Jim Vuksic's Blog, page 17

To All the Special Goodreads Members

To all the special Goodreads members,
(You know who you are.)

Upon first joining Goodreads, I had no preconceived expectations. After five months of membership, I know exactly what to expect - intelligent discussions, thought-provoking debates and helpful book reviews from an eclectic group of well-read and knowledgeable individuals.

Each time I access the website, I learn something new or am challenged to re-think previous prejudices.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of you who share your thoughts, ideas and opinions in such a professional and disciplined format. A special thanks for the time and effort expended by the moderators; without whom, the discussion groups would not exist.

Of course, there will always be exceptions to the rule; there are a few boorish members whose contributions are not worth discussing. However, there are so many whose opinion I have learned to value and respect that I won't name them for fear of unintentionally neglecting someone.

Thank you for introducing me to books and ideas to which I may have never otherwise been exposed.

You know who you are.

Sincerely,
Jim Vuksic

Hey! That's Me.

Have you ever come across a character in a book with whom you intimately identified because he or she exhibited many of your own personality and behavioral traits?

If you have read my novel, Levels, and discovered a character that inspired you to think: "Hey! That's me.", would you mind letting me and the followers of this blog know?

Provide the character's name, along with a brief explanation for choosing him or her, in the comment box provided at the end of this blog post.

Here is a list of the characters that play a prominent role to one extent or another in the world of Levels.
With which one do you identify?
They are listed in the order of appearance. The chapter in which the character first appears is also provided.

Chapter I - Main Level
Cecil - Jonathan - Peter - Alfred
Chapter II - Next Level
Robert - Clarence - Edward
Chapter IV - Procreation
Catherine
Chapter V - Revelation
Andrew - Francis
Chapter VII - Freedom
Jade
Chapter VIII - Decisions
Ronald - Phillip - Rose - Celeste
Chapter IX - The Museum
Lucille - Michael
Chapter X - Only Three
Barbara - Dianne - Heather - Charlotte

Thank you in advance for all who participate.

New Rule: You can't say "can't"!

Many of the posts in the various Goodreads discussion groups offer excuses why the person posting the comment can't do something or why their books don't sell well.

Sample comments (paraphrased):

It's not my fault that my books have so many misspelled words and instances of poor grammar; it's because I can't afford a professional copy editor or proofreader.

The books have so many misspelled words and grammatical errors because of the lack of time and effort expended upon learning and then utilizing correct technical writing skills. There are dozens of books available in the local library that focus upon such disciplines.

I'm still in college, but have already written and self-published five novels. Unfortunately, none have sold well, no matter what I do. Any advice or explanation for why I can't attract a following?

The reason the books don't sell well may be that you have written five novels while still in college. Assuming that you are doing the things a college student does - attend classes, study, participate in extracurricular activities, etc. - you don't have enough time or energy to focus upon writing five novels of sufficient quality to generate sales.

I can't understand why people who give me bad reviews can't just focus upon the story and characters instead of criticizing technical writing mistakes.

The poor reviews may reflect the resentment of the readers, who felt that the author had too little respect for their expectations to expend the time and effort to offer them a well-written story. The poor reviews may also be a wake-up call to encourage the author to have more confidence in his/her ability to learn and continuously improve upon their craft.

I am sure that the opinions expressed in this posting will upset those who do not agree and they will express their displeasure, outrage, and disdain for the criticism. Some people just can't help themselves.

Quiz - How much do you know about the world of "Levels"?

If you have read my novel, Levels, the following quiz will determine how much of the story you retained.

SPOILER ALERT for those who have not read the book, but intend to.

How many home places (residences) are there in Main Level?

What is the color of the clothing worn by Jonathan and his cycle mates?

What is the name of the structure in which the sacred texts are stored and formal lectures are given?

What title is given to those forced to to leave Sector 3 of Main Level before their formal schooling ends?

At what stage in his life cycle (age) has Jonathan just completed which qualifies him for his first transport to Next Level?

What is the name of the head-mate of the home place assigned to Jonathan's cycle unit when they first arrive in Sector 4 of Level 2?

What are the names of the three items made during carpentry classes in Level 2?

What appears on Cecil's body that convinces him that he is turning into a Changed One?

What dangerous area must be traversed to access the transporter units in Sector 3 of Level 2?

What is the name given to the objects that kill on-contact?

In which level is Jonathan and his mates made aware of the existence of females for the very first time?

What is the name of the female with whom Jonathan is assigned to procreate?

What is it about Cecil that disqualifies him from participating in the procreation process?

What is the color of the robe worn by a Reverend Mother?

Which level is inhabited by the Slow Ones?

What are the names of the two head mates of the Slow Ones?

What multi-colored objects in the bowl on his procreation partner's table had Jonathan never seen before?

In which level is the cycle unit disbanded and everyone is permitted to proceed individually?

In which level are many of the inhabitants missing limbs, blind, or mentally challenged?

How many illumination sources are in each level that Ronald has ever visited?

Why must Rose sometimes assist her best friend, Celeste, when navigating difficult terrain?

Which of Jonathan's travelling companions is forced to remain behind for attempting to discover how transporter units are controlled?

Why is Alfred confined to the Place of Knowledge in one of the advanced levels?

Why does everyone laugh at Barbara when she insists she sees something in Level 8?

What is the name of the dark, narrow area discoverd behind the door of a boundary in Level 8?

Cecil and Barbara contantly disagree and argue. What is the one thing they have in common?

What is it that Cecil spins to determine which direction to take when travelling?

How many levels are there in total?

Those who answer more than 5 questions wrong must re-read the book. Better yet; buy another copy.

Those who answer all of the questions correctly will have earned my undying gratitude and admiration.

Difference of Opinion or Personal Attack

On December 7, 2013, I wrote and posted a book review for the King James Version of the Holy Bible on the Goodreads website.

Some who read it indicated that they liked it; however, a few commented that they felt that the review was a personal attack upon their religious beliefs.

You decide.

The Holy Bible - King James Version - Rating: 1-star

An unprejudiced reader must admit that this book is boring, confusing, biased, tedious, and aggravatingly repetitive. That said; the bible still remains the internationally best known and all-time best-selling book ever published.

Some believe that it is the word of God and that the various human authors were divinely inspired. Others believe that it is a compilation of ancient legends and myths derived from tales told around the camp fire by early humans during prehistoric times. Still others believe the bible is nothing more than superstitious nonsense utilized by certain religions to keep their naive members in line.

I really don't care what you believe. It is none of my business, or anyone else's for that matter. As someone once wrote in a famous book, "Judge not, lest ye be judged".

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that anyone who gave this book a 4 or 5-star rating is probably a devout Christian.

By the way, I happen to be an atheist; however, I have read the King James version of the bible from cover to cover more than once.

Some may ask why I, a non-believer, would want to read the entire bible. They should be asking why so many believers do not.

Whether or not you choose to embrace or reject the contents of the bible is your prerogative; however, you should at least know what it is that you are embracing or rejecting.

Excerpts from Chapter XIII of "Levels" - Reality

"Revered Ones always seemed to know when we qualified for transport to Next Level. Then they would mysteriously appear before us. Do they possess mystical powers?" (Page 361)

While he was busy blushing, I posed another question, one that had been haunting me for a very long time. (Page 362)

"...Your friend did not die needlessly." (Page 362)

"You were sometimes not meant to head in the direction you wished to travel, so you were not permitted to do so." (Page 363)

"The world is not as it seems. Very shortly you will see for yourselves what I mean by that." (Page 364)

"Place your trust in me and prepare yourselves. You are about to experience something more wondrous than you could ever imagine." (Page 365)

"What are those strange creatures, and how do they remain suspended and move through the air like that?" (Page 366)

"It's such a silly shaped structure. What practical purpose could it have possibly served?" (Page 367)

My legs suddenly felt weak, and my stomach hurt. A sense of denial, loss, and betrayal caused me to shout when I had only intended to speak in a normal tone. (Page 368)

"Your perception of the world has collided head-on with the reality of the world, and it has stirred feelings of anger, betrayal, and resentment within you." (Page 372)

I was ashamed and humbly begged the Revered One to accept my apology. He refused. (Page 375)

This is the final chapter of the book; therefore, it is the last time excerpts will be posted in this blog. I wish to thank those who have loyally followed each chapter and posted comments, suggestions, and opinions.

The Perfect World - Maybe

Imagine a world in which the words thief, arsonist, fraud, murderer, rapist, terrorist, tyrant and molester do not exist because such people do not exist.

Imagine a world in which everyone, without exception, has access to the exact same quantity and quality of food, clothing, housing, formal education and social advancement opportunities - a world in which being different is not only accepted or tolerated, but is considered admirable.

Sounds great; doesn't it?

Now imagine that, in this world, the words father, mother, son, daughter, sister, brother, family, marriage and religion also do not exist because the concepts themselves do not exist.

Imagine that, in this world, the inhabitants are occasionally required to go to a place they never knew existed or do something without having the slightest idea of what they are doing or why they must do it.

Can you imagine such a world? I did.

If you should choose to visit it someday, I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading about the world of Levels as much as I enjoyed creating it.

http://jimvuksic.tateauthor.com/

Excerpts from Chapter XII of "Levels" - Vocations

I had no idea of what the word indoctrination meant. I just hoped that it didn't involve exposure to danger or possible pain. (Page 351)

Each shelf contained hundreds of strange objects the likes of which I had never before seen. (Page 351)

"The other two are to be trained in the arts of inconspicuous observation and indirect consultation." (Page 352)

I cannot hate them - the sacred texts forbid it - but I will never forgive them. (Page 354)

He reached up and casually pushed his large hood back to reveal a face no different in physical makeup from any other we had ever seen except for several deep wrinkles imbedded in his forehead and cheeks. (Page 357)

"The truths that I am about to reveal are never to be spoken of outside of Highest Level..." (Page 359)

As promised, every question received a detailed, honest answer, and with each answer, it became more and more obvious to me that perception and reality are often two very different things. (Page 360)

Determining the Selling Price of a Book

A member of one of the Goodreads discussion groups asked why my publisher's prices were so much higher than those of the commercial vendors that sell my novel, Levels. It occurred to me that others may also be curious.

The publisher's base price is targeted toward commercial distribution, not for individual consumer consumption.

All formats (paperback, e-Book, and audio book) are sold through the Ingram Books distribution system to commercial vendors at a 40% discount or more, depending upon the size of the order.

Each vendor establishes its selling price based upon its specific overhead, anticipated volume, and established profit margin.

I receive a 15% royalty on all sales. At the end of each quarter, the publisher sends me a report detailing how many copies of each format were sold during the previous three months, along with a check for the appropriate amount.

Levels is available in several languages and in several countries. That particular market's pricing mechanism is determined by each country's economy, unique business practices, and its currency's rate-of-exchange versus the U.S. dollar.

Excerpts from Chapter XI of "Levels" - Compromise

Even though it had been very dark when we had returned to the homeplace, Alfred's pallet was still empty. (Page 333)

...I swore that I would no longer take my life or that of my friends for granted, but as time passed, I gradually resumed doing just that. (Page 334)

"He told us that friendship should always be valued and reciprocated but must never be valued above personal responsibility." (Page 335)

"Our activities have been controlled and restricted throughout most of our lives. It would be a terrible waste to voluntarily restrict our opportunities now." (Page 337)

"You know full well that it is strictly forbidden to share personal knowledge of any level not yet attained by the listener." (Page 339)

"From experience we know that it is almost impossible to backtrack once we have traveled a significant distance." (Page 341)

The door sprang closed as soon as the last of us passed through. It was dark, very dark. (Page 342)

"One thousand four hundred and twelve." (Page 344)

"More than likely, a Slow One opened it from the other side." (Page 346)

Without warning, the entrance suddenly closed. No one spoke a word for what seemed, at least to me, a very long time. (Page 347)

"It can't be. Not after all we've gone through to achieve the ultimate goal." (Page 349)