It has become traditional for me to take January off from writing. Often toward the end of the month I can barely hold off but the break does serve a purpose. By February 1st I am chomping at the bit to get back into action, to greet new readers, and to find out what Hannibal Jones, Felicity O’Brien and other old friends have been up to during my vacation.
So now the blog returns to its weekly activity level. That will at least make looking here less boring for you, but you may be wondering what else 2010 will hold in store for this writer’s life.
Well for one thing, 2010 holds an ironclad commitment to complete the sixth Hannibal Jones novel. The story was worrying me a bit at the end of last year but now I’m ready to bull my way through to the end.
I will also be on the hunt for a new agent. I’ve written a pretty strong letter and subscribed to the Writers Market on line database to help me find the right person to handle my work. Said service is worthy of its own blog entry so I’ll be explaining it more fully in the future.
I’ll get back on the road to meet more readers, but I’m keeping it local this year. There’s plenty happening in the neighborhood, so I’ll be presenting at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, the Virginia Festival of the Book, the Malice Domestic mystery convention, the Gaithersburg Book Festival, several local book clubs and even the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
And to keep the blog itself more interesting I’m inviting a broader selection of authors to come in and guest blog about their writing lives. I find that we each have a unique perspective and can generally learn something from or be inspired by each other’s point of view.
So keep the feedback coming and I’ll keep giving you the view from my desk.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Judge A Publisher By Its Size, Do You?
Recently I've been trying to respond to some of the most frequently asked questions, on the theory that if one new author asked, a dozen more want to know the same thing. This one, or some variation, comes to every author’s mind at one time or another.
I wrote a book and I have an offer from a very, very, very small publisher. They asked me what kind of an advance I would want, are paying 15% royalties (40% on ebooks) and what-not.
But it's a small house. The chances of getting the brick and mortar treatment are slim. What's funny is that I had no dream of getting this published and now I'm wondering if I'm selling myself short, or if self-published would be better until I attract someone bigger.
I do know a little about the pros and cons of self publishing. After all, I started my own publishing company because I didn’t have the patience to wait for the mainstream to let me in and I wanted to know for sure if anyone wanted to read my work. Luckily, I have found an audience.
I also placed one of my novels, Blood and Bone, with a small publisher (Echelon Press.) With 60 other writers to support, they have not been able to give me the support I can give myself. HOWEVER, they did make it easier for me to break into Borders and Barnes and Noble. Once I started selling in those places they happily accepted my other titles.
The primary advantage to NOT being self-published is distribution, and that difference exists more in the minds of booksellers than in reality. My books, manufactured by Lightning Source, actually get to stores faster and more reliably than the Echelon title, yet there are still managers who back away from “print-on-demand” books (if they find out.) A few I’ve become friends with were quite stunned to learn that my books were printed as needed because they had been told two falsehoods: they are not returnable and they take much longer to order.
So, my advice is to question the publisher closely about distribution. They need to have a distributor in addition to Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Lightning Source distributes thru both of them but there’s no sales force. If they have all three then you have as good a chance at “the brick and mortar treatment” as anyone else. If, like Echelon Press, they also work with a distributor that specializes in library sales you have a good chance there too. But understand that even with distribution, few stores will stock your title unless you do a signing there.
As for the advance, I think I have some unusual advice. Try negotiating for a smaller advance with a dedicated marketing and publicity budget. If they spend money on promoting your book, you'll get more royalties in the long run.
Also, for what it’s worth, my experience has been that you are more likely to go from small publisher to big publisher than you are to go from self published to big publisher. And who knows? If your book is a hit you might turn a small publisher INTO a big publisher.
I wrote a book and I have an offer from a very, very, very small publisher. They asked me what kind of an advance I would want, are paying 15% royalties (40% on ebooks) and what-not.
But it's a small house. The chances of getting the brick and mortar treatment are slim. What's funny is that I had no dream of getting this published and now I'm wondering if I'm selling myself short, or if self-published would be better until I attract someone bigger.
I do know a little about the pros and cons of self publishing. After all, I started my own publishing company because I didn’t have the patience to wait for the mainstream to let me in and I wanted to know for sure if anyone wanted to read my work. Luckily, I have found an audience.
I also placed one of my novels, Blood and Bone, with a small publisher (Echelon Press.) With 60 other writers to support, they have not been able to give me the support I can give myself. HOWEVER, they did make it easier for me to break into Borders and Barnes and Noble. Once I started selling in those places they happily accepted my other titles.
The primary advantage to NOT being self-published is distribution, and that difference exists more in the minds of booksellers than in reality. My books, manufactured by Lightning Source, actually get to stores faster and more reliably than the Echelon title, yet there are still managers who back away from “print-on-demand” books (if they find out.) A few I’ve become friends with were quite stunned to learn that my books were printed as needed because they had been told two falsehoods: they are not returnable and they take much longer to order.
So, my advice is to question the publisher closely about distribution. They need to have a distributor in addition to Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Lightning Source distributes thru both of them but there’s no sales force. If they have all three then you have as good a chance at “the brick and mortar treatment” as anyone else. If, like Echelon Press, they also work with a distributor that specializes in library sales you have a good chance there too. But understand that even with distribution, few stores will stock your title unless you do a signing there.
As for the advance, I think I have some unusual advice. Try negotiating for a smaller advance with a dedicated marketing and publicity budget. If they spend money on promoting your book, you'll get more royalties in the long run.
Also, for what it’s worth, my experience has been that you are more likely to go from small publisher to big publisher than you are to go from self published to big publisher. And who knows? If your book is a hit you might turn a small publisher INTO a big publisher.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Christmas Stories - Classics and my own
"A Christmas Carol" and "It’s a Wonderful Life" have become the traditional films that are symbolic of the season, but for me the key movie is the original 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street." In it, a nice old man who claims to be Kris Kringle is institutionalized as insane. A young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing. So unlike the other two classic films, this story isn’t about an individual’s redemption but rather addresses the much bigger question at the heart of Christmas: Is There a Santa Claus?
In my mind, Santa isn’t about elves at the North Pole, or even believing in magic. He’s about the principle he represents. Santa Claus gives to everyone, not because of what they do for you, or what they mean to you, but just because they’re nice. No quid pro quo. No worship necessary. Kids don’t even have to believe in Santa Claus. They just have to be nice and they’re on the gift list.
I love the movie so much that it inspired the title of my holiday short story, “Mystery on Capitol Street” which was posted on the Echelon Shorts web site. In it my private eye Hannibal Jones gets lost on Christmas Eve and has to crash at an unknown motel. There’s no room at the inn but the manager lets him sleep in a small, unrentable space. Of course he stumbles on a murder that needs solving and, although it isn’t really his job, he decides to help the obvious suspect – just because she's nice.
The Miracle in the movie concerns the two giant department stores that dominated New York’s 34th Street at the time, Macy’s and Gimbel’s. Santa convinces the rival owners to shake hands and to direct shoppers who don’t find what they want in their own stores to their rival’s. The heroes of the film also get a NY court to rule that there IS a Santa Claus, which I suppose is a miracle in itself.
There’s a miracle in my story too, but you’ll have to read Mystery on Capitol Street to find out about it. But first, seek out this classic film and see that it really IS the most moving of the holiday fare. And if you disagree... well, what's YOUR favorite holiday movie??
Monday, November 30, 2009
Mourning the Loss
Not long ago I blogged about the need to support independent booksellers because of their strong support of smaller and less-well-known authors and publishers. That blog got comments from other authors reminding me that some stores in the Borders chain were also very good to writers who wanted to get their books in front of readers. I had to agree that those stores, especially those in Malls, had been a great help to me.
Soon we will see first hand just how important they were to us. Borders has decided to close about 200 of its Waldenbooks and Borders Express stores by the end of January. I mourn the loss of these store for both personal and professional reasons.
It’s a sad statement about the industry that a couple hundred outlets are about to disappear. It puts more control of what’s on the shelf into fewer hands. Fewer choices for readers means even more emphasis on the best sellers and less chance for newcomers to get any visibility.
In my area there are almost no independent bookstores left. By default, Waldenbooks and Borders Express have become the neighborhood bookstores. The booksellers in these stores get to know their regular customers and are able to hand sell books they want to support. That has helped me gain a toehold at least in the local marketplace.
On a more personal level, I have formed real friendships with the managers of some of these stores and hate to see them pass out of my life. In Maryland I spent time at the front of stores in Gaithersburg and Wheaton, and more recently had first (and last) signings in Glen Burnie and Owings Mills. Markets I was just cultivating, now gone.
In Virginia I just did the same in Waldenbooks in Chesapeake where the manager clouded up at the mention of her store going away. Tracy who had run the Waldenbooks in Landmark Mall got moved when that store closed to Glen Allen which is now also on the chopping block. Closer to home, Ilsa at Springfield Mall and Dan at Dulles Town Center have been my strongest supporters for years. They will also watch their stores close in the next few weeks.
You can find the stores in your area that will soon be gone on this national list - http://media.bordersstores.com/content/mediarelations/BSRClosinglist.pdf - and I strong suggest you stop in soon to say hello – and goodbye – to these booksellers. I still feel that the shrinking number of independent bookstores is a horrible comment on our society, but I must add that the loss of any bookstore that has tried to serve its local readers is a tragedy worth mourning.
Soon we will see first hand just how important they were to us. Borders has decided to close about 200 of its Waldenbooks and Borders Express stores by the end of January. I mourn the loss of these store for both personal and professional reasons.
It’s a sad statement about the industry that a couple hundred outlets are about to disappear. It puts more control of what’s on the shelf into fewer hands. Fewer choices for readers means even more emphasis on the best sellers and less chance for newcomers to get any visibility.
In my area there are almost no independent bookstores left. By default, Waldenbooks and Borders Express have become the neighborhood bookstores. The booksellers in these stores get to know their regular customers and are able to hand sell books they want to support. That has helped me gain a toehold at least in the local marketplace.
On a more personal level, I have formed real friendships with the managers of some of these stores and hate to see them pass out of my life. In Maryland I spent time at the front of stores in Gaithersburg and Wheaton, and more recently had first (and last) signings in Glen Burnie and Owings Mills. Markets I was just cultivating, now gone.
In Virginia I just did the same in Waldenbooks in Chesapeake where the manager clouded up at the mention of her store going away. Tracy who had run the Waldenbooks in Landmark Mall got moved when that store closed to Glen Allen which is now also on the chopping block. Closer to home, Ilsa at Springfield Mall and Dan at Dulles Town Center have been my strongest supporters for years. They will also watch their stores close in the next few weeks.
You can find the stores in your area that will soon be gone on this national list - http://media.bordersstores.com/content/mediarelations/BSRClosinglist.pdf - and I strong suggest you stop in soon to say hello – and goodbye – to these booksellers. I still feel that the shrinking number of independent bookstores is a horrible comment on our society, but I must add that the loss of any bookstore that has tried to serve its local readers is a tragedy worth mourning.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Timing your Blog Posts
I don’t usually blog about blogging, but I’ve recently read that the popularity of your blog could be related to when you post to it. It wouldn’t have occurred to me that what time I posted to my blog mattered but after I thought about it, the concept sounds right. Experts tend to say that the best time to post is early morning Eastern Time. As it turns out, 8 am is generally the peak time for web surfers who are reading blogs. Is that when your readers are on line? It’s hard to say, but if you want to maximize your traffic and pull more readers into your blog you’ll want to know. Also, if you hope for your postings to go viral, their best bet is if they appear they traffic peaks.
So get your web site statistics. And traffic does tend to peak on weekdays, but maybe not if your readers are other writers. We (writers) tend to hit the computer more on weekend. But if you're looking to capture some noontime traffic, I've read a few blogs that say putting up a YouTube video just before noon will catch the most web surfers.
Timing your blog posts may seem like a very small thing in the grand scheme of getting hits on your blog site or YouTube. But since it costs nothing and only takes an extra few seconds to set the posting time, I intend to try some times, check the stats and see what the difference might be. If you try it, let me know what results you get.
So get your web site statistics. And traffic does tend to peak on weekdays, but maybe not if your readers are other writers. We (writers) tend to hit the computer more on weekend. But if you're looking to capture some noontime traffic, I've read a few blogs that say putting up a YouTube video just before noon will catch the most web surfers.
Timing your blog posts may seem like a very small thing in the grand scheme of getting hits on your blog site or YouTube. But since it costs nothing and only takes an extra few seconds to set the posting time, I intend to try some times, check the stats and see what the difference might be. If you try it, let me know what results you get.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Ever Present Need to Prosper
Today I'm fortunate to have a guest blog from a newly published writer - Nick Valentino, author of the fanciful steampunk novel "Thomas Riley." Take it away Nick!
Let me take a moment to thank Austin for letting me come and guest blog today. I appreciate his hospitality and thank you the reader for taking the time to read this.
How I see it the feeling comes in waves. This unavoidable need to tell the story is stoked by countless reasons. Some are motivated by money and some by the fact that they just can’t live a normal life unless they get their thoughts on paper. For me life tends to spur me to write. It’s become a need now. I’m incomplete without it. I need to write and then follow it up with promotion. Fun promotion. Promotion I promise you will enjoy.
It started as an offshoot from writing lyrics in a band. The first draft of my first manuscript was a rage filled piece which acted as a release from my dissatisfaction with life. It was a pressure release for discontent that I felt. From there, I revised it, took out the cursing and some of the blatant violence. Then it began to take shape into something more, something better.
After two years of writing 1.5 manuscripts I was sucked into the magic of a sub culture of science fiction called Steampunk. I saw people, (yes real ones) dressed to the nines in Victorian era clothing. With home made “weaponry”, machines and backpacks, I was enthralled. I wanted to write about them, no I needed to write about them. So I did. What took me two years to write in horror novels took me four months to write in Steampunk. The subject was euphoric to write about. Fun, adventurous, but with class and panache, the Steampunk genre opened my eyes to how fun writing could be. It didn’t have to be a pressure release anymore.
From there, I attended a writer’s conference. It was my first one ever. I got a critique with Echelon Press and decided that they would be the only ones to see any part of Thomas Riley. (My Steampunk novel.) I had at least four other critiques, but they were all for the horror novel and to make things more frustrating, no one even read what I sent them. Karen Syed from Echelon Press and I connected. My fifteen minute critique turned into a forty five minute conversation about writing, and goals. She basically offered me a contract then and there. I’ll never forget what she told me. “As long as the rest of this doesn’t suck, I’m interested in putting this out.” I instantly doubted myself… What if the rest did in fact suck? I quickly got over myself and pressed on. By the summer, I had signed a contract and by October I was holding the book that wasn’t a year old in my hands.
This all sounds a bit arrogant, but I don’t mean it like that at all. In fact I want to say how lucky I feel. This doesn’t happen to everyone and I feel like it’s kismet that it happened at all. Did I just win the publishing lottery? Yep. I mean the story is good, but what if I chose someone else to critique the manuscript? What if I didn’t do it at all? Wow. What I’m trying to say is go for it.
Whatever your instincts tell you, just go for it. Don’t let anyone stand in your way. This includes yourself. You have one life and you make your own luck, so take every risk you can. This is your story and if you’re anything like me, you are your worst enemy. So crush the things that hold you back and make something happen. I did half on luck alone and I’ve never felt so fortunate in my life.
This is a brief evolution of how I started writing and how I got published. The process was and still is sometimes tough, but as a writer, you know that feeling. You know what you have to do; it’s just a matter of the lengths you will go to not only get published but get the word out about your work.
Learn more about Thomas Riley here:http://sirthomasriley.com/
Buy signed copies here:http://thomasriley.bigcartel.com/
Buy directly from the publisher here:http://www.echelonpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10_31_24&products_id=202
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mystery Lovers (and Booksellers) Unite!
Not long ago we mourned the loss of Creatures ‘N’ Crooks, an independent mystery and sci-fi bookstore in Richmond, VA. As a writer, it hurt so much because there is now no mystery bookstore within 2 hours drive of me.
Even as a fan I see the loss of independent bookstores as a cultural tragedy. Sadly, there’s not a lot we can do about it. The economics are hard to fight. But we CAN actively support the stores that keep their doors open. The best way to do that is to buy your books there if you’re anywhere near one. But how do you find these wonderful places?
The easiest way is to become familiar with the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA). Through their website they can help you find just the books you want – by theme, by author, or by detective. But, more important to me is their comprehensive list of mystery book stores. They’re all there, from Aliens and Alibis in Columbia SC to Wrigley Cross Books in Gresham OR. You can easily search using their interactive map feature to locate the stores nearest you or whatever city you may be planning to bury that body in.
The IMBA has recently started up a new blog for authors to make it easier for us to communicate with booksellers and each other. I suspect that many serious fans would enjoy those posts too. Talk about the insider's view!
I’ve met many IMBA members at mystery conferences and conventions and I can tell you these people are as devoted to the books as any fan. They also order my books, even in parts of the country where no one has heard of me… yet. So this short blurb is my pitch to you the reader and you the writer. Support independent mystery booksellers and their association all you can. These are the folks who will take care of you and show you the gems hidden in the stacks when the big chains are only interested in the best sellers.
Even as a fan I see the loss of independent bookstores as a cultural tragedy. Sadly, there’s not a lot we can do about it. The economics are hard to fight. But we CAN actively support the stores that keep their doors open. The best way to do that is to buy your books there if you’re anywhere near one. But how do you find these wonderful places?
The easiest way is to become familiar with the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA). Through their website they can help you find just the books you want – by theme, by author, or by detective. But, more important to me is their comprehensive list of mystery book stores. They’re all there, from Aliens and Alibis in Columbia SC to Wrigley Cross Books in Gresham OR. You can easily search using their interactive map feature to locate the stores nearest you or whatever city you may be planning to bury that body in.
The IMBA has recently started up a new blog for authors to make it easier for us to communicate with booksellers and each other. I suspect that many serious fans would enjoy those posts too. Talk about the insider's view!
I’ve met many IMBA members at mystery conferences and conventions and I can tell you these people are as devoted to the books as any fan. They also order my books, even in parts of the country where no one has heard of me… yet. So this short blurb is my pitch to you the reader and you the writer. Support independent mystery booksellers and their association all you can. These are the folks who will take care of you and show you the gems hidden in the stacks when the big chains are only interested in the best sellers.
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