Writing and Reading

Oh, that’s so much fun…. Literally, from ear to ear, smilin’ like a swabby at sea and a patch over me left eye, wantin’ a kiss from a mermaid of legend, me hearties!

Get to yer Facebook and hoist the jib a bit… (translation: scroll down to the bottom of your page and click on the bottom left corner where it says “English”)

And aim yer cannons to fire away, me hearties! (translation: pick the language option “Pirate” and enjoy how your page looks)

And now for your viewing pleasure….

Surprise, surprise–BIG update here (well, at least for me, as I unfortunately can’t ’show’ you what I mean, only tell you).

I HAVE RECEIVED MY FIRST LOOK

OF A POTENTIAL ”THE CAIN LETTERS” BOOK COVER!!

I know, I know…you all need to irish jig with me and dance naked under the full moon. Pretty cool.

Which brings me to my topic and question here on “Writing and Reading”:

First off, check out Buffi BeCraft, hot cover artist for Eirelander Publishing, the mistress-mind (is that even a word? Felt kind of weird calling her the “mastermind”) behind the potential cover to my novel. And, sorry, folks–can’t show it until I’m given the OK to post it.

My immediate reaction to the potential cover created by Buffi was one of ecstasy, existentialism, and immortal ire of unmistakable anti-enmity and enigma for the darkness and shadows of evil eclipsed by beauty and insurmountable sensuality.

Yes. She is that good. I absolutely loved the cover.

I, of course, wanted to see even more, given it’s a “first draft”, potential cover. Maybe something darker, even. Low-key, low lighting? I give away too much. I must stop. Too tantalizing.

It brings the question: how does a cover artist brainstorm? What goes into the making of a cover?

I know I’ve posted before on book covers here, but an even tighter investigation begs for a revelation into the fantastic mind of that all-glamorous cover artist, the person we authors adore with a passion (if I could serve Buffi cakes and tea and offer her fountains of glory in her glorious name, I would) because they bring our story to life…visually.

I have a unique perspective here, which is why I bring up this question about cover artists.

I have an intimacy with my novel probably more than the casual shopper in a bookstore witnessing THE CAIN LETTERS on a shelf and soaking in the imagery on the cover. I know the story already. I wrote it. So for me to look at the cover, honestly, I was…mystified. I kid you not.

It was as if I was looking at a book I had never read but wanted to read, wanted to buy. It looked interesting. Frightening and yet enticing at the same time. Again, I won’t go into details on that. But for crying out loud–I wrote the damn book! And there I was staring at that potential cover, and somehow the imagery conjured in me this need to explore the world created by it.

It makes me wonder how cover artists, specifically Buffi, come up with these particular ideas for covers. The symbolism. What’s the process? How does it work? Is there a formula? And, please, Buffi, if you are out there somewhere (preying on the blood of the innocent or howling at the moon or flying around with your demon wings into the night, whatever), please please please please please comment, give me your thoughts.

Or any cover artists, for that matter–give me your thoughts. I’m interested. Talk to me about your craft. Show me what it is that gives you the magic to make such beautiful cover art.

“You are everything

I never knew I always wanted.”

- Matthew Perry

Now let’s talk about validation here, people! What have I been saying about the publishing industry? What have many people been saying? Amen to Nathan Bransford, numerous articles, blah blah blah–

All this talk about the Kindle, the eReader, iPhone’s Stanza–are we really seeing publishing go digital? Or is this just speculation?

I have to admit, I do feel like I’m beating a dead cow with a crowbar here (at least I can get hamburgers out of that–you can’t do that with dead horses, unless you like the meat *shrugs*), but when I came across this video, I immediately felt a sort of boom to my brain about the possibilities and positive outlook of the changing book industry. As drastic as it is, as negative as it can be, the ultimate swing is pointing UP. Change fluctuates, but ultimately everything about the industry will go UP. Especially for authors.

Media 7 interviewed Stephanie Johnson, a writer, Nicola Legat of Random House and Graham Beattie of Bookman on the state of the publishing industry; and let me tell you, it was refreshing hearing them discuss openly about everything we’re seeing concerning publishing–e-book vs. print, mass book production vs. print-on-demand, reading in the tub vs. reading on a 4-hour trip by airplane (the video will illustrate that point, I promise). You know, things like that.

Check out this video, please.

The negative spin we sometimes hear about the book industry needs to die. Come to think of it, ALL things negative need to die. After all, we are authors–an authors don’t need negativity. As Dumbledore would say, “It doesn’t do to dwell on [bad] dreams, Harry, and forget to live….”

So true, so true.

I was so lucky to have thought of some of my favorite childhood stories this very moment, dialogue sequences that made me laugh, and was spurred to do some YouTube research, trying to find these beautiful little golden nuggets of giggles. I can’t help but laugh so much at them. Ranging from when I was a tiny little boy to around high school, I think, I have three scenes from three different Robin Hood movies.

Yes. Robin Hood.

I mean, think about it. He’s a man wearing tights. He has his “merry” men. He’s all wishy-washy with Maid Marian. It just makes for great comedy! Even when done seriously!

That and he’s the ultimate, ingenious premise of what can definitely be called…a ‘HERO’. He steals from the rich to feed the poor. He’s devious, yet a saint. The perfect mesh.

So here they are, people. Enjoy.

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Disney’s “Robin Hood”

“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”

“Robin Hood: Men in Tights”

I think it’s about time I gave my two cents on this whole Query@Fail, Agent@Fail, Whatever@Fail thing, Fail@Fail and the unbelievably ingenious concept of the “Agent For a Day”challenge Nathan Bransford threw at us writers. I’ll admit it:

I have not read the whole Query@Fail Twitter thing that’s been storming the literary waters, nor have I even climbed over to the dark side and read this nasty Agent@Fail thing (the things I have read about the Agent@Fail thread have conjured sounds of wailing and hissing cats, catfight! catfight!).

Nor do I intend to read such banter.

Listen, readers: I’m definitely not saying I thoroughly enjoyed querying 100 or so agents and only getting 10 responses back, all of them negative, and another 50 responses only a year later with the rest sending me the sound of crickets in the weeds. Yes, I really did want to toss the computer out the window when after the 267th day I didn’t receive a response from said agent about my book.

But, seriously, lighten up, people. Come on.

Bravo to Nathan for the contest. Think about it. Let me put it to you this way–

Get on Facebook and check how many notifications and requests you have. Like the “‘Lil Eco Racer” thing or the “Green Patch” or the “Blue Cove” or the numerous amount of “SuperPokes”, flying cows and several belly dancers and thongs flying at you: you know you want to just literally BREEZE through all the requests on your profile, so you’re back to empty and don’t have to worry about them! There’s just way too many! It’s almost frustrating!

I mean, I think I have about 20 million GreenBucks now because I’ve neglected to buy those little Smurfie Whats-its Whatever-They-Are Gremlin Things.

Think about how a literary agent feels. I heard a year ago that prestigious literary agent Kim Whalen gets about 500 queries a day.

500. Queries. A. Day.

That’s insane. And I complain about my 30 Green Patch requests on Facebook.

Moreover, thankfully I didn’t even participate in the “Agent For a Day” contest Bransford put out, because I’d suffer aneurisms till I died. I already face edits up my anus hole and, yes, the Facebook request flood (they’re charming, really, but you should’ve seen my girlfriend on my Facebook helping me go through all the requests one by one), so even thinking about tackling queries as an actual ‘agent’ sent the lactic acid down to my knees and feet, preventing me from ever walking again.

It was awesome seeing the results of his contest, though . Nathan made an excellent point there.

So, seriously, people. Lighten up on the agents and editors of the literary world. Let it go. The passion should be the writing, not “getting others to like your writing”. That comes later. Writing comes first. And if no one’s liking or reading or even listening to you, just keep writing. Just keep writing.

Okay, just to prove how incredibly insane I’ve become (even moreso than usual, if you can believe that), here’s a video I randomly stumbled onto just because I’m so miserably tired, bored, burned out and fried in the head. Taco Supreme.

Two more days left, and all of you are still flooding in, waiting to see the goodies featured–Pat Bertram, Karen Ventrice and Sally Hanan. It’s just a never-ending soiree of starstruck eyes and oohs and aahs over literary genius and quality unlike anything seen before (I make people blush–come on, pat, come on, Karen, come on, Sally. BLUSH!). I’m in awe of the Red River group and the number of contacts and friends I’ve made–other writers and literary moguls in the industry.

In the meantime, I’m still plugging away on the writing schtick. Seriously. Let me update you on just how seriously.

Yesterday I was commissioned to write seven articles on a variety of different subjects. The subject aren’t important. The deadlines for these articles were important. Let me put it this way–

THEY WERE DUE TODAY BY NOON.

My brain is fried. I finished the articles, but my brain is fried. I need to eat monkeys. I have toes. Sucky sucky.

Booze and friends make for a very crazy night filled with conversations with the porcelain god about thanksgiving and bowel movements and other such literary commentary.

In other words, my birthday party was, in a word….

FUN.

Luckily, I didn’t have a hangover.

And still all my readers constantly check up on the “Writing and Reading” platform for some more sage advice! Thank you, my people! I love you all!

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An update: first off, check Sally Hanan’s blog for her feature of me and THE CAIN LETTERS. My ugly mug’s on her blog, too. I have this sort of devilish smile. I forced Sally to put it on, too. She secretly fears me.

On the 20th and 21st, Karen Cioffi-Ventrice will be hosting me as well! Things are getting pretty exciting.

No, I still don’t have a cover, yet. The artists are working on it.

And I’m in the middle of editing Chapter 2.

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Okay, done with the updates.

Now to real deal here:

We’re getting serious here when it comes to publication and a real career in authorship, writing, an established novelist. Knowing how important the market is, what readers are looking for, what kind of writing styles they feed on–that’s all important, as important as rain on rhododendrons.

I was lucky enough to receive one particular birthday gift (AHA! See how I make connections within my articles? Smart.) from a friend of mine: a gift card to Barnes & Noble. I’ll admit it–

I haven’t bought a book since, well, maybe August. Partly because I’m strapped for cash. But having this gift card was a godsend in that I can really explore literature that has some meaning to me (now if only I had the time to read….).

Let’s face it: as an author, knowing your genre is important. Mine, in this case, is urban fantasy-vampire literature. I keep perusing the literary agent blogs out there–Bransford, Nelson, Knight, Diver. AHA! Lucienne Diver. You hear me, Lucienne? I’m talkin’ about you, you lover of vampire literature.

Check out her blog to get the rundown on vampire literature, as she’s hosting her very own “Vampire Week”.

That gave me the knowledge of certain books to look out for when researching ideas and developing my own while writing to the appeal of that particular niche of the urban fantasy genre.

I bought NIGHT RISING by Chris Marie Green, a noir-mystery urban fantasy about, you guessed it–

VAMPIRES….

And for good measure, I purchased a classic among classics, the first drop of blood on the torn flesh of the literature body broken for all to satisfy the deepest hunger…. SALEM’S LOT by Stephen King, arguably one of the best vampire novels of all time.

As shown on Nathan Bransford’s blog–

Vampires are on the rise in the literary world. Check out Diver’s blog if you don’t believe me. So the best thing I can do as a newly-published author is to read up on my…well…for lack of a better term…competition.

Time to sink my teeth in.

Considering I’m still on featured tour and Pat, Karen and Sally are still watching, I write this post with great trepidation that they may find me undeniably retarded (of course, they probably won’t as they may relate in great measure to the state of insanity that is a writer). But I just had to post this for great reason.

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Before I continue with this post, let me again remind you, as part of this tour, that Pat has hosted me here and here and here. On the 12th and 13th, Sally Hanan will also be featuring me on her own site. It’s going to be a fabulous time.

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And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program.

So…Birthday by Binky. Let me put it this way.

It’s my birthday today! Yes. It’s true. And I’m turning 19 years old (okay, that’s a lie, 23 years old…. Only…. with 8 years added onto that…. Yeah). And let me just say how amazing it is to have such clinically insane friends. They keep life interesting. Yes. They do. I couldn’t be happier. I want to shoot Binky in the head, but I couldn’t be happier.

In fact, if I see another clown–anywhere, even on TV, or even two blocks down–I will literally spew. Spew chunks. Big chunks. Clowns are evil. They are spawns of Satan (not any of you Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus associates, though–you guys are okay in my book). They are the seeds of evil. Trust me. See for yourself.

Oh. And thank you, Maniacal Movie Man (we’ll just call my one particular clinically insane friend who sent me this just today by that ‘title’ so as not to reveal his true identity. I cherish him dearly. And I don’t want him killed.) for sending me this video–even though I’m actually now ten times dumber than I normally am.

Taco Supreme. Enjoy.