There comes a point in every novel when you have to acknowledge that you're stuck and can't get unstuck. It's the point where you have to decide to either continue to struggle or put the work aside.
Regarding BEFORE THE DAWN, have I reached that point?
I've been sitting at the same place, in Chapter Twenty, for quite a while now. I know what comes next but I can't get it down on paper. I've gone back and rewritten the chapter multiple times trying to get through it. So far, it hasn't worked.
I could put it aside easily enough. God knows I've done that enough times. Sometimes, leaving a project to sit and simmer for a while has been beneficial. "A Voice in the Darkness", "The Fault Lies Not", "Rae" and A Bright Symmetry were all completed after sitting for variable amounts of time.
I just don't think I'm there yet.
I'm going to give it one last shot, go back to the beginning and pullout plot points that have been nagging at me and adding something that's been missing.
I'm also going to change the title. I was never happy with the novel sharing a title with an Evanescence song. So I've changed the title to BY THE DARK OF THE MOON, which I like better.
I made notes of every chapter and what has to be changed (if anything), removing a plot point I never was able to resolve. (Brynna was exposed to some mysterious compound that evoked a terribly bad reaction. I never figured out what that compound was. So I'm going to limit its appearance in the story, leave it as a bigger mystery for the characters.)
There's also going to be a new first chapter, showing a day in the life of Brynna and Georges. This was something else that nagged; I kept referring to Brynna as a published author...yet I never showed her writing. So the first chapter will show a bit of their domestic life, Brynna writing...before everything goes to hell.
While I'm doing that, I'm going to continue typing up what I've already written and continue plotting the last third of the novel. With luck, I'll be able to complete the work this time. Of course, I'm still working on "Raven", "Stranger" and "My Soul To Keep".
Just keep moving forward.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Friday, December 6, 2013
Progress Report 12/06/13 - "Rae" Is Now Complete
It took a while but "Rae" is finally finished.
Thinking back, I really can't believe how long this story has been in progress. If my memory serves me correctly, I started it back when I worked at Lowe's, which was from 1999 - 2001. So yeah, that's a long time to be working on one story. Not as long as I had been working on "The Fault Lies Not", but still a significant stretch of time.
The word count for the first draft came in at 14,210 words. That puts it squarely in the novelette range.
I'm not completely sold on the ending, but it's only a first draft, so it's goal was simply to be completed. The editing process will polish it up.
Now to turn my attention to the next uncompleted story, "Raven".
Thinking back, I really can't believe how long this story has been in progress. If my memory serves me correctly, I started it back when I worked at Lowe's, which was from 1999 - 2001. So yeah, that's a long time to be working on one story. Not as long as I had been working on "The Fault Lies Not", but still a significant stretch of time.
The word count for the first draft came in at 14,210 words. That puts it squarely in the novelette range.
I'm not completely sold on the ending, but it's only a first draft, so it's goal was simply to be completed. The editing process will polish it up.
Now to turn my attention to the next uncompleted story, "Raven".
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Three Books Now Available
Just want to take a moment to mention my three books, available on Kindle, Smashwords, iTunes and NOOK.
The first, With Eyes Open..., is the story of Mira Frayne, who thought she was going to make a change in her life, to try and make a better life for herself. Her life did change...but not in any way that she expected. She learns there is more to the world than she ever believed, a discovery she would deal with far into the future. What are the Adityas and why do they want her?
The second, Campfire Stories, is a collection of stories, ranging in time from the far distant past to the not too distant future. These are stories of self-discovery, exploration and duty, and the consequences of each. What happened before the beginning? What if the world changed and you were the only one who knew it? What if you found out that your childhood friend was more than you ever thought she was?
The third, A Bright Symmetry, tells the story of Scott Madigan, immortal, and his lover, Zoe Baird, over the course of a year. An archaeological expedition leads Scott to reassess and change his llife...though nothing compares to the changes undergone by Zoe.
Links can be found on my website, Wordboy's Words - wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords…
The first, With Eyes Open..., is the story of Mira Frayne, who thought she was going to make a change in her life, to try and make a better life for herself. Her life did change...but not in any way that she expected. She learns there is more to the world than she ever believed, a discovery she would deal with far into the future. What are the Adityas and why do they want her?
The second, Campfire Stories, is a collection of stories, ranging in time from the far distant past to the not too distant future. These are stories of self-discovery, exploration and duty, and the consequences of each. What happened before the beginning? What if the world changed and you were the only one who knew it? What if you found out that your childhood friend was more than you ever thought she was?
The third, A Bright Symmetry, tells the story of Scott Madigan, immortal, and his lover, Zoe Baird, over the course of a year. An archaeological expedition leads Scott to reassess and change his llife...though nothing compares to the changes undergone by Zoe.
Links can be found on my website, Wordboy's Words - wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords…
Friday, November 15, 2013
11/15/13 - My Soul To Keep - The Tralamafan
Here's a quick sketch and notes on the Tralamafan, from MY SOUL TO KEEP. They
evolved in the space between universes and are driven to learn
everything they can about the physical universes. They consider every
life form in the universes as nothing more than test animals, to be used
as they see fit.
Yes, I know...I have no artistic talent. That's why I'm a writer.
Yes, I know...I have no artistic talent. That's why I'm a writer.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
11/08/13 - Website Maintenance & Some Progress
I've updated the website and corrected a couple of things that I had neglected for a little while.
On the BOOKS page, each book now has links to each of the four major markets they're available on (Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes & NOOK). Now I can put up a link to the BOOKS page and know that most people will be able to get to them.
On the writing front, I've made good headway on both "Rae" and "Raven". Now I have a little planning to do. I have to figure out the layout of a warehouse and a neighborhood that I need for each story.
For BEFORE THE DAWN, I have to decide how drunk Scott is so I can continue on with it.
On the BOOKS page, each book now has links to each of the four major markets they're available on (Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes & NOOK). Now I can put up a link to the BOOKS page and know that most people will be able to get to them.
On the writing front, I've made good headway on both "Rae" and "Raven". Now I have a little planning to do. I have to figure out the layout of a warehouse and a neighborhood that I need for each story.
For BEFORE THE DAWN, I have to decide how drunk Scott is so I can continue on with it.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Disaster Averted
As I've probably mentioned before, I have two complete novels, both of which sat untouched for the longest time. One of them, ON A COLD WIND, has been revised and is in the process of being edited. (Did the first pass this past weekend. The next pass comes around next month.)
The other, originally titled A MEMORY OF YESTERDAY, was going to be the next project to work on. After all, what's the point of having complete works that are just sitting there gathering dust.
So I happily went looking through my files for the complete copy so I can work on revising it.
After spending a lot of time searching through my files, I had to admit to myself that I had lost all copies of the novel. The disk that I had for it only had two chapters on it. Searching further, I found the first four chapters of the second half of the novel and part of the handwritten copy of the prologue. On another disk, I had a piece titled "Wanderer", which is essentially the first half of the novel. With a heavy sigh, I printed them out to start working.
Then I realized there was one place I didn't look.
On an end table, next to the chair I usually work in, was a stack of papers and two notebooks. One of the notebooks had A MEMORY OF YESTERDAY in it, handwritten and printed copies.
Disaster averted.
Now I can charge through it, get it revised and get it ready for publication.
I sigh deeply in heavy relief.
The other, originally titled A MEMORY OF YESTERDAY, was going to be the next project to work on. After all, what's the point of having complete works that are just sitting there gathering dust.
So I happily went looking through my files for the complete copy so I can work on revising it.
After spending a lot of time searching through my files, I had to admit to myself that I had lost all copies of the novel. The disk that I had for it only had two chapters on it. Searching further, I found the first four chapters of the second half of the novel and part of the handwritten copy of the prologue. On another disk, I had a piece titled "Wanderer", which is essentially the first half of the novel. With a heavy sigh, I printed them out to start working.
Then I realized there was one place I didn't look.
On an end table, next to the chair I usually work in, was a stack of papers and two notebooks. One of the notebooks had A MEMORY OF YESTERDAY in it, handwritten and printed copies.
Disaster averted.
Now I can charge through it, get it revised and get it ready for publication.
I sigh deeply in heavy relief.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
09/15/13 - Progress - Editing "The Fault Lies Not..."
Finished the first editing pass on "The Fault Lies Not..." Aside from the usual grammatic error and typos, there were details that came up later in the novel that needed to be mentioned earlier.
There's still one part that I'm not sure about, a scene where Lin, the main character and first-person narrator, glosses over how she came to be taken hostage by the killer she was tracking. When I first wrote it, it was mostly because I wanted to get the story finished. Now, I'm thinking I might leave it that way.
I had also thought about changing the ending. As it stands now, the climax of the story happens "off screen", while Lin is being treated for injuries sustained while she was held hostage. It may change on subsequent editing passes, but for now, I like the ending the way it is.
Now, I'm going to see if I can do anything with "The Fast Fading Light."
There's still one part that I'm not sure about, a scene where Lin, the main character and first-person narrator, glosses over how she came to be taken hostage by the killer she was tracking. When I first wrote it, it was mostly because I wanted to get the story finished. Now, I'm thinking I might leave it that way.
I had also thought about changing the ending. As it stands now, the climax of the story happens "off screen", while Lin is being treated for injuries sustained while she was held hostage. It may change on subsequent editing passes, but for now, I like the ending the way it is.
Now, I'm going to see if I can do anything with "The Fast Fading Light."
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
09/11/13 - A BRIGHT SYMMETRY on Kindle
And now, A Bright Symmetry is on Kindle.
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
It's going to be a little while before I publish anything else. I have a short novel that I'll be starting to edit soon, but it may be 2014 before it's ready for publication.
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
It's going to be a little while before I publish anything else. I have a short novel that I'll be starting to edit soon, but it may be 2014 before it's ready for publication.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
09/08/13 - To Kindle With CAMPFIRE STORIES
As of today, Campfire Stories is now available on Kindle.
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F1SWHHK
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F1SWHHK
Saturday, September 7, 2013
WITH EYES OPEN... Now Available For Kindle
As of yesterday, With Eyes Open... is now available for Kindle.
First surreal moment...seeing my name on Amazon.
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0DHLZY
Next surreal moment...seeing the book on my Kindle Fire...
First surreal moment...seeing my name on Amazon.
Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0DHLZY
Next surreal moment...seeing the book on my Kindle Fire...
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
09/04/13 - Smashwords Author Interview
Want to know a little bit more about little old me and my writing? Head on over to Smashwords and check out the interview I've posted. Nothing too deep, but I think there's a little insight to be gleened.
And if anyone figures out how my mind works, please let me know.
Find the interview here: https://www.smashwords.com/interview/wordboy
And if anyone figures out how my mind works, please let me know.
Find the interview here: https://www.smashwords.com/interview/wordboy
09/04/13 - Another Market For WITH EYES OPEN...
So there I was, lying in bed, feeling depressed because I'm about a hair
away from financial ruin. So what do I decide to do? I got up and
uploaded WITH EYES OPEN... to Kindle. It's in review now, so we'll see
what happens.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
09/01/13 - A BRIGHT SYMMETRY Is Up On Smashwords
The latest book, A BRIGHT SYMMETRY, is now up on Smashwords. It's still in the process of being reviewed for Premium Status and distribution to the markets, so I'll let you know when that's done.
It's about 42,110 words and is priced at $4.99.
Here's the cover:
It's about 42,110 words and is priced at $4.99.
Here's the cover:
Sunday, August 18, 2013
08/15/13 - The Next Project: "Mated Souls"
Now that "The Fault Lies Not..." is finally finished, I've started working on the next unfinished project. There are a lot to chose from, but I decided on one titled "Mated Souls". It takes me back to the late twenty-second century, though I'm still working with characters employed by EarthGov Security.
"Mated Souls" is the story of Special Agent Debra MacNally, a courier with Division Two of EarthGov Security. As the story begins, Debra is on her way to make deliver information to Division One. She realizes she's being followed just as her division director calls her back to Orlando, Florida to tell her she has to chaperone Constable Sertsa Gorodenkov, from the Russian Consortium National Police, as she observes the operations of Division Two.
It's not long before Debra is accused of murdering the man who was following her, and is also accused of being a traitor.
Throughout the story, Debra is plagued by the feeling that something has is very wrong (aside from the obvious), and that there is more to Constable Gorodenkov that has been let on...
And here are our two main characters:
"Mated Souls" is the story of Special Agent Debra MacNally, a courier with Division Two of EarthGov Security. As the story begins, Debra is on her way to make deliver information to Division One. She realizes she's being followed just as her division director calls her back to Orlando, Florida to tell her she has to chaperone Constable Sertsa Gorodenkov, from the Russian Consortium National Police, as she observes the operations of Division Two.
It's not long before Debra is accused of murdering the man who was following her, and is also accused of being a traitor.
Throughout the story, Debra is plagued by the feeling that something has is very wrong (aside from the obvious), and that there is more to Constable Gorodenkov that has been let on...
And here are our two main characters:
Debra
MacNally
Name: Debra MacNally
Race: Human
Age: 30
Date of Birth: 18 May 2161
Place of Birth: Christchurch, New Zealand
Citizenship: Debra is a citizen of Earth
Legal Status: No criminal record
Relatives: Unnamed parents
Height: 5’10” (177.8 cm)
Weight: 149 lbs (67.59 kg)
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Brown
Religion: Catholic (not devout)
Intelligence: Above Average
Strength: Normal
Speed: Normal
Stamina: Normal
Durability: Normal
Agility: Normal
Reflexes: Normal
Profession/Rank
(Current): Courier for EarthGov Security, Division Two
Profession/Rank
(Former):
N/A
Current Alias: Artemis
Former Alias: N/A
Personal Weaponry: Waller-Jackson
P210 Phased Plasma Pistol; various others, as
needed
Usual Base of Operations: EarthGov Security, Division Two, Orlando,
Florida, NorAm
Friends/Allies/Confidants: Maureen Rogers, Alexandra Sinclair, David
Troy
Enemies: Sunbeam Brigade
Skills: Debra is an extremely efficient courier, able
to make her deliveries no matter the circumstance. She is also a trained fighter, able to defend
herself against most adversaries, and is a good marksman.
Special Abilities: None
Source of Special
Abilities: N/A
Interests/Hobbies:
Sertsa
Gorodenkov
Name: Sertsa Gorodenkov
Race: Human
Age: 36
Date of Birth: 2155 (exact date unknown)
Place of Birth: Russian Consortium
Citizenship: Sertsa is a citizen of the Russian Consortium
Legal Status: No criminal record
Relatives: None mentioned
Height: 6’1” (185.42 cm)
Weight: 162 lbs (73.48 kg)
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Hair Color: Black
Religion: Atheist
Intelligence: Above Average
Strength: Above Average
Speed: Above Average
Stamina: Above Average
Durability: Above Average
Agility: Above Average
Reflexes: Above Average
Profession/Rank
(Current): Constable with the Russian Consortium
National Police
Profession/Rank
(Former):
N/A
Current Alias: N/A
Former Alias: N/A
Personal Weaponry: Waller-Pantheon
CT45 Phased Plasma Pistol; various others, as
needed
Usual Base of
Operations: Natsional’noy Politsii (National Police
Headquarters),
Moscow, Russian Consortium
Friends/Allies/Confidants: Unknown
Enemies: Unknown
Skills: Unknown
Special Abilities: None
Source of Special
Abilities: N/A
Interests/Hobbies:
Thursday, August 15, 2013
08/15/13 - Progress
In the wee hours of the morning, I completed "The Fault Lies Not..." Like many of the projects I've been working on lately, it's a story that had been started years ago, stopped, restarted, stopped, abandoned, gone back to...it's been in progress so long, I don't even remember when I started it. I know I was still living on Long Island when I started it. I moved to New Jersey in 1993.
There were many times that I wanted to abandon the story as a bad idea and find something else for the characters to do. For some reason, though, I just couldn't let it go. So I fought through it, removed plot points that didn't work (there was originally a political angle at one point). I do have another story that I had started, titled "Jedna", but I'm not sure when I'll get to it.
At the moment, "The Fault Lies Not..." stands at 18,637 words. It is going to need a lot of work when I start editing it next month; I'm not completely satisfied with the ending, and there's some details that popped up later in the story that should've come up earlier. And though it's set in the late twenty-sixth century, the characters don't really take advantage of the advance technology at their disposal. It's set in a city with a very low crime rate, but there's no sign of the press hounding the characters, no outcry from the public, no pressure from the city's administration...
Yeah, it's gonna take a lot of work to get it right. Now, it only fulfills the literary axiom, the first draft doesn't have to be perfect...it just has to be finished.
It's finished.
Now I need a nap.
There were many times that I wanted to abandon the story as a bad idea and find something else for the characters to do. For some reason, though, I just couldn't let it go. So I fought through it, removed plot points that didn't work (there was originally a political angle at one point). I do have another story that I had started, titled "Jedna", but I'm not sure when I'll get to it.
At the moment, "The Fault Lies Not..." stands at 18,637 words. It is going to need a lot of work when I start editing it next month; I'm not completely satisfied with the ending, and there's some details that popped up later in the story that should've come up earlier. And though it's set in the late twenty-sixth century, the characters don't really take advantage of the advance technology at their disposal. It's set in a city with a very low crime rate, but there's no sign of the press hounding the characters, no outcry from the public, no pressure from the city's administration...
Yeah, it's gonna take a lot of work to get it right. Now, it only fulfills the literary axiom, the first draft doesn't have to be perfect...it just has to be finished.
It's finished.
Now I need a nap.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
08/07/13 - Progress
Just a quick progress report tonight.
I've been working mostly on "Rae" and "The Fault Lies Not..." these last couple of weeks. BEFORE THE DAWN is going to take a little more time to figure out before I can continue with it.
As of now, "Rae" is at 7,327 words, and "The Fault Lies Not..." is at 17,474 words. Both of them feel like they're close to being completed. I just have to get there.
I've been working mostly on "Rae" and "The Fault Lies Not..." these last couple of weeks. BEFORE THE DAWN is going to take a little more time to figure out before I can continue with it.
As of now, "Rae" is at 7,327 words, and "The Fault Lies Not..." is at 17,474 words. Both of them feel like they're close to being completed. I just have to get there.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Last Day!
Today's the last day WITH EYES OPEN... and CAMPFIRE STORIES will be on sale for 50% off. Find the links on my website, Wordboy's Words - http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Reminder - Only One Week Left!
Just a reminder...WITH EYES OPEN... and CAMPFIRESTORIES are both on sale for only one more week. That's right...only one more week!
Find the links on my website Wordboy's Words http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec
Sales ends midnight 31 July 2013.
Find the links on my website Wordboy's Words http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec
Sales ends midnight 31 July 2013.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
07/17/13 - Progress
Finally finished typing up the second draft of ON A COLD WIND. It came in at fifteen chapters, 33,313 words. That puts it squarely in the range of a novella, rather than a novel. And I'm okay with that. I could've padded the story to make it longer but that would've taken away from the story itself. As it stands now, I told the story I wanted to tell in the way I wanted to tell it.
Now to let it rest until September before I start editing.
Now to let it rest until September before I start editing.
Monday, July 8, 2013
What Passes For A Plot Outline...
Spent a chunk of the day plotting Chapter 21 of Before The Dawn. Here's what passes for a plot outline in my writing life...
Yeah, it's just some notes sketching out what I think is going to happen in the chapter. From these notes I'll work out the details and write the chapter.
It works for me.
Yeah, it's just some notes sketching out what I think is going to happen in the chapter. From these notes I'll work out the details and write the chapter.
It works for me.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Reminder...
Just a reminder that WITH EYES OPEN... and CAMPFIRE STORIES are 50% off for the month of July!
WITH EYES OPEN... is available on Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
CAMPFIRE STORIES is available on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
Offer ends midnight, 31 July 2013.
WITH EYES OPEN... is available on Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
CAMPFIRE STORIES is available on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
Offer ends midnight, 31 July 2013.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Need A Good Read? Have I Got A Sale For You!
Hey everyone! Guess what! Now through the end of July, CAMPFIRE
STORIES is on sale at Smashwords! Regularly $5.99, this collection of
eight short stories is now on sale for only $3! Find it here... https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
But wait! There's more!
Also on sale during the month of July is WITH EYES OPEN..., available on Lulu.com! Telling the story of Mira Frayne and the Adityas, WITH EYES OPEN... regularly sells for $2.99. For the month of July, you can buy this book for only $1.49! Find it here... http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell your neighbor's friends!
Offer good through midnight, July 31, 2013.
But wait! There's more!
Also on sale during the month of July is WITH EYES OPEN..., available on Lulu.com! Telling the story of Mira Frayne and the Adityas, WITH EYES OPEN... regularly sells for $2.99. For the month of July, you can buy this book for only $1.49! Find it here... http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell your neighbor's friends!
Offer good through midnight, July 31, 2013.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Working
Photographic evidence of me working on the first draft of "The Fault Lies Not..." Making good progress on it.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
060513 Progress Report: ON A COLD WIND 2nd Draft Complete
The ending can be harder to write than the beginning but are so much more satisfying...even if it's the second draft...
Of course, now that it's finished, I have a lot of typing to do. ON A COLD WIND came in at fifteen chapters...and I've only typed up to Chapter Six.
I sigh deeply.
Of course, now that it's finished, I have a lot of typing to do. ON A COLD WIND came in at fifteen chapters...and I've only typed up to Chapter Six.
I sigh deeply.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
It...Is...Alive! The Website Is Now Live
Since I decided to take the plunge, become an independent author and
self-publish, I've been researching promotion and marketing. I don't
want to become that author...the one who can't post anything on Facebook or Twitter without pimping his books.
Part of my research said it would be beneficial to have a website. So after hemming and hawing for the better part of a year, I decided to take the plunge. Over the last week, I've been working on a website, working through Wix.com. It's not fancy or flashy, but it gives me a place to direct people. Instead of telliing people to go to Lulu for With Eyes Open... and Smashwords for Campfire Stories, I can say, just go to the website and click on the BOOKS button.
It was actually pretty easy to do. Wix has a variety of template, and setting up the pages was pretty straightforward. I had to start using my Hotmail account again, y'know, for when those fan letters start flooding in.
<ahem>
So here's the address, if you're interested in checking it out: http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords
Part of my research said it would be beneficial to have a website. So after hemming and hawing for the better part of a year, I decided to take the plunge. Over the last week, I've been working on a website, working through Wix.com. It's not fancy or flashy, but it gives me a place to direct people. Instead of telliing people to go to Lulu for With Eyes Open... and Smashwords for Campfire Stories, I can say, just go to the website and click on the BOOKS button.
It was actually pretty easy to do. Wix has a variety of template, and setting up the pages was pretty straightforward. I had to start using my Hotmail account again, y'know, for when those fan letters start flooding in.
<ahem>
So here's the address, if you're interested in checking it out: http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords
Saturday, June 1, 2013
It Arrives...On Sunday, 06/02/13
I've talked about it in the past but it's only been over the last week or so that I've actually put the effort into creating a web site. So now I have one, and it's almost finished. I have a couple of things to polish but I should be able to have it go live on Sunday, June 2.
Now I'll have one central place to pimp the books, one place where I can send people who want to find and buy them. Well, hopefully buy them...
It was pretty easy setting the page up. I went to wix.com, which made the process pretty easy and straightforward...and most importantly, free. There were a number of templates to choose from, colors, backgrounds, fonts...you name it.
With luck, this'll make it easier to get the word about about the books as they come out.
Now I'll have one central place to pimp the books, one place where I can send people who want to find and buy them. Well, hopefully buy them...
It was pretty easy setting the page up. I went to wix.com, which made the process pretty easy and straightforward...and most importantly, free. There were a number of templates to choose from, colors, backgrounds, fonts...you name it.
With luck, this'll make it easier to get the word about about the books as they come out.
Monday, May 27, 2013
05/27/13: Quick Progress Report
Just a quick, drive-by progress report...
As I get closer to getting caught up with BEFORE THE DAWN, I find I have to step away from it so I can get the rest of the plot sussed out. Shouldn't be too long...
I have also been working on the second draft of ON A COLD WIND. This is one of the two completed novels that I, for some reason, never worked on beyond the first draft. It's coming along nicely, now that I've cleared up a few plot issues, moved one scene from the end to an earlier chapter, and completely removed a flashback that had nothing to do with the chapter it was in.
Once I finish ON A COLD WIND, I'll be focusing my attention on finishing BEFORE THE DAWN. When I get caught up, I'll be about two-thirds of the way through the story. That will be finished as expediantly as possible.
Of course, there's still "The Fault Lies Not...", "Rae" and all the other half-finished stories I need to work on.
I sigh deeply...
ETA: I forgot to mention that in the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing the final editing pass on A BRIGHT SYMMETRY. Then I'll be prepping it for submission to Smashwords. Busy...busy...busy...
As I get closer to getting caught up with BEFORE THE DAWN, I find I have to step away from it so I can get the rest of the plot sussed out. Shouldn't be too long...
I have also been working on the second draft of ON A COLD WIND. This is one of the two completed novels that I, for some reason, never worked on beyond the first draft. It's coming along nicely, now that I've cleared up a few plot issues, moved one scene from the end to an earlier chapter, and completely removed a flashback that had nothing to do with the chapter it was in.
Once I finish ON A COLD WIND, I'll be focusing my attention on finishing BEFORE THE DAWN. When I get caught up, I'll be about two-thirds of the way through the story. That will be finished as expediantly as possible.
Of course, there's still "The Fault Lies Not...", "Rae" and all the other half-finished stories I need to work on.
I sigh deeply...
ETA: I forgot to mention that in the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing the final editing pass on A BRIGHT SYMMETRY. Then I'll be prepping it for submission to Smashwords. Busy...busy...busy...
Friday, May 10, 2013
Market Update - CAMPFIRE STORIES on more markets
Campfire Stories is now available on iTunes and on Nook. You can fine them here:
iTuns: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/campfire-stories/id641831120?mt=11
and
NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/campfire-stories-michael-p-dunn/1115214725?ean=2940044486522
iTuns: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/campfire-stories/id641831120?mt=11
and
NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/campfire-stories-michael-p-dunn/1115214725?ean=2940044486522
Friday, May 3, 2013
CAMPFIRE STORIES Now Available On Kobo
A bit of a plug, if you will...
Campfire Stories is now available on Kobo ereader. Not familiar with Kobo so it's a new market for me. We'll see how it goes.
You can find it here...
http://www.kobobooks.com/
Campfire Stories is now available on Kobo ereader. Not familiar with Kobo so it's a new market for me. We'll see how it goes.
You can find it here...
http://www.kobobooks.com/
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Let Me Tell You About The Books 2: CAMPFIRE STORIES
The second book is titled Campfire Stories. No real significance to the title, except that I could see some of these stories being told at night, around a campfire.
I've been seriously writing since 1977, the day after I saw Star Wars. I had actually started in '75, but I don't like to talk about the Space: 1999 fics I wrote. Let's just say they were...not of acceptable quality. Thankfully all copies were lost.
Despite all the writing and submitting, I wasn't published until 2005. Lightning struck twice and I was published again in 2005. I had started to think my luck was starting to change.
I wasn't published again until 2009, then again in 2010.
Anyone who writes knows the frustration of getting rejection slips. The first ones I received were devestating. Over the years, they came to mean nothing to me. Whenever I received one, my only thought would be, "Your loss."
After a while, though, it got frustrating. So I decided to take a different course.
That's what led me to publish With Eyes Open... on Lulu and Campfire Stories on Smashwords.
The eight stories in Campfire Stories aren't arranged in the order I wrote them. Instead, they're arranged in the order they occur in the history of my fictional universe. All the stories and novels take place in the same universe, in one consistent time life running from thirteen-point-eight billion years plus one day ago to about the year 7784. There are two stories that weren't included. The first, titled "Wanderer" is actually the first part of a novel so I decided to leave it out of this collection. The second, titled "Brianna and the Three" is in no condition to be published anywhere. It needs a lot of work and will probably be included in another collection...once I get more stories completed.
The stories are both science fiction and fantasy, so there should be something for everyone...
1) "The End of Seconds": One of the questions that has yet to be answered is, what happened before the Big Bang. I was thinking about this, along with the story of Genesis. This story deals with the end of one universe, the beginning of the next and answers the annoying question, so where did God come from? (I can accept an omniscent being powerful enough to create all of existence with the snap of his fingers...but all beings, including all powerful ones, had to come from somewhere.)
2) "Games of Life and Cold": At one time, I had planned to write about a race of genetically engineered soldiers invading Earth. This story was going to be part of the backstory. I had planned to write more about these characters but never had the chance. It's the story of a planetary explorations/first contact that goes terribly wrong.
3) "If You Listen Softly...": A what-if story, something I tried for the feel of a Twilight Zone episode. What if you woke up one morning and found things different from the day before...and you were the only one who realized it? Something to make you go...huh?
4) "All My Yesterdays, Remembered": What if you best friend turned out to be more than you ever expected?
5) "Symmetry": She woke up on a subway with no memory of how she got there. Just what is going on...and who is the Conductor?
6) "Signpost": Back into the realm of science fiction for a story about discovery. Who were the Mengharans? What was the purpose of their Solids?
7) "Last Light": Essentially a hostage crisis set in the last twenty-second century. You'll be seeing these characters again.
8) "The Shape of the Truth": Like "Wanderer", this was part of a larger work. Unlike "Wanderer", it had nothing to do with the rest of the novel. So I pulled it out, polished it up and included it here. It's the story of Dari Loq, a shape-changing investigator as she searches for another of her people. You'll be seeing Dari again, too.
At the moment, Campfire Stories is only available on Smashwords. It's been approved for inclusion in their Premium Catalog, so it'll be distributed to other outlets. I'll let you know when and where.
For now, you can find Campfire Stories at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
So that's all for now. I do have other completed stories that I'm getting ready to submit. Watch here for more.
I've been seriously writing since 1977, the day after I saw Star Wars. I had actually started in '75, but I don't like to talk about the Space: 1999 fics I wrote. Let's just say they were...not of acceptable quality. Thankfully all copies were lost.
Despite all the writing and submitting, I wasn't published until 2005. Lightning struck twice and I was published again in 2005. I had started to think my luck was starting to change.
I wasn't published again until 2009, then again in 2010.
Anyone who writes knows the frustration of getting rejection slips. The first ones I received were devestating. Over the years, they came to mean nothing to me. Whenever I received one, my only thought would be, "Your loss."
After a while, though, it got frustrating. So I decided to take a different course.
That's what led me to publish With Eyes Open... on Lulu and Campfire Stories on Smashwords.
The eight stories in Campfire Stories aren't arranged in the order I wrote them. Instead, they're arranged in the order they occur in the history of my fictional universe. All the stories and novels take place in the same universe, in one consistent time life running from thirteen-point-eight billion years plus one day ago to about the year 7784. There are two stories that weren't included. The first, titled "Wanderer" is actually the first part of a novel so I decided to leave it out of this collection. The second, titled "Brianna and the Three" is in no condition to be published anywhere. It needs a lot of work and will probably be included in another collection...once I get more stories completed.
The stories are both science fiction and fantasy, so there should be something for everyone...
1) "The End of Seconds": One of the questions that has yet to be answered is, what happened before the Big Bang. I was thinking about this, along with the story of Genesis. This story deals with the end of one universe, the beginning of the next and answers the annoying question, so where did God come from? (I can accept an omniscent being powerful enough to create all of existence with the snap of his fingers...but all beings, including all powerful ones, had to come from somewhere.)
2) "Games of Life and Cold": At one time, I had planned to write about a race of genetically engineered soldiers invading Earth. This story was going to be part of the backstory. I had planned to write more about these characters but never had the chance. It's the story of a planetary explorations/first contact that goes terribly wrong.
3) "If You Listen Softly...": A what-if story, something I tried for the feel of a Twilight Zone episode. What if you woke up one morning and found things different from the day before...and you were the only one who realized it? Something to make you go...huh?
4) "All My Yesterdays, Remembered": What if you best friend turned out to be more than you ever expected?
5) "Symmetry": She woke up on a subway with no memory of how she got there. Just what is going on...and who is the Conductor?
6) "Signpost": Back into the realm of science fiction for a story about discovery. Who were the Mengharans? What was the purpose of their Solids?
7) "Last Light": Essentially a hostage crisis set in the last twenty-second century. You'll be seeing these characters again.
8) "The Shape of the Truth": Like "Wanderer", this was part of a larger work. Unlike "Wanderer", it had nothing to do with the rest of the novel. So I pulled it out, polished it up and included it here. It's the story of Dari Loq, a shape-changing investigator as she searches for another of her people. You'll be seeing Dari again, too.
At the moment, Campfire Stories is only available on Smashwords. It's been approved for inclusion in their Premium Catalog, so it'll be distributed to other outlets. I'll let you know when and where.
For now, you can find Campfire Stories at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
So that's all for now. I do have other completed stories that I'm getting ready to submit. Watch here for more.
Let Me Tell You About The Books 1: WITH EYES OPEN...
I want to talk a little bit about the two books I have out. Just a little background into the stories that comprise the two.
With Eyes Open... is comprised of two stories, "With Eyes Open..." and its unintended sequel, "A Voice in the Darkness".
"With Eyes Open..." has the honor of being the first story ever published back in 2005, in a now defunct ezine named Deep Magic. It actually started as a writing exercise.
I had read somewhere that if you're stuck, turn on the television, go to any channel, write down the first thing you hear and build a story from that. I did this, writing down the sentence "Isn't there anything you want to tell me about your marriage?" (Don't ask me the program; I've forgotten it.) So I started writing about a break up. Problem was, I was still having trouble. So I stopped for a little while.
Then something else happened.
Answer me this: Have you ever been alone in a room, yet see movement out of the corner of your eye? Youi know it's just your mind playing tricks on you, or maybe (as is my case) it's your cat. But I started thinking, what if there was a race here on Earth with us, completely unnoticed, completely intangible and invisible. They need a single human to anchor them here.
Could I turn the aborted break-up story into something about these creatures?
Of course I could, and it's one of my favorite stories.
So the story that began as Mira Frayne breaking up with a man led to Mira making a discovery about the world and being tied to these creatures.
I was trying for a Twilight Zone feel to the story, something that started out one way and led you down an entirely different path. When I finished the story, I knew I would be visiting with Mira again, though I didn't know when.
Sometimes, sequels are planned, sometimes they happen accidentally. That was the case with "A Voice in the Darkness".
The second story in With Eyes Open..., "A Voice in the Darkness", had a strange path to completion. It didn't even start out as a sequel to "With Eyes Open..." But that's how it goes with my writing; a story will start out heading in one direction the suddenly take a hard right into weirdness.
I had the thought that something had gone wrong on one of the stations that orbit Earth in the late 22nd-early 23rd centuries. I didn't know exactly what, but I knew it had something to do with a government organization known as MilSci, short for Military Science. My main character used to work for them but left a few years earlier. Somehow, her ex husband was involved.
I had started writing the story without a thought of "With Eyes Open..." Then Mira showed up, along with the Adityas. I knew then that the Adityas were behind what had happened but still didn't know why. So I put it aside to try and figure out what happened.
Mark the passage of at least a few years.
In early 2012, I started making a push to complete the numerous unfinished stories that had accumulated over the years. So I started with "A Voice in the Darkness" and completed it within a few months.
Why couldn't I have done that the first time around?
With Eyes Open... is currently available on...
Lulu - http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/with-eyes-open.../id571656584?mt=11
NOOK - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/with-eyes-open-michael-p-dunn/1113785854
With Eyes Open... is comprised of two stories, "With Eyes Open..." and its unintended sequel, "A Voice in the Darkness".
"With Eyes Open..." has the honor of being the first story ever published back in 2005, in a now defunct ezine named Deep Magic. It actually started as a writing exercise.
I had read somewhere that if you're stuck, turn on the television, go to any channel, write down the first thing you hear and build a story from that. I did this, writing down the sentence "Isn't there anything you want to tell me about your marriage?" (Don't ask me the program; I've forgotten it.) So I started writing about a break up. Problem was, I was still having trouble. So I stopped for a little while.
Then something else happened.
Answer me this: Have you ever been alone in a room, yet see movement out of the corner of your eye? Youi know it's just your mind playing tricks on you, or maybe (as is my case) it's your cat. But I started thinking, what if there was a race here on Earth with us, completely unnoticed, completely intangible and invisible. They need a single human to anchor them here.
Could I turn the aborted break-up story into something about these creatures?
Of course I could, and it's one of my favorite stories.
So the story that began as Mira Frayne breaking up with a man led to Mira making a discovery about the world and being tied to these creatures.
I was trying for a Twilight Zone feel to the story, something that started out one way and led you down an entirely different path. When I finished the story, I knew I would be visiting with Mira again, though I didn't know when.
Sometimes, sequels are planned, sometimes they happen accidentally. That was the case with "A Voice in the Darkness".
The second story in With Eyes Open..., "A Voice in the Darkness", had a strange path to completion. It didn't even start out as a sequel to "With Eyes Open..." But that's how it goes with my writing; a story will start out heading in one direction the suddenly take a hard right into weirdness.
I had the thought that something had gone wrong on one of the stations that orbit Earth in the late 22nd-early 23rd centuries. I didn't know exactly what, but I knew it had something to do with a government organization known as MilSci, short for Military Science. My main character used to work for them but left a few years earlier. Somehow, her ex husband was involved.
I had started writing the story without a thought of "With Eyes Open..." Then Mira showed up, along with the Adityas. I knew then that the Adityas were behind what had happened but still didn't know why. So I put it aside to try and figure out what happened.
Mark the passage of at least a few years.
In early 2012, I started making a push to complete the numerous unfinished stories that had accumulated over the years. So I started with "A Voice in the Darkness" and completed it within a few months.
Why couldn't I have done that the first time around?
With Eyes Open... is currently available on...
Lulu - http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-p-dunn/with-eyes-open/ebook/product-20692075.html
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/with-eyes-open.../id571656584?mt=11
NOOK - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/with-eyes-open-michael-p-dunn/1113785854
Saturday, April 20, 2013
CAMPFIRE STORIES Has Been Published!
My newest book (God, it sounds good to say that!) Campfire Stories,
is now available on Smashwords. This one is a collection of short
stories, ranging across history, from 13.8 billion years plus 1 day in
the past to the year 2196.
Find it on smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
And here's the cover...
It's a bit more expensive than With Eyes Open... at $5.99 but I think it's worth it.
Hope you enjoy it!
Find it on smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/308397
And here's the cover...
It's a bit more expensive than With Eyes Open... at $5.99 but I think it's worth it.
Hope you enjoy it!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
03/27/2013 - A BRIGHT SYMMETRY Progress
I've finished the first editing pass on A BRIGHT SYMMETRY. One thing I've found is that for some reason, whenever I had to type the word feel, I would for some reason type fell. If it happened once, it's a typo. Thing is, it happened multiple time in every story. I sigh deeply as a tear runs down my cheek.
Anyway...
The first draft word count for A BRIGHT SYMMETRY was 42,940 words. The second draft word count is 42,433. Trimmed out 507 words. We'll see what we get after the second editing pass.
I'd still like to find a new title for "Interlude".
Anyway...
The first draft word count for A BRIGHT SYMMETRY was 42,940 words. The second draft word count is 42,433. Trimmed out 507 words. We'll see what we get after the second editing pass.
I'd still like to find a new title for "Interlude".
Sunday, March 17, 2013
03/17/2013 - Decisions...Decisions...
I've reached a point where I have to put a couple of nacent stories aside.
For the last couple of weeks, I've been working on...trying to work on...two new stories, one titled "The Fast Fading Light", about Andromeda Reyes, an Enhanced Human living in the mid twenty-third century. The other was my superhero story, about a near-superhuman named Artemis Xian.
Trouble was, I had no idea what they were going to do.
I knew that Andromeda was part of a team sent from Earth to assist in the investigation of...something. I knew that Artemis was part of a team that fought a being named Balthazar and woke up...somewhere. Now, this isn't anything unusual for me. I rarely start a story or novel with a clear idea where I'm going. I like to figure it out as I go along, seat-of-the-pants writing, if you will.
The problem with these two was that I wasn't getting anywhere. I had written about a page of Artemis' story and stalled. With "The Fast Fading Light", I was writing and rewriting the same paragraphs over and over again, trying to get a handle on POV. Because I'd been focusing my attention on these two stories, I hadn't worked on anything else, so I essentially haven't written for a couple of weeks.
So now it's time to put these two aside. I'll keep them in their notebooks, with their pictures and put them aside until I have a better idea what the hell's going on.
So I'm back to concentrating on BEFORE THE DAWN, "Rae" and "The Fault Lies Not...", as well as continuing to prep CAMPFIRE STORIES for publication on Smashwords, and editing A BRIGHT SYMMETRY.
And who knows? Maybe ignoring them will lead me to writing them. Stranger things have happened.
For the last couple of weeks, I've been working on...trying to work on...two new stories, one titled "The Fast Fading Light", about Andromeda Reyes, an Enhanced Human living in the mid twenty-third century. The other was my superhero story, about a near-superhuman named Artemis Xian.
Trouble was, I had no idea what they were going to do.
I knew that Andromeda was part of a team sent from Earth to assist in the investigation of...something. I knew that Artemis was part of a team that fought a being named Balthazar and woke up...somewhere. Now, this isn't anything unusual for me. I rarely start a story or novel with a clear idea where I'm going. I like to figure it out as I go along, seat-of-the-pants writing, if you will.
The problem with these two was that I wasn't getting anywhere. I had written about a page of Artemis' story and stalled. With "The Fast Fading Light", I was writing and rewriting the same paragraphs over and over again, trying to get a handle on POV. Because I'd been focusing my attention on these two stories, I hadn't worked on anything else, so I essentially haven't written for a couple of weeks.
So now it's time to put these two aside. I'll keep them in their notebooks, with their pictures and put them aside until I have a better idea what the hell's going on.
So I'm back to concentrating on BEFORE THE DAWN, "Rae" and "The Fault Lies Not...", as well as continuing to prep CAMPFIRE STORIES for publication on Smashwords, and editing A BRIGHT SYMMETRY.
And who knows? Maybe ignoring them will lead me to writing them. Stranger things have happened.
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