Simon Haynes's Blog
March 22, 2018
Sign up for my newsletter
I've always run a mailing list for occasional announcements about new Hal Spacejock books, but I've decided to expand into a newsletter. All are welcome to sign up.
March 14, 2018
Hal Spacejock 8 Released!
It's release day, and Hal Spacejock 8: Double Trouble has hit Kindle and Kobo. Paperback editions are also available from Amazon.
March 12, 2018
Hal 8 pre-order
Hal Spacejock 8: Double Trouble is now available for pre-order on Kobo and Amazon Kindle.
Ebook and Paperback editions will be available on the 15th March, 2018.
Ebook and Paperback editions will be available on the 15th March, 2018.
February 10, 2018
Hal 8 - final edits in progress
It's been a while, but Hal 8 (Double Trouble) is almost ready. 75000 words in length, great story, right in the middle of line editing and proofreading as I type this.
I'm aiming for a March 2018 release, and then it's on to Harriet Walsh book 1.
April 4, 2017
Hal Spacejock ... number 8
Okay, so it's been a while. It's been a LONG while, and I'm sorry about that. Writing is a passion, true, but if you write too much, or spend all your life writing and editing, it can become a grind.
However, after a decent break the words have started flowing. The first few chapters are done, and I have a pretty good idea where everything is going.
I'm not ready to nail down a release date, and in fact I was reluctant to even mention Hal 8, but I do believe the time is right for me to write this book.
August 10, 2014
Hal Spacejock 7 released
Talk about being so busy you neglect the important things ... such as forgetting to tell everyone that Hal Spacejock 7: Big Bang is available in print and ebook on Amazon, Kobo, B&N, Smashwords, etc.
The first two books in the Hal Spacejock series are also available in german translation (Bastei Lubbe, print & paperback, Amazon and other retailers) - The first one is called Ein Robeter Namens Klunk, and the second is Helden Heulen Nicht.
The first Hal Junior book is also available in italian - Amazon and Kobo, ebook only at the moment but the paperback is on the way as well.
The first two books in the Hal Spacejock series are also available in german translation (Bastei Lubbe, print & paperback, Amazon and other retailers) - The first one is called Ein Robeter Namens Klunk, and the second is Helden Heulen Nicht.
The first Hal Junior book is also available in italian - Amazon and Kobo, ebook only at the moment but the paperback is on the way as well.
June 25, 2013
Hal Spacejock 7: Big Bang progress report
I'm writing and releasing Hal Spacejock 7 in ten installments of roughly 7000 words (4 chapters) each.
Parts 1-5 (the first half of the book) are already available on Amazon and Kobo.
When part ten is published I'll release the entire thing as a single novel, as per Hal Spacejock books 1-6.
There are several reasons why I'm writing and releasing Hal 7 in parts, but these are the major ones:
1. Something new for the fans every week or so, not every year or so.
2. It's really keeping me on my toes, and I'm enjoying the challenge.
3. I find it much easier to focus on writing, editing and releasing each part - far easier than trying to prepare an entire novel.
4. No plotting! I'm just working 3-4 chapters ahead, instead of knowing every little detail in advance. That gives my characters freedom to make different choices when the moment arises, and then I type like crazy to keep up with them.
Anyway, half a novel in 3-4 weeks proves it's working, and the feedback so far has been great. As for productivity, I'd be more than happy to release 3 Hal novels, 1 Harriet Walsh novel and a Hal Junior novel every year ...
Parts 1-5 (the first half of the book) are already available on Amazon and Kobo.
When part ten is published I'll release the entire thing as a single novel, as per Hal Spacejock books 1-6.
There are several reasons why I'm writing and releasing Hal 7 in parts, but these are the major ones:
1. Something new for the fans every week or so, not every year or so.
2. It's really keeping me on my toes, and I'm enjoying the challenge.
3. I find it much easier to focus on writing, editing and releasing each part - far easier than trying to prepare an entire novel.
4. No plotting! I'm just working 3-4 chapters ahead, instead of knowing every little detail in advance. That gives my characters freedom to make different choices when the moment arises, and then I type like crazy to keep up with them.
Anyway, half a novel in 3-4 weeks proves it's working, and the feedback so far has been great. As for productivity, I'd be more than happy to release 3 Hal novels, 1 Harriet Walsh novel and a Hal Junior novel every year ...
June 2, 2013
New Release: Hal Spacejock 6 Safe Art
It's been a while, but I've been spending my time writing novels instead of blog posts. Since the last update I've released Hal Junior 3: The Gyris Mission, and now Hal Spacejock 6: Safe Art.
Full details on the Hal Spacejock website: http://www.spacejock.com.au/Hal6.html
Full details on the Hal Spacejock website: http://www.spacejock.com.au/Hal6.html
July 29, 2012
LoNoWriMo
LoNoWriMo is local novel writing month, and this is my second in a row. LoNoWriMo is where you sit down at your computer and write a novel in a month, without the fanfare and public suffering of NanoWrimo.
To sign up for LoNoWriMo, just open your word processor and start typing.
Last month I wrote a 30,000 word middle-grade novel which I'm currently editing into shape. This month I'm writing Hal Spacejock 6. My target is around 65,000 words over July and August, and last night I cracked 45,000. The draft is going well, and it shouldn't need much editing to get it into shape. (Famous last words.)
Sales of my Hal Spacejock ebooks really took off in July, partly due to the release of the fifth novel in the series, and partly due to lots of people buying the books. Heh.
Hal Junior has been quiet on the ebook front for the past 7 or 8 months, but in July sales are about ten times average. I dropped the price of Hal Junior 1 and 2 to 99 cents for a while, to increase visibility. When Hal Junior 3 comes out, I'll set the first book to free and price the other two at 2.99 or 3.99 each.
Some people have asked me whether it's still worth bothering to publish paperbacks, and my answer is 'it depends'. If you're looking to spend big on jacket art and design, interior layout, etc, then you really have to ask yourself how many copies you're likely to sell. (Right now, the Hal Spacejock ebooks are outselling paperbacks by 100 to 1, but despite that I will always offer printed editions of my work.) Another strategy is to test the market with an ebook first, and only go to paper when the ebook income justifies it. It still hurts if you have to spend four months royalty on jacket design, though, which is why I said 'it depends'.
So, what's your strategy? Ebook only, ebook and paperback, paperback only or chasing a publishing contract?
To sign up for LoNoWriMo, just open your word processor and start typing.
Last month I wrote a 30,000 word middle-grade novel which I'm currently editing into shape. This month I'm writing Hal Spacejock 6. My target is around 65,000 words over July and August, and last night I cracked 45,000. The draft is going well, and it shouldn't need much editing to get it into shape. (Famous last words.)
Sales of my Hal Spacejock ebooks really took off in July, partly due to the release of the fifth novel in the series, and partly due to lots of people buying the books. Heh.
Hal Junior has been quiet on the ebook front for the past 7 or 8 months, but in July sales are about ten times average. I dropped the price of Hal Junior 1 and 2 to 99 cents for a while, to increase visibility. When Hal Junior 3 comes out, I'll set the first book to free and price the other two at 2.99 or 3.99 each.
Some people have asked me whether it's still worth bothering to publish paperbacks, and my answer is 'it depends'. If you're looking to spend big on jacket art and design, interior layout, etc, then you really have to ask yourself how many copies you're likely to sell. (Right now, the Hal Spacejock ebooks are outselling paperbacks by 100 to 1, but despite that I will always offer printed editions of my work.) Another strategy is to test the market with an ebook first, and only go to paper when the ebook income justifies it. It still hurts if you have to spend four months royalty on jacket design, though, which is why I said 'it depends'.
So, what's your strategy? Ebook only, ebook and paperback, paperback only or chasing a publishing contract?
July 26, 2012
Dean Wesley Smith on Fear in publishing
Dean Wesley Smith just posted an article on Fear in publishing. Whether you're writing for a trade publisher, chasing a publishing deal or looking to self-publish your first novel or short story, it's worth reading.
