K.C. May

Lending library

2011-12-01T08:04:00.001-05:00

You've probably heard of Amazon's Kindle Owner's Lending Library for members of Amazon Prime. Well, word on the street is that Amazon will be extending the offer to us indies to include our books very soon. Now, since readers can only borrow up to one book per month, chances are they won't use their one loan for a 99c book. In fact, when I borrowed a book, I picked one that's priced for sale at $9.99, and I don't think that will be unusual. So authors are debating whether to raise their book's price in the hopes readers will choose to borrow it. To me, this strategy doesn't make sense. If a book isn't selling at 99 cents or even $2.99, what's the logic behind thinking readers will choose it for their once-a-month loan?

I'm planning to enroll The Venom of Vipers in the lending library (and keep its current price of $2.99), and my new omnibus edition of The Kinshield Saga (priced for sale at $5.99). Folks will be able to read both The Kinshield Legacy and The Wayfarer King for their one monthly loan, and those who choose to buy the omnibus edition will get a small discount. It's a win-win!

Indie fantasy authors to watch

2011-11-05T08:08:00.000-04:00

"There’s a new breed of author on the frontlist: the indie."

You can read the rest of the article and my most recent interview with Greg Hamerton at http://greghamerton.com/2011/11/indie-fantasy-authors-to-watch-k-c-may/.

Guest author

2011-10-08T08:48:00.001-04:00

I'm the guest author today on Nathan Lowell Presents. Recently, most of my interviews have been about how I got my books noticed so they sell well, but this one was sort of an open format where I could pretty much just blab about whatever I wanted. So I talked about one of the ideas behind an upcoming science fiction novel (as yet untitled). Feel free to add a comment at the end!

KBR Indie Awards

2011-09-19T13:37:00.000-04:00

The first ever Kindle Book Review Indie Book Award was announced today, and to my absolute delight, The Kinshield Legacy was selected as the second place winner! I'm thrilled and honored to have my book listed among the other winners and finalists.

Be sure to bookmark The Kindle Book Review site for your next read. Site owner Jeff Bennington says, "All books will have no less than 20 reviews with a rating of 4.0 or higher!"

Believe it... or not!

2011-08-17T19:44:00.000-04:00

What happens when a major publisher approaches the artist to buy the artwork on the cover of this book

and the artist refuses to sell? You've got to see it to believe it! http://www.lkrigel.com/2011/08/should-i-be-upset/

New release announcement

2011-08-12T17:56:00.001-04:00

Debra Martin of Two Ends of the Pen blog has graciously featured The Wayfarer King on her blog today as a New Release announcement. Everything you ever wanted to know about the book can be found there. :)

Not only that, but author Michael Wallace has posted an interview on his blog.

And if that wasn't enough...The Kinshield Legacy has reached new heights in the Amazon store! Here's a screenshot of it on the Movers & Shakers list. I'm almost afraid I'll wake up soon! (Now, if only I could get nook readers interested. hahaha!)

Release day success!

2011-08-05T07:38:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the official Release Day for The Wayfarer King. So far two book bloggers have given it 5 stars:

"This is another fantastic book by K.C. May. I have enjoyed everything of hers that I have read and was extremely excited to get a chance to read The Wayfarer King (The Kinshield Saga)."
http://indiebookblogger.blogspot.com/2011/08/wayfarer-king-by-kc-may-review.html

"I've said before that the enjoyment factor is worth a lot when it comes to the awarding of stars, and this story was immensely enjoyable."
http://www.gracekrispy.com/review-the-wayfarer-king-by-k-c-may/

It went as high as 751 in the Kindle Store rankings, and #2 in Hot New Releases in Epic Fantasy.

I honestly didn't expect such wonderful results on Release Day, and so I blow kisses to all of you who one-clicked. Thank you! I sincerely hope you enjoy the story!

New review from Motherlode blog

2011-08-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

GraceKrispy at Motherlode blog has posted her review of The Wayfarer King! Check it out -- and be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy.

Announcing... The Wayfarer King

2011-08-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

Finally, after all theses months, the book is done, formatted and uploaded to the various ebook retailers. It's available at Amazon already (early!) as well as Smashwords. Other retailers will be along soon. I'll post the URLs here and on my web site at www.kcmay.com when they're ready.

Thank you to all my beloved readers for your ongoing support. I hope you enjoy the story!

A Teaser

2011-07-26T08:19:00.000-04:00

Reviewer Grace Krispy posted a Teaser Tuesday sample of The Wayfarer King on her web site. Look for her full review on release day, August 4th!

Launch day festivities

2011-07-18T08:20:00.000-04:00

In The Kinshield Legacy, Gavin is asked how he lost his eye tooth, but he never gives a straight answer. The truth will be revealed in The Wayfarer King. Select your best guess, based on your understanding of Gavin's character. If you pick correctly, your name will be entered in a drawing for a Kindle or nook and $25 gift card! If you guess incorrectly, you could still win a $10 gift card to Amazon or BN.com. Visit http://www.kcmay.com/twkcontest.html to enter before July 31.

On release day, August 4, Grace Krispy will post her review of The Wayfarer King on her blog, Motherlode. Set your bookmark and mark your calendar!

Release date set for The Wayfarer King

2011-07-02T11:04:00.002-04:00

The sequel to The Kinshield Legacy is finally almost here! I'll be wrapping up revisions soon (maybe this weekend), and I've started the I-dotting and T-crossing phase. I plan to send the manuscript to my editor (Anne Victory at http://www.victoryediting.com/) for a final pass, and then it's off to the presses for an August 4 release! (It could become available for sale shortly before then because it takes Amazon and Barnes & Noble about 24 hrs to process a new book, but sometimes they're quicker than that.)

Will there be a third book in the series? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha no. As much as fantasy readers enjoy trilogies, this story ends with book 2.* :)

What about the cover art? I've posted an interim cover on my web site, but it's not what I ultimately want to go with. For the release, I'm planning something special -- artwork by T.M. Roy! You'll have to wait until August 4 to see it. :)

*This is not to say I won't write another book with these characters in this world. :)

Relief!

2011-06-13T07:42:00.000-04:00

The hardest part of The Wayfarer King is written: the climactic conclusion of the main struggle. WHEW! It's one thing to know in your head how it would all come together, and quite another to write it down with all its details and have everything line up and make sense within the context of the rest of the story. That's one of the funnest parts of writing, but also the most challenging.

I have the "epilogue" left to write, and then the revision phase begins. I've been revising all along, fixing and fitting and adjusting story elements so things line up (I could never just write a story straight through without fixing stuff as I go), so revisions shouldn't take too long. Then will come the clean-up edit, and it'll be ready to go! I'm excited to finally have the story finished. :)

Estimating time to launch

2011-05-12T08:49:00.000-04:00

For the last few months, I've been working on the sequel to The Kinshield Legacy which I'm calling The Wayfarer King. What I've learned is that sequels are much harder to write than the original book was! There are all kinds of story facts and events that have to line up. I wouldn't want to write something in The Wayfarer King that would require an event in The Kinshield Legacy to have happened differently. I have to work with what's already happened and "fit" future events around them. If you've read The Kinshield Legacy, you know that what Gavin is going through is a direct result of something that happened 200 years earlier... and a lot happened back then!

So presuming I have everything written the way I want it by the end of May (my goal date), I can get my revisions done in June and edits done in July. Somewhere in there, I hope to find a beta reader or two to keep me honest, and then hopefully, if I make all my goal dates, launch in August! I'm really excited to get this story finished and into readers' hands. I think y'all will like it. I hope you do, anyway. I'm taking a little bit of a risk with one aspect of the story, so we'll see!

Romance in fantasy

2011-04-26T09:26:00.000-04:00

I admit, I've never been a fan of romance in fantasy, although if it fits the plot, I certainly don't mind it. Now I find myself needing to include a romantic subplot in my fantasy novel, and I'm not quite sure I know how I feel about it.

Writing the kissy, emotional scenes doesn't bother me. I don't plan to include anything R rated, so if my characters do end up in bed, it'll be behind a closed door. What makes me squirm is the need for it in the first place. For those who know the story of Gavin Kinshield, it makes perfect sense that he would need to find a wife -- and quickly (in case he croaks). In fact, omitting it altogether would be completely illogical from a story standpoint. Glossing over a subplot is, well, not who I am as a writer. If I'm going to include it, it has to be an integral part of the story. It has to pull its own weight.

Yet, I hesitate. When I ask myself why, the only answer that comes to mind is that "romance doesn't belong in fantasy." I know, I know. It's a subjective preference, one that many other fantasy readers share. Will they forgive me this one indulgence? Will I forgive myself?

Game of Thrones

2011-04-18T13:48:00.000-04:00

All I can say is WOW! Even if you're not particularly fond of fantasy, this series on HBO is definitely worth watching. Based on the book A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, it's more a story of kings and wars and back-stabbing and manipulation than the typical fantasy with magic. You won't find any fairies or unicorns or elves in this story. It's raw and gritty (intended for mature audiences) and very well done!

Anyone who appreciates excellent prose and an epic story should consider reading the series, called A Song of Ice and Fire (of which A Game of Thrones is book 1). I found myself completely immersed in the story such that I don't notice the writing. As an author, that's my goal -- to make the writing disappear and have the story take shape within the reader's mind as he reads. Mr. Martin is a master!

I'm betting the HBO series shoots his books to the top of the sales charts (again?) as new readers discover his amazing talent for storytelling. I've read the first three books in the series, and now I'm eager to start on book four, especially knowing that the conclusion of the story, A Dance With Dragons, is due to hit store shelves July 12.

Another 99c sale

2011-04-06T20:42:00.001-04:00

This time, The Kinshield Legacy (ebook) will be on sale for the month of April at all online vendors:

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XT5IYI
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18996
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=2940011837036

A mysterious stone tablet with five magical gems has sat abandoned in a cave for two hundred years. The kingdom is in ruins, with only warrant knights to keep the peace. But then, the gems in the tablet, one by one, disappear.

Warrant knight Gavin Kinshield is a man of many secrets. He's the one deciphering the runes in the tablet. Unless he can find a suitable replacement, he'll be Thendylath's next king. All he really wants is the letter written by his ancestor Ronor Kinshield, king's champion and the last man to see King Arek alive... a letter he must earn by tracking down a common thief.

But when Gavin saves a woman's life, what should have been a simple task draws him face-to-face with his nightmarish past... and the truth of King Arek's demise.

If you like heroic fantasy tales, check out the free sample. Reviewers have given it 4.7/5.0 stars at Amazon (28 ratings), 4.5/5.0 stars at Barnes & Noble (6 ratings), 4.6/5.0 stars at Smashwords (10 reviews), and 4.23/5.0 stars at Goodreads. You might enjoy it, too!

All good things must end

2011-03-25T07:28:00.002-04:00

That includes sale prices. During the entire month of March, The Venom of Vipers was on sale for 99 cents. I did it partly to put the book into more readers' hands, and partly to see if it showed any signs of taking off like some other books did, like Victorine Lieske's Not What She Seems (which made both the NYT and USA Today's bestseller lists). Alas, my little science fiction story didn't quite make it, though it did hover in 4-digit rankings on Amazon for the month. Still, the sales weren't enough to justify keeping the price that low forever. So starting April 1, I plan to raise the price back to $2.99. If you've had your eye on this book, now's a good time to snatch it up!

Another sale for The Venom of Vipers!

2011-02-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

I'd put The Venom of Vipers on sale for 99c at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords last week when it was featured on DailyCheapReads.com. After the sale, it went back to $2.99, but Kobobooks received the updated price from Smashwords and dropped the price for it to 99c. Yesterday, Amazon's price-matching bots found it and automatically matched the price.

So... for a limited time (how limited, I don't know), The Venom of Vipers is on sale at Amazon for 99 cents! If you like a little thriller with your sci-fi, check it out! Currently it's rated 4.8/5.0 with 11/12 5-star reviews.

"The Venom of Vipers is insightful, creative and just such an incredible piece of fiction, highly recommended."
--Antony at SF Book Reviews

Celebrating the tenth 5-star review

2011-02-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

In celebration of Midwest Book Review's 5-star review of The Venom of Vipers on Amazon (bringing the total to 10/11 5-star reviews), I've marked it down to $2.99 until Sunday, Feb 20.

Midwest Book Review has been around for about 35 years and has established a reputation of writing quality book reviews. There are several different review departments. The one in which my book was reviewed was The MBR Bookwatch. Here's how they describe it:

The MBR Bookwatch is a monthly online book review publication that will showcase the reviews and commentaries of those Midwest Book Review editors and specialized reviewers who have demonstrated expertise and mastery of their particular fields, responsibilities, and interests. The MBR Bookwatch will also feature author interviews, as well editorial observations of various aspects of publishing world, by knowledgeable and articulate participants.

The review of The Venom of Vipers can be found here.

Two new reviews make my day!

2011-02-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

I found out about a week ago that my fantasy novel, The Kinshield Legacy, was chosen as the February read for the UK Kindle User's forum book club. Imagine how excited I was... and how scared! What if they all hate it? What if it's just "eh?" Eeep! Well, I figured I wouldn't find out until March when the book club members discuss the book they read during February. But then... I happened to go to my book's page on the Amazon UK site, and there I saw a new review posted by one of the book club members. You can read it here.

My favorite part: "I can't wait for the next installment." :)

Then, Google Alerts sent me an email to let me know that a book review of The Venom of Vipers was posted at sfbook.com. You can read it here.

My favorite part: "The Venom of Vipers is insightful, creative and just such an incredible piece of fiction, highly recommended."

"The second half really sucks"

2011-01-27T09:29:00.000-05:00

Whenever a new review of my books is posted, I get both excited and apprehensive. Did the reviewer like it? hate it? love it? In particular, reviews of The Venom of Vipers are always scary when the reviewer identifies himself or herself as a scientist because, well, I'm not. So when I saw that a review had been posted on Goodreads for it, I eagerly and warily began reading. And I came upon this phrase:

"Science aside, the first half of the book was interesting and entertaining character development and backstory. The second half really sucks you in and becomes exciting and suspenseful."

On reading the first part of that second sentence, "The second half really sucks," my heart fell just about to my feet. My tear ducts sat up and said, "Hello!" I actually had to read it again to realize the reviewer liked it.

We writers are such an emotional lot, aren't we?

Another giveaway for The Venom of Vipers

2011-01-23T13:01:00.002-05:00

Ryder wants to be more than a lab rat; he wants to be free.
Katie wants him to save the world.
Purists want him dead.

A supervirus threatens to wipe out the human population.

The only hope for the future is a cure hidden inside Ryder Stone. Created in a lab and brutalized, betrayed and hated by humans, Ryder yearns for freedom. On the outside, a group of human genetic purists want him dead.

When Katie Marsh, a brilliant young geneticist, discovers his secret, she must fight to protect Ryder, gain his trust...and convince him to save humanity before the purists destroy them both.

I'm giving away a free copy of my latest novel, science fiction thriller The Venom of Vipers, every day until I decide not to do it anymore. :) To enter the drawing:

Add The Venom of Vipers ebook to your Amazon wish list.*
Open your Wish List on Amazon.com and click the Share with Friends button near the top. There'll be a short URL that looks something like this: http://amzn.com/w/1AB23CDEF45G6. Copy that and email it to me -- or just plop my email address (k . c . may @ live . com) into the To: box. If The Venom of Vipers is on your wish list when I do the drawing sometime in the evening (EST), you might be selected as the winner!
If you are the winner, I'll send you either an Amazon gifted copy or a Smashwords coupon.

*If you don't own a Kindle, that's okay -- add it anyway and let me know in the email that you prefer a Smashwords coupon. If you win, you can download the book from www.smashwords.com in whatever format suits you.

If you don't win today, just leave The Venom of Vipers in your wish list and you'll be automatically entered into tomorrow's drawing! Pssst -- tell your friends!

The Kinshield Legacy receives another great new review

2011-01-18T08:39:00.000-05:00

Darkiss, on his review blog Darkiss reads, wrote this about The Kinshield Legacy:

"Well written and highly entertaining, you are taken on an adrenalin fuelled roller-coaster ride of excitement and exhilaration. K.C. May is well worth adding to your fantasy collection and will sit comfortably beside David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist and Stephen Donaldson."

Full review can be read at http://www.darkissreads.com/2011/01/kinshield-legacy-by-k-c-may.html

Yes, yes I did just about fall out of my chair!

The Venom of Vipers gets a face-lift

2011-01-17T18:32:00.000-05:00

After reading a lot of forum discussions lately about cover designs and taking a long, hard look at the cover for The Venom of Vipers, I decided it needed a change. It needed to be interesting. And I needed the help of someone who designs book covers, not just an artist, so I contacted Carl Graves of Extended Imagery.

Not only did Carl "see into" my book based on what little description I gave him, he picked out the most interesting tidbits and put together a cover that also matches the layout of my other covers. If you've read the book, you know how well this new one fits the story!

Hopefully this new cover will spark a little more interest than the old one. :)

Top four of 2010!

2011-01-07T18:30:00.000-05:00

My debut novel, epic/heroic fantasy The Kinshield Legacy, was named as one of the top four reads of 2010 on DailyCheapReads.com by Grace Krispy!

What a fabulous honor it is to be selected. I can't begin to describe what a great feeling and wonderful sense of accomplishment it is to know my books are being enjoyed.

Goodreads giveaway

2011-01-06T22:50:00.000-05:00

I started another Goodreads giveaway for the paperback edition of The Venom of Vipers. If you're a Goodreads member (or want to sign up to be one), head over to http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/7494-the-venom-of-vipers to enter the giveaway. It ends Jan 11.

Writing software

2011-01-03T21:18:00.002-05:00

I love books on writing. I have over 70 of them on my shelf right now. Books on plotting and characterization, self-editing and setting, description and prose style -- they're all there. For a while, maybe 8-10 years ago, I started looking for writing software. I bought Dramatica and WritePro and Power Structure. I tried yWriter and WriteWay and Who Knows What Else. And then I went back to good ol' Word.

Don't get me wrong. Word drives me as crazy as the next person. But I know it, and it doesn't get in my way. My dad (rest his soul) was fond of saying, "The best piece of software is the one you know how to use." But a recent discussion on the Kindleboards opened my eyes to another program for authors: WriteItNow. It's simple yet elegant, giving me ways not just to write my scenes and chapters but to organize my notes about events and characters, too. No more txt files called Notes1 and Notes2! I can keep everything all nice and tidy together, easily accessible while I'm writing.

To be fair, yWriter did that as well, but what I particularly like about WriteItNow is that it has a feature to gather all my scenes into a single RTF file in a manuscript format. Plus, its internal editor is super easy to use, and it has additional features like storyboarding and daily word count targets. The only "problem" with the word count target was that it didn't count my words accurately.

I was writing along for an hour or so and checked my progress. 818 words. Oh. Hm. Okay, I thought it would be more than that. I wrote for another 15 minutes. 823 words. Now wait a minute! That can't be right. I typed the word test and checked again. 824. Okay, maybe it is working. But how could I have only added 5 words in 15 minutes? Maybe I misread the first number. So I wrote for another hour. 830 words. WHAT? No freaking way. I selected all the words in the scene I was working on and used the regular word count feature: 1864. Hahaha! I see what it was doing there: getting me to exceed my daily goal. BY CHEATING. Ah well, I can't complain. I'm ahead of schedule now!

Since I'm on the subject of writing software, I have to give a shout out to Serenity Editor for Writers. That's one powerful piece of editing genius. It's not a magic button to turn a dull story into a work of art, but it will help find places where I've written the same 3-word phrase repeatedly, such as "shook his head." It's funny how many times a writer will write something like that without realizing it. I don't know about other writers, but I find that kind of assistance very helpful.

The Kinshield Legacy receives a great new review

2011-01-01T12:05:00.000-05:00

It never ceases to thrill me when a reader enjoys my book, especially those who step out of their comfort zone to try a new author in a genre they don't typically read. I feel like I've done my part to represent indie authors and fantasy writers in a good light. In this case, the reviewer writes, "The plot was interesting and entertaining, a mystery and a quest, and moved along at a quick pace." She then calls it an "Excellent debut fantasy." Thank you, Ms. Evans! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story!

Top 15 of 2010!

2010-12-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

I'm elated and honored to see The Venom of Vipers listed among the other fine books and authors as one of the top 15 books of 2010 at the Journal of Always!

3-star review of The Kinshield Legacy

2010-12-28T08:45:00.003-05:00

Writers don't usually like seeing fewer than 4 stars for their precious darlings, but in the case of The Kinshield Legacy, I was glad when Google Alerts notified me of this review: http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2010/12/kinshield-legacy.html

Often, too many 4- and 5-star reviews will make readers suspicious, thinking these reviews were all written by the author's friends or relatives. When a 1- or 2- or 3-star review turns up, it gives more legitimacy to the overall rating. In this case, however, the reviewer hasn't (yet?) posted the review to Amazon or BN.com, so it's not affecting the overall score (~~4.7~~ 4.8* on Amazon, 5.0 on BN), so I figured I'd try to spread word about it myself.

Although it's "only" a 3-star review, it's a good one. The reviewer liked the book, writing, "This is a solid light epic fantasy, if that's not too much of a contradiction in terms. It's nothing ground-shaking or mind-blowing, but I enjoyed reading it, and I had trouble putting it down by the end." She finished by calling it an entertaining good book. What author wouldn't be happy with that? I am!

*shortly after posting this, another 5-star review was posted on Amazon!

Journal of Always reviews The Venom of Vipers

2010-12-13T08:03:00.000-05:00

A while back, I queried author and book reviewer, Robert Duperre, about doing a review for Venom. Like most established reviewers, he was swamped, but he graciously agreed to add my book to his long list and said it might be December before he got to it. Luckily for me, that was great timing since the book wouldn't be out until Dec 1, and I had a Kindle Nation Daily sponsorship scheduled for Dec 14. As with any review request where I'm eager to see the result, I waited with great anticipation for him to finish. Rob teased me with a few comments, like "I'm really enjoying it so far" and "I'm done reading," but I didn't see his review until he posted it publicly on his web site, Journal of Always.

It had me in tears. Literally. Read it to find out why. After the review, Rob interviewed me about the book and writing in general. You can read the interview here.

Two new reviews

2010-12-09T08:34:00.000-05:00

Reviews seem to be coming in every couple days lately, which is thrilling beyond measure.

The Kinshield Legacy received an incredible 4-star review at sfbook.com. Among other things, the reviewer wrote, "It's difficult to believe that this could possible be KC May's first novel, if I didn't know I would have said she had been writing for years." He called it, "a beautifully crafted fantasy work that works so well, perfect escapism and highly recommended."

The Venom of Vipers received another 5-star review at Amazon, Goodreads & Smashwords (by the same reviewer). He started by writing, "What a fantastic sci-fi thriller from an independent author."

I'm absolutely ecstatic that the books are so well-received. Thank you, dear readers!

Wonderful new review of Venom

2010-12-06T21:55:00.001-05:00

If it weren't for Google Alerts, I might not have seen this one pop up as soon as I did. I'm ecstatic that the reviewer over at Blogcritics.org enjoyed the story as much as she did! Get a load of this:

"The Venom of Vipers is a fast paced read with an interesting kick, exciting characters, and a unique story. I really enjoyed the pace and the believability of a future time and place in our possible history. In addition to being a futuristic thriller with a bizarre twist, the book is a great read that will keep you turning the pages and following the characters."

Read the full review at http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-venom-of-vipers/

She was kind enough to post this as a 5-star review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Shelfari, too! This makes the fifth (out of five) 5-star review for Venom so far.

Another 5-star review for Venom!

2010-12-02T16:24:00.000-05:00

On his blog, Kindle Books Reviewed, Greg reviewed The Venom of Vipers. He begins by writing, "When I started reading K.C. May’s The Venom of Vipers, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The book does not fit neatly into a specific genre. It has a little science fiction, a little mystery, and a little thriller aspects to it. May neatly combines elements of those genres to develop her story that stands out in its own right." Read the rest at http://kindlebooksreviewed.com/2010/12/01/the-venom-of-vipers/

Indie Books Blog

2010-12-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

The Kinshield Legacy and I are featured today on the Indie Books Blog!

The Venom of Vipers - SciFi - $2.99

2010-12-01T10:23:00.001-05:00

Ryder wants to be more than a lab rat; he wants to be free. Katie wants him to save the world. Purists want him dead.

I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest novel, The Venom of Vipers, a science fiction story about a genetically engineered human subspecies.

A supervirus threatens to wipe out the human population.

The only hope for the future is a cure hidden inside Ryder Stone. Created in a lab and brutalized, betrayed and hated by humans, Ryder yearns for freedom. On the outside, a group of human genetic purists want him dead.

When Katie Marsh, a brilliant young geneticist, discovers his secret, she must fight to protect Ryder, gain his trust...and convince him to save humanity before the purists destroy them both.

This 89,000-word science fiction has been called "captivating" and "compelling." Check out its first three reviews at Motherlode, KindleBooksReviewed and Readers Favorite.

It's available in ebook formats ($2.99USD) at
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EBT3HW
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/31714
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=2940011901249
and in paperback ($9.99USD) at
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Venom-Vipers-K-C-May/dp/1453802746/

Amazon gift certificate giveaway on Facebook

2010-11-13T10:43:00.004-05:00

In celebration of the Dec 1 release of my science fiction novel, The Venom of Vipers, I'm offering a $5 Amazon gift certificate to five randomly-selected Facebook users who "Like" The Venom of Vipers fan page. All Likers as of midnight EST on Dec 1, 2010 will be entered into a drawing that will be held on Dec 1 at 12:00 noon EST. Winners will be sent their Amazon gift certificate via Facebook. Tell your friends!

Today monkeys. Tomorrow... humans?

2010-11-11T22:53:00.000-05:00

Transgenic monkeys help in the cure for Alzheimer's

According to this Nov 1, 2010 article at themedguru.com, "China is the third country in the world, after US and Japan, to have successfully genetically engineered a monkey."

If the genes from one species are being spliced into another species to help cure diseases, it's theoretically possible that we could come up with a new human subspecies that's immune to a disease that would otherwise wipe out Homo sapiens.

That's the premise of my new science fiction novel, The Venom of Vipers, scheduled to be released Dec 1, 2010.

According to the article by Neha Gupta, "So far only mice and rats have been genetically engineered to contain certain diseases which has helped scientists to test their theories before implying them on humans.

However, similar usage of monkeys has been a controversial issue worldwide due to the fear that it could eventually lead to the creation of genetically-engineered humans in future."

The possibility is real. The story is fiction. Look for The Venom of Vipers at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords on Dec 1.

Book marketing tip #2

2010-11-07T08:49:00.000-05:00

Join Goodreads.com and become a Goodreads author. Join some groups that focus on the type of book you wrote. Introduce yourself in the intro topic, then see if they allow authors to create a promo thread. Be active -- don't just promote and leave. Talk about the books you love with like-minded people. Those who share your taste in books might like the book you've written.

If you have a print copy of your book, consider hosting a giveaway at Goodreads. That's a great way to get a bunch of people to take a look at your blurb! Some may add it to their to-read list, even if they don't win the giveaway.

Join LibraryThing and become a LT Author. Consider hosting a giveaway in exchange for reviews. They'll let you giveaway ebooks, too.

Seek out bloggers who blog about the kind of book you've written, and ask for a review. You'll need to be able to send them a free copy of your book. Some don't review self-published authors, and some don't review ebooks, so you'll need to research them a little.

Encourage those who've read your book to write a review. Doesn't have to be a long essay -- just a couple sentences on why they liked it and/or recommend it. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool ever, and reviews are one form of that. Don't badger them -- people who've written ONE review, on YOUR book, may be assumed by other readers to be your relative, and their review may be suspect.

If you come across bloggers who interview authors, volunteer! Being interviewed is a great way to draw attention to you and your writing.

Participate in forums that discuss books, like http://www.bookandreader.com/forums/ -- don't promo there (you might get banned), but do put a link to your book in your signature. When you show up regularly, people will get curious and click. Don't be afraid of posting in the Amazon community -- just don't spam those forums with pleas to buy your book (unless you post in threads specifically created for that purpose).

Create a fan page for the book at Facebook. (If you don't already have a facebook account, create one for your author persona.) Invite all your friends to "Like" the page.

Newbie's guide to publishing

2010-11-04T14:51:00.000-04:00

Author Joe Konrath, on his very helpful blog, A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, listed my book along with a couple dozen other "indie" novels. He comes up with all kinds of cool marketing ideas -- anyone interested in self-publishing should definitely check out his blog. He's an example of a success story!
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

The Venom of Vipers - almost done!

2010-10-30T18:22:00.000-04:00

After four revision passes and five editing passes, I'm almost ready to stick a fork in this book! It won't go on sale until December 1, though. I'm going to send it around to review bloggers to try to drum up some pre-release publicity. Want a sneak peek? Chapter 1 is available on my web site!

Featured at Bargain eBooks!

2010-10-19T20:10:00.001-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy received a new 4-star review on Amazon today. Julie Ann Dawson of Bards & Sages Publishing started off by writing, "The Kinshield Legacy is a well paced, intricately plotted fantasy wrapped in a beautifully crafted setting. Author K.C. May does an exceptional job of breathing life into the kingdom of Thendylath. The lore and history of her setting weaves throughout the plot, tying everything together expertly." Read more at Bards and Sages.

The Kinshield Legacy is also being featured today at the brand new blog, Bargain eBooks. Check it out!

Book marketing tip #1

2010-10-17T22:24:00.000-04:00

From time to time, someone on one of the forums I frequent asks for ideas about getting the word out about their book. Although I haven't had my ebooks out very long, I've been compiling a list of book marketing tips that I've tried or thought of trying or heard about others trying. Someone suggested I blog these ideas, so here I am!

This first tip is for folks who've published a book for the Amazon Kindle.

The Kindle Boards is a very active community of Kindle readers and authors. Join this community at http://www.kindleboards.com

Once you're a member, post an introduction at http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/board,3.0.html -- people at the Kindle Boards want to get to know you as a person. This is a good time to remind authors to be active at the forums you join. Don't just go there to promote your stuff. Contribute to topics, start discussions or ask questions about stuff you're interested in. As an independent author, we're in a great position to connect directly with readers. Here's a terrific place to do that!

Now that you've joined the Kindle Boards and posted your Hi message, post an introduction for the book at the Book Bazaar http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/board,42.0.html This is the only place on the site that authors are permitted to promote our books. Only make one thread per book -- you can add updates to the thread once per week. Don't "bump" your book's thread.

Next, read this thread: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,27235.msg660219.html#msg660219 and follow its instructions.

Finally, put a link to your book in your signature on the Kindleboards (a how-to is provided in a sticky at the top of this forum: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,29609.0.html) and post elsewhere on the board. Readers use this board, and they may buy your book based on your posts. Make it easy for them by providing links in every post.

The Indie Spotlight

2010-10-15T07:53:00.000-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy is today's featured novel at The Indie Spotlight. When I submitted the info, I hadn't updated the cover yet, or moved the paperback printing to createspace, but the rest is current. :)

http://www.theindiespotlight.com/

The paperback is available at Amazon, but it's almost 4 bucks cheaper at B&N! ;)

New forum for ebook readers

2010-10-07T23:33:00.000-04:00

Whether you have a Nook or Kindle or Sony or iPad, this forum is for discussing ebooks of all sizes, shapes and formats! Come check it out: http://ebookgab.com/

Book of the Day

2010-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy is today's Book of the Day over on the Kindle Boards. If you own a Kindle, or you're thinking of getting one, swing by the Kindle Boards and have a look around. It's full of Kindle fans from across the world!

The End

2010-10-04T10:26:00.001-04:00

Last week, I finished all new writing on The Venom of Vipers, my upcoming science fiction novel set in Phoenix in 2023. After working for a year and a half on this book, I finally typed The End. Immediately, I was overcome with emotion: sadness, relief, fear! It's exciting to officially be in the revision stage. I enjoy the writing part. I love the revision part! It's where I get to bring out the detail and get all the ducks lined up. Edits are fun too -- put a nice shine on it and get it ready for the whole wide world. I'm not one of those who writes a pretty first (or second) draft. The revision and edit stages are where my best work happens.

In any event, I'm offering autographed ebooks to all who pre-purchase from my web site. I create an autographed ebook by writing something personal to the buyer on a sheet of paper, scanning it into my computer and adding that image to the manuscript (on or near the title page) before I create the final ebook.

If you're interested, visit http://www.kcmay.com/venom.html.

Top 100!

2010-09-28T16:03:00.001-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy made it into the top 100 of Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Fantasy > Epic fantasy novels today following its debut as the Kindle Nation Daily sponsor! Currently it's ranked #24 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Epic.

Ebook pricing

2010-09-25T09:41:00.000-04:00

There are two main schools of thought among Indie writers on ebook pricing. Joe Konrath posted a great article on it on his blog. After reading it, I agreed with everything he wrote -- he made a lot of sense.

Then I read this response by Moses Siregar III on his blog. Very thought-provoking! He makes very good points with some interesting data to back them up.

Technically, The Kinshield Legacy is a backlist title; it had been published in hardcover in 2005 and went out of print. I revived it by self-publishing in ebook formats, which really turned me on to the Indie way of life. Now that I'm getting ready to release my latest book, The Venom of Vipers, I'm thinking long and hard about how to price it. I'm still a new/unknown author without a huge following, but the points Moses makes in his blog are well-worth considering.

New review of The Kinshield Legacy

2010-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Blogger GraceKrispy wrote a wonderful review of my book on her blog Motherlode. I was a little scared when I got the email notice from Smashwords that a new review had been posted, but it bumped up the average stars to 4.8. What a nice way to start the week! I'm grateful to GraceKrispy for reading it (and so quickly, too) and thrilled that she enjoyed it so much!

The Frugal Kindle

2010-09-17T14:27:00.002-04:00

My book is being featured on The Frugal Kindle! Want some Kindle cheap-reads? Check it out!

My DRM Philosophy and Policy

2010-09-15T15:16:00.001-04:00

DRM (or Digital Rights Management) refers to the encryption that is often applied to electronic media to prevent customers from sharing the files they've purchased, or to keep them from using the files on any but the particular device that the seller wants them to use. The principle is the same, whether it's DRM-restrictions on a music file, a movie DVD, or an ebook. The purported purpose is to protect the copyright—to prevent the purchaser from engaging in misuse of the file, whether it's uploading it to a pirate site or sharing it with Grandma.

The effect of DRM is to alienate the customers, by limiting their fair use of the media, by making it hard to archive their purchases for safekeeping, and by generally getting in their way and treating them like would-be criminals. That's my view, and I believe that many of my fellow writers share it.

I've come to hate DRM, both as an author hoping to reach readers, and as a customer of books or music or movies hoping to use my purchases in the way that best suits my legitimate purposes. Therefore, whenever I have the choice, my ebooks will be available for purchase or download DRM-free.*

* I published The Kinshield Legacy for the Kindle without fully understanding what DRM was. Unfortunately, this cannot be changed once the book is published. Check out my pledge:

My Pledge

If you buy one of my ebooks from a store that uses DRM, and you can't download or read the book on your chosen device—whether it's the reader you originally bought it for or another—I want to help. Email me, preferably with some evidence of your purchase, and I will provide you with a copy that works for you. If you want to share it with a family member or a close friend the way you might a paper book, that's fine with me. If you want to convert the file to work on a different device, feel free. I trust you not to share it indiscriminately. I figure if I treat you with respect, you'll respect my need to earn a living, so I can continue to write. And you'll get to read my book and own a copy of it, which was the whole point to begin with.

adapted with permission from Jeffrey A. Carver

New fantasy novel blog

2010-09-14T14:49:00.002-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy is being featured today at http://indiefantasywritersunlimited.blogspot.com/ - check out this new blog!

Writing tips: conditional perfect

2010-09-11T11:25:00.001-04:00

We all use this construct, even if we don't know what it's called. Mostly it's used for something that didn't actually happen in the past. For example: If I'd known you had a Kindle, I'd have recommended some books. This sentence implies that I didn't know you had a Kindle, and because I didn't know, I didn't recommend any books. When I know someone has a Kindle, I recommend books.

It's like an If...then statement: If this, then that. Let's ditch those contractions to see what's under the covers.

If I had known you had a Kindle,
This part is supposed to be in the past perfect tense (had known)
(then) I would have recommended some books.
Here's where the conditional perfect goes.

This is where many people err.

They improperly use the conditional perfect in both the If and the Then parts. For example,
If I would have known you had a Kindle, I would have recommended some books.
The "rule" is that the conditional perfect can only be in the Then section.

More examples of proper usage:
correct: If I had gotten paid on Friday, we could have gone out to dinner.
incorrect: If I would have gotten paid on Friday, we could have gone out to dinner.

correct: If he had proposed, she would have said yes.
incorrect: If he would have proposed, she would have said yes.

And please, whatever you do, don't type would of. It does sound a lot like the would + have contraction, would've, but it's not proper English.

A facelift for Kinshield

2010-09-10T23:34:00.000-04:00

I got the new cover art for The Kinshield Legacy, and I am thrilled! I love it. The title and author name pop, and there's just enough of a tease of the mystery within the story without being a spoiler. Ronnell did a great job! Take a look:

He also gave me a 13x9 jpg to use for the paperback cover. I added the text on the back cover and spine, then uploaded it to CreateSpace. Once they tell me it's Good To Go, I can order the proof.

Writing tips: plurals

2010-09-09T09:06:00.001-04:00

I critique works-in-progress for other writers and participate on writing-related forums. Typos aside, I see a few common errors made by people using the English language as a tool (to tell a story). In my mind, language for a writer is like the toolbox for the carpenter. He can't build a house without knowing how to use a hammer and when it's better to use a screwdriver. Writers can't tell a story without understanding how to put a sentence together.

Writers, there's no excuse for thinking nouns are made plural by adding 's. More than one author is "authors" and not "author's." This is a rule we learned in first grade. We use this language every waking moment of our lives. Self-published authors in particular need to be diligent about proper grammar and spelling. Their reputations may be on the line.

If you find yourself being corrected by readers on grammar problems, it may be time to brush up. Check out the Guide to Grammar and Writing -- they have some fun quizzes that will test your knowledge.

New cover art for Kinshield

2010-09-02T15:52:00.000-04:00

I've decided to get Ronnell Porter to create a new cover image for The Kinshield Legacy because the cover art I have now is low-resolution and CreateSpace let me know they can print it if I want, but it won't look very good. It's time to freshen up TKL's face anyway, and Ronnell does such neat covers.

Paperback edition coming soon

2010-09-01T13:11:00.000-04:00

Today I uploaded The Kinshield Legacy to Amazon's CreateSpace for paperback printing and distribution. Although I only buy ebooks now, as do most of my book-crazy friends and relatives, paperback books still by far outsell ebooks. The Venom of Vipers will be released in paperback as well as ebook formats when it's ready, hopefully later this year.
Also, be sure to visit the Fantasy Book Critic blog and look for Liviu's review of The Kinshield Legacy coming soon!

First impressions are lasting impressions?

2010-08-31T06:51:00.005-04:00

The Kinshield Legacy was featured on author Richard Jackson's blog today as a First Impression. Check it out! Thanks, Richard, for the kind words!

The final hours are upon us

2010-08-30T08:43:00.000-04:00

The Goodreads giveaway of The Kinshield Legacy in hardcover is due to end at midnight PST! The giveaway is free to enter. Just hit up Goodreads.com and enter to win!

Kindle giveaway blog tour

2010-08-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

Author Scott Nicholson is doing a blog tour Sept-Nov 2010, in which he and Amazon are giving away a Kindle DX and a Kindle 3. In addition, Scott is compiling a list of ebooks to give away to one of his Twitter followers. The Kinshield Legacy will be one of those ebooks. Check it out! It looks very cool.

Cover blurb... check!

2010-08-28T13:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my writer friends at the Critique Circle and the Kindleboards, I've got a great working cover blurb for Venom. I've started compiling a list of review bloggers to contact about getting pre-release reviews. Not ready to actually write to them yet, but when the time is right, I'll know who to contact.

The Venom of Vipers cover art

2010-08-26T22:23:00.000-04:00

I found an artist to work with on the cover art for Venom. She's quite talented with photomanipulation and digital painting, and I'm confident she can make a beautiful cover for the book. I'm really excited! Check out some of her work: http://miss-ninja.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d23rzu6 and http://miss-ninja.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d1xmf6v Guess I'd better finish writing the story. heh.

Sole Sacrifice - new cover

2010-08-26T12:14:00.000-04:00

Author and artist Ronnell D. Porter created a most excellent cover for my novella. I think it perfectly captures the essence of the story!

Sole Sacrifice

2010-08-22T15:21:00.001-04:00

A short story I wrote several years ago is available in various ebook formats at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. This is a tragic story of how a character in my novel The Kinshield Legacy becomes who he is.

Using Amazon DTP or Smashwords to publish ebooks is easy (and free). It's a great way to introduce people to my writing without having to put together an anthology.

Spalding's Racket

2010-08-19T13:31:00.000-04:00

My book's being featured at Spalding's Racket. Woot!

Free hardcover copy available

2010-08-11T10:21:00.000-04:00

I've posted a Giveaway at Goodreads.com -- register at Goodreads and enter the giveaway before August 31, 2010 to get an autographed copy of The Kinshield Legacy in hardcover. It'll make a great gift for that fantasy-loving, Kindle-eschewing friend or family member!

Author interviews

2010-07-31T11:18:00.002-04:00

Check out J.E. Johnson's blog where she's doing "drive thru" author interviews. Pretty neat stuff!

The Kinshield Legacy now on the Kindle!

2010-07-30T20:02:00.005-04:00

My now-ex-publisher was kind enough to let Amazon know that I hold all publishing rights to my book now. Amazon picked up where it left off getting my book ready for the Kindle. The Kinshield Legacy is now available to download for $2.99. Although it just became available today (and the behind-the-scenes processing isn't quite finished), I've already got a sale! Of course, that might have been my mom... ;)

Now available as an eBook

2010-07-15T21:32:00.003-04:00

My novel, The Kinshield Legacy, is now available as an eBook in several formats. Read the first half for free at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18996 and decide if you want to pay $2.99 to read the rest. And if you buy during July 2010, it's just $1.50!

Kindle edition coming soon!

2010-07-15T08:10:00.003-04:00

My novel, The Kinshield Legacy, will soon be available for the Kindle! If you're like me, you look for Kindle editions of books before print copies. I'm super excited!

Meanwhile, the second draft of my current novel is coming along well. I plan to have it finished by the end of this year.

A new novel in the works

2009-04-03T23:45:00.002-04:00

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

2006-01-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

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

2006-01-05T17:45:00.000-05:00

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!

2005-12-29T16:46:00.000-05:00

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!

2005-12-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

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.

2005-12-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

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

2005-12-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

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. :)

Galleys Out!

2005-12-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

The galleys are here! On Saturday afternoon, I received the PDF file from my publisher/editor, Bob, formatted like it will appear in print. I'd provided him a basic JPG map of The Kingdom of Thendylath, which he "transformed into a vision of beauty and antiquity." Seriously, it's quite nice, and even has runes around the edges! I like what he did with it.

So my job is to proofread it and return a corrections list to him, preferably by Wednesday. Seeing as how today is Monday and our company Christmas party is tonight, and I've only done about 110 pages out of 389, I don't think I'm going to make it. He's going out of town, which is why he'd like to get it before he leaves. Will the world end if it takes another week? Probably not. We've already missed Christmas, so another week won't matter.

I must say, I'm pleased and a little surprised at how few changes he suggested in my story. So far, the changes are good, and I've only one minor disagreement. He said he thought the manuscript was exceptionally clean. Actually, he said a lot of very nice things, but since it would seem like bragging or tooting my own horn to quote them, I won't. I'll just summarize by saying he REALLY liked the novel, and made a comment I've heard again and again: he didn't want it to end. That bright glow to the west? That's me beaming. :)

In Editing

2005-10-31T18:29:00.001-05:00

My novel has officially entered the Editing Phase! You may have noticed that today's date is 10/31, so probably my book won't make its target publication date of "October 2005." :) Well, things happen. In this case, it was a category three thing called Wilma. If you've ever been through a storm with hurricane-force winds, you probably understand why my editor didn't get to editing my book on time. Seeing as how he lives in the Wilma's path, he was probably too busy boarding up his windows, stocking up on water and canned goods, and so forth to worry about whether the first sentence of the second paragraph on page 152 should have a period or a semicolon.
But now Wilma's gone, and life is going on. And my manuscript is being edited by a professional editor at a publishing house.
And my publisher and I talked about my pseudonym. Actually, we emailed each other about it, but whatever. I'm using K.C. May. K is for Karen, C is for Collins, my grandma's maiden name. My two grannies are among the women who've inspired me most, so I wanted to pay tribute.
Of course, the title, 'She Whom I Most Admire' goes to my dearest mom. She's awesome!

Day 5 & The Journey Home

2005-10-09T01:20:00.000-04:00

Friday came too soon. After an intense but enjoyable week, I'm not sure any of us were really ready to leave. We started the day with a lecture by Steve on Writers' Mental Health, and the ways we need to take care of ourselves. Too often, writers and other creative people get lured by drugs and/or alcohol, or even cigarettes & caffeine to help tap into their "muse" or inner beast, then find they can't create without them. The trick is to never start.

The other way we need to take care of ourselves is by refusing to let the negative reviews get to us. Sometimes even seeing how prolific other writers are can dampen a writer's enthusiasm because, frankly, sometimes the words don't come as freely as at other times. And sometimes they don't come at all. One piece of advice all the instructors gave repeatedly on this subject: Never EVER respond to a negative review. Even if all you want to do is to correct an error of fact ("there were no cats in my story"), it can come off as snarky. Let your fans correct the error for you. ;o)

Next, Patrick gave a lecture on the state of the industry -- really interesting. He started with a history of the genre and mass-market paperbacks, and wrapped up with a few encouraging tidbits about book-buying in general: the national literacy rate is higher than ever, people buy more books than ever despite the higher cost and the fact that about 30% of the population does not go to bookstores), and the genre is alive and well.

After dinner, we talked and said our goodbyes and ambled off to prepare for our departure.

Saturday morning, we settled our hotel bill and I got some pics of my two roommies, Pat and Kate. Pat and I said our goodbyes to Kate and got a ride to the airport from one of the "not staff." We caught the same plane to Providence in the little 10-seat (including the pilot) plane. The weather was pretty nasty, and so our landing was quite rough. Pat and I had a 2-hour layover before our next flights, so we had lunch and talked for a while, then said our goodbyes. I went on to Dulles airport, and after a short layover and a long wait inside the plane, we took off for Phoenix. The movie was Batman Begins. Despite leaving about an hour late, we were almost on-time at the arrival gate, only my luggage went to LAX instead of Phoenix. Grrr.

I'm tired through to my bones! Sunday will be spent reading, relaxing, doing laundry and relaxing. And reminiscing about one of the best weeks I've spent in a long time.

Day 4

2005-10-07T02:54:00.000-04:00

We had the last of the crit groups today, thank goodness! The stories were all so great, but trying to read them all by 9am was hard, plus we had to get our writing assignments done. I went to bed around 1am the night before, so I was starting to feel the tiredness catching up to me. After critique group session, Debra gave a lecture on research, which was really helpful. Writers must do research, whether they’re writing about a real world or one they make up, because even the made up stuff has to be plausible and grounded in reality. We have to understand culture, religion, monetary systems, textile industry (clothing, weaving, etc), and so forth. Debra gave us the method she learned in grad school when starting to research subjects we have absolutely no knowledge of. The biggest tip: start with children’s nonfiction to get a high-level discussion with pictures.

After lunch, we broke into small groups to read aloud the stories we were assigned to write on Monday. Mine was a humorous tale based on the assignment "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Iceberg," which, of course, was an assignment to write a funny story about the Titanic. Afterward, we regrouped for the colloquium, which was an open discussion about all aspects of writing – whatever students wanted to know. The one thing that all of the instructors emphasized was that if you write a good story, it will get published. In fact, they could not emphasize that enough. Another thing they said more than once was that every student in the room would be in the top 5% of the slush pile.

Writers learn about the slush pile – that huge stack of manuscripts waiting to be read, which came "over the transom" (unsolicited). Interns are often hired to read them and weed out the "slush" from the good writing. The two editors, Teresa and Patrick, said you cannot believe the kind of stuff that people send – and most of these writers have some chemical imbalance or altered mental state of some kind. Good writers do stand out. Unfortunately, very little writing from the slush pile ever gets published, but if you’re in the top 1-2%, your chances are excellent of at least getting read by an editor.

We had supper, then played a few rounds of Thing and Mafia. Those two games are so enjoyable, and they give the group a chance to bond and friendships to form. We laugh, we tease, the ice breaks, and it’s just plain fun.

Day 3

2005-10-06T01:30:00.000-04:00

The crit groups started the day, like the others, after which Teresa Nielsen Hayden gave a lecture on exposition. A most wonderful lecture, I might add. I’ll type up a few tidbits from that when I have more time. Again, we broke for lunch, then I met with Laura for an hour one-on-one, and she gave me her thoughts on my story as well. Unlike everyone else, she loved the story, including the [tragic] ending, but she would also like to see me implement Steve’s suggestion.

After that, I was free for the rest of the day/evening, but I still had my short story to write, plus critique two stories for tomorrow morning. And I have one more left, so I’d better get to it!

Day 2

2005-10-05T23:50:00.000-04:00

There’s so much going on, it’s been impossible to find time to write it down. We had critique groups in the morning for an hour and a half (and that time really flies), followed by a lecture. Today’s lecture was from author Laura J. Mixon. Not only is she a great teacher, she’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. She talked about the feeding and caring of the inner beast – the wordless entity that resides in all of us which helps us express ourselves. Some people call it the muse, but the beast may be a better term for it because it can be a bit wild.

After lunch, we got together for a colloquium, where something happened, but I forgot what. Then we had one-on-one sessions with an instructor for an hour. My hour was with author Steve Gould. He took a good portion of that time critiquing my story, telling me what worked and why, and what didn’t work and why, and some thoughts on how to fix it. We discussed some of the other ideas brought up in my group critique, and talked about writing in general. The most significant piece of advice he gave me on my story was about the ending, and not letting the bad guy get off scott free.

I had a couple hours after that to read for Wednesday’s critique session, check email and such, before supper, after which I did some critiquing and went to bed just before midnight.

Day 1

2005-10-03T21:25:00.000-04:00

We met Monday morning at 9am and broke into critique groups. I met with six other students and two of the instructors, Jim Macdonald and Teresa Nielsen Hayden. The students went first, giving me their feedback on the story I wrote, Sole Sacrifice. As the critiquee I was not permitted to say anything, just to listen (and take copious notes). A few students thought the pacing was too slow, some thought it was just right and they ripped through the story. Some thought the story was too long for what went on, but the psychological aspects of the character’s transformation were important. Then, Teresa had her say, and she had a lot to say! She started out by saying she didn’t hate it. I guess that’s a good thing! When she was done, Jim added his comments, many seconding what Teresa said, but adding some other observations, too. He was the only one who commented on who the real villain of the story is and why. He also, in a round about way, pointed out that the coolest parts of the story (the woman captain and the sea snakes) could have been cut.

What struck me about the instructors’ feedback was how deep it was. Teresa went into detail about the social and religious foundations of my story and what didn’t work and why. She pointed out so many plot and structure (societal) holes, I was astounded. In a good way – if I had this kind of feedback about all my writing, I’d be in heaven!

Next, I sat and listened to everyone critique a fellow student’s story. I’d misunderstood the instructions and so I didn’t read it, so I needed to read later and get with her to give her my comments. Jim and Teresa, again, gave a ton of detailed, deep comments about the story’s weaknesses and holes. Jim’s an EMT in his community, and told us some interesting things, such as that the skin stretches a lot after death. For instance, a man who dies in his easy chair and is found a month later will have his jaw in his lap, and his fingers stretched so far that his fingertips reach the floor. Anyway, comments like that showed how some scenes wouldn’t work because of the physics or what have you. All in all, I thought the feedback was immeasurably helpful, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

We all met again in the main meeting room for a lecture by Jim on plotting. He used the chess metaphor, which I dearly love, but I’m still not 100% certain how to translate it into writing a story. I get the gist of it, the point about dominating the center squares and putting your main pieces into motion early in the game, but what threw me was that the minor characters are the pawns, and the major characters are the back rank pieces.

After lunch, we met for some fun writing exercises, and got our first real assignment: a 5000 word short story due Thursday. Some students met for one-on-ones with an instructor. Mine will be Tuesday and Wednesday with Laura Mixon and Steve Gould.

After dinner (turkey and dressing), I have two stories to read and critique for Tuesday, plus start on my short story.

Day 0

2005-10-03T01:13:00.000-04:00

Sunday, I went with Bill to pick up one of my fellow students, and we stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hotel room. I picked up eggs, sausage, cheese and butter for breakfast burritos (I brought large tortillas with me), milk, sweetener for tea, and the shower cap I’d forgotten to bring with me. Back at the hotel, I was eating my sloppily made burrito when my roommate Kate arrived. She’s a very nice lady, who had just graduated from college, making me wish I’d done something like this workshop back then. What a head start she’s getting on her writing! A bit later, our other roomie, Pat, arrived. Pat’s a clinical psychologist from Alabama, who happened to know of my dad’s work in the field of Social Work. Woot! Anyway, the three of us get along just great, and at 4:30 we bravely descended to the meeting rooms where our first workshop event would be held. Unfortunately, the event didn’t start until 6pm, so we had to come back later.

We formally met all the instructors and ate supper of burgers and salad and the best potato salad I’d ever had. YUM!! Then we played two rounds of a game called Mafia. The first round, I was the commendant. If you don’t know how to play, it goes like this… OK, never mind. I'll find a link to it online. That’s easier. :o)

Off to Paradise

2005-10-01T23:01:00.000-04:00

Today's the day!

The airport shuttle picked me up just shy of 4:00am Saturday and I was through security and at the gate by 4:45 for a 6am flight. The obvious thing to do while I wait is read… or write. I brought along The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells to read. Somehow, I couldn’t relax enough; I’m going to my first writer’s workshop! First in-person workshop, that is.

I lucked into a first-class upgrade on the longest leg of the journey (Phx to Pittsburgh) for a mere $150, and I was glad I did. It was nice. Really nice. I connected in Pitts to Providence, RI, where I ate lunch and waited 3 hours for my flight to the island. There were only seven passengers and one captain in a tiny propeller plane that seated ten. I really enjoyed that part – but we were only in the air for 20 minutes. One of the VP staffers, Carol met me at the airport, and she and her husband, Bill, drove me to the Island Inn. It was already starting to get dark, so I didn’t get to see a lot, so I look forward to doing a little exploring tomorrow.

It turns out that one of the students had to cancel because her son had a terrible weight-lifting accident that tore his femoral artery! So her roommate, Kate, was without a roommate, and seeing as how my two roommates were both men, Carol asked if I’d be interested in rooming with Kate and perhaps another lady, Pat, who would like to share if someone needed a roomie. So the three of us are piling into a townhouse unit. It took a while to get ahold of Dick and Leo to find out if they were cool with splitting the condo two ways rather than 3, but it all works out great.

The rooms are charming. The townhouse has a bedroom upstairs with a king-sized bed, and a bedroom downstairs with two twin beds, plus a queen sofa sleeper. I don’t mind sharing a bedroom, and neither does Pat, so Kate will probably get the upstairs bedroom. My knees don’t like those stairs. No siree.

Kate – a different Kate, of VP Staff fame – kindly invited me to join the instructors and staff for a meal in the staff room, seeing as how I arrived early and didn’t get a chance to get to the store for food. I, being shy when outnumbered by strangers, was happy to observe from the shadows and get a feel for the incredibly quick minds and creativity of the people I’ll be spending the next week with. Jim Macdonald, aka Yog, is as friendly as he is helpful, with a nice, firm handshake. Teresa Nielsen Hayden is an amazing person, so witty and sharp, and with a personality you can’t help but like. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about everyone as I get to know them, but so far, I’m overwhelmed and excited and deeply thrilled to be here.

Web site is up!

2005-09-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

I bought the domain name kinshieldlegacy.com so I could promote my book, The Kinshield Legacy. This was my first Flash MX project, so it's not fancy or anything, but take a look and tell me what you think. Once the book's cover is designed, I'll see about pulling in some images from that.

Oh and one more thing: only 1 week and 2 days until I leave for Viable Paradise! Woo HOOOOO!!

Turned in the manuscript

2005-09-06T20:25:00.000-04:00

Late last night, I emailed the most up-do-date version of my manuscript to my editor, along with the dreaded, uh, I mean requested author's photo. From the production schedule, it looks like there are three books ahead of me to be edited, but I'm sure he'll get to mine fairly quickly.

Now comes the exciting part (as if the stuff up to now hasn't been exciting!): going through the editing phase! I guess it can be scary too, really; the book is my baby. I've worked hard to get it to where it is now, and I know the editor is going to want changes. But what kind of changes? Will he want me to remove whole subplots? We don't have time for me to rewrite the whole thing :) but I'm not going to try to fool myself into thinking it's perfect as is. I already know it's not.

Calling Dick Tracy

2005-09-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

You know how it is when you have all these stories in your head and not enough time to write them all down? So you decide which one is calling to you the loudest and concentrate on that one. Then, when that's done, you can check your list and decide on the next novel to write.

Once I finished The Kinshield Legacy, I started on the sequel, The Wayfarer King. I realized that TKL might not make it, in which case writing the sequel would be pointless (except for practice and my own satisfaction). Seeing as I'm writing for publication, I developed a strategy: set TWK aside until TKL sold, and work on something else in the mean time. So I started on two novels, one a fantasy and one a science fiction. I'd even started workshopping them through the private critique group to which I belong, The Prose Nest, and on the OWW (sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com).

Hold everything!

Now that TKL has sold, do I pick up where I left off on TWK? Or do I come back to it later? For the answer, I turn to my publishing contract and read the option clause. My publisher has first right of publication on my next completed novel. Hmmm. It would make more sense to present the sequel to the book they're actually publishing, right? And if they decide not to publish it, I get back to the two others while I try to sell TWK elsewhere.

Artwork Schmartwork

2005-08-31T15:18:00.000-04:00

Well, I knew I'd hit a snag sooner or later. Things can't go perfectly all the time, can they? It looks like I'll have to use the in-house artwork after all. The publisher needs the finished piece by the end of September and wants to retain copyright on the finished art, and it doesn't make sense from the artist's standpoint to take a measely few hundred bucks to do a painting he/she cannot sell prints of or otherwise display for his/her own promotion purposes. An artist willing to relinquish copyright is going to want a heckuvalot more money for it than what I can afford.

I can't say I'm not disappointed. The artist I'd chosen is very talented. Take a look at her online gallery at www.ldiehl.com and I'm sure you'll agree. Maybe my next book.

Signed, sealed and on its way

2005-08-30T15:16:00.000-04:00

Agent Jeff hammered out the details on a couple minor issues on the publication contract with my publisher, and we received the updated contract. Last night, I signed a copy for ArcheBooks and a copy for Jeff, and dropped them in today's mail. Woot!

Next step: find an artist for my cover work. I have someone in mind, so it's now just a matter of convincing her to do it :o). True, the publisher is normally responsible for this, but I'm being anal about it, and ArcheBooks has agreed to give serious consideration to any artwork I submit.

And... guess what! My Writer's Digest School instructor, mystery novelist Carol Davis Luce, has graciously agreed to write a cover blurb for my book! Yipeeeee! I'm absolutely thrilled about that.

Everything is coming together so well, I'm almost afraid to write blog updates. Knock on wood...

It's Over

2005-08-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

My search, that is. After querying a few agents, the one at the top of my list wrote back and set up a date & time we could talk by phone. We exchanged information (rather, I gave him info about my situation -- I'd already done my homework and knew enough about him to know I'd love to have him on my team), and he offered to represent me! Yay! I now have an agent.

Next step: Jeff will review the publishing contract and make sure it's fair and equitable to both parties. It's a well-established fact that (in general) publishing contracts are written to benefit the publisher. He'll let me know what changes he'd like to suggest, and with my thumbs up, he'll contact the publisher directly.

The search for an agent continues

2005-08-23T09:31:00.000-04:00

Now I really need an agent! Having never had one before, I only know from my reading what they do for writers, but one of the most important things, apparently, is to help with the publishing contract. There may be a few things the author would like to have happen (or not happen) which the agent can help negotiate. But without an agent to tell me what those things are, how would I know?

Breathe. In, out, steady now...

2005-08-21T18:51:00.000-04:00

Now that I've caught my breath, I can start thinking about my next steps. The publisher, ArcheBooks Publishing Co., has emailed me a PDF version of my contract. I've skimmed it (to find out the scoop on royalty payments!), but haven't thoroughly read it yet.

At this point, probably the best move I can make is to get an agent. Of the ones who haven't rejected me on the basis of my query letter, I'll write (again) to ask for representation on the basis of an offered contract. Granted, the agent won't have to shop the novel around, but I suspect that's one of the funnest parts of their job -- getting that Yes from a publisher. Still, I'd like to have someone in-the-know sitting in my court, whispering advice into my ear on all the mysterious details of getting a book to press.

It's all so overwhelming. I can't describe the incredible feeling of elation and stark terror I'm feeling. Elation because, gosh -- my book is going to be published by a real publisher (in hardcover, no less)! Those three years of work are paying off. Terror because the first novel is so important to the future of my writing career. (If this one bombs, it's not likely another publisher will give me the time of day when I'm done with the next book.)

Stay tuned as I continue to share my experiences and adventures in publishing. Oh, and you'd better believe I have more novels in progress.

It happened!

2005-08-21T15:44:00.000-04:00

The contest winners were announced this morning, and my novel was one of the three winners!

WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm still on cloud nine, unable to fully grasp that I'm not dreaming. More later. I just can't sit still long enough to type out what's going to happen next.

Contest, Part II

2005-07-30T18:44:00.000-04:00

My stomach has been in knots for the last two weeks, waiting for the moment I would find out whether my novel was among the finalists in the ArcheBooks Publishing 2005 Novel Contest. I was sitting on the couch, reading A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin) when my computer informed me, "Karen, you have new mail." Somehow I knew. It was the publisher, emailing the notice of finalists. Did I want to get up and find out? I tried to read to the end of the chapter, but my eyes kept flicking back to the computer screen. With a sigh, I thought I'd better get this over with. The time had come.

I moved the mouse to turn off the screensaver, and there in my inbox was a letter from the publisher. I took a deep breath and clicked.

Congratulations to all of our 2005 Novel Writing Contest Finalists! Your novel has been chosen as one of the best three submitted in our three competing categories this year. Over the next three weeks your novel will be read in its entirety and scored by the judging committees at My Writer Buddy online writers' group and the Editorial Staff of ArcheBooks Publishing. On the 22nd of August, the individual winners of each category will be publicly announced, along with a formal Press Release.

Good Luck to all the remaining contestants. Only three more weeks to wait!

OH. MY. GOD! I made it! I made the finals! Now, if I thought these last two weeks were hard, I can only imagine the next three. Even if I don't win (and I hope I do! I hope I hope I hope hope hope), the fact that I made the finalists is a huge boost to my confidence.

I feel very fortunate and very, very thankful!

Closer Than Ever Before

2005-07-15T23:01:00.000-04:00

At the end of June, I submitted my novel, The Kinshield Legacy, to the 2005 ArcheBooks Novel Contest for the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category. The contest was open to a maximum of 500 entrants divided across three categories (SFH, Mystery/Suspense and Women's Fiction). Interestingly, this year most of the entries were for SFH and MS.

Anyway... I am very pleased (pleased? PLEASED?! How about ecstatic?!) to say that my novel has made it to the semi-finals! It currently has a 1 in 10 chance of winning the cash prize and hardcover publishing contract.

The next phase of judging has begun, and on July 30, they will announce the three finalists for each category. On Aug 22, one winning novel from each category will be selected from the finalists.

This is going to be a long next few weeks. Stay tuned!

I'm In, Blog - Neato!

2005-06-20T22:41:00.000-04:00

After a long, painful wait, I finally received word from Kate at Viable Paradise: I've been accepted! Hoooraaaaay! This workshop is just what I need.

With my application, I sent part of a novelette called Sole Sacrifice. It's the story of how and why one of the villains in my novel, Sithral Tyr, became evil. My plan is to work on the story until mid-August, then turn in what I consider to be the best job I can do on it as my workshop piece. I'm eager to take it from 'the best I can do' to 'good enough to publish.'

It's true that publication options for novelettes aren't many, but I plan to submit it to the Writers of the Future contest. Of all the contests in the writing world, this one probably has the greatest impact on the career of a new writer. Perhaps with a placement (or win) in that contest, I'll get an agent or editor to read my novel, The Kinshield Legacy.

That's the plan, anyway.

And I'm happy to say, I've started submitting a couple of my short stories to magazines -- and I've received my first rejection! Hooray! Those who write with an eye toward publication know why I say that. For those who don't: 'tis better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.