Montag, 24. Juni 2013

Crossroads



I've never really been here before.
I've had days, weeks even, when I couldn't decide how to move forward with a story, but never with three separate books.
And yet, that's exactly where I am right now.

The Division of the Damned is crying out for a sequel and I have the plot down as well. However, I want to introduce some more Biblical/Sumerian elements into it and I'm not sure if they're too over the top?
Basically, if you've read, "Division", you might remember about the war that Lilith started with the Gods? My idea was/is to make the followers of Lilith into the Fallen Angels or the Anunnaki, and have one searching for the last splinter of the Tree of Life, which is stolen from an old Rabbi at Treblinka.
Mmmm, I don't know. The thing is, half the people loved the Sumerian/Bible thing, and the other half didn't.
Whatever, it'll have to gestate a while for its true form to appear, as I think rushing it would kill the yeast, as it were.

My second idea is here:The Eckton Empire

Have a read if you have twenty minutes or so, tell me what you think please.

The last plot I have in my head is set in the south Pacific.
I originally wanted to write a Cthulhu story, but that's a no go, due to rights and having to pay estates for the use of Cthulhu.
So, I decided to stick with the south Pacific theme, and set it around the crew of a whaler in the 18th/early 19th century.
The ship stops at an island for supplies, meets up with a tribe who worship whales and blah blah blah, other stuff happens involving kidnapped girls, murderously evil missionaries and schools of angry cetaceans.

So, as ever, now you know.
I've hit a wall and really need to get over it.

However, if there's one thing I do have, it's time. The "Chronicles of Supernatural Warfare" anthology isn't out yet, and I want to send a few short stories out to other collections. But, before you can send 'em, you have to write 'em... so I better get my skates on.



Take it easy.
Reg.

PS BTW, I reached the 400 Likes mark on my Facebook page the other day.

Happy days, happy days...

Donnerstag, 6. Juni 2013

America, what's wrong??


The House in Wales has been out now since March 29th, and it's going great guns, seriously. Priced at a lowly 79 pence, it isn't making me any money, but it is pushing my name out there, and that's the idea. Not six weeks into its release and it has twenty reviews already, some books can go six years without seeing twenty reviews so you can imagine how chuffed I am.
So thank you, every last one of you, who has written a review.

On the other hand, on the other side of the pond, it's not doing too well. I have no idea why, but it simply hasn't caught on over there. This saddens me a tad as I like the idea of some dude in, say, LA., reading about my home town. Wouldn't it be great to inspire someone on a different continent to think about where your home town is, where your family and past lie? I think it would, (but I've often been told I think too much so we'll leave it there).

However, that isn't me being deviously greedy because, well as for money making, it isn't; and if the truth be known it won't in the near future either. It'd be folly to expect massive profits without the clout of a large publishing house to back your work, paying for promotion, reviews from other big authors, distribution to the large book chains blah, blah, blah. We did try Facebook advertising, and I'd be interested to know if anyone saw my book on their page as there was no major impact that I saw, but that's about it in regards to promotion.

That said, there are, of course, subtle market differences with each genre that affect sales in general.

For example, romance ALWAYS sells. The fairer sex read a lot more than their brutish other halves and hunky, shining knights on white chargers or dark eyed vampires with six packs you could wash your grollies on, will always be a hit with the more imaginative 50% of the world. I take nothing away from the very talented ladies I know who write such literature, but I do envy their automatic fan base :-)

Crime is another that sells well. Gumshoe detectives, (whatever they are?), ghastly murders and the workings of the law enforcement agencies can inspire a spark of interest in even the dampest of minds, (Everton and Man United supporters etc etc.) and if you can come up with a good title, an interesting premise and credible dialogue you're on a winner. Of course, you have to be able to write as well ;-)

No, seriously, these two genres, although not guaranteed to generate sales, have a large fan base anyway and the couple of people I know who write in these veins are above average writers and are doing nicely.

Horror, on the other hand, is in the middle ground.

It isn't as desired as romance or crime, but it isn't as despised as that pariah dog of the library, poetry, either. Horror is the poor relation, along with fantasy and military history; the working class cousin who demands a beer at a cheese and wine party, or listens to football scores at a wedding, (Hey, that's me!!).

So Reg, I hear you asking, why don't you write something with an automatic fan base?

My Mam asked that very same question.
"Oh good grief Rich!" My Mam is the only person I know who calls me Richard. "Vampires and Nazis? Why not write something nice? Romance sells, you want to be a writer, write something that sells."
I had no answer for her, well not one that I could articulate without looking like a petulant 12 year old, ("You just don't understand, do you?" he said, throwing his teddy in the corner and stomping off to his room.).

It's a good question, I suppose. However, the fact is, that just isn't me. I don't think I could look at myself in the mirror if I, (here it comes, that old cliché), "sold out". I want to write what I want to write, and romance isn't it, Gumshoe crime stories either, though I would like to know what a Gumshoe is?
I dabbled with a few romantic scenes in both books, but an out and out, full on, weepy love fest is just not on.

And that's the best with these guys, (Taylor Street). Yes we're not massive, yes we're not raking it in. However, we are free and I like the atmosphere.
Casual but dedicated to the joint cause, which is how it should be in my eyes.

So where was I again?
Ah, yes, The House in Wales is doing well, I'm very happy and thanks all for the reviews. Oh, and America... yes, America. Not good. Ah well, nil desperandum, right kids?
Right Reg.

Take it easy peeps.
Reg.