The World Ends HOW!? Blogfest

Halo, fine friends!

You know how I warned you Monday that I’d be posting for a blogfest? Well today’s the day I post the schtik!

WHY!? I am soon releasing A Shot in the Light, at least the first episode, for serial consumption!

Date: September 5, 2013 (release date for A Flock of Ill Omens, the first part) (the 6th or 7th is fine if that fits your blog schedule better!)

What/How:

1)  Sign up through the linky
2)  I will send a bit of info to you a few days before (blurb, cover, links)
3) You add 50-250 words about how YOU think the world will end (all in fun): is it nuclear war? Aliens? Zombies? Asteroid? [Is it clear yet I think way too much about this?] Giant Spaghetti Monster? Attack of the Interrobang!? Or are you on board with my flu scenario?

PRIZE!!! To sweeten the pot, I will randomly choose one entry for:

A SUBSCRIPTION (the full serial, as it comes out) and a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate

Please Please PLEASE Help me spread the word! I think all your ideas on how the world will end will be thoroughly amusing!

[Also wik: for those of you popping over for Denise Covey’s Write, Edit, Publish blogfest, that entry will be up tomorrow!]

[Also also wik:  Happy Birthday Mom!]

IndieLife Intro

So I am not yet Indie published, but by this time next month, I will be, so I decided to join in with some great people and start getting to know them… this Indie Life Blog  is the 2nd Wednesday of the month… (go join if you have or will Indie Publish!)

Since I am new at this, let me start with a brief intro, THEN I will list the things I plan to do this month before pressing publish on September 5.


What I hope to get from YOU is a reality check of what I’m MISSING.

I’m Hart (hi, Hart) and have traditionally published a couple Cozy Mysteries. I’ve always written, but only learned how to FINISH books in about 2006 (and those first three were fan fiction).

I’ve now written 15 first drafts (plus the fan fiction, so 18) but only published 2 (my 3rd Cozy comes out in March and a 4th Cozy I plan to sell traditionally-I don't suspect I will have trouble).

Probably half of those remaining are fixable to be published… but I’ve been waffling how to go about this. See… I believe the decision of the HOW has to do with genre and personality. And my personality is really more suited to traditional—details stress me out. Control’s not my thing. DETAILS aren't my thing... I just want to WRITE.

But I also HATE the ‘shopping the stuff’. The mystery is pretty easy. I had a referral and an easy first sale (7th book, mind you, but 3-book contract), but my other books I’ve queried haven’t gone that easily.

The serial collection cover

And then I fell in love with the serial.

I have three very strong stories in various stages of development that are definitely best suited to the serial format, so I decided it was time to set aside my fears (and detail aversion) and give it a shot.

I will see how it goes and see if I learn what I need to before I decide how I’ll publish my standalone books, but for now, I’m committed to the serial release of A Shot in the Light, a flu apocalypse thriller… (10 ‘episodes’ about 100 pages a piece) And here is what I need to do:


Production (by the end of August)
(the stuff I know how to do
Book 1 is with editor (scheduled release 9/5)
Book 2 is getting an edit (scheduled release 9/19)
Book 3 is with first readers

Need to write book 4 (the core is done)
(first 3 covers are ready)

(the stuff I need to figure out)
Need to learn to format for ePublication
Need to investigate Kindle Special Direct—considering this for initial publication, then expanding formats in maybe December when I’ll put out my first ‘bundle’

Need to write cover copy
Need to write acknowledgements

The first in the serial (99 pages)

Need set of blurbs (15 words, 50 words and 100 words)


Marketing

Update Author Profile on Amazon
New Author Profile on Goodreads (first need to get them to allow me two names)
Look into additional book venues (Book Bub?)

Solicit reviewers

And I know there are a thousand other things. I want to do this RIGHT or I probably would just wing it. I tend to do that. But I LOVE this story--really I do. And I want everybody ELSE to love it, too!  Which means I need to do all I can so people even KNOW about it.


So if any of you have MUSTS on your list for first time indie authors, especially if you know about serials, I would LOVE to have you share!!!

Losing Your Voice

In writing, voice is a GOOD thing, right? I know it is. And I am fairly confident I have a distinctive one—there is a me-ness to what I write that I don't even try for. When it's MISSING I don't do quite as well... in fact I'm thinking a lack of me might be one of Kahlotus Disposal Site's challenges... I need to get a little more of my voice in that book.

But right now I have a DIFFERENT sort of challenge.

For my serial, I have several Point-of-View characters... and see... if they all sound a little like ME, that's a problem because I DON'T want them to sound like each other.

So I am pondering the options to getting these folks to be just a little more distinct from each other... The ladies in particular. I have certain traits I have a really hard time letting go of. Smart. Ethical. Some humor.

But if all my characters are smart and ethical with a little humor... you can see what the trouble is, I imagine. Giving them different jobs and areas of expertise isn't enough. Giving them different quirks or neuroses isn't quite covering it...

Maybe I need a more complex character sketch for each of them... that might do it.

But I thought I'd ask all of YOU—how do you keep your voices distinct from each other?

The characters I'm working with at the moment


Sidney Knight

A freelance reporter from Portland, Oregon (raised in the midwest, transplanted in Oregon for college). She is smart, a little introverted. Worried about her brother (who works at the CDC in Atlanta) and outraged at what's going on. She is also intimidated by this giant task she's facing.


Sarah McGrath

Sid's roommate and longtime friend. A nurse who is a bit of a feminist, disapproves of swearing, is excellent in a crisis, but then typically has to have a mini-breakdown after. She's engaged and her finance also lives with them.


Dorene Radcliff

A Tulane law student and daughter of a senator from Georgia. She doesn't like to make waves—has always been in the political spotlight and so lives as if she's always being watched, which she is. Very classy.


Solution...

And just writing that out, I think I've spotted one of the things I need to do... I am going to give Sarah some more spunk... nurses are often a little sassy—it helps them tell people what to do and keep order when people can be ornery. And taking HER from the middle ground between Sid and Dorene to an outlier who is just a little wild allows the distinctions between Sid and Dorene to stand out, too—because THOSE TWO are pretty different.

You people are really good at this therapy thing!!!

Betas Make you Better!!!

I'm not here today, so please, nobody feel obliged on any front. My office is moving and I have no computer access for the day...

But I just wanted to give a HUGE SHOUT of thanks to first round beta readers for Ill Omens:

Stacy Gail
Jill Haugh
Jade Jamison
Teresa Coltrin
Marissa Montano

You ladies ROCK!!!!!

(please enjoy this eye candy)

A cruise, with this for your captain...

And him below decks...

Stop at an island for a swim with him...

And then a sneak peak at MATT...

Seriously, accolades to all of you...

Every one of you caught things and called me out on pieces where no one else did, so THAT is fabulous (and evidence we ALL need multiple readers). And there were a couple (well ONE) biggie you ALL called me out on (what the hell was I thinking?) so THANK YOU!!!

And so friends who stop by here today... would you mind PLEASE giving a visit to one or more of my FABULOUS READERS to help express my gratitude?

And for the couple of 2nd round readers who have signed on... my goal is Friday to have input incorporated...

Cover Lovin' and Progress

Writing News

First I just need to tell you what a wild trip this is. Anybody who has never contemplated a serial really should think about it. Maybe it is because it reminds me a little of my fan fiction writing days, where I posted regularly to meet the demand of my readers. It was fast paced and pushed me to keep at it.

And while my books haven't been actually PUBLISHED yet on this, I have a schedule that will definitely keep me cranking. Got my first case of feedback on Friday—at least one person thinks I am 90% on track—there was a character in need of a bit more dimension, but one of five PoV characters isn't a bad record. I can do it!

I finished the first draft of book two yesterday, so will spend the week trying to knock THAT into shape while I also hammer out what it is I want to include in Book 3.

So the NEWS is this:

First four books, all titled:

Ill Omens  (with first readers)
In Short Supply (currently editing--the pre-reader version)
So This is War (currently plotting and a wee bit of writing)
Fight or Flight

These four make a 'set' if you will that is the equivalent to the first in a trilogy, except that each also has a sub-story/theme that gets mostly tied up so the reader can move to the next theme.

NEXT (this is where we all get to squee a bit)


I have my 2nd cover!!!!!

My cover designer is my buddy Joris—I know you've all heard me talk about him. He's very talented, has worked with me on each of these—I generally have SOME idea for the broad idea... I think on the SET one, the SHOT was me and Joris added that very cool country below with the people falling off the United States.

The first for the serial, I requested a dead seagull—it is representative of the 'omens' if you will, and is what the reader gets the very first chapter.

And now you can see the second... that poor sad tomato plant with the fruit just dying on the vine... don't you wonder why? Huh? Don't ya?

So if you need a cover done, you definitely want to head over and look at his portfolio.

And he blogged yesterday about how he went about all these!

And while we're at it... I started a Facebook Author page this week for me as Hart Johnson... if any of you are at Facebook...

Please like me!

One Thing At A Time

As I struggle to re-acclimate at work, it ha occurred to me it isn't going to happen. I learned this in grad school 20 years ago and I'm not sure why I can't remember it. When my person spends a 'full time job worth' engaged in a high brain activity, the REST of the day needs to be brainless.

And right now I AM WRITING BOOKS!!!  At a frantic pace, mind you. And I'm making good progress.

Ill Omens is with first readers and I have 9 of probably 12 chapters written of Short Supply--the 2nd, though I will need to edit it by July 29 to get THAT to first readers.

SPEAKING of first readers... It is my opinion and nature that in a marathon, some people might poop out, so I was thinking I maybe needed SEVERAL early readers early on.  HOPEFULLY I can hook all of them, but life happen anallat.  So if ANYBODY is interested in jumping on as an early reader--giving feedback on these as I go, I'd be forever grateful. My only request is  2 week turnaround time.

Email me, if you are interested:  hartjohnson23@gmail.com


Any of the rest of you struggle with day job/writing brain wars?