That's the total number of Epoch copies that have sold between July and December of 2007 according to my royalty statement. Yaaay! That's a much bigger number than I'd expected, so I am very happy. If I can keep the momentum going, they may just have to order a reprint!
Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters continues to drop off, however. In that same time period, only 17 copies sold. And seven were returned. That's not very good at all, but I'm at least glad copies are still selling.
My writing has picked up; I no longer feel blocked. I'm concentrating on two projects: Kids Who Know, and Apoca-Lynn. I'm not going to make any prediction about when I might complete either project. Right now, I'm just glad I feel like doing them.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
I Will Do Better
Today I feel a lot more like my old self. I slept in a bit, played a PS2 game (Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick), had hot dogs for lunch and watched an episode of Doctor Who. I'm feeling ready to get back in the game and do some serious writing!
And maybe I'll do a little rewriting while I'm at it. I typed up my synopsis for Cupidity, and realized it's been about two months since I finished Cupidity and The 5 Demons You Meet In Hell. Both are more than due for a read-through, followed by a solid rewrite to get them to the stage where I can show them to people. I'd hope that, when I get the good news about The Right Hand of Evil, I could prepare 5 Demons to be the book that follows it. That would be sweet.
I feel like I've been stuck in a river heading toward a waterfall these last few months. No, work wasn't that bad, I just felt bad while I was there. Basically, I'm tired of office jobs, where I'm expected to produce a certain amount of tedious work on an hourly basis. I want a job where I'm not expected to be a machine. I had that for a while at the Manulife mailroom - if I can get something like that again, I'll be financially secure and relatively happy.
In the meantime, I'll keep writing. My time being blocked ends now.
And maybe I'll do a little rewriting while I'm at it. I typed up my synopsis for Cupidity, and realized it's been about two months since I finished Cupidity and The 5 Demons You Meet In Hell. Both are more than due for a read-through, followed by a solid rewrite to get them to the stage where I can show them to people. I'd hope that, when I get the good news about The Right Hand of Evil, I could prepare 5 Demons to be the book that follows it. That would be sweet.
I feel like I've been stuck in a river heading toward a waterfall these last few months. No, work wasn't that bad, I just felt bad while I was there. Basically, I'm tired of office jobs, where I'm expected to produce a certain amount of tedious work on an hourly basis. I want a job where I'm not expected to be a machine. I had that for a while at the Manulife mailroom - if I can get something like that again, I'll be financially secure and relatively happy.
In the meantime, I'll keep writing. My time being blocked ends now.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Writing Hasn't Been Good Lately...
It seems every year I go through a period where I just don't feel like writing anymore. Usually this phase hits right after I've completed a novel, and am searching around for what to write next. It usually lasts a couple of weeks, and then I get started on something that works for me and I'm off again.
Not lately. Since finishing Cupidity I've tried to start 3 projects and continue working on a fourth, but it's been slow going. I went back to Kids Who Know and got a chapter done, but then I hit a wall. I started two new novels, both of which I was sure would get me going, but I hit walls after the first chapter. I even tried to start a play, only to put it aside. I've gone back to one of the new novels - a new teen comedy called Apoca-Lynn - and I've cranked out a bit more, but it is slow going.
I'm not sure of the cause, but there are numerous culprits. Work was one, financial stress another. Plus, my depression was pretty bad for a few weeks there. Usually, though, writing helps me through all of that. Now it's all I can do just to get a few sentences down.
This is hard for me to deal with, but I must. Writing is my life, and I want it back. And, I need to know how to get the excitement for writing back so I can inspire other writers with it. So many times I've told other aspiring writers to write every day, and the inspiration will come. Why can't I follow my own advice?
Not lately. Since finishing Cupidity I've tried to start 3 projects and continue working on a fourth, but it's been slow going. I went back to Kids Who Know and got a chapter done, but then I hit a wall. I started two new novels, both of which I was sure would get me going, but I hit walls after the first chapter. I even tried to start a play, only to put it aside. I've gone back to one of the new novels - a new teen comedy called Apoca-Lynn - and I've cranked out a bit more, but it is slow going.
I'm not sure of the cause, but there are numerous culprits. Work was one, financial stress another. Plus, my depression was pretty bad for a few weeks there. Usually, though, writing helps me through all of that. Now it's all I can do just to get a few sentences down.
This is hard for me to deal with, but I must. Writing is my life, and I want it back. And, I need to know how to get the excitement for writing back so I can inspire other writers with it. So many times I've told other aspiring writers to write every day, and the inspiration will come. Why can't I follow my own advice?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Fired? Not Exactly...
Yes, I have gone and lost another job! I've been working for the last three months at TD Waterhouse, doing my usual data entry work and trying not to let the boredom kill me. Last week I found out they were replacing the temp and contract staff with other TD workers, and yesterday was my last day. So I wasn't 'fired' exactly, but the result is the same.
It was a sad parting - some of the people there were really nice, and a few even bought books from me! They got me a card and a Tim Hortons gift certificate, and seemed genuinely sad to see me go. I wasn't quite so sad - I'll miss a lot of the people, but the job just wasn't right for me. I am not an office person. Not at all.
And so, the hunt for work begins again.
It was a sad parting - some of the people there were really nice, and a few even bought books from me! They got me a card and a Tim Hortons gift certificate, and seemed genuinely sad to see me go. I wasn't quite so sad - I'll miss a lot of the people, but the job just wasn't right for me. I am not an office person. Not at all.
And so, the hunt for work begins again.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Right Hand Clapping
Over the last few weeks I've been in contact with Andrew, the acquisitions editor for Flux/Llewellyn, discussing my new novel The Right Hand of Evil. He suggested some changes, I agreed and rewrote the synopsis, and he's happy with what I came up with. This week he'll take it to an acquisitions meeting and pitch it to the rest of the company; if all goes well, I could have another deal lined up!
Wish me luck and success, please!
Wish me luck and success, please!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Ad Astra 2008
Ahh, it's good to blog again. Very busy time, lately. Plus, Violet needs the computer more and more now as her third and final year at George Brown draws to a close at the end of this month. Hard to believe that time is nearly here.
And hard to believe Ad Astra has come and gone. It wasn't nearly such a big event for me this year as it was last year. Violet and I moved the weekend before, and that consumed much of my non-working time. When I finally got around to applying for panels, I was told they were all full up.
Still, I went and made the most of it. My friend Jeff came with me to help run the table on behalf of Burningeffigy Press, and we did our very best. Sadly, our very best barely covered the cost of the table. I sold four Section K's, five Epoch's and a couple of Intergalactic Soul Hunters. Not nearly as impressive as last year's figures. I think attendance was down - there definitely seemed to be more people this year.
Burningeffigy did even worse. Jeff had brought a bag full of chapbooks published by the press, including one that was up for a Bram Stoker award that very night. The chapbooks (mostly horror) were priced between $5 - $8, but we only sold about five, maybe six. Ironically, the chapbook that sold the most was Jeff's book, Guilt Pasta, which had no SF/Fantasy or Horror content!
We did have fun, though. We got to talk to lots of people, and a few came back after buying a book from me and told me they were really into it! That's just gravy to a writer. I shook hands with some other authors (like the brilliant James Alan Gardner, author of Expendable and Vigilant, among others), and I even received an invitation to attend Anime North this May.
All in all, it wasn't a very profitable weekend, but it was successful. I look forward to next year's convention.
And hard to believe Ad Astra has come and gone. It wasn't nearly such a big event for me this year as it was last year. Violet and I moved the weekend before, and that consumed much of my non-working time. When I finally got around to applying for panels, I was told they were all full up.
Still, I went and made the most of it. My friend Jeff came with me to help run the table on behalf of Burningeffigy Press, and we did our very best. Sadly, our very best barely covered the cost of the table. I sold four Section K's, five Epoch's and a couple of Intergalactic Soul Hunters. Not nearly as impressive as last year's figures. I think attendance was down - there definitely seemed to be more people this year.
Burningeffigy did even worse. Jeff had brought a bag full of chapbooks published by the press, including one that was up for a Bram Stoker award that very night. The chapbooks (mostly horror) were priced between $5 - $8, but we only sold about five, maybe six. Ironically, the chapbook that sold the most was Jeff's book, Guilt Pasta, which had no SF/Fantasy or Horror content!
We did have fun, though. We got to talk to lots of people, and a few came back after buying a book from me and told me they were really into it! That's just gravy to a writer. I shook hands with some other authors (like the brilliant James Alan Gardner, author of Expendable and Vigilant, among others), and I even received an invitation to attend Anime North this May.
All in all, it wasn't a very profitable weekend, but it was successful. I look forward to next year's convention.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
