Imran Siddiq's Blog, page 19

Join the I Write Video

Almost a year ago, I made a call for writers to submit videos of themselves to show the world that we exist. I was inundated by entries and pleased with the outcome.

Well, that was then, and we’re overdue another. And although I’m calling this the ‘I Write’ Video – it is open to editors, cover designers, formatters, and proofreaders.

We all play a part in creating stories.

How to participate:

Your message will be 2 words  out of the following:

I write / edit / promote / design / format / proof
He writes / edits / promotes / designs / formats / proofs
She writes / edits / promotes / designs / formats / proofs
We write / edit / promote / design / format / proof
They write / edit / promote / design / format / proof

So… you could have a video where you say “I write”, or if you’re an editor you could say “I edit”.

If you write,  edit, format, proof, design covers, and promote, etc, then state your primary role. I don’t want to have multiple entries per person up.

Maybe your children are around you and they state “She writes”.

What about a writing group that announce “We write”.

Or someone pointing to a group with “They edit”.

Be creative, be you, have fun and let the world know about us.

How to Submit:

1. You can use a webcam, iMac, iPad, iPhone, Samsung, Nokia, or any other smartphone to record your video.

2. Please try to have your face at least above the 1/3 mark (ie: the red section below). This allows me to add your TwitterID without overlapping your wonderful features.

3. You can be holding a copy of your own book (as additional advertising)

4. Keep it simple in execution without singing, lengthening, or muffling the speech.

5. Each video should be approximately 1 to 1.5 seconds to state the words. Don’t worry about footage before or after the words, I can clip those out.

6. Please shoot the video in a location that isn’t dark.

7. Don’t rush your words.

8. Please don’t paste your name or Twitter ID on the video. I’ll do that.

9. When emailing, make sure that you include your Twitter ID so I can verify that you are associated with writing/aiding writers in some form or other.

Closing Date is August 31st 2013
Email the video to flickimp@gmail.com

An important note: Those that submit, and are successful, please, please, please, do share, Facebook, RT, promote the video once it is released. Exposure is good for all involved – including you.

Please share and join in!

 

Note: The Sequels to my debut YA Science Fiction novel: Disconnect are due July 29 2013. Disconnect is currently free to download from Amazon.

Are breaks from Writing allowed?

It’s entirely up to you to have a break from writing. You could have one every hour, every 1,000 words or just whenever the mood takes you.

But what about breaks that last for a whole 24 hours, or longer…

From 2007 to 2011 I was a break-a-holic with gaps of weeks merging into months between sessions of writings. I wasn’t committed enough, and each that I returned it was a lot of effort.

At the Festival of Writing York March 2011, I attended a talk by David Nobbs, the creator of Reginald Perrin, and he made a simple statement that has stuck with me since.

“Never have more than a day off writing.”

And I haven’t.

Even on those days when I’m not writing, I’m still planning, plotting, thinking, developing, creating, and hypothesising.

I’m always in the zone.

When I pass someone in the street, read an article, catch something on the TV, or overhear a conversation – it starts to play in my mind as to how I can use it. I never feel away from my writing.

I don’t follow the write one day, take a day off, write one day, take a day off school of thought, but I do try to build in breaks each week.

Look – if I write a chapter a day (in the evenings) and have 4 sessions per week, that’s 4 chapters. If I do 5 sessions, that’s 5 chapters, and I still get to enjoy my weekend or have an evening off here or there.

My novels are usually 25-30 chapters, so I can get a first draft of 70-80k done in 5-6 weeks – and that’s all down to commitment.

So have a break if you need it.

But don’t make it a hobby.

Make the time to write.

And if you are away from your writing for a long period, keep your mind ticking away with plotting and thinking about your tale.

Since March 2011, I’ve penned 6 first drafts, and will be starting my 7th next week.

Write!

Remember my debut novel is free at Amazon, and you can get copies of the sequels for free!

Awarded at Winchester

It’s been over a week since my last update – which is most unlike me.

On June 20-21, I attended the Winchester Writers’ Conference as a delegate. It’s the first time I’ve attended an event where I’m not having a 1-2-1 with an agent, and it was definitely a weird experience.

Not weird in a bad way – no, but weird that I wasn’t waiting my turn to impress.

Alas.

The Conference was full of serious writers who want to learn and understand the world of writing, agenting, editing and the process of publishing. Overall, the number of workshops and speakers present was vast. There was something for everyone.

So what was I there for? Well, the Book Fair (where fantastic people from Matador, MA Writing in Hampshire, Agony Aunts, Self Publishing companies, Createspace, Kindle, Words for Wounds were present) arranged for Self Publishers to show off their works of creation, sell copies and engage with attendants.

And boy did I engage to the point where I spent more time discussing how to Self Publish. I put huge emphasis on how cutting corners is a bad route and that important steps must be covered, as well as marketing tips.

Overall it was a great opportunity and I received kind words about Disconnect. *Glee*

Though the event ended in an unexpected way. Barbara Large, the founder and Director of the Conference, awarded me the Silver Secular Award for hard work towards writing and inspiring others.

*Total gobsmack moment*

Up I went, full of smiles, to give a little speech about overcoming struggles in life, and understanding that [we] writers are not alone and we have so much to gain by working together.

It was the closest I’ll get to an Oscar me thinks.

Did I deserve it? Maybe not, because there are many hard workers out there who sacrifice time to write. So I humbly accept this award for a year, as long as all of you work your socks off and write.

Do it.

PS: Disconnect is Free on Amazon- and you can get copies of the sequels for free too

Get Books 2 + 3 for Free

This is not a stunt or a trick.

Download Disconnect for Free from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.

Review it on Goodreads (and Amazon if you want) – then let me know with a link to the review, and I will send you Books 2 and 3 as e-books for Free! You will be sent the e-copies within 24 hours. Books 2 and 3 aren’t due for release until July 29 – but you could get them mega early.

You have up until June 30 to take advantage of this offer!

What do you lose? Reading time?

What do you gain? The Entire Divided Worlds Trilogy for free.

Marketing Your Self Published Book

Marketing your novel is a tough cookie to crack. Everyone will claim that they have an easy way to grab the market, and they may be right (in some cases), but the truth is that it all depends on the audience and what they’re looking for.

Below will be summaries of how I’m marketing the Divided Worlds Trilogy – and where I have learnt lessons. Note: Each to their own, and although you may disagree with some of what I say below… it’s all true for me.

I will start with bad things… and then move on to the good.

PS: Why did I Self Publish and How I Self Published 

 

Word of Mouth — $Free

It’s free and anyone can do it, but I tread with caution when applying it. I only want those that have read (and I mean ‘really’ read the novels) to let their friends know.

If you have someone promoting your novel but they know very little of the content, then it’s a great way to turn people of. When was the last time that you bought a car when the salesperson advising you knows nothing about the engine?

 

Reviews — $Free to $200+

I’m all for these. And they shouldn’t cost money. If anyone is offering you ‘big’ reviews from ‘experts’ for a tidy sum of money – don’t do it. Yes – they often deliver, but that $100 or $200 for just 5 reviews could be spent in much better places.

Think of this: If you paid someone to review Book 1, they won’t read the next lot in the series until they are paid. That’s not worth it.

 

Paid for Tweets — $5 to $50

There are lots of companies/users on Twitter that offer to advertise to their followers/audience about your novel for a tidy sum of $5, $15, or $50. When you notice that they have 100k+ followers, you start jumping up and down because if 10% of their followers click the link and buy your novel – then you’re laughing.

No. You won’t be.

How do you know those followers are real? What is their conversion to click rate? How often do their marketing tweets ever get Retweeted? It’s not difficult to get 100k+ followers – it takes time – but isn’t impossible. All you have to do is follow, and they follow back, and then you follow, and they follow, and I follow, and he follows and she follows…etc….

But – how many of those followers really care? And if you find that the author themselves were the only one retweeting the tweet, then they might as well have tweeted it themselves.

You can pay companies to help inflate your followers – in hope that you will make back money by gaining business from trusting authors – like you.

Do not fall for it – unless you have hard facts that they are trustworthy and it is working.

 

Now – let’s get onto the good stuff.

 

Cover Reveals — $30

Some great sites out there – I use Xpresso Reads to gain coverage for my novels at least four weeks before they are released.

The process is simple. You supply good jpegs of the covers, blurb, author bio, and any other important information to the Promoter. They then place it on their site. Believe it or now, but there are lots of people that want to be part of revealing covers.

They love it.

The impact is that people get to know about your novel, the release date, the covers, and if the book is set up to be present on Goodreads, there’s a massive chance that they will add it to read.

For the minimal price, having people who you’ve never communicated with adding your book to their site is great.

Whenever you do a Cover Reveal – make sure that there is a link to your Goodreads page, and not just to Amazon.

 

Blog Tours — $150 to $250

Works in the same way as above – and yes, I used Xpresso Reads again. Details are posted and people will come from far and beyond to host you on their site as part of an excerpt, an interview, an article, etc.

It’s all about coverage.

Also, you can create a Rafflecoptor prize giveaway where people can win e.g: $100 Amazon Voucher, a Kindle Fire HD, Copies of your book, or other swag.

Okay – I know what you’re thinking. None of this guarantees sales – but without coverage – how will you get noticed let alone a sale.

Arranging tours by yourself can be done – but having someone else do it for me (and Giselle at Xpresso Reads is awesome) is a huge plus.

 

Twitter — $Free

Who doesn’t know about this? It’s easy to flood your timeline with promos for your novel but be careful of offending many. I don’t like it when I get DM’s to buy a novel, or bombarded every day by links for their novel.

Use caution.

I do promote with 3-4 tweets a day, but I balance it out with approx 40-50 tweets a day that are about other things.

There’s nothing worse than a tweeter who sends the same ‘buy my book’ tweet to every person under the sun. And don’t do auto-DM’s telling others to buy a book – it’s the ultimate turn off for me. You can mention it in your profile or put a website link – that will do.

Remember – it’s free – don’t abuse it. Best times to use it are when you have an interview on another site, a giveaway, or something new – like a fantastic review.

 

Facebook Adverts — £5 to $300+

You are in total control of what advert you put out there on Facebook. In fact, you could create a funky status update and then promote it for as little as $5 and potentially hit 2-3k viewers.

Does it guarantee sales? No.

Does it guarantee anything? No.

However, it does get you noticed, and if viewers ‘Like’ your author page and start connecting with you, then it’s another form of good marketing.

Whenever I create a new blog post – I always post it to Facebook as well. Stay connected. The key word is coverage.

 

Goodreads — $Free

If you’re novel isn’t on Goodreads – find a Goodreads librarian (now) and get it on there. I have 10 times more reviews on Goodreads than Amazon. It’s the Number 1 place to have book reviews.

 

Goodreads Giveaways — $Cost of Book and Posting

Step 1: Give away a hard copy of your novel.

Step 2: Send off the novel to the winners

You can have as many winners as you want, and you can hold as many competitions as you like.

The positive = People who enter, will also add your novel as a ‘Must-Read’

The negative = Not all will read

The only cost is for you to have bought/created a copy of your novel and then to send.

MAJOR TIP: A giveaway in the UK created 100 people adding my book, and the postage cost was tiny. A giveaway where anyone in the world could enter created 1000+ adding my novel, but the postage costs were high.

Think about coverage, but make sure you understand the potential postage costs.

 

New Marketing Approaches that I am applying for the sequels to Disconnect.

 

Goodreads Giveaways — $Cost of Book and Posting

Okay, I already mentioned this above, but I am holding giveaways to ‘giveaway’ 3 copies each of Book 2 and 3 to worldwide entries – 7 weeks prior to release.

Why?

Well… there’s a high chance that it will get added to ‘Must-Read’ lists well in advance of release. And a good chance that the winners will read and review once they’ve received them.

I also remind them that Book 1 is Free at Amazon.co.uk and com. Which brings me onto the next one…

 

Free E-Book on Amazon — $2.99 Loss per Book

I have made Book 1 Disconnect free at Amazon.co.uk and com. Sure – I make a loss on the potential sales, but the moment I did this, I had 14,000+ downloads.

14,000+

That’s a big number.

Now… if a small percentage of them come back to purchase Books 2 and 3, the reward of giving a freebie explains itself.

If you only have one book – this step isn’t for you.

 

Gaining Reviews with a Reward

You shouldn’t pay for reviews – but I’m offering something that I hope will give more.

Step 1: Review Disconnect on Goodreads

Step 2: Let me know before July 29

Step 3: I email over advanced copies of Books 2 and 3 as e-books – absolutely free.

WHAT!

Yes, again, it’s a loss for me – but the coverage, reviews gained, and interest by people who gave the time to review is amazing.

Coverage. Coverage. Coverage.

Also, don’t expect to receive 5* reviews all the time. People are entitled to review (honestly) and I will send them the advance copies regardless.

 

Hmmm… Okay this post is getting bigger than expected. So let me summarise with some further tips:

1)    Word of Mouth by people that know the book.

2)    Tweet to let others know about sales/free days.

3)    Facebook your blog posts – and most of all interact on your page.

4)    Cover Reveal

5)    Blog Tours

6)    Goodread Giveaways

7)    Make the first book in a series free

8)    Make it free for a weekend and let others know/advertise on sites like www.BookBub.com

9)    Mention your book at the end of your blog posts. Don’t exploit forums by telling others about your book constantly.

10) Add a few chapters on www.wattpad.com

11) Create Bookmarks with details about your book – and give them out

12) Place copies of your book in cafes/trains/shops for free

13) Whenever you send a book off (as part of a competition – include bookmarks, cards for them hand out)

14) Contact Local Media/Radio

15) Attend Writing Festivals/Conferences and hand out details of your book

16) Don’t shy away when asked about your novel. Engage.

17) Regularly blog.

18) Blog on other sites.

19) Carry cards around with you and leave them in shops.

20) Most of all – write more.

 

In January 2013 – I had one book out. Great. Woop. Woohoo. But it’s only one book.

In July 2013, I will have 3. In November, I hope to release a 4th.

I’m not rushing them out. I am working hard then, and Novel 4 will have taken me 1 year and 6 months before it’s released. More good novels out there will increase coverage.

There are no easy answers to marketing, but you have to get yourself out there.

–

If I’ve zapped your mind, excited you, dropped a bomb or missed anything out. Let me know.

7 Areas of Self Publishing

Should you Self-Publish? There are Pros and Cons for this argument. If you’re in it to make lots of money or sell badly done books quick – then stay away from Self-Publishing. Sure, you can make lots of money – though it’s not that easy – and given the bad press that can be attached to Self-Pub due to badly formatted/devised/edited books – you should only do it if you are committed and serious about it.

A blog post about why I entered the Self-Publishing arena is here.

Below you will find summaries of the stages that I went through to bring the best that I could to the market, including costs and persons used. Please note that I will not go into gigantic detail because I don’t want to bore you and turn this page into a novel itself.

There are 7 Key Areas

Write
Edit
Cover Design
Creating the Ebook
Creating the Paperback (Optional)
Details of Book
Release

 

WRITE

First Draft - This couldn’t start with anything simpler than write the novel. Whether you have a plot in mind or you’re going with the flow, just get it down. Think Less = Write More. First drafts are never going to be perfect.

Redrafting can be twice as painful as the first draft. You have to identify areas that aren’t working and be prepared to change them. Remember, if you spot an error/bad prose/inconsistency or dire dialogue, so will the reader. Don’t cheat them – sort it out. How long after the first draft should you redraft?

BETA Read - When you’ve got the novel to a level that you believe is good, get it BETA Read or Critiqued by someone independent of you such as a Writing Group. Unless you can be sure that a relative/friend isn’t going to be kind in their criticism/pointers – steer clear of them. Take back the comments and redraft again.

Self-Edit the novel. Yes – it may feel like you’re covering old ground, but try to correct minor errors. Overall it will help you to make the novel tighter. I also recommend doing a paper-edit; I notice more mistakes on paper than screen editing.

 

EDIT

Copy-Edited – I can’t stress enough how important it is to have someone else look over your work. No matter how perfect you think that your grammar and knowledge of your novel is – errors can occur.

Costs for external editing can differ. I have used several in the past. For the Divided Worlds Trilogy, I use Stephanie http://edit-my-book.com - Her rates are excellent as is her response time. She charges €3.50 per 1,000 words.

(Note to other Editors, feel free to add your details and rates in the comments section).

Read Again – When you receive your edited novel – don’t just accept all the changes. Have a skim read again to see if the changes affect the fluidity of the novel.

Proof your novel – This is like the copy edit whereby the final checks are done. Only do this when you are at the final stage of getting your novel ready for the ebook or paperback stage. Again, I used Stephanie who charged me an extra €1.00 per 1,000 words when I took the combined Copy-Edit and Proof-Read package.

 

COVER

Should you spend extra to have a good cover created. YES. Some will say that the content matters more. I don’t agree. Would you pick up food, clothing, or a car if the packaging appeared as if corners were cut?

There are many places where you can go to have a professional cover made. I used Deviantart to find the right artist – Sendol Art Studio - that shared the image that I had in my head. I then communicated with them to create the character art for the Divided Worlds Trilogy.

For each of the three books – the cost for the character art was £160

Yes, it is steep, but I wanted to make instant impact on the covers.

The lettering, background and placement of the art was done by me using Photoshop. If you know someone who has this, liaise to have them improve your cover. I am happy to be contacted to help with covers.

 

EBOOK

There are 2 definite formats that you will require your novel to be in to be ready for uploading – Mobi (for Kindle) and ePub (for iBookStore).

Formatting – So you have the perfect manuscript in Word – too bad that you now have to convert it and format it to be ready for uploading. There are many websites, books, guides, and people in the know that can advise on how to do this.

I on the other hand used someone that I found on the web to format (in terms of Chapter Breaks, Table of Contents) and convert into the Mobi and ePub format for a combined fee of £15 per book. Andreea Andronache can be contacted at: andreea.andronache8@gmail.com

Test – Once you have the files, test them on the Kindle, iBookstore applications, whether it be iPad, iPhone, Android, etc. If they do not satisfy you, let the formatter/converter know – and unless you have changed the file, they should correct at no additional cost.

Create Kindle Account – For simplicity, I am placing the Divided Worlds Trilogy on Amazon’s Kindle Platform to take advantage of KDP Select where you can have some Free days. Before setting up an account – please contact you bank and obtain the IBAN and BIC codes. You will need these to enable payment.

Upload to Kindle – This couldn’t be easier. Upload the Mobi file, state the Book Name, Sub-Headers, the Category, and a suitable description to entice the reader. I hate wordy descriptions, and provide the blurb instead. You can’t upload until approx 10 days prior to release, so don’t try to do this 2 months before release. It is at this point that you would upload the Covers too.

 

PAPERBACK

This is optional – but if you’re going to do an ebook – why miss out on the part of the market that still likes to hold and smell paper?

I used the fantastic Createspace Publishing Arm of Amazon.

Create a Createspace Account – It’s as simple as setting up a Kindle Account. Again, you will need the IBAN and BIC Codes from your bank.

Set Size – There are standard sizes for the book such as 5″ x 8″, or you can set your own, ie: 6″ x 9″. There are many variations of this. Publishing companies have the power to set prices regardless of pages. For Self-Publishing that option is a little more complicated.

If you have 60k Word Count novel sized at 5″ x 8″ it will come to approx 300 pages. However, if you have the 6″ x 9″ size, the pages will drop to approx 250 (or less). The less pages you have, the less it will cost to create the novel and that in turn means a better return in terms of sales.

Confused?

Let me try again…

60k Novel sized at 5″ x 8″ = 300 Pages = Priced at £6.99 = £0.49 Royalties gained.

60k Novel sized at 6″ x 9″ = 250 Pages = Priced at £6.99 = £0.99 Royalties gained.

Not a huge amount of difference in royalties, but the size of the book and the thickness is varied. It is entirely up to you as to what feels right. Will someone pay £6.99 for a novel that 1/6 thinner than another? Will a book feel too small for its content, or too big when on a shelf with other novels. This is subjective.

I go for 5″ x 8″ and price my novels at £6.99 and $7.99 to compete with mainstream publishers.

Download Page Template – Once you have set your size, you can download a Word file that is set to the size. It’s a handy way of transferring your (Pre-Mobi/ePub) file to the way that it would look when printed.

It does take time, and you would have to do one chapter at a time. Be patient. It will be worth it.

Tip: Now is the time when you can add dedications, fancy text, maybe some b+w images, that it is advised not to do in eBooks. If you do add funky font for the Chapter Headers, then ensure that you save the file as a PDF, or it won’t work.

It is at this point you will now the exact page count for your novel.

Createspace will also produce a template that can be used to build the wraparound cover. Again using Photoshop/Illustrator to get that polished look is advised.

Upload – Upload the manuscript and the cover, and review online.

Proof – After submitting, Createspace will check that the file meets their requirements. Once you get the tick, you can have an actual paperback sent to your home address to make the final checks.

The feeling of the book in your hands is awesome.

Once totally happy – sign off the proof – and ‘boom’ it will appear on Amazon (usually after 2 days).

 

DETAILS

I won’t say much about this except that you must ensure that your details, descriptions, and release dates are consistent for both the eBook and Paperback.

And don’t be greedy with prices.

Getting the novel out there does cost – but if you have overcharged – and the novel isn’t good – readers will remember ‘their’ investment.

 

 

RELEASE

The image says it all – as does this post on ways I promoted.

If you’re planning to have a period where discount your novel – use www.BookBub.com to advertise it.

Try and get into the local paper.

Giveaway copies on Goodreads and leave some behind in shops/trains.

 

 

Most of all – Write more novels and don’t just rely on one to make you rich and famous. The greatest message is to increase coverage.

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AND – Don’t get mad if someone gives you a bad review. Don’t get into argument. Accept it and move on – except where it borders on malicious and intended to harm you. Readers are entitled to their reviews.

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Please feel free to correct, add, discuss, and share your experiences below.

Please do share this post.

 

 

 

Novel Ideas

Often I hear of writers scratching their heads searching for an idea. There are few ‘good’ sites out there that offer more than algorithm-based plot creators. Well… I want to rectify that with ideas that pop up in my head. As much as I can, I will update this page with ideas for you to use.

Note: I tweet them also at #NovelIdeasForYou

The latest ideas will be at the top. Please do comment, discuss, elaborate, or let me know if you use any.

 

Man sleeps with Mayor’s wife.Wife is sister of local gangster. Gangster hates local policeman.Policeman fancies man.

 

Doctor takes interest in women. He takes skin grafts to cover a blow up doll.

 

Pet shop repackages animal droppings and sells them as unique coffee beans.

 

Girlfriend chains you to bed. She beats you until you give access to bank account. Then peels yr skin off + buries you.

 

At the grocers you meet a girl. She has an appetite for onions. But is also allergic to them. She suffers when eating.

 

Humanoid skeleton found on Mars with earth human DNA and a Nokia phone. Dating of human says it’s been there since 10AD

 

Your butler brings you red wine. Everyday your butler looks paler. Soon you realise the wine contains butler’s blood

 

During renovation of home you find the upper metal shell of an alien ship. It’s empty except for frozen humans from 1885

 

You run over a person. Take body and hide it. Next day you see same person alive and well. Go back and body still there.

 

Hitchhiker flags you down. Halfway through journey they talk about their childhood that is like yours. They even have the same name as you.

 

Project to dig deep. They create a hole and keep going down until they hit a metal plate. It starts chewing up the world.

 

Old building. You’ve bought it. You renovate. You move in. Wake up. Blood on every door in the house.

 

Travel agent sends you to a location that is deserted except for landing strip, empty shops & a hospital of coma patients

 

Girl forced to have arranged marriage with her dad’s younger brother. He’s homosexual but hides it. She fancies his partner.

 

Student leaves university. Parents feel disgraced so mix pills in his food to harm him.

 

Girl upset when told her long distance boyfriend died from terminal illness. Year later he pops up as cousin’s boyfriend.

 

On a cruise ship,people see ghosts that describe a massacre that took place decades ago.Same captain then as now.

 

Marriage counsellor does all he can to break up a couple because he wants a chance with him/her.

 

Air stewardess helps to smuggle drugs between airports until one day the parcel she has starts ticking.

 

Woman at work you have a crush on begs you to help her murder and dispose of her husband.

 

Everyone in a school year photo has died before they reached the age of 40. You’re the last remaining and no. 1 suspect.

 

Girl at college asks you out. You’re head over heels. Then you find out that her adopted dad is actually her fiancé.

 

Away day with work colleagues. Your boss makes a move on you.You let them.Next day boss fires you.You try to get revenge.

 

Fire alarm goes off in shopping mall except the fire has been started at all exits and is moving inwards.

 

Box left outside your workplace full of prepared sandwiches… except that they are filled with butter, mayo and fingers.

 

Your brother calls & pleads for you to pick him up at 4:00am. You reach him 4:35. He’s dead. Police say he died 6 hrs ago.

 

Jack the Ripper was actually a unit of prostitutes out to knock off the completion. They still operate today.

 

Groundhog Day except you restart the day before the last. By day 20, you’re 20 days in the past.

 

Woman meets a man from dating site who forcefully scratches a name on her neck. She tries to find him – he never existed.

 

Humans resort to chemical warfare to eradicate zombies – except it causes them to mutate…

 

Vet removes bits from animals during procedures and eats them at home. Think Hostel meets Dr Doolittle without the laughs

 

Scientists have cloned a mammoth and it’s pulling in the crowds until it unleashes an airborne virus with killer effects

 

An old airplane lost for years lands at an airport. Seems to be no pilot. Last page of various books are on empty seats.

 

Astronaut lands on Mars and discovers an underground lair of tunnels with no inhabitants…

 

15 year old Boy fancies his teacher and frames her for having an affair with him.

 

People meet at Writing Festival. An agent is murdered. Following week an editor. Following day, a writer. Who did it?

 

Gardener tries to make a community adore hedgehogs and stop new housing plans destroy a small sanctuary for wildlife

 

Your boyfriend leaves you and moves in with your mum – problem is you live with your mum who needs you as a carer.

 

Your girlfriend has uncontrollable facial hair growth. You want to help her but her sister is coming on to you.

 

Slowly everyone at work stops talking to you. They want you to leave. They hate you. But why?

 

You meet an escort. You’re alone. Things get steamy… Until you find matching birthmarks in exactly the same place…

 

You wake up in a hotel with no clothes, money,blankets,nothing and toilet door is locked.Your mum is banging on the door.

 

The ice cream can comes every Friday 5:00pm. By 5:30pm a person is reported missing. Is there a connection?

 

You receive text messages from someone claiming to be you 1 week in the future.They don’t make sense until the day after.

 

Doctor loses his voice but is still the best neurosurgeon around. Has to keep performing and keep his marriage alive.

 

You’re trying to prevent the old lighthouse in a scenic village overlooking the sea from being converted into a mosque.

 

Your maid moves in and refuses to leave, and then the rest of her family does. And then they kick you out.

 

Ghost hunter falls for a woman – who is actually possessed but he doesn’t know that until she kills…

 

Patient with long term illness and is in and out of hospital – keeps interfering with sick patients causing them to die.

 

World War 1 – you collect bodies at the Battle of Somme – re-accounting who they were.

 

Cats are being taken from a city – or is that they are leaving – because they know something is coming???

 

Meteorite hits Earth. Within crater, a wormhole is found to another universe where evolution is reversing.

 

The day of your wedding and your best man commits suicide but has scrawled your name in blood on the bathroom wall.

 

Your dog returns from the bottom of your mum’s garden with a hand. Your dad disappeared last year.

 

As a baggage handler at an airport you come across a photo of you as a child inside a case full of steroids.

Novel Four versus Me

I’m going through a hair-ripping period at the moment where Novel 4 – scheduled for release in November – is falling apart.

Okay – slightly over dramatic because it’s still a great novel – except some key moments are flat and don’t join on well to subsequent chapters. I put that down to bad writing. Of course, this can all be saved – and it will be sorted out, but when you scroll through pages and your eyes roll beyond what’s allowed by your sockets – it can be a little gut-kicker.

The next 6 weeks are massive for me in terms of rectification

I want to start a new novel in July, but unless I get Novel 4 slam and dunked – I won’t feel good about a new project.

So what’s my plan?

Week 1 – Now – Add 3 New Chapters
Week 2 – Redraft 8 Chapters
Week 3 – Self Edit Paper Copy
Week 4 – Apply Edits
Week 5 – Get it Critiqued
Week 6 – Get it BETA’d

 

When I know that something isn’t right – I can’t ignore it.

It wouldn’t be right for the reader, and be tragic for me.

Novel 4… you will be owned!

Note: Disconnect is free on Amazon and iBookstore – and the sequels are due July 29.

 

Divided Worlds Trilogy Art

 

 

Before the Official Cover Reveal for Books 2 + 3 on Friday – here’s a montage for the Divided Worlds Trilogy.

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Disconnect on the Underground

Below are images of Disconnect being put on the London Underground thanks to Books on the Underground – they did an amazing job

PS: Disconnect is Free to read from Amazon and iBookstore.