Officially sold in a bookstore

I know Friday is supposed to be something social instead of something about writing, but this one is just too good to not say something.  So I am all excited and giddy and I am going on the record as saying those two emotions count for something social.

I received news today that a copy of Jeremy's Kiss sold in a bookstore today.  That marks the first time for me to sell a book in a brick and mortar bookstore.  It's an awesome feeling to say the least.

Somehow I thought Island would be the first book to make that leap, but not so.  Jeremy's kiss has all of the firsts, and that is how it should be as it is the first book.  It got the first sales on Amazon, Kindle, Nook, and now the bookstore.  Jeremy's Kiss was the first to go overseas to other countries (Europe and Australia - no word on whether or not it has gone to Mexico or Canada).

I know there is a lot going on in the news (stay safe Oklahoma).  I know there are some fun things going on around me (fantasy football is starting up again).  But right now I am a happy man who sold a book in a bookstore.

Reading for Writing

Once I finished writing "Island Of Regrets", I went into the editing process.  Then from there I went into the promoting process.  Since I finished that draft, it has been all that is on my mind.  It got so bad that I actually came up with ideas for sequels to the book (no idea whether or not they will be written - they are just ideas right now).

The real problem here is that I have a book to write right now.  I have Natalie's Hunt.  That is my project and that is what needs my attention right now.  Island has me so distracted I can't seem to put two words together for Natalie's Hunt.

So I am reading.  I am reading Jeremy's Kiss, and I am reading what I have written for Natalie's Hunt.  I am immersing myself in the story that I wrote, and the story that I started writing.  I am putting my emotions and intellect back into that story so that it is what I will be thinking about and working on ideas for, and what I will truly be writing.

One week from tonight we have the official launch party for Island of Regrets.  We have the cake and cookies ordered.  We have the books marks here (they need to be trimmed).  We have two posters.  We have a box filled with books ready to be sold.

It's so real.

Memorial Day

The music for today.  That's easy.  A tribute to our armed forces.

Tornados and Bridges

I think it's safe to skip the initial part of the title (Monday Music, Wednesday Writing, and Friday Social) at this point.  So I'm going to drop those titles.

I've followed the news about Oklahoma.  I wish there was more I can do.  Anything could possibly offer to help out there seems so insignificant in the face of what they are really going through.  Money really does help.  It helps them rebuild their homes and replace their possessions.  It doesn't help with the fear and trauma they faced though.

That is what I wish I could help with the most.  If I could, I would be right there helping and supporting people in every way possible.  I would give a shoulder, a strong arm, or an ear to anyone there who needs it.  Sadly I am almost 2500 miles away and being there for Oklahoma like that isn't possible.

Here in Washington, we had a bridge collapse into the river below.  There were cars on the bridge at the time, and miraculously no one was killed or seriously injured.  That is amazing.  The water was cold and by itself could have killed a person.  I am thankful that what could have been a tragic incident was not.  Though I will confess to feeling some sad feelings when I see the truck that is in the water.

Wednesday Writing - 2 Weeks and Counting

Two weeks from today "Island Of Regrets" will be officially on sale.  I am still tracking the progress of the boxes and so far the Vampires are still keeping themselves separated from the Island.  It seems to be a fun trip overall.

Teri and I have decided we are going to purchase a banner to hang at any events where we are selling the books (we have 3 events scheduled so far), and we are also going to invest in personal book marks to be given away with the books (found a good deal on those).

Tonight I am spending some time working on putting those things together so we can take a file to the printing shop and get what we want printed.  Teri is working on the banner, and I am on bookmarks.  We are also figuring out what else we need to put together.

Here is a sample bookmark (just for fun).

 

              

Special Post on Special Delivery.

I pre-ordered 100 copies of Island Of Regrets and 30 more copies of Jeremy's Kiss for the launch party and more sales starting June 5 (I won't be selling copies before then, but you can pre-order now and I will sign and get your copy in the mail so that it can arrive June 5th or slightly later).

Due to the weight, Island of regrets was divided into two boxes, and Jeremy's Kiss got a box all of it's own.  I am tracking the three tracking numbers on UPS.  They all three left the same city at the same time.  But somehow Island got ahead of Kiss.   So now the two books are no longer traveling together.

My guess is that the Vampires weren't too crazy about the Island and managed to get themselves separated from it.  In the end, they should all arrive here at my home on the same day.  We'll see how that really works out.

Monday Music - Clubbed To Death

I know it sounds pretty harsh, but its just the name of the song.  It doesn't have lyrics, just music.  When I listen to this song, I can imagine like fifty or a hundred years in the future in a concert hall, some stodgy old dude in a tux addressing the audience and saying "This next piece comes from composer Rob Zombie..."

Friday Social - Manners

The post from Wednesday about the death threats to Charlene Harris gets carried over to today's post.

When did it become acceptable for anyone, anywhere to think they could say anything they wanted just because it is the Internet?

I've encountered people who think it is acceptable to read a private conversation between two adults simply because it happened on the Internet.  We've encountered people who think it's ok to make death threats by comments.

If I read a news article or or other such item which allows comments, I very often see comments that are just plain socially unacceptable.  I know people have opinions, and people are passionate about their causes.  I just don't understand why people think it is ok to wish harm on others just for having a different opinion, or for writing something differently than the commenter thought it should be.

I don't understand why the Internet is removing what should be basic social graces.  This isn't a positive evolution.  This is more like falling apart into something barbaric.  I hope over time I can see something more positive evolve in the humanity expressed through words on the Internet.

Wednesday Writing - Threatening the Author

On Friday, May 10, The Guardian reported that a copy of Charlene Harris' final Sookie Stackhouse novel (novels the HBO series True Blood is based on) was leaked online.

I think it's really sad that people do not respect the intellectual property of others and leak it out where it can spread around and deny the author due compensation that he or she deserves.

This one gets worse though.  Some of the supposed fans who read that leaked copy unleashed a flood of horrible things.  Including death threats and telling the author how they thought she was horrible because she didn't write what they thought she should have written.

Here is the link to the full article - Charlene Harris Threatened.

Let me put this as straight forward as I can.  THERE NOTHING ACCEPTABLE ABOUT THAT BEHAVIOR.  I don't care if it is just words.  IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.  Is that clear enough?  The character's an author creates belong to that author and the author is allowed to do anything at all that he or she wants to do with those characters, no matter what anyone else in the world thinks about it.  The character's an author creates do not belong to the readers under any circumstances.  If a reader wants characters to behave a certain way - then they should write their own books, but NEVER threaten or harass an author.

I just had to share that.  Authors have a passion for writing, and for creating, and very often the direction a story takes can be a surprise to the author too.  When I write, I have a base idea of the direction of the story.  As I write, I often find that the details take surprising turns as I make my way through the base path in my head.

Monday Music - Promentory

This piece of music is an adaptation of The Gael by Dougie Maclean.  I can actually play this on violin (not quite as refined as this young woman).  I think it sounds really cool on the violin, and so here I am sharing it.

Friday Social - Graduation

This would be the perfect time to say something poignant and meaningful about graduation.  It's happening all over the country.  Lots and lots of young men and women are getting their diplomas, marking their completion of years of school, and being allowed to to choose their futures for themselves.

I'm going to skip all that though.

My oldest child is graduating this weekend, and I am going to be there to see him get his diploma and I am simply going to be a proud daddy.

Wednesday Writing - Editing

Perhaps my least favorite part of the whole writing process.  But wow is it ever a necessary thing to do.  I've gone back over Island of Regrets with a red pen in hand.  I couldn't really read the story because I was focused on the words, the sentence structure, and the logic.

The book went into the hands of two other people, so we had three people going over everything to find the misspelled words, the missing or added words, the grammar errors, and more.

Today I started making the changes to my saved file.  I'm about 10% through it so far, and progressing nicely.  I should have it done by next week, which keeps me right on schedule.

I will need to get into total vampire mode soon.

Monday Music - Bleed (I must be dreaming)

There is just something about the sound of this song over all that really gets me in the mood for writing in a vampiric mode.  And the lyrics, yeah, absolutely.

Island Of Regrets - Date is Set

[caption id="attachment_155" align="alignnone" width="500"] Island Of Regrets[/caption]

June 5, 2013.  Island Of Regrets will be officially on sale.

That is the goal, and it is very much achievable.  Only something out of the ordinary will keep the book from going on sale on time.

We are contacting a local Pizza Hut for the initial Release party.  We are also contacting a local club/bar for a second release party (so that we can have spirits to officially toast the release).  We have at least 2 local bookstores (Mom & Pop type places) where we can schedule book signings, and a brand new Ice Cream Shoppe (Krazy Kones)  is opening next month - we will schedule a day to be there to sell and sign books.

We are taking orders now for signed copies of the books.  We are also doing our research to set up an order form on this web page so that people can order signed copies (this will be for any books available for sale once it is set up).

Please spread the word.  Tell everyone about this book, and when it will be available.  The initial reviews are amazing.  Thank you everyone.

Friday Social - I'm really excited

It's Friday.  Yay.  I'm finally getting over my cold.  Yay.  Plus this weekend I am going to set an official date for the release of "Island Of Regrets".

The editor got back to me today and she estimates she is more than half way through her editing (and she got her copy yesterday).  I am about a third of the way through doing my own editing, and one more person is just slightly behind me (but she'll catch up with me tomorrow).

Once all three of us have gone through the book, then I will get back on the keyboard with the notes from all three people and go through page by page fixing everything there is to be fixed.  That should take a few hours, but definitely doable.

Coming up on the schedule, contact Pizza Hut to set up the first launch party.  Contact a local bar and dance club to set up the second launch party (the first party won't involve alcohol, and I really want to toast the new book with a drink).  Contact as many of the local Mom & Pop bookstores as I can and set up days and times for book signings (and sales).  And of course look for other events to attend to promote all books I have available.

It's going to be a busy summer, and I super excited about it.

Wednesday Writing - A few funny items.

I admit I am stealing this from William Kerns (from his Facebook posts) who admits he stole it from a friend (who wouldn't mind). So basically I don't take any credit for what comes next - and have to admit I am not really sure who gets the credit now.

When I encounter an upset grammar nazi, I pat them on the back and say "There, Their, They're"
A comma splice walks into a bar, it has a drink and then leaves.
A dangling modifier walks into a bar. After finishing a drink, the bartender asks it to leave.
A question mark walks into a bar?
Two quotation marks “walk into” a bar.
The bar was walked into by the passive voice.
Three intransitive verbs walk into a bar. They sit. They drink. They leave.
What would have happened had a subjunctive walked into a bar?
An antecedent walked into a bar, and they ordered a drink.
An ellipsis walked into a bar…
Bartender asks a woman what she wants. “An entendre,” she says. “Make it a double.” So he gives it to her.
An alliteration traipsed into a tavern, where it tangled tempestuously with an insistent, illiterate intern.
A typo wakled into a bar.
A rabbi, a priest, and a cliché walk into a bar.
Two possessive apostrophe's walk into the bar as if they owned the place.
A subject and a verb have a disagreement in a bar, and one of them pull out a pistol.
A heedless homonym walks into a bar. You think he wood of scene it write in front of him.
The Oxford Comma joined in a high-spirited debate at the bar that included his parents, Ayn Rand and the Bishop of Canterbury.