Dwayne Fry - Fifty PLUS Free eBooks!

[Ann]

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks Dwayne for supporting indie authors.

[Jane]

Thanks Dwayne. It was a fun thing to do, and I'm sure all winners are as grateful as me.

[Lyra]

Yay! Now you OWN my world. Thanks, Dwayne. :)

[William]

Thanks Dwayne!
This was a cool contest and thanks for the support!

I may have to steal this idea at some point if you don't mind. It's a good way to get some new books.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

You're welcome, guys.

William, if you want to steal this idea, go for it! It's always good to see Indies seeking out Indie books.

I will probably do this again sometime... so all the winners better get writing more books or most of you won't be able to participate next time. *grin*

[E.A.]

Dwayne wrote: "Here are the authors who won my contest in the order I drew their names along with the books of theirs I bought. Thanks all and congrats to the winners!"

Thanks, Dwayne. I haven't been this lucky since....since....forever.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

E.A. wrote: "Thanks, Dwayne. I haven't been this lucky since....since....forever. "

Hey, I'm the one that ended up with all the books. I'm the lucky one.

[Annie]

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Annie wrote: ""

Awww... cute! You're welcome!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

[Jane]

Dwayne wrote: ""

Or maybe today Wayne didn't.

I have a great deal of fellow feeling. I'm currently fighting with two stories neither of which is cooperating in the slightest...

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Jane wrote: "I have a great deal of fellow feeling. I'm currently fighting with two stories neither of which is cooperating in the slightest... "

You just have to love those nasty, stubborn stories. Bits of this one are just fine, but when I came upon this section, I cringed. None of it works and it feels completely out of place. Not to mention, it's just really, really bad writing.

[Jessica]

That's awesome Dwayne! Thanks for the support. This is such a cool thing you're doing.

**...can you feel the love toniiiiggghhhhhtttt...** ;)

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Jessica wrote: "That's awesome Dwayne! Thanks for the support. This is such a cool thing you're doing.

**...can you feel the love toniiiiggghhhhhtttt...** ;)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iFBX...

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Ever since I ran across a passage in one of his books where St. Vonnegut gave himself grades on every one of his books, I kind of do the same from time to time, but it's more a report on various aspects of my writing. I've nearly finished the second draft of Suckers & Rogues*, my second novel, and...

Adventure - B+
Characters - B
Dialogue - A-
Drama - A-
Descriptions - C
Hidden Gems - A
Humor - A
Literary Value - D
Names - B+
Pacing - C
Plots / Twists - B
Romance - F--
Setting - B
Symbolism - B
Themes - C

Much work to do, especially with the romantic elements. Right now they read like a soap opera written by a six-year-old. Poo!

*The draft is incomplete. It is missing the final five chapters. I am not sure if I will work those into this draft or wait for the next.

[Christina]

I'm giving all of my books an F--- for literary value.

Looking forward to this one! I think I've been looking forward to this book longer than any of your other works.

[Marie Silk]

Dwayne wrote: "Zoltán Pósfai - Already have all your books
Lyra Shanti – Shiva XIV – Riddle of the Gods (I now have all of your books)
Jane Jago – Who Put Her In?
Nathan Bush – I already have your book
Jessica Jesinghaus – Fractured (yes, the free one – I went to buy one, but this is the only one of yours I did not already have.
Nat Kennedy - Center of Deception (I now have both of your books)
P.L. Winn - Tillie Madison vs. Reality
E. A. Briginshaw - Women 101: A Father’s Humorous Guide To His Son
William C. Tracy - Merchants and Maji (I now have both of your books)
Jane Jago - Jackdaw Court (I now have all of your books)
E. A. Briginshaw - Goliath
Alexis Wills - VENI (on pre-order)
Angel Chadwick - Weeping Well (I thought I bought this a long time ago – weird)
E. A. Briginshaw - The Legacy
Annie Arcane - Hart of His
Ashleigh Reynolds - Paroxysm Effect
Ashleigh Reynolds - Paroxysm Aftermath
Angel Chadwick - Corridors of My Mind
Annie Arcane - Hart of Hers ."

Fantastic list! Congrats to all the winners :).

And nice report card, Dwayne!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Christina wrote: "I'm giving all of my books an F--- for literary value. "

Well... I guess that depends. Are you trying to emulate great works of literature? If not, then the grade really doesn't count. That short story of yours has a lot of literary value, whether you intended it to or not.

I started Suckers & Rogues with the intention that it would feel like Joseph Heller meets William Golding. But, in the state it's in, it reads more like a fourth grader's "What I Did Last Summer" essay. It'll never be as good as I want it to be, but I hope I can get it closer to something resembling literature, sooner or later.

And the "romance" can be summed up like this: "Boo hoo hoo. Girls confuse me. Boo hoo!"

Blech.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Marie Silk wrote: "Fantastic list! Congrats to all the winners :).

And nice report card, Dwayne! "

Thank you, Marie!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Christina wrote: "Looking forward to this one! I think I've been looking forward to this book longer than any of your other works."

Glad to hear it. Here's a tiny sneak preview. Ben is waxing angsty over a crush who is more interested in reading than talking to him. It's one of the better moments in the awful, whiny romantic side of the story:

Who was Larry Van Der Voorde, but a pot-head and a slacker? He thought of her as a cigarette vending machine. He was sleeping when she needed him.

Who was Claude Bonhomme, but a prissy little boy? He called her a hooker. The boys were all laughing at her thanks to Claude.

Who was Rufus Moran? Who was Rufus Fucking Moran? Some old man who wrote a lot of books that were far too thick. Rufus God Damned Moran. He was sitting in some mansion in New York or Los Angeles or maybe talking to Phil Donahue.

Who was I? Who was I? Ben Starn, that’s who. I created stories about her. I made her laugh. I sought her music. Why was I the one she was tossing aside like a used Band-Aid?

[Nathan]

Dwayne wrote: "Christina wrote: "Looking forward to this one! I think I've been looking forward to this book longer than any of your other works."

Glad to hear it. Here's a tiny sneak preview. Ben is waxing angs..."

This is great stuff, looking forward to the completed work. And hey, girls confuse me too, boo hoo! That's my kind of romance story lol

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Nathan wrote: "This is great stuff, looking forward to the completed work. And hey, girls confuse me too, boo hoo! That's my kind of romance story lol "

The problem is, I already have a book that's too much like that and feedback is often along the lines of "I wanted to smash your main character in the mouth". So, I need to rework Ben's attitude about girls. Maybe more like, "Girls confuse me*... which makes them all the more interesting!"

*Because I will not change the two girls he shows interest in through the book. They're the best characters in there and I love that they're confusing.

[Justin]

Dwayne,
When you come up with an idea for a story do you make a note of it or run to your computer and immediately get started on it? Just curious.

[Angel]

I just saw this. Thanks, Dwayne! I was shocked to see myself as one of the winners. Congrats to the rest of winners as well. :)

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Justin wrote: "Dwayne,
When you come up with an idea for a story do you make a note of it or run to your computer and immediately get started on it? Just curious."

Usually I let it sit in my brain for a few months before even starting to mess with it on the computer. Often times they start with one interesting thought that is not an actual story, yet. I let them sit in there and cook. When I feel a real story is coming out of an idea, it's time to find time to get some of it out on the computer and then it sits a while again. Repeat until I feel I have a product that is ready to edit.

It's a little crazy, but it works for me.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Angel wrote: "I just saw this. Thanks, Dwayne! I was shocked to see myself as one of the winners. Congrats to the rest of winners as well. :)"

Thank you for entering!

I will probably do this again in a few months.

[Angel]

Dwayne wrote: "Angel wrote: "I just saw this. Thanks, Dwayne! I was shocked to see myself as one of the winners. Congrats to the rest of winners as well. :)"

Thank you for entering!

I will probably do this aga..."

Hope I'll be able to enter again with a new book. I'm working on a lot writing projects at once so maybe hopefully.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

I'm thinking I'll do it again around September or October. So, get cracking!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

To say I'm excited about this project is a gross understatement. I'm hoping for a July release.

[Dan]

I definitely dig both the title and the blurb! Good luck on hitting your July release!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Thanks, Dan! I started working on this a long time ago. I had a bunch of titles I liked and put it up to a vote in the main SIA board. Suckers & Rogues won. In retrospect, it is the best title of all the ones I came up with.

[Christina]

Excellent! I can't wait to read it!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Christina wrote: "Excellent! I can't wait to read it!"

You will appreciate it on levels that most will not. Ben Starn, Claude Bonhomme, Rufus Moran (sort of), and Howie Brewer... in the same book!

[Jane]

is it going to be another one that puts hooks in the soul?

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Jane wrote: "is it going to be another one that puts hooks in the soul?"

I hope so!

[Angel]

Dwayne wrote: "I'm thinking I'll do it again around September or October. So, get cracking!"

I'm on it, boss! :)

[Angel]

Dwayne wrote: "

To say I'm excited about this project is a gross understatement. I'm hoping for a July release."

Awesome, looks great, Dwayne! Reading the blurb I could hear the Star Wars theme song in my head. It's a very powerful and haunting blurb. Very short and to the point, too, just the way I like it straight with no chaser. Brilliant!

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

I confess - that was going to be just a teaser / tagline. I had not thought of it as a blurb, but I've had several people in various places say it's a great blurb, so I was going to go with that and add to it. Something like:

There were forty-nine children on the crew. None had magic. None were trained warriors. There were no prophesies. None had any super powers. But, among them, one had heart. One had courage. One would emerge a hero.

It's the summer of 1985. Ben Starn has joined a roguing crew. Friendships are made, enemies are formed. Join Ben and his crew as they search for the meaning of love, laughter, lust, and life.

I know the second paragraph needs some tweaking, but should it be dropped completely?

[G.G., Genre Buster Extraordinaire]

I think it has more punch without the second paragraph. I love how it ends with one would become a hero. It is intriguing and makes me wonder who. The second paragraph tells me it is Ben.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

G.G. wrote: "I think it has more punch without the second paragraph. I love how it ends with one would become a hero.it is intriguing and masked me wonder who. The second paragraph tells me it is Ben."

But... it's not.

[Angel]

Dwayne, I think it's better without the second part, but the "It's the summer of 1985," would benefit being in the first part, maybe something like this:


"It's the summer of 1985. There were forty-nine children on the crew. None had magic. None were trained warriors. There were no prophesies. None had any super powers. But, among them, one had heart. One had courage. One would emerge a hero."

I always use tagline/teaser/excerpts as a blurb all in one. ( Uh-oh, I've told you one of my special writing secrets.) :) So it could work for you, too.

[Jane]

Yup dropit. Para one is enough. It pulls. Adding anything will dilute the impact.

X

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Angel wrote: "Dwayne, I think it's better without the second part, but the "It's the summer of 1985," would benefit being in the first part, maybe something like this:


"It's the summer of 1985..."

Yes! Thank you to G.G., Jane, and Angel for your help. I will drop the second paragraph. G.G. is right. It could make it seem that Ben is the hero, which he is not. But, I like what Angel did here, as I do want to be sure that potential readers understand that this takes place in the "real" world and is a nostalgic, period piece.

[Angel]

Dwayne wrote: "Angel wrote: "Dwayne, I think it's better without the second part, but the "It's the summer of 1985," would benefit being in the first part, maybe something like this:


"It's the summer of 1985......"

No, problem. I'm glad we all could help. Hey, that's what we're here for, right?

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

I think I was making the mistake of wanting to put so much into the blurb because it's such a complex novel with so many things going on. But, you guys are right. This blurb focuses on the main theme of the book. The extra stuff is not needed.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

I have decided the next Happy Clown Burger book will be written entirely in fast food restaurants.

Now I just need to get up the courage to go out for fast food that often. *blurg*

https://goo.gl/ZOXD2W

[Christina]

Oh dear. Write fast. Very fast.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Christina wrote: "Oh dear. Write fast. Very fast."

I usually do with those.

[Christina]

It's been more than 20 years since I've worked in food service of any sort, but I can still tell which fast food joint is nearby on smell alone. This is not the superpower I signed up for.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

It's been almost thirty years for me. I worked for Arby's for about a month or two. I actually liked it, but I was working the lunch shift a couple times a day. My other job was working in a bakery six nights a week. Before I started at Arby's, I was usually sleeping at noon. So, I did all right with Arby's for about a month, then I started having a problem with staying awake when I got home from the bakery and would often drift off and sleep through my Arby's shift. At one point it happened three days in a row and I figured they weren't going to keep me much longer, so I stopped going in.