tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78616479809381969592024-02-20T12:28:15.051-08:00Here there be monstersMy thoughts on horror, sci-fi and fantasy in movies, literature and yes, perhaps even real life.Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-62259813435423429812018-02-27T19:18:00.002-08:002018-02-28T07:32:06.779-08:00Funding a horror movie project is not for the faint of heart!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I want to pick up where I left off on this SKINWALKERS movie
thing. There have been a lot of changes since the last update, one of them
being a name change to THEY WHO WALK AMONG US.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SkinwalkerMovie/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fFNadINT_p90LHgAchSaC7mia4QXRaTifAh9hVweIrbwgiTJ7RZq4t01MxgvKFM5cjSJhlPyVCYCEXg56HTirLi7D7wTnDEdze1rmemuldTsLbEW5dbpXvulTktLVsL_ltF7fkZGEVrv/s320/They+Who+Walk+background.jpg" width="213" /></a><span id="goog_943913684"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_943913685"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In case you forgot, here's the logline for the story: A young
music star is forced to use her clairvoyant gifts to save her teenage sister
from an ancient supernatural force that is terrorizing their North Carolina
home town.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The reason for this name change is that the SKINWALKERS name had
already been used by several movies and TV shows. The new name is based on the
same Navajo mythology—He who walks among us on all fours—is basically the
English translation of<span style="background-color: black;"> "</span></span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">yee naaldooshii</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">," </span>or Skinwalker.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> We just tweaked it a little to fit the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With the last post, I talked about filming here in my
hometown, where the true events took place. Unfortunately, that's no longer feasible,
for a host of reasons, not the least of which are the loss of the tax
incentives for movie makers in North Carolina. Hopefully we will get those back
in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I first wrote the screenplay, I had figured on a budget
of no more than $500,000, which is still a hell of a lot of money, but is
considered a low budget for a film. With all of the entities now involved in
this project, that budget has ballooned all the way up to $4 million, and
deflated all the way down to $300,000. Now it is pretty solidly settled
somewhere in the middle. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Getting there, however, has been quite the roller coaster
ride. Back in Feb. 2017, I had just hooked up with Billy Lewis of Orange Street
Films and we were deep into the process of making the script as good as it
could possibly be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.orangestfilms.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIgP_2OXFgMtvPMIKzQZFQemWL79R1DqA05-FN5x8fOxQWztw1gtTl254HfDBxFAjeGkVybfRfK9qQ_QZ6wauFQBzpPrry9fVpDBVb0XiORk_xQUN6IdVDvMN0C1tlg8APn61VhwqWOx7/s320/Orange+St.+logo+black.jpg" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_943913704"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_943913705"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Enter producer Jonathan Landau (no, not the guy who produced
Titanic!) who had helped Billy produce his latest film, THE TERRIBLE TWO. Once
I had incorporated the changes that Billy asked for in the screenplay, Jon
jumped on board and helped hone it even more. We worked on it for a solid six
months, got coverage from a couple of Hollywood producers and eventually said, "Okay,
it's done!" At least for now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This being my second screenplay, I have learned that nothing
is ever really 100% done. Other producers will request changes, actors will
have input, even distributors will want to add or remove things from the
script. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First we had to incorporate, which meant getting a lawyer,
filling out lots of papers, and agreeing on who would do what. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once that was done, we all three made phone calls to various
people, Jon and Billy to their business connections, and me to...well, anyone
who would listen. We eventually teamed up with another producer named Reid
Doyle, who played one of the leads in THE TERRIBLE TWO, and a couple of
production companies based in Raleigh, who really loved the screenplay. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theterribletwomovie.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYxoKk54_NpQA4BcIeztiTOSu_zrU-zngFQF5p_SCw5lPLywPw4J0JAHoFtrPVkvDDij2jWSwEBHTO8sKrZByBkOEXmwNB7cVZXaSUfxzJtJNAIhKPjVfF51vb6IWq6ha7vU0mHObBMrw/s320/the-terrible-two-new-jpeg_orig.jpg" width="216" /></a><span id="goog_943913714"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_943913715"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then, it was time to find the money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have managed to get a great actor on board, Jesse C. Boyd,
who stars in the hit TV Series "Day 5," and an amazing special effects
make-up guy named </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Damian Fisher, who has
worked on movies like "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," "Suicide
Squad," "Captain America: Civil War," "Ant Man,"
"Jurassic World" and more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the first ways we raised money was through a Go Fund
Me campaign. We ended up raising over $5,000 through that, plus another $5,000
from a private investor, which really helped get the ball rolling. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We have basically spent the last year making phone calls,
taking people to dinner, doing fundraisers, sending emails - anything we can to
help fund this movie. Jon, Billy and Reid even drove down to Elizabeth City
from Wilmington to do a private showing of their new film, THE TERRIBLE TWO, where
we met up with one of our executive producers/investors, my band-mate and
friend, Barret Kidd. We had a great time! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So now, here we are a year later, on the verge of finalizing
our budget and beginning pre-production, which I will be blogging about in the
coming weeks and months ahead. Stay tuned!</span></span></div>
<br />Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-85212974129342278602017-02-05T17:32:00.000-08:002017-02-07T18:27:29.628-08:00Why I'm making a movie in Elizabeth City<br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->A lot of
people have been asking me this: Why am I putting myself through the hell of
trying to get my own movie funded? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well,
the answer is simple: I want to give back to my community. They have supported
my books and my music endeavors over the last 20 years, so I figured, hey,
let's do something that will benefit them as well as me.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have been
trying to sell screenplays for the last couple of years. My first one required a
budget that was much too big for any Hollywood types to get behind, and going
indie was out of the question because it couldn't be made well on an indie
budget.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So I changed
my tactics and wrote a screenplay that could be made on a smaller budget.
Hence, my latest story, a supernatural mystery/thriller called SKINWALKER,
based on an actual event that happened right here in my town over 100 years
ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As of this
moment I have a wonderful director, Billy Lewis, and a production company,
Orange St. Films, on board, as well as the local arts council and several
business owners. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.orangestfilms.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.orangestfilms.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSeTcP099mBiPwuCd9ffKEG3ldCJT5m6SlAS-YMmpm6nTAASXa28C9WJ1_XvTiC822PoBfez0juGdCtLLmQUHy-kGJBIoEBjDxMZ1HCm_PQGCXHP98UG3ARx5H6AjQ6yr6nJUJQALz8Y3/s1600/Orange+St.+logo.jpeg" /><span id="goog_307971781"></span></a><span id="goog_307971782"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many people
have offered their businesses and homes as locations for the film, and this
town is ripe with people who love the performing arts - there are three
different theatre groups in Elizabeth City alone, and even more in nearby
towns. Elizabeth City is a beautiful waterfront community, perfect for filming
a movie. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have the
screenplay, the production company, the arts council, local businesses -
everyone is on board. But we still need the money! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just ask
that you go take a look at our Indiegogo page and check out the perks available
to contributors at all levels - even just $5 gets your name mentioned in the
film credits!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Please, help
out your fellow thespians, your fellow citizens and help put Elizabeth City on
the map by supporting its first full-length feature film! Click below for details!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/skinwalkers-feature-film/x/15855736#/"><img alt="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/skinwalkers-feature-film/x/15855736#/" border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4eqvWBeoluLgCx-axZrSeaTHjGv6wRAPShbD8zyjG_aIRRm751HgFUPrA8uIcEg0012k8UCz8D7VH4Xi5YuI7AQKUT_htw8MtNcWzXC9X_SX57l7UH_fsUh8nLe2AZwbzgOzzjm82ZGr/s320/Skinwalkers+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_307971832"><span id="goog_307971836"></span><span id="goog_307971837"></span></span><span id="goog_307971819"><span id="goog_307971824"></span><span id="goog_307971825"></span></span><span id="goog_307971820"></span></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-90202950333578177182017-01-12T18:37:00.000-08:002017-01-12T18:37:46.631-08:00My leap into the film industry!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->I
wrote a screenplay. Then I re-wrote the screenplay. Then I re-wrote the re-write.
When I finally got it where I wanted it, I began to send it off to film
industry managers, agents and producers. I got a few bites. A lot of reads. But
no offers. I even split it in half and made it into a pilot TV episode and a
second episode. Any takers?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Nope.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
You
would think that after eight successfully published books, someone would be
interested in my screenplay, which was based on my most successful book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Nope
again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Two
years and over a hundred emails later, I said the heck with it. I'll write
another screenplay, this one with a lower budget in mind, and get it made
myself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Fast
forward to SKINWALKER, my latest movie project. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WMxfJHdE0jnA3j1MZRUU9kT0Y2gmIBpy0j2GH3gHJF1fATby24RY93K2wvtsSKjQjxd2pAWgQNaMN76xBLUqKo9hNOXYBcBbZLbZzpuFNhPnUZhp5aOZXIzKnDVzo_r4YRL5zQ4ssbuM/s1600/Skinwalker+movie+poster+5+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WMxfJHdE0jnA3j1MZRUU9kT0Y2gmIBpy0j2GH3gHJF1fATby24RY93K2wvtsSKjQjxd2pAWgQNaMN76xBLUqKo9hNOXYBcBbZLbZzpuFNhPnUZhp5aOZXIzKnDVzo_r4YRL5zQ4ssbuM/s320/Skinwalker+movie+poster+5+copy.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
SKINWALKER
is based on the true story of a young woman who was murdered here in Elizabeth
City back in 1901. Although her boyfriend was tried and convicted of the crime,
it was on circumstantial evidence, and the case has been considered unsolved
ever since. It has been said that her ghost haunts the house where she last
lived. My screenplay is based on those two plot points - how did Nell really
die, and is her ghost still in that house, unable to move on because of
unanswered questions?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
The
answer I give in my screenplay is quite terrifying and based upon an actual
legend. Which I think is totally awesome! But of course I would think that,
because it's my screenplay.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
So
here I was with a screenplay and...well, what now? Since
I was going the indie route, that meant I would have to do everything myself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Gulp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Well,
I managed to get all my books published, so I figured what the heck, maybe I
can find a production company that would be willing to take this baby on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
That
was when I discovered Billy Lewis and Orange St. Films. Billy is an amazing
dude - screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, director - he does it all. He
already has two movies in the can, the first one with actor C. Thomas Howell (THE
JAILHOUSE) and the second one (THE TERRIBLE TWO) in the process of getting
distribution.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdUd0u3jlvBhuVtnVBVCtpSUibXpititLYfhVYYYpSqftU2aPhS_cUeicSpeKsvAhECbGbIB1veyVkoMXxKX5_zydE40edhRM8v7w19TwlLLaNrZgGaRBBZMvf3hkhmorsWEJTK6w9dNW/s1600/the-terrible-two-new-jpeg_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdUd0u3jlvBhuVtnVBVCtpSUibXpititLYfhVYYYpSqftU2aPhS_cUeicSpeKsvAhECbGbIB1veyVkoMXxKX5_zydE40edhRM8v7w19TwlLLaNrZgGaRBBZMvf3hkhmorsWEJTK6w9dNW/s320/the-terrible-two-new-jpeg_orig.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
So
far, the process has been an amazing learning experience. Getting people
interested in helping out is easy. Getting people to give up their hard-earned
money to help fund the movie? Not so much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
If
you would like to help make this dream a reality, support indie filmmaking and
also get some great perks like<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DVD with
behind the scenes documentary, a signed copy of the screenplay, or even a part
in the movie, please support our Indiegogo page! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/skinwalker-feature-film#/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/skinwalker-feature-film#/" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ps3w8By1W11qxd1Ll424wR4bk9_Krj3YcutrnyTEafFbGpzSJnYKnctoti7myTHTQfh69fiaYSbO6aLrk3ixmvH4lOlz39xwc3ExD_5OAH91enUscD-M1qAIRsX9EwaZUJYiypU4-OvH/s320/Skinwalker+Indiegogo+copy.jpg" width="320" /><span id="goog_1211624124"></span></a><span id="goog_1211624125"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-10900274859463181492016-05-09T14:16:00.002-07:002016-05-09T18:05:44.421-07:00Kindle Scout vs. traditional publishing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->I am a traditionally published author taking my first dive
into Amazon's Kindle Scout pond, and even though the water was cold at first,
I'm slowly acclimating.<br />
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For those of you not familiar with Kindle Scout, here's a
little blurb about the program from Amazon.com: "Kindle Scout is
reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place
where readers help decide if a book gets published. Selected books will be
published by Kindle Press and receive 5-year renewable terms, a $1,500 advance,
50% eBook royalty rate, easy rights reversions and featured Amazon marketing."</div>
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<a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/" border="0" height="166" src="https://brennanreid.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/kscout.png?w=620" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just for added incentive, anyone who votes for a book that
is selected gets a free copy upon publication. Pretty sweet!</div>
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So it's pretty cut and dried. The contract is simple enough
that even a non-business-minded lunkhead like me can understand it. It was
suggested to me by an author friend of mine who also took the plunge, and it
paid off for him in a big way. I'm hoping some of that success is still
floating around in the water like an amoeba<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>waiting to attach itself to my brain stem. </div>
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The authors that I have met on Kindle Boards who are treading
water with me have been pretty amazing in supporting me and each other so we
all don't drown like a bunch of...uh...drowning people. From what I can gather,
the majority are previously self-published. I tried that once, with bad
results. I felt like a fish flopping around on a hot sidewalk. I decided not to
do that again. So every book I have in my back-catalogue is traditionally
published by small to medium-sized presses. I'm not a best-seller by any
stretch, but I could definitely be considered a mid-lister. </div>
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So, with my latest book, RED RABBIT, I changed direction
slightly. Most of my books are sci-fi/horror/military thrillers usually with
some type of supernatural overtones. Think James Rollins meets Dean Koontz. RED
RABBIT has been labeled an occult detective thriller, more along the lines of
James Patterson meets Dean Koontz. So see, Koontz is still there, but Rollins
has been replaced by Patterson. Get it? It's still thrilling and it still has
horror, but the sci-fi aspect is pretty much non-existent. </div>
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<a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/9Z4U8ZESJ4LH" target="_blank"><img alt="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/9Z4U8ZESJ4LH" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9fkN-551yaoDZUzZqhrfDNlPxj3FlD40izAOgCOiLf3wyL3V668Kc-GNsSxQBOTOTUv2OgIlg5qsyuoyB46XsrB1rzLxCfGdLV9p3vPDWS_IG5pg50X8AA1sy39rRC3TeXo8kD1z5vV2/s320/Red+Rabbit+screensaver.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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So that led to a lot of head-scratching on the part of
publishers. "Um, yeah, the writing is great and everything but...well...huh?"</div>
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I actually did land a publisher for it, but the book was too
much for them to handle and they decided to go out of business. (Okay, it wasn't
because of my book, but it felt like it.) So it was back to sending the
manuscript to publishers. Then, my agent decided my book was too much for her,
and she decided to change professions altogether. (Okay, it wasn't because of
my book, but...well, you get it.)</div>
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So here I was with no agent, no publisher, and a brand new
book with no home. So my friend says, "Hey, Toby, why not submit to Kindle
Scout and become fabulously wealthy and famous like me?" So I said,
"I never heard of Kindle Scout." </div>
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I looked it up and liked what I saw. It seemed like a boon
for unknown authors and people like me who are traditionally published but who
have a book that hasn't found a home.</div>
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Of course, there are ground rules for submitting which, if
you don't follow, pretty much dooms your chances from the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to provide your own cover, which
should be professional-grade. Nobody is going to pick up a book with a crappy
cover. They ask that it be professionally edited, which means I was already
ahead of the game since I went through extensive edits with my first agent. Once
all that is done, you submit your book and wait for approval, which in my case
took only a few hours. </div>
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Once your book and the related info is posted on their site,
the waiting begins. The campaign lasts for 30 days, during which it's up to the
author to get as much traffic to the site as possible and rack up nominations.
If you're lucky enough to hit the "Hot and Trending" list, which I
did the first two days, then you will hopefully get noticed by the people at
Kindle Press.</div>
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My friend suggested making a few posts on Facebook and leaving
it at that. Well, I believe in the old saying, "Anything worth doing is
worth overdoing," so I bought a Facebook ad and ran a HeadTalker campaign.
The page is getting pretty steady views and my other books have even started
selling again. I'm getting a ton of hits on Facebook, too, so it's all working
for the best. Even if I don't get picked for publication, I'll have all those
new fans from the campaign. It's a win-win in my view.</div>
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So, if the book doesn't get picked, I may either shelve it
or let my agency try to sell it again. I'm already working on the sequel, plus
another book in another series, so I've got some things lined up. I will keep
you posted on how it all turns out.</div>
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The campaign runs until May 21, so if you feel so inclined,
you can vote here: <a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/9Z4U8ZESJ4LH">https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/9Z4U8ZESJ4LH</a>.</div>
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If you want to be part of my Headtalker campaign, just sign
up here: <a href="https://headtalker.com/campaigns/red-rabbit/">https://headtalker.com/campaigns/red-rabbit/</a></div>
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Remember, if you vote and my book gets chosen for
publication, you get a free copy! What could better than that? Okay, free money
might be better. But then you would just use it to buy my book, right? Right!</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-9248950110683578552016-03-01T08:19:00.002-08:002016-04-08T15:40:34.934-07:00Interview with Associate Literary Agent Tara Carberry of Trident Media Group<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Update 4/1/16: Tara has taken a non-agent job and will be leaving TMG. I'm sorry to see her go - she did a great job for me! And no, this is not an April Fool's joke! <br />
<br />
I've only worked with Tara a short time (my former agent, MacKenzie Fraser-Bub, left to start her own agency), and I feel very fortunate. She's a real go-getter and a pleasure to work with. Also, being a newer agent, Tara is currently building her client list, so this is a great time to query! <br />
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Q:
What led you to become an agent at Trident Media Group?</div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;">A: I earned a Masters degree in
English at Columbia University, and then completed internships at Norton and
Perseus Books Group before landing at Trident as a literary assistant. Having
the internship experience at two very different publishers has proven
incredibly valuable, but I quickly realized that being on the agency side
ignited more passion and excitement for me. I was promoted to Associate Agent
last year and am now enjoying the constant challenges, rewards, and surprises
of growing my own client list. </span></div>
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Q: What are some of your favorite things about being an
agent? </div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;">A: My favorite thing about being
an agent is the thrill of discovering new talent. The moment when I’m reading a
submission and realize, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Okay</i>, this
person can really write,” is one that makes everything worthwhile. As a new
agent, I’m working with many new authors, and the shared excitement of pursing
new opportunities and reaching new goals or milestones for my clients is very
rewarding for me. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/tara-carberry" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/agents/tara-carberry" border="0" src="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/uploads/TridentAgentsModel/23/image/untitled.agent.jpg" /><span id="goog_948369974"></span></a><span id="goog_948369975"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;"> </span><span style="color: #1f4e79;"> </span>
</div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Is
it all about the writing, or do you feel that agents and writers should connect
personally, as well?<span style="color: #1f4e79;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: I think it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mostly </i>about
the writing, but I wouldn’t totally discount a personal connection. As anyone
with an agent can tell you, it is a very close working relationship. I’m
typically in contact with my clients on a weekly if not daily basis, so at the
very least it’s good to have compatible communication and general working
styles. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What
do you like to see in a query letter? What do you <i>not</i> like to see? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: Likes: A strong hook; clear, concise writing; understanding
of where the book will fit in the marketplace and who the reader is;
demonstrated commitment to overcoming hurdles and building a presence as an
author (for example, you might be part of a writing group, have won writing
awards, have an active social media account dedicated to your writing, or all
of the above).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dislikes: Queries that are too long; overconfidence (ie “This
will be a #1 bestseller and a blockbuster film and you’d be a fool not to give
this book a chance.”); leading with personal information and not the story
synopsis; books that have already been self-published – unfortunately, unless
you have massive sales numbers, the odds of a traditional publisher picking up
a self-published book these days are very, very slim. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gNH3NBf22hdOqql6ehayehfn-0TolWdiN8WAxEWC8Gb8AYg8ScRCJEz7tSwP-c_OWA335xgx_g0jc_jLoQvBokWQjbsAdZrhD1V_821xezNLJx5YGNXHOd8u6Daz0hfAuU5FxZKmDYde/s1600/Trident+logo.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: How
do you get most of your clients—slush pile, referrals or writers conferences? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: All of the above plus I will sometimes approach writers
myself if they are unagented or, in the case of non-fiction, seem like they have
a great story to tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Describe
some of the more outrageous things authors have done to get your attention. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: This happened when I was still an assistant, so it was for my
boss at the time and not me, but we once had someone FedEx a hand-drawn map of
their fictional world to accompany their query. It was complete with burned
edges and artful rips and crinkling to make it look aged. A for effort!</span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Are
you open for submissions?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: Absolutely!</span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Is
one time of year better than another for sending queries? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A: No. There are times when my inbox is overflowing and it may
take me longer than usual to get to each query (sorry queriers!) but I do read
each one and I am grateful to receive them at all times of the year. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What
genres are you currently seeking?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;">A: I am looking for women’s
fiction, thrillers, romance, horror, literary fiction and lifestyle nonfiction.
</span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Why
do you feel it’s important for an author to have an agent? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;">A: The publishing world requires a lot of authors today:
they not only must write great books but they must understand how to connect
with their audiences. It is a challenging and evolving business and, in my
opinion, it is more important than ever for an author to have a knowledgeable,
trustworthy agent in his or her corner. A dedicated agent allows them to not
only focus on what is most important (ie, writing and growing an author
platform) but also provides strategy for developing an author brand that can
sustain a long career. Agents often wear many hats and, I believe, have a lot to
offer authors at all stages of their careers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Where should writers send
queries?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1f4e79;">A: </span><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Submissions should go through the Trident website: </span><a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/contact-us"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/contact-us</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #1f4e79; text-decoration: none;">Thanks Toby!</span></span></div>
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Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-80960059541731136932015-11-06T13:49:00.001-08:002015-11-06T16:54:36.883-08:00Putting Ordinary Characters into Extraordinary Circumstances Let’s face it—everyone knows that wizards and superheroes
have an advantage when fighting the forces of evil—the advantage of supernatural
powers. But what about us mere mortals? What chance do we have? Admittedly, not
a very good one. But isn’t that a great way to ramp up a story’s excitement
factor?<br />
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Take F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack series. As a college
student, Jack’s mother is murdered by a vandal and Jack commits his first act
of vigilantism by giving the vandal his “just desserts.” He begins to do
various “fix-its” for people who have problems the police can’t seem to solve.
This often leads to confrontations with supernatural creatures which he faces
using nothing more than his human wits.</div>
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Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series is another great
example of a mortal caught up in a bizarre, chaotic world—a world of zombies
created through bio-terrorism. As a former police detective and U.S. Army
Ranger, Ledger has skills, but no magic bullets or supercharged reflexes. He’s
just a dude with human strengths and weaknesses. And that’s what makes it
interesting.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Patient-Zero-Joe-Ledger-Novel-ebook/dp/B002LA0A7K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Patient-Zero-Joe-Ledger-Novel-ebook/dp/B002LA0A7K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51xUExHmQUL._SX273_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="176" /><span id="goog_1926655434"></span></a><span id="goog_1926655435"></span></div>
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There are other examples of the normal vs. the paranormal in
shows I grew up with as a kid, The Night Stalker being one—Darren McGavin as Carl
Kolchek, a rumpled mess of a news reporter who always seemed to end up fighting
supernatural creatures, including vampires and werewolves. Somehow, Carl always
came out on top, albeit a little worse for the wear. </div>
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As a reader, I have an easier time identifying with
characters like that than I do with, say, Thor or Captain America. Nothing
against those guys—I’m a huge fan of Marvel—but I love to see normal people
kicking paranormal ass. I guess that’s what led me to write a book like THE
CAIN PROPHECY (yeah, you saw that coming, didn’t you).</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CIA operative
Gabrielle “Gabe” Lincoln and her partner, Gordon Powers, must find and destroy
a ruthless, superhuman assassin known only as Cain. Although Gabe is
intelligent and lethal, she is no match for Cain, who belongs to a race of
beings that populated the earth long before humans came along. Let me just give
an example of how brutal Cain is—in one part of the story, he kills a Saudi
special ops guy by ripping out his spine. Not someone you want to screw with.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cain-Prophecy-Lilitu-Trilogy-Lillitu-ebook/dp/B01603XE9Y/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443638398&sr=1-8&keywords=toby+tate" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Cain-Prophecy-Lilitu-Trilogy-Lillitu-ebook/dp/B01603XE9Y/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443638398&sr=1-8&keywords=toby+tate" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517Vj7lcv9L._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="213" /><span id="goog_1926655443"></span></a><span id="goog_1926655444"></span></div>
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Gabe and Gordon, along with a team of former special ops
soldiers, are forced into a showdown with Cain amidst a sea of sand dunes,
beneath a blinding sun in the blast furnace known as the United Arab Emirates.
Human against superhuman, natural versus supernatural. Even with all their
technology, Gabe and Gordon and their team are barely a match for Cain. Who
will be the victor? Buy my book and find out! Available Nov. 10 wherever books
are sold! (Got another plug in there! Woohoo!) </div>
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I’ll probably always use characters like Gabe and Gordon. I
like writing stories that show the strength of the human spirit and our ability
to persevere against seemingly insurmountable odds. Like a quasar in a black hole, we are at
our brightest when the pressure is at its most intense.</div>
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For more info on me and my writing, check out my website at
<a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a> or follow me on Facebook and Twitter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE CAIN PROPHECY is endorsed by Bestselling
Authors Jonathan Maberry, Steve Berry and A.J. Tata. Look for it on Nov. 10!</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-3474606912762987232015-07-15T20:54:00.000-07:002015-07-15T20:54:48.492-07:00Thrillerfest X and What I Learned from Clive Cussler, Lee Child and Nelson DeMille – Keep the Love Alive!!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->One of the first authors I saw last weekend while in
Manhattan for Thrillerfest X was Clive Cussler. He looked older and frailer
than I had imagined, but his spirit and wit was that of 30-year-old. He regaled
the audience with his many stories and had me laughing until I cried. It was
awesome. But one thing I noticed right away was the fire in his eyes, the look
of a man who thoroughly enjoys his work.
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Although I was only at the festival for one day, it was an
experience of a lifetime. To be in the same building (the Grand Hyatt on 42<sup>nd</sup>)
let alone the same room with authors of Mr. Cussler’s caliber was beyond
amazing. I listened with rapt attention as he told of book signings gone wrong,
writing and selling his very first novel, and working as a marine archeologist.
It was a serious fanboy moment.</div>
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<a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/10/1373489607000-XXX-1970s-CLIVE-CUSSLER-BOO-1307101652_x-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/10/1373489607000-XXX-1970s-CLIVE-CUSSLER-BOO-1307101652_x-large.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Nelson DeMille’s interview in the ballroom, which could
easily seat three hundred people, was standing-room only. Listening to his
stories about serving in Viet Nam and later becoming a novelist and creating
the cynical hero John Corey, was a blast. I have read every John Corey book and thoroughly enjoy every word.</div>
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Lee Child, creator of the Jack Reacher series, was quite the
suave and well-spoken Brit, yet very down to earth and personable. I always
laugh when I think of books like THE KILLING FLOOR or ONE SHOT and consider the
differences between Mr. Child’s personality and Jack Reacher’s. It’s like James Bond vs. Rambo. </div>
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But that’s the thing—authors don’t always put themselves in
their books. We’re like actors. We write about characters we would like to be,
or aspects of our personality that would never see daylight except in the world
of fiction. We breath life into the characters and send them out into the world, entities unto themselves. Or so we hope.</div>
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There were many other authors—Jeffrey Deaver, Sandra Brown, Catherine
Coulter, Scott Turow, R.L. Stine, David Morrell, Patrick Lee—just to name a few,
all in one building. Unbelievable. There were several workshops, after parties and things I
was unable to attend, but in the short time I was there, I learned so much. But
something I noticed was this: With every author that spoke, there was one
recurring theme—a love for storytelling. </div>
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<a href="https://www.regonline.com/custImages/240000/240342/2015-website_banner_final-RegOnline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://www.regonline.com/custImages/240000/240342/2015-website_banner_final-RegOnline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think that was the main thing I took away from the
conference—true writers always have a love for the craft. Marketing, networking, understanding
the business, all of that is important. But having a love for what you do
translates to the writing itself and gives life to our stories and our
characters. Without that, we're just wannabes and hacks. </div>
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Part of what drives that love is curiosity—curiosity about
the world and about what goes on around us. About what makes people tick, why
we do the things we do. Curiosity is part of what keeps us young and keeps
things interesting. It may kill cats, but for a writer it means life. </div>
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I believe that for those at the top or those who would like
to be there, that is the key to success—truly loving what you do, stirring the pot, maintaining that curiosity, and keeping
that love alive. If you can manage that first, then everything else will follow. </div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-56043929548872212702015-05-19T17:01:00.000-07:002015-05-19T17:04:05.721-07:00Mythological monsters wreak havoc in the modern world!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Learning about new things is one of the perks of being an
author. I was never much on following the rule of “write what you know,”
because for one thing I don’t know much, and for another, that’s just boring. <br />
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For my latest book I’m doing research on monsters from Greek
mythology. I took Greek mythology in grammar school and in college, but those
classes didn’t really focus on what I was interested in—those fantastic
creatures banished to the underworld by Zeus. And there is a butt-ton of them. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Cerberus is a three-headed, sometimes two-headed, sometimes
multi-headed dog (depending on who’s telling the tail...er...I mean tale). In
my story he ends up in Egypt, where he literally emerges from inside the Great Sphinx. His day job is to
guard the entrance to Hades, keeping the dead in and the living out. He’s big
and mean with snapping jaws full of teeth and huge, blood-dripping claws. He’s
also known as the Hellhound, so what’s not to like? </div>
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<a href="http://www.utexas.edu/courses/ancientfilmCC304/lects2012/lecture8/images/cerberus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.utexas.edu/courses/ancientfilmCC304/lects2012/lecture8/images/cerberus.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
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Medusa, one of the three Gorgon sisters, is disturbing to
even think about. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Clash of the Titans,” you know
what I mean. Her face is one that not even a mother could love, and instead of
hair, she has a head full of live, poisonous snakes. What’s cool about her is
that any human or beast that gazes into her eyes turns to stone. Well, it’s not
cool for the victims, but you know what I mean.</div>
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<a href="http://ec-dejavu.ru/images/m-2/medusa-14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ec-dejavu.ru/images/m-2/medusa-14a.jpg" height="320" width="266" /></a></div>
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Imagine the Minotaur, with the head of a bull and the body
of a man, coming for you in the middle of the night. He didn’t really have a
specific job in Greek literature, but hey, he looks cool, so who cares, right?
He fits right in with my battalion of havoc-wreaking monsters.</div>
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There’s also the Cyclops, who is the first to appear in my new
book to a couple of hikers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of all places. He’s got
one eye, a giant horn on his head and speaks ancient Greek, but with a loud,
booming, animalistic growl. There were supposedly three of these guys, but I’m
only using one in my story. He wears a robe, knows how to hunt and build a fire
and as I said, how to speak ancient Greek. Oh, and did I mention he’s twenty feet tall?</div>
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<a href="http://www.smashinglists.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Cyclops-Top-Ten-Mythical-Creatures_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.smashinglists.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Cyclops-Top-Ten-Mythical-Creatures_thumb.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
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All the monsters in my story (tentative title: ORACLE OF THE
DEAD) also have supernatural powers given to them by...well, you’ll have to read
the book, which is still in its early stages, to find out. </div>
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I have used mythological monsters in pretty much all of my
books to date. The reason for that is I like to draw from actual mythology and add
a layer of realism to an otherwise fantastical story. I love reading stories
like that myself—Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury, even Homer—all mixed fantasy with reality and created imaginative stories that still
resonate decades or centuries later. Hopefully, my books will do the same.</div>
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Find out what I'm up to by connecting with me on my website at <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/" target="_blank">tobytatestories.com</a> and don't forget to sign up for my email newsblast while you're there! </div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-74719336204812678212014-10-09T17:51:00.000-07:002014-10-09T18:03:25.284-07:00What exactly is an MTA, and why do you need one?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="color: #0070c0;">by James Jackson </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0070c0;">Mr. Jackson is a former US Navy Chief Petty
Officer. He has spent almost two decades in military service with a large
portion of that as a tactical instructor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0070c0;">During his years in service, he has been part of
fielding teams, mobile training teams and interacted with other branches of the
US Military as well as foreign military units.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0070c0;">Since leaving the Navy, he has served as an
advisor for diplomatic security and as a private military contractor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0070c0;">He is an author, an outdoor survival instructor,
serves as a disaster mitigation consultant, and is a Military Technical
Advisor for several published authors</span>.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For every author there is, or should be, a
requirement that they conduct due diligence research. That way they will be to
provide enough details that the reader is immersed within the story they tell and
not taken out by something that just doesn’t sound right. Research is extremely
important.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Due diligence would require that the author be able
to describe the locale that their story takes place in in intricate detail. How
many times have you read something where the story fails to cover some basics
and just plain falls short? The concept is simple to understand. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a story is set in Washington D.C., there
are a lot of locations that are known to the locals that won’t be something
that Google maps will show. Case in point, there is a museum close to the
Smithsonian Complex that is not part of that complex, that contains medical
oddities. It’s often mistaken as being part of that complex yet has no
association with it. Some of the locals know of it, but tourists would be hard
pressed to find it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While that is one example of something that could be
added in to a novel to increase the details, another example was a novel I read
many years ago that was a spy thriller set in that same city. The details were
so intense that years later, a tourist that had read that same book, traveled
to D.C and was amazed that the location was just as true to life as depicted
within the book. He visited the Lincoln Memorial and went downstairs to see if
there really was a drinking fountain right outside the door to the restroom. It
was exactly as described. When the tourist reached under the fountain to see if
there was space for a magnetic holder, a key element within the book as it was
used as a message for the main character, he was amazed to find one. Inside,
there was a simple note, “Good book, wasn’t it?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vtDXXHjtT5Jls08IlCiFkuBpUlLYMI-GC6GPQblxWq3uujdCsw1MOH_NEskpYA_Io29zUFiSAik1HKPxqXDGHlMWFcafLAH3oHLDYgjHKPWF2nASl_WThRGdHGhFVzrOWx5wdBEc0xrk/s1600/D.C.+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vtDXXHjtT5Jls08IlCiFkuBpUlLYMI-GC6GPQblxWq3uujdCsw1MOH_NEskpYA_Io29zUFiSAik1HKPxqXDGHlMWFcafLAH3oHLDYgjHKPWF2nASl_WThRGdHGhFVzrOWx5wdBEc0xrk/s1600/D.C.+web.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is the level of detail that every author should
strive for. That brings us to technical assistance. What is technical
assistance? For some, that might mean the tech guy you call when your computer
goes down. Technical Assistance or Military Technical Assistance for authors is
a service that can provide a level of detail to authors that is unprecedented. While
MTA is not for computer technical issues or in-depth knowledge of locations, it
is for basic technical assistance that can flesh out a character, the actions of
that character and/or character background. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Military Technical Assistance does that same thing
only for the thematic elements within a book. Military Technical Advisors are a
resource that all authors should have on speed dial or bookmarked on their
favorites. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why, you may ask, when Google can provide “everything”
you need? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Google can only provide so much. Without someone who
has actually been in the military, used the equipment, been on a deployment, or
used that particular weapon system, how accurate can an author really be if
they only rely solely on Google? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Military Technical Advisors are commonly found in
Hollywood working within the film and television industry. While those
companies, extremely prevalent and numerous in and around Los Angeles, provide
their services to directors, actors, and screenwriters, there are very few that
provide any kind of service to authors. The world of writing is overlooked for
the most part, by the MTA industry. Apparently, it just isn’t worth their time
and effort to work with authors as all the ’big money’ is in the film industry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That’s where The Ward Room comes into play.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wdrmmta.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Ward Room" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_eJNLXUbl9KskODba4105s9j_s_IduB3YrHQsUjgo0-3PZIcPKccepS35CmVaCPvGBvognQJVHnuGZ_SC7O0ddTtOgIijF6jMTCYulcjw1t1KNam11Scs64NJvhNP1eOLo8tVwXndamy/s1600/Ward+Room+link.jpg" height="67" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What, pray tell, is this Ward Room? The Ward Room is
a site where authors can go for information about weapon systems, uniforms,
rank structure, and even some general information about locations around the
world. There is even a page for Writer Resources that breaks down ‘basic’
information and covers some of the most common mistakes. If the information an
author seeks is not listed on that page, then they can contact the site and
request that someone review their work. There are two free services offered
that any author can take advantage of. If they want a more thorough insight,
there is also a listing for premium services.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why is this even important if the book is fictional?
In every fictional work, there is something based in the real world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s put that into perspective. There are millions
of fictional works out there that could use the services of a MTA. Several
particular issues come to mind. In a book I recently read, a supernatural
thriller about a reporter investigating a cult, there was one scene where the
main character was handed a Gloch handgun. I’m sure the author meant Glock but
that slipped past not only the author but the editor as well. In another novel,
a character popped open a revolver and spun the cylinders before engaging the
safety. How is that even possible? A revolver has one cylinder with chambers.
The way it was described was that the revolver had multiple cylinders.
Revolvers, for the most part, do not have a safety like other conventional
handguns.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even big name authors, New York Times bestselling
writers could use the services of a MTA. In a novel by a well known military
suspense author, he placed the 3/75th Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis,
Washington. At the time that the novel was written, Fort Lewis had already been
combined with neighboring McChord Air Force Base to become Joint Base Lewis/McChord,
a joining that had taken place several years prior. While that’s a minor issue,
one that Google might have shown, the major issue was that 3/75th Ranger
Battalion is stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia and not JBLM. That is another
case where a simple email to a MTA that specializes in assisting authors would
have prevented this error and the many others that the novel was riddled with.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqZiglPSH_ER63eFt5weqll5t8x_7KmugYF1Adkykr4qErPwNjw-xW3tqerTXwP2MkCZIw-wZ2-grJAp9QJM7xuuvWsNFS7udOQBvFSzjp1PaPwK8IyXqffOvZ_BN8AoeeX-580macj8H/s1600/75th-rangers+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqZiglPSH_ER63eFt5weqll5t8x_7KmugYF1Adkykr4qErPwNjw-xW3tqerTXwP2MkCZIw-wZ2-grJAp9QJM7xuuvWsNFS7udOQBvFSzjp1PaPwK8IyXqffOvZ_BN8AoeeX-580macj8H/s1600/75th-rangers+web.jpg" height="203" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Consider other fictional books with a real world
setting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read a book that contained
characters that were part of the US Armed forces and the rank structure was way
off. Sergeants, Majors, and Colonels in the US Navy? Not going to happen. One
book that stands out, I won’t name the title or author, depicted a lieutenant
general attempting to evacuate his unit out of Egypt while under siege from an
army of the undead. I had to pause several times and ask myself just what size
unit was this general in command of? He apparently had no staff, no logistics unit,
no air support, no artillery, no headquarters section and he micromanaged what
was described as a company sized unit that apparently had no other officers at
all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is micromanaging to the Nth degree. Imagine a general officer
directing privates, corporals and sergeants. Not something that normally
happens. Later in that same book, the general was able to squeeze his entire
unit onto an Arleigh Burke class naval vessel. In the real world, that general
would be in charge of a division sized unit or larger. A division is
approximately 10-15k troops. He would have a command staff made up of other
officers from colonels on down to lieutenants, and a senior enlisted staff. That
staff would have told him that there is no way a division would fit on an Arleigh
Burke class vessel; there ‘s barely room for the crew.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As you can see by the example provided, Google can
show some results, very generic results, but falls short when in comes to
specific details. To get the real deal, the inside scoop as it were, authors
should consider the use of a Military Technical Advisor. The Ward Room offers such
a service. There are several free services available that can readily answer
questions and address issues. There are also premium services for authors and
publishers that want more. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Ward Room is a resource that enables authors to
enhance their work. Take advantage of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Check out the Ward Room at <a href="http://wdrmmta.wordpress.com/">http://wdrmmta.wordpress.com/</a>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Look for these James Jackson books coming from
<a href="http://permutedpress.com/" target="_blank">Permuted Press</a>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Up From The
Depths 1: Denial Measures 9/8/2015 <br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Up From The Depths 2: Acceptable Losses 10/6/2015 <br />
<br />
Up From The Depths 3: Collateral Damage 11/10/2015 <br />
<br />
Up From The Depths 4: Movement to Contact 12/8/2015 <br />
<br />
Up From The Depths 5: Defilade 1/5/2016 <br />
<br />
Up From The Depths 6: Secondary Objectives 2/9/2016</span></div>
<br />Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-44058737422901392062014-05-26T19:45:00.000-07:002014-05-26T19:45:51.472-07:00Being a cross-genre writer<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Categorizing my writing style has always been a
somewhat difficult thing. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Edgar Allen Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, H.P. Lovecraft, C.S. Lewis, Stephen King—these
are all authors that have had a profound impact on my writing. <br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also loved reading comic books as a child, everything from
Tales from the Crypt and Boris Karloff’s Tales of Mystery to Shazam, The
Spirit, Marvel and DC comics and everything in between. I never missed an issue
of Famous Monsters of Filmland. If I wasn’t reading, I was either writing or
playing music. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://famousmonsters.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://famousmonsters.com/" border="0" src="http://www.generalgoods.biz/00bk/10877.jpg" height="320" width="253" /><span id="goog_2103163005"></span></a><span id="goog_2103163006"></span></div>
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</div>
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I read a lot of classics—To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the
Flies, Frankenstein, Animal Farm, A Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged—but I always
seemed to have a predilection toward the macabre and the unusual. Working in a
bookstore eventually brought me in contact with a lot of newer authors and I
began to read different genres. But the ones that really kept me glued to the
page were the adventure and thriller novels—Clive Cussler, Nelson DeMille, James
Patterson, John Grisham, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn—the high-octane stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Around 2003, when I began writing my first complete novel, I
decided that I was going to blend all my favorite genres into my writing.
Horror, fantasy, science fiction and adventure would all have a place in my
book. I loved the life-like characters Stephen King created in his books, but I
wanted more action. Clive Cussler’s adventures were captivating, but I wanted something
darker, more ominous and creepy. James Rollins’ creatures were frightening, but
I wanted a touch of the supernatural, creatures not bound by the laws of
physics. </div>
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<br /></div>
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So I created DIABLERO, and brought a demon-possessed Blackbeard
the pirate back to life in modern times. It was a character everyone knew, but
he wouldn’t be just a pirate—he would have powers to raise an army of the dead
and open a gateway to another dimension. The adventure begins in North
Carolina, but ends on an island in the Bahamas. Creepy and dark, with lots of
action and great characters. It was the kind of book I always wanted to read.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I continued my foray into action/thriller/sci-fi/horror
madness with a book called LILITH, another myth that was familiar to people,
yet enough of a mystery that I could add some embellishment and still make it
believable. It’s my biggest selling book to date.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s1600/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" height="320" width="201" /><span id="goog_2103163015"></span></a><span id="goog_2103163016"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I figured that the problem with blending all these genres
together would be finding an audience. For some readers, a book that
incorporates all those styles can be somewhat confusing. “I thought this was
supposed to be a thriller? What’s with the supernatural stuff?” “This horror
novel sucks—it’s nothing but action!” People who read thrillers don’t
necessarily like horror, and people who read horror don’t necessarily like
action/thrillers. Some people don’t like the supernatural aspect, while others are
offended by the military/black ops aspect of some of my stories. This has been
made evident by some not-so-favorable reviews. But the good reviews far
outweigh the bad ones on all my books—so far.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t really target audiences, or take polls, or check out
the latest trends—I write what I would like to read. I feel like I’m filling a
niche, here, because there aren’t many writers that do what I do. Authors who love
horror read and write horror books; authors who love adventure/thrillers do the
same. I’m not a purist—I happen to get an equal thrill from reading a good sci-fi
book, a creepy horror novel or an engaging military adventure. But bringing it
all together on the page and making it work is the biggest thrill of all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more info on me and my work, check out <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">my website</a>, or follow me on Facebook
or Twitter.</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-34430080559915196892014-05-02T15:00:00.001-07:002016-03-02T07:51:48.361-08:00Interview with literary agent MacKenzie Fraser-Bub of the Trident Media Group<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->*NOTE - Since this interview, MacKenzie has formed her own agency, <a href="http://www.fraserbubliterary.com/" target="_blank">Fraser-Bub Literary.</a> <br />
<br />
I recently had the privilege of interviewing the talented
MacKenzie Fraser-Bub of the Trident Media Group. MacKenzie agreed to become my
agent, and I must say I was impressed with her enthusiasm, professionalism, knowledge
of the industry, and the connection she made with my material and with me as a
person. I think the following interview will be of immense help to writers who
want to understand what goes on in the mind of a literary agent, especially for
those who are thinking of querying MacKenzie. <br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the Trident Media Group website:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before embarking on her career as a publishing
agent, MacKenzie wanted to experience working inside a major publisher, and
gain valuable insights on marketing, which she could use later to her clients’
advantage. She became Publishing Manager at Touchstone Books (a division of
Simon & Schuster). She worked closely with the sales and marketing
departments for a wide-array of bestselling authors, such as Philippa Gregory,
Lisa Unger, Bethenny Frankel, J.A. Jance, and R.L. Stine.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmMN5dISVwCRzfUp20sFujWJe5I4ujUYfP1gHQGS3zPzyE-RUrXqxq4fwoEEuUtwlggiOHB-ZEGqKjn5XFUhbkml0Tx53fJiikkeXgCyqmzlNx2R93Yxuue5YTyYLTJusalgAS9GgyUE/s320/MFB2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmMN5dISVwCRzfUp20sFujWJe5I4ujUYfP1gHQGS3zPzyE-RUrXqxq4fwoEEuUtwlggiOHB-ZEGqKjn5XFUhbkml0Tx53fJiikkeXgCyqmzlNx2R93Yxuue5YTyYLTJusalgAS9GgyUE/s320/MFB2013.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">What were your feelings
when you first moved to New York City to become an agent at Trident? </li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I started at Trident as an assistant to Scott Miller and
Kimberly Whalen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were the BEST
bosses – they are the toughest, most talented agents, and I learned so much
from them, and from their clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt immensely lucky riding the elevator up to the 36<sup>th</sup> floor in
this fancy NYC building every single day (even though at that time I was spending
my days in a tiny cubicle).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being back
at Trident as an agent is a dream – my colleagues are all incredibly smart and
talented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now I have an office and a
view of Madison Square Park! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Describe a typical day in your
life as an agent.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’m an early riser, so I’ve checked my email most days
before 6am, but nothing significant is possible until I’ve had a venti dark
roast from Starbucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read on my
commute into the office – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New York
Times </i>first, and then submission material. I have a Samsung tablet and it
makes it super easy to have tons of material at my fingertips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">The first thing I do when I get to the office is… check
Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promise it’s not about
seeing baby pictures and Buzzfeed articles – it’s about getting a taste of what
people are generally talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
follow a lot of media bloggers, publishing trades, book clubs, publishers, and
writers, and I like seeing what they’re putting out, and how people are
responding. </span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">After I look at the new deals on Publishers’ Marketplace, I
spend the morning responding to emails and returning calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m lucky I can squeeze in reading time. </span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lunching with editors is a super fun part of the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love hearing about what’s going on in the
publishing houses, what people are reading, what they’re on to and what they’re
over – and book people are always just generally super interesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’m constantly on email and it’s important to me to always
be very responsive and available, but I try to devote much of my afternoon to
really focusing on reading and editing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
a millennial I’m an EXCELLENT multi-tasker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Sometimes on the way home I read submission material, but if
it’s been a long day, I decompress with Spotify.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">(Skip ahead many hours and I’ve also been known to fall asleep
with my tablet open to a manuscript…)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">What are some of your
favorite things about being an agent?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Working with creative people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Collaborating with fabulous clients, brilliant
editors, and energetic publishing teams is such a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s immensely satisfying to work with debut authors
from the ground up – to see their dreams realized in the publishing
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/themes/trident/images/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/themes/trident/images/logo.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">What do you look for in
potential clients? Is it all about the writing, or do you feel that agents
and writers should connect personally, as well?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">A connection to the writing is just step one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not looking to be besties with my
clients, but as we’re going to need to have very open and honest conversations
about a very wide variety of issues, some of them personal, throughout our
relationship, some level of personal connection is essential. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Tell us about a couple of
your clients (if you want to. If not, no biggie). How many clients do
agents typically work with at one time?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">My clients are fabulous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been very selective with who I take on because I want to give each
and every client my 100%, and I can only do that if I love your work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The balance of the actual workload is always
in flux based on who’s where in the submission / editing / publishing process,
but I’m a good multi-tasker, and if you need my time, it’s important to me that
you get it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">What do you like to see in
a query letter? What do you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
like to see?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Voice, personality, and creativity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like it when authors comp their book to
another book I’ve read and liked – ideally not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harry Potter </i>or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50 Shades </i>–
I can connect with this better if your comp is more of a deep cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like when your pitch to me is personal –
why you think we specifically are a good fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t like ideas that feel overly familiar and formulaic – it’s a
tough market, so freshness and innovation is essential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And please, check your grammar!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of misplaced commas or blatant
misspellings in a query letter is a non-starter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">How do you get most of
your clients—slush pile, referrals or writers conferences? </li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’ve gotten a lot of clients through referrals – other
agents, clients, people in the industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I reach out to writers I see on Goodreads or Amazon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just recently found a fabulous client at a
writers’ conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few from the slush
pile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Describe some of the more
outrageous things authors have done to get your attention.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’ve been pitched in the bathroom and in the elevator.
Sometimes one person will literally call me half a dozen times over 2 or 3
days. Once at a conference I looked down and someone had drawn a big heart
around my picture in the conference program (to be fair, I don’t think the
person intended for me to see that). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
stopped using twitter because queriers would email me commenting on tweets I’d
sent out, which really freaked me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="9" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Are you open for
submissions? Is one time of year better than another for sending
queries?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What genres are you
currently seeking?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I am always open to submissions, any time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I personally read every single query that
comes in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My main areas of interest are
women’s fiction and romance, but it’s always all in the read for me and I
obviously sometimes come across Sci Fi or Fantasy projects I love (hi, Toby! <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Who are some of your
favorite authors and/or books and why?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Most recently some of my favorite reads have been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Husband’s Secret </i>by <span style="background: white;">Liane Moriarty,</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The Good House </i>by Ann Leary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eleanor
and Park </i>by Rainbow Rowell, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crazy
Rich Asians </i>by Kevin Kwan<span style="background: white;">. </span>I think
Maggie Shipshead is an amazing new talent. I am obsessed with Jonathan Franzen,
I love Pat Conroy, and I’m fairly certain I’ve read every Phyllis Whitney book
ever written. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these writers have
really distinctive voices, and the ability to create layered, realistic,
complex characters in tightly woven stories. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="11" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">How long can someone
expect to wait for an answer to a query? For a partial or full manuscript?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I respond to queries very quickly – always within a
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try very hard to respond to submissions
within 6 weeks (emphasis on try). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="12" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">What would you tell a new
writer trying to break into the world of publishing? Why do you feel it’s
important for an author to have an agent?</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Writers should write. They should join critique groups or
use beta readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going to conferences
can be a great way to connect with other writers, meet industry professionals,
and work on your craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Authors who want to be traditionally published need
agents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agents edit pre-submission; we
put your work in the hands of the right editors at the right houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We negotiate and vet your contract,
collaborate on marketing strategies, cover design, and publicity plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, we’re your advocate to your editor
and your publisher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’m a proponent of the hybrid model – a mix of indie and
traditional – and an agent is an integral part of that plan, not just in terms
of getting your book in front of the right editor, but also in terms of shaping
your career and advancing your brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
agent helps design your publishing plan in all respects – what to write, when
to publish, how to reach new readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a tricky business, and you need a professional partner to help you
navigate the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks MacKenzie for this awesome interview! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Published or unpublished authors who wish to submit to any
of the agents at TMG, please send a query letter using their online form to one
literary agent only at <a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/contact-us">http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/contact-us</a>.
Your query should include only a paragraph about yourself, a brief plot
synopsis and your contact information; it should not include a manuscript, a
proposal, or any writing samples.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more info on me and my latest books, go to <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toby-Tate/319842513578">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TobyTate">Twitter</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-13074103909222430082014-04-23T12:39:00.000-07:002014-04-23T12:39:54.897-07:00Dealing with negative book reviewsI don’t mind negative book reviews. I really don’t. Every
writer will get one at some point. I think it’s important to know what people
don’t like about your writing as much as what they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do </i>like. Nobody should get pats on the back 24/7. It’s just not
good for the soul. So I try to glean from them any bits of information that I
can to improve my writing. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that a lot of authors worry that negative reviews
will affect their sales…well…negatively. I have found that not to be the case.
My books are still selling steadily, even with a few one-star reviews. I have
seen books that remained on the best-sellers list in spite of a majority of bad
reviews. People know what they like. I’m not saying reviews have no effect, but
maybe not as much as we like to think. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then there are vitriolic reviewers who will lambast you for
daring to write something they don’t like. They hate your style of writing,
your characters, your plot, maybe even the fact that you live on the same
planet and breathe the same air they do. I have had reviewers comment that they
couldn’t believe someone would publish such garbage, that only my friends gave
me favorable reviews or that I wrote my own reviews under a fake name, and on
and on. Not that I’m anyone special, but I can’t help but detect an
undercurrent of jealousy or envy in some of those so-called reviews, especially
after signing with a new publisher and a new agent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgdbNu11_4sDo4Yntb8a62uS09c8LaistjRm8LGsyw6R4ir0nru_5TZ4MMjoJzEzPvj79GS7FznpXZXoq-cUIBMj3kC5PweB4jBRdX_1qH6aHObIw-y1QyClKtwsRaWz2fE33LVWEGHky/s1600/Blog+pic+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgdbNu11_4sDo4Yntb8a62uS09c8LaistjRm8LGsyw6R4ir0nru_5TZ4MMjoJzEzPvj79GS7FznpXZXoq-cUIBMj3kC5PweB4jBRdX_1qH6aHObIw-y1QyClKtwsRaWz2fE33LVWEGHky/s1600/Blog+pic+copy.jpg" height="57" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have found that the best thing anyone can do in those
cases is to ignore it. Or do like me, and blog about it.<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span> Either way, it’s best
not to engage with people who write hateful reviews. It only encourages them.
Just let them fade into their own little corners of existence, and instead,
focus on the good reviews and the people that support you. After all, they’re
the ones you’re writing for, not the people that hate your writing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Critique is a different thing. I love critique, especially
from people who make writing their business, like editors and agents, because
it makes me stronger. I like critique from readers, too, because it helps me
gauge whether my audience is satisfied, or if I’m going in the right direction.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But ultimately, I have to write for myself. It has to please
me first, because if I’m not really happy with what I’m doing, then what’s the
purpose in writing at all? If I’m not happy with what I’m doing, regardless of
the haters and the naysayers, then I’m not only letting myself down, I’m
letting my audience down, as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more info on me and my writing, go to <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a> or follow me
on Twitter and Facebook.</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-5701956117269446672014-04-12T16:04:00.001-07:002014-04-12T19:58:11.604-07:00My journey to finding a literary agent<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->The day has finally arrived when I can say, “I have an
agent!” —but not just any agent, mind you—the awesome and talented MacKenzie
Fraser-Bub of New York’s Trident Media Group. Now when the phone rings and I
jokingly say to my wife, “That might be my agent,” I won’t be joking.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/" border="0" src="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/themes/trident/images/logo.png" /></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That doesn’t mean, of course, that it’s time to kick back
and take it easy. It’s more like a new beginning, kind of like stepping up my
game and saying, “Okay, I’ve made all this noise, tooted my horn and got the
attention of a major agency. Now, it’s time to live up to the hype I created
for myself.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which I fully intend to do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But how, you may well ask, did you get this far? What’s your
secret? To which I answer: perseverance and persistence. I would also like to
think I write good books, as well. Put those three things together, and you
have a winning combination. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But five years ago, when I started my agent search, it
seemed like an insurmountable hill. Actually, it was more like Mount Everest. I
had just finished writing my first complete novel, a supernatural thriller, and
had no experience whatsoever as a published author. I had virtually no short
stories published, just some articles in magazines and the stories I wrote as a
full-time newspaper journalist. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote up my query letter, my biography, and my story
synopsis, and then started firing off emails to any legitimate agency that
represented my genre. I got a few full manuscript requests, but after a year, I
had amassed nearly 100 rejections. By that time, I decided I was going to try
some small presses, which I did, and got interest from two publishers. DIABLERO
was eventually released by Nightbird Publishing in Oct. 2010. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For my next book, a supernatural technothriller, I was still
unable to find an agent. I got an offer from DarkFuse to publish, and in Dec.
2012, LILITH hit the streets in hardcover, paperback and eBook. I was happy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s1600/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" height="320" width="201" /><span id="goog_666627982"></span></a><span id="goog_666627983"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
Soon
after, Crossroad Press published my young adult sci-fi thriller, GOD PARTICLE,
and I eventually did another book with DarkFuse, a horror novella called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Church-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00HCNXAGO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387232389&sr=1-1" target="_blank">THE BLACK CHURCH</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
When
I finished writing the follow up to LILITH, a book called PRIMORDIAL, NY Times
bestselling author Douglas Preston agreed to read the manuscript and give me an
endorsement if he liked it. Two weeks later, here’s what he said: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Primordial</span></i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Toby Tate is an
exceptionally well-crafted sci-fi supernatural thriller that tells a gripping
story of ancient evil and modern horror, with exotic settings, vivid
characters, and a plot that moves with the speed of a tsunami. The atmospherics
are excellent and the story offers plenty of surprises right up to the shocking
end.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Can’t beat that for an
endorsement. With that blurb in hand, and four published books under my belt, I
went on yet another agent hunt. Once again, there were no takers. I was flummoxed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But then, out of the blue, I
got an offer from Permuted Press, publishers of zombie and apocalyptic fiction,
who were looking to expand into other types of horror and sci-fi. They not only
wanted PRIMORDIAL, they also wanted the sequel as well as a novella prequel,
and they offered to reissue my first novel. Four books altogether. I was
ecstatic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://permutedpress.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://permutedpress.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTalhI9EDltfcBdPQiGYXHiIYzG2t4VTts8yU6mLek4sr5Nrn9LiRmpcy0bjHK8OuzaKAUSfsQktHMC_3m98k2gYZl9oPZZQtKS5EhNs1C6fKtS04Wq4TZ9TzFQB2Ehn6l4xy82xQiiKr/s1600/Permuted_Press_Logo.jpg" height="76" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They sent me the contract,
and I realized upon printing it out that it was 20 pages long. The longest
contract I had ever signed was three pages. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had </i>to get an agent. I really did not feel comfortable signing a
contract that long and involved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I asked them to give me a
week, which they did, and an author friend of mine suggested a few agencies I
should contact. I contacted exactly two. They both wanted to read the
manuscript. When MacKenzie from Trident made an offer, I knew I couldn’t pass
it up, because Trident had been one of my dream agencies since the beginning. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So there it is. In a way, I’m
glad I didn’t have a NY Times bestselling book right off the bat, because where
do you go from up? I believe that things happened exactly the way they were
supposed to, and still are. I’m just slowly climbing the ladder, and I have to
admit, so far I’m enjoying the journey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more info on my books and my music, go to <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>, and follow
me on Twitter and Facebook. </div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-58103842684901355392014-02-20T10:21:00.001-08:002014-02-20T10:21:10.089-08:00Douglas Preston, Permuted Press and me<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->So far, this year has been full of surprises. Not all good
surprises, but I’m only going to talk about the good ones because I’m a “glass half-full”
kind of guy.
<br />
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<br /></div>
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Let me start with the manuscript of a book called PRIMORDIAL
that I finished writing nearly six months ago. I had already moved on to a new
project, a book I’m already about halfway done writing. I started looking for
an agent to sell the other book, which is a sequel to my supernatural thriller,
LILTIH, and I was getting some interest. One of the agents was still on
Christmas vacation, however, so I had some time to polish the manuscript.
Looking it over, I realized the book was at least ten thousand words too short.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s1600/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" height="320" width="201" /><span id="goog_963116424"></span></a><span id="goog_963116425"></span></div>
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I started thinking about how I could lengthen the manuscript
and when inspiration struck, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. Ten
thousand words later, I turned in said manuscript to said agent. Said agent
said “No, thanks!” So did several other agents. Keep in mind I already had four
books published, two with a well-known indie press. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In the meantime, NY Times bestselling author Douglas
Preston, of whom I am a huge fan, agreed to read my book as soon as he had
time. Two weeks later, I got an email saying “Hey, Toby, I loved your book!” He
gave me the best blurb (for you non-writer types, that’s an endorsement) I ever
got for a book. I was a happy camper, and did a happy dance in the middle of my
kitchen, much to my dog’s chagrin.</div>
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I was now suddenly getting full manuscript requests from
agents as well as a couple of indie presses I had sent the book to. One of them
was Permuted Press, the same people who originally published JOHN DIES AT THE
END and other great apocalyptic and zombie-type fiction. Although I knew they
were probably inundated with manuscripts, I went ahead and sent PRIMORDIAL and then
put it out of my mind.</div>
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<a href="http://permutedpress.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://permutedpress.com/" border="0" src="http://www.civin.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/permuted-press.jpg" height="132" width="320" /></a></div>
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A couple of weeks later, there was an email from the
president of Permuted Press, Michael Wilson. “Oh well, another rejection,” I
figured. But as I read, I discovered it was an offer to publish PRIMORDIAL. Before
I even finished reading the entire email, I was calling my wife to tell her the
news, followed by another happy dance. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The next day, I was talking to Michael on the phone. He
offered to not only publish PRIMORDIAL, but the next book in the LILITH series,
as well as re-issuing my first book, DIABLERO.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Yep, you guessed it. Dance time again.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Before sending off my manuscript, I had done some research
on Permuted Press. The authors I spoke to were very happy with their
experience, which was a big plus for me. They are also expanding their
operations in several ways: (1) By moving into science fiction and fantasy, as
many other horror publishers are doing; (2) By getting their books into brick
and mortar stores via Permuted Platinum, (3) By teaming up with big-6 companies
like Simon & Schuster for some of their bestselling titles. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In fact, one of the new owners is former Simon &
Schuster deputy publisher Anthony Ziccardi, another plus for me. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Some would say all these events are just happenstance, or coincidence,
or just plain luck. But when it comes down to it, don’t we really make our own
luck? </span>Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-36645392449358123412013-12-20T20:27:00.000-08:002013-12-20T21:40:05.925-08:00Writing, music, family and the amazing powers of ADD <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDxzricQTlTZm1QC62QRPBFm5zLL1iTRYf38UCwAb77nSfCXI60r_jFub19ICYtjRITWq-sIovrmu7oLbfR3jLQhgF25KUGfhZ4S4LM2G9wRz8XPiRAk0IL0GxSb58au29Kq7Oe5LK-yH/s1600/Blog+ADD+pics+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDxzricQTlTZm1QC62QRPBFm5zLL1iTRYf38UCwAb77nSfCXI60r_jFub19ICYtjRITWq-sIovrmu7oLbfR3jLQhgF25KUGfhZ4S4LM2G9wRz8XPiRAk0IL0GxSb58au29Kq7Oe5LK-yH/s320/Blog+ADD+pics+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like most people, I always seem to have a lot going on in my
life−more than some, less than others. But what helps is my lifelong Attention
Deficit Disorder, or what I like to think of as the ability to be interested in
many things at once. Let me give you a run-down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My fourth book, a young-adult sci-fi thriller called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/GOD-PARTICLE-Johansson-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B00D66PFAK/ref=la_B004C31WNK_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1370751952&sr=1-4" target="_blank">GOD PARTICLE</a>, was released in June, 2013 with Crossroad Press. I just released my
fifth book, a horror/thriller novella called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Church-Toby-Tate-ebook/dp/B00HCNXAGO/ref=la_B004C31WNK_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387378900&sr=1-5" target="_blank">THE BLACK CHURCH</a>, in Dec. 2013
with DarkFuse. My sixth book, a supernatural thriller novel called PRIMORDIAL,
is on my editor’s desk. I am twenty-five-thousand words into my seventh book,
another novel. </div>
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<br />
I also write for my local newspaper and a local magazine,
plus the occasional short story anthology.<br />
</div>
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Last week, I recorded several tracks with my band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShannonSaligaAndTheMillionWattSuns" target="_blank">SHANNON SALIGA and the MILLION WATT SUNS</a>. I sing, play guitar, bass, drums, mandolin,
keyboards and whatever is needed. I wrote all five songs and I’m also the
recording engineer. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1382025_10200162636063520_1000562832_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1382025_10200162636063520_1000562832_n.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a stay-at-home dad and spend every day homeschooling
our daughter, who is eleven. I usually manage to get some writing in, but most
of it happens at night, when everyone else is in bed. There is also the
marketing that has to be done for all five of my published books, and believe
me, that is a time-consuming process−I am a very “hands-on” author. There is
also time spent trying to get reviews, contacting book stores, sending out
unpublished manuscripts to editors and/or agents, and on and on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On weekends, when I’m not writing, I try to spend non-school
time with my wife and daughter, fixing up and cleaning the house from the
various animals living in it (my daughter is an animal lover), maintaining the
cars, and
so forth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m an avid reader and fan of classic sci-fi and horror
movies (I have nearly 500 DVDs of titles like King Kong, Creature from the
Black Lagoon and Forbidden Planet) and I like to travel, though it’s not always
affordable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few years ago, before I became a stay-at-home dad, I was
also a college student and a full-time book store employee with a new baby. On
top of that, I was the editor for the school newspaper and for the school’s
literary magazine. Somewhere in there, I managed to start writing my first
novel and release a CD. Talk about stress. So my life has actually slowed down
quite a bit from that particular craziness.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I said all that to say this: I love my life, and wouldn’t
change a thing. I’m right where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to be
doing, and I’m extremely thankful to be able to say that. I owe it all to God,
family, friends, my fellow authors, my publisher, the people who buy my books
and music, and a wicked case of ADD!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check out my writing, music and other insanity at<a href="http://http//www.tobytatestories.com" target="_blank"> www.tobytatestories.com,</a> and on
Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-45200761427171330432013-11-16T19:45:00.000-08:002013-11-16T19:49:50.963-08:00Traditional versus self-publishing: Choosing the right road<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b>Roy Huff is the successful
self-published author of the EVERVILLE young adult fantasy series, who
was gracious enough to endorse my YA sci-fi thriller,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/GOD-PARTICLE-Johansson-Thriller-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B00D66PFAK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-4&qid=1384459086" target="_blank"> GOD PARTICLE</a>. He has a few words to say to those looking to be successful authors. </b></span></span><br />
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<![endif]--><br />
As a new writer it can be difficult to make a decision regarding whether to
self publish or to try and pursue the traditional route of finding a literary
agent, editor, and publisher. While there are benefits to both methods, the
final decision should be informed by one’s individual situation and one’s own
personal preferences.<br />
<br />
It may go without saying that most writers would prefer to be signed to a
traditional publisher. That of course assumes that a writer can be signed, and
that’s a big if. The simple truth is that while a publisher will front the cost
of publication and some marketing, publishers expect authors to market
themselves. Aside from the quality of the book, the eventual success of the
book will largely hinge on how savvy a writer is with social media and
self-promotion.<br />
<br />
There is no question that being signed to a large publishing company can add
street cred to a publication along with wider print distribution, but for many
writers that is simply not an option. For those authors, the choice has been
made for them. There is also the option of finding smaller indy publishing
houses willing to publish, and while being backed by a publisher may offer some
benefits, a smaller company will often be less able to promote the author, and
the low royalties and loss of creative control will often offset the potential
benefits.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EQZ5T2E/ref=nosim?tag=booksdirectsh-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EQZ5T2E/ref=nosim?tag=booksdirectsh-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549" border="0" height="320" src="http://marciasbooktalk.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/everville-the-city-of-worms-by-roy-huff.jpg?w=714" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Click to buy on Amazon!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For the vast majority of writers, self-publishing is the only option, and
for new writers, they will also find that there is a brave new world of options
when it comes to self publishing and marketing. Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, and
others have made it easy to get published. Print companies like LightningSource
and audio book companies like ACX have made print and audio books equally as
simple and quick to get published. Social media such as Twitter, Facebook,
Fiverr, and Google Plus have also revolutionized self-promotion and micro
advertising. Together, the ease of publication and decentralization of social
media provide a powerful venue for writers.<br />
<br />
Regardless of the method, the quality of the work, the effectiveness of the
marketing campaign, and a little luck will determine one’s eventual success. As
an author, I have personally chosen to go the route of self-publishing for the
initial series of books I have written. I do, however, plan on utilizing
traditional publishers in the future in combination with my existing self
published titles. This will give me the opportunity to develop a fan base as
well as experience in self-promotion. More importantly KDP select and free promotions
for self published titles can be excellent ways to cross promote existing books
while leveraging that exposure for future titles published through traditional
publishing companies.<br />
<br />
My recommendation for new writers is write a good book and find a good
editor. Once the book is written, decide whether or not spending the time and
effort in finding a literary agent is something that one is willing to do; if
not, then self-publish. If one decides to go the traditional route but
continues to get rejected after a couple of dozen attempts, take a second look
at the manuscript. If there are changes that can be made to improve the
quality, then make those changes, but if after the changes one is still unable
to find an agent or a publisher, self-publish.<br />
<br />
In the end, the best thing for a writer to do is focus on the quality of the
writing and the editing. Spending sufficient time in marketing and
self-promotion is also a must. Worrying about getting published, however,
should no longer be a barrier for future authors. Instead, writers should
research and decide what’s best for them. More importantly they need to
understand that the removal of barriers to getting published applies to
everyone and it has dramatically increased competition. That being said, the
old rules apply now more than ever. Write a great book, and market the heck out
of it.<br />
<br />
<b>Check out Roy on the web at <a href="http://www.owensage.com/">www.owensage.com</a>. </b>Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-6306732613073411122013-09-03T17:25:00.000-07:002013-09-03T17:25:05.596-07:00How I got two book deals with DarkFuse<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->I have always been interested in the “behind the scenes” aspect
of the publishing world. I like to know the hows and the whys of everything, so
I suppose I’m doing a bit of projecting when I assume that readers feel the
same way. So here goes nothing. Or something.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have never had an agent. Every book I’ve ever read on the
subject of publishing says, “Number one: Get an agent.” That didn’t work out
for me. After carefully crafting and sending out approximately eighty-five
query letters for LILITH, a supernatural thriller, I got plenty of interest, but
no offers. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_2" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s320/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" width="201" /><span id="goog_835725740"></span></a><span id="goog_835725741"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to go it alone and send queries directly to
publishers instead. It took far fewer tries, about a dozen or so, before I got
offers from two different houses, one of which was DarkFuse, an independent
mass-market publisher. So I guess the lesson there is: it’s easier to get a
publisher than it is to get an agent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My query letters were nothing special, just a little blurb
about the story, my background as a writer, why I felt my novel was different
from other similar books that were out there, the word count, etc. etc. A
synopsis of the storyline and the first two chapters were also included.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A couple of months after sending out the query to DarkFuse,
I received an email requesting the entire manuscript for LILITH. A few weeks
later, they asked me if I could cut the story to less than 70K, which I did.
The next thing I knew, they were sending me a contract. Of course, I did the obligatory
happy dance and called my family to tell them the good news. That particular
book has been my best-selling one to date, and I am now writing a sequel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since they had already published one of my books, they were
interested in reading my next, which was a novella called THE BLACK CHURCH,
more of a straight horror story as opposed to the action-oriented thrills of
LILITH. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.darkfuse.com/coming_soon.html#.UgBMZqwzKuI" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.darkfuse.com/images/covers/full/black_church.jpg" width="201" /><span id="goog_835725750"></span></a><span id="goog_835725751"></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Again, the editor liked the book and made an offer. Although
I ended up cutting a lot of it and changing the ending, I was pretty happy with
the end result. The staff at DarkFuse is top-notch and very well respected in
the business, so I trust them completely. The cover art for both books was beyond
awesome and the editing as professional as that of any major publishing house. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The main ingredient for getting published (besides writing a
great book, of course) is perseverance. Knocking on door after door, day after
day, and getting rejected over and over again, is definitely not for the faint
of heart, but it is part of the process of getting published. Self-publishing
is fun, and I’ve done it, but there’s nothing like the validation of a company
who has published hundreds of high-quality books saying, “Hey, good news—you
made the cut!” Yep, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.<br />
<br />
For more on me and my books, just go to my website at <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>, or find me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toby-Tate/319842513578?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/TobyTate" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-90821886185875688572013-08-12T16:07:00.001-07:002013-08-12T16:07:21.641-07:00Grammarly giveaway<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are like me, and most writers are in this
respect, it really bugs you to see documents, newspapers, books, signs or
anything with misspelled words, misused or unused punctuation, or bad grammar. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But I’ll be the first to admit: as I get older, my
spelling and grammar skills seem to get worser. Excuse me, I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more </i>worser. Anyway, you get the
picture. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Enter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grammarly</i>,
a program that can help keep you from getting embarrassing red marks from your
editor or you teacher, or disapproving glances from prospective employers who
are reading your resume. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.grammarly.com/?q=grammar&gclid=CNjdov-B-bgCFYui4AodYxoAHw" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://www.deemux.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Grammarly.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have used it and I love it. There are a lot of
bells and whistles that I haven’t figured out how to use yet, but basically it
works in tandem with Microsoft Word−just download it and it incorporates itself
into the toolbar of the program. When you’re ready to spell/grammar check, just
click on the toolbar and watch it do its stuff. It works just like spell check,
but with lots more detail and tons of great suggestions for fixing your
document, manuscript or whatever.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Normally, I don’t tout products on my blog, but seeing
that we live in a free-market, capitalist society, and I’m an author, I thought
I would let people know about this. I have to admit I also got a free trial of the
product, but that’s not why I’m doing this. I’m doing it because the nice folks
at Grammarly are offering a free three-month premium membership to the first
five people to comment on this post. Just leave a comment and I will PM you to
get an email address. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Good luck!</span></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-7416369236972852542013-06-20T12:30:00.001-07:002013-06-20T12:55:27.797-07:00Creating characters that come alive and jump off the page<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Plot lines don’t mean squat without memorable characters. <br />
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Characters don’t even really have to be people. Seriously,
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I’ve read science fiction stories and thrillers where things
moved along at a good pace from point A to point B, but because the characters
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I base almost all my characters on real people, either
people that I know or have met somewhere along the way. One of the characters
in my supernatural thriller, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_3" target="_blank">LILITH</a>, was an aircraft carrier called the USS
Gerald R. Ford. That’s right—it was a ship. Hey, they don’t call ships “she”
for nothing. Since the Ford was not yet commissioned at the time, I based it on
the USS Harry S. Truman, where I had spent several days at sea. Believe me,
those ships have personalities all their own, and I tried to bring that across
in LILITH by describing things I had experienced while aboard the Truman.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s1600/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIAT_iuYaRzTJwZs1e87YS9x-ao2qlAhl0O0U7w0VPaml5zfB53-KWnLeUvKBaBsLZNb1vRu077Ko4Pe_jY4FULQri3y4I5sDV8cbUrEGR6TTcY0coD3HBX9pDoTt8BnKpjU_loDODwMg/s320/LILITH+cover+with+Fahy+blurb.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The character of Hunter Singleton, one of the main
protagonists of my stories, is based mainly on me, but also on other people I
have known. He has a back story, he has a distinct personality, he has
interests, dislikes, quirks, certain physical qualities—he even speaks a
certain way. You can always tell when Hunter is talking, because he’s a smart
ass. Kind of like me. He’s adopted, half Cherokee Indian and half white. He’s a
reporter for a national news agency. He knows Kung Fu and doesn’t mind using it
when necessary. And he’s usually up to his eyeballs in trouble.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lisa Singleton, Hunter’s wife, also has certain physical
characteristics and personality traits that distinguish her from other female
characters. For instance, she’s a park ranger and a black belt in Wing Chun
Kung Fu, which she taught to her husband. Her father is Chinese and her mother
African American. She’s quite beautiful, like her mother, and small, but also
pretty handy with her fists as well as with a gun. If you piss her off, she
will take you down. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Lilith, the main antagonist, is more of a conglomeration of
different people. I tried to make her evil, but also gave her some faults and
frailties, and a back story that will make readers want to sympathize as well
as be repulsed. Awesome combination!</div>
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<br /></div>
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There’s a back story with Hunter and Lisa as a couple, and I
plan on getting more deeply into their personal stories as they progress
through each adventure. The next book to feature them, PRIMORDIAL, is still in
the writing stage. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Characters that are integral to the story should have traits
that set them apart from other characters—physical traits, quirks, flaws,
whatever. They should all speak with a different voice, as well, though that is
sometimes hard to do. Characters who I know will only be in one scene I don’t
spend as much time on, because they won’t be around long enough for anyone to
really care. They’re just there to help move the plot along.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also like to give flaws to my characters, because real
people have flaws. For instance, Hunter has an inordinate fear of flying. As do
I. I do not like airplanes, or even tall ladders. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/GOD-PARTICLE-Johansson-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B00D66PFAK/ref=la_B004C31WNK_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1370371655&sr=1-5" target="_blank">GOD PARTICLE</a>, my protagonist is a
16-year-old girl. Not being a 16-year-old girl myself, I had to draw from
people I know, like my own wife and daughter, for instance, who helped me
immensely with the character. Chloe is Chinese, adopted as a baby by a loving Swiss/American
family. Hence the last name ‘Johansson.’ Not too many Chinese people have the
name ‘Johansson.’ </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LBLoulEMbQfeQTRSSr1Sf2pKPudWLEJOhAHNjJQ7Za9hfLFAgG0GC4JGyCz4Ul9gNiRD7y7Ly-8pg7lyfjlWOIUMYJ2aZU8bbAU4jGiXLEiF4B8NDIZ5MtkOPahuDqgl264XlgiphMM/s1600/GP+cover+with+Huff+blurb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LBLoulEMbQfeQTRSSr1Sf2pKPudWLEJOhAHNjJQ7Za9hfLFAgG0GC4JGyCz4Ul9gNiRD7y7Ly-8pg7lyfjlWOIUMYJ2aZU8bbAU4jGiXLEiF4B8NDIZ5MtkOPahuDqgl264XlgiphMM/s320/GP+cover+with+Huff+blurb.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
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Chloe is also extremely intelligent, already a freshman
engineering student at MIT. But she is a little bit spoiled. And selfish. And
maybe a little hard headed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Characters also need some type of friction within the story,
something to overcome that will make them grow and reach beyond their own
self-imposed boundaries. Just like in real life. Chloe nearly becomes
overwhelmed by the events that take place in the GOD PARTICLE, but she has an amazing
inner strength that helps get her through. Plus, she prays a lot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lively characters are extremely important to my novels. The
stories are usually centered on the characters I create, and things move forward
because of their actions, or inaction. Without realistic, memorable
characters, the literary world can be a bland place, indeed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more information on my latest books, find me on the web
at <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>.</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-1663693540474809562013-06-04T14:22:00.001-07:002013-06-05T17:10:47.806-07:00The GOD PARTICLE explodes!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->I found that there were a few rules for writing THE GOD
PARTICLE, a young adult sci-fi thriller, that don’t always apply to writing
adult thrillers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For one thing, they say (they being young adult writing experts),
that you should establish the age of the protagonist right away so young people
will connect quickly. The first paragraph says, “I had the perfect life. I was
going to MIT at the age of sixteen…” Check.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Another thing they suggest is writing in first person so
readers can feel like they are right there with your character. Most of the
book is in first person, except for the parts where I’m following another
character, switching back and forth kind of the way James Patterson does. So
again, check.</div>
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<br /></div>
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An eye-catching front cover is, of course, paramount to getting
good sales. Thanks to Stan Tremblay of <a href="http://www.findtheaxis.com/index.html" target="_blank">Find the Axis.com</a>, I was able to comply.
Check again.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LBLoulEMbQfeQTRSSr1Sf2pKPudWLEJOhAHNjJQ7Za9hfLFAgG0GC4JGyCz4Ul9gNiRD7y7Ly-8pg7lyfjlWOIUMYJ2aZU8bbAU4jGiXLEiF4B8NDIZ5MtkOPahuDqgl264XlgiphMM/s1600/GP+cover+with+Huff+blurb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LBLoulEMbQfeQTRSSr1Sf2pKPudWLEJOhAHNjJQ7Za9hfLFAgG0GC4JGyCz4Ul9gNiRD7y7Ly-8pg7lyfjlWOIUMYJ2aZU8bbAU4jGiXLEiF4B8NDIZ5MtkOPahuDqgl264XlgiphMM/s320/GP+cover+with+Huff+blurb.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I also didn’t want the book to be too wordy. I wanted it to
zip along at a good pace, which I did by writing short chapters and keeping the
word count at around 40,000. That’s a pretty quick read, even for someone with
a short attention span like me. My previous book had short chapters, but was
over 70,000 words.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The experts say to never talk down to your audience, because
they may be young, but they’re also sophisticated. I wanted something
intriguing, a subject that had spent some time in the public eye, and the God
particle was the perfect subject. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
everyone had heard of it, and it was still enough of a mystery that I could put
my own twist on it without it seeming too far-fetched. The story involves particle
physics, wormholes and multi-dimensional space, but it’s not so complicated
that it loses the reader. I speak in a way any layman can understand. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, there was a lot of research and fact-checking
involved, but that’s true with all my novels. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite the age group of your readership, good characters
have to populate the pages of any story to keep it interesting. Shallow, one-dimensional
characters will pull your story down and your sales along with it. And you can
forget any sequels. All my characters in all my books are well fleshed-out (so
to speak), according to their importance in the storyline. There is a lot of
dark drama involved as well, where our characters fight seemingly impossible
odds. Suspense can make a good story great.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I usually make it a point to get at least one endorsement
for my books. For GOD PARTICLE I managed to get Roy Huff, the #1 Amazon bestselling
author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everville-The-First-Pillar-ebook/dp/B00BCOQSSQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1370380547&sr=1-1&keywords=everville+the+first+pillar" target="_blank">EVERVILLE: The First Pillar</a>, who called it “…a fast-paced, fun read!”
Thanks Roy!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a lot of fun writing GOD PARTICLE, and I think you
will have a great time reading it. Pick up a copy now for only $2.99 at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/GOD-PARTICLE-Johansson-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B00D66PFAK/ref=la_B004C31WNK_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1370371655&sr=1-5" target="_blank">Amazon</a>,
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-god-particle-a-chloe-johansson-thriller-toby-tate/1115477136?ean=2940016562841" target="_blank">B&N.com</a>, <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/322529" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> or <a href="http://store.crossroadpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5_101_456&products_id=700&zenid=6tv70dt56n93vs03mvtb1jiuh3" target="_blank">Crossroad Press</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check me out on the web when you get a chance at <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-6740709422431657342013-05-28T23:05:00.001-07:002013-05-29T19:55:10.764-07:00Researching the novel: Making it real and getting it right<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->In his book ON WRITING, Stephen King said, “Do the research,
but don’t overdo it for the reader.” Writers like me should probably take that
to heart. But it’s tough, because I love to make things real.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my last book, LILITH, I wanted the reader to feel like
they were there on the USS Gerald R. Ford with me. Being ex-navy, I spent many
a day sailing the ocean blue on several different ships, so that experience
came in quite handy when it was time to write. I also managed to spend some
time aboard a carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, which was pretty awesome. I got
to stand right out on the flight deck while the jets were taking off and
landing, rattling my bones until I thought they would fracture. The picture
below is one I took myself of a navy jet landing in 2010.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/16698_4805291843663_2104490398_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/16698_4805291843663_2104490398_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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For LILITH, I researched several different types of weapons
used by Special Forces and CIA, the CIA and its methods, nuclear fission and
nuclear power, DNA and genetic mutation, animal tracking, New York City,
especially Manhattan Island and its layout, the abandoned New York City subway tunnels,
hurricanes and weather patterns, the offices and buildings used by the mayor of
New York, the type of security used by the mayor, on and on and on. I used Google
maps to see exactly what the parks and buildings looked like at street level
and videos to see what the abandoned subway tunnels were like. I even enlisted
the help of a retired navy commander to get my facts straight about the USS Gerald
Ford, which has yet to be commissioned. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.freewebs.com/jeffhead/worldwideaircraftcarriers/cvn78-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.freewebs.com/jeffhead/worldwideaircraftcarriers/cvn78-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The research itself took a good six months, the writing
another six months. In the end, I had to cut 10,000 words out of the book to
secure a contract with DarkFuse, most of it having to do with the back story, via
the musings of the ship’s chaplain, Commander Crane, of the creature that takes
over the ship. But it was worth it, because the back story will be fleshed out
in the sequel, PRIMORDIAL, which I am now writing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For PRIMORDIAL, as with all my other books; DIABLERO
(Nightbird Publishing, Oct. 2010), GOD PARTICLE (Crossroad Press, June 2013), and
THE BLACK CHURCH (DarkFuse, Dec. 2013), I did most of the research beforehand. Most
of the action for PRIMORDIAL will be set on the island of Crete in the
Mediterranean, but there are also scenes in Romania, Turkey, Egypt, Syria,
Sicily, and Washington D.C. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/greece/crete/map_of_crete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/greece/crete/map_of_crete.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I am not an archeologist and have limited knowledge on
the subject, I enlisted the help of archeologists and geomorphologists from
Boston U. and NC State, and even picked up a book about the basics of
archeology, just so I could get the jargon right. I looked at videos of several
different dig sites on Crete, researched modern Crete and its ancient Minoan
civilization, which figures heavily in the plot, and did more research on the
CIA, nuclear radiation, DNA and genetic mutation. And that’s just the basic
stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes it seems like the research will never end. I just
want to turn off the computer and say, “Forget it! I’m going fishing!” But even
though I make my share of mistakes, I am a stickler for realism, and getting
it right. If I say, “He walked through the gate and into the park,” you can be
sure that I have either been there, or I looked it up on a recent video or
photo and saw a gate in front of that park. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But in spite of all the necessary research, a writer can’t
forget the most important element of any story: the human element. But I’ll
save that for next time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are you a writer? Do you do a lot of research before you
write? How do you go about it? Leave me a comment and tell me about it. If you
have a question about research, feel free to leave a comment, as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more information on me and my books, find me on the web
at <a href="http://www.tobytatestories.com/">www.tobytatestories.com</a>. Thanks
for reading!</div>
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Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-75070369726385089812013-05-16T11:02:00.001-07:002013-05-21T20:01:46.908-07:00Why writers need good editors<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->I’ve done the self-publishing thing, if for no other reason
than to say, “I did it.” It was not my first book, however.
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diablero-ebook/dp/B004THZ6UO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1289225613&sr=1-1" target="_blank">DIABLERO</a>, a supernatural thriller that featured a
resurrected, demon-possessed Blackbeard the Pirate, was published first in
paperback by Nightbird Publishing in 2010 and then by Crossroad Press as an
eBook in 2011.</div>
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So why do a self-published book, you may ask? Well, I think I
can sum it up in one word: vanity. I wanted to get my collection of short
stories out there, and none of my publishers wanted to publish a short-story
collection. So I figured, what the hey, I’ll just do it myself. Shadowland was published
as an eBook in 2011 with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadowland-Anthology-ebook/dp/B004NIFWJE/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1352144649&sr=1-4&keywords=toby+tate" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/toby-tate/shadowland-anthology/_/R-400000000000000730591" target="_blank">Sony</a> and elsewhere. </div>
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I won’t say it was a bad decision—it was what it was. But
only one of the stories, Gray Area, had gone through any kind of rigorous
editing. The rest were stories that I had written and reworked several times. </div>
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I hate to admit it, but it shows. Although several of the
stories have since been edited and published elsewhere, (see <a href="http://volutedtales.com/issue/voluted-tales-two/article/shadowland-4-200-words-toby-tate1" target="_blank">Shadowland inVoluted Tales Magazine #2</a>), they weren’t really the best they could be.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to any editors that charged less than
$1,000 per manuscript, which really wasn’t in my budget. </div>
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I said all that to say this: editing really does make a
difference. I love my editors at <a href="http://www.darkfuse.com/" target="_blank">DarkFuse</a> and <a href="http://www.macabreink.com/cpmain/" target="_blank">Crossroad Press</a>—they give a
professional edge to my writing by making sure the story has continuity, catching
grammatical and punctuation errors that I otherwise would have missed, and even
helping reword things that could be said in a better, more concise way. I would
have to pay someone several thousand dollars to do what they do, so I am
eternally thankful to have their expertise.</div>
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For my second novel,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357078551&sr=1-3&keywords=toby+tate" target="_blank"> LILITH</a>, a supernatural thriller that
puts a mythological creature aboard an aircraft carrier in the middle of the
ocean, I was ready to pay a tidy sum for a good editor. But DarkFuse made an
offer before I did so, and author Greg Gifune ended up being my editor, so I
was happy.</div>
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My next book, GOD PARTICLE, a young adult sci-fi thriller
that features Chloe Johansson, a globe-trotting sixteen-year-old MIT prodigy,
is due out June 4, 2013 and will be published by Crossroad press. My editor
there, David Dodd, did an excellent job catching all my dumb mistakes and I
think improved my chances of getting good sales. Not a bad thing. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkw3q29PERSP7C1t_oOWAqfZKgeqZ5HJ3vqBogeeA8buv3aYN-rVch5vs3K9lc56IcJDcK9lRqK-faejGskvoJ9fUtr3YA6PEDgf4KSAW_qJgjP4X-cdNgAq_Jvi4VJanrHcrJkJyiO4m/s1600/God+Particle+Tremblay+desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkw3q29PERSP7C1t_oOWAqfZKgeqZ5HJ3vqBogeeA8buv3aYN-rVch5vs3K9lc56IcJDcK9lRqK-faejGskvoJ9fUtr3YA6PEDgf4KSAW_qJgjP4X-cdNgAq_Jvi4VJanrHcrJkJyiO4m/s320/God+Particle+Tremblay+desktop.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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If you decide to self-publish, my advice is spend the money
and find yourself the best editor you can afford, one that knows the business and
knows what to look for in a manuscript. Believe me, the money will be
well-spent. Don’t put a half-assed manuscript out there, because readers judge
you by the quality of your writing, and if one manuscript isn’t up to par, it
could affect the sales of any other books you publish.</div>
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<a href="http://www.manuscriptcritique.com/schedule.htm" target="_blank">Michael Garrett</a>, who once worked with Stephen King and other
big name authors, offers an excellent service at a reasonable price for anyone
who is interested. I only mention him because I was so impressed with his
attitude and work ethic. There are probably many other good editors out there,
but do your research and make sure they know what they’re talking about,
otherwise you’ll spend a fortune and have nothing to show for it. </div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-42821604375112755062013-03-02T09:57:00.001-08:002013-03-05T12:59:25.690-08:00How to Market Your eBook - One Publisher’s Thoughts<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="color: red;">Crossroad Press, publisher of my first novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diablero-ebook/dp/B004THZ6UO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1289225613&sr=1-1" target="_blank">DIABLERO</a>, and of my coming young adult sci-fi thriller, <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/101896124/Chloe-Johansson-and-The-God-Particle" target="_blank">CHLOE JOHANSSON and THE GOD PARTICLE</a>, has been around now for several years and has published something in the vicinity of 600 titles. So if anyone knows about marketing in this age of e-books, it would be author and publisher David Niall Wilson.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">How should authors promote their books –
specifically eBooks – is a question that – as you might imagine – is very near
and dear to me. I’ve studied it. I’ve lived it. I’ve come to some conclusions,
and while I’m sure some will come as no surprise, and some will irritate,
frustrate, or anger a few readers, I’m going to pass on what I’ve figured out
so far. </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Selling
your eBook is no different than selling a traditional book. Famous authors sell
a lot of eBooks. Midlist authors sell more than most, but less than famous
people. So it goes. The only advantage that eBooks have is the Internet, and
the Internet is not ‘easy’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There
are now thousands of newsletters, groups, message boards, blog rings, etc.
dedicated to “marketing” your eBook. There are a sackful of social media sites
and ‘tools’ people will push as ‘the’ way to sell your books. They will offer
to doctor up your SEO. They will talk about Facebook and Twitter campaigns.
They will set up blog tours for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Here’s
the truth. ALL of the things that you have heard of can sell books, but the key
– the simple key that is always missed – is that whatever you use to promote
your work has to reach people who are readers. Most of the above-mentioned
tools and methods are best at connecting you to thousands of other authors
trying to sell their books, but very few of them are buying books. You might
get into a reciprocal setup where you all buy one another’s books and review them,
but that is the equivalent of a circle jerk, and won’t do a thing to promote
your book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.macabreink.com/cpmain/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/dec10/dnw4.jpg" width="178" /><span id="goog_1543662604"></span></a><span id="goog_1543662605"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Here’s
the simple truth. The only thing that will sell eBooks is getting a clickable
link in front of a large number of people who a: read books and b: don’t know who
you are. Your Facebook feed is seen by … your ‘friends’. If you are an author,
it probably has a fair number of other authors and publishers on it – but a
limited number of people who are your fans, or who read regularly and are there
for books. It’s not an effective tool for selling books unless you find a way
to draw people to it who are only there to read.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Your
Twitter feed – if you are outgoing, charming, handsome, beautiful, funny, etc –
you may be able to use it to raise your number of useful followers. If you can
engage famous people and get them to promote you in any way, retweet your
promotional links – that can work too. If you are just a regular Joe, don’t
have a lot of time to hang out on line and create a “personality” – again –
it’s a very limited tool and not that useful in selling books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE
most useful promotion on the Internet is simple to define and very, very
difficult to achieve. The best way to sell eBooks is to get a one-click-to-buy
link either visible on a major retail site, or on some other site with heavy
traffic. Yes, I realize this means that it’s just as hard to sell a ton of
copies of an eBook as it was to sell traditional books. It’s the truth, and I
think, the first thing I said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">My
suggestion is this. With patience, and care, you build your presence. You
write. You write steadily and do not spend more time promoting things you have
already written than you do writing new things. Keep a steady flow of new
material out there. You have a blog or a website – depending on your skill
level. Keep it populated with new content. Write about yourself and your work,
even if no one seems to be paying attention. Link those posts to your Twitter
account, and your Facebook account. Use tags and key words on your posts so
that people find them. Make sure there are links to buy your books on your
website, synopses of the books, maybe a few sample chapters. Do NOT make the
whole site nothing but a static advertisement, make it someplace people might
return to. Make sure it has the RSS feeds and a newsletter form where people
can subscribe.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1462745525/Headbeard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1462745525/Headbeard1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/dec10/dnw4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If
you use Facebook – have one page for your personal contacts, and one page for
your author’s page. Don’t put the same content on both. Don’t make new pages
for your new books…use the one page, and build the following for that. Do not
invite everyone to events every time you release a book, etc…only the same
people who see your feed see those, and only a small number of them will opt
in- just post your material on your author’s page. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Twitter
– the same. You have already set up blog posts to populate it, but you have to
seek out interesting people, talk with them, get them to acknowledge you and
talk back – build a network. If you do this well enough, after a while, you’ll
see the numbers of your followers grow. One of the best ways to find
interesting people to follow is to go to the Twitter page of people you admire
– and see who THEY follow.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Spend
some time on each site every day, but not so much you don’t have time to write.
If you are talented – if your books are good – you will gain traction. Always
look for ways to get that treasured one-click-to-buy link in front of as many
people who have never heard of you as possible. Don’t waste your time marketing
over and over to the same tiny pool of people…and write. Did I mention that?
Spending a year selling the one book you wrote is a recipe for failure.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If
you get help, or pay for help, check that help out carefully. Ask them to prove
results, and not just in numbers of possibly fake friends or followers, but in
sales. If a new promotional tool (that costs nothing) becomes available – try
it – give it an honest evaluation. If it works, great. If not, move on. Don’t
listen to gurus. Most of them don’t really know why they sold a lot of books,
but are perfectly willing to sit on soap boxes and explain it – OR – they tell
you things that are only part of the picture without explaining the contacts
that got their one-click-to-buy links in front of a lot of people.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Trust
your instincts. Be patient. Write.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
hope this has – in some way – been helpful.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">David Niall Wilson</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Crossroad
Press</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-1384734687283309112013-01-28T18:52:00.000-08:002013-01-29T19:20:48.352-08:00Awesome LILITH book reviews and entertaining interviews<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->There are so many reviews and interviews from the last
couple of months floating around, I thought I would put them together in one
comprehensive list just so those interested can take a look at what’s out
there. I will eventually be putting all this up on my website, but in the
meantime…<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Reviews</u></b></div>
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A great review of LILITH by TT Zuma of Horror World: <a href="http://horrorworld.org/hw/2013/01/lilith/">http://horrorworld.org/hw/2013/01/lilith/</a></div>
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Another cool review from Jim Mcleod at Ginger Nuts of Horror</div>
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<a href="http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-lilith-by-toby-tate.html">http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-lilith-by-toby-tate.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfFakGf5NKoa254y6Lu0_bjdsbjj_uG5LV87yfLUnDEFLR5cCSTxbBNIRkinbGVMBuWMjrgEiRFrxuOpEJ8zIBhd6mbpe2vkia9KtIuJ2l5QE6DraNnqjTTJXmJKR9RYfcc9OtuuUaRiI/s1600/GINGERNUTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfFakGf5NKoa254y6Lu0_bjdsbjj_uG5LV87yfLUnDEFLR5cCSTxbBNIRkinbGVMBuWMjrgEiRFrxuOpEJ8zIBhd6mbpe2vkia9KtIuJ2l5QE6DraNnqjTTJXmJKR9RYfcc9OtuuUaRiI/s320/GINGERNUTS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A really nice review from author Christopher Allen Ridge at
Creature Corner</div>
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<a href="http://creaturecritter.blogspot.com/2013/01/looking-for-good-book.html">http://creaturecritter.blogspot.com/2013/01/looking-for-good-book.html</a></div>
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Another great one from Jennifer L. Oliver’s blog</div>
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<a href="http://jenniferloliver.com/2013/01/behind-the-quill-reviews-lilith/">http://jenniferloliver.com/2013/01/behind-the-quill-reviews-lilith/</a></div>
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An awesome review from Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes at Mallory
Heart Reviews </div>
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<a href="http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwritings.blogspot.com/2013/01/lilith-by-toby-tatereview.html">http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwritings.blogspot.com/2013/01/lilith-by-toby-tatereview.html</a></div>
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Got a thumbs up from Library Journal, but you need a
subscription to read the whole thing</div>
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<a href="http://www.bookverdict.com/details.xqy?uri=20461865.xml">http://www.bookverdict.com/details.xqy?uri=20461865.xml</a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Interviews</u></b></div>
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Here’s a fun interview I did with Kent Holloway, publisher
of Seven Realms Publishing</div>
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<a href="http://www.kenthollowayonline.com/2013/01/let-me-introduce-you-totoby-tate.html">http://www.kenthollowayonline.com/2013/01/let-me-introduce-you-totoby-tate.html</a></div>
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The Five Minute Interview series with Jim Mcleod of Ginger
Nuts of Horror from the UK</div>
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<a href="http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/interview-5-minutes-with-toby-tate.html">http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/interview-5-minutes-with-toby-tate.html</a></div>
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My interview for THE BIG THRILL webzine</div>
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<a href="http://www.thebigthrill.org/2012/12/lilith-by-toby-tate/">http://www.thebigthrill.org/2012/12/lilith-by-toby-tate/</a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.thebigthrill.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/big-thrill-sidebar3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.thebigthrill.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/big-thrill-sidebar3.jpg" /></a></div>
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My guest blog post on author Lee Thompson’s website</div>
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<a href="http://www.leethompsonfiction.com/?p=1871">http://www.leethompsonfiction.com/?p=1871</a></div>
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The Thriller Roundtable, where I answer the question, “Which
authors have inspired you?”</div>
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<a href="http://www.thebigthrill.org/2013/01/january-7-13-which-authors-have-inspired-you/#comment-5508">http://www.thebigthrill.org/2013/01/january-7-13-which-authors-have-inspired-you/#comment-5508</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Another Thriller Roundtable, where I answer the question, “How
do you determine when a story is ready?”</div>
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<a href="http://www.thebigthrill.org/2013/01/coming-january-28-february-3-how-do-you-determine-when-a-story-is-ready/">http://www.thebigthrill.org/2013/01/coming-january-28-february-3-how-do-you-determine-when-a-story-is-ready/</a></div>
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I’m also being interviewed for my local paper and will post
a link to that when it becomes available. If these interviews and reviews make
you feel like purchasing a book or two, the links are below. Thanks for
reading!</div>
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LILITH on Amazon, available in e-book and paperback</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357078551&sr=1-3">http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357078551&sr=1-3</a></div>
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LILITH at Barnes & Noble, paperback only (so far)</div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lilith-toby-tate/1112557250?ean=9781937771515">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lilith-toby-tate/1112557250?ean=9781937771515</a></div>
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Want to order a signed paperback? Just call Page After Page bookstore
at 252-335-7243, and get free shipping anywhere in the U.S.!</div>
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Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861647980938196959.post-60803421836470830832013-01-09T20:42:00.000-08:002013-01-09T20:47:17.937-08:00WIN A SIGNED COPY OF LILITH!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->The best way to sell a new book is by word of mouth, so I am
offering a copy out of my personal stash of LILITH paperbacks to be given away
in a drawing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2EcgGzf68zZ44vidRjBp2-5_yrKJf6fpS1I8d8bMiMv_0ez28Ya1zf3wqXI0Hz_i8kox968D9XCGOmtnzwSBZc8S16oNTuyXh2sRqWdiBjRJFcz6pE6Qj-ZgzJV0Pjep0xaoY1xYuUt7/s1600/LILITH+desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2EcgGzf68zZ44vidRjBp2-5_yrKJf6fpS1I8d8bMiMv_0ez28Ya1zf3wqXI0Hz_i8kox968D9XCGOmtnzwSBZc8S16oNTuyXh2sRqWdiBjRJFcz6pE6Qj-ZgzJV0Pjep0xaoY1xYuUt7/s320/LILITH+desktop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
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Basically, it goes like this: Be one of the first ten people
to buy the e-book and write an honest review for LILITH on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-ebook/dp/B00AV8SXKA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357078551&sr=1-3" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, and you will
be entered into a drawing to win a signed and personalized trade paperback of
LILITH. Believe me, that amazing artwork on the cover looks even better in
print than it does on an e-book.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Also, I will digitally sign the e-book via Authorgraph.com
for everyone that buys an e-book between now and March. Just go to <a href="http://www.authorgraph.com/" target="_blank">Authorgraph</a>
and type in LILITH, and it should come up. What more could you ask for than
that? Besides, if you keep it long enough, it could be worth money someday –
you never know!</div>
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</div>
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<br />
Plus, when the sequel comes out, you’ll be all caught up! </div>
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Happy reading!</div>
Toby Tatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10638727947848188666noreply@blogger.com0