Dale’s Comments (group member since Sep 15, 2017)

Dale’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

Got myself into The Haven with this humor piece: Submission Guidelines for Submitting Submission Guidelines. Have fun with it!

Thanks, folks!

Good news! We got everything done a bit ahead of schedule, so The Realm of Tiny Giants is now available for pre-order in ebook format. Print format coming soon. Here it is on Amazon, and it's also at B&N and other online retailers.

Thank you!

Weasel Words earned a great 5-star review from JennieReads.com. I always enjoy learning that I hit my mark with something:

"At one point I was laughing just as hard as the characters, Melody & Felicity, about of all things – technological security. "

Please share this around and maybe even read the book. ;-) Thanks!

Got a new short story in Lit Up: Looking In. This was written for a Reedsy prompt. Didn't win, as usual, but I think it's pretty good, anyway...

Here's a Facebook group I recently heard about: The Finger on the Pulse. It's a fiction reading group in Peterborough (UK I gather) that has been doing online events during the pandemic and seems to be planning on continuing them. Might be an opportunity to meet some new authors and get your work in front of more people.

I've been interviewed by NFReads.com. You might be able to get an interview there, too, if you contact them and ask. I got an email from them out of the blue. It's one of those "here's some questions; email the answers" sort of interviews.

It's structurally sound. It just needs a few edits, methinks.

For the first paragraph, I think you could make it just:

A broken mage. A penitent vampire.

But if you want to keep the rest of it, that's okay. Just make it a separate sentence:

A broken mage. A penitent vampire. Can they put aside...?

Or maybe "move beyond" instead of "put aside."

In the body, there are two instances of "ending" the sorcerer/sorcerer's plans. One of them should be chanced to something else. I'd suggest changing the first to:

Ten years into Nicodemus Green's quest to [stop|destroy] an evil sorcerer bent on Godhood...

"shut himself away" could be "secluded himself" or "cloistered himself." (Basically, look for the most compact way of saying things. This generally results in more active sentences and stronger verbs.)

The only other comment I have is that I've heard quests have become tiresome, at least among some readers. It may be worth exploring synonyms. Maybe "struggle"?

Vince wrote: "It's been very effective for me. For indie writers, every little bit of additional credibility helps."

Good to hear. I have to get mine updated (or in some cases added) this week.

Amazon's editorial reviews are an underused tool for promotion. Or so says this article. It also has some interesting info on what qualifies as an editorial review (you may be surprised to find that nearly anything goes) and how to format an editorial review for maximum impact.

I haven't been using this feature much myself. I think I'm going to work on that this week!

Carole wrote: "Never heard of them. Great name- but I'm not sure about their reach."

They're a well-known and sometimes notorious purveyor of satire. (Some of their stories have been picked up by unsuspecting third parties and passed around as real news, which they definitely are not!) See their Wikipedia entry for info.

No clue. I'd think their website would provide contact info for advertising. I assume that's what you've already tried.

Thanks, Sam and Valerie! The book will be available for pre-order starting July 19th if all goes well.

Annnnnnd . . . . here's the back cover text:

Tales of mirth, imagination, and mayhem.

Nothing is quite what it seems in this realm. Partners cross each other, intentionally or otherwise. Late-night visitors appear from nowhere and linger long after they’re gone. Mountain lakes, forests, and caves harbor secrets best not revealed. And every day, curious encounters change lives.

In this eclectic gathering of thirty-one short tales, including award-winning flash fiction and longer stories, you’ll encounter crimes gone wrong, one-way journeys to other worlds, and ordinary people entangled with extraordinary circumstance. Some will chill you, some will get you thinking, and some will have you laughing out loud.

Because in The Realm of Tiny Giants, something unexpected is always just around the bend.

Here's the final cover for The Realm of Tiny Giants:

Last year, I was invited to submit a story to the collection Writers in Lockdown edited by British writer Faith Jones. I sent them a science fiction tale called "Adoption."

Now that we're emerging from the pandemic (at least in some places), Faith has arranged for production of audio versions of the stories. The recording of my story is now available: "Adoption"

This was done by volunteers, not professional voice talent, so it's a bit rough around the edges, but it's still a fun experience, and I enjoyed hearing how they interpreted the characters, even though they aren't always exactly how I imagined them. Still, it's a freebie, so one can't complain too much.

If you like it, maybe pick up a copy of the book, too. Production costs have already been covered, so proceeds go to charity. Thanks!

Anyone ever hear of Bookscribs? It looks like they use some AI tools to analyze stories for adapatibility to film/TV and then provide listings that indie producers can use to find works to option for production. I was approached by one of their reps about sending Weasel Words to them, but they do charge a fee. I have a feeling I'm going to take a pass, but I did ask them for more detailed info, including how many stories are listed and how many options are sold annually based on their listings. It could be legit, but is probably more a way for them to make money than for authors to do so.

I'll be releasing my first short story collection on August 16, 2021. Titled "The Realm of Tiny Giants," it's an eclectic gathering of thirty-one short tales, including award-winning flash fiction and longer stories about (among other things) crimes gone wrong, one-way journeys to other worlds, and ordinary people entangled with extraordinary circumstance.

I won't be doing a blog tour as such for this launch, but if you you have a book blog and would be interested in reviewing the collection, I'll gladly send you an ARC in PDF format. Also, I'd be happy to write a guest post for your site if you like. Just let me know.

Thanks!

Alex wrote: "Best of luck with the books Dale, and with writing the 4th"

Thank you. I'm nearing the end, but it's a mess and will need a lot of polishing. Oh, well. I'll get there...