Megan Bostic's Blog, page 19

F³A: The costly learning curve of indie publishing

You people who are considering indie publishing are very lucky to have me, yes you are. I'm like your trial run through this crazy process. You can live vicariously through me while I make the mistakes you don't have to when you're ready to take the plunge.

Some of the mistakes  have been costly, but I've learned my lesson. Here is the big one: As I've told you, I'm publishing through Createspace and Lightning Source. Createspace does offer expanded distribution through Amazon, but with Lightning Source I can offer retailers a bigger discount, which will incline them more to carry my book if requested. I can also have it returnable. Many bookstores won't carry it if it's not returnable. Also this way Dissected will also be available for libraries and schools to purchase.

You don't have to do this of course. I know writers who use Amazon's extended distribution and are perfectly happy with it.

Here are the mistakes I made:

1) Not ensuring that the book was edited properly before formatting and uploading. Truly, this was mostly just laziness on my part, but I've learned my lesson for sure.
2) From now on, everything will be set up and completed on Createspace before moving on to Lightning source and setting a release date. Why? I will tell you. It's free. Yes it's all free up to the point where you order your proof copies. Lightning Source charges for every resubmission of a digital upload. $40 to be exact. Also, where Createspace's proofs are just under $4, Lightning Source's are $30. And they look exactly the same. Exactly. So there's that.

So there you have it.
 
One more piece of advice, your cover will come back darker than it looks on the computer.

If you don't want to mess with much of this stuff yourself, I think I've mentioned, my friend Rachel and I are starting our own business, Creative Chaos Media. We don't have prices listed on our site yet, but feel free to contact us.

The finish line is fast approaching. The date is set. Last things...get proof copies from Createspace in mail today and make sure cover is all good. Interior is now perfect or as perfect as it's going to be. Resubmit interior to lightning source and finish setting up distribution. Make sure everything online is set to go for November 12th. 

Send proof copies to a couple bloggers who have requested it, Angel and Lea (I hope to hell they like it).

Design and order postcards to be sent to schools. libraries and bookstores. I did this way earlier with Never Eighteen, but I've kind of been overloaded this time and I'm glad I didn't since I changed the book cover.

Order new bookmarks with new cover design.

Design buttons and order.

Contact a couple bloggers and see about a blog tour.

Send out invites for and promote the launch.

I think that's it, but I'll have to brainstorm.

Anyone in the area is welcome to come to the launch party. 

Tuesday, November 12, 7 pm
Garfield Book Company
208 Garfield St S #101, Tacoma, WA 98444 

It's Friday, so I bring you the Scribbles...

Pandora queue song: Hang Me Up To Dry by Cold Water Kids

 Book of the Week: Joe Peace by friend Kerry Dunn. I read an excerpt a couple years ago and had done a video review of the except for the ABNA contest a few years back. I remember it being funny, witty and gritty. I started reading the book and my memory served me right.

Netflix of the Week: Do yourself a favor and catch up on the Walking Dead. Season 4 starts Sunday. Can't wait!!

Quote of the Week: "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." ~ Albert Einsten

Happy Friday, have a good weekend and go make some fun mistakes!

Cover Frustration!!

So, my first cover was too dark. The back of my second cover was a little off kilter. Then somehow the front of the third time around got this strange border around it. I'm not really even sure how that happened. I put it right into the same layout I used the first two times. Sigh.

I tried something different this time. Instead of using InDesign, I downloaded a template from Createspace for my size book. We'll see how that goes.

What really really sucks is that every time I change the digital copy on Lightning Source they charge me $40 and their proofs are $30. And I clearly wasn't thinking last night or I would have only changed on Createspace, ordered new proofs as they charge nothing for changes and their proofs are just under $4.

Ugh, sometimes I'm such an idiot.

Time is dwindling down to my release date and I don't have my cover right. I want to pull my hair out and scream and throw a tantrum on the floor. But I don't because I'm a lady. Why are you laughing? I am!

We'll see how this next proof goes. I've expedited the shipping so I have them by Friday.

Wish me luck.

Don't forget I have a preview of the first chapter on Createspace. Feel free to go and leave a review. Also enter to win a copy on Goodreads.

Monkey Madness Monday: I did it

I set a date for my release party. November 12th. I was afraid if I didn't set it, I would never set it and never put the book out. So I emailed Garfield Books and just did it. I'm waiting to send out the invites however until I get the last round of proof copies. I'm not going through the book again, mind you, but I want to make sure the cover is okay. The last round it was a little kittywampus.

And now I'm terrified.

I don't know why, like I've said, I've received really good feedback.

So when I get these proof copies (I think there are four in all) one is going to Garfield Books, and I've promised two of them to two bloggers. One I've promised to a guy who works in the movies. I've also sent two digital versions to another couple bloggers. I was going to put it up on Netgalley, but it's a little too costly for me to do that right now.

However, if there are any more blog reviewers out there who are interested in reviewing Dissected, email me, and I'll see what I can do. It's a little different this time around because of course, I have to pay for proof copies.

Don't forget, there is also the preview up at Createspace (updated version, I accidentally put an old, uncorrected one up the first time), feel free to review it for me,  and you can enter to win a copy on Goodreads.

For more information about Dissected, you can visit my website...

Oh yeah, here's Monday's Monkey...

F³A: I'll rest when I'm dead

People talk to me about my schedule quite a bit. They tell me I'm crazy, I need to slow down, I take on too much, spread myself too thin, while that's all well and good and at times I agree with them, I don't see any other way to survive.

Seriously, what other options do I have.

I've already talked about this in my relationship rant earlier (that was this week, right? Last week? Who knows anymore?)

I'm busy and I think I've finally figured out my afternoon sleep problems. I just have to get into the doctor and get it taken care of. I'd talk about it, but it's a little *cough* personal *cough*. But I've researched it and think I've solved the overtireness (yes it is a word, I just made it up) that will keep me from having to nap two to three hours a day so I can be more productive.

The important thing is, I always make time for me and for my friends. I make time to have fun and to live my life. It is not all about work.

AND this week has been a little weird and hellish, up and down. Lots of spending time in the rain and bitched out by a bitter, insecure woman, unfriended and blocked,  given a marriage proposition from across the globe, asked on a date by an ex boyfriend, and felt abandoned and lonely. However I've also felt flattered and sexy, accomplished a lot with my book this week, have witnesses some soccer wins.


I'm happy it's Friday and I'll be spending the evening with friends watching my brother's band, Smilin' Jack kick some serious funky ass while shaking mine. And if you watch The Voice (I don't) Stephanie Johnson who was on Tuesday night will be singing with them (she does some times and has an amazing voice, if you don't watch The Voice).

Wow, I think I just ranted again and had no intention to. I guess this week was mostly a ranting week. Oh well. Shit happens. Don't forget, to pre-order my friend Ian's book, enter to win Dissected, and read my preview (I realized my old one was from my proof copy and there were mistakes so I uploaded a new preview, should be no mistakes this time). Oh, hey and it's breast cancer awareness month, so go get a mammogram and be nice to your ladies.

Scribbles of the Week:
Pandora Queue Song: Such Great Heights by Postal Service on Postal Service Radio



Book of the Week: Going to go with Deep Six by Ian Thomas Healy. Like I said, go order it. Oh, and did I mention, these are not your children's superheroes.

Netflix of the Week: Breaking Bad Season 5. Had to get all caught up so I could watch the finale last Sunday. None of it disappointed. One of the best. Shows. Ever.

Quote of the Week: "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." ~ John Lennon

Preview for Dissected and Giveaway

Dissected is almost ready to be released into the world. I've gone back and forth with the editing and proof copies and now I've put a preview of the first chapter up on Createspace. If you'd like to read it, follow this link. The excerpt is 'R' rated. Consider yourself warned.

At Createspace you're able to leave a review of the preview if you wish. Feel free.

Remember I'm also giving away two copies of Dissected on Goodreads, available November 12. Enter here.

Here are a couple blurbs about Dissected from beta readers who happen to be librarians...these are also the blurbs you will see on my bookmarks...

"I liked it. I am disturbed by it. I was sucked in by it...Bostic's writing speaks to the reader's heart, and that is a gift." ~ Laura Denehy, Library Media Specialist,  Merrimack Middle School, Merrimack, NH

"A raw and vulnerable look at a young girl's downward spiral into drugs after being betrayed by her boyfriend. Heartwarming? No. Real? Hell yes!" ~ Jen Bigheart, Librarian, Westbank Community Library; District Director, Austin Teen Book Festival

Guest Post: Author Ian Healy

I don't often host other authors, but I believe this is the third time this particular author has been on my blog. Ian and I met way back in the first year of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, I believe that was 2007 when it began. What brought us together was the fact that both our novels were about superheroes and both made it to the top 100 semi-finals that year.

Without further ado...Ian Healy

Broadening the Universe

Deep Six came to be isn’t nearly as interesting as how Just Cause originally came about, but it does have a certain cachet all its own. Deep Six was the second book I wrote for the Just Cause Universe. I had originally started right in on The Archmage after completing Just Cause, but after a year of submissions for Just Cause and over 140 rejections, I decided that maybe I needed to take the JCU in a different direction. I’d done NaNoWriMo twice, resulting in The Milkman, which you can buy, and Propane Jockeys, which you can’t. I felt like I was becoming a better writer, and so I decided to do my own version of NaNoWriMo, which I called the Hundred Day Novel. I felt that 50,000 words was too short for any serious novel, but 80,000 was reasonable. I decided a daily writing goal of 800 words and a hundred days would suffice for such a challenge. Over the summer of 2006, I did just that, and thus Deep Six was born.

Following the usual round of beta reads and revision, I sent around Deep Six, and this time I actually got a couple of nibbles. Most prevalent was one agent who requested a revise-and-resend. I did, and the agent came back with a new request: Remove the superpowers and make it a straight thriller. I politely declined and there I was, with no prospects yet again. I had written Jackrabbit in 2006 and was about to embark upon Pariah’s Moon in 2007 when I heard about the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest for the first time. With nothing to lose, I took what I felt was my best completed project, Deep Six, and entered it.

It made the first round cuts and wound up as only one of four science fiction novels in the Top 100 Semifinalists. That was freakin’ exciting, let me tell you. Suddenly I felt like maybe I really did have something there, and I began to approach new ideas in the Just Cause Universe. My tales didn’t all have to be about the primary team of Just Cause. I’d created a lot of other organizations, some of which are mentioned in Just Cause itself like the New Guard, the Lucky Seven, and Divine Right. Why couldn’t some of them be featured in JCU novels? Or some of the other things I’d created like Deep Six or the Institute for Parahuman Medicine and Research in Paris? ABNA helped to rekindle my interest in the universe I’d created, and even though I didn’t make it to the finals, I can credit it with helping the development of the JCU.
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Deep Six releases worldwide in print and ebook formats on November 29, 2013. Preorders are available at Local Hero Press . Check out the book trailer onYoutube (Preview). Ian is on Twitter as @ianthealy and on Facebook as Author Ian Thomas Healy. Be sure to visit his scenic website for more information!
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Ian Thomas Healy is a prolific writer who dabbles in many different speculative genres. He’s a nine-time participant and winner of National Novel Writing Month where he’s tackled such diverse subjects as sentient alien farts, competitive forklift racing, a religion-powered rabbit-themed superhero, cyberpunk mercenaries, cowboy elves, and an unlikely combination of vampires with minor league hockey. He is also the creator of the Writing Better Action Through Cinematic Techniques workshop, which helps writers to improve their action scenes.

Ian also created the longest-running superhero webcomic done in LEGO, The Adventures of the S-Team, which ran from 2006-2012.

When not writing, which is rare, he enjoys watching hockey, reading comic books (and serious books, too), and living in the great state of Colorado, which he shares with his wife, children, house-pets, and approximately five million other people.

How can you stay?

This is another relationship rant. It's not about mine though, it's about someone else's, an old friend from college. In fact, it's more than just his relationship, I've seen many relationships like his before. A relationship in which you cannot choose who to be friends with, who to speak to. A relationship in which your other half dictates what you wear, what you do.

You see, I went to college with this man, and he is a kind person. And yes, we had a relationship back then. We were 18 years old, we both left that college the year after and never heard from the other again until the power of the internet made it possible for us to cross paths again.

We became friends on Facebook a while ago. Well, we hadn't talked, but the last week, he'd been in my dreams, so I thought I'd tell him. I went to write him on Facebook, only to find we were no longer friends. I really thought nothing of it. Sometimes I purge friends I've not talked to in awhile, so I refriended him. I figured if he had unfriended me he'd either accept or not, no skin off of my nose.

He accepted (so I thought) so I told him about my dream. Which was pretty innocent, it was like we were back in school, people hanging around, but my body image was bad, and he gave me no attention.

He started saying how that would be impossible that he wouldn't pay me attention and how sexy I was...to which I gave a very innocent reply...how we're friends, he was being silly, how beautiful his family is, turns out...wait for it...

...it was his wife.

She continued to call me all kinds of names, ugly whore, bitch. She talked about how he'd blocked me before (um, didn't block, unfriended, big difference), how she knows all about my relationship from college and it doesn't mean anything (um, duh, it was college, helloooo). She continued to say how she had been testing me by writing and good thing I proved her wrong, but then continued to call me a slut and a whore (um, thought I proved you wrong?)

Granted, I don't know what goes on behind their closed doors, maybe she has reason not to trust him, but for some reason I doubt it. I just find it sad, the control and lack of trust some people put up with in their relationships.That they allow these people that are supposed to love them to treat people like this.

I feel sorry for my friend. I hope it's worth it. I know people say they're staying together for their children, and that's their own prerogative, but it's not one I agree with.

Children are smarter than we think. When a marriage is struggling, you can't fake it. Children sense it. It's in your facial expressions, your tone of voice, your body movements. In my opinion,
you should teach your children that it's better to be happy alone than miserable together.

Just another rant brought to you by yours truly. If my friend is reading this, I'm sorry you feel you have to stay. It seems she doesn't love you like she should. If his wife is reading this, I'm sorry you trust him so little and are so insecure that you feel you need to stoop to such levels of deception as to catch him in a betrayal of your love and affection. I think maybe you should get to know him again.

Losing Faith in Humanity

You may have seen this video. It's actually from 2011, but has recently gone viral.

This wicked woman actually steals this ball out of the hands of this little girl.

This was a foul ball hit by Juan Miranda, then actually thrown up by a Diamondback to the little girl.

It's deplorable that this woman is then cheered and high fived by her friends. If I were that little girl's parent. I would have stormed my ass right down there and stripped the ball right out of her greedy, evil hands. What a bitch!

She's not the only adult to have stolen a baseball from a child, there's this dude, and a few in this video too. Luckily the stadium officials usually get wind of this and the kids get balls anyway, but still, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

Were they bullies when they were children? Were they just not taught manners? Are they just that
selfish and greedy that they would steal a stupid baseball from a kid? It's not even signed! And these are grown adults. Other kids, sure, I would get that. But of the videos I've seen, the kids are the ones giving their balls up to the younger kids.

Maybe I shouldn't be losing my faith in humanity, maybe these younger generations are better than us. Maybe they're watching the greedy, evil adults and saying to themselves, I don't want to be like that.

One can only hope I guess.

F³A: Relationship Rant

So, you know I sometimes rant about relationships on here, so I'm going to again and yeah, it has a little bit to do with writing, so there it is.

I've broken up with my latest boyfriend. I'm not really worried about him reading this, of the handful of relationships I've had since my divorce I think only one of them still reads this and probably only on occasion.

At my age, and I'm sure most of you know at least around how old I am, I'm not secretive about it, I'm pretty set in my ways. I would expect that most everyone is. In our forties we have our families, we have our careers, our activities, etc, etc. At my age, when I meet a person of interest, I don't expect to change things about them and I don't expect them to change things about me.

I'm a busy person. I don't see that changing. There is nothing in my life right now that I can give up.

My kids. Um, yep, not an option, and with them comes soccer games, music gigs, and other mom/daughter stuff.

My job. Again, unless you make bank and you want to take care of me for the rest of my life (which I would never expect of anyone btw) and we have a legal binding contract that states that, um, yeah, I need my job, I love my job.

My health. I NEED to exercise. The only time I can go to kickboxing is at night and I was a super
duper flake about it while I was dating the BF. You like this body? It ain't staying this way by itself.

I need my time to myself and my time with my friends. At our age, any age actually, I think it is healthy and necessary to have interests outside of one another.

My writing. This is not a hobby for me. I love this. I work a job because I have to.  I will not date anyone ever again who does not take my writing seriously. Um, I was published by one of the top publishers in the world. Do you know how hard that is to do? Seriously?

I will also not date anyone who tells me maybe I need to go to work full time. The part time job I have pays more than many people's full time jobs and it pays my bills. Do I bitch about money? Yes. Sorry. Doesn't everyone? Even though the job pays my bills I'd still like some new Uggs or a bigger barbecue or to vacation somewhere sunny in the middle of winter.

The breakup was a hard decision. It was painful. I care for him a lot. We had fun together. He made me laugh. I tried to let him down easy. I told him I was just too busy. I had things I needed to accomplish, goals to reach before I could commit fully to the kind of relationship he wanted.

He pushed me though, did he really bother me that much, was he really that bad, did he suffocate me?

Yes. Yes he did. I had no time to myself. No time to write, to exercise. I was exhausted all the time.

Every Sunday night I would go to my girlfriend's house and watch Dexter. Every Saturday and Sunday up until the point that I left he bitched about it incessantly.

Why must I change my routine to please someone else?

I don't watch TV, I work. Go ahead, you watch TV, I'll just be working right here, next to you.

I'm going to kickboxing, why don't you go do something?

I'm going out with my girlfriends, why don't you go out with some friends?

I need to be alone, see you in a couple days?

No? None of that works for you? Bye.

WTF?

Believe me, the space wasn't the only issue, just the biggest one.

To add insult to injury, he kept wanting to see me after we broke up. I said we could be friends, but it was too fresh, it was painful, I needed some distance first.

On his birthday he called me late and told me how miserable I'd made him since I'd broken up with him. How nice it was to hear my voice. How much he'd missed me. How much he loved me. How he just really wanted to see me. So I agreed to see him this Sunday.

Then I found out that two days after I broke up with him he had scheduled a date.

And that he'd been pursuing a beautiful blonde woman I went to high school with (did I mention I've known him for 40 years?)

So I called him on it and told him I couldn't see him Sunday. That I was hurt and we could probably be friends one day, but I needed some time and distance.

First he denied it, but you can't really deny things you post on Facebook.

So then I didn't hear back and was unfriended on Facebook and that's where it's at.

I'll tell you, it's painful, it hurts and I don't understand it. Maybe I don't understand men and all. Maybe I was just meant to be alone for the remainder of my life. Or maybe I'm just meant to finish the things I set out to accomplish before settling down or even dating. I don't know. I do know it shouldn't be that hard, not only to have a relationship, but to remain friends with someone. I don't know...

Okay, longish rant I know, just lots of crap on my chest. If you have any insight, bring it.

Serious Heterosexual Guys Literature 101

Okay, I'm not even sure that I'm offended by this article really. I think one of the commenters said it best by saying, "What is this fuckery?!"

I'm more just feeling like O.o.

The professor said, and I'm paraphrasing (and making part of this shit up) Um, I don't particularly like Canadian writers. Or Chinese. Or women. So I can't possibly teach them. In fact I also don't like left handed writers. Or writers with 'm's' in their name. Or writers born on Thursdays. Or writers with clubbed feet. Or writers who named their child Charlie, or writers pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman...(Can you tell which ones I made up?).

But you see how ridiculous that sounds?

If the class were named as the title of today's blog, Serious Heterosexual Guys Literature 101, fine, teach your Proust and your Chekhov and your FItzgerald and whoever, leave off Wolf and Plath and all those Canadians and Chinese you don't love.

But if your courses are called things like, Love, Sex and Death in Short Fiction, don't you think it's your duty to give your students a well rounded taste of the kind of literature that encompasses that subject matter? Just sayin'?

hey look his favorite writer likes women writers!Or maybe if the school is going to have a guy like that teaching there,  they should
offer a women's lit class. (Do they? Maybe? I didn't go so far as check, there are only so many hours in my day.)

I love my men, I do. I love my King, and my Lehane, my Miller (Arthur, not Henry), my Shakespeare and my Hawthorne, my Keats, Whitman and cummings, but I'm not sure my literary experience would be the same without having read Wollstonecraft Shelley, Atwood, Erdrich, Morrision, Lee, Plath, Rowling, Bronte, Dickinson, Angelou...and so many other women's words who have touched my life in profound and evocative ways.


If the history teacher only taught us about the U.S., we'd know nothing of the world.

If the science teacher taught only the earth, we'd know nothing of the stars.