Ramblings of Author Bob Nailor

Social Media

2012-03-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today it is said that if a person doesn't employ one or more of the social media formats they are committing electronic suicide.

There are so many media formats to choose from: Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest, GoodReads and the list continues on.

As a writer if you aren't promoting yourself out there, you are literally driving into a dead end.

I currently am on all of the above media formats. I spend way too much time on them. In fact, I have discovered that almost my whole day is spent trying to keep up and my writing is suffering. Contrary to popular belief - there is a social life beyond the electronic world and one must make time for it. If you are married, there is the spouse; if you have kids, there are their needs; and obviously you have co-workers and friends who want to see your pasty-white face from time to time. Yes, there is a sun, there is wind, rain, snow, and a plethora of other outside delights. There is even social media called movies, nightclubs and restaurants.

I attempted to allow myself one hour of Facebook, an hour of Twitter, and hour of ... well, you see the format. I listed seven media formats -- at an hour each, that is pretty much a day's job. I'm retired and don't have a boss craning his head over my cubicle wall to see what I'm doing but if I did, it would mean I am only dedicating about an hour to working at my real job. Not good.

There are days that an hour on Facebook just isn't enough and if the truth be told, that can be so with each of the other social sites if you really want to keep up with all your 'friends' out there in cyberworld. I was told to use my time wisely and actually only allow 15 mins to each of them. Still, that equals almost 2 hours and with Twitter alone, I have new peeps joining which I feel I must personally thank for following me. Doing that once a day sort of cheats them.

But, here comes the clincher.

How many of your followers are the same on Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest, GoodReads, etc? Pinterest was the most current social media for me to join. As I worked through the registration, it connected with Facebook and the next thing I knew, I was following thirty-some Facebook friends on Pinterest. And, slowly, they are starting to follow me.

Hmm? I'm suppose to be promoting myself but I'm discovering that most of the people I am following on these different social media sites are the same people. Oh, there are new ones in each site but, in general, they are the same basic group of people. Basically, other writers.

For marketing purposes I have discovered a flaw. I want to know other authors but to sell myself, I need to 'hustle' myself to the readers of the world.

Now my question. Anyone got an idea of how to do that? How do I find the readers? I don't know their names, their emails, etc so how do I get connected to them?

Until next I ramble on...

How Do You Write?

2012-03-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Exactly how do you write? I mean, what is the mood, the environment... what makes you want to write? Is it music? A view?

I've been writing for [mumble, mumble] years and I've moved about that many times. My serious writing has been the last almost twenty years. In that time I've had lived in about 5 different locations, each of them unique, I think. I know they've offered different environments. I lived in a small rural town in NW Ohio, a small bedroom community outside of Washington, DC, an apartment in a suburb of Detroit, a small community near Monroe, MI and finally, a small country acre back in that rural community of NW Ohio. The cycle is complete. Each of those places offered me a different 'mood' when I wrote. But yet there was a constant.

A constant you ask? Yes. Music. Not necessarily the same music but almost the exact same music over the years. I am a creature of habit. I enjoy the golden oldies (60s/70s/80s) plus what some call New Age, a little country, Big Band, classical and then just whatever catches my fancy.

So what do I listen to? Beach Boys. Pet Shop Boys. Elton John. George Strait. David Bowie. John Tesh. Liza Minnelli. Bestor & Cardon. Brule. Enigma. Dwight Yoakam. Benny Goodman. Garth Brooks. Mannheim Steamroller. Michael Jackson. Tangerine Dream. Vangelis. CCR. Glenn Miller. Bach. Tchaikovsky. Rimsky-Korsakov. Rachmaninoff.

Needless to say, there are others which include Richard Harris' MacArthur Park (the long version) and island music like Na Ka Pueo or flute music from the Andes by Cuzco.

Don't get me started on what I'd like to call the "Indies" of the music world which have created some truly interesting and beautiful music which I listen to on a regular basis.

The style of music, for me, doesn't always match the writing. For instance; while writing my Celtic fantasy "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold" I really thought some great Irish tunes would increase my productivity. Wrong! Strangely, and I do mean strangely, it was Liza Minnelli's "Results" album which was a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys really got my imagination going. And to make it seem even stranger, I also found Tangerine Dream's "Underwater Sunlight" to be an incentive while writing that same novel. Go figure.
Now, give me a view; be it a busy street, a deserted factory, or a wooded backyard. I really enjoy writing when I'm traveling in the RV. I can't wait to get parked at some fantastic place and then sit there for hours gazing out the window, letting my mind drift. When we visit my SIL at a private lake up in northern Michigan, if I'm not out fishing, I'll be sitting in the shade, staring out the quiet lake with my laptop ready to write when Miss Muse finally finds me and slaps me silly for running away and apparently hiding... or so she thinks. Currently I live out in the country and my desk sits by a window and I look out to the back of the house where the woods are. Birds, squirrels, deer, raccoon and other creatures wander through and I find peace and solace in writing while sometimes staring out the window. You have no idea just how exciting it can be to watch a bald eagle land in a tree less than 100 feet from you. Talk about grace, majesty, total awesomeness!!!

So what invigorates you? What inspires you to write?

Enya's "Orinoco Flow" has just come on, following Enigma's "Principles of Lust" which was preceeded by Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance." I already know Jackson's "Thriller" is next.

Be sure to read my latest book-ette -- Barry Hargrove and the Case of the Lunar Orchids. It's free. Just click on the title up in the right hand area of this blog.

Until next I ramble on...

What Is A Writer?

2012-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

In TEN words or less, What is a writer?

That was the challenge placed before me. I consider myself a writer and thought it an interesting question. Of course, this wasn't some rhetorical question, my friend was waiting for a reply and I didn't have hours, days, or weeks to ponder over it. I was expected to spout some words of wisdom -- after all, I am a writer.

After a few moments of silence on behalf, my friend offered: A person who puts words together.

Hmm? Not really all that glamorous when put that way.

But really, what is a writer? S/He is nothing more than an individual who puts words together into sentences and sentences into paragraphs and paragraphs into a story. And so we don't get into issue of semantics -- a news article is a story, a medical essay is a story, a memoir is a story, a fantasy, mystery, romance tale is a story. Yes, even an obit is a story. But I digress (as usual) -- so moving on.

Anyone can put words together. Does that mean anyone can be a writer? Today, more so than any other time in history, everyone can be a writer. All you need to do is put the words down.

WRONG!!!

Anyone can put words together. But, as a writer learns, there is a method to the madness of aligning those words. Word choice becomes important. Which is better?

A) The campfire's smoke burned our eyes.
B) The curling tendrils of smoke from the campfire irritated our eyes.

Yes, B is very flowery but as a writer, that is the difference between 'just putting words together' and 'writing' for an audience.

There are writers who have sold 6 books and there are writers who have sold 6 million books. What is the difference? Each have put the words together into sentences... and sentences into paragraphs.

The difference is the way the words were put together. A writer, like a painter, chooses the proper word. An artist doesn't just slap a dab of blue into a daisy; the artist blends in the blue shadowing so you, the viewer, can see the depth and subtlety of the petal.

Hence, a good writer plays with the words so you, the reader, feel the moment. Each word is placed where it will be at its optimal best.

What is a writer? A person who puts words together in the proper sequence.

Anyone else want to try a response? I'm open to a great answer.

By the way, my latest short story ebook (all formats) is available for FREE at Smashwords. Click on the title at the right -- Barry Hargrove and the Case of the Lunar Orchids.

Until next I ramble on...

Hopeless

2012-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Each week I ramble about something or other and hope somebody takes the time to read it. Do you? I don't know but I do know I have visited -- the silent types obviously since they never leave a message. Do I question this?

Not really. But, I continue to blog a ramble in hopes of striking a cord in a reader to have them make a comment.

So why did I title this one 'Hopeless' you ask? Simple. I am a hopeless case. I currently have about six projects I'm working on just in the writing field. And my mind is racing with other ideas I don't even have time to put to storage -- in other words, write an outline so I don't lose the idea.

Right now I am working on a short story about Barry Hargrove, my lead character in "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" entitled "The Lunar Orchids" in hopes of getting it published at Smashwords soon. Plus I'm working on another short story for Barry Hargrove entitled "Eternal Blood" and I'm working on a short story for Barclay Havens, my lead in my Pangaea novel I am publishing later this year. Need I mention that I'm also working on "The Voice" from 2011 NaNoWriMo -- yes, it screams from time to time wanting attention. Remember me mentioning Pangaea? Yes, I'm working on that, too. And, well, there is another project I'm working on but I'm not saying what it is -- at least, not just yet.

In addition to all my writing, I'm also very busy with marketing. I've read 3 marketing books (currently on #4) since Christmas and am attempting to institute many of their suggestions into my current marketing plans.

And we can't forget social media. I mean, consider all the time needed to be spent on Twitter and Facebook. I have 1 Twitter account but I have 2 separate FaceBook accounts, plus GoodReads and Wattpad accounts which I've been ignoring a lot lately. Now they want me to join LinkedIn, and about 3 or 4 other social accounts.

Does anybody out there realize I have a wife? Kids? Grandkids? A life beyond the computer?

And that is why I say it is hopeless. There are only 24 hours in a day and from what I'm seeing, I need about another 83 hours in each day to get all the stuff done.

Did I mention that I also do a weekly writing tip (www.bobnailor.com/words3.php) and this blog. These things don't write themselves -- contrary to popular belief.

Today I cheated. I spent about an hour working on gardening. Yes, as the weather gets warmer, my focus shifts to growing things outside. I need to take cuttings of the red mandevilla and start different seeds for flowers and vegetables.

Sunday I was passed a book to read -- "This Present Darkness" by Peretti. I think I'll start on it tonight as soon as I finish this blog entry.

And again I make the offer... I am making a special offer on my novel "2012: Timeline Apocalypse."

Order a signed copy of the paperback book from www.bobnailor.com/book_2012.php and I will send you a coupon for a FREE ecopy of my novel "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold."

Order a copy of the paperback book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982477708 (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a coupon for a FREE copy, as above.

Order an electronic copy of the book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VGO3VU (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a 50% off coupon of "Three Steps"

This offer is for a limited time only; good until Feb 26, 2012; the coupon is good through Feb 29, 2012.

Now exactly what is "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" about? Obviously it entails the end of time, the Mayan calendar, Mayan gods and enough twists to keep you guessing who is who and what is what and why it is all happening. Do you actually want me to tell you the end? Of course not, but I will tell you this. If you saw the movie "2012" -- well, my book ain't nothing like that!! Let me put it this way -- Kulkukan will shake his tail and the ground will shake. We only think we know what ancient artifacts are; it isn't until we find their true use that all things become clear.

Until next I ramble on...

Turn! Turn! Turn!

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

First, Happy Valentines Day. Check out my short story in the new "Timeless" anthology from Cool Well Press (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00770CUN6)

The words for The Byrds big hit song were adapted from the Bible, out of the The Book of Ecclesiastes.

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

And the words continue with perfection. Why am I mentioning this? Simple. We live our lives, we do certain things and we, either out of anger or love, wish for other actions.

As a parent, have you ever said the words "I can't wait for you to grow up and move out!" Or on that long trip to work made a passing comment to the effect of "I can't wait until I'm retired."

And a time to every purpose under Heaven.

I have a friend who said those words to his children years ago. I also heard a person who is 37 say he couldn't wait to retire.

Life is but a fleeting moment. The older you get, the more you realize just how fleeting. Remember when you were a small child and how long those summer breaks from school were? Trust me, those summer months seem to be but a blink of the eye today.

Oh I'm not some great sage or soothsayer of wisdom. I am but a mere man who has retired and now sees the truth of his own mortality.

Each day passes, each one faster than the last. It seems but a few years ago I was getting married and having a family. Retirement was many years into the future. In fact, I remember a fourth grade assignment in math -- we needed to calculate what year we would turn 65 and be eligible for retirement. For me it would be 2011. Back in the mid-fifties that seemed so very far away. In fact, it was a lifetime away. It is now 2012; I've been retired for over five years and have had the time to reflect back on my life to some extent.

Hold onto your children for when they do leave the home, they will be busy working toward their retirement and you'll want them to visit but they won't have the time. Harry Chapin's "Cats In The Cradle" song has a lot of truth within the words.

As to retirement. I highly suggest you make it a road of enjoyment, taking each day to the fullest extent you can.

Now some may wonder why I am discussing retirement and children. You are a writer and a writer puts to words those things which are inside his or her head; the memories. Memories help expand the imagination. Writers write what they know and what you know are memories.

So, until you can retire -- enjoy each day to the fullest... for once it is gone, it is only a memory and if you didn't make a memory that day; it truly is lost forever.
And when you do retire and think you have all the time in the world to write -- you'll discover the fallacy there, too. Retirement falls into two categories. Those who sit on the porch and watch with the theory there is always tomorrow OR those who are busy doing things. I'm a doer - I garden, I travel, I spend time with my grandkids and truthfully, have a difficult time finding the time to write but I somehow manage. I have my memories, having enjoyed most days on my journey to retirement. I am sure there are days I lost but they are far and few. And those really horrendous days where I wanted to just toss in the hat; surprisingly, they don't seem quite so bad today.

I don't plan to leave this mortal existence with a body in fair repair -- I plan to beat the crap out of it enjoying each day to the fullest and when people look at me they'll say "He lived."

So again I say -- enjoy today, make it a memory and suddenly you'll wake up one day and the children will be gone and a few days later, you'll be retired. Until then -- embrace life.

And lest I forget...

Order a signed copy of the paperback book from www.bobnailor.com/book_2012.php and I will send you a coupon for a FREE ecopy of my novel "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold."

Order a copy of the paperback book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982477708 (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a coupon for a FREE copy, as above.

Order an electronic copy of the book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VGO3VU (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a 50% off coupon of "Three Steps"

This offer is for a limited time only; good until Feb 26, 2012; the coupon is good through Feb 29, 2012.

Now exactly what is "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" about? Obviously it entails the end of time, the Mayan calendar, Mayan gods and enough twists to keep you guessing who is who and what is what and why it is all happening. Do you actually want me to tell you the end? Of course not, but I will tell you this. If you saw the movie "2012" -- well, my book ain't nothing like that!! Let me put it this way -- Kulkukan will shake his tail and the ground will shake. We only think we know what ancient artifacts are; it isn't until we find their true use that all things become clear.

Until next I ramble on...

2012: Timeline Apocalypse

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just don't know what to blog about. Today I decided to blog about my book that I wrote quite a few years ago. Yes, that's right -- 2012: Timeline Apocalypse.

Stay with me on this entry -- it's worth the read.

I had an idea about the Mayan calendar. I've been fascinated with the calendar; even to the extent of having a pair of silver cuff links with the Mayan calendar on them that I got when I was in Acaplulco, Mexico way back in 1967. I'd read about Pacal and the discovery of his burial tomb inside the Temple of Inscriptions. I thought of a museum theft and a detective. Then I watched Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" and well, the glue started to gel.

So I created a myth, a legend about the calendar, the end of time and started to tie all the pieces together. I read more about the Mayan culture, more about Pacal and Palenque. I studied the Mayan religion, the Mayan astronomy and the plethora of "end of time" theories.

I was floored when I discovered the Mayans considered the area around The Pleiades (aka Seven Sisters) as the birthplace of the cosmos and that today's astronomers now confirmed that locale as to where new worlds are being created. Venus is tied to Kulkukan and that particular god is tied to the creation of the current world. Even more amazing was the fact the Mayan astronomers knew back then that we, on Dec 21, 2012, would pass through the center of the Milky Way and the median plane of the universe.

Suddenly things fell together. I stumbled onto a website about tourists visiting the area of Palenque and even more came together including a segment where visitors saw a bird in the early morning sunlight and how it affected them. It was late September and I was about to embark on the novel when it hit me that NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was a mere month away to start in November and I had no idea what to write. Now I did. So I outlined and I read even more including a fictitious diary of a young Mayan princess of Pacal's time.

November 1. I was ready and began to bang out the 53k words for NaNoWriMo that would become the novel known as "2012: Timeline Apocalypse." That was back in 2008. And the story languished for almost two years and finally in 2010 I realized I either had to get that novel cleaned up and published or forget about it. I started the cleanup process and was considering self-publishing when I was approached by 23 House. The editor wanted a crack at it before I self-published. He read the book, we negotiated a contract and in October 2010, the novel was released to the public.

Sales have been satisfactory but I am wanting to sell more and have decided to make you an offer I hope you can't refuse.

Order a signed copy of the paperback book from www.bobnailor.com/book_2012.php and I will send you a coupon for a FREE ecopy of my novel "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold."

Order a copy of the paperback book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982477708 (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a coupon for a FREE copy, as above.

Order an electronic copy of the book from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VGO3VU (forward me a copy of the sales receipt to "bob AT bobnailor.com" - get a 50% off coupon of "Three Steps"

This offer is for a limited time only; good until Feb 26, 2012; the coupon is good through Feb 29, 2012.

Now exactly what is the book about? Obviously it entails the end of time, the Mayan calendar, Mayan gods and enough twists to keep you guessing who is who and what is what and why it is all happening. Do you actually want me to tell you the end? Of course not, but I will tell you this. If you saw the movie "2012" -- well, my book ain't nothing like that!! Let me put it this way -- Kulkukan will shake his tail and the ground will shake. We only think we know what ancient artifacts are; it isn't until we find their true use that all things become clear.

Until next I ramble...

Ultimate Reading - Seeds

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

When we go in search of reading material we start by looking at those genres we enjoy the most.

I've been reading a cross-genre piece these last few days. It is a combination of fantasy, fiction, romance, horror, thriller, science fiction and action. Hard to believe all those can be listed together in one read but please, read on to learn all about this fabulous work.

Each year my heart springs forth with eternal hope... I'm reading seed catalogs.

Each page is filled with fantasy and fiction. Beautiful images of flowers and plants that supposedly I can grow in my area and match their wonder under my care. Yeah, right.

There is romance with the plants I love; tomatoes, sweet corn, gladiolas, dahlias, alyssums and the list continues.

Horror? Thriller? Very easy with memories of last year's fiasco. I grew sweet corn and hovered over it as it sprouted and finally matured to tassle out at the top. My mouth started to water at the prospect of yummy corn soon to be on a platter and ready for a slathering of butter. Life has been a robust exercise in attempts of trying to keep the birds and small chipmunks at bay. I used techniques which included holographic eyes, hot pepper sauce, cayenne, black pepper sprinkled on the corn to protect the young cobs. Ah, but in the dark of night, when you least expect, THEY strike. RACCOONS. Those pesky critters destroyed my whole crop in one orgiastic night of frenzied feeding on the highly spiced corn. In the morning's light, there was nothing; the fiesta was over.

Science fiction? Have you seen some of the things you can sow and grow? There is a green bean that is over three feet long and curls unbelievably. There are super warty gourds in shades to make you wonder. White beets with red centers. Strawberries that taste like raspberries. Why? Pink blueberries... uh, if they're pink, can they be blueberries? If you live in the proper climate you can grow your own Venus Fly Trap -- just what every person wants in their flowerbed. Already this year I have seen ads for ruby red sweet corn... not white, not yellow, not mixed white and yellow. Red! I'm not sure how the melting butter would look on it... uh, would the butter turn pink and appear like dripping blood? Plus if you don't think six and seven foot high growing sweet corn is high enough, there is a twelve foot variety of sweet corn with upwards of five, six or more ears on it. Should I mention there is not only white cauliflower but also purple, green and orange.

As to the action aspect. Whew! Try reading through all the lists of garden tools and gadgets without working up a sweat. Now that is action at its best.

In truth, let it be said that garden seed catalogs are truly some of the best writing around. Nobody can sit and read it without the itch of wanting to try this or that. Even Christmas sugarplums don't dance this well. My wife and I discussed what we would grow in the garden for 2012 - IF WE GREW A GARDEN IN 2012 - while 2011's failures were still fresh in our minds. I am already pushing for modifications to the plans. The plan was simple: sweet corn with an electric fence to be added to the mesh and wire fence already in place; this is to keep the raccoons at bay this year. I wanted to direct wire in 220/240 but my sons convinced me to use the normal lower voltages -- I didn't really have to shock the critters into the next community! Of course there would be a couple of tomato plants, perhaps 2 hills of each: cucumbers, squash, watermelon and cantelope. The plan was solid.

Wouldn't some lettuce be nice? How about a couple of pepper plants? Carrots, I love carrots. And we can't forget radishes. And... and... and...

Shall we start on flowers now? Don't even get me started... The plan was utter simplicity... petunias and alyssum in flower boxes. Raised flower beds would be covered with mulch and await the blooming of the fall mums. But... but... wouldn't geraniums look pretty there? How about some marigolds and zinnias along the low wall? How about some roses in front of the high wall? And just think how daylilies would look out by the road!! And... and... and...

Why am I talking about seed catalogs? I'm a writer and I can only hope my writing to be as exhilerating as a seed catalog. Imagine being able to tug your reader to such actions? Of course I'm happy just making sure the reader keeps turning the pages until the end. I've been told I accomplished that with my novel "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" which is in both ebook and paperback at Amazon or signed copies at my website.

Well, back to my reading and dreaming; seed catalogs.

Until next I ramble...

Just Rambling

2012-01-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

Ever have a day when you wanted to stand out? Say something profound? Today was that day for me. Today I was suppose to put down the words which you would read, sit back and be in total awe.

Instead, it is me sitting back and just saying "Awwww."

I have interviewed authors and publishers. I have hawked my book. I have talked about writing techniques. But I have yet to say anything truly profound on my blog. So, am I cheating you?

I feel that I am. I just finished a marketing book and according to that particular author; I am. He says we (you and me) should only blog 6-10 times per year, if even that often. This guy has sold a million books, maybe I should listen to him. He says I should write something profound on my blog for my readers, not just blather on. But I ask, WHAT? What will you find profound?

My brother-in-law died this past week. He was a good man, a gentle man but not a perfect man. Don lived a full life; he was 82. And just like the anyone else in the rest of the world, he will be remembered only by those who knew him. The rest of the world didn't know him and care less if he existed or not. He was just an average Joe; military service out of high school, married, two children, worked, retired to finally live in a small home in the peaceful countryside where he enjoyed nature, and is now laid to rest in a pleasant cemetery.

Looking at life as a universal timeline, Don's full existence was but a snapping spark in the fire of life. Like so many others who have lived and died, he was just a glimmer in the dancing flames.

I want to be more! I want to be that spark you watch lift up from the fire and flicker into the night sky. I want to be noticed.

As a writer, you are trying to make an impression, leave a mark on life. At the very least you are screaming into the shadows of the darkness, "I existed." There is hope that at some point in the future, be it near or far, someone will take notice of your work and for a brief moment, you will once more exist... to be... to have a little limelight in your absence.

King Tut had a pyramid built for his eternal rest. Kinich Janaab Pacal* had the Temple of Inscriptions for his tomb. Both these men had the intelligence to foresee that writing would help to preserve their names. Tut had hieroglyphics and Pacal had carved glyphs. Archeologists have spent years trying to decipher what was inscribed on these tombs. Tut and Pacal exist yet today eventhough they died over 1000 yrs ago.

I know when I pass, I won't have a huge temple built to preserve my body; it will be a small vault in a quaint country cemetery. But, in the libraries, I hope to have my books on a shelf for others to read for all the future. Book that anyone can read and hopefully not have to interpret.

At that moment I will be that glowing ember flitting upward into the dark, night sky. I am remembered; I am a writer.

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* Read "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" to learn more about the Temple of Inscriptions and Kinich Janaab Pacal and the Mayan culture.
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Check out my stories and books at www.bobnailor.com or at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VGO3VU (ebook) and http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MZS89I (paperback)

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/bobnailor
Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/bobnailorauthor

Until next I ramble...

Genres

2012-01-17T10:24:00.000-05:00

Follow the conversation...

"I've written a story and it is one great story."
"Really. What genre?"
"Well, it is about a guy who is a detective and needs to get an item back for a museum."
"So it is a detective story?"
"Well, not really. It takes place in Mexico and is about the Mayan calendar."
"Ah, a historical tale."
"Um, not really. It links 600 A.D. with today with ghosts."
"Ok, that makes it a paranormal story."
"And involves Mayan gods and legends."
"Could be considered fantasy.
"It also has details about the moon, stars, constellations and time."
"So it is science fiction."
"Should I mention there are sparks between the female news reporter and the detective?"
"Are you saying it is romance?"
"To be honest, I don't know. There is also adventure, mystery and food."
"You blended too many genres."

And there you have it. A great story with so many aspects to it that it can't be pigeon-holed easily into one genre or sub-genre.

This is a fact of many authors today. In the "good ol' days" authors wrote detective, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, romance, thriller, horror, western and the list goes on. They wrote in a genre and were known for the style of book they wrote. Today we have cowboys in space... is that science fiction or is it western? And if we toss in love interest with the aliens... suddenly we've tossed in the romance genre.

I wrote "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" and while writing I wove facts with fiction to create what I hoped to be a great tale. I originally considered it fantasy but the story evolved. It involves a real item; the Mayan calendar and the fact the calendar ends on Dec 21, 2012 ... it is a truth, not fantasy. Notice I said the CALENDAR ends. Our calendar ends on December 31st -- every year, but I digress.

I wanted to call it an adventure thriller but another author informed me if I had ghosts in the story, therefore it should be considered paranormal. Another person claimed it was a detective tale or at least it was a mystery.

Why all the frustration?

You, the reader, love action thrillers but although this book has action and thrills, it isn't your typical action thriller. Just as the tale involves a detective but this is not a story about a detective and a case... at least, not completely. Nor is it a paranormal story even though there are ghosts or pseudo-ghosts. Just as there are lot of historical aspects, this is not a historical tale.

Any reader expecting this to be a certain genre will be disappointed since it won't match the expectation of the genre. Go into the book store and where would you expect to find it?

Is this book doomed to failure?

There is GENERAL FICTION which the book could fall under... but [sigh] what reader is going to be excited by general fiction? I love fantasy and this book could meet my expectation. I like action, thriller, etc etc and could meet my expectations since I enjoy many genres. But there are those who live for the adrenalin rush of the genre. There are horror aspects but this is not a horror story. There is some love interest but this is not a romance story. There is action, thrill, mystery but it is blended so each is balanced to keep the reader flipping pages.

Actually, I'd say this novel is a great read, a fun read; a story covering many aspects and genres to make it enjoyable to all. There's just enough mystery, thrill, adventure, romance, fantasy, history and whatever else you want to make this book a family favorite. Ok, maybe not a book to rival with Swiss Family Robinson, but you see what I mean. Young, old, male, female; it should appeal to almost any reading taste. Yes, I would call my book's genre FUN.

So where would you place my tale? What genre should "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" fall into? Tell you what... read the book then you tell me.

Here's a link to a tease read of 2012: Timeline Apocalypse
or just a quick overview at my book website.

Until next I blog my ramblings...

Do You Know Ed Gorman?

2012-01-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I pondered what I would blog about. I wanted it to be something useful, profound or at least interesting. Later in the evening I got an email from a buddy. My delimma was answered.

Genius Publishing has just released a new book by the absolutely fantastic author, Ed Gorman. Actually, it is a re-release of two of his well-known stories: The Day The Music Died and Wake Up Little Susie.

A little background on this author. Ed Gorman has been writing full time since 1984 and has helped to mold the genre and blend the fields of horror, mystery, and crime with fear and shock. Mr. Gorman has been a prolific author writing not only under his own name Ed Gorman but also under pseudonyms such as E. J. Gorman and Daniel Ransom. As such, Ed has created series with such well-known characters by Robert Payne, Jack Dwyer and of course, Sam McCain which brings us back to the new book.

The Original Sam McCain Mysteries.

The Day The Music Died begins the day after the tragic plane accident involving Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper which was on Feb 3, 1959. Our lead, Sam McCain, is tasked to find out who killed Kenny while the whole town believes Kenny murdered himself.

Wake Up Little Susie, a sequel, actually takes place two years earlier in the late summer of 1957. It involves the release of Ford's new Edsel and the D.A.'s wife found in the trunk of a new one. Sam is again tasked to find the truth and the murderer.

For those who enjoy a period tale, this detective double collection is a must; Ed Gorman at his best. Check it out at http://amzn.to/AtGl8T

I currently have a review copy of this great release and hopefully will be able to give you a review. Right now I have about 3 other books to read but I will attempt to be timely on this. Maybe I'll even be able to have a snippet to offer.

Until next I blog...

Interview With A Publisher

2012-01-03T10:15:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to be asking questions of the head editor at 23 House Publishing. So please welcome Mitchel Whitington to the hotseat as I ramble on...

Q: Do you have a niche market for publishing or are you open to anything goes?
A: 23 House is open to consider most anything. We’ve done several mainstream fiction titles this passed year in 2011, but we’re talking to an author for a potential 2012 title that is more niche than we’ve ever niched before. In general, we’re looking for a book which has a specific marketing plan behind it. Simply writing the best novel in the world won’t do it in the marketplace today.

Q: What makes your books different from others on the market?
A: That’s easy – our authors! Our average author is a seasoned writer who has only published a book or two at most, so they’re eager to please their readers and help create the best book experience possible for their readers.

Q: Why did you decide to become a publisher?
A: It just kind of happened. As a writer, I was attending a conference in Oklahoma City over a decade ago, and saw a book stored on a small floppy disk and they called it an “ebook.” I bought it, read it on my computer, and realized that this was the wave of the future. No publishing houses were doing ebooks at the time – they were mostly self-published – so 23 House was born. Ebooks waned without a standardized reader, and so the house evolved into standard book publishing. Which now, interestingly enough, includes ebooks.

Q: Are you open to submissions and how would a person contact you?
A: We are open to submissions for 2012, but the proposal has to be unique, exciting, and it must have a marketing plan. If you tell us that you’ve written the best western of the year, that’s not enough if you don’t have a plan for selling it. Our writer’s guidelines are on the website – www.23house.com – along with contact information.

Q: What is your favorite and least favorite book genre to publish? Why?
A: I don’t know that there’s a favorite vs. non-favorite. Fiction is infinitely harder to sell than non-fiction, but by the same token, good fiction can be rewarding.

Q: Do you write? If so, how long have you been writing?
A: I do – in fact, I had a “road to Damascus” conversion into being a writer back in 1979. I was reading Stephen King’s The Shining one evening, and our basset hound Fred had to go outside. We lived on a wooded lot, so as I walked Fred I became frightened in the dark among all those trees. Suddenly, I realized it was King’s words affecting my emotions, nothing else. It was at that point I realized the power of words – to entertain, to educate, and to bring forth emotions in the reader. I knew at that point I had to become a writer, and I’ve been writing ever since.

Q: What do you have planned – book related – for the future?

A: Our publishing calendar for 2012 is already filling up, and we have some solid titles already in place… quite diverse, in fact. We have a supernatural WWII novel that will be a movie in 2013, regional ghost books from different parts of the country, a Christian end-times sci-fi trilogy, and another book that hasn’t been signed yet which is a complete and total departure for 23 House. It’s going to be an exciting year!

Q: Tell us an interesting tidbit about you on a personal note.

A: I love the Friday the 13^th series of movies. In fact, I took a girl on a date to see the original one when it came out in the theaters years ago, and later married her. I guess if she hung in through that, I figured she was a keeper. Anyway, as a fan of the series (I own all the DVDs) I noticed there was a continuity issue between the end of Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan and Friday the 13^th Part IX: Jason Goes to Hell – there is no clear explanation as to how Jason gets from New York back to Camp Crystal Lake between the two movies. A few years ago I started writing a fan-fiction novel to resolve the issue. Since I was writing using other people’s trademarked characters and such, there’s no way that I could ever publish it or sell it. I make my living as a writer and publisher, so it made no sense to continue. Still, I allow myself to drag it out every now and then to spend a few hours on it. Maybe I’ll finish it one of these days, but what I’ll do with it, I don’t know. As I write this, I’m starting to realize how bizarre it all sounds… okay, forget everything I wrote; what I meant to say is, “Interesting tidbit? I make my own soap.”

Q: Where can we find out more about you and your publishing company?

A: We have a lot of information on the company website: www.23house.com . There are also entries in Writer’s Market and other trade listings, but the most current info is on the website.

Q: Any tips to share with writers?

A: In the world today – and I hate to say this – marketing is as important, if not more so, than writing. You could write the best romance ever written, have it published, and placed on the bookstore shelves. If no one knows your name, and there is no buzz about your book, then it will sit there and eventually be returned to the distributor. I know that I’m sounding like a broken record about marketing, but you have no idea how important it’s become.

For years I would ground myself by walking into a bookstore and simply looking around. There are thousands of books on the shelves, all written by authors across the country who have been vetted by agents and publishers before their work was in print and in the distribution channel. Some years ago the average published author in America made about $3,000 a year from their writing. For every John Grisham, there are thousands of starving artists (in this case, writers). It helped me to keep in mind how much competition there was, and how hard I had to work.

In 2012, the publishing industry is not only different than it was ten years ago, it is different than it was one short year ago. Any writer – literally anyone – can get a book printed and sold on Amazon. Competition for readers’ dollars has increased EXPONENTIALLY. The challenge is not only to write a compelling book, but to be able to effectively present it to the audience of buyers.

Q: Anything else you'd like to share?

A: We live in a MAGICAL time – things are changing every day. There are people who cling to the old ways of the publishing world by their fingernails, denying the change taking place, and hoping their words can speak things back into an existence of years past. But that is not the case. New writers, who will be the Kings and Grishams and Ludlums of the next incarnation of publishing, are the ones who seek out and embrace the evolution of the written word. They will immerse themselves in social media, take advantage of every aspect of modern technology, and keep their finger on the pulse of the public.

Instead of ruling the publishing empire, publishers will soon become facilitators and coordinators, providing editing, layout, design, and distribution – the path to power is shifting to the authors themselves. It is important – no, crucial – to stay on top of the cutting edge of the publishing world. In doing so, you can ride the crest of the wave to success!

-------------------------------------------------

I'd like to thank Mitchel for taking the time to allow me the interview and I hope you will check out his company site: www.23house.com, if not to get published, at least for some really great reads to purchase.

Until next I blog...

Can This Be True?

2011-12-20T10:25:00.000-05:00

Every so often a little news article gets passed to me and I shrug my shoulders and go on with my life but this one stumped me.

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/15/9469981-new-e-book-pricing-scheme-a-surprising-assault-on-the-wallet

Exactly what are the big brick-n-mortar publishers thinking? Well, obviously they are attempting to shutdown Amazon and all the indie authors. They can't. It's already too late and just like the financial loan disaster, this, too, is going to be a fiasco to watch. You don't shut the barn doors after the horses have gotten out!

Indie authors are here to stay. Sure there are good books, fantabulous books, mediocre books and unfortunately, those of miserable consideration. BUT, in their defense, 'real' books also fall into those categories. Just because some celebrity or well-known person writes a book, whether it be a tell-all or some made-up memoir, it doesn't guarantee that it will be a best seller. Sure Stephen King, Nora Robers, Ian Fleming, Michael Crichton, Dean Koontz, Harlan Ellison, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and John Grisham will sell millions of books but really, are we going to wait with baited breath for the memoirs of Kim Kardashian? Sure, there are those who follow every move of the woman but, in 5 years, when she is a has-been, will her book still be a popular read? CARRIE was released in 1974 and is still being read today... over 35 years later; not to mention the movies and musicals from it.

But I digress.

For the unknown author, the indie who has sent out hundreds of queries and submissions, only to be rejected - there is hope. Amazon.com, Smashwords.com and several other locations on the Internet have become a boon to them as a place to get noticed and published. Sure, some of the stuff is a little rough, a hack, needs serious editing, etc etc etc; but the bottom line is, there are great stories hidden within this great mound of ... dare I say it? Self publishing.

Sure there are many vanity publishers who will, for the small (ha, ha, ha) to substantial amount of funds, publish your book so you, too, can have a garage full of books in boxes to hustle. The new upstarts, such as Amazon, allow the author to get the book to the reader without the huge up-front expense or questionable storage facilities.

As I have rambled, you are probably asking "What the hell is he trying to say?"

Simple.

IF the big publishers are going to push, we, the readers and writers, need to push back. As writers, we have done so with Amazon and other places. As readers? Not too much. We embraced the Kindle, Nook, iTune, etc technology and now download ebooks to read.

BUT, if big publishers are going to up the ante on the cost of an ebook, it is time for us, the reader, to look at the future. SO, I can buy Stephen King's newest book for $19.95 (paperback) or the ebook version for $24.95. Hmm? Debating this for a moment. NOPE! For $19.95 I can go to my favorite ebook store and purchase TWENTY (20) ebooks at $.99 -- and for $24.95 for ONE ebook, I can get TWENTY FIVE (25) ebooks! Sure, not Stephen King but ...

Trust me. Somewhere in that cluster of generic chocolate of $.99 ebooks I will find a gem of Godiva chocolate to satisfy my reading fix. I might even find 2, 3, or more gems. Sure, there may be some 'dreck' to deal with, but for $.99, I can easily press 'Delete' and it is gone. Imagine paying $24.95 and suddenly realizing you don't like it. Can you return it? I don't think so. Can you sell it to someone else? I don't think so. And do you really want to 'delete' a $25 book? I don't think so.

And why would you pay $24.95 for an ebook when you can get the paperback edition for $19.95? Convenience of having it on your $200 ebook reader -- hmm? Think about that a little more. You got that reader so you could get the less expensive (God forbid I would say 'cheaper') versions of the paperback. Now the publisher is charging you extra for that convenience. Of course they are; they want you to buy the dead tree version -- their source of milk-and-honey.

Big brick-and-mortar publishers are in need of a reality check. They think they can stop technology. Just because they curmudgeoned themselves into this situation doesn't mean WE have to deal with it.

I will always have a soft spot for the touchy-feely books -- and will continue to buy them but I am also moving forward with technology and embracing the ebook format. Some books I want to curl up in a chair with a fireplace crackling, a hot cup of coffee or chocolate and read a book, turning the paper pages as I go. Other times I just want to sit on a bus, plane, train, or mall (waiting for my wife to finish shopping) and read my ebook version.

So, if the big book publishers want to play hard ball, remember, the indie is there. Support your local authors.

If you need a suggestion for an ebook ... maybe I suggest Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold or 2012: Timeline Apocalypse? BTW, Three Steps is now on sale $.99 -- a savings of over FOUR dollars.

Until next I blog... I wish you a Happy New Year; see you in 2012...

Short and Sweet

2011-12-14T00:26:00.000-05:00

First an edit ... this was suppose to self post on Tuesday automatically. It didn't. Sorry for delay.

ON SALE: Only $.99. Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold. A fast paced Celtic novel about a young man searching for his past where reality and fantasy are opposite ends of the same stick. With just 3 steps, Harry Corsi moves from one reality to another and which is fantasy becomes a question when he is faced with elves, leprechauns, wizards, dwarfs and a dragon. Of course, not everything appears as it is - leprechauns are dwarfs, dwarfs are ogres and giants are leprechauns in this tale of who is who.

Welcome friends of the quill. In the 'olde' days, you'd place an ad like the above in the newspaper to help 'hawk' your book. I have discovered in the last few weeks a horrifying thing. Being a writer is not an easy job -- actually, the easiest part is writing the story or novel. The hard part? Marketing.

Exactly what does that mean? It means you have to really understand your genre and the competition and a whole lot more. Contrary to the popular belief -- if you write it, they will read -- they won't. That only works in movies with Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones.

So what is marketing? Is it Facebook? Twitter? Blogging?

Sure you can use those but there is more. You need to connect with your readers. Touch them, get in their faces and push your book down their throats because if you don't do it -- uh, nobody else is going to.

So now I'm going to ask you... what marketing strategy do you have in place? How do you get the word out about your book? How do you get sales?

Share your insight.

I'm listening.

Until next I blog...

Author Interview - Elyse Salpeter

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'd like to introduce an author; her name is Elyse Salpeter and she has a new novel which has just been released through Cool Well Press. She was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her hectic life and give some insights about her and the book.

Q: Can you tell me the title, genre and a little bit about your book?
A: FLYING TO THE LIGHT is a young adult spiritual thriller. The novel is about seventeen year old Michael Anderson and his deaf kid brother, Danny, who find themselves in terrible danger after their parents are kidnapped. Michael discovers Danny has a special gift -- he knows what happens after a person dies -- and now others want to know too. The brothers must outwit and outrun Samuel Herrington, a lethal biophysicist, the FBI, and even fellow Americans in a harrowing cross-country chase because whoever can get to Danny first will have the power to rule the world.

Q: So what makes your book different from others on the market?
A: With one of the main characters being a deaf six year old boy, I believe it makes for an unlikely hero. The deaf community is seldom represented in mainstream fiction and I believe it is something people would be interested in reading about. The fact the older brother must protect his brother and the challenges he faces is compelling. The book really delves into the relationship between the two brothers and how close they are.

Q: Why did you pick that particular title - FLYING TO THE LIGHT?
A: The novel is about the afterlife and birds; I thought it was apropos.

Q: How long did it take to create this manuscript? Did it go through variations? How many?
A: I initially wrote this novel 11 years ago with lots of revisions. Then, after it was picked up by a publisher, it went through two more revisions, concentrating on "the bad guys" in the book. We finally settled on Samuel Herrington, a ruthless biophysicist.

Q: Who is your favorite and least favorite character? Why?
A: My favorite character is Michael Anderson, one of the leads. This seventeen year old boy who pretty much led a sheltered, blessed life, is suddenly faced with his worst nightmare: his parents are kidnapped, discovers secrets have been kept from him and he and his brother are in danger. Michael must find reserves in his character he never knew he possessed, be able to open his mind to things he never knew could exist and really had to mature in order to do the things that had to be done. By the end, he's a different person than he was only a week before.

My least favorite character is, of course, Samuel Herrington. I find his character terribly intersting with his brilliance, his OCD issues and his proclivities on the afterlife; but he's evil incarnate. He has no morals, no human compassion and is only after what "is good for him." It makes for an incredibly complex and ruthless bad-guy.

Q: So why do you write and how long have you been writing?
A: I "officially" started writing my first novel in college. I write because I have these stories in my head I just must put on paper. Ideas sit with me and I feel like there's a story I must tell. There is a great sense of satisfaction when I finish a book. I know it's not completed and perfect but when I write "the end" on a first draft, it's like a sigh of relief, as if I were holding my breath for a really long time until I could get the words out.

Q: What do you have planned - book related - for the future?
A: I have a lot of ideas in my head for my next book and ways to modify the novels I've already written to make them more marketable.

Q: Tell us an interesting tidbit about you on a personal note.
A: If I could, I'd be a chef. I make wicked soups and stews. I can also wiggle my ears.

Q: Interesting... a chef who can wiggle her ears... sort of a 'Bewitched' + 'Rachael Ray' theme. So where can we find out more about you and your book?
A: You can go to my website at www.elysesalpeter.com for more information and also to my publisher's site at www.coolwellpress.com.

Q: Do you have any tips or advice to share with other writers?
A: My biggest advice is to write the story you want to write, not write because of what you think will get published. Get the book on paper and then, when the idea sells, that's when the edits and variations will begin. Writing is a process but the very first, most important thing in my mind, is to write the story which is in your head. This is the one that is compelling you to sit down at the computer and begging for you to help it come out.

Q: Can you give us a snippet from your book to tease us?
A: Sure, here's a little insight into Samuel Herrington.

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EXCERPT from FLYING TO THE LIGHT...

Samuel Herrington sat stiffly on the sumptuous leather chair, his bejeweled fingers tented, staring through the massive plate glass windows of his corner office and seeing nothing. The rage blinded him to everything, clouding his vision, making him shake. It was so consuming, it was all he could do not to throw something through those windows.

He quieted his mind, letting it wander back to the woman laying on her deathbed in the room down the hall. Attended by no less than a staff of six nurses who changed shifts every four hours, she had the best of everything, yet she asked for nothing.

The air conditioner hissed, so softly it sounded like a young girl sighing and the man closed his eyes. Anyone else would have been awed at the sheer beauty of the scene outside the windows before him, but to him, it was meaningless. On one side, the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean stretched out for miles in every direction. On the other stretched the village with its white walled houses and red stucco roofs adorned with flowering vines.

He stood up from his granite covered desk, counting the fifteen steps it would take to move through the ornate office, ignoring the sculptures that cost more money than ten lifetime’s of his cleaning woman’s salary. Down the hall of twenty-five steps, adorned with artwork from master painters, past the guards who strolled continuously throughout the property, there solely to protect him. He moved through two fifteen foot chambers, secretaries and messengers shuttling to and from on various errands, each nodding at him respectfully and hurrying on. He opened the door to the suite, and moved quickly the remaining eighteen feet to the bedroom. The nurse glanced at him, and then scurried out.

Samuel stood over the dying woman lying in the stark hospital bed, the white Egyptian silk sheets nearly the color of her skin. Gone was the decadent king-sized headboard with the gold detailing and thick mattress they both had shared. Monitors hummed and beeped, the breathing machine inhaling and exhaling each breath for her. He traced the woman’s fingers with his pointer, her skin so fragile he bruised it with his simple touch. Her hand was black and blue from the IV line. Slowly he pulled his hand away and moved to her face.

Her eyes were half open in a drug-induced stupor, yellowed from her poisoned liver seeping its disease into her being. Her scalp showed through her sparse hair, now just wisps of blonde. More strands lay on her pillow. He remembered once when her hair was so thick he couldn’t run his fingers through it.

He squinted his eyes and the rage started to build again. He had money. He had power. He had means, yet he had no way to save this woman. At least not on this earth. But maybe he could save her soul.

He turned and fled back to his office, forgetting to count, and picked up the phone, dialing the all too familiar number. He waited mere seconds, then spoke, his voice hard.

“Don’t make me ask again. Find me the boy, now.”

He hung up the phone and stared at the window again, this time glancing to the island off shore where soon his men were bringing the couple. The couple he had nurtured in his beliefs, set up with everything they ever wanted, allowed to have the best of everything as long as they followed his agenda. But they had lied to him.

His rage clouded his vision as he remembered the call.

"Samuel, the Anderson's have been keeping secrets from you. They discovered what happens to you when you die. Their boy knows. It all has to do with the birds that encircle their house. We've got hundreds of photographs proving the connection. They've deceived you."

“Get them here now,” he demanded. “And get the kids. Bring them all here.”

No one lied to Samuel Herrington.

No one who lived, that was.

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The novel is available at Amazon.com in both ebook and paperback.

I'd like to thank Elyse for taking the time to allow me the interview and I hope you will support her by purchasing a copy of her book ... which by the way, is very good.

Until next I blog...

Pre-Year End Evaluation

2011-11-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of November. Tomorrow is December 1st. In a mere 31 days, not only will December be gone, but also the year 2011. Where did it go?

Rather than focus on the "where" of the year, let's focus on the "what" of the year.

WHAT did you accomplish?

There are 365 days in a year and in my working days (retired now) I would say that each new day was a whole new chance to screw up. Sort of a lame excuse to face a new day, wouldn't you say?

I'm retired and each day I now realize that I'm moving closer to my final reward but until that day, I want to make the days actually mean something. So again, there are 365 days and how did I use them?

In November I used 30 days to write a whole new novel. Yes, I participated in National Novel Writing Month and wrote 50 thousand words in 30 days. Well, actually I wrote over 53k words and have at my fingertips a great story with absolutely crappy writing. I will let it rest until after the New Year and then decide to address the poor grammar, spelling, plot, etc. and edit the project.

Only 335 days more to cover. I can't be accurate since I didn't timecard myself during the year but I know I spent time editing a book to publish and got "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold" done in both paperback and ebook format. Between edits and learning curve on Amazon's Kindle and CreateSpace, I figure I spent at least 4 to 5 months on that. I also did some editing on another novel which I hope to release after the first of the year -- "The Legend of Pangea" which took another 2 months.

There! That is definitely a half year squandered. Only another 155 days left to go.

All work and no play makes for a boring life. I mowed the yard, worked a garden, weeded flower beds, traveled to Texas for Mardi Gras, went camping a couple of weeks, did some days of gambling at the casinos and visited with family.

And during that time, three anthologies that I'd submitted to got published -- "Shadow Street," "Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels," and "Mother Goose Is Dead."

Oh, wow, I forgot I also e-published a short story in book format entitled "Coleen" which is a little ditty about how Ayrold and Queen Arienne met and introduces some of the main characters from my novel "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold." That endeavor took about a month.

I also wrote stories for other anthologies which weren't released this year (yet) and might be coming out right after the first of the year -- a zombie anthology, a forsaken anthology, and a how-to-write horror book.

There, the year wasn't wasted and I think it had a pretty good return. So, overall, I'd say it was a pretty good year and seems to have the beginnings of a new year already being processed.

In case you didn't realize it yet - I love writing.

Until next I blog...

NaNoWriMo and How History Works

2011-11-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

First I apologize to all my readers for skipping out last week. To be quite honest, last week was NOT a good week: too much chaos, not enough quiet.

On the NaNoWriMo front -- November means NaNo -- things aren't looking good there. Because of last week, my count is waaaaay down. I am hoping by forcing myself to more than double my 1700 daily word count, I will be caught back up in a week. It really shouldn't be too difficult. When a writer is creating a new piece, s/he must mentally get the image or thought clearly before putting it to words. For me this is an easy thing since much of it is already imprinted there from my youth. I'm not saying this is a real story but there are truths being woven into the fiction. As such, very little imagination usage. This year the parts that make me stop and think are the Amish aspects. I remember a lot of the civil rights issues, Vietnam War and I most certainly remember my high school days. BUT, how does an Amish person cope with the realities of high school. A friend said just to write it and don't sweat the Amish aspect too much. Huh? Exactly how many Amish boys have you seen running around in white t-shirts and shorts for phys-ed, not to mention a jock strap? That was a slow down point. And God forbid... shirts and no-shirts football.

Yes, I remember the Civil Rights of the early 60s but having attended and living in a rural all-white area, it was a distant issue. Not until 1965 when I joined the military did I actually get into and see the pulse of the movement.

Do you remember the language of the period? What was a slang of 1961? Everybody remembers the 60s as the era of the hippies BUT they really didn't come into the spotlight until the latter half of the 60s. Everyone remembers "Laugh-In" with Rowan and Martin but they forget that wasn't until the very late 60s. The early 60s -- 1961 through 1965 -- were the quieter, less hippified years. There was some turmoil but it was played down. Even the Beatles didn't really hit the scene until 1963 and in 1964 they made their Ed Sullivan debut. Until then, rock was very sublime with Ray Orbison's "Only the Lonely" (1960) and "Pretty Woman" (1964). OK, we still had the renegade Elvis in the early 60s but by then we were pretty much jaded by the hip shaking. In fact, the kids were doing all sorts of strange dances like The Twist. The 1965 calm ended with The Righteous Brothers singing "Unchained Melody" which was in major contrast to "What's New Pussycat" by Tom Jones which I heard for the first time while in boot camp getting my 'summer' haircut. Thank God they made me wear a hat when outside or I'd have burned straight down to the brain. (And yes, the verdict is still out on that!)

Anyway, it is amazing how some things are blurred and remembered. An intriguing aspect is how we seem to romanticize our memories. I was forced into mess hall duty for 3 whole months. It was the pits and I wanted to just crawl away and hide I was so miserable. Today, a few years later (about 40+) it all seems to quaint and I remember the fun things about it. Of course, at the moment I was experiencing that 'fun' it really didn't seem such. Even bad moments in a life can get a little bling or silver lining added.

So, if you're doing NaNoWriMo, how are you hanging in there? According to my calendar, today is Tuesday, November 15 and right off hand I'd say that is obviously the half-way mark so you should have at least 25k, or if using my cheat-sheet I offered, 25.5k, before midnight tonight.

I am still working on interviewing. I have a couple of authors and one publisher lined up. Just need to get the interview done. My fault if anyone is into finger pointing.

For the readers in my group -- my book (yes, the feely-touchy kind) is available at Amazon now. Go buy your copy of "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold" ... and while you're out there, check out "Shadow Street" and "The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels: Vol 1" which were also released in book form in the last week to 10 days.

Until next I blog...

NaNoWriMo...

2011-11-01T16:05:00.000-04:00

Are you in or just watching the panic from a safe distance?

Me? I'm in. Today is day one of the thirty day marathon. I have participated ... counting this time ... a total of 11 yrs. I did it the 2nd year of existence on a lark with a friend and there was 8 of us in the group. Since there was only something like 140 people participating that year -- that makes us more than 5% of the participants. Wow. Our group was basically me, in Ohio and them in parts of Oregon and California.

Unfortunately I didn't complete it that year due to my father passing away in October. I thought it would be a good thing to help me think about other stuff but my mom was in need of help. PLUS, of all the things to attempt to write -- a cookbook? Really? I got so wrapped up with formatting recipes and making sure it looked right and well... Okay, I got over 35k written on my pecan cookbook and it has languished in cyberspace ever since. Really should pull that puppy out -- it has some super great recipes. Something to consider in 2012...

Anyway, I skipped 2001 and then was sucked back into it in 2002 with a totally different friend who was local. Needless to say, I completed the marathon and had a complete, but rough, novel. I've been doing it every year since, always saying I won't do it again and yet finding a story screaming inside my head and wanting to be free. So I relent and jump on the chaotic merry-go-round of National Novel Writing Month. I'm really psyched about this year's story. You can read the first chapter and what my novel is about at http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/lore/novels/the-voice

So, how many of you are attempting it? Share with me your anguish, your sorrow, your fears, your joy, your tears and anything you think will help all of us finish this craziness we've joined.

Hmm? Wonder if I can count this as part of my 50k? Probably not, so I'll keep it short.

Be sure to share and by all means, let me know if you cross the finish line with 50k whether you're done with the novel or not. My one buddy usually does upwards of 100k... I think last year he did even more. He's such an overachiever. LOL.

Until next I ramble on...

I Am A Writer But Also...

2011-10-25T15:08:00.000-04:00

Years ago when I was delirious and thought I'd become a full-time writer ... I was soon awakened to reality that only the cream de la cream get to be full-timers while the rest of us struggle with a real job and hopes of claiming the elusive ring on the merry-go-round of life.

I wanted one of the Big Five publishing companies to notice my work and sky-rocket me to fame where I could hob-nob on talk shows like Oprah, Jay Leno, Ellen Degeneres, Rachel, David Letterman and the rest. Realtiy: You have to have an agent. Grim reality: No takers.

Then along came Vanity Press rearing its ugly head to take your money and allow you to think you were a published author. The person writing the local club newsletter was doing a better job of getting in print than those who bought into Vanity. At least the newsletters usually have subscribers and people who wanted to read it. Vanity Press? Beyond Mom and your three best friends, you now have only a mere 996 more books to sell. I have a friend who still has several boxes of his first book sitting in his garage. Yes, he languishes in the shadows of the unknown authors.

Soon, Small Publishers came into existence. They were a God-send; they allowed us to dream the possible dream... but alas, unless you had a super fantastic marketing strategy or know-how, going beyond the ever-present book-signing at the local bookstores, you languished in the shadows with your fellow Vanity authors.

The sun arose on a new day. Amazon came to be and ebooks were given life as well as CreateSpace to publish in book form. [insert chorus of "Oh Happy Day"] The author had a new chance and even marketing potential through a huge company. Now the fledgling author could safely play the five-fingered nose flute at the Big Five publishing companies who rejected unknown submissions or screamed you needed an agent to make you viable.

But wait. Not all is happy in Amazon-land. The author has written a book, even had it edited by a teacher and read by three or four good friends... and of course, Mom, too. What could possibly go wrong?

You didn't write your book in Microsoft Word. You don't have Adobe Creator. You haven't ever used a graphic program and have no idea what RGB vs CMYK. You didn't even know there were that many different shades of black!

You, the author, are about to embark on a journey of huge proportions and mind-expanding learning experiences. The truly easy part was writing the composition. Now you need to format it for publishing which means deciding on a variety of page sizes, page layouts, fonts, paper types ... and the list goes on and on. Plus you have to decide on what graphic you will use on the front cover... your own, a purchased image or one from their stockpile.

Amazon has streamlined the process somewhat ... IF you think of it sort of like reading a which-way book. You read the page and at the bottom you make a decision. That decision takes you to another reading and selection. Finally, through this process, you will create your book.

I guess now would be a good time to mention that there is a difference in publishing an ebook vs a paper book. Also, with Amazon, the ebook version will be solely in 'mobi' ala Kindle format. If you go to Smashwords.com to create your ebook, you have the option of several formats that pretty much cover the gamut of mobile device possibilities.

You are no longer just a Writer... but you are also a Graphics Artist, Editor, Publisher, Marketing Guru and Sales Agent setting the price(s) for the book.

So now you want to write your next book... good luck finding time.

Until next I decide to ramble...

What's Your Opinion? Suggestions?

2011-10-19T00:11:00.000-04:00

Very short blog this week. As I said, I hope to do this on a weekly type basis and been trying to figure out which day. I decided on Tuesday since it is right after Monday and everyone is harried on a Monday because it is the first day back to work, etc. And well, Wednesday most people are already starting to consider the half way mark and on Thursday they've decided the weekend is coming and they need to plan what to do next. And forget Friday ... I mean, who does any real work on a Friday? Plus Saturday and Sunday are a loss for people to spend time on the Internet. So, Tuesday it is.

Now what I need your opinion on. I have decided, amongst my ramblings I will interview various authors and publishers to get their viewpoints for the readership to glean any possible knowledge from. In other words, maybe get a chance to learn about a trick or two to make your writing angst a little easier. Do you think that is a good idea? Let me know, yea or nay.

So, what do I want? I need some suggestions for possible authors and publishers. If you will give me names and contacts (their email addy) and your real name so I can reference back to you, I'm going to be gutsy enough to contact them. What's the worst they can do? Say no? If I don't interview them, the result is the same. LOL. But don't go putting a lot of email addresses on this blog ... let's be a little discreet about this ... send to me using my email addy of bob AT bobnailor DOT com. I'm quite sure you know to replace the AT with a @ and to replace the DOT with a period but I decided I better state that for the newbies on the Internet. Be sure to put "Interview Applicant" in the subject so I don't just delete your email as spam.

As to what I've been up to the last few days ... I was asked to submit a short story to an anthology with no guarantee of acceptance; but, hey, that is pretty cool. AND I worked on getting a book format for my latest release "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold" out via CreateSpace. I'm just waiting for a response back from Amazon saying the format was acceptable. A lot of work getting that all done. I thought it would be easier but they expect you to write the story THEN become a savvy publisher and graphic artist. I'm glad I knew a little bit of what they were talking about. More later as it comes up.

Enough rambling. Give me your opinions and your suggestions. I look forward to them.

And Then He Blogged

2011-10-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

Here it is, the first blog of my ramblings. I plan to keep it light, helpful, informative and maybe even ... dare I say it? Interesting.
First, I'm not just any idiot, I'm the idiot with 2 books out. I have "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" and "Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold" ... oh, and a short story in book format entitled "Coleen" just to keep you on your toes. In addition to that I am in ten anthologies (aka collections) such as Mother Goose is Dead from Damnation Books, Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels, Guide to Writing Science Fiction Vol I, Guide to Writing Fantasy Vol 2, Firestorm of Dragons all from Dragon Moon Press, and Dead Set, Nights of Blood 2, Spirits of Blue & Gray, The Archives of Arrissia, 13 Nights of Blood all from 23 House Publishing.

Plus I'm told I will be included in Shadow Street from Cool Well Press, Guide to Writing Horror from Dragon Moon Press, The Forsaken from 23 House Publishing and 2012 Doomsday from Black Sails Press. These are suppose to be out in the next six months.

While I'm patting myself on the back I might as well mention that for 5 yrs I was associated with The Emporium Gazette which was an online writers magazine with all kinds of helpful tips to get the newbie and the well-published get noticed.

Well, I won't bore you too much longer. Next time I won't be so much fluffing my feathers. Okay, I might preen a little.