C. Gockel's Blog, page 84
January 5, 2015
January 4, 2015
Modern Myth!Loki from I Bring the Fire.
The first installment is...
Modern Myth!Loki from I Bring the Fire.
The first installment is FREE on Amazon, iBooks B&N Kobo, GooglePlay and Smashwords. And the whole series is free to subscribers of Oyster and Scribd.
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Havsmannen (the man of the...
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Havsmannen (the man of the sea) is a handsome young man who can be found wandering along shores in misty weather. He would seek out a lonely sailor’s wife and transform himself into her husband, which often resulted in the wife giving birth to a green-skinned child with gills and fin-like feet. As an apology, Havsmannen would give the sailor good winds and calm seas, ensuring that his boat never ran aground.
January 2, 2015
cgockel:
Color sketch for Monsters: Part II of I Bring the...
Color sketch for Monsters: Part II of I Bring the Fire featuring Loki, Norse God of Mischief and Chaos in the modern world. Needs more smirk. Yes, that is a very long katana. ‘Cause Loki was the Snow Wife and he has a thing for Japan.
The first installment is FREE on Amazon, iBooks B&N Kobo, GooglePlay and Smashwords. And the whole series is free to subscribers of Oyster and Scribd.
January 1, 2015
Readers Shouldn't Feel Guilty About Using Kindle Unlimited
Readers shouldn’t feel guilty about using Kindle Unlimited. I say that as an author whose sales went from 30 a day to 15 a day three days after KU was released. (They have since picked up, it took a new release, extremely competitive pricing, and a BookBub ad to recover. I’d probably be making more if it hadn’t come out, but them’s the breaks. It’s a reminder that nothing in this business stays the same, and I’d better remember it or I’ll get my butt kicked.)
I know some writers are painting KU as the devil, but it’s not. It’s a great way for unknown authors to get their foot in the door. KU titles released in my genre by people who’ve NEVER published before hang up near the top of the rankings for weeks—which means KU readers are seeing a new title, downloading it, and giving it a chance on a whim. That’s good for new authors. Kindle Unlimited is also great for authors of short serial novellas.
All that said, for more established writers with longer works, KU is not the way to go. It requires exclusivity; and if you’ve already worked your tail off to build a presence on B&N, Kobo, iBooks, GooglePlay, etc., losing the fanbase you’ve nurtured in those places probably is going to hurt. (Amazon is the biggest ocean for ebook authors to swim in, but I know of some authors who make more on B&N, Kobo, iBooks, or even GooglePlay. Sometimes you fall into a niche on another retailer and take off.)
Also, KU borrows pay a flat rate—lately around $1.35—that’s less than an author would make on an ebook priced at $2.99. KU “All Stars” get a special bonus at the end of every month if they sell 5,000 titles or so. I’ve never sold that many books in a month … doubt KU is going to get me there.
It should be mentioned that traditionally published authors in KU get completely different rates. You probably don’t have to worry about picking J.K. Rowling’s pocket if you read Harry Potter on KU.
If there are books you want to read in KU, get it. You can quit at anytime if you don’t like the selection, and if there is a book you particularly want to get, but you’re on a budget, you can always get it through your library via Overdrive for free. (I would LOVE it if every library stocked I Bring the Fire on their virtual shelves!)
About the Author:
C. Gockel is author of the I Bring the Fire series, featuring Loki, Norse God of Mischief and Chaos. The first installment is FREE on Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Kobo, GooglePlay and Smashwords. And the whole series is free to subscribers of Oyster and Scribd.
All ebooks in the series are truly free if checked out via the library on Overdrive.
December 31, 2014
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Bäckahästen (The stream...
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Bäckahästen (The stream horse) is known for using its ethereal beauty and strength to lure children to climb onto its back and then drag them down into the dark and murky waters of streams and ponds. It does not matter how many children climb onto its back, for it always grows longer. Only by casting a piece of steel between the horse and the water can the spell be broken and the children saved.
December 30, 2014
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Gårdsnissar (farm brownies)...
Scandinavian tales and creatures
Gårdsnissar (farm brownies) are a type of gnome who live around farms, helping out the inhabitants by milking the cows, feeding the horses and collecting eggs from chickens. They never show themselves, but do not make the mistake of thinking they don’t exist. If they are mistreated they will get their revenge; making the milk go sour, stealing valuables, letting the horses escape and tormenting the cat.
lady-arryn:
Littlefinger/Lysa + Loki/Sigyn parallelsSigyn still...
Littlefinger/Lysa + Loki/Sigyn parallels
Sigyn still remained loyal to her husband after he was bound by the other gods for the murder of Balder; she stood beside him and used a bowl to catch the deadly snake venom that dripped onto his face.
(requested by queenincrimson)
Loki had sex with Sif, Freyja, Tyr’s unnamed wife, possibly Idunn, and probably lots of others (including a horse, and a mortal man as a woman). But the thing is, “adultery” is up for debate—we don’t know the timeline and based on Frigga’s comments in the Lokasenna—shut up you were both idiots back in the day Odin and Loki, that could have been long before Sigyn. Also, Angrbooda is attested as his wife in some sources, the early Vikings were polygamous and men often had more than one wife.
Sigyn’s great act of courage and sacrifice was after Loki killed Baldur* and/or ticked off the Gods at Aegir’s feast (the scene in the Lokasenna) where he basically made fun of the Gods for being hypocritical asses.
Unlike Odin (think Rind!), Loki at least limited his affairs to consensual relationships.
*Up for interpretation—Saxo says no, Snorri says yes, and some say Loki did it on Odin’s bequest so Baldur would spend Ragnarok safe in Hel.
December 27, 2014
I LOVE the illustration of Loki.
Thank you, glad you like it! Now I just have to finish the one for Monsters!
