Serial Fiction -- Now Serving Hot Stories One Chapter at a Time

Great News!

My novel in progress, Drowning in the Delta, has been accepted for serialization by Jukepop, the online serial fiction site. The first chapters are live and free for download -- that's right ladies and gentlemen -- free, not one thin dime or penny farthing (at some point there will be a small per-chapter charge easily paid through the Amazon store).

I've got 18 chapters written so far and expect the story will run to 35-40 chapters before we say adieu -- one chapter a week delivered to you, maybe more frequently, depending on time and your encouragement. You get the chance to not only take a free look at work in progress, but also to comment on what you're reading, be part of the fiction if you like, or walk away.

Jukepop Link

Click on the cover image and go to the book chapters online. Sign up to be notified when a new chapter goes up. Vote if you like the chapter, offer encouragement, suggestions for what you want to read more about, maybe some things in the tale you'd like to see less.

Why not just finish the book already and present it as a whole? Well, truth is, I've been struggling to get the story down, move ahead, finish. As a long time journalist, I know deadlines are great motivators. If I promise to deliver, I can't let you down, I will do it -- and in the process I'll finish the novel and then gear up to write the next one.

Actually, the concept of serial fiction has a long history and comes from journalism. Honore de Balzac, one of the most popular novelists of his time, was approached in 1836 to contribute installments of his fiction to a Parisian newspaper to increase readership and get people into the habit of reading the news. People are wringing their hands today about the same problem. Everyone watches TV, studies smart phones screens for short communications or views movies and books on e-readers. How to engage and keep readers coming back continues to be a challenge for those who publish.

Since consumers are already getting their information in bites, bits, segments and installments on electronic devices, why not deliver novels that way too?

It worked for Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1851 when Uncle Tom's Cabin was serialized for 40 weeks, also Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

And let's not overlook Charles Dickens. More recently, Armistead Maupin serialized Tales of the City in the the San Francisco Chronicle beginning in 1978 and continuing through the 1980s. Tales of the City was novelized, turned into a TV series and a few years ago was presented as a Broadway musical.

But now, while no one was paying much attention, technology has been turning what was once old into something new and interesting -- serial fiction on mobile devices. Jukepop, founded by Silicon Valley mobile systems engineer and serial narrative lover Jerry Fan, offers serialized stories in a variety of genres with a free introduction to the first chapters. Fan says the approach solves two major problems facing today's publishing industry: long lead times from creation to finished product for authors and risk reduction for publishers.

My friend Tom Foremski talks about the media disruption going on around us. Check out his news site Silicon Valley Watcher for high-tech insider information and thoughtful commentary on how technology is changing our lives. Tom says traditional publishing is in trouble, nothing surprising there, but he goes on to say all companies are now media companies -- publishers, broadcasters and performers. I suppose by extension the same is true for individual writers or in the more current lingo "content creators."

Since writers are having to become their own media companies, Jukepop helps them strut their stuff, attract readers, build a fan base, make a little money, while at the same time helping publishers find emerging talent with good stories to tell and decide if the story is worth investment costs given market risks. But, most of all, readers get to discover new writers, download stories they like and enjoy them at reasonable cost.

Welcome back serial fiction! Take a look at the first chapter of my novel in progress, download it to your smart phone, get notification when the next chapter goes up. Let's finish writing this book together!

P.S. The Drowning in the Delta cover image is used courtesy of supremely talented Sacramento photographer and artist Dianne Poinski. Visit her site, make an appointment to stop by her studio. Enjoy her portfolio of hand-painted photos from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the setting for Drowning in the Delta.

Courtesy: Dianne Poinski

P.S. 2 -- Want to try writing serial fiction? Here's a post from Writer Unboxed:  http://writerunboxed.com/2014/02/24/serial-fiction/ GoodReads has a serial fiction "forum" and lots of writers are using Jukepop to launch their serials -- in every genre imaginable. Anyway you look at it, Free-99 is a bargain for enjoying a re-emerging art form.

Fashion, Film and Fantasy

When I got there the music was bumping, pounding in a way guaranteed to give you tinnitus in old age. I wiggled around the limos to get to the velvet rope where the guard did a full look-over before letting me in, the list monitor matched my name to my face, then I was there, in the happening--Beatnik Gallery, fantasy-time Sacramento.

"Fashion On Film" premier, a showcase of short films inspired by the local fashion scene, was a melange of photo shoot, runway show, costume design showcase, make-up and hair design, trunk sale and party in an art gallery with tons of people.

Here's a link to a video explaining what this fun evening was about http://youtu.be/u6fE4QhTfmw

And, here's a link to film producer/director Matt Salvo's movie trailer for "Freakquency"

High fashion is not my usual subject matter so I was astonished to find hundreds of people in a big mid-town art gallery celebrating the local fashion scene on a work night.

Runway show at "Fashion on Film" premier

 I was there because a couple of friends have produced fashion films selected for the upcoming Sacramento International Film Festival and another friend, a former high-fashion model, has an insightful new memoir out about her international modeling experiences -- Runway: Confession of a not-so supermodel. As a result, beautiful clothes, body art, technology and fun suddenly came together in my life. I wasn't looking for it. It just happened and now I'm trying to understand "fashion" in this larger, more dynamic context.  

When the party was over, I couldn't help but wonder What's the point?  Yes, it was a fun evening. But, I guess I'm wondering why young women model. What I mean is why would any beautiful young woman wants to dress in showy clothes and strut around grabbing attention? If you're young and beautiful, the attention is automatic so why bother with theatrics? What is the internal dynamic that causes someone to exhibit themselves beyond the usual notice? What's the emotional payoff on the runway?

One of the short films was the story about a girl caught in the hum-drum of life and college. For her, getting onto the runway was about "the dress." I assume the motivation was that she got to wear lovely clothes she wouldn't be able to otherwise. Is that a common motivation for models or is there something deeper? What's in it for the model?

Meghan modeling, age 18

I asked author/editor Meghan Ward about the motivation and she said: "For me it was ALL about the money. During high school, I was waitressing at the Sign of the Beefcarver for $2.15 an hour plus tips (and the tips were low because we didn't have our own tables and didn't serve the food - it was a buffet-style restaurant). I met a girl in a lifeguarding class I was taking who had just been paid $800 for one day modeling in a pizza commercial. I was probably making $50/day waitressing. That clinched it for me.

"But others do it for other reasons," Meghan said. "I think many just like the attention, the chance to be on a runway or in a magazine and be admired by others. Others do it to get away from their home towns and travel. I think every model has a different reason."

She has a blog post about the top 10 questions people ask her about modeling. Here's an answer to the question:

Do you miss it?

Meghan: I miss the travel sometimes. I never stayed in one country for more than three months at a time. I lived in Paris, London, Tokyo, Milan, Hamburg, Munich, Zurich, Sydney, and New York and traveled to Greece and India. And I miss the money sometimes. I could afford designer clothes back then. I owned a $2000 jacket and several $400 pairs of shoes (and this was 25 years ago). I bought my own apartment in Paris when I was 21 (long sold, sniff sniff), and an Alfa Romeo for my French boyfriend at the time. But it’s really true that money doesn’t buy happiness. I’m much happier now wearing blue jeans and tennis shoes  than I ever was back then.

Although not my usual subject matter, here are some raw images captured at the Fashion on Film preview party:

Film producer/director Kim Mims
 on the red carpet

With film producer/director Matt Salvo
Photo by Ching Lee

Cast of "Freakquency" with producer/director Matt Salvo

From "Gatsby Glam" collection

"007 Hot Shot" collection

"Star Wars Fantasy" collection

"Star Wars Fantasy" collection

"Street Smart" collection

Kim Mims talks inspiration/motivation behind
her fashion short: "Life on the Reeway"

Why does fashion matter?
Leave a comment.
We'd like to know what you think.

You'll find us in the Word Garden

Advice to a Debut Author

I've been working with a friend and first-time author, editing and supporting her during the past year on the road to publication of her memoir. She sent an email yesterday saying her publisher has just shipped advance copies of her book, adding: "So far, the only people who have read my book is you, my best friend and the publisher. I had no problems when I was writing and trying to find a publisher, but now that it is a done-deal, I am terrified. Don't ask me why, but a lot of doubt has set in. Did anything like this happen to you with your first book?" 

 

Yes, I have worried that the quality of my work isn't worth promoting. I've tried to counter my  doubts by giving myself permission to be human and fallible and imperfect, and then moved forward with the process of bringing my stories to readers. I've felt this way even after winning awards and receiving  glowing feedback. Sometimes I can't imagine how anyone would take the time to read the drivel I've produced. Other times, I say to myself: "Screw it. It is what it is. I've done my best. Take it or leave it."

 

I told her writers need to create emotional distance from their work and develop a stance toward what they've produced. You are not your book. You are much more than that. And, you still need to brush your teeth and pay the utility bill. Paparazzi will not stake out your apartment, eating fast food at all hours of the day and night, lying in wait to snap a photo of you appearing with lipstick on your teeth.

 

Here are some ideas I offered my client for maintaining perspective:

 

Act as if -- You are an author; act as if you're an author until you become one, really feel it with calm assurance. Confidence is an inside job.

 

Step back -- Get some emotional distance from your book, your work. If you're gnashing your teeth about what someone might say about your story, accept that criticism is often more about the person doing the criticizing than the subject at hand. Be prepared to give people space to react to your work and your accomplishment.

 

You are not alone -- You are not the only person in the world who suffers from occasional, crushing self-doubt. Share your feelings and seek it from others who will understand.

 

Make your ego porous -- Poet Rainer Maria Rilke once said: "Will is of little importance, complaining is nothing, fame is nothing. Openness, patience, receptivity, solitude is everything.” Get balanced, get right with yourself. Get your hair done for God's sake, take a nap, go for a walk! Do not obsess. Your are not an idiot.

 

Don't be afraid to bloom -- "There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~ Anais Nin. Your book is on its way to the world. You've done all you can. You've opened yourself. Now allow yourself to flower. It will happen in ways unexpected and that is the glory of this work and this life.

 

Stand Aside -- It is not your responsibility to judge yourself or your book. Those jobs belong to God and your readers. Stand aside and let them do their work. Prepare to let the world know your story exists, your book is ready, and then step aside.

 

Although I tried to reassure her with this advice, there's no easy cure for debut jitters. Writing and publishing is a risk and I honor writers willing to take their work to the precipice of public opinion and toss their books in. I honor readers and respect their kindness and judgement as they catch us in the leap of faith that is publication.

 For a peek behind the curtain at the writing, editing, and publishing process, take a look at Between the Sheets, a spirited exchange between author and editor in the final stages of preparing a manuscript for publication.

 

Interview with Columnist Laura Lafferty About Adrift in the Sound

Interview With Author Kate Campbell

This is Part 1 of the interview, which appeared this week on Goodreads. Adrift in the Sound has been nominated for a Goodreads "Reader's Choice Award."

Here's author and book columnist for the Examiner Laura Lafferty's part-one interview with me about my new book Adrift in the Sound, as well as the companion nonfiction read Between the Sheets: An Intimate Exchange on Writing, Editing and Publishing. She includes the second half of the interview and a review of the Adrift in the Examiner.

 

Adrift in the Sound, which takes place in 1973 Seattle and Orcas Island, tells the story of the exceptionally gifted and emotionally vulnerable artist, Lizette Karlson and her struggle to overcome mental illness while seeking love and acceptance. A full review of the book can be found on my October 29th Examiner column http://www.examiner.com/review/adrift...

Q: I was a little surprised by the way Lizette’s mother initially reacted to Lizette’s odd behavior, throwing her out and not wanting to see her. I expected her to be more understanding since she herself was an artist, and artists tend to be somewhat unusual. Did she push Lizette away because her own mental health was in question and it frightened her to see abnormalities in her daughter as well?

A: I’m not sure Lizette’s mother was a real artist. I think her mother was a pretender, which her husband sees and chides her for. Her mental health was ignored because it was convenient for her father and his career. But, I think Lizette’s mother recognized the authentic genius in her daughter’s work, envied it, coveted it, and killed herself over it. In the late 60s, early 70s, millions of kids were rebelling and running away from home—smoking marijuana, getting drunk, having casual sex. There literally were millions of young people living and getting high on the streets in America at that time. I think Lizette’s mother wanted perfection from her daughter and rejected her for embracing the hippie lifestyle, as well as disregarding her talent, which Lizette’s mother desperately wanted for herself.

Q: Did Adrift in the Sound require a lot of research?

A: Yes. I spent hours researching online and reading, particularly the history of the Lummi Nation and the Coastal Salish Tribes, but also orcas that live around the island and in Puget Sound. I took a research trip to Seattle and spent as much time as I could in the Seattle Art Museum, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Washington. I spent tons of hours viewing and exploring the University of Washington’s online photo archive, which includes extensive images of Native Americans from the late 19th Century onward. I also read Seattle newspapers from the time and dipped into the city and state archives.

And, I read books on the 60s and the problems of homelessness. I have worked as a volunteer at Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento, which serves the homeless, but I delved deeper. I love exploring new subjects and guess I caught a bad case of “research rapture.” With experience, I hope to learn how to research more efficiently. Research is fun, but it can be a time suck.

In addition, I read several works of fiction that helped inform the writing, including John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, T.C. Boyle’s Drop City, Michael Chabon’s Wonder Boys, and Toni Morrison’s Paradise. I had already written the snake chapter when I read Wonder Boys and felt like Michael Chabon was a kindred spirit, exploring some of the same creative ground as me. I read extensively about mental illness and how it was treated in the era, the impact of rape and the practice of midwifery. I read about how to cook heroin and shoot up, and I also spent time on the docks talking with inland boatmen and hung out in some very sketchy bars.

Q: Can you envision Adrift in the Sound on the big screen? If so, who would you want to see in the roles of Lizette and Rocket?

A: That’s such a funny question. They say every writer wants to see their story on the big screen, but I’m not so sure. I think Lindsay Lohan would make a good Lizette, if she could find the discipline to do the work, and Leonardo DiCaprio would make a good Rocket, if he could muster the humility. As the creator of the characters, it would be interesting to see how skilled actors interpret them.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with Adrift in the Sound?

A: That’s a good question, one I haven’t been asked before. My hope is readers will see themselves or something familiar in the characters and, in that recognition, understand the era and its importance to all of us. In some ways, Adrift is a morality play and a history lesson.

Q: You’ve written a very unique companion book to Adrift in the Sound titled Between the Sheets: An Intimate Exchange on Writing, Editing and Publishing. What can you tell us about this book?

A: I’ve known co-author Tom Thomas for nearly 30 years. He was my editor when I was doing corporate editorial work in the 80s and early 90s and I appreciated his quick mind. He went on to write more than a dozen books in a variety of fiction genres. I have great respect for him.

Tom took on the final editing and shaping of Adrift as a favor and during a three month period—chapter by chapter, line by line—he challenged me on points of fact, intention, language and style. His emails to me were filled with advice and valuable information about the craft and business of writing. I feel sincerely that it would have been a shame to bury the exchange in my computer and act as if this extraordinary and dynamic discussion had not taken place. I believe that beginning writers, teachers of writing and those who love words will gain a lot from peeking behind the curtain to see a writer and editor at work. I’m grateful Tom agreed to publish our exchange.

Q: What are your future writing plans?

A: Launching a book has been time-consuming. I was warned that would be the case and it’s true. But, I’m working on a book set in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. I’m about a third of the way into the first draft. The main character is focused on her career, getting to the top, but a serious misstep lands her in the delta where she’s given the task of turning a crumbling estate into a five-star destination hotel. She drinks too much, hates what has happened to her and wants out of the boonies. At the moment she’s stuck on a beautiful yacht in a mucky slough off the Sacramento River. The estate’s dock is falling apart and floating away. The mansion has no electricity or running water. I urgently need to get back to the story and figure out how to get my main character back on dry land.

I have a collection of stories, Songs from the Caldera, I’ve been working on for a while and want to publish it next year and I’m beginning research for a memoir. A number of readers have asked about a sequel to “Adrift in the Sound,” and I’m considering it. These projects will take me a number of years to complete. I’d also like to shoehorn in a couple of other books just for fun. I hate that there are only 24 hours in a day!

The second part of this interview can be found on Examiner http://www.examiner.com/article/inter...

How to Create a Blog Traffic Jam

Wondering what to do after you write a blog post? Here are 30 ways to promote your blog posts and to drive more traffic to your blog from the Web site www.launchgrowjoy.com.



 

Are Books Going the Way of the Dodo Bird?

One Best-Selling author thinks so. Here’s what acclaimed ghost writer Michael Levin says about the future of ink on paper:

“Unless something changes, books as we know them are doomed, and not simply because people prefer to read on their iPads or Kindles.” says Levin, (www.BusinessGhost.com), a New York Times best-selling author, as well as editor, publisher, co-writer and ghostwriter.

“You’ll see the major publishing houses starting to go away in three to five years,” Levin says. “Their business model is in free fall. Already, we’re seeing books becoming shorter, cheaper, and diminishing in quality. You’ll soon see fewer really good authors bothering to write books, because books are no longer a meaningful source of revenue.”

Levin points to several developments he says foreshadow a sad ending for books:

• Attention spans are diminishing. Three-fourths of teachers said their students’ attention spans are shorter than ever, according to a poll released in June. By 11 years old, nearly half of the kids had stopped reading for pleasure. The poll, by publisher Pearson UK, is just the most recent survey/study documenting shrinking attention spans and a corresponding drift from books. “Part of the problem is children don’t see their parents reading,” Levin says. “Obviously, the kids’ aren’t the only ones with diminishing attention spans.”

• Major publishers are producing lower-quality books. The big publishing houses today are more interested in a quality marketing plan than in the quality of the book, so we’re being deluged by low-quality books. One reason is that many large publishers have stopped taking on the expense of marketing books, but they know it’s necessary for sales. So they take on authors with a marketing plan and budget. They’re also less interested in “star” authors, who demand higher royalties. They also lost authors when they eliminated advances in response to the 2008 recession.

• Books are moving to devices, where content is free and time is thin-sliced. Online, you don’t expect to pay for content. People will expect books available online to be either free or very inexpensive, and if those books turn out to be one chapter of ideas and eleven chapters of Hamburger Helper, they will be less willing to pay for them. Also, people don’t spend much time going into depth online; books are supremely inappropriate for the surface-skimming nature of the Internet. Once people have bought a bunch of ebooks they’ve never started, they’ll stop buying them altogether.

• Authors have a more difficult time earning a livable wage. Fewer authors can earn enough to make writing a full-time job. The audience is shrinking and fewer people are willing to pay $15 for a paper book when cheap alternatives are available. “We’ve already seen more books written to promote a product, service or company, or to brand the writer so he or she can pursue a more lucrative field,” Levin says. “Most books of the future will be marketing tools, since that’s the only way they’ll be profitable.”

Levin does find reason for hope, if publishers change how they do business.

“They need to stop trying to go after the mass market, which doesn’t exist anymore, settle on a niche and develop a brand. Publishers that stand for something in the reader’s mind – like Harlequin stands for romance – are built for the long haul,” he says.

Instead of publishing 500 low-quality books every year, major publishers should bring out only 50 top-quality winners and actually market them, he says. And publish how-to and other guidance and instructional books in concentrated form: short, powerful and to the point,

The rest of us have a job to do, too, Levin adds.

“People need to read, and they need to read to their kids or buy them books. If people stop demanding good books, there eventually will be none available,” he says. “The winners, going forward, will be that minority who still read and think for themselves. It’s a lot easier for government, the military and the corporate world to control the way people think if they aren’t reading for themselves. That ought to be reason enough to save the book.”

About Michael Levin

 

Michael Levin, founder and CEO of BusinessGhost, Inc., has written more than 100 books, including eight national best-sellers; five that have been optioned for film or TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others; and one that became “Model Behavior,” an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. He has co-written with Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, football broadcasting legend Pat Summerall, NBA star Doug Christie and Hollywood publicist Howard Bragman, among others. As a publishing consultant, Michael’s best-selling clients include ZigZiglar, Michael Gerber and Jay Abraham. He was the editor for Ziglar’s most recent book, “Born To Win.”

A discussion between writer and editor about shaping a book manuscript for market -- and the shape of the book market -- is the focus of my new book, co-authored with my editor Thomas T. Thomas (yes, that's his real name). Between the Sheets is available in ereader format and old-fashioned paper (how quaint is that?). Order online.

 

Book Marketing: Taking the Bull by the Horns

Got this inquiry from Book Club Reading List — Connecting Authors with Book Clubs

They said: If you have a minute, we are writing a series of articles to help authors and need your help. Could you tell us how long you spent marketing your book before it was released? Do you think this made a significant difference? What would you do differently?



Buy Now From Amazon

These are great questions for me. The short answer is no, I didn't market before my independently published debut novel was released, at least not in the way I'm approaching it now. Do I regret it? Yes. My excuse? I didn't know any better and took the bull by the horns. However, any cowboy will tell you that's the wrong end of the steer to start with.

I did set up a blog several years ago and have posted regularly since, and I built an online community through Facebook that I love to interact with, heavy on authors who write and sell books, not buy them. I was trying to build the "online platform" we hear so much about. Mine, I'm afraid doesn't sizzle and buzz and draw hordes of adoring followers.

I've joined several reader/writer communities: She Writes and GoodReads. I've been playing with Google Plus and I'm starting to Twitter. That keeps me so busy I haven't had time to try Pinterest. But, these things did not seem to generate the kind of sales I'd hoped for anyway.

I have also published a couple of stories on online in literary zines and referenced my book with links to Amazon. It's a lot of work with not much to show for the effort. My goal, which seems modest enough, is to sell 5,000 copies in a year. I have a long way to go, but I remind myself that it has only been about eight weeks.

My book released in mid-June. I had a party at the Comedy Spot, a trendy night club in mid-town Sacramento. I got a cake with the cover of my book on it and close friends and family came. I did my first public reading from the book. My granddaughter, 10, flew in from Wisconsin for the festivities. I sold $400 worth of books on the spot and got a bouquet of flowers from my granddaughter when it was over. I loved it!

Since then I've mailed a couple of dozen copies to people who've supported me -- established authors, creative writing teachers, editors, etc. What I've found is that I'm selling ebooks at about a rate of 100 to 1 compared to paper copies.

I've included questions in the back of my book to spark discussion among book club members, bye the way. This is the first time I've been contacted by anyone connected with book clubs and I'm thrilled, delighted to answer their questions. I haven't approached book clubs yet because I understand it's impolite to pitch them directly. If there is an etiquette or techniques to help make book clubs aware of new books their members might like, I don't know the approach. I'd love to get feedback and suggestions from book clubs on that.

What am I doing about the disappointing state of my book sales now? I've enrolled my ebook in the Amazon Select program and I've found about a dozen Kindle review/promotion web sites online, some seem professional, some seem so-so. I've paid for promotional services. On Aug. 30 & 31, my book, Adrift in the Sound, will be available free for download by Amazon Select members. I hope this effort, which is very time consuming to fill out forms, upload images, make payment arrangements, results in downloads that help build sales momentum. If nothing else, maybe a couple of Amazon reviews. We'll see. I'll have some results by Sept. 1.

 

Buy Now From Amazon

I'm so intensely involved in the marketing/promotion effort right now that I could write on this subject for days. What I'd do differently is start earlier, 3 to 4 months in advance of release, or I'd hold the release until adequate groundwork had been done. The problem is I didn't really know at the time what steps I needed to take. I read six books on book marketing and read every book marketing blog I could find. The problem is that without the book the theories and outlines didn't make practical sense. Each book and author is unique. It's not a case of do X, Y and Z and you'll sell a lot of books and achieve success. It's more nuanced than that.

But, it's also too hard to see five years of intense work invested in the writing, editing and production of a book result in a quiet thud in the market. I've learned a lot from the experience of writing the book and publishing it. But the real education has come with learning how to market it. That is where the benefit of a traditional publisher comes in. They already have the expertise. I'm still trying to figure it out. Thanks again for asking.

You'll find links to my books -- I published two books at once just to make sure the stress level was off the charts -- on my Amazon author's page.

eBooks Now Top Adult Fiction Book Sales

Sales Stats

This news just in from the Association of American Publishers, by way of GalleyCat, a top web site for writers. Digital books now dominate the adult fiction category -- by a huge percentage. At the same time, I got this announcement from friend Pat Larkin: "First, the big news! Larry Bond and I have just released Red Phoenix, our 1989 bestselling military thriller, as an eBook priced at only $2.99!"

Novelists are rushing to format their books into ereader format to offer readers a chance to enjoy their work again or for the first time on the magic screen. The information is especially important to me and the legion of other writers who've added digital books to their paper  format.

And, it's important to me because on July 26 my new novel, Adrift in the Sound, will be available for free download by Kindle Prime members. My book promotion in June was highly successful and I offer a big thanks to ebook readers for that. Amazon ranked Adrift in the Sound at 29th on its literary fiction Top Seller list and 35th in historical fiction. It was cool to be a bestselling author, even if it only lasted a couple of days.

According to a new joint report from the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group, eBooks exploded in the adult fiction category last year, accounting for 30 percent of net publisher sales in 2011–up from 13 percent the year before.

At the same time, net sales revenue from eBooks increased from from $869 million in 2010 to $2.074 billion in 2011. That’s 15 percent of net revenues for publishers. AppNewser has more about how these numbers have affected the total US book market.

Here’s more about those eye-popping figures, from the report: “Adult Fiction eBooks revenue for 2011 was $1.27 billion, growing by 117% from $585 million in 2010. This translated to 203 million units, up 238% from 85 million in 2010. Similar to the broader overall Trade sector, the combined print formats also represented the majority of publishers’ revenue in the Adult Fiction category, at $2.84 billion.”

The data for the report was collected from 1,977 publishers, ranging from major publishers to smaller companies.

In addition to receiving Adrift in the Sound free on July 26 through the Kindle Prime program, order Between the Sheets: An Intimate Exchange on Writing, Editing, and Publishing, co-authored with novelist/editor Thomas T. Thomas for your ereader. $2.99

Tom made the decision quite a while ago to go digital, converting all of his dozen or so Sci/Fi, Science Fantasy books to digital. His newest book about time travel: The Children of Possibility is available for ereaders from online book sellers. I recommend it. $2.99.

And, my friend and writing partner, Elizabeth Kern has a bittersweet coming-of-age story just out in ereader format: Wanting to be Jackie Kennedy. Order online.
P.S. Remember, July 26! It's free to Kindle Prime members. Let's see if we can do it again. Yay!

Crying Out Loud: Preparing Authors for Public Readings

Image courtesy: Theatre Press - Australia

With a new book out, I face the prospect of reading from my work, searching for venues where I can add voice to my novel. The idea is to find and engage audiences, entice them to buy the book.

If the reading is well done, well . . . maybe would-be readers will buy the book and recommend it to others. Then interest in the story will grow in concentric circles like when a stone is thrown into a still pond. That's the theory.

This time-honored approach to connecting with readers at book stores and literary events is, however, undergoing changes. Authors and book buyers are rethinking how they come together in the marketplace. Public author readings aren’t the marketing mainstay they used to be, according to a BookPregnant blog post by author Sophie Perinot. Her new book is Sister Queens.

“Once upon a time, when a writer sold a book, author appearances were pretty much a given,” Perinot says. “Writers, from newbie to veteran, gamely piled into their cars (or got on planes if their publishers would spring for airfare) and traveled through a wide swath of bookstore-land, giving readings and signing novels. Nobody questioned the wisdom of the live-author appearance as a way to sell books and generate buzz.”

Not anymore. Even if you sell your book to a big publisher, traditionally published writers are in the same boat as authors who publish independently. If you want to give voice to your work, if you want to build audience and sell a few books, then the experts say it will have to be a do-it-yourself project—online, in-person, word-of-mouth, social media, festivals, street corners, and anything an author can do to gain sales traction in a chaotic marketplace.

But what if reading in public is part of the plan and the prospect scares the bejabbers out of you? What if you don’t know where to find public performance opportunities? What if you stand in front of a few dozen people and they don’t like you or what you’re reading. What if you faint or forget your glasses? And, how important is it, really, to appear live and in person?

Perinot says there probably are as many opinions on these questions as there are authors. In her view—public readings aren’t very important. The online world provides plenty of ways to connect with potential readers without changing out of your pajamas.


Anne Buelteman, AEA

She says, “If your budget or your ‘real life’ don't lend themselves to a fifty-store swing through your home state, no sweat.”

I read this advice before I headed out the door last week to meet actor, voice coach and writer Anne Buelteman in San Francisco at the Writer’s Grotto. It’s a pioneering work center where narrative artists–writers, filmmakers and the like–keep offices, teach classes, build community. Buelteman offers a workshop on reading your writing aloud and says public presentations aren’t a vanity exercise or a waste of time.

“Being a compelling reader is a valuable skill every writer needs for connection with their audience,” she says. “In case you’re not feeling convinced local literary aficionados will be as fascinated as your cat when you read aloud, coaching is for you.”

The workshop wasn’t an acting lesson. It was an introduction to reading before an audience—how to prepare physically, mentally and creatively to deliver a meaningful performance of your work and create the desired impression.

Buelteman recommends selecting a section of your work that has a beginning, middle and end, where something happens. For my selection, a rag-tag softball game with a zinger ending – her  advice was slooooow down. It didn’t take her long to see that I was trying to cram a chapter’s worth of words into a limited time frame—the equivalent of sightseeing at 70 mph, with gusts to hurricane force, ensuring the audience’s impression would be a blur. About a third of the chapter was probably enough to impart tone and style of the story and engage an audience, she said.

Buelteman seized on this paragraph from my new book Adrift in the Sound and made these suggestions for pacing: “The poet Toulouse showed up in the seventh inning, flourishing his cape. He walked to the pitcher’s mound and took the ball from Gizzard’s hand, (pause, count 1, 2) turned it in the light as if studying the facets of a jewel. (pause, count 1, 2) He faced the dugouts, gathered himself.  (pause 1,2,3) The Tuggers complained about delay of game, but settled down when somebody said they were doing a tribute to a fallen player.”

 “This workshop is not an acting lesson,” Buelteman says. “Most of us are not comfortable if we feel we are acting. You became a writer because you have something to say—usually some story or topic to which you have some personal connection. The truth of that connection is more compelling than any ‘acting’ you might do.”

Once you’re at the reading event, Buelteman recommends: Remember to breathe, loosen your facial muscles and tongue before you begin, do not rush your words, enunciate and speak up. In my case, I did these things, but perhaps over-acted, making my presentation not only fast, but  phony and histrionic.

Instead of using gesture to act out the written flourishes, she recommended pausing to allow the words to sink in and give the listener a chance to appreciate the image of the poet standing on the baseball field lifting the ball and turning it in the light as if studying the facets of a jewel. (Breathe)

Buelteman will be offering coaching workshops on public reading skills in the fall through the SF Writers Grotto. Check out the site for more classes and sign up for email updates.

If you want to do live appearances,  Perinot has this advice: Create a “value added” event to get the biggest interest and attendance from potential book buyers.

“My favorite author event thus far was the panel discussion (billed as a historical fiction triple-treat) I did with a pair of fellow historical fiction authors,” she says. “We prepared a discussion called “Sex, Lies and History: A Literary Threesome.” Those who turned out had something more to see (and hear) than authors sitting quietly at a table, or reading text they could just as easily read themselves (which, after all is what a traditional reading is). They witnessed a lively debate on, among other things, common misconceptions about women in history and the trend towards more sexual content in mainstream historical fiction.”

 So, if a public reading is on your calendar—there are ways to improve your delivery and new ways to present your material. The best way to build audience and book sales is to prepare. There are resources to help you put your best theatrical foot forward and there are new ways to think about author events and public readings that add value to the experience for the audience you hope to build.

P.S. Adrift in the Sound will be offered as a free ebook download July 26 to Kindle Select members. Order online from Amazon.

Going Digital

Frédéric Filloux
 Paris based general manager
 French ePresse consortium

 

Editor's Note: As many of you know, I'm preparing to publish my first novel and have decided to publish independently. The book, cross-my-fingers, should go on sale about May 1. Because of my decision, because the launch date is real and approaching, I'm reading everything I can about digital publishing and book marketing. If you're interested in opportunities to publish in the digital revolution, here are excerpts from a couple of recent articles I found particularly interesting. There's a comment box at the bottom of this post, if you feel like sharing your thoughts or experiences on self-publishing and going digital.

The need for editing.

 The most potent selection tool readers use for ebooks remains the quality of the product, in the view of Frederic Filloux. He says the iPhone/iPad AppStore, Apple guarantees the overall technical quality of what lands on its shelves. Apple's primary motive is to avoid poorly coded apps that crash or, worse, interfere with the inner core of the iOS. No such things on Amazon. Once a manuscript is properly formatted (not very complicated), it's eligible for sale.

That's where reality barges in, he says in his recent Monday Note column for The Guardian. Many self-published authors insouciantly flog texts replete with grammatical errors and typos. Very few seem to rely on proper editing and proofing, this is the main divide between amateurs and pros. Editing is both a mandatory and costly process – but worth every penny. It is probably the most critical part of the value added by traditional publishers.

In the digital world, it must remain a key component of the process. To me, it's a no brainer: I'd go digital, especially if I published in English. Among the reasons:

Time to market: I'm not exactly the patient type who'll wait for a release window that will fit my publisher.

Pricing: I don't want to compete against well-established authors releasing their opus in the same format for the same price. Mine has to be lower.

Size and scope: I want to be able to publish a book with a number of pages based on the subject's scope, as opposed to antediluvian dictates saying books should have x hundreds of pages.

Updating capabilities: for a business book, being able to quickly make a new version with fresher data (or thoughts) is a must.

Control: I like the idea of picking the professionals who will help me with editing and design; no such freedom with a traditional publisher. Same for marketing and promotion; there, given the level of frustration I often see authors endure, I'd rather go by myself, or hire the right person to do it.

Permanence: an ebook never dies; it's as easy to find as a new release in digital bookstores. Great for personal branding.

Revenue: I'd rather bet on volume than on a small number of high-priced copies.But I still might print a small limited edition on dead trees. Because despite all rationale I'll always love paper books.
—frederic.filloux@mondaynote.com

Jeff Rivera's interview with Seth Godin from Digital Book World:

Libraries, Literary Agents and the Future of Book Publishing as We Know It

Jeff Rivera, writer & journalist, interviews
literary and social media opinion leader Seth Godin

Seth Godin

Rivera: Many authors hear your message about being willing to give away their books for free, or to focus on spreading their message but their question is: “I’ve got rent to pay so how do I turn that into cash money?”

Seth: Who said you have a right to cash money from writing? I gave hundreds of speeches before I got paid to write one. I’ve written more than 4000 blog posts for free.
Poets don’t get paid (often), but there’s no poetry shortage. The future is going to be filled with amateurs, and the truly talented and persistent will make a great living. But the days of journeyman writers who make a good living by the word–over.

Rivera: If writers shouldn’t presume they will make money directly from book sales, what other opportunities exist for them indirectly so they don’t have to flip burgers?

Seth: Depends on what you write! The Grateful Dead certainly didn’t depend on CD sales. Are you a chef? A public speaker? If you’re a mystery writer, can you find 1000 true fans to pay a hundred dollars a year each to get an ongoing serial from you?
It’s not the market’s job to tell authors how to monetize their work. The market doesn’t care. If there’s no scarcity of what they want, it’s hard to get them to pay for it.

Rivera: A number of publishers have pulled the plug on library editions of eBooks. Do you think that is a wise business decision and if not, how do you see it being a win-win scenario?

Seth: How incredibly silly. Libraries are like the radio for books. Not a money-maker for all, but a great way to spread an idea. I don’t think you can find a single author who suffered any damage at all because too many people took his book out of the library.
Ebooks for libraries need to be tweaked, not killed.

Once I get my books launched, did I say that? Yup! I'm publishing two books at once. Meet me in the garden and I'll tell you more about my darlings.

Connecting Rural & Urban Communities

Bay Area commuters are now seeing the faces and stories of hidden California—stories of farmers, amateur boxers and rodeo riders, even a young cowgirl. The images are in advertising spaces on BART trains, part of a new public information campaign and art exhibit aimed at connecting urban residents with rural life in California.

It’s a place I know well, where my own writing and photography takes place, it's my laboratory, inspiration and heritage. It’s a place I wish every Californian knew better and honored. But, in the bustle of the city, I know it’s easy to forget the backbone of our state, the hands that bring us food and the bodies that tend our landscape, use and protect our natural resources.

Lisa Hamilton's project Real Rural is important to me because I've always lived in the two Californias. As a child I lived on family ranches in Marin and Lake counties and grew up in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge spanning my worlds. Today, I live in Sacramento and crisscross the state, moving between urban and rural to tell stories about agriculture and the environment, puttering in my home garden and walking the state's fields, vineyards and orchards.

Rodeo family

“Real Rural: Stories from the Rest of California” is a collaboration between writer and photographer Lisa Hamilton and the nonprofit organizations Roots of Change, the Bill Lane Center for the American West, the California Historical Society, and the Creative Work Fund (a project of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund), which supports artists working in the nine Bay Area counties.

Real Rural is a portrait of California’s rural communities—what Hamilton calls with some irony “The rest of California.” Combining photography, writing, and oral histories, the project illustrates that rural California is not simply “the rest” of the state, but in fact is a place of surprising depth and diversity. The multimedia portraits she has made bring that rural life to the urban public, in hopes of connecting the two on a basic, human level.

Kern County sheepherder

“Real Rural is meant to start a new conversation between two parts of California that are at best disconnected and often at odds,” said Hamilton. “Many people in our cities think they already know the story of rural California: who’s there and how they think, their values and their struggles. I have aimed to demonstrate that in fact this place and its people are far more diverse and dynamic than most of us from outside realize.”

Hamilton spent much of 2011 crisscrossing nearly 10,000 miles of California, capturing amazing portraits of the state's remarkable scenery and seeking out stories about the diverse residents there. This innovative multimedia project features portraits of people and places, along with compelling, provocative stories about the subjects.

The 20 stories featured in Real Rural highlight compelling struggles and joys of life told from people and families of rural California. What the project tries to capture is the passion of each person featured and their belief in something deeply enough that they scrap, struggle and sacrifice for it. This includes, among others, the story of Guadalupe Diaz, who as a young immigrant to the San Joaquin Valley, lived under a tree with her husband and infant child; Charley Custer, a pot grower who has gone public in order to help return morality to the marijuana industry; and Sebastian, a tiny, nine-year-old boxer who insists he can be a world champion.

Jesus, 4-H livestock show

“By putting these stories with faces from rural California on BART trains, Lisa shares the lives and dreams of rural Californians with those of us who live in the city,” said Jon Christensen, Executive Director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University. “We’re proud to be part of this unique project that brings the reality of rural California into our urban lives through Lisa’s artistic vision, and the extraordinary people who shared their lives with her—and now us.”

While the main medium is photography, the images are supported and enhanced by accompanying text, audio, and other storytelling media. A website – www.realrural.org -- helps capture the remarkable photographs and accompanying written and audio stories from places Hamilton traveled to and from that most people have never heard of such as Surprise Valley, Lost Hills and Mecca.

“There is no reason why rural California matters more than the rest of the state, but likewise there is no reason why it matters less,” Hamilton added.

California farmworker

“This project illustrates the depth and diversity of these rural communities in order to foster a more productive dialogue and increased cooperation, particularly as it relates to the food system,” said Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change. “An important part of our mission is to educate people about these important issues and Real Rural helps connect the dots in a creative, inspiring way.”

The BART ad-art campaign will be featured on trains throughout the Bay Area through March 2012. Later this fall photographs from Real Rural will comprise a show at the California Historical Society in San Francisco. There will also be a concurrent ad-art campaign on billboards and public transit in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

“The California Historical Society is proud to be a part of this collaboration that explores a unique part of California’s history,” said Anthea Hartig, Ph.D., 
executive director, California Historical Society. “We look forward to helping bring these stories to the general public through an inspiring exhibit that showcases this remarkable collection of work.”

Lee Harris at home. Fairmead, Madera County.

For more information about “Real Rural: Stories from the Rest of California” visit www.realrural.org.

P.S. Happy Groundhog Day! (it's a rural custom) See you in the garden, spring can't be far away.