Publication Junk Mail

            I’m official now: I’m receiving publication junk mail! Yes, for only such and such an amount, I could mail in my work, have it proof-read, and receive back a letter telling me my work sucks and I’m a piece of royal shit. No thanks. I can do that myself. Getting the mail, however, was amusing. Here’s to a new year of junk! Oh, and I got my first issue of Writer’s Digest with a rough and ready cowboy figure on the cover. I thought to myself, “He doesn’t look like a writer”…haven’t we had this conversation before?

            Everything is coming along nicely so far. I promise you there will be new stuff soon. You have been patiently awaiting the release of my covers and the story, and I tell you they are coming soon. Holly is completing the photos and I am setting up a meeting with Joseph and his friend to go over designs. With the holidays, this little movement of mine lost some momentum and I have been trying for the last several days to get things back on track and moving forward again.

I have not worked much on “Mommy’s Gone Crazy,” so there is little to report. You simply have to be in the right mood to write. If you are not, what you produce will be garbage and you will only waste more precious time trying to correct what you already wrote (aside from vain attempts to kick your own ass).

I will be happy when I get the covers completed and on line again. I would love to have a mega marketing thrust to open the eyes of the world to my writings, and I think I have a few ides. For one, I plan on streaking through the second quarter of the Super Bowl with my site tattooed on my back, and maybe other places (I am told I have a cute ass, so maybe I’ll put it there as well). Also, I will usurp air time during the next presidential debate and insert a subliminal message…wait, no one watches those things. Never mind. Ok, these are not real, although ten bucks says the viewing audience will increase by half a percent nationwide this year, an increase no one can explain. Watch that second quarter….

Check out my works on bn.com. Remember, it’s Robert Perry you are looking for. I appreciate everyone who buys one of my stories, and it is my sincerest hope that the tales of madness and mayhem will bring you as much joy as they have me….

Until next time….

First Update: Mommy's Gone Crazy

            For those of you just joining us, my name is Robert Perry, and I am a writer of general and psychological horror. My goal for this blog is to record and illustrate for you my journey to publication. As I said in my first blog, you are welcome to laugh at my mishaps and rejections; I will always try to make this as funny as possible, as no one wants to read boring crap. Feel free to check out my facebook page and follow along on twitter. That being said, on with the show.

            I’m taking a break from writing “Mommy’s Gone Crazy” to scribble out this blog. I’ve been working on it for most of the day, and it’s coming along fairly well, though I can’t seem to get into it. Some stories explode from the mind, while others seem to poke along at an ass-dragging pace. This work has a bit of a different style than most of my previous works. I usually begin with a very reflective opening, then proceed into a bit of an existential story where all the emotions are severely heightened. This story begins very quickly and stays at that pace. I’m always open to new things, so I will see how it does.

            If you are not familiar with the story, or have missed me running my mouth about it, this work deals with a character who must save his daughter from her crazed mother, who is also trying to kill her. He goes to rescue her and finds that the house has no power, and strangely enough, an unlocked and slightly opened front door. Will he get to his little girl in time? Or will Mommy have other plans?

            I’ve sold a few more stories; so now I won’t have to show up empty handed on Christmas day. Thanks. I’ve also made a few more contacts in the writing world. Life, it seems, is about contacts and all the people you know. Remember that when applying for a job. It’s who you know, not what you know. You could be the Queen of England or the King of Rock n Roll, and it won’t matter; know people, and you’ll do well. I know few people, so right now I suck. Oh, well. Keep at it, right?

            Keep checking back with the bn.com site, as more of my stories will be coming on line. As soon as the images are ready, I’ll post them. Remember to look for the horror stories under the name of Robert Perry. Please don’t purchase the barn story thinking it is mine: it’s not, and I get no revenue from it! No barns!

            We were out of town this past weekend, and were able to take some awesome pictures for the FB page. The area was Jekyll Island, and we got some really nice shots. Look for them to appear soon on the facebook page.

            Alright, I need to get back to work.

A Writer's Dreams

            I had a lovely day-dream today that my story sold, and I was offered over a million dollars to write, and I moved to the south of Italy and owned a vineyard to supplement my income, and….then I woke up and realized I was in the kitchen, pushing around a shitty cart! At least the cakes looked and smelled really awesome. Writers dream, and dream and dream; you get the pictures. Without your dreams, you have shit, sometimes quite literally. Dreams are more than just happy thoughts; often, they are the fuel which propels us to attempt a goal. You may not succeed, but at least you tried. That is the motto of this endeavor. Now, enough of this motivational crap.

            The pictures I used for my short stories will be heading to Holly soon. I can’t wait to see what she does with them. I have not had much time to do any writing-related things today, but I can report my blog has experienced an upsurge of hits (views, readings, laughs; however you want to measure advancement). I will have the FB page up soon, and will move into the web from there. I have an awesome location selected for some pics, and will most likely go this weekend to take them.

            Anyone have any thoughts on the use of a pseudonym? Many writers use a pen-name, and I am debating the use of one. Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. I can’t decide either way. Feel free to leave appropriate names for my use (please, no Jack Sparrow, Captain Kirk or Barney). Also, if you like the blog, feel free to like the link to it on Facebook. I would like it, but that would only make me an ass hole.

            Thanks for reading!

Post-Thanksgiving Blog

            “And I will give you daily updates on my progress…..” Ok, so I haven’t been excelling in the daily routine…sue me! It’s the holiday season, and I was out ‘holidaying.’ All kidding aside, I am sorry. I have been out of town lately and have not been able to construct any blogs (not that much has happened, or that anyone would dare to surrender their turkey legs to the clutches of the table guests in order to read my blog). I had a lovely and special Thanksgiving holiday; my hope is that yours was the same.

            As I said, I was out of town visiting family, and while there, I was able to correspond with my photographer cousin, Holly, who will be working with me on covers and such. It was fun to sit down with her and go over some of my works, and share my visions with her in regards to designs. She is a brilliant artist and published on book and CD covers in Europe. At only 17 years old, Holly is a bit of a prodigy, and I am honored to work with her. She opened her imagination on my latest work, Bleodsian and how she was envisioning the cover. When the pictures are received, I will most certainly post them for you all to view. We spent a good deal of time collaborating; it was damned creative and really cool! Look for a future link to her flickr page at the right.

            My sales continue to increase on PubIt.com. If you go to bn.com (Barnes and Noble), search for my name and you will find some of my short stories. In the next few weeks they each will receive a new cover (that reminds me, I need to get those pics to Holly). I have another artist with whom I will be working; look for his introduction later.

            I read a lot more about the almighty ‘platform’ (you tired of hearing that word? Me too!) I have a lot more work to do, but it seems I have done very well so far, at least according to the guidelines for platform building. I am moving along steadily. The pictures will be the next great effort on our part. This coming weekend I also plan to do a mini-photo shoot for self-portraits. Look for those in the next few days.

            Alright, I’m tired and you are too. Go to bed….

Another entry

            I worked today, not on writing, but at my job, so I have little to report as far as the publishing process goes. I’m still moving along slowly. Sometimes, it feels like I am moving backwards with this endeavor. I see what has to be done, I know what to write, but I do not have the time to devote to it. I suppose this is the story of every writer. Certainly not alone in this matter.

            On another note, I worked an event today aside a cow pasture. Yes, I said that correctly, a cow pasture. Don’t laugh, it’s true. It was a memorial service on the family’s farm. The weather was pretty, but very breezy, so everything blew around violently. It went well, though we were late in leaving.

            I’m trying to mentally organize everything I have to do for the next few days in regards to publication. With the holidays coming, I don’t know how much of my time will be put towards all I have to do. Hopefully I can squeeze in a day or two here and there for some further editing and such. Let’s hope.

            Ok, I am done for now.

Day Three (the titles will get better, I promise)

            Long day, and I am unusually tired. I’ve mentioned my blog to many people today, and some expressed interest. I had a good number of hits on it yesterday. Thanks, everyone. It makes me feel like a small piece of shit only. I appreciate that.

            So, as I was shaving this morning, I was mentally designing book covers in my head. The covers came great, but I sliced the hell out of my face! I need to get an education on cover designing before I can launch Bleodsian. I want it to have an awesome look (since the book is damned wonderful!). I have a friend who might be able to assist me. It seems a corps group of people have formed around me, people ranging from editors to artists and photographers. It is a good assemblage of people, and I believe they all may be very useful to this “mighty endeavor.”

            I had my first compliment on my blog yesterday. It came from a manager at work, and that person said it was both funny and intelligent. I said he had no sense of humor. That’s how we roll at work! It was exciting, to say the least. People are actually reading what I write; never thought I’d see the day. Let’s hope you all continue to enjoy it, and I can keep my wit and humor going (this shit is not easy, you know).

            In other news, here’s what’s on the radar for the next few weeks. I have a “photo shoot” with my photographer cousin over the Thanksgiving holiday. She is published on book covers and now a music CD, and has a wonderful talent for things photographic. I am still working on my platform (the platform is your advertising campaign. Things like facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. are all part of it.) I have the twitter account opened (said that yesterday) and I’ve used it (holy shit!). Once I have the new pics, I will focus on opening a fanpage on FB. I have some experience with such pages, but I will most likely publish three or four blog rants about the bastard project before it is finished. Stayed tuned for more laughs! While all this is going on, the book cover will be coming together. I’m tired just thinking about it. I work hard all day; why do I do this to myself? Am I sadistic?

            Ok, so that’s my next few weeks. While the rest of you are out enjoying your holiday season, think of me, locked away in my tower with only a candle for light and a rat for company – his name is Demetrius – and a whole load of documents, pics, magazines and scraps of ideas laying before me. Alright, you got me: most of this crap is electronic today, so I’ll be sitting in front of my computer a lot, trying to fight to urge to watch youtube……don’t laugh, you do it too!

            I’m done for tonight. Thanks for reading.

           

Behold, the next Phase

            It has been just over four months since I posted my last blog here. When I started the blogging endeavor, I thought it would be beneficial for any writers to hear the words of wisdom from a fellow writer. I am past that now. In fact, you’re on your own! Your work is most likely beyond repair, so quit while you are ahead. Why so cruel, Robert? The reason is that I’m ready to send off my latest novella, and I want no competition from you, so stay away from the publishers and we’ll get along just fine! Hah Hah!

            I am indeed ready to send off Bleodsian, but I have a lot of work to do before hand (marketing, web page development, etc.). I thought it would be entertaining for all of you to follow along with my progress as I endure endless critiques, web page and book cover design, photo shoots and marketing research, not to mention the actual process of editorial submission. We may laugh, we may cry together. Actually, you all will laugh your way through this while I beat my brain against the wall! Remember me in your novenas nightly. I will post daily on my progress, and if I have nothing to report, I will lie about it and spout off something intelligent anyways.

             I am willing to take you along on this journey, provided you wear your seatbelt and keep your hands and legs inside the vehicle at all times (small children under 48 inches are not permitted). You may have sensed my dry sense of humor – if you have not, my sincerest prayers go to those who have to live with you on a daily basis.

             This is my journey, my little bit of literally exploration; if you follow me, you won’t get a prize, you won’t gain notoriety, and you will most certainly have to shower at least thrice a week – I’m a writer, not a barbarian. Take along only the most necessary items and fill your pockets with utensils, please leave the contraceptives. You will, however, get a good daily laugh at my expense, as I stumble from one obstacle to another. Blogs are boring, so I will make this as painless as I can, like the Republican debates (you don’t even need to activate your brain to watch them).

            If you’re still there reading and haven’t fallen asleep, good job. I dozed off twice. And so, without fanfare, I present to you the comedy “Robert vs. the book world.”

            Please stay tuned for further posts……

           

On Literary Inspiration

            Today’s entry concerns the idea of inspiration. How does one become inspired to write, or what inspires a writer? I have heard of different methods and have even witnesses a few. I do believe, as far as prompting goes, that nothing inspires a writer to motivation quite like a deadline! What I am concerning myself with today, however, is the origin of the ideas themselves. It has been my experience that the ideas simply come to me when I least expect them.

            A writer’s mind is ever active, always pulsing and grinding through the daily routine. A tall tree, the smell of paint or a subtle comment can cause the mind to reel and turn in aggressive new ways for the writer. I have had concepts come to me when I was painting, or merely walking. Some of my best ideas appear when I take a stroll and allow my mind to wander, examining the items around me. It is also how I can solve a dilemma in my story.

            I find that old structures often give a degree of inspiration to me. I have one pending project which originated in an old hotel in South Florida. The idea of historicity always moves me; the fact that so many people, from many different time periods, have passed through a certain location always inspires me. Think of the power of their impact on the area they inhabit. Such starters as this always help to get me motivated to write. As a writer of horror, I also find cemeteries and dark forests mentally illuminating. Recently, I have turned to the swamps surrounding the area for a source of inspiration. The majority of my short stories are more location (scene) based than character based, so you may have noticed I placed a lot of emphasis on scene inspiration. Locations are wonderful, but the human experience which occurs in those scenes can be even more powerful.

            Stories of personal tragedy (or triumph) can also lead to a great story idea. It is not plagiarism to read one’s story and draw notions from it (do not simply lift their story onto your pages; that is plagiarism.) If you read about a person who lost a loved one in a drowning accident, or was finally able to marry their soldier lover, then take the underlying concept and translate it. All humanity suffers and rejoices, so take the lessons and use them for your work. On this note, I admit that some of my best ideas have come from the reading of ghost stories; they give ample detail of the area, have an element of historicity to them, and are already imbued with the scary element I so desire. These are the places and things which often inspire me; the inspiration, however can come when one least expects it.

            When an idea happens to arrive in the vaults of your mind, it is best to record it as soon as possible. I keep a book with all my story ideas recorded therein. When I write out my thoughts, I usually write all that has come to mind, neglecting nothing. Remember, you just might not be able to remember those “I will remember this” thoughts, so inscribe them for longevity. The book I keep is replete with scribbled pages and tacked on sheets of paper. I also include any information, such as flyers or maps of a particular area, if such is available. I then date the page so I can laugh when I finally get to the idea two years later! I treat all stories the same: novel and novella ideas are no different than short story ideas. They all come to mind in the same manner and they equally belong to you and to the characters.

            I will touch upon this latter subject again, but it is important to remember that the story idea, once received, belongs to both you and your character. After all, it is their story you are telling, and they must be allowed to make any changes necessary to finish the project. I understand this is a bizarre subject, but as I stated above, I will touch upon this again. I have seen with my own writings, (see Lost in the Fog, on sale at bn.com) where I had a particular ending prepared and the character took it and completely changed it, thus shifting, and certainly changing the content of the whole story. It was amazing, to say the least.

            I have only touched upon this subject in the mildest of forms. Every writer has their own avenues of inspiration and their own pools of ideas. I have shared with you some of my own. As stated above, the majority of my ideas simply come when my mind happens to be overworking a situation. I have had them appear when at work and at play, but almost always when I am preoccupied. It seems to work for me, and many of my greatest works (some of which you can find at bn.com, the link is located to the right) have come from a brisk walk or a solitary moment when employed in some task.

As always, good luck writing and be inspired!  

A New Endeavor

This is my first blog, my first attempt at putting my thoughts into an electronic format. Many have written their ideas and notions, and even shared intimate pieces of themselves upon the illusory fabric of the internet; it is not my design to do such. I have but one major goal with this endeavor: to establish a creative writing source for authors.

I have been writing for a few years now and have completed one novel (it is one of three), one novella, and over a hundred pages of short stories. I write in a manner worthy of Edgar Allan Poe, perhaps the greatest mentor a young writer can have. Like every student, I have taken the style of Poe and blended it with my own style to create what I like to think of as psychological horror. I may write about ghosts and monsters, but the idea behind the story is ‘what is most believable.’ Is there truly a ghost in the next room, or has the deeper recesses of the mind conjured some image and placed it in the shadows, thus creating the ghost? I love the constant battle between the logical and the illogical, the natural and supernatural. These themes you will find replete within my writings.

I am a young man, though my age has little bearing on this work; I have lived long enough and experienced enough of the good and bad of human creation to truly rationalize a story which epitomizes the human experiment, as I loving refer to it. I have also acquired enough of a skill in writing, a skill I am now prepared to share with the public. I make no claims to be any master of the art; I am a humble student who merely wishes to share his thoughts and ideas on certain writing issues. I have thought of a few good topics thus far, ranging from character development to writing location. There are many topics swirling in my mind, and if you care to read them I am more than willing to bequeath them to you.

Fear not, reader, as this is not entirely a boring academic resource filled with saw-dust like tidbits and unpalatable delicacies. I have a strong interest in reading, wine and cooking. I will occasionally share with you some of my adventures in the kitchen and wine world. I may, if the ghosts are moving and the suns all align, even share a personal story or day with you. As the Count of Monte Cristo once said, “wait and hope.”

I suppose this is sufficient for now. Enjoy and happy writing.