Category: Author Blog

Self-publishing A Shadow in Sundown

My new novella is almost here!  In ebook form anyway.  A Shadow in Sundown (Book One of the Open World Quartet) will be released on Amazon first.

So what’s next?  Paperback, promotion stuff, adding the book to other retailers…it’s overwhelming at times but I’m looking forward to it, too.  I’ve been trying to get this together since the summer, was sure it would happen in November and…well, here we are.  Almost at the end of the year!

A Shadow in Sundown has an even longer history than that, though.  Looking back at old files, I think this story started 8 years ago.

What I remember is that I wrote it quickly, and that I had no idea to do with it next.  It wasn’t long enough to submit to a literary agent–not by a long shot.  I brainstormed ways to make it into a longer book, tried to expand on it, tried to add perspectives of new characters and continue the story.  Nothing quite worked.

Years later, I realized, Oh.  I write novellas.

After that, some of the writing problems I’d struggled with for ages started to make sense.  But there was one new problem: unknown authors rarely get novellas or short story collections published.  So when it was time to do something with this story that started so long ago, I had to learn how to become an indie author and self-publish.

I do wish novellas were more common today.  It’s true that some of my favorite books are uncommonly brief (like The Buddha in the Attic, or The Whale Rider), but in today’s market a standard word count range, for a first-time novelist, is generally very important.  (Journals are also an option.  You can read a little bit about literary journals in yesterday’s post, Goodbye to Glimmer Train.)  So for this, for me, self-publishing was king.

And here we are.  (And here we go!)

I’ll be sharing more about A Shadow in Sundown in the coming days.  I hope you’ll take a look.

Oh, and Princess Disasterface will be coming back soon, too!  I’d say in the next week or so.  As always, stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

Cheers!

-CKB

Goodbye to Glimmer Train

Not another one!

I recently found out that the short story publication I always wanted to get into is no more.  It’s sad but true: some of the best literary journals are gone.  The end of Glimmer Train is a loss especially close to my heart, which says a lot, since they rejected my work a whole bunch of times.

I started out writing literary short fiction (under another name).  Like a lot of foolish and optimistic young writers I shopped around for a journal I “felt comfortable with.”  That was Glimmer Train, and over the years I just kept trying, both by working on my craft and periodically submitting a story.  There was something about them I just craved to be a part of, like a really good book whose world you just wanted to dive into.

Submitting your work is scary and frustrating, and it’s also true that you don’t get a professional reply every time (if you get any at all!).  It’s a competitive world, and it’s not the writers’ fault.  But read a lot of the advice out there and you’d think every burden is on them.  (Either that or you’re just moments away from publication, if only you take this advice.)  It’s a business, and the truth is that sometimes you just don’t get the job.

It hurt less with Glimmer Train, though.  In fact, it was almost nice.  They made a kinder, gentler world for everyone who submitted.  Replies were always courteous and encouraging.  Submission deadlines were never hard.  Their newsletters contained free advice from writers who’d made it.  And they always, always replied.

What also made Glimmer Train so special is that they paid authors they published (I mean really paid).  It was a set payment for publication ($700, when I was submitting), not pennies per word or in copies.  Plenty of first-time authors made it onto their pages, too.  They weren’t just a respected journal; they respected all writers.  Heck, they even encouraged them.

Glimmer Train’s last issues are out after 29 years of publishing.  I know it will be a lot worse for aspiring writers without them.

Cheers to you, Glimmer Train!  I’d say you’ll be missed, but you are already.

PS: Their web content and all its wisdom (including Writers Ask and their Resources for Writers) will still be available for at least the next year.

The End of Episode 1

Here it is, 1.9! The end of an episode.

Princess Disasterface is a lot of fun to make, but it does take a bit of time! For that reason, there will be (what I think will be) a short hiatus before the start of Episode 2.

Episode 2 is going to have a slightly different flavor.  For one thing, Bonni’s objectives have to change.  For another, I’ll be introducing a new character, who I have yet to even draw.  And while I have an image in my head of what he looks like, things have a way of changing when they get to…um, screen.

Anyway, I really appreciate everybody who reads this.  Cheers to all of you!

Till next time,

CKB

1.8 has arrived

Only one part left to episode 1!  Find Episode 1.8 (FitWitch42) here.

In the not too distant future I hope to be blogging a little more.  I’ve got books to talk about (sometimes my own, but mostly others’) and indie authors to spotlight.  There will also be a short (ish?) hiatus after episode 1.9.  Will it be enough time to get everything I want to do in order?

Naaah.

Till next time,

-CKB

Ep. 1.7 is here: Steampunk Bonni

Did you know this is a steampunk-ish comic? (Did the earbuds in Episode 1.0 tip you off?)

Episode 1.7 has arrived, with another hint of steampunk in the world of Xanador. After all, every astronomer princess needs a computer of her own!

Only two more episodes until the conclusion of Episode 1. Episode 2 will have a bit of a different direction for Bonni, making Episode 1 a sort of intro to the series.  We’re flying high and fast and by the seat of our pants over here!  Who knows what happens next?

Thanks to all the readers out there.

-CKB

1.6 is here at last!

The new episode is here after a delay, with more to come.

I have a bit of technical cleanup to do yet, but it’s good to be back. There’s a new fuzzy friend in my life, and time and brainpower (on my part) has been scarce. I’m slowly inching toward the conclusion of episode 1 of Princess Disasterface, when Bonni makes the choice that will change the rest of her life…and this comic.

By the way, there is zero reason why Armando the Phoenix is in color in the upper corner of the first panel. I had the space and I liked it. Besides, who wouldn’t want to see a phoenix in full-color glory?

Cheers,

CKB

 

Two new episodes are here!

Two new episodes have arrived to start September, and also to make up for that week I missed.  It’s summer.  Things happen!  Anyway, here is Episode 1.4 and Episode 1.5 of Princess Disasterface.

I’m so glad the word is getting out about Princess Disasterface.  This is all brand new for me, and of course there are some things I’d do differently now, but there were enough page views in August to suggest it’s going pretty okay! I’m gonna keep working on it, and keep putting out new episodes.  But there will be some missed weeks here and there.  It’s inevitable…

Here’s to getting better with experience (and age!).  Enjoy.

-CKB

Episode 1.3 Released: Fun with Full Pages

Episode 1.3 is now available here.

This episode has undergone some changes in the days before its release.  Originally 4 pages, I felt it could use a little something.  Now it’s essentially a two-parter. The full page panels were a lot of fun to create, and while 1.3 is short on dialogue, I like the short-lived suspense.  Nobody in the world of Princess Disasterface acts like they’re expected to, villains included!

Episode 1.3 introduces two villains vying for Xanador’s throne, and saves the third (the best for last) for the forthcoming Episode 1.4.  I absolutely love her.

To everyone dreading the end of summer, sorry about the snowy locale.  Northwest Xanador is a tough climate.

-CKB

New Episode and Updates

Episode 1.2 of Princess Disasterface is now available.

I am oh-so-grateful to the team at SiteGround for fixing the technical issue I had.  Otherwise Episode 1.2 would have been out on Monday, I swear…!

Today, I added some navigation buttons to each episode above and below the content.  Should make things smoother for readers who need to catch up.

On Episode 1.0, I made things a little less smooth.  All those patterned backgrounds looked great when I was making them, but it was a touch grating on the eyes when stacked up on a lit screen/in a white background.  That’s why I threw in some dividers between pages (there’s generally 3-4 per episode, FYI).

Someday I’ll go back and edit all those mistakes I made when I was young and new to making comics…by which I mean a couple months younger than I am now.  But hey, there’s a learning curve.

Enjoy, and have a great one.

-CKB

Comics are here!

The first two episodes of Princess Disasterface are up! Find them in the TOC here.

I’ve always wanted to make a comic, and hopefully I’ll have time to develop more in the future.  Right now Bonni and my forthcoming YA fantasy novel are taking up all my time.

It’s been a lot of fun telling stories in a different way through comics, though. For me, this is one of those things I always wanted to do but could never quite get it going or didn’t have the time.  It took touch screen technology and a free app (Tayasui Sketches, which I’ve since upgraded to the paid version) to really open up the possibilities.

Here’s to doing the things you’ve always wanted to, no matter how long it takes!

-CKB