Phil Giunta's Blog, page 98

Amazon Reviews Deleted in a Purge Aimed at Manipulation

A few days before Christmas, the New York Times posted an article about Amazon deleting more book reviews .   As if fake reviews are a surprise to anyone.  Although this came to light a few months ago, I never commented on it, merely reported it.   I'm disappointed to know that authors have used "sock puppet" Amazon accounts to leave praising reviews for their own books and damaging reviews for competing authors. 

If you have enough confidence in the quality of your own writing, you would not feel the need to undermine another author.  That tells me that the other author has probably produced a better book or series and you feel threatened by it.  Rather than either support them or just leave them alone, your insecurity and envy leads you to try and destroy them even in some small way.  Your time would be better spent improving your craft or just quitting altogether.

Thanks to Howard Weinstein for sending this article to me this morning!

About This Writing Stuff...

...And we're back for a special End of Year edition of About This Writing Stuff.   I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful holiday season.  I was fortunate to have 11 consecutive days off from the FT job and I have been putting that time to excellent use.  First, I was invited back to contribute a short story to the second volume of a series that I'd worked on earlier this year.  More details to come on that.  Secondly, I am recording the audio version of my upcoming second novel, By Your Side, which is slated to be released in March. So far, the holidays have been pleasant and relaxing.

During the hiatus, I've accumulated quite a few articles, so the below list is longer than usual.  Dean Wesley Smith concludes his four-part series from the New World of Publishing while Jeremy Greenfield makes predictions for digital publishing in the coming year.   David Gaughran speaks out about the partnership between Simone & Schuster and Author Solutions.   We get a double shot of Guy Kawasaki and the topic of self-publishing.  Speaking of self-publishing, we celebrate 2012 as the year the indies made it to the top!   Jami Gold offers advice on avoiding the info-dump, Jody Hedlund keeps up the tension, and Jacqueline Resnick finds the perfect writing spot.  Writers Digest and Writer Unboxed offer some further gems on the craft and Veronica Sicoe talks POV in SF!

Enjoy and see you next year!


Libraries See Opening as Bookstores Close by Karen Ann Cullotta

How to Structure a Killer Novel Ending by Larry Brooks

How to Avoid Writer's Block by Tim O'Mara via Chuck Sambuchino

Top Ten Reasons to Self-Publish by Guy Kawasaki

7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to your Novel by Elizabeth Sims

How to Find the Perfect Writing Spot by Jacqueline Resnick

Simon & Schuster Joins Forces with Author Solutions to Rip-Off Writers by David Gaughran

How to Keep Production Going All Year by Dean Wesley Smith

Ten Bold Predictions for Ebooks and Digital Publishing in 2013 by Jeremy Greenfield

The Year Indies Finally Got On Top by Terry Giulano Long

Interview with Guy Kawasaki by Barry Eisler via Joe Konrath

Four Tips for Fixing the Infamous "Info Dump" by Jami Gold

Ten Techniques for Getting Tension on Every Page by Jody Hedlund

POV in Science Fiction by Veronica Sicoe

Is Hubris Holding You Back? by Lorin Oberweger

A Simple Approach to Revisions by Cathy Yardley

Farpoint SF Convention - Lots of Actors and Writers!

For those among us with an interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy, I just wanted to mention an upcoming convention in Maryland called Farpoint.

This February, Farpoint will be celebrating its 20th anniversary and in addition to a nice line-up of actor guests, the convention has doubled the number of writer guests including:

Peter David
Keith RA DeCandido
Michael Jan Friedman
Dave Galanter
Donna Galanti
Bob Greenberger
Bob Jeschonek
David Mack
Danielle McPhail
Mike McPhail
Kelly Meding
Nobilis Reed
Aaron Rosenberg
Don Sakers
Howard Weinstein
Steven H. Wilson
Richard White

...and several more, including...yours truly back again for my fourth year! My second paranormal mystery novel, By Your Side, will debut there during the Friday night Book Fair, also a new event for Farpoint. 

Additionally, 6 out of 11 authors (myself included) from the ReDeus: Divine Tales anthology will be on hand all weekend long.  Editors Aaron Rosenberg and Bob Greenberger will be on hand to discuss what's next in the series.

For those interested in Will Smith's upcoming SF film, After Earth, Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman and Bob Greenberger will be host a panel to talk about their media tie-in work (they actually met with Will Smith earlier this year!).

For the con's 20th anniversary, I'm managing the convention's writer programming track and I'm lining up some interesting workshops and discussion panels on the craft and business of our shared passion. Everything from Time Management for Writers to Writing Sequels to Creating Anthologies to Writing Historical Fiction and much more will be on the schedule.

Please consider joining us for the weekend or even just a day. 

Hope to see you there!  Happy Holidays!

Book Review: Reach for Tomorrow by Arthur C. Clarke

Reach for Tomorrow is a collection of Arthur C. Clarke short stories culled from various sources.  Overall, most stories are enjoyable but forgettable.  There are some gems, however. 

A Walk in the Dark: On a planet with no indigenous life, a man makes his way alone along a trail in the middle of the night to reach a spaceport.  His head is filled with stories of nocturnal monsters that roam the barren lands.  During his walk, fear and logic battle it out in his mind.  Clarke maintains tension well with absolutely no dialogue.

Technical Error: A technician at a power plant is accidentally exposed to several gigawatts of power.  When he awakens, his entire physiology and certain mental abilities are found to be the exact reverse of normal!  As his body begins to shut down, the scientists theorize a course of action to save not only the man's life, but also avoid trouble for the corporation...

Trouble with the Natives: Two well-intentioned, but slightly misinformed aliens with no fashion sense are sent to Earth to meet with our leaders. They encounter several different people who test their understanding of the human race--until they land in jail...

Time's Arrow: While on a dig, a group of archaeologists become curious about a research facility just over the hill.  After their professor meets with one of the physicists there, he learns of a startling new experiment but is sworn to secrecy.  His two assistants begin speculating and end up figuring out the nature of the experiment, a little too late for the professor and the physicist.

Jupiter 5:  A team of scientists venture to the moons of Jupiter to explore the smallest of them, which turns out not to be a moon at all but the key to understanding a mysterious civilization that perished on Mars eons ago.

About This Writing Stuff... On Hiatus

As I need to begin recording the audio version of my new novel, By Your Side, and since I am serving as the writer liaison for the Farpoint SF convention happening in February , I'm afraid blogging will need to take a back seat for a few weeks.   Those two activities, in addition to my day job and the rest of my obligations, will consume my time.

At the very least, I'll post updates on By Your Side and Farpoint as they arise.

"About This Writing Stuff..." will resume as my schedule allows.


Happy Holidays

Farpoint's 20th Anniversary Convention!

Are you a fan of Eureka? Farpoint's got returning favorite Felicia Day in February!

Are you a fan of Once Upon a Time or Breaking Bad? Farpoint's got Giancarlo Esposito at one of his first cons!

Also, voice actor Ron Paulsen, John Billingsley (Enterprise, True Blood) and returning favorites Lee Arenberg (Once Upon a Time, Pirates of the Caribbean), and Bonita Friedericy (Chuck)!Writer guests include Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Aaron Rosenberg, Bob Greenberger, Donna Galanti, Nobilis Reed, Helen Madden, David Mack, Don Sakers, Howard Weinstein, Lance Woods, Steven H. Wilson, and more...including yours truly!

Click here to check out Farpoint's website for more details!

So This Book Arrived in the Mail Today...

The proof copy of my second paranormal mystery novel, By Your Side, arrived in the mail today from my publisher.   Tis a beautiful thing! 

Electronic copies have been sent to those book reviewers that accept that format.  My publisher will be shipping paperback copies to the rest in the coming weeks.

The book is on target to launch at Farpoint and then will be released to the market in March.   Ironically, By Your Side is following the same release schedule as my first novel, Testing the Prisoner, down to the exact time of year!

Whereas being published in  ReDeus: Divine Tales was a wonderful birthday gift back in the summer, this is an excellent Christmas gift...to myself!  :-)

Taking a Break Over the Holiday...

This blog will go dark for the rest of the week.  I'll resume next week with a new edition of "About This Writing Stuff."  Thanksgiving weekend will find me kicking off the recording of the audio version of my upcoming novel, By Your Side.  Also, as writer liaison for the Farpoint SF Convention coming in February, I need to hunker down and start scheduling the discussion panels for the writers programming track.

And somewhere in there, I need to actually rest before kicking the Christmas decorating into high gear next week.

For now, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We Have a Book!!

I am ecstatic to report that my second paranormal mystery novel, By Your Side, has gone to press!  My publisher sent the eProof copy to me on Friday and a paperback proof copy is coming next week. 

By Your Side is on track for a March 2013 release and will launch at Farpoint , a SF Media convention that will take place February 15-17, 2013 in Timonium, MD.

What's it about? 

While haunted by visions of her brother's suicide, psychic-medium Miranda Lorensen is called to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to investigate a series of bizarre deaths—some of which are also suicides. Miranda and her team of paranormal investigators quickly find themselves confronted by a vengeful spirit awakened thirty-three years after a bloody family tragedy.  Miranda realizes that only she can stop the entity before it claims its final victims, but will her obsession for saving lives redeem her for the brother she failed?


Here is an excerpt!  This scene is from the POV of our protagonist, Miranda Lorensen...

"Nancy!" Miranda called. "None of this is going to bring back the life you had, or the children you lost. Ginny never did anything to you. She’s innocent!" What had started as a dull ache in her shoulders and upper back was now becoming unbearable. She desperately wanted to collapse on a soft bed in dry pajamas. Lord, please. I’m getting too old for this. Help me out here.

Ginny spun, her eyes burning with rage. The eyes of Nancy Vernon. "So were my children!"

"Then why take another child’s life?" Miranda shook her head. "I won’t allow it. Give Ginny to me, now!"

"You can’t stop me. You can’t win this."

There was a blur of motion to Miranda’s left. Amy bolted from the stairwell on a dead run. Startled, Ginny clumsily swung a leg over the rail.

Miranda gasped. "No!"

Amy lunged forward, wrapping one arm around Ginny’s midsection. The girl screamed and slid several inches along the slick rail before Amy’s weight brought her down to the asphalt roof in a crumpled heap. Miranda cringed, inhaling sharply through gritted teeth.

Ginny cried out, wincing in pain. For a few moments, she was utterly motionless, her mouth hanging open. Her chest heaved as she began breathing in spasms. Beside her, Amy pushed herself to her knees and swept a veil of drenched hair from her face. Miranda could see scrapes and scratches on Amy’s hand and arm that were just beginning to bleed.

"How’s that for being stopped, bitch?" Amy said.

Miranda hurried toward them. "Are you okay?"

Amy nodded just as Ginny rolled onto her side with a strangled moan and drew her knees up to her chest in a fetal position. Amy slipped her arm from the girl’s waist and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I’m sorry, Ginny."

"Don’t be." Miranda crouched down beside Ginny. "She may be hurt, but you saved her life." She grasped Ginny’s ankles. "We need to be careful now. Hold her down. If Nancy’s still—"

"Get away from her right now!"

Miranda and Amy looked up in unison as a man of average height and build approached from the fire escape. He wore faded jeans and a dark blue polo shirt. A police badge was clipped to his belt.

And his semi-automatic was leveled at Miranda.

She lifted her hands, palms out. "Sir, we’re not armed."

"I don’t care. Move away now."

"Denny!" Ginny cried. Her raspy voice was tinged with panic. "These are the people I told you about, the ones from the library and the restaurant. They forced me up here and tried to throw me off." Her body trembled as she began sobbing. "Help me, please."

So Nancy’s still in her head. This should get interesting.

Taking one hand off the gun, the cop pointed toward the stairwell access. "I’m going to tell you this only once. Both of you will release Ms. Knedlhans and get over there on your knees, hands on your heads, now."

Miranda refused to budge. "If we let Ginny go, she’ll jump. She was already up here when we arrived. Now, you can shoot us but I guarantee you’ll be scraping her off the street. All we want is to get her safely back inside. Then I’ll explain everything."

"I don’t think so, blondie," Ginny scoffed. Miranda glanced at her but it was Nancy Vernon who met her gaze. She shot a sidelong glance at the cop. "I’m so sorry, Denny. I know how much she meant to you."

Meant?

Denny took a step forward. "Ginny, what are you—"

The girl swung her fist upward and backhanded Amy, sending her stumbling into the iron railing.

Miranda leaned over Ginny to pin her arms to her side but Nancy anticipated her. She slammed both feet into Miranda’s midsection, knocking the wind out of her. Miranda doubled over as Ginny gracelessly pushed herself up and reached for the rail.

Denny lowered his gun and bolted forward. "Ginny, stop!"

Without hesitation, Miranda charged ahead, grasping for Ginny with both hands. By the time she stopped moving, Miranda was bent over the rail with a bird’s eye view of the parking lot. She felt Amy’s arms around her legs, providing ballast.

Miranda strained to breathe against the pressure of the metal against her abdomen. Taking short breaths, she ignored it and focused on Ginny dangling precariously in her grasp. With one hand, she held Ginny’s left forearm while in the other, a wad of stretched maroon tank top that was already beginning to tear.

"A little help," Miranda groaned. The fleeting image of a frightened girl in an oak tree flashed through her mind. Don’t let go…"I can’t hold her."

In her peripheral vision, Denny climbed the rail to her right. He hooked his feet under it and held on with one hand as he crouched down. He extended his free hand, fingers brushing Ginny’s shoulder.

"Give me your other hand, sweetheart," Denny said.

Ginny tilted her head and gazed up at him quizzically. "Now why would I do that? Didn’t I make myself clear? This can only end one way. The blonde can’t hold on forever."

Miranda knew that only she could see Nancy Vernon. To Denny, his best friend’s daughter was ten stories and two tentative grips away from joining her father. Don’t let go.

At that moment, a hole opened up in the back of Ginny’s tank top but Miranda maintained her grip. She squeezed Ginny’s forearm with her other hand in a feeble attempt to ward off the growing numbness in her fingers.

Denny stretched his arm desperately. "Ginny, please."

If I can get her closer. Miranda braced her knees against the rail and arched her back, pulling Ginny upward until she was within Denny’s reach. Nancy made no motion to hinder her effort. She merely allowed Ginny’s body to hang like deadweight, waiting for Miranda’s grip to weaken.

"That’s good." Denny slid his way closer along the rail. Miranda marveled at his courage but feared for him nearly as much as for Ginny. "Just a little higher."

Somewhere below them, Miranda heard excited voices and the rattling of metal but ignored it. She pressed her foot against the rail for support. Denny wrapped a hand around Ginny’s bicep and began to lift her—but Nancy would not have it. She yanked her arm from Miranda’s grasp and goudged the back of Denny’s hand with her fingernails. He howled in pain and recoiled, dropping her arm.

Fabric tore. Amy gasped.

And Ginny fell.

About This Writing Stuff...

This week, we learn why Lee Goldberg thinks that now is the best time to be a writer.  Jody Hedlund warns us about common first-chapter mistakes while Ann Aguirre offers tips on changing your process to become more productive.  Dean Wesley Smith looks back on the year in publishing. IndieReader praises the Espresso Book Machine while Arthur Klebanoff opines on the benefits of Amazon's Kindle Serials program.  P.J. Parrish brings us Ian Fleming's essay, How to Write a Thriller.

And more!  Enjoy...


The Best Time To Be a Writer by Lee Goldberg

New Survey Supports That Ebook Borrowers Buy, Too by Jeremy Greenfield

Five Common First-Chapter Mistakes by Jody Hedlund

Changing Your Process by Ann Aguirre

The New World of Publishing: Some Perspective on 2012 by Dean Wesley Smith

Will Kindle Serials Transform Anthology Publishing? by Arthur Klebanoff

The Espresso Book Machine: Double Shot of Innovation by Keri English

The Point of a Scene: Thinking in Concepts by Jami Gold

Do You Cringe When Authors Market Their Books? by Dan Blank

Are You Thrilling or Merely Mysterious?   by P.J. Parrish

7 Ways Writing a Screenplay is Different Than Writing a Novel by Michael Ferris