Michael K. Rose's Blog, page 3
February 20, 2016
Kindle Unlimited Subscribers: Read The Sullivan Saga for Free!
Hello, all! Due to issues outside of my control, the first book of The Sullivan Saga, Sullivan's War, is no longer available for free to all readers. I am pleased to announce, however, that the entire Sullivan Saga is now free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers!
By entering into this program, I have unfortunately had to remove my books from other retailers, but I believe this is the right decision at this moment. So, any old links you may find to non-Amazon stores will not be valid. However, if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber and have not yet read The Sullivan Saga, I would like to invite you to give it a try. This is a particularly good time to start the series, as I am writing three new Sullivan Saga books this year. Details about the first of the new books will be coming very soon! It has already been written, and I am about to begin revisions.
Click here for descriptions and links to all the books in The Sullivan Saga, or click here to download the first book from Amazon's Kindle store.
Best,Michael K. Rose
By entering into this program, I have unfortunately had to remove my books from other retailers, but I believe this is the right decision at this moment. So, any old links you may find to non-Amazon stores will not be valid. However, if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber and have not yet read The Sullivan Saga, I would like to invite you to give it a try. This is a particularly good time to start the series, as I am writing three new Sullivan Saga books this year. Details about the first of the new books will be coming very soon! It has already been written, and I am about to begin revisions.
Click here for descriptions and links to all the books in The Sullivan Saga, or click here to download the first book from Amazon's Kindle store.
Best,Michael K. Rose
December 13, 2015
New Release: Provocation
Hello, all! I have released a new novel called Provocation. It is a paranormal werewolf novel, so a bit of a departure from my usual science fiction/adventure fare, but I've been working on it for quite a while now and am very pleased with how it's turned out. You can get it at a special price of 99¢ through Tuesday, December 15 at the links below. And keep reading for a bit about the development of the novel!Provocation - 99¢ Through Dec. 15:Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1NoXz01Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1RgPYXtKobo: http://bit.ly/1TIcqqg
Some men should never be provoked….
Following a vicious attack by a legendary creature, Graham Morgan’s life is forever changed. After a year of struggling with his transformations during the full moon, he is determined to get his affliction under control so he can safely marry the woman he loves. But not everyone knows Graham’s secret, and one friend’s attempt to sabotage his relationship might instead unleash the monster within.
***
Even though I'm mainly a science fiction writer, I've always enjoyed reading stories about the paranormal. As a kid I devoured those books of ghost stories and the hardcover books purporting to tell of strange and unusual happenings. Ghosts, Bigfoot, aliens, demons... I loved all that stuff.
Oddly, I never had any experience with the classic Universal horror films until an adult. I always knew about them, but somehow had never seen them. But since discovering them, I have come to love them as well, and my favorite Universal monster is Larry Talbot, the Wolf Man. I suppose what drew me to the character was the fact that he was a generally decent guy who was compelled, through his curse, to do things he did not want to do. Throughout all his appearances in the Universal films, he retains his humanity and seeks only to put an end to his condition, one way or the other.
This character influenced the development of Provocation, but in an unexpected way. I began to wonder what would happen if I started with someone who was a horrible person. How would he react to becoming a werewolf? This horrible person became Graham Morgan, the main character of the book. Throughout the novel I toy with the idea of the external beast replacing the internal beast. It considers the possibility that being bitten might in fact have been the best thing to happen to Graham, all other complications notwithstanding. Becoming a monster might actually make him a better man.
This has yielded a dialogue-heavy, character-driven book, and I think that by the time you reach the ending, the time spent getting to know these characters and watching them develop will make it worthwhile. If you've read my previous work, you know I am generally a relatively tight writer, and I don't like padding a story for the sake of word count. In Provocation, even though there is less action than in my other books, I think that following the initial events during which Graham is bitten, the novel builds in tension and suspense up until the climax. That was my intent, at any rate. I hope I was able to accomplish that to your satisfaction.
I am proud of this novel, and I struggled with it for almost two years, but I feel the effort has been worthwhile. I hope you enjoy it! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. And special thanks must go to Alexia Purdy, who read through two drafts for me, offering invaluable advice, and also designed the striking cover!
October 22, 2015
New from Alexia Purdy: The ArcKnight Chronicles
My good friend Alexia Purdy has just released a new paranormal novel. Check it out!Vengeance is the only thing worth dying for.
Only love can save you.
Teaming up with a handsome shifter named Ephrem, the banished Princess Lilliana must find her stolen Ardent talisman before a sinister enemy uses it against both rival wolf pack strongholds. Thrown onto a path neither of them expected, they stumble across a third cell of supernatural shifters lurking in the city’s Outlands where tensions mount. These new strangers want nothing more than to disrupt the two royal strongholds, the ArcKnights and the MarkTiers, and reignite a long-forgotten feud from decades past.
In the treacherous City of Temple where supernaturals and humans intertwine, only the most cunning will survive.
The ArcKnight Chronicles collects books 1 & 2, of the series, Ardent & MarkTier. Just 99 cents for a limited time!
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ArcKnightChroniclesIbooks: http://smarturl.it/ArcKnightIbooksKobo: https://goo.gl/ghgjTANook: http://smarturl.it/ArcKnightNookSmashwords: http://smarturl.it/ArcKnightSW
January 30, 2015
NEW RELEASE: RIDERS OF THE RED LAND
Hello, all!
Book II of The Chronicles of Dushara is now available. Just like Book I, it's packed full of action and adventure as well as more clues about the history of Dushara.
Begin reading Riders of The Red Land on your Kindle: Amazon US Amazon UK
And, if you've yet to read the first book, The City Beyond the Sands, you can find it here: Amazon US Amazon UK
Book II of The Chronicles of Dushara is now available. Just like Book I, it's packed full of action and adventure as well as more clues about the history of Dushara.
War has come to Dushara.Under the orders of a cruel new tyrant named Silva, the Indian city of Thanjavur has launched an attack against the Arabs. Hoping to find clues that might lead him home, Will Kelly and his companions decide to travel with the Arab army as it sets out to meet the enemy, despite being outnumbered and unprepared.
As members of a resistance movement plot in Thanjavur and a displaced band of Old West outlaws fight their way through hostile territory, the tide of the war begins to turn. With battle after battle, Will and his friends draw ever closer to Thanjavur but also to one inescapable truth: victory may come at a terrible price.
Riders of the Red Land is the second book of The Chronicles of Dushara, a fast-paced adventure series written in the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. The story will continue this summer in The Sea Dragons.
Begin reading Riders of The Red Land on your Kindle: Amazon US Amazon UK
And, if you've yet to read the first book, The City Beyond the Sands, you can find it here: Amazon US Amazon UK
January 1, 2015
2015 Projects
Every new year I try to plan my upcoming projects. I'm not always successful at enacting those plans, but if you'd like a possible glimpse of things to come, look no further!
At the end of January, Riders of the Red Land, the second book in The Chronicles of Dushara, is set to be released.
April will see the release of the third Chronicles of Dushara novel. This book will bring an end to the main storyline of the series. Any further books set in Dushara will most likely be stand-alone stories and may even follow new characters. I'll know more about where to take the series once the third book is finished.
In July, I hope to release a fourth book in The Sullivan Saga. Those of you who've read the series so far know that at the end of book three, Rick Sullivan was beginning a new phase of his life. This book will jump ahead about a year and rejoin Rick and Kate as they pick up the pieces following the events of the first three books.
I would like to release one more novel in 2015, around October or November. I have several ideas as to what this may be, but I have not made any firm decisions. I also have several short stories either outlined or begun that I hope to finish this year. Some I would like to release as eBooks, others I will be submitting to the various speculative fiction magazines.
On the blog front, I would like to revitalize Spaceship Urff. It languished after a single issue last year--entirely my own fault, of course--and instead of using an issue format, I think I will continue it on an article-by-article basis. I have another blog set to go called To Unknown Lands. Its focus will be adventure fiction as opposed to speculative fiction.
Finally, my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing series will be retitled 101 Thoughts on Indie Publishing and moved to its own blog. Stay tuned for more information on that!
Here's wishing you all the best in the new year!Michael K. Rose
At the end of January, Riders of the Red Land, the second book in The Chronicles of Dushara, is set to be released.
April will see the release of the third Chronicles of Dushara novel. This book will bring an end to the main storyline of the series. Any further books set in Dushara will most likely be stand-alone stories and may even follow new characters. I'll know more about where to take the series once the third book is finished.
In July, I hope to release a fourth book in The Sullivan Saga. Those of you who've read the series so far know that at the end of book three, Rick Sullivan was beginning a new phase of his life. This book will jump ahead about a year and rejoin Rick and Kate as they pick up the pieces following the events of the first three books.
I would like to release one more novel in 2015, around October or November. I have several ideas as to what this may be, but I have not made any firm decisions. I also have several short stories either outlined or begun that I hope to finish this year. Some I would like to release as eBooks, others I will be submitting to the various speculative fiction magazines.
On the blog front, I would like to revitalize Spaceship Urff. It languished after a single issue last year--entirely my own fault, of course--and instead of using an issue format, I think I will continue it on an article-by-article basis. I have another blog set to go called To Unknown Lands. Its focus will be adventure fiction as opposed to speculative fiction.
Finally, my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing series will be retitled 101 Thoughts on Indie Publishing and moved to its own blog. Stay tuned for more information on that!
Here's wishing you all the best in the new year!Michael K. Rose
November 26, 2014
Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sale on The Sullivan Saga - Free & 99¢ eBooks!
Hello, all! I'm pleased to announce that eBook versions of all three books of The Sullivan Saga will be 99¢/99p from Nov. 27 through Dec. 01! Additionally, Sullivan's War, the first book of the series, will be free Nov. 29 and Nov. 30. Click on the links below to get your copies!
Sullivan's War (Book 1) - Free Nov. 29-30, 99¢ all other dates Amazon US Amazon UK
Sullivan's Wrath (Book 2) - 99¢ Nov. 27-Dec. 01 Amazon US Amazon UK
Sullivan's Watch (Book 3) - 99¢ Nov. 27-Dec. 01 Amazon US Amazon UK
Finally, the short story "Sleep," which takes place in the same universe as The Sullivan Saga, will be free on Sunday, Nov. 30: Amazon US Amazon UK
Note: the 99¢/99p sales on Sullivan's Wrath and Sullivan's Watch only apply to the Amazon.com and Amazon UK stores. Sullivan's War will be free in all international Amazon stores Nov. 29-30 and is just 99¢ (or your country's equivalent) all other dates.
October 26, 2014
101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing -- 017: Write that Completely Unmarketable Story
In the past, I've often thought about sales trends. There are a few genres of fiction that really seem to sell. Just take a look at Amazon's best sellers, and you'll see what I mean: it's dominated by thrillers and romance novels.
For a while, I worried that I was working in poor-selling genres. I thought about writing a straight thriller, with no speculative elements at all, but every time I do consider it, I can never get excited by the idea. There's nothing wrong with thrillers, of course, and my books have many elements of the thriller in them, but a real-world setting doesn't get my creative juices flowing the way a future world or an alternate reality can. When it comes down to it, if I try to force myself to write in a genre or style that doesn't work for me as a writer just because I think it would sell, I don't feel I'd be happy with the results.
Lately, I've been writing and brainstorming a few short story ideas. Some of them are a bit oddball, but the truth is they get me excited about writing. Maybe no one will want to read them. Maybe, if they are published, no one will like them. But that really doesn't matter.
Writers have to acknowledge financial considerations. This is a business. You might be compelled to write a twelve-novel story arc about a guy trying to find his lost sock, but if you hope to make some money as a writer, well, you might want to have some side projects. That being said, you should try writing that story idea that seems completely unmarketable. Try out some short stories if you're worried about spending all that time on something that might not go anywhere. Yes, writing is a business, but passion and creativity are the driving forces behind that business. Without those things, fiction cannot exist. People read because they want to feel your passion, to lose themselves in the world you've created.
Wherever your passion and creativity lead, you must follow. If you're lucky, you'll end up with something marketable. If you don't... well, you're a writer. Every word that skips from your fingertips is another turn of the grindstone, sharpening the tools of your trade. They'll cut that much more cleanly the next time you sit down to work.
***
If you're enjoying the series so far and would like a single page to bookmark, I'll be adding each of my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing here . Also be sure to subscribe by email (see the box in the sidebar) to be automatically notified about my new posts.
Look for The Sock, an epic tale of loss and acceptance, in the Spring of 2015.
For a while, I worried that I was working in poor-selling genres. I thought about writing a straight thriller, with no speculative elements at all, but every time I do consider it, I can never get excited by the idea. There's nothing wrong with thrillers, of course, and my books have many elements of the thriller in them, but a real-world setting doesn't get my creative juices flowing the way a future world or an alternate reality can. When it comes down to it, if I try to force myself to write in a genre or style that doesn't work for me as a writer just because I think it would sell, I don't feel I'd be happy with the results.
Lately, I've been writing and brainstorming a few short story ideas. Some of them are a bit oddball, but the truth is they get me excited about writing. Maybe no one will want to read them. Maybe, if they are published, no one will like them. But that really doesn't matter.
Writers have to acknowledge financial considerations. This is a business. You might be compelled to write a twelve-novel story arc about a guy trying to find his lost sock, but if you hope to make some money as a writer, well, you might want to have some side projects. That being said, you should try writing that story idea that seems completely unmarketable. Try out some short stories if you're worried about spending all that time on something that might not go anywhere. Yes, writing is a business, but passion and creativity are the driving forces behind that business. Without those things, fiction cannot exist. People read because they want to feel your passion, to lose themselves in the world you've created.
Wherever your passion and creativity lead, you must follow. If you're lucky, you'll end up with something marketable. If you don't... well, you're a writer. Every word that skips from your fingertips is another turn of the grindstone, sharpening the tools of your trade. They'll cut that much more cleanly the next time you sit down to work.
***
If you're enjoying the series so far and would like a single page to bookmark, I'll be adding each of my 101 Thoughts on Self-Publishing here . Also be sure to subscribe by email (see the box in the sidebar) to be automatically notified about my new posts.
Look for The Sock, an epic tale of loss and acceptance, in the Spring of 2015.
September 16, 2014
Top 3 Twitter Tricks to Annoy People Into Buying Your Book
Twitter. It's amazing how much one can fit into 140 characters, but are you using those characters correctly? No one will buy your book unless they're forcefully instructed to do so. Yes, it's true, by annoying other Twitter users, you will see an increase in sales, follows and RTs. For those of you who haven't quite figured out how to maximize your ability to piss people off, here are 3 simple tricks that you can start using today! (Note: these tips are for authors, but with a little creativity, anyone with something to sell can take advantage of these ideas!)
1. Send spammy Tweets directly to other Twitter users!
It's easy to Tweet about your book and hope others who follow you and are interested in that book will check it out, but unless you're Tweeting about your book twenty or thirty times an hour (that one's free!) then you're not maximizing your potential to be a pain in the ass! What you have to do instead is send Tweets about your book directly to other Twitter accounts. This way you know people will see your Tweets, because it'll show up right in their notifications along with relevant communications from their friends. But don't stop at just one or ten. Send out a stream of hundreds of such Tweets to different Twitter users. It doesn't even matter if they follow you or you follow them! Send them your spammy Tweets anyway! In fact, this is better, because if they followed you already, they'd have already known about and bought your book.
2. Set up an auto-DM to tell people about your book when they follow you.
This is even better than Tip 1 because since they followed you, of course they want to buy your book. Sending out an auto-DM pretty much assures an instant book sale. Think about it: if 20 people follow you in one day, you'll sell 20 books! Ca-Ching!
3. Demand that others RT you/follow you back.
Getting people to follow you is hard. If you've been stuck at 2001 follows for several months, it might be time to start being a bit more forceful. Sending something like "I just followed you. Follow me back!" helps make sure others will follow you, care about your book and buy it. Another good trick is to tell people that you'll RT them if they RT you. This can be combined with Tip 1 if you have enough characters left. After all, who wouldn't jump at the chance to get someone with 150 followers RTing them? Those 150 people have already bought your book, of course, so now you can get your social media empire working for others! It's just the generous thing to do.
Remember: no one will buy your book unless you annoy them about it. Start using these three tricks today, and you'll be guaranteed to exponentially boost your sales overnight!
1. Send spammy Tweets directly to other Twitter users!
It's easy to Tweet about your book and hope others who follow you and are interested in that book will check it out, but unless you're Tweeting about your book twenty or thirty times an hour (that one's free!) then you're not maximizing your potential to be a pain in the ass! What you have to do instead is send Tweets about your book directly to other Twitter accounts. This way you know people will see your Tweets, because it'll show up right in their notifications along with relevant communications from their friends. But don't stop at just one or ten. Send out a stream of hundreds of such Tweets to different Twitter users. It doesn't even matter if they follow you or you follow them! Send them your spammy Tweets anyway! In fact, this is better, because if they followed you already, they'd have already known about and bought your book.
2. Set up an auto-DM to tell people about your book when they follow you.
This is even better than Tip 1 because since they followed you, of course they want to buy your book. Sending out an auto-DM pretty much assures an instant book sale. Think about it: if 20 people follow you in one day, you'll sell 20 books! Ca-Ching!
3. Demand that others RT you/follow you back.
Getting people to follow you is hard. If you've been stuck at 2001 follows for several months, it might be time to start being a bit more forceful. Sending something like "I just followed you. Follow me back!" helps make sure others will follow you, care about your book and buy it. Another good trick is to tell people that you'll RT them if they RT you. This can be combined with Tip 1 if you have enough characters left. After all, who wouldn't jump at the chance to get someone with 150 followers RTing them? Those 150 people have already bought your book, of course, so now you can get your social media empire working for others! It's just the generous thing to do.
Remember: no one will buy your book unless you annoy them about it. Start using these three tricks today, and you'll be guaranteed to exponentially boost your sales overnight!
August 14, 2014
New Release: THE CITY BEYOND THE SANDS!
Book I of The Chronicles of Dushara is here!Just 99¢ through Monday, August 18
When Will Kelly arrives in Dushara, he can tell he’s no longer on Earth. It may look like Earth, but people and animals from across history have been thrown together by some unknown force.
He soon embarks upon a perilous journey, hoping to reach the legendary City Beyond the Sands which, if it exists, may hold clues to the mystery of Dushara and ultimately lead him home. Along the way, he will have to learn how to survive in a cruel land where men live—and often die—by the sword.
The City Beyond the Sands is the first book of The Chronicles of Dushara, a thrilling, fast-paced adventure series set on a parallel Earth and written in the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. The story will continue in Riders of the Red Land, due out October/November of 2014.
Get your copy of The City Beyond the Sands during this special 99¢ release sale! The sale will only last through Monday, August 18.
The City Beyond the Sands is Available at:Amazon US - Amazon UK and all other Amazon Kindle stores
When Will Kelly arrives in Dushara, he can tell he’s no longer on Earth. It may look like Earth, but people and animals from across history have been thrown together by some unknown force.He soon embarks upon a perilous journey, hoping to reach the legendary City Beyond the Sands which, if it exists, may hold clues to the mystery of Dushara and ultimately lead him home. Along the way, he will have to learn how to survive in a cruel land where men live—and often die—by the sword.
The City Beyond the Sands is the first book of The Chronicles of Dushara, a thrilling, fast-paced adventure series set on a parallel Earth and written in the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. The story will continue in Riders of the Red Land, due out October/November of 2014.
Get your copy of The City Beyond the Sands during this special 99¢ release sale! The sale will only last through Monday, August 18.
The City Beyond the Sands is Available at:Amazon US - Amazon UK and all other Amazon Kindle stores
August 12, 2014
99¢ Sale: CHRYSOPTERON & SULLIVAN'S WATCH!
Beginning today (August 12), my novels Chrysopteron and Sullivan's Watch are each just 99¢ for one week! For UK readers, the price is 99p.Chrysopteron is a stand-alone science fiction novel of space exploration and colonization. Get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon UK .
Sullivan's Watch is the third book of The Sullivan Saga, a science fiction adventure series. Get it at Amazon.com or Amazon UK , and click here to read about the other books in the series.
If you already have these books, I have a new novel coming out later this month. Stay tuned for the details!
Best,Michael K. Rose
