Unfortunately, the motivation hasn't really been there this week. Did not help to have life get in the way, but that's not really an excuse.
Results for this week:
1. 425 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection
2. Checked the outlet, but saw nothing about time limits.
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
27 September 2011
23 September 2011
SFFS - An Excerpt from "Little White Truths"
Well, apparently I was blind last week and even though I'd looked, didn't catch the 4-10 sentence guideline on Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday postings. So, tucking my tail between my legs, I humbly submit my excerpt this week. This particular excerpt comes from my first-ever published short story, "Little White Truths" (which is part of my short story collection Dead or Alive):
I never thought I would one day become an addict.
Looking back, it was inevitable, with my long trips alone in a cramped spaceship. It leads to boredom, which doesn’t have a lot of cures. There was no clear moment in time I could point to when the solution turned to full-blown addiction. Instead, it was more gradual and sinister, until the realization became obvious.
“Would you like another, sir?”
I looked up at the light brown man in a stiff, white shirt as he stood next to my table. I glanced down at the pale green remnants of some drink I’d forgotten the name of.
20 September 2011
Weekly Goals - September 20, 2011
Well, thankfully things improved a bit this week. It did not seem so at the time, but doing a little bit every day (almost) helped a lot. So, here's hoping I can continue building on this week's success.
If you don't follow me on Twitter and Facebook (first off, why not?), The Cure is also available over at Barnes and Noble online (and for a significant discount). :-)
Results for this week:
1. 2150 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
2. Check back on the status of "Collateral"
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
If you don't follow me on Twitter and Facebook (first off, why not?), The Cure is also available over at Barnes and Noble online (and for a significant discount). :-)
Results for this week:
1. 2150 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
2. Check back on the status of "Collateral"
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
16 September 2011
SFFS - An Excerpt from Heroes Die Young
Greetings everyone! I was turned on to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (not in local time, thus the Friday night posting) by a friend of mine, so figured I'd give it a shot this week and see whether I can do it right. Ha.
So, here's a snippet from my first published novel Heroes Die Young:
***
I needed to get out of this mess. The trick was going to be in doing so without getting myself caught. Not that you could get in much more trouble than a death sentence, of course. I could have spared my life by giving up the cargo, but this was a matter of principle now.
I turned to the guard. “You’re going to sit there and watch my every moment, aren’t you?”
His face told me what his voice didn’t.
“Well, would you at least get me something to eat? I’m starving.”
He folded his arms across his chest.
“Come on. Surely you feed your prisoners.”
“I’ll be right back,” he mumbled.
As he stepped out of the room, I held up my arm and whispered into my transmitter. “Jeanie, can you hear me?”
“Aston, are you okay?”
“I’ve been better.”
“According to the station’s records, you’ve been incarcerated on weapons charges.”
Jeanie had a tendency to be a bit nosy. I heaved a sigh. “Yes. Our guest informed them of our cargo.”
“There has to be some explanation. I know they haven’t defeated my efforts at concealing our cargo.”
“I’m in a bit of a hurry here, Jeanie.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m in a holding cell.”
“The station contains only one security area. What cell number are you in?”
I shifted myself on the cot to get a better look at the nameplates on the other doorways. “Looks like number three. Drop the energy field and keep it secret if you can.”
“It doesn’t appear they have very tight safeguards in place. It should only take a moment.”
I jumped to my feet. “I’ll be there in a little bit. Prepare us for a departure whether the station lets us or not.”
“Understood.”
I walked up to the field and tried to get a better look past the doorway, just then, the energy beams flickered and died off.
I smiled. “Thanks, Jeanie. See you soon.”
I grabbed my case of Vladirian liquor, scurried over to the doorway, and eased my head out to look. Two guards sat at their desks with their backs to me, typing out information into terminals. The guard who’d kept watch over me was nowhere to be seen, which suited me fine. I tiptoed into the booking area, walked around the small counter, then bent down below the countertop, just in case one of the two guards happened to turn around.
“Hey!”
I looked up and saw my guard with a tray of food as he entered through the front door.
“Prisoner escaped!” He yelled to the others.
I rushed the guard and nailed his midsection with my shoulder. The tray slammed into his chest as he fell to the floor. I jumped over him and ran out.
As I rushed into the commons area, I had to stop and get my bearings. A few curious onlookers gave me odd glances, while others gave me a wide berth. I found the corridor I needed and sprinted for it. Voices called out behind me, but I paid them no heed as I rushed for my ship.
I raised my arm as I neared the second docking ring. “Jeanie, are you ready?”
“Affirmative.”
A guard I didn’t recognize stepped out from around the corner with his weapon drawn. I didn’t have enough time to react as a green blast struck me square in the chest. I stumbled and fell to the floor, then slid to a stop against his feet. The case hit the floor beside me and thankfully stayed intact.
“Aston West, you’re under arrest for attempted escape.”
Getting shot was always a strange experience. My chest felt like it was going to explode from the inside as I lost feeling in my extremities. His weapon was set on a much higher setting than mine normally was.
My world slowly faded to black.
***
If you enjoyed it, feel free to snag a copy via any of the major online retailers...and of course, excerpts from all of my novels, and links to my published short stories, can all be found over at AstonWest.com
So, here's a snippet from my first published novel Heroes Die Young:
***
I needed to get out of this mess. The trick was going to be in doing so without getting myself caught. Not that you could get in much more trouble than a death sentence, of course. I could have spared my life by giving up the cargo, but this was a matter of principle now.
I turned to the guard. “You’re going to sit there and watch my every moment, aren’t you?”
His face told me what his voice didn’t.
“Well, would you at least get me something to eat? I’m starving.”
He folded his arms across his chest.
“Come on. Surely you feed your prisoners.”
“I’ll be right back,” he mumbled.
As he stepped out of the room, I held up my arm and whispered into my transmitter. “Jeanie, can you hear me?”
“Aston, are you okay?”
“I’ve been better.”
“According to the station’s records, you’ve been incarcerated on weapons charges.”
Jeanie had a tendency to be a bit nosy. I heaved a sigh. “Yes. Our guest informed them of our cargo.”
“There has to be some explanation. I know they haven’t defeated my efforts at concealing our cargo.”
“I’m in a bit of a hurry here, Jeanie.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m in a holding cell.”
“The station contains only one security area. What cell number are you in?”
I shifted myself on the cot to get a better look at the nameplates on the other doorways. “Looks like number three. Drop the energy field and keep it secret if you can.”
“It doesn’t appear they have very tight safeguards in place. It should only take a moment.”
I jumped to my feet. “I’ll be there in a little bit. Prepare us for a departure whether the station lets us or not.”
“Understood.”
I walked up to the field and tried to get a better look past the doorway, just then, the energy beams flickered and died off.
I smiled. “Thanks, Jeanie. See you soon.”
I grabbed my case of Vladirian liquor, scurried over to the doorway, and eased my head out to look. Two guards sat at their desks with their backs to me, typing out information into terminals. The guard who’d kept watch over me was nowhere to be seen, which suited me fine. I tiptoed into the booking area, walked around the small counter, then bent down below the countertop, just in case one of the two guards happened to turn around.
“Hey!”
I looked up and saw my guard with a tray of food as he entered through the front door.
“Prisoner escaped!” He yelled to the others.
I rushed the guard and nailed his midsection with my shoulder. The tray slammed into his chest as he fell to the floor. I jumped over him and ran out.
As I rushed into the commons area, I had to stop and get my bearings. A few curious onlookers gave me odd glances, while others gave me a wide berth. I found the corridor I needed and sprinted for it. Voices called out behind me, but I paid them no heed as I rushed for my ship.
I raised my arm as I neared the second docking ring. “Jeanie, are you ready?”
“Affirmative.”
A guard I didn’t recognize stepped out from around the corner with his weapon drawn. I didn’t have enough time to react as a green blast struck me square in the chest. I stumbled and fell to the floor, then slid to a stop against his feet. The case hit the floor beside me and thankfully stayed intact.
“Aston West, you’re under arrest for attempted escape.”
Getting shot was always a strange experience. My chest felt like it was going to explode from the inside as I lost feeling in my extremities. His weapon was set on a much higher setting than mine normally was.
My world slowly faded to black.
***
If you enjoyed it, feel free to snag a copy via any of the major online retailers...and of course, excerpts from all of my novels, and links to my published short stories, can all be found over at AstonWest.com
13 September 2011
Weekly Goals - September 13, 2011
Sadly, things are ending up extremely difficult in getting new material out onto the page. Things did seem to be getting better over the weekend, but with only two days out of the seven, it does not bode well. I'm just hoping that my dismal showing is not related to the lack of sales lately...but anything's possible. Here's hoping the coming week proves more fruitful on the writing front.
On the plus side, The Cure is now available in paperback from Amazon, so all those techno-phobes out there can get their hands on it now as well. :-)
Results for this week:
1. 1000 words (of 2000) on Resurrection
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
On the plus side, The Cure is now available in paperback from Amazon, so all those techno-phobes out there can get their hands on it now as well. :-)
Results for this week:
1. 1000 words (of 2000) on Resurrection
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
07 September 2011
Weekly Goals - September 6, 2011
Oops...with the holiday break, I got my days of the week confused and forgot to post Tuesday...even though things went fairly okay...hopefully we'll keep things rolling. It should be entertaining, since it's been a while since I've written new material on a novel (as I've been in editing mode for what seems like forever).
Results for this week:
1. One edit completed
2. Edited
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. One edit completed
2. Edited
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. 2000 words on Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
04 September 2011
Six Sentence Sunday: "Some Assembly Required"
Thanks everyone for stopping by! Today's six sentences come from my latest published short story "Some Assembly Required". Poor Aston gets himself into a big mess of a situation, when he stumbles across a planet where things aren't always as they seem:
I walked out and bumped into Libby on the top step. Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around her waist before she fell.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
I looked up. Ford stood between the containers and a second hovercraft that looked like a flatbed cargo truck. His arms were crossed and his face burned red.
***
Poor Aston...
So, there you have it...if you want to read more, the entire piece is up over at Residential Aliens. And of course, I have several other published short stories which are linked over at my website, most of which are free (you can also purchase Dead or Alive, a full collection of Aston West short stories via ResAliens Press, in both print and e-formats)
I walked out and bumped into Libby on the top step. Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around her waist before she fell.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
I looked up. Ford stood between the containers and a second hovercraft that looked like a flatbed cargo truck. His arms were crossed and his face burned red.
***
Poor Aston...
So, there you have it...if you want to read more, the entire piece is up over at Residential Aliens. And of course, I have several other published short stories which are linked over at my website, most of which are free (you can also purchase Dead or Alive, a full collection of Aston West short stories via ResAliens Press, in both print and e-formats)
30 August 2011
Weekly Goals - August 30, 2011
Things have not been going well...no excuse, really...
Results for this week:
1. About halfway through
2. Not started
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. About halfway through
2. Not started
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
23 August 2011
Story Reviews
And in case you ever wondered (as I do) what people think when they read my stories, there are several bloggers who have been reviewing the recent Residential Aliens issue, in which my story "Some Assembly Required" appears. Take a look at the bloggers listed here, and check out their reviews of both the magazine, and others for my story...I'd be curious to hear what you think, both of the story itself, as well as everyone else's take on it.
Weekly Goals - August 23, 2011
Whew...long week...didn't complete all the goal I was hoping for, but I also spent quite a bit of time polishing up The Cure for its paperback release, and organizing the cover art with the artist. So, here we go...
Results for this week:
1. Didn't get started
2. Reviewed and ready to get back into the novel.
3. Edited paperback version of The Cure one last time, as well as cleaning up the Smashwords and Kindle versions based on that edit. [added]
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Didn't get started
2. Reviewed and ready to get back into the novel.
3. Edited paperback version of The Cure one last time, as well as cleaning up the Smashwords and Kindle versions based on that edit. [added]
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
16 August 2011
Weekly Goals - August 16, 2011
Well, as expected, not much was accomplished this week, though I did spend the last couple of days preparing the paperback version of The Cure, so I suppose that's nothing to sneeze at. Now, though, I'm feeling the self-doubt rise up through the ranks (when I give myself too much free time to ponder these things), so it's time to put together some more goals for the coming week.
Results for this week:
1. Completed paperback conversion for The Cure [added]
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Review the prologue chapter for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Completed paperback conversion for The Cure [added]
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Review the prologue chapter for Resurrection
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
10 August 2011
Weekly Goals - August 9, 2011
Apologies for the belated post...life's been up to no good lately, and getting the way of all things writing-related. Fortunately, I woke up 2 hours early (not by choice) Tuesday so I was at least able to finish the second goal I'd been working...but still a bit short. And due to life's circumstances, I'd better go ahead and push off my weekly goals to next week.
Results for this week:
1. Completed final edits on "Samaritan"
2. Not worked
3. Edits completed on "Dead Man's Forge"
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Push all other goals to next week
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Completed final edits on "Samaritan"
2. Not worked
3. Edits completed on "Dead Man's Forge"
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Push all other goals to next week
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
02 August 2011
Weekly Goals - August 2, 2011
Well, not sure if I failed my goal, but I did finish reading another book this week, and then had a short story published in the latest issue of Residential Aliens ("Some Assembly Required"), though that wasn't really an accomplishment on my part this week. I guess I'll count it as a win for now, and hopefully history will take a back seat and I'll be able to get some work done after the massive push to finish edits on The Cure.
Results for this week:
1. Finished reading Thunder Overhead
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete final edits on my story "Samaritan"
2. Complete my story "Simplicity"
3. Complete one edit on my story "Dead Man's Forge"
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (Magazine folded)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Finished reading Thunder Overhead
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Complete final edits on my story "Samaritan"
2. Complete my story "Simplicity"
3. Complete one edit on my story "Dead Man's Forge"
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (Magazine folded)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
01 August 2011
Promo Day
If you're here, you know what to do...and what the promotion is for...so comment for your winning code.
30 July 2011
Reality Check - July 30, 2011
You've no doubt seen the success stories of those who self-publish their e-books...people who sell a million copies, are able to write full-time and make a living at it. And no doubt, you've heard them pitch the idea that writers would be foolish not to do it this way...
And it makes you wonder, maybe I should do it too...
So, to test this theory, I've self-published two pieces, first (back in December) my Aston West novella Seeker...and then (2 weeks ago), my latest (non-Aston) novel, The Cure. The first, I've priced at the ultra-low 99 cent level (for a 20K word novella), while the latest is available for a more moderate $2.99 (for around a 60K word novel). With these two data points, I'm hoping to give a more accurate reading for would-be self-published authors (and myself) as to whether this golden goose is really as shiny as we'd be made to believe.
A few things to realize about me (for comparison purposes):
-I have been previously published, though by a small press without widespread bookstore distribution, with two books under my belt (Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed). I also have developed a small niche following based on my series of short stories featuring Aston West.
-I do not have hundreds of thousands of followers on my blog, nor my Twitter feed nor my Facebook fan page. I believe that all of these together net about 1000 people, maybe.
-I do market myself, through my social media outlets, through online groups and webpages, and through visits to conventions from time to time.
-I have a full-time job that I use to fund my writing exploits, so I don't have a lot of spare time to write or market (but I make do with the little time I have).
-I'm generally able to get a new novel finished in about a year or two (see the aforementioned full-time job information), though I've been attempting to better that.
-My two self-published titles are only available in e-book format, though I'm expecting to eventually self-publish a print version of The Cure (and am in talks on bringing Seeker to print as well)
So, all that being said, here's the breakdown so far:
Seeker has been out since (late) December 2010, on Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords (who has then distributed to such spots as Kobo and B&N (Nook). It's averaged around 2-4 sales most months. With the price point of 99 cents, royalties are low, around $2-3 a quarter (which because of the minimum payment requirements, are being stored up until I sell enough). The sales totals for this book come in around 40 books in the last 7 months. For comparison, my first quarter sales of my two small press books (which are priced at $2.99 and $3.99/$4.99 (depending on the store)) ran 12 and 5 copies each...I have not yet received the second quarter statement.
[For those keeping score at home, my novella sold 13 copies in the first quarter...but at a much lower price point...royalties, however, weren't that much different, which is another post for another day]
The Cure has only been out for two weeks, so more concrete sales numbers will be forthcoming in future updates...though I can say that the "initial rollout" sales are fairly consistent with those I saw with Seeker back in December (and ironically, are running fairly close to the sales of Seeker in the same two-week period). I will note here that after The Cure came out, I did see an uptick in sales of Seeker from June, from 2 to 4
So, I don't really know how often I'll give these updates, but stay tuned for more. And hopefully the numbers that I post will give you a feeling of what to expect from a foray into self-publishing e-books.
And it makes you wonder, maybe I should do it too...
So, to test this theory, I've self-published two pieces, first (back in December) my Aston West novella Seeker...and then (2 weeks ago), my latest (non-Aston) novel, The Cure. The first, I've priced at the ultra-low 99 cent level (for a 20K word novella), while the latest is available for a more moderate $2.99 (for around a 60K word novel). With these two data points, I'm hoping to give a more accurate reading for would-be self-published authors (and myself) as to whether this golden goose is really as shiny as we'd be made to believe.
A few things to realize about me (for comparison purposes):
-I have been previously published, though by a small press without widespread bookstore distribution, with two books under my belt (Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed). I also have developed a small niche following based on my series of short stories featuring Aston West.
-I do not have hundreds of thousands of followers on my blog, nor my Twitter feed nor my Facebook fan page. I believe that all of these together net about 1000 people, maybe.
-I do market myself, through my social media outlets, through online groups and webpages, and through visits to conventions from time to time.
-I have a full-time job that I use to fund my writing exploits, so I don't have a lot of spare time to write or market (but I make do with the little time I have).
-I'm generally able to get a new novel finished in about a year or two (see the aforementioned full-time job information), though I've been attempting to better that.
-My two self-published titles are only available in e-book format, though I'm expecting to eventually self-publish a print version of The Cure (and am in talks on bringing Seeker to print as well)
So, all that being said, here's the breakdown so far:
Seeker has been out since (late) December 2010, on Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords (who has then distributed to such spots as Kobo and B&N (Nook). It's averaged around 2-4 sales most months. With the price point of 99 cents, royalties are low, around $2-3 a quarter (which because of the minimum payment requirements, are being stored up until I sell enough). The sales totals for this book come in around 40 books in the last 7 months. For comparison, my first quarter sales of my two small press books (which are priced at $2.99 and $3.99/$4.99 (depending on the store)) ran 12 and 5 copies each...I have not yet received the second quarter statement.
[For those keeping score at home, my novella sold 13 copies in the first quarter...but at a much lower price point...royalties, however, weren't that much different, which is another post for another day]
The Cure has only been out for two weeks, so more concrete sales numbers will be forthcoming in future updates...though I can say that the "initial rollout" sales are fairly consistent with those I saw with Seeker back in December (and ironically, are running fairly close to the sales of Seeker in the same two-week period). I will note here that after The Cure came out, I did see an uptick in sales of Seeker from June, from 2 to 4
So, I don't really know how often I'll give these updates, but stay tuned for more. And hopefully the numbers that I post will give you a feeling of what to expect from a foray into self-publishing e-books.
26 July 2011
Weekly Goals - July 26, 2011
Here I thought I'd completely blown off my goals this week. Turns out, I actually accomplished all of them (all ONE of them ;-D ). So, one more week in the pseudo-vacation, and then it'll be back to work on some more Aston goodness. Until then, have you all seen that Dead or Alive is now available as an e-book over at Smashwords (and of course, if you're an iPhone or iPad user, there's an app for that too).
Results for this week:
1. Finished Rogue Dancer
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Absolutely nothing... ;-)
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Finished Rogue Dancer
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Absolutely nothing... ;-)
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
25 July 2011
Tag, you're It!
I don't normally do these things, but since Joyce blogs about once every 8 months (hee hee) and decided to tag me, I figured I'd give it a go.
What do you think of when you the hear the word tag?
Being tagged by my younger brother (and tagging him in return) with a clenched fist...
Do you think you're hot?
Not in any way, shape or form...but thankfully I've got enough money to make up for it...
Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.
I've been using this for well over a week...the cover to my new novel.
When was the last time you ate chicken?
Sunday night at the hospital, it was chicken-fried-chicken, which is the saddest bastardization of a decent food (chicken fried steak) ever conceived.
The song(s) you listened to recently.
Several, as I tend to listen while I'm writing or doing writing-related activities. Ones that I can recall off the top of my head: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele, "Bodies" by Drowning Pool, "Numb" and "In the End" by Linkin Park, and "Hotel California" by the Eagles.
What were you thinking as you were doing this?
I wasn't...I find my blogs work a lot better if I don't do a lot of thinking...
Do you have nicknames? What are they?
None that could be uttered in mixed company (see previously mentioned brotherhood...).
Tag 8 blogger friends:
Carla
Candice
Angie
Karen
Diana
Lynn
Kimberly
Clifton
Who's listed as No. 1?
Carla, one of my great friends I've found recently through Twitter. We've grown very close, probably because we have most of the same behaviors... ;-)
Say something about No. 5
Diana is a fellow Champagne Books author, and a fantastic writer. Thank goodness she writes fantasy, so I don't have to directly compete with her. Haha.
How did you get to know No. 3?
Unless I'm mistaken (which gets more and more likely these days), I believe Angie and I met through Blogger and through the forums over at the former Ray Gun Revival. Even if I don't remember how we originally met, we've been hanging out on each other's blogs for some time, and even do a little critiquing for each other now and then.
How about No. 4?
Karen is a nut, and her blog proves it. Still, it's fun reading, even if I don't often know how to post a response to what she writes... ;-)
Leave a message for No. 6.
Lynn, it saddened me when your company stopped working with fiction...even if I understood the move.
Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.
(This could get awkward)
Candice, thanks for all the support and I hope you and your books eventually hit the big time as you (and they) deserve!
Do No. 7 and No. 8 have any similarities?
None as far as I know, aside from the fact both are writers of one type of another. One writes novels, and the other has an extremely entertaining webcomic.
Okay, there you have it...stay tuned for tomorrow's regularly scheduled goals post.
What do you think of when you the hear the word tag?
Being tagged by my younger brother (and tagging him in return) with a clenched fist...
Do you think you're hot?
Not in any way, shape or form...but thankfully I've got enough money to make up for it...
Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.
I've been using this for well over a week...the cover to my new novel.
When was the last time you ate chicken?
Sunday night at the hospital, it was chicken-fried-chicken, which is the saddest bastardization of a decent food (chicken fried steak) ever conceived.
The song(s) you listened to recently.
Several, as I tend to listen while I'm writing or doing writing-related activities. Ones that I can recall off the top of my head: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele, "Bodies" by Drowning Pool, "Numb" and "In the End" by Linkin Park, and "Hotel California" by the Eagles.
What were you thinking as you were doing this?
I wasn't...I find my blogs work a lot better if I don't do a lot of thinking...
Do you have nicknames? What are they?
None that could be uttered in mixed company (see previously mentioned brotherhood...).
Tag 8 blogger friends:
Carla
Candice
Angie
Karen
Diana
Lynn
Kimberly
Clifton
Who's listed as No. 1?
Carla, one of my great friends I've found recently through Twitter. We've grown very close, probably because we have most of the same behaviors... ;-)
Say something about No. 5
Diana is a fellow Champagne Books author, and a fantastic writer. Thank goodness she writes fantasy, so I don't have to directly compete with her. Haha.
How did you get to know No. 3?
Unless I'm mistaken (which gets more and more likely these days), I believe Angie and I met through Blogger and through the forums over at the former Ray Gun Revival. Even if I don't remember how we originally met, we've been hanging out on each other's blogs for some time, and even do a little critiquing for each other now and then.
How about No. 4?
Karen is a nut, and her blog proves it. Still, it's fun reading, even if I don't often know how to post a response to what she writes... ;-)
Leave a message for No. 6.
Lynn, it saddened me when your company stopped working with fiction...even if I understood the move.
Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.
(This could get awkward)
Candice, thanks for all the support and I hope you and your books eventually hit the big time as you (and they) deserve!
Do No. 7 and No. 8 have any similarities?
None as far as I know, aside from the fact both are writers of one type of another. One writes novels, and the other has an extremely entertaining webcomic.
Okay, there you have it...stay tuned for tomorrow's regularly scheduled goals post.
19 July 2011
Weekly Goals - July 19, 2011
Well, formatting the e-book took far less time than I'd imagined, so as those who've been following the blog this week can attest, I've already published The Cure and posted its cover art. Now that this major project is done, it's time to get caught up on some of my reading I've been slacking on...and then start August off with more Aston West goodness.
Results for this week:
1. Converted The Cure for Smashwords and Amazon both
2. Posted cover art
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Finish reading Rogue Dancer by K. M. Tolan
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
Results for this week:
1. Converted The Cure for Smashwords and Amazon both
2. Posted cover art
And now the goals for this coming week:
1. Finish reading Rogue Dancer by K. M. Tolan
Submission status for the week:
Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)
Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals
17 July 2011
Six Sentence Sunday: The Cure (Second Try)
Well, since apparently last week, I just thought this was something to do for fun, I was not aware there was an official sign-up for Six Sentence Sunday. So, this week, I've actually signed up, and will present a different set of six sentences from my upcoming release (scheduled for the end of the month), The Cure. Enjoy!
***
She looked around, seeing peaceful digital artwork by artists with names she didn’t recognize. The distinct stench of fresh paint spilled off the walls. They’d gone to great lengths to liven up the facilities over the past few months. There was no sense in it. Putting a friendly, pleasant face on the surroundings didn’t hide the fact there was only one reason to come here.
To visit the dead.
***
And be sure to keep an eye out for more information over on my Twitter feed or my Facebook fan page. And if you can't wait for the end of the month, head on over to AstonWest.com where you can check out my other published novels and short stories as well.
***
She looked around, seeing peaceful digital artwork by artists with names she didn’t recognize. The distinct stench of fresh paint spilled off the walls. They’d gone to great lengths to liven up the facilities over the past few months. There was no sense in it. Putting a friendly, pleasant face on the surroundings didn’t hide the fact there was only one reason to come here.
To visit the dead.
***
And be sure to keep an eye out for more information over on my Twitter feed or my Facebook fan page. And if you can't wait for the end of the month, head on over to AstonWest.com where you can check out my other published novels and short stories as well.
15 July 2011
THE CURE: Now Available
The long wait is over, and my new novel The Cure is now available. Check out my site's page for the details, including links to go buy your copy.
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