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What is Smashwords? Ebook Publishing.

Image via CrunchBase

A week or so ago, I completed the process of converting my Word file of Breaking Faith into a format suitable for ebook publishing (this is a tedious and time-consuming process, so don’t do it unless you’re willing to spend the necessary time). My chosen ebook publisher was Smashwords, as I know authors who have used their service and found it to be excellent.

With the permission of the website owners, I here reproduce their welcome email (modified a little) so that both readers and writers can understand a little more about this process.

Links to my own novel, Breaking Faith, appear at the foot of this piece for those wanting to explore that option further.

For book lovers, Smashwords is a great place to sample, discover and purchase nearly 10,000 affordably-priced ebooks, direct from independent authors and small publishers. When you purchase a book, 85% of the net proceeds go straight to the author/publisher, which means you are directly supporting the author who worked so hard to bring you their book. Smashwords books are DRM-free, which means you can enjoy your books on multiple devices without copy protection. It also means our authors are trusting you to not illegally copy or share or re-distribute the book. The books you purchase are for your personal enjoyment only.

For authors and publishers, Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform. Smashwords makes it free and easy for any author, anywhere in the world, to quickly publish and distribute an ebook. Smashwords books, in addition to being sold at Smashwords.com, are also distributed to major ebook retailers such as the Apple iPad iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Stanza and Aldiko.

How to Sample or Purchase Ebooks on Smashwords

Once you find a book you want to sample, you can read a portion of it online for free using one of our two online readers, or you can download a sample in one of several formats.

When you're ready to purchase a book, click to add it to your cart. You can then continue shopping to add more books to your cart, or you can complete the purchase by providing payment information. We accept most major credit cards and PayPal.

How to Read Your Ebook

After you complete a purchase, we'll email you a purchase confirmation. Return to your Smashwords Library, where you'll find links to your purchased book. Once a book is purchased, you can download the book in any of the available formats.

For more help on how to read our books, or download to your Kindle, visit https://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq#Reading

Please remember, Smashwords ebooks are licensed for your personal enjoyment only. These books are not encumbered by copy protection, which means our authors are trusting you to respect their hard work and not share their books with others.

How to Publish and Distribute with Smashwords:

Smashwords is the leading ebook publishing and distribution platform for indie authors and publishers.  We wrote the book on indie ebook publishing and distribution, and we're constantly working to open up new distribution opportunities for our authors.  Come learn why over 5,000 indie authors around the world publish and distribute over 12,000 original ebooks with Smashwords.  It's fast, free and easy (especially if you follow our detailed online instructions).

The best first page to visit is the How to Publish at Smashwords Page at http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords

To maximize the sales and distribution opportunities for your book, learn about the Smashwords Premium catalog at http://www.smashwords.com/distribution . Once your book is accepted into the Premium Catalog, it will be distributed to major online retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo and soon, Amazon and others yet to be announced.  We also distribute to the most important mobile ebook platforms, including Stanza on the iPhone and Aldiko for Android phones and tablets.

To publish on Smashwords, you must be the original author, or the exclusive digital publisher. Smashwords does not accept public domain books (unless you are the original author), or books that appear elsewhere on the Internet under other authors' names. We also don't want scammy "get rich quick on the Internet" books. Read the Smashwords Terms of Service for our publishing requirements. Authors who flaunt the Terms of Service, or who fail to follow the Smashwords Style Guide, may find their books and accounts deleted without warning.

How to Get the Most out of Your Smashwords Membership:
1. Please update your email's spam filter by placing smashwords.com on your "safe list." We have a strict no-spam policy.
2. Smashwords authors spend a tremendous amount of time writing their books for your enjoyment. Most Smashwords authors provide generous samples so you can try before you buy. If you like the sample, please show your appreciation to the author by purchasing their book, reviewing their book, and recommending it to your friends.
3. No DRM! - Smashwords books are not encumbered by DRM (digital rights management) schemes or copy protection that can interfere with the reader's enjoyment of a book. This means you can read your Smashwords book on any device you choose or print the book on your home computer. It also means our authors and publishers are trusting you to honor their hard work by not illegally copying or sharing the book. Please remember that when you purchase a book, it is licensed for your personal enjoyment only, and cannot be sold to, or shared with, anyone else. If you want to give the book to others, please purchase an extra copy for each person so the author and publisher can receive their fair compensation.
4. How to read Smashwords books: Our books are available in multiple reading formats. You can read the books online using our online readers, or you can download ebook files formatted for different ebook readers or for at-home printing. For iPhone and iPod Touch users, all Smashwords books are listed in the Stanza catalog. To learn how to download a book to your Kindle, click here: http://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq#Kindle
5. Smashwords is in perpetual beta because we're always adding new features to serve you, so we welcome your honest, critical feedback related to usability, interface flow, features and function. Your feedback helps us improve Smashwords for readers and authors alike. At the top of every page of the site, there's a message link where you can log your thoughts and experiences. If you like how something works, log it. If you have suggestions for how we can make a certain page, function or process more intuitive, log it. Ideas for cool features? Log them. This information goes directly to our founder Mark Coker and our CTO, Bill Kendrick.
6. Smashwords is an online service. There is no software to install on your computer (unless you want to read PDF files and don’t already have Adobe Acrobat installed).
7. How to publish on Smashwords: Smashwords allows an author to upload a single Microsoft Word or .RTF file that we then automatically convert into multiple DRM-free ebook formats. Prior to publishing your own book, you should read The Smashwords Style Guide at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/52 which provides tips to help you get the best conversion results.
8. Privacy: You're in complete control over how your information is presented on the site. We'll never sell or rent your contact information to third parties. Want to publish under a pen name? No problem.

9. We want to hear from you! Write our founder and CEO, Mark Coker, at first initial second initial at you know where dot dom. Tell us how we can make Smashwords the best digital publishing platform for indie authors, publishers, and their readers! Smashwords was created for you, and our success in the months and years ahead lies in your hands, so please share how we can help you.

10. Won't you take a moment to invite your friends to join the Smashwords community? Every new author brings new readers that enrich the entire Smashwords community. At the right hand top of the home page is a link where you can invite up to 10 people at a time.

-------------------More Background on Smashwords --------------------------------

We're excited about the opportunity digital books present to the world's readers, authors and publishers. For centuries, books have remained the gold standard for information dissemination, knowledge sharing and story telling. Books have shaped the course of mankind.
But traditional paper-based book publishing has its limitations - book printing and publishing is expensive, so book publishers are unable to publish all written works, and even if they could publish all written works, the vast majority of literate people in the world cannot afford them. Print books are simply too expensive when you consider that 86% of the world's population earns an annual income of less than $10,000 ( http://www.whartonsp.com/articles/article.asp?p=404802 ) versus the $30,000-$50,000 typical in the US, Asia and most European countries. Over one billion of the world's roughly 6.5 billion inhabitants subsist on less than $1 a day. Paper books are simply too expensive for most of the world.
By moving books into the digital realm, we can dramatically change the economics of book publishing, while at the same time making great books available to people of all economic backgrounds from around the world.
Smashwords returns up 85% of net proceeds from the sale of each book back to the author or publisher. This means that an author who might otherwise earn a per copy royalty of 40 cents by publishing a $7.95 mass market paperback can make three times as much per copy by selling the ebook on Smashwords for $2.00 (a 75% lower cost). Smashwords economics creates a virtuous cycle: By pricing books low, Smashwords authors will expand the potential audience for their books while at the same time increasing their per-copy income.
Of course, some Smashwords authors price their books at ZERO, and we allow this.
Thank you again for joining the Smashwords community. If you appreciate our service, won't you please tell a friend?

WHY ENTER A CONTEST?

A short feature taken from C Hope Clarke’s weekly newsletter, with her kind permission.

Reproduced here, as it echoes my own opinion on writing competitions.

 

Some writers abstain from contests. They fear
someone will rob them of their material, or the sponsor seeks
only to make a buck. Contests are no different than markets,
publishers, and agents. Some are bad, some are good, and
some are exceptional and jumpstart your writing career.

Study a contest like you would an agent, publisher or market.
Research all you can about it then trust your gut. Don't be
shortsighted and don't assume anything. Any aspect of the
profession entails doing homework and making informed
decisions.

What can a contest do for you?

1. Make you write.
2. Make you submit.
3. Make you meet a deadline.
4. Make you follow guidelines.
5. Make you test yourself.

Then, of course, contests can:

6. Provide a publishing clip.
7. Provide money.
8. Provide an opportunity with an agent.
9. Provide an opportunity with a publisher.
10. Provide feedback on the quality of your work.

Ninety percent of the time, if you've been scammed by
a contest, you did not do your homework. If people had
simply Googled "POETRY.COM" years ago when it was at the
height of its scamming profession, the company would have
gone under much sooner than it did.

At writing conferences, I coax writers to consider all
types of funding streams in furthering their profession,
to include contests. When I worked in agriculture, I
advised farmers to diversify. In other words, don't put
all your eggs in one basket. In addition to writing
articles for online and features for magazines, consider
freelance jobs, grants, and yes, contests.

The point is to be judged and deemed worthy, and a
contest can do just that.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters, www.fundsforwriters.com
Writer's Digest 101 Best Web Sites for Writers - 2001-2010
A decade of recognized excellence
Blog - www.hopeclark.blogspot.com
Twitter - www.twitter.com/hopeclark
Facebook - www.facebook.com/chopeclark

38 Author Interviews – Any Lessons Learned?

Since July, I’ve interviewed 38 authors on this blog. Their books have been varied, encompassing personal memoirs, crime, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance among others. For many, a standard format has been used, but with others their creativity and marketing savvy have encouraged a different approach. One thing has struck me, as the host, more than any other: there is a great range of technical and marketing awareness out there amongst writers. Some have come to me armed with links, pictures, sales points and fully formed websites and/or blogs. Others have given me basic answers to questions and left the rest to me.

So, the value of these interviews to the authors has varied according to their own input, as I have a limited amount of time I can devote to any individual writer (I do, after all, have my own writing to get on with).

However, I’m hoping that these different views, opinions and approaches have been of real value to my readers; this was the main purpose. Any rewards for the authors taking part (exposure, new readers, sales) were secondary to the main purpose of this exercise, which was to let readers and new writers see how publication comes about.

The variety of opinions, inspirations, methods and routes to publication is very wide. I hope that new writers will find this useful in more than one way: there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to go about writing. But it is clear that all the authors here are dedicated to their craft. They all write, rather than merely talk about doing so.

All published writers come across wannabees all the time. The qualities that apply to many of these would-be writers are lack of focus, ignorance of the dedication required to produce a work of merit and length, utter fantasy about the probable rewards, a conviction that there is a publisher out there so desperate for their words that he or she will welcome their beginner’s efforts with champagne and a six figure contract, and prevarication.

On the other hand, sometimes, a published author meets a would-be writer who actually wants to know what it is all about, wants to learn from the experience and mistakes of those who have actually done it. It is for you, with your enthusiasm, talent and potential riches for the reader, that I do this. It is also for the interested reader; those who understand the work, talent and creativity that goes into a well-written book.

I currently have enough interviews to continue this project until early December. Those to come are as varied as those that have been. I hope you continue to gain pleasure, knowledge and wisdom from these words of the experienced, whether you are reader, writer or simply interested visitor to this site.

Invite your friends, make comments, follow the blog, and, please, let me know what you think. Feedback is the thing most of us writers crave more than anything else. 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH EDWARD WRIGHT

Edward Wright grew up in Arkansas and went to school in Tennessee and Illinois. He has been an officer in the U.S. Navy and an editor at the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. His noir-flavored mysteries featuring John Ray Horn, set in Los Angeles during the 1940s, have won the Shamus Award in the U.S. and the Debut Dagger and Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award in the U.K. His first non-series book, “Damnation Falls,” a contemporary mystery-thriller set in small-town Tennessee, won the Barry Award. His latest is “From Blood,” due soon from Orion Books. He and his wife, Cathy, live in the Los Angeles area.

Tell us about your latest book, "From Blood."

Due out from Orion Books in November, it's about a troubled young woman whose parents are murdered and who then learns that she was not their daughter. Her birth parents, she discovers, are two of America's most wanted fugitives, former anti-war radicals from the 1960s who went deep underground after a fatal bombing and never resurfaced. She must find them and warn them that they are being pursued by the killer of her foster parents, someone much more dangerous than the FBI.

Also, my first two novels, "Clea's Moon" and "While I Disappear," have been published in ebook format from Untreed Reads. Both are part of the John Ray Horn series, set in Los Angeles during the 1940s.

Why do you write?

It's a little complicated, but the quick answer is "because now I can." I was a newspaperman for quite a while, starting as a reporter and working through a string of editing jobs, and I thought of myself as a journalist dealing with facts in the real world. Then one day I saw a chance to quit daily newspapering and try something else. I latched onto fiction writing because it was so different from what I had been doing. Instead of facts and the real world, I now was able to shift from left brain to right brain, dig into my imagination and see what was there. Sometimes I'm surprised by what I find, but it's been a pretty satisfying second career.

What qualities do you need to be a successful writer?

The writers I admire the most are those who simply keep at it, who show up every day to do the work, who remind themselves that it doesn't always start with brilliant writing but that it must start with getting words down. (And since I don't always follow my own rules to the letter, I'm tempted to add, "Do as I say, not as I do.")

What is your working method?

To begin with, one cup of strong coffee, which will last me all morning. I go over the work I did the previous day and try to improve on it. I always find something, because the first draft for me is just a starting point. Then, once yesterday's work begins looking better, I'll move into new material. If I can turn out 1,000 reasonably readable words a day, I'm happy.

What is the single biggest mistake made by beginners to writing?

The belief that every word needs to be perfect every day. When I started out, I was horrified to see that my sentences didn't sing the way I imagined them (and the way they do in all the best fiction). I didn't realize that in order to do good work, a writer is first going to produce some very mediocre material. Writing's a process. I once heard a writer say that he has a sign over his computer with the words  "I Give Myself Permission to Write Crap Today." Now I do too.

How did you come to write your first novel?

My very first novel was written while I was a member of a Los Angeles writing group, a gathering of friends who wrote and critiqued and helped each other. It's a fine way for a beginner to explore the world of fiction writing in company with kindred souls. The book, a valiant effort, was never published, but it was  good practice. The idea for my first published novel came one morning when I said to my wife, "What would you think of the idea of a former B-movie cowboy actor who lives in L.A. in the late 1940s and keeps getting into trouble?" She said, "Great," and that was the beginning of "Clea's Moon" and the John Ray Horn books.

If you have a favourite character in your novel, why that particular one?

I like a lot of my characters -- otherwise, why dream them up? But I think the one I like the most is Joseph Mad Crow, a Lakota Indian who played John Ray's sidekick in countless B-movie westerns in the 1930s and '40s. Now a successful gambler, he has hired John Ray to collect debts for him. The sidekick is now the boss, an irony I enjoy. Joseph is big, loud, colorful, and profane, with a strong sense of honor, the kind of person one would want as a friend and ally. Most of my characters take shape only after a lot of reflection on my part, but Joseph just walked onto the page full-blown.

How can people buy your books?

At their neighborhood mystery bookstore or through any number of online sources. My ebooks are available in the U.S. through Untreed Reads and in the U.K. through Orion Books.

To what extent are grammar and spelling important to a writer?

I'm biased. As a onetime "rim rat" -- copy editor -- I'd say they're vital. Rely all you want on computer software for correcting your spelling and on editors for cleaning up your grammar. But if you love the language -- and every writer should start from that premise -- I'd think you'd want to go to the trouble to learn how to use it.

How much revision of your MS do you do before you send it off?

A lot. So much, in fact, that I sometimes find it hard to turn loose of it. No manuscript is perfect, so the more time one spends with it, the better it will be. Finally, though, I usually reach a point where I feel I've done all I reasonably can, and that's when I know it's time to hit "Send."

Where and when are your novels set and why did you make these specific choices?

My first three books, the John Ray Horn series, are set in postwar Los Angeles. I've long been fascinated with that time and place -- because of the fiction from that period and also because I enjoy film  noir -- and I wanted to take a crack at bringing it back to life. My fourth, "Damnation Falls," is set in the American South, because that's where I grew up, and the book was my way of revisiting my roots. My latest, "From Blood," is set all over the western U.S,, from Southern California to Seattle and from San Francisco to Chicago. Since this is a story that reaches back to the 1960s for its origins, I wanted it to feel big geographically as well.

How do you know where to begin any given story?

I ask myself what the book needs to get it going. "Clea's Moon" 

and 

"While I Disappear" had what I think of as "small" openings -- a man warily approaching an apartment building not knowing what he'll find inside; three people sitting in a car on a busy Los Angeles street as rain washes down the windshield. 

But my third book, "Red Sky Lament," deals with the politics of postwar America, particularly the Hollywood Red Scare of the late 1940s, and I thought it needed a bigger opening, so I began with a barbecue on a ranch in the San Fernando Valley, music playing and many of the book's characters on the scene, ready to introduce themselves.

What sort of displacement activities keep you from actually writing?

Let's see. . . Paying bills. Checking email. Playing with the dog. And best of all, surfing the Internet

under the guise of researching the book, which is an important part of the work but which also is a convenient way of wasting time.

Do you have support, either from family and friends or a writing group?

My wife, who is my first editor, provides wonderful support. I mentioned once belonging to a writing group. I don't anymore, but I recommend that anyone starting out in fiction writing consider joining one. There are many kinds out there, from the casual and self-directed to the very formal kind led by a writing teacher who charges a fee. Ask around, sample a few, and there's a good chance you can find the group that's right for you.

What are your inspirations?

I'm often inspired by what I read, and I lean toward any writer who can take me into another world, make me believe and make me care. Even though I now live in California, my early reading was influenced by the South, where I grew up. I discovered Mark Twain when I was about 10 years old and still consider "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" one of those books that belongs in everyone's library. And Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men" is probably my favorite novel, a giant story about politics and honor, guilt and redemption.

Have you had a high point in your writing career?

Several, which makes me glad to be doing what I'm doing. One that stands out came in 2006, when Cathy and I went to London for the Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award, which goes to the best historical mystery of the year. The ceremony, attended by a crowd of writers, editors, and publishers, was held in a former courtroom -- where the Oscar Wilde trial was held, if you can believe it -- and the award was presented by a knight of the realm. When he called my name, I stumbled up to the podium, said a few instantly forgettable words, and spent the rest of the evening in a daze, asking my wife, "Are they sure they got the right guy?"

Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?

Yes: http://www.edwardwrightbooks.com/books.html

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

A tree house in the Amazon rain forest, with a refrigerator, a comfortable couch, and a 360-degree view (which would probably guarantee that I'd never get any work done).

Another Word of the Day

Image via Wikipedia

Word of the Day is divorced from the other posts in this blog and produced in response to a request from a follower to provide just such a service.

Word of the Day; question mark.  A question mark (?) is a punctuation mark and not a substitute for a question, as so many of today’s commentators seem to think. If you want to ask or place a question, the best way is to simply do so. And, it’s fine to suggest that there is ‘a question mark’ over a particular policy, action or event. But, please, don’t use the two as though they were interchangeable. They’re not. They are different things. 

‘Does Danni Minogue, in common with most Antipodeans, always end her comments on the rise, as if they ended with a question mark?’ This is a question, and therefore ends with a question mark.

‘There is a question mark hanging over the new taxation policy.’ This sentence, not a question, suggests that the taxation policy is subject to doubt.

Interview with Phillip Chen, Author

Philip Chen was born in China in 1944 and immigrated to the United States in 1949. Growing up in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s and 1960s, Philip learn both the pains and triumphs of American society at a crucial turning point in America's history. After receiving a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science from Stanford University, he worked as an ocean research engineer in the development of deep submergence systems. Part of his work dealt with vehicles that could freely dive to 20,000 feet of water depth. He also participated as a hyperbaric chamber operator for manned dives. Although his training included being pressurized in the chamber (he went as deep as 125 feet) he was not qualified or crazy enough to go 1,500 feet. They used US Navy underwater demolition team members for that task. They were the predecessors to SEALs. He holds one U.S. Patent for an underwater mooring system.
After his stint as an ocean research engineer, Philip was an environmental and energy engineer, a trial attorney, a public securities attorney, an investment banker, a corporate executive, a private equity manager (in Africa), a strategic consultant, a cartoonist, an illustrator, a website manager, and author. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota.
One of his mentors once told Philip that it wasn't that he couldn't hold down a job; he couldn't even hold down a career!
Philip's biography has been included in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World for many years.

Tell us about Falling Star in a few sentences.

Falling Star uncovers the truth about mysterious objects buried deep in the oceans that suddenly awaken and start sending signals to outer space.  Mike is abruptly pulled out of a comfortable existence back into a dark world of intrigue to help decipher these signals.  In the course of doing so, he is attacked by bands of ordinary Americans bent on killing him.  On top of all this, Mike learns that a revered friend has died.  Will the death of Mike's friend mean that the secret of the mysterious objects will remained forever buried in the silt and muck of the ocean bottom?

What qualities do you need to be a successful writer?

You have to have a thirst for the unknown whether that unknown is in the people around you, mysterious happenings, or how the world evolves.

What is your working method?

I constantly mull over the storylines for my work; arranging and rearranging events and characters.  The actual process of putting thoughts on to paper, or into computer bytes flows smoothly once the sequence has hardened in my mind.

What is the single biggest mistake made by beginners to writing?

Writing before they actually have anything to say.

How did you come to write this particular book?

In 1990, I had a series of recurring nightmares in which gangs of ordinary Americans engaged in apocalyptic violence against other people and institutions.  Because I was traveling to London on a regular basis and carried a Compaq Aero, I started typing on the red-eye flights and on weekends.  Within one and one-half months, I had a 560 page manuscript completed.

If you have a favourite character in your novel, why that particular one?

I particularly like Mildred, a kindly old Norwegian grandmother who possesses a most unusual trait and skill.

How can people buy your book?

At this time, Falling Star is available only as a Kindle Book.  It can be found at http://amzn.to/Falling-Star.

To what extent are grammar and spelling important to a writer?

Correct use of English is very important and I work hard at making sure my manuscripts are grammatical and that my spelling is correct.  Unfortunately, mistakes will inevitably happen.

How much revision of your MS do you do before you send it off?

Multiple and never-ending revisions, even after it has been sent off.

Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?

Two major time periods were needed to make this story work.  The first was the discovery of the objects by an oceanographic survey flight and the second was the abrupt recall of the principal character Mike back into the clandestine agency to help decipher the messages.  The U.S. Navy actually was engaged in geomagnetic surveys around the United States in the 1960s and this provided an interesting nexus to begin the tale.  Some who have read this novel have asked if this story is real.

To what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?

I think that genre is important; however, I think that too many people blindly follow these artificial categorizations in making decisions to buy books.  Falling Star is a thriller, but with a definite science fiction theme.

What are your writing habits?

As I discussed above, I mull over the scenes for a long time and then have bursts of writing to capture my thoughts.  I have recently found that early morning is probably the best time for my writing.

How do you know where to begin any given story?

I am an engineer by training and I find myself usually starting from scratch in conceptualizing a story.  In Falling Star, I start with the discovery of the mysterious objects.

What sort of displacement activities keep you from actually writing?

The need to provide food, shelter, and education for my family has been the greatest displacement activity that has kept me from writing.

Do you have support, either from family and friends or a writing group?

No.

Is presentation of the MS as important as most agents and publishers suggest?

There are a thousand ways to say no and only one way to say yes.  While I have not heard that my "presentation" of the manuscript has kept my book from being published; I think that I have heard every other reason.  I supposed that if I had "presented" my manuscript by tying it to the steering wheel of a brand new Porsche 911, it might have worked in my favor.

How long does it normally take you to write a novel?

I have completed two manuscripts; each took me about one to two months after I started writing.  Editing takes considerable longer.

What are your inspirations?

I have these stories running around aimlessly in my head, crying to come out.  I find that even ordinary interactions are filled with absurdities; that can blossom into the most outrageous scenarios with one small change.  Take Mildred, for example.  I married into a Scandinavian family and began learning about the typical older Norwegian woman, who endures her life, but fills it with attempts to bring happiness and joy to those around her.  Well, give that person a special proclivity, make her very, very good at what she does, and you have Mildred.

If there’s a single aspect to writing that really frustrates you, what is it?

My greatest frustration was trying to get traditional literary agents and publishers to take a look at my manuscript.  As I have often said, "I endured the slings and arrows of outrageous rejection from righteous agents and publishers for too many years before finding Kindle."  [Spoiler Alert]  For twenty years, agents and publishers probably thought that my sub-plot about foreign agents living in deep cover in America, marrying, having children, growing hydrangeas, and working at ordinary jobs was preposterous.  After all, something like that could never happen in our country.  Then June 2010 arrived ….

Do you think writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?

I believe that it is a combination of gift and acquired skills.  Just like the opera singer with a natural talent will not be able to sing at the Met, an author with a great story will go nowhere unless he or she can put that story down in a cogent fashion.

What are you writing now?

I am writing the sequel to Falling Star.  The book will be called, Plain View.

Is there any aspect of writing that you really enjoy?

Telling the story and having people interested in what I am saying.

Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?

I have several, but I need to spend more time with each.

The first is my community message board, Soundings: Puget Sound Speaks at http://pugetsoundspeaks.com.  Incidentally, I invite independent authors to come and talk about their work on this site.  Another feature of this site is that I am moving my cartoon blog, There is Strangeness in the Universe, to the community message board.

My Facebook Page can be found here.

My book blog (a work in progress) is located here.

Finally, I have a video book trailer on YouTube here.

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

Making enough from writing so that I can continue to write.

Where do you actually write?

On my computer keyboard in my office at home, such as it is.

Falling Star, a thriller, uncovers the truth about mysterious objects buried deep in the murky depths of the oceans and secret government attempts to uncover their real meaning.  These objects wake up and start sending messages to outer space. Mike is pulled back into a clandestine world that he thought he had left behind to uncover the truth about these weapons. But he is attacked by gangs of ordinary looking Americans and must fight for his very life.  On top of all this, Mike learns that a revered friend has died. With the death of this friend, will the secret of the mysterious objects remain forever buried in the silt and mud of the ocean bottom?

The book is available as a Kindle at:

http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Star-The-Watchers-ebook/dp/B003YCPK4C

One reader recently said in his review:

Great read that left me wanting more (rumor alert: sequel in the making!?) With the political/military intrigue of a Tom Clancy novel and the Sci-Fi feel of the 2001/2010/2061 Arthur C. Clarke novels coupled with the page turner, fast paced plot of a Dan Brown novel how could you go wrong. Chen's knowledge runs deep and shines in the book. His characters are very cool and well written.

The book was also positively reviewed by Robin Hathaway, the Agatha Award winner for her mystery novels and Gordon Ryan, an author of Political Thrillers.

Gordon said in his review:

As an author of political thrillers, I was quite pleased to discover Phil Chen's Falling Star while browsing the Kindle offerings. From the early pages, I knew this was a writer to be taken seriously. Mr. Chen has penned a dynamic, thought-provoking cross between contemporary thriller and science fiction tome. His characters are well developed, the multiple storylines complex, and the ending . . . well, you'll have to see for yourself. Suffice it to say that I feel this particular ending is NOT the ending for this writer. And I anxiously await the follow-on volume.

http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Star-The-Watchers-ebook/dp/B003YCPK4C (US)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Star-The-Watchers-ebook/dp/B003YCPK4C (UK)

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/24267 (Smashwords)  (The eBook is on Smashword's Premium Catalog)

https://www.createspace.com/3493702 (soon to be released on Create Space in Print at Create Space, Amazon, and Booksellers)

My sites:

http://fallingstar1970.wordpress.com/  Website

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4221239.Philip_Chen/blog  My Goodreads Blog, The Eclectic

Finally, I am a proud member of Operation E-Book Drop.  http://www.operationebookdrop.com/

Thank you for conducting this interview.

Best regards,

Philip Chen

A new word for today

Image via Wikipedia

Word of the Day is divorced from all the other posts in this blog and produced in response to a request from a follower to provide just such a service.

Word of the Day; paradox. A paradox is a contradiction in terms. ‘I am always wrong, is a paradox, because if that’s the case, then I must be right on this occasion.’

Author Interview with Tracey Alley

Tracey Alley has degrees in Ancient History and in Comparative Religion, however, she describes herself as  simply a seeker of the truth, a lover of Jesus and someone who tries to live a Christian life. She’s also an author of fantasy fiction, which she says some may see as a contradiction. However, she believes God blessed her with an active (perhaps over active – her words) imagination and that is one way she chooses to use it. She also writes moral tales for small children, although these have yet to be published. She didn’t start out life as a Christian, but believes God began calling her in her early twenties and, she believes, has never let go. She doesn’t promote any particular denomination or church and encourages all people to find their own personal faith.

Tell us about Erich’s Plea in a few sentences.

Erich’s Plea is high fantasy, set in the world of Kaynos.  The basic premise of the book is the introduction to Kaynos of a new and deadly form of magic.  The story begins with the kidnapping of High King Erich of Vestland and his son Slade’s efforts to find and free his father.  The underlying theme is the question of how far would you go for someone you love, whether it’s love of parent, country, friend, lover etc

What qualities do you need to be a successful writer?

I think a certain amount of talent or imagination goes a long way but the true qualities of a successful writer today are hard work, perseverance and an ability to be able to sell yourself and your work in a way that’s engaging and not obnoxious.

What is your working method?

Usually for me the first step is the concept, I’ll get an idea that just starts nagging at me.  From there it’s a matter of filling in background, characters, reasons – it’s critical to me that my characters have reasons to behave the way they do even if it’s not immediately apparent it will have to make sense in the end.  Then comes the hard slog of putting words on paper, rewriting, editing, polishing – all the not so fun stuff.

What is the single biggest mistake made by beginners to writing?

Probably not starting.  I know of many people who say they’d love to write a book but they never even try, unless you give it a go you’ll never know if you can actually do it or not.  After that is probably assuming that you’re the greatest writer since Shakespeare or that you’ve written a masterpiece, both of which are highly unlikely for a first timer.

How did you come to write this particular book?

I’d been writing for many years, novels, short stories, poetry etc but this book came partly out of a role-playing game I’d been playing with some friends and partly out of watching an old Robin Hood movie – the two ideas just sort of jelled in my mind and The Witchcraft Wars was born.

If you have a favourite character in your novel, why that particular one?

Most writers will tell you it’s hard to pick a favourite, obviously because we created them all but I’ll confess that I do have a favourite – Trunk.  He’s a Knight of Ilmater who’s been transformed into a grotesque half-ogre, half-troll and I love the amount of room I have to develop his story.  The temptation to write his whole story, as opposed to being a supporting player, is huge.

How can people buy your books?

I’m on Amazon, both US and UK as well as Smashwords and will very soon be available in print versions as well as e-books.

To what extent are grammar and spelling important to a writer?

During the first draft I don’t pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of writing as I’m totally into the story.  During the editing and polishing stage however, I believe it’s pretty critical.  They may only be small things but readers do notice and it creates a jarring effect while reading.  That’s not to say that all my work is perfect, I’m human and I’m certain I’ve missed some things.

How much revision of your MS do you do before you send it off?

In all honesty possibly not as much as I should but I do give it several drafts and ask the opinions of beta readers and try to present the most professional work I possibly can.  Sending sloppy work is a recipe for disaster.

Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?

My novels are set in a medieval style fantasy world.  I wanted to write fantasy primarily due to the almost unlimited amount of choice it offers, however, it would also be fun to use a ‘real world’ setting with all the constraints that implies as well.

To what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?

In the traditional world of publishing I think genre is probably the be all and end all of everything – I get the impression their first question is ‘does it fit so and so mould?’  Fortunately as an Indie author genre’s not quite as important and you have the freedom to tell the story you want to tell and the sales results – I’m speaking generally here – have proven there’s many readers who don’t mind reading something that’s not quite so formulaic. (SA _ Traditional publishers, please note)

What are your writing habits?

I usually tend to write at night, it’s quieter with less distractions but I’ll also write any time I find that inspiration strikes.  I’m not as disciplined as perhaps I should be but when I do sit down to write I usually achieve a great deal.

How do you know where to begin any given story?

Personally I like to begin a story with a problem or a conflict – that allows me to spend the rest of the work solving the problem or conflict.  I’d like to think that my books read as though the characters had a life before page one and will continue to have a life after The End.

What sort of displacement activities keep you from actually writing?

Not a lot if I’m feeling inspired but sickness or other personal stuff can get in the way.  Right now my biggest distraction is usually the fascinating conversations on Goodreads or KindleBoards.

Do you have support, either from family and friends or a writing group?

I don’t have a writing group but I am a member of Queensland’s Writer’s Guild who are always happy to help and I’ve been extremely blessed with a highly intelligent and bluntly critical best friend.  My husband is also a help and will tell me honestly if what I’ve written is rubbish – that kind of honest feedback is critical for any writer.  My family are very supportive but they tend to think anything I’ve written is great, they’re a little biased J

Is presentation of the MS as important as most agents and publishers suggest?

From my personal experiences – absolutely.  An agent or publisher won’t even look at a poorly presented MS so if you don’t get it right, don’t bother.

How long does it normally take you to write a novel?

That totally depends on the novel.  Erich’s Plea took over a year to write, while the follow up Ursula’s Quest was ready to go within 4 months.  Writing the first draft is not the hard part, getting it ready for publication is the hard part.

What are your inspirations?

Absolutely everything around me.  I’m a huge people watcher and always find myself wondering about their back story or future story.  I warn all my friends and family to be careful what they say or they may find it twisted into one of my novels J

If there’s a single aspect to writing that really frustrates you, what is it?

Writing I adore – no frustrations there.  Marketing on the other hand, not so much.  I tend to be, in real life, a little shy and that doesn’t make for a great sales person but I’m learning.

Do you think writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?

I can only speak for myself but I could no more stop writing than stop breathing, however, writing well is a skill that you learn along the way.

What are you writing now?

I have three current WIP’s – one, obviously, is Slade’s Destiny, the final in the Witchcraft Wars trilogy.  I’m also working on a non-fiction piece about the history and development of religion as a whole and I’m loving both the researching and the writing of that project.  Lastly is a series of children’s books, aimed at the under 6-7 market which will hopefully be ready to go before Christmas.

Is there any aspect of writing that you really enjoy?

From getting the idea to putting the words on paper – I love all of that.  Once I get to editing and polishing it’s more work than love but still needs to be done.

Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?

No website yet, still working on that but I have a Facebook page devoted to the Witchcraft Wars and other associated short stories - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracey-Alley-The-World-of-Kaynos/127959000550782  I also have a blog that related to my non-fiction work - http://traceyalley-whitehorse.blogspot.com/  and I have a more generic blog on Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4076601.Tracey_Alley/blog

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

Actually I’m kind of spoilt because I think I already have the ideal environment – great study with all my bookcases for references around in easy reach.

Where do you actually write?

Always in my study, everything is set up exactly as I need it, it’s quiet and I have all my resources easily to hand.

Review of They F*** You Up by Oliver James

Oliver James, in They F*** You Up, cites the lives of Prince Charles, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Paula Yates, serial killers, victims of sexual abuse, and others, as examples of various personality traits and problems. In the process, he has written an accessible but scholarly treatise on the role of care, or its lack, in early childhood. His observations and quotes from various studies make a convincing case for the primary function of good parenting in raising children. He breaks down the process into periods of childhood and infancy and also describes how conscience, self-awareness and general mental well-being can be fostered by good and appropriate care from parents or carers. His ideas, backed up by the results of many studies and tests, make it clear that the role of genes in forming personality, conscience and the idea of ‘self’ is at best peripheral. Those who cite genetics as the major cause of crime, addiction, low performance, sexuality, depression and other mental illnesses are exposed as frauds or, at best, ill-informed commentators. Whilst our genes play a large part in making the human the animal he is, it is undoubtedly the type of parental care we receive from birth to age 6 that forms us into the adults we become.

Image via WikipediaJames explains in great detail how personality traits are formed, and describes how early brain patterning can and does form individuals into certain types of adults. Whilst some of the damage done by inappropriate parenting can be modified, alleviated and even repaired, a great deal cannot be changed without huge effort.

What James is calling for with this book is nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way society treats children. That nurture, rather than nature (genes), is the driving force behind personality disorders, depression, disassociation, weak conscience, criminality and madness is no longer disputed by those who understand these matters thoroughly. Those who blame genes, and use this argument as a basis for social discrimination, are both fraudulent and hypocritical.

James suggests a different strategy for dealing with society’s problems and forecasts that a failure to adjust to such a system will inevitably increase the rates of violence, crime, injustice and insanity in our world. I am convinced by his cogent arguments and find myself looking at my fellow human beings with much greater respect, tolerance and understanding.

Alain De Botton urges all prospective parents to read They F*** You Up BEFORE embarking on the hazardous voyage of parenthood. I can only agree with this injunction.

If you are thinking of having children, please, for the sake of your offspring and the future of the human race, read this book FIRST. And, if you have already had your children, or wonder about your own early life and its effect on your personality, read this book as a way of understanding why you are who you are and your friends are who they are. It is a cathartic experience.

Interview with Author, Andy Frankham-Allen

Stephen King wrote, 'Writing controlled fiction is called "plotting". Buckling your seatbelt and letting the story take over, however... that is called "storytelling". Storytelling is as natural as breathing; plotting is the literary version of artificial respiration’. That more or less sums up Andy’s brand of writing. His stories have plots that evolve from the characters and develop as the characters do once a key idea is conceived.

Tell us about your current book titles in a few sentences.

I have two current eBooks; both short stories published by Untreed Reads. ‘Off Flesh’ is a story about a very normal bloke who goes to his very normal work conference, where he meets Mr Wyndham, who promptly goes missing. Mr Jensen foolishly decides to investigate, and discovers a very dark secret at the heart of the conference. The second story is ‘One Mistake’, about a man named Robert who lives a very dull life under his mother’s ever watchful eye. He comes across a notice for lessons in astral projection. He’s introduced to Bernard, an old broken man living in an old broken house. The lesson takes on a very sinister turn when Robert learns how to remove himself out of his body.

What qualities do you need to be a successful writer?

Lack of ego. Everyone has ego, and you absolutely have to believe in what it is you’re trying to achieve with your writing, and that belief includes thinking that your story is the best of its kind. Or at least the best you can do. However. Once the story is written, you must check the ego at the door, since it will be seen and read by agents, proofreaders, editors, all kinds of people, all of whom will have comments to make, suggestions for changes, and so forth. That’s where ego gets in the way. If you’re not willing to accept constructive, and often brutally honest, criticism then you really ought not to be writing.

What is the single biggest mistake made by beginners to writing?

Too many ideas. I have this friend who has remarkable potential, and he often starts working on a story. He begins with one idea, but along the way all these other ideas pop up, ideas which he feels compelled to include into his story. Unfortunately, a lot of these idea conflict, and so he ends up with a story that has far too many ideas, leaving the story without any strong direction. This is a mistake new authors often make; putting into too many ideas. They need to single out the most relevant ideas and focus on them, integrate them together into a cohesive whole. And then there’s a lack of understanding of the basic rules of grammar. But I’ll not get into that, or I’ll be here all day. ;)

If you have a favourite character in your novel, why that particular one?

Of the two current stories, Robert Hoard from ‘One Mistake’ is possibly my favourite. At first he seems almost whimsical, stuck in this rut with his mother controlling his life, but he takes it with good humour and doesn’t seem too bothered with changing his circumstances. Yet at the same time there’s this curiosity about him, which leads him directly into the troubling situation at the heart of ‘One Mistake’. Of course, by the end of the story, he’s made a few decisions that will forever change his life and, by extension, that of his mother. How this pans out... well, you’ll need to read the story to find out.

How can people buy your books?

Both of my Untreed Reads eBooks can be purchased at pretty much any online retailer that sells eBooks. Untreed Reads has the single-best electronic distribution of any eBook publisher, with their titles available in practically every single eRetailer out there. My forthcoming novel, ‘Seeker’ (Book One of The Garden), can be pre-ordered from Hirst Books (www.hirstpublishing.com) at the moment (for those interested in such things, it’s a new breed of vampires for a new decade – go on, get your teeth into it!). My Doctor Who short stories, published as part of Big Finish’s official range of Short Trips (in ‘Repercussions’, ‘The Solar System’, ‘Snap Shots’, and ‘Re: Collections’), are unfortunately now out of print, although they can still be tracked down on eBay and various specialist shops. The same goes for my audio drama, ‘Space 1889: The Lunar Inheritance’.

 

To what extent are grammar and spelling important to a writer?

They’re essential. Editors/Agents will not accept a piece of work that is badly written, and by badly written I mean full of grammatical errors and typos. You could be writing the best novel ever, but with bad grammar and spelling no one will be interested in reading it. Within the space of a page (or less), the prospective agent/editor will dump it on the rejection pile. So it is imperative that new authors brush up on their understanding of written English. The English language, both in written and oral form, is the most flexible language out there. It is constantly changing, developing and evolving, but you absolutely have to have an appreciation of it as it stands today. Don’t play with grammar rules until you’ve proven you know how to use the ones in place.

How much revision of your MS do you do before you send it off?

Endless. I’m constantly revising and editing. This is why deadlines are a good thing; I get to a point where I have to stop and send the story off. If not for deadlines I could, potentially, be there forever fixing perceived imperfections in the story, the characters, the prose, and so on.

Where and when is your novel set and why did you make these specific choices?

Both of the current stories are set in very generic contemporary places. There’s no specification of location in either story, since in these two cases the location is not important. Setting ‘Off Flesh’ in a hotel, however, was necessary since it begins at a work conference and such things are often held in hotels. Plus, they’re great places to meet new people and engage in an illicit rendezvous. And we know how well such things work out in fiction, right?

To what extent do you think genre is useful in the publishing world?

To the extent where it helps the publisher target the stories when selling them. I suppose it helps an author, too, since each genre brings with it certain rules and ethos, but personally I like to cross the lines of genre, create new sub-genre. Not that I’m the first person to do, of course, since there seems to be a new sub-genre created almost every week. Which I love, since it opens the scope and allow authors to play in new sandpits.

What are your writing habits?

While working on a given project I tend to read material pertaining to it; novels of the same genre, factual books relating to the themes, etc, all to keep my mind on track. I also carry a note pad on me, so I can jot down ideas as and when they pop into my head. For the actual writing I tend to write progressively from scene one to final scene. I’m not the kind to dip in and out; it has to be sequential for me. I always, and I mean ALWAYS, have music on when I’m writing. Again, as with reading, the music will more often than not convey the mood of the project I’m working on. If it’s something dark then I’m likely to be listening to metal and rock. I like to write at least 3,000 words a day when working on a book, but sometimes this is not possible. If I did so every single day of the project I would undoubtedly lose touch with life as it continues around me. Not a good thing for a writer to do.

How do you know where to begin any given story?

Instinct. Most of my longer works tend to start with a dramatic scene set some way into the story; start at a turning point in the story so you drag the reader in. Then you backtrack to the beginning and introduce your reader to the key players. It also works for me, since then I also want to know how the story got to that mid-point.

What sort of displacement activities keep you from actually writing?

Everything! Seriously, it’s part of the package of being an author. We are notorious for finding things to distract us. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, since there are times when you just can’t sit down and actually write. For me personally it’s about getting in the zone, and to do so I need to, at first, be distracted. So I resort to dancing, burning CDs for my day job, faffing around on Facebook, watching DVDs, nattering away to friends on IM, taking random photos, and going for walks.

Do you have support, either from family and friends or a writing group?

No writing group per se. Never ever got into the whole writing group thing, but I do have an awful lot of author friends and they are always supportive of me, and vice versa. My family also offer me endless support, that is when they’re not trying to work out how I manage to get all these ideas to actually write! Friends, too. Quite a few people read the beta version of my forthcoming novel, and gave me wonderful feedback.

Is presentation of the MS as important as most agents and publishers suggest?

Absolutely. As I said above about grammar, an agent/editor is not going to spend time on a badly presented MS. By giving them the best presented piece of work you can, you’re showing them how much you have invested in the project. Sending them a sloppy piece of work will just scream that you don’t really care about the project.

How long does it normally take you to write a novel?

A novel will take me three months to write, from beginning to end. That’s the easy part; it’s the revisions, etc, that take longer.

What are your inspirations?

If you’ll excuse the pretention; life! Sounds a cliché, but it also happens to very true. I watch life go on around me, spend hours talking to people. There is no better inspiration.

If there’s a single aspect to writing that really frustrates you, what is it?

The waiting. Once the story is complete, and it’s sent off, you’re stuck waiting to hear back. And once you do hear back, sign the contract, etc, you’re left waiting for the release. I’m not an impatient person... well, okay, yes I am!

Do you think writing is a natural gift or an acquired skill?

It can be both. I think there is out there those to whom writing is a gift, as natural as breathing. It’s what they were born to do. They wake up thinking about writing, and they fall asleep thinking about writing. I am one such person. As far back as I can remember I’ve only ever wanted to write. It’s very instinctive for me. On the flip side you can learn to write just as you can learn any other skill. But, for my money, you can tell the difference between someone who’s been taught the skill of writing and someone who’s born to write.

What are you writing now?

I’m working on several projects as I do this interview. I’m one third of a way through my second novel, Book Two of The Garden, which shall hopefully be out towards the end of 2011 (Book One is being published simultaneously in print and electronic formats, by Hirst Publishing and Untreed Reads Publishing respectively, late Feb/early March 2011). And I‘m working on various short stories/novellas for eventual publishing down the line. After Luna and Garden 2, I’ll be starting work on a novel called ‘As If You Were a Woman’, but I’m saying nothing about that one yet. I'm also putting together a charity anthology for Hirst Publishing, due for release early next year, that features some of Hirst's best authors, and I'm working on a story for that anthology. Plus, still neck-deep in a secret project, of which I can't talk more about. Yet.

Is there any aspect of writing that you really enjoy?

Research! No, it’s true. There was a time when I hated the research, but now I just love it. There’s so much to learn, new things to discover every day, and being a writer just gives you the excuse to do so. Through writing I get to meet some interesting people, too. When someone learns you’re a writer it’s amazing how many stories you hear. Like the old adage says, everyone has a story to tell. I also love creating new characters, and seeing how they take over and dictate to me how they ought to be. That’s always fun. They soon take over the story, and I pretty much just type what they tell me. I don’t think there’s any aspect of writing I truly dislike. I can be a pretty solitary person, so I don’t even mind the alone-ness of writing.

Do you have a website or a blog that readers can visit?

They can find me on Facebook by simply typing my name into the search bar. Early next year I shall be developing my own website, but until then my author page on Facebook will keep them up to date.
Update - added after the interview was posted - I now have a blog http://frankhamallen.wordpress.com/

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

A private study, surrounded by shelves and shelves of books, a nice sound system constantly playing my music, and a large window opening out to a wonderful vista of life.

Where do you actually write?

It varies. With a laptop I can write almost anywhere. On trains, in the garden, or sitting on my bed. I take the laptop with me and write wherever, and whenever, the mood takes me.