Friday, July 31, 2009

New Goodies

My editor sent me back edits on Episode 2 of The Dark InSpectre today, which made me extremely happy. I definitely want to get as ahead of the game as I can in terms of episodes that are in the tank and ready to post. I should also note that she put some very nice touches on it, and helped me format it appropriately for the web.

And she also sent me several versions of the banner for the story, which I plan on having a lot of fun with when I have time. Here's an example! The countdown for Monday and Episode 1 continues...!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Things to see, people to do...

I'm writing this the night before my last day of work prior to vacation. We're hitting the Jersey shore for a week, should be a nice break. Of course, I'm uploading Episode 1 of the Dark InSpectre on Monday, so I'm jazzed about that. And my editor says she's going to send me edits for Episode 2 tomorrow morning, along with a nifty little graphic banner I can post in some key web locations. Yay!

I've also been able to keep trudging forward with my new short story. I say trudging cuz I've hit a surprisingly difficult patch. But I will not be stopped! Seriously, though, I can see that I'm definitely going to pass the magic 5,000 word mark, and that once I'm done, I'll probably go back and cut out maybe a fourth to a third of the beginning. But that's normal for me.

So until next time, and get ready for Monday when Episode 1 will be unleashed!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Master of social media

It was not very long ago that there was no blog, no web site, no facebook page, no nothin'. But all of a sudden (and it really does feel like it happened overnight) I find myself with all of these, plus a twitter account, plus a LinkedIn page, plus a blog for my Dark InSpectre story. Plus, I was invited by my editor, the very talented Crystal Wizard (aka, Kelly) to be a guest author on the Abandoned Towers blog. Of course I accepted, how could I not? I consider it an honor to be asked.

Thing is, I do not consider myself a very social-media-web-savvy person. At all. And yet, here I am. It's just a bit weird is all...

Sunday, July 26, 2009

And so it begins...

The site is up, the intro material has been posted. I've sent out emails and posted at all the places I can think of. The first episode will be posted Aug. 3. Buckle up for the ride.

http://darkinspec.blogspot.com/

Soon it will begin

This weekend, my editor and I have been going back and forth with comments as she's developing the graphic banner that will run above my story that will be serialized over the next several months.

As of an hour ago, it's done. So any earlier doubts as to this happening by Monday were completely unfounded! She did an amazing job and it looks totally cool. I am waiting for one last answer to a question I have for her, and then I will post the intro stuff and start sending the link to everyone on the planet! (Que crazed laughter)

It's a moment I have been steeling myself for for quite some time. No one dislikes attention seeking behavior more than me, so the idea of inviting loads of people that either I know extremely well or are merely acquaintances to read my story makes me cringe and leaves me somewhat embarrased. Nevertheless, I understand that I must take an active role in promoting my work, that I am to some extent, as a writer, in a line of work that screams "hey, look at me!" I should view this occasion as a welcome reward for all the rejections that are a routine part of a writer's life. Therefore, that is what I will say to myself every time I hit the "send" button on all the emails that will shortly be issuing from my computer.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Moving on several fronts

I finally asked the editor for my soon to be unveiled serialized story if it was okay that I only have edits back on Episode 1. She said not to worry, so long as we stay an episode ahead, it should be fine. So that means that every two weeks (that's how often new episodes will go up) she needs to get me an edited episode and I need to go through the edits and get it clean and back to her prior to upload. I was kind of hoping to get a bunch of episodes out of the way prior to launch, but I guess not. Going through edits doesn't take much time, but it does put a tad bit of pressure on me in that I want to be using any free time for A) finishing up the story I'm currently writing, and B) starting the next story in my serialized world. Oh well.

She also told me she's been unable to come up with an idea for the banner for the web page on which my stories will run. Oh, did I mention that the intro is supposed to go up on Monday? Yeah, I am definitely wondering how that's going to happen.

On the positive side, I have been able to make headway on the story I've been writing. I'd say it's two-thirds written. I'm now getting into the meaty action part where everything is revealed.

And also, on the authors site for Damnation Books, they've put up all the finished digital covers for all the stories and novels, including mine! The art on these is way cool. I can't wait till Sept. 1 when they all come out. Anyway, that's all for now!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Six foot two, eyes of blue...

The editor for my soon to be serialized story is currently making up the banner that will run across the top of it on the web page where the story will be published. I have no doubt it will be some kind of cool-looking graphic. But in order to create it, she needed to know about my main character. In particular, what he looks like. I had to describe his facial features, what he wears, etc., in pretty good detail. For some reason I found this incredibly difficult. I'm not really sure why. Maybe I just don't think of my characters except in sort of general characteristics, like "tall" or "red hair." Anyway, I got through it. I'm sure whatever my editor comes up with will be excellent judging by the banners on the other serialized stories over at Abandoned Towers. Oh, almost forgot, came up with an overarching title after batting a few possibilities around with my wife, who was very helpful:

The Dark Inspectre.

I like it!

And, as a bonus this weekend, I was able to work a little on that half written story of mine. Not a lot, but some. Hopefully I'll be able to do more soon. Yay!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Slowly but surely

Things are continuing to percolate with my various projects coming out in the next weeks/months. First of all, there's the digital cover (see below) for my short story coming out September 1 via Damnation Books. It's way cool, and I never would have thought of that image. I'm not very good coming up with conceptual art for these things, so I really appreciate the people who do.



And I've settled on a title for my continuing series that will be going up over at Abandoned Towers: The Dark Inspectre. So everything's going good, though it is making me increasingly nervous that I haven't gotten any edits back on any episodes except the first one, and it's supposed to launch Monday, Aug. 3, with new epi's every 2 weeks. I am still refraining from nagging my editor. And hopefully this weekend I will be able to get to that story I have half written. Hope springs eternal!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Title trouble

It's getting closer to when my serialized story is supposed to debut. First Episode is supposed to hit Aug. 3, with episodes every 2 weeks after that, and I've only gotten edits back on Episode 1! So naturally I'm getting a bit anxious and trying to resist the urge to nag my editor (get that hand off that keyboard!).

But something else is causing me mental angst. I've got to come up with an overarching title for the story, which will continue after the current series is complete, so it can't be just related to the story that's going to run in the next few weeks. It's got to tie in to the world I've created, or the main character, that sort of thing. And boy am I having trouble. The overall story is set in a near future where telepathy is possible. The main character is a cop who is not only telepathic, but can communicate with the dead. It's very noir and hard-boiled. My wife is trying to help with a title also, and we're both stumped.

In addition, I'm trying to concentrate with half my brain on a completely different story that I have half written and have been trying to find time to get back to. Progress in any of the above mentioned areas would be good!

Monday, July 13, 2009

And the beat goes on...

So, another rejection on a story that's making the rounds, and I mean a lot of rounds. sigh... Checked out another publications, shaped the story up, and sent it out again. And so it goes.

On the plus side, the publisher of Damnation Books is really getting the word out. Ads and the line up of the first authors are popping up at an awful lot of places. And these are mostly horror fiction sites, which I'm really not that familiar with, being more conversant with the scifi side of things. It's just cool to see my name there with the title of my short story in places that I frankly didn't know exist. It's all supposed to blow up large on Sept. 1. Yay!

And I'm still eagerly awaiting the next edits on episodes from my serial that's going up on Abandoned Towers next month. So far I've gotten Episode 1 back. Fourteen to go...

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

It's getting closer...

Damnation Books just updated their web site. They've got the line up for their first round of short stories and novels that will go on sale starting September 1. Why should you care? Because your's truly has a short story in there, called "The Killer Within." Check the web site (look to the right in the links section). You'll see my name amongst all the other authors and titles. Very exciting!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Sooooo how was the movie?

I took my older boy to see Transformers this past weekend (couldn't take him on his last day of school cuz I got a migraine). Let me just say that it was not as bad as the reviews made it out to be. I don't think it could have been. At the end of the movie, the audience stood up and applauded. I kid you not. This was in Brooklyn, where audiences (including their kids) are fairly discerning.

Why the applause? Cuz it was a lot of kick-ass transformer action. Sure, there were some abso-freakin-lutely ridiculous moments, but you know what? It was a fun, summer, popcorn movie. That's what people expected, and that's what they got. Sometimes I think reviewers are a bit disconnected from what actual people expect from movie-going experiences. Was it a work of art? A cinematic masterpiece? Of course not. But nobody who bought a ticket sat down to see one.

And not that box office is any kind of true barometer, but the movie is raking it in at a ridiculous rate. So clearly it's struck a cord out there. Nuff said.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Episode 1 Revision

Two days ago I received my first edits for Unfinished Business, which will be going up as a 15-episode serial in August. The edits were for, naturally, Episode 1. So I was very excited to see the email pop up in my in box since that brings home the fact that this is really happening. Which for me is a big deal cuz I've been working on this story for a looooong time, and also cuz I think it's some of the best stuff I've ever written (to camera: I haven't written all that much, so not really saying a whole lot there).

Anyway, it was interesting to see the edits. My editor definitely has her own unique style, and she pointed out some things that I just never would have thought of, particularly with point of view, which gets tricky given the story structure (you'll see when it comes out!).

So I threw in my two cents and sent it on back. And now I'm just waiting to see how it went over...

In the meantime, it's 4th of July weekend, which inevitably means Transformers with the boys. Sigh...well, the first one was pretty good, how bad can the second one be...? I'll let you know!

-jason