Another Quick Note I
First, Shade of Evil is now listed on Sweetie Picks. Second, following on from my chat with Matt Carter, you can learn more about Kate Wellesley, co-leader of G! with Matt, courtesy of Nancy Jardine, who also includes a quickie profile of yours truly.
A Question of Price
I receive numerous emails about the world of books and authors, plus seeing and reading many blogs from the same area. I have noticed an increasing number of websites offering ebook services, such as formatting and publishing. What I cannot understand is the spiralling cost of these services! I have often mentioned that I use Jutoh, which is a commercial product. The price is considerably lower than the cost per ebook quoted by service websites, and I know that Jutoh’s not the only option. Couple this with services like Smashwords – which is free – and I really don’t understand how the service websites can possibly justify their charges! More, I can only assume that such services are aimed at the most vulnerable of new authors looking to self-publish – those with no experience in the process. I’m probably going to upset some people here, but surely there are enough potential costs without adding ‘formatting and publishing’? Every author has to consider whether to employ an editor and cover designer, to name just two possible expenses. I can’t help but think that the ever increasing level of profiteering and plain exploitation will drive many authors to either pursue the traditional publishing path or give up! And who’s to say that we won’t lose a Tolkien, or King, or Steinbeck? What a shame that would be.
Another Quick Note II
Yesterday, I posted a new poem. It’s a slightly odd look at ebooks and whether they have a real future in a world where technology changes so rapidly.
WIPs and Futures
The two current WIPs. The new Thief series short story is i abeyance – the story I stated just didn’t pan out, so I’ve got to think about what to try next. The new G1: The Guardians series story, on the other hand, is not only progressing very well, it’s already past 30,000 words! I’m not giving out even its working title, as that would be something of a giveaway. I’m hoping that any fans of the series, and the characters, will find the story more satisfying, with more character-driven episodes. I’m also hoping that it might attract lovers of thrillers and other ‘action’ stories, with far more action going on. Hopefully, I’ll succeed in throwing in a good surprise or twist.
As to the future, I’ve been thinking hard about that. I don’t plan, as such, but i do jot down any ideas that might come along. So far, I have many potential storylines for future G1 books. What will be needed is some thought as to how these various snippets might develop, and the order they may take, chronologically. What has become clear is that the series is strong and exhibits many potentials. It will, therefore, be around for a while, much to my surprise! A more challenging matter is pursuing the Captain Henri Duschelle Stories series. Probably because the G1 series is so strong, I’m finding it rather difficult to fix any ideas for the tales of the good captain. They will, however, sail again, I’m sure. I would quite like to write something that isn’t part of a series, but that obviously has to await an idea! Another area I’d rather like to have ago at is children’s stories. That’s a major toughie, though. They might be short, but that makes them all the harder to write, for me. They demand something that kids will enjoy and want to hear or read more than once, demanding a good story in a (relatively) few words. I have a concept, which I’ve mentioned before, but I haven’t tried again, so far. The loss of several pages when my netbook’s battery died still hurts.
So the future looks pretty good, and potentially very productive. I’ll just have to hope it all materialises!
~ Steve
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