Richard Raley's Blog, page 35
June 12, 2015
The Long Wait for FM6
So, FM5 is out, everyone at the very least enjoyed it, if not was ecstatic about it, and now we move into the Next Novel phase of the writer-fan-please-stop-threatening-me relationship. Only, that novel isn't going to be FM6. At least not right away.
For three reasons.
REASON ONE FOR YOUR PAIN
As the most self-published of Indie authors on the planet, I'm the only guy who really works on this stuff and I've been letting the writing part of that job push everything else to the side. It's paid off. My sales doubled last year. They look like they might double this year too, or at least come close. But, there have been problems and "chores" if you will that I've kept pushing off to the side.
"New material, new material, forget about everything else" has created a backlog of writer garbage if you will, that fans really don't think about much. I've got my own files for all the information in the series and they haven't been updated since FM2. So I need to take the time to work my way through FM3-FM5 and update them. This way I can look at the information files, instead of trying to skim through every book trying to remember what the damn name of the European mancer school is or if Catherine Hayes had blue or green eyes or just millions of little continuity questions that pop up as you're writing.
It has also meant that everything I've written is still only digital because I've never taken the time to go through the Createspace process of making Print-on-Demand versions of the KHT. So that's also on the list.
Third, I've been asked quite a few times to take all the King Henry Shorts and combine them together in a single anthology. Especially now with "Meet the Bonnies" I have about 60k words in shorts and feel now is a good time to do so. So formatting and editing KING HENRY SHORT PACK ONE and making some kind of cover of course is on the radar as well, probably August/September.
Chores: Update Concordance Info, Format and Edit Short Pack One, and at least start the process of getting print-on-demand versions of the books done.
REASON TWO FOR YOUR PAIN
I'm fucking exhausted after FM5.
I always knew it was a bridge novel to get us to FM6, always knew it was the novel to move King Henry from college kid to actual adult, but I didn't expect it would take so much out of me or that it would be such a large book. FM6 I know is going to be insane, knew from when I started the series was going to be insane, but if any novel in the series was going to be accused of being "filler" (aka: character stuff and not explosions) it would be FM5. For some reason, in my head I connected "bridge" with "short" and...nope, not at all. Was SO MUCH to get done and set up and resolve.
So the King Henry Price part of my brain is just wasted at the moment. So wasted I had to take a break to write "Meet the Bonnies" WHILE WRITING FM5 or instead of finishing when I did I would currently be running naked through the streets screaming about shapeshifters. So wasted that the King Henry Price part of my brain needs even more of a break.
Which is why the plan isn't to start in with FM6 right away, but to pick up on my other projects. GUSH which I've already talked about, another shortish Fantasy/Spec-Fic novel called WHERE DO DREAMERS GO TO DIE? which is also set in the "Prisoners Cycle" overworld but just like GUSH and SKY-ISLAND will be stand-alone, and KING HENRY SHORT PACK TWO. No more shorts by themselves. Not sure how many short packs I'll be doing, but I'm going to do this one for sure.
It's kind of FM5.5 and all three novellas in it will be taking place on the same day, two weeks after events in FM5. One will be a T-Bone story called "Driving Miss Vicky" (that's racist!) about T-Bone and Vicky visiting the Coyote Compound. "Shadow Running" will involve Evelyn Strange and the Lady performing some high level stuff to bring Eva out of the coma, complete with flashbacks to the night in question. Last, a novella I'm currently calling "No Man's Land" from King Henry's third person view like "Griefing" was, it will be about him visiting the Asylum and particularly with Plutarch, but maybe with some other people too.
I don't have A PLAN for which of these three books I'm putting priority on, probably GUSH if I was forced to pick one. But mostly picking one would defeat the "take a working break" thing I'm trying to do here. In fact, outside of SHORT PACK TWO coming out sometime before FM6, I have no expectations on any of these novels. It's not a "write these three THEN get to FM6" scenario, so don't freak out that you're three or four or so years from FM6. It's a "take four or five months to work on this stuff and recharge" scenario.
Because I'm going to need to be recharged. FM6. Man. Need to be 110% percent for that one. Probably start writing it in November or December. Looking to get it out to your guys late 2016, very early 2017 (it's called the Long Wait, not the Non-Existent Wait!)
REASON THREE FOR YOUR PAIN
Jury Duty in July. Booo!
IN SUMMARY
I hope you're all understanding on why I need to clear out the chores and also need recharged after three years of constant writing and ya know...blame the judicial system too. Maybe I'll get a case about a guy having sex with a barnyard animal? Here's hoping!
Trust me, the Long Wait for FM6 will be worth...the wait.
For three reasons.
REASON ONE FOR YOUR PAIN
As the most self-published of Indie authors on the planet, I'm the only guy who really works on this stuff and I've been letting the writing part of that job push everything else to the side. It's paid off. My sales doubled last year. They look like they might double this year too, or at least come close. But, there have been problems and "chores" if you will that I've kept pushing off to the side.
"New material, new material, forget about everything else" has created a backlog of writer garbage if you will, that fans really don't think about much. I've got my own files for all the information in the series and they haven't been updated since FM2. So I need to take the time to work my way through FM3-FM5 and update them. This way I can look at the information files, instead of trying to skim through every book trying to remember what the damn name of the European mancer school is or if Catherine Hayes had blue or green eyes or just millions of little continuity questions that pop up as you're writing.
It has also meant that everything I've written is still only digital because I've never taken the time to go through the Createspace process of making Print-on-Demand versions of the KHT. So that's also on the list.
Third, I've been asked quite a few times to take all the King Henry Shorts and combine them together in a single anthology. Especially now with "Meet the Bonnies" I have about 60k words in shorts and feel now is a good time to do so. So formatting and editing KING HENRY SHORT PACK ONE and making some kind of cover of course is on the radar as well, probably August/September.
Chores: Update Concordance Info, Format and Edit Short Pack One, and at least start the process of getting print-on-demand versions of the books done.
REASON TWO FOR YOUR PAIN
I'm fucking exhausted after FM5.
I always knew it was a bridge novel to get us to FM6, always knew it was the novel to move King Henry from college kid to actual adult, but I didn't expect it would take so much out of me or that it would be such a large book. FM6 I know is going to be insane, knew from when I started the series was going to be insane, but if any novel in the series was going to be accused of being "filler" (aka: character stuff and not explosions) it would be FM5. For some reason, in my head I connected "bridge" with "short" and...nope, not at all. Was SO MUCH to get done and set up and resolve.
So the King Henry Price part of my brain is just wasted at the moment. So wasted I had to take a break to write "Meet the Bonnies" WHILE WRITING FM5 or instead of finishing when I did I would currently be running naked through the streets screaming about shapeshifters. So wasted that the King Henry Price part of my brain needs even more of a break.
Which is why the plan isn't to start in with FM6 right away, but to pick up on my other projects. GUSH which I've already talked about, another shortish Fantasy/Spec-Fic novel called WHERE DO DREAMERS GO TO DIE? which is also set in the "Prisoners Cycle" overworld but just like GUSH and SKY-ISLAND will be stand-alone, and KING HENRY SHORT PACK TWO. No more shorts by themselves. Not sure how many short packs I'll be doing, but I'm going to do this one for sure.
It's kind of FM5.5 and all three novellas in it will be taking place on the same day, two weeks after events in FM5. One will be a T-Bone story called "Driving Miss Vicky" (that's racist!) about T-Bone and Vicky visiting the Coyote Compound. "Shadow Running" will involve Evelyn Strange and the Lady performing some high level stuff to bring Eva out of the coma, complete with flashbacks to the night in question. Last, a novella I'm currently calling "No Man's Land" from King Henry's third person view like "Griefing" was, it will be about him visiting the Asylum and particularly with Plutarch, but maybe with some other people too.
I don't have A PLAN for which of these three books I'm putting priority on, probably GUSH if I was forced to pick one. But mostly picking one would defeat the "take a working break" thing I'm trying to do here. In fact, outside of SHORT PACK TWO coming out sometime before FM6, I have no expectations on any of these novels. It's not a "write these three THEN get to FM6" scenario, so don't freak out that you're three or four or so years from FM6. It's a "take four or five months to work on this stuff and recharge" scenario.
Because I'm going to need to be recharged. FM6. Man. Need to be 110% percent for that one. Probably start writing it in November or December. Looking to get it out to your guys late 2016, very early 2017 (it's called the Long Wait, not the Non-Existent Wait!)
REASON THREE FOR YOUR PAIN
Jury Duty in July. Booo!
IN SUMMARY
I hope you're all understanding on why I need to clear out the chores and also need recharged after three years of constant writing and ya know...blame the judicial system too. Maybe I'll get a case about a guy having sex with a barnyard animal? Here's hoping!
Trust me, the Long Wait for FM6 will be worth...the wait.
May 29, 2015
FM5 Question and Answer Session
Spoilers if you haven't read FM5, obviously.
Ask anything about FM5 or the series as a whole.
I reserve the right to RAFO you, but will try not to.
Don't be shy!
And don't leave me hanging!
Ask anything about FM5 or the series as a whole.
I reserve the right to RAFO you, but will try not to.
Don't be shy!
And don't leave me hanging!
May 27, 2015
FM5 iTunes Link, Plus Update on Updates
The Mancy Martial Artist on Apple iTunes
Smashwords just finally accepted the book for premium distribution, so should be a week or two for the Barnes and Noble link to show up. Other than that, I'm trying to move away from vacation mode and back into writing mode. Started working on WHERE DO DREAMERS GO TO DIE? (WDDGTD? in all future mentions) last night and just having a bit of fun with it.
Looking to have a FM5 Q&A thread up this weekend so you can all ask any questions you have about that book or the series as a whole then and in a couple weeks I'll put a more in-depth explanation of the Long Wait Until FM6 and what I'm focusing on in the near future. Check out the status updates for a hint on that.
Overall...pretty happy right now. FM5 is going at double the rate of what FM4 did. Starting to see FM1 do the whole loss-leader free trick to potential fans, with a 25% pickup rate of them buying FM2. So, your numbers grow, use them responsibly! Reviews are better than I thought they would be actually. I wrote a character-focused bridge novel and people called it "epic" and "action-packed", not bad! Wait until they see FM6...they'll die of excitement!
Smashwords just finally accepted the book for premium distribution, so should be a week or two for the Barnes and Noble link to show up. Other than that, I'm trying to move away from vacation mode and back into writing mode. Started working on WHERE DO DREAMERS GO TO DIE? (WDDGTD? in all future mentions) last night and just having a bit of fun with it.
Looking to have a FM5 Q&A thread up this weekend so you can all ask any questions you have about that book or the series as a whole then and in a couple weeks I'll put a more in-depth explanation of the Long Wait Until FM6 and what I'm focusing on in the near future. Check out the status updates for a hint on that.
Overall...pretty happy right now. FM5 is going at double the rate of what FM4 did. Starting to see FM1 do the whole loss-leader free trick to potential fans, with a 25% pickup rate of them buying FM2. So, your numbers grow, use them responsibly! Reviews are better than I thought they would be actually. I wrote a character-focused bridge novel and people called it "epic" and "action-packed", not bad! Wait until they see FM6...they'll die of excitement!
May 21, 2015
FM5 is OUT!!! Happy Release Day!
IT'S OUT!!!Still May 21st in King Henry's hometown of Fresno, but already May 22nd in most of the world, that's good enough for me and good enough for Amazon, who have apparently really sped up their publishing system. What was once a 12 to 24 hour wait is now down to 3. How about that?
Linkage:
The Mancy Martial Artist by Richard Raley on Amazon Kindle
The Mancy Martial Artist by Richard Raley on Amazon Kindle UK
The Mancy Martial Artist by Richard Raley on Smashwords
As always for my Nook and iPad readers, I distribute through Smashwords for Apple and B&N, so it takes up to two weeks to propagate into those systems and I will have the links for you when they show up. Also I remind you that there's no DRM on my novels, so buying it through Smashwords or Amazon and then changing the file into whatever file type you want is perfectly fine with me as long as it's for your own personal use.
Other than that, everyone please enjoy! It's a 600 page book, so take breaks, eat food, use the restroom, nod at your significant other or your parents when they ask you questions. Also, don't damage your social standing or flunk out of school or lose your job while you're trying to read it as fast as you can.
Something important happens in the first chapter *gasp* better run and get at it! When you finish, please think about leaving an honest review.
May 18, 2015
Why I Don't Let You Pre-Order and How You Can Be An Awesome Fan
Before last year I couldn't actually let you pre-order even if I wanted, but now that Amazon is allowing it, I'm still not giving you fans the chance. So, why?
There are lots of small reasons but only one main reason and it all comes down to one word: Algorithm.
For digitally published authors, the Amazon ranking algorithms and how to manipulate these algorithms and how to use these algorithms to your advantage take up a great deal of your thoughts and planning and even hopes and dreams. Everything on Amazon is driven by numbers and every one of those numbers are connected. Bigger number, more connection. More connection, more eyes on your product. More eyes on your product, more sales. More sales, more fans.
You've no doubt noticed that every product on Amazon has a sales rank and that many categories have hot sales lists. But there's also more. The product emails Amazon sends to you, the "Also Bought" list under products, the "you might try" suggestions you get after finishing a book on your Kindle to name a few. All of this is free advertising for an author...we like it...a lot.
But what does it have to do with pre-ordering?
It has to do with pre-ordering because magnitude matters in getting on these hot lists. Which is why book releases are such a big deal for me. 50% of what I earned off of my writing last year came in the 3 months after FM4 was released. Because of you fans. You all ran out and grabbed the new book, spiking FM4 up into the top 5k of all kindle books and spreading it all over Amazon's site, leading new people to try the series, which then spiked FM1 through FM3 up the lists as well. Incoming wave of fans.
BUT WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH PRE-ORDERING, RALEY?
Magnitude! Amazon for some strange reason has decided that your pre-order purchases don't accumulate as far as the algorithms are concerned. Instead they just happen as sold. Meaning instead of five hundred to a thousand of you super fans jumping at FM5 and buying it in the first week, I'd have some buy it over a three month period, then a smaller flash as the rest picked it up on release.
This is a horrible plan! I'd be sabotaging my own career if I let you pre-order. Those three months never seem to last long enough anyway! (Amazon has drop off points in the algorithms at 1 month, 3 months and also a penalty if you don't publish anything for an entire year--this last fact is the reason "Meet the Bonnies" was released just in case FM5 took until July)
So how can you be an awesome fan? Buy the book on release weekend. Make that release spike magnitude as large as possible. Then read the book, it's funny. Don't pee your pants. If you do pee your pants then change said pants before continuing to read said book. Also: adult diapers, you might need them.
Then, after you finish the book and you hate me because you want FM6 and I haven't even started it yet, review the book so all those new eyes know how you feel about it. Without all the hate and more with the "yay that was funny" though. Maybe don't mention that you peed your pants either.
There are lots of small reasons but only one main reason and it all comes down to one word: Algorithm.
For digitally published authors, the Amazon ranking algorithms and how to manipulate these algorithms and how to use these algorithms to your advantage take up a great deal of your thoughts and planning and even hopes and dreams. Everything on Amazon is driven by numbers and every one of those numbers are connected. Bigger number, more connection. More connection, more eyes on your product. More eyes on your product, more sales. More sales, more fans.
You've no doubt noticed that every product on Amazon has a sales rank and that many categories have hot sales lists. But there's also more. The product emails Amazon sends to you, the "Also Bought" list under products, the "you might try" suggestions you get after finishing a book on your Kindle to name a few. All of this is free advertising for an author...we like it...a lot.
But what does it have to do with pre-ordering?
It has to do with pre-ordering because magnitude matters in getting on these hot lists. Which is why book releases are such a big deal for me. 50% of what I earned off of my writing last year came in the 3 months after FM4 was released. Because of you fans. You all ran out and grabbed the new book, spiking FM4 up into the top 5k of all kindle books and spreading it all over Amazon's site, leading new people to try the series, which then spiked FM1 through FM3 up the lists as well. Incoming wave of fans.
BUT WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH PRE-ORDERING, RALEY?
Magnitude! Amazon for some strange reason has decided that your pre-order purchases don't accumulate as far as the algorithms are concerned. Instead they just happen as sold. Meaning instead of five hundred to a thousand of you super fans jumping at FM5 and buying it in the first week, I'd have some buy it over a three month period, then a smaller flash as the rest picked it up on release.
This is a horrible plan! I'd be sabotaging my own career if I let you pre-order. Those three months never seem to last long enough anyway! (Amazon has drop off points in the algorithms at 1 month, 3 months and also a penalty if you don't publish anything for an entire year--this last fact is the reason "Meet the Bonnies" was released just in case FM5 took until July)
So how can you be an awesome fan? Buy the book on release weekend. Make that release spike magnitude as large as possible. Then read the book, it's funny. Don't pee your pants. If you do pee your pants then change said pants before continuing to read said book. Also: adult diapers, you might need them.
Then, after you finish the book and you hate me because you want FM6 and I haven't even started it yet, review the book so all those new eyes know how you feel about it. Without all the hate and more with the "yay that was funny" though. Maybe don't mention that you peed your pants either.
May 16, 2015
FM5 Really The Last Mini Tease, I Promise
I worked my jaw at those words, thinking on the deeper implications of the titles. Lakebornhad to be the Lady. Shadowknife was Samson. Toymaker was Plutarch. I was the King of Dirt or the Dirt King.Better than ‘fucktard’ I guess.“Got any titles for the rest of my class or am I just special?”QUEEN OF FIRE. DEAD PRINCE. REDWIND. FROZEN STATUE. DOG ORPHAN. THE EVERCHANGING.“Not bad. Make sure you called Pocket ‘Fern Thrower,’ he likes that.”NOTED.
Next week you'll be reading the book at this time!
Next week you'll be reading the book at this time!
May 15, 2015
FM5 Last Mini Tease
"Ask away, little dog."
ONE WEEK!!!
I put release on Friday so you could all read through the weekend if you wanted by the way, aren't I considerate?
ONE WEEK!!!
I put release on Friday so you could all read through the weekend if you wanted by the way, aren't I considerate?
May 13, 2015
FM5 Mini Tease #5
“Snappy, but not so scary when I can see your ballsack thinks this room is getting a little too chilly.”
10 Days!
10 Days!
May 10, 2015
FM5 Mini Tease #4
Fucking women in my life . . . why they got to be so powerful and terrifying, every single one of them?
We are now officially in the part of the editing process where I'm waiting on the beta readers and starting to get weird "naked at school" nightmares about releasing the novel with huge embarrassing typos.
We are now officially in the part of the editing process where I'm waiting on the beta readers and starting to get weird "naked at school" nightmares about releasing the novel with huge embarrassing typos.
May 8, 2015
FM5 Tease #3: King Henry Drives
I hooked a turn into the parking lot with the rent-a-car and slammed on the brakes, barely even skidding out as we came to a stop. GPS navigator said it would take sixteen minutes, I did it in ten. Shows what the fucking computers know. Maybe I went through someone’s yard a couple times to cut some street signs . . . it was an emergency!Ain’t quite a motorcycle with two uzis and a chick in an American flag bikini on my lap, but at least I got to drive for once. Rented car with a nerdy black guy, a patrician with a stick up his ass, and a dead woman . . . I’ll take it!As the car came to a stop, T-Bone gave a little scream—not for the first time—unbuckled himself hurriedly, and rolled his way out of the car as quickly as he could.Welf followed, swaying to his feet and steadying himself with his stupid ass cane.Only the dead woman seemed to be in the game, exiting like a perfect lady despite the man’s suit she wore.I unclawed my fingers from the steering wheel, twisting the keys to turn off the hybrid engine. Didn’t use any electric cruising on that drive, no we did not! I kicked open my door and stepped outside.There was a new dent on the fender.Wonder what I hit?“We’re still alive,” T-Bone wheezed to himself. “Thank God we’re still alive.”
Two weeks!
Two weeks!
