Jonathan Fesmire's Blog, page 3

McCall's Patterns to Expand Your Steampunk Wardrobe: She Cut, Ala Glow, Spiritquest, and Bouquet de Fleur

The PatternsCosplay by McCall's continues to bring us creative and varied cosplay patterns. By adding accessories, you could create a unique steampunk from each of these, all outside the usual setting of Victorian England.Got someone on your holiday list who loves cosplay and loves to sew? Consider getting him or her one of these!She CutCan this pattern really have a skill level rating of "easy?" It seems so! She Cut, designed for McCall's by Seattle Cosplay, is an ensemble inspired by Japanese culture. Go as a swords wielder, a diplomat, or perhaps as a Victorian-era Psylocke from the X-Men. This package comes with patterns for the top, detached sleeves, skirt, and belt. Recommended fabrics include shantung, dupioni, chiffon, and velvet. Notions include silk flowers, zippers, snaps, beads, and more, and of course all this is explained inside. Add goggles, a replica pistol from the era, and make the silk flowers silver or bronze for a steampunk look.She Cut retails for $16.95.Ala GlowHere's something I don't admit often. I love fairies, which may have something to do with why I wrote a novel about an imp, sort of a demonic fairy. Need a pair of fairy wings? McCall's has you covered with Ala Glow. This package has patterns for lacy wings with a wire harness, stockings, and a cute hat. Recommended fabrics include mesh, tulle, organza, and taffeta. You'll also need galvanized wire and some other notions, all explained in the package.Fairies can fit into any fantasy-based setting, and that includes many steampunk worlds. Add a metallic wand and mask, rings with gears, or, yes, goggles, for that steampunk look.Ala Glow was created by becka noel for McCall's, and sells for $14.95 and is rated at easy skill level.SpiritquestGentlemen, it's time to go Nordic with the masculine Spiritquest. The pattern is for a vest with eyelet and buckle closures, a detachable hood with elastic loops that allow it to attach to the vest, and a tunic with lacing detail and side slits. McCall's recommended fabrics for this pattern include synthetic suede, synthetic leather, linen, linen blends, poplin, and broadcloth. With a skill level of intermediate, this could be a welcome challenge if you're new to cosplay.Need ideas to make this steampunk? How about a handheld brass flamethrower--pretend, of course--to attach to your belt? After all, your character might need to melt some snow quickly or start a campfire. What about a leather wristband with an embedded compass? How about large, adjustable goggles, so you can see during a snow storm? I'll let those ideas get you started.You can purchase Spiritquest for $16.95.Bouquet de FleurThis pattern, for corseted top, apron skirt, and panniers, recalls parlor girls, entertainers, and soiled doves of the Wild West. Boquet de Fleur is sexy and elegant all at once, and with very few additions or changes, such as gears for buttons, a sundial necklace, or a bracer with faux embedded gadgets, it would move right into steampunk territory.The best fabrics for Boquet de Fleur include chiffon, shantung, taffeta, embroidered lace, twill, coutil, and batiste. There's a lot to this pattern, so it's skill level is listed as advanced. It retails for $16.95.Coming Soon I have several Cosplay by McCall's patterns to review, and hope to get to them in the next week or so. I'm also reading Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes, and will be reviewing that soon. So far, the novel is a fantastic example of a character driven story, so I plan to discuss that as a way to help other writers.If you'd like updates, and some free stories as well, subscribe to The Wild Steampunk Newsletter below.

Book Review: The Regulators by Stephen King

Even though I had read many books by Stephen King previously, when I started to read The Regulators in 1996, I got a sort of reader's overload. The opening introduces many characters quickly, and turns suddenly brutal. Fast forward to 2017, though, and this is just the kind of book to draw me in.Right off the bat, the negative, which I mentioned above. No, not the brutal part. I read not only horror currently, but also bizarro. I'm get a kick out of stories in which the stakes are high.Without giving anything away, I'd like to note some interesting things about the story. It is the "twinner" of "Desperation," which came out the same day in 1996. In both books, the supernatural enemy is the same and comes from the same place. It also features many of the same characters, though in different circumstances. It was as if King started with the idea of an ancient evil at the bottom of a mine shaft, came up with a cast of characters, and decided to write two different stories with the same essential cast. You can also consider it happening in two separate realities within King's multiverse.Though King doesn't state it directly in The Regulators, it is connected to "The Dark Tower," as are all of his books, to some degree. The evil entity, Tak, uses the same language as the can-toi in The Dark Tower, for one thing. I also believe that a location described at the end is the manifestation of the Tower on that particular Earth, and there's a strong indication that Tak comes from the same place outside the universe as Pennywise/It and the Crimson King. The end of The Regulators made something at the end of The Dark Tower clearer to me, in fact. I wish I could ask Stephen King if my guesses, regarding these connections, are right!One more thing of interest to readers of The Wild Steampunk Blog.The Regulators has some major western, as in wild west, elements. I should probably say "spaghetti western," though they are harsh and frightening.The Regulators is imaginative, vibrant, and brutal throughout. I loved it.Coming Soon I have several Cosplay by McCall's patterns to review, and hope to get to them shortly. If you'd like updates, and some free stories as well, subscribe to The Wild Steampunk Newsletter below.

From the Forest to the Moon: 3 New McCall's Cosplay Patterns

It's been a while, but I'm happy to finally bring you three new Cosplay by McCall's patterns for your consideration.The PatternsMyssticDruid? Forest witch? If you're looking for something a bit different from your standard sorceress costume, try Mysstic, a hooded, lined coat and belt. This cosplay features gathered ruffles and a drawstring neckline. Netting gives this cosplay a full look, and craft ribbon adds frill.You can add steampunk flare by using cloth with Victorian swirls or gears. Add goggles, and a custom leather wrist band or two to enhance this look.The skill level to make Mysstic is rated at intermediate, and the pattern costs $15.95.Bedlah BeautyLooking for a sexy, exotic cosplay that's not too difficult to make? Bedlah Beauty is a stunning belly dancer outfit with top, belt, skirt, and bolero jacket, rated as easy to make.In a steampunk world, India, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean would be filled with steam-powered technology, so this is your opportunity to broaden your steampunk cosplay wardrobe. Yes, you can always throw on your goggles--I would never discourage that!--and perhaps add leather bracelets (or anklets) with bells. Of course, you can add gears, metallic animals, or other curios to the trims.Fabrics you can use for this pattern include devoré, crushed velvet, velveteen, Georgette, synthetic suede, synthetic leather, moderate stretch knits, jersey knits, and interlock. The tips will help you embellish your cosplay with things like rhinestones, gems, broken jewelry, and more.Bedlah Beauty sells for $16.95.Power BraceNow, we come to the space age cosplay, an outfit reminiscent of Barbarella, though admittedly a bit more practical. Power Brace is an impressive costume designed to be easy to make, with halter top, over skirt, leg armor, and arm armor. Seattle Cosplay created this pattern for Cosplay by McCall's.Depending on the material and options you choose for this cosplay, the look can range from a space-age dress outfit to that of a wizard queen. Since steampunk pairs well with fantasy, add a metal-studded wand, a steampunk-style play gun (peace bound at conventions, of course), and lace reminiscent of the Wild West or Victorian England.The tips section will help you with applying, and dying, lace appliqué. The pattern is available on the Cosplay by McCall's site for $16.95.Coming SoonI have four more patterns to review, and hope to get to them next week. If you'd like updates, and some free stories as well, subscribe to The Wild Steampunk Newsletter below.

The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco - Book Review

Recently, I published my latest novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western. It takes place in 1876, in an alternate Santa Cruz, California. Most of the sequel is going to take place in San Francisco.I want to capture the spirit of The City—as people were calling San Francisco back then, and as many still do—and I found The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco by Charles Adams. This seemed the perfect place to start, a book that could give a history of The City and some of its most infamous citizens. This book did not disappoint, and now I can use some of the most notorious rogues of San Francisco as characters in my next book.The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco contains four parts: PART I Early Rogues, covering about 1850 to 1875, PART II Later Rogues, covering about 1875 to 1900, PART III Twentieth-Century Rogues, covering from 1900 to about 1925, and PART IV Probably Not the Last Rogues, covering 1925 through about the 1950s, though the final historical personage, Sally Stanford, lived until 1982.What makes a rogue? A good portion of the people examined in this book were outright sociopathic criminals. Shanghai Kelly kidnapped men who came to his saloon and sold them to ship captains as sailors. Little Pete ran the Chinatown mob. Mammy Pleasant manipulated and murdered people to get what she wanted. Abe Ruef made it rich by putting his cronies into high political positions and charging big businesses for favorable votes.Others were extreme nonconformists. James Lick was an eccentric who had a glorious hotel built. It crumbled in the 1906 earthquake. He also founded Lick Observatory and made sure that it had the best astronomical telescope in the world. Ambrose Bierce, a brilliant and handsome newspaper columnist, was a ladies man who upset many popular city figures with his sarcastic reviews of their behavior, and eventually went to Mexico and was never heard from again. You may know him as the author of The Devil’s Dictionary.The book covers many others. In addition to illustrating the adventures and foibles of these noteworthy men and women, Charles Adams gives a good overview of San Francisco history and how dangerous life could be there in the city’s early years. I look forward to weaving in some of the offbeat people I learned about here into my next novel.Whether you're a writer doing research, a lover of American history, or you just want an enjoyable and often surprising read, I recommend The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco. I loved it.

Using Hardcover Editions for Promotion, or Bodacious Creed Hardcovers Have Arrived

Today's an exciting day for me!I just received the first nine copies of the Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western limited edition hardcover!If you're coming into this article cold, let me catch you up. Bodacious Creed is my latest novel. In 2013 I ran a Kickstarter for it. People who backed it for $65 or more were promised a limited edition hardcover as one of their rewards. It took four years to write, edit, and polish this 120,000 word novel, and I'm proud of the resulting story. Now that it has been released, I'm preparing to send out the rewards.Since running the Kickstarter, I've discovered that these hardcover editions are also great for promotion. I think other writers should give this a shot, so I'm going to share how I do this, including what back-end software and what printer I use.Promoting With HardcoversBack when I ran the Kickstarter for Bodacious Creed, I simply figured that a limited edition, signed hardcover would make a great reward for higher tier backers. A couple of years later, as I was writing the book, I learned something critical to book marketing.Your mailing list is your most important marketing asset.So, I started slowly growing mine. I give away free fiction and more to my newsletter subscribers, to encourage people to join. I never share the email addresses, and I send out about two messages a month about steampunk, writing, and (usually at the very end) letting people know where they can purchase my novels.I later ran across the idea of doing giveaway contests to bring in new subscribers. There are various platforms for this, but the one I like is KingSumo. This is back-end software for Wordpress, and it cost me $200 out of pocket, but it was worth it. More on that shortly.KingSumo allows you to create giveaway pages on your Wordpress site. Back to my limited edition hardcover. I've decided to print only 25 copies of it. That will fulfill the backer rewards, plus give me some extras for future giveaways (I've already run two).When I'm ready to run a new giveaway and get an influx of subscribers, I set up a new giveaway contest using KingSumo on my Wordpress site. Information includes the value of the book, how long the contest runs (and it will show to the second), and how many winners there will be.Once I have the page up (and you can learn how to do that from KingSumo if you get the software), I share it on relevant Facebook groups and on Twitter. Don't post to too many groups in one day. I don't know what the limit is, and it seems to vary, but if Facebook decides you're posting too much, it will restrict your group posting privileges for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. But get the word out.Oh yes, you will need a Wordpress site! Make sure the site you use allows you to install your own extensions. If it doesn't, you won't be able to use KingSumo. I purchased jonfesmire.org and post my contests there.Is it worth the $200? Absolutely.Another way I've seen recommended to bring in newsletter subscribers is through Facebook ads. However, you'll be spending between $2.00 and $5.00 per subscriber that way, if not more. With my first KingSumo giveaway, I paid $200 for the software, $15 for the domain and a year of hosting, and $50 for what I decided to give away on that one, which was one copy of the Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western hardcover, and two trade paperback copies of my fantasy novels.On my first giveaway, I got about 200 new subscribers, which comes to about $1.33 per new subscriber. After that, it will only get cheaper. For my second giveaway, I got about 150 new subscribers, and the prize was just that limited edition hardcover. Let's call that $25. That's 17¢ per new subscriber!And I know there's got to be a way to get the word out to more people and increase the number of people who sign up for my mailing list next time. So, totally worth the money.Creating the HardcoversWhat printing service will you use for your hardcovers? I checked out two, Lulu Press and Nook Press.Back in the day, when Lulu was new, they were the place to go to publish your print books. Unfortunately, their prices are comparatively high. I checked how much Bodacious Creed would be as a 6x9 hardcover with a dust jacket, and let's say it was too much.While visiting a Barnes & Noble, I saw an advertisement for Nook Press, so i decided to check that out. I learned that their hardcover prices are cheaper for authors. And the editions look amazing, as you can see from the photos above.With Nook Press print books, you'll have two initial options. The first is to publish a book for retail sale on their site. The second is to print one for personal use. If you want to sell the hardcover as well as do giveaways, choose the first. Also choose the first if you plan to give away only nine or ten. You're allowed to order up to ten proof copies of a book intended for retail sale before you have to put it on sale, so if you want to do limited edition, you'll have to order those and no more. You can order up to 250 books if you choose the personal use option, but the copies will cost you about 50% more. Still, those copies will cost less than if you set up the book to the same specs on Lulu.I also recommend ordering a bunch at once. When I first uploaded Bodacious Creed, I ordered a single copy. I'm glad I did, for two reasons. First, I needed to see the quality, to make sure I had chosen the right printer. I definitely had. Second, as it turned out, the book needed further proof reading, and I needed to make some changes to the cover, including fixing the look of the title, doing some color correction, changing the back so the bar-code didn't cover anything, and adding text to the front and back inside flaps. Once I had all those corrections done, however, I ordered more copies and love how they look. Anyway, shipping per copy is much less when you order at least several.One last thing. I recommend using Google Chrome when you upload your interior and cover files to Nook Press. In Chrome, you can see in-window proofs. The one for the cover shows guidelines, so you can be sure all elements fall where they should.I hope this helps other writers grow their email lists. If you found this helpful, feel free to comment below or drop me a line on my contact page.I don't have a contest running at the moment, but there will be more. To be notified when, please...Subscribe below!

Running a Successful Facebook Novel Release Party

This post is part report on my recent novel release party for my book Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, and part how-to so that other writers can replicate my success, or exceed it. I'll explain what I did and how the party went. Simply do the same for your next novel.CreationFirst, on my Facebook author page, I created an event. (If you don't have a Facebook author page, create one.) To create your event, go to your author page, click the "Events" link on the left, and click "Create Event."Schedule the event to coincide with the release of your book. I set up the party two weeks early, to take place the day after the general release of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, then shared it with as many of my friends as I could. I also shared it with relevant Facebook groups over the next two weeks, posting every few days. For me, that was steampunk, sci-fi, and western themed groups. Don't overdo it when posting to Facebook groups. If you post to too many too quickly, Facebook will restrict your posting privileges.Why did I schedule mine for a day after release? Well, Bodacious Creedcame out on a Friday, and I thought Saturday would be better for an all-day party.The invitation looked like this.You'll notice for the location, I wrote, "Here! Click the 'Discssion' Tab!" That makes it really easy for people to find the party when the arrive. You will then post everything for the party in that Discussion section on the day.PreparationAs you can see, my party lasted ten hours. You want to keep your guests engaged. I did this by varying the types of posts.Bodacious Creedis, as the title says, a steampunk zombie western, so that meant sticking thematically to those genres, sharing information about the book, and some other things. Here are the basic categories I used.Western & Steampunk Comic StripsI found some funny ones on Google Images.I also had a couple of zombie-related comics, including one I created.Bodacious Creed Concept ArtMost novelists won't have concept art. That's all right.Substitute interesting character facts or your own sketches.Maps work for this, too. I shared the map that appears in Bodacious Creed.ContestsI ran two, and these might give you some ideas.Create a character concept appropriate for a steampunk western setting. The winner's idea will appear in the Bodacious Creedsequel and the winner will get the latest Kindle editions of my first two fantasy novels.Come up with a character name appropriate for a steampunk western setting. The winning name will be the name of the winning character from the first contest, and the winner will get the latest Kindle editions of my first two fantasy novels.This was the character created from my contest, and I look forward to incorporating her into the next book: Combining the winning name from the second contest, and the character idea I think would work best in the next Bodacious Creed book, we have Elanora Augustus, a ten-year-old orphan and part of the criminal underground.Interesting Facts & QuestionsThese can be facts about your setting, be it completely created from scratch or based on a historical setting.Questions for participants. I revealed that my favorite historical Wild West figure is Wild Bill Hickok, and asked others whom they liked best.Book PriceI recommend that, when you first release your book, the Kindle edition should have a solid sale price. Many novels of about 80,000 words go on sale for 99¢. Bodacious Creed is 120,000 words, so a fairly long novel. Since it's 50% longer than your average novel, I put it on sale for $1.49. This encourages more people to buy it, which is helpful for two reasons. First, some of them will post reviews. Second, it increases your sales rank. Yesterday, mine got to #3 in its specific category, and there are more sci-fi westerns on Kindle than you may think!It's listed at #4 here. It went up to #3 later, but at that time, I was in bed and didn't feel like getting up to take a screenshot.Holding the PartyStart your party right, with a pinned post on the event's Discussion page, directing people where to buy the book. Since I have an art degree, I had no trouble creating a good sales image I've been using on Facebook and Twitter. (Incidentally, if you'd like me to create one of these for you, hit me up and we'll work out a low price.)To pin your post, simply click the downward arrow at the upper left corner of the post and select "Pin Post." That way, when people come to the party, this will be the first post they see.Monitor the posts. Some people will arrive on the page and rather than responding to a post, they will create on themselves. If you get spam or other junk you don't want, you can delete it. For positive posts, accept them and respond to them. They'll appear on the page, showing that people are arriving!Every ten to fifteen minutes, post something new. Again, you want to keep people engaged. It is a party! You don't want to overwhelm people, though. This is where all the ideas and images you gathered during the preparation phase come in. If you did your job right, you may find that you have more images than you need. Something to use with the next book party! I don't think I used even half, but I used the ones that felt right.As you can see from my book rankings above, I got some good sales during the party. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I know I did.Brief Aside HereIf you don't own a copy of Bodacious Creed yet, I hope you'll purchase it! The regular price will be $3.99 starting August 21, 2017, less than the price of a latte, and I think well worth it.Just click the book image above!Party PostsFinally, I put together this image from screenshots to give you an idea of what the party looked like. Facebook collapses the comments, but on your party page you can click a section on each post to read them and to respond.Feel free to click the image below to visit my book party release page and to get some ideas from it.If you plan to do a Facebook release party for your next book, I hope this helps! I found it well worth the time and effort, and a lot of fun. I'll definitely do another when the time comes to release the sequel to Bodacious Creed.

Writing Vivid Emotions – Book Review

Showing character emotions can be tough for writers at all levels.  Beginning writers start with a limited palette for painting emotional states, restricted to things like smiles, frowns, and shrugs. The more we write, the larger that palatte gets, but one can always grow it more.Rayne Hall’s book, Writing Vivid Emotions: Professional Techniques for Writers, will help you do just that. The first 11 chapters cover techniques, from showing body language, to getting readers to feel your characters’ visceral reactions, to varying emotional intensity, and more. You’ll learn what to show and what not to show, how to play on the reader’s feelings even while the point of view (POV) character is experiencing something different, and even how to foreshadow through subtle emotional cues.Chapter 12 will be a great help when you’re having trouble varying a character’s body language. Titled Chapter 12: Thesaurus of Body Language Cues, it contains an alphabetical list of emotions, and many body language tells for each. Perhaps you wouldn’t have come up with crisp nodding as a way one shows satisfaction, or licking one’s lips as a tell for love, but these may be perfect for how one of your characters would react.Chapter 13: Thesaurus of Visceral Responses, will increase your toolset for showing readers how your POV character is feeling. You may have a confused character, but you’ve had his chest tighten several times already in your book. Check in Chapter 13, and you’ll find that confused people sometimes start to feel hot. Tada! A new clue about how he’s feeling.The book ends with two of Rayne’s short stories. In this way, she demonstrates many of the techniques used in the book. For example, the first story, Druid Stones, shows a cheerful woman going to visit a druid circle. However, environmental details let the reader know that she shouldn’t be feeling excitement, but fear.Keep in mind, this book is intended for intermediate to advanced writers, and beginners may find the techniques too tricky. There are many books out there for new writers. If that’s you, I suggest looking into various Writer’s Digest books. Work on your craft from those awhile, then come back to Rayne’s excellent Writer’s Craft series.You can get Writing Vivid Emotions on Amazon, in Kindle and paperback formats.Bodacious Creed Comes Out TomorrowThe day is almost here! Yes, my novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western is being released tomorrow, August 18, 2017. It's been available for pre-sale for weeks now. Those who pre-ordered the Kindle edition should have it on their devices in the early hours of the morning, and those who ordered the paperback, hopefully within a week. (Of course, that will depend in part on the shipping method they chose.)More is happening over the weekend, though!On Saturday, August 19, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Pacific Time, I'll be holding a release party for Bodacious Creed on Facebook. You're all invited. Since this is a Facebook event, feel free to drop in, respond to posts, and check out what I'm sharing any time during those hours.RSVP for the party here.In addition, the pre-sale price for the Kindle edition will be in effect through the weekend!That's just $1.49 for a 120,000 word (approximately 370 page in trade paperback) novel.On Monday, the price goes up to 3.99, so now's a great time to order your copy.Thanks for reading. I hope to see you at the release party!

New McCall's Cosplay: Becoming Emelie, Red Reign, and Foot Fetish: Gilded

Wow, have I been busy! That's the life of a full time writer, though. Lately, it's all been about getting my latest novel, the one I've been working on for the last four years, into the world. Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western will be released on August 18! Right now, you can pre-order the it in paperback or for Kindle. The Kindle edition is just $1.49 during the pre-order period and will go up to $3.99 on August 18.Get it here!I'll share more about the book shortly. Right now, it's time for three new Cosplay by McCall's patterns! This time, it's all about accessories, and these patterns can help add new aspects to your cosplay.Becoming EmelieOne thing I love about this pattern is just how Wild West it is. In fact, the outfit reminds me of what one important character in my upcoming novel would wear. Clearly, then, these accessories would work well in a western steampunk cosplay.Becoming Emelie includes patterns for the hat, the capelet, the flowers on the capelet, and the handbag. Fabrics suggested include cotton, cotton blends, organza, and chiffon for the hat, cotton, cotton blends, linen, and synthetic leather for the flowers, synthetic leather or synthetic suede for the bag, and tapestry, brocade, and satin for the caplet.Inside the pattern flap, you'll find tips for embellishing, which includes using flowers, jewelry, and bows, buttons, and pearls. This is also a great area to add your steampunk flare. Of course, you could go with gears, but many charms, for charm bracelets, such as various animals, could also lend the accessories a steampunk feel. Add a model Deringer at the hip and a pair of goggles, and the look is complete.The skill level for this pattern is listed as easy, and it sells for just $13.95Red ReignNext, we have Red Reign, a pattern for eye patches, gloves, bracers, and claws. Is she a pirate captain, or a half-blind queen? Perhaps she's a spy with specialized gloves, and the patch actually acts as a sort of Google glass. Using your imagination, you're sure to come up with some great ideas for how to use this pattern.The pattern allows for three eyepatch styles, two glove styles (short or long), and two bracer styles (tied or not tied), plus claws that slip over your fingers. Suggested fabrics and parts include buckles and eyelets, eye patches, elastic straps, chains, beads, synthetic leather, suede, satin, novelty woven, and stretch knits.This pattern looks great for women or men adding some fun accessories to a period cosplay. Which historical period? Good question, because actually, this would work great for all sorts of times and worlds. I would even say that these may be some of the steampunk accessories you're looking for, if you want to deviate from the goggles and gears look. Take a Victorian era cosplay from any part of the world and add Red Reign.The tips section covers ways to customize accessories, like using blanket stitching and painting on elastic.If you're just getting started sewing, this pattern won't give yo too hard a time. The skill level is grated at very easy. It's available for $13.95.Foot Fetish: GildedWant to add something to your boots, including that steampunk flare I'm always talking about? You can do it with Foot Fetish: Gilded. Options A and B in this boot cover pattern are decidedly feminine, but C provides a sort of unisex Roman Centurion look. The trim and embellishments you use can push this right into steampunk territory.McCall's suggests using synthetic leather or synesthetic suede, plus chiffon, satin, charmeuse, and crepe as the main fabrics. In the tips section, you'll learn techniques for topstitching, beaded trims, and painting synthetic leather.The skill level for this pattern is listed as very easy, and it sells for $13.95. Book NewsBodacious Creed is the story of a U.S. Marshal who is murdered and brought back to life. He then goes after the outlaw who killed him and uncovers a criminal conspiracy to use the same sort of technology that raised him to create more undead. One of the fun things about it, for me, is that I set it in my home town of Santa Cruz, California, but in an alternate timeline where steam-powered technology is advancing, automatons (robots) serve those who can afford them, and resurrection is possible.Seriously, pre-order it. You won't be sorry!I've already written some about the process of getting Bodacious Creed ready for publication. In fact, if you'd like to know how to prepare a book for publication through CreateSpace, check out my latest WriteTip video, where I demonstrate the process.

Bodacious Creed - Finished!

My latest novel, the one I've been working on for the last four years, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, is finished!Release date is set for August 18, and you can already pre-order the paperback. Just click on the cover image.The Kindle version should be ready shortly, and will also be available for pre-order.I am so, so excited about this book. I think I've crafted a pretty amazing story. I'm eager to write some short stories in Creed's world, which will be free to my newsletter subscribers. (Want to read those? Subscribe below!) Then, I'm eager to start writing the sequel.That's the big news! If you're curious about the details, read on. I like to share how I accomplish things because I believe that's a great way to help others.The PitchWriting a novel is one thing. Though it's time consuming, I know how to do that. Writing short pitch, though, is a totally different beast. So, recently, I bought a book that Tim Grahl recommended, Gotta Read It!by Libbie Hawker. This 99c beauty of an ebook helped me craft what I think is a pretty good book description, which you can read here. (Incidentally, it's also on the main Bodacious Creed page here on my website.)U.S. Marshal James Creed has known loss, starting from the untimely death of his wife and daughter in a sudden fire. His work, chasing down and arresting outlaws across the Wild West, is all he has left to live for. Then one day, in 1876, the infamous killer Corwin Blake catches Creed by surprise and guns him down.Creed awakes after a mysterious young woman resurrects him in a basement laboratory beneath a brothel. Half alive, Creed feels torn between his need for justice and his desire to fall back into the peace of death. Creed's instincts drive him to protect the city of Santa Cruz, California, from the outlaws it harbors while searching for Blake.He uncovers a secret criminal organization, likely protecting Blake, determined to use resurrection technology for its own ends. The former marshal, now faster, stronger, and a more deadly shot than ever before, must work with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and the remaining marshals to uncover the criminal syndicate before they can misuse the machines of rebirth and create more mindless zombies. Meanwhile, he must also stop Blake, before the outlaw kills the only people he cares about.His own death can wait.A Flurry of ActionGrammarlyAfter reading the book aloud and fixing every grammar and consistency issue I could find, I was all set to read the book through one more time. Then, I decided to give Grammarlya try. If you're an author and haven't used this tool, I recommend it. In fact, it has a MS Office plug-in. So, for the final polish, I used that, and it caught a bunch of small errors I wouldn't even have noticed.Like all grammar and spell checkers, it's wrong some of the time, but I'm really happy it caught and allowed me to fix certain errors. So yes, this is a recommendation for that new, useful tool, as something to use at the very end, when you think your book is ready, but want to make sure.The MapI didn't know if I could do it justice, but I think I did! I created a map of my 1876 version of Santa Cruz, California, both my home town and where Bodacious Creed takes place. Fortunately, my hard earned skills from art school came in handy. You can check it out here, but newsletter subscribers get the full-sized map as a pdf, so sign up below!The PaperbackI recommend using CreateSpace to publish, because that will get you right onto Amazon. The prices and quality are also excellent. Plus, CreateSpace has a book template. I pasted each chapter of Bodacious Creed, in turn, into the template, and it looks great. I also inserted the map into a page of its own, right before Chapter One. Last night, I uploaded the book, and the finished wrap-around cover, so pretty soon I should be able to order my proof copy. Also, CreateSpace will convert it to Kindle, so pretty soon I'll be able to put the Kindle version up for pre-order at $1.49. The full eBook price will be $3.99, so if you order early, you'll get a great deal!The HardcoverPeople who backed the Kickstarter for Bodacious Creed at $65 and up are getting a limited edition hardcover of the book. To print these, I decided to go with Barnes & Noble's Nook Press. As it turns out, the interior size is identical to the trade paperback at 6x9, so I was able to use the same interior I'd prepared for the paperback version. I had to expand the cover, as it will have a dust jacket. That was cool, actually, because I decided to put the editorial reviews on the inside flap. Nook Press also allowed me to order a proof copy immediately, and that's supposed to arrive on the 25th. Once I see that it looks good, I'll order the backer copies.I Sent Out InvitationsMy Kickstarter backers get to read the book now! Yes, more than a month before the official release date. And why not? They've been waiting for four years! This will also give them time to read it before the release, and then to review it if they wish.Closing ThoughtsOver all, it feels amazing to have this novel done. It has occupied so much of my mental power and time over the last four years, and I think I've created something that most people will truly enjoy.Shortly, I'll start writing some short stories set in the same world, take copious notes for the sequel, and then start on that. I'm thinking of using NaNoWriMo to write the first 50,000 words or so of the sequel this year. If I do, I'll announce that in the blog.I hope you'll all subscribe to the newsletter below for those freebies. Also, through August 18, 2017 (the book's release date), you can enter to win a free limited edition hardcover!Thanks for reading, and write on!

Preparing for Novel Launch

I began writing my upcoming novel, Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western, nearly four years ago, and I'm so happy to say that it's finally coming soon. SO soon!I won't go into the history of the book, but will start with the present. The final major draft is finished. I'm now reading aloud, from cover to cover, and making final tweaks. Mostly, that means making sure the grammar is solid and that all details are consistent. As I read, I'm taking notes in a physical notebook, so that I can easily refer back to specifics later in the book.This is a fun phase for me. I get to read the book mostly as a new reader would. I get to take in the story that I spent years crafting. Today, I read the first tenth of the book, so this won't take long to finish.Launch DayMark your calendars for August 18! That's the day I plan to release this novel to the world! It will be available in paperback and for Kindle.I'm also giving away one limited edition hardcover copy of the book! How limited? Well, you may recall that this started as a Kickstarter project. Some of the backers pledged enough to get hardcover copies. When I ran a GoFundMe to help get my son and me outfits for The Edwardian Ball, an event I was invited to cover but couldn't afford, a couple of people who contributed to help us there earned hardcover editions. I've done one giveaway so far, and the winner of that is getting a hardcover copy when the book comes out. The winner of the new giveaway will also get one.All told, we're talking about twelve or fewer hardcover copies.Enter to win one for yourself!Pre-OrdersYes, I'm also planning on taking pre-orders!There's a process to this, so I can't say exactly when pre-order will be available. Amazon does have a way for me to sell both the paperback and Kindle editions this way. I plan to sell the paperback for $13.95 or maybe $14.95. Keep in mind that the book is long. Most paperback novels are around 80,000 words, and this one is 117,000. That should be about 500 pages.I may sell the Kindle edition at a discount for preorders. I'm still learning how to do all this, so bear with me! But I'll share here on the blog, and in my newsletter, when they're available.Oh yes! The best way to sign up for the newsletter right now? By entering the giveaway!Enter here!That's all for now. Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to email me via my contact page.