Tag: Romance

One More Time, with Conviction

I've said the opening chapter was fine. It was not. This time, ClaudeAI and ChatGPT tell me it's ready. Yeah. Okay. We'll see.

0 ~ Milestones

Washington DC

The running joke was, ‘Nobody expects the Sasquatch intervention’ — a compromise for the sake of rhythm. ‘Almost nobody’ was more accurate.

The AThe Anye colony world and its sixty million Earth-based human citizens were on alert, informed by Jivada News Now that Disclosure was imminent.

Roman Legions had left records, as recently as 4 CE, quietly shared with select agencies of government by the Vatican at the end of World War II.

Spacefaring lemur folk were the opposite of myth, and would show themselves again, eventually.

Continue reading “One More Time, with Conviction” →
0

Serialize This — Chapter 5

By now, on Page 16, a typical 3-act-form novel would have wrapped up introductions to place, time and cast.

If this was Fantasy, the Saracens would already have ridden in and cut everyone’s heads off.

Romance: bodice-ripping would be in-progress.

Sci-Fi adventure: a reptilian space admiral would be pacing the bridge of Battle Cruiser Krang, shouting threats at beautiful but reckless space pilot Candy Bootylicious while she undulated, heaving breasts straining against a tight and revealing space uniform.

You know, if I ever want to be successful, the first thing I should do is finish that story.

But no; I decided to write literary science fiction family drama.

Chapter 5

The Between-Life

When one speaks to the dead, it’s usually an ordinary dream, a conversation with oneself, influenced by feelings of doubt, insecurity, loneliness. Carmen Benequista had doubts —about whether she was experiencing an ordinary dream.

She stood in her deceased husband’s office at his family’s title insurance agency, a place she hadn’t been since a) he died and, b) his parents pushed her out of the company.

Continue reading “Serialize This — Chapter 5” →
0

Serialize This – Chapter 3

I recently discovered that publishers of serial novels like to get their victims on mailing lists before explaining the proposition. I’m on too many mailing lists. It’s ‘unsubscribe’ here, ‘Stop’ there, ‘Block’ over yonder.

But, I did allow myself to get suckered enough times to assemble a custom plan, just for my Internet friends, but I’ll need your email address before I can tell you about it.

Nah. I'm kidding. There's no plan. Tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do.

Chapter 3

The White House, Washington DC

It was another sunny day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue where, at 8:00 AM sharp, Colonel Theodore Clarke, USAF retired, appeared on the President’s Patio outside the Oval Office.

She let him in through a side door. “You could come in the front, you know. Maybe check in with Captain Price.”

“Tune into the Anuraga Channel.” Clarke gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Bharamin’s in orbit.”

Continue reading “Serialize This – Chapter 3” →
0

Spicy, but just a little

An evocative adventure/love story from the author of The Illusion of Gravity.

In 1966 Manila, an American teenager courts a CIA recruit several years his senior. It’s a mismatch, a scandal. When she ships out, it’s over. Maybe.

An uncommon spin on the coming-of-age theme, informed by the author’s upbringing in mid-century Asia. Mature content, Young Adult appropriate. Value-positive, about good character as a strategy for creating a successful life. An immersive journey to a time and place now gone forever.

All my titles are #kindleunlimited.

Featured Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

0

Spicy, but just a little

An evocative adventure/love story from the author of The Illusion of Gravity.

In 1966 Manila, an American teenager courts a CIA recruit several years his senior. It’s a mismatch, a scandal. When she ships out, it’s over. Maybe.

An uncommon spin on the coming-of-age theme, informed by an upbringing in mid-century Asia. For Young Adult shoppers, a tale about good character as a strategy for creating a successful life. For readers, an immersive journey to a time and place now gone forever.

All my titles are #kindleunlimited.

Featured Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

1

Blurbed.

It is said that it’s a waste of time to do much in the way of marketing until one has at least 3 books to sell. Well, I now have 4 books published, so I suppose it’s time to review the essays I’ve been hoarding on my bookmarks bar. You know the ones – “How to turn your inane ramblings into a #1 Best Seller in 5 easy steps.” 

Fortuitously, Ricardo Fayet over at Reedsy sent me an email the other day – me and probably 150,000 other people, not that I’m complaining – entitled The Ultimate Guide to KDP: How to Succeed on Kindle Direct Publishing. I’ve seen this advice elsewhere – but it’s neatly organized and, as far as I can tell, all the salient points are covered.

Number 1 – Create a polished cover.

I think I have that, even though I didn’t use Paul Trif at TwinArtDesign for Silken Thread, choosing to do that one myself. I know – that’s often a mistake. Paul made 3 great covers for my Anye Legacy books and there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t do it again. Be sure and tell me if you think I’ve goofed on this one, otherwise I’ll blissfully move forward not knowing any better. Continue reading “Blurbed.” →

0

Whither is thine editor?

I’ve published three novels, with a fourth on the way. The three haven’t attracted attention, but that’s to be expected since I haven’t promoted them. I will, and then we’ll find out if I did anything, but in the meantime I have to make a decision about the fourth one – shall I submit the work to an editor?

It’s a dilemma, made more compelling by a sense that Silken Thread might be the one that … what, deserves it? Needs it? I’m not sure. It has the potential to reach a wider audience than my science fiction books  – there’s an argument in favor. One never knows if an editor will bring anything constructive to the table – there’s one against.

I make the second statement under the premise that I’m not a terrible writer. If I was, any editor would do, and I suppose it’s possible my beta readers have been too kind and I am, in fact, a terrible writer. But, on the other hand, I’ve picked volumes off the shelf from major publishing houses and couldn’t get through five pages without frowning. If the traditional press is any good at what it does, how does that happen?

I know one way it happens is every book isn’t for every reader, and no editor can fix that. I also know I’ve written almost half-a-million words without recourse to the advice of any person having academic credentials to critique what I’m doing. That gives me pause.

What a joy it would be to have someone with an MFA in literature tell me I’m doing a good job. But, my experience as an applied scientist informs me that experts don’t always know what they’re talking about. $1400.00 might buy me a good report card on a non-selling book, and wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants?

There’s no call to action in this essay, folks. Silken Thread is on its sixth editing pass. I deleted a chapter this morning, having discovered that an idea I thought important early in the draft went absolutely nowhere. There’ll be a seventh pass, and then after that I’ll wring my hands about getting an editor, again. Comments welcome.

0

Places I’ve been, revisited …

May, 1972 - Silken Thread dallies in a Hong Kong shop I couldn't stay away from.

David led Barbara down Nathan Road to visit The Radio People, Ltd., a legendary audiophile store not far from the hotel. “This is where I always ended up when mom and dad turned me loose.”

He was prepared to see the place transformed by the incursion of Japanese electronics, but it was much as it had been during his last visit — the sales floor dominated by custom built enclosures of walnut, teak and mahogany, McIntosh tube amps, Uher tape decks, Stanton turntables and Tandberg receivers.

The owner, Albert Chan, shooed a couple of Brits in tweed jackets out the door. “Smoke pipe outside, then come back. I have Xavier Cugat for you to listen.” He lifted his chin at David. “Hey, you got bigger. Why you hair dark now?”

They listened to Mr. Chan’s teak-clad Spectrum loudspeakers, laughably classified as ‘bookshelf’ at 40 pounds each, and a pair of Wharfedale-equipped, Danish modern burled walnut cabinets half the size of washing machines. Barbara saw the look in his eyes. “Are these the ones you’ve been mooning over since you were fourteen?”

“Ones like these. They’ll cost a fortune to ship.”

“They’re gorgeous, and you can’t buy this merchandise anywhere else. Let’s get them.”

She was enthralled by the district’s shopping corridors, channeled through buildings from street to street — stopping to purchase a London Fog raincoat, three scarves, a jade pendant, and rhinestone decorated collars for the dogs. “They’ll look so cute in these.”

David went into a shoe store, coming out empty-handed. “I’m going to stick with my Florsheims.”

They returned to the hotel at five, meeting David’s parents at the reception desk. Lieve Aarens squealed when she saw the collars. “Isn’t this the greatest town ever? Give us half an hour, and we’ll take you to dinner.”

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑