Eric P. Caillibot's Blog, page 3

🤷🏻some excuses, but I’m back

You may have noticed that you haven’t heard from me in a while… Yes, the last newsletter update I sent was back in December. And yeah, I missed a few months before that too.

Excuses…

I have been, admittedly, off my game, absorbed by my day job (here in Montreal), family, hunting for a new day job, as well as generally trying not to go insane.

I managed to fit in my first trip to Europe since… Oh man, 2011. Yikes.

This time, I took my family to Portugal, in and around the Lisbon area. Portugal didn’t use to be very high on my list of places to visit, but a growing number of people kept telling me how great it is, so we decided to check it out. It did not disappoint! The food alone made the trip worthwhile, but it is a beautiful, historic country, which I now highly recommend.

Waterfall at Queluz Palace, PortugalBack to the Action!

I am finally getting back to writing though. But I’ve decided to put my Contested Souls book on hold. I received a lot of very useful feedback from an editor a few months ago, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to tackle the (very) necessary rework. I will come back to it eventually, but I’ve given myself permission to deprioritize it.

Instead, I’ve refocused on high fantasy. During my vacation in Portugal, I was able to relax, and out of that flowed most of an outline for The Kiynan Chronicles Book 4: The Vicissitudes of Varice. I can’t wait to share more about this in future newsletters.

But before getting into actually writing book 4, I’m working on TTRPG (tabletop role-playing game) books based in The Kiynan Chronicles setting. You may recall me launching The World of Kiynan in July 2022. Wait, what do you mean you don’t remember that? No no, it’s fine, I barely remember that myself. Well, I’m currently creating a bigger, better version 2.0 of that 5e-compatible supplement, including materials up to and including book 4.

The first step was updating the overall Kiynan Chronicles timeline. If you check it out, you’ll notice two new stories that take place after book 3 but before book 4. Those are the basis for two adventure modules that will be playable using The World of Kiynan 2.0 supplement. Return to Skywall is already available, although I am updating that too. Clockwork Dawn is a brand new, canonical adventure that I’m working on in parallel. Among other things, it features…

The Zephyr

Are you a TTRPG fan? What do you play?

Would you be interested in beta reading and/or playtesting my new materials? Reach out to me!

That’s all for this time! Take care!

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year

I hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits (even if you’re exhausted as I am) as we approach the end of the year.

May this season be filled with warmth, laughter, and joyful moments shared with loved ones. I wish all of you all the best!

I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support. Your being subscribed means the world to me, and it’s a huge motivator to get back to creating and sharing new stories.

It’s been a little while since you’ve heard from me, because well, life happens… But I wanted to let you know that I’m looking forward to getting back into a regular routine with my writing and sharing updates, so keep an eye out for those!

May the new year bring you new adventures, new opportunities, and new reasons to smile. May it be a year of growth, happiness, and fulfillment!

Warmly,

Eric P. Caillibot

back to reality☕(but loving it)

I’m back from my family road trip to the beautiful Charlevoix region of Quebec. I learned my lesson and took more photos this year, including this one.

That’s a little portion of the beach on the North shore of the St-Lawrence River, a handful of minutes away from the quaint town of Baie-St-Paul. I highly recommend visiting the area if you ever get the chance!

Vacation, especially surrounded by nature, does wonders for recharging my creativity. I jotted down dozens of ideas while I was away and I have so much I want to write!

So now, it’s back to work for me…

The Crazy World of Facebook Ads

One thing I’ve heard repeated by many successful indie authors is that Facebook Ads can be hugely impactful. I’ve decided to see for myself. I’ve completed an introductory course and have started experimenting with my own campaigns.

I was surprised at how empirical the process is: you create many (so many) ad variants, throw them out there and watch the data roll in, refining based on what you see. It’s actually pretty fun, although not cheap!

Maybe you’ve even seen one of my ads (like the one above) yourself? If you do, I’d love to hear from you!

Apollo Cup Submission

After incorporating beta reader feedback, I plan to submit my Apollo Cup short story to the Writer’s of the Future contest before the September 30, 2024 deadline. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, it’s a contest I’ve known about for many years. I think I submitted something years ago, but it was a rush job and I always intended to come back to creating a compelling Sci-Fi story to take a real shot at competing. I’ve finally gotten around to it and I will be pleased to tick this off my bucket list, win or lose.

If you haven’t read the story yet, you can still email me at author@ericpcaillibot.com to request a free copy.

Writing Update

Between vacation and learning Facebook Ads, I’ve barely scratched the surface of reviewing the package from my editor on Contested Souls (Danse Macabre Book One). There is some great feedback in there, so I plan to focus on this for the coming weeks.

That’s all for now!

a family journey 🏞️ & an epic space race

Just about everyone I know has taken time off this summer, and very soon, it will be my turn! I will be heading out on a scenic road trip along the North shore of the mighty St-Lawrence river with my family. I can’t wait!

We took the same trip last year and loved it so much, we’re doing it again. As I was writing this, I realized with some embarrassment that I didn’t take a single photo of the gorgeous scenery that enchanted us so much. So, I borrowed this one from tourisme-charlevoix.com to give you an idea.

St. Lawrence River and Mountains in Charlevoix, Quebec

I hope you’ve all been having a great summer! I can never get over how quickly it goes by.

But I have made some exciting progress on…

The Apollo Cup

In a race to the Moon, the underdogs are ready to defy the odds

In a future where space is dominated by megacorporations, a grassroots team known as the Rebel Alliance defies the odds to compete in the Apollo Cup—a high-stakes race from Earth to the Moon and back. Led by James Seneschal, this scrappy crew must navigate treacherous maneuvers, equipment failures, and the ruthless tactics of their corporate rivals. With everything on the line, they race not just for victory, but for the chance to reclaim the dream of space exploration for everyone.

As promised in previous newsletters, I have (finally) completed and sent my Sci-Fi short story to everyone who has signed up as a Sci-Fi beta reader. If you are on that email list, please check that you have received your link from help@bookfunnel.com. You can tap the help link at the top of the book download page if you have any trouble downloading your copy. If you are not on my Sci-Fi beta reader list but you are interested, just reach out to me at author@ericpcaillibot.com.

Once I get everyone’s feedback, I plan to submit this story to the Writer’s of the Future contest by September 30, 2024. When I discovered the contest fifteen or so years ago, I thought up this story as a good candidate for submission. I started writing it, then moved on to other things. Finishing and submitting it once and for all became a life goal for me, so I’m excited to finally check this off list!

More Short Stories

Contrary to my focus on The Apollo Cup for the past several weeks, I don’t actually work on short stories much anymore. I’ll write the occasional character sketch or game summary for a tabletop RPG, but that’s usually it.

But like a lot of (most?) writers, I got started by writing short stories before getting into writing novels. As you might expect, a lot of my early work was terrible, but I’ve got a few that I’m quite fond of. You can check some of them out (for free) on my website (note that some of them are structured as a series of posts, so be sure to read them in order).

Free Short Stories

Writing Update

Now that I’ve finally completed The Apollo Cup, I’m moving back into editing mode on Contested Souls (Danse Macabre Book One). I’ve got a pile of feedback from my editor to go through and it’s time to dive in. Wish me luck!

That’s all for now!

ereading and group promo➕

Hello, Happy belated Independence Day and Canada Day to my American and Canadian readers out there!Thanks for reading Eric P. Caillibot Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. In this edition, I have: more to say about ereaders, a Kobo Plus group promotion, a writing update and an excerpt from͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

ereading and group promo➕Eric P. CaillibotJul 6  

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Hello,

Happy belated Independence Day and Canada Day to my American and Canadian readers out there!

Thanks for reading Eric P. Caillibot Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Subscribed

In this edition, I have: more to say about ereaders, a Kobo Plus group promotion, a writing update and an excerpt from The Conquest of Kiynan.

*Note that there are a couple of affiliate links below.

Ereading

In my last newsletter (which you can refer back to on my Substack or on my

Summer Reading & Writing

Hello, Summer has arrived here in Montreal and that means having to get my AC fixed for the third consecutive year… This time we’ve had to bite the bullet and replace the furnace and thermopump, which means weeks without AC while temperatures climb as high as 32 °C. Joy.͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more ????summer reading & writingEric P. CaillibotJun 8

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Hello,

Summer has arrived here in Montreal and that means having to get my AC fixed for the third consecutive year… This time we’ve had to bite the bullet and replace the furnace and thermopump, which means weeks without AC while temperatures climb as high as 32 °C. Joy.

All the more reason for me to escape into imaginary worlds!

In this newsletter, I want to share: some thoughts on how and what I’ve been reading, a writing update and an excerpt from Apollo Cup.

How Do You Read?

When ereaders first came out, I scowled at the concept. I love everything about books and that very much included the tactile and olfactory experience of holding a physical copy. It was many years later when my girlfriend (now wife) bought me a Sony Reader. As an engineer, I regularly nerd out over gadgets, so I was excited to check it out. But even then, I was sceptical about actually using it regularly. I was wrong!

The E Ink screen blew my mind. I found it nearly indistinguishable from looking at paper, completely different from looking at a computer monitor or smartphone. Yes, I lost the touch and smell of the book, but suddenly I was able to effortlessly carry a dozen books with me wherever I went. No more finishing a book and having nothing to read until I returned home. There was no going back for me.

I’ve since upgraded my ereader a few times and I now boast a Kobo Libra 2 (they even make a colour version now). I love the blue light filtering for reading at night, the fact that it is waterproof for reading by the pool, that I can shop on it directly, and that I can benefit from free digital copies from all sorts of (usually indie) authors.

After re-reading the above, I realize that it sounds like I’m promoting the product, which wasn’t my intention. But since it is genuinely how I feel, I went ahead and added an affiliate link. Why not, right?

I’m currently reading A Healer’s Gift by Tao Wong, on my Kobo, which I got for free by signing up for his newsletter. ????

Are you an ereader fan too? Or are you a paperback loyalist?

Even More “Reading”

A few years ago, I used to have to drive from Montreal to my company’s head office in Lowell, MA every few months. I quickly discovered that listening to music for 6ish hours was not enough to keep me alert, so I decided to try an audiobook. The first one I bought was Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, narrated by Wil Wheaton. I was completely engrossed and the long drive just flew by. I highly recommend it. I went on to enjoy many other audiobooks on those drives, which made a real dent in my “to read” pile.

I recently discovered that there is a Ready Player Two audiobook, so I re-listened to book one and then dove into the sequel. I liked it a lot, although perhaps not quite as much as the original. By the way, you can check out all of my book reviews on BookBub.

Have you tried out audiobooks?

Writing Update

I’ve received some highly anticipated feedback from a few close friends on Apollo Cup, so I’m incorporating that into a third draft now. This will be the version I end up sending out to beta readers. Read on for a first glimpse below!

I finished the second draft of Contested Souls: Danse Macabre Book One and sent it off to an editor. I’m expecting that back in a few weeks, after which I’ll have lots more editing to do, hopefully with the benefit of AC .

Despite these loose ends, because I can’t help myself, I’ve also been developing a few new story ideas, but they are not ready to be shared yet. So stay tuned…

Apollo Cup Teaser

James and his team stared tensely at the countdown on their ship's dashboard. His hand hovered over the control panel, his heart pounding against his chest. The numbers ticked down steadily and James shouted as he slammed the ignition button.

"BLAST OFF!"

The Defiant shook as the propulsion system came to life, spewing hot gasses out into cold space. The sudden roar of the engine reverberated through the spacecraft as it broke free from Earth's gravitational pull, hurtling toward the Moon with increasing speed. Their plan, established long before the race, was to keep the main service engine going for five consecutive minutes, a modest burn intended to balance fuel consumption and speed. 

The present challenge was determining what the other teams were doing, and reacting to it in real time. James felt a surge of exhilaration mixed with apprehension as he assumed control of the thrusters. He maneuvered the Defiant, relying on his long months of training in the simulations. Every course adjustment was calculated to be as minute as possible, conserving every bit of fuel he could without putting his ship into danger, as he navigated through the chaotic swarm of racing spacecraft.

As the Defiant surged forward into the crush of other vehicles, James found himself in the midst of a tumultuous ballet of metal and exhaust. Around him, ships jostled for position, their superheated trails weaving intricate patterns in the vacuum of space.

That’s all for now! If you’re eager for the rest, join my beta reading team!

Cheers,

Eric P. Caillibot

????summer reading & writing

Hello, Summer has arrived here in Montreal and that means having to get my AC fixed for the third consecutive year… This time we’ve had to bite the bullet and replace the furnace and thermopump, which means weeks without AC while temperatures climb as high as 32 °C. Joy.͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

📖summer reading & writingEric P. CaillibotJun 8  

READ IN APP

 

Hello,

Summer has arrived here in Montreal and that means having to get my AC fixed for the third consecutive year… This time we’ve had to bite the bullet and replace the furnace and thermopump, which means weeks without AC while temperatures climb as high as 32 °C. Joy.

All the more reason for me to escape into imaginary worlds!

In this newsletter, I want to share: some thoughts on how and what I’ve been reading, a writing update and an excerpt from Apollo Cup.

How Do You Read?

When ereaders first came out, I scowled at the concept. I love everything about books and that very much included the tactile and olfactory experience of holding a physical copy. It was many years later when my girlfriend (now wife) bought me a Sony Reader. As an engineer, I regularly nerd out over gadgets, so I was excited to check it out. But even then, I was sceptical about actually using it regularly. I was wrong!

The E Ink screen blew my mind. I found it nearly indistinguishable from looking at paper, completely different from looking at a computer monitor or smartphone. Yes, I lost the touch and smell of the book, but suddenly I was able to effortlessly carry a dozen books with me wherever I went. No more finishing a book and having nothing to read until I returned home. There was no going back for me.

I’ve since upgraded my ereader a few times and I now boast a Kobo Libra 2 (they even make a colour version now). I love the blue light filtering for reading at night, the fact that it is waterproof for reading by the pool, that I can shop on it directly, and that I can benefit from free digital copies from all sorts of (usually indie) authors.

After re-reading the above, I realize that it sounds like I’m promoting the product, which wasn’t my intention. But since it is genuinely how I feel, I went ahead and added an affiliate link. Why not, right?

I’m currently reading A Healer’s Gift by Tao Wong, on my Kobo, which I got for free by signing up for his newsletter. 😎

Are you an ereader fan too? Or are you a paperback loyalist?

Even More “Reading”

A few years ago, I used to have to drive from Montreal to my company’s head office in Lowell, MA every few months. I quickly discovered that listening to music for 6ish hours was not enough to keep me alert, so I decided to try an audiobook. The first one I bought was Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, narrated by Wil Wheaton. I was completely engrossed and the long drive just flew by. I highly recommend it. I went on to enjoy many other audiobooks on those drives, which made a real dent in my “to read” pile.

I recently discovered that there is a Ready Player Two audiobook, so I re-listened to book one and then dove into the sequel. I liked it a lot, although perhaps not quite as much as the original. By the way, you can check out all of my book reviews on BookBub.

Have you tried out audiobooks?

POLLWhat is your favourite way to enjoy books?Physical books

Ebooks

Audiobooks

Writing Update

I’ve received some highly anticipated feedback from a few close friends on Apollo Cup, so I’m incorporating that into a third draft now. This will be the version I end up sending out to beta readers. Read on for a first glimpse below!

I finished the second draft of Contested Souls: Danse Macabre Book One and sent it off to an editor. I’m expecting that back in a few weeks, after which I’ll have lots more editing to do, hopefully with the benefit of AC .

Despite these loose ends, because I can’t help myself, I’ve also been developing a few new story ideas, but they are not ready to be shared yet. So stay tuned…

[image error] Apollo Cup Teaser

James and his team stared tensely at the countdown on their ship's dashboard. His hand hovered over the control panel, his heart pounding against his chest. The numbers ticked down steadily and James shouted as he slammed the ignition button.

"BLAST OFF!"

The Defiant shook as the propulsion system came to life, spewing hot gasses out into cold space. The sudden roar of the engine reverberated through the spacecraft as it broke free from Earth's gravitational pull, hurtling toward the Moon with increasing speed. Their plan, established long before the race, was to keep the main service engine going for five consecutive minutes, a modest burn intended to balance fuel consumption and speed. 

The present challenge was determining what the other teams were doing, and reacting to it in real time. James felt a surge of exhilaration mixed with apprehension as he assumed control of the thrusters. He maneuvered the Defiant, relying on his long months of training in the simulations. Every course adjustment was calculated to be as minute as possible, conserving every bit of fuel he could without putting his ship into danger, as he navigated through the chaotic swarm of racing spacecraft.

As the Defiant surged forward into the crush of other vehicles, James found himself in the midst of a tumultuous ballet of metal and exhaust. Around him, ships jostled for position, their superheated trails weaving intricate patterns in the vacuum of space.

That’s all for now! If you’re eager for the rest, join my beta reading team!

Cheers,

Eric P. Caillibot

this time, it’s personal

Hello, Welcome back to the May edition of my newsletter! No promos this time, but read on as I get a little more personal… Why Do I Write? I recently started working with a career coach, which has been interesting. She asked me why I started my side business to self-publish my books, and why I write in the first place. My immediate response was “Well, I love writing.” Duh.͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­     

 

this time, it’s personalEric P. CaillibotMay 11           Hello,

Welcome back to the May edition of my newsletter! No promos this time, but read on as I get a little more personal…

Why Do I Write?

I recently started working with a career coach, which has been interesting. She asked me why I started my side business to self-publish my books, and why I write in the first place. My immediate response was “Well, I love writing.” Duh.

She challenged me to introspect further and think about what kind of impact I want to have. I struggled with the question for a while but eventually remembered what it felt like when I started discovering sci-fi and fantasy as a kid.

My dad used to travel a lot for work, and everywhere he went, he would stop by the airport bookstore. We had a huge bookshelf in our basement, and my dad filled it with every book he brought home, creating a massive in-home library of sci-fi and fantasy (my dad’s preferred genres). As a kid who hated sports and being forced to play outside, I made it my mission to read through the lot of them. Every time I picked up a new book, I was carried away into fabulous and exciting new worlds. Nothing made me happier.

I realized that my real, underlying motive for writing and publishing today is actually to create similar experiences for my readers. I’m interested in lots of genres, but the unifying theme is always being transported to a world unlike the normal, every-day place where I spend the rest of my life.

Does that sum up how you feel about reading too?

Sleepless in Toronto

I had the opportunity to participate in the very first Toronto Independent Author Conference in Toronto last weekend. I had such a blast, learning about the business and meeting other indies. To my delight, even the top-earning veterans among them were extremely approachable and fun!

   Left to right: Meghan J. Dahl, Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Eric P. Caillibot

I may have ended up in an improvised pub crawl, walking up and down Yonge street and drinking until the wee hours. But I’ll deny it…

More Reviews! More!!1!

I know I keep asking, but the importance of reviews on all the different retail platforms and other sites are so, so important. This is especially true for newer authors, like me. If you haven’t already, please take the time to post one or preferably more (always honest) reviews, anywhere and everywhere!

The Conquest of Kiynan

The Legacy of Lethe

The Ordeals of Ornland

What’s Next?

I mentioned last time that I’ve completed first drafts of The Apollo Cup (sci-fi short story) and Contested Souls: Danse Macabre Book One (urban fantasy novel). I’m still deep in editing, but I’m planning to send drafts to my beta reading team ASAP, for feedback. If you’re interested, join the team!

After that, I’m debating where to go next. There are a lot of exciting possibilities! Maybe you can help me decide?

For more context, let me break down the options I’ve listed in the survey below:

The Kiynan Chronicles Book 4. This would take us back to Varice (largely ignored in book 3) to catch up with Edvard Quickeye and Safyre Sharptooth (remember them from book 2?). Edvard has to contend with rising tensions between rapidly advancing technology (steampunk stuff from Spire) versus magic spreading everywhere after the events of book 3.

Danse Macabre Book 2. Since I haven’t released book 1, let’s start there! The setting is Montreal in 2003. The premise is that supernatural forces intervene in human affairs to win particular souls to their respective sides whenever targeted humans end up in a personal crisis. Kind of like DC Comics’ Constantine, but focused on drama and philosophy rather than action and violence. Book 2 would see one or both human main characters from book 1 team up with one of the neutral supernaturals (also from book 1) to track down a supernatural who has been broken the rules.

Science Fiction. A whole new series, set in the distant future, about an ambassador from Earth who uses unconventional methods to resolve difficult situations with alien governments. The setting would be cyberpunk meets Star Trek/Mass Effect.

LitRPG Fantasy/SciFi. These are subgenres that are new to me, but after recently discovering them, I’m brimming with various ideas I’d love to explore. Are you a fan of LitRPG?

Cozy Fantasy/SciFi. Similarly, I have only just discovered these. Do you like stories with lower stakes?

POLLWhat would you love to read next?The Kiynan Chronicles Book 4

 

Danse Macabre Book 2

 

Science Fiction

 

LitRPG Fantasy/SciFi

 

Cozy Fantasy/SciFi

 

 

 

Cheers,

Eric P. Caillibot

 

this time, it’s personal ????

Hello, Welcome back to the May edition of my newsletter! No promos this time, but read on as I get a little more personal… Why Do I Write? I recently started working with a career coach, which has been interesting. She asked me why I started my side business to self-publish my books, and why I write in the first place. My immediate response was “Well, I love writing.” Duh.͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

this time, it’s personal 🤭Eric P. CaillibotMay 11  

READ IN APP

 

Hello,

Welcome back to the May edition of my newsletter! No promos this time, but read on as I get a little more personal…

Why Do I Write?

I recently started working with a career coach, which has been interesting. She asked me why I started my side business to self-publish my books, and why I write in the first place. My immediate response was “Well, I love writing.” Duh.

She challenged me to introspect further and think about what kind of impact I want to have. I struggled with the question for a while but eventually remembered what it felt like when I started discovering sci-fi and fantasy as a kid.

My dad used to travel a lot for work, and everywhere he went, he would stop by the airport bookstore. We had a huge bookshelf in our basement, and my dad filled it with every book he brought home, creating a massive in-home library of sci-fi and fantasy (my dad’s preferred genres). As a kid who hated sports and being forced to play outside, I made it my mission to read through the lot of them. Every time I picked up a new book, I was carried away into fabulous and exciting new worlds. Nothing made me happier.

I realized that my real, underlying motive for writing and publishing today is actually to create similar experiences for my readers. I’m interested in lots of genres, but the unifying theme is always being transported to a world unlike the normal, every-day place where I spend the rest of my life.

Does that sum up how you feel about reading too?

Sleepless in Toronto

I had the opportunity to participate in the very first Toronto Independent Author Conference in Toronto last weekend. I had such a blast, learning about the business and meeting other indies. To my delight, even the top-earning veterans among them were extremely approachable and fun!

[image error] Left to right: Meghan J. Dahl, Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Eric P. Caillibot

I may have ended up in an improvised pub crawl, walking up and down Yonge street and drinking until the wee hours. But I’ll deny it…

More Reviews! More!!1!

I know I keep asking, but the importance of reviews on all the different retail platforms and other sites are so, so important. This is especially true for newer authors, like me. If you haven’t already, please take the time to post one or preferably more (always honest) reviews, anywhere and everywhere!

The Conquest of Kiynan

The Legacy of Lethe

The Ordeals of Ornland

What’s Next?

I mentioned last time that I’ve completed first drafts of The Apollo Cup (sci-fi short story) and Contested Souls: Danse Macabre Book One (urban fantasy novel). I’m still deep in editing, but I’m planning to send drafts to my beta reading team ASAP, for feedback. If you’re interested, join the team!

After that, I’m debating where to go next. There are a lot of exciting possibilities! Maybe you can help me decide?

For more context, let me break down the options I’ve listed in the survey below:

The Kiynan Chronicles Book 4. This would take us back to Varice (largely ignored in book 3) to catch up with Edvard Quickeye and Safyre Sharptooth (remember them from book 2?). Edvard has to contend with rising tensions between rapidly advancing technology (steampunk stuff from Spire) versus magic spreading everywhere after the events of book 3.

Danse Macabre Book 2. Since I haven’t released book 1, let’s start there! The setting is Montreal in 2003. The premise is that supernatural forces intervene in human affairs to win particular souls to their respective sides whenever targeted humans end up in a personal crisis. Kind of like DC Comics’ Constantine, but focused on drama and philosophy rather than action and violence. Book 2 would see one or both human main characters from book 1 team up with one of the neutral supernaturals (also from book 1) to track down a supernatural who has been broken the rules.

Science Fiction. A whole new series, set in the distant future, about an ambassador from Earth who uses unconventional methods to resolve difficult situations with alien governments. The setting would be cyberpunk meets Star Trek/Mass Effect.

LitRPG Fantasy/SciFi. These are subgenres that are new to me, but after recently discovering them, I’m brimming with various ideas I’d love to explore. Are you a fan of LitRPG?

Cozy Fantasy/SciFi. Similarly, I have only just discovered these. Do you like stories with lower stakes?

POLLWhat would you love to read next?The Kiynan Chronicles Book 4

Danse Macabre Book 2

Science Fiction

LitRPG Fantasy/SciFi

Cozy Fantasy/SciFi

Cheers,

Eric P. Caillibot

[6-Apr-2024] Tropes, projects and more books

Hello, Welcome to my first regular post from the Substack platform! Do you have any thoughts on my change to Substack? If so, please reply to this email to let me know! Genres and Tropes Do you consider yourself an “epic fantasy” reader? Or more generally, a “fantasy” reader? Is that still too narrow? Or not narrow enough?͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­    Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

 

Tropes, projects and more booksEric P. CaillibotApr 6          

READ IN APP

 

Hello,

Welcome to my first regular post from the Substack platform! Do you have any thoughts on my change to Substack? If so, please reply to this email to let me know!

Genres and Tropes

Do you consider yourself an “epic fantasy” reader? Or more generally, a “fantasy” reader? Is that still too narrow? Or not narrow enough?

To date, everything I’ve published has been in the epic fantasy genre. But as a reader, my interests are broader. Ever since I learned to read, I’ve loved all manner of fantasy and science fiction. I guess I consider myself an “SF&F” reader, if I had to pick a label.

These days, with the wealth of reading options available and the growing indie publishing community, stories are often tagged not (only) by genre and subgenre, but also with tropes.

Whenever I used to hear the word “trope”, I thought of it as a synonym for “cliché”. If it’s an idea that is easily recognizable from other stories, it’s been done, right? Boring.

But as I’ve been learning more about book marketing, I’ve come to understand the appeal and value of tropes: they are a powerful mechanism for setting expectations. Anyway, regardless of how original a story is, people will always find a way of putting labels on it. So, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, right?

I’ve read plenty of epic fantasy and sci-fi stories that went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. Sometimes the surprise was pleasant, many times it wasn’t. Seeing a list of a story’s tropes before committing to it goes a long way toward preventing disappointment or confusion.

I saw the following format for identifying tropes somewhere on social media and I thought it was effective. What do you think?

  Upcoming Work

While I plan to continue The Kiynan Chronicles down the road, I’m switching genres/tropes for my next couple of projects. I’ve completed the first draft of a sci-fi short story (cyberpunk setting, space travel issues, underdog) and an urban fantasy novel (hidden world, good vs. evil, philosophical discussions, coming of age). These are Apollo Cup and Contested Souls (Danse Macabre Book One) respectively.

I’m planning to send drafts to my beta reading team in the coming weeks, for feedback. If you’re interested, you can join the team too!

Discover Indie Authors 
 

Here’s a great way to fill up your TBR list for the spring! I’ve joined a group of indie authors who are giving away free fantasy stories to get more newsletter sign-ups (see if you can spot Arcane Aftermath in there from me): https://book.ericpcaillibot.com/fantasticapril/hp5f4k4zqo

The Lord of the Rings Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Bernadette Gengler and Nicole Davis for being the Grand Prize winner and Runner-up (respectively) in the BookSweeps The Lord of the Rings giveaway contest! Enjoy all of those free books and prizes!

Thanks for reading Eric P. Caillibot Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

 

Cheers,

Eric P. Caillibot