What a Year So Far

Well, of the things that could have started the year off, most of us didn't expect the spate of mortality among the arts. The loss of a number of iconic musicians and actors within a hideously short time frame has come as a shock to many. People are reeling and wondering who might be next. The mood of the new year is somber.

And this holiday today is a reminder of what happened to one who was working to make a profound difference.

Few of us know the number of our days. We should try to make the most of each one of them, enjoy, and live well.

Some have asked why I work so hard to produce books and stories so quickly. I fear being cut off before I can get these tales told, and I have so many to tell. So I'm pushing like a freight train, racing time to produce what I can while I'm here.

Books are a time machine, and I'm trying to speak to people that may not have even been born yet. If I can communicate to them in meaningful words, then my time here was well spent.

I approach the craft with a will to make it good, make it right. This quote captures it:

So live well. And do something meaningful. Make your time here count in some way.

Hard Work Week- Lots of Upcoming Stuff and Free Ebook

Spent the last 9 days in a frenzy, finishing the draft of Wendigo, my upcoming horror novel, a cross between Twin Peaks and Joseph Campbell. Mythology, and visions, and cannibalism, oh my!

Added over 12,000 new words, and rewrote much of what was there. Now it's off to the editing team to see what they think.

This was a work in progress for many, many years. Wrote the original as my first novel.

And like almost all first novels, it was a piece of poo. Had some great ideas in it, but lousy execution. Characters that talked endlessly, all tell, not enough show, and just a dullness that went on and on.

Was never what I wanted it to be, and so it went in the drawer. Every so often I'd take it out and dab at it, but had no fix. Just wasn't good enough to breathe life into it.

Had a breakthrough a couple years ago-- added a character that kicked it up several notches. Good start, but nowhere near enough.

And then last year, a combination of things sparked the idea bubble, and had the path to enlightenment.

But before I could get to it, had to finish writing A Shadow on the Wall. That got published in June. Have been working on Wendigo since then. Got a butt-kicking when I realized we had to get this out for the Halloween launch at the New England Mobile Bookfair, where we'll be appearing on Thursday, Oct. 24th for an evening of mystery and horror.

So with nose to the grindstone, I did what I needed to do to get it done. And we've got a terrific cover for it, which you'll see soon.

It's going to be a busy Fall. Take a look at some of the schedule, and there's more beyond that!

For example, this Tuesday, my interview will be up on the site of Vlad Vaslyn, with my story "Locust Time" appearing for free.

To celebrate, I've got a freebie for you-- a collection of 10 tales-- and Locust Time is one of them-- in Halls of Horror, which will be free for 5 days on Kindle, starting this Tusday.

So Much Happening- Busy Weekend

Wow- so much has been going on, it's hard to keep track. Here's some of the good crazy stuff that's been happening.

One heck of a busy weekend- Friday and Saturday was the Crime Bake mystery conference.
Had fun, but missed my Book Cents buddies, who made it such fun last year.
Finally got to go to the banquet- see, Cinderella still lives!

Sunday was the Author Expo at the Danversport Yacht Club. Great time.

Have two terrific interviews up now- The Indie List, and on The Highs, the Lows, The In-betweens.

My latest story, Mistakes, is published at Fiction and Verse, with a nice linked page to other works.

My latest gig is on radio, as a guest on David Tierney's show on 91.5, WUML.
I'll be appearing Monday mornings from 10:00 to 10:30.
A few shows are available in MP3 file format (under What Else is Cooking)

And am waiting to hear the results for the contest "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" on the radio Author's Show (I'm a finalist).

Okay, just have to get through all the new contact info, send a number of thank-yous, and get all the new pics sent out.

And I confirmed once more why "it's lonely at the top." It's because success lies at the top of a mountain, and most people cannot or will not make the very difficult journey up.

Snow on Signing Day Sucks!

The launch for A Fall From Grace was yesterday-- so what do the Fates do? Dump the biggest snowfall of winter on us! Result- almost no downtown shoppers, few customers.

Except-- my friends and family. The team came in, fought the storm, and we had a good crowd anyway. No down time, I was chatting the whole time.

So I feel a lot like George Bailey in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." No money, but the best family and good, dear friends who pitch in when needed.

10 book sold-- and the cookies were great! So we're declaring victory. Thanks to all who showed, to those who bought, and to the marvelous staff of the bookstore!

Great pics-- http://www.daletphillips.com/grace_signing.html

Joining the Revolution, Going Nuts With a Challenge

Today I took the plunge, and put my first story up for sale on Smashwords- Froggy Went A Courting:
At a mere 99 cents!

This is where I've really joined the publishing revolution. Do it yourself? Heavens to Murgatroyd!

And the reason is a group of writers who have been preaching for some time that writers have choice, that all those countless hours we spend toiling away might actually be put to use, by putting up our good work so that readers can find it and even compensate us with a few pennies.

People like Joe Konrath and Barry Eisler, with their conversation in Be the Monkey.

And Dean Wesley Smith, with his trilogy of terror:
New World of Publishing
Think Like A Publisher
Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing

And many others. Okay guys, some of us have been paying attention. And we've changed our strategies...

A year ago, I was still looking for a traditional big publishing house, likely in New York, to publish my first mystery novel, A Memory of Grief. I'd spent years writing good queries, researching which agents to send to, and did everything properly. Had some interest from some pros, had an agent for 2.5 years, but still no sale. Years of wasted time.

Then along came a small outfit, a startup publisher, and they asked me if I wanted to take a chance and publish with them. After weighing the pros and cons, I did, and this last Summer, Briona Glen Publishing released my first book in print (and as an ebook).

I was over the moon, but didn't stop there. I finished the edits to book 2 of the series, A Fall From Grace, and now that's going to be out very soon! Two good books published six months apart.
HA-- try that with a big NY house-- if your name isn't Stephen King!

Hey, pretty good, but why stop there? I'd published over 20 short stories, some really good ones, but once they appear, they dissolve after a short time and don't get seen. But the guys mentioned above have been saying-- get that stuff up, folks! Your backlist is a goldmine!

I hear ya! And so I'll put stories up for sale, as singles and collections. They won't be hiding anymore, they'll be read.

In fact, I've been so inspired, I decided to go absolutely nuts. It's because of these guys, I swear!

Dean Wesley Smith was trying to write 100 stories in a year, while also doing his books. Life got in the way, so he couldn't finish. But he proved the method, that working writers can produce a lot if they get over this notion they HAVE to write slowly, and only put out a book (or two) a year.

So I'm picking up that torch and running. I want to be a full-time fiction writer, so here's what I'm going to attempt for the coming year, while I'm still keeping my day job.

The 2012 Challenge

First, the Book of the Month Challenge- I want to put out books (ebooks first, and we'll see about print) to the tune of one new book for every month of the New Year. I can't write good novels that fast, so a few will be novels, and the rest will be story collections. Still, it's 12 books.

Which leads us to Part II of the Challenge.

Second, I'll have a story put up for every week of the New Year-- 52 stories by the end of next year. I've got just 1 so far. Long way to go.

So there you have it-- 12 books, in addition to my two novels, and 52 stories-- an insane schedule.
Since I have only limited time, it's going to mean full-out crazy.

Too much? Maybe. But I'm fired up with writing religion, and a desire to play in the Big Leagues. You can blame it on those guys who've been egging us on to do stuff like this. By way of thanks, I'll be buying their books to support them, even if I'm cursing their names by the end of next year!

So check back to see how I'm doing.
Smashwords and Amazon allow you to sample the work before you buy, so check out the writing.
And wish me luck-- I'm gonna need it!

Contest Winner, Writing Fast

Congratulations to Michelle Grayce, who won a copy of A Memory of Grief from the contest at Shellyrae's Book'dOut. Hope she enjoys a good mystery novel.

Many sites host contests where you can win free books, so treat yourself for Christmas!
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I've always been a believer in the slow writing process, with lengthy, painstaking revisions and editing.

Yet Dean Wesley Smith and others have said that we should write fast, to access the creative side of the brain. Dean says that's the best writing stuff, and that we shouldn't bother with a lot of rewriting-- it takes too much of the good stuff out, as it's the other side of the brain at work then.

Other opinions, like Zoe Winters and others are all for word flow.

I'm rethinking my process. How about you? What's your preferred style? I know a few people who try NaNoWriMo and find some value in it. So is faster better?