Jim Devitt's Blog, page 13

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award - Advancing to the Second Round

I received great news this week. In January, I submitted THE CARD in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition. This yearly award is given to an independently published or unpublished novel after going through several rounds of judging. THE CARD has been selected to move on to the second round in judging, now down to the top 20% of entrants.

The first round consisted of 5,000 entrants in the young adult category. The Amazon editors selected the top 1,000 entries to advance to the second round by rating the PITCH, or the blurb that you might see on the back of a book. The Pitch was rated on the following criteria, originality of idea, overall strength of the Pitch and the quality of writing.

Now the waiting begins, again. The second round will conclude on March 11, 2012 and will include Amazon's expert reviewers, including Amazon editors and at least one Amazon Top Reviewer. This round will judge on the EXERPT (up to the first 5,000 words of the novel) and will be rated on the following criteria: 
a) Overall Strength of Excerpt
b)Prose/Style
c)Plot/Hook
d)Originality of Idea

The top 250 entries will advance to the Quarter-Finals.

The Grand Prize winner will receive a publishing contract with Penguin Group. The finalist will be announced in mid May and will include a "customer" voting component.

As you might have guessed, if I make it that far, I'll be asking everyone to help out. For now, I will enjoy advancing to the second round.

Thanks all who have helped me along the way, and please keep your fingers crossed for this next challenge.

Grants, Fellowships and Author Loans

You can check out my research into creative ways for authors to pick up some needed assistance. Whether its for a medical emergency, schooling, or just funds to help complete a project, there are many ways to get assistance. 
Click this link to see the full article at Indies Unlimited.

Jim Devitt goes live on Indies Unlimited

[image error] Recently, I've had the honor of being invited as a contributing author to join the staff at Indies Unlimited, a fast growing and influential site. Launched last fall by author Stephen Hise, the site is dedicated to the independent authors, publishers, reviewers and readers who are on the cutting edge of the technological revolution of indie publishing.
My first post is available today, and you'll find a post from me each Saturday.  I hope that you will find great information and fantastic ideas to help wade through the Indie Publishing world. If you are into traditional publishing, maybe you'll learn a few things along the way.
Please take a moment to check us out. Meanwhile, the #1 Kindle Bestselling novel, THE CARD, continues to enjoy its best run ever. Thanks to everyone that has helped keep us on the charts.

Shhhhh, the secret's out ...

I want tolet you in on a little insider information. This is one of those things that'stough to go public about. There are so many ways in which to succeed in thisworld. I'm not here to tell you about all of those things. I want to let youknow about a couple of things that will make a huge difference for you, becauseit did for me.
The firstthing is not new for me. I've lived my life this way for the most part, I hope.
Put othersfirst. Pretty simple, huh? No, I mean really do it. It's way too easy to getcaught up in the "me" world. Start doing things to help others withoutexpecting anything in return. As soon as you do that, everything changes. Itmight not be right away, but it will change. 
It'sparticularly tough in the Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn world.
You have tofight to get your word out, to promote yourself. You're fighting againstthousands or millions of others that are doing the same thing. The fight endswhen you let go. Help other people. Answer their questions without looking fora "sale." 
Take it astep further. The next time you're at a party or some large networking event,notice which people have the biggest crowds around them. Is it the guy with thebest stories? The loudest, most talkative person? No, it's the guy listening.It's in your human nature to want to talk. Talk about your book, your kids,your product. Don't be that person. 
Try to gothe entire night without talking about yourself. Engage others and listen towhat they have to say. You will feel better and have more friends andconnections by the end of the event. Go ahead and try it.
The secondthing I wanted to share is the tough one. It's one of those things thatis a little embarrassing— admitting that I actually did this andbelieved in it. I know, if you already do this, you're a big believer and it'snot a big deal. I guarantee that most people don't. 
Last March,right before I was published my debut novel, The Card—I created amanifestation board. You know, one of those collage type of things that have abunch of pictures of what you want to accomplish or acquire. You've probablyheard about them in books or movies like TheSecret.

Well, I did it. I cut out a bunch ofpictures and words that related to life and my new writing career. I'veincluded a picture of it as proof.

Here's some of the key points that Iincluded. Some things are going to sound silly to a lot of you, but hey, youhave to start somewhere.
Let's startsmall. I cut out pictures of things like an iPhone and Kindle. Less than a yearago I did not have those things. Check … Check, like I said, some of thesethings you're going to say, "No big deal," but for me they were. I didn't havethem. 
I was aneophyte with social media, so I included symbols that related to that. Today,while not an expert, I've created a nice following. 
I includedthings that spoke about what I wanted to be like—helping others and givingback. I know that a piece of paper is not going to change me, but looking atthis daily reminder keeps it in the forefront of my mind. 
I includedthe first page of the first chapter of the edited manuscript, red marks andall. I was bold enough to plaster "bestseller" all over the page. Why not?Isn't that what we want. This month we hit #1 as a Kindle Bestseller .
This boardhas been sitting in my writing room, has traveled 5,000 miles in the car acrossthe country and now sits on my bookshelf in my new place. It's become sofamiliar. I've gotten over being embarrassed by it. I don't care if anyonesee's it. It's now a part of me. Matter of fact, I think it's time for a newone! New goals, new dreams.
Haseverything happened that I included on the board? Not yet, I'm still waiting tobe optioned for a movie and of course, the video game—but, there is no timelimit in the universe. 
So give ita try. Let me know how it works for you. Get silly, dream big.

The Card now a #1 Kindle Bestseller

A huge thank you to everyone that has helped make this possible. Today we reached number one in our category for the PAID Kindle top 100, beating out some well known authors including Mike Lupica and Tim Green. We even hit #5 in the overall teen fiction category, right behind a little known book called Eclipse (Twilight Saga).

If you want to see it for yourself, you can check it out here. I don't know how long it will last, Amazon's rankings are very fluid. Of course, if you haven't picked up a copy of  THE CARD yet, you can always get one today!

Turning Pro in 2012

Asthe year winds down, every blogger, media outlet, television show, and radioprogram looks back at the past year and reminisces about the best and worst of 2011.If they are not doing that, they are hammering you with Resolutions. I'mhere to wish you a Happy New Year and avoid doing those things.
Withthe sun setting on 2011, many of you have achieved the success that you've been wishingand working toward, and for others, you may not be where you want to be, yet. 
Whatmakes the difference between those who succeed and those who don't? Is ittalent? Effort? Knowledge? Marketing? While these things play a role, I'lloffer my two cents on what makes the difference. 
Yourmind and thoughts … 
It'sthat simple. Get out of your own way and put success in your head.
Thisblog post is not for everyone, because many of you believe that you are there.I wasn't. Exactly one year ago, I had never published a book, created a cover,formatted the interior, or even wrote, THE END. Sure I had been workingon my debut novel and I knew that someday I would finish. But, someday nevercame. 
Then,I read a blog postfrom Larry Brooks at www.storyfix.com. Ifyou haven't stumbled across Larry yet, he is one of the best out there. In his post,he sidetracked from his usual story engineering and six core principles forwriting success and hit me with something that burned into my core.
Iformed a sort of mantra with it and posted it on my computer. I read it everymorning. I read it every time I found my wheels spinning. I read it afterspending ten straight hours with final revisions. I read it after "working" my real job all day with no time to write. I believe it was the mostimportant change that put me on the fast track to success. I'll share it withyou now.   
This year I will officially turn pro as a storyteller.I will establish a schedule. I will set goals. I willsolicit feedback. I will study. I will become a scholar of my genre.
I will render myself fluent in the language of my craft.I am writing for an audience. For money. For my career. Acceptanceof that awareness changes everything.Larry Brooks, Storyfix.com
It'sthat simple. Believe it. Post it. Say it, everyday. Starteveryday with this affirmation, then come back next year and share with me yoursuccess. It will happen. It has to happen. The universe works that way.
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Thank you for your support throughout the year.



You have made this a special time in my life with the launch of my debut novel, The Card. It's been a roller coaster ride since April when the paper edition was launched. Shortly thereafter, the Kindle edition hit the online bookstores.

By July, The Card moved up to #15 on the Kindle bestseller list in its category. I have been amazed at the success we've had up to this point. July also marked the launch of the Nook, Sony, and iStore editions of the Van Stone novel.

As the year closes, I look forward to completing the next installment in the ongoing series in 2012. Thank you again for all your support, encouragement and great reviews.

Can Authors be Rock Stars?

Pop culture, famous "A" list actors and mega sports stars fill the media spotlight. Huge numbers of fans flock to be a part of the "in" crowd or to see their hero in person. Jimmy Buffett, Phish, Lady Gaga or Kenny Chesney can sellout concerts in less than twenty minutes. 
All performers and athletes connect with their fans causing everything from mild hysteria, to crazy outfits and painted faces. The old black and white clips of fainting girls in the presence of Elvis or the Beatles has become an indelible image in our history. 
The question here is, can authors achieve that status? 
Throughout the United States, book sales revenues exceeded $11.6 Billion in 2010. Book sales increased in nearly every category according to Book Business Magazine . With the popularity of books increasing at such a high rate, where does the author fit in the pop culture phenomenon? 
At the recent MiamiBook Fair International, you would think that they might be gaining ground in the idol-worshiping category. Huge lines formed to shake hands with authors, with sellout crowds for many of the presenters. Fans waited in line for hours to see the likes of Michael Moore and Jim Lehrer, or most anyone with a political slant. The demographics tended to lean toward an older group with a sprinkling of younger fans in the mix. 
Then, the real "Rock Stars" arrived …
Teen and young adult authors drew the largest crowds. Some fans waiting in line for seven hours to see Jeff Kinney the author of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and Christopher Paolini the author of the "Inheritance Cycle" books. Above all, the real star was Chuck Palahniuk the author of several novels and essays including perhaps his most popular, "Fight Club" which later was made into a movie and hit #1 at the US box office.
Palahniuk knows his audience. Backstage, I worked with a few others to ready the props. This author didn't have a presentation, he had a SHOW. The fried egg stumbled onstage, and that was my cue to rush down the middle aisle and fling plastic/rubber inflatable brains into the frenzied crowd. Hundreds of rabid fans rushed toward the stage reaching for their rock star idol to toss the props. The crowd turned into a mosh pit of young people as the cacophony of cheers, screams and hissing filled the auditorium. 
The race was on to be the first to fill their brain… and this was no small brain. It about three feet across and held a lot of air. The room grew quiet, filled only with the hissing sound of inflatable toys enlarging. Five minutes or more passed as the many lucky fans competed to finish first. At last, a rumpled and light-headed kid jumped up and wavered from hyperventilation, holding his brain high.
This is the stuff of rock stars, the seemingly disconnected request, blindly filled by the fans. The crowd experienced their star author as no one else can. They connected and obeyed every command. Palahniuk chucked Three Musketeer Bars into the audience and they scrambled after them like fans after a foul ball at a baseball game, climbing over each other and taking shots to the head.
Palahniuk settled into a reading and the fans held their collective breath. The last stop on his tour was going to be his best. He had pulled out all the stops and the fans gobbled it up. 
Then something happened that I had only seen on the grainy black and white movies from the sixties … a young fan fainted. Boom. Right to the ground. Chuck Palahniuk tore at the hearts and minds of his fans. Some say it is the graphic nature of his material. Others said it was the seven-hour wait in the hot, humid Miami weather. I say it was fan-dom. That unexplainable thing that happens in the presence of your idol. Across the room, another group gasped and a murmur grew, signally the fainting of another. 
The phenomenon was working in full force. Palahniuk knows his audience. He gives them what they want. Later, talking with Chuck, he said that he has gotten used to the fainting. It happens all the time. He's had well over one hundred fainting fans at his appearances. Now that is rock star status to me.
They may not be in the public eye the same way as rock stars, athletes and actors, but authors do have a place in the fan worshiping pop culture society that we live in. To some it might seem silly or overboard. To me—it's awesome. To see almost a thousand fans go crazy over a WRITER is unbelievable. Young impressionable minds that devour books can't be a bad thing. I'm not sure how many more authors are out there that have such a devoted following that they can fill up auditoriums with screaming, fainting fans. The one thing I do know. I met a rock star in Chuck Palahniuk.

Guest Post on Indies Unlimited

Check out my guest post on Indies Unlimited. A few thoughts about the state of books and a brief look at my volunteer gig at the Miami Book Fair International. Thanks to Stephen Hise at Indies Unlimited for inviting me to share my experiences.

Young Readers Give Us Hope

They came by the hundreds—some waiting for over three hours in line. As I walked along the sidewalk to the locked gate, the signs of waiting were everywhere. Most had relinquished standing in line to sitting on the dirty sidewalks in downtown Miami. Fortunately, it was a beautiful day, so the heat wasn't much of a factor in this concrete jungle.
The seven hundred plus faithful followers of ChristopherPaolini's epic series, The Inheritance Cycle, queued, anxiously awaiting the chance to hear the New York Times Bestselling Author speak about his series. This was his first appearance at the Miami Book Fair International.
What struck me the most about the crowd was the number of young adults lugging volumes of books to this event. Eight-hundred or so pages in each of the four volumes presented a hefty task for the readers. In a world of hi-tech—low tech was certainly the key on this Sunday evening. I spotted only one Kindle throughout the waiting line.
Inside, fans jostled for the best seats close to their storyteller. The buzz was palpable as the guest of honor took the stage. Christopher spent the next hour dissecting his process and giving the fans nuggets of information that would never be found in a bio or interview. The crowd gasped together when Paolini broke into a couple of his created languages and dialects.

During the question and answer period, fans rushed to the microphone to have a chance to talk to their idol. Cracking, nervous voices of all ages, from young teens to adults, stood in front of their "King" like commoners awaiting the blessing into the kingdom.
Christopher connected with his fans as only he could. When creating a new fantasy world, the creator is the only one who could discuss origins and the future. While this is the end of the series, he indicated that other stories might emerge from the highly successful series.
The real fun began with the book signing line. Fans rushed to the line, the early birds cried foul, all for a chance to meet their hero. Fans stood in line for put to an hour and a half to have Paolini sign their volumes, and volumes they did bring. Stacks of books, all four of the series, weighed almost as much as some the kids carrying them.
They traveled from as far as Tampa, four hours both ways, just to have their thirty seconds with the author. Young kids stood nervously, waiting for their chance.
"I'm so scared."
"I can't believe I'm meeting him."
"What if I trip when I walk up?"
"I'm shaking right now."
… were some of the things I heard while directing them to the signing table.
The entire night had a profound impact on me. To see young readers like this, so excited about reading and meeting, not a sports figure or movie star, but their hero an author, made the process of writing all worthwhile. These kids waited in line, not playing games on their handheld consoles, but reading their newly purchased final volume. They talked about their opinions as to how the story progressed. They truly "dig" reading. When I asked, Christopher Paolini replied, "That's why I do this, for them." Those are some wise words for all who aspire to write.
There is real hope in this world that many claim will not see hardbound novels in ten years. The younger generation still appreciates what it means to hold a book in their hands. The thrill of having your hero sign your very own copy can't be replicated easily in the digital world of Kindle's and Nooks. While I embrace the eBook world, Sunday night was a special time for hope and dreams in the old school world of books.