Wednesday 22 June 2011

My new short story

Well, I've finally finished tinkering about with my latest short horror story at last. I hope people like it. It's called The tool, all about Lucy, a young girl who is being used by her so called uncle as an escort. However, Lucy has ideas of her own about dirty old men and their ways. She also has her own unique solution to the problem. Just don't let her catch you looking, that's all. And don't enquire into her family history. You may regret it.

      If enough people are taken with Lucy, I may well write more stories of her adventures. I shall have to wait and see.

Friday 17 June 2011

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE!

"It came to me on the wings of sleep." Can't remember where I got that from but It's eminently suitable. I saw the future as clear as daylight. My premise is this:
      One day in the not too distant future I truly believe you will be able to peruse books on line at home or in a book store. When you come across the book there will be two options open to you.
1/ Download your book to your device as we do today. Or
2/ Download your choice and your specification, hardback, paperback, etc., to a printing machine and, for a small charge, take your freshly minted book home with you in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea perhaps?
      An idea I feel is worth consideration. With all the ranting and ravings about the crap on Smashwords, Amazon KIndle, etc. Might it be a good idea if in the near future books had added alongside their description, a declaration that the product had been/had not been professionally edited. This would save a lot of angst on the customer's part about the quality of the purchase they were about to make.

Wednesday 15 June 2011

What a right carry on

I am tired of hearing about conventional publishing versus what is increasingly becoming known as indie publishing, I feel a bit like John Wayne in a Hollywood sandpit, fighting off Cochise and a thousand braves with that trusty six shooter which neither misses, nor runs out of bullets, although I'm not particularly interested in bashing anyone. I just want to be the best writer I can be. I think E publishing can help me do that. I have spent too many years being rebuffed by those people acting as gatekeepers in defence of the massive profits they make,and the few authors they publish to keep up their privileged monopoly. Just been listening to a debate about those terrible 99c authors who are ruining the publishing industry. Not so my friends, not so.

Those terrible 99c self published authors can do one amazing thing that can't be easily done with a £7.99 paperback or a £19.00 hardback, They can listen to their readers, learn what they like and dislike, edit their books and post the improved versions at no extra cost to their readers. The electronic author has multiple chances of getting it right and becoming a better author than the one who doesn't, or won't, do digital.(are you reading this, Anne Widdecombe?) I'm in the business of self improvement and giving my readers what they want. Shouldn't we all be doing that?I firmly believe the dice are now loaded in the favour of the indie author. I daresay, one fine day a lot of those terrible 99c authors will be well known to the general public, while the dinosaurs of the Hardbackoceine age will be just folk memories to frighten your kids with. “If you don't eat your greens the Widdyweb will get you. She'll take you into her gingerbread cottage in the forest and make you read her books. If that doesn't finish you off, she'll bring out the LITERARY FICTION to do the job! Is that A.S, Byatt I see coming down the footpath?” That'll teach em.

Monday 13 June 2011

I'm a published writer thanks to Amazon KIndle

At last. I got my email from Amazon Kindle direct publishing: 


Hello,
The book(s) you recently submitted to KDP has been published to the Kindle Store and should already be available for readers to purchase.
 
Doesn't if feel great. I no longer need to send manuscripts to people who don't give a flying fig about you or your manuscript that you sweated blood on. No need to wait for the reply via your SAE or e mail addy that's never going to come because you aren't a big time author, and they don't have the time or the good manners to follow their own guidelines that you followed to the letter. I would like to say to those people of Black static press, and a few others: Go take a flying **** because I don't need you any more. Don't bother doing anything with my manuscript that you have sat on for the last eighteen months because it is now on the Amazon Kindle site and I've had a sale already.That's one more sale than I am ever going to make waiting for you to get your fat asses into gear and do something with my future. 
It feels bloody great. Thank you very much, Amazon