A Little on Covers

            Happy New Year! I trust everyone survived the last few minutes of the old year without throwing up their drink of choice? It also seems the world did not end; I suppose that’s a good thing. Well, it is the New Year, and I hope it’s a great one for you. Let’s also hope it’s the year of publication for me!

            I spent some time today browsing the ebooks on bn.com, trying to find a cover design I liked. I did find many, though I am reluctant to place my name in such bold letters (all the covers I saw had the author’s name in the upper portion of the cover with a smaller title below). If you are a King, Koontz or Sparks, then your name is easily recognizable and should stretch across the front of your work. If you are a Perry (ahem! That would be me, remember?) and you are just starting out, then your name would only raise more questions and not necessarily assist in the selling of the book. I am leaning towards a “larger title/small name” structure. If you have any thoughts, send them my way via an email or comment. [I’m trying everything I can to get you people to interact; it’s like pulling teeth sometimes! I could just imagine Christmas morning at your house.] All kidding aside, any thoughts or comments, send them to me.

            As I was looking at the covers, I began to visualize what I might want mine to look like. Some authors, like Nicholas Sparks, use a set design, where every book has a similar appearance. Dean Koontz uses no such structure, but does have his name in large letters, especially his last. It’s like the publishers want you to say “I don’t give a shit what he wrote, I’m just gonna buy it ‘cause he wrote it!” I don’t think I have that kind of fan base yet. Colors vary, but seem to be dark, if it is a horror story and pastel if it is a love story. I’ll probably use darker shades for my covers. Don’t know yet.

            I do know, however, that I totally want awesome images (which I have already) on my covers, because that’s what brings in the readers. You don’t judge a book by its cover; that is true. But good images will certainly help to draw attention. I have some wonderful artists working with me, and am very grateful. I want my covers to say “read me!” I want people to look at them and not only see the story, but to see art as well. The cover can sell the book, so mine need to be rockin’. I am excited about them, and can’t wait to share the new covers with you. Look for them soon.

            As always, if you have any friends you think might like to follow along, send them my link. I can always be reached by email or comment on the blog. I check them twenty times a day. Literally. I have no life.

            Alright, enough. Thanks for reading.

Christmas Time

            Everybody seems to be getting in the Christmas spirit now. It’s not December yet, but who gives a shit...enjoy the moment. Speaking of which, my sales have been doing really well (I say sales in conjunction with the holiday because no one associates Christmas with any theological event any longer, but rather with economic growth). I have a few stories on line, and the ones present have sold nicely. They are economically priced, so stop by bn.com and search my name (oh, and my stories are horror stories; I did not writer the book with a barn on the cover. I know very little about barns save for the fact that they store shit).

            I managed to locate the files for the pics I originally used as cover images and sent them to Holly. It was harder than I thought (locating them), but I managed to get them together, save for two. They are sitting safely out west now, awaiting their artist to turn them into awesome looking covers. I can’t wait to see what they become.

            There is a Writer’s Digest short, short story competition coming up soon, and I think I am going to submit again. I entered “Death Immortal” last year (it’s for sale at bn.com), but apparently they did not like my shorts (that was their slogan last year, ‘show us your shorts’…. Don’t ask me). I have some ideas, but am always open to new suggestions. If you have a good idea and are too lazy to write it yourself, send it my way via a comment at the bottom. I could use the help, though you won’t get any royalties from the work….life sucks, what can I say. Seriously, feel free to submit a suggestion in the comments below.

            I’m going to go and buy a pizza now. 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.

What Reading is to Us

            What are stories to you? Are they simply a way to pass time, or are they more? Can you pick up a book and truly travel, or do you simply just read about another’s adventure? With stories, we have the ability to interact and exchange with the characters involved, thus placing ourselves in the work. I am a writer; many of you know that by now. I am also, however, an avid reader and dreamer who loves the adventures of old. I am a reader, one who finds an escape in the works and world of fiction. This is what writing means to me, and below I will illustrate more.

           

            Every good book does not begin its life in such a vein. It takes months of planning and writing on the part of the author. When it is published, like any parent to a child, you hope the work is successful. We as writers have a sworn duty to see our work through to completion in accordance with the way the story desires to be told. It is nearly a sacred duty, but the story demands as much, and the readers want as much. Why, do you ask? It is because the book is such a powerful element in our time and culture. So much can come from a good read; we must always keep this as our focus when writing.

            Books, I have found over the years, have the power and ability to transport us to a place we have never been, to people we have never met and even to another body we have never experienced. When reading, you can “literally” become another person, be it adventurer, sorcerer or politician. Reading allows for a temporary shutdown of the reality factor, and a temporary resurgence of the imaginative factor. I recall traveling the hills of France on horseback with the other musketeers this past fall. Alexander Dumas set me on such a journey, I still regard it with the fondest memories. I live a nice, common life, with a good job and a good family; what I had then, however, was adventure! I was battling the Cardinal’s guards, thwarting his plans, and side-stepping Milady. Most of us live normal lives, but with books, we can live the life of Indiana Jones or D’Artagnan. This is the power of books.

            You have heard me mention my belief in escapism; I believe people want to read a book which allows them to escape the culture and society. I certainly do, hence my writing of secluded houses and desolate locations. When I sit down to read, I also want to journey to a far off place, be it the parlor of Sherlock Holmes or the decks of the Pequod. Books transport you to those locations and allow for the uncommon in the very common and natural day. Reading is like a mini-vacation, a little jaunt for the mind. When things are rough, and I am pulling 15 plus hour days, my mind is wandering through the House of the Seven Gables, remembering what it was like to visit there. I am racing across the moors with Holmes; I am stalking the monster I created with Frankenstein’s help; I am watching my youth wash away in a sea of blood while fighting with Henry in the Civil War, etc. The list goes on.

            I love to read nearly as much as I love to write. I love to escape and venture to some unknown land or uncharted island, if even for a short time. It’s a break, a sojourn for the mind. Remember this when next you sit to pen a work. People want a journey, an escape, something they will remember always. Let your work be a memory for them.

            As always, good luck writing.

Favorite Story Excerpts 2

            The first time I posted some of my favorite story excerpts, it was met with great enthusiasm, so I figured I would send some memorable moments your way once again. This time, however, I am more selective of what I reveal. The excerpts below are not only from my stories, but they are some of my favorite “bizarre and scary moments.” So, here we go. Enjoy and happy reading!

From Beyond the Window

The creature, tall with pale skin, had elongated limbs of uncommon proportion to its body. Its head was without hair. I could detect an odd amount of fingers on each had, and each of those with longer nails or talons than is customary on terrestrial creatures. I gripped the windowsill tightly as the thing stared at me through the thick darkness separating us. I do not recall now what ran through my mind, although I knew the flurry of thoughts were all dominated by the stern cowl of the thing. 

From The Expense of Ill Judgment

  I was nearly finished packing down the earth when a noise from behind startled me greatly. I tried to ignore it for fear of not finishing the task, but it persisted and when I turned, I found, before my eyes, the greatest gathering of the deceased that had ever congregated upon the soil of the living!

            I watched in horror as they each took partners and danced to music, ungodly music that I now heard so clearly! The song reverberated through the yard as the decayed bodies swayed to the notes in the most elaborate of manners. I shrieked aloud when they came near and brushed against me.

From Death Immortal

I surveyed the sight through the surrounding mist and recognized something unfamiliar; there was beside her tomb an object that few could disregard so easily as anything other than a stone. I could see hers plainly, but the second one I could not read as skillfully. I moved within view and bent low to read the inscription. The light of a match gave me just enough illumination to instill in my heart a fear uncanny and more surreal than all the greatest terrors combined. Upon the stone, I read the dates of the person: one vague and unmentionable, yet the other, oh that other date, I read with a power only fear materialized could wield. The second date was from a year ago this evening, the same night my beloved parted with the active strains of life. Then I looked with panic upon my face, at the name who so boldly drew their lot beside my beloved. There, written in a cursive I alone knew, was the name of my wife’s beloved, of her companion in life, and now in death. The name was mine. Truly, I had followed my wife to the grave!

 From An Unbinding Tie

When I slowly turned over, I saw through the darkness two images, one of my girl, and the other, some unrecognizable mass upon her. A sliver of the moon sliced through the curtains to give a shallow radiance to the scene. She was staring wide-eyed at the bristling hair and lowered ears of the beast, whose growl was growing more menacing and more terrible. The light caught its arresting eyes, droplets of darkness which no human could ever suffer to endure. They were as black as the vacant tomb, black as the soul which once burned with passion. Empty and void of life, they were animated by another source, another strength which emanated from the realm beyond.

I hope you have enjoyed this little sampling. They are some of my favorite moments, and I hold each of them dearly. On the right of the page is a link to my PubIt site, if you care to purchase any of these and help stimulate the economy (An Unbinding Tie is not yet released). If you have any stories to share, or wish to express any sentiments concerning these, feel free to leave a comment and I will get back with you.

As always, good luck writing.

The Writer's Library

            A good writer is sometimes only as good as the reference books they have in their collection. Being one who wrote academic papers for nine years, I understand wholly the value of a well-stocked library. In that same vein, I also understand the value of a well-stocked literary library. I am not merely referring to novels and such here, but non fiction books that can be used as reference works. I good story is researched accurately and presented factually. In this blog I will share some of my “horror oriented” works of reference.

           

            As most of you know by now, I am a horror/dark drama writer, so my library will sway towards the horror field. I have been collecting the books on an as-needs basis, selecting the work when I had a definite need for it (you should also keep an eye out for any bargains at the book store!). I have, for horror, a wonderful encyclopedia on ghosts and hauntings, The Element Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Hauntings, Theresa Cheung. It is a phenomenal book and alphabetically lists events, people and haunts for the past century. The book is great for research and inspiration. If you write any horror, it is a must have. While on ghosts, I also have Relax, It’s Only a Ghost, by “Ghostbuster” Echo Bodine. This little book is an easy read and covers some of her exploits in the real-life business of ghostbusting. Great for inspiration and knowledge on the supernatural, the book is also a pleasant read. The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena, Bob Rickard and John Michell, is a great text for all things supernatural. It covers everything from aliens and levitation and strange rains (frogs, ect.) to various swarms and spontaneous combustion. It is great for general knowledge and inspiration. On witchcraft, the books I used were The Truth about Witchcraft Today, Scott Cunningham and The Wicca Handbook, Eileen Holland. The former was a more general book and useful for gaining a general knowledge of that faith. The latter is more detailed and takes a slightly different perspective than the former, but is also adequate for understanding Wicca. I found both very helpful in understanding spells, sacred space and Wiccan theology (Look for this info to appear later in my second novel!) Those about cover the major horror books in my library now. I do, however, keep others on hand as well.

            I have eclectic interests, and have found those interests to be of value in my writing career. For one thing, I have several books on architecture which have proven invaluable in creating scenes and structures. I sway towards gothic architecture (no surprise there!) yet often utilize Romanesque as well. I keep on hand two books on art; one is a general text book covering art through the centuries, and the other is a book dealing with Northern Renaissance art. I have a flare for knowledge and sophistication in my works and these books have been helpful. Because of the nature of some of my works, I have found the study of anatomy to be beneficial, and have an encyclopedia of the human body. Classical music terminology often appears in my writings, so I have a book on the subject. I like it, and it is a good read.

            I won’t bore you with the rest of my library; I don’t have the energy to catalogue 1500 books, and you don’t have the stamina for such an endeavor. I’m trying to develop my blog here, not destroy it! Like any good work, however, a properly written story is going to be accurate and will reveal a certain knowledge about the given material. Know your story; know your sources. Don’t put Sherman Tanks in the middle of Pickett’s Charge, and don’t give Constantine an atomic bomb! Know the history and know the fields you are writing about. I utilize witchcraft in some of my works, so I took the time to study the field and portray an accurate scene. Bleodisian dealt exclusively with blood and the cardiovascular system, so I learned about veins and arteries; a lot about veins and arteries! (I’m glad that’s done). The stories have authenticity and realism, and that is what we are striving for with our works. Aim for realism.

            As always, good luck writing.

Work Update 3

            It has been a while since I last posted and I have a lot going on, so I thought I would update you all on the latest projects. I have three underway right now; the first is the novella. I have completed it and revised it once. It needs two more readings, then it will be ready for submission. I think I have found a suitable publisher in Arkham, the same publisher which handled H.P. Lovecraft’s works. If you have not read him yet, do check him out. His work is great. The Novella came off really well, and I am pleased with it thus far. I have two short stories I am working on as well. The first is one which I have been working through for some time. It is the story about the departed lover who leaves her dog to her boyfriend. When he meets a new girl, the dog begins to act in bizarre behavior. The second is a 25 page work dealing with the traumatic story of a young girl, the Newsalem Witch! It was my first endeavor writing about a female lead, and I think it came across pretty well. It was also a first in that it was a “story within a story.” A young hiker, the main character, finds the lady’s journal and reads of her tragedy. I am pleased with it as well, and look forward to seeing it completed. The latter two will be on PubIt soon; I will let you know when. 

            Aside from these very active projects, I have some ideas mulling around in my mind. I will not share them now; sorry, I guard them jealously. Once I can get these out of the way, I want to put some attention toward the novella again and get it ready for its little flight to neverland (it’s probably where it will end up). I am also torturing myself by reading the Barnes and Noble unabridged version of Moby Dick. I thought it would be a good adventure book, but I have learned more about the color white and ropes than I have about the damned whale! It is a bit of a joke now around the house, and if the book were not on my electronic reader, I should have returned it to the ocean from whence it came! Oh well. Happy reading to me.

            That is all for now. I will give some details about the two works when I get them completed and before I put them up for sale. It has been busy here, and I am trying to get adjusted to the new summer schedule. Once I can fully embrace the summer months, I will start to crank out more blogs, perhaps two a week (not that anyone reads them, Hah!)

            As always, good luck writing.

What to Do With Downtime

            I have found that writing falls into two categories: intensive writing and intensive down-time. I have either been viciously typing away at the keys or I have been staring at the keyboard, sometimes trying to remember how it works. Some writers may have a happy medium between the two opposites, but for most it seems it is either feast or famine. We all know what to do with the writing times; write, and get as much on paper as possible. The times of austerity, however, can be tricky to manage, as the creative rivers all but dry up. Here are some of the things that I do when I have no major projects on hand.

            First, I research for future projects. What do I research, you may ask? Well, I read fervently and learn my material; anything that catches my eyes becomes a possible idea. Is your book historical? Know your information and dates? Are you writing about science? Learn the language of the field and the function of the sciences. Be fully prepared for your work and read everything! I have studied articles, books on various subjects ranging from mythology to Wicca, and mentally consumed my fair share of ghost stories. You may remember these were some of my avenues of inspiration. I am currently researching stuff on Wicca for my next novel. I may not have mentioned much about this current project yet, but soon I will give you some details on book 2. Researching is important to the whole scope of the endeavor, as it gets you in line with the reality of the story and helps to prepare you for the flowing of the rivers again. Do you neglect your research. More on this later.

            Second, I edit heavily. You may not be able to write, but you can edit like crazy. Take the document, a large cup of coffee/tea/milk/Bailey’s/etc. and read like mad. I try to edit when I finish the document, but sometimes it piles up on me. Those downtimes are wonderful for catching up on the editions and getting them in. Editing takes a lot of time, so use your downtime wisely and set aside an hour or two for editions. It may be tedious, but it sure beats staring at the keyboard.

            Third, and perhaps most importantly, I relax. As a writer, you are a bit of an entertainer. You create stories for amusement and pleasure. Sometimes, however, it is nice to simply read someone else’s works and allow your mind to wander. We spend so much of our time crafting tales, editing and researching the story we want to tell, that it is nice to sit back and allow someone else to narrate the adventure. Do not neglect reading, as it is a time for us to enjoy the craft without being totally immersed in the process.

            Downtime can sometimes be a pain, especially if deadlines are approaching, but if you have the available time, follow the above strategies and you just may appreciate the idle hours more than you previously thought.

            As always, good luck writing!

Excessive Gore

            We seem to live in a world today which thrives on gory descriptions. The bloodier the movie or book, the better it will sell, or so it is thought. We see movies like the Final Destination series and the Saw chain and realize we are obsessed with debased scenes. I refuse to watch gore, unless it is based on a historical war scene (in such matters I do not want to be lied to either, as I remember the stories my grandfather told me of the horrors of the Second World War.) Yet when it comes to entertainment, we gravitate towards the bloody; as writers, it should not be so with us. Too many works are created everyday that detail slimy, butcher-like scenes. That is not art; neither is it acceptable. Some may think it difficult to create a horror story without gruesome detail. I disagree. Below you will find a few hints on how to write a very good work of fiction without the mess.

            First, and most importantly, let the imagination work on its own. When a person is engulfed by a book, their brain is running “wide-open.” They are viewing the scenes you describe; they are engaging with the characters and the plot; they are remembering places and names, and perhaps even conjuring memories of their own. You need not inundate their minds with details of a bloody nature. Poe illustrates a good example in the Black Cat, where he plucks out the eye of the cat. What could have been a very blood scene in writing was glossed over very quickly with little to no gory detail. The mind knew what to think; everyone can create their own scene without unwanted detail. Let the mind of the reader work freely on these parts. This leads me to my second point, if blood is necessary, move through it quickly.

            If writing a horror story, you will encounter bloody moments. It is inevitable to create a story with violence and no blood shedding. To dwell on the bloodthirstiness of the scene, however, is not necessary. Pass through it quickly. In most of Poe’s works, he passed through the scenes very quickly and with little detail. In my works, I give very little detail on such matters, and opt to move around them quietly. Does that make me a bad writer? I should think not, since my work is more about art than mere entertainment. I write for the joy of writing and the art of the work, not subtle blood splattering. The action may be necessary for the storyline, but the excessive detail is not; mention and move on.

            Finally, remember your audience. It is always a good idea, if writing horror, to write to as general an audience as possible. Keep the gore to a minimum for the sake of the readers, and you will have better success with the reading population. People can enjoy a good scary story; not all people can stomach gruesome scenes. Write to the greater reading population and you will do alright.

            Well, still feeling the need to elaborate on the exploding head? Remember, what you create is art, not just archaic symbols on a page. You may walk into a museum and look at the works of Warhol and think, what? Some people may walk into your story and think the same, even though you, like Warhol, are brilliant.

            As always, good luck writing.

Work Update 2

            I am very busy now! Perhaps that exclamation will make my point. My apologies for my recent absence, but the fact is I have had little free time since beginning my new occupation at work. I will indulge your curiosity for a moment and share a brief segment of my life before moving onto my work update.

            You might remember that I am employed in the food and beverage field, and was formerly the evening shift supervisor of a Starbucks Coffee Shop on an academic campus in Central Florida. I worked the job until two weeks ago, when the supervisory position in the Catering Department became available. Management was very encouraging, and I decided to take the position. I have been retail since I began working at the campus; now, I am in a totally new field, with new hours (a positive change), and a lot of responsibility. In fact, to make my point, tomorrow I will be preparing a breakfast for the university president and some guests. It is an exciting move, and I stand to gain a lot from it. It has been a good week in the new field so far and I am enjoying it immensely. There are items and people in the coffee shop I miss, but the transition has, overall, been a very positive one for me. I am now home most evenings with my wife (as opposed to working 6 pm-3 am every night) and I have a wonderful manager and crew with which to work.

            Now, I have said the above to point out that my new position leaves me little time to engage in blog writing. My wife is my first priority in the evening, so I write and research when time allows. I have been a week in the job, so hopefully I will begin to learn to use the new schedule to my advantage, as I still desire to keep my writing career going. That being said, onto the update.

            I spent most of today working on the novella, and am pleased to say I have finally gotten through the first draft! It was a bit of a pain, as the first read-through was extensive, but it came out well. Only two more edits and it is finished. I am pleased so far with the story and its outline, pace and style; only a few more critiques and it will be near perfect.

            You are reading my blog, so it means I was successful in creating it today. On my list are this blog and my short story, The Unbinding Tie, which I am currently editing. It is my hope to have this posted and the story completed soon. There do no seem to be many corrections as of yet (that frightens me!), but it is coming along nicely.

            As far as ideas go, I have one project I will begin shortly. This one is a short story about a hiker who ventures off trail into the old, abandoned house of the supposed town witch. Once inside, he finds and reads from a book she wrote about her own life and experiences with the judgmental townspeople. It has been rattling around in my cranium for a long while now, and demands attention. I hope to begin work on it in the next few days, time permitting. I am excited about the story’s prospects, as I feel it is going to be a good one for me. It will be nice to get it underway.

            Well, that is all for now. Wish me luck with my new endeavors, and as always, good luck writing!