indie life

Science Fiction is the pariah among literary genres

Monica La Porta, , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

Science Fiction Authors Do It BetterI have subscribed to several mailing lists to receive book deals. I only read a few genres and I like to receive offers regarding only those specific genres. One of the mailing lists I subscribed to is called Bookbub which is famous among indie authors because it has become the next gatekeeper. Bookbub is a finicky creature. It accepts books with four reviews, half of them attesting the book isn’t worth your time even if it’s free, and rejects books with thirty reviews and impeccable ratings. As a full disclosure, I was rejected by Bookbub thrice, but I can live with that. The person in charge of the new version of the publishing slush pile has decided in three different occasions my book isn’t Bookbub material. My series isn’t for everybody and I can understand an established marketing colossus doesn’t want to risk its name with a controversial title. Said so, I know I am not the only one submitting science fiction works to Bookbub, and yet I seldom see scifi titles in my daily mail. Why, I wonder? And so, I asked:

Hi, as a reader, I signed to receive deals in a few genres, among them science fiction. I understand that the largest amount of your subscribers want different genres, but days go by before I see a science fiction title among your offers. I believe that there must be dozens if not hundreds of science fiction books submitted to you every day. I find hard to believe that you can’t find a slot for at least one of them in your daily mail. I am very picky in my reading habits and only buy specific genres, science fiction being my favorite. Also, I only read historical romance, not contemporary. Since you have the two categories together, I had to change my preferences and remove romance altogether. Thank you,
Monica La Porta

Bookbub asnwered not even half an hour later:

Thanks for emailing BookBub. The selection varies from day to day depending on what publishers and authors make available, but we’re constantly expanding our selection, so stay tuned!
Please let us know if we can be of further help, and thanks again for using BookBub.
Best regards,
BookBub Support

Well, shame on you science fiction authors, start making your titles available. Must say, Bookbub does answer rather promptly, though. Now, if they could separate historical romance from the rest of romances they would make me happy.

*And no, I didn’t send them my picture.

Science Fiction is the pariah among literary genres

Friday Snippet #46

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My art on Someone else's cell phone

Another great week in the Pacific Northwest. Last Sunday, I went for a hike and discovered I’m not in the wonderful shape I thought I was. The climb is quite steep though and I did swim in the icy waters of the lake once we reached the end of the trail. It felt awesome, but I temporarily lost the use of my limbs. Worth it.

I finished several paintings using Fresh Paint, but I hesitated to share the one titled Rainbow Feelings on twitter. I thought it looked too crowded. I’m glad I decided otherwise, because I received several kind tweets commenting on it.  My naïf art is now a lock screen background on someone’s cell phone. And that is priceless.

On the writing front, my latest news is that I joined a co-op on NetGalley. I have no data to report at the moment. I’m working on Elios and keeping a steady 1500 words a day, while also editing Gaia. Crossing fingers, I should be able to publish the two of them for Christmas. Meanwhile, Marie’s Journey, the fourth in The Ginecean Chronicles series—formerly known as a trilogy—is in the capable hands of my editor, Amy Eye.

From Elios:

“Now, I want you to do it again, by yourself,” Lex said.

I blinked.

“Try.”

In earth time, several hours had passed since the beginning of the session and I was mentally tired. Almost certainly, my physical body—lying naked on the bed—was aching as well.

“You must trust me.”

“Of course.” I summoned the image of when I had gone deep diving in one of the seawater pools by the Academy. Lex had asked me to find a memory that symbolized my reaching for the innermost part of my soul and that image had stood out. I shed my clothes as I had done that day and dove into the bright, turquoise waters. It wasn’t a coincidence my human eyes had turquoise flickers in them. I kept diving and the colors all around me darkened. Soon, I was surrounded by black waters, but I wasn’t scared. I felt at peace; cocooned in a warm, safe liquid. I was ready for the next step and surprised it had taken so little effort. I switched my point of view, and, as I had done in the previous sessions guided by Lex, I opened my eyes to a different scenario. I was in Seattle, but I wasn’t. I levitated over the vast expanse of the city, myself as big as the sky, floating over the roads and the buildings. I expanded my consciousness. I stretched my ego until I was no more. I looked down and I saw reality as a constant stream of mathematical possibilities. Every single action taken by the individuals living down there could be explained and predicted with great accuracy. I lingered to analyze one of the possible futures this city would live through in the span of ten years. I fast forwarded to one century. Then, I came back to five minutes from the present. A second later, I was in the now. “Amazing.”

Lex chuckled and when I looked at him I saw the sparkle in his eyes. “You, my pupil, are the youngest Observer to ever achieve the Dark Void with barely a mission in.”

Friday Snippet #46

My First Lecture and a Big Announcement

Monica La Porta, , , 6 Comments

After almost two weeks of silence, I’m back. I’ve been working on several projects at once and I had an unexpected and very pleasant visit from a childhood friend of mine. After a few busy months , I took a mental vacation and greatly enjoyed it. The weather was beautiful and the friend and I could walk for hours under the sun. Walking and chatting, my idea of a perfect time.

Back on my normal schedule now. Tomorrow night, I’ll give my first lecture, The Indie Revolution: How a Single Click Changed the Publishing Industry. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I’ve been rehearsing the presentation for the last month and still get tongue tied every now and then. Hopefully, by 7:00 pm tomorrow, I’ll magically become an outgoing person.

Prince at War, formerly known as Prince of War, is done, as in edited and proofread done, and waiting for the formatting step. By the end of this week, it should be published. The stories of Mauricio, Rosie, Pax, and Prince have come to an end. After waiting to release this last book for so long, the aftertaste is surprisingly bitter-sweet. There will be a fourth book in the series, but it can be read independently by those three. To celebrate Prince at War’s release, The Priest will be $0.99 from today till Saturday.

Locandina Lecture

My First Lecture and a Big Announcement

Friday Snippet #36

Monica La Porta, , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

WP_20130322_017Another week, another snippet. It snowed during last night and part of this morning. Lunchtime now and this is the view from my desk. Considering going for a walk with Nero, but it’s quite chilly outside. Great news regarding Prince of War: Amy and I are working on its last chapters. I’m going through her corrections and positive we should reach the end soon. My rewriting of Her Book is almost done as well. I changed a few things at the very end because I’m tired of YA or NA (the new flavor of Young Adult, New Adult) following certain rules. Rant aside, the story makes more sense now.

I was a guest on Tweep Nation Podcast last Sunday and had lots of fun. Thanks to the promo for The Priest, and everybody who helped me on facebook and twitter, I sold forty-six copies of my titles. Forty-two of The Priest. Two of Pax in the Land of Women. Two of Linda of the Night. Again, it’s a big accomplishment for me.

For this week snippet, I’ve decided to post what follows directly after the last one. From the YA paranormal All the Rainbow’s Colors:

“Why don’t you wear something… sunnier?” Mom asks from the kitchen.

I make a pirouette while walking down the hallway, and I let my black multi-layered skirt fly all around me, along with the matching black, beaded scarf.

“And, what about that heavy dark makeup on your eyes?”

“Mom, it’s how I feel today,” I explain, already outside the door.

Rachel is laughing; I don’t care. She wouldn’t understand, anyway. She has been neon-pink for more than a month.

“Are you going out with Matthew, later?” I ask to make conversation before we transit.

I hate the transit. You are yellow when you open the door, and then you come out blue. Like this, in a second. Your molecules are broken down, and rebuilt back together, and you are a different person at the end of the transit. Dad says that it isn’t true, that I imagine things. They, Mom, Dad, Rachel, don’t see the colors trapped inside the black void of the transit.

“It’s our turn,” Rachel says,and points at the couple in line before us disappearing behind the door.

Friday Snippet #36

Angela Roquet

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Urban fantasy author Angela Roquet has stopped by my blog to answer a few questions. Her Graveyard Shift is a darkly comic and imaginative read. Enter the Indie Giveaway to win a copy.

  1. When you were a kid you wanted to be…?

I wanted to be an animation artist for Disney or Cartoon Network. I doodled little picture stories all the time.

  1. The first book you read was…?

The first book I remember reading was “The Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree.” It was one of my favorites as a child. I still have it, although the spine is duct-taped together now.

  1. You discovered you were quite good at writing when…?

When I was in grade school, a lot of my friends enjoyed my illustrated stories. In high school, an English teacher saw a script I was writing for an animated show and suggested that I write it as a novel instead. So I did, and I’ve never looked back.

  1. As a reader, your favorite genre is…?

I really enjoy a lot of different flavors of literature, but my favorite is Urban Fantasy. I can’t get enough of MaryJanice Davidson, Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Laurell K. Hamilton, and those like them.

  1. No, really, what’s that title you’re hiding in your kindle…?

Umm, I intentionally read books that raise eyebrows, so I can’t say that any of my books are hiding. I’d say that the book in my library that freaks people out the most is “The History of Hell.” My “Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc.” series is set in the afterlife, so that was a good research book.

  1. You write…?

GSnewcoverUrban Fantasy. I have an overactive imagination and a scientific nature about me that enjoys making fiction as believable as possible.

  1. The praise about your writing you like the most is…?

Well, I did receive a great cover blurb from MaryJanice Davidson, my favorite best-seller. I’m pretty sure I will squee about that until my dying day. Other than that, I once received a constructive critique from a competition judge that was full of praise, which thrilled me to no end, especially considering the judge was anonymous. One of the things the judge suggested that really made me smile was that I should omit my disclosure page. The page insisted my writing was not meant to offend, that it was merely entertainment. The judge said that I should never apologize for my work. That really stuck with me, and I did omit it from later versions of the book.

  1. What’s next…?

Oh boy, so much! I’m working on book three of my Lana series, due out in April, and I hope to complete the fourth by the end of the year as well. I’m also working on a standalone YA novel, and I have another adult series in the works too. I can hardly keep up will my imagination, but I try.

About Angela

Urban Fantasy Author Angela Roquet is a great big weirdo. She collects Danger Girl comic books, owls, skulls, and random craft supplies. She no longer collects paperback books, because she can’t fit any more in her office, however she does collect ebooks. She has an unhealthy obsession with television shows created by Joss Whedon and fantasizes about him directing television or film versions of her novels. Angela’s favorite book/movie is The Wizard of Oz. She likes a little coffee in her cream, and her favorite food is sushi, even though it’s takes her FOREVER to make. Angela is a peace loving, tree hugging hippy who tries to buy organic and local as often as possible. She’s a fan of renewable energy sources, marriage equality, and religious tolerance. As long as whatever you’re doing isn’t hurting anyone, she’s a fan of you, too. Angela lives in Sedalia, Missouri with her husband and son. When she’s not swearing at the keyboard, she enjoys painting, goofing off with her family and friends, and reading books that raise eyebrows. You can find Angela online at http://www.angelaroquet.com

Angela’s first two novels GRAVEYARD SHIFT & POCKET FULL OF POSIES are now available in select stores and on Amazon.com in print and for the Kindle!

http://www.angelaroquet.com
http://www.facebook.com/adroquet
http://www.twitter.com/angelaroquet
http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Roquet/e/B0030CVZ72
http://www.goodreads.com/AngelaRoquet
www.youtube.com/angelaroquet

Angela Roquet

Jason T. Graves

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Jason T. Graves

Today, I’m pleased to have on my blog author Jason T. Graves who playfully accepted to answer my eight questions. His Blood Roses is an original and intriguing take on vampire and biblical mythologies with multiple twists and turns. Enter the great Indie Giveaway for a chance to win a copy.

Jason Pic

1.     When you were a kid you wanted to be…?

Honestly?  I wanted to be an astronaut… I always was a bit of a space case.

2.     The first book you read was…?

I have no clear memory of this, but it was probably Go, Dog, Go by P.D. Eastman.  I still love that book, although my kids keep stealing it from me.  The first novel that I read was Melor, King Arthur’s Page by Catherine Owens Peare.

3.     You discovered you were quite good at writing when…?

I have written fiction for 35 years, but never finished anything beyond a few thousand words.  Writing my Master’s Degree thesis in 2011 taught me the discipline to sit down and write a large body of work, and rewrite, and rewrite.  It was shortly after graduation that I started working in earnest on my first novel, which I finished in 25 weeks and published in 2012.  I am uncertain if I am “good” at writing, but it makes me happy and people enjoy reading what I scribble.

4.     As a reader, your favorite genre is…?

I don’t have a favorite, although I favor science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction.  I read pretty broadly—as time permits—in both fiction and non-fiction.  A writer friend inadvertently introduced me to urban paranormal erotic romance, which was an eye-opening experience.

5.     No, really, what’s that title you’re hiding in your kindle…?

The Daemon Whisperer by Candice Bundy.  It’s a great read, so long as you’re not squeamish about blood and sex.

6.     You write…?

Jason CoverWhenever I can, on whatever topic seizes me at the moment.  I am a disordered writer in many ways.  I’m quite certain I’d be a greater success at this endeavor if I could be more disciplined about writing a certain number of hours every day (and recognize that social media doesn’t count).

7.     The praise about your writing you like the most is…?

“When is the sequel coming out?” is always a good one.  It’s a nice vote of confidence that someone likes your stuff enough to spend more money on it.  Also, having my work compared to well-known authors is thrilling, but it is a lot to live up to. 

8.     What’s next…?

The sequel to Blood Roses is Morning Stars, and it is scheduled for release in late summer 2013.  If people like the first book, they’ll like Morning Stars even more.  The plot is tighter, there are new people and places, and things just get weirder and more beautiful.

Jason Cover 2I am also working on a paranormal thriller/horror novel set in the forested mountains of North Carolina, a dark and gritty near future urban thriller/romance, and a children’s novelette.  That should keep me busy this year, although I have fans clamoring for more about Gretchen Thyrd, the heroine of my On the Bridge novella.  Having too many ideas is a tough problem to live with 😉

About Jason

I live in North Carolina with my family and a menagerie of small animals.  When not spousing, parenting, and teaching, I listen to the voices in my head and write down what they say.  I think that cheese is one of the top ten things ever created by humans.

Where to find Jason and his novels

http://jasontgraves.com     Website  

https://cleverfoilhat.blogspot.com   Blog

https://www.facebook.com/Gravesbooks

https://twitter.com/JasonTGraves

https://goodreads.com/cleverfoilhat

Blood Roses on Amazon:  http://goo.gl/YwkKA

On the Bridge on Amazon:  http://goo.gl/Ww7jq

Jason T. Graves

Friday Snippet #9

Monica La Porta, , , 4 Comments

In Italy, visiting my parents. Umbria’s rolling hills and red terracotta roofs before my eyes, the sun lowering behind the hamlet saddled on the ridge, I’m writing under the shadow of two mulberry trees.

I’ve been busy otherwise, but here is something I wrote before leaving. This snippet is offered you by TCOM:

As Marie had imagined, the redhead wasn’t alone; Carnia was followed by Grant who kept his arm around her waist. He looked at Marie and she felt judged once again.

“Verena, please, don’t tell anybody you saw me.” Carnia’s eyes were red and swollen, her face streaked with hours of crying.

Marie felt pity at her sight, but she couldn’t understand why Carnia was taking it so hard when she clearly didn’t have a problem being around men.

“I can’t, you know that.” Verena sounded even more heartbroken than Carnia.

“I won’t leave.” Carnia’s statement had a finality Marie didn’t like.

“Don’t say it like that.” She was getting scared. It was an unfamiliar situation for her and she wasn’t sure what they were dealing with exactly. The presence of a man among them unnerved her. It was wrong. “They’ll treat you with respect. I’ve been told you aren’t forced to—” She didn’t know how to say the words without being crude.

“I won’t leave him.”

“What?” What the heck is she talking about? “Verena?” Marie looked at her roommate hoping she could confirm she had heard wrong.

Friday Snippet #9

Happily Dizzy

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Pax is officially in the hand of the proofreaderDCP_7037 and I should be writing my daily quota of words for my wips, but I can’t. I’m too happy. It’s paralyzing. In the last three days, I’ve received two, not one, but two, amazing reviews for The Priest. The first is from an author, Javier Robayo who wanted to read it. The second is from a blogger I reached out to. In both cases, I was nervous about the result for different reasons.

Javier I’ve come to know and consider a kindred soul. I never ask people I know to read what I write. I don’t stop anybody, but I don’t encourage them either. It wouldn’t be fair to put them in a situation where they didn’t like the story but still felt they had to say something nice to me. I like honesty, but I understand it’s not easy to tell a friend, “Look, I truly hated your book, because of this, this, and also that.” Therefore, when Javier told me he’d bought the book and wanted to write a review about it, I hoped I didn’t let him down. It seems I have not.

Regarding the second review, I was nervous because I reached out to the blogger asking for her time. Finding bloggers who accept materials that is not YA is a time consuming task. I spend several hours every week looking for a book blogger who is willing to take a look at a science fiction/dystopian title meant for a mature audience. So far, I’ve found only a handful of them. Every time I send a copy to a blogger, I feel I’m sending my baby into the wild without a word of advice. Today, I was surprised  to find the blogger’s review on Goodreads, and she didn’t spare nice words. Thankfully, Mauricio passed the test again.

I know the day will come when my books will have terrible reviews. For now, I’m just happily dizzy. Cheers!

Happily Dizzy

The End Is Night

Monica La Porta, , , , , , 2 Comments

Pax striscia occhio

I’m happy to announce the editing for Pax in the Land of Women is officially done! Next week the formatted manuscript will be in the hand of the proofreader. In the last seven days, Amy and I went back and forth on the last eight chapters, slightly more than 30k words. On some of them we had more than ten revisions. It was gruesome. But it was all worth it. There were moments, toward the end, when I started doubting several things, but I fixed the holes in the plot and the inconsistences. Finally, I had to let it go. The gestation time for Pax has ended, she’s now and independent, well rounded story ready to have a life of its own.

The End Is Night

This Author’s Delights

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banner_thepriestThere’re moments in life when you feel pure contentment. Recently, I’ve been lucky enough to experience joy in different forms. Now, I’ve reached the next, blessed level, Authors’ Nirvana. E. J., a high-schooler who has recently read The Priest, is writing a book report on it. Inspiring a teenager to talk about a story on social issues is both humbling and exhilarating. I feel honored my little book was chosen. No other words are required. Thank you, E. Much love to you all.

This Author’s Delights