So, my proof copy of UnSung is on its way. It's that copy I can look at and see if this is a copy worthy of that price tag I'm putting on it. $20, for those who are curious, but it costs $10-something to print, then the minimum charge of $16-something means charging $20 will net me a not-even-$2 profit. My profit per ebook is close to $4-something so I'd actually encourage ebook sales this time around.
So no, more book does not mean more money for me. Just putting that out there for the prospective authors. You probably shouldn't be doing this for the money...
So what can you expect from this one? I don't think it gets easier to explain a new book, no matter how many times I've done it. My novels all tend to feature simple subplots that weave into a bigger picture and this one is no exception. If you did read the epilogue of UnNamed, then you were introduced to Talia, a fire dancer who is nervous about school and boys and her faltering self-confidence. After meeting Aiden, a bard who can't speak, she is thrust into a series of events that remove her from her once-carefully selected plans.
UnSung starts from the bard's perspective (not first person, mind you; third-person limited). Even with a sea between Aiden and his old life, he feels the paranoia of it catching up to him. Neither Talia nor Aiden are able to easily assimilate into a life where their own decisions matter. However, who they are and what they want to be are a distant third to what the world has in store for them. A dangerous mage that almost shattered the world is at large, murders of a very calculated and macabre nature crop up, and an abandoned city begins to seem as good a refuge as any in this world.
This is a slow-burner series with enthralling subplots uncovering the secrets of the four Gods, the rebirth of magic, the fall and rise of new civilizations. There is capricious romance, fickle magic, mystery, and dark suspense involved, but it's largely a playground for exploring the big picture through the little details.
Don't worry about needing a glossary; I don't dump exposition on you and new vocabulary and names are not heavy in this series. The complexity is woven into the psychology and themes rather than the terminology.
UnHeard... is another story. Literally and figuratively. This one takes on a more political (but fictitious--I'm not making a current statement through fiction) angle so I may be providing a list in the back matter of all of the Houses. For some people, the details will be interesting, but I don't want it to be a requirement (and an info dump) that weighs down the story. However, it takes place in a nation of islands that still cling to a very strict monarchy tethered to its geography. Again, while these details do maneuver into the plot, I still find my writing is more driven by the movements of the characters. They are the ripples that create the tidal waves.
I'm heartened to see that the struggle for women writers who write romance/erotica themes into epic fantasy aren't being tamped down by literary prudes. It is certainly their preference to make wrongful assumptions concerning our depth. Much like how detractors of blue language make blanket assumptions about the intelligence of people who use it, there are still self-proclaimed literary experts who reduce women writing any 'soft' themes into complex stories as crude, crass, undisciplined, shallow, basic, awwww, just pick your old-timey derogatory synonym for 'female'. Even if women do tend to be the majority of our audience, the idea that men should be the majority of a readership for it to be valid or worthy is perplexing. Are we still assuming that gender really has that kind of power these days? Or that women should just scamper into the romance section and quit striving for literary diversity? Bitch, please.
As a writer, I'm not going to work too hard to avoid or adopt ANY trends just to rebel or assimilate to what is expected of me. I'm going to write what my story needs to be. If I am simply writing things to make sure I include a market, then I am actually excluding the depths of my potential, which means dipping those toes in waters that I know may be infested with sharks.
Of course, publish independently and people will invent even more hoops for you to jump through. They'll question what you've invested in it, WHO you've invested in it... Is it any wonder that a great deal of writers just ditch social media and get to the writing? The more you succeed in any aspect, the more you'll find those detractors.
It's because of the changing climate of publishing that indie writers are asking for one simple contribution: if you like what we write, post a short review. Yes, there is plenty of crap passing through the gates, but if you want a more diverse market that doesn't suffer for quality, then direct people to the work you've taken a risk on. Say what you like or don't like, let the market know when indie is doing it right. While stomping and pouting won't make shitty book farmers go away, reviewers can restore some integrity to the market. I'm not just talking Amazon either. GoodReads, Books2Read--there are many outlets to post your thoughts on that can direct other book lovers to work they might jibe with.
Speaking of which, I need to upgrade some sites to reflect my upcoming release so I'll catch ya later! No small task...
UnSung starts from the bard's perspective (not first person, mind you; third-person limited). Even with a sea between Aiden and his old life, he feels the paranoia of it catching up to him. Neither Talia nor Aiden are able to easily assimilate into a life where their own decisions matter. However, who they are and what they want to be are a distant third to what the world has in store for them. A dangerous mage that almost shattered the world is at large, murders of a very calculated and macabre nature crop up, and an abandoned city begins to seem as good a refuge as any in this world.
This is a slow-burner series with enthralling subplots uncovering the secrets of the four Gods, the rebirth of magic, the fall and rise of new civilizations. There is capricious romance, fickle magic, mystery, and dark suspense involved, but it's largely a playground for exploring the big picture through the little details.
Don't worry about needing a glossary; I don't dump exposition on you and new vocabulary and names are not heavy in this series. The complexity is woven into the psychology and themes rather than the terminology.
UnHeard... is another story. Literally and figuratively. This one takes on a more political (but fictitious--I'm not making a current statement through fiction) angle so I may be providing a list in the back matter of all of the Houses. For some people, the details will be interesting, but I don't want it to be a requirement (and an info dump) that weighs down the story. However, it takes place in a nation of islands that still cling to a very strict monarchy tethered to its geography. Again, while these details do maneuver into the plot, I still find my writing is more driven by the movements of the characters. They are the ripples that create the tidal waves.
I'm heartened to see that the struggle for women writers who write romance/erotica themes into epic fantasy aren't being tamped down by literary prudes. It is certainly their preference to make wrongful assumptions concerning our depth. Much like how detractors of blue language make blanket assumptions about the intelligence of people who use it, there are still self-proclaimed literary experts who reduce women writing any 'soft' themes into complex stories as crude, crass, undisciplined, shallow, basic, awwww, just pick your old-timey derogatory synonym for 'female'. Even if women do tend to be the majority of our audience, the idea that men should be the majority of a readership for it to be valid or worthy is perplexing. Are we still assuming that gender really has that kind of power these days? Or that women should just scamper into the romance section and quit striving for literary diversity? Bitch, please.
As a writer, I'm not going to work too hard to avoid or adopt ANY trends just to rebel or assimilate to what is expected of me. I'm going to write what my story needs to be. If I am simply writing things to make sure I include a market, then I am actually excluding the depths of my potential, which means dipping those toes in waters that I know may be infested with sharks.
Of course, publish independently and people will invent even more hoops for you to jump through. They'll question what you've invested in it, WHO you've invested in it... Is it any wonder that a great deal of writers just ditch social media and get to the writing? The more you succeed in any aspect, the more you'll find those detractors.
It's because of the changing climate of publishing that indie writers are asking for one simple contribution: if you like what we write, post a short review. Yes, there is plenty of crap passing through the gates, but if you want a more diverse market that doesn't suffer for quality, then direct people to the work you've taken a risk on. Say what you like or don't like, let the market know when indie is doing it right. While stomping and pouting won't make shitty book farmers go away, reviewers can restore some integrity to the market. I'm not just talking Amazon either. GoodReads, Books2Read--there are many outlets to post your thoughts on that can direct other book lovers to work they might jibe with.
Speaking of which, I need to upgrade some sites to reflect my upcoming release so I'll catch ya later! No small task...
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