News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #145…
Likes. I’m not referring to Facebook here. I’m referring instead to readers’ tastes. Some readers like action, others intrigue, snappy dialog, interesting 3D characters, a complex plot, and so forth in their fiction (these elements can be in biographies too, of course). Authors have to write stories that can appeal to all these readers’ likes. The best way for an author to do that is provide a mix. Striking that right balance is work, but it’s also fun.
Word count. There are times when an author has to respect a word count limit—a 3000-word short story s/he’s planning to submit to a ‘zine, for example. For most of my writing, I just spin the yarn and later determine if it’s a short story, novella, or novel. That’s better than trying to pad a story or cut out large sections of prose.
Readers shouldn’t care about any of this, of course. They just want a good story to read. But I think that some are neglecting the short stories and novellas in favor of novels. Story collections don’t sell well, and those ‘zines are fast disappearing.
Voting and reading. When I voted in the NJ primary last week, I noticed all the voters were older adults. I only had a small sample, of course, but I think that’s a national trend. Since I’m an author, I wondered if this voting behavior correlates with readership numbers. Do readers tend to be voters, and vice versa, and do readers share the same trend: are they older adults? That might be even more stimulus for getting kids to read at an early age.
Younger adults shouldn’t be put out by this. I’m worried about the trend because there are so many entertainment and other distractions today, and forgetting to read could affect a lot of things.
Reviews of Rembrandt’s Angel. If you would like to review a free copy of my new book in exchange for an honest review, email me via my contact page. This goes for any of my books, of course, but I limit the numbers. No author needs thousands of reviews, only enough to cover all the opinions and inform other readers about the book. Of course, I learn from the reviews too. (If you’d like the free PDF “Two Articles for Readers of Rembrandt’s Angel,” mention it in your query.)
Reviews and interviews. I do both.
My “official reviewing” is done via Bookpleasures.com; authors should query there because there’s a whole team of reviewers, and that improves your chances for a review. I do not accept direct queries, but they still arrive. When they do, and if the book is interesting enough, I’ll add it to my TBRoR-list (that’s “to be read or reviewed”)—no guarantee about when I’ll read the book, and I’ll review it only if I like it (you take your chances with Bookpleasures).
I also do author interviews. Query me using my contact page. If I’m interested, I’ll send you a list of questions; if not, I’ll still reply (I tend to count commercial solicitations as spam, though). Of course, anyone wanting to interview me can also query.
Freebies. I only have free books for reviewers. But I do have a plethora of free PDFs, including “Two Articles for Readers of Rembrandt’s Angel” (see the entire list on my “Free Stuff & Contests” webpage). Just query me using my contact page.
Alternative websites. These days, unless you’re a superstar like Stephen King, authors have to be all over the internet. I’m no exception. If you’re reading this, you’re already familiar with my busy website. I also have a Facebook page where I have little comments about the book business. It now has a new banner featuring my new book Rembrandt’s Angel. I like the look. (Thanks to Midori Snyder of Penmore Press for suggesting this change.) In addition, I have an author page on Amazon and Smashwords (the latter contains an interview of yours truly).
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Rembrandt’s Angel. To what lengths would you go to recover a stolen masterpiece? Scotland Yard’s Arts and Antiques Inspector Esther Brookstone goes the extra mile. She and paramour/sidekick Bastiann van Coevorden, an Interpol agent, set out to outwit the dealers of stolen art and recover “An Angel with Titus’ Features,” a Rembrandt painting stolen by the Nazis in World War Two. Their efforts lead to much more, as they uncover an international conspiracy that threatens Europe. During their dangerous adventures, their relationship solidifies and becomes a full-blown romance. Published by Penmore Press, this novel is available in ebook format at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, B&N, and Apple, and in print through Amazon or your local bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask them to order it). Great summer reading!
In libris libertas!
