Saludos!
Well, Solstice has just gotten another review! Woohoo!! This one is by Lisa Alvarado, a noted Chicana author (Sister Chicas), poet, and performance artist, and regular contributor to La Bloga! And it’s a good one ^^; In fact, Ms. Alvarado has this to say about the book:
"It's a clever spin and a birthing of a universe equal to Dick's replicants and humans in Blade Runner, or Marv Wolfman's skinwalkers and vampires in Blade…While Dick's influence is clear, Silva's terrain is a unique one, his style noirish, his female characters strong and tender, ruthless and unstoppable."
…....wow ^___^; I highly encourage you to stop by La Bloga and read the rest. La Bloga is a site run by a group of prominent Chicano authors and writers, and dedicated to the reviews, discussion, and exposure of new Latino/a creative voices. Needless to say, I consider it an absolute honor to be mentioned on their site. So Lisa, muchas gracias!!! ^__^
Some other stuff has been going on as of late. Let’s see…
Well, as I mentioned the last time I wrote in this thing, I finished my first draft of my new novel, a comedic satire I’ve entitled Inventing Vazquez. I’ve decided to put the book away for a month before starting on the rewrite, to kind of clear my head and approach the book in January with fresh eyes. But I’m excited about having finished the draft all the same, especially because now I can start thinking in terms of ‘when will this be published?’ In fact, assuming I’m going the self-publishing route again (and given the unexpected success of Solstice, it’s not an idea I’m adverse to), I think I’m going to shoot for an early 2009 release ^^;; Hey, I’m crazy, I know.
Of course, in the meantime, with a month to spare before picking up Inventing Vazquez again, I’ve decided to start working on my new novel. Only problem is…transitioning from Inventing Vazquez’ light-hearted, mirthful tone, to The Mourning Syndrome’s dreary, depressing, and apocalyptic tone, is proving more of a challenge than I thought. I hope to start writing soon, because I really want to get going on it. Just have to finish outlining the plot, the main characters, and a single plot-related question that has, so far, been unanswerable. I guess I have to keep brainstorming. And watching Kairo 15 more times ^^;;;
It’s funny, too. I know some people have expressed concern over my schizophrenic writing projects (i.e., end of the world story, happy story, back to end of the world story, next one probably happy again). And I know that, given the fact that I’m trying to establish myself as a speculative fiction writer, Inventing Vazquez could be a problem to market. Still, I haven’t let that stop me. Not only was the new book a lot of fun to write, but the truth is…it tells a story that I think needs to be told. That’s to say, I have some thoughts on Hollywood and its portrayal of Latino/as and people of color, and Inventing Vazquez gives voice to those thoughts. So I’m not really worrying about whether it’s wise, career-wise, to publish it. I’ll do so regardless, and let the chips fall where they may.
Oh, I’m starting to take up some other projects as well. In fact, I just wrote a review of a Japanese movie called Dragon Head for Quiet Earth, and you can read it here. It’s given me the idea that, considering how much I LOVE Japanese and Asian horror movies, I might start a review blog for them. So there’s that. Also, I’m meeting with Christopher from Urban Molecule next week in NYC, and there’s a chance I might be able to contribute something to them, which would be really exciting. I guess I had to come out of my writing shell at some point, huh? ^^;
Okay, I’ve babbled long enough. And don’t forget to buy your copy of Solstice at our site or anywhere where books are sold! After all, nothing says, “happy holidays, I really love/like/marginally tolerate you, so here’s a joyous gift for you” than a book about the end of the world ^^;;
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
So very close…
Saludos!
Well, things are a bit quiet for now. And they might be even quieter in a few days. That’s because I’m a chapter and a half away from finishing the first draft of my new novel ^^;; Total madness, I tells ya… Even my girlfriend is stunned at the insane pace I’ve been able to keep up. Although I keep telling her, it’s like this novel is writing itself. Since it’s a much more lighthearted subject matter than Solstice, it was more fun to write, and hence, easier to do so. Of course, it’s only the first draft. And I already have a laundry list of changes in mind. To say nothing of the changes that will have to be made once my editor takes a first hack at it *wink wink*.
At the rate I’m going, it’s conceivable that I’ll actually finish the novel tonight. But, for the sake of playing it safe, I’m going to say that I expect to finish it tomorrow night ^^; Maybe then I’ll share with you all the title I’ve given it ^^;
What’s funny about the whole thing is that, in a way, I’ve caught myself unprepared for the next step: starting the next novel. Yes, the next novel.
See, the thing is, my current novel is a comedic satire about a mousy, soft-spoken protagonist who, literally and figuratively, has to find her voice in order to deal with the film industry. Her character is funny, witty, conversational, and very friendly. For this past year, I’ve forced myself to see the world through her eyes to write her story. And I’ve been saying all along that this novel is a FAR cry from Solstice. Whereas Solstice is about…well…the end of the world ^^;, the new one is more about films and their portrayal of race relations in the U.S. It’s about the things we see, and don’t see, in Hollywood. And it’s supposed to be comedic ^^;
So why is all this a problem for the next one? Possibly because I’m reverting back to my doom-and-gloom style of writing ^^;; The next novel, which I’ve tentatively titled The Mourning Syndrome, is going to be another heartwarming tale about…the end of the world ^^;; Eep. And it’s going to be very eerie, very dreary, and very…um…dark (sorry, couldn’t think of another word that rhymed). In other words, it’s going to be another COMPLETE departure from my current novel.
I plan to put away my current novel for a month once I complete it. That will give me time to forget about it, and then come back to it fresh next year to start working on editing and rewriting it. In that time, I’m certain to start work on The Mourning Syndrome. Which is why I think I’ve caught myself unprepared for it given the frantic pace that I maintained writing this last one. I feel like I’m going to have to switch gears in mid-stride, and start writing a very dark, very creepy story right on the heels of something that was lighthearted and comedic.
I told my girlfriend that, in order to prep myself for it, I might just have to watch Kairo (the original Japanese version of The Pulse) 17 times just to put myself in the mood, although hopefully I Am Legend will work too (I am GEEKED about seeing that one! You know me and my love of all things apocalyptic ^^). So who knows how the transition into The Mourning Syndrome will work out. Hopefully I won’t break something ^^;;
I wonder if I should even start working on that one at all. See, one of the things I’ve also realized as I stand a chapter and a half away from finishing my next novel, is that I have quite a few options open to me. There’s The Mourning Syndrome of course. And there’s the sequel to Solstice that I have planned. And there’s another project I have in mind, a comedy about…the end of the world ^^; That one, in particular, is only on the drawing board, but I think it’ll be a great opportunity to write another apocalyptic novel, but in a way that allows me to use the writing style I used and loved with my new novel. But like I said, that idea is the least developed of all, and my girlfriend really thinks I should work on The Mourning Syndrome first. Especially since its message is more relevant to our current socio-political climate. And, well, I think it’s too soon still for the sequel to Solstice ^^; We’ll see, I guess. It’s nice to have choices, though.
So this week should be interesting. If I can finish my novel, I’m going to throw a party (well, not really), watch a movie…and then get right back to work ^^;
Oh, one more thing. There’s a chance Solstice will receive another review from Horrorwatch.com. I got in touch with one of their staff members, who kindly agreed to read and maybe review the book on their site. That would be huge, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed hard ^^;
Okay, I’ll shut up now ^^;
Well, things are a bit quiet for now. And they might be even quieter in a few days. That’s because I’m a chapter and a half away from finishing the first draft of my new novel ^^;; Total madness, I tells ya… Even my girlfriend is stunned at the insane pace I’ve been able to keep up. Although I keep telling her, it’s like this novel is writing itself. Since it’s a much more lighthearted subject matter than Solstice, it was more fun to write, and hence, easier to do so. Of course, it’s only the first draft. And I already have a laundry list of changes in mind. To say nothing of the changes that will have to be made once my editor takes a first hack at it *wink wink*.
At the rate I’m going, it’s conceivable that I’ll actually finish the novel tonight. But, for the sake of playing it safe, I’m going to say that I expect to finish it tomorrow night ^^; Maybe then I’ll share with you all the title I’ve given it ^^;
What’s funny about the whole thing is that, in a way, I’ve caught myself unprepared for the next step: starting the next novel. Yes, the next novel.
See, the thing is, my current novel is a comedic satire about a mousy, soft-spoken protagonist who, literally and figuratively, has to find her voice in order to deal with the film industry. Her character is funny, witty, conversational, and very friendly. For this past year, I’ve forced myself to see the world through her eyes to write her story. And I’ve been saying all along that this novel is a FAR cry from Solstice. Whereas Solstice is about…well…the end of the world ^^;, the new one is more about films and their portrayal of race relations in the U.S. It’s about the things we see, and don’t see, in Hollywood. And it’s supposed to be comedic ^^;
So why is all this a problem for the next one? Possibly because I’m reverting back to my doom-and-gloom style of writing ^^;; The next novel, which I’ve tentatively titled The Mourning Syndrome, is going to be another heartwarming tale about…the end of the world ^^;; Eep. And it’s going to be very eerie, very dreary, and very…um…dark (sorry, couldn’t think of another word that rhymed). In other words, it’s going to be another COMPLETE departure from my current novel.
I plan to put away my current novel for a month once I complete it. That will give me time to forget about it, and then come back to it fresh next year to start working on editing and rewriting it. In that time, I’m certain to start work on The Mourning Syndrome. Which is why I think I’ve caught myself unprepared for it given the frantic pace that I maintained writing this last one. I feel like I’m going to have to switch gears in mid-stride, and start writing a very dark, very creepy story right on the heels of something that was lighthearted and comedic.
I told my girlfriend that, in order to prep myself for it, I might just have to watch Kairo (the original Japanese version of The Pulse) 17 times just to put myself in the mood, although hopefully I Am Legend will work too (I am GEEKED about seeing that one! You know me and my love of all things apocalyptic ^^). So who knows how the transition into The Mourning Syndrome will work out. Hopefully I won’t break something ^^;;
I wonder if I should even start working on that one at all. See, one of the things I’ve also realized as I stand a chapter and a half away from finishing my next novel, is that I have quite a few options open to me. There’s The Mourning Syndrome of course. And there’s the sequel to Solstice that I have planned. And there’s another project I have in mind, a comedy about…the end of the world ^^; That one, in particular, is only on the drawing board, but I think it’ll be a great opportunity to write another apocalyptic novel, but in a way that allows me to use the writing style I used and loved with my new novel. But like I said, that idea is the least developed of all, and my girlfriend really thinks I should work on The Mourning Syndrome first. Especially since its message is more relevant to our current socio-political climate. And, well, I think it’s too soon still for the sequel to Solstice ^^; We’ll see, I guess. It’s nice to have choices, though.
So this week should be interesting. If I can finish my novel, I’m going to throw a party (well, not really), watch a movie…and then get right back to work ^^;
Oh, one more thing. There’s a chance Solstice will receive another review from Horrorwatch.com. I got in touch with one of their staff members, who kindly agreed to read and maybe review the book on their site. That would be huge, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed hard ^^;
Okay, I’ll shut up now ^^;
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
What a ride!
I got back from NYC yesterday after taking part in this year's 20th Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair in New York City. What a crazy few weeks these past ones have been! Between two book signings at local Barnes and Nobles and now the book fair, it seemed that November (and early December) were all about getting the word out. Which is good, because that’s the only way people are going to know about Solstice ^^;
The book fair was pretty good. Though none of the big industry names that were supposed to be there showed up, it was still a good chance to promote the book with readers, and to get to meet some very cool people. I ended up selling 10 copies of Solstice, too ^__^
I got to chat with some fellow self-publishers and authors, including Marc L. Abbott who wrote The Hooky Party, and with Polly Frost, an author of erotica who gave me a copy of her book, Deep Inside. Very cool people who were great to talk to and get to know! Did a book exchange with them, so I’m looking forward to reading their work.
Also got to meet and chat with a lot of up-and-coming authors. Two of my customers, in fact—Lauren Small and Fayomi—are writers looking to publish (actually, Lauren is already published) and are considering the self-publishing route for their future works. It was fun to be able to talk with them about the long, but rewarding, process of self-publishing a book. Another future writer, a young man named David, bought two copies ^^; It was great to be able to talk to him about the writing process, and to hear about his great ideas for his first novel. If you’re reading this, David, remember: write, write, write! Some stories have to be told ^_^ Another of my customers was the actual Assistant Director of the whole book fair, Christopher de la Torre, who himself is a speculative fiction writer and member of a coming e-zine, Urban Molecule. Also got to chat with a fellow Latina writer, Jaqueline Donado of NY Book Expo. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to you, but thank you for the copy of your book! I hope you also enjoy Solstice!
Overall, I’d say it was just a rewarding experience because of the many interactions I was able to have with customers and non-customers alike. Since I only sold 10 copies, you can say that I took a big loss on the whole thing (when factoring registration and transportation costs). But I actually see the experience as a complete success. It was invigorating and rewarding just to be there, talking to people about Solstice, watching them take an interest in the story, taking the bookmarks I printed out for the fair. It’s a thrill unlike many others to have others express an interest in your work, even if they don’t buy a copy. And when they do, it’s an amazing experience to think that they’re going to read your words, and hopefully enjoy them.
Being there, I felt part of a writer’s community for the first time. Because, surrounded by writers and publishers like myself, I realized that we are a community, and it’s one that’s always inviting new members. I guess that’s why I love talking to people about writing—I always want others to discover this incredible joy that is writing, publishing, and promoting your work. That’s why I’m always badgering my friends Dan and James into writing. I guess I just want others to be able to share in this incredible experience.
So, thanks to all of you who bought a copy of Solstice at the fair, or who took the time to chat with me, or who just passed by and said hello! Thanks to all of you, including Christopher, David, Jacqueline, Polly, Lauren, Fayomi, and Marc, who shared your works and your ideas with me! Now I gotta get to work and follow up with you!
I’m excited to mention a couple of other things. I’ve now passed the 1300 book sales mark, and my distributor is now recommending I send over another 850 copies even though they still have 355 in stock. I am looking into just sending them my remaining stock (about 1500 copies). And if they sell those…are we looking at a reprint of Solstice??? @___@ Wow…
And the first draft of my next novel is almost done! I’ve mapped out the rest of the story, and I have exactly nine chapters and the epilogue to go! But considering that two weeks ago I was punching out a chapter a day, it’s now conceivable that I can meet my goal of finishing the first draft before the end of the year. The projected page total? A whopping 800-900 pages! ^^;; Eep… I really want to push myself and finish it; my mom really wants to read it, and I’d like to have it to her by the time I go back home for the New Year’s celebration in three weeks.
Okay, I’ve babbled too much again, as usual ^^;;
The book fair was pretty good. Though none of the big industry names that were supposed to be there showed up, it was still a good chance to promote the book with readers, and to get to meet some very cool people. I ended up selling 10 copies of Solstice, too ^__^
I got to chat with some fellow self-publishers and authors, including Marc L. Abbott who wrote The Hooky Party, and with Polly Frost, an author of erotica who gave me a copy of her book, Deep Inside. Very cool people who were great to talk to and get to know! Did a book exchange with them, so I’m looking forward to reading their work.
Also got to meet and chat with a lot of up-and-coming authors. Two of my customers, in fact—Lauren Small and Fayomi—are writers looking to publish (actually, Lauren is already published) and are considering the self-publishing route for their future works. It was fun to be able to talk with them about the long, but rewarding, process of self-publishing a book. Another future writer, a young man named David, bought two copies ^^; It was great to be able to talk to him about the writing process, and to hear about his great ideas for his first novel. If you’re reading this, David, remember: write, write, write! Some stories have to be told ^_^ Another of my customers was the actual Assistant Director of the whole book fair, Christopher de la Torre, who himself is a speculative fiction writer and member of a coming e-zine, Urban Molecule. Also got to chat with a fellow Latina writer, Jaqueline Donado of NY Book Expo. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to you, but thank you for the copy of your book! I hope you also enjoy Solstice!
Overall, I’d say it was just a rewarding experience because of the many interactions I was able to have with customers and non-customers alike. Since I only sold 10 copies, you can say that I took a big loss on the whole thing (when factoring registration and transportation costs). But I actually see the experience as a complete success. It was invigorating and rewarding just to be there, talking to people about Solstice, watching them take an interest in the story, taking the bookmarks I printed out for the fair. It’s a thrill unlike many others to have others express an interest in your work, even if they don’t buy a copy. And when they do, it’s an amazing experience to think that they’re going to read your words, and hopefully enjoy them.
Being there, I felt part of a writer’s community for the first time. Because, surrounded by writers and publishers like myself, I realized that we are a community, and it’s one that’s always inviting new members. I guess that’s why I love talking to people about writing—I always want others to discover this incredible joy that is writing, publishing, and promoting your work. That’s why I’m always badgering my friends Dan and James into writing. I guess I just want others to be able to share in this incredible experience.
So, thanks to all of you who bought a copy of Solstice at the fair, or who took the time to chat with me, or who just passed by and said hello! Thanks to all of you, including Christopher, David, Jacqueline, Polly, Lauren, Fayomi, and Marc, who shared your works and your ideas with me! Now I gotta get to work and follow up with you!
I’m excited to mention a couple of other things. I’ve now passed the 1300 book sales mark, and my distributor is now recommending I send over another 850 copies even though they still have 355 in stock. I am looking into just sending them my remaining stock (about 1500 copies). And if they sell those…are we looking at a reprint of Solstice??? @___@ Wow…
And the first draft of my next novel is almost done! I’ve mapped out the rest of the story, and I have exactly nine chapters and the epilogue to go! But considering that two weeks ago I was punching out a chapter a day, it’s now conceivable that I can meet my goal of finishing the first draft before the end of the year. The projected page total? A whopping 800-900 pages! ^^;; Eep… I really want to push myself and finish it; my mom really wants to read it, and I’d like to have it to her by the time I go back home for the New Year’s celebration in three weeks.
Okay, I’ve babbled too much again, as usual ^^;;
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