Just a quick note to followers. Thanks for your support in the campaign. I’ve been really pressed this past month, unable to devote as much time to the book as I would have liked.
But I’ll be back! I jumped straight into pre-sales due to the contest, so not making big numbers in the first round isn’t a bit painful. I’m going to work the draft and kick off a new campaign when I’m further along. Flagons of ale all around!
My friends, today is a good day. After a marathon session rewriting my lead-in chapter to The Lamplighter’s Apprentice and completing a synopsis, both in support of my bid for Top 25 status in the 2016 Launchpad Competition, my brain was sufficiently fried to require a full week’s respite. I didn’t expect to take that long to recover, but the muse comes and goes as she pleases. I’m pleased to announce she’s returned to me at last.
In an effort to get back on your good side, I’ve just uploaded a major revision of Chapter One. If you read the earlier version, thanks so much, and I promise you it’ll be worth your effort to look again. This edit presents Marty in all his tragic glory. It provides much more in the way of backstory about what’s going on. Please give it a look, and if you’ve any questions or comments, I’d love to discuss in annotations, posts or DMs.
Anybody who’s not read the chapter, please do. Mark up your favorite (or least favorite) passages. If you’re an author here, I’ll definitely return the favor.
Having gone through the exercise of outlining every major plot detail and quite a few minor ones (the synopsis is longer than Chapter One) I feel like the next step is half done. I need only follow the blueprint and this book will take shape. But it won’t see publication without reader support. Thanks again to those of you who have pre-ordered. If you’ve been holding out, have a look through the new edit. Every new sale is a boost up the ladder, and it’s not really so far to go....
If everybody who’s following can make a recommendation, I’d really appreciate your help getting the word out. Chapter Three is still to come. You’ll finally get to meet Gloria! She’s not lightly named.
Yay! New cover art! Check out Grace Fong’s rendering of the Grey Maiden. I’ll make a version with the title not covering her face as soon as I get the chance. If somebody wants to volunteer their graphic design skills, that’s cool too. Here’s a full view: http://ouratomictomorrow.com/art-preview-grey-maiden-ink-bust-by-grace-fong/ Like and share on FB, please, and retweet my pinned post. Grace is open for commissions!
Now that I’ve shifted to focusing on Launchpad 2016, I’ve gone back to do a bit of editing on Chapters 1 & 2. Bad news is, that means Chapter 3 is still a WIP. Good news is, the revisions will reveal more of the story than I’ve let trickle out so far. The final deadline for Launchpad is August 21st, so I’ll have at least those two out by then, hopefully a fully edited Chapter 3, though I suspect it will take me past the 50 page limit.
If you’ve been holding back on pre-ordering, now would be a great time. My days and nights are packed. It’s readers and potential readers that keep me going.
Today I made a good start on Chapter Three. My word count wasn’t anything to write home about, but I researched a number of interesting details about my Real World setting - Oakland, CA - that should add depth and interest. Marty’s "home" life is the subject of the chapter’s first two scenes. You’ll understand why I quoted "home" when I post.
I’ve been pretty nice to Marty up until now. Though he’s got his stressors, the other characters have had more immediate threats to contend with before now. That changes in Chapter Three. Sorry Marty. Wish I could let you coast to the end, but a protagonist worth reading about has to earn!
It was a looong day, but Chapter Two is online! Hope everybody likes the change of scenery and the new faces that will be popping up again down the line. As long as it took to post this chapter, it actually didn’t take that long to write and edit. If the prospects for the book seeing publication improve, I’ll be able to invest more time creating it and less scouring the Internet for work. In other words, if you like the samples, please pre-order! You’ll be helping me make my dream of actually doing something I’m good at for a living come true. Peace!
Thanks to all the new followers. Chapter Two is coming. The writin’ is easy right now, it’s life that’s hard, though I’ve worked it the other way around too. Hang in there, and keep pounding those keys!
Hiya! Thanks to everybody for following, plus Elena and Robert for those pre-orders! Over the past week I’ve been struggling with the direction of my next chapter, but I’m happy to report I’ve had a breakthrough in both my research and concept, so chapter two will be up...not now, but soon.
With the Nerdist video game contest over, I don’t feel I need to spend quite so much time platform building, so that too will help get the pages cranked out. I’m setting my sights on the 2016 Launch Pad Manuscript Competition, so quality and originality are my watchwords. Meantime, I’m still going to be cranking out Inkshares Digests on my blog, ouratomictomorrow.com, along with indie, small press, and Big 5 reviews.
Despite my pledge to write more, tweet less, I would like to continue to connect with Inkshares readers and authors, especially on Facebook. Could you take a moment to send a Friend Request? I’m a real pushover, so you don’t even need to brace for disappointment. Find me at the link below, and party on!
Hiya! Thanks to everybody for following, plus Elena and Robert for those pre-orders! Over the past week I’ve been struggling with the direction of my next chapter, but I’m happy to report I’ve had a breakthrough in both my research and concept, so chapter two will be up...not now, but soon.
With the Nerdist video game contest over, I don’t feel I need to spend quite so much time platform building, so that too will help get the pages cranked out. I’m setting my sights on the 2016 Launch Pad Manuscript Competition, so quality and originality are my watchwords. Meantime, I’m still going to be cranking out Inkshares Digests on my blog, ouratomictomorrow.com, along with indie, small press, and Big 5 reviews.
Despite my pledge to write more, tweet less, I would like to continue to connect with Inkshares readers and authors, especially on Facebook. Could you take a moment to send a Friend Request? I’m a real pushover, so you don’t even need to brace for disappointment. Find me at the link below, and party on!
https://www.facebook.com/dashmccallum