Luke Sky Wachter's Blog, page 11

Admiral’s Trial up for review!

Just uploaded book 4 Admiral’s Trial to amazon. So expect it up for sale within 12 hours!

Thanks for all the help guys!

The Deposed King

All Castled Up

well things are proceeding apace. We’re on a 5 day count down (give or take) to the release of Book 4.

Lately it feels like I’ve been using the putter when I need a #1 club for a line drive. Regardless still poking along on Falon.

On other news, there were several Font size complaints on amazon re- Tribulation font size. So it was 18 font in the original version and that was the complaint so we uploaded a 12 font and now Kindle is saying its too small as in below average. and advized me to put up… you guessed it 12 font times new roman, just exactly as what I’d just put up. So because our 12 obviously doesn’t fit with their 12, we’ve upped it to 14 font and re uploaded. If it fits the size limits they want then, fingers crossed, they’ll be offering everyone who already bought it an updated version which is just a corrected font size.

Other than that. Like I said writing about castles in Falon and then watching Castle Season 1 at home.

The Deposed King

Lost in the Desert

Well guys Its been too long since the last post so here I am with another one. I’m busy watching the BBC version of Being Human even as I type the first part of this.

I wish I had a good update on the book 4 but as of right now its still in editing limbo. On the good news front, sounds like my brother’s almost done on the whole final edit of Admiral Who front.

Right now I’m up to 75k on the fantasy story I’ve been writing on, Falon Half Blood. Its definitely going slower than I’d hoped but despite all that its showing progress.

After I finish with the fantasy story I’m going to go back to working on the Admiral again. The Revenge has been a long time coming but it is definitely a dish best served cold. And its very cold in space.

The Deposed King

Finding The Oasis

I’m no expert (yet) however I have just finished my fourth full length novel and two novellas, one of which Admiral’s Lady: Eyes of Ice, Heart of Fire, is up on amazon. The other still pending. Being a compilation of Jason and Spalding stories.

I’ve had a few questions about my writing process along the way and thinking about it, back in March on the Jim Butcher Forum I posted the below in response to a question. Both the question and my answer have been added below.

I figured why rewrite something that just plain sings and does most everything I was hoping for: re-explaining the/my writing process and how to get into the word production.

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[quote author=roteral link=topic=36815.msg1818244#msg1818244 date=1363211740]

You guys amaze me. Some of you guys get 9000 words a day with limited time but I cant even get a couple of words in and I have almost the whole day. I guess I just can’t get into it. How do you guys do it?

[/quote]

RE: My Response below -

If you’ve ever seen the Care Bears I visualize my struggles to write sometimes like what No Heart is always trying to do. Turn Everyone including the carebears into a Grey, blah, uninspiring, lethargic creature.

That’s why I refer to my innate desire to stare at the screen or worse, surf the net or read someone else’s book instead of write my own, as The Desert. Cap locks very much deliberate.

I have all day to write, at least for right now. Every time I start writing it looks like something that came out the hind end of a dog. First I refuse myself permission to go online. I set myself a little time in the beginning and end of my day to do it. After that avaunt your foul seducer! I go to a part of the house without internet access. I refuse to open my kindle.

I write the first sentence. I stare at it a moment and finish the paragraph hoping against hope it looks cooler once its complete than the dog dodoo it is now. Its not. And yet amazingly, my books on amazon are selling very well. I can’t get my head wrapped around this paradox. I don’t want to write because what I am writing is complete and utter dung, and yet people like it. Convincing myself it’ll all be made nice and pretty during the editing pass, because other wise why would anyone read this drek? I force my self to write. I don’t want to, I’m ruining my book with every sentance that spews from my hands. I have to. I do it because my job is to write today and really if you’ve got a good editor, he/she or it doesn’t even need to be a writer to be a real help.

I set myself a realisitic target. For me that’s 5k a day. When I started out I said 1k. I did that and wrote 2k instead. So I said, 2k and then did 3k for a while. I declared the move at 3k and like a runner training up, before I knew it I had 5k days. Now I do between 6 and 9k a day. My daily goal is 5k so that at anytime after I finish my daily quota and I want to stop I am totally free to do so. If I write more in one day and have a family function the next, I take that extra apply it against tomorrow and thus have a lower target yet still am able to spit it out like clockwork.

Don’t look at my numbers. Set yourself a goal. Refuse to stop because its bad. More give yourself permission to write the bomb and I’m not talking about the fun bomb or cool bomb, I’m saying the stink bomb. I originally wrote the Little Admiral because I couldn’t bear the thought of ruining my Military Insect story, that is still almost half done, that story is cool, its wonderful and its still not done. While I’m almost done with the first draft of my 3rd Spineward Sector’s Novels. Go figure huh?

I gave myself a story I didn’t mind messing up. I set out determined to have some fun along the way, as anyone who’s read my somewhat humorous Admiral Who should be able to tell and I bore down.

You have to harness your creativity and break it to your will, when you force it in the direction of the book you are writing and it suddenly goes all No Heart on you turning dull and grey with disinterest. You must force yourself through that desert one dehydrated, dull, boring step at at time, until you finally force your sub-conscious to realize, just like a little child that wants to go out and play, that its not going to get away with it. There is no fast one, your sub-conscious writing child can play, there’s no trick, no constant cries for water or the toilet or I’m hungry right before bed time that will let your winy inner, creative child out of its chores.

Just like an angry child, you spank it or time out it or just plain don’t let it do anything fun until the chores are done and eventually it will do it. After a while your little inner kid won’t even notice how terrible its chores are and just give a perfunctory whine at the beginning. Then as you slog through some utter drek, your imagination will reluctantly take off and before you know it you’re actually writing something fun! You love it even if no one else will! and almost before you can realize it, even though you’ve been stuck laboriously writing it every step of the way, you’re done. You have a book. Its yours. you’re proud of it, even if totally terrified everyone else will turn up their nose at the stink coming out of it.

Then low and behold you edit and fix and repair and suddenly its not the utter stink bomb you thought it was.

That’s how you write 9k a day. In my experience.

The Deposed King

Let the Jealousy Begin!

The first ten E-ARC betas (everyone who applied) should have received a copy of the book from manilawarrior. If you requested the ARC of Book 4 Admiral’s Trial and don’t have it yet, check your spam filter!

The rest of you slack jawed individuals can now writhe with all the power of the dark side, knowing that if you’d only clicked the widget you too could have had an e-copy available for your viewing pleasure but so sad were too something not to click it!!!

But wait that’s not all!!! We are still accepting applications for our lottery at this time. So hurry before the last e-seats are taken!

The Deposed King

Beta Sign Up

Okay we’ve got a widget on the site for reporting errors and requesting to become an E-ARC beta reader. Its on the main blog screen, the big gold button below the search option.

We’ll come up with instructions for reporting errors later. For now you can just use it to apply for the E-ARC lottery.

The first editing pass is completed and now its just waiting for the Beta’s to get back their concerns on grammar, diction and all those pesky little things that bug the eyes on a first read through!

The Deposed King

Admiral’s Trial an Update

The first half of book 4 Admiral’s Trial has been sent out to the beta readers and my brother assures me we’re building the widget for e-Arc applications.  As well as creating a place or way for submitting any errors you guys find along the way in any of the books.

BTW - Tribulation is rocking on right now.  Thank you so much guys.

Current Amazon Ranking as of today is:

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,302 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

#9 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Space Opera
#9 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Science Fiction > Space Opera
#17 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Science Fiction > Military

So far I’ve had more 90 sales days than not with an 80 average so far for the week!  Making this week my best week ever!

It is because of readers like you that I am able to do what I love, which is to write.   You guys rule!!!  And thank you so much once again.

For more tantilizing hints about the next book I will say that while Admiral’s Tribulation took a turn for the hard military sci-fi, Admiral’s Trial has more of an Adventure bent to it.  I really think you guys are going to like it.

Hopefully when you enter the e-arc lottery and get your get your hands on an advanced readers copy you’ll let me know exactly what you think!

The Deposed King

P.S. -

In addition: so far I’ve really only posted information about previous and upcoming books as well as some modest info about the writing of these books.   So if anyone is interested in more tips on how to become a writer or what it takes to write 9k a day words, let me know.  I’ve got a few posts hanging around.

I really don’t know how many of you guys are just avid voracious readers, and how many are aspiring authors yourselves.  I’m not claiming to be an authority on the subject but I’ve been there, done that and have a few thoughts on the subject.

That said if you are mainly interested in books, sneak peak chapters and the potential of this e-arc lottery, that’s really awesome too!  I don’t want to put up a bunch of stuff no one has any interest in!

Be well and remember to always follow the dream!!!!!!!

Admiral’s Tribulation Uploaded

I just uploaded this thing about 5 minutes ago.  So expect Book 3 Admiral’s Tribulation to go live any time within the next 6-12 hours.

Make sure and let me know what you think!

The Deposed King

Counting down to Tribulation Launch

The brother is on the way over here for the combo birthday party/Book 3 launch.   He swears via text that he has the epub and cover files on his flash drive.

So baring calamity, such as losing or forgetting the flash drive along the way, or completely unacceptable changes to the story (highly doubtful) the book should be up for review within the next 6 hours or so.

Will update you guys when it goes up on amazon for review and make another post with the link when I see it live.

Its been a  bit of a slough to get this one edited and out the door.  But I think its been worth the wait to put out the best product I can at this time.  However only you guys can be the real judges of that.  So drop me a line and let me know how it stands after you’ve read the book.

I realize there are still flaws but they have been greatly minimized IMO.  The grammar nits have been slaughtered like bugs facing men in power armor and the rough edges of the story should have all been beveled out by now.  The transitions we did the best we could with and I think I can safely say that after today this book will be up and available for your reading pleasure.

And tomorrow book 4 will be ready to begin the editing process!  So far I’m feeling good about splitting the monster book up and we’ll try to get you book 4 as soon as possible.  That said with Admiral’s Lady and now book 3 Admiral’s Tribulation both out in the same month, I hope you guys can survive for just a little while.

;))

The Deposed King

Free Promo - 1 day only!

The free promo for Admiral’s Lady: Eyes of Ice, Heart of Fire is set to run on April 16th.  So for all of you loyal readers, you can get it tomorrow!

Hope you all enjoy it.  I know my brother is very proud of it and so am I.

Have a blast and enjoy!

The Deposed King