Press release for Chronicles of the Undead

Check out my latest press release from PRLog

• HTML Version
  http://www.prlog.org/10160232-new-horror-novella-voyeuristic-look-at-vampires.html
• PDF Version
  http://www.prlog.org/10160232-new-horror-novella-voyeuristic-look-at-vampires.pdf

I'd love to know what you think.

Book Distribution at Lulu.com.

You get what you pay for.

This is an update on circumstances regarding the buying/distribution status of my book Inside Realms.

This past summer Lulu.com was offering its Published by Lulu distribution package for free, so I took advantage of this deal for my book Inside Realms. I double-checked their webpage to see if there were any restrictions, but they were indeed offering their regular $100 package for free (which gave book distribution on various online retailers, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon, including the international sites). I assumed it was just a time-limited promotion, for their website never changed the description of the distribution package. I repeat, at no time did that description change, so I assumed that I would receive the full distribution for my book, Inside Realms.

All went well at first; my book appeared on the Amazons, then at Barnes and Noble, beginning at unavailable/out of stock status as it was supposed to happen. I patiently waited and then one happy day it was at full status at Amazon.com. I thought it was only a matter of time before all the other retailers followed. In fact I believed it was happening when Barnes and Noble listed it at full status. Then it was gone, back to out of stock status at Barnes and Noble a few days later.

What was happening?

Policy changes at Lulu.com. They changed their Published at Lulu distribution package to a permanent free status, but it now mirrored Amazon’s CreateSpace with only Amazon.com distribution. Which is fine, that is definitely their privilege, although it does make it more complicated for international authors, especially with their new shipping rates.

I thought perhaps these changes were causing some delay or glitch with my book’s distribution, so I emailed Lulu. And found out they were not honouring the full distribution agreement, that they had somehow downgraded me to Amazon.com only.

This is the inquiry email I sent:
I recently acquired a Published by Lulu distribution deal for my book, Inside Realms, just before you made your latest changes. I have been waiting for it to be available for sale at online retailers for over the allotted time, but only Amazon.com lists it for sale. Places such as Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.ca are still listing it as unavailable or out of stock.
Can you enlighten me as to why? I have been reading disturbing rumours on the Internet regarding recent Lulu.com books not getting their full distribution due to your policy changes.

This is their reply:
Thank you for your email. Titles with the Free Published by Lulu distribution package will only be distributed to Amazon. However, we do offer an option to get wider distribution if you have the Free Published by Lulu package. You can check out the Expanded Distribution Package here:
http://www.lulu.com/content/4683045
Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.

(Note: the Expanded Distribution Package costs $50.)

I sent another email after this protesting their stand, but I have yet to hear anything from Lulu.

Further investigations have led me to believe I am not the only author who got downgraded; there are rumblings among the blogs of others. It seems Lulu’s free summer offer was for its new Amazon.com only package, not for the old one they advertised.

I would also like to state that the current situation of my book may be due in part to the fact Barnes and Noble may be phasing out Print-on-Demand books. Everything in POD these days seems to be gearing toward Amazon, and just Amazon.

The end result of all this is one fact: there are only two places people can buy my book. At Amazon.com and Lulu.com; I don’t even have a retail listing in my own country of Canada.

All these recent changes and uncertainty has me asking: Is this the end of POD as a publishing option? I know I am certainly reconsidering my publishing options.

For the Typing Challenged Writer.

Why I like Voice Recognition Software:

I like to write longhand, taking my favourite pen, put it to paper and see the words flow in front of my eyes. Eventually though, these words will have to be transferred to the computer to be edited, formatted and spell checked. This is where I used to have quite the challenge.

I can't type.

The best I can achieve is the hunt and peck method, hunched over the keyboard trying to add my prose to my hard drive with as much speed as I can muster.
Which isn't much.

Then I discovered voice recognition software. For those of us who are typing challenged it is a blessing, just read the pages into a microphone and watch them magically appear on screen. Granted your words are sometimes mangled and misheard, but no more so than your average typing error, and well it can all be fixed in the editing process.
Sometimes I just use it to let the ideas flow from my head straight into the computer, especially when I'm editing.

I have two voice recognition programs: My computer has Vista, and came with pre-installed voice recognition software; my laptop needed to have such software installed so I went with Dragon Naturally Speaking (a very reasonably priced option).
The software is fairly easy to use, you simply train the program with your voice patterns and it continues to learn as you use it. The hardest part is remembering the program commands, so make sure you are familiar with them; in other words, read the tutorial.

All I can say is my writing life is far easier since I traded my poor typing skills for voice recognition, but I do need the occasional extra throat lozenge.

Update

My Latest Writing News:

1. Inside Realms is now at full sale status at Amazon.com
2. Chronicles of the Undead should be published (at least at Lulu.com) within the next 2-3 weeks. You can check out a teaser trailer at my YouTube Channel
3. Both books now have their own Squidoo lens: Inside Realms; Chronicles of the Undead
4. I wrote a fictional character interview with one of the individuals in Chronicles of the Undead: An Interview with my Vampire (Character)
5. I'm on Twitter
6. I've got a Facebook Fan Page
7. There's a new contest running at my website to win an ebook copy of Chronicles of the Undead. Check it out at my Contest Page for details and to see the winners of the "Write me a poem" contest.

My Review of Silenced Cry by Marta Stephens

Review of Silenced Cry


Silenced Cry by Marta Stephens is a solid and engaging bit of fiction, and the author is certainly a convincing new voice in crime fiction. Her book carries on the fine tradition of the police crime novel, and I enjoyed it very much.

Ms. Stephens leads the reader deftly through a sordid, tangled mess of an investigation as a long-forgotten child murder case is unexpectedly exposed. Detective Sam Harper is plunged into the messy circumstances, sorting through the investigation’s flimsy evidence while dealing with a new partner. Swirling around the edges are the long reaching ramifications of his old partner’s death and his own thorny attitude on recent events in his life.

“Day three. One clue and no leads. Finding the person responsible for the baby’s death after more than a decade seemed nearly improbable.”

There are no surprises twists or unexpected shocks in the pages of Silenced Cry; it is a fairly straightforward crime novel, with a genuine plot and just the right amount of gripping tension. However, the story-telling is elevated above the average by superb characterization and a believable narrative atmosphere. It is part police procedural, part noir, touched around the periphery with the realistic ugliness of crime, and the complexity of human interaction.

“Owen looked up. The clouds slowly parted to reveal a scattering of stars against the moonless backdrop of the April night. Behind him stretched a row of dumpsters shoved against the wall of the savings and loan. A sour stench rose from them and mingled with the pungent odor of piss from whoever had christened the alley wall.”

Silenced Cry is the first entry in a series; I’m truly looking forward to the next book. I absolutely want to spend more time immersed in the world of Sam Harper.


Marta Stephens holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Ball State University, and is a member of Sisters in Crime International, Sisters in Crime Speed City Indiana Chapter, and the Midwest Writer's Workshop. Her website is at http://www.martastephens-author.com/

Silenced Cry won Honourable Mention in the 2008 New York Book Festival, and is available at Amazon and other online retailers. Check out Marta Stephens’ website, http://www.martastephens-author.com/buy_%20it.html for purchase details.

The second book in the Harper series, THE DEVIL CAN WAIT, will be released by BeWrite Books (UK) on November 3, 2008. Look for it in both trade paperback and e-book formats. Marta Stephens is currently working on the third book in the Harper series.

Review of Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess by C. B. Smith

The following review was done at the request of the author:


My Review of Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess:

Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess is a Young Adult novel, and I am definitely not the target audience for this book (I have not been a young adult for quite some time).

Still, I read it with an open mind and it reasonably managed to keep my attention. It has an irreverent, off-kilter style and showed a charming, witty attitude. The novel does read much like a teenage diary: full of disjointed musings, personal observations, philosophical opinions, and a pervading preoccupation with sexual thoughts and deeds. Regrettably though, the tone is often uneven and wanders off into unrelated tangents, even introducing characters that appear and disappear without reason.

The book begins with a slightly whacked-out review on the origins of the universe, before introducing the reader to Jaynie, the seventeen year old main character. From there we are swirled in the maelstrom of her personality:

“But what was a poor girl to do? When she wasn’t trammeling through town on her skateboard; shocking pedestrians, frightening to near heart attack, flying into intersections at brake screeching speeds, things could get…well…BORING!”

Readers are then plunged into the escapades of this unique girl, beginning as Jaynie goes questing for new shoes (sadly hampered by her large toes):

“Her puffed-as-a-passionate-puffer-fish pose began deflating. Right there in front of her eyes the beautiful red and yellow balloon of excitement she had erected went limp and flaccid like a wet noodle. She had meant to buy some shoes. Had money and was not afraid to use it. But somewhere along the road to this moment at the Bigguns Shoe Emporium her big toe had got so big she not could get a shoe to fit her.”

Jaynie’s shoe quest leads her on to an even larger pursuit: to find her long-missing mother. She discovers a previously unknown Faerie heritage and strange allies as the reader descends (literally) into the land of Faerie:

“A quick push from behind and Jaynie stepped through the door and fell through into a black space that pulled her in like a mega power vacuum. And suddenly she was racing full speed down a slide, or chute, or something that took her breath away, terrifying and reducing her to a droning scream, “AAAIIEEE….”
If there were any doubt as to her ability to scream with ear blasting power for long duration, all doubt ended with this performance. There were only two other times in her life where a scream approaching but not equaling this magnitude had been emitted from her tender throat.”

There, she explores her new world and embarks on a series of escapades that lead to a clash between her allies and the darker forces of the faerie world. It is during this conflict she finds an end to her search:

“Arriving finally at the imprisonment quarters was in the end a bit anticlimactic. Where Jaynie had expected a full-scale high tech lockdown of the Star Wars variety, what she found was a grim, foul smelling enclosure, more in keeping with medieval dungeons than modern penitentiary schemes.”

Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess does have its problems, mostly in the beginning chapters, but it also has merit in its twisty hodgepodge of well-written madness. The author C. B. Smith has created a book of droll, intricate chaos that bounces off a sugar rush.

I am not sure the book’s quirky style will captivate everyone, but it will, I suspect, greatly appeal to its target audience.

Diary of a Teenage Faerie Princess is available now through Createspace and should be available on Amazon.com shortly.

My Review of America's Hidden History

Book Review of America's Hidden History: Untold tales of the first pilgrims, fighting women, and forgotten founders who shaped a nation, by Kenneth C. Davis.


You know a book on American History is going to be interesting when the Introduction starts with a reference to Flip Wilson. And I was not disappointed reading America’s Hidden History by Kenneth C. Davis.

America’s Hidden History is a book of six stylish, sometimes wry, vignettes that detail the more obscure tales of American history. The tales spin out in a well-written, forthright style, as a master storyteller discloses secrets of the past. It is just the kind of book on history I love, highlighting not facts and figures, but people and their real stories. There are little known stories of Conquistadors, Pilgrims, Puritans, Founding Fathers, and Revolutionaries, opening an illuminating window on the early saga of what became the United States of America.

I found the first two stories, that deal with the first explorers and settlers, an appealing, entertaining read, and mildly enlightening. Mr. Davis drops the veil on this history, to give the reader a true glimpse at the lives that wove that fabric.

He writes:

“In this inconceivable moment of terror, shock, and grief, the two women were spared. Taken captive along with at least ten other prisoners from Haverhill, they began a wilderness trek.”

It was in the remainder of the book, where the author starts telling tales of the American Revolution and its participants, that the book elevates from great to riveting. Conventional history gets turned on its ear, to reveal some very intriguing facts. I certainly learned a few things I thought I already knew.

Mr Davis pens:

“While Arnold prepared for this wilderness march to Quebec, his rival Ethan Allen was already assaulting Montreal. With only a handful of men, Allen had foolishly attacked the city late in September 1775. The attack was a fiasco, and the hero of Ticonderoga was captured by the British. His Revolutionary military career was over.”

America’s Hidden History dips past the standard book on history, removing the rose-coloured glasses we often use to view the past. Yet, within its pages are far more fascinating stories that should be read. Oh, and if you ever set out to colonize a new world make sure you bring the pigs.


Kenneth C. Davis is the bestselling author of Don’t Know Much About History, part of the popular Don’t Know Much About series.

America’s Hidden History is available online at Amazon and other retailers.

Update on my book Inside Realms- Its approved!

I got my final proof copy of Inside Realms, everything was fine, and it is now officially approved for online distribution!
Now I just have to wait 6-8 weeks for it to magically appear at the online retail stores like Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I shall count the days.

Book Review- T’ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do: Women Blues Singers Old and New

Written as a series of short biographies, T’ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do: Women Blues Singers Old and New by Rhetta Akamatsu, is a revealing peak into the characters of memorable women in the world of blues music. After giving a short introduction into the background of the blues, the author lets us glimpse into the lives of the women that sang the music. She takes the reader from the early days of singers carving out the industry, to the ladies of today that still carry the blues legacy. Each biography is complemented with photos, quotes, selected song lyrics and footnotes.

It is quite obvious from the first sentence that the author knows her subject, and has an affection for the blues. Ms. Akamatsu has done her research, infusing the book with absorbing facts, while maintaining a lively, entertaining pace and feel to the book.

It is a captivating look into music history, and in her writing style she manages to capture the essence of the blues era at its heyday. The book is written with atmosphere that clearly invokes both a time and a lifestyle. Even when writing of the modern blues musicians, the legacy is never far away.

She writes:

“Of course, this was a hard-drinking, hardloving, hard-fighting life, and a woman had to be tough. Many of the women blues singers were tall, big-boned, and quick with temper and fist. All of them could stand up for themselves. There were no shrinking violets among the early blues women.”

And here she paints a vivid picture:

“They spent lots of time roughing it on the road, playing in juke joints and bars, or in tents in the middle of fields. They traveled in overcrowded, broken down trucks and cars, or on buses and trains. They ate at the backdoors of restaurants and in alleys, or at eating establishments for blacks only, and they slept in the homes of relatives or friends or in black boarding houses (many of which did not cater to entertainers.) Sometimes they slept in the cars or trucks.”

Ms. Akamatsu opens the lives of these women for viewing, and never pulls any punches; she lays out the details, bad and good. All the pain, triumphs, blood and tears are arranged on the pages.

She pens:

“Janis wanted to be the living embodiment of Bessie Smith. She tried to act tough and free, but she was really vulnerable and insecure. She loved her Southern Comfort and she preached free love, but a world of pain came through in her voice.”

I highly recommend the book for anyone who likes a good read, but especially for fans of biographies, or music lovers.

Rhetta Akamatsu is a freelance writer, and author of Ghost to Coast, a paranormal handbook of ghost tours, paranormal investigation groups, and haunted hotels. She has also penned the craft recipe book for kids called Crafty Kids: Make Your Own Craft Recipes. You can find more information on these books as well as T’ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do: Women Blues Singers Old and New on the website: http://www.rhettaakamatsu.com/

T’ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do: Women Blues Singers Old and New is available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Taint-Nobodys-Business-Do-Singers/dp/1438233892/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216940294&sr=8-3

Book Review

Here is the first post in my series of book reviews and recommendations.

Book Review of The Long and Short of It by Gretchen Lee Bourquin:


Author Gretchen Lee Bourquin manages to write a contemporary and intimate slice of life in her book of poetry, The Long and Short of It.

The Long and Short of It is a book of twenty-five poems that the author divides into four categories: Poems at Play, a selection of graceful and whimsical verses; A Celebration of Craft, insightful poetry into the skill of writing and the muse; Finding a Place, a variety of introspective poems; and Poetry of Conscience, a commentary on different societal conditions.

Ms. Bourquin has a strong voice, a straightforward style and thankfully, does not indulge in overly fluffy prose. She knows how to capture a visual image, and reinforce it with emotional impact.

In the poem “Permission” she pens:

“She wraps herself inside her flannel tomb
to ward off chills that rival winter's breath.
She wonders how she'll dare to grant herself
a chance to move outside her inner shell,
and pull herself from self-inflicted death.”

One poem in particular I enjoyed was her “Casey at the Bat” sequel, “Casey in the Dugout.” Not only was it an amusing comment on the original poem, but I believe it holds satiric significance for today’s game of baseball.

She writes:

“Once the field was emptied and the crowd had been dispersed,
Casey's loyal fans did yell at him and tell him he's the worst
The once compliant baseball fans became an angry mob
And those who'd begged for autographs, now called the man a slob”

The author knows how to paint an effective portrait in verse, while quietly weaving in her unique view of the world. Her poetry is a gentle vista of the everyday. The Long and Short of It has no extraordinary, philosophical musings, but does offer quiet observations, intermingling with a few perceptive opinions.


Gretchen Lee Bourquin graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Literature/Creative Writing from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN, and garnered some early writing success with various publications. She has, in addition to The Long and Short of It, a published novel No Sensible People. Her biography and book information can be found on her website: http://www.gretchenleebourquin.com/

Reviews and recommendations are coming.

I have found quite a few deserving and talented authors while engaging in my online literary endeavors and travels, so I have decided to post an occasional book review and book recommendations here in my blog.

The reviews and book recommendations will most likely be in genres I enjoy: fantasy, sci-fi, mystery and historical nonfiction.

So if you want the scoop on something new to read, check back every now and then. The first review should be up next week.

Blogcritics Magazine is Book Review Central in June.

Check out Blogcritics Magazine's Book Section this June, for 'Book Reviewing' month.

June is ‘Book Reviewing’ month at Blogcritics Magazine!
To promote the release of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, co-author Mayra Calvani will be interviewing 15+ reviewers and review editors during the month of June.

Learn all about the business of book reviewing and what's in the mind of some of the most popular reviewers on the internet today. Some of the guests will include: Alex Moore from ForeWord Magazine, James Cox from Midwest Book Review, Irene Watson from Reader Views, Andrea Sisco from Armchair Interviews, Magdalena Ball from The Compulsive Reader, Sharyn McGinty from In The Library Reviews, Lea Schizas from Muse Book Reviews, Linda Baldwin from Road to Romance, Hilary Williamson from Book Loons, Judy Clark from Mostly Fiction, and many others!

To see the complete lineup, visit: The Slippery Book Review Blog.

Also, Between June 1st and June 30th, stop by Blogcritics and leave a comment under the reviewer interviews for a chance to win a Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour (coordinated by book marketing guru Dorothy Thompson), or, (as an alternative to a non-author winner), a $50 Barnes&Noble gift certificate!

Update

Just an update on was has been going on with my writing.

- One of my poems will be appearing in an upcoming chapbook produced by Bards and Sages Publishing. I'll keep you advised of its progress.
- Another one of my poems won second place in a contest on the WritersCafe.org website.
- I got my first interview as an author, Yeah! It's been posted on Blogcritics:
Interview with Fantasy Author A. F. Stewart

So, not a bad couple of weeks.


Don't forget to check out my Squidoo.com lens:
A. F. Stewart
How to write a Fantasy Novel
How to become an Independently Published Author

What is wrong with publishers?

Q: How does a new writer get published?

A: With extreme difficulty.


These days it seems that the publishing industry is lined up against the new writer, bent on stopping them from becoming an author. Which to me seems stupid. What is going to happening to the publishing industry if they don't have new authors?

Traditional publishers seem to have a certain disdain for new writers, giving their preference to established authors that have a proven track record. Understandable, but as a long range strategy, a bit silly. Established authors won't publish indefinitely, and if all the new blood is going elsewhere or giving up entirely, what will they be publishing?

Now new writers can self-publish, which can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is a viable option these days. But even this area is being harassed; by traditional publishers who seem to feel threatened by the competition and now by Amazon/Booksurge who seems to want to exert a Big Brother control over the industry. And the writer is the last person considered, again.

Small press publishing seems to be the best way to go for the new writer, but even here the process is hampered, simply because the publishers are being swamped with submissions. I did a search of dozens of these companies and quite a few are no longer accepting submissions because they simply cannot handle the overload.

So there are writers out there looking for publishers. Will there be a place for them in the future, or will we lose their prose to greed and short-sighted CEO's.

Update on the Stop the BookSurge Monopoly Petition.

As of this morning the petition (Stop the BookSurge Monopoly) has 1117 signatures.

Here is a sample of some of the comments from the cause supporters:

"I guess no amount of money is enough money for Amazon.com. The requirement to use Booksurge is the epitome of greed, and it must be stopped. Otherwise there is nothing to stop Amazon from attempting to stifle competition in other areas."

"Americans don't like monopolies. In this internet-driven day and age, it's a mistake to alienate a group like this. Prices are already soaring. Forcing higher cost and offering lower quality to line your own pockets when you're already doing well is a good way to start losing business."

"As a new author, and one who is not likely to ever reach the fame and stature of a Steven King, I strongly resent this attempt at 18th century style capitalism. Not only that but on their website, Borders says it is going to be using the same technology. Look out, theres another on the loose."

"This is insane. Authors are customers too. Making such a ridiculous demand of them will result in a loss of both authors and customers."

"I have a book through LULU.com, so am affected directly by this ultimatum. The whole thing smells like monopoly to me and is anti-free market economy. If Amazon is allowed to get away with this, they will seek to take over others down the road. How long before they start trying to control content. This is NOT North Korea."

"I have enjoyed shopping at Amazon for years, and don't begrudge them the success they've enjoyed. However, I can't see this push to get print-on-demand titles listed through Booksurge as anything more than an attempt at setting up a vertical monopoly (paired with its acquisition of Mobipocket, an e-book distributor, a couple years ago). Come on, Amazon - aren't you making enough money??"

"Amazon are willfully prohibiting orders for potential customers unless the publishing company sign into their agreements. This means that amazon take a staggering 60% of sale for doing not that much! This must be dealt with, there must be some form of governing body who can oversee this unfair monopoly. For many up and coming authors they feel their hands are tied."

"I am a small publisher that did not go with BookSurge because of quality issues. Now that Amazon owns them and is insisting on Booksurge printing to be sold on Amazon, my business will go elsewhere. It may be tough for a while, but where ever there is a void, the vacuum syndrome fills the void. There will be a new Marketing strategy to follow."

"Outrageous - I will NEVER shop at Amazon."

"As a regular and loyal customer to Amazon, I feel this tactic in forcing authors to use Booksurge is a blatant attempt at blackmail and an attempt to set up a monopoly. Fortunately, there are many wonderful independent booksellers in Seattle where I can purchase my books and cease my patronage at Amazon if this poor business practice continues."

"I'm a reader and author and I've got books on Amazon for sale as well as buying regularly. Because of this move from Amazon I've taken my links to Amazon.com off my website and I've told as many people as possible."

"As a micropublisher, this action could severely limit some of our authors' abilities to distribute themselves. A portion of our business rests on authors being able to connect with audiences through a internet market, and any limitation on that current ability is not acceptable."

"This is disgraceful and a blatant slap in the face to all, filtering from other print on demand book publishers to the authors to the readers who are not aware of what is happening. Who are the head muckety mucks behind this? They must be politicians...or related to politicians...or political wannabees...or just plain obnoxiously greedy quelch-the-free-enterprise system. I'm sending this petition to everyone I know...and hope main media will help get this story out, too. SHAME ON YOU, AMAZON!"

"If Amazon persists in trying to monopolize the market will stop doing business with them. I also manage several clients' businesses that are small publishers. We will do whatever is necessary to avoid dealing with Amazon."

"I shopped at Amazon exclusively for books until now. Yesterday I deleted my wishlist. I intend to delete my account if they do not change their ways. For now I am shopping at Books-A-Million."

"I am also an author. This is awful, just another squeeze on writers. POD and self-publishing will not go away. Somebody, some where, will create another "Amazon" if necessary. Amazon.com should be ashamed. I have loved Amazon and have been a supporter. Now I'm wondering if the big publishers are behind this? I can tell you if this happens, I, as well as many of my friends and family, will never buy another thing from Amazon.com."

"Competition is what makes the USA great. This is an irresponsible move.... I'll take my online book buying from Amazon.com to B&N.COM now. See ya!"

"People should be free to choose who they would like to print their books. They shouldn't be forced to be omitted from a large marketplace just because Amazon isn't getting the printing revenues. I will not be purchasing anything from Amazon if this goes through."

"As a publicist I abhor this move by Amazon. This is a blatantly greedy move on their part that will hurt first time authors, as well as bigger publishers. And over and over again I have seen that Book Surge has very poor customer service, and quality. So we have greed combining with shoddy product. If Amazon does not change this policy I will not use them again for the myriad of books I buy and my authors sell. And I will use my influence as a publicist to encourage others to do the same."

- Note:
The only response I have had from Amazon to these unhappy customers was a echo of their official statement. It seems their Booksurge policy overrides their policy of pleasing their customers. Does Greed rules Amazon? -

My Book Synopsis

I'm curious to get some feedback on my upcoming horror novella.
(Keep in mind this is still a work-in-progress)

The novella is set in London, England from the years 1795 to 1826
Basically it is being written in three sections, each part telling the story of a member of the Harrington Family and their interaction with two vampires.

The entire book is being written as diary entries.

Here are some examples:

August 13, 1795.

There is evil in this world. I can no longer deny that fact, for I have seen its face and heard its voice.
But evil is not repellent to me, as it should be. No, it is great temptation, a banquet of all I have wanted in this life. If I give over my soul. I should be afraid of this, I should flee from all thought of what I am contemplating. Why do I not?
A lifetime of belief is being undone by temptation. I have always done as I was taught. I have always trusted in God, but now I consider rejecting Him. Why? Perhaps my faith was not as strong as I believed.

August 17, 1795.

I talked to Henri regarding my doubts. He told me it must be my choice. I must choose between my beliefs and morals, and my desires. To that I will admit upon these pages, if no where else. For what I must do is selfish, even cruel, and will ruin utterly the life I live at this moment. To make the choice will take me into the shadow.

Writing Tip: Creating Conflict by Theresa Chaze

Creating Conflict:

Conflict is the stress factor, which not only propels the character to change, but also keeps the reader turning pages. By definition in literature, conflict is plot tension: opposition between or among characters or forces in a literary work that shapes or motivates the action of the character. No matter what genre, the conflict creates the drama, which is the backbone of the story. Without the suspense it creates, there would be no reason for the reader to be drawn in to the tale.

Conflict is not limited to physical altercation, but involves any plot twist, turn or ploy that causes emotional, spiritual or physical distress. Threatening to punch someone can create fear, but withholding love can have the same effect. One is physical, the other is emotion, yet they can have the same result. It is the stressor that causes discord and confusion within and around the main character. However, story conflict involves more than a single event; it is better described as a building of scenes one on another like a staircase, until the character has limited choices. By narrowing the character's options, her or his possibilities are limited, thereby forcing the character into a crisis situation. If done correctly, the readers are further drawn into the story, as they are anticipating the next plot twists and the eventual resolution.

Traditionally there are four conflict themes to both short stories and novels; however, in From Blank Page to Book Shelves, there is a fifth.

Man against himself

Man against man

Man against nature

Man against God or spirituality

Man against Fate or Karma (This is explained in From Blank Page to Book Shelves.)

Each theme is a generic conflict category, which help organize the characters and plot. They help define the roles of the characters in relation to their challenges. In this case, man is used as a generic term for person or main character; sometimes the central character isn’t human, but term would still apply. It is the focal point character to which I refer. In small pieces, such as short stories, there is only one conflict theme. However, in longer pieces such as novellas and novels, there are usually diverse characters so there can be more than one theme or a series of interdependent themes that guide the reader to the central conflict.

From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book is a new ebook, which explains not only more about conflict, but also about character development, story plot progression and other writing tips. It will also make your publishing experience more successful by helping the author to ask the right questions. The marketing information includes how to effectively use SEO keywords in press releases and low cost to free promotional options. Currently, this ebook is available as an Amazon Kindle or on the author's website, www.theresachaze.com for $7.00. Copies bought on the author's site are accompanied by a 345 page listing of over 2000 independent bookstores.

-I would like to thank Theresa Chaze for joining me here as my guest. As an added bonus, here is a peek at the press release for From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book-

Authors: A New Ebook on Writing and Marketing Your Book

From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book is a new ebook, which shares writing tips, and marketing strategies, which will make your publishing experience more successful. The marketing information includes how to effectively use SEO keywords in press releases, chose a publisher and low cost to free promotional options, while sharing writing tips.

The first part of the ebook gives basic writing tips. From plot organization to creating conflicts, this ebook help authors understand the basic structure of both short stories and novels. In addition, there are chapters on characterization and sensory writing, which help the authors draw in their readers into a multi-dimensional reading experience.
The second part of the book includes the importance of protecting the rights of the author, not only by copyrighting the work, but choosing the proper publishing venue. Safeguarding a work can be done easily and inexpensively; if done properly it insures that it will be legally protected. Choosing the correct publishing format and publisher can also make or break a book’s opportunities to reach the reading public.
Marketing and Promotions is explained in the third part of the ebook. It describes how the publishing venue affects how a book can be best advertised not only to readers, but also to bookstore owners. In addition, it lists low cost or free promotional ideas that can be used both on and offline. Search Engine Optimization makes press releases more effective; using the correct key words in the proper format will efficiently attract the attention of the search engines, thereby raising the article or site higher in the rankings and drawing more traffic to it.

From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book can’t guarantee to place an author on the New York Times best sellers list; however, it will help improve their writing skills and understanding of the business end of the industry.

Theresa Chaze to Guest on this blog tomorrow!

Just a reminder that tomorrow, April 4th, Theresa Chaze will be guest posting here as part of her virtual book tour. She is the author of, From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book, and her article topic will be, Writing Tip: Creating Conflict.

Make sure to drop by tomorrow.

Are Amazon and Booksurge bullies?

Amazon is currently busy ruining the ability for self-published authors to sell on their retail site. Unless of course they have published through their new company, BookSurge. What is even more insidious is they are actually trying to blackmail their rivals, (sites like Lulu.com, iUnverse, etc.), into using the BookSurge printing service.
How are they doing this, you ask? It's simple.
Most self-published authors use a subsidy publisher; the author pays for the cost to assemble the book(stuff like editing, cover art, etc), and the subsidy publisher takes care of the printing (usually Print-on-Demand, which basically means a copy of the book is printed as it is purchased) and distribution (usually to places such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble). Amazon's BookSurge is one of these subsidy publishers, and unlike other subsidy publishers (who outsource the printing, mostly to Lightning Source) it has its own POD printing service.
This is how Amazon is extorting the other publishers. Amazon is telling subsidy publishers, if you are not currently using BookSource as your printing service, your authors will not be able to sell on Amazon. They are actually disabling buy buttons for these books; PublishAmerica and Whiskey Press are the first victms.
If this continues, BookSurge will be the only one who gets to sell on Amazon; very convenient for Amazon.
At the very least this is a conflict of interest, at worst it is an illegal monopoly, extortion, and market fixing.

In the interest of being fair I emailed Amazon.com to see what they had to say on the matter.
Here is the email I sent:
"I would like to know if your company is seriously considering forcing independent, Print-on-Demand publishing companies, to use BookSurge. Even going so far as to threaten to disable the Amazon buy buttons on their titles if they do not comply.
Don't you realise the damage to authors this policy will wreak, or the fact you are leaving yourselves wide open to charges of illegal monopoly?"

This is their reply:
"Thank you for writing to Amazon.com

If you are interested in printing books on demand, we strongly recommend you work with BookSurge, an Amazon.com Company which offers complete publishing and printing services for authors and publishers. Whether your book manuscript is a ready-to-print finished PDF file or a working draft requiring editing, illustration and printing services, we've got the resources you need to get your book into distribution cost effectively.

BookSurge will be able to assist you with the preparation of your title(s) and, once ready, can print on demand as you require, including quick fulfillment for orders placed on Amazon.com. In the future, you will be able to manage your account with physical books or print on demand books with BookSurge through the Advantage interface. You can find more information about BookSurge here:

http://www.booksurge.com

If you have further questions about BookSurge after reviewing the web site above, please feel free to write to customerservice@booksurge.com.


Best regards,

Ajeeth
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com "

So do you think Amazon is in full marketing mode or what?

It was this email, and the callous disregard of my concerns that promoted me to create an online petition to fight Amazon and BookSurge.

If you want to sign, you can go here:

Stop the BookSurge Monopoly

Theresa Chaze to Guest on this blog!

Theresa Chaze will be a guest here on my blog, April 4th, as a stop on her virtual book tour.

She will be discussing her new ebook, From Blank Page to Book Shelves--How to Successfully Create and Market Your Book, a book that discusses in depth writing tips, copyright and publishing issues, and marketing.

Eternally Lost: A Rewrite

I've rewritten my story, Eternally Lost, and here's the latest version. Feel free to compare the two versions (the old one is posted here as well), and comment.

Eternally Lost

I left this mortal world in the year 1093, but I still wander this earth. I am one of the Undead, now damned to walk among the living unseen, inhabiting in the shadows.
Tonight, I am watching the moon. Slivers of light are dancing upon my night, and I bathe in the moonlight, surrounded by the forest and the wind. It is silent and beautiful.
The sight has not changed in the 800 years since I died. It is still solace for the lonely.
I am, as are all of the Undead, a forlorn soul, invisible to those full of spirit and life. I can see their happiness, hear their laughter, but I have none of my own. All I have are my memories, tainted remnants of my life.
Only mortals in despair may perceive what I am, what we all are; to those people, the desperate ones, the Undead can be seen. With them I can pretend, I can reach out to touch what I was, to relive what has vanished.
I have even heard whispers in the shadows, that to unshackle a despondent soul is to find your own redemption.
I wonder, now and then, if that could be true.

So I am here on this evening, surrounded by woods and decaying leaves, pondering stray thoughts and waiting for Robert Sinclair. He is my own sad, despairing soul, a man with little hope. We have much in common, despite the fact he is yet alive.
We crossed paths two days past when I found him here in these woods, amidst the fallen branches and underbrush. He was in quite a state, covered in blood, and pondering suicide by poison.
My shabby, ghostly form sent him into hysterics; he scrabbled about trying to hide among the fallen trees. He was convinced I was an apparition, come to take him to hell. It took me some time to convince him I meant him no harm.
I coaxed him quietly, speaking as to a child, reassuring his fear. Eventually he confessed the why of his circumstance; how his anger and his guilt had driven him to excess, that his flight from quaint village life was fueled by blood and death.
The poor boy, his tale was so pitiful, so similar to my own. Less than a week previous his mother died, pushed to her death during one of the frequent beatings inflicted by his father. Robert could not bear his rage and subsequently killed his father in revenge.
As his story unfolded, I assumed he was fleeing from punishment, but that was not the case. Both deaths had been regarded as accidents; no doubt the villagers were willing to ignore any unpleasantness.
No, what compelled Robert to the extremes of suicide was his own burden of self-reproach.
I understood that type of sorrow, and improbably, I had felt a tug on my lost heart. Sympathy had overwhelmed my thoughts, and in a wild moment I told him he was not alone, that we were kindred beings.
This is why I agreed to meet him, to tell him of my life, and my death.

"Joan."
I turned my head at the sound of his melancholic voice and beckoned to him. He waved back at me, in greeting.
"I was afraid you would not return."
"I felt I must. You are my fate somehow, and I must know the truth of you. I realize that you understand my misfortunes."
I felt the same; our two souls were of the same substance.
Robert looked about for a seat, finally settling himself down upon an old fallen log. He lost no time with his questions.
"Why is your soul still upon this earth? What sin condemned you?"
I looked down at his sad face.
"My life condemned me, all of my choices."
I said those words with remorse; I regretted most of my choices.
"My sin was born not from evil or selfish desire, but from desperation and anger. I am a lost soul, and so in death I was condemned to a purgatory, forever to walk the earth the shadows obscure and unloved."
"But, why is it that I can see you? I still find that confusing. Why am I so privileged? "
"You are living in your sin, and your misery. You are one of us, here among the living."
Robert smiled at my words, with his lovely, hushed smile.
"You are correct, I am lost and languid among the living, and my sin does occupy my thoughts. But you have given me a strange kind of hope."
"Now keep your promise, tell me of your life."

I looked back up at the moon. I needed a moment, before I faced him.
"I was not very unusual, just an English girl born among the poor in Somerset, and my family were farmers in service. I spent my childhood working at chores in the fields, playing with the other village children."
I smiled at the memories. The years after had made them all the sweeter.
"I was married in my thirteenth year, to the cooper's son. He was twenty-one, and apprenticed to his father. It was considered a good match, and on my wedding day I believed I was quite lucky."
"But you weren't lucky, it was a bad match?"
"Yes."
I gaze back up at the moon, remembering. Staring at the moon was a habit I began after I married. It had made life easier.
"He was a cruel man, drunk or sober. It gave him pleasure to strike out at people, and I was the one most often within his reach. I spent most of my married life with bruises."
"Just like my mother. She always ended up on the wrong end of my father's fist."
"Things don't change. Did he ever hit you, Robert?"
"No," his voice was bitter, "I was the son, not to be touched. Only my mother was punished."
"I am glad he never hit you; children should not be beaten. I believe that, and I tried very hard to protect my babies."
I smiled at the startled look that spread over Robert's face.
"Yes, I had children. Two lovely boys, and I was fiercely protective of them, kept them away from their fathers cruelty as much as possible. But it was not enough." No, it was not enough. I tried, but I did not protect my children.
"My husband regularly became drunk at the local tavern, and came home angry. One night he started beating me, as he did often, and he woke up my son Geoffrey."
I paused, just for a moment, to look at Robert, and compose my thoughts.
"The darling boy tried to rescue me, and it was the last act of his life." My voice caught the words, spilling over the grief that still hovered close.
"My husband hit him, and snapped his small neck."
Robert tried to take my hand, before remembering he could not touch it.
"As I stood in my home, looking at the body of my son, I felt a cold rage. I could hear my husband swearing threats at me, and I picked up a sharp butcher knife, turned around and plunged it into his chest."
I closed my eyes remembering. I could still see the blood pumping out of the wound, when I yanked out the knife, could still hear his curses and yells turn to moans and pleas. His white shirt slowly turned crimson as his blood stained the fabric, and he collapsed into a helpless lump upon our floor. A feeling of joy filled me, as I loomed over his carcass. I think I even laughed.
"When the last breath left him, and I knew he was dead, I sat down on my floor until morning. With the sunrise, I went to my other son, and explained what had happened. Then I sent him to tell the story to the village reeve."
"My poor son William. He never came out of his room during the night, or during the fighting; he knew better. He was very calm in the morning, even after seeing the sprawling bodies of his brother and father. He never said one word to me, just did what he was told."
"The reeve was not sympathetic to my tale, nor were the villagers. I was charged with murder, brought to court, where I was found guilty and sentenced to a beating and exile from the village, as I had no money to pay fines."
"I could have borne this punishment, but for the fact they took away my son. My husband's parents petitioned the court to take my son William, as compensation," I spit out those words, still choking on the memory. "And they were granted their wish, they stole my son."
"I'm sorry. Where did you go, in your exile?"
"Nowhere. Without my son, I had nothing. I managed to procure a sharp knife, and I slit my wrists, before I was banished. I died because I killed myself."
Robert made a small gasp, but said nothing.
"What was one more sin? I could shame my family no more than I had, and the village certainly did not care if I was dead. They threw my corpse in a nameless grave at the crossroad and forgot I ever existed."
Robert looked at me sharply.
"How do you know about your burial? Was your poor soul adrift so soon, to be the Undead?"
"Yes, my soul was condemned from just after the moment of death. I haunted the places I knew for many years; I had no other place to go. I watched over my son, until he was fourteen years. I saw him turned into the same type of man my husband had become, and I could do nothing."
"I eventually left, and traveled where I wished, until I arrived here in Cornwall."
"I am sorry for your heartbreak. Do you know why you were so damned?"
"I sinned; I killed, and I enjoyed it. I took my own life. But mostly, because I had no repentance. These things condemned my soul to wander."
"You must understand, Robert, the Undead are souls who attained no peace with the closing of our mortality. I live in a world between the living and the dead, condemned here because I refused to seek atonement."
Robert's face clouded over.
"So if I repent my sins before I die, my soul will not be as your's has become, and I may find salvation?"
You will not become Undead if you repent, I cannot promise salvation."
"So I may only avoid your fate, if I repent of the murder of my father, the vengeance I sought for the death of my mother, and ask forgiveness for the joy I took in killing him?"
"Yes."
"And if I do not repent these sins? If I embrace them and exist with the guilt I feel for not having remorse?"
"Then when you die, you will wander as I do, forever shut out of the world. It is your choice Robert."
"Leave me, I must think."

So I left him to himself and his thoughts, only to return a few hours later.
I found his body just as I had hoped; crumpled on the ground, lifeless. The vial of poison he had used lay a few inches from his limp hand.
"Hello, Joan."
I smiled as I turned around.
"Hello, Robert."

My Contest

My contest to choose the artwork for one of my upcoming novels is now closed. The winners will be announced on the site tomorrow, Feb. 4, 2008.
I'm starting a new contest tomorrow as well, for all action movie fans. The prize is an e-book copy of my book, The Incomplete List of Action Movie Cliches.

Here is the link:
Contest Page

Online Short Story

Here is the finished product of my short story. Sorry for the long wait.


Eternally Lost

I died in 1093, in England, but I still walk the earth. I am of the Undead, one of the condemned. We are the dead who attain no peace with the closing of our mortality; we are the souls who walk the shadows.

Purgatory is not what you have accepted.

Tonight I watch the moon, and the slivers of light that are dancing upon my night. I bathe in the moonlight, surrounded by the wood and the wind. It is silent and beautiful.

I am waiting for Robert Sinclair, my sad, despairing soul. We have much in common, despite the fact he is yet alive. We are forlorn souls.

For I am damned to walk among the living, to be invisible to those full of spirit. Only those such as Robert, the desperate ones, can see the Undead.

So, sometimes, we reach out. To touch what we were, what has vanished. It is even whispered in the shadows, that to save a despondent soul is to find our redemption.

I wonder, now and then, if that could be true.

So I stood in the moonlight, pondering stray thoughts, waiting to talk to a man with little hope. We had crossed paths two days past, when I found him here in these woods. He had been in quite a state, covered in blood, pondering suicide.

My ghostly form sent him into hysterics; he was convinced I was an apparition, come to take him to hell. It took me some time to convince him I meant him no harm.

And eventually he confessed the why of his circumstance, why his guilt had driven him to the brink of poisoning himself. The poor boy had killed his father to avenge his mother’s death; she had fallen to her death, during one of the frequent beatings inflicted by his father.

I had listened to his story, understanding his sorrow. As he had poured out his story, I had felt a tug on my lost heart, and sympathy overwhelmed my thoughts. This is why I had agreed to meet him, to tell him of my life, and my death.

So I was waiting.

“Joan.”

I turned my head at the sound of his dark voice and smiled at him. He smiled back at me, in greeting.

“I wasn’t certain if you would return.”

“I felt I must; you are my fate somehow. I must know the truth of you. You understand my misfortunes.”

I knew his meaning; our two souls were of the same substance.

Robert settled himself down upon an old fallen log, and looked at me. He lost no time with his questions.

“Why is your soul still upon this earth? What sin condemned you?”

I looked down at his sad face.

“My life condemned me, all of my choices.”

I said those words with remorse; I regretted most of my choices.

“I’m a lost soul, a sinner. My offense was born not from evil or selfish desire, but from desperation and anger. In death, I was condemned to purgatory, forever to walk the earth in the shadows, unseen and unloved.”

“But, why is it that I can see you? I still find that confusing. Why am I so privileged? ”

“You are living in your sin, and your misery. You are one of us, here among the living.”

Robert smiled at my words, with his lovely, gentle smile.

“You are correct, I am lost and languid among the living, and my sin does occupy my thoughts. But you have given me a strange kind of hope.”

He gave me a playfully, stern look. “Now keep your promise, tell me of your life.”

I looked up at the moon. I needed a moment, before I faced him.

“I was not very unusual, just a girl born among the poor in Somerset. My family were farmers in service. I spent my childhood working at chores in the fields, playing with the other village children.”

I smiled at the memories. The years after had made them all the sweeter.

“I was married in my thirteenth year, to the cooper’s son. He was twenty-one, and apprenticed to his father. It was considered a good match, and on my wedding day I believed I was quite lucky.”

“But you weren’t lucky, it was a bad match?”

“Yes.”

I gaze back up at the moon, remembering. Staring at the moon was a habit I began after I married. It had made life easier.

“He was a cruel man, drunk or sober. It gave him pleasure to strike out at people, and I was the one most often within his reach. I spent most of my married life with bruises.”

“Just like my mother. She always ended up on the wrong end of my father’s fist.”

“Things don’t change. Did he ever hit you, Robert?”

“No,” his voice was bitter, “I was the son, not to be touched. Only my mother was punished.”

“I am glad he never hit you; children should not be beaten. I believe that, and I tried very hard to protect my babies.”

I smiled at the startled look that spread over Roberts face.

“Yes, I had children. Two lovely boys. And I was fiercely protective of them, kept them away from their fathers cruelty, as much as possible. But it was not enough.”

No, it was not enough. I tried, but I did not protect my children.

“My husband regularly became drunk at the local tavern, and came home angry. One night he started beating me, as he did often, and he woke up my son Geoffrey.”

I paused, just for a moment, to look at Robert, and compose my thoughts.

“The darling boy tried to rescue me, and it was the last act of his life.” My voice caught the words, spilling over the grief that still hovered close.

“My husband hit him, and snapped his small neck.”

Robert tried to take my hand, before remembering he could not touch it.

“As I stood in my home, looking at the body of my son, I felt a cold rage. I could hear my husband swearing threats at me, and I picked up a sharp butcher knife, turned around and plunged it into his chest.”

I closed my eyes remembering.

I could still see the blood pumping out of the wound, when I yanked out the knife, could still hear his curses and yells turn to moans and pleas. His freshly laundered white shirt slowly turned crimson as his blood stained the fabric, and he collapsed into a helpless lump upon our floor. A feeling of joy filled me, as I loomed over his carcass. I think I even laughed.

“When the last breath left him, and I knew he was dead, I sat down on my floor until morning. With the sunrise, I went to my other son, and explained what had happened. Then I sent him to tell the story to the village reeve.”

My poor son William. He never came out of his room during the night, or during the fighting; he knew better. He was very calm in the morning, even after seeing the sprawling bodies of his brother and father. He never said one word to me, just did what he was told.

“The reeve was not sympathetic to my tale, nor were the villagers. I was charged with murder, brought to court, where I was found guilty and sentenced to a beating and exile from the village, as I had no money to pay fines.”

“I could have borne this punishment, but for the fact they took away my son. My husband’s parents petitioned the court to take my son William, as compensation,” I spit out those words, still choking on the memory. “And they were granted their wish, they stole my son.”

“I’m sorry. Where did you go, in your exile?”

“Nowhere. Without my son, I had nothing. I managed to procure a sharp knife, and I slit my wrists, before I was banished. I died because I killed myself.”

Robert made a small gasp, but said nothing.

“What was one more sin? I could shame my family no more than I had, and the village certainly did not care if I was dead. They threw my corpse in a nameless grave at the crossroad and forgot I ever existed.”

Robert looked at me sharply.

“How do you know about your burial? Was your poor soul adrift so soon, to be the undead?”

“Yes, my soul was condemned from just after the moment of death. I haunted the places I knew for many years; I had no other place to go. I watched over my son, until he was fourteen years. I saw him turned into the same type of man my husband had become, and I could do nothing.”

“I eventually left, and travelled where I wished, until I arrived here.”

“I am sorry for your heartbreak. Do you know why you were so damned?”

“I sinned; I killed, and I enjoyed it. I took my own life. But mostly, because I had no repentance. These things condemned my soul to wander.”

Robert’s face clouded over.

“So if I repent my sins before I die, my soul will not be as your’s has become.”

“No, you will not be the undead.”

“So to avoid your fate, I must repent of the murder of my father, of the vengeance I sought for the death of my mother, and ask forgiveness for the joy I took in killing him?”

“Yes.”

“And if I do not repent?”

“Then you will wander as I do, forever shut out of the world. It is your choice Robert.”

“Leave me, I must think.”

So I left him to himself and his thoughts, only to return a few hours later.

I found his body just as I had hoped; crumpled on the ground, lifeless. The vial of poison he had used lay a few inches from his limp hand.

“Hello, Joan.”

I smiled as I turned around.

“Hello, Robert.”