News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #166…
The roller coaster. I don’t know about where you are, but here in Montclair, NJ, we had three days of subfreezing weather, a few days like spring, and then back to winter—up and down we went, confusing all the flora and fauna and making people sick. Mother Earth seems fickle some times, so be careful, everyone. Extreme weather conditions aren’t to be trifled with.
Hemingway and Orwell. According to an article in today’s NY Times, they had works rejected by agents or publishers. Melville was asked, “Does it have to be a whale?” I’d add Tom Clancy and J. K. Rowling to the list of many thousands of authors who have had to face rejection. Readers might be oblivious to this part of the publishing business, but writers just have to shake it off and go on, especially fiction writers (all the authors named were storytellers).
It’s a tough publishing world nowadays. Readers, please support the authors who provide you with good stories. And, when you’re done reading a book, write a review. It doesn’t have to be an MFA thesis. Just say what you liked or didn’t like and why. That helps other readers; it also helps that author.
Ebook sales. From now on, they’re only offered to my email newsletter subscribers, and they’re all on Smashwords. Right now the entire “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series” (7 novels) is on sale for $0.99 each. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up using my contact page. Subscribers can share the sales info with family and friends, of course, but you’ll only have access to the required Smashwords sales codes by subscribing. And, for those who don’t want to subscribe, you can still take advantage of my low ebook prices.
Posts for writers. I’ve been publishing my stories for more than ten years (my first book Full Medical appeared in 2006–there’s now an ebook second edition). It’s natural that I have opinions about writing and publishing, some of them unusual. You’ll find them archived in the blog category “Writing.” There’s also a short course in PDF format you can download for free—see my website’s “Free Stuff & Contests” web page.
ITW. That’s International Thriller Writers. I’ve just received the honor of being accepted into this authors’ group. As you know, I write mysteries, thrillers, and sci-fi, but even the sci-fi stories have thriller elements. What does this mean for you? Probably not much, but I still feel honored.
The Last Humans. I’m in final edits for this post-apocalyptic thriller soon to be published by Black Opal Books. Ex-USN and LA County Sheriff’s diver Penny Castro surfaces from a dive and finds the apocalypse. Can she survive the post-apocalypse? A sequel is already in the works. (By the way, check out the Black Opal catalog. Lots of good reading there.)
Son of Thunder. Penmore Press will publish this sequel to Rembrandt’s Angel. Ex-Scotland Yard Inspector Esther Brookstone and Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden meet Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli and Christ’s disciple St. John the Divine—and there’s no time travel! Also, Esther and Bastiann’s romance continues. (The Penmore catalog also has lots of good reading. Check it out.)
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Comments are always welcome.
“ABC Sci-Fi Mysteries.” These are books for young adults and older ones who are young at heart. The Secret Lab and The Secret of the Urns, written by A. B. Carolan, take place in my sci-fi universe. The first follows the adventures of Shashibala Garcia and the Fearsome Four kids as they try to discover the origins of a mutant cat on the International Space Station in the future (the cat “writes” the story!). That leads them into a lot more trouble. The second tale follows the adventures of Asako Kobayashi as she tries to become the first scientist who studies the ETs who live on a satellite of a Jovian-style planet. In the process, she must battle human hatred, bigotry, and greed. Both books are available in ebook and print format on Amazon, and ebook format on Smashwords and all its affiliated retailers. And watch for a third book in this series—coming soon!
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
