K.M. Alexander's Blog, page 75

It’s Not Too Late!

The 25th is just around the corner. While I won’t be able to get a signed paperback of The Stars Were Right or my newest novel Old Broken Road to you before Christmas, there’s still plenty of ways to give the gift of adventure!

I sell digital DRM-free copies on my store, and both books are available from any major eBook retailers as well. (Amazon, Apple’s iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Kobo, GooglePlay) Your gift will be delivered in minutes and your friend or family member can start reading in moments. Likewise, if you order a paperback from me I include a digital DRM-Free version of the book along with your purchase. That way you can own both a physical copy and a digital version of the book!

I try to make it as easy as possible to get my books so there’s a lot of different ways to buy. Choose whatever works best for you! This holiday consider sending your friend or family or stumbling through the streets of Lovat with Wal in The Stars Were Right or venturing with him down the mysterious Old Broken Road.

Filed under: old broken road, the stars were right Tagged: Gifts, holiday, reading

Friday Link Pack—End Of The Year Edition (2014)

This will be the last Link Pack for the year which means it’s time for the End of the Year Edition! I compile the best loved links I’ve shared over the year into one big post! As always, some of these I’ve mentioned on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s see what you liked:

My Most Popular Posts Of 2014:

Building A Better Book Cover

I wax poetic on cover design, what makes a well designed cover, and I offer tips on how to improve your own covers.

A SpoCon Debriefing

Pics and stories from my first convention. I had a blast at SpoCon and I am looking forward to the conventions in 2015.

Old Broken Road Cover Reveal

The post where I reveal the cover of my latest novel Old Broken Road. I love doing these. Expect a reveal for Red Litten World coming very soon!

Most Clicked Writing Links Of 2014:

The Two Most Powerful Behaviors Of Successful Writers

It’s no surprise that San Francisco writing coach Lauren Sapala shows up as a most-clicked. In this post Lauren discusses two behaviors—focus and boundaries—used by writers to get things done. Invaluable advice, both are tough to master but critical for personal success.

Designing A Book Cover Is No Laughing Matter, Okay It Is

In my post Building A Better Book Cover I reference this TED talk by acclaimed cover designer Chip Kidd. It gets a lot of love, and for good reason, Kidd isn’t only a great designer he’s a fantastic entertainer. Easily one of my favorite TED talks.

Do Not Despise These Small Beginnings

I loved this piece from composer Royal Teague on creation and the creative struggle and you did too! It’s very much worth a read.

5 Reasons I Switched to Scrivener For All My Writing

It’s no secret I love Scrivener. It’s my go-to software for all my writing. In this post, author and speak Michael Hyatt goes into details why he switched to Scrivener.

Most Clicked Art Links Of 2014:

The Art of Kuldar Leement

I’m a huge fan of Kuldar Leement’s concept artwork, so much so I featured him as a Visual Inspiration post. He has a great sense of composition and it really helps carry his vision.

Portraits by Dave Bastian

Design and illustrator Dave Bastian does portraits, but they aren’t your typical portraits. (If you’ve seen my twitter profile image then you’ve seen Dave’s work, but his Instagram account really shows off his incredible imagination and skill. Check out my portrait here.



Einstein’s Camera

Adam Magyar takes stunning motion photos using custom built cameras. The results are shockingly beautiful. If there’s one link you click today, make it this one. (Thanks to Erik Hedberg for the tip.)

Most Clicked Random Links of 2014:

Famous Paintings Of Jacob Wrestling With The Angel, Ranked By How Much Their Actions Resemble Slow-Dancing

I love the internet. (Thanks to Gus for sharing this way back when.)

David Foster Wallace Was Right: Irony Is Ruining Our Culture

My friend Ray Frenden shared this Salon article way back in April, I liked it then and so did you! It’s real good. An honest look at irony’s effect on our modern culture.

The Seattle Archipelago

Jeffrey Linn, a campus planner at the University of Washington, has created a fascinating map showing what my hometown would look like based on a 240′ rise in sea level should all of the world’s ice sheets melt. Someone should write a book about this… hummm…

One Of The Solar System’s Largest Volcanoes Is Right Here On Earth

Tamu Massif sits about a thousand miles off the coast of Japan and it rivals even the mighty Olympus Mons on Mars. Solid work Ring of Fire.

Lovecraft Story Of The Year:

At The Mountains Of Madness

It’s no surprise this was the most clicked Lovecraft story. Not only is it one of the most famous, it’s also one of the best. So settle in and follow the doomed Antarctic Expedition as they explore what lies in the mountain range beyond the ice. When you’re done I recommend checking out Thug Notes’ analysis, good stuff.

Animated GIF Of The Year:

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: Chip Kidd, cover design, Dave Bastian, david foster wallace, kudar leement, Lauren Sapala, lovecraft, old broken road, Scrivener, Seattle, SpoCon, volcano

2014 In Ten Awesome Photos

So, a friend of mine challenged a few of us to summarize our 2014 in ten photos. At first I figured this would be daunting, since I spend a large majority of my time in my home office hunkered down and writing, however, in looking through my Instagram account it seems like I had a pretty epic year and it ended up being really hard to choose! So follow along with me as I revisit my 2014 in ten awesome photos…

I started the year off by wrapping up my first giveaway. In the end I had over 1400 people sign up! It was a great feeling and a great way to start the year. (I ended up doing two more over the course of the year, and there’s one going on right now!)

In late winter my wife, Kari-Lise, and I packed up our bags and flew to Melbourne, Australia for a solo-show at Auguste Clown Gallery in Fitzroy. Love that country.

The show sold-out! You can see the full show here. Was awesome to see so many folks come out. We had a blast.

Together, this babe and I ended up spending two solid weeks exploring Melbourne. We met and made some great friends and fell in love with the city. We’re planning a return, and have even talked about making it permanent.

After we returned the spring became a blur. I was working on the first draft of Red Litten World and starting edits on Old Broken Road, but we still found time to be among the mountains. (This was taken at Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park.)

“Going to the mountains is going home.”

― John Muir

 …it was a trend. (This was taken in the Buckhorn Wilderness.)

In August I went to SpoCon, my first convention as an author. Sold a bunch of books, met some incredible people and came home exhausted. It was worth it. I’m planning to heading to more in 2015.

Oh yeah! I wrote another book! And you can buy it today!

For Halloween, everyone at work dressed up like me! It’s a flattering and surreal experience but it made for a pretty epic selfie.

Finally, this November, I went to my first NFL game at CenturyLink Field. (Seahawks vs. Cardinals, the Hawks won.)

So that’s my 2014! I’m excited and looking forward to what the next year holds. Why not keep this ten awesome photos thing going? Post ten awesome photos of your own on your blog and leave a link in the comments so others can see what happened in your year. I’ll even update this post to include links to your ten photos!

Filed under: News Tagged: Auguste Clown Gallery, Australia, football, Giveaway, kari-lise alexander, Melbourne, nfl, old broken road, olympic mountains, photos, Seahawks, SpoCon 2014

Always Listen To Experts

Always listen to experts. They’ll tell you what can’t be done and why. Then do it.

—Robert Heinlein

Filed under: Inspiration, Quotes Tagged: drive, experts, Robert A. Heinlein, Success

Signed Paperback Copies Of OLD BROKEN ROAD Are Back

Hooray! Last night I arrived home to find a big ol’ box of books waiting for me. That means signed copies of Old Broken Road are back in stock at my store. The first few boxes went pretty quickly, but I should be well stocked for the new few months. Now you have four ways to get a paperback copy:

Buy a signed copy directly from my store »

(Includes: Old Broken Road and an Old Broken Road Swag Pack.)
Buy a Roader Pack from my store »

(Includes signed copies of Old Broken Road and The Stars Were Right, as well as swag packs and other goodies.)
Buy a copy from Amazon »

(Includes an unsigned copy of Old Broken Road, but… free shipping!)
Buy a copy from Barnes & Noble »

(Edit: Hummm, B&N seem to only have Nook versions right now. I’m looking into it.)


Filed under: old broken road Tagged: books, my store, reading, Signed Copies, trade paperback

Mid-December Update

Hello! Hope the holiday season is treating you well. Since we’re nearing years end I figured it’d be a good time to update everyone on what’s been happening around here. As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions I do my best to respond to every email and I’m happy to receive feedback.

Old Broken Road:

Sales for Old Broken Road have been steady since it’s launch two months ago. I’m starting to see reviews show up on Amazon and Goodreads which is always exciting. Seems like folks are really liking the book which makes me happy. It’s a labor of love, and it’s nice to see the hard work paying off. Right now it’s getting 5 stars on Amazon and 4.8 stars on Goodreads. Wow!

If you’ve finished you copy and have thoughts on what you read, please do me a favor and leave a review. Any feedback, good or critical, helps me out. So please take a moment and leave a review.

I’ve had a few folks write in about gifts. If you want to give a copy of Old Broken Road to friend or family for the holidays the best and quickest way would be ordering through Amazon. They’ll get it you cheaper than I can and they ship for free. However, those waiting for signed copies, I should have some available in my store very soon.

Finally the Old Broken Road Goodreads giveaway continues! Find out everything you need to know in this post. Sign up here. Giveaway ends January 6th.

Red Litten World:

Book three, Red Litten World, is in the middle of some heavy revisions but it’s coming along nicely. I’m really excited about this next chapter in Wal’s saga, I think it’s the best yet.

For those who don’t know Red Litten World takes place a few months after the happenings along the Broken Road. Wal finds himself in a besieged Lovat still facing a blockade and struggling through a difficult winter. As the city around him begins to unravel, Wal find himself facing a new threat and some old enemies.

There’s a teaser site up at redlittenworld.com. Lots of hints at things to come!

The Fantasy Novel (ODFE):

Okay, it technically has a name but I’m being careful and not playing it up as it’s a working title. I did make an announcement when I was interviewed by Dungeon Crawler Radio (36:00) where I go into a few more details (and reveal that working title,) but for now I am keeping things quiet. This project is my first official project outside of the Waldo Bell universe and it’s very much fantasy (okay, non-traditional, mainly because I’m a contrarian.) It’s an incredible world with a variety of complex characters. There’s also: towering giants, humongous deserts, people riding enormous birds, and so much more. I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone.

As far as progress goes, the rough draft is coming along nicely (see the sidebar.) Right now it’s nearly 2/3rds done! If all goes according to plan I’ll be finished with the rough draft soon and have a revised manuscript sometime in the spring. Expect more on this project after the New Year. Including: title reveal, the Pinterest inspiration board, the cover reveal, and a lot more!

On The Blog And Beyond:

So that’s where things stand! Some other bits of news. Since I am traveling for Christmas this weekend will be the last Friday Link Pack for the year. It’ll be the End of the Year Edition where I combine the most popular links from the previous year into one epic link pack. (See last years here.)

Also, expect to see a post for My Reading List for 2014 where I list out every book I read and talk about my favorites. (See my reading list from last year here.) Along with those posts I also have a few more TOP SECRET projects I am working on, but I’ll have to wait just a bit longer before revealing those.

There is lots coming and I’m excited. 2014 has been great. Thanks again for all your support, thank you for the reviews, your posts, and helping me spread the word about The Stars Were Right and Old Broken Road. You helped make 2014 a incredible year for me and I’m looking forward to the next.

Filed under: News, old broken road, Red Litten World Tagged: fantasy, Giveaway, goodreads, old broken road, reading, Red Litten World

Friday Link Pack 12-12-2014

Friiiiday! It’s time to share a few links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s get to it.

Writing:

Turning Your Manuscript Into A Paperback

Hugh Howey put together a great video showing his process for laying out the internals of a paperback. His process is similar to my own, very much worth a watch.

How J.K. Rowling Plotted Harry Potter With A Hand-Drawn Spreadsheet

I swore I had posted this before, but I couldn’t find it. So I am including it again. I love process and comparing process, it’s interesting to see how different authors approach their notes to a story. J. K. Rowlings attention to detail is fantastic. (Thanks to Lola for reminding me of this.)

Old Broken Road Giveaway

You can enter to win one of five signed copies of Old Broken Road (and some other stuff) on Goodreads. Signing up to win is easy. Winners will be notified January 6th. In the meantime, buy a copy for friends or family.

How Facebook Changes For 2015 Could Affect Authors

Good write up from Edie Melson regarding the changes coming to Facebook next year. It doesn’t matter if your traditional or indie, odds are you use Facebook to reach readers. It’s good to be up on what’s coming.

Poetic Dogs by Dan Bannino

Handsome dogs that look like famous poets. IT’S WRITING RELATED. STOP GIVING ME THAT LOOK!

Random:

Mari Lwyd – The Zombie Christmas Horse

Scary Little Christmas is a fantastic blog I discovered over the past week. It is a place to learn about the strange holiday traditions from around the world. In this case, we have the Welsh tradition of the Gray Mare.

Lovecraft-Inspired Gift Guide

Looking for a gift for the mythos enthusiast on your list? I have assembled a handy gift guide that includes books, games, music, and more!

Style Guide: The Looks That Made Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is coming back, and what better way to celebrate than by assuming the style of your favorite character?

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Electric Executioner

“As the train rattled onward through the night I saw a subtle and gradual metamorphosis come over the expression of the staring man. Evidently satisfied that I was asleep, he allowed his face to reflect a curious jumble of emotions, the nature of which seemed anything but reassuring. Hatred, fear, triumph, and fanaticism flickered compositely over the lines of his lips and the angles of his eyes, while his gaze became a glare of really alarming greed and ferocity. Suddenly it dawned upon me that this man was mad, and dangerously so…”

Gif of the Week:

Filed under: Link Pack, writing Tagged: Facebook, Hugh Howey, J.K. Rowling, layout, lovecraft, mari lwyd, old broken road, publishing, twin peaks

A Lovecraftian-Inspired Gift Guide

The holiday season is upon us! If you’re a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos or have someone on your list who is I figured it’d be helpful to put together a little gift guide linking to some of my favorite Lovecraftian merchandise from across the web.

I’ve organized the list by category, and ordered them by price. So that should make it easy to browse. Have a favorite new weird or mythos-themed item I left off? Leave a comment and let us know!

BOOKS:

The Witching Elm by C.N. Crawford

$.99 (Digital Pre-order)

I heard about C. M. Crawford’s debut novel recently and while it’s not specifically Lovecraftian it definitely seems like something a reader of mythos and new weird would enjoy. I mean: talking ravens, bone-wardens, and other worlds? Sounds great, sign me up.

The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross

$7.99 + Free Shipping (Print) $7.60 (eBook)

Meet Bob Howard, a computer hacker who ends up working for the secret British organization: The Laundry. But this isn’t your typical super secret agency, instead of terrorism The Laundry that faces off against something much stranger.

Maplecroft by Cherie Priest

$11.00 + Free Shipping (Print) $7.99 (eBook)

I picked this up on a whim after listening to an interview with Priest on the Seattle Geekly Podcast and I loved it. Priest’s new-mythos tale spins a yarn about madness, fear, and the sea using the historical character Lizzie Borden as the protagonist. I look forward to more.

The Stars Were Right by K. M. Alexander

$12.60 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook)

Have a Lovecraft fan on your list? Pick them up a copy of my first novel, The Stars Were Right. Let them join Caravan Master Waldo Bell as he goes on the run in the costal megalopolis of Lovat on a quest to clear his name.

Old Broken Road by K. M. Alexander

$12.50 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $5.99 (eBook)

My latest Lovecraft-influenced urban fantasy novel: Old Broken Road picks up a year after the events in the previous book and follow Wal and his friends as they travel down an abandoned road full of dark apparitions, bizarre monsters, and ancient evils.

The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft edited by Les Klinger

$25.50 + Free Shipping (Print) $19.24 (eBook)

This gorgeous coffee table book annotated by Les Klinger is now the definitive collection of Lovecraft’s best work. If you have a fan on your list, or wanted to spend a little bit of time with Lovecraft’s works this is the book to get.

MUSIC:

Cthulhu by Cryo Chamber Collaboration

$7.00 (Digital Download) $15.00 + Shipping (CD)

If you’re into ambient music I highly recommend this collaboration from the dark ambient label Cryo Chamber. Themed around Cthulhu this album is drenched in distant echoes and vast chambers that will put you in the mood for terror.

Reliquiae by Atrium Carceri

$7.00 (Digital Download)

This haunting album is the soundscape I’d turn on when writing Old Broken Road. Heavy with mood I found myself loving every minute of it. (It’s also my go-to soundtrack when my friends and I play Mansions of Madness.)

APPAREL:

Bell Caravans Patch

$5.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 15th for Christmas Delivery.)

This beautiful 3″ patch, designed by illustrator Sean Cumiskey, is the perfect way of declaring your loyalty to your favorite caravan master. Put it on your backpack, a tote, or display it on the sleeve of your jacket, just make sure the world knows.

Cthulhu Ski Mask

$60.00 + Shipping

Winter has settled into the mountains and the ski resorts are opening. It’s good to protect ones face while shredding the slopes. Terrify other skiers and snowboarders in a hand crafted ski mask made by the Mad Knitter in a disturbing shade of Cthulhu green.

GAMES:

The Last Door Collectors Edition

$9.99 (Digital Download) FREE (In-Browser)

I don’t play many video games these days, but I absolutely loved this old school adventure game. Heavily influenced by turn-of-the century horror and the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, The Last Door, places you in the center of a dark mystery.

Mansions of Madness

$60.00 + Free Shipping

My wife can attest how obsessed I’ve become with this board game. It’s a blast. Investigators have to solve a mystery while the Keeper tries to kill them off. The perfect blend of Lovecraft and action adventure. A lot of fun.

MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY:

Miskatonic University Mug

$15.00 + Shipping

One of my favorite mugs in my house, with a beautifully designed Miskatonic University seal. It’s also nice and big and therefore holds extra coffee (the secret to my power.) Comes in white or nightgaunt black… naturally.

Miskatonic University Combo Pack

$45.00 + Shipping

Get a Miskatonic U. t-shirt, Miskatonic stickers, the M.U. course book, a M.U. library card, a customized letter of acceptance, a customized student ID, the M.U. mug (for those all night study sessions,) and a customized diploma!

Miskatonic University Class Ring

$99.99 – $1,773.00 + Shipping

Need a classy engagement ring? Maybe you own everything else on this list and have some money to burn? Why not show some pride in the Ivy League school that never was and get a fancy 24k gold Miskatonic University class ring? Oh you so fancy!

Filed under: Shop Tagged: atrium carceri, c. n. crawford, charles stross, cherie priest, mansions of madness, maplecroft, miskatonic university, old broken road, the atrocity archives, the last door, the stars were right, the witching elm

I Like Nonsense

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.

—Dr. Seuss

Filed under: Inspiration Tagged: Dr. Seuss, fantasy, Quotes

Friday Link Pack 12-05-2014

We’re back baby! It’s time to share a few links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s get to it.

Writing:

Here’s One Genre That Could Replace Post-Apocalyptic Stories

My favorite io9 writer, Charlie Jane Anders, discusses the potential in colonization science fiction as opposed to the doom and gloom of post-apocalyptic fiction. It’s a good idea.

Amazing Times

New York Times Bestselling Author Russel Blake talks about the broad reach within the literary market. Never before has someone been able to reach an audience so broad. It’s cool to think about. He’s right. We live in an Amazing Time.

Booker Winner Ben Okri Nabs Bad Sex Prize

Oooof… but to be fair, it’s real bad and potentially offensive if this sort of thing offends you, but really it’s more hilarious than offensive. I mean, “She felt certain now that there was a heaven and that it was here, in her body.” C’mon man.

NaNoWriMo Is Over, Now What?

You finished your 40k word project in a months time! Awesome! You should be excited. You should celebrate. But what do you do when NaNoWriMo is over? Here’s some ideas.

Old Broken Road Giveaway

I’m giving away five signed copies of Old Broken Road on Goodreads. Signing up to win is easy. Giveaway ends January 6th. Tell your friends!

Art:

Chattel

Photographer Kevin Horan takes beautiful portraits… of sheep and goats.

Paperholm

Artist Charles Young is building a giant city out of tiny paper models. Follow along.

Motion Exposure

Long exposures of light combined with activities like canoeing and kayaking. The results are as beautiful as they are serene.

Random:

Typeset in the Future: Alien

Okay, I think I found another favorite blog. Typeset in the Future explores typography in science fiction movies. This article on Alien is incredibly deep and is a must read. The articles on Moon and 2001 are also great.

The Ice-Skating Waiters Of Switzerland

Serving drinks and skating never looked so classy. (Thanks to Steve for the tip.)

Really Awesome Old Maps

My love of maps is no secret. Recently my friend Jazmine shared this link and I absolutely loved everything posted. Mapophiles rejoice!

Stephen Hawking Warns Artificial Intelligence Could End Mankind

Here you go luddites! Even Hawking is afraid of robots!

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Green Meadow

“It was a narrow place, and I was alone…”

Gif of the Week:

 

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: a.i., alien, city, goats, ice-skating, lovecraft, maps, NaNoWriMo, old broken road, stephen hawking