C.N. Faust's Blog, page 27

Troubling Times…

Hello my darlings,

These are troubling times for Cy… I got an email today from Createspace validation saying that they think my content has been previously published by another company … since the year 2009.

First of all, while I did submit The Dragon’s Disciples to publishing companies in the past, I never received a publication confirmation from any of them. And if I do have some royalties stacked up somewhere… please, feel free to share them with me. I will take them.

But no, seriously. I have only ever self-published before. I made sure to retire all of my previous editions before publishing this year. I thought it might could have been a mistake … perhaps I had forgotten an edition published under a different pen name (it could happen). But then I had never self-published anywhere besides Lulu until I jumped on the Amazon train.

My book has indeed been around since 2008-2009,  but I’m pretty sure that’s when it was written.

And this company they say published my content – Arrow? I’ve never even heard of Arrow. I googled the ISBN and all that came up on it, Amazon, and Goodreads was a book that has content not even remotely affiliated with my characters / plot / genre. So needless to say I am beyond confused and greatly concerned. This is scary, especially to an anxiety-ridden new author who has never had to deal with this kind of thing before. I don’t know what evidence they can expect me to dredge up … the original documents, perhaps? I don’t know. I have several versions.

I don’t know why anyone would post such claims against me. But as I said, I hope it is a misunderstanding. I wrote Amazon back and I hope they will nip this in the bud. If not, I have no idea where it might go but it makes me angry. I feel overwhelmed and like I might cry.

At any rate… yes. That is what is going on. No picture today… I will post one tomorrow.

I just wish they wouldn’t take so long to reply….

 

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

Olympia Ondine Mahtrador – **DRAWING** Female Friday!

Hello my darlings,

It’s Female Friday! The part of the week where Cy admits that he doesn’t have enough female characters to draw more than one every week. So here she is… Princess Olympia Ondine Mahtrador, with her hair down and sans makeup … you will never see that again!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**WRITING UPDATES** as well as **DRAWING** – Shrukian Mahtrador

Hello darlings!

Before I go into my usual diatribe, it is naked men Thursday! (Is that a thing? Can we make that a thing?) And because he was so kind as to pose for me last night when everyone else was being a little bugger, Crown Prince Shrukian Encarz Mahtrador is the first victim.

Isn’t he a cutie? I did him over in ink and he photographed much better. And look at all that hair … holy Hera I could just eat him up.

But enough of that! I had a question for  you that has kind of been gnawing at my brain lately.

I was wondering about what I could do to further promote my novel while, at the same time, making it cheaper for those of you who would like to purchase it. Because I want my material to be available to as many people as humanly possible. And also, in wake of the fast approaching sequel (the release date being set for August) I was hoping to do some giveaways featuring The Heretic Priest … but the copies from Lulu would be awfully expensive. And while I know one has to spend money to make money (or in this case, promote like a crazy person and reach out to readers) that is a little much to ask of a college student, I think.

So my idea was that I could start binding copies myself. I have the know-how, and the quality wouldn’t be Lulu grade (well, it might could be if I invested enough money into it) but it would allow me to mass-produce and sell copies or MUCH cheaper. The books would also be perfect bound, sewn and glued so it would hold up well. (Production costs would be about five dollars and some change, so I could sell the copies for $6, a great relief from the $15.01 it is currently going for). Naturally this would allow me to do much better with in-person sales, as well as allow me to do more signed copies (because people are just clamoring for my signature :p) as well as let me keep a few copies on hand at any given time. AND it would allow me to host larger giveaways for The Heretic Priest, which would in turn help things out. (I’m sure most of you -all of you – are aware of my presence on Goodreads, which is what all this giveaway talk is about).

So what do you think? (How many parenthetical asides can I stuff into one post?) Mind you that this is NOT in place ofmy traditional self publishing, but rather a SUPPLEMENTto it. This is just another crazy idea I had at one in the morning while taking a break from writing and doing my usual “work”. So, COMMENT and let me know what you think! Am I just wasting my time, or does the idea have merit?

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**DRAWING** High Priest Varijin

Hello darlings,

Here is your daily drawing! A bit later than it was last night. High Priest Varijin, scars and all … surprisingly good looking for someone who is crazy …

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**DRAWING** Encarz Priam Mahtrador

Hello darlings,

I got a new sketchbook! Mark was kind enough to get me the proper pens/pencils/etc that I need to do a little bit of drawing when I’m feeling uninspired. Plus, all of the Mahtradors are attention whores and are screamining “draw me, draw me!” like children who have never had their picture taken before. But I digress. I suppose you want to see the result of this work, eh?

I am sorry the picture quality is so poor. I will have to alter it once I get on a computer not this one (all my editing programs are on the computer at home). But considering I have not picked up a pencil in months, I am quite pleased with how he turned out! Hopefully you will start getting a daily picture. I want to get good enough so that I can illustrate my own novels as well. Wouldn’t that be fun? You will be getting one of these every day until I start running out of sexy vampires to draw.

… Well, even then I guess I could just draw Pharaun a bunch of times. He has no problem plopping down into a series of poses.

Anyway, I am off to do more experimenting. My next project I want to ink in. I was going to ink Encarz in, but with “experiment” being the operative word and seeing as how he turned out so well I didn’t want to ruin him. I will get a better upload before I put him in the gallery, too, don’t worry.

Anyway, more later. For now I will bid you khairete!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**NEW** Cover art!

Hello darlings!

The Dragon’s Disciples got a new makeover! So far it is just the eBook. I haven’t made up my mind whether or not to do the same for the print edition yet. But it is looking snazzy! I am going to link it HERE but for those of you who are tired of my shameless self-promotion (or who have been duped into clicking that link so many times that you just bought the book already) then I will post the image below as well.

Doesn’t it just look so lovely?? Of course, there is a story behind it.

A very good friend made this for me (she does a lot of the digital renderings of my world, and she actually does Photography – check her out!) when the very first edition of the book was released. Of course, I deleted the old editions and created one that was new. But when I went in to release the cleaned up editions I had misplaced the artwork, so I had to go with a different rendition. Just tonight I stumbled across an older, cleaned up version of what she did for me all those years ago, and now here it is! It’s so lovely.

Anyway, I think it looks much more professional this way and will hopefully entice a few more readers. Crossing fingers!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**UPDATES** Updates, and more updates!

Hello my darlings!

Currently Reading: Beginning of a Hero by Charles Yallowitz.

It is spring break for all of us college folk. That is why I have not been as active as I probably should be around here (it’s three hours to the town of my birth). Plus, yesterday was my early celebration of my beloved sister’s birthday. So I have been busy, busy, busy.

But that has not stopped my productivity!

First of all, for everyone who is crazy about Dragoloth (and I know that you guys have to be, it’s an awesome place to live after all) I have created an author’s newsletter to which you can subscribe HERE or you can access the subscription form through your phone by scanning this CODE . The newsletter delivers monthly, with author updates, news on upcoming releases, free giveaways, and of course – anything new that is happening in Dragoloth. So please subscribe and standby! Oh, and did I mention the best part? The first 10 people to susbcribe get a free eBook of The Dragon’s Disciples! That’s right! So if you susbcribe, shoot me either a comment or an email verifying your subscription and your email address that it is associated with and I will send you a copy of The Dragon’s Disciples in EPUB format free!

Speaking of The Dragon’s Disciples (how is that for a segue?) I have added a button to the sidebar of this website to make purchasing a copy temptingly easy. Just glance over to your right (yes, you) right under the Twitter updates log and you will see the two sections that look like this:

The first button is the “Send to iPad” button, which will (according to the desription) making it easier to get the book to your phone or iPad. I haven’t tried this yet (as I don’t have any Mac products to test it). So when you go to buy The Dragon’s Disciples for your phone or iPad and you click this button to use it, let me know how it works. Leave a comment! If it doesn’t work out too well, then you can always click THIS LINK or go to THIS PAGE to make your purchase.

The second button under that is another link to our aforementioned NEWSLETTER subscription. The only thing I cannot answer is my apparent frequent use of the royal “we”.

The last thing I have for you is that my fiance Mark has started a Tumblr and a Twitter! He is a poet primarily, but he also writes prose. His work is phenomenal (don’t believe me? Read it for yourself!) and he is definitely worth following because, unlike me, he always has something to say! Check out his Tumblr HERE and his twitter is @Mark_T_Shaw .

Wow, that was a lot! Other than all these updates, I am working, working, working on The Heretic Priest, the next installment of the Age of Waking Death series. It has finally hit its halfway mark and now, when I am just getting into it, I go on Spring Break and leave my outline at home (NOOOO!). So I will have to open up the file and go in whichever direction the muses take me. This could be very good or very bad. At any rate, we’re going to find out! Keep an eye out for more updates. I see a free preview on the horizon.

Until later, my darlings!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**ADVICE PLEASE** In other news, eBook updates!

Hello darlings,

Well, here it is! It’s only Tuesday night but I finally have time to write out a decent post. And I actually have something to write about because I have been promoting, promoting, promoting like crazy. I am turning in **that** author, who immediately sends out mass texts about his eBook knowing that out of the hundred he’s going to get about ten to twenty replies. But that’s how it works, yes? And I am very grateful for the people who have taken the time thus far to read / review The Dragon’s Disciples. I sold my first eBook today, and I have sent out a handful of free copies for the sole purpose of collecting reviews to help build a fan base. I figure that the more reviews / ratings I receive the easier my eBook will sell. So hopefully my strategy will not blow up in my face and everyone won’t give a two star rating with a one word review like “Don’t”… haha.

I joke, but it’s what I’m secretly afraid of.

Also, this I’ll Review Yours if You Review Mine exchange is going very well. I am excited (and ‘oft honoured) to have the opportunity to read and review the work of fellow authors. I hope that this continues to the point where my reading list gets barely manageable. That will be the day!

Also, can I get a little help? My book is not new to the market (I have had several editions on and off again for years) but they have all been on Lulu. Since it is an eBook on Lulu.com is it even possible to turn it into an eBook elsewhere? I don’t know much about it so if anyone has some words of wisdom to offer up I would be much obliged.

There is yet more writing to get done tonight and I haven’t started it yet. But the ideas are brewing in my head and the characters are, as always, insatiably chatty.

I will probably give another update later tonight. I will see you then. Khairete!

EDIT: I am editing this post to make a side note. I tried climbing onto Goodreads this week. I set up a new profile after deleting my old one (there is no rejuvenating that which has been decaying since you were fifteen) and I realized that an old print edition of my book (that is no longer for sale and has been retired) is still listed there. Not wanting to cause confusion, I have emailed them asking it to remove it from their listing and post my new edition with me as the author so HOPEFULLY, I will be able to set up an author page soon. They haven’t emailed me back yet. But fingers crossed!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

Burnt Out, But Making Progress!

Hello darlings,

Currently reading and reviewing: Beginning of a Hero by Charles Yallowitz.

1,700 some-odd words in an hour. Not too bad, I don’t think. But now I have to pack up and go to class where I get to learn about Roman Civilization, which admittedly is exciting. I blame my burnt-out state on the fact that I had to write a seven page paper last night. Following that there was some boy drama, and just all kinds of fuckery going on that I just can’t handle right now. On the upside … spring break is drawing nigh and I intend to get a lot of writing done. My goal is to finish Heretic Priest and start on The Hollow Living before summer break begins. But we will see how that goes. Wouldn’t it be great to write Hollow Living over the summer? Sounds like a challenge to me.

Anyway, I have to split. More later, my loves!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

**NEW AND EXCITING** Dragon’s Disciples Out on eBook!!

Hello darlings!

Wow, do my eyes hurt. I had almost forgotten that familiar author’s eye-ache that seems to prevail so mightily after an entire night of cranking out just one more chapter. Or, in my case, just this one last attempt at technology.

Bleeding eyes notwithstanding, I have excellent news! The Dragon’s Disciples is now available for purchase in eBook format! (I don’t think I can link to it enough, I am so enthusiastic. Buy it Here!)

I know what you are thinking –  it’s about time, right? Well, for some reason my crippling anxieties have been holding me back from jumping on the eBook bandwagon (and maybe a rigid traditionalist crumudgeon that rages inside of me at all times). Today was when I decided that, “Gee, ma, everyone else is doing it!” and I realized that it is the most ineffective marketing scheme in the world to try and get new readers to invest almost twenty dollars into an author who is clearly stuck in the early 50′s. So after about three hours of struggling with Lulu and forcing my fiancee to help me with the formatting, I finally conquered it.

Anyway, I am going to go promote and try to contain my excitement. I will be crushed if you don’t buy it. I will retreat to my corner of woe (10 points for reference).

At any rate, I will talk to you darlings later!

Your most adored,

C.N.F.

p.s. a shout out to all of my followers (old and new) who have been great with keeping me motivated thus far. I hope I can repay in kind!