Nick Shamhart's Blog, page 13

I'm not "Deep Throat", nor do I do that…I have a strong gag reflex

I know it makes me sound like a ranting jaded cynical pessimistic jackass, but there are certain things that the average person just does not know, nor probably care about, but I feel these things should be know none-the-less.

I was talking with a friend about books sales. How long it takes businesses sometimes to turn over figures to writers or other artists. When I brought up a certain scam that some publishers run. He did not know this, not everybody does, that's the point I guess. But many of the mega-publishers out there will pre-order thousands of copies of their own books, just to land them on the Bestsellers lists, so they can tote that label, drawing in the average Joe who thinks, "Ooo look! This is a Bestseller, oh it must be good."

Eyes Wide Open

Real Men

 I don't know who the creator of this is, but this picture is making the rounds on social media and it needed to be on my site. Please, if you are the designer or know who designed this, let me know and I will gladly give them credit. 

I don't know who the creator of this is, but this pictur...

 I don't know who the creator of this is, but this picture is making the rounds on social media and it needed to be on my site. Please, if you are the designer or know who designed this, let me know and I will gladly give them credit. 

 

Update on Future Releases

As of now, assuming my time to write and ambition to do so do not change, I wanted to give those that are curious some tentative release dates.

Raven : I currently have 2/3 rds of the first draft finished and should be done by the end of the year. Editing at a nice slow pace with "Omega Squadron" should see the final copy available by late spring to early summer.
Sammy's Voice : This is the working title for my general fiction novel about disillusionment in your job, finding your faith in mankind again, and seeing what matters and what does not. I only have the first two chapters done at the moment, because  of the exhausting nature of the project. I would still – maybe ambitiously so –  like to have it done and available by next holiday season 2012.

I know many authors stick to a timetable with their series works. One a year, released around the same time and all that. Not me, for now, you will have them when they are done. It may be six months between Balance books or two years. I have other stories I want to tell, but as a concession in the gaps between Balance books I will occasionally put a short story on the website here or do a podcast narration if I have the chance. Look for the first of those around Christmas break Dolly (For those of you who have read Grey, this is the doll/demon's story)

 

Them's is too many of those like, um —"words"

I have heard that other writers receive feedback and rejections after their book is available. I did not personally experience that until this morning.

Now, I really did hesitate in sharing this, because if I were you I would find it insulting. But, I figured as long as I do not say the agents name or his agency I am not being slanderous. Plus I only wanted to share the condescending contempt most of the businesses that deal in the arts hold the public and not some ham-handed reverse psychology ploy.

This morning I heard back from an agent who was reviewing the entire manuscript of Grey. He said – and I quote - "I would represent this, but I could not sell it. The average reader is not intelligent enough to understand the story. Sorry, it is good and I hope you find representation elsewhere."

I hope you are all Above-average readers!

 

Creative Writing: 101 with Professor Nick

I am – and always have been – a firm believer that writing is a skill that cannot be taught. Either a person can write, or they cannot, but a person's innate skill can be harnessed and refined. I have many friends who style themselves writes, creative souls, or neophytes to the trade who ask, "Nick, how does your mind work? How do you think like you do?"

Well, it is all about connections, forming neural pathways – at times by force of will and determination – with such random concepts and causes flying through my head all at once. I think the best way for anyone to try and write or think like me can be experienced in this writing exercise.

So, what'll it be? Do you want to turn the cranial can opener and try to write like Nick? Here we go!

Get a scrap of paper and a pen.
Open Yahoo in another window.
Write down the top ten "Trending Now" (do not cheat and fill in ones of your devising, as that would ruin the whole point. Copy them exactly)
In one paragraph write a coherent article connecting these ten things. Each "Trending" word must flow into the article, so that it would make sense to a reader who did not know what you were attempting.

Have at it! And if you think you came up with something descent then feel free to post under here in the "Comments" section for all to see!

Hypocritical Undead!

Man, Hugh Hefner sure is something else, isn't he? 85 years old and still playing the woman chasing bachelor. It has more than surpassed the Ickyness factor. Truth to tell, I have not spoken to a woman, who when his money was subtracted from the equation didn't find that gross, demeaning, or ridiculous. I side with them on that. Not just for the buodoir action, but the decades the man has lived lend him knowledge and experience, that in a relationship with a young girl allow him to take advantage of her.

Funny how culturally we view this as inappropriate, huh.

Yet, we are supposed to find a 104 year old vampire doing the nasty with a teenage girl, not only acceptable, but Entertaining?

Please, have enough respect for your own intellect not to say, "One is fantasy and the other is reality."

That is bullshit and anyone who has opened a Playboy since they invented the airbrush knows that! I'm more likely to believe in the existence of vampires, than that any of those tits are real!

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No Reader? No Problem!!!

Many people have asked me can they still buy a copy of Grey even if they do not have an eReader. Yes, indeed you can. I'll give kudos to Amazon with this, but there are other alternatives. You can download a free Kindle app, for your phone, PC, Mac, iPad, Droid or what have you. Just click here and you could be reading my book asap!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcr_freeapps_about?docId=1000493771

Barnes & Noble's version,

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379002321

 

 

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Eyes Wide Open

People often jocularly label my videos and posts, Rants. At times that may seem appropriate, I suppose, but believe me when I say that is not my intention. A rant, to me, implies that I want to convert you to my point-of-view, to sway your opinion. That is in fact the opposite of what I am doing.

I want people to open their eyes, wider. I want them to step back and examine everything; from their choices in entertainment to what they eat.

I want them to look closer; to realize what is their perspective and what is conditioning foisted upon them by others.

Pull back the curtain friends! Maybe you'll see an old man pretending to be an all powerful wizard, a dopey little girl wearing too much make-up to distract you from her lack of musical talent, somebody trying to sell you something, an airbrushed model, nepotism in every art, and so much more.

Most likely what you see will be something else, but it will be your's, made up from your perspective, not someone else's. Perhaps you will learn what you really like. That perhaps video did kill the radio star and maybe all those "likes" you had were just what you believed others enjoyed, so you went along. Not wanting to be the odd one out.

Guess what? In the new social media age, you are only alone if you want to be. You can allow your true likes to shine. Please, open your eyes.

 

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Remove the word "Screen" and I had a very similar conversation this morning

My experience was with a young man who thought I said I was a "Rider", while I was carrying my daughter in a front facing baby harness. He replied, "It must me hard to ride a motorcycle with the baby though."

Me: "Well, I guess it would be, yes."

 

 

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