Benjamin Sobieck's Blog, page 44

An Update After Yesterday's Events

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS OF SUPPORT!

After yesterday's news about my publisher and I parting ways, I figured it was a good time to do three things:

1) Head to the grocery store for some frozen Prozac. Sawbones says drinking is bad for the kidney they plugged into me a couple years back, so I opted for the healthy choice of Ben & Jerry's. The other option was a can of paint thinner, and I enjoy my brain cells red and meaty.

2) Cash in an Amazon gift card to finally download Ramsay Midwood's newest album, Larry Buys a Lighter. He's in top form, mumble-singing his way through quirky folk lyrics about the almost-damned.

3) A change in direction should start with the website. I wanted more of a blog feel and a generic header. Webs had a nice template for writers. I wasn't feeling too crazy, so I went with its clean and simple layout. I like it. It's a lot easier to read than the old version.

As for writing projects, there's plenty to do in light of yesterday. I'm already in talks with another publisher about my crime thriller novel, Cleansing Eden.

Maynard Soloman stories need formatting, and the new one needs completing.

My non-fiction title, A Crime Writer's Guide to Firearms and Knives, is just about finished. I plan on self-pubbing it. I'm so excited. Here's the description that will go into Amazon:

This easy-to-read reference puts in plain English the basics of firearms and knives common in crime fiction. Writers with limited first-hand experience will quickly understand how to write accurate weapons into their stories.

Busted myths include:

* Pumping a shotgun for dramatic effect actually makes characters look less intimidating.

* Characters who cock the hammer on a handgun to show they mean business are more likely to wind up dead.

* Switchblades are one of the worst weapons a character can use in a fight.

Video: Ramsay Midwood for President

It's one of those days when I look to the musical stylings of my favorite underappreciated country/folk guy, Ramsay Midwood. He gets my endorsement for president.

Pick up his latest CD here. Better yet, send me one. Or two.

Major Announcement: Trestle Press and I Have Parted Ways

I've decided to part ways with Trestle Press. As a result, my titles published through Trestle Press will be pulled from e-book retailing websites.

Called into question was the legality of an image Trestle Press used to design one of my covers. I did not design the cover in question, so I can't speak to how the image was obtained. However, I can say the situation deserved some serious contemplation.

Here is the statement Trestle Press posted about its cover images.

In the end, I decided it was best for me to pursue other publication routes.

I don't feel my time with Trestle Press was wasted. I had a lot of fun, met some fantastic people and felt like I was part of a community. Still, I need to put my best interests first.

My catalog will find its way back to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers. I just don't know yet what route they'll take to get there. I will find a new home for the Cleansing Eden crime novel. Maynard Soloman fans, the series will continue.

Thank you for your support during this time.

"So it goes." - Kurt Vonnegut

Your Feedback Requested: Non-Fic Cover Take 2

Here's the second version of the cover to my upcoming reference e-book. What do you think? Here's a link to the first one.

Looking for Feedback on This Cover Design

I'm looking for feedback about this cover. Colors? Fonts? Design? Let me know what you think. This will mark the first non-fiction e-book I've published outside of the ones I help create at my full-time job.

Is Author Kate Laity a Spy?

Kate Laity (aka K.A. Laity aka C. Margery Kempe aka Kit Marlowe aka Kate Wombat) has to be one of the most interesting authors I've crossed virtual paths with in a long time. For starters, just look at the different names she uses. Combine that with a lot of international traveling and a multi-language repetoire of light bulb jokes, and you might think she's a spy.

She didn't fess up to being one in this interview, but that doesn't mean you can't make up your own conspiracy theories. Enjoy!

You've picked up the proverbial torch for the seventh installment of Paul D. Brazill's noir-werewolf short story series, Drunk on the Moon. What drew you to the series? Have you contributed to a series before?

What drew me to the series? Well, you get Mr B drunk enough and he'll promise you anything. He didn't come through with the Lambourghini though, so the best he could offer was a slot on the werewolf gravy train, which I took and ran with. I showed him!

It was fun playing with his toys. Have I done a series before? Nah. I've written just about everything else -- probably the closest thing is the comic I do with Elena Steier called JANE QUIET. Collaborative work is always interesting because you come up with something you'd never have done on your own.

You do a ton of traveling across Europe. What's different about readers from country to country? What are some similarities?

Readers in different countries have different words for just about everything. The French call a ham sandwich a croque monsieur. The Spanish call it a bocadillo de jamón. It's like you have to translate everything. And their senses of humor are different too. The Swiss never laugh at light bulb jokes but the Dutch laugh uproariously at them and Russians find light bulb jokes tragically sad. It's a mystery.

You teach medieval literature, film, New Media and popular culture at the College of Saint Rose. How does this influence your writing, and vice versa?

I teach things that interest me: the best way to learn something is by teaching it. I try out new ideas on my students and see what works. I study brilliant works of art -- books, films, plays -- and pick them apart to see how they do what they do. Whatever I'm obsessing about at any given moment makes it into my teaching and writing.

Tell me about your pseudonyms, C. Margery Kempe and Kit Marlowe.

C. Margery Kempe writes steamy romance like the spy thriller Chastity Flame, a sort of female Bond. She writes a lot of funny, sexy fairy tale stories as well. Kit Marlowe, on the other hand, writes mostly funny historical romance that isn't so steamy, including a comic gothic novel The Mangrove Legacy and an on-going serial Airships & Alchemy [kalaity.blogspot.com].

Did you use to publish a magazine? What was it about?

I used to do a zine, which was a very 90s thing -- the last of the pre-digital DIY publishing. It was called Wombat's World, which was the name of a film I did as a student. It was just a collection of mad stuff that I and some of my friends wrote. It has evolved into my blog, but sometimes I miss my saddle stitch stapler and drawing Hello Kitty parodies.

What's next for you and how can people find out more about you?

I have an SF/urban fantasy/alt-history/road trip/retelling of the descent of Inanna novel coming out from Immanion Press in a few months called Owl Stretching. I've got a bunch of short stories on their way and some non-fiction writing, too. I don't even know what might come out of my head next or where I might be, so I advise people to drop by my website or find me on Facebook or Twitter if they want to keep up with the mad swirl that is my life.

Any final words?

Thanks for having me here, Ben.

The Real Reason Authors Crave Reviews: Validation

Back in December of last year, Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real was nominated for best short story of 2011 by the Preditors & Editor Readers Poll. This was a tremendous honor that showcased the growing audience the Ol' Badger enjoys.

The wave of voting kept Maynard at number one for some time. I have to take off my Humble Hat and thump the chest a couple times about that one. Seeing something I worked hard on get a bit of time in the top spot felt good.

The placement didn't last forever, but the feeling did. Maynard finished fifth out of 30 nominees. If you ask me, that's pretty successful considering Maynard's only been around since mid-2011. (Mind you, he'll point out his real age when a senior discount is on the line.)

It's enough to keep me writing well into 2012. Not that I was thinking of hanging it up. But writers are insecure by nature. It's the dirty little secret any indie author will admit to feeling. We're constantly looking for validation, be it through reviews or a kinder, gentler round of editing.

That's in contrast with the reason most authors - save for the big names - will cite. "I just love to write, it isn't about the reviews or the money." That's mostly true. Authors love to write. But without reviews or just a little chump change every now and then, they're not likely to stick with it.

And if you're not feeling this way, your ego is probably preventing you from getting better. Or you're already making six figures off your writing.

Yeah, we're a needy lot, us writers.

I'm not complaining, though. Not by a long stretch. It's just that the same brain that is wired to string words together also craves feedback about its creation.

Which is my roundabout way of saying, "thank you," to everyone who voted for Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real. It really goes a long way with me. It says to me I'm doing something right.

The next Maynard installment aims to be one of the best. I'm collaborating with Laura Roberts, who is best known for her sex lit writing. It's going to be wild.

P.S. Click here to get to know Maynard Soloman on his very own facebook page.

P.P.S. Click here for a full rundown of Maynard Soloman short stories.

What Do E-Book Covers Say About Their Authors?

I'm honored to host to a guest post today from McDroll, the pseudonym for Scottish crime fiction author Fiona Johnson. Take it away, McD!

 

After a long and painful week I finally managed to get to the podiatrist's this morning. A searing pain suddenly exploded in my right foot last Thursday while shopping in Asda; there I was pushing my trolley around trying to decide between Lurpak and Asda own brand spreadable butter when this almighty pain suddenly shot through my foot from nowhere, leaving me with a comedy limp!

 

Well you can't just abandon your shopping trolley in the middle of the supermarket and food is pretty much essential in my house and lots of it, constantly. The thought of running out of bread, milk, butter and 'something nice to eat mum' is quite terrifying and no amount of pain, even if my foot had been hanging on by one skinny tendon, would ever have made me consider abandonment of my duties.

 

'OK, very interesting, but what are you on about?' Well you see, you might have noticed, and frankly if you haven't you've missed such a treat, that my two published collections of short stories are called KICK IT and KICK IT AGAIN and have big pictures of boots on the front cover and here I am going on about my sore feet.

 

Am I a foot fetishist? No, don't be silly, I just love boots, big muckle flat black Doc Martens and that's what I wear everyday. So is there some connection between my KICK IT stories and me suddenly getting painful feet I started thinking to myself? Are the writing gods wreaking revenge on me for daring to stick my feet above the parapet and have the cheek to say I can write? Maybe it's karma…

 

My next collection of crime/noir tales is going to have the catchy title KICK IT & RUN, maybe it should now be KICK IT & LIMP? The podiatrist said that all I need is a new pair of boots with a bit more support, YIPPEE! I need to go buy boots, as if I needed to be told twice!

 

How important is a catchy title for your novel or short story collection? My hunch is that it's very important, perhaps even vital. There is such competition in the market and you, the writer, have to do something to get yourself noticed because at the end of the day, we all need people to read what we write. How does one get noticed? I think everybody would like to know that secret but I'm sure a creative title and great book cover are increasingly important.

 

As your potential customers scroll through the lists of books you need to make them stop at yours and maybe read the synopsis or a review, maybe then they might buy…but you are not out of the woods yet. If you are lucky enough to get a sale you then need the customer to come back to you again and again and that's where a brand is so important.

 

People like to feel comfortable with a product and if you can get them to head your way once, then there is a much higher chance of a repeat visit, hence my internal debate over Lurpak and the Asda value range of butter in the supermarket. I DID chuck the Lurpak into the trolley. KICK IT is a title that can be kept and changed slightly each time I have a new collection published and McDroll is a name that is recognizable and easy to remember

 

I'm going to keep putting pictures of muckle black boots on the cover…I'm not superstitious…really.

Bio

 

McDroll writes crime fiction with a strong hint of noir and a pinch of Scottish humour. Her blog is at imeanttoreadthat.blogspot.com.

McDroll's stories have appeared online in Shotgun Honey and the Flash Fiction Offensive.

She has also contributed to the e-books Brit Grit Too, Off the Record and The Lost Children, which she also co-edited.

Currently she has three e-book collections of published short stories, KICK IT!, KICK IT AGAIN and PEAT SMOKE & PRIMROSES.

 

McDroll lives in Argyll, Scotland.

Why Writing for TV and/or Movies Isn't in My Future

Other than the fact an offer is not on the table, I don't see myself writing for TV or movies. It was a question indie crime demigod Paul D. Brazill asked during his Short, Sharp Interview series.

PDB: Do you have any interest in writing for films, theatre or television?

 

Me: Not really. Authors sometimes view movies and TV as the ultimate expression of their written works. It's like they're saying words aren't good enough to tell a story. I don't see any directors hoping their show is optioned for a book. Why should authors be any different?

Click here to read the rest of the interview. Thanks for having me, Paul.

Congratulations to Nigel Bird on His Spinetingler Nomination

Congratulations to fellow Trestle Press crime author Nigel Bird on his Spinetingler Mag nomination for best novella of 2011. He's a great talent, and he deserves the recognition.

The Spinetinglers are like the Oscars for indie crime authors. This is a big freakin' deal. It's an honor not only for him, but for all Trestle Press authors. This little indie outfit is really making some waves in the crime fiction world.

Mr. Bird does need your help to win, though. Please click here to vote for his novella, Smoke.

If you haven't read it yet, it's available here on Amazon for 99 cents and at all fine e-book retailers.