News of a Kspace Nature

January has been a rather strange month, thusfar. There's been a lot of research and introspection as I've continued to prep to send my next novel off to be published. There's also been a lot of CONFRONT Magazine-related activity, including interviews and album launches, planning out articles, interviewing artists and, of course, music reviews. I've also been busy at my (paying) job, as well as writing "The Aeons War" and occasionally getting more than a couple of hours sleep a night.

I'm on track with my ambition of shipping a novel off to a new publisher, and "Darkness And The Stars" is also going to be pitched to "The Unearthing's" publishers later this year.

But this week something's happened that took me by surprise. For some authors, it would probably be a small thing. Others might scoff because it's taken this long to happen, but nonetheless, what's gone on this week has been particularly exciting and uplifting.

Yesterday and today, I got my first pieces of fan mail, from readers of "The Unearthing".

Now, I'm used to getting fan letters--usually they're fans of some album I've reviewed for CONFRONT who vehemently disagree with my opinion, and they generally take the form of rants and insults. It is the Internet, after all.

But these were notes from people who actually enjoyed what I wrote. Nothing big, nothing overly dramatic, just simple notes from people who enjoyed the novel. It was an is extremely validating to have heard from them; it's encouraging to know that there are people out there who liked to read what I wrote.

So this note is to thank you.

All Too Familiar...

I remember when I decided to get proactive about The Unearthing, and promoting it and by extension myself as best I could, online.

I remember those first halting and tentative evenings hunched over the computer, Googling as many different subject lines relevant to my quest as I could think of.

History repeats itself this evening, as I have just pulled away from the computer aver poring over link after link after link as I start my search for literary representation and potential publishers.

I remember how discouraging it was to filter the pitifully few grains of wheat from the fields and fields of chaff; this time around there seems to be even more chaff...perhaps it's a wheat shortage.

I also know that any agent or publisher I query or submit to will be likewise looking for those few grains of wheat among tonnes of chaff. All the more reason to do my homework, to making sure I get this right.

Most of all, I remember how overwhelming it feels, because that is what I'm feeling right now.

I'll muddle through, and I'll find what I need, because nothing is going to change unless I do.

And that is gradually becoming my new mantra.

Stay tuned.

All is Quiet on New Year's Day

2009 begins.

The holidays are behind us at last, and by Monday the stores will have Valentine's Day and Easter crap on the shelves and decorating the malls. The United States will celebrate the end of an error when Bush is finally kicked out on his ignominious ass and Obama takes one of the most historic and important oaths of office of our generation.

Here in Canada we will hopefully be rid of Stephen Harper in a few weeks' time, although I'm not holding out much hope for that, given that the new Liberal leader doesn't seem to care much for the coalition or the will of the Canadian electorate--which puts him on an even keel with the Wrong and Dishonourable Stephen Harper, who is possibly the worst and most hated Prime Minister since the King of Graft, Lyin' Brian Mulroney.

I will absolutely continue to post my opinions on the state of Canadian and Quebec politics--it is my right and obligation to do so. However, I intend on focusing my energies and my time on other things, in 2009.

First and foremost, it is my intention to see more of my work get published, this year. The Darkness and the Stars is, for all intents and purposes, ready to roll. I will be submitting that the publishers of The Unearthing, and it is also my intention to finalize Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind and find a publisher for that book, by the Summer. Both books are, for all intents and purposes, ready to sell. I have spent too much time procrastinating over them, because of The Unearthing's lack of commercial success.

The Unearthing has been successful as an ebook; it has been downloaded thousands of times since being put online in March of last year. While that proves to me I have the skills to write an engrossing story, it is obvious to me I do not have the know-how to successfully market one. Therefore, I am going to be looking for marketing assistance, possibly even representation. An agent or a publicist will go a long way to help me move my "brand" forward, and so this will be an ongoing effort of the New Year.

CONFRONT Magazine continues to be and will continue to be a priority for me. I've just written my first cover article for the magazine, chronicling the up and coming band, Bad Flirt. I will continue to write for the magazine and I will dedicate one blog post per week to CONFRONT; pending Editor approval, I will cross-post that weekly blog to CONFRONT, as well.

I will also continue to reorganize this weblog, to make the Chronicles of an Independent Author more prominent, and as I will once again be working to see my writing published, there will be more updates to the Chronicles.

I intend to post more entries to the blog, as well. Last year I averaged 1 post per week, but I don't feel that that is necessarily adequate. Part of the problem has been that I've spent so much time over the last year and a half since The Unearthing was published worrying about the book's failure and what it means for me. I'm over it now, and I'm working on getting more work out to readers.

So that's it for my first post of the New Year. I hope everyone's had a great holiday, I wish you all the best for 2009 and I promise that there will be more to come, soon.