Createspace

Time is the most precious 'commodity' that hasn't found its way to stock markets yet. Actually, that makes me think - could we sell and buy time as other commodities? Perhaps something for the future but for now, I am seriously struggling with time and any achievement is worth gold!

Nevertheless, I just finished and uploaded my book cover to Createspace today. Fingers crossed, I should get a proof in 48 hours and everything will be as expected. Well, you never know with your own designs...

Reading J A Konrath's 'Newbie' blog right now, I had to check my reviews and can happily say the stars are still there, shining proud and warm. Ah, I just hope sales follow in the same way but you know what, I don't mind even if I have to wait for years. I'll write some more, my writing will improve and having books on Amazon warrants longevity - they'll be there for ever (sort of).

Then again, several reviewers said Deceiving Noone is a perfect movie material so I ought to materialize on this. OK, OK, I'm not trying to be pretentious here but I will send a letter to Steven Spielberg every single week until he either agrees to read my novel or turns me down with a hate letter the world has never seen but even then I won't give up! I get shivers down my spine thinking what Spielberg would create from my novel.

I finished the letter and will start this week - and it's not even a New Year's resolution time yet! Time definitely well spent...

Secret obsession?

That's not really about writing but I feel like telling someone that I actually do have a secret obsession. It's a bit weird but I feel really good taking photos of hotel rooms I stayed. Even more so by looking at them with a soothing effect when I'm down as they remind me of my past travels and upcoming trips to foreign countries. Darn, I need to book a flight to Brno in Czech Republic and contact one of the hotels. You see, this short post was meant to be... 

I think Helsinki, Finland...

Tehran, Iran

Oslo, Norway

Tallinn, Estonia

Morris and Henry

I've been incomprehensibly busy for the past few weeks. Promotion at work sparked a volcanic eruption of activity (I know but I love hard work). I've been promoting my professional book and my novel although I'd be thrilled if someone invented a 30-hour day for me (please)! 

I keep writing all sorts of things that will eventually culminate in a series of new novels, short stories and professional books but there is one particular event that I need to promote with all my heart.

My daughter Marusa has published her first book today! HER FIRST BOOK at a tender age of 9! It targets  the 3-5 age group so not much text although the story itself is as curly as her hair on her Amazon profile. 

The images though are unbelievably warm and telling. There is no way an adult can create anything similar - faces that ooze character and emotions, colors that radiate happiness and all that spiced up with a story of unbelievable imagination. She literally did everything herself - daddy only helped with the technical stuff. Please support her effort and buy the book, your kids will love it!

Fireman Ollie and his hat

Preparing myself for an avalanche of projects and the beginning of the new academic year but last week was a special one and I managed to record two videos of my son wearing 3D spectacles and a cute fireman's hat.

If it wasn't for my daughter, we wouldn't even notice his hat fell off at exactly the right moment. Both videos were recorded one after another and I have no idea how we even managed to achieve this but hey, some things are meant to happen - to memorise, to entertain. Enjoy!

RHS Garden Wisley

The past few weeks have been utterly crazy and I mean it quite literally. Promotion in my day job has steered me away from everything else and I've been preparing for the new academic year, trying to sort out the system to liberate some precious time (for me and everyone else).

Writing? Not much, to be honest but I knew this would be the case and taking a break doesn't hurt either. Starting with a series of short stories in mid October and investing heavily in the promotion of my first novel (I feel guilty as I haven't done much but time will come).

In the mean time, I've spent some quality time with my family. Well, I am a family man after all, although my availability in September departed heavily from the commonly accepted definition of "family". Ah, well, that's life. So, what were we up to then? RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Garden Wisley is the answer and looking at the images, I don't think you need words for this.

ParaXperience: London 2012

I promised a post dedicated to London 2012 Paralympics yesterday (I think). Yeah, too much work so I don't really remember what happened 15 minutes ago (let alone one day...). Anyway, here a re a few shots from Equestrian and Athletics events. Was it fabulous? Was it fantastic? Was it emotional? You bet and much much more!

I mean, the the audience was the best in the world and the British public response to Paralympics was life-changing! The roaring crowd, the unimaginably devoted athletes and the ever friendly and helpful organizers/volunteers made these games spectacular, unforgettable and simply magic. OK, I am lost for words now - you should be there to understand why I am so excited.

August twilight

OK, I just realized it has been a month since my last post! A MONTH!?!? Well, I was promoted in my day job (thanks for your commiserations) and now I'll simply have to invent a longer day. I'm not giving up writing though. I miss writing and especially after receiving two 5* reviews in the space of two days I cannot help but being motivated! I am thrilled, I am exhilarated, I am over the moon.

Well, I also received a bit harsh review but any promotion is good promotion and I am not scared of people who obviously do not want to believe Indie authors can write. Yes, the book is full of twists and turns (I'm sorry if it was too shocking). Yes, the book is fiction. Yes, the characters do not use a typical slang one would expect (I intentionally used "does not" and "do not" here to prove the point - the text doesn't lose its flow, the story that keeps you glued to the book is pretty much all that matters). Ah well, I shouldn't take this personal and I don't, it's just my right to make a comment.

So, what's happening next? I'm starting my next novel and a couple of short stories in October. I'll have to be ultra efficient to squeeze all this in 24 hours but it's all fun, just fun. I'll manage, no worries about that!

Oh, and yes, I've been to Paralympics! What a treat, I'm telling you! Pics to follow in my next post... I AM BACK!

Kindle Boards

I need to increase visibility and get my book in as many different platforms as possible. Please, kind people, help me with that (please...).

To move things forward, I've designed a promotional banner for Kindle Boards. Here it is:

What do you think? It's kind of tricky as my book has so many different angles and twists. One of them is war that plagues Europe after the financial meltdown (sounds familiar?).

It's a background and not something that forms the crux of the story but some readers told me it is a frightening background - something that definitely stands out (among other things).

"Do you really think this can happen?", one of my friends said. Well, I don't know. Everything is possible in Europe. Just look back into the past - it's scary.

No worries though, romance and deception are still the dominant threads in the fabric of this book.

Right, off to Kindle Boards now to promote Deceiving Noone. I also need to get some guest bloggers, interviews and reviews on my blog. Something for the near future.

Adopted vs. 4th army

I am contemplating my second novel. Well, I've got enough conceptual material to write four but there are only 24 hours in a day and I do have a demanding day job so - one at a time.

Adopted will be a kind of suspense thriller with - the main plot built around the search of a brother who, as a baby, was given for adoption. I started building a skeleton but it kind of doesn't fall together nicely so I need a bit more time on that one.

4th army is a different story. The idea is there, the plot is phenomenal and I already look forward to writing it. In short, it's about kids' imagination gone wild as they play a game of the 4th army as a perfect response to three major superpowers that materializes years later, bringing with it massive repercussions for the whole humanity. Joking aside, it's a damn good story. The cover art idea is floating around in my mind as well so that definitely makes me happy.

I've started marketing Deceiving Noone like mad (Amazon UK), asking book bloggers for reviews, posting meaningful comments, contributing to discussions, posting links on my facebook page, tweeting and so on. I've sold 3 copies so far (in two days) so that should definitely be a good sign - I am in this for a long run. It's a start but I've got to ramp up marketing beyond what I've ever done in my life. There are a few more tricks up my sleeves but that's something for after the Olympics.

Talking about the Olympics, yet another successful day and LOCOG have started sorting out the empty seats problem. Come on, accredited guests or not, sponsors or not - there are competitors' parents who weren't able to get tickets!

Deceiving Noone is available

I started writing Deceiving Noone towards the very end of September 2011 and just about 10 months later it is finally published. Now I really hope you will like it and I really hope there will be positive reviews (please, please, please - it's my first novel). I know, I am repeating myself but this fear of mine is absolutely unbelievable. OK, I'll stop it right here. Promise...

It took about 12 hours for the book to be available on various Amazon sites but it is now finally there. Though, I noticed something funny about the preview chapter - formatting is off although all is fine when you open the book in Kindle application. I need to get in touch with Amazon and resolve this. In the mean time, the only thing I can do is apologize.

For Amazon.com readers, please click on the image below:

For UK readers, please click on the image below:

Right, now I've got to roll my sleeves up and start with marketing. This part isn't something I normally look forward to but this time I kind of want to do it and I'll do all I can to spread the word. The book is a bargain, seriously!

It is priced at $1.52 in the USA (taxation as the minimum list price author can set is $0.99 so the rest must be tax), £0.99 in the UK and €0.99 in the EU. That's where it will be available until Amazon opens up more of their international sites to the Kindle store.

The rest of my day was spent watching Olympics! Oh boy, French 4x100 free relay team gave the USA and Australia a run for their money and won the gold. I was chuffed for Rebecca Adlington (Team GB) for her bronze medal. Kayak and Canoe slalom heats were also fabulous and I am amazed how nerve-wrecking archery and equestrian can be. Fantastic stuff - despite the stormy weather!

Published and waiting

I genuinely thought that day would never come but ten months - TEN MONTHS - later, my first novel "Deceiving Noone" has been submitted to Amazon KDP. Of course, it takes some time to get accepted (fingers crossed) but it should be available tomorrow - I hope. We'll see.

Am I ecstatic? NO! I am really scared actually. What if people don't like it? I doubt this is ego but I am scared to death of embarrassing myself in front of the whole wide world.

You might laugh but it really is tough. I think the book is really good with Nathan, Cali, Terry, Colin, Andrew, Xavier, Annie and so on, all likable (yet some troubled or tragic) personalities, their characters are underpinned by a complex story and everything is wrapped up in massive unpredictability.

All that is fine but that's my opinion (and that of the editor) so how on earth can I tell what you, my readers, will say about it. It's my first novel so I hold my fingers crossed there will be positive reviews (please). OK, I know every single book out there receives negative reviews as well. Though, having no prior experience, I cannot tell, it's impossible, I just cannot tell. I really think it's a good book...

Ah well, I hope you watched the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic games. We have and it was absolutely fabulous! You see, this is not dissimilar, actually. Danny Boyle's production was spectacular, different and was infused by stories from the past and present. There are people out there that didn't like it but hey, Danny is an Oscar-winning director and he doesn't give a damn.

I know what you might say. It's a painful reality - I haven't got an Oscar (sigh). True, but I'm not giving up and I am NOT giving up. This is just the beginning. I will keep reading and writing, and I will take all reviews on the chin (positive and negative) - so help me God.

Colors everywhere!

My daughter and I are now working on 17 illustrations she created for her new book. Sketches need to be rendered in Photoshop and she pretty much doesn't need me anymore - that's how good she's got! Whilst you would expect colors in book images, it is difficult to achieve color in the text and that's where I think she really nailed it.

I am pretty used to self-editing now but editing her text is like working with a delicate porcelain vase - it's so full of color and emotions, almost every change I make looks like a big black smudge on a Michelangelo's Sistine's chapel masterpiece. It's a book for children (3-5 years I believe) so there's not much text but everything there is matches images and her characters perfectly. Don't ask me, I've got no idea how she's doing it but it works and I really look forward to her book coming out in August.

As for my book, I've bought a fabulously fluorescent marker and final editing begins tomorrow and yes, 27 July is still on - a final unmovable deadline!

Wasps or bees?

Not exactly a literary subject but something that bothers me for a few days now. Well, there is a weep hole just above the patio door (double-skin facade ventilation entry point). I like animals, don't take me wrong, but I don't like wasps as they are obnoxious little creatures and their stings are vicious. The pest control company asked me to take a picture to make sure they are not bees (of course, I don't want to get rid of bees!). Decide for yourself but they look like wasps to me. I took the picture late at night with flash switched on. That's the time when they're least active - I'm sure you'll understand why I waited up until midnight.

Anyway, summer in England still hasn't arrived and the forecast says more rain is on the way but next week we should finally see our bright star in the middle of the solar system and I want these wasps out of the way. In the mean time, I will be working on my daughter's drawings and have a final combing through my book before taking on beta reading (and proofreading) of my wife's baking book.

I met publisher for my professional book and she told me there were 274 books sold since April (71 in USA), which is really good for an academic book in such a narrow field and I haven't even started with proper marketing yet. Not bad, not bad and I hope the UK government picks it up as it actually provides a model for creating Building Information Modeling (BIM)-friendly business environment. It will take time but I am positive one day it will be recognized as a major milestone in construction management research.

Photoshop

My daughter and I started working on her sketches over the weekend and so far we managed to photoshop two drawings for her book. From a rough sketch on an A3 piece of paper to a digital drawing full of color, the transformation is one of the most inspiring things ever. She's got completely hooked up by the process and now she is pushing me to finish all 17 images (like yesterday...). 

I first thought this would take a lot of time but as it happens we can easily complete one drawing a day so releasing her first book in mid August is definitely possible. I've got to figure out formatting but a few trials I made are far less scarier than most formatting guides online would tend to advise.I'm not sure whether it's my ignorance or Amazon's latest attempt to simplify the way you convert a well formatted Word document into a MOBI file. I know, you will say there are other formats you need to consider (EPUB for instance) that make ebooks readable across platforms (iPad, smart phones, etc.) but all I am saying is that it seems easier than most people think it is. We'll see!

My wife saw a terrifying car crash today a stone's throw away from where we live. Both cars landed on their roofs and firefighters had to cut twisted metal to get people out - and all this on a 30mph stretch of the road where most of the time people drive 20mph. Perhaps a police car chase or something, I'm not sure but pretty scary!

Ah, yes, and I forgot to print out my book today. Never mind, I'll do it tomorrow and read it over the weekend (need some break in between). In the mean time I need to play with words and pull together book description - not many words but it is not at all easy. 

Whatever the case, I am getting increasingly more excited and can hardly believe my first novel will be out on the 27th of July 2012. I think Deceiving Noone is a good book wit likable and interesting characters and I really, really hope people will like it. I've gone through the text at least 20 times and I am happy with its total unpredictability - hoping that this will keep my readers turning pages and recommending it others. I hope, I really do!

Family of writers

Wow, watching a documentary about Usain Bolt and his misery over the false start in Daegu, South Korea, makes me think how important it is to know how to fail without giving up on your dreams. He might have problems but Usain will be back in London. Unfortunately, many people start and after just a light tremor in their careers never come back again. I'm not talking about myself of course but it is wise to remind oneself that you should never give up (Yes, I mean you as well!).

And I am trying to pass the same message on to my daughter who is now writing and drawing her first book for children. She sometimes feels the process is too slow but I wonder where she's got this from... Anyway, 16 drawings away she is plodding along and learning Photoshop painlessly through her book too - and she isn't even 10 years old yet.  I keep encouraging her and she is really enjoying it and it really excites her that she will be able to show her new book when back in school in September (whatever keeps her going).

My wife doesn't need the encouragement and her baking book is now almost finished. Some copy editing, proofreading and Kindle formatting, and that will be it. So, yes, it seems we have turned into a family of writers and 2012 is already proving to be a monumental year for us (including the fact that we will - for the first time ever - attend the Olympic Games). After my first professional book in March, three more are coming along nicely too and all of this from a single family within a year. I am proud, I am happy and we keep going on so watch the space.

Final touches

So, I've received a proofread document back from my editors (not entirely happy as they missed a few typos and stuff...). Anyway, most of the things are there and I'm just going through the manuscript backwards - just trying to make sure there is consistency in style and writing throughout the book.

Some chapters were fabulous, some less so but what I am doing now are final touches, the kind of things you do to finely polish your work. It's probably review 20 but I still keep doing it, I haven't lost the energy and motivation because this is what I want to do for the rest of my life - write brilliant (massively unpredictable - a comment from my editor) novels with intricate and subtle messages, with stories that will knock your socks off and make you itch for my next work.

Ah yes, there is one more thing! "Deceiving Noone" will be published on Friday 27 July 2012 (i.e. the start of 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, UK). Sorry again, I thought it would go public before 15 July but I need to have one more final go at the manuscript and I need to be a bit ceremonial - it's my first novel after all.

New Book - old passion

Just watching Forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dan inspecting their first catch. What a movie, what a story - the hell, what a soup of stories and messages. A fantastic platform to think about new book titles. Wait, no worries, I am not trying to write another Forrest Gump story here, it's just some kind of epiphany or something - I guess.

Anyway, I am now pulling together branches for a new fiery novel but this time around the dough for it will need to be kneaded, the recipe followed to the dot. It's interesting, I got an inspiration last year and my first novel poured out of my memory - already there, already structured. Yeah, not a perfection but nevertheless. This time, it's fiction in its purest sense - I am not engaging with my past experience and everything in its entirety is made up. I'm fleshing out characters, painting scenes, sewing plots and approaching writing with scientific rigor.

It's a test I guess but I love writing, I really do and even this new, much more systematic approach that the story demands from me is not going to defer me from continuing living my passion - something I dreamed of for so long but never had the fire in me to get past a couple of sentences.

It's a different genre from my first novel but I don't care - as long as my brains entertain my fingers into producing something of decent quality. In the mean time, I am still waiting for the proofreader to get her job done and enjoy every moment with my family. I am blessed and grateful for that every single day of my life.

Moon Dance

Just reading Moon Dance: A Vampire for Hire novel from J. R. Rain - sigh.Yes, it is beautifully written and I am learning a great deal from... duh, I can't find the author's real name. Well, I read a dozen or so other books too - can't believe myself but that's what's happening -honest!

It's bewildering, for the first time in my life - cross my heart - I am actually doing things in exactly the kind of way recommended by my peers. In this case I am talking about the vast, vast majority of other indie authors and pros and all people who can say something meaningful about writing fiction.

It really feels good and my writing is improving every single day as I absorb the wisdom of all these wonderful people around the web who - in their sheer altruism - help their indie colleagues around the world make their work better for the benefit of all (me including).

Are these books any worse than your classical bestsellers? Some, yes, but most are really decent and some are of superb sleepless-nights-kind of quality. You probably guessed that I'm not writing much right now and you're right but that doesn't prevent me from reading and reading and reading some more.

Then again, I am helping my daughter get her first children book published but her writing is just so cute and graphics represent the only real work for me. Yep, a family of writers it seems - my wife has got her own little cookbook project (I'll be writing about this in August when it comes out). In the mean time, reading and waiting for the proofreader to do her job and then some more editing - plenty to do and I can hardly wait!

Proofreading!

That's it, I pressed the button and despite the delay, I think the novel benefited from additional editing, from sharpening, from pretty much everything that I've done with it. It's really frustrating though - I can always find something that needs improving but you've got to stop one day - or go completely crazy.

OK, there will be some more work once the book gets back - full of tracked changes. I will then have another go reading through the printed out hard copy but that's minor in comparison to what I've been doing so far.

Anyway, I am happy with the result - the story is full of twists and turns but that makes it pretty hard to decide on the specific genre it is supposed to belong to - I guess war-adventure-romance comes close. The book cover does its job too - symbolism, hidden messages and alike - and it is visible and readable in all acceptable cover-art formats.

Sooo, 20th July is my new deadline and this time it will be met.You never know with a novel but I am determined to get it onto Amazon Kindle bookstore by then. Wish me luck...

Proofreading away

Here we go, it's precisely a month since I last posted on my blog - shame of you Mike. No, I haven't given up - never - come on! The thing is that I've been working hard (going to bed at 3am or 4am in the morning every single day) to get the book ready for publishing. So, where the heck am I now - even I wonder? Well, I am proofreading and cover art away from having my FIRST novel ready for publishing.

Did I mention cover art? Oh yes, here it is:

It is my own creation and I wonder what the readers might think of it. I guess you noticed a change in the title. Well, the thing is, I have infuriated Nathan and his family name is now Noone (sorry Nathan). I hope he doesn't pull all his hair out but the change was necessary - frankly speaking. Goodbye Nathan Travis, long live Nathan Noone! I am hoping to get back the 312-page manuscript from proofreaders in about 21 days. That means, "Deceiving Noone" will be available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by 15th July 2012. It's a delay alright but a delay well needed. More regular posts from now on - promise.