickest. The sight that greeted him was the last thing he had expected. From the things he had heard in London he had expected some sort of castle, full of monsters and demons. Not this.

It was a settlement of some sort. O'Connor had seen paintings of similar things. Old stone huts, now in ruins. Drinking fountains, and a lot of people. More than O'Connor would have thought for such a small dwelling. And they looked so normal. All adults, the youngest couldn't have been any less than twenty years of age. They were dressed in simple clothes, no doubt what Lockhead would have described as rags. That wasn't how O'Connor saw it, though. They had a simple elegance that was touching. People who were not obsessed with material things.

Except for three of them. These three stood out among the rags; older than the others and dressed in the elegant clothes favoured by the gentlemen of London Town. Complete with top hat and tails. They were very out of place.

Before O'Connor had the chance to observe any more he was dragged behind the remains of a stone wall by Clark. He looked over the very edge of the wall at the settlement, then glanced at Clark.

'Are you sure about this? They don't look like the ones.'

Clark shook his head. 'I assure you that they are, O'Connor. There is little doubt of that.'

'But look at them. Enjoying the company of each other. Going about their own business. They are nobody's enemy.'

Lockhead let out a bitter laugh; it was soft, but full of such emotion. He looked across at O'Connor. 'Ah, the inexperience of youth. Don't let your eyes fool you, O'Connor. It is they.'

O'Connor shook his head, and pushed his way past Clark. It didn't escape his attention that he was getting bolder since leaving London. 'But, Lord Lockhead, look at them.' He pointed over the wall. Lockhead refused to look. 'They are no different than our own families in London.'

Lockhead pulled O'Connor down to his knees, turned and glared at him. 'Pray, stop this now,' he hissed. 'Conscience will not help you stop these… these things. They may look like you, but I assure you, they most certainly are not!'

Clark did his best to motion O'Connor to stop, but, although he had noticed, O'Connor paid no attention. Instead he pursued his course. O'Connor needed to get to the bottom of this, because when he was first told about this he had heard stories about monsters. Responsible for countless deaths in London. But these people were not those monsters, they couldn't be. It just didn't add up.

'But…'

That was as far as he got. No sooner had he started than he realised that he could not find the words to express himself. He was never good at these word battles, and now it was beginning to show. 'But, this isn't right,' was the best he could manage.

*

The group were so immersed in their internal debate that none of them noticed as a young woman walked towards the broken wall behind which they were hiding. She held in her arm a basket of clothing, meaning to hang the clothes over the wall to dry.

*

'Right! O'Connor, I do not think that right was on their minds when they killed all those people.'

'But, sir,' O'Connor protested, in spite of himself. He was mindful of his actions, and how by arguing with his employer in such an open way was certain to have serious consequences when they returned to London. But he could not stop himself. 'They're just people! No different than the homeless forced into the workhouses…'

*

One of the group, another servant, slightly older and more loyal than O'Connor, noticed the woman approaching. She was the picture of beauty. Radiant skin, long flowing blonde hair, and a very full figure. The servant only noticed these things for a brief second; his mind was filled with the sights he had seen in London. All the dead people. He glanced around the group, unsure what to do.

*

'Your bleeding heart will not save these creatures, Mister O'Connor. Go to the families of all those that have been killed,' Lockhead continued, 'ask them if this is right!'

O'Connor looked down at the dusty ground. Although deep in his heart he knew this was all wrong, he couldn't help but be humbled by the words of Lord Lockhead. Clark watched O'Connor's reaction and shook his head, then turned to Lockhead. Nobody noticed the other servant ready his gun.

'How do you suggest we proceed, Oliver?'

'Pick them off one at a time perhaps. Although that will take a while. Perhaps it is better if we…'

The conversation was halted by a gun shot. Even O'Connor looked over at the other servant. But that look soon turned to outrage. These deaths were not needed. The man lowered his gun and looked at them. His eyes conveyed the fear, and O'Connor's heart sank at the sight of it. They were committed now.

They looked at the woman lying beyond the wall. She had a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead. Further into the clearing a commotion had begun. People were looking at the dead woman in confusion, while two of the three in the gentlemen's clothes began walking towards the woman. Even from this distance the anger on their faces was quite evident.

'Brilliant!' Lockhead shook his head. 'What did you do that for?'

The servant wore a puzzled expression. He opened his mouth to speak, but very few words came out. O'Connor watched him intently; it was becoming very obvious that the man's mind was breaking. Something had to be done.

'I think we have gone past the point of no return. Look!' Clark pointed at the woman. She was getting to her feet.

For a moment her eyes linked with O'Connor's and he shuddered. Blinking, he looked away, certain that the sun was playing tricks on him. He could not have possibly seen what he thought he had seen. The woman looked back at her fellows and let out a high pitched scream. O'Connor slammed his hands over his ears and stumbled backwards.

'Damnation take it!' Clark yelled above the noise. 'Now what?'

The noise ceased and Lockhead looked at his little group, then turned to Clark. 'We attack, what else can we do?' For a moment he sounded scared, but then he took a deep breath and continued in a steady voice. 'Make sure there are no survivors. This is for the fallen of London.'

O'Connor swallowed hard and gave Lockhead a scathing look. Lockhead just smiled coldly. 'Attack!' he hissed, and turned, pulling his knife out of the pouch on his hip.

The group followed him and launched themselves at the people of the settlement. Guns began firing, the knives and swords started flashing.

O'Connor stood behind the wall and watched. He could not move even if he wanted to. 'This is wrong,' he whispered. 'Where is the right?'

*

Bodies lay everywhere. Blood and insides littered the ground, in places they were joined by limbs, in other places bodies lay mostly in one piece. But all had one thing in common; the hearts had been removed, thrown on the dusty ground and stamped on.

Two members of Lockhead's group lay dead, their heads having been decapitated by brute force. O'Connor still watched from behind the wall, emotions swimming across his face. Disgust, hate, anger… fear. His mouth was dry and he licked his lips.

'There should have been another way…' He looked across at Lockhead and their eyes met. Lockhead had the crazed look of a madman, hanging on the brink of insanity. O'Connor watched as Lockhead looked down at the corpse beneath, and with bloody hands reached into the chest.

Lockhead lifted the heart out of the corpse and looked down at it. 'You stole my daughter's soul, I claim it back.' He lifted the heart above his head, and looked up at the sky beyond. 'As the rays of the sun lighten and gild the blackest cloud, so the soul by entering the body of the universe gives it immortality; the abject it lifts up. Rest, my dear Juliet.'

He let the heart fall, and with a look of pure satisfaction, squashed it underfoot. Clark and the other servant joined him. Neither spoke, they just followed him over to the wall. O'Connor watched them approach, all three of them with their clothes covered in blood. Lockhead did not spare him a glance, just carried on past him towards the trees. Clark stopped next to O'Connor and placed a hand on his shoulder. The young man was trembling. Clark opened his mouth to speak, but Lockhead turned back to them.

'By Christ's wounds, leave him, Clark! He has no stomach for justice!' He walked back over to O'Connor and Clark, the other servant remaining by the trees. O'Connor forced himself to look Lockhead in the eyes, but he couldn't. The eyes were cold, and filled O'Connor with an intense sense of dread. 'Be sure to note, Mister O'Connor, that upon our return to London, you would be well advised to seek new employment. Perhaps there is some poor micher out there who needs the services of one such as you. A boy who cannot entertain the notion of justice. The two of you would be well matched. A micher and a coward!'

O'Connor waited a few moments until Lockhead and his two faithful ones had entered the forest, before he started towards the trees himself. 'Justice…' he whispered, bitterness only too evident.

*

For a while nothing moved in the settlement. Then a figure stepped out of one of the broken huts. He stood; the gentlemen's clothes caked in blood. He was on old man, but despite his obvious seventy plus years, his skin was radiant and his eyes were alive with a fire. The old man surveyed the corpses of his people, his features giving away no emotion.

All the breeders were dead. The last colony, the final hope for his species… Gone.

'It cannot be allowed to end like this,' he said, a new idea forming in his head. It would take a long time to come to fruition, but if he were careful then perhaps his people would live again.

The man took a deep breath and set off towards the trees.

Chapter One next Saturday, Nov 20th 2010.

Vampire Knight © 2010 by Andy Frankham-Allen,
Cover © 2010 by Andy Frankham-Allen, for Frankallen Books. 
All Rights Reserved