JoZebwrites

Fresh baked bread… Kare tried to curl up against the pain in his stomach but couldn’t move his arms and legs.   “Say it.” Beck’s voice grated. He pulled Kare’s head up, so he could see the bread as it was crumbled, smell its scent. He shook his head and Beck took the bread away. Kare drifted away, only half aware of where he was… His head was yanked back, another smell. Meat juices dripped onto his lips, clenching his stomach. “Say it.” Beck drizzled more and this time they were salty, mixed with tears. He needed it. “Master.” The chicken vanished. He needed it. Gods, he needed it.   The chains opened and his hands fell before him and he looked at them, not knowing what to do. A hunk of bread and a bowl were set on the floor, and he remembered. He broke the hard bread, used the gruel to soften it, and ate, scooping the dregs, spilling them from his hands, they were shaking so much. He licked the bowl, needing what it had, and when Beck laughed, he didn’t care....

ON PUBLISHING #4 HYBRID PUBLISHING AND THE BACKLIST August 29, 2015   by Teresa Edgerton  |  0 comments And this time it’s me, writing about my various experiences in publishing: TRAD PUBLISHING, SMALL PRESS, SELF-PUBLISHING, AND THE BACKLIST I used to sell my books to some of the biggest science fiction/fantasy imprints. After eleven books (all but the first sold from a synopsis or outline, all but that one and one other part of multi-book deals) that is something I have no interest in doing again. Don’t get me wrong. I have none of the usual complaints about working with the big publishers. Every editor I ever dealt with was someone who cared passionately about books. They liked me, they liked my books, they were incredibly patient about missed deadlines, and they always treated me with kindness and respect. They published books that they believed in by authors they believed in, sometimes continuing to carry authors whose books were profitable but not hugely...

I get asked by my not-yet-published writing friends, ‘how much is it, really, this promotion thing?’ So, I thought I’d track the last week and give an idea of just how much goes on. The background: my debut book, the first in a traditionally published Space Opera trilogy, came out in March 2015. Since then, I’ve been building networks on twitter and facebook, various online communities as well as face to face. I’ve had some reviews and they’ve been good enough for me to decide not to throw in the writing towel. Last Friday, my second book, Inish Carraig was released on Kindle. For various reasons, I chose to self-publish this one. Here, then, is what I’ve spent the last week doing. If I don’t make you feel tired just looking at this little list, then I’m worried, because I’ve been fairly exhausted at my end. Bear in mind, this has all been done around family life (I have kids), work (I’ve had a busy week with meetings, reports, office work and driving), and, you kn...

DOING IT FOR YOURSELF  When  I started writing, some four years ago, I was the least likely person to be writing an article on self publishing my book. Now, I’m a hybrid author, happily published with one project, equally happily self-publishing a second. (Out today, and very excited I am, too.) In the beginning, I wanted the dream. I’d worked with books for years, I knew a fair bit about the industry. For me, publishing meant being on bookshelves and I decided I’d hold on for the perfect trad-published dream. Inish Carraig, my second book, got me close - I nailed an agent with it. A good one, too. But to get the agent, I changed Inish from a crossover book to a YA book. After some more work on it, we subbed it. The dream went off-piste. I didn’t get the great publishing deal. I didn’t get the six figure advance, and the holiday to Barbados.  I did get  left with the book. More and more I found my thoughts returning to the original cross over project I’d writ...

So, I'm involved in four week of posts looking at self publishing, the reasons for it and against it, the mechanics and the sort of projects it can be well suited to. Week one, is on my great writing mate, Thaddeus White's blog page and this link will take you to it, like magic. (I hope. It's me and tech, after all...) http://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/how-to-self-publish.html

As the July Blogswap Trail comes towards its conclusion, I'm sharing a host of extracts and related stories from The Last War, the first book in The Noukari Trilogy. Today's extract comes from Chapter Two, where we first meet Asha in her confrontation with the leader of the new-found religion of the Noukari, Apius. Enjoy! CHAPTER TWO EXCERPT Apius has become aware of the glances that he has begun to attract from those living within Genem. Those he knows look upon him with reverence, acknowledging him with a bow or other prostration. These he responds to with simple platitudes, blessings in the name of the Animex, furthering belief with each word. But there are still many within Genem who have yet to accept, and to them his robed figure brings equal measures of suspicion and hatred. They do not yet recognise his position, and the influence it brings. He is not blind to the sideways glances, the baleful eyes, the naked curiosity that surrounds him. But he knows that he n...

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing P.P.Corcoran, author of the Amazon bestselling Saiph Series. It's a fascinating interview that covers so much about the publishing world today, as well as a real insight into military science fiction, and the Saiph Series itself. JZ - Firstly, can you tell me a bit about your books, and the world they are set in? PPC - The Saiph Series is set around 150 years in the future when humanity has come together as the Terran Republic after suffering near extinction during a world war. The Republic rebuilds its societies and is finally able to concentrate its efforts on satisfying their age old fascination for travelling the stars. By accident rather than design scientists stumble across the Gravity Drive, an engine that allows almost instantaneous travel over vast distances and the stars are at last within reach. The Terran Republic venture beyond the solar system and discover a hidden alien library, which proves once and for all that ...