E.J. Robinson's Blog, page 4

Book 2 – Coming Next Week!

Hey, All,

Right now Amazon is running a promotion for Robinson Crusoe 2244. If you haven’t picked up a copy already, it’s available for the next few days at .99 cents. Currently it’s in the top ten in dystopian, post-apocalypse and young adult sci-fi. If you haven’t read a copy already, there’s never a better time!

The promotion runs in anticipation of book 2 coming out sometime next week. That’s right. Robinson Crusoe 2245 is finally headed to the market and I couldn’t be happier. It took a lot to whip it into shape, but the story picks up five months after book one and is so loaded with action and adventure it should come with a warning sticker.

If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter, consider doing so now. You’ll ONLY receive an email when something new is coming out. Hope you’re all as excited as I am!

Thank Heaven this Monk took no vow of silence

Remember the film, D.O.A. starring Dennis Quaid? The one about the college professor that gets poisoned by one of his contemporaries in an effort to hide the fact he killed a student writer so he could plagiarise his amazeballs novel? That’s what I think of when I think of John L. Monk, author of the Dan Jenkins Cycle. I want to kill him and publish his books as mine. Will he take this as a complement I wonder? Or will he file a restraining order? Not that it matters. I don’t know where he lives and frankly, I’m too old to go on a road trip without my wife and kids. The point is: his S%!$ is good.

Back when I published my first novel, I stumbled upon KICK, the first book in Monk’s Dan Jenkins Cycle series. It’s a sci-fi/supernatural story about a guy who, after committing suicide, finds himself bouncing in and out of bodies of some very terrible people for three weeks at a time in hopes of delivering some cosmic justice. Imagine Quantum Leap but with edge and great heaping tablespoons of snark. It’s the kind of read that leaves you giggling and shaking your head well past bedtime. While the best compliment I can ever give a book is by saying, “I wish I wrote that,” the best compliment my wife gives is: “What the hell are you reading?” 

By the time I’d finished the second book in the series, FOOL’S RIDE,

I’d come to understand the genius of these books is in the first person narrative. The publishing industry calls this “the voice.” So many novels these days are written in first person, but fail because they center on people that just aren’t that interesting. Not the case with Dan Jenkins. This guy is smart, clever, ironic, stubborn and an occasional a-hole. I love that he takes great pleasure in acting the fool and making others uncomfortable. But deep down, he’s just a good soul trying his best to do right. He doesn’t always succeed, but when he does, magic happens. He’s the anti-hero we’d all love to be. You know, if we were dead. And found ourselves hopping in and out of bodies for months at a time.

This week I finished the third book in the series, HOPPER HOUSE. While KICK and FOOL’S RIDE were episodic, HOPPER HOUSE encompasses a full story. It also gives us fans what we’ve been longing for: answers to some of the bigger questions. I love that this world is opening up, introducing us to new reoccurring characters that will help address who or what is behind Dan’s plight. But always present is that sense of unbridled adventure, like anything can happen at any time and just when we think we have it all figured out, we get the rug pulled out from under us again and again.

Self-published authors are ubiquitous these days, and often it’s hard

to ferret out the decent from the good and the good from the great. John L. Monk belongs in this last category. He is, in my humble

opinion, as good as any traditionally published author. He will be, very soon, the guy heavily pursued by the publishing giants to “step on up to the majors.” I, for one, hope he stays independent. Not for any ill will for the publishing industry, but because I’m a selfish bastard that likes getting great books for cheap! If you want to see what the fuss is all about, you can pick up the first book in the series, KICK, at Amazon or Apple. When you’re two chapters in and need FOOL’S RIDE “like now,” it’s available at both Amazon and Apple too. Lastly, you can buy the recently released HOPPER HOUSE to complete your set or just save even more money by buying The Jenkins Cycle Boxed Set: Binge Edition and be done with it.

I know you’ll love it as I have.

Or something is very, very wrong with you.

Oregon Vacation

With all the heavy lifting for book 2 out of the way, we decided to take a family vacation up to the McKenzie River in Oregon. My wife’s family lives up there and a couple dozen of them got together to join us for some swimming, cooking and wine tasting. Watching the kids play in the river was probably the most fun, although it was dang cold. Luckily we had a creek by our cabin that fed off a different tributary and was warm enough to swim. Someone had even cleared rocks to make a swim chute and with a properly inflated inner-tube, those of us weighing less than 50 pounds had a marvelous time.Those weighing over had sore behinds.

As you can see by the photo to the right, the adults did some rafting. It was pretty benign, mostly 2-3s, but still a good time. No one went in the water, but I got close!

The family also spent some time walking the lava fields an hour away where a volcano had torn through the area long ago. I love that the kids each picked up a small rock and haven’t let go of them since. Those rocks were here long before they arrived and will be here long after they’re gone. Thanks to google and dropbox and apple, our photos will last forever!

Now, back to the final tweaks of RC 2245. It should be ready for release in another couple weeks. Then it’s onto 2246. Gulp.

Nice review of RC 2244 from Audiobook Review

Set in a future dystopian world, the once UK civilization has risen once again. The government maintains a tight control on its citizens, many lines of study are forbidden, weapons are not allowed in civilian hands, and a class system is firmly in place. Teen Robinson is from a prominent family and is usually dodging trouble. Along with his best friend, Slink, he can be found occasionally scaling forbidden buildings by moonlight. Rebellion is stirring beneath the surface and Robinson is soon caught up in it. He is forced to flee the only life he has ever known, crash landing on unknown shores in a degraded land populated by mutated monsters.

Let’s start with my one little quibble: This story stands well on its own and it was not necessary for the author to draw some parallels with the classic Robinson Crusoe by Defoe. OK, now that that is out of the way, let me gush. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The author shows us the messed up side of Crusoe’s society in many small ways that cumulatively lead up to the big punch-in-the-face reality that Crusoe has to live through. There’s betrayal and pity, friendship and familial bonds, hope and luck.

Then he crashes onto what was once the USA. There, all signs of civilization have long since degraded. The buildings are in ruins, food is scarce, & winter is coming on. To add to his quickly shortening odds of survival, there are the Renders (which are mutated monsters that might have once been humans a few generations back). The Renders can be quite large (think bull-sized) and sometimes go on all fours. They are always hungry and not above eating a human or two.

Crusoe must learn to survive. He has a few rations from his crashed ship to get him started but he has to find reliable shelter, clean water (or a safe place to boil it), and food. Oddly enough, it is the loneliness that starts to undo him. Lucky for him, he finds a series of companions in this diseased land. Without giving away plot points, these various companions teach him different things, both about himself and about survival. My favorite was Friday because she was so very practical and could take the hard road.

Added to all this is a mystery surrounding Crusoe’s mother, who supposedly died in a flyer accident a few years back. Crusoe has always had questions about that day and his sudden flight and subsequent findings add to his questions. I really liked how this turned out. On the other side of the coin, there are these savages that come in by boat every full moon with captives that they sacrifice. Absolutely chilling! These scenes were written very well and were disturbing. I really felt like I was in Crusoe’s shoes, watching from a somewhat safe distance, as these sacrifices were made.

Crusoe’s story arc was very interesting to watch progress. He always had some smarts, if not common sense. As circumstances, teachers, and companions beat their lessons into him, he changes under the harsh weight. He goes from a clever, well-bred young man who is pasty white and weak in muscle, to a survivor made of determination and sinew. Riding around in his head, we can clearly see why he makes certain hard choices and what drives him to continue on. As a note, there were more than one ethnicity in this book, an aspect I appreciated. The ending completes the story arc for this book and leaves it set up for Book 2, which I eagerly await coming out in audiobook.

The Narration: Malk Williams was a great choice for young Robinson Crusoe. He was able to keep a clear voice for Crusoe even as he aged both physically and mentally. He had quite believable female voices and a range of voices for the rest of the men. There are a few sections where another language is spoken that doesn’t quite match any of our modern languages and Williams did a great job of making these sound fluid and natural. I especially liked his voice for Friday.

This review was originally published on Dab of Darkness

You can also see the review at Audiobook Reviewer.

Thanks, Susan, for the outstanding review!

Occupied Earth

My friend and fellow scribe, Richard Brewer, recently informed me the science fiction anthology he edited with Gary Phillips titled Occupied Earth will be coming out October, 2015. The premise features over a dozen short stories set in 2040 where the aliens have invaded earth, kicked our butts and now treat us like Starks at a wedding. Fear not, readers. Humanity has a plan. Or several plans. Or maybe they’re winging it. Whichever way we do it, resistance isn’t futile, it’s our only hope.

Like most sci-fi fans, I love alien invasion stories. Toss in a dash of espionage, revenge and global comeuppance and I am always in. The good news: I’ve been asked to write up a 3000 word story for the Occupied Earth website! They’ll be publishing one a month for a year and then producing a second anthology for 2016. Thrilled and honored to be asked to participate. I’ll update the website with more details when they come in.  Until then, check out the official Occupied Earth website HERE.

In Other News…

Today is the first day of the rest of my rewrite.

It’s been fun, but slower going than I thought it would be. So many things to fact check, continuities to line up, words to make pretty, but not too pretty. Ah, the trials and tribulations of doing the middle book in a trilogy. Then again, many consider The Empire Strikes Back the best of the bunch, so there. One thing for sure, this book isn’t short on action. And I’ve definitely spent more time world building than in book 1. Beta readers are already geeking out more than a bus of preteens at a One Direction concert. Thank Goodness I have boys.

One interesting thing of note: fellow indie author and part time mentor/editor/wetnurse John L. Monk recommend a self-help book to me. At first I thought, “who’s been talking?” I don’t need no stinkin’ cRySt@ls! But this one was aimed at writers from a working writer and it’s great. It’s called War of Art by Steven Pressfield, an author of fiction, non-fiction, screenplays and a host of stuff just like moi. It details how artists fall prey to “resistance,” the fear-based energy that keeps us from pursuing our work frequently and from a variety of sources. Fear, doubt, insecurities, “the blank page;” they’re all grouped into resistance. Pressfield offers up some clever ways to get your butt in the seat and do the work. I highly recommend it for any kind of artist.

On the book front, I finally read Wayward Pines. Well, I read Pines (book #1) and Wayward (book #2) and am now into #3, the final book in the series, The Last Town. I wanted to watch the show on Fox, so I cracked them open and I’m glad I did. They’re straightforward fun. Blake Crouch as been writing forever so it’s good to see him enjoying the fruits of his labors. YOU GOTTA PAY THEM DUES. But no one is going to characterize these as genre classics. They’re not written to be those kinds of books. They’re meant to be popcorn entertainment and if you go in expecting that, you’ll love them. Not to say Crouch isn’t a good writer. His prose is clean and tight. But he knows how to attract the widest audience. I envy this trio of work. It’s the kind of summer read that’ll keep you butt in a barcalounger and a mai-tai at your lips.

If (re)writing, finishing up a screenplay with a partner, holding house for the wife, and rearing two kids wasn’t enough, I’m also playing in an annual poker tourney this weekend. I won Big Guns once, came in third once, and was chip leader at the break last year before getting bounced by some bad beats. Every year there are 40-60 players, so it’s nice to do well every time, but this year some credible players from other games are coming in, so I gotta have my game face on. Or not shower for a couple days. Amazing how funk can get someone to fold. Also amazing how I started off typing amazing and ended up typing Amazon. The leash is short, people, and the yoke is tight.

That’s all for this week. I hope to have a better idea of when Book 2 will be published next week. Be good to each other.

 

RC 2244 Audiobook Now Available!

Exciting times! I’ve had more than a few people clamoring for the audiobook version of Robinson Crusoe 2244 and it’s now available on Audible, Amazon or iTunes. The narration by British vocal expert Malk Williams exceeded all my expectations. It’s about an eight-hour read, so if you need a good book to listen to in the car or while jogging or studying or trying to drone out that special someone, give it a listen. Audible even lets you hear it for free if you try out their services. What do you have to lose? Other than eight hours and one minute.

Click HERE to buy it on Audible.

Click HERE to buy it on Amazon.

Coming soon to iTunes!

Rewriting, Updates, Audiobooks and Single Stars

Hey, Folks,

Thought I’d give an update for those clamoring for word about Robinson Crusoe 2245. Those of you waiting patiently (or indifferently), this is for you too. The squeaky wheel does not get the oil any faster. Unless the wheel in question is on a car driven by my wife, then all bets are off.

Writing 2245 has been both easier and harder than 2244. The easy part is that I’ve done it before, so I know I can do it again. The hard part is that I recognize the mistakes I made with book 1 and don’t want to repeat them. The first draft of 2244 was 76K words long and that ballooned up to 108K with the second draft. While 2245 has been nowhere near as fat in the second pass, there were a lot of areas that needed addressing with subplots I forgot to put in, threads that needed better layering, and checking for continuity with book 1. There are more characters, more character interactions, and more history to include. The result is more work than I anticipated but, at least for me, it’s a much better book. Those fans that enjoy the action/adventure aspect of the tale will love what I have in store. Those looking for more depth to the characters will also find that within. I hope. Only a select few have gotten early looks and that’s for story notes. So far the reaction has been great, but we’re still a little ways away from a clean draft. Had I a publishing deal, the next draft would go to the editor.

I set a somewhat more than tentative release date for May, but given I still haven’t had an official editor/proofreader pass, that might not happen. But all other writing services jobs are off the table until this gets done, so barring the apocalypse, it’ll be sooner than later. I can only imagine the pressure G.R.R. Martin feels from his fans who are hungry for the next book in a series. Mine have been splendid, but I’m learning not to promise anything before it’s done.

On a different subject, Malk Williams finished narrating and producing the audiobook for Robinson Crusoe 2244 and I must say it’s wonderful. His voice is evocative and perfectly suited for the project. I was very excited giving it the official thumbs up for ACX only to receive a notice suggesting it would take up to 1o working days for them to approve it. One of the maxims of writerly life is “hurry up and wait.” More of that here.

Lastly I got my first one-star review on Amazon. Bestselling Joe Abercrombie always quotes one-star reviews of his books on his twitter page. It always gave me a good laugh, but it sucks when someone thinks that low of your work. Although my author friend John Monk suggested it was the kind of one-star review money can’t buy since the only thing the reader wrote is “Not Great!” Says more about them than me. I also have a not-so-vague suspicion that the reader not only didn’t read my book (it wasn’t a verified purchase), but only wrote it because I might have poked the wrong football fanatic on the ESPN boards. Reminds me to keep my opinions to myself. Or at least where I can control them.

So patience, young padiwans, the release of 2245 is almost here. After it comes out, I’ll also be announcing something special and new following it. Looking forward to shifting gears.

Cheers,

Erik

Robinson Crusoe 2245 cover revealed!

Okay, we’re still a little ways away from publishing. Not sure how long as I’m doing notes now. But to keep the hounds at bay, I thought I’d give everyone a look at the new cover from amazing illustrator Amalia I. Chitulescu. 

Rocks, right?

Do you listen to music while you work?

I do on occasion, but it’s tough when you’re writing because certain projects and certain scenes are so mood specific. For example, if I’m writing a tender goodbye scene, I don’t want Metallica to come on. Or if I’m writing the mother of all action scenes, I don’t want Selena Gomez is the background. Not that I own any Selena Gomez. I don’t. Pinkie swear.

Still, there are a couple albums I can put on low regularly and they seem to aid the flow that early drafts require. Springsteen’s Ghost of Tom Joad is one. It’s one of those rare albums that has a “voice,” but each song connects in a different way.

On days when I’m writing more action/adventure stuff, I’ve been bopping my my friend’s son’s band, Forty Feet Tall, who have this kind of blues-rock/acid-rock grove with a Jack White, Black Keys twist. Good stuff. You can find their album here.

Soundtracks are probably the easiest thing to listen to while you write for the simple fact that they’re also uniform and typically keep a consistent feel throughout. Most things by Ennio Morricone fit that bill. As does the work by Ry Cooder. And I’ve really grown to love the work of Mark Knopfler, lead singer of Dire Straits. One could even argue is soundtrack work is better than his rock stuff.

Anyone else have good thoughts on writing music?