Carrie Bailey Allen's Blog, page 9
May 17, 2013
"Librarians are more rare than authors," implies Hong Kong resident.
Last night, bored to tears, I went out on the streets of Wellington and had a few glasses of wine. I don't care for "sav" as the New Zealanders like to call it, but I like things that come free. I met an English man from Hong Kong who was buying. I told him two things about myself right away.
1. I am a librarian.2. I am an author.
He responded with an unusual degree of surprise. I should mention the man was older, in his late 40s, and had a Dutch mother and a Jamaican father, although he...
1. I am a librarian.2. I am an author.
He responded with an unusual degree of surprise. I should mention the man was older, in his late 40s, and had a Dutch mother and a Jamaican father, although he...
April 27, 2013
A one dimensional coffee-obsessed author
Morning dawns on the 27th of April 2013.
Or so I tell myself. The truth is that I woke up at like 11am.
I got coffee. I sat down to write. Perfect day. I do love my life.
I drank that coffee. I know I'm one dimensional. I realize that many other authors also appreciate coffee and my constant droning on about whether I've had one or two or want one or five is not unique. This, of course, won't stop me. It is my personality. Everyone who knows me can confirm. It started as a joke and just sort of...
Or so I tell myself. The truth is that I woke up at like 11am.
I got coffee. I sat down to write. Perfect day. I do love my life.
I drank that coffee. I know I'm one dimensional. I realize that many other authors also appreciate coffee and my constant droning on about whether I've had one or two or want one or five is not unique. This, of course, won't stop me. It is my personality. Everyone who knows me can confirm. It started as a joke and just sort of...
April 21, 2013
Video Review for Taking Charge
There are few things as awesome
as getting a video review of your work.
This is the first video review of one of my books, done by Nathan Review Science Fiction.
What I appreciate about Nathan's review is that he gets the underlying social commentary and still effectively summarizes the absurdity of the story. Waking up to a five star review made my weekend.
I've been asked a number of times if I was willing to do a sequel to the story or to expand it. Although the feedback I've gotten has been o...
as getting a video review of your work.
This is the first video review of one of my books, done by Nathan Review Science Fiction.
What I appreciate about Nathan's review is that he gets the underlying social commentary and still effectively summarizes the absurdity of the story. Waking up to a five star review made my weekend.
I've been asked a number of times if I was willing to do a sequel to the story or to expand it. Although the feedback I've gotten has been o...
April 2, 2013
New Promotion for Reptilian Book
I've got a few different books out and from time to time I try promoting them in different ways. This one is a flyer for distribution on college campuses. People on Fiverr will post 50 flyers around for $5. I don't know how the campaign will go, but I'll keep everyone updated.
Feedback, of course, is always appreciated. These will be about half a page in size and posted randomly.
Feedback, of course, is always appreciated. These will be about half a page in size and posted randomly.
April 1, 2013
10k Words this Week
At some point while writing a book, everything comes together and thenit feels like the story begins telling itself. I only just experienced this forthe first time while writing
Bungle of Oz
. In truth, it was the wordiest bookI've written. It happened again this week with the Auck story I've been working on for three years.
That's when I realized that I have no idea what I am doing with my life. I'm 34. I finished a graduate degree in New Zealand for reasons I cannot quite explain considering...
That's when I realized that I have no idea what I am doing with my life. I'm 34. I finished a graduate degree in New Zealand for reasons I cannot quite explain considering...
March 24, 2013
Making An Indie Audiobook
I've been working on a special project lately, because someone happened
to have left a Samson CO1U microphone in my house. I'm turning my
Oz book, Bungle of Oz, into an audiobook. It's as easy as it sounds.
I've got a Macbook Pro and I'm using QuickTime. It has an audio recording option, which I just switch on and read. While writing the book, I listened to a free copy of The Patchwork Girl of Oz from LibriVox. Each chapter was contributed by amateurs and the quality varied as did the person's a...
to have left a Samson CO1U microphone in my house. I'm turning my
Oz book, Bungle of Oz, into an audiobook. It's as easy as it sounds.
I've got a Macbook Pro and I'm using QuickTime. It has an audio recording option, which I just switch on and read. While writing the book, I listened to a free copy of The Patchwork Girl of Oz from LibriVox. Each chapter was contributed by amateurs and the quality varied as did the person's a...
March 11, 2013
From Oz to Auck - Shifting Genres
Bungle of OzPPM Press 2013I'm sitting right next to the cat that inspired my latest book, Bungle of Oz, thinking, "Whew! Now, I can relax." The kitty's name is Pebbles and she is somewhat assertive for a cat - a great source of inspiration - also serves as alarm clock.
If you know anything about self-publishing though, you're probably aware that I'm kidding myself. The work has just started. After spending a few months writing this 30,000 word novella, a week creating a handful of illustr...
March 4, 2013
Why Everyone is Wrong About My Writing!
Okay, yeah, that's a ridiculous title, but I was thinking abouthow much attention authors get for getting angry at their critics. I don't have any critics yet and to be honest, I'm not sure I'd get upset either, but...
I do have a lot of friends and relatives who are critical of my devotion to writing. So, for anyone who knows me and doesn't know my ultimate plan to write books, self-publish them and pay my rent with the profit, here's how it's going to go.
1. I build a...
I do have a lot of friends and relatives who are critical of my devotion to writing. So, for anyone who knows me and doesn't know my ultimate plan to write books, self-publish them and pay my rent with the profit, here's how it's going to go.
1. I build a...
February 22, 2013
Why I Write Genre Fiction
The one on thebottom shelf. I'll take
that one.Libraries and bookstores. I've worked and volunteered in twenty total. Employees in these gloriously bookish places need writers to conform to a genre for pragmatic reasons. Sorry to spoil it for everyone. It's not the publishers who are to blame. This isn't the fault of business. Blame your local book dealers and above all, the librarians.
Horror? Sorry, we don't have a horror section.
Chick-lit? Different story! Our collection is getting a b...
February 15, 2013
First Friday Flash for February and For All Time
This is a short entry to the Friday Flash organization that I've
enjoyed reading off and on for three years running, but never
entered. It is a conversation between two main characters from
the Auck Ward Chronicles, which I have not quite yet finished...
Auck is an island civilization on Earth that developed in isolation 500 years after the apocalypse. They're a bit bronze age and overrun with genetically modified animals that have had centuries to roam unregulated, but some of...
enjoyed reading off and on for three years running, but never
entered. It is a conversation between two main characters from
the Auck Ward Chronicles, which I have not quite yet finished...
Auck is an island civilization on Earth that developed in isolation 500 years after the apocalypse. They're a bit bronze age and overrun with genetically modified animals that have had centuries to roam unregulated, but some of...
