Ryan Casey's Blog, page 10

NaNoWriMo: A Month in the Life of a Professional Writer

So, it’s mid-November. Which for many writers means they are battling through the twenty-five thousand word mark of their arduous one-thousand seven-hundred word a day binge. The cloudy summit of the 50,000 word target is growing closer and closer. For those who haven’t already quit, anyway.

For other writers, it’s just another month. Another day of two-thousand words. Another day of developing writing skills.

Okay, maybe the opening paragraph is a little bit snarky. In essence, I think NaNoWri...

Dying Eyes — New Crime/Mystery Novel from Ryan Casey — Now Available!

Remember a few weeks back when I told you I was, like, major busy? Well I’m starting to see the rewards of that really creative period right now. It’s my pleasure and delight to announce thatDying Eyes– my third full-length novel — is now available for a special launch price of just 99c/77p onKindle,NookandKobo.iBooks are taking a little slower, so I’ll update the links later in the day. But grab your copy fast, because the price will rise to $4.99/£2.99 very soon.

I’ve been working onDying Ey...

New Release: Dead Days — A New Zombie Apocalypse Serial

I’m delighted to be able to confirm a previously top secret project to you that I’ve been working on for the last few months and weeks. It’s calledDead Days, it’s a six-part zombie apocalypse serial, and the first episode is now available on Kindle, Nook, iBooks and Kobo.

There are a lot of zombie stories out there nowadays.

Thanks to the rise of AMC’sThe Walking Dead, zombies are hot right now. Very hot. But what is it aboutThe Walking Deadthat makes the show so appealing? What sets it aside f...

Kindle Countdown Deals: The Saving Grace of KDP Select?

Okay, so my blog post title is a little misleading.

I’ve openly expressed my belief that KDP Select is still to this day a perfectly viable option for newer authors looking to make a start in independent publishing. Have I fallen out of love with it a little since I first enrolled? Yes. But it still leads to more reviews. It still results in slightly increased exposure. And, if coupled with an advertisement at one of the major ad sites, it can still lead to a nice post-freebie boost.

That said,...

Pen Names Revisited: Meet R.A. Casey, Writer of Crime and Detective Mysteries

With the onset of the new world of publishing, one of the things that has emerged is a whole new level of control authors have over their books that they perhaps did not previously. Covers, marketing and formatting are three, but one of the lesser discussed and more ambiguous areas is that of the author’s name, and whether writers should consider adopting a pen name.

I’ve expressed my thoughts on pen names in the past. Personally, I couldn’t understand why any writer would want to use a pen na...

Dying Eyes: Cover Reveal & Book Giveaway for New Crime/Mystery Novel

I’m literally knee-deep in the busiest writing period ever right now, but fortunately, I can just about see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or in the street from a safe distance, you’ll be well aware that I’ve been juggling three new projects like an inept circus clown for the past few months, dropping them all over the floor and hoping to God they don’t shatter. I don’t know where this metaphor is going, so I’m going to stop right now.

Regardless, one...

Kobo Goes Nuclear on Self-Published Books — But Why?

Yesterday started like any other day for those in the writing and publishing business. Probably with a yawn or two after being up all night, nagged by a spark of creative inspiration. Probably with a cup of tea or coffee in hand, stressing over minute intricacies like word choice. And, let’s be honest here — probably checking sales figures on the KDP, Draft2Digital or Kobo dashboards. All seemed well.

If only innocent little morning self had been aware of how the day was going to conclude.

Last...

Oyster and Scribd: Is a Subscription Model the Future of Reading?

What a real Spotify for books contender would look like, in my eyes, is this: a flat fee of £10 per month to take your unlimited collection of books everywhere — mobile, tablet, etc. Sort the audience attraction out first and the royalties later (because visibility is ultimately more important, right?). Allow for independent publishing but with quality checks on the level of formatting and basic proofreading. Offer an ad-only free option for laptop/computer reading…

Not my words, but the words...

Progress Report: Two New Novels, One New Novella, and Zero Burnout!

Hello all!

Excuse my blogging silence lately. I could lie and pretend that there’s been nothing to talk about, but the truth is, I’ve been so busy working on new fiction that I’ve hardly had the time. Thought I’d check in and let you know what I’m working on, when you can expect them to release, and a few other bits and bobs that come into my head along the way.

Dying Eyes – The First Brian McDone Mystery

First up, I want to talk a little about a project that has loomed over me for the bulk of 2...

Amazon Kindle Matchbook: What’s All This About, Then?

So, I was just preparing to cook myself a nice gourmet lunch of haricots à la sauce tomate sur pain grillé (beans on toast, innit), when I saw that Amazon have just now launched a new program called Kindle Matchbook. Beans on toast, you’re going to have to wait a few minutes to get your ass cooked.

I’ve had a good few reads through the press release. There’s already some confusionover what the benefits of this program are. However, I think I have a good grasp of how it could be utilised by aut...