Was announced last week for May, 2008. It's nice to see a fixed date, and I'm looking forward to the ISBN and cover art being provided. I will post both when I have them.
I hope you guys all had a great holiday, enjoy your time with your loved ones.
Regards,
Scott
Monday, November 26, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Fan Mail for Sword of the Dajjal
I got my first piece of fan mail for Sword of the Dajjal today, and it was from a soldier, no less.
"ot this on one of the wargaming e-mail lists I frequent. I use the book info on my signature line so it goes out in every e-mail.
"Scott:
On 15 July I departed Afghanistan to go back to the States on leave.
Having nothing to read, I buzzed around on the Net until I found a
sci-fi ebook that looked pretty good; purchased and downloaded it,
read it on my layover at Ali al Saleem.
That ebook happened to be Sword of the Dajjal!
Just wanted to compliment you on it; I thought it well-paced, and the
twist with the Afreet was nice. The depictions of combat were
believable and the political circumstances were well-developed
without slowing the book.
I don't suppose there will be a sequel?
V/R
SSG James Xxxxxxxx"
Very kewl.
I'm redacting his last name until he gives permission to be identified. I was floored, it's nice to write a piece of military fiction and have it recognized as a good read by a professional.
Regards,
Scott
"ot this on one of the wargaming e-mail lists I frequent. I use the book info on my signature line so it goes out in every e-mail.
"Scott:
On 15 July I departed Afghanistan to go back to the States on leave.
Having nothing to read, I buzzed around on the Net until I found a
sci-fi ebook that looked pretty good; purchased and downloaded it,
read it on my layover at Ali al Saleem.
That ebook happened to be Sword of the Dajjal!
Just wanted to compliment you on it; I thought it well-paced, and the
twist with the Afreet was nice. The depictions of combat were
believable and the political circumstances were well-developed
without slowing the book.
I don't suppose there will be a sequel?
V/R
SSG James Xxxxxxxx"
Very kewl.
I'm redacting his last name until he gives permission to be identified. I was floored, it's nice to write a piece of military fiction and have it recognized as a good read by a professional.
Regards,
Scott
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
It's been a few weeks
I spent them working out the contract with Blu Phi'er for Sword of the Dajjal to come out by early next year. The new contract got Preditors and Editors to drop their "Not Recommended" status for Blu Phi'er. The contract still needs a reversion clause that defines "out of print", and an audit clause, but we can work those out later.
Jars of Doom will not be coming out with Champagne books because eXtasy already has a short story using that character and the legal eagles at Champagne decided to not publish the book.
This was largely because champagne wanted to publish an e-version first, and eXtasy's e-rights were an interference in their opinion. No hard feelings from me.
The book will come out by mid-year 2008 in print from Blu Phi'er. eXtasy holds no print rights at all for my work, so there is no conflict. eXtasy hadn't been paying royalties or contacting me, but that will be rectified. They said I had changed addresses and phone, but that was never the case. I have had this e-mail address for going on three years and this phone number for the same period of time--it was a package deal from the phone company.
The publisher says they'll get my royalties squared away by early September and that's fine with me. If so they can have more short stories about Erica Steele.
Regards,
Scott
Jars of Doom will not be coming out with Champagne books because eXtasy already has a short story using that character and the legal eagles at Champagne decided to not publish the book.
This was largely because champagne wanted to publish an e-version first, and eXtasy's e-rights were an interference in their opinion. No hard feelings from me.
The book will come out by mid-year 2008 in print from Blu Phi'er. eXtasy holds no print rights at all for my work, so there is no conflict. eXtasy hadn't been paying royalties or contacting me, but that will be rectified. They said I had changed addresses and phone, but that was never the case. I have had this e-mail address for going on three years and this phone number for the same period of time--it was a package deal from the phone company.
The publisher says they'll get my royalties squared away by early September and that's fine with me. If so they can have more short stories about Erica Steele.
Regards,
Scott
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Collaboration
I come from a theater arts background--lots of educational and regional theater live and on-stage. i directed, designed for, acted and wrote for it. I'm mentioning this because theater is a collaborative art.
No one person can do theater. As a corollary, theater requires cooperation between several people to pull off. The author is filtered through the director's vision and the performers' interpretations. the play happens in an environment that someone else has created for the stage. Last, but far from least the audience must be willing to view the play as 'real' in a highly artificial setting for it to succeed.
Writing a book is something else entirely. It can be a one person project from start to finish; but, it is never at its best until the collaboration of others occurs. Critique, beta-reading, editing all bring other viewpoints to the mix and illuminate the work from different angles. Frequently the author has to say, "Huh?" and realize that his golden words are indeed not always golden.
The writer who can't divorce himself from his creation to appreciate the efforts of others to improve his book is missing out on a lot. Of course, the author who can't stand up for his own voice will be a doormat, but "All things in moderation", right?
So, lately, I have started the experience of writing a book with a collaborator from the beginning, and it's a pleasant experience to this point. A marriage should never be rushed into, and God knows two collaborators on a book should never venture beyond the level of sniffing each other's butts to see if a partnership is possible--all too often it isn't. But when each other's butts smell like hot chocolate and roses, heaven is papably near.
Anyway, I've begun a book with a digital friend Chris Stephenson of California who is the author of Word Wars, Once upon a Goddess and Planetary Janitors. We've worked through the tail-sniffing stage by beta-reading for one another and suggesting changes to each other's books, and we look like a potentially successful relationship.
The internet and e-communications are a wonderful and amazing thing--bringing such partnerships together that never could have happened otherwise. The world is indeed a village.
I'll keep those with an interest posted on the development of our book, tentatively titled Ganton's Gauntlets.
Keep writing, and please keep reading,
Scott
No one person can do theater. As a corollary, theater requires cooperation between several people to pull off. The author is filtered through the director's vision and the performers' interpretations. the play happens in an environment that someone else has created for the stage. Last, but far from least the audience must be willing to view the play as 'real' in a highly artificial setting for it to succeed.
Writing a book is something else entirely. It can be a one person project from start to finish; but, it is never at its best until the collaboration of others occurs. Critique, beta-reading, editing all bring other viewpoints to the mix and illuminate the work from different angles. Frequently the author has to say, "Huh?" and realize that his golden words are indeed not always golden.
The writer who can't divorce himself from his creation to appreciate the efforts of others to improve his book is missing out on a lot. Of course, the author who can't stand up for his own voice will be a doormat, but "All things in moderation", right?
So, lately, I have started the experience of writing a book with a collaborator from the beginning, and it's a pleasant experience to this point. A marriage should never be rushed into, and God knows two collaborators on a book should never venture beyond the level of sniffing each other's butts to see if a partnership is possible--all too often it isn't. But when each other's butts smell like hot chocolate and roses, heaven is papably near.
Anyway, I've begun a book with a digital friend Chris Stephenson of California who is the author of Word Wars, Once upon a Goddess and Planetary Janitors. We've worked through the tail-sniffing stage by beta-reading for one another and suggesting changes to each other's books, and we look like a potentially successful relationship.
The internet and e-communications are a wonderful and amazing thing--bringing such partnerships together that never could have happened otherwise. The world is indeed a village.
I'll keep those with an interest posted on the development of our book, tentatively titled Ganton's Gauntlets.
Keep writing, and please keep reading,
Scott
Friday, June 29, 2007
Down to Business--the contract
Okay, you've written a book. You've gone through hell submitting it and you have an offer. What next?
What's next is a contract. Please note that I'm not worrying about which publisher or is the publisher a good bet or whatever, all i am concernced about is that document in front of me the contract. I made all those other choices before and here Iam.
A publishing contract is a different kettle of fish from any other kind because it deals in intellectual property--a work of 'literary creation'. An author is dealing with an entity that wants to profit from his personal creation, and that author better watch his ass, otherwise somebody unscrupulous will bite it off.
The publisher wants the publisher's best deal, the author is going to have to give on some things and grab at other things or it won't be a marriage made in heaven. the publisher has options, he can turn the book down if the contract does not please him. the author's best protection is that same option--just walk away. A book that finds one professional buyer will probably find another. And a contract that deprives the author of his creative work and the profit therefrom is a mugging not a sale.
Let's not consider working for hire--like ghost writing or writing a Hardy Boys or Tom Swift story. That will be sold for cash to the publisher and the author has seen the last dime he'll make off of it. that's that oddly colored horse that is always the exception to the rule.
The copyright is the author's to begin with. that copyright was created the instant the first letter hit the page, or the digital recording device in most cases. If a publisher wants the copyright, the author should say no sale. What you want to sell to the publisher is the license for a specified period of time, for particular rights of reproduction. If the publisher is not going to exploit certain rights (like movie rights or electronic rights, or audio book rights, etc) those rights need to stay with author. the publisher may want a piece of the action if the publisher arranges the sale of rights, and that's fine-- but the lion's share is the author's not the publisher's. If the publisher functions as an agent for some rights they are entitled to the agent's cut 10-20% depending on the particular rights in question.
That specified length of time should not be for more than a few years at most. A book on the shelves is going to make most of its sales over the short haul, and when sales slow down, it's time to put it out of print. If it's still doing business at the end of the two or three years in question then both publisher and author must agree to continue the relation ship or end it.
What happens when it's out of print? there is no question, the rights revert to the author. if the publisher demands keeping the rights after release, then walk away.
Royalty rates ought to be based on the cover price--eight to fifteen percen, depending on the print rights in question—a lower rate on mass market than on hardcover or tradeback editions. Electronic royalties are different. There is no paper, ink and printing cost in that, and royalties should be at least thirty percent to fifty percent. And for the record, I’d rather have thirty percent on the publisher’s cover price than fifty percent on net price to the e-book distributor and sales sites like Fictionwise, but I can live with net on those sales.
Royalties aren’t worth much on books that do not get placed in front of the reader’s eyes. Bookstores are essential. It’s best to place yourself with any house that has real distribution than with any house that doesn’t. Small presses have greater difficulties with that, but never sign with a small house that isn’t working its tail off to get proper distribution.
You wrote a book. You worked hard—it ain’t easy, and many who start will never finish, that makes your work a commodity, treat it like it deserves as you seek a venue for readership. Just having your book in your hands is no real accomplishment. Anyone can do it, just take a disk down to Kinko’s and ask for a perfect bound book, they’ll do it for you. You can do that and never encumber your rights in any way shape or form.
If you’re writing for your own gratification; that’s great. I don’t understand that, mind you, but if it’s good for you I’m glad. I am writing because I want to be read. Any craftsman wants his work to be appreciated. Writing is a craft; therefore I want to be appreciated and that means readers.
I hope the rant was valuable to someone.
Keep writing and reading,
Scott
What's next is a contract. Please note that I'm not worrying about which publisher or is the publisher a good bet or whatever, all i am concernced about is that document in front of me the contract. I made all those other choices before and here Iam.
A publishing contract is a different kettle of fish from any other kind because it deals in intellectual property--a work of 'literary creation'. An author is dealing with an entity that wants to profit from his personal creation, and that author better watch his ass, otherwise somebody unscrupulous will bite it off.
The publisher wants the publisher's best deal, the author is going to have to give on some things and grab at other things or it won't be a marriage made in heaven. the publisher has options, he can turn the book down if the contract does not please him. the author's best protection is that same option--just walk away. A book that finds one professional buyer will probably find another. And a contract that deprives the author of his creative work and the profit therefrom is a mugging not a sale.
Let's not consider working for hire--like ghost writing or writing a Hardy Boys or Tom Swift story. That will be sold for cash to the publisher and the author has seen the last dime he'll make off of it. that's that oddly colored horse that is always the exception to the rule.
The copyright is the author's to begin with. that copyright was created the instant the first letter hit the page, or the digital recording device in most cases. If a publisher wants the copyright, the author should say no sale. What you want to sell to the publisher is the license for a specified period of time, for particular rights of reproduction. If the publisher is not going to exploit certain rights (like movie rights or electronic rights, or audio book rights, etc) those rights need to stay with author. the publisher may want a piece of the action if the publisher arranges the sale of rights, and that's fine-- but the lion's share is the author's not the publisher's. If the publisher functions as an agent for some rights they are entitled to the agent's cut 10-20% depending on the particular rights in question.
That specified length of time should not be for more than a few years at most. A book on the shelves is going to make most of its sales over the short haul, and when sales slow down, it's time to put it out of print. If it's still doing business at the end of the two or three years in question then both publisher and author must agree to continue the relation ship or end it.
What happens when it's out of print? there is no question, the rights revert to the author. if the publisher demands keeping the rights after release, then walk away.
Royalty rates ought to be based on the cover price--eight to fifteen percen, depending on the print rights in question—a lower rate on mass market than on hardcover or tradeback editions. Electronic royalties are different. There is no paper, ink and printing cost in that, and royalties should be at least thirty percent to fifty percent. And for the record, I’d rather have thirty percent on the publisher’s cover price than fifty percent on net price to the e-book distributor and sales sites like Fictionwise, but I can live with net on those sales.
Royalties aren’t worth much on books that do not get placed in front of the reader’s eyes. Bookstores are essential. It’s best to place yourself with any house that has real distribution than with any house that doesn’t. Small presses have greater difficulties with that, but never sign with a small house that isn’t working its tail off to get proper distribution.
You wrote a book. You worked hard—it ain’t easy, and many who start will never finish, that makes your work a commodity, treat it like it deserves as you seek a venue for readership. Just having your book in your hands is no real accomplishment. Anyone can do it, just take a disk down to Kinko’s and ask for a perfect bound book, they’ll do it for you. You can do that and never encumber your rights in any way shape or form.
If you’re writing for your own gratification; that’s great. I don’t understand that, mind you, but if it’s good for you I’m glad. I am writing because I want to be read. Any craftsman wants his work to be appreciated. Writing is a craft; therefore I want to be appreciated and that means readers.
I hope the rant was valuable to someone.
Keep writing and reading,
Scott
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
What is Religion anyway, and how do you handle it in Science Fiction?
I posed that question to myself when I started Sword of the Dajjal. I was postulating a brushfire war on a planet far away but rich in important natural resources settled by a wide range of Muslims. One of those groups was trying to foment a rebellion in the name of religious orthodoxy and willing to play off the two powers that be in hope of riding the tiger to safety and prosperity.
Well, if you are going to dredge up one religion why not go whole hog?
Sword is a novel that investigates how politically motivated individuals can wrap themselves in sacred text to cause the masses to support them in their ambitions. To put it bluntly, I cribbed the story idea from the daily headlines from Iraq and Afghanistan. Science Fiction should always have a direct tie to the modern day we live in or it tastes flat, like soda pop left open too long.
I've been a Baha`i for thirty plus years, so I trotted out the example of the Baha`i writings about how society can save itself by giving up nationalism and racism and regarding all of the human race as one body. My main character is a naval officer in the Terran Alliance—a military force dedicated to security for it's members in the face of any offensive act against it. In many ways the hands of the Alliance are tied. They cannot intervene, at least openly, in an internal affair even on a member world.
My main antagonist is a radical Islamic cleric who foments a rebellion on a backwater world. To do that he brings in the star nation that tore itself bodily out of the Alliance a couple centuries before and is based on placing the human race above any other for the purity and well-being of humanity. The Pan human Hegemony is officially non-religious.
A great political stew needs just one thing to come to a boil, that dash of religious prejudice. All hell breaks loose until the discovery of new sapient species on the world must be saved from extinction by the Alliance's own commitment to the fight.
It's a fight for the right, where every side in the conflict clearly claims the right for itself.
Keep Reading and writing,
Scott
I posed that question to myself when I started Sword of the Dajjal. I was postulating a brushfire war on a planet far away but rich in important natural resources settled by a wide range of Muslims. One of those groups was trying to foment a rebellion in the name of religious orthodoxy and willing to play off the two powers that be in hope of riding the tiger to safety and prosperity.
Well, if you are going to dredge up one religion why not go whole hog?
Sword is a novel that investigates how politically motivated individuals can wrap themselves in sacred text to cause the masses to support them in their ambitions. To put it bluntly, I cribbed the story idea from the daily headlines from Iraq and Afghanistan. Science Fiction should always have a direct tie to the modern day we live in or it tastes flat, like soda pop left open too long.
I've been a Baha`i for thirty plus years, so I trotted out the example of the Baha`i writings about how society can save itself by giving up nationalism and racism and regarding all of the human race as one body. My main character is a naval officer in the Terran Alliance—a military force dedicated to security for it's members in the face of any offensive act against it. In many ways the hands of the Alliance are tied. They cannot intervene, at least openly, in an internal affair even on a member world.
My main antagonist is a radical Islamic cleric who foments a rebellion on a backwater world. To do that he brings in the star nation that tore itself bodily out of the Alliance a couple centuries before and is based on placing the human race above any other for the purity and well-being of humanity. The Pan human Hegemony is officially non-religious.
A great political stew needs just one thing to come to a boil, that dash of religious prejudice. All hell breaks loose until the discovery of new sapient species on the world must be saved from extinction by the Alliance's own commitment to the fight.
It's a fight for the right, where every side in the conflict clearly claims the right for itself.
Keep Reading and writing,
Scott
So It Comes Down to This. . . . . .
A Blog
There are a lot of reasons for a writer to start blogging. I might as well enumerate mine:
1) It gives you something to do when the screen is blank, and sometimes a jump start is a good thing.
2) One needs a place to air out random thoughts, and writing it down on a blog is better than muttering to yourself in public.
3) When my books start getting an audience, someone might have reason to drop me a line or make a comment, or tell me "I suck".
4) Writing is very solitary, and sometimes one needs to understand that there is a world beyond the computer screen.
Allow me to introduce myself, I am C. Scott Saylors, I live in Oklahoma City wit a duet of black cats, an aging dog, my wife and daughters. Though Empty Nest Syndrome is rearing its ugly head. My older daughter is residing at home for conveinence sake--she's a teacher in the public school system. My younger daughter just turned 18 and is attending university in a nearby town come August. She's on enough of a free ride to live in the dorm and it's no money out of our pockets for her to do so.
I write speculative fiction--mostly hard science fiction like Sword of the Dajjal, or Ganton's Gauntlets (working title) a book I'm currently writing with a friend of mine from California.
Coming out in january is an erotic paranormal thriller called Jars of Doom. This is a tale about an aging archeologist who actually finds a Djinn Bottle, and the repercussions of his duel of three wishes. This one is strictly for the over eighteen audience, be warned.
For those of you who might like to check out the books so far:
Sword of the Dajjal, ISBN: 978-1-602-052-2 is available as an e-book from BooksForABuck.com http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages...rd_dajjal.html
Also from FictionWise and the other e-book distributors on line
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook47261.htm?cached
Jars of Doom will be out January, 2008 from Champagne Books in e-book and print ISBN: 978-1-897445-04-4
Ganton's Gauntlets is still in first draft, I'll post about it as it comes to completing it.
Sequels to Jars of Doom and Sword of the Dajjal are also underway at this time, so that will give me something else to talk about here.
Good reading to all--talk to you later, Scott
There are a lot of reasons for a writer to start blogging. I might as well enumerate mine:
1) It gives you something to do when the screen is blank, and sometimes a jump start is a good thing.
2) One needs a place to air out random thoughts, and writing it down on a blog is better than muttering to yourself in public.
3) When my books start getting an audience, someone might have reason to drop me a line or make a comment, or tell me "I suck".
4) Writing is very solitary, and sometimes one needs to understand that there is a world beyond the computer screen.
Allow me to introduce myself, I am C. Scott Saylors, I live in Oklahoma City wit a duet of black cats, an aging dog, my wife and daughters. Though Empty Nest Syndrome is rearing its ugly head. My older daughter is residing at home for conveinence sake--she's a teacher in the public school system. My younger daughter just turned 18 and is attending university in a nearby town come August. She's on enough of a free ride to live in the dorm and it's no money out of our pockets for her to do so.
I write speculative fiction--mostly hard science fiction like Sword of the Dajjal, or Ganton's Gauntlets (working title) a book I'm currently writing with a friend of mine from California.
Coming out in january is an erotic paranormal thriller called Jars of Doom. This is a tale about an aging archeologist who actually finds a Djinn Bottle, and the repercussions of his duel of three wishes. This one is strictly for the over eighteen audience, be warned.
For those of you who might like to check out the books so far:
Sword of the Dajjal, ISBN: 978-1-602-052-2 is available as an e-book from BooksForABuck.com http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages...rd_dajjal.html
Also from FictionWise and the other e-book distributors on line
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook47261.htm?cached
Jars of Doom will be out January, 2008 from Champagne Books in e-book and print ISBN: 978-1-897445-04-4
Ganton's Gauntlets is still in first draft, I'll post about it as it comes to completing it.
Sequels to Jars of Doom and Sword of the Dajjal are also underway at this time, so that will give me something else to talk about here.
Good reading to all--talk to you later, Scott
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