Sean Sweeney's Blog, page 7
February 4, 2016
JJ8, coming together quickly
Here we are, less than two weeks until the release of the seventh Jaclyn Johnson thriller, Chemical Agent: A Thriller (seriously, have you pre-ordered yet? I'll post the links at the bottom of the blog), and I should be promoting the hell out of it. I should be. I should be.
Instead, what am I doing? I'm talking about my last week and a half-plus, where I've put together the plot outline for the eighth Jaclyn Johnson thriller, tentatively entitled Ticket Agent: A Thriller.
Snazzy name, isn't it?
Over that time frame, I went from having absolutely no true idea about the plot of the book--hell, I had no idea where I would set the book, no idea what city I would tell David Wood to apply for the cover to the book--to having a relatively full, nine-page treatment of the story. While Chemical Agent is more of an emotional story in terms of Jaclyn reconciling with her past, Ticket Agent is a more cerebral story--at least that's what I think now. My mind may change. Reading through the treatment, there is little in the way of the Kaboom Factor I've plotted out in the first seven novels.
And while I've been rather formulaic in the first seven--first chapter, something bad really happens, then Jaclyn is drawn into it in the second or third chapter, and then the antagonist is introduced and explains his pains--I go away from that particular storytelling aspect and throw Jaclyn into the mix right away. But not only that, the antagonist isn't introduced for a while, and I intend to show more from Tom's point of view in this story. We honestly haven't seen much going on from his POV, so it will be interesting to write from that angle.
And not only that, we're attacking this story from two sides of the ol' pond. That's right, we're going back to London for a good portion of this book.
I can't tell you any additional information; I'm afraid I'm giving away too much as it is. I will say, though, that as I was driving to Spencer, Mass. last week for a basketball game, I had plot bunnies forming, and I bounced in the seat as I drove. Seriously, I haven't been this excited to write a book in quite a while.
I know you don't want to hear this, but JJ8 will be written this year--I start writing a short story tied to it next week, and then I'll start writing the first draft of the novel proper after February Vacation--and will be ready for the readers sometime in early 2017.
It will be worth the wait, methinks.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kindle for US
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kindle for UK
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kobo
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Apple iBooks
Chemical Agent: A Thriller is available on Feb. 16; reserve your copy today!
Instead, what am I doing? I'm talking about my last week and a half-plus, where I've put together the plot outline for the eighth Jaclyn Johnson thriller, tentatively entitled Ticket Agent: A Thriller.
Snazzy name, isn't it?
Over that time frame, I went from having absolutely no true idea about the plot of the book--hell, I had no idea where I would set the book, no idea what city I would tell David Wood to apply for the cover to the book--to having a relatively full, nine-page treatment of the story. While Chemical Agent is more of an emotional story in terms of Jaclyn reconciling with her past, Ticket Agent is a more cerebral story--at least that's what I think now. My mind may change. Reading through the treatment, there is little in the way of the Kaboom Factor I've plotted out in the first seven novels.
And while I've been rather formulaic in the first seven--first chapter, something bad really happens, then Jaclyn is drawn into it in the second or third chapter, and then the antagonist is introduced and explains his pains--I go away from that particular storytelling aspect and throw Jaclyn into the mix right away. But not only that, the antagonist isn't introduced for a while, and I intend to show more from Tom's point of view in this story. We honestly haven't seen much going on from his POV, so it will be interesting to write from that angle.
And not only that, we're attacking this story from two sides of the ol' pond. That's right, we're going back to London for a good portion of this book.
I can't tell you any additional information; I'm afraid I'm giving away too much as it is. I will say, though, that as I was driving to Spencer, Mass. last week for a basketball game, I had plot bunnies forming, and I bounced in the seat as I drove. Seriously, I haven't been this excited to write a book in quite a while.
I know you don't want to hear this, but JJ8 will be written this year--I start writing a short story tied to it next week, and then I'll start writing the first draft of the novel proper after February Vacation--and will be ready for the readers sometime in early 2017.
It will be worth the wait, methinks.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kindle for US
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kindle for UK
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Kobo
Chemical Agent pre-order link on Apple iBooks
Chemical Agent: A Thriller is available on Feb. 16; reserve your copy today!
January 25, 2016
Twenty-five First Drafts
About 25 minutes before the Patriots game Sunday afternoon (I know George R.R. Martin is thrilled with the result), I put the best two words on the screen to finish off my latest manuscript, The Peg-Legged Privateer: A Tattered Sails Novel. This book--my 25th novel--is expected to come out later this year, as part of a shared fantasy world created by good friend David Wood. David created the world of Dane Maddock, and he and I co-wrote the first Origins tale in that series a few years ago. David also does the Jaclyn covers for me.
Those two words? Yep. The End. After three and a half months and upwards of 82,000 words, I have a finished first draft, my 25th.
Phew. I'll be honest, gang: That was a tough one. I'll tell you why.
Even though I spent a good portion of 2015 working on strengthening The Obloeron Saga and readying it for re-release, The Peg-Legged Privateer was my first true foray back into the fantasy genre in a little over six years. The last five-plus years have been spent mostly in the thriller genre, and I was, at first, slightly apprehensive about returning to fantasy, especially pirate fantasy. It's not really something I've delved into, even though I do have the Corsair characters in Obloeron. But still, mentioning a character such as the Corsairs and writing an entire book about them are two entirely different beasts.
Centered around Blackmoon Island and the lawless, seafaring town of Port Regret, David explained the Tattered Sails world to me in a nutshell, and gave me direction as to how to write this story: familiarize myself with the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, and watch Pirates of the Caribbean for a little more background.
I did that. I picked it up on Amazon after looking in two Targets and two Best Buys, hoping to find the first movie in the series for five bucks instead of getting it for upwards of twenty. I watched it after I had Obloeron finalized, and then sketched out a few scenes and developed a backstory for my privateer, Paulina, her first mate and best friend Bettina Brewer, as well as Sally, Molly, and Onyx Wren. These will be characters to get to know, and I'll tell you about them as we draw closer to publication. I created a small town, Spicer's Bay, and after discussion with David, we settled on a location for it. Basically, it's a fictionalized version of the Caribbean--the Sea de Caribe--and the lands surrounding those warm, crystal blue waters.
Even with those notes, I found myself panicking a little as I wrote this first draft. Indecision and self-doubt clouded my process: Do I really know what I'm doing to write in a shared world? I asked myself. I wanted it to be a book worthy enough for David, an author I look up to in terms of professionalism and style of writing. I didn't want to write anything beneath David's standards. I then committed myself to delivering a solid tale, as usual, even though every moment spent on the laptop for this project grew wrought with fear regarding said delivery; there were days where the writing felt like I yanked away at my teeth as I tried to produce a stirring, as-near-to-perfect draft as possible. On most weekends, I allowed this story time to breathe as there were times where I didn't exactly know where I was going with it. With time and a few re-reads of the existing prose six weeks apart, I grew more confident in the story. I wrote upward of a thousand words a day, sometimes more, as I worked to bring this world alive to my dedicated readers and those who enjoy fantasy tales.
I hope I've done that over these last three and a half months. We'll see in June, as it goes on the shelf until then. There is still more work to do, and I'll need the time away from it, as I always do, to remove my mind from it before I tackle changes and strengthening.
So there you have it: The Peg-Legged Privateer is a first draft, a first draft of which I am proud to have written, and with the first draft's completion it means I have pretty much finalized my 2016 publishing schedule. Time to get started on 2017's schedule.
It's looking to be a fun ride. Stay tuned.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
Those two words? Yep. The End. After three and a half months and upwards of 82,000 words, I have a finished first draft, my 25th.
Phew. I'll be honest, gang: That was a tough one. I'll tell you why.
Even though I spent a good portion of 2015 working on strengthening The Obloeron Saga and readying it for re-release, The Peg-Legged Privateer was my first true foray back into the fantasy genre in a little over six years. The last five-plus years have been spent mostly in the thriller genre, and I was, at first, slightly apprehensive about returning to fantasy, especially pirate fantasy. It's not really something I've delved into, even though I do have the Corsair characters in Obloeron. But still, mentioning a character such as the Corsairs and writing an entire book about them are two entirely different beasts.
Centered around Blackmoon Island and the lawless, seafaring town of Port Regret, David explained the Tattered Sails world to me in a nutshell, and gave me direction as to how to write this story: familiarize myself with the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, and watch Pirates of the Caribbean for a little more background.
I did that. I picked it up on Amazon after looking in two Targets and two Best Buys, hoping to find the first movie in the series for five bucks instead of getting it for upwards of twenty. I watched it after I had Obloeron finalized, and then sketched out a few scenes and developed a backstory for my privateer, Paulina, her first mate and best friend Bettina Brewer, as well as Sally, Molly, and Onyx Wren. These will be characters to get to know, and I'll tell you about them as we draw closer to publication. I created a small town, Spicer's Bay, and after discussion with David, we settled on a location for it. Basically, it's a fictionalized version of the Caribbean--the Sea de Caribe--and the lands surrounding those warm, crystal blue waters.
Even with those notes, I found myself panicking a little as I wrote this first draft. Indecision and self-doubt clouded my process: Do I really know what I'm doing to write in a shared world? I asked myself. I wanted it to be a book worthy enough for David, an author I look up to in terms of professionalism and style of writing. I didn't want to write anything beneath David's standards. I then committed myself to delivering a solid tale, as usual, even though every moment spent on the laptop for this project grew wrought with fear regarding said delivery; there were days where the writing felt like I yanked away at my teeth as I tried to produce a stirring, as-near-to-perfect draft as possible. On most weekends, I allowed this story time to breathe as there were times where I didn't exactly know where I was going with it. With time and a few re-reads of the existing prose six weeks apart, I grew more confident in the story. I wrote upward of a thousand words a day, sometimes more, as I worked to bring this world alive to my dedicated readers and those who enjoy fantasy tales.
I hope I've done that over these last three and a half months. We'll see in June, as it goes on the shelf until then. There is still more work to do, and I'll need the time away from it, as I always do, to remove my mind from it before I tackle changes and strengthening.
So there you have it: The Peg-Legged Privateer is a first draft, a first draft of which I am proud to have written, and with the first draft's completion it means I have pretty much finalized my 2016 publishing schedule. Time to get started on 2017's schedule.
It's looking to be a fun ride. Stay tuned.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
January 19, 2016
The Eagerly-awaited Indie books of 2016
Just after the turn of the calendar from 2015 to 2016, I saw one of my traditionally-published author pals post a link to a list of eagerly-awaited books for 2016. Of course, none of the books posted come off the fingertips of my Indie brethren, for some reason or another.
So it got me thinking: what if someone put together that kind of list for Indies, one where readers can find well-written stories by those not associated with New York publishing? Hmmm.... I guess it's up to me, I guess.
Without further ado, here's a list of well-written Indie novels which will hit the digital shelves in 2016. Mark your calendars.
Of course, we're going to start with yours truly. I have, at the least, three books scheduled to come out over the course of the next 11-plus months: Chemical Agent: A Thriller (the seventh full-length Jaclyn Johnson novel, which is available for pre-order and will be released February 16; see my older posts for the links), Beach Blanket Bloodshed: An Alex Bourque Mystery (Memorial Day weekend or thereabouts), and The Peg-Legged Privateer: A Tattered Sails novel (November). If you're new here, you are more than welcome to join my mailing list (a form is on the top of my blog) to find out exactly when you're able to pick up those novels. Not to toot my own horn... they are well-written pulse-pounders. Check them out yourself.
How about a few others?
My dear friend Allie Burke has three books coming out in 2016; Allie released Paper Souls last year, and it's a wonderful tale you need to read.
Her 2016 releases:
The Society (March 1)
The Brothers (August 15)
Prius (December 1)
You sci-fi fans will not want to miss Jeff Beesler's third novel in the Interstellar Dad series coming next month....
Rumor has it a certain thriller author from Massachusetts gets a bit part to play in this one.
Down in Florida, J. Kent Holloway has three books coming out in 2016. Kent is a fantastic author who will occasionally team up with Jeremy Robinson. Here are his three books:
I will say I'm hearing great things about Clean Slate.
One quickie last offering that's already available for pre-order: Megg Jensen's Scattered Ashes (book two in the Forsaken Stars saga). Megg's great.
And don't forget about awesome books by Terry Simpson, Daniel Arenson, E.H. Walter, and so many others that'll be available in 2016. I'll be sure to tweet about them when they come out, so make sure you're following me on Twitter (@SMSweeneyAuthor). Find these authors on Facebook and sign up for their mailing lists, so you know exactly when their books are available.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
So it got me thinking: what if someone put together that kind of list for Indies, one where readers can find well-written stories by those not associated with New York publishing? Hmmm.... I guess it's up to me, I guess.
Without further ado, here's a list of well-written Indie novels which will hit the digital shelves in 2016. Mark your calendars.
Of course, we're going to start with yours truly. I have, at the least, three books scheduled to come out over the course of the next 11-plus months: Chemical Agent: A Thriller (the seventh full-length Jaclyn Johnson novel, which is available for pre-order and will be released February 16; see my older posts for the links), Beach Blanket Bloodshed: An Alex Bourque Mystery (Memorial Day weekend or thereabouts), and The Peg-Legged Privateer: A Tattered Sails novel (November). If you're new here, you are more than welcome to join my mailing list (a form is on the top of my blog) to find out exactly when you're able to pick up those novels. Not to toot my own horn... they are well-written pulse-pounders. Check them out yourself.
How about a few others?
My dear friend Allie Burke has three books coming out in 2016; Allie released Paper Souls last year, and it's a wonderful tale you need to read.
Her 2016 releases:
The Society (March 1)
The Brothers (August 15)
Prius (December 1)
You sci-fi fans will not want to miss Jeff Beesler's third novel in the Interstellar Dad series coming next month....
Rumor has it a certain thriller author from Massachusetts gets a bit part to play in this one.
Down in Florida, J. Kent Holloway has three books coming out in 2016. Kent is a fantastic author who will occasionally team up with Jeremy Robinson. Here are his three books:
I will say I'm hearing great things about Clean Slate.
One quickie last offering that's already available for pre-order: Megg Jensen's Scattered Ashes (book two in the Forsaken Stars saga). Megg's great.
And don't forget about awesome books by Terry Simpson, Daniel Arenson, E.H. Walter, and so many others that'll be available in 2016. I'll be sure to tweet about them when they come out, so make sure you're following me on Twitter (@SMSweeneyAuthor). Find these authors on Facebook and sign up for their mailing lists, so you know exactly when their books are available.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
January 15, 2016
Final sales numbers 2015: a comparison
Well, Smashwords has updated the December Apple sales numbers in our dashboards and, as I catch my breath from a breakneck week of fiction and sportswriting, time to filter through everything. In addition, I'm going to do some comparisons to prior years. Break out your notepads, gang.
For reference: I am a professional writer from Massachusetts. I've been a sportswriter since high school, and I started writing my first novel in 2003. I have self-published my work since October 2009; since then, I've self-published 23 novels, plus short stories and novellas. To date, I've sold well over 10,300 copies of my novels and have given away in excess of 105,000 free copies of my first thriller, Model Agent, on various electronic platforms. My titles are available in all electronic forms, on many non-exclusive platforms, along with audiobook and trade paperback. I would call myself a "midlist indie author." Anyway...
All told in 2015, I sold 735 copies of my books. As I've said in recent blogs, 2015 was my worst sales year since 2010, when I sold 758 books that year. Last year was a rather frustrating year, especially after the last few "good" years, where triple-digit sales months were the norm; in 2015, I had one triple-digit sales month (April, 119). Am I doing well? Not exactly in comparison to some authors I know, but I'm doing better than some other authors I know.
The by-platform breakdown is as follows:
Amazon properties (Kindle/trade paperbacks through CreateSpace/audiobooks): 414
Apple/Smashwords: 152
Kobo: 120
Nook: 49
As you can see, Amazon represented well over 50 percent of my total sales for 2015. I averaged a little over two sales per day.
In 2014, I sold 1,037 books (a little under three books a day), so I've dropped off a bit in my total sales. But Amazon properties, again, represented well over 50 percent of my sales (539, -125). Nook netted 127 sales for me in 2014 (-78), while Kobo resulted in 106 (+14). That means, if my math is correct, 265 books came from the Apple/Smashwords queue (-113). You can easily see where I've dropped off and where I've progressed.
Interesting, indeed. My writing has improved from book to book, but my sales are dropping. How to explain these numbers?
Honestly, I do not know the true reasoning. My hypotheses range from Facebook algorithm changes/drop in organic reach, lack of paid advertising on my part, and reader lifestyle changes, i.e. not having enough time to read due to job/family situations. It happens. Some readers may have found other authors. (I'm still here, and I'm not going away any time soon.) Those in the UK may have passed on me due to VAT rules, and some may have passed on me due to me not being in Kindle Unlimited. As I've written before, no one in my circle has Kobo for an ereader, and I've dutifully posted to Twitter and hashtagged my Kobo books; most of my Canadian sales come via Kobo.
While I've dropped, I'm not totally dismayed: My current 2016 numbers are along the same lines as last year (currently at 32 books for January, plus 14 Kindle pre-orders for Chemical Agent), but I suspect they'll rise as I revamp my business plan in 2016 and into next year.
At least that's my hope. We'll see as the year progresses.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
For reference: I am a professional writer from Massachusetts. I've been a sportswriter since high school, and I started writing my first novel in 2003. I have self-published my work since October 2009; since then, I've self-published 23 novels, plus short stories and novellas. To date, I've sold well over 10,300 copies of my novels and have given away in excess of 105,000 free copies of my first thriller, Model Agent, on various electronic platforms. My titles are available in all electronic forms, on many non-exclusive platforms, along with audiobook and trade paperback. I would call myself a "midlist indie author." Anyway...
All told in 2015, I sold 735 copies of my books. As I've said in recent blogs, 2015 was my worst sales year since 2010, when I sold 758 books that year. Last year was a rather frustrating year, especially after the last few "good" years, where triple-digit sales months were the norm; in 2015, I had one triple-digit sales month (April, 119). Am I doing well? Not exactly in comparison to some authors I know, but I'm doing better than some other authors I know.
The by-platform breakdown is as follows:
Amazon properties (Kindle/trade paperbacks through CreateSpace/audiobooks): 414
Apple/Smashwords: 152
Kobo: 120
Nook: 49
As you can see, Amazon represented well over 50 percent of my total sales for 2015. I averaged a little over two sales per day.
In 2014, I sold 1,037 books (a little under three books a day), so I've dropped off a bit in my total sales. But Amazon properties, again, represented well over 50 percent of my sales (539, -125). Nook netted 127 sales for me in 2014 (-78), while Kobo resulted in 106 (+14). That means, if my math is correct, 265 books came from the Apple/Smashwords queue (-113). You can easily see where I've dropped off and where I've progressed.
Interesting, indeed. My writing has improved from book to book, but my sales are dropping. How to explain these numbers?
Honestly, I do not know the true reasoning. My hypotheses range from Facebook algorithm changes/drop in organic reach, lack of paid advertising on my part, and reader lifestyle changes, i.e. not having enough time to read due to job/family situations. It happens. Some readers may have found other authors. (I'm still here, and I'm not going away any time soon.) Those in the UK may have passed on me due to VAT rules, and some may have passed on me due to me not being in Kindle Unlimited. As I've written before, no one in my circle has Kobo for an ereader, and I've dutifully posted to Twitter and hashtagged my Kobo books; most of my Canadian sales come via Kobo.
While I've dropped, I'm not totally dismayed: My current 2016 numbers are along the same lines as last year (currently at 32 books for January, plus 14 Kindle pre-orders for Chemical Agent), but I suspect they'll rise as I revamp my business plan in 2016 and into next year.
At least that's my hope. We'll see as the year progresses.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
December 31, 2015
An Author's Resolutions for 2016
For my past resolutions, see 2012 and 2013.
As 2015 comes to a close and 2016 takes her first bow, I'm going to do something I haven't done in a few years: I'm going to make certain resolutions for my writing which I'm planning on keeping throughout the calendar year--and hopefully beyond.
I will use my time more effectively in 2016.
Notice I didn't say "I will write more" or "I will publish X number of books" in 2016. Even though I've hit those two particular goals in the past, I have to say my time management skills have rather atrophied, especially as 2015 developed. The lure of the Internet and Facebook and Twitter and (insert your favorite sites here) have contributed to my ADHD, and I always find myself behind the eight ball when it comes to my word counts. I have to scold myself to get back on track. That being said...
I will significantly reduce my time spent on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media in 2016.
Always a toughie, especially when us authors are expected to cultivate a following and need to breed our relationships with our readers, interacting with them through social media. And I have to be honest (and my wife will agree with me): I spend way too much time on social media. I've started to limit my time on my sportswriting Twitter (there's a reason for that), but I'm not seeing an increase in my writing productivity. I resolve that I will spend only a few minutes on social media, then get to work. And when I'm on it too much, I resolve to whack my ass with a boat paddle and do something constructively with my extra time, i.e. start brainstorming other projects instead of whittling my time away on Facebook. (We'll see how this one goes.)
I will blog more in 2016.
I wrote 40 blogs in 2015, which is the most I've written under this account (my John Fitch V account, well... I blogged a lot. Whether or not it was anything of substance, well....). I will provide more raw snippets of my writing, more thoughts about the industry, more food (I supplied readers with four tasty dishes in 2015), and just about anything else that tickles my fancy in 2016. I try to stay away from blogging about my favorite sports teams a la George R.R. Martin does, since I'm a New England/Boston sports fan, and right now New England/Boston sports fans are a rather hated group of people. I want to draw potential readers in, not turn them away simply due to my sports allegiances. Simply put: I resolve to write 52 blogs--one a week--in 2016.
I will look into other avenues to spread the word about my books in 2016.
I've blogged about it in the past, and we already know the hard truths of publishing in the current state of things: I've recently realized Facebook's organic reach is at minute levels, and the platform has done its best to squeeze out small businesses from reaching their customers. Facebook was, at my peak, the best way to reach readers. Nowadays, hardly anyone sees my links even on my personal page. I'm looking into growing my newsletter mailing list and doing a more direct route to readers, letting readers who want to know about the books know about them; after all, isn't that why I went indie? To reach readers directly, without a middleman? I resolve to reduce my reliance on just posting links to Facebook--however, I do plan on taking out Facebook ads and hope to grow the mailing list with a free novella tease at some point in 2016. It's working for others, so I have to really test the waters. I've stuck a toe in, but I need to dive further in. I will do this in 2016.
Thanks for being with me in 2015. I resolve to do better in 2016.
Happy New Year, everyone.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
As 2015 comes to a close and 2016 takes her first bow, I'm going to do something I haven't done in a few years: I'm going to make certain resolutions for my writing which I'm planning on keeping throughout the calendar year--and hopefully beyond.
I will use my time more effectively in 2016.
Notice I didn't say "I will write more" or "I will publish X number of books" in 2016. Even though I've hit those two particular goals in the past, I have to say my time management skills have rather atrophied, especially as 2015 developed. The lure of the Internet and Facebook and Twitter and (insert your favorite sites here) have contributed to my ADHD, and I always find myself behind the eight ball when it comes to my word counts. I have to scold myself to get back on track. That being said...
I will significantly reduce my time spent on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media in 2016.
Always a toughie, especially when us authors are expected to cultivate a following and need to breed our relationships with our readers, interacting with them through social media. And I have to be honest (and my wife will agree with me): I spend way too much time on social media. I've started to limit my time on my sportswriting Twitter (there's a reason for that), but I'm not seeing an increase in my writing productivity. I resolve that I will spend only a few minutes on social media, then get to work. And when I'm on it too much, I resolve to whack my ass with a boat paddle and do something constructively with my extra time, i.e. start brainstorming other projects instead of whittling my time away on Facebook. (We'll see how this one goes.)
I will blog more in 2016.
I wrote 40 blogs in 2015, which is the most I've written under this account (my John Fitch V account, well... I blogged a lot. Whether or not it was anything of substance, well....). I will provide more raw snippets of my writing, more thoughts about the industry, more food (I supplied readers with four tasty dishes in 2015), and just about anything else that tickles my fancy in 2016. I try to stay away from blogging about my favorite sports teams a la George R.R. Martin does, since I'm a New England/Boston sports fan, and right now New England/Boston sports fans are a rather hated group of people. I want to draw potential readers in, not turn them away simply due to my sports allegiances. Simply put: I resolve to write 52 blogs--one a week--in 2016.
I will look into other avenues to spread the word about my books in 2016.
I've blogged about it in the past, and we already know the hard truths of publishing in the current state of things: I've recently realized Facebook's organic reach is at minute levels, and the platform has done its best to squeeze out small businesses from reaching their customers. Facebook was, at my peak, the best way to reach readers. Nowadays, hardly anyone sees my links even on my personal page. I'm looking into growing my newsletter mailing list and doing a more direct route to readers, letting readers who want to know about the books know about them; after all, isn't that why I went indie? To reach readers directly, without a middleman? I resolve to reduce my reliance on just posting links to Facebook--however, I do plan on taking out Facebook ads and hope to grow the mailing list with a free novella tease at some point in 2016. It's working for others, so I have to really test the waters. I've stuck a toe in, but I need to dive further in. I will do this in 2016.
Thanks for being with me in 2015. I resolve to do better in 2016.
Happy New Year, everyone.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
December 30, 2015
State of the Author, 2015
And now, the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain.... on the year 2015.
For this author, 2015 was a roller coaster year of successes and trials, of realizations, and tough decisions.
On the publishing front:
In 2015, this author published several novels, and revised a few of his older works: Travel Agent: A Thriller, The Long Crimson Line: A Thriller, and the revised Obloeron Saga, including the previously unseen third prequel novel Krampel's Revenge, all reached readers' eyes in January, June, and November, respectively. In revisions, I took a long, hard look at several pieces, tightening Scollay Love (under my D.L. Boyd pen name), Zombie Showdown, Cold Altar, and Voir Dire, then re-published the lot in August. I feel that, on the revisions, I've made those books better on the eye.
On the writing front:
In addition to the revisions to the Saga, I wrote Chemical Agent: A Thriller (which is now available for pre-order), the first and second drafts to Beach Blanket Bloodshed: An Alex Bourque Mystery (in the same series as Cold Altar and Voir Dire), and I'm well into the first draft of a fantasy story unrelated to Obloeron. 2016 is shaping up to be a solid year, publishing-wise.
On the business front:
This was the massive trial I spoke of earlier. In 2015 (as of 7 p.m. on Dec. 30), I've sold 732 books, which doesn't include the Apple iBooks update for the month of December. That number is, by far, the worst sales year I've had since 2010, when I only had four books out and only sold 758 books that year.
I wrote back in June that it's time to re-evaluate the business plan, and I'm starting to implement some of my findings as we enter the new year. I've spent a little money so far, and the plan is to spend some more in order to re-claim the fan base and my audience. It will be a slow process; my hope is that by the summer, I'll be able to focus my efforts on doing just that, mainly with Facebook and Twitter ads in order to let readers know of my improvement, and that I'm still here.
I'm not going anywhere, ladies and gentlemen. I will continue to publish great books in 2016 and beyond.
I'm glad you're with me on this tremendous ride.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
For this author, 2015 was a roller coaster year of successes and trials, of realizations, and tough decisions.
On the publishing front:
In 2015, this author published several novels, and revised a few of his older works: Travel Agent: A Thriller, The Long Crimson Line: A Thriller, and the revised Obloeron Saga, including the previously unseen third prequel novel Krampel's Revenge, all reached readers' eyes in January, June, and November, respectively. In revisions, I took a long, hard look at several pieces, tightening Scollay Love (under my D.L. Boyd pen name), Zombie Showdown, Cold Altar, and Voir Dire, then re-published the lot in August. I feel that, on the revisions, I've made those books better on the eye.
On the writing front:
In addition to the revisions to the Saga, I wrote Chemical Agent: A Thriller (which is now available for pre-order), the first and second drafts to Beach Blanket Bloodshed: An Alex Bourque Mystery (in the same series as Cold Altar and Voir Dire), and I'm well into the first draft of a fantasy story unrelated to Obloeron. 2016 is shaping up to be a solid year, publishing-wise.
On the business front:
This was the massive trial I spoke of earlier. In 2015 (as of 7 p.m. on Dec. 30), I've sold 732 books, which doesn't include the Apple iBooks update for the month of December. That number is, by far, the worst sales year I've had since 2010, when I only had four books out and only sold 758 books that year.
I wrote back in June that it's time to re-evaluate the business plan, and I'm starting to implement some of my findings as we enter the new year. I've spent a little money so far, and the plan is to spend some more in order to re-claim the fan base and my audience. It will be a slow process; my hope is that by the summer, I'll be able to focus my efforts on doing just that, mainly with Facebook and Twitter ads in order to let readers know of my improvement, and that I'm still here.
I'm not going anywhere, ladies and gentlemen. I will continue to publish great books in 2016 and beyond.
I'm glad you're with me on this tremendous ride.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
December 29, 2015
A look back at my 2015 blogs
I'm going to come right out and say this wasn't my original idea. No, my pal Jim C. Hines came up with this idea the other day, and I thought, "If it's good for Jimmy, then it's good for me." And notice how I get all my excellent ideas from Jim?
Anyway...
In 2015, I wrote 38 blogs prior to this one. I did a hodge-podge of books and food, as well as a trip to Cape Cod. Which ones were the most popular? You'll be surprised.
10. The Obloeron Re-writes: Back at it (69 views)
We can't escape Obloeron! This blog from late June--right after the end of Chemical Agent's first draft and the release of The Long Crimson Line--tackles the start of the second stage of the Re-writes.
9. Inside Travel Agent (72 views)
I answer a few questions about the contents of the sixth full-length Jaclyn Johnson novel.
8. Recipe Wednesday: Crock pot Pork Chops (79 views)
A blog post unrelated to books! I know, it's a miracle. Getting hungry re-reading this particular piece.
7. Cape Cod pictures from Ballston Beach in Truro (84 views)
A nice little photo spread of our trip to Truro back in April.
6. Cover reveal and pre-order links for The Long Crimson Line (86 views)
Pretty self-explanatory. I revealed the cover design--which was much better than my original idea, which was a rear view of a leggings-wearing woman holding a knife--for The Long Crimson Line, and gave folks to opportunity to pre-order it.
5. Sample Sunday--Travel Agent: A Thriller, Chapter 1 (94 views)
Again, pretty self-explanatory: Chapter 1 from what was the newest Jaclyn Johnson novel, Travel Agent.
4. The Obloeron Re-writes: A snippet of change (106 views)
One of the blogs I wrote back in January--OK, a few of them I wrote in January--dealt with the first stage of my re-writes in The Obloeron Saga. This particular blog showed how I improved one particular passage in The Quest For The Chalice.
3. An author, re-assessing his business plan (121 views)
In what was my longest blog post of 2015, I rambled about the current state of affairs in book-selling, as well as how I'm going to tackle it. I really still haven't tackled it, but we're getting there.
2. Have you pre-ordered The Obloeron Saga yet? (127 views)
Our second most popular blog came in late October. And while you can't pre-order it any longer, it is still available at 99 cents... for now.
1. Coming soon--The Long Crimson Line: A Thriller (156 views)
Amazing: my most popular blog was a snippet of Chapter 1, and it came on my birthday, to boot! Happy birthday? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And there you have it: A look back at my 10 most popular blogs of 2015.
Will I match my blog output in 2016? Will I surpass it? You'll have to come back next year to find out. Keep reading.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
Anyway...
In 2015, I wrote 38 blogs prior to this one. I did a hodge-podge of books and food, as well as a trip to Cape Cod. Which ones were the most popular? You'll be surprised.
10. The Obloeron Re-writes: Back at it (69 views)
We can't escape Obloeron! This blog from late June--right after the end of Chemical Agent's first draft and the release of The Long Crimson Line--tackles the start of the second stage of the Re-writes.
9. Inside Travel Agent (72 views)
I answer a few questions about the contents of the sixth full-length Jaclyn Johnson novel.
8. Recipe Wednesday: Crock pot Pork Chops (79 views)
A blog post unrelated to books! I know, it's a miracle. Getting hungry re-reading this particular piece.
7. Cape Cod pictures from Ballston Beach in Truro (84 views)
A nice little photo spread of our trip to Truro back in April.
6. Cover reveal and pre-order links for The Long Crimson Line (86 views)
Pretty self-explanatory. I revealed the cover design--which was much better than my original idea, which was a rear view of a leggings-wearing woman holding a knife--for The Long Crimson Line, and gave folks to opportunity to pre-order it.
5. Sample Sunday--Travel Agent: A Thriller, Chapter 1 (94 views)
Again, pretty self-explanatory: Chapter 1 from what was the newest Jaclyn Johnson novel, Travel Agent.
4. The Obloeron Re-writes: A snippet of change (106 views)
One of the blogs I wrote back in January--OK, a few of them I wrote in January--dealt with the first stage of my re-writes in The Obloeron Saga. This particular blog showed how I improved one particular passage in The Quest For The Chalice.
3. An author, re-assessing his business plan (121 views)
In what was my longest blog post of 2015, I rambled about the current state of affairs in book-selling, as well as how I'm going to tackle it. I really still haven't tackled it, but we're getting there.
2. Have you pre-ordered The Obloeron Saga yet? (127 views)
Our second most popular blog came in late October. And while you can't pre-order it any longer, it is still available at 99 cents... for now.
1. Coming soon--The Long Crimson Line: A Thriller (156 views)
Amazing: my most popular blog was a snippet of Chapter 1, and it came on my birthday, to boot! Happy birthday? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And there you have it: A look back at my 10 most popular blogs of 2015.
Will I match my blog output in 2016? Will I surpass it? You'll have to come back next year to find out. Keep reading.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
December 23, 2015
COMING SOON--CHEMICAL AGENT: A THRILLER, now available for pre-order
It's just in time for Christmas.
Well, maybe it's a late Valentine's Day 2016 gift, but still... work with me here.
CHEMICAL AGENT, the seventh full-length Jaclyn Johnson thriller adventure, is now available for pre-order on both Kindle and Kobo, and will be ready for you to download on Feb. 16, 2016. For those of you with Kindle, you will more than likely get it on Feb. 15, if things go as they usually do. I will upload the Nook version on Feb. 13 in time for a Feb. 16 release.
A trade paperback edition and an audiobook are also planned; the trade paperback ready for release day, the audiobook in 2017.
Here's what it's all about:
The first trip home for Jaclyn Johnson was supposed to be a memorable one: Gone from Seattle for well over a decade, she was home to attend the unveiling of a statue for her father, killed on 9/11.
Instead, her trip turned into a memory she would rather forget.
Thrust into an awkward position following a tragic murder at their hotel, a murder she couldn’t stop, the CIA counterterrorism agent must do something of which she had never dreamed in this, her seventh full-length adventure: reconcile with her nearly-forgotten past, all while moving forward in life without one of her closest allies.
Reserve your copy here today:
Amazon Kindle US
Amazon Kindle UK
Kobo
Smashwords
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
Well, maybe it's a late Valentine's Day 2016 gift, but still... work with me here.
CHEMICAL AGENT, the seventh full-length Jaclyn Johnson thriller adventure, is now available for pre-order on both Kindle and Kobo, and will be ready for you to download on Feb. 16, 2016. For those of you with Kindle, you will more than likely get it on Feb. 15, if things go as they usually do. I will upload the Nook version on Feb. 13 in time for a Feb. 16 release.
A trade paperback edition and an audiobook are also planned; the trade paperback ready for release day, the audiobook in 2017.
Here's what it's all about:
The first trip home for Jaclyn Johnson was supposed to be a memorable one: Gone from Seattle for well over a decade, she was home to attend the unveiling of a statue for her father, killed on 9/11.
Instead, her trip turned into a memory she would rather forget.
Thrust into an awkward position following a tragic murder at their hotel, a murder she couldn’t stop, the CIA counterterrorism agent must do something of which she had never dreamed in this, her seventh full-length adventure: reconcile with her nearly-forgotten past, all while moving forward in life without one of her closest allies.
Reserve your copy here today:
Amazon Kindle US
Amazon Kindle UK
Kobo
Smashwords
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
December 4, 2015
Check out this balsamic chicken and veggies dish
It's been a while since I've blogged, and since no one really wants to hear how I'm struggling a little with the current WIP as of late, I'm going to write about food instead.
One of my high school contemporaries--and in a Six Degrees of Separation angle, the mother of one of my wife's math students--had posted a recipe for One Pan Balsamic Chicken from Tasty on Facebook over the weekend, and it was so mouth-watering that I needed to try it. My mom also posted it, so that must have been a sign. I made it Thursday, and I altered the directions a little. Instead of one pan, I used two to keep everything relatively warm.
Doesn't this look fantastic?
Here's what you'll need:
As many chicken breasts that you and your family will eat, tenderized and sliced into no more than 1 1/2-inch wide lengths
An 8-ounce package of mushroom slices
Green Beans, between a quarter of a pound and half a pound
A cup of grape tomatoes, halved the long way
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1-2 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinaigrette
In the first frying pan, coat with olive oil and toss in your mushrooms, cooking them down on high for a few minutes, stirring and tossing. They should go from their pale gray coloring to a darker shade of sandalwood. Add your green beans to this, turn the heat to low, and cover.
In the second frying pan (once the first is covered), coat with olive oil and toss in your chicken breasts, adding salt and pepper to taste. We tenderize our chicken, so it's relatively flat; also, I had put the breasts into the oil whole without slicing, which led to the chicken being slightly undercooked and I had to zap it for about 50 seconds to finish it off. When the outside edges of the chicken grow white, turn the chicken. Keep doing this every few minutes in order to cook the chicken through, probably four turns or so, especially if your chicken is sliced (you live and you learn). As you're waiting for the chicken, remember to stir the mushrooms and beans a few times. Once done, set the chicken aside.
In the same pan that you used to cook the chicken, it's time to make your balsamic glaze. Don't worry if there are little pieces of chicken still in the pan: use that to your advantage! Add the Italian dressing, then the honey, then the Balsamic vinaigrette. Cook it on high for a few minutes, stirring until the concoction is all dark and bubbly.
By now, the mushrooms and beans should be ready. Toss the chicken in, along with the halved grape tomatoes. Then, pour your balsamic glaze over the top of it, then stir and cover for about two minutes.
I served this with white rice, drizzling some of the extra glaze over it to give it some additional flavor.
My bride thoroughly enjoyed this, so I'm being allowed to make it again. This next time, I will totally trim the chicken down to size.
Enjoy!
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
One of my high school contemporaries--and in a Six Degrees of Separation angle, the mother of one of my wife's math students--had posted a recipe for One Pan Balsamic Chicken from Tasty on Facebook over the weekend, and it was so mouth-watering that I needed to try it. My mom also posted it, so that must have been a sign. I made it Thursday, and I altered the directions a little. Instead of one pan, I used two to keep everything relatively warm.
Doesn't this look fantastic?
Here's what you'll need:
As many chicken breasts that you and your family will eat, tenderized and sliced into no more than 1 1/2-inch wide lengths
An 8-ounce package of mushroom slices
Green Beans, between a quarter of a pound and half a pound
A cup of grape tomatoes, halved the long way
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1-2 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinaigrette
In the first frying pan, coat with olive oil and toss in your mushrooms, cooking them down on high for a few minutes, stirring and tossing. They should go from their pale gray coloring to a darker shade of sandalwood. Add your green beans to this, turn the heat to low, and cover.
In the second frying pan (once the first is covered), coat with olive oil and toss in your chicken breasts, adding salt and pepper to taste. We tenderize our chicken, so it's relatively flat; also, I had put the breasts into the oil whole without slicing, which led to the chicken being slightly undercooked and I had to zap it for about 50 seconds to finish it off. When the outside edges of the chicken grow white, turn the chicken. Keep doing this every few minutes in order to cook the chicken through, probably four turns or so, especially if your chicken is sliced (you live and you learn). As you're waiting for the chicken, remember to stir the mushrooms and beans a few times. Once done, set the chicken aside.
In the same pan that you used to cook the chicken, it's time to make your balsamic glaze. Don't worry if there are little pieces of chicken still in the pan: use that to your advantage! Add the Italian dressing, then the honey, then the Balsamic vinaigrette. Cook it on high for a few minutes, stirring until the concoction is all dark and bubbly.
By now, the mushrooms and beans should be ready. Toss the chicken in, along with the halved grape tomatoes. Then, pour your balsamic glaze over the top of it, then stir and cover for about two minutes.
I served this with white rice, drizzling some of the extra glaze over it to give it some additional flavor.
My bride thoroughly enjoyed this, so I'm being allowed to make it again. This next time, I will totally trim the chicken down to size.
Enjoy!
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
November 2, 2015
Happy Book Day--Remembering the last 13 years of Obloeron
Quick note: I will update this page when the Nook link pops up. For now, here you go.... or you can sideload to Smashwords if you so desire. -- SMS
When I was in the closing stages of this renewed edition of THE OBLOERON SAGA, I had promised myself that I wouldn't cry. I didn't cry when I finished the final edits (both times). I didn't cry when I finished the first drafts, save the first one--and there were plenty of emotional moments during those two-plus years, let me tell you. I don't cry often (at least that's what I tell you here).
So you may be a bit shocked to hear that I cried the other day. Yup. I did.
I was in the office upstairs, getting everything finished and nice and tidy for you. I had all of my files, all four of them, formatted. I had inserted Deborah Levinson's wonderfully written Foreword into all four files. I had the blurb and all the details about the SAGA ready. The cover? Ready to go.
I uploaded to all four simultaneously (Nook, however, wouldn't process until this morning). Kindle and Kobo went straight to publishing for pre-order.
Smashwords... ah, Smashwords. It was while Smashwords' famed "Meatgrinder" went about its business of getting the book out there that all the memories of the last 13 years came whizzing through my mind......
The memory of wanting to write a simple story about a halfling. I had percolated in my mind for a few months while I sold cell phones at the mall. I then recall sitting down in my bedroom on Jan. 4, 2003, my first Gateway computer fired up. I had named the initial file YanosKingsfoil.doc. The first four chapters came formed, and I wrote them in a few weeks. I had the first line of what was then chapter five written... and then I stumbled.
I eventually finished chapter five some six months later, in between dad's funeral and his burial.
Dad, I hope you're watching. I hope you're proud of the author I have become. I did it.... and I miss you.
I had put those first five chapters on the shelf afterward and let the story marinate a bit. It wasn't until I heard R.A. Salvatore speak at the Westminster Public Library a year or so later did I decide to return to the novel--I had told my mom as we left the library that I would finish that book after I heard Bob say that "There is no such thing as writer's block." Less than a week later, I had my brainstorm about Krampel Paddymeyer. It was just an idea and didn't come fully formed at the time. I pressed myself to write those last 80,000 words or so in THE QUEST FOR THE CHALICE; I celebrated hard when I made it to 100 pages of manuscript.
I had wept Christmas Night 2004, when I thought I had lost the entire manuscript (friggin' 3D models of the save icon). I breathed a sigh of relief when I had recovered it.
I worked and worked and worked until I had my manuscript. I got right to work on book two.
I wrote book two a little faster than book one. I wrote book three, and I had my trilogy. After a few other books, I started writing my prequel stories. I wrote a series of short stories in 2009. I remember family of friends taunting me for my weird-sounding character and places names.
I published the original trilogy shortly thereafter. I felt so proud of what I had done. I did the same with more books, and more books. My skills improved.
I recall re-reading it in 2013 and discovering that it was crap. I shelved it. I removed it from sale.
I didn't want it to see the light of day again.
And then... I decided, with my present skills, to return to Obloeron. It was time. I took the short stories I had written and figured how to weave them into the story. There was a question of taking one and attaching it to the end of the third--then unreleased--prequel, but instead I decided to use it as a connecting piece. I took another, polished it up, and attached it to the start of my first novel from nearly 13 years ago.
I started re-writing the novels where they needed re-writing. That took a few weeks, before I started to salvage (and as I've already noted, that was a good thing).
I let them sit for a while. I returned to them in July of this year, then again in September.
And now... they're back. Six books, including the previously unseen third prequel novel, KRAMPEL'S REVENGE. Happy Book Day, Sean. Happy Book Day.
If you pre-ordered the box set, thank you. If you're thinking about buying it for only 99 cents, know that you're buying a project that has touched my heart and my life more than any book series ever should.
If you're new here, enjoy the ride.
At the moment, this is the only available edition of Obloeron: On Friday, I took down the two existing individual prequels for the time being: I need to update the covers and re-brand, and right now is not the time, financially-speaking, to do that. Besides, you're getting all six books for .99 cents instead of paying $2.99 each. Doesn't exactly make sense to have them all up right now, does it?
Here are the links:
US Kindle
UK Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords
***
And now, a quick word about the future of this particular world:
The last short story in this series was intended, in 2009, to be the jumping-off point for a sequel series; obviously, I took the George Lucas approach with this entire saga, writing the second three books first, then go on to write the first three books second, then drop the series entirety. It was completely unintentional.
Once I started writing the AGENT series some seven months later, I put the sequel series of Obloeron on the shelf. I started enjoying a great deal of success as a thriller author (I still do), but there is a part of me which would love to go back to that world and cause a little damage. And seeing that I'm currently in the first draft stage of an unrelated fantasy novel (more on that next week, I think), there is a desire in my heart to go back to Obloeron and write a few new books in the world.
But--and this is a pretty huge but here--I will only do so if there is a call for it. If the SAGA sells well and it is well-received, I'll start brainstorming next month. We'll get a cover made, and we'll get the book out.
Only if there's a call for it.
Let me know.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
When I was in the closing stages of this renewed edition of THE OBLOERON SAGA, I had promised myself that I wouldn't cry. I didn't cry when I finished the final edits (both times). I didn't cry when I finished the first drafts, save the first one--and there were plenty of emotional moments during those two-plus years, let me tell you. I don't cry often (at least that's what I tell you here).
So you may be a bit shocked to hear that I cried the other day. Yup. I did.
I was in the office upstairs, getting everything finished and nice and tidy for you. I had all of my files, all four of them, formatted. I had inserted Deborah Levinson's wonderfully written Foreword into all four files. I had the blurb and all the details about the SAGA ready. The cover? Ready to go.
I uploaded to all four simultaneously (Nook, however, wouldn't process until this morning). Kindle and Kobo went straight to publishing for pre-order.
Smashwords... ah, Smashwords. It was while Smashwords' famed "Meatgrinder" went about its business of getting the book out there that all the memories of the last 13 years came whizzing through my mind......
The memory of wanting to write a simple story about a halfling. I had percolated in my mind for a few months while I sold cell phones at the mall. I then recall sitting down in my bedroom on Jan. 4, 2003, my first Gateway computer fired up. I had named the initial file YanosKingsfoil.doc. The first four chapters came formed, and I wrote them in a few weeks. I had the first line of what was then chapter five written... and then I stumbled.
I eventually finished chapter five some six months later, in between dad's funeral and his burial.
Dad, I hope you're watching. I hope you're proud of the author I have become. I did it.... and I miss you.
I had put those first five chapters on the shelf afterward and let the story marinate a bit. It wasn't until I heard R.A. Salvatore speak at the Westminster Public Library a year or so later did I decide to return to the novel--I had told my mom as we left the library that I would finish that book after I heard Bob say that "There is no such thing as writer's block." Less than a week later, I had my brainstorm about Krampel Paddymeyer. It was just an idea and didn't come fully formed at the time. I pressed myself to write those last 80,000 words or so in THE QUEST FOR THE CHALICE; I celebrated hard when I made it to 100 pages of manuscript.
I had wept Christmas Night 2004, when I thought I had lost the entire manuscript (friggin' 3D models of the save icon). I breathed a sigh of relief when I had recovered it.
I worked and worked and worked until I had my manuscript. I got right to work on book two.
I wrote book two a little faster than book one. I wrote book three, and I had my trilogy. After a few other books, I started writing my prequel stories. I wrote a series of short stories in 2009. I remember family of friends taunting me for my weird-sounding character and places names.
I published the original trilogy shortly thereafter. I felt so proud of what I had done. I did the same with more books, and more books. My skills improved.
I recall re-reading it in 2013 and discovering that it was crap. I shelved it. I removed it from sale.
I didn't want it to see the light of day again.
And then... I decided, with my present skills, to return to Obloeron. It was time. I took the short stories I had written and figured how to weave them into the story. There was a question of taking one and attaching it to the end of the third--then unreleased--prequel, but instead I decided to use it as a connecting piece. I took another, polished it up, and attached it to the start of my first novel from nearly 13 years ago.
I started re-writing the novels where they needed re-writing. That took a few weeks, before I started to salvage (and as I've already noted, that was a good thing).
I let them sit for a while. I returned to them in July of this year, then again in September.
And now... they're back. Six books, including the previously unseen third prequel novel, KRAMPEL'S REVENGE. Happy Book Day, Sean. Happy Book Day.
If you pre-ordered the box set, thank you. If you're thinking about buying it for only 99 cents, know that you're buying a project that has touched my heart and my life more than any book series ever should.
If you're new here, enjoy the ride.
At the moment, this is the only available edition of Obloeron: On Friday, I took down the two existing individual prequels for the time being: I need to update the covers and re-brand, and right now is not the time, financially-speaking, to do that. Besides, you're getting all six books for .99 cents instead of paying $2.99 each. Doesn't exactly make sense to have them all up right now, does it?
Here are the links:
US Kindle
UK Kindle
Nook
Kobo
Smashwords
***
And now, a quick word about the future of this particular world:
The last short story in this series was intended, in 2009, to be the jumping-off point for a sequel series; obviously, I took the George Lucas approach with this entire saga, writing the second three books first, then go on to write the first three books second, then drop the series entirety. It was completely unintentional.
Once I started writing the AGENT series some seven months later, I put the sequel series of Obloeron on the shelf. I started enjoying a great deal of success as a thriller author (I still do), but there is a part of me which would love to go back to that world and cause a little damage. And seeing that I'm currently in the first draft stage of an unrelated fantasy novel (more on that next week, I think), there is a desire in my heart to go back to Obloeron and write a few new books in the world.
But--and this is a pretty huge but here--I will only do so if there is a call for it. If the SAGA sells well and it is well-received, I'll start brainstorming next month. We'll get a cover made, and we'll get the book out.
Only if there's a call for it.
Let me know.
www.seansweeneyauthor.com
