The Bibliophilic Book Blog has a 5-star review of Ashes. Visit the blog and find out more!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Reckoning (the Ashes sequel) on target for November publication!
Good news for fans of my suspense novel Ashes. I got the final copyedits/proofreading notes in from the editor, and have started on those. The book's well on target for its publication date in the first half of November.
I'm very excited, because of all my books Reckoning was the one that was most fun to write. I was coming off a several-year writing hiatus at the time (said hiatus was because my son was very young and I didn't have the physical energy or mental stamina for serious creativity), so I was very enthusiastic to be getting back to writing, and I think that shows in the book. Those of you who read and enjoyed Ashes will like the sequel (which can be read on its own - but it's best to read both books to get the full story arc).
Now, back to editing!
I'm very excited, because of all my books Reckoning was the one that was most fun to write. I was coming off a several-year writing hiatus at the time (said hiatus was because my son was very young and I didn't have the physical energy or mental stamina for serious creativity), so I was very enthusiastic to be getting back to writing, and I think that shows in the book. Those of you who read and enjoyed Ashes will like the sequel (which can be read on its own - but it's best to read both books to get the full story arc).
Now, back to editing!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Review (and giveaway!) of The Day After Yesterday
The Book Bag has a glowing review of The Day After Yesterday, and is kindly hosting a giveaway of an autographed print copy or an ebook. Go take a look and enter the giveaway!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Favorite secondary characters
Secondary characters can often be the most fun to write. There's a bit more freedom to make them fun and interesting, and less worry about all the backstory and flaws you need to give a main character. One of the things that's been most enjoyable with my own books is finding out which characters people like, and I'm happy that so far my secondary character Eskimo Sally (from The Day After Yesterday) is a favorite with some fans.
So without further ado, here are some of my favorite secondary characters:
Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series (books 5-7)
Dreamy, eccentric, and surprisingly wise, Luna is also just plain fun (highlights are her roaring lion hat, and her spaced-out commentary at a Quidditch game). Her whimsy is a good thing, considering how angsty the last three Potter books become. Her combination of goofiness and insight was a big inspiration to me when writing my aforementioned Eskimo Sally character.
Partridge in The Shipping News
A well-read, well-traveled, life-loving copy editor who befriends the friendless protagonist Quoyle and introduces him to the art of journalism, Partridge does what any friend should do - help a person out when help is needed. In addition to his friendship, Partridge helps Quoyle get a newspaper job in Newfoundland that helps Quoyle transform his life. The only downside is that Partridge isn't in the book enough (would have loved a chapter in which he visits Quoyle in Newfoundland).
Will Somers in The Autobiography of Henry VIII
Henry's fool Will is the character who "inherits" Henry's journal and comments on it throughout the book, providing his own perspective (particularly valuable when Henry disappears up his own ego) and filling in some blanks of historical perspective for the reader. It helps that Will is witty, sarcastic, and insightful, and his interludes in the journal are always welcome.
The Old Turk in Boys and Girls Together
William Goldman's underrated story of damaged souls is at its most heartbreaking with the story of Rudy, a kind child who's ultimately destroyed by his hideous parents. The one bright period in Rudy's life is when his family moves in with his maternal grandfather, a deli owner known as The Old Turk. He's a caring, sensitive, and sarcastically witty old man whose loving bond with his grandson is well realized and too, too brief.
Dr. Lilith Ritter in Nightmare Alley
All the secondary characters I've listed so far are nice people for the most part - ready for an evil one? Dr. Lilith Ritter is a psychiatrist who uses her brains and the information she's privy to from therapy sessions to help her erstwhile partner Stan Carlisle, a fake spiritualist minister. She's merciless and chilling, particularly when she robs Carlisle and uses what she's learned about him to drive the emotionally unstable man to a breakdown. And the best/worst part is that she gets away with it all.
Eustace Clarence Scrubb in The Chronicles of Narnia
I don't know if it's entirely fair to call Eustace a secondary character. He's secondary indeed in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but has a more substantial role in The Silver Chair, then is back to secondary in The Last Battle. But I'm including him here because he's arguably the only character in the series who has an actual arc. The Pevensie children start out nice and stay that way (well, except for that whole bit with Susan blowing off Narnia in favor of parties and lipstick, but that's a topic for another time). Eustace starts off as a smarmy little pill who's petty and nasty. He's turned into a dragon for a while, as a direct result of being a smarmy little pill, and after he's turned back into a human by Aslan, turns over a new leaf. The transformation isn't instantaneous and Eustace still has his douche-y moments, but overall it's quite a convincing and nice character arc.
Who are your favorite secondary characters?
So without further ado, here are some of my favorite secondary characters:
Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter series (books 5-7)
Dreamy, eccentric, and surprisingly wise, Luna is also just plain fun (highlights are her roaring lion hat, and her spaced-out commentary at a Quidditch game). Her whimsy is a good thing, considering how angsty the last three Potter books become. Her combination of goofiness and insight was a big inspiration to me when writing my aforementioned Eskimo Sally character.
Partridge in The Shipping News
A well-read, well-traveled, life-loving copy editor who befriends the friendless protagonist Quoyle and introduces him to the art of journalism, Partridge does what any friend should do - help a person out when help is needed. In addition to his friendship, Partridge helps Quoyle get a newspaper job in Newfoundland that helps Quoyle transform his life. The only downside is that Partridge isn't in the book enough (would have loved a chapter in which he visits Quoyle in Newfoundland).
Will Somers in The Autobiography of Henry VIII
Henry's fool Will is the character who "inherits" Henry's journal and comments on it throughout the book, providing his own perspective (particularly valuable when Henry disappears up his own ego) and filling in some blanks of historical perspective for the reader. It helps that Will is witty, sarcastic, and insightful, and his interludes in the journal are always welcome.
The Old Turk in Boys and Girls Together
William Goldman's underrated story of damaged souls is at its most heartbreaking with the story of Rudy, a kind child who's ultimately destroyed by his hideous parents. The one bright period in Rudy's life is when his family moves in with his maternal grandfather, a deli owner known as The Old Turk. He's a caring, sensitive, and sarcastically witty old man whose loving bond with his grandson is well realized and too, too brief.
Dr. Lilith Ritter in Nightmare Alley
All the secondary characters I've listed so far are nice people for the most part - ready for an evil one? Dr. Lilith Ritter is a psychiatrist who uses her brains and the information she's privy to from therapy sessions to help her erstwhile partner Stan Carlisle, a fake spiritualist minister. She's merciless and chilling, particularly when she robs Carlisle and uses what she's learned about him to drive the emotionally unstable man to a breakdown. And the best/worst part is that she gets away with it all.
Eustace Clarence Scrubb in The Chronicles of Narnia
I don't know if it's entirely fair to call Eustace a secondary character. He's secondary indeed in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but has a more substantial role in The Silver Chair, then is back to secondary in The Last Battle. But I'm including him here because he's arguably the only character in the series who has an actual arc. The Pevensie children start out nice and stay that way (well, except for that whole bit with Susan blowing off Narnia in favor of parties and lipstick, but that's a topic for another time). Eustace starts off as a smarmy little pill who's petty and nasty. He's turned into a dragon for a while, as a direct result of being a smarmy little pill, and after he's turned back into a human by Aslan, turns over a new leaf. The transformation isn't instantaneous and Eustace still has his douche-y moments, but overall it's quite a convincing and nice character arc.
Who are your favorite secondary characters?
Monday, September 9, 2013
Books read in 2013: August
Bit of a slow month as the primary book I read, William Styron's Lie Down in Darkness, is not something you can read at a quick clip. So here is the tally for August:
The Serpent and the Pearl - Kate Quinn
Lie Down in Darkness - William Styron
The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison
Currently reading Bones of the Moon by Jonathan Carroll.
The Serpent and the Pearl - Kate Quinn
Lie Down in Darkness - William Styron
The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison
Currently reading Bones of the Moon by Jonathan Carroll.
Kelly's big score: Book Ziggurat Edition
I've acquired quite a pile of books in the last few weeks. Some were purchased at The Book Loft in Solvang, some were a gift from my buddy A. J., and some were a prize in a Twitter contest held by Alfred A. Knopf publishers.
So here's the total stack:
Talk about being spoiled for choice!
So here's the total stack:
- The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison
- The Inquisitor's Wife - Jeanne Kalogridis
- Cold Light - Jenn Ashworth
- The Night Country - Stewart O'Nan
- Bones of the Moon - Jonathan Carroll
- The Most of Nora Ephron
- The Wolves of Midwinter - Anne Rice
- Longbourn - Jo Baker
- The Lowland - Jhumpa Lahiri
- Levels of Life - Julian Barnes
- Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin - Jill Lepore
Talk about being spoiled for choice!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Update: The Nerd Girl's Guide to Cinema
It's been a while since I mentioned my book of movie reviews that's in progress, but now I have an update on The Nerd Girl's Guide to Cinema. I have 3/4 the quota of reviews designated for the book, so we're definitely on the downhill side. I'm already getting things prepped for the cover art.
Those of you who've read my reviews at Horrorview know that I'm fond of horror and other genre films, not to mention oddball films and cult classics. Is there a particular film you'd like to see my take on? Leave a comment and let me know!
Those of you who've read my reviews at Horrorview know that I'm fond of horror and other genre films, not to mention oddball films and cult classics. Is there a particular film you'd like to see my take on? Leave a comment and let me know!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Day After Yesterday ebook on sale through 9/8
Summer's over (or so they say - it's still 90-something and miserable here), so settle in with a book that's perfect for the cool days of autumn and winter. My novel The Day After Yesterday is available for just 99 cents through September 8, for Kindle and all other e-readers.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
How to get a book written
Gary Glass, author of The Nirvana Plague, has some sage advice for getting a book written. It's over at the Like Fire site - take a look!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
How it went: Ashes book signing at Vroman's Bookstore (with photos!)
Today was my first-ever book signing event! I joined two other local authors at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA to read from and answer questions about my novel Ashes, with a signing to follow.
It was a thrill to see a full house in attendance (among them friends, some of whom were around and providing encouragement when I was first writing the book). I read a passage from the first chapter, answered some (very good) questions, and then signed some copies. I was able to say thank you to longtime fans, and possibly gain some new fans.
It was a tremendously rewarding experience, and I was not nearly as nervous as I would have thought I would be. My thanks go out to everyone who attended.
It was a thrill to see a full house in attendance (among them friends, some of whom were around and providing encouragement when I was first writing the book). I read a passage from the first chapter, answered some (very good) questions, and then signed some copies. I was able to say thank you to longtime fans, and possibly gain some new fans.
It was a tremendously rewarding experience, and I was not nearly as nervous as I would have thought I would be. My thanks go out to everyone who attended.
The upcoming events list at Vroman's. I'm left column, second from the top.
The audience for the 8/25/13 Local Author event at Vroman's.
Me talking about the book. Judging by my hand gestures,
I think I'm talking about character and story arc.
Me at the podium. I think I'm being asked a question at this point.
Signing copies. Very odd to be on this side of the signing process.
With the other local authors.
Talking with a fan at the signing table.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Indie publishing: Playing the long game
It's been almost a year and a half since I jumped on the indie publishing train. I'm happy to say that it's been a very enjoyable experience, and I've learned a lot. Most importantly, I've learned the value of patience.
It's a cruel irony that while the technical process of publishing independently is very easy and quick, everything that follows can take quite a while. (Maybe it's not that ironic, as everything leading up to actual publication - writing, revising, editing, formatting, cover design - can and should take quite a while, but that's a topic for a different post.)
I want to share some of my experiences, lessons I've learned, and general two-cents on indie publishing. I hope these are helpful, and feel free to share any insights or tips you may have in the comments.
You have to promote your book. People won't buy it if they don't know about it, and merely publishing something may get you a brief "New release" mention on Amazon but with the sheer number of new releases out there, the sales will be few at best. Expecting people to stumble on your book won't work, particularly if it's new and has very few reviews.
But where to start? The good news is that there are opportunities to promote your book. Some are free, some are affordable to most everyone, and some are expensive. Start by visiting GalleyCat's list of free sites to promote your ebook. Be sure to check out the sites and find out what works best for you - some of these are only for promoting free books, some are focused on a certain genre or exclude certain types of content (i.e., no erotica).
From there start exploring more sites that promote ebooks, and take notes on the specifics for each site. Will the site promote your book at its list price, or at a sale price only? Are there restrictions on the number of reviews or star ratings you need to promote? What are the price options? How is the promotion done: via Facebook or Twitter, an email list, a blog posting? What support are you asked to provide - for example, are you asked to like a Facebook post, put a link on your blog, or re-tweet? How far ahead of time do you need to schedule the promotion? Do you pay up front or does the promotion site take a percentage of your sales?
I've found that bookmarking likely sites and keeping an Excel sheet with the basics helps me organize the information (especially as the site names can blur after a while with ebook this and kindle that).
I'd be lying if I said there isn't a certain amount of "you get what you pay for" in these promotions. But while a free listing on a given site may not lead to an instant uptick in your sales, it can help get awareness of your book out to the reading public, while you accumulate the money or reviews/ratings needed to get some of the more high-cost promotional opportunities.
It takes money, experimentation, and yes, time. Many of the most successful promotional gambits I've made were at sites that required a certain level of Amazon reviews and ratings. The bad news is that it can take a while for those reviews to add up. The good news is that when you independently publish, you have control over your timelines. There isn't a paperback contract riding on whether you sell a certain number of hardcovers in a given amount of time. If your book takes a while to accumulate the reviews it needs to qualify for a solid promotional opportunity, so be it. Because reviews are another aspect that requires patience, and not just customer reviews.
Seek out reviews. The downside of indie publishing is that you have no marketing department sending out advance copies to big media outlets. Nope, you are your own marketing department, and many of the big media outlets won't go near indie-published books. But there are ways to get reviewed.
Book bloggers are a great source for reviews, and many bloggers are willing to put their reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon as well as the blog, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately there isn't a single comprehensive database for book blogs, but Step by Step Self Publishing is a good place to start, as is The Indie Book Reviewers list.
From there it's a lot of detective work. If you find a blog you like, be sure to check its blogroll for other sites. And you'll need to carefully look at each blog and determine:
Is the blog's genre/audience focus a good match? Don't send your uber-edgy horror novel to the blogger who reviews only cozy mysteries about cats.
When was the blog last updated? If it's been more than six months, give it a miss for now.
Read the review policy! Most bloggers who are open to review requests have a policy, and you should read it. If the blogger doesn't have one, chances are that he or she prefers not to receive review requests.
Respect the review policy! If a blogger has to take a hiatus and isn't accepting review requests, respect that. If the blogger does not like books with certain content or themes, respect that.
Be thorough. You will get more good will from bloggers if you demonstrate that you have taken the time to read the review policy and the blog, to craft a polite review request, and to address the blogger in a way that does not make him or her feel like just another name on your list.
Success builds success. Include a link to your book's Amazon page in your review request. Once you start building up a good number of customer reviews, and adding blog review excerpts to the Editorial Reviews section, bloggers will be more willing to take a chance on your book.
Be patient. It will take time to do all this. It will also take time to hear back from bloggers. You know how busy you are and how hard it is for you to find time to read or write? The bloggers are, for the most part, in the exact same situation. Most of them do the blogs in their free time, because they love books and love sharing their insights on books. So it can take while for them to get back to you. In fact, some of them won't get back to you, and that's fine - they may not be interested in your book, and only respond if they are interested. Don't worry about it, and move on. Even if a blogger does take on your book, it can take a while for them to get to it. Some will give you a hard date of when to expect the review, some won't. It's up to them. Again, be patient. Use the time waiting for one blogger to review your book by researching others who may be interested in reading it.
What it all boils down to is that indie publishing is not a quick thing. The wheels turn slowly, but if your book has merit, they do turn. And when a certain point is reached, and the right blend of reviews, promotion, and word of mouth is achieved, your book's sales will start to reflect this. And when the waiting gets unbearable and you can't face another night of researching blogs or promotional opportunities - use your time to write another book. The more books you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed.
It's a cruel irony that while the technical process of publishing independently is very easy and quick, everything that follows can take quite a while. (Maybe it's not that ironic, as everything leading up to actual publication - writing, revising, editing, formatting, cover design - can and should take quite a while, but that's a topic for a different post.)
I want to share some of my experiences, lessons I've learned, and general two-cents on indie publishing. I hope these are helpful, and feel free to share any insights or tips you may have in the comments.
You have to promote your book. People won't buy it if they don't know about it, and merely publishing something may get you a brief "New release" mention on Amazon but with the sheer number of new releases out there, the sales will be few at best. Expecting people to stumble on your book won't work, particularly if it's new and has very few reviews.
But where to start? The good news is that there are opportunities to promote your book. Some are free, some are affordable to most everyone, and some are expensive. Start by visiting GalleyCat's list of free sites to promote your ebook. Be sure to check out the sites and find out what works best for you - some of these are only for promoting free books, some are focused on a certain genre or exclude certain types of content (i.e., no erotica).
From there start exploring more sites that promote ebooks, and take notes on the specifics for each site. Will the site promote your book at its list price, or at a sale price only? Are there restrictions on the number of reviews or star ratings you need to promote? What are the price options? How is the promotion done: via Facebook or Twitter, an email list, a blog posting? What support are you asked to provide - for example, are you asked to like a Facebook post, put a link on your blog, or re-tweet? How far ahead of time do you need to schedule the promotion? Do you pay up front or does the promotion site take a percentage of your sales?
I've found that bookmarking likely sites and keeping an Excel sheet with the basics helps me organize the information (especially as the site names can blur after a while with ebook this and kindle that).
I'd be lying if I said there isn't a certain amount of "you get what you pay for" in these promotions. But while a free listing on a given site may not lead to an instant uptick in your sales, it can help get awareness of your book out to the reading public, while you accumulate the money or reviews/ratings needed to get some of the more high-cost promotional opportunities.
It takes money, experimentation, and yes, time. Many of the most successful promotional gambits I've made were at sites that required a certain level of Amazon reviews and ratings. The bad news is that it can take a while for those reviews to add up. The good news is that when you independently publish, you have control over your timelines. There isn't a paperback contract riding on whether you sell a certain number of hardcovers in a given amount of time. If your book takes a while to accumulate the reviews it needs to qualify for a solid promotional opportunity, so be it. Because reviews are another aspect that requires patience, and not just customer reviews.
Seek out reviews. The downside of indie publishing is that you have no marketing department sending out advance copies to big media outlets. Nope, you are your own marketing department, and many of the big media outlets won't go near indie-published books. But there are ways to get reviewed.
Book bloggers are a great source for reviews, and many bloggers are willing to put their reviews on Goodreads and/or Amazon as well as the blog, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately there isn't a single comprehensive database for book blogs, but Step by Step Self Publishing is a good place to start, as is The Indie Book Reviewers list.
From there it's a lot of detective work. If you find a blog you like, be sure to check its blogroll for other sites. And you'll need to carefully look at each blog and determine:
Is the blog's genre/audience focus a good match? Don't send your uber-edgy horror novel to the blogger who reviews only cozy mysteries about cats.
When was the blog last updated? If it's been more than six months, give it a miss for now.
Read the review policy! Most bloggers who are open to review requests have a policy, and you should read it. If the blogger doesn't have one, chances are that he or she prefers not to receive review requests.
Respect the review policy! If a blogger has to take a hiatus and isn't accepting review requests, respect that. If the blogger does not like books with certain content or themes, respect that.
Be thorough. You will get more good will from bloggers if you demonstrate that you have taken the time to read the review policy and the blog, to craft a polite review request, and to address the blogger in a way that does not make him or her feel like just another name on your list.
Success builds success. Include a link to your book's Amazon page in your review request. Once you start building up a good number of customer reviews, and adding blog review excerpts to the Editorial Reviews section, bloggers will be more willing to take a chance on your book.
Be patient. It will take time to do all this. It will also take time to hear back from bloggers. You know how busy you are and how hard it is for you to find time to read or write? The bloggers are, for the most part, in the exact same situation. Most of them do the blogs in their free time, because they love books and love sharing their insights on books. So it can take while for them to get back to you. In fact, some of them won't get back to you, and that's fine - they may not be interested in your book, and only respond if they are interested. Don't worry about it, and move on. Even if a blogger does take on your book, it can take a while for them to get to it. Some will give you a hard date of when to expect the review, some won't. It's up to them. Again, be patient. Use the time waiting for one blogger to review your book by researching others who may be interested in reading it.
What it all boils down to is that indie publishing is not a quick thing. The wheels turn slowly, but if your book has merit, they do turn. And when a certain point is reached, and the right blend of reviews, promotion, and word of mouth is achieved, your book's sales will start to reflect this. And when the waiting gets unbearable and you can't face another night of researching blogs or promotional opportunities - use your time to write another book. The more books you have, the better chance you have of getting noticed.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Ashes signing at Vroman's Bookstore, August 25
Join me and other local authors for a signing at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA. It's this Sunday, August 25, at 4 p.m. I'll read from and answer questions about Ashes, and a signing will follow.
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
What Nikki Read has a 5-star review of Ashes
The blog What Nikki Read now has a 5-star review of Ashes. Take a look and find out what she thought of the book!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Kelly's Big Score: Back to the Beach edition
Road-tripped up to El Capitan State Beach yesterday (more on this soon) where I spent the day walking nature trails and lolling on the beach. About 3 p.m., when the breeze cooled things down and the marine layer started rolling in, I recalled that there is a used book store not far away in Ojai. It was on the way home with a small detour, so I went, and thank goodness I did.
Bart's Books is an outdoor store with labyrinthine shelves that have so many nooks and crannies you'd need all day to peruse the shelves thoroughly. I didn't have all day, but I was able to come home with:
- Control - William Goldman (got two copies, actually, one for me and one for my buddy A.J.)
- Shardik - Richard Adams
- The Mouse That Roared - Leonard Wibberley
- Damage - Josephine Hart
- Deliverance - James Dickey
- I the Jury/My Gun is Quick/Vengeance is Mine! - Mickey Spillane
I foresee another road trip soon to see the rest of what this store has to offer.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Books read in 2013: July
Sort of an odd month for reading. Had some trouble getting into books (I chalk it up to being distracted by Comic-Con), but here's the tally for July:
Frozen Heat was a pleasant surprise - the Castle tie-ins are turning into real books. The Scarlet Ruse was also a bit surprising (refreshing to see a female character who is not swept off her feet by McGee).
Currently reading The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn (I've enjoyed all her Rome books so I'm looking forward to this). And I just received as a belated birthday present Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.
- Karen White - Sea Change
- Justin Cronin - The Passage
- Richard Castle - Frozen Heat
- John D. MacDonald - The Scarlet Ruse
Frozen Heat was a pleasant surprise - the Castle tie-ins are turning into real books. The Scarlet Ruse was also a bit surprising (refreshing to see a female character who is not swept off her feet by McGee).
Currently reading The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn (I've enjoyed all her Rome books so I'm looking forward to this). And I just received as a belated birthday present Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.
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