A new novel in the works

I've been quiet these last three years, reveling in my new fame and fortune. Or maybe just reveling in the knowledge that I actually did write and publish a novel, even though I'm not rich or famous yet. But in these three years, the brain has been churning away, forming a new story, one whose time has come.

It's a science fiction novel about an engineered human subspecies and their struggle for freedom in a world ruled by humans who are on the brink of extinction from a virus for which the subspecies has the cure -- in their veins. Mwahahahahaha!

Holding it in my hands

The books I ordered for my motorcycle buddies arrived Friday. I eagerly ripped into the box and tossed aside the packaging, and there it was. My book, all shiny and pretty and new. I picked up the top copy and gazed lovingly at it, opened the cover and saw the exerpt, flipped through the pages and saw the story I'd taken so many hours, days, weeks and months to write (and rewrite and rewrite...).

Wow.

It's real.

A beautiful, hard-bound book with a shiny paper cover. And in the box were two stacks of them!

I swooned. Then I giggled. Then I sat down to sign them as requested and realized -- I hadn't practiced signing my pseudonym. Gads. I needed to be careful not to sign my regular name. hee hee!

Let the sales begin

Dun duh-nuh NUH! My fantasy novel, The Kinshield Legacy (ISBN# 1-59507-116-4), is now available to order! The first six chapters are posted on the publisher's web site as a sampler. Just follow the link below to whet your appetite.

If you're interested, you can order directly from the publisher at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/KL/KLDesc.htm by clicking the red "ArcheBooks Direct" button at the top left. You'll get it at 25% off the retail price by buying from the publisher. Even with shipping, it's less expensive than full retail at the store. You should get it in 7-10 days after you order.

If you prefer to order from a store, it should appear in the distributors' catalogs in about two weeks (until then, the bookstore won't find it in their computers).

Now that it's available, I need to notify everyone I've ever known and tell them how and where to get it. Many people are eagerly awaiting it, and in fact, my motorcycle buddies have already sent me their money to do a "group buy!"

I'm working on the flash video for my web site to use the book's cover. Using Adobe Photoshop Elements, I've removed the lettering and left just the "cave shot" minus the sword. Next, I'll redo the words using the same font as on the cover, and at the end as the cover picture fades into view, I'll have the book title shrink and move into the same position it appears on the cover. If I get it like I'm envisioning, it'll end up looking like the cover of the book as printed.

I'm also going to have business cards printed up with the cover on one side, and ordering info on the other. I'll also print up the bookmarks, but instead of using my author's photo on them like others my publisher has done, I'm going to add the "review" quotes. Then, with permission from bookstore managers, I'll slip them into fantasy novels on the bookstore shelves as mini (functional) advertisements.

Next, I need to schedule my first bookstore signing. That alone makes my stomach knot up. Probably after doing it a few times, it'll be not quite so nerve-racking.

[deep breath]

Another blurb!

A couple months ago, I'd written to author Piers Anthony to ask if he'd be willing to read my novel and, if he likes it, write a short blurb for the cover. He responded that he was too busy with his WIP, trying to meet a deadline, to do it right then, but if early December would work, he could do it then.

So, I wrote him about the middle of the month and asked if it was a good time. He replied that yes, he could read it now. Now my heart really began to race. Oh boy! But... what if he hates it? What if he thinks it's dumb? But I couldn't back out now, so I sent him the PDF galley (mistakes and all), and held my breath.

He replied on Christmas eve with a very nice letter pointing out a few errors and made some positive comments about the story. Apparently, he liked it! I forwarded his email to my publisher, who exerpted the quote for my book's web page. The letter started off with:

"The Kinshield Legacy is a rousing good fantasy tale, with nice characterization and some ferocious action. These days I read primarily for business rather than pleasure, but I found myself eager to return to this novel."

Woot! Woot! Woot!

It's official!

My novel was officially published today. A free sample (the first six chapters) is available at ArcheBooks.com

The eBook is available for purchase now at ArcheBooks.com

The hardcover will be available for purchse on Dec 30, 2005 from ArcheBooks.com at a 25% discount, and on 1/20/06 from amazon.com and bn.com (at full retail). It will appear in the book distributors' catalogs at the end of the year for order by bookstores. You can request it from your local bookseller by the ISBN number: 1-59507-116-4

It's a dreamy, surrealistic feeling to know I'm actually a published novelist now. I can't wait until I hold in my hands my bound, printed book with real pages and words inside. And a cover! Something I wrote and someone else believed in enough to spend his company's hard-earned money to edit, format, bind, print and advertise.

I think I'm swooning.

Done. Now I wait.

I finished proofing my galleys and sent the list of changes off to my editor. He returns from vacation on Tuesday, at which time he'll implement my changes and send the corrected document off to the format-person for the final "book-block."

My book's cover

I got the first draft of my book's cover from the publisher today. Because I don't much care for most of the cover art on their books, I opened the PDF file with great trepidation, certain I wouldn't like it.
But I do!
The colors, the artwork, the layout -- it just appeals to me! They did a fantastic job, IMO, and I'm really happy with it. Yippeeeeeeeeeeee!
He also asked for my author's bio, so I sent the paragraph I'd prepared a while back. Basic stuff about where I came from, where I am now, what I do, etc. And my dogs, of course. Can't forget the dogs.
I'm on page 205 of my book, as far as proofing goes. I won't get it done before my editor goes out of town, but that just means I'll have time this weekend to go through it once more to catch anything I didn't catch the first time through. Doesn't mean it'll be error free, of course. :)