Christopher Huang · Author · added almost 10 years ago · 7 likes

We have a spiffing new letterhead. Marvellous, isn’t it?

One more week before the pre-order sales campaign goes live. It’s so exciting I spent the last six hours failing to type this up. I did manage, however, to upload another Peterkin short mystery onto Wattpad: "The Thirteenth Rule", which is set just a little later than the stories I’ve uploaded so far. 1931, to be exact. It’s also less of a whodunnit and more of a whydunnit. Enjoy.

I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about JF Dubeau’s second novel, "A God in the Shed". Honestly, I think this beats his first novel. I’ve described it elsewhere as "a little bit Lovecraft, a little bit Twin Peaks", and I’m not sure I can sum it up better than that. The characters felt real and distinct from the moment I met them, and the world appropriately familiar. If you haven’t picked this up yet, I suggest you do so.

I’d also like to mention "Judith", by Zack Budryk, which just caught my eye today. It sold me within the first four paragraphs, with the easy flow of its prose and the way the personality of the viewpoint character is deftly and effortlessly conveyed. This will be a novel well worth getting, I think.

And that’s the news for this week. When next I post an update, it will be to announce the opening of the pre-order sales campaign. Until then, ladies and gentlemen!

Sarah Bryant · Reader · added almost 10 years ago

Thank you Christopher for the recommendation (despite the slip about piano tuning - weird, because this book has been through many reads, including several by my agent, and one by my concert-level pianist husband, and no one ever picked up on that glitch!) But I think I have a solution. Anyway, that’s a MINOR glitch right? :-) I want this book to have a life, despite my London publisher going narrow genre, which does not include historical/Gothic/romance/paranormal... So let’s all rally! I would join a syndicate, but I’m worried it will be money wasted as I have only two months left of funding..still, yours looks cool...

Christopher Huang · Author · added almost 10 years ago · 4 likes

Dear friends,

First, on the "me" front: I’ve been interviewed on Frederic Bye’s podcast, "Creative Magic Unchained!". I haven’t really listened to it, because hearing my own voice is ... weird and embarrassing. Also, there is a guest post on the associated blog, in which I probably overstate my case just a little. Go, tell me if I’m full of it.

I think I shall open up for pre-orders on Palm Sunday, two weeks from now. I should like to have some sort of video trailer ready by then. I even have something generally scripted up in my head. Only, y’know, the whole business with my speaking voice never sounding right....

Okay. Now, on to Other People: some currently-funding books I’d like to draw your attention to.

"The One Unspoken", by Sarah Bryant. We’re dealing with some well-written historical spookiness here. I think this will be the sort of book where I pick it off a shelf for an idle glance and then three hours later I realise I’m still standing in the same place reading the thing.

"Louisiana Blood", by Mike Donald. The mystery of Jack the Ripper, transported to the bayous of Louisiana. There’s some fascinating grotesquery going in this one.

"Scribbles", by Tabi Card. Check out the excerpt on the project page. That is the best articulation of a crush I have ever seen. If that’s typical, the rest must be gold.

Go check them out, but be sure to save a few credits for me!

Sarah Bryant · Reader · added almost 10 years ago

Thanks guys! Yes, a lot of my work does have a lot of suspense - so let me get my act together with syndicates (I still don’t quite understand them) and hopefully get onboard! And yes, I do read some thriller/mystery, though a lot of it’s YA...

reader · Reader · added almost 10 years ago

@Sarah Bryant personally I feel some of yours have strong suspense elements and I don’t think they’d be out of place in the syndicate. I don’t think thriller = modern crime. You can look at starting one too.

Christopher Huang · Author · added almost 10 years ago

@Sarah Bryant Ah, but do you read them, or read mysteries at least? The alternative, of course, is to start up a historical fiction syndicate. There appear to be a lot of historical fiction projects on Inkshares, but, looking at them, I can only identify maybe three that are active; it feels as though it’s actually in very much the same position as the mystery genre here, and that situation was what spurred @Faith and me to join up with the crime and thriller folks in the Thriller Night Syndicate in the first place.

(I’m not in a position to join a second syndicate, unfortunately, but you could check in with @Jack Downs , who is also currently funding; and you could also look for common ground with other genres as well.)

As for Pushing The Button ... it’s only another 3 or 4 weeks. That will give me time to freak out, and I do want to get a few more things in order before I start my campaign.

Sarah Bryant · Reader · added almost 10 years ago

I will look into that syndicate, but I don’t write thrillers, so not sure I’d fit in? What do you all think?

Joni Dee · Author · added almost 10 years ago

Faith beat me to it, but indeed @Sarah Bryant you are more than invited to join us at "Thriller Night" the only legit crime syndicate ... !

reader · Reader · added almost 10 years ago

@Sarah Bryant congrats on all the books, I’ll check them out. Sand Daughter looks pretty interesting. We do have a syndicate for Thrillers - everything from PI on Mars to British cozies like this one - you should join!!

Sarah Bryant · Reader · added about 10 years ago

I’m not a SF writer - we need to start a coalition on here! And really, just press that button! I’ve published 7 novels commercially (in the UK, Europe and Asia, hence me being on here now), some to great success, some less so. The worst that can happen is nothing, and then you go on to plan B. I will gladly trade pre-orders and pitch your work.