I have been getting a lot of traffic to An Empire of Law from Pages Unbound. This might have to do with the fact that I am second on the "Hottest Stories" page. However, that's based on only one review. I would really appreciate it if readers would take a short time to leave a review, so that others might get your input.
Additionally, while I fully agree with the two reviews for Superstition, they were both based on the first few chapters of Book 1. I feel my writing has improved since then, and that the current ratings are something of a disservice to Dashiell and Regina. Therefore, if you have enjoyed that story, I would ask for your reviews there as well.
I appreciate any and all feedback. I really just want to spread the word to as many people as possible.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Advertising Update #5
So I experimented with having two ad boxes on Superstition, one skyscraper and one half-banner. Given that the half-banner rarely sold its space and the fact that I am now advertising on An Empire of Law, I decided to ditch the second ad on Superstition.
I don't think it would have been so bad, except that it really was only rarely filled, and since the Superstition color scheme is black, and the empty Project Wonderful ad is white, I felt it was creating an awful clash.
Additionally, I think I'm going to do some PW advertising of An Empire of Law. My Superstition ad brought in a lot of traffic, and many of you stayed. Now, I want to get the word out on my other project. So look for a banner at a webnovel near you!
And hey, if you want to give me a link in your sidebar, or spread the word to your friends, well, I'd appreciate that too.
I don't think it would have been so bad, except that it really was only rarely filled, and since the Superstition color scheme is black, and the empty Project Wonderful ad is white, I felt it was creating an awful clash.
Additionally, I think I'm going to do some PW advertising of An Empire of Law. My Superstition ad brought in a lot of traffic, and many of you stayed. Now, I want to get the word out on my other project. So look for a banner at a webnovel near you!
And hey, if you want to give me a link in your sidebar, or spread the word to your friends, well, I'd appreciate that too.
Travelling
For those who may have noticed, the reason I have been updating later than usual is that I am on vacation on the West Coast for the next five or six weeks. I tend to write in the evenings, which meant that, while home on the East Coast, I was posting before midnight EDT. Now, that I'm out west, I'm closer to midnight PDT.
I hope this hasn't been causing problems. But for those in the Eastern United States or Canada, or for my overseas readers, you might consider the update schedule to be a day later than advertised.
But rest assured, I refuse to let my time away from home interfere with my regular updates.
I hope this hasn't been causing problems. But for those in the Eastern United States or Canada, or for my overseas readers, you might consider the update schedule to be a day later than advertised.
But rest assured, I refuse to let my time away from home interfere with my regular updates.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Superstition Book 2
Chapter 1 of the new Superstition story has begun. Join Dashiell and Regina as they try to unravel a brand new caper!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Superstition Book 1 - Done
Well, I just posted the final chapter of Superstition - Book 1 - Something Wicked This Way Comes.
It feels like quite an accomplishment. It's easily the longest piece of original fiction I've ever written, and it clocks in at just under 17,000 words. That's about a third of a nanowrimo. I made a schedule and (largely) stuck to it. A couple of missed deadlines due to life in the real world, and a permanent shift from MF to Tu/Sat updates. But overall, I feel really proud that I accomplished this goal.
I also managed to start another novel, An Empire of Law, in the same time, and I'm 8 chapters and a foreword into that, with more to come. I've successfully updated that on time, MWF for the last two and a half weeks, and I plan to continue.
I will also be returning to the world of Superstition. I just want to take a couple weeks off, while I plot out the next novel. I wrote the first one fairly organically. I knew the basic plot - that it would be based on the witches' spell from MacBeth. And I knew I wanted to end in Arlington National. Beyond that, I basically wrote by the seat of my pants and the pacing suffered because of it. AEOL, on the other hand, was plotted from the beginning, all the way through, and already I've gotten compliments on how much tighter the writing is. So I want to take the time to plan out book 2. I think I know what the major hook will be (which of course, I can't reveal here - it IS a mystery, after all ;)), but I don't know how it's going to play out and how Dash is going to solve the case. I've given myself two weeks to figure it out. Or to come up with a whole new plot device and run from there.
I again want to thank all my readers who've stuck with me. You're the people I write for. I appreciate all the helpful comments and the sense of community many of us seem to have.
I hope you've enjoyed your time here, and I hope you'll stick around. I'm nowhere near done yet.
Thanks,
ATM
It feels like quite an accomplishment. It's easily the longest piece of original fiction I've ever written, and it clocks in at just under 17,000 words. That's about a third of a nanowrimo. I made a schedule and (largely) stuck to it. A couple of missed deadlines due to life in the real world, and a permanent shift from MF to Tu/Sat updates. But overall, I feel really proud that I accomplished this goal.
I also managed to start another novel, An Empire of Law, in the same time, and I'm 8 chapters and a foreword into that, with more to come. I've successfully updated that on time, MWF for the last two and a half weeks, and I plan to continue.
I will also be returning to the world of Superstition. I just want to take a couple weeks off, while I plot out the next novel. I wrote the first one fairly organically. I knew the basic plot - that it would be based on the witches' spell from MacBeth. And I knew I wanted to end in Arlington National. Beyond that, I basically wrote by the seat of my pants and the pacing suffered because of it. AEOL, on the other hand, was plotted from the beginning, all the way through, and already I've gotten compliments on how much tighter the writing is. So I want to take the time to plan out book 2. I think I know what the major hook will be (which of course, I can't reveal here - it IS a mystery, after all ;)), but I don't know how it's going to play out and how Dash is going to solve the case. I've given myself two weeks to figure it out. Or to come up with a whole new plot device and run from there.
I again want to thank all my readers who've stuck with me. You're the people I write for. I appreciate all the helpful comments and the sense of community many of us seem to have.
I hope you've enjoyed your time here, and I hope you'll stick around. I'm nowhere near done yet.
Thanks,
ATM
Friday, May 16, 2008
Magician's Merger
I owe Xenophon Hendrix a note of thanks for linking Superstition on his blog. The readership has increased dramatically as a result. So thanks, Xenophon!
Additionally, I wanted to say I've spent the past couple days reading through his own story, Magician's Merger. It's an interesting story about an 11 year old boy who wakes up with an ancient magician in his head. The story reads very well and the plot is a unique take on the genre. I highly recommend it.
Additionally, I wanted to say I've spent the past couple days reading through his own story, Magician's Merger. It's an interesting story about an 11 year old boy who wakes up with an ancient magician in his head. The story reads very well and the plot is a unique take on the genre. I highly recommend it.
Monday, May 12, 2008
New Book Up
My new book, An Empire of Law, has begun. This book is a low-magic fantasy, set in a world of my creation. So far, there are four chapters to read, including a Foreword.
I am not abandoning Superstition. But the first book is coming to a close, and I wanted to have something going before I ended it, so that you, the readers, wouldn't go without some of my writing. Also, I think it may appeal to a different set of readers. But of course, I'd love it if everyone reading Superstition read AEOL (you're welcome, Gavin).
AEOL updates MWF, and I will continue with the Tuesday/Saturday updates for Superstition until Book 1 ends. Then, I'll take a couple weeks off of Superstition while I plot out the next adventure of Dashiell and Regina. The nice thing about that particular setting is that it feels much more serial - it lends itself to shorter stories, but with greater possibilities over time. In fact, I had originally envisioned it as a potential TV series idea (hey, every writer wants to work in Hollywood at some point, right?).
AEOL, on the other hand, is much more geared to be an epic, along the lines of No Man an Island, or something by Tolkein or Jordon (without a book that covers four days where nothing happens (sorry - couldn't resist)).
Hopefully you'll enjoy both stories.
And, as always, thanks for reading!
I am not abandoning Superstition. But the first book is coming to a close, and I wanted to have something going before I ended it, so that you, the readers, wouldn't go without some of my writing. Also, I think it may appeal to a different set of readers. But of course, I'd love it if everyone reading Superstition read AEOL (you're welcome, Gavin).
AEOL updates MWF, and I will continue with the Tuesday/Saturday updates for Superstition until Book 1 ends. Then, I'll take a couple weeks off of Superstition while I plot out the next adventure of Dashiell and Regina. The nice thing about that particular setting is that it feels much more serial - it lends itself to shorter stories, but with greater possibilities over time. In fact, I had originally envisioned it as a potential TV series idea (hey, every writer wants to work in Hollywood at some point, right?).
AEOL, on the other hand, is much more geared to be an epic, along the lines of No Man an Island, or something by Tolkein or Jordon (without a book that covers four days where nothing happens (sorry - couldn't resist)).
Hopefully you'll enjoy both stories.
And, as always, thanks for reading!
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