I know that’s a bold statement, not cost affective. Why am I saying that? Let’s look at a few things. Utah author Brandon Sanderson (who, by the way is finishing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series), has The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, Book 2) for sale on Amazon in paperback for $7.99. The Kindle version of this book is, $7.99. No savings, and I don’t get a physical book. Why is that important?
I hate writing posts like this. I don't really have anything of value to share. I cooked for 20 people on a BBQ. The grill was hot, the weather was, and I had a hard time staying cool. The things we do for our Family. After I was through cooking, I didn't even feel like eating. Here's to hoping I can write another day.
Thanks to EvaMen for the picture.
Utah author Paul Genesse and friends, put out a great ezine, about once a quarter. This is for writers, by writers. Why is it hot? Let me tell you.Unfortunately I had some health problems that kept me away from the convention Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. I'm very disappointed because I was having a blast getting to know a lot of writers, editors and attendees.
I want to thank Charlie Harmon for putting together a wonderful convention. I know that its a pretty big deal to host an international event. I also want to thank everyone who volunteered for the WHC.
I'm a sucker for a good book and there were plenty of those at WHC. Here are the ones I walked away with:
(These books are linked through my Amazon affiliate. If you would prefer not to click through please search for the author or title.)
I also picked up a couple of convention only books; a short story called Little Boy Blue by James A. Moore, a convention only anthology called Desolate Souls, and an anthology called Love and Sacrifice. I also picked up a convention shirt; kind of like going to a rock and roll concert and getting a T.
I want to thank nightshadebooks.com for the excellent FREE T-shirt; can't wait to see the pics.
There were also some pretty interesting publishers in attendance like Bloodletting Press and Bones and Casket Press. I also saw some pretty interesting book titles which I would not share with anyone, even in a dark alley.
Some of my final thoughts
Things that weren't a big deal but a tiny bit annoying
I guess you could say I had a really good time. I know this is a once in a very long time event in Salt Lake City, and while I'm not a huge Horror fan, I think WHC 2008 was a great success.
Yesterday was day one of World Horror Con 2008 (WHC), in Salt Lake City, UT. One of the first things I noticed at this convention was the large amount of art work being displayed. I've been to conventions in the past and there was some art work, but this convention actually has an art gallery, with some incredible paintings. drawings and photographs.
I managed to get in a couple of panels (seeing how the dealers room closed before I got to the hotel), like How To Work With Editors and Why Manuscripts get rejected. Most of it is personal preference of the editors and publishers and not nearly as much on the ability of the author to sell the story.
I picked up a couple of books (actually several in the shwag bag, which I'll link to later), that seem to be pretty interesting. I also managed to take some photos. It's late and I'm having a problem keeping my eyes open, so I'm calling it a day.
World Horror Con starts in a few weeks and the schedule for authors who will be available for book signings has been released. This list is subject to change and I'll update if that happens.
Today starts the Seventy Days of Sweat. This is another opportunity for me to have some type of deadline for completing, or at least make significant progress, on one or more of my Novel’s and short stories. the idea can be found here and is very similar to NaNoWriMo, which is a contest to write a novel in 30 days.
I’m excited to be part of this effort. I’m committed to succeeding where I failed at the NaNoWriMo. I will be updating my progress daily, along with all the other posts I will be writing.
I'm putting together some possible questions for the interview with Orson Scott Card on February 14th. I was wondering what you would ask him? Again, I'm not sure if I'll even have a chance to speak with Scott, but I'm sure Jeff will let me get something in.
Let me know by leaving a comment here and maybe we can come up with some great questions. Thanks.
That's right, did you own a VIC-20 in 1981? Did you own a Commodore 64 in 1982? How about an Amiga? What other brands did you own in 1981 or 1982? I owned a VIC-20, a Commodore 64, an Amiga and a TI, and I want to know if you did too.
Here's the deal, I'm writing a book that includes stories about emerging technologies from the early 1980's. What I'm looking for are your personal stories. Who bought you your first VIC? Tell me about some of the programs you wrote. What did you and your friends do with computers? What peripherals did you have? How did owning that VIC or the Amiga influenced your current love, or hate, of technology?
There are several ways I would appreciate your responses:
1. Send me an email, vic [@] thomallen.com, with your story, any length, and permission to use any or all of the content.
2. Write a blog post and comment here with a link. If you would like any or all of the post included in the book, please send me an email indicating so, with a link to the post.
Be sure to include your name, email address and web site URL, for proper acknowledgment in the book.
I really appreciate all your help.
One thing I'm finding very difficult as a writer is putting my plots on paper. I tried in the past to write from my head. I have the story all figured out, the characters, the beginning, the middle and the end. But my problem has been hundreds or even thousands of words into a story I start to lose where I am. I spend too much time going back and reading what I've written to make sure I didn't forget something or remind myself the direction a sub-plot or character was headed.
I started a novel notebook, as I'm sure many writers have done, to help me keep track of the plot, the characters, the significant things that have happened to characters, and the general direction of the story. This is really helping me stay on task and I'm not having to refer back as often as I used too. But writing the plot is still very difficult for me.
The problem I face is, my stories are so detailed in my mind, I struggle to write it down because I end up writing the story and not a plot. For example, I'm pretty far into a novel I've been writing for quiet some time. It has very distinct characters and plot, but in my mind I see this very complex story and I can't seem to get it on paper without wasting a bunch of time. So I keep writing, and getting further into the story, and make mistakes.
What I need to do is write out plots for the five or six other stories I have, get them flushed out, then go back to my current novel and see if I can get the plot and characters on paper. Sometimes I feel like this is a lost cause. Maybe I complicated the story too much.
How detailed do you get with your plots and characters? How do you manage the writing process?
This year I wasn't really wanting to create a huge "goal" list, instead I wanted to focus on some key words that will help me stay focused. One of the reasons I want to have a set of words is because they are easy to remember. A set of words is also easier to measure against than a large list.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with goals, people use them all the time and so have I in the past. But my first word, Simple, is why I want to use words instead. Here are my key words for 2008:
I'm excited to announce that on January 12, 2008, Rebecca Shelley will host a release party for her new book Red Dragon Codex. Here is an excerpt of the email I received from Utah author Ken Rand:
You’re invited to the launch party for Red Dragon Codex by West Valley City writer Rebecca Shelley (writing as R.D. Henham), Saturday, January 12, 4-6 p.m. at the West Valley Fitness Center, 5415 West 3100 South, West Valley City. This delightful YA fantasy in the Dragonlance world (Wizard’s of the Coast) is Rebecca’s first book. Party plans include fun, prizes, and games for kids—bring the whole family. Details and more information: www.rebeccashelley.com or www.reddragoncodex.com.
Come by and meet a great local author. You might even get a discount on the book if you're lucky. See you there.
