The Books are Out ... Now What?

Okay, so I have my books up on amazon; I've done all the appropriate marketing that I can do for now.  What's the next step?  Sit back and keep my eyes on how many books I sell everyday?  Nope!  Not at all.  The books are there and the marketing is done.  Now it's time for me to get back to writing ... or, should I say, keep writing.

I think (and I could be wrong) that too many first or second time writers get bogged down in the selling and watching of their creations.  Is it okay to hope you're going to be the next break-out, best selling author?  Of course it is.  Is it okay to expect that to happen.  Not by a long shot.  Inseatd of anxiously watching your sales fingures and either feeling elated or depressed ... move on to what you really do.  Write!

If you have a story going ... get on it.  If you don't, try to figure out what your next piece or novel or short story is going to be and start in.  This is not new advice.  Every writer, especially the successful ones, will all tell you the same thing.  Keep writing and for God's sake keep reading!   If you don't read ... you can't write.  You have to make the time to read as well as make the time to write.  If you don't ... you've lost before you've even started.  And that, too, is not just my opinion.

So ... for those of you who have recently published ... CONGRATULATIONS!  Now get back to work doing what you really do.

Release of Relic of the Damned in Multiple Formats

I recently released my two volume horror-thriller, Relic of the Damned: The Coming and Carpe Noctem in paperback format on Amazon.com.  Now, this is not really a new book (or books as the case may be).  These two novels were originally released as a single title: Lucifer's Pommel.  Because of the interesting response I had (people wanting to know if they could get it in hardback or paperback forms), I decided to re-edit it, modestly enhance it and split it into two volumes.  It should be noted that the story remains essentially the same, with the same characters and same ending.  Yes, I did add a few characters here and there and rearrange the layout, but by and large Relic of the Damned is Lucifer's Pommel.

The Coming

When an ancient relic of enormous power inadvertently falls into the hands of a weak and desperate antiques dealer, hell on earth becomes more than just a cliché to the small town of Banderman Falls, Pennsylvania. Seduced into believing that the relic is his to command, Carlton Wedgemore is manipulated into serving the demonic incarnation of all evil, Zachariah Witherstone. And Banderman Falls is plunged into a nightmare of darkness from which it may never awaken. In his quest to acquire the icon, Witherstone usurps the minds of the townspeople through dreams of lust and torment. He divides the town, pitting men against women, husbands against wives and brothers against sisters. And the people soon find themselves no more than puppets dancing on the strings of destruction.

It begins with the murder of a young convenience store clerk. At first, Sheriff Jack Dougherty is convinced it's a robbery gone awry. But when two men go missing and his deputy turns up dead, Jack begins to sense that there may be more powerful forces at work in his town – a sense that is confirmed when he is brutally attacked by insects in defense of their master.
At the same time that Jack is discovering that the peace and harmony of Banderman Falls is unwinding, Father Gabriel Jacobs receives a visit from an old friend. Geoffrey Dunsmore, a man with unusual abilities, enlists his friend's aid in a struggle that will claim more than lives.

As the terror unwinds, ordinary people must rise to a challenge that will test their faith, test their courage and demand the ultimate sacrifice for a chance at victory. Hell has come to devour all, and has chosen Banderman Falls as its first entree.

Carpe Noctem

It began in Book 1: The Coming.  Men and women were pitted against one another, driven by madness and controlled by Witherstone.  Lethal battles erupted across the Falls and the casualties kept climbing.  The Sheriff, the town doctor, a friend pressed into service as deputy, and a local B & B owner, up against an evil of such intensity, discovered that they may have little chance of defeating it and surviving.

Geoffrey Dunsmore, a man with unusual powers, arrived from London to meet with his old friend, Father Gabriel Jacobs.  Together, they set out to keep Witherstone from acquiring the icon and destroy him in the process.  Barely surviving a brutal attack by minions of Witherstone, they discover that, without help, they too may be in over their heads.

In Book 2: Carpe Noctem, the nightmare continues.  The town is torn apart and destruction reigns supreme.  Foul creatures, dug from the earth, will join with Witherstone, now in his demon form.  Forces are drawn together on both sides … good and evil … and a final, midnight showdown in the cemetery will decide the fate of all of Banderman Falls … and beyond.  Hope is all that the mortals seem to have left.  In control of the icon, Witherstone stands on the edge of a victorious annihilation of all mankind.  Everything will hinge on the honor of an old man, the powers of a woman who is just coming into her own, and the courage of a young boy.

The only question that remains is: which side will Seize the Night?

_____________________________________________________

Both books are available from Amazon.com in paperback format.  The Coming will be released shortly (hopefully by the end of the day) in eBook format as well.  And Carpe Noctem is currently undergoing eBook formatting, and I anticipate that format being available within the next few weeks.

PRICING

The Coming

         Paperback: $11.99          Ebook: $1.99

Carpe Noctem

          Paperback: $8.99         Ebook: to be determined ... but probably $1.99

Caveat

Please do not spend your money if you already own Lucifer's  Pommel ... unless you'd like to own it in paperback.

Character Interview

Today we have Dr. Ross Clayton, a virologist and main character from my upcoming book, "PRIMORDIA."   For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a virologist is, it's a scientist who works on human viruses - things like HIV, West Nile, Polio and the like.

TAB:  Dr. Clayton, welcome. 

ROSS: Thanks for having me, Tom ... and please, call me Ross.

TAB: So why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself to start with, Ross.

ROSS: Well, there are two things in this world that I am absolutely passionate about: my family and my job.

TAB: Let's start with your family.

ROSS: I have a lovely wife, Irene, and two children: Amanda, nine and Tommy, eleven.  I guess, as is the case in most homes, my wife kind of runs the show.  (laughs)...Of course, she tries her best to let me think I do.  Tommy and Amanda are wonderful, although Tommy has a tendency to be a little pig-headed when it comes to school.  But I guess that's normal.  Amanda's my little "doodlebug" ... daddy's little girl type thing.

TAB: And your job?  That's sort of what got you into the mess you're struggling with, isn't it?

ROSS: Well, yes ... in a way.  It really started with me getting sick and kind of escalated from there.  Of course, it would really be difficult to pin down the exact thing that made things turn out the way they did.  So many factors coming together at once.

TAB: Here, let me hand you a towel.  You seem to be dropping body parts.

ROSS: Thanks.  It's really tough to control the decay.  I seem to be peeling away, layer by layer.

TAB: Since you brought it up, how, exactly, does it feel to be an animated corpse?

ROSS: Not good, I can tell you that.  Everyday there's something new that crops up to make me feel lousy: more skin sloughing, my muscles don't quite work the way they used to, and my insides ... well, that's a whole different thing.  We probably shouldn't tell too much about that.  And then there's the smell.  Everywhere I go people are holding their noses or just plain avoiding me.

TAB: So how in the world did you end up in this condition, anyway?

ROSS: Well, as you know, I can't say too much about that without being a spoiler.  But I can tell you that being mistaken for someone else is really where things started winding up.

TAB: Can you elaborate?

ROSS: It started with this guy who blew into town.  It seems he was running from his former boss, who was, shall we say, well connected.  Anyway, he comes to town and looks just like me.  Now, this boss sends somebody to teach this guy a lesson.  The problem is ... or was ... the guy he sent thinks I'm the one he's looking for.  Being the dunderhead he is, he doesn't bother to stop and ask questions.  No!  He just goes right ahead and murders me.

TAB: Wow!  That sucks.

ROSS: You have no idea.  But it gets worse.  You see, before all that happened, I got sick and needed a pacemaker for my heart.  I got one, but what I didn't know was that it was an experimental model.  When it went haywire, so did I ... kind of.  It's what's responsible for me being here today with you.  Dead or alive...kept my heart going.

TAB: Well that certainly is some kind of pacemaker.

ROSS: You know, I honestly can't blame it all on the pacemaker.  The virus I was infected with had a lot to do with it too.

TAB: I see.  Well, would you say you're the ordinary, run of the mill zombie type we've all become accustomed to in books and movies?

ROSS: I guess, in a way, yes ... and no.  It's not like the virus turned me into a vampire of someone who goes around eating people.  I actually find that idea disgusting.  No...what happened to me was a tragedy.  Everything I loved was taken from me ... and my daughter ... poor Amanda. (starts crying putrid tears)

TAB: Amanda.  Tell us more about her.

ROSS: I'm sorry.  I just plain can't do that.  But I will tell you that there are some nice people left in this world.  I don't know where I'd be today without Mr. Bartholomew "Buzzy" Reese.  What a kind and wonderful man.

TAB: We're about out of time.  In a word, could you describe how you feel about everything that's happened to you and your family?

ROSS:  In a word: Primal!  All that I have left to share with my family and the rest of the world are primordial feelings.

TAB: Well thank you for being my guest today.  Maybe next time you'll come back and bring Amanda with you.

ROSS: I don't think that would be a very good idea.

A Silly Struggle

     On the surface, you might find it odd that a writer has to struggle to write a simple blog.  For me, it is an intense struggle.  I try to keep up with my social networking, but I came to realize, very quickly, that that is not always an easy task.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I try not to take myself too seriously, and although I love what I do - my writing - I don't particularly find anything in my day so compellingly interesting that the world would want to know about it.  Ergo, coming up with a regular blog that is something more than fluff is a struggle for me.

     If you've read this far, you're probably thinking that this blog is really no more than fluff, and I don't think I'd totally disagree with you.  So what relevance can I bring to this page?  Well, I'll take a stab at it this way.  Let's look at what MIGHT make a blog interesting to those other than your family (who generally smile and pat you lovingly on the back as you write, while making little circles with their fingers at their temple behind your back).

    I guess the first thing a good blog should be is informative, say something that someone might hear for the first time.  Not that easy.  It could be amusing, an anecdote or situation that might make someone laugh.  Again, not always easy, as pointed out by Steve Martin in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."    It might be something tragic, perhaps the discussion of a news item, or the passing of an icon, or anything along those lines. 

   Now, having said all that, let me finish with this.  This particular blog fits into none of those categories.  It serves one, single, traditional, banal purpose - as most blogs do.  It exits!  I can sit back, totally unsatisfied, knowing that I have kept up with the rule of social media marketing (we're all marketing ourselves, aren't we?) ...I posted another blog.

   One final thought:  If writing is an art ... I think I just created a finger painting.  Want to hang it on the fridge?

Word Count: The Meat Grinder for New Authors

     Word Count - two scary words for burgeoning authors.  Why?  Well, in a couple of different ways, actually.  First of all, there's the frustration of trying to figure out how to do that.  There are more than a few opinions on how to do this out there: the old standard of 250/page (not really practical anymore), actually counting the words on representative pages and multiplying by the number of pages your book has (probably more accurate than the 250), and using the word count tool on your program (this is the one I choose).  But my discussion today isn't really about the mechanics of the word count, it's about the negative effect a word count requirement (and everyone requires them) has on a new author's story.

     If you write relatively short fiction, you're okay and don't have to worry.  If you like to tell a story in depth and bring out all the flaws and virtues of your characters, you're in trouble.  In these difficult publishing times, it is rare to find an agent or publisher that will look at an unknown author's work if it exceeds 100,000 words.  In fairness, it must be recognized that longer novels require more expensive printing, and with a new author, it's a risky business.  But on the other side of the coin, to fit a story to a word count does the story a severe injustice.  And worse, doing so might just be the reason the story gets rejected.  Why?  Because condensed, it wasn't what was in the soul of the author when she began writing it and it will reflect that.

     When we as authors sit down and begin to write, it's because we feel we have a tale to tell.  That tale should be told as it needs to be told.  It should run as long as it needs to run to tell the whole story in the best way possible that that story can be told.  As an example, try to imagine how incomplete "War and Peace" would be.  How different would almost any of Stephen King's stories be if he were confined to 100,000 words or less?  Arthur Hailey is another celebrated author who would fit into this category.  What they deliver as great writers would be compromised ... and that's the bottom line.  As a new author, you, unfortunately, have to be somewhat prepared to be compromised if you even want a shot at being picked up by an agent or publishing house.  It's a difficult situation.

     So what can we do?  Well, basically ... nothing.  The agents and publishing houses aren't going to change their parameters for us.  What we have to decide each time we sit down to write is just one thing: How does this story need to be told.  Once we decide that...we write it.  If it's too long ... well, it's too long, maybe the next story we want to tell will fit into the publishing box.  But if you write solely withing the cardboard box of word count, you're cheating yourself.  And more than that, you're cheating any of your potential readers ... and that's the most unforgivable sin.

   As a final note, I just thought it important to add the following: Not writing to a specific word count does NOT mean disregarding editing.  Every story can be edited.  My rule of thumb, no matter how long the original story runs is - trim at least 10% before it's really in it's final form.  What that means is, when I'm finished a novel, it goes to sleep for a few weeks or maybe even months before I drag it out and look at it again.  When I do, I can usually find several places where it can be tightened up and polished.  Does this always bring my stories in under 100,000 words.  Nope!  But that's okay with me, because I know that the story is on the page the way I envisioned it, and the way it should be.  If it doesn't get published now...maybe it will in the future.

   

Through the Eyes of the Beast: A Writer's Perspective

     When I sit down to flesh out a new horror novel, I try to leave myself behind and dig into the darker cobwebs and tunnels of my psyche.  In other words, to look at things through the eyes of the beast that drives me into this genre.  I usually begin by asking myself what scares me.  For me, it's not the slash and hack, it's the psychological damage that can be done.  Can I touch that primordial fear that reaches into the soul?  Can I deliver something that will keep someone from leaving their room in the dead of night to wander down a darkened hallway, even though his bladder is demanding the trip?  Can I make my reader convince herself that the normal sounds of the house are abnormal?  Can I ensure that my reader hears pitiful, ululating screams in the night, rather than a disgruntled cat somewhere off in the distance?  The answers to these questions are what set my story in motion.

     So where do I begin?  Well, that usually depends on my mood.  I am not an outliner.  Like a helpful parent  teaching his child to ride a bike...I like to give it a slight push and see where it goes.  Okay, I usually have a vague idea in which direction I want to take it.  But I've always felt that the best stories were derived from the innate workings of the characters.  Set them on a path, give them a general background, keep them human (for the most part, no one is all good or all bad), and place enough obstacles in their paths to keep challenging them.

     As with all writers, my ideas usually spring from the day to day around me, punctuated by the question: What if?  I may hear a catch phrase that suggests a plot, or see a picture that inspires an amorphous idea.  I let them rattle around in my brain ... and if they're worthy, a story will rear its ugly head in the back of my brain somewhere.  When it's ready to be told, it will bubble up and demand time at the keyboard.

     This is my method.  Everyone has his own, and if you've stopped by, I'd love to hear yours.

     One final note.  I've titled this blog: Echoes in Time because time and experience change our viewpoints.  No one that I know of looks at things the same way at 40 as they did when they were 20.  The Echoes part comes from the fact that even though our perspectives change...the echoes of our past are the reverberating ties to what we are.  My echoes are in the horror genre - reading, watching movies and writing.  They're the voices of the beasts whose eyes I use.  But there are other echoes out there ... what are yours?