Leon De Kock's Blog: Wondering Aloud., page 4
November 18, 2014
Back from holiday
I'm back behind my desk after an exciting bike ride through Swaziland and South Africa. We had a fantastic time, and hopefully I'll be able to make time to do a ride report. For now though, I have to get my head down and do some catching up with work!
October 1, 2014
Dream School now out in Paperback.
Great news, everybody.
I've finally got the green light on my artwork for Dream School, and Dream School is now available in Paperback from CreateSpace.
The book will also be available from Amazon in about five day's time.
This is my second book out on paperback, the first having been Dream World. Dream School is the sequel to Dream World.
I've finally got the green light on my artwork for Dream School, and Dream School is now available in Paperback from CreateSpace.
The book will also be available from Amazon in about five day's time.
This is my second book out on paperback, the first having been Dream World. Dream School is the sequel to Dream World.
September 5, 2014
Holding my first Paperback
Dream World has just arrived, all ten copies of it! As a writer, I am super excited today. My first box of ten paperbacks has just arrived from the states, from CreateSpace.
Getting the book finalised and in my office was no small task, but utterly worth the effort. After ordering two draft copies and battling to get the cover right, I eventually published them on CreateSpace and promptly ordered ten copies for myself, to sell amongst my friends. Here the frustration started, as the box of books simply disappeared into the ether. I am still not sure what the hold-up was, but this morning I went to the SA Post Office to go look for my books, and lo and behold, they were there.
To be holding the book in my hand after all this time is great, and as I said, well worth the effort. Big thumbs-up to CreateSpace and Kindle publishing, without which companies this would probably never have happened.
You can get a copy of your own from Amazon at, check it out at http://www.amazon.com/Dream-World-Mr-...
The sequel to Dream World, called Dream School, is also available on Kindle, and will hopefully soon be out in paperback.
Getting the book finalised and in my office was no small task, but utterly worth the effort. After ordering two draft copies and battling to get the cover right, I eventually published them on CreateSpace and promptly ordered ten copies for myself, to sell amongst my friends. Here the frustration started, as the box of books simply disappeared into the ether. I am still not sure what the hold-up was, but this morning I went to the SA Post Office to go look for my books, and lo and behold, they were there.
To be holding the book in my hand after all this time is great, and as I said, well worth the effort. Big thumbs-up to CreateSpace and Kindle publishing, without which companies this would probably never have happened.
You can get a copy of your own from Amazon at, check it out at http://www.amazon.com/Dream-World-Mr-...
The sequel to Dream World, called Dream School, is also available on Kindle, and will hopefully soon be out in paperback.
September 3, 2014
Hot summer afternoons are coming!
Here in South Africa things are starting to warm up nicely. The mornings are not freezing anymore, and the days are longer and hotter.
One thing I have always liked about summer is getting out of the office in the afternoon, taking a manuscript and heading into a shady spot in the garden for some editing. Yeah, bring on summer. Things have been going really slow with the editing, I’m afraid my day job has been keeping me away from the keyboard, but with summer break fast approaching I can see some serious catching up happening.
The first draft of the book that I am currently working on, which goes under the working title of Sniffer, will either be finished by December or it will be close to being finished. Either way, it will by then be in serious need of a solid editing, as the book seems to be running away with me, taking me places that I did not think it would. Doesn’t that just happen with all books!
One thing I have always liked about summer is getting out of the office in the afternoon, taking a manuscript and heading into a shady spot in the garden for some editing. Yeah, bring on summer. Things have been going really slow with the editing, I’m afraid my day job has been keeping me away from the keyboard, but with summer break fast approaching I can see some serious catching up happening.
The first draft of the book that I am currently working on, which goes under the working title of Sniffer, will either be finished by December or it will be close to being finished. Either way, it will by then be in serious need of a solid editing, as the book seems to be running away with me, taking me places that I did not think it would. Doesn’t that just happen with all books!
August 25, 2014
The busy life
Ai.
Last Monday my laptop eventually crashed completely, and my desktop is still being set up. So writing is going slow, and work even slower. Unfortunately work comes before writing, unless writing is your day-job, and I have to put food on the table.
This morning is the first chance I've got to spend some time on Goodreads in a week, and I had to get up early to do that!
Anyway, the problems will pass, the free time at night will return, and the next few paragraphs will be typed. Eventually. Sometime.
For now, because I work for myself, I'm just happy to have a big new contract to work on. :)
Last Monday my laptop eventually crashed completely, and my desktop is still being set up. So writing is going slow, and work even slower. Unfortunately work comes before writing, unless writing is your day-job, and I have to put food on the table.
This morning is the first chance I've got to spend some time on Goodreads in a week, and I had to get up early to do that!
Anyway, the problems will pass, the free time at night will return, and the next few paragraphs will be typed. Eventually. Sometime.
For now, because I work for myself, I'm just happy to have a big new contract to work on. :)
August 15, 2014
Old, and New.
In his book Foundation, Asimov writes about a scientist who does science purely on the basis of reading and interpreting other scientists work. This, of course, can never work, a scientist will have to do some of the experiments, the low level footwork, for himself. Although of course I certainly see that a scientist will have to be well–read to be good in his field.
In the same way, although I would agree that authors should be prolific readers, I don’t think we should spend our whole lives lived in books. This will force our books to be mash-ups of all the books we have read, for it will be our only point of reference.
Rather, we should have overly active lives, experience things for ourselves. Have a greater social life than other people, go on adventures and see the world for ourselves. In this way, we can bring to the world of literacy our own new experiences, fresh from the real world. And in venturing out into the real world to find adventure, we might also learn to be more adventurous in our writing.
In the same way, although I would agree that authors should be prolific readers, I don’t think we should spend our whole lives lived in books. This will force our books to be mash-ups of all the books we have read, for it will be our only point of reference.
Rather, we should have overly active lives, experience things for ourselves. Have a greater social life than other people, go on adventures and see the world for ourselves. In this way, we can bring to the world of literacy our own new experiences, fresh from the real world. And in venturing out into the real world to find adventure, we might also learn to be more adventurous in our writing.
August 12, 2014
Authors' Helpline
When I was writing my first books, the Internet was new and not as overpopulated as it is today.
Finding a place where authors could ask questions and get honest answers from real, experienced authors was impossible. I’m afraid not much has changed. The few online courses that are available are hugely expensive, how do they think that poor penniless writers are supposed to afford that?
I have therefore today started Authors’ Helpline, a group for authors of all skill levels. This is a group where authors, especially aspiring authors, can ask questions without fearing that they will be ridiculed. It is also a group where experienced and published authors can answer those questions, and impart some of their knowledge to the world.
This link should take you there https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
(Let me know if it does not, and I will try to fix it.)
I hope I will be seeing you on the group!
Finding a place where authors could ask questions and get honest answers from real, experienced authors was impossible. I’m afraid not much has changed. The few online courses that are available are hugely expensive, how do they think that poor penniless writers are supposed to afford that?
I have therefore today started Authors’ Helpline, a group for authors of all skill levels. This is a group where authors, especially aspiring authors, can ask questions without fearing that they will be ridiculed. It is also a group where experienced and published authors can answer those questions, and impart some of their knowledge to the world.
This link should take you there https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
(Let me know if it does not, and I will try to fix it.)
I hope I will be seeing you on the group!
August 11, 2014
Writers rewards
Out of all the challenges I’ve faced in my life, three stand out as being more difficult than the others.
The first one was quitting cigarettes. Stopping smoking was the longest, hardest process and often it’s an ongoing one because I’ll suddenly get a craving for a smoke, even ten years after I stopped.
The next was starting and running my own business. This took me years to accomplish, and it was not always easy. When business is bad, it’s tempting to throw in the towel and go look for a paying job. But I’ve stuck it out, and it’s been one of the best things in my life.
The third thing, the thing that is proving very, very difficult, it making it in the world as an Indie writer. Luckily for me I have my business that is bringing in money, I don’t have to be a penniless writer. But sometimes, when the books don’t sell as good as I would want them to, I wonder if getting all the stories out of my head is truly worth the effort.
And then, suddenly, there will be some sales, and I know that people are reading my books, and suddenly it makes it all worth the effort. Somebody has gone on that journey with me, has met my characters and listened to the tale I had to tell.
Then, it is easy to make the coffee, switch on the computer and delve deeper into whatever it is that I’m currently busy writing.
The first one was quitting cigarettes. Stopping smoking was the longest, hardest process and often it’s an ongoing one because I’ll suddenly get a craving for a smoke, even ten years after I stopped.
The next was starting and running my own business. This took me years to accomplish, and it was not always easy. When business is bad, it’s tempting to throw in the towel and go look for a paying job. But I’ve stuck it out, and it’s been one of the best things in my life.
The third thing, the thing that is proving very, very difficult, it making it in the world as an Indie writer. Luckily for me I have my business that is bringing in money, I don’t have to be a penniless writer. But sometimes, when the books don’t sell as good as I would want them to, I wonder if getting all the stories out of my head is truly worth the effort.
And then, suddenly, there will be some sales, and I know that people are reading my books, and suddenly it makes it all worth the effort. Somebody has gone on that journey with me, has met my characters and listened to the tale I had to tell.
Then, it is easy to make the coffee, switch on the computer and delve deeper into whatever it is that I’m currently busy writing.
August 7, 2014
Leon de Kock VS Leon de Kock
There is something I have to clear up rather quickly, and that is a bit of ambiguity with the name Leon de Kock.
That is quite a common name in South Africa. So common, in fact, that there are two writers sharing the same name. Myself, and, strangely, a guy called Leon de Kock. Now you would never have guessed that, would you?
So, to clear things up. Leon de Kock, the other Leon de Kock, that is, wrote a few books, one called Bad Sex, and some others. He also seems to have co-authored a book called Triomf. And that, I’m afraid, is where the problem crept in on Goodreads.
Here is my problem, and I ask that you please understand this. ANYBODY can add a book title to my name, and I have to keep on checking to see which book titles have been added to my profile, because books like Bad Sex, which was not written by me, keeps on being added to my profile. There is a way of getting that book off my name, but users keep on adding it again. So please note, I did not write Bad Sex, and I take neither Blame nor Honour for it.
Then there is the book Triomf, which, because Leon is not the outright author on that one, I cannot seem to get off my profile no matter what I do. So once again, please note that I did not write and was not involved in the writing of Triomf.
So how can my readers know which books I’ve written?
At the moment, I have the following books available: Hordes, Story of Enchantment, Dream World and Dream School. However since I am currently writing some more, it would be best for my readers to visit my website at http://www.leondekock.com to get up to date information.
I hope this post cleared up the problem with the two author’s names, because I don’t want to be sued for having Leon’s books under my profile.
And with that said, enjoy my books, and enjoy Leon de Kock’s books as well.
That is quite a common name in South Africa. So common, in fact, that there are two writers sharing the same name. Myself, and, strangely, a guy called Leon de Kock. Now you would never have guessed that, would you?
So, to clear things up. Leon de Kock, the other Leon de Kock, that is, wrote a few books, one called Bad Sex, and some others. He also seems to have co-authored a book called Triomf. And that, I’m afraid, is where the problem crept in on Goodreads.
Here is my problem, and I ask that you please understand this. ANYBODY can add a book title to my name, and I have to keep on checking to see which book titles have been added to my profile, because books like Bad Sex, which was not written by me, keeps on being added to my profile. There is a way of getting that book off my name, but users keep on adding it again. So please note, I did not write Bad Sex, and I take neither Blame nor Honour for it.
Then there is the book Triomf, which, because Leon is not the outright author on that one, I cannot seem to get off my profile no matter what I do. So once again, please note that I did not write and was not involved in the writing of Triomf.
So how can my readers know which books I’ve written?
At the moment, I have the following books available: Hordes, Story of Enchantment, Dream World and Dream School. However since I am currently writing some more, it would be best for my readers to visit my website at http://www.leondekock.com to get up to date information.
I hope this post cleared up the problem with the two author’s names, because I don’t want to be sued for having Leon’s books under my profile.
And with that said, enjoy my books, and enjoy Leon de Kock’s books as well.
August 6, 2014
Deeper and deeper, until it's dark.
I’ve just finished reading Terry Pratchett’s book ‘Night Watch’ (again!) and I must say it is one of his darkest novels yet. It seems that a lot of authors will go through a dark patch when they are writing a series. Just look at JKR, in the Harry Potter series. The series starts off with pretty easy going, as if she wants to gently nudge the reader into the world of magic and wizardry. But with every book the plot gets more sinister, darker and deeper. By the time she reaches Deathly Hallows there is almost nothing left of the humour that the book started out with. Then, suddenly at the end of the series, you get a few pages of light – Harry has grown up, the world is a good place and everything is going to be fine.
At least Pratchett went on to write a couple of funny books after Night Watch. Maybe it’s just built in to writers to do this kind of thing. Or maybe not, if we look at Stephen King, who could be pretty dark and deep throughout a whole series. But I suppose that the more a writer explores a subject, the deeper he or she is going to dig, finding all the dirty laundry and dragging it out to show to the readers. Almost like a rotten tooth being explored by the tongue, until at last the pain gets unbearable and the tooth gets taken off to the dentist where it is extracted and thrown in a dish, revealed for all the world to see, rotten and decayed.
At the moment I am looking for a good new series to start reading, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the writer delves deeper and deeper into the mysteries of his subject, and then to read some reviews on what other people thought of it.
At least Pratchett went on to write a couple of funny books after Night Watch. Maybe it’s just built in to writers to do this kind of thing. Or maybe not, if we look at Stephen King, who could be pretty dark and deep throughout a whole series. But I suppose that the more a writer explores a subject, the deeper he or she is going to dig, finding all the dirty laundry and dragging it out to show to the readers. Almost like a rotten tooth being explored by the tongue, until at last the pain gets unbearable and the tooth gets taken off to the dentist where it is extracted and thrown in a dish, revealed for all the world to see, rotten and decayed.
At the moment I am looking for a good new series to start reading, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing how the writer delves deeper and deeper into the mysteries of his subject, and then to read some reviews on what other people thought of it.
Wondering Aloud.
Just some of the wonders I encounter while wandering through the thoughts I wonder about. Wonderful.
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