Corona Virus Quarantine – Day:……. Who Knows?

Well, I got up today and realized it’s the 67th day of Femarpril, or whatever the hell month we are in right now, and it has been about two months since I posted my last blog entry.  I figured now was as good a time as any to let you know that I am alive and well, having survived the great toilet paper skirmish of 2020.

These last few weeks have proved to be an eye opening experience for me, as I have learned that my lifestyle apparently has a name: Self Quarantining. Who knew? I also realize that with the number of people posting photos of their alcohol supply, and having gone through just about every Netflix show in existence, I have a feeling that the wild nights of quarantine are going to be replaced with the raucous sound of babies crying in December. Introducing the next defined baby group: Coronials!!

One benefit of being an author is that we create our own little worlds, so if the one we are living in isn’t working for us, then we just move on. I’ve spent the last few months re-editing & re-publishing some previous novels: Perfect Pawn, Queen’s Gambit, Small Town Secrets (which also got a new cover re-design), Bishop’s Gate, Cold Case: The Katherine White Murder, and have Little Boy Lost in final review. I’m gradually making my way through my old backlist to polish up my prior books.  My goal is to give the reader the best possible product for them to enjoy.

Along the way, I’ve written a new novel which I hope to get out this summer. I’d hoped to release it in winter 2019, but there was just something missing and I didn’t want to force it. I’ve also penned an outline for a new Angelo Antonucci Cold Case novella and the outline for the next Alex Taylor novel.

So that’s what has been happening on my home front. I truly wish you all the best during this chaotic and uncertain time. Just remember, nothing lasts forever and each day is one day closer to the end of this nightmare. Until then, sit back, grab something to drink, and enjoy a good book. Chances are it will be a better world than the one we are living in right now.

Please remember to sign-up for my FREE Newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest information.

Best wishes, Stay Safe, & God Bless.

Andrew

Dealing with the Issue of Cliffhangers

Being an author means you risk being rebuked for your writing. It is like the old adage says, ‘If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.’

Recently one of my books, Bishop’s Gate, received a 2-star review after the reader took exception to my use of cliffhangers.

“Two stars because after reading two books, Queen Gambit and Bishops Gate, I realize the stories are never finished but continued on in a ploy to sell more books. Too bad, I really like the writing style but I hate and detest carry on stories. Won’t buy anymore by this author.”

I felt bad for two reasons. First, I apparently lost a reader, and second, it was obvious that the reader enjoyed my writing. To be fair, all authors want to sell more books. After all, it is a profession, albeit one that pays rather poorly for the vast majority of us. But it caused me to question my writing style and whether I should change it.

Long before I ever became an author, I was an avid reader and viewer. I enjoyed being transported from reality. One thing I took away was the fact that, just as in life, events are rarely stagnant. One of the pivotal moments in my appreciation of the uncertainty of life occurred when I went to see Star Wars in the summer of 1977. While there was a certain resolution to the storyline, spoiler: the rebels won, there was also a degree of ambiguity, since the antagonist, Darth Vader, is observed in retreat.

In 1980, this point was driven home with the release of The Empire Strikes Back. At the end of TESB, I was left with more questions than answers and a sense of how could something so good, go so wrong, so fast? The rebellion was bloodied, Luke lost a hand and learned a terrible secret, and Han was in the clutches of Boba Fett. Movies weren’t supposed to end this way and I wasn’t alone in my feelings. Judith Martin of The Washington Post criticized the film's middle-of-the-story plot, which she claimed had no particular beginning or end.

But, that’s exactly what George Lucas had envisioned.

To say that TESB had a profound impact on me would be a gross understatement. It caused me to re-think the whole premise behind storytelling. I began looking at the television series’ I habitually watched and came to understand that almost all of them had cliffhangers. I realized that life was not so cut and dry; that good didn’t always triumph over evil. It also made me understand that life, even literary ones, were constant. Not that I don’t appreciate a good standalone book, that literally ends with, The End, it’s just that I know there is more.

When I sat down to write my debut novel, Perfect Pawn, I had the idea of a story, but as the book progressed I realized that, 1) I like the characters, and 2) I wanted to write more. Perfect Pawn went beyond the traditional word count in my genre, but I knew there was much more to the story. So, while there was a certain level of resolution, I was already looking ahead to book two, in order to advance the plot.

Readers must understand that, like George Lucas, I have a vision in my head. This is the story of James Maguire and the cliffhangers serve a purpose. In the beginning, we learn that Maguire is a former Navy SEAL and a retired NYPD detective, but that changes in book two, and there are more changes as the storyline progresses. I know where the series is going and my wish is that you will stay for the ride. This is a series, and there are things touched on in one book, that will seem insignificant, but will make much more sense later on. There are a lot more twists and turns ahead.

To quote Commander Richard Marcinko, U.S. Navy SEAL (Retired), ‘Pay attention, you will see this material again.’

Please remember to sign-up for my FREE Newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest information.

Dealing with the Issue of Critical Reviews

Being an author means you have to constantly question and reevaluate your writing, especially when it is based on reader feedback and reviews. If you don’t, then you risk committing the same mistakes going forward. Acting on constructive criticism, even when it bruises your ego, can mean the difference between staying a mediocre author and becoming a great one.

Bad reviews are part of the game and you have to learn how to deal with them. The truth is your book will not be a perfect fit for every reader. I know I have read some books I considered a challenge to finish. The thought of leaving a bad review didn’t cross my mind because I felt that it was a personal thing. Just because I didn’t connect with the book, didn’t mean others wouldn’t. I look at James Patterson’s first Alex Cross novel, Along Came a Spider, which has more 1-star reviews than all reviews combined of my debut novel, Perfect Pawn.

I have had some scathing reviews in the past about my editing, or lack thereof, such as this one 1-star review:

‘The author has a message and a knack for plot. Unfortunately, what he doesn't have is an editor.’ 

I liked the first part, but inwardly cringed on the second. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Patterson book also got slammed in a review for grammar and typos. Being compared to James Patterson wouldn’t be a bad thing, except in this case.

I will not lie, a bad review hurts; a lot. You can’t help but take it personally. It’s the literary equivalent of someone saying your child’s ugly.

I’d like to say they were wrong, but the reality is they were right. The problem with being an indie author is that the vast majority of the time you are it. This means, besides writing, you also wear a multitude of other publishing hats. I don’t believe the average reader understands the financial costs of publishing your books, not that this is an excuse, but it is a legitimate roadblock for many indie authors.

Consider the following:

A ballpark estimate for an editor will run an author about $1000 - $1500. They can expect to pay about $250 + for a book cover. If they lack the skill, formatting your e-book and print edition can run another $200 to $300 dollars. These are all ballpark estimates, but, as you can see, the numbers add up quickly. That does not count advertising, which is crucial if you want to reach an audience that will generate sales. Depending on genre, that can run anywhere from $500 to $1000 per month, per advertising outlet.

Realistically speaking, the average cost for an indie author to publish their novel will be in the $2k range, not including advertising. This also does not reflect the author’s writing time. I know that my first book took a year to write. How much value do you place on that?  How many people would be willing to dedicate a year or more of their life without the expectation to get paid? Apparently we writers are a masochistic lot.

In all likelihood, an author will have to sell nearly 1k e-books just to break even on the initial production costs. I can tell you from experience that, without the help of ads, that milestone will take years to achieve.

Indie authors have a much tougher slog to achieve their literary dreams than legacy house authors, but that doesn’t mean we cannot accomplish it. It just takes more time and creativity.

I recently took a hard look at my earlier works. After doing re-reads, I can tell you I was dismayed to find that many of the more critical reviews were accurate. While the stories themselves are great, the literary errors could dampen the reading experience, especially for critical readers. As a result, I went back and began to re-edit my catalog of books.

 At present, I have re-edited and re-published: Perfect Pawn and Queen’s Gambit, the first two books in the James Maguire series. I have also completed the re-edit of Small Town Secrets, book one in the Alex Taylor series, and I hope to have this book re-published next month, with an updated cover. I am almost finished with the re-edit of Bishop’s Gate. As I re-publish each book I will make an announcement when it is available.  

My goal for 2020 is to give the reader the best literary experience I can by re-editing all of my books in chronological order. It’s the best I can do, unless someone out there knows Henry Cavill, of Netflix’s Witcher fame, and can get him interested in playing the part of James Maguire (Yes, he was the inspiration from the beginning).

Once again, thank you for your continued support. If you love my books leave a review, if you have issues please let me know.

Please remember to sign-up for my FREE Newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest information.