Magpie Moments: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
Many interviewed authors say there’s no shortage of story ideas, those little “what if” nuggets that can be rooted in character or place or plot. Some keep files with newspaper articles or bits of research that they consult from time to time, while for others the act of gathering the shiny bits (aha, here comes a Magpie Moment) is enough for them to burble in the subconscious until something else emerges. In that vein, yesterday I came across an article about a book of unsolved crimes that mentions an Australian fisherman discovering a body tied to a steel crucifix. This morning Read more…
Fading Vacation (and Book Launch) Scars
It’s a sad day when you notice that the boogie boarding scab from your vacation is gone. Sorry—was that TMI for everyone who doesn’t work in a medical field? My 13 year-old niece gave me lessons. I’m afraid I wasn’t a very good student, perpetually raking my knee across the sandy bottom in the shallows, trying to ride a little bit of water foam on a bent piece of synthetic foam, but it was fun. I even caught an almost-wave my last day out that made me whoop in a manner she would have approved of, if she hadn’t already Read more…
The Audiobook Rabbithole, and Reader Poll: What do You Think Sydney Sounds Like?
You know those 10-minute limbos? The lulls when you’ve got something else scheduled soon so you don’t really have enough time to start a real project? Those times are dangerous. During a recent one I thought, eh, I’ll just check out ACX. ACX is an Amazon platform that distributes audiobooks, primarily through Amazon and Audible, but also through iTunes. Checking out audiobooks is one of the things on my list for this year. I love the idea of people listening to Sydney’s adventures on their commutes or while ironing or torturing themselves at the gym. (Maybe because I do none Read more…
The Perils of Panacea is Alive (ish)! Plus Limited Time Ereader Deals
The moment you’ve been waiting for—or at least the moment I’ve been waiting for—has arrived. The second Sydney Brennan novel, The Perils of Panacea, is now available on Amazon (UK here), Kobo, Nook and iBooks. Woo hoo! Or as auto-correct would like to say, “Woo too!” The paperback version [mumble, mumble, mumble]. What’s that about the paperback, you ask? Well, the paperback still has the electrodes hooked up to it. I slightly underestimated how much time individual steps would take, including file reviews that are totally out of my hands and cover tweaks that are not. And I’ve discovered another em dash Read more…
My Kingdom for a Blurb
I’ve been working on a bunch of last-minute book launch things lately. As an indie publisher, I am responsible for everything that goes into my book’s production, but I don’t personally do everything. That’s one reason many indie publishers don’t like the term self-publishing. A responsible publisher does not do everything him- or herself. I have a cover designer who makes Sydney’s world come to life. For Panacea, a developmental editor helped me see structural and plot and even footwear issues. As I explained in my most recent post, my copy editor has a fine eye for details like spelling Read more…
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