jambalian

Authors Helping Authors...

2012-03-14T09:58:00.018-07:00

…is a hashtag I came across on Twitter a few weeks ago when I thanked a fellow writer for spreading the word about my novel, Gray Justice. His response was “My pleasure #AuthorsHelpingAuthors”. I didn’t really think much more about it until I decided to check out a book promotion website recently. I had been to the site before but had baulked at having to pay a fee, especially as I didn’t know if my book was ever going to sell. Now that I have some excellent reviews and a growing fan base (not to mention regular royalties) I looked again in more detail, and it struck me that something similar could be done quite easily (and most importantly, FREE) through Twitter.

Now some might think "Why should I tweet for other authors? I'll be pushing sales their way!" I had the very same worries when I first joined Twitter but the reader that buys their book isn't going to give up reading once they've finished it. They will simply go and find another book, and this time it might be one of yours. I regularly tweet for three authors, and all write in much the same genre as I do. That doesn't scare me at all, because I know that once the reader has finished their book they might go looking for recommendations from that author, and that leads them to me. Since I started taking part in the tweet exchange my sales have increased around 300%, and I hope theirs have gone up, too.

My idea is extremely simple. I have created a new Twitter account (@AuthorTeam - https://twitter.com/#!/authorteam) and in that account I have started a new list called AHA (Authors Helping Authors). You can find it here: https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTeam/aha.

The plan is for as many of you authors as possible to follow this new account on Twitter (don’t worry, I will follow back and won’t tweet). I will then automatically add you to the AHA list. This might take up to 12 hours, so please be patient.

Once you have been added, here's what you have to do:

Go to https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTeam/aha and add it to your Favorites in your browser.

Visit that page as often as you can (try to get there once a day if possible).

Look through the list of tweets and retweet a few of them

Wait for fellow authors to retweet in return!

If you have a tweet that you would particularly like to have retweeted, add the #AHA hashtag to it

In order to make this work we need all participating authors to try and go to the list once a day and retweets some of the posts. If we can get 100 authors to join in, the chances are your tweets could be retweeted to thousands of new readers, getting you more exposure. Even if you can only manage to visit the list a couple of times a week you will still be contributing to the author community. You might even want to schedule a few tweets a day to let others know about this venture.

I must have a thousand authors following me at the moment, and if they all joined in that would be an awesome network. So please, click the first link above and follow @AuthorTeam.

And don't forget to tell your fellow authors about it!

Gray Resurrection

2012-03-05T03:27:00.001-08:00

This is a two-part post to answer questions raised during the launch of Gray Resurrection. I will first of all explain how the launch went, and then tell you about the cover image.

It is now 4 days since I released the sequel to Gray Justice and it’s time to reflect on how successful (or not) the promotion actually was. I set the price of Gray Resurrection to just 99 cents while at the same time offering a coupon to get Gray Justice free from Smashwords. It turned out that the promotion wasn’t that popular. Only 2 people took advantage of the free copy, yet actual cash sales increased, with daily sales up by 800%! That might sound a lot, but I think the figures have peaked and I expect them to fall back over the rest of the month.

It was fun while it lasted, but it does show you the value of a second book. I’m hoping to get another leap in sales when I release the last in the series – Gray Redemption – towards the end of the year. I’ll be back with details nearer the time.

As for the cover image, I wanted something really eye-catching for my second book. I recently interviewed Russell Blake on this blog and one of the things I asked was where he got his book covers from. While Russell couldn’t give me his/her name, he did offer to pass their email address along. I contacted the person and was given a great price for what I consider an outstanding image. I gave them the basics of the story and pointed out which elements where most relevant: the bolo (knife used for cutting your way through the jungle - or someones neck!); the protagonist in his battle to escape; and the attack on a military base. I was given a suggestion which I liked and asked for an example, which I got a week later. Unfortunately, the image of Tom Gray was all wrong. He had a normal nose, whereas Tom's was flat against his face. I pointed this out and three hours later I had the revised image you see here. That is one service provider who has found a customer for life! If you want a similarly stunning cover for your next book, take a look at Russell’s interview for details.

Ok, time to do some more writing…

Gray Resurrection is out on March 1st…

2012-02-27T00:22:00.002-08:00

…but there’ll be no sampling.

What? Hang on, you just spent two weeks promoting your post Kids, Ketchup and Books which is all about giving readers a taste of what they’re going to get and now you stop doing it with your new book.

Hypocrite?

Well, not really. You see, while Gray Resurrection is a good little read in its own right, it is much better if you read Gray Justice first. Thing is, I can’t guarantee that readers will have done that, and I can hardly open the book with “Thanks for buying this book, but you’ll have to stump up even more cash to buy Gray Justice first” can I?

So I’ve amended the opening to say “If you haven’t already read the first book I strongly suggest you to do so by grabbing a free copy from Smashwords. Simply do a Google search for “Gray Justice Smashwords” and you should be able to find the page quite easily. Go through the purchase procedure and at the checkout enter code XXXXX and click Update. The price will be recalculated to $0.00 and the book will be yours to enjoy. You can download it in multiple formats for your Kindle, Nook, iPhone, etc. I promise, you will enjoy this book a lot more if you read Gray Justice first.” Obviously that’s not the real code.

“But wait! I’ve just paid a dollar for Gray Justice and you’re going to be giving it away to new readers! That’s hardly fair!”

And you are quite right, it isn’t fair. That is why, instead of throwing it onto Amazon at $2.99 as I had been planning since last year, I will be launching it at just 99 cents – the lowest price Amazon will let me charge – for the first 4 days, so you have until the evening of Sunday the 4th of March to grab your copy on the cheap. Instead of paying $3.98 for both books you will be getting them for less than $2, which is still cheaper than a Starbucks and my way of saying Thank You!

I hope you enjoy it and look forward to your feedback.

Kids and ketchup...

2012-02-09T00:05:00.001-08:00

…go together like kids and sweets or kids and scraped knees. When I was growing up, everything had ketchup on it, to the extent that I couldn’t eat my fish fingers and chips if the ketchup bottle was empty. The thing is, my kids wouldn’t touch the stuff until last week. Whenever I offered them some to go with their burger they just said “EEUUWW!”

It was the same with gravy, ham and a host of other foods: they didn’t like it, even though they hadn’t tried it. Whenever the bottle was placed on the dinner table they would push it away from their plate in disgust, just in case their food became contaminated by its mere proximity. What I had to do was get them to sample a little ketchup on a chip. “Go on, just try a little, see if you like it.” They still refused, until I promised to open the sweet cupboard after dinner (that always works). With fear and trepidation, the youngest opened her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut, as if expecting the chip to explode. It didn’t, and her face instantly lit up. “Mmmmm, that’s delicious!” Her twin immediately dived in and now we’re moving on to the next battle: salad!

That episode got me thinking, though. Gray Justice has had 17 reviews on Amazon US and 14 on Amazon UK (at the time of writing) and only four have been 4-star, the rest of the readers giving it 5 stars. Yet it isn’t setting the world on fire. Sure, the reviews tell people how good it is, yet there is still that reluctance to dive in and spend 72 pence on a copy.

I’m sure it’s not just my book, either. Many a reader will have their favourite authors and have an unwillingness to try something new, which means there are so many great reads they could be missing out on.

Can a little tell you a lot?

I guess for me it can, just like it does for my daughters. Like the vast majority of readers, I want a book to grab me from the first page, or even the first chapter. Unfortunately, in recent years I have purchased too many books that have left me bored to tears. That isn’t to say they are bad books, but they are just not for me.

This doesn’t just apply to self-published books, either. I have read bestsellers from my favourite genres, sometimes even my favourite authors, and yet I couldn’t quite get engrossed enough to get past the first couple of chapters, try as I might. Since I bought my kindle late last year I have added and abandoned five works and I knew it was time to take a different – and cheaper – approach to book selection.

As a member of Twitter and Goodreads I get recommendations all the time, and as well as reading the reviews (which go a long way to telling me how good or bad a book might be) I download the sample from Amazon. This can be done easily by clicking the Send Sample Now button, and the first 10% of the story will be delivered to your Kindle. For me, that is more than enough to make a decision.

So the next time you get a book recommendation but you’re not convinced enough by the reviews to make a purchase, try sampling first. In fact, why not try sampling now? US readers can get a sample of Gray Justice here, while those from the UK (where the book is set) can get it here

Like my daughters and their ketchup, I’m confident you’ll be back for more!

KREATIV Blogger award

2012-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of days I have been nominated twice for the prestigious KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD. I'd never heard of it, so I looked it up.

Apparently the winner gets about a brazzilion dollars, eternal fame, astounding good looks, endless wit and a few more people visiting their blog. As I already have all but the latter (except for the first 4) I decided to take part and in order to do so I have been told I have to reveal 10 of my darkest secrets and nominate 6 other bloggers in return.

So here goes, the 10 things no-one knows about me:

1. I toss and turn in bed, so I sleep inside out to save wear-and-tear on my skin

2. There's something very wrong with my nipples: the ones on my back are bigger than the ones on my legs

3. After 18 months I've almost finished my second book. Okay, so I'm a slow reader!

4. I am undefeated at Wii Mariokart (except for those times when my daughters beat me, and they don't count)

5. I smoke. Yeah, I know. I once read a leaflet about the dangers of smoking and immediately gave up: I haven't read a leaflet since.

6. At school Mr Taylor, the English teacher, voted me the boy least likely to complete a coherent fish sorbet topped with I showed her wrong

7. I like to think I'm funny, but your reaction to the first six answers will be the acid test.

8. I didn't get into software development until I was 37. I took a course in a Microsoft language and the company teaching me offered me a job as a tutor after 15 months.

9. I am hopeless at DIY

10. I'd much rather write than watch telly. In fact, I can't remember the last time I just sat and watched a film without the laptop in front of me.

Now for the 6 other bloggers I admire (in no particular order):

Dawn Torrens is a lady who has been through so much in her life, yet is such a wonderful friend, not only to me but to many others. She dotes on her daughter and her debut book Amelia's Story is the harrowing tale of her life, from birth to her late teens. www.dawnsdaily.com @Torrenstp

Mike Wells gave me some great advice when I first joined twitter, and I've regularly poured through his blog for a greater insight into how writing really should be done. He was good enough to exchange a few emails with me when I was a Twitter newbie and for that I am most grateful. www.thegreenwater.com @MikeWellsAuthor

Scott Bury has been a friend on twitter for some time now (well, some time considering I've only been on there for 7 months). I got some sound writing advice on his blog, and one of his posts was just in time, preventing me from uploading my debut novel with over 200 typos. I corrected them and uploaded it with just 120 typos, but that's a different story! scottswrittenwords.blogspot.com @ScottTheWriter

Rob Guthrie What can I say about Rob? He is the founder of www.rabmad.com, a site created to let authors give something back and make a difference to the lives of the less fortunate. Rob himself donates a percentage of the profits of his book sales to help pay for the tuition of a young man called Ben, whose fees at The Joshua School are higher than normal due to his special needs. Never have I met such a selfless man as Rob Guthrie. www.rsguthrie.com/ @rsguthrie

Cinta Garcia was an early follower on Twitter and one of the very first people to read Gray Justice and realise what a fantastic book it is (he says, tongue firmly in cheek). Since then we have become great friends. I even received a Christmas card from her, all the way from Spain! Her blog is fantastic and she is probably the most prolific retweeter I have ever known!cintascorner.wordpress.com @Austenite78

Michael R. Hicks was one of the first blogs I visited when I first joined Twitter as a virgin author. I read blog after blog hoping to learn a few of the inner secrets, but this one stuck with me. As Michael rightly pointed out, there are around 6 Billion people on the planet, and if only a quarter buy English-language books, there is more than enough to go round. That is why I am happy to retweet or mention books written by what some will call rivals. I realise that if my work is good enough, it will get onto enough Kindles and Nooks eventually. Thanks for opening my eyes to that fact, Michael. authormichaelhicks.com @KreelanWarrior

Okay, all done. Vote for me because I need the money so that I can quit work and buy a sound-proof, kid-proof study and get some actual writing done!

An interview with Dawn Torrens

2012-01-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

It is a real honour to have had the chance to chat with Dawn Torrens, author of the harrowing Amelia’s Story. It tells the true story of a young girl born to a mother who resented her every breath and who made life intolerable for Amelia and her siblings.

Beaten almost daily by her mother and her string of boyfriends, Amelia eventually found her way into the care system in the 1970s. One would hope there was respite from the abuse, but it continued for many years to come.

I found it hard to believe that anyone could be so callous towards a child, let alone a parent to one of their own. Despite all this, Amelia grew up to be a loving, caring mother herself.

Her motto is ‘The child first and foremost’

Your name is Dawn, yet your book is called Amelia’s Story. Was there any reason for the name change?

Yes, I made a very conscious decision before I started writing my story to change the names of everyone who would be mentioned in my book. Basically to respect the privacy of each individual. I had spoken at length with my brother about this and he also agreed it would be for the best for all concerned.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My beautiful 3 year old daughter was my inspiration for writing “Amelia’s Story” as it is for her I have written my story. I knew the time would come one day when she would want to know about my past as all children do of their parents, this is a natural curiosity! I often wondered how I would tell her, or where I would begin, would I tell her everything, or hold back some things. That’s when I decided to write my daughter a book (my autobiography) I thought this was the best way for both of us. I can only hope and pray that she will feel the same when she is much older and I hand her my book.

What was the hardest part of writing Amelia’s Story?

Writing Amelia’s Story has taken me on the most incredible journey, I have re-visited places I thought I never would again, the hardest part for me was the research involved in my story, I had to request the help of the Shropshire social services, which took me back to Shrewsbury town. I needed access to all my case review reports and care records for all the years I spent in the state care system. One of the children homes I had spent a lot of time in had been converted into a records department, amongst other things. When I arrived a few years ago to go through all my records it was very emotional for me, as it looked the same. There were a few changes, such as the bedrooms were now offices, and they gave me a tour of the place as I was a former resident. It brought back so many painful memories, as this was the place where my brother and I were separated. Another thing I found very hard was the discovery of new information regarding events from our past. I discovered some very unpleasant incidents that neither my brother or I had any memory of.

It must have been terribly difficult to go from the regimented life in social care to making your own way as a young adult. What was your inspiration, your goal for the future?

What I found most difficult was the sudden realization that I no longer needed permission for just about everything including taking a bath or simply changing my clothes. Strange as it may seem, I suddenly had to make every decision for myself and I found it rather daunting to begin with. However I soon became accustomed to my new found freedom! My inspiration for my future was to never be a statistic. This was so important to me because I wanted and needed to do well in my future life (I guess to show every one that no matter how awful your childhood was, you can still triumph and go on to do well in your life and be a success - this was always paramount to me).

Do you have anything else in the pipeline?

I am currently writing my debut thriller novel “Obsession”, which is due out at the end of April. Following that “Amelia’s Story 11” will be released in the summer.

If you had to name the best book you’ve read, what would it be?

There are so many great books I could mention. However, the one that stands out for me is “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte, and I am a massive fan of Dickens.

What book are you reading now?

“The devil of light” by Gaelynn Woods

Dawn, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences with us. We wish you the very best of luck with your next venture and hope Amelia’s Story gets the recognition it deserves!

This is a powerful true story of one young girl's struggle to survive the care system during the 70s, and 80s. Amelia has one wish and that’s to make it through to adulthood. However, the obstacles placed before her are proving too hard to bear and she starts to wonder about the peace and finality of her own death. Amelia can see no light at the end of the tunnel; she just wants to hold her own destiny in her own hands, but adulthood was so far way she could not even catch a glimpse of her dream.

An interview with R.S. Guthrie

2012-01-13T11:54:00.000-08:00

I am so honoured to have had the opportunity to interview R.S. Guthrie, author of the Robert MacAulay series of books. His first book, Black Beast, has been very well received, with 29 five-star reviews so far. The sequel, LOST (synopsis at the bottom of the page), hit the shelves on January 1st 2012 and the response has been just as enthusiastic.

Rob is also the founder of RABMAD, promoting authors who are giving back from the sales of their books. Writers who give a percentage of their net proceeds to their own chosen cause, non-profit, or charity. The site, launched in late 2011 already has 46 authors signed up, a magnificent acheivement in such a short time.

Rob, when and why did you begin writing?

I used to make comic books as a kid, so if you count that, it’s been most of my life. However, I didn’t start writing fiction until I was in college. I love great stories and I think I have just always had a few inside me that wanted to get out.

How did you come up with the title for LOST?

I got to thinking about children who are abducted and are lost to their families—normal families that can be turned upside down to the point where they are lost themselves. Then, when the monsters are found that would cause harm to a child, I think we want to become lost ourselves—more like those evildoers so that we can somehow punish them.

LOST is the second in the Robert MacAulay series of books. What plans do you have for him in the future?

Well the third book in the series will tie a lot of things together and will likely finish the “Black Beast” or “Clan of MacAulay” series. It won’t be the end of Bobby Mac, though—that much I will let on. I have a lot more planned for him, but I think most of all he wants to get back to doing what he does best: being a detective in Denver, Colorado.

What was the hardest part of writing LOST?

I kept getting frustrated because the story was moving along but the word count was low. I finally had to let myself off the hook and realize the story is what matters, not how many words it takes to tell it. The story wants to be what it wants to be. Even the writer can’t force that. After I let go of the unnecessary pressure, all was well again.

What books have influenced your life most?

I’ve said before that my imagination is due in large part to all the Stephen King books I read as a child. It’s hard to quantify that because those books also taught me to love reading, which in turn taught me to love writing. There was also a trilogy of books by an author names Terry Brooks—the Sword of Shannara series. Wow. I could not put those books down, and they were 800-1000 pages each!

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Honestly I don’t think so. Once I finish a story, it’s done for me—literally carved into stone. Up until that point, however, I am apt to change just about anything! I have learned to let go after the book is released, though. Otherwise I would drive myself crazy.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

A great friend of mine named Mike was a huge supporter. He once created a “must read” book list for me. I knew he was extremely well-read and I was ready to move on from King and Grisham—away from mainstream bestseller authors. I knew he could recommend literally thousands—the guy read a book a day. I tried to narrow it down by asking for contemporary authors, mostly fiction—the list he gave me really changed everything for me when it came to the written word. I still look at that list today and still find books on there I haven’t read.

Rob, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share your experiences with everyone, and I hope the Bobby Mac series achieves all the success it deserves.

LOST

Denver Detective Bobby Mac returns in this intense horror/thriller, set in the northern panhandle wilderness of Idaho. After receiving a phone call from his brother, the Chief of Police in Rocky Gap, Idaho, Bobby Mac travels north to assist in the investigation surrounding two gruesome murders and the abduction of an eleven-year-old girl.

These two seasoned cops---estranged brothers reunited---will bring all of their experience to bear in a case that threatens not only the safety of a small town, but also the sacred lineage of a family of heroes.

Interview with Russell Blake

2012-01-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to introduce Russell Blake, international bestselling author of hits including Fatal Exchange, the Zero Sum trilogy and King of Swords, to name but a few.

Russell lives on the Pacific coast of Mexico, where he spends his time writing, fishing, collecting & drinking tequila, and playing with his dogs.

He is also a proud member of RABMAD (Read A Book, Make A Difference), a site dedicated to authors sharing their profits with worthy causes.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book was a forgettable non-fiction idiocy I wisely hurled into the garbage, and I think drinking had something to do with the inspiration. But it gave me a taste of sculpting language to create tapestries of images, and that got me interested in trying my hand at fiction. I mainly read thrillers, so when I sat down to write my first fiction book, it was naturally in that genre. Fatal Exchange was driven by a desire to do several things - first, experiment with a writing style that was percussive; short, high-velocity chapters that are the literary equivalent of a season of "24." Second, to weave two completely disparate stories along until they dovetail and resolve. Third, to base the entire thing around a completely plausible conspiracy. And finally, to create scenes, specifically the torture scenes, that would make readers squirm - to get their attention, and to demonstrate that language, used effectively, can evoke powerful emotions and imagery. The result was Fatal Exchange.

What made you choose a female protagonist for Fatal Exchange?

It really never occurred to me not to write her as female. I generally get my story ideas as single sentence bursts. This one was, "Hot NY female bike messenger stalked by serial killer and foreign government." From that, I needed to figure out why the rogue state was hunting her, and who the serial killer was, and why he was targeting bike messengers. It made it much easier for him to target females given that so many of those types of predators do. And I thought it was interesting to create an outwardly strong, yet inwardly conflicted character who is constantly having to make difficult moral choices as her life is in danger. Not to pat myself on the back, but I think it holds together well, and the readers seem to like it, so all's well...

If you had to name the best book you’ve read, what would it be?

In the thriller realm, it would have to be Day of the Jackal. Just a game-changer of a book, given that when it came out thrillers were largely of the Ian Fleming, cartoonish spy sort. Jackal brought reality into the genre, and changed everything, and it also introduced the concept of the protag who is not only fallible, but borderline forgettable and weak, who still prevails over a larger-than-life evil. Silence of the Lambs would have to come close second. Best book ever would have to be David Foster Wallace's masterpiece, Infinite Jest. Just broke every rule I can think of, and fascinates with every sentence.

Have any of your books been based on real-life experiences?

Boy. Don't want to let the cat out of the bag here. Let's just say that there's some real-life experiences in every novel I've written so far, although I have never been a contract killer or a Mexican police officer or a female bike messenger.

In order to become a successful writer you need to get your book into the hands of readers. Which method of marketing has served you best?

I think social media like Twitter has been instrumental in establishing my brand, if you will, as an acerbic, smart, hopefully funny writer with a different take on many things. Doing free books has worked nicely, and gets the work into many hands, so that's something I plan to do more of.

Are there any new authors that have grabbed your interest?

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't had much time to read over the last six months due to my writing schedule, but I've discovered several I like. David Lender, because I enjoy financial system thrillers, Steve Konkoly, because he creates atmospheric thrillers that appeal to me, and Gae Lynn Woods, whose first novel took me by surprise at how well written it was. But there are doubtless many I should read, and intend to, but I'm still so backed up on workload it may be months before I get down time.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I'm finishing up my first attempt at a Clive Cussler/Dan Brown type treasure hunt novel with my usual conspiracy/action styling, called The Voynich Cipher, which is actually a sequel to the Zero Sum trilogy of Wall St. thrillers, in that it uses Dr. Steven Cross from those books as the protag. The short pitch is "the world's greatest secret is contained in the pages of the most enigmatic document ever written." The Voynich Manuscript is real, and was written in 1440 or so, entirely in an encrypted code that has resisted all attempts to break it. Consensus is that it's not a fraud given the distribution of the glyphs, which are far too complicated for a hoax language, and yet it's confounded cryptologists for eons. It's now housed at Yale, where it is the biggest draw in their rare book library. It's fascinating because nobody knows what it actually says, and yet it's clearly the genuine article - so it's a lasting mystery. I thought it was an interesting basis for a novel - what if Cross was able to decrypt it, and it held a terrible secret that could change the world forever?

Who designed the covers for your books?

I have a wonderful, inexpensive designer who works for a book publisher, but moonlights. I can't say his/her name, but I can send anyone interested the e-mail for contact. I've been totally happy with the over a dozen covers so far, and everyone I've referred has also been happy, so I can do so with complete confidence and sincerity. Anyone interest should give me a shout at Books (at) RussellBlake (dot) com and I'll hook you up. I don't mind helping out fellow indie authors - we need all the help we can get. It's a tough road, and great editing and covers improve one's odds of making it, I think.

I would like to thank Russell so much for taking time from his heavy writing schedule to share his thoughts with us. For those of you not yet familiar with Russell’s work I can highly recommend his critically-acclaimed assassination thriller, King of Swords:

King of Swords is an epic assassination thriller framed against a gritty backdrop of brutal drug cartel violence in modern Mexico.

The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's pre-eminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico.

Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" – a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse.

King of Swords is an intelligent, rule-breaking rush that shatters convention to create a richly-drawn story that's sure to shock and delight even the most jaded intrigue/adventure thriller fans.

You can find all of Russell’s books on his blog: http://russellblake.com/

Scott Bury - The smartest thing I’ve done, the biggest mistake I’ve made—as a writer

2011-11-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

The best thing I have ever done as a writer is actually finishing the project, followed closely by getting involved with other writers through social media.

Over the years, I have had many great ideas—at least, I think they’re great—for novels. The list, when I write it down, spans several genres, and the stack of paper I’ve wasted on—I mean, devoted to them is high. But until I finished The Bones of the Earth nearly two years ago, I had never even gotten close to completing a novel-length story.

That’s why I was so pleased to complete it, and I did not shy away from revising, re-writing, submitting it to beta-readers, an editor and to reviewers. I wanted feedback. I went back and changed it several times, and while revising, revised some passages over and over again.

But while refining and polishing your work is certainly essential, it’s useless until you actually complete something. It’s not a story until you bring the reader to some kind of satisfying conclusion, tie up your loose ends and resolve the conflicts.

Unlike those writers who say “I don’t like writing; I like having written,” I actually like the process of putting words on the screen or page. Selling my words, however, is not something that I enjoy. But I recognize that without marketing and distribution, writing a complete book is not very useful. What’s the point of writing without readers?

That’s why, after actually writing a novel, the next best thing I did was to engage with other writers. Sympathetic fellow writers are legion, and easy to find through media like Twitter and online forums. They’ve provided great advice, but most important, encouragement simply by reading the words I write. And kind words left as comments on my blog have made a huge difference.

Other authors and readers have also provided invaluable advice and information on that long road that’s called publishing, the process of getting your book, however well polished and thoroughly reviewed, edited and tweaked it may be, in front of readers’ eyeballs.

It amazes me that such talented and knowledgeable people provide this information for free. Want to know the essential steps you should take to promote your book? There’s no end to the strategies, advice and tips available at no cost from some very smart and experienced writers on the Internet. For free!

Biggest mistake

The biggest mistake I have made, my greatest regret, is taking too long to complete this work. I took more than five years to write The Bones of the Earth.

I also regret not finishing another work that I began even before that book: a novelized memoir of my father-in-law, focusing on his time in the Soviet Red Army and his escape from a German POW camp in 1942. I did many interviews with him and a lot of other research, but did not complete it before he passed away. His story is my current work in progress.

On the other hand, I am a better writer at this stage of my life than I ever have been before. Sometimes I will look at stories I wrote in my 20s and shudder.

My life experiences, particularly as a father, informed my writing of my first-finished novel. Certainly, the book would have been different if I had written it 10 years ago. So maybe, the long time was a necessary part of my maturing as a writer (if not as a man).

I have gotten over the performance anxiety that I think a lot of potential writers feel—the fear of rejection that keeps so many from even trying. Partly, that’s because I have been a professional writer of business articles for 20 years. I know that readers find my writing acceptable, at least—that I can measure up to the professional standards of writing. And partly, it’s because of that encouragement of the writing community. So, thank you, gentle readers.

If I have any advice for writers, it’s this: first, write the book. Figure out what the story is and write it down. Re-read it, revise it, make sure there are no loose ends or plot holes or incredible moments. Make it as good as you can.

Then, turn to the greater writing community. You may want to join groups in your own home town, or forums on the Internet. I advise doing both. Take advantage of the knowledge that others have made available. Ask others to read and review your work, and take their advice to heart.

And don’t forget to offer what you have, too.

Please visit Scott's blog

Black Beast by R. S. Guthrie

2011-11-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

Black Beast by R.S. Guthrie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Black Beast grabbed me from the very first chapter. I don't get a lot of time to read, usually twenty minutes in bed, but this was a story I couldn't put down and I found myself having early nights just to get my next fix.

The characters are beautifully drawn without slowing down the pace of the book and every time I picked up my kindle it was just a few sentences before I was drawn into Bobby Mac's world. I saw the characters so vividly it was as if I was watching the film version (and surely there will be one with such a great plot).

Guthrie has created a protagonist in Bobby Mac that will push Alex Cross all the way, and I can see this turning into an epic series of novels.

I have no hesitation in giving Black Beast five stars and will be first in line to buy the next of Guthrie's works.

The next book you buy could make all the difference...

2011-11-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

In difficult times like these it is often hard to think of others when you have barely enough for yourself, but people still find time to do their bit for charity. Whether it is a sponsored run or volunteering at a local hospice, they give their time so that others might benefit.

Unfortunately we aren't all fit enough to jog for ten miles, and we might not have the time to do a shift in the canteen, but there are other ways we can make a difference to the lives of others.

My good friend Rob S. Guthrie came up with what I see as the perfect idea in the form of RABMAD. Millions of books are purchased every day and the profits go to the publishers, editors and authors (or in the case of indie authors, just to the author themselves). However, there are over a dozen authors on RABMAD who are pledging a percentage of their royalties to good causes, such as Benefit4Ben.

For my part, fifty percent of the royalties I receive from Gray Justice will be shared between the British Heart Foundation and Barnardos. This means that every time someone purchases a copy for 99 cents, they are not only getting a fantastic read, but are also supporting these great charities.

And that's how simple it is: you READ A BOOK (something you would have done anyway) and at the same time MAKE A DIFFERENCE. If you're a reader, get over to RABMAD and check out the great authors. If you're an author, why not join us?

So what do I get for my 99 cents?

2011-11-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

Well, for one thing you’ll be helping towards the discovery of the next Tom Clancy, Stephen King or Jackie Collins, depending on your genre. You see, all of the above, at one point in time, were first time authors no-one had ever heard of, yet now they are household names. They made the transition from unknown to unforgettable because they had big publishing houses behind them, companies willing to take their product to the public.

That in itself wasn’t enough to generate sales, though. What they needed was the public to believe the hype and actually read their work. Once they had, word began to spread. Not at its current rate (the internet wasn’t around in those days) but through traditional advertising methods such as magazine articles and also word of mouth.

But flourish they did, and now they have built up such a following that their next release is guaranteed sales with the minimum of promotion.

It’s not quite the same for the indie author, though, and the main reason we initially struggle is that many people associate the word ‘indie’ with ‘unpublishable’. If our books are so great, why haven’t we been snapped up by one of the big publishing houses?

The answer is simple: we no longer need them. Self-publishing has become so easy that anyone with a little knowledge of Microsoft Word can format a manuscript and upload it to Amazon or Smashwords and make it available to the world. By going it alone the author can realise much better royalties than they would get with a publishing house and have complete control over their work.

This does bring about the main problem, though: anyone can self-publish a book regardless of their ability to tell a story. The only way to separate the wheat from the chaff is to look at reviews.

I have been lucky that Gray Justice has been well received on Amazon, Goodreads and Smashwords, with over 20 reviews, the vast majority 5 star and the rest 4 stars. This was only possible because a few people were willing to risk 99 cents and were rewarded with what they considered a great read.

So the next time you see a book that catches your eye but you feel reluctant to take a chance on a new author, take a look at the reviews. They will go a long way to telling you what a literary ride you’re in for.

The road to writer stardom...

2011-10-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

...looks like a beautiful tree-lined avenue when viewed on Google Maps, and like many others I was tempted to take a stroll. Like a rainbow, you can’t quite see where it starts or where it ends, but there are tags near the far end showing the location of buildings such as Fame Villas and Money Mansion.

It only looked to be about two hundred yards long, so I set off at a jog and soon realised that I hadn’t been looking at the scale properly. I also hadn’t noticed the side roads branching off every few yards, or that the road had a huge camber which would propel you into an off-ramp before you knew it.

The first side road I came across was Lethargic Lane. Who knew that writing could take up so much of your time? I leave the house to go to work just before seven in the morning and I get home just before four in the afternoon. Fine, plenty of time to do some writing. But then as soon as you walk through the door there are your daughters and they both want a piece of Daddy. Once they’ve had their fill it’s Mummy’s turn to catch up on the day’s events, followed by dinner and a spot of reading with the girls. After they’ve had their bath and are finally settled down for the evening it’s time to turn on the laptop and see what’s been happening on Twitter. New friends to greet, people to thank for the shoutouts, mentions and retweets, then a scroll through the lists to see what my friends have been up to. With Twitter and the rest of my emails dealt with it’s time to open the book and add to that word count. Trouble is, by this time the Sandman has been round and he’s been extra generous with me, so after a couple of paragraphs my eyes are screaming for sleep. Off I go to bed, and wake at five the next morning to do it all again.

Every time I glance down Lethargic lane, with its comfy sofas and widescreen TV, I get the occasional pang of jealousy, but that isn’t the road I want to take.

To the right we have Disillusionment Drive, and I must admit I have taken a few steps down there. The trouble is, it looks a pleasant enough road, sloping down to a beautiful lake with a quaint old pub on the shore. Unfortunately you never realise how slippery that slope is until you’re on it. One of my daily rituals is a quick surf to see if anyone hated the first book, Gray Justice, and a visit to the Amazon reports page to see how many sales I had that day. While the reviews have been four stars and above, the sales figures haven’t moved in weeks. How can that be? Were the reviewers just being kind? Is there a blog somewhere that slates Gray Justice and tells everyone to avoid it like the plague? Maybe if I just go a for a couple of pints in that pub I can forget about writing and everything will be okay…

Thankfully I have friends who pull me back before the momentum builds. “Snap out of it and get back on the right road, Alan!”

So I trudge along Stardom Lane, the wind in my face and the rain lashing me from every angle. I see others all around me, all making the same journey. I watch the occasional fellow traveller take a side road while others cruise past me in their reader-powered limousines, tearing off into the distance to claim their reward, whatever it may be. I often yearn for a lift from one of them, but I know that if I did that I would never reach the end of the road.

It is a journey I have to make by myself (with my friends to guide me).

The new look Jambalian blog

2011-10-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

You might not know this, but people who work in the software business often have a lot in common with those who fix cars for a living. By this I mean some people are great at tuning engines, while others are a dab hand at prettyfying the bodywork. In my case I can build you a great interactive website that does wonderful things behind the scenes, but when it comes to the look of the page I often let myself down.

That is why I have decided to let Blogger do the hard work and style it for me. As of now I am replacing my own jambalian website with this one in the hope that I don't fall foul of the aesthetics police.

Hopefully this new blog will give me the encouragement to share my thoughts more often, so watch this space.