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.

I write, hence I read more too?

My Kindle shelf is getting larger and larger. It's amazing how a world of depleted reading habits can changed... as far as I am concerned, ever since I've started writing seriously. There are two reasons really. First, it's because of, as I said, writing. You kind of need to read other authors to have any chance of 'getting it'. You know what I mean? Second, Amazon and Kindle store for that matter have changed everything. I can download tons of wallet-friendly free and 99 cent books. That is a true revolution in reading. For me at least.

All of this has led to much more reading but it's a different kind of reading. I now read some 10 books simultaneously because Kindle knows where you stayed last. Smart, ha! Looking at Amanda Hocking's latest post, she is pretty much along those lines too. That reminds me of another issue that she covers in her latest post - that of book descriptions. I always wondered what it is but she just got it so right. I'd never read a book based on the provided description. They are sooo... lame (in most cases).

Am I shooting myself in the foot here? Because I'll need to write one too. I guess Amanda's advice of writing a 5-word version is right down my alley. It's about deception amidst war. How about that? Or perhaps love and deception amidst war? Ah well, I'll figure it out in time for publication.

By the way, I also found a fantastic ebook reader for my daughter. Sadly, they're still negotiating a deal with retailers here in the UK but once out, GoBook 8" Tab should be big hit with children eager to benefit from colours and interactivity.

Being knackered

Am I knackered? You bet I am. I work until 2am or 3am every single day apart from Saturday night. Am I whining? Not by slightest! I am editing my first novel and although I should have finished it by now it only gets better and better. Perhaps a writer can afford a slippage once enriched by a portfolio of well accepted books but the first one needs to be good. The hell with good, in author's eyes it needs to be perfect. But here is the catch - it can't be good/perfect unless you invest enough effort. Enough effort that is to get completely and utterly knackered.

So where am I now you might ask. I just about finished Chapter 5 and two chapters back I realised working chapter by chapter and polishing them to the literary atoms suits me most. I edit the chapter once, accept all changes and then I comb it again and again and again, until... well, until I am happy with the flow and words and pace... I really feel like I am going through a PhD journey again but this time it's all about fun. I truly and wholeheartedly enjoy every bit of it.

And you wouldn't believe what happened yesterday. Well, I'm still not sure I believe this either but here you go. It was 2:30am and I was reading a page (page 143, I think) without changing a thing. So far so good but wait! Somehow I managed to fall asleep and when my head bumped against the screen I noticed page 143 has been edited. Should I be even telling you this? Well, call me crazy but that's what I saw (a miracle?).

And again, do I whine? No I don't. Oh boy, I love every second of writing and editing. I am knackered but I am damn happy and as Jason Donovan said to Piers Morgan today - "happiness is the key to success". One of the best interviews I've ever watched, by the way.

That's life - wonderful and peculiar

I begin to wonder whether ups and downs in human life are nature's deliberate attempts to either make or break you. I'd much rather stay on the "make" side, thank you. So, what happened? Well, I kind of didn't follow my promise of heavily promoting my new Construction Management book through my social media accounts. I did mention it once or twice but that's not self-promotion in its true sense. So, I decided to do this yesterday using my Twitter account. Mind you, I only sent out one book-related post.

It took Cesar Abeid from Remontech, a Canadian Construction Management company, a minute to respond and ask me whether he could interview me for his really well received podcast. I thought he was joking. You know, one of those automated spam posts or something. No, no, no, he is a real person! I talked to him today and he humbly presented the idea behind his podcasts. It's absolutely fabulous and it only took one (ONE) tweet. He will interview me on Thursday and believe it or not, he was thanking me! Hello, it's me who should be grateful and I am, I totally am.

Anyway, not being used to this I thought that was sensational. But then I read another tweet a couple of minutes later. It was sent by @beas_bloomsbury. Bea basically asked for some help with their kitchen floorplan and offered cakes as a form of payment. Anyone who knows me would understand why I replied to her within a split of a second. Come on, it's CAKES we're talking about!

I checked her website and then realised: Bea is a celebrity patisserie chef who a few years ago turned down the offer to be a head chef at Nobu London. She now owns her own Bea's Bloomsbury on several locations (including Chelsea and Maltby st.). The patisserie has been praised all over the world. Surreal, I'm telling you. I need to survey her main kitchen on Saturday and she offered to treat us at Maltby st. Market. I am thrilled! The update follows but in the mean time, thanks Bea for your kind offer!

Oh yes, and I am still editing my novel. It's getting together really nicely and all these revisions and delays are totally necessary. I guess it will be finished by the end of May and published on Kindle in June. Watch this space!

Self incredulity or whatever

Wow, I haven't posted anything since March. What can I say, the whole of the spring term was incredibly busy and then there was Easter. We visited our parents, my father managed to catch pneumonia and I was intentionally offline for the most part of the Easter break. Intentionally, yes, because I got sick of hundreds of e-mailed demands per day. Everyone wanted something so I simply cut myself off. On the other hand, being with my family meant a world to me.

In the mean time my copy-editor returned the book giving me plenty to work on. Though, I am happy with the feedback - I need to address a few points but overall the work is publishable (apparently). I confess the delay, I confess that much more needs to be done to raise the quality of my first novel and I confess, I began doubting myself. It's one of those periods filled with disbelief that I could ever publish a book.

Ah well, I read a dozen of posts by J. A. Konrath and Googled a few more unbelievable Kindle success stories. It's all to revive the spirit and it's all to stimulate dreaming again. Am I back? Well, no, I always need a week to get back to my best performance after holidays but boy I enjoyed not sitting in front of the buzzing machine with a screen.