tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-345341102024-03-14T09:37:40.113-04:00The Write Thing To Do. Official blog of author Gabriel Beyers.The Write Thing To Do. Official blog of paranormal, horror, dark fantasy and science fiction author Gabriel Beyers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-18676222382901627092017-08-22T00:23:00.000-04:002017-08-22T00:23:26.611-04:00It's been a long time ...Hello to anyone who might still be reading this blog. It's been almost two years since I last posted. I'm sorry. I never quite got the hang of blogging. I was told once it was essential to becoming a successful author. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't.<br />
<br />
Anyway, here I am, back for a quick update. I will try to update here more often. Share pics from my life or just give you a heads up about what sort of shenanigans I've gotten myself into.<br />
<br />
So, what have I been up to?<br />
<br />
Well, the day job has taken up a tremendous amount of my time (as they so often do). I am nearing the end of my elevator technician apprenticeship. It has been four years of intense training, both on the job and in the classroom. Another six months and I'll be a journeyman ... if I can pass all of the tests.<br />
<br />
In the meantime I haven't been able to write as often as I'd like. I'm trying my best to change that. Book 4 in my PERPETUAL CREATURES series is slowly but surely making its way from my twisted mind onto the computer screen. If you have been waiting on tenterhooks, I apologize. Please be patient with me. It's coming. I promise. I will do a title and cover reveal real soon.<br />
<br />
Another big thing I've been up to is having my gallbladder removed. I don't recommend it if you can keep from it. I'm back at work and trying to get back to normal (whatever that means for a guy like me).<br />
<br />
Also, in an effort to rebrand the PERPETUAL CREATURES series, I have changed the covers and titles of books 1-3.<br />
<br />
Book 1, formerly HEART OF THE DEAD, is now VAMPIRE SPIRIT.<br />
Book 2, formerly BEAUTY & POWER, is now VAMPIRE JUSTICE.<br />
Book 3, formerly STORMING PURGATORY, is now VAMPIRE GIFTS.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5tXrxpMU0rLUrxde9mAOvoWU7yZFcy9uu57dBQW1526zqF27wwEwjlbW4BGtp3kYCnkON1Ugvkl-k7axFObrO-HIEFLb1seXydpnDlsG-Q2o68nSY6D43DKjvP8TZb5x4FTxzA/s1600/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5tXrxpMU0rLUrxde9mAOvoWU7yZFcy9uu57dBQW1526zqF27wwEwjlbW4BGtp3kYCnkON1Ugvkl-k7axFObrO-HIEFLb1seXydpnDlsG-Q2o68nSY6D43DKjvP8TZb5x4FTxzA/s200/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800+copy.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAiSlMzJUu_HKE1n7CDIASr-1r-vMhcFccIhPUmc8RLx90MdU_aslGEUmiA2WKjSUUUSph8AfUxrerBWblT_u95ycc76ThMiys3sB2v-W90fkqgvlUxcpu5ZCHv5gAmLl-XGRyg/s1600/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800-2+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAiSlMzJUu_HKE1n7CDIASr-1r-vMhcFccIhPUmc8RLx90MdU_aslGEUmiA2WKjSUUUSph8AfUxrerBWblT_u95ycc76ThMiys3sB2v-W90fkqgvlUxcpu5ZCHv5gAmLl-XGRyg/s200/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800-2+copy.jpeg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuWoW-qCfgCkxd-ksonSyYmNe2NCL6MSFQAaEbJUDVr78v7OJp-2cbdjlbp7ABB81Ss0wTL5M7aCqZTA7kqY3vaU9YiNOuPePkhmy8oMjJ9wnKX3yJ6o8eEMyAxnSZWKyLWOj1Q/s1600/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800-3+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuWoW-qCfgCkxd-ksonSyYmNe2NCL6MSFQAaEbJUDVr78v7OJp-2cbdjlbp7ABB81Ss0wTL5M7aCqZTA7kqY3vaU9YiNOuPePkhmy8oMjJ9wnKX3yJ6o8eEMyAxnSZWKyLWOj1Q/s200/Gabe525-72dpi-600x800-3+copy.jpeg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
Thanks for sticking with me. I appreciate it.<br />
<br />
Best wishes and happy reading,<br />
<br />
Gabriel<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-57392384820009317672015-09-08T22:05:00.001-04:002015-09-08T22:05:56.373-04:0035 FREE SpecFic Books!Hello everyone. Sorry I've been absent. I've been working on book 3 in my Perpetual Creatures Series in between battles with the day job and yard work. But I wanted to stop by to tell you about 35 FREE books. Graeme Ing has compiled the books in <a href="http://www.graemeing.com/featured-books/35-free-specfic-books/" target="_blank">a blog post that you can find right here</a>.<br />
<br />
Now in the spirit of transparency I must tell you that two of the 35 books belong to me. I also have not yet read any of the books on the list. But I do talk with most of the authors, and we are doing our best to help each other find new readers.<br />
<br />
So go have a look. There is something for everyone.<br />
<br />
Oh, and here is a sneak peak of the cover for Perpetual Creatures 3.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk4g0_K8ABk7maRpCFOh-EeTN915-PlnWPJrsf5tZFF-eb-9L_gpB1aLnWUTOxHxoNRlckFD7xK3Kr05bbZR2kktI2m5sUa7NX8zJnH34TgiDPdLPb-lgFNziULX97XvqOC-irQ/s1600/SP3D-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk4g0_K8ABk7maRpCFOh-EeTN915-PlnWPJrsf5tZFF-eb-9L_gpB1aLnWUTOxHxoNRlckFD7xK3Kr05bbZR2kktI2m5sUa7NX8zJnH34TgiDPdLPb-lgFNziULX97XvqOC-irQ/s320/SP3D-2.png" width="216" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-76447787908477245402015-05-14T23:04:00.000-04:002015-05-14T23:04:13.951-04:00The New Website is Live!My new website is up and running. I will be adding a few more bells and whistles in the near future, but this is pretty much the completed version. It should be a little more user friendly and more professional looking. Head on over to <a href="http://gabrielbeyers.com/">gabrielbeyers.com</a> and have a look.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-53002479435031698472015-05-05T21:09:00.000-04:002015-05-05T21:09:55.015-04:00Just a Heads UpI just wanted to let everyone know that I am revamping my website, so if you go to www.gabrielbeyers.com you are going to get an error message for a few days. For the time being you can get to the old version of my website at www.gabebeyers.blogspot.com.<br />
<br />
Hopefully everything will be back, better than ever, real soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-77240274931265716052015-03-02T18:45:00.000-05:002015-03-02T18:45:34.329-05:00Goodreads GiveawayI'm running a Goodreads Giveaway for book one in my Perpetual Creatures Series. I'm giving away five print copies of Heart of the Dead. You have until March 31st to sign up. You can click the link to the right, or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/127304" target="_blank">sign up here</a>. Oh, and don't forget to sign up for my newsletter (link also to the right) so that you can receive an email when book three and other stories come out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XolwALIEZv39-tsWMwwSxgIZJ31DKiLogfbPg6L0HmW29M5CoF4Lj4br-SwZifXU-osRUAQZ7KzwD2XpOEihUOl8UkiOaday8cIEKRXAm9ejHM6eeJ5wFspQYGsMfaR7kNoo3Q/s1600/Ebook+Heart+of+the+Dead-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XolwALIEZv39-tsWMwwSxgIZJ31DKiLogfbPg6L0HmW29M5CoF4Lj4br-SwZifXU-osRUAQZ7KzwD2XpOEihUOl8UkiOaday8cIEKRXAm9ejHM6eeJ5wFspQYGsMfaR7kNoo3Q/s1600/Ebook+Heart+of+the+Dead-600x800.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-50186978623306058302015-02-07T23:07:00.000-05:002015-02-07T23:09:46.798-05:00Beauty & Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1VSKausscb3KFx0g-8_xIVmXsJ9DZtPcf5AwgOJMhSKXSaMHUkhdAIbQRIjXi3ukNXfVb_CHH7VjGc83T8vRY9YFY3OT3NL72Wx850yAYH0PY14QXh_xSACjMAK4j07wd2N9lg/s1600/Beauty+and+Power-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1VSKausscb3KFx0g-8_xIVmXsJ9DZtPcf5AwgOJMhSKXSaMHUkhdAIbQRIjXi3ukNXfVb_CHH7VjGc83T8vRY9YFY3OT3NL72Wx850yAYH0PY14QXh_xSACjMAK4j07wd2N9lg/s1600/Beauty+and+Power-600x800.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I'm pleased to announce that Beauty & Power: Perpetual Creatures 2 is now <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SXYRX4Q" target="_blank">live on Amazon</a>. It's only available as an ebook right now, but the print version is on the way. Oh, and it will be on sale for $0.99 until 2/15.<br />
<br />
Here is what the book is all about:<br />
<br />
<b>Since becoming a vampire, Jerusa Phoenix has been dreading the day that
she must go before the Stewards of Life to be judged. Then comes the
night she returns home to find a pair of Hunters waiting for her.
</b>
<b><br />Jerusa and her coven are whisked away to meet with the Stewards, and
she cannot rely on her maker, Silvanus, to save her this time. Silvanus
has been gone for months, searching for the truth of who he really is.
Jerusa is unsure what’s worse, her pending judgment or that she may
never see Silvanus again.
</b>
<b><br />The Stewards hold only two attributes worthy of immortality: beauty
and power. Jerusa is strong and fast, far more than any fledgling, but
the scar that remains on her chest from her heart transplant as a human
will almost surely condemn her to death. Jerusa has one hope. She is the
only vampire who can see the spirits of the dead. She has been warned
to keep this gift secret from the Stewards, but what choice does she
have?
</b>
<b><br />Something is amiss. A new enemy has risen from the ashes of the
mountain prison where Silvanus was kept. Rumors abound of a growing army
of savages. Jerusa can’t bother with any of that right now, though. If
she hopes to win her right to remain a perpetual creature, she must find
a way to survive the Stewards’ cruel and twisted tests. </b><br />
<br />
Book number 3 will be along soon enough.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SXYRX4Q" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SXYRX4Q </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-21026794170359303482014-12-17T00:09:00.001-05:002014-12-17T00:09:59.116-05:00Hard at WorkHello everyone. I know I've been MIA once again, but rest assure I've been working my tail off.<br />
<br />
The *new day job has been keeping me quite busy in all the un-fun, non-writerly ways that day jobs do. But I'm not giving up on writing. I'm working on the second book in my Perpetual Creatures series, titled Beauty & Power, and will be sending it off to the editor real soon. I hope to have it out around the first of the year, then I'll start writing book 3.<br />
<br />
I would love to be able to pump out a new book every three months, but to do that I'd have to write by day and do all the editing/marketing at night. I'm not quite there yet. I still need the day job to keep the wolves away. That being said, I'm shooting to have book 3 out sometime late spring/early summer.<br />
<br />
We'll see how that works out.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJVZ16GOoF5RuJ-8m3Z0JwAd2J9vhTr5UqBirdOzhdhpAQ99fE9YSvQTQrp0zBSJbJmjhFW2gz4fx6ORBuB5knvelEQi3FCoGbIVdMs2DiC2A5C8OyCaVOoZ-EllmUmH5yuOOPQ/s1600/Contemplations_copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJVZ16GOoF5RuJ-8m3Z0JwAd2J9vhTr5UqBirdOzhdhpAQ99fE9YSvQTQrp0zBSJbJmjhFW2gz4fx6ORBuB5knvelEQi3FCoGbIVdMs2DiC2A5C8OyCaVOoZ-EllmUmH5yuOOPQ/s1600/Contemplations_copy.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a>In the mean time, I'm running another Kindle Countdown Promotion for my short story collection <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Contemplations-Dinner-Collection-Tales-ebook/dp/B006P9652M/thwrthtodo0f-20" target="_blank">Contemplations of Dinner</a>. It'll be on sale for $0.99 from now until December 21st. Have at it, and don't forget to spread the word.<br />
<br />
Thanks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*I've been there almost a year, so "new" is a relative term.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-55328019740579525512014-09-10T23:02:00.000-04:002014-09-10T23:02:03.255-04:00Drumroll Please!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYOq94732qop4oB4aYOQq45fnGigPuc8lnLY0zcOQGdWnqb4E30Eipp3vPtdnJCyxxtMXtcf5tBhGntIIDSfQiWa-u1JT9ZoPMN132hpCATB86EfVp_sWEHEp9dveVqIn8_SPbQ/s1600/Ebook+Heart+of+the+Dead-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYOq94732qop4oB4aYOQq45fnGigPuc8lnLY0zcOQGdWnqb4E30Eipp3vPtdnJCyxxtMXtcf5tBhGntIIDSfQiWa-u1JT9ZoPMN132hpCATB86EfVp_sWEHEp9dveVqIn8_SPbQ/s1600/Ebook+Heart+of+the+Dead-600x800.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>After WAY too long of a time between books, I'm happy to announce that I have hit the publish button on my latest novel.<br />
<br />
HEART OF THE DEAD is book one in my Perpetual Creatures Series.<br />
<br />
<i>Jerusa Phoenix never thought she would experience anything more shocking
than being able to see ghosts. Then she met Silvanus. The young man
with unearthly eyes, who seems to be able to read her thoughts, is
handsome, powerful, and she is sure of one thing: he isn’t human.
</i><i></i><br />
<i><br />But Silvanus isn’t the only mysterious creature to come to town.
</i><i></i><br />
<i><br />Jerusa, ignoring the warnings of her ghost companion, Alicia, finds
herself face to face with a group of vampires. Silvanus tries to save
Jerusa, but she is wounded in the battle. Silvanus kills one of the
vampires, but to all their horror, he rises again to become something
far worse . . . a mindless flesh-eater known as a savage.
</i><i></i><br />
<i><br />Jerusa is transformed into a vampire to save her life. Silvanus is
poisoned by savage blood and when he vanishes before their eyes, Jerusa
realizes something else. Silvanus isn’t a vampire, either.
</i><i></i><br />
<i><br />Jerusa, along with the ghost Alicia, must join with the other
blood-drinkers to hunt down and destroy the savage before he can make
other savages, proving that she is worthy to be a vampire. As she
embarks on this dangerous mission, she can’t help thinking of Silvanus.
Where is he? Who is he? What is he? </i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NGA41WO" target="_blank">HEART OF THE DEAD</a> is available for pre-order on Amazon and will go live on September 16th. <i> </i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-21753234767165557262014-09-09T22:48:00.000-04:002014-09-09T22:48:15.917-04:00Predatory Animals $0.99 Countdown Extravaganza!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q9Hn1fMeFRkPm3Sn97G16cEOdnZGB4OZwVCOHNxJu-DINN2g2B3uOM9abyirZT94h2n-H-sVBm5CcUWLjhPz_K3H1ajcZBQuI31pdRDQhU7NksQLmS0Nb0YwCvCkXQADkDtz2Q/s1600/225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7q9Hn1fMeFRkPm3Sn97G16cEOdnZGB4OZwVCOHNxJu-DINN2g2B3uOM9abyirZT94h2n-H-sVBm5CcUWLjhPz_K3H1ajcZBQuI31pdRDQhU7NksQLmS0Nb0YwCvCkXQADkDtz2Q/s1600/225x300.jpg" /></a></div>
From now until September 15th you can get PREDATORY ANIMALS for just 99 cents.<br />
<br />
<i>In the town of Shadeland, people are vanishing.</i><br />
<div>
<i><br />The
Pummels, a most beloved family and benefactor to the exotic cat rescue
center, are guarding a secret--one they will kill to keep quiet.
Stranger still, retired Marine Casper Brown suffers a near-death
accident that gives him a deep connection to three stray dogs while
filling his nights with dreams of unearthly creatures.<br /><br />Something
is hunting the townspeople of Shadeland and nothing in Casper's training
can prepare him for what he finds lurking in the shadows.</i></div>
<div>
<i> </i></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008SLF2QA" target="_blank">You can pick up PREDATORY ANIMALS here.</a> And if you are so inclined, sign up for my New Release Newsletter. It should be at the top right.<i> </i>I promise no spam, either of the email type or the weird canned meat. I will be releasing my next titled any day now, so you don't want to miss out.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-64055986722033455622014-08-04T01:10:00.000-04:002014-08-04T01:10:16.505-04:00ExclusiveI have decided to take my stories and go all in with Amazon.* I know many of you will tell me what an unwise decision that is, and you may be right. But the thing is, in three years I haven't earned squat on all of the other retailers combined.<br />
<br />
It may be a failed experiment, then again, maybe not.<br />
<br />
I'm working toward publishing book one in a new series. I'm just waiting on the cover art to come back. But then I went and did something stupid, like read <a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/the-liliana-nirvana-technique/" target="_blank">this blog post by Hugh Howey</a>, and now I'm wondering if I should wait until I have the others ready to go.<br />
<br />
So many tough decisions. It is true that the easiest part of self publishing is writing the books.<br />
<br />
What to do?<br />
<br />
*If you wish to read any of my stories and you don't want to go through Amazon, please email me and I will do my best to get you the story.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-10262886568013293522014-04-12T01:20:00.000-04:002014-04-12T01:20:28.881-04:00The Only Thing Constant Is ChangeI can't believe that I haven't written a post since January.<br />
<br />
Granted, my purpose for this blog has changed over the years. When I first started, it was understood that if you wanted to gain the attention of an agent then you needed a strong web presence with a ready-made following.<br />
<br />
Now that that myth has been debunked, I use this blog just to drain some of my random thoughts.<br />
<br />
What have I been up to since January?<br />
<br />
Much and more.<br />
<br />
I lost my job. Well, that's being a bit dramatic. The job I had, which I worked between the hours of 6am and 2:30pm, was switched against my will to one that was between 10pm and 6:30am.<br />
<br />
I liked this job. It was easy, had very little stress and gave me ample downtime that I used to sneak in some writing. I was very blessed to land another job before the shift change. This new job is a very good job. A much higher rate of pay, still during daylight hours, good benefits. Downside is no idle time to write. Not complaining, just explaining.<br />
<br />
I had to learn how to write at night again. You know, those hours when everyone else in the house is asleep and you wish you were too.<br />
<br />
I've been working on a new series. I had planned to write one, publish it then move on to the next one.<br />
<br />
That didn't happen.<br />
<br />
Instead, once I finished book 1 I couldn't help but start writing book 2 immediately after. The job change came in the middle of all this and I found that I didn't have time to write the second while editing the first.<br />
<br />
Just last night I finished the first draft of book number 2 and while I'm tempted to start on number 3, I am going to pull back and get some editing and publishing done first.<br />
<br />
If any of you out there would like to know when book number 1 (I will reveal the title soon) comes out, I invite you to click on the link to the right and join my mailing list. I promise no spam, sharing of email addresses, or annoying updates every 15 minutes. <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-85509175417905733332014-01-05T16:13:00.000-05:002014-01-05T16:13:21.716-05:00Old Man Winter Can Stick It<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-ELSSKiHSQhyphenhyphenR1krO9fhbQSANGwBNOpAlkhbKadAJri5v9h5yk_HxPNEHvlALbBR116N_wPzvZT1YPr7eILa0-VbfUiwL1RHLMXg84r4oSTuXaQ-Yc5egRwbuqNmaM1HFcCj9A/s1600/2014-01-05+09.12.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-ELSSKiHSQhyphenhyphenR1krO9fhbQSANGwBNOpAlkhbKadAJri5v9h5yk_HxPNEHvlALbBR116N_wPzvZT1YPr7eILa0-VbfUiwL1RHLMXg84r4oSTuXaQ-Yc5egRwbuqNmaM1HFcCj9A/s320/2014-01-05+09.12.12.jpg" width="239" /></a>Hello everyone. I hope you are all warm and dry as we endure this latest Snowpocalypse. If you happen to be somewhere tropical then I hate you. Just kidding. But I'm not. I really hate you.<br />
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Here in southern IN it keeps switching between rain and snow. My yard has turned into the most drab giant Slurpee you've ever seen. As I listen to the water dripping down my broken chimney and tap on top of my vent-less gas fireplace, soaking the army of towels I have piled beneath the leak, I truly wish I would have faced my acrophobia this past summer, climbed up on my roof and put a tarp over the dang thing.<br />
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They (whoever they are) are forecasting this rain/sleet junk will switch over to snow here in about an hour and that we will have -30 windchill factors to look forward to. Oh, rapture! School has already been canceled in this area which means I'm probably not going in to work tomorrow, which means they won't pay me (go figure) which means less money to put towards fixing that giant, gaping hole in my chimney.<br />
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Sorry. I didn't mean to wax all glass-half-empty on you. Winter sometimes does that to me. I wasn't built for the cold and if I didn't have such deep roots in this town me and Mrs. B would load up the kids and head south. Maybe hit up Georgia for some zombie hunting.<br />
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Anyway, as I mentioned last post I've been having some Day Job issues. Weather permitting, I have a pretty important job interview on Tuesday. Any well wishes, good thoughts, crossed fingers and prayers are appreciated.<br />
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I would that my book sales were enough to cancel out the necessity of a day job, but alas it has not yet come to that. I'm still pressing onward, though. I have 70,000 words down in book 2 (the continuance of the book 1 I will be putting out soon) and I hope to finish it within the month. I was hoping to just keep on typing, but with the way my schedule is changing I think I may have to postpone writing book number 3 until I get number 1 published and number 2 fixed up a bit.<br />
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Everyone confused? Good. That's the way I like it.<br />
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If you're somewhere being tormented by Old Man Winter, give him the finger, stay inside with a your robe and slippers on and curl up with a good story. If you're somewhere tropical . . . go inside for a bit. Too much <br />
sun is bad for you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-54660716687016563372013-12-30T23:47:00.000-05:002013-12-30T23:47:47.767-05:00My Year In Review PostI've been a bit absent on the ol' blog . . . again. Big shocker, I know. My apologies. It's not you. It's me. I live what you could say is an anticlimactic life. Anyway, I've been a bit busy these past couple of months, but I thought I better get one last post in 2013.<br />
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As I wander through my self-publishing adventure like a blind man in a smoke-filled rave party, I've inevitably stumbled along the way. One of my major mistakes was wasting a bunch of time trying to promote old works instead of welding my rump to the chair and super-gluing my fingers to the keyboard. I've heard it said many times the best way for an indie writer to succeed (or at least increase sales) is to have multiple works out. Despite knowing that, I still had trouble pulling away from the promotion side of the business.<br />
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Mid way through the year though I turned over a new leaf. I started writing feverishly on a new project. I had in my mind that I would write a series. Around mid-September I completed book one and now I'm three quarters of the way through book two. In the traditional realm I know that it's not advisable to write book two until you're sure book one will sell, but indies play by different rules. Besides, it's turning out to be more of a continuing story--like Lord of the Rings or The Dark Tower Series--that I'm breaking up into separate books.<br />
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I haven't yet churned out the second draft of book one mostly due to the day job and writing book two. I'm hoping to put in some writerly overtime and get book one out soon. I haven't released the name of the series because . . . well, I'm a bit paranoid that the name will be taken before I can get the book published. Stupid, I know, but it's my own little piece of neuroses.<br />
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I received some bad news a few weeks ago that my job will be going away. I'm searching for a new job, but as any of you in the same situation know, the pickin' sure are slim. So, I'm rushing to finish book two because I just don't know where I might end up in the next month or so. There's a good chance I may get stuck on 3rd shift and if I do I'm sure my writing time will suffer.<br />
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If things go well, I'm hoping in 2014 to publish the two books I've written and write another three. Wish me luck.<br />
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I would like to thank all of you that bought, read and reviewed my stories this past year. I hope you had a great 2013 and may 2014 be ten times better.<br />
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Happy New Year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-47126564304287140822013-10-24T14:30:00.000-04:002013-10-24T14:30:00.966-04:00Almost Half of My LifeLet me tell you a little story.<br />
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There once was a troll that happened across a beautiful maiden. The maiden was kind to the troll, treating him as she would any friend. The troll feared that the maiden would soon see him for what he truly was, so in his desperation he acquired a magic ring that would forever bind the maiden to him.<br />
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Years passed and the troll felt bad for deceiving the maiden. He confessed that he had tricked her into staying with him. To his surprise the maiden had a confession of her own. The ring he had given her held no magic at all. She had stayed with him all those years because she wanted to.<br />
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In all seriousness, today is my 15th wedding anniversary. It's sometimes hard for me to grasp that a decade and a half have passed since I tricked that beautiful maiden into marrying me. Though at the time we thought we were so grown up, I look back and realize we were only kids. I mean, just look at those two baby-faces. I was 21 and she was only 18. And before you ask, no we didn't <i>have</i> to get married. No little buns were in the oven (that didn't come for another nine years). Not knocking that, but when we announced that we were getting married, that was the first question on almost everyone's lips. We got married because we couldn't imagine it any other way.<br />
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I realize now the reservations our families had. Marriage is a full time job, and many people just aren't up to the task. If either of my children come to me at the age of 18 and say they are tying the knot, I'm sure I'll get the same look on my face that my father-in-law had.<br />
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But thus far we've made it work, and I hope we continue to be blessed in that fashion.<br />
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Brandy is the best women I've ever known. She's gentle and strong. Smart and kind. She has never once told me to shelf this writing thing and has total faith that I will one day make it big. And any writer worth their ink knows how much support like that really means. She makes this old troll a better person.<br />
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If you take into account the two years that we dated before we were married then I've been with this wonderful woman almost half of my life. Time really does fly when you're having a good time.<br />
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Anyway, I'm not much for sap (I'm a sappy person deep down, but the troll in me hides that fact like a bar of gold) but she deserves a bit of sap from time to time. I know when we first started out we had "our song". To my shame I can no longer remember what "our song" was.<br />
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Don't judge me! I'm sure she doesn't remember, either (he says with a pensive wince).<br />
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Anyway, back in the late 90s I listened to a little more country music than I do now. Kind of burnt myself out on it. But there was one song that always brought that lump up in my throat and it rings more true today than it ever did back then. I wish I had the talent, or at least the courage, to sing it to her myself, but the troll won't let that happen. So I'm afraid this will have to do.<br />
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Thank you Brandy Michelle for sticking with this grumpy old troll and filling half of my life with such joy.<br />
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Happy Anniversary. I love you. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cer30ehKMn0" width="459"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-80707975300891840552013-08-17T20:13:00.000-04:002013-08-17T20:13:30.554-04:00Cause I'm Feeling A Bit MelancholyI was perusing my blog roll here on the blog, just thinking about doing some house cleaning. Then I came across the one at the bottom. Three years outdated. And I just can't delete it.<br />
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I can't believe it's been three years. Jamie Eyberg was a good guy, always eager to help me out or give me a kind word. I dare say he and I were friends, even if it was a cyber friendship.<br />
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This is the <a href="http://acontinuityofparks.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-productive-week.html" target="_blank">last post</a> Jamie wrote on his blog. I encourage you to go through and read the others as well. He was a talented writer and a great guy.<br />
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I just wanted to write it here one more time lest I forget.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-48534056361536839112013-07-08T23:25:00.001-04:002013-07-08T23:29:41.422-04:00Sammy TerryWhen I was a young boy growing up in the 80s there were few things I loved more than staying up late on a Friday night to watch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Terry" target="_blank">Sammy Terry</a>.<br />
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Sammy Terry was, and still is, a well known local TV personality here in Indiana famous for his horror show. The movies he showcased were mostly b-rated horror films or classics from the 30s through the 50s. Sammy Terry's show is one of my most fond memories growing up. It sparked my long lasting love of horror and sci-fi.<br />
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On June 30th, Sammy Terry whose real name was Robert Carter passed away. Last year Sammy Terry performed a special show at a haunted house close to where I live. I had planned to go see him, but I missed the opportunity. I wish I hadn't.<br />
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There is no doubt that Sammy Terry was a major influence on the writer I have become today. I only wish I had taken the chance to tell him so.<br />
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Rest in Peace Mr. Carter. Thanks for all the scares.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hRhTH3M576U" width="459"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-60776028757903147562013-05-31T23:59:00.000-04:002013-06-01T00:04:27.304-04:00Down To The Wire . . . AgainWell, surprise surprise. I'm about 15 minutes away from almost missing a May blog post. Shocking I know.<br />
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May has been an especially crazy month for me. First, my lovely wife graduated from nursing school. It's been a long hard road for our family, but she's a tough gal. I'm very proud that she not only went back to school (which isn't easy once you're married with children) but that she has chosen to be a nurse. It's a noble calling to help those in need. She's the most caring person I know so I'm confident that she'll be a great nurse.<br />
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Second, I had a birthday. I won't disclose my age, but let's just say I'm now closer to 40 than 30.<br />
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Third, I'm working on a new novel. It took me a while to get started on it because I was trying to get my mind around the scope of the story. I was originally going to go dystopian, but in the end I scrapped that idea. It the first in a series and will feature ghosts, vampires, zombies and an assortment of other macabre characters.<br />
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I've been battling with Day Job issues, mostly in the dropping of my weekly hours from 40 to 29. So, a new job search is in my future. That means my writing time will most likely go down. One of these days I hope to put this rat race behind me. Some day I hope that my "job" will be creating worlds one word at a time.<br />
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So, on to June we go. Who knows what is waiting for us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-22975793442981730562013-04-30T22:31:00.001-04:002013-04-30T22:31:47.175-04:00Oh, Mr. Patterson. What Will You Do Next?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3jFD6M3xbIvMeTxsjjIRRqHr-pIHsHKS8QlN_ma9kVgrS6j06YMzBh1mxJjojY4R-D9px52Q6Ttl97Nd9J6CBEfLcVSwn1Ajv8bP7CbfaTpK0DdkAp5IQOtCHputsOm2XQDF1g/s1600/jp_ad_embed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3jFD6M3xbIvMeTxsjjIRRqHr-pIHsHKS8QlN_ma9kVgrS6j06YMzBh1mxJjojY4R-D9px52Q6Ttl97Nd9J6CBEfLcVSwn1Ajv8bP7CbfaTpK0DdkAp5IQOtCHputsOm2XQDF1g/s1600/jp_ad_embed.jpg" /></a>I'm sure by now you've all heard about James Patterson and the ad he paid for in the NYT. About how he feels literature is swirling around the proverbial toilet bowl and how we are all destined to return to illiterate Serfs. Though he admits he doesn't have the answer to the death of story telling he does suggest a "government bailout" may be the ticket.<br />
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There is a lot and more I could say, but I was always taught if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all.<br />
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Many others have chimed in on the subject. Two of my favorites are by <a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2013/04/konrath-on-patterson.html" target="_blank">Joe Konrath</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/je-fishman/james-patterson-book-ad_b_3163716.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=4458033,b=facebook" target="_blank">J.E. Fishman</a>. I'll leave it to them, seeing as I'm still a little ticked since finding out that <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/380231/James-Patterson-the-best-seller-who-doesn-t-write-his-own-books" target="_blank">Mr. Patterson no longer writes his own books</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-85451182202173769362013-03-23T00:44:00.000-04:002013-03-23T00:44:13.262-04:00A Deal Too Good to Pass UpWho doesn't love a deal, am I right? There is nothing quite like happening upon something you want for a price way under what you expected to pay.<br />
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Now, I know you usually get what you pay for, and anything worth having should cost you something, but don't get all philosophical on me. Just hear me out.<br />
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I'm not talking about those cut-corner, buying generic, sacrificing quality kind of deals. I'm talking about a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/03/arts/declaration-of-independence-found-in-a-4-picture-frame.html" target="_blank">Copy of the Constitution Found in a $4 Painting</a> kind of deal.<br />
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Okay, I'm being dramatic again. But I still have a really good deal to tell you about. And before you click away thinking this is a self promotion thing, let me assure you it is NOT.<br />
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If you are just a reader of books this post may not excite you (sorry, but thanks for stopping by). This one is for all my writerly friends out there, more specifically self-pubbers.<br />
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One of the pitfalls of self publishing is the upfront costs you have to pay to get your book into the public. Cover art, editing, and formatting are things you should not be skimping out on. If you can't do it yourself, you should hire a professional.<br />
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But say you're like me, strapped for cash and trying to decide whether you should spend your hard earned cash on the cover, the editing or the formatting. Well, I can help you out with one of those.<br />
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When I decided to separate the stories in my collection Contemplations of Dinner into single shorts I knew I couldn't afford to pay for ten expensive covers. I can justify paying $200 -$500 on a cover for a novel, but it's harder for me to shell that out for just a 6,000 word short.<br />
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So I went on over to the site <a href="http://fiverr.com/" target="_blank">Fiverr</a>. For those that don't know, Fiverr is a website where people offer all kinds of services, some legit, some comical, for five dollars each. I sifted through the many graphic designers and came across an artist going by the handle <a href="http://fiverr.com/freestyle25" target="_blank">Freestyle25</a>.<br />
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Freestyle 25 is actually a wonderful young lady by the name of Emily Lam. I liked the samples Emily had displayed on<a href="http://fiverr.com/freestyle25/create-an-ebook-cover" target="_blank"> her Fiverr page</a>, but I was a bit worried. That whole "getting what you paid for" thing. But Emily quickly put my fears to rest.<br />
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Long story short (too late, I know) I hired Emily to create covers for eight short stories and new covers for both Contemplations of Dinner and Guarding the Healer. She is professional, courteous, patient and extremely talented. <br />
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I have seen covers of Emily's caliber go for $200+ easily. I feel a bit guilty about only paying her $5 a piece. Even though it would be shooting myself in the foot, I've tried to suggest to Emily that she ought to start her own cover design business, but unfortunately Fiverr has strict policies about directly emailing each other. I'm hoping she will read this blog post and consider it. But until then I suggest you take advantage of her generous nature and grab a cheap cover.<br />
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It's one of the best deals I've come across in a long time.<br />
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If you want proof you should head over to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gabriel-Beyers/e/B00545OA7U" target="_blank">my Amazon page</a> and look at the covers. The only covers that aren't hers are the paperback version of Guarding the Healer, Predatory Animals, the audio version of Contemplations of Dinner and the anthology Cat Tales 2.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-49742412747470908942013-02-28T19:13:00.000-05:002013-02-28T19:13:16.605-05:00Fraud or Not, You DecideAs I was perusing the fun and informative blog <a href="http://www.thepassivevoice.com/" target="_blank">The Passive Voice</a> I came across an article that stopped my scrolling finger.<br />
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<b>James Patterson: the best seller who doesn't write his own books.</b><br />
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As a writer and a reader I found that too intriguing to pass up. You can <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/380231/James-Patterson-the-best-seller-who-doesn-t-write-his-own-books" target="_blank">read the full article here</a>, but the skinny is Mr. Patterson doesn't really write a line by line book. He comes up with a 60 - 80 page detailed synopsis then subs the actual writing out to other writers.<br />
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I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this. I'm still processing it. My wife is not happy and says she will not be buying any more Patterson books, and will probably be getting rid of the ones on our shelf. I understand where she's coming from. There is a feeling of betrayal when you are spend your hard earned money on something and get something else in return. Then again, if you liked the book who care who wrote it?<br />
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A few months back everyone was all in a huff about certain writers buying positive reviews for their novels. I wasn't all that offended, but a lot of people were. When you compare the two, which do you think is worse?<br />
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Is it more of a sin to pay to have people inflate the quality of your work or to let someone else <i>write</i> the book and slap your name on the cover?<br />
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I'm inclined to believe the latter is the greater transgression.<br />
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Mr. Patterson defends this method by calling it a <i>collaboration</i> and citing other artists and writers such as Gilbert and Sullivan, Woodward and Bernstein, Stephen King and Peter Straub. My problem with this rationale is that when you buy their work both names appear together. There is no deception.<br />
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Maybe what makes this slap sting all the more is the fact that Mr. Patterson is swimming in the cash. I'm wondering just how many of the 275 million copies of his books he would have sold had it been known that though the idea came from James Patterson, the actual book was written by author So-n-So.<br />
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Maybe I'm wrong about all of this. I need a few days to let my righteous indignation calm down.<br />
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What do you think?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-89401054672800266592013-02-26T19:24:00.001-05:002013-02-26T19:25:27.853-05:00A Couple More Shorts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-wAm3oHg2s4_eCxOQzPysHlKhb7aUGjlH1515s1jLZth8W_kpo4m-0Gki-bg_zdHuGtAHZWLOf5kYG0e2b-NRJiU3vzQVG8hfZ_3rLaBp6xKekIOufVGKFciHtEGV2oquEObyw/s1600/Holes_copy+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-wAm3oHg2s4_eCxOQzPysHlKhb7aUGjlH1515s1jLZth8W_kpo4m-0Gki-bg_zdHuGtAHZWLOf5kYG0e2b-NRJiU3vzQVG8hfZ_3rLaBp6xKekIOufVGKFciHtEGV2oquEObyw/s320/Holes_copy+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a>I've published two more short stories from Contemplations of Dinner as singles. Here are the covers for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJE0AKG" target="_blank">A Town Full of Holes</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJ6SVH8" target="_blank">The Barn</a>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgur9hkb9EGFzCqCEtJqD4VjPG9hTlX68hmI4qL2I8YzakXd3lbqmXiLjRdrZaPr-z_d3mTeR4R57vU9gFjjrVxPAaLWCHkY6m6NDRRBU5iOj4zxBQ_NWzWVMtg90FHID-XbL0Q/s1600/Barn_copy+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgur9hkb9EGFzCqCEtJqD4VjPG9hTlX68hmI4qL2I8YzakXd3lbqmXiLjRdrZaPr-z_d3mTeR4R57vU9gFjjrVxPAaLWCHkY6m6NDRRBU5iOj4zxBQ_NWzWVMtg90FHID-XbL0Q/s320/Barn_copy+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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I will be releasing a brand new short titled The Promotion just as soon as the cover comes back.<br />
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In other news, I made the jump from hobbyist to professional. No, my writing has not yielded enough sales to allow me to quit the dreaded day job. But I did add writing as a profession on my taxes. The past couple of years has been a loss (hey, what start up company doesn't struggle in the beginning?) but things are looking up. February has been my best month ever, and I'm convinced that as I add more titles I will eventually be in the black.<br />
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I've also started my own publishing house (sort of) called Gemini Gremlin Ink. I'm not publishing other authors at this time. It seems strange, I know, but the reason is that it looks more professional to have a publishing company listed instead of just my name. I have watched other authors do this, and I thought I'd give it a try. If you want to be professional, then you better act like a professional.<br />
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I'm hoping that the upward trend in sales continues into March. I'm also waiting to hear some news, but I have a couple of weeks until I know if it's good or bad.<br />
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And Lord knows I hate waiting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-6375234199769934512013-02-09T22:47:00.000-05:002013-02-09T22:47:59.048-05:00Four Short StoriesI have published four of the short stories from my collection <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006P9652M" target="_blank">Contemplations of Dinner</a> as singles. You can purchase them for $0.99 each or get Contemplations of Dinner for $2.99. I did this to widen my virtual shelf space and to cater to those who would rather read a short story than a whole novel. If you're so inclined, to check them out. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLnwkxx-4v509cooTwvBHz2JCEj18lbhwxTJnrRe0t2htrwvkJFO3HC1WeaHP0riSz_v-arCTfEr2Aw7GLQYRKzAZf32SvylqfviyUTsgtpOyI40RNDRa-k2luMvW8t8l7Jn1Jw/s1600/Hunter_copy+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLnwkxx-4v509cooTwvBHz2JCEj18lbhwxTJnrRe0t2htrwvkJFO3HC1WeaHP0riSz_v-arCTfEr2Aw7GLQYRKzAZf32SvylqfviyUTsgtpOyI40RNDRa-k2luMvW8t8l7Jn1Jw/s320/Hunter_copy+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BBPFASA" target="_blank">Beauty Needs A Hunter</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPUhqAkVvJmDnePLqQLDza24nL5V6vcsuLZB-RUTm1BNqMTOGr9taNBU-jcULcV6XxXj7Z35ul_oMtv6qXY0TJR5EUDczh8YA_haaDR2GPBoce6Kn7nJMKUOCqyMggciffeADuA/s1600/Mask+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPUhqAkVvJmDnePLqQLDza24nL5V6vcsuLZB-RUTm1BNqMTOGr9taNBU-jcULcV6XxXj7Z35ul_oMtv6qXY0TJR5EUDczh8YA_haaDR2GPBoce6Kn7nJMKUOCqyMggciffeADuA/s320/Mask+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B138YPI" target="_blank">The Mask of Deslow Mansion</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlicJjNf0V-w6QcgNDSXr2RMIuyxwwUPFTXRR3pvtaSfHkPWb9Gm7gW_x6Jrv_mwCKpKLhsqOe28QQnXvwwAGwkxpJON-CtfPrqgDKSDpFBZmCTuGyM-Z5Iw4WPuaIzVy6nuarw/s1600/My_Patient_Grave+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlicJjNf0V-w6QcgNDSXr2RMIuyxwwUPFTXRR3pvtaSfHkPWb9Gm7gW_x6Jrv_mwCKpKLhsqOe28QQnXvwwAGwkxpJON-CtfPrqgDKSDpFBZmCTuGyM-Z5Iw4WPuaIzVy6nuarw/s320/My_Patient_Grave+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B9292XY" target="_blank">My Patient Grave</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBgwmdnsjoad5Vj6VgyN0PhnZUDREbL6pHNOq9DdAbskEk315S7eSyEW_07REo1NMDlc1fNBXxKjJEVg6gt_U6iq3iX43L9KDOq1vKMVQrmXASH7I1uDgIIPa9IcPsQuGqf3gTA/s1600/RomeosKiss+600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBgwmdnsjoad5Vj6VgyN0PhnZUDREbL6pHNOq9DdAbskEk315S7eSyEW_07REo1NMDlc1fNBXxKjJEVg6gt_U6iq3iX43L9KDOq1vKMVQrmXASH7I1uDgIIPa9IcPsQuGqf3gTA/s320/RomeosKiss+600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0K55YA" target="_blank">Romeo's Kiss</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-39387214390489143762013-01-31T19:27:00.000-05:002013-01-31T19:27:03.097-05:00Better Late Than NeverThis is more than a bit late, but I want to announce that my novel Predatory Animals is free until midnight PST. You can find it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008SLF2QA" target="_blank">here</a>. Feel free to grab a copy, "Like" the page, and once you read it leave an honest review.<br />
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This is the last of my free days from Amazon KDP Select. I've enrolled my other books in Select before and I didn't see the huge uptick in sales like others have. I weighed whether or not to enroll Predatory Animals. I hadn't sold a single copy on Barnes & Noble, Kobo or Smashwords, so I figured what the heck. This time around I decided to do it not for the prospect of increased sales, but more for the opportunity to land some reviews and increase the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section.<br />
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Lofty goal, I know.<br />
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Funny enough, this time around I have noticed increased sales. Not the crazy numbers of some other writers, but enough to make me smile a bit.<br />
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I've also been in the process of splitting up the stories in my collection Contemplations of Dinner into stand alone shorts, while submitting them to the Kindle Singles Program. The first two out are <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B138YPI" target="_blank">The Mask of Deslow Mansion</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0K55YA" target="_blank">Romeo's Kiss</a>. You can get both for $0.99 each or get all ten shorts in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006P9652M" target="_blank">Contemplations of Dinner</a> for $2.99.<br />
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This along with my normal writing, working three jobs, chasing two kids, doing damage control for two dogs and trying to fit in some sleep has left me a bit frazzled. And now it's snowing and schools have already been delayed tomorrow.<br />
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These are the salad days.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-42410591178050304392013-01-12T19:23:00.000-05:002013-01-12T19:23:46.373-05:00Indie Book of the Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9AA2-dqZYLmBw2kr1A6R1_cta6Zl0R0FO09D8ln9_kRg65PuGzsDUwlfpY9nc2I0rOd8_oAiIsIFYneGzVdHlErE_zsKAjg1OS1YgkdDtjBWYoduaiJWFRcBiAS46z81XnaeFg/s1600/Author+Gabriel+Beyers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9AA2-dqZYLmBw2kr1A6R1_cta6Zl0R0FO09D8ln9_kRg65PuGzsDUwlfpY9nc2I0rOd8_oAiIsIFYneGzVdHlErE_zsKAjg1OS1YgkdDtjBWYoduaiJWFRcBiAS46z81XnaeFg/s320/Author+Gabriel+Beyers.jpg" width="228" /></a>I am a couple days behind on this (big shock, I know) but I wanted to do a little bit of bragging.<br />
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Guarding the Healer has won the IBD Award.<br />
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There aren't very many awards for indie authors (or as I prefer to be called *<i>artisanal author</i>) and I appreciate any recognition given. It's a tough road to choose and it's good to know someone cares.<br />
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Thanks <a href="http://indiebookoftheday.com/" target="_blank">Indie Book of the Day</a>.<br />
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*Term is no my own. It was shamefully stolen from <a href="https://twitter.com/GuyKawasaki" target="_blank">Guy Kawasaki</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34534110.post-23908965157603575202012-12-31T20:42:00.000-05:002012-12-31T20:42:22.175-05:00Anno Domini Two-Thousand and Thirteen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEUqKpvbJKd69eXTz9cFCHmKrVMmGyBOfGcZpHqHW-h01f94gCR-Gq185RxXbL-oLxijk-GVP0zeZdN4fGN_Ds7gC593trRR9MO74eDoXinOUfT1AQb63USWSUYZinyMpM7kb2w/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEUqKpvbJKd69eXTz9cFCHmKrVMmGyBOfGcZpHqHW-h01f94gCR-Gq185RxXbL-oLxijk-GVP0zeZdN4fGN_Ds7gC593trRR9MO74eDoXinOUfT1AQb63USWSUYZinyMpM7kb2w/s1600/images.jpg" /></a>Out with the old, in with the new.<br />
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The year 2012 was a strange one for me. My writing life didn't quite measure up to what I had hoped, but it wasn't terrible, either. I'm learning and growing all the time, and I believe my writing is getting better with every typed word.<br />
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I'm not much for New Year's resolutions, but I have some plans and goals to help my writing career grow. Let's hope I can stick with it. If all goes well, my wife will be graduating from nursing school in May and reentering the work arena. We are both looking forward to that.<br />
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It's been a tough year. Not bad. Just tough. My deepest hopes and prayers are that 2013 will be a better year for us all. A safer, steadier, more productive, and more prosperous year.<br />
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Happy New Year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1