Jared Sandman

Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that NewsCorp (owner of both HarperCollins and WSJ itself) was in talks with CBS (owner of Simon & Schuster) about a possible merger.  This after last month Rupert Murdoch missed out on the major Penguin/Random House deal.  If S&S and Harper come to an agreement, the industry will undergo even more consolidation.  Given the new dynamic forming among these competitors, I wonder how long it will take before Hachette and Macmillan follow suit.  (Someone mentioned their new company name should be “Machete,” which totally gets my vote.)

Speaking of S&S, they’ve just started a self-publishing arm called Archway Publishing.  Ten years ago they would have sneered at such an operation, but nowadays major publishers are happy to take your money.  And only for three times the amount you’d spend by doing it yourself.  Their author packages range from two to fifteen thousand dollars.  My advice?  Steer clear.  If it costs more than $500-750 total (per title), then someone’s taking advantage of you.

Originally posted last year at Darkeva’s Dark Delights.

*****

I watched a lot of horror movies when I was a kid, and the only monsters that were able to scare me were werewolves.  It wasn’t until I grew older that I realized why that was the case.  Vampires didn’t frighten me, nor zombies, nor mummies or any manner of creature from beyond the stars.  It wasn’t even about special effects, though some films like “The Howling” and “An American Werewolf in London” had memorable transformation sequences.

No, it came down to what werewolves represented.  By day they walk undetected amongst us; at night they hunt us for food.  Scratch the surface of any normal-looking individual, and one might find a murderous predator lurking beneath.  That’s a very real fear for people, especially children and parents, the secrets of two-faced strangers.

Werewolves struck a nerve because I saw myself in them.  And I don’t mean the trite YA angle of a pubescent boy who suddenly sprouts hair all over and takes an animalian interest in the opposite sex.  It went deeper than that, the primal fear underneath the phobia.

In my novel The Shadow Wolves, I call it the Beast.  It dwells in every person, some more strongly than others.  It’s a bestial darkness that each person fosters.  Average people do their best to suppress it, while others give in to it.  (The latter are the ones you usually see in police mugshots or under a BREAKING NEWS headline on CNN.)

The issues lycanthropy raises are existential ones:  loss of identity, loss of self-control.  These are the same things that upset me when I looked into a mirror, so I was able to draw on that dread as I wrote the book.

I wanted to probe other aspects as well.  The Shadow Wolves are a Border Patrol unit that patrols a Native American reservation in Arizona.  In the novel, its members are corrupted by the power of skinwalking and begin to think themselves superior to mankind.  This sets up dramatic tension between the protagonist (Scout Hemene) and the team he so desperately wants to accept him.

As I broke the story in my head, initially I wanted Scout to fall in love with the team’s only female.  He’d help rescue her from the other werewolves and start a new life together.  Only through his love for her does he reconnect with his own humanity.

It didn’t take long to realize that’s the same plot to almost every classic werewolf book or movie, the woman who tames the beast within the man.  Since I didn’t want to tread ground that’s been already trampled, I mused about other types of love.  Everyone jumps to romantic love because it’s the most obvious, but there’s friendship love and familial love and — eureka.

Once I had the epiphany that this wasn’t a story about a man falling in love with a woman, the rest of the book quickly fell in place.  Instead it would be about two estranged brothers who reunite through the power of shape-shifting.

The Shadow Wolves allowed me to explore universal themes using a supernatural canvas to tell the tale.  I believe that’s what the horror genre does at its best.  And that’s how werewolves went from scaring my six-year-old self to becoming this author’s favorite kind of monster.

Tom Piccirilli posted a lengthy essay this morning about his ongoing battle with brain cancer.  It’s a powerful piece, and it reminded me of a story by sci-fi writer Norman Spinrad called “Carcinoma Angels.”  Christopher Hitchens’ last book, Mortality, also touches on many of the same themes.  Please pick up any one of Tom’s books; you won’t be disappointed.

And a few weeks ago The Awl published an interesting article about “Lies Writers Tell Themselves.”  It’s amusing and worth a look, especially during NaNoWriMo.

Every November National Novel Writing Month blows into town like a cold winter wind.  I’ve never taken part, but I wish all the best to those who do.  The idea is simple:  each participant has 30 days to write a short novel of at least 50,000 words.  There are no prizes, except for a feeling of personal accomplishment.  If you fail to reach that word count, however, you are forced to turn in your thesaurus and are banned from writing forever.  That’s what happened to Hemingway, look it up. 

The Guardian had an interesting piece yesterday about the horror genre and whether it’s doomed to literary hell.  Do you agree with the author, Stuart Kelly?  I don’t.  Every genre goes through high points and low, and each has interest from the general reading public hit the same notes.  Sometimes the two intersect — horror in the 1980s or sci-fi in the 1950s — and then the entire genre explodes in public consciousness.  Right now I don’t believe horror itself is going through the creative doldrums, but I think it is being ignored by the industry.  The readers still care, the writers still care . . . it’s the publishers who’ve left them behind in favor of the “paranormal” genre. 

(There’s a longer blog post in that thought, one I hope to return to in the near future.  Right now I have to leave it at that.)

I did this for last Halloween, listed a few of my favorite horror stories, and I thought I’d continue the tradition this year.  Here are another three goodies to read by candlelight before bedtime.

Shalken the Painter — J. Sheridan Le Fanu

Was it a Dream? — Guy de Maupassant

Caterpillars — E.F. Benson

Over the weekend rumors spread that Penguin and Random House were looking at a possible merger; this morning came confirmation.  That means the Big Six will become the Big Five, and the new company will be called Penguin Random House.  (I prefer someone’s suggestion of “Random Penguin” better.)  Read about it via Publishers’ Weekly.

Earlier this month came news that Simon & Schuster has reorganized, cutting two of its six adult publishing imprints.  Look for further consolidation down the road, from the companies that are left.

I wanted to make this big announcement in time for Halloween.  You’ll notice a new page along the header, Review 2 Preview.  I’ll double post the info here on the main page as well.  I also made changes to THE SHOP to reflect this new promotion.  I’m excited, and I hope you’ll take me up on this great offer.

* * * * *

The reader/writer relationship is important; more than that, it’s sacrosanct.  Without one, the other would be shouting into a void.  So I thank you for taking the time to explore my stories, especially considering how many entertainment choices are available these days.

The digital revolution has instituted many publishing changes in the past few years.  Some things, however, remain the same.  One thing that isn’t different is the fact authors rely heavily on word-of-mouth to share our stories and our message.  No marketing tool can trump a trusted friend who recommends a new author or a good book.

With that in mind, I’m launching a new program called Review-2-Preview.  The notion is simple:  if you’re willing to spread the word about my work, you can read my books for free.  Buy one book, review it and I’ll send you another one of your choice.  Review that one too and have a third.  You get the idea.  You’ll be able to read through my entire backlist for the price of that first book. 

The main reason I didn’t introduce this program earlier is because I wanted to have several different titles available, rather than just one or two.  Questions?  Read this FAQ.

WHAT DO YOU NEED ME TO DO?

Leave a review on Amazon.  Or Barnes & Noble.  Or GoodReads.  Or Smashwords.  Or Shelfari.  Or Pinterest (whatever the hell that is).  “Like” my novels on Facebook, tweet about them to your friends, start a discussion about them on your favorite message board or blog about them on your website.  In terms of driving sales, customer reviews on Amazon or B&N are probably most effective.

I’m flexible if you have an idea for something else that raises awareness about my work.  Feel free to get creative.

YEAH, YEAH, THAT’S ALL WELL AND GOOD — HOW CAN I GET MY FREE BOOK?

Do any two of these things, send me the appropriate links at jaredsandman@writeme.com and tell me which book you’d like to read next.  (Please specify what type of e-reader you own, so I know whether to send a PDF or ePub file.  All e-readers except the Kindle can read ePub.) 

The reviews don’t have to be different for the same book.  If you want to write one then cut and paste it to multiple sites, that works for me.  That’s what a lot of book bloggers do.  It doesn’t have to be long either; four or five good sentences is a perfect length.  Of course, if you wanna write more that’s okay too.

It’s that easy.  A few minutes of your time in exchange for 5-6 hours of entertainment.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON’T OWN AN E-READER?

I wouldn’t leave out my readers who prefer hardcopies.  While I can’t afford to give away physical copies as freely, I can offer a 50% discount.  Purchase any of my trade paperbacks through THE SHOP for $7.50 instead of the usual $15.  And yes, that includes S&H, which means you’re getting the book at cost.  This deal applies to US residents only.  Apologies to my readers in Angola, both of them.

SO YOU WANT US TO, WHAT, KISS YOUR ASS AND TELL THE WORLD HOW GREAT YOU ARE?

Yes, that sounds awesome.  What’s most important is your honest assessment.  I certainly hope you enjoy the books, but ultimately I have no control over that.  I wrote the stories I wanted to write, and they will either resonant with you or they won’t.  But I believe the majority of people understand there are both a respectful and a disrespectful way to review.

Here are a couple of examples:

GOOD REVIEW:  See the books I’ve reviewed on GoodReads to get an idea what I’m looking for.

NOT A GOOD REVIEW:  FiVe StArS!!!!  Jared Sandman is teh shit.  I can haz free books now.

HOW LONG WILL REVIEW-2-PREVIEW LAST?

Depends on how successful it proves.  Maybe a month, maybe a year, maybe forever.  I’d like to amass at least three dozen reviews per book on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Once I hit that modest goal, I’ll assess how much readers enjoy the program.  Tell me what you think; I always welcome feedback.

WHAT IF I DON’T, UM, LIKE YOUR BOOK?

Have you read “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James?  No?  Well, then you have no idea of the eldritch horrors that shall soon befall thee . . .

In all seriousness, I don’t expect everyone to like every book.  It’s ludicrous to expect that anyone can please one hundred percent of people one hundred percent of the time.  That’s true for any artist working in any medium.

All I can say is that if you don’t like one particular book, try another.  Each of my titles is a standalone.  There are plenty of writers I love, but not a single one that I’ve loved everything he or she has written.  For example, had The Three Musketeers been the first Alexandre Dumas book I picked up, I would have never bothered to read The Count of Monte Cristo (now one of my all-time favorites).

Bear in mind, what you may hate someone else may love.  There are a million reading tastes; luckily, there are a million writers catering to each one.

WHERE TO FIND JARED SANDMAN ON THE WEB

JaredSandman.com    

Amazon                       

Barnes & Noble           

iBooks 

Kobo

Sony               

Smashwords

Twitter                                                

Facebook

GoodReads                                         

Shelfari

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

jaredsandman@writeme.com

I got an email this week from a reader asking about my three tenets of New Publishing.  She pointed out that I never posted the third part of the multi-post arc.  I was pretty certain I had; only after checking into it did I realize she was right.  Part III was still sitting on my hard drive.  So, with my sincere apologies, here’s the final installment.

Part I (Professional)

Part II (Affordable)

* * * * *

The third and final aspect of New Publishing that I want to address is availability.  The key to a sale nowadays is by making any purchase as frictionless as possible.  The fewer clicks between consumer and product, the better.  Amazon has a one-click pay system, as does Apple; Barnes & Noble too has its “Express Lane” for ease of use.  By streamlining the payment process, consumers are likely to spend more.

Of course for that to happen, you must have your book on sale in as many avenues as possible, including your personal website.  Once your book has worked its way into the distribution chain, it’ll pop up in secondary markets like those found at www.gettextbooks.com.  Your primary outlets will remain the biggest chains:  Amazon, B&N, Apple.  You’ll sell a handful of copies through others like BAM, Smashwords, Sony and Kobo.  Don’t overlook those markets just because they’re smaller.

I think it’s only fair that if someone buys an e-book, he or she should be able to read it on any e-reader.  The digital file should be easy to transfer from one electronic device to another, so I’m steadfast against DRM.  Digital Rights Management is more hassle than it’s worth, and it’s nice to see some major publishers coming around to that same conclusion.  DRM is easy enough for any savvy hacker to break in no time, while simultaneously frustrating to your average reader. 

You want your work available in multiple formats across multiple platforms.  I don’t just mean the Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad.  E-books are important, yes, but you’ll also want to offer a print version for those who don’t own an e-reader.  Look to Createspace or Lulu to fill those needs.  I can’t speak for Lulu because I have no personal experience with them; Createspace, however, has been a joy to work with.

And don’t forget about your local libraries.  Have your book distributed by Ingram or Baker & Taylor to reach that market.  Libraries can receive e-books as well, handled largely through Overdrive.

Something that I haven’t yet done is audio books.  Many people enjoy listening to stories on the go.  To reach that audience, try ACX or Podiobooks.  You can either narrate and produce the finished product yourself (and keep the majority of the money) or take bids for a producer and actor to fill those roles (and share the proceeds evenly with them).

The only format you likely won’t be able to reproduce is foreign editions.  You can hire out a freelance translator and go that route, but I guarantee you won’t make back your investment.  In lieu of that, another option is to split the profits with your translator . . . but a freelancer probably won’t take that deal unless your book’s already a bestseller.  Technology and pricing are still too cost prohibitive to make this work; give it another five or ten years and I’m confident that authors will be able to reach those untapped markets overseas.

Not only does wide availability give your readers more options, it gives you more revenue streams.  Some will be but a trickle, others a steady gush, but together they add up.  I’ve discovered readers only care about getting a good story at a fair price.  If you can meet those modest standards, you’ll be able to compete with the largest publishers in the world.  Any criteria beyond that tend to be subjective “rules” from publishing insiders, sometimes misleading and often contradictory.

These three tenets are no guarantee of fame and riches, of course, but by following them you can best position yourself to garner success along the way.

What, you haven’t heard of All Hallow’s Read?  Well, learn about it from Neil Gaiman.

It’s hard to start a new tradition, but I think this one is worth pursuing because it promotes literacy among kids and teens.  If you cannot afford to give away scary books for Halloween (who can?), at least consider sharing your favorite short stories.  Neil’s website has a good place to start, a printable version of E.A. Poe’s “The Raven” that can be folded into a mini-booklet.  Great idea, though I think Poe’s a little hard to grasp for even adults.

I wanted to participate last year, but work on my own books got in the way.  This month, however, I’ll be ready.  I chose half a dozen stories from a horror anthology of flash fiction called Horrors!  365 Scary Stories.  Each tale, fewer than 1,000 words, fits perfectly on a single page — printed front and back — on high-quality resume paper.  At the top I included a header for All Hallow’s Read, plus the website address and a catchy slogan (Share a Scare this Halloween).

Obviously it’s important to choose stories that are appropriate for your target audience.  Many of the ones I selected involve child characters, ranging from grade school to high school age.  None of them is gory; the best stories build suspense on the implication of horror rather than an overt act of violence.  Let the reader fill in the blank.  And for classic flavor, I added a personal favorite of mine from Ambrose Bierce, “One Summer Night,” a nasty little tale about grave robbing that packs a healthy wallop.

I figure there will be enough to go around, so kids who come in groups can each get a different story and hopefully read them aloud to one another before bedtime.  What better way to end Halloween night than with a scary story?

Anyone in the local area is invited to attend this month’s author showcase at the East Lake Library in Palm Harbor.  I’ll be speaking there next Tuesday (Oct. 16th) at 6:30 PM.  Click here for more info.  Bring a friend, and come prepared with questions about horror, writing, horror writing or literature in general.  Copies of all my books will be on hand, in case anyone wants to snag a signed copy.