Ethan Nahté's Blog, page 6
October 4, 2016
Zombie Beta Readers Wanted
Are you a zombie fan? Do you have time to read a few short stories and a novella (as within a two week period at most)? Seeking responsible beta readers for a short collection (50k words) that will give feedback. PM me here or at Nahteboy@livenloud.net
I have a publisher interested in the collection but seeking a fresh set of eyes (or several fresh sets...they're so yummy) to peruse the stories and give an honest opinion, critique or thoughts. Some stories are a bit comical and some are more horror.
I have a publisher interested in the collection but seeking a fresh set of eyes (or several fresh sets...they're so yummy) to peruse the stories and give an honest opinion, critique or thoughts. Some stories are a bit comical and some are more horror.
October 3, 2016
Archon recap
My first attendance to Archon was interesting. A few programming difficulties, but mistakes happen. Overall, I still had a great time. Got to hand with some of the Yard Dogs. Also saw some friends I met three or four years ago at MidSouth Con whom I hadn't seen in a couple of years. Made some new friends and some great networking opportunities.
Some of those I met of interest was the very cordial author/editor Ellen Datlow who took time to offer some advice for my current career. This was after I told her my story of years (and years) ago when I knew nothing about how to properly submit a story to Omni magazine (the days before the internet and I had no idea that books such as The Writer's Market even existed to help a writer learn the proper way to submit). I'm surprised she even read it and had given me a personal rejection letter, my very first rejection letter for my first submission outside of school literary magazines. She said she must've liked something about the story if she took the time to write a personal rejection. That actually made me feel better.
Also, Claudia Christian was there. I got to speak with her for a few minutes. She was kind, very funny and even more beautiful in person than she is in photos and on TV.
Artist John Picacio was also there. He's always great to speak with. We've sort of known each other a few years now. Viewing his art and listening to his panels is always interesting.
Since I didn't get in on the show in time to get a table, Yard Dog Press let me use a bit of their table since I have stories in three of their anthologies. That was very cool and helped.
Some of those I met of interest was the very cordial author/editor Ellen Datlow who took time to offer some advice for my current career. This was after I told her my story of years (and years) ago when I knew nothing about how to properly submit a story to Omni magazine (the days before the internet and I had no idea that books such as The Writer's Market even existed to help a writer learn the proper way to submit). I'm surprised she even read it and had given me a personal rejection letter, my very first rejection letter for my first submission outside of school literary magazines. She said she must've liked something about the story if she took the time to write a personal rejection. That actually made me feel better.
Also, Claudia Christian was there. I got to speak with her for a few minutes. She was kind, very funny and even more beautiful in person than she is in photos and on TV.
Artist John Picacio was also there. He's always great to speak with. We've sort of known each other a few years now. Viewing his art and listening to his panels is always interesting.
Since I didn't get in on the show in time to get a table, Yard Dog Press let me use a bit of their table since I have stories in three of their anthologies. That was very cool and helped.
September 26, 2016
FenCon Wrap-up & Archon
Fencon is over and it was a great convention. For myself, sales weren't too bad, including pre-sales for my new collection Of Monsters & Madmen.
Panels were fun and the Yard Dog Press Roadshow was quite hilarious. I'm certain that if the footage shot of our improv parody known as "I'm Naked and You're Afraid" will be evidence enough to keep any of the participants from landing any future jobs that have extensive background or security checks. But the audience was howling with laughter and I had several compliments throughout the remainder of the weekend. People seemed surprised that I have a great sense of humor (a bit twisted, maybe) and can be funny.
Now, to gather materials, reorganize and prepare for Archon this weekend near St. Louis. I hope to meet some new people and gain some new fans as this convention will be a first for me.
Panels were fun and the Yard Dog Press Roadshow was quite hilarious. I'm certain that if the footage shot of our improv parody known as "I'm Naked and You're Afraid" will be evidence enough to keep any of the participants from landing any future jobs that have extensive background or security checks. But the audience was howling with laughter and I had several compliments throughout the remainder of the weekend. People seemed surprised that I have a great sense of humor (a bit twisted, maybe) and can be funny.
Now, to gather materials, reorganize and prepare for Archon this weekend near St. Louis. I hope to meet some new people and gain some new fans as this convention will be a first for me.
September 21, 2016
FenCon XIII Schedule
The official schedule for FenCon XIII is out. My schedule can be found at this link. You'll notice there are no times next to the events, but there is a great reason. Click on each event and it will send you to a page that gives the date, time and room. In addition, it gives you other panels you might enjoy that have some of the same guests. That way if there is a particular author(s) you enjoy you can easily find other panels they are participating on or maybe a panel that has similarities to the one you clicked on to begin with.
For the Yard Dog Road Show, there is a rumor we'll be doing our own version of the TV program Naked & Afraid, which means it will have an awkward and embarrassing twist. Because we Yard Dogs seemingly have no shame.
For my reading, odds are I will be reading "Dangerous Pearl," my latest story from Skelos Press. It's a pirate story, but not your typical swashbuckling and treasure adventure. It's a little more chilling and dark. I'll have copies of the Skelos journal for sale at the table I am sharing with authors Mel. White and John DeLaughter. (I also ship, so if you can't make the show, contact me about purchasing a signed copy.)
Skelos' Co-publisher/co-editor Mark Finn is also scheduled to be at FenCon.
Yard Dog will have plenty of titles, including Flush Fiction, Vol. II, the newest anthology I am in from their press. So buy your copies of it at the YDP booth then swing by my table if you'd like it signed. There should be plenty of Yard Doggies at FenCon if you are a reader who likes to have your books signed. As usual, if you want to find the YDP booth, just listen for Selina Rosen's voice. ;-)
For the Yard Dog Road Show, there is a rumor we'll be doing our own version of the TV program Naked & Afraid, which means it will have an awkward and embarrassing twist. Because we Yard Dogs seemingly have no shame.
For my reading, odds are I will be reading "Dangerous Pearl," my latest story from Skelos Press. It's a pirate story, but not your typical swashbuckling and treasure adventure. It's a little more chilling and dark. I'll have copies of the Skelos journal for sale at the table I am sharing with authors Mel. White and John DeLaughter. (I also ship, so if you can't make the show, contact me about purchasing a signed copy.)
Skelos' Co-publisher/co-editor Mark Finn is also scheduled to be at FenCon.
Yard Dog will have plenty of titles, including Flush Fiction, Vol. II, the newest anthology I am in from their press. So buy your copies of it at the YDP booth then swing by my table if you'd like it signed. There should be plenty of Yard Doggies at FenCon if you are a reader who likes to have your books signed. As usual, if you want to find the YDP booth, just listen for Selina Rosen's voice. ;-)
September 19, 2016
Children & YA Writing Workshop
I will be co-hosting the Children & Young Adult Writing Workshop once again at FenCon for their Fenkids program. My partners in crime include author Dr. Mel. White and artist Michael Braun. Mel joined our crazy little group last year and Michael and I have been doing the Fenkids program for at least six years (and he's probably been doing it longer than I have).
This workshop is free. We teach the basics on how to come up with a story concept, creating interesting characters and developing a plot, all while Michael creates concept art for each. Because the class will be working as a unit, the students must also learn to collaborate (yeah, there's the big cog in the machine to tackle) as they voice their ideas for a G-PG friendly story.
We have had many students return and participate year after year, and we always welcome new faces. It's always interesting to hear some of the cool and fun ideas children come up with in this workshop.
This workshop is free. We teach the basics on how to come up with a story concept, creating interesting characters and developing a plot, all while Michael creates concept art for each. Because the class will be working as a unit, the students must also learn to collaborate (yeah, there's the big cog in the machine to tackle) as they voice their ideas for a G-PG friendly story.
We have had many students return and participate year after year, and we always welcome new faces. It's always interesting to hear some of the cool and fun ideas children come up with in this workshop.
September 16, 2016
Book Delayed
The proofing copy of my new book Of Monsters & Madmen finally came in. The results were so-so. I'll skip the details and simply say that the program shrunk my formatting down to half its original size. Though it is legible, the issue has caused the images and print to be too small to be satisfactory.
So I'm working on the formatting once again. Odds are the book will not be available at FenCon, though I will be taking pre-orders. It is possible it might be available at Archon the following week.
So I'm working on the formatting once again. Odds are the book will not be available at FenCon, though I will be taking pre-orders. It is possible it might be available at Archon the following week.
September 1, 2016
August Wrap-up
Well, after many, and I mean 50+ hours, of messing with the input and formatting of the book Of Monsters & Madmen in temperatures hovering around 90 degrees F (air conditioner downstairs in office has about given all it can in the old house and is just waiting for the Reaper. I wonder if an air conditioner goes to hell if it works better or worse there?), I hope to put the final touches on the book tonight so I can send it off and wait for the galleys. Of course the final touches won't happen until the day job is done, which is normally a minimum of 10 hour days, but today it will be closer to 12 hours.
What have I learned from this project? I know what to expect and some of the little things that need to be prepped in advance for next time, If I do something like this again it will be me providing all of the elements to someone who is more experienced and quicker at dealing with formatting. After the number of hours I've put in that could've been spent writing, it would be worth paying someone with more skill and time.
Speaking of more writing, when not at my home office I have had time to write about 30,000 words over the past week, making for one (re-written from scratch) short story and one novella that are part of a themed collection that I pitched to one of my publishers some time back. Revisions have been made on all but the re-written story, so here's hoping in a week or so I'll have everything ready to go.
The re-written story is due to losing all versions of the original, which I wrote two years ago. The computer it was on died more than a year ago and the flash drive it was on literally got crushed and destroyed. The cloud I had it on when through a revamp I wasn't aware of and somehow it was lost in cyberspace. I had hoped, as a last resort, I had sent it to a friend/beta reader, but no such luck. So I quit wasting time looking for the story and just rewrote it, changing the characters and location up but keeping the plot similar to what I could recall. It's a zombie story, so it was sort of like reviving the dead and giving it a new unlife.
Learned today that I have been selected as one of the screenwriters to beta test the new Final Draft 10, so that will give me some extra stuff to do that should be fun and, hopefully, productive.
I'll be at Fencon in Dallas September 23-25, 2016. The following weekend I will be at Archon in Collinsville, IL (Near St. Louis) so if you're nearby, come to the show, say hi, listen to some readings, enjoy panels and buy some books.
What have I learned from this project? I know what to expect and some of the little things that need to be prepped in advance for next time, If I do something like this again it will be me providing all of the elements to someone who is more experienced and quicker at dealing with formatting. After the number of hours I've put in that could've been spent writing, it would be worth paying someone with more skill and time.
Speaking of more writing, when not at my home office I have had time to write about 30,000 words over the past week, making for one (re-written from scratch) short story and one novella that are part of a themed collection that I pitched to one of my publishers some time back. Revisions have been made on all but the re-written story, so here's hoping in a week or so I'll have everything ready to go.
The re-written story is due to losing all versions of the original, which I wrote two years ago. The computer it was on died more than a year ago and the flash drive it was on literally got crushed and destroyed. The cloud I had it on when through a revamp I wasn't aware of and somehow it was lost in cyberspace. I had hoped, as a last resort, I had sent it to a friend/beta reader, but no such luck. So I quit wasting time looking for the story and just rewrote it, changing the characters and location up but keeping the plot similar to what I could recall. It's a zombie story, so it was sort of like reviving the dead and giving it a new unlife.
Learned today that I have been selected as one of the screenwriters to beta test the new Final Draft 10, so that will give me some extra stuff to do that should be fun and, hopefully, productive.
I'll be at Fencon in Dallas September 23-25, 2016. The following weekend I will be at Archon in Collinsville, IL (Near St. Louis) so if you're nearby, come to the show, say hi, listen to some readings, enjoy panels and buy some books.
August 21, 2016
Of Monsters & Madmen near completion
Of Monsters & Madmen is hopefully near completion. After several hours of work, all the text and illustrations have been uploaded, formatted and gone over to hopefully be perfect, or near to it for the print version. Some minor formatting changes seem to be necessary to do an eBook version. The finished product will be approximately 150 pages in length.
Though I've taken on the task of putting the anthology together so I would know what all is involved, I must say that next time around I plan on hiring someone who is familiar with the time-consuming task so I can be working on other stories and screenplays instead of screwing with the technical layout.
Sort of like the early, early days of consumer computers when I taught myself to program Basic at the age of eleven or twelve and learned early on that even though I have the talent to do it, I don't have the patience. Despite that, I taught myself HTML coding in the mid-'90s instead of using programs and ftp protocols because things seemingly always went awry in the ftp upload and I would spend more time looking for the corrupted line or command than if I'd just programmed the thing by hand.
So here's hoping that no gremlins show their ugly little heads and tinker with technology. It's going to be close but hopefully the book will be available at FenCon and Archon, plus getting time to redo my online store and placing it online for sale.
Speaking of...because I haven't had time to work on the store I want to let you know that I have copies available for sale of Flush Fiction Volume II: Twenty Years of Letting All Go (Yard Dog Press) and Skelos: The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy Vol. 1, Issue 1 ( Skelos Press - containing my story "Dangerous Pearl" and a previously unpublished Robert E. Howard story amongst many other stories, art and essays). Yes, you can purchase these from the publishers and Amazon. But if you'd like a signed copy from me, feel free to message me on here and I will be happy to provide you cost and any details.
Well, now there's a very pesky cat in my lap vying for attention, so I must bid you adieu.
August 1, 2016
Of Monsters & Madmen update
The hot, humid and sometimes stormy weekend made for time to finally get caught up, finalizing and approving the edits on both the short stories and the introductions to all of the pieces that will go into my first collection Of Monsters & Madmen. A big thanks to author/editor Beverly Hale and co-editor Michael Moe for their editorial skills in making the previously published stories for the collection more uniform and consistent. Eight of the stories come from separate anthologies by three different publishers and one charity event. There will also be two previously unpublished stories.
Each story has wonderful art drawn specifically for the collection by artists David Lee Anderson, David Martinez, Amy White, Hannah Stanton, Trina Waters, James Holloman and Julian Price. White also created the spooky cover.
Now to assemble all the pieces along with the miscellaneous pages (e.g. index, copyrights, bios, etc.). The goal is to have the book premier at FenCon XIII. I'll also be a panelist once more.
That being said, I hope to be accepting pre-orders very soon. If you're an e-reader, there will also be an e-book version. Stay tuned for details and check out my official author page NahteWords.com to purchase books, T-shirts and more. You can also find me on Facebook.
Each story has wonderful art drawn specifically for the collection by artists David Lee Anderson, David Martinez, Amy White, Hannah Stanton, Trina Waters, James Holloman and Julian Price. White also created the spooky cover.
Now to assemble all the pieces along with the miscellaneous pages (e.g. index, copyrights, bios, etc.). The goal is to have the book premier at FenCon XIII. I'll also be a panelist once more.
That being said, I hope to be accepting pre-orders very soon. If you're an e-reader, there will also be an e-book version. Stay tuned for details and check out my official author page NahteWords.com to purchase books, T-shirts and more. You can also find me on Facebook.
July 25, 2016
Shopping online vs. brick & mortar
Instead of writing a typical blog today, I have a question for the readers (and other authors):
In the wake of Hastings filing for Chapter 11 and closing their doors, it leaves both readers and music lovers with fewer options of physically going into a store and looking at a product, reading the jacket cover (in the case of books), maybe glancing over a few sentences or paragraphs to get a feel if the author's writing style is something you enjoy or that it's on a reading level you enjoy before deciding whether or not to purchase the book. Of course this really only applies to those of you who enjoy a hardcopy of a book and not just e-books.
Granted, there are certain books online that allow you to read sample chapters and most of them give a synopsis to let readers know what the book is about. (I generally skip reading reviews because they contain spoilers or so many grammatical and spelling errors that it drives me nuts.)
To me, purchasing online is not the same as picking the book up physically off the shelf, although every book I have been published in is available online. As a matter of fact, some of the publishers have gone out of business so buying in a store is nigh impossible.
So my question is do you prefer a physical brick & mortar store to select your book purchases or do you prefer the online method? Why?
In the wake of Hastings filing for Chapter 11 and closing their doors, it leaves both readers and music lovers with fewer options of physically going into a store and looking at a product, reading the jacket cover (in the case of books), maybe glancing over a few sentences or paragraphs to get a feel if the author's writing style is something you enjoy or that it's on a reading level you enjoy before deciding whether or not to purchase the book. Of course this really only applies to those of you who enjoy a hardcopy of a book and not just e-books.
Granted, there are certain books online that allow you to read sample chapters and most of them give a synopsis to let readers know what the book is about. (I generally skip reading reviews because they contain spoilers or so many grammatical and spelling errors that it drives me nuts.)
To me, purchasing online is not the same as picking the book up physically off the shelf, although every book I have been published in is available online. As a matter of fact, some of the publishers have gone out of business so buying in a store is nigh impossible.
So my question is do you prefer a physical brick & mortar store to select your book purchases or do you prefer the online method? Why?
