Sorry, trying to go for some alliteration there…
So it’s an exciting weekend coming up. My girlfriend and I are going to Chicago for many fun reasons. We’re primarily going to see Margaret Cho at the State Theater. We’re both huge fans of her. Not to mention, one of the main characters in Inventing Vazquez is inspired by her ^^; So we’re both really excited about that.
Another big part of this trip is research. Yep, since Inventing Vazquez takes place in Chicago, we’re going to be doing some onsite research to figure some of the book’s details. We’ll be looking at neighborhoods, for example, where some of the characters live, and we’ll be going to the Navy Pier to map out the novel’s big chase scene. Yes, a chase scene ^_^; Really looking forward to going to the Pilsen neighborhood, too, and seeing the National Museum of Mexican Art.
But perhaps best of all, we’ll be meeting Lisa Alvarado, author of Sister Chicas and regular contributor to La Bloga. You might remember that she wrote a wonderful review of Solstice a while back. Well, I wanted to meet up with her to thank her for her review, and just touch base with a fellow Latina writer. So I’m really looking forward to that…and getting her to sign my copy of Sister Chicas ^_^;
So what else is up? Inventing Vazquez is coming along. I now have less than 150 pages to go before the next draft is done, and I’m pleased with the results so far. The rewrite is definitely funnier this time around, as well as more profane. Ugh, that’s one thing about this novel: it will NOT be for anyone who can’t stand profanity or vulgarity. Maybe it’s a bit too profane thanks to the antics of this one character, but time will tell whether that’s a detriment or not. I figure I’ll start looking for an agent by the end of May, but we’ll see, I guess.
So what else is going on? Nothing much. Cloverfield finally came out on DVD yesterday, and of course, I had to buy a copy. How do I feel about that movie? Pretty much the same way I felt when I reviewed it for Quiet Earth ^_^; Loved it, and it’s probably my favorite monster movie of all time. It won’t be for everyone, obviously, but I think there’s just something so H.P. Lovecraft about the way the film hides the monster from view throughout most of the film. And I think the film’s portrayal of the military struggle against it is the grittiest I’ve ever seen. There’s no dramatic score to augment the tension, no heroic guns-blazing charge by some super-soldier, no cheesy model planes and tanks taking pot shots at the creature. The military struggle is scattered, desperate, and appropriately futile.
So that’s what’s going on right now. Chicago. Inventing Vazquez. Cloverfield. And, hopefully, new laminate hardwood flooring for my study soon, because I ripped out the carpet only to find that the existing hardwoods were in crappy condition. ^_^;
And, oh, remember to buy Solstice. It’s what Frodo would have wanted…
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Thoughts on Solstice…and a first bad review!
So for a while, it was looking like I wasn’t going to have distribution for Solstice anymore. Ever since Bookmasters bought out Biblio, the transition to the new distributor has been anything but seamless. Most troubling of all was an invoice issue that involved some returns from Borders. The new distributor wanted to charge me directly for the returns, even though Biblio maintained a reserve fund specifically for that purpose. Anyway, after talking to the main account person this morning, the issue was resolved, so now things are cool. I hope they stay that way. I was dreading having to handle all distribution and fulfillment by myself.
Still, it was an encouraging phone call this morning. The account person from Biblio remarked on how strong our sales of Solstice were. And, more importantly, how few returns we actually had. I could tell from his tone of voice that he genuinely believed the novel did very well. So much so he asked if there were other projects on the horizon. Alas, there are none; I’m thinking at this point that I will go agent-or-bust with the next novel, so maybe Solstice will end up being my only self-published venture.
Still, his comments re-affirmed my belief that the book was, by all accounts, a small success. More than 1,400 copies sold in less than six months, five premier reviews, two book signings, one book expo, and two interviews. ^_^ Not too shabby for a publishing project as poorly funded as this one was ^^; I got lucky, I suppose. And luckier still that I have such supportive family and friends.
Speaking of reviews, Solstice got another one! Only this one was…well…not so positive. ^_^; A new online publication, Speakerphone Magazine, gave the book a bad review. Not just bad; outright nasty. Which makes it really difficult to understand and process their critique since it was more destructive than constructive. I mean, anytime you’re talking about how it’s a fast read because you want to get past it and go on to something good, well…that’s not exactly the most constructive, or professional, thing you can say as a reviewer.
I don’t know. As a reviewer for Quiet Earth now, I try to abide by a couple of basic rules that I used throughout my teaching years. Rule number 1: Always have something positive to say. Even if the thing you’re reviewing is the worst thing you’ve ever seen, have at least one positive thing to say. Because even the worst things will have at least one good thing going for it, something the author/director/student can build upon for future works. And because it shows a basic sense of respect for the person you’re critiquing. Rule number 2: Always back up your claims. If you’re going to argue that something doesn’t make sense or something simply doesn’t work, explain and demonstrate why. Don’t just say, “this sucks” and leave it to the reader to guess why.
I think that’s what bugs me the most about this review. I know Solstice wasn’t going to be for everyone. And like anything else, some people are going to love the book, and others are going to hate it. That’s the way it is with any creative work, and no serious writer is foolish enough to expect everyone is going to adore their work. But this review, well, their main issue was that the storyline was predictable and the same old end-of-the-world stuff. Well, um…yeah! ^_^ That’s why it’s listed on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and libraries and everywhere else as apocalyptic fiction ^^; Their next big gripe was my use of metaphors, which they say didn’t complement the ‘choppy’ writing style. Apparently, my bad use of metaphors only served to make the book sound pretentious and smarter than it actually was ^_^; Well, what would have been nice is if the reviewer had bothered throwing in an example or two to demonstrate this. If nothing else, it would certainly help me see what they meant, and work on improving that problem for subsequent works. But alas, there are no examples, just a vague blanket statement about bad metaphors. Which were apparently bad enough to scuttle the entire book ^_^
I guess you can say they said something positive about the book: that it wasn’t the worst book ever written! So I got that going for me at least, which is nice ^_^;
Well, enough venting. It was just kind of odd to see people being so nasty and trashing the book without giving any real or constructive insight as to how they thought it could have been better.
Anyway, I’m happy to report that the rewrite of Inventing Vazquez is now more than halfway done. Which means I should have the draft ready by the middle or end of May. I have to admit, I am really enjoying writing this novel far more than Solstice, because it’s so much fun to write comedy. What this means in terms of my long-term writing career I still don’t know, but I think I did hit upon one thing at least. I seem to have a better time writing in the first person. I think it makes the characters seem more real, more introspective, and a lot easier to get to know.
Finding an agent will be a challenge. More so, probably, because Solstice was sci-fi, and this is going to be comedy. I hope I haven’t dug too deep a hole for myself ^^; But hey, that’s not going to stop me!
Anyway, remember to pick up your copy of Solstice for the kids ^^; Solstice is…um…a bright…breath of fresh air…in the…sordid silence…of swamphood!
Still, it was an encouraging phone call this morning. The account person from Biblio remarked on how strong our sales of Solstice were. And, more importantly, how few returns we actually had. I could tell from his tone of voice that he genuinely believed the novel did very well. So much so he asked if there were other projects on the horizon. Alas, there are none; I’m thinking at this point that I will go agent-or-bust with the next novel, so maybe Solstice will end up being my only self-published venture.
Still, his comments re-affirmed my belief that the book was, by all accounts, a small success. More than 1,400 copies sold in less than six months, five premier reviews, two book signings, one book expo, and two interviews. ^_^ Not too shabby for a publishing project as poorly funded as this one was ^^; I got lucky, I suppose. And luckier still that I have such supportive family and friends.
Speaking of reviews, Solstice got another one! Only this one was…well…not so positive. ^_^; A new online publication, Speakerphone Magazine, gave the book a bad review. Not just bad; outright nasty. Which makes it really difficult to understand and process their critique since it was more destructive than constructive. I mean, anytime you’re talking about how it’s a fast read because you want to get past it and go on to something good, well…that’s not exactly the most constructive, or professional, thing you can say as a reviewer.
I don’t know. As a reviewer for Quiet Earth now, I try to abide by a couple of basic rules that I used throughout my teaching years. Rule number 1: Always have something positive to say. Even if the thing you’re reviewing is the worst thing you’ve ever seen, have at least one positive thing to say. Because even the worst things will have at least one good thing going for it, something the author/director/student can build upon for future works. And because it shows a basic sense of respect for the person you’re critiquing. Rule number 2: Always back up your claims. If you’re going to argue that something doesn’t make sense or something simply doesn’t work, explain and demonstrate why. Don’t just say, “this sucks” and leave it to the reader to guess why.
I think that’s what bugs me the most about this review. I know Solstice wasn’t going to be for everyone. And like anything else, some people are going to love the book, and others are going to hate it. That’s the way it is with any creative work, and no serious writer is foolish enough to expect everyone is going to adore their work. But this review, well, their main issue was that the storyline was predictable and the same old end-of-the-world stuff. Well, um…yeah! ^_^ That’s why it’s listed on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and libraries and everywhere else as apocalyptic fiction ^^; Their next big gripe was my use of metaphors, which they say didn’t complement the ‘choppy’ writing style. Apparently, my bad use of metaphors only served to make the book sound pretentious and smarter than it actually was ^_^; Well, what would have been nice is if the reviewer had bothered throwing in an example or two to demonstrate this. If nothing else, it would certainly help me see what they meant, and work on improving that problem for subsequent works. But alas, there are no examples, just a vague blanket statement about bad metaphors. Which were apparently bad enough to scuttle the entire book ^_^
I guess you can say they said something positive about the book: that it wasn’t the worst book ever written! So I got that going for me at least, which is nice ^_^;
Well, enough venting. It was just kind of odd to see people being so nasty and trashing the book without giving any real or constructive insight as to how they thought it could have been better.
Anyway, I’m happy to report that the rewrite of Inventing Vazquez is now more than halfway done. Which means I should have the draft ready by the middle or end of May. I have to admit, I am really enjoying writing this novel far more than Solstice, because it’s so much fun to write comedy. What this means in terms of my long-term writing career I still don’t know, but I think I did hit upon one thing at least. I seem to have a better time writing in the first person. I think it makes the characters seem more real, more introspective, and a lot easier to get to know.
Finding an agent will be a challenge. More so, probably, because Solstice was sci-fi, and this is going to be comedy. I hope I haven’t dug too deep a hole for myself ^^; But hey, that’s not going to stop me!
Anyway, remember to pick up your copy of Solstice for the kids ^^; Solstice is…um…a bright…breath of fresh air…in the…sordid silence…of swamphood!
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Last Person In the World…or the Silliest?
Ah, the joys of enjoying things that don’t necessarily go together. Like apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic goodness…and humor.
I finally watched I Am Legend this week, and despite my general agreement with the critics that the third act is weaker than the rest of the film, I still loved it. Will Smith proves, once again, that he alone can carry a film. And for any fan of post-apocalyptic imagery and survival narratives, wow, the film is solid gold. In particular, I really love the first act, where we see his daily routines, and where we share his dread of night. I love the scene where he’s bathing his dog, Sam, and his alarm goes off. The fear that paralyzes him carries through nicely into the next scene, where he’s lying in the bathtub, rifle in hand, hearing the howls and screams of the infected running around outside his house. Totally creepy…
Having watched I Am Legend, as well as the original Shutter (a Thai horror flick that’s as good as any of the best J- and K-horror films out there), I’m reminded of why I wrote Solstice in the first place. My love of all things post-apocalyptic, as well as my fascination with horror and the supernatural, have had such a huge influence on the way I write and the things I write. Throughout the years, I always felt that there weren’t enough good movies or books about the end of the world. I always wanted more, and I wanted stories that fused together both sci-fi and horror elements. So I guess Solstice was my first stab at trying to add to the post-apocalyptic cannon. Wow, that sounds pretentious… Anyway, it’s also why I want to continue writing uplifting stories about the end of the world, such as The Mourning Syndrome ^_^ It’s just a lot of fun for me to sit down, envision these terrible survival scenarios, and playing them out on paper (actually, on a word processor).
There’s only one problem. I also love to laugh. As I continue to work on the next draft of my new novel, Inventing Vazquez, I’m reminded of how much fun it is to write comedy. And make no mistake, Inventing Vazquez is a comedic satire, and a very funny one according to my first two test readers, one of whom claims she nearly died laughing on the bus during this one scene. My humor tends to gravitate toward the zany, borrowing comedic elements from a wide range of influences, including The Simpsons, Monty Python, Margaret Cho, and the Coen brothers. So writing humor tends to be just as enjoyable for me as writing dreary, somber fiction about the end of the world. Probably more so, because it’s a more free-spirited writing style. Like you’re releasing your literary id or something.
So as I’m working on Inventing Vazquez, I’m already thinking of expanding the story into a sequel. In fact, if this first book is addressing the representation of Latino/as in movies, I’ve already thought that a possible sequel could involve politics. Which sounds great and all. Especially since I really love the group of characters I’m working with, and would love to continue to work with them.
This is where things get confusing for me as a writer. I want to tell very different kinds of stories. On the one hand, every time I watch a movie like I Am Legend (and there’s a slew of post-apocalyptic films coming out in the next several months), I’m inspired to write stories like it. And with The Mourning Syndrome, I definitely have a story that will again combine my favorite elements—sci-fi, apocalyptic fiction, and supernatural horror. In some ways, The Mourning Syndrome will probably be darker than Solstice…if that’s possible ^^;
But then, when I start thinking on the comedic possibilities of the Inventing Vazquez storyline, I want to keep writing that. Having had so much fun writing Liliana’s story, it’s like, I want to keep doing so. And I guess I like making people laugh. Humor tends to be my expressive model of choice (even at work, my best pieces have been the ones where I’ve been allowed to be humorous), and so it seems to flow more naturally out of me.
What to do? Who knows. In an ideal world, I’d quit my job and dedicate myself to writing full-time, using the day to write my comedies, and the night to write my apocalyptic stories. But alas, that isn’t going to happen. Not unless I win the lottery. Which would be doubly miraculous considering I don’t even play the lottery! ^^;
Still, there’s this one story I have in the back of my head, one that might be a nice way of reconciling the chasm between my writing preferences. There’s a story on the drawing board that would be sort of a comedic take on apocalyptic fiction, a story that would spoof all of us that go gaga every time something like I Am Legend hits the screens. I’ve thought of several possible scenes, and think it’s a promising enough idea to pursue sometime soon.
I guess it’s just frustrating, though. Ideas, I have plenty. My novel queue is already log jammed. Inspiration, I have lots of. The only thing I don’t have is time. And an agent ^^; Oh well, just gotta keep plugging away.
I gotta think of new ways to market Solstice. I feel like I’m missing a golden opportunity here to promote the book. The commercial success of films like I Am Legend shows that the post-apocalyptic crowd is alive and well. The fact that Hollywood is making more and more such films is a sign that it’s become trendy again. So here I am, sitting on a novel that will appeal to readers of sci-fi, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic fiction…and struggling to get the word out. I better get on it before this stuff goes out of style again ^_^
Hmmm, one thing I’m going to venture to ask you, kind readers. If you’ve purchased and read Solstice, would you be willing to talk about it online? It can be on a blog, or through a user review on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com, or even on something like goodreads.com or librarything.com. Any way you choose, it’s a great way to help spread the word about Solstice. Because in the absence of a marketing budget, word of mouth is our most effective marketing tool. I’d be deeply appreciative if you’d be willing to do that. Hey, if nothing else, you’d be supporting ‘the little guy’ ^^;
Okay, I’m going to shut up now. ^_^;
I finally watched I Am Legend this week, and despite my general agreement with the critics that the third act is weaker than the rest of the film, I still loved it. Will Smith proves, once again, that he alone can carry a film. And for any fan of post-apocalyptic imagery and survival narratives, wow, the film is solid gold. In particular, I really love the first act, where we see his daily routines, and where we share his dread of night. I love the scene where he’s bathing his dog, Sam, and his alarm goes off. The fear that paralyzes him carries through nicely into the next scene, where he’s lying in the bathtub, rifle in hand, hearing the howls and screams of the infected running around outside his house. Totally creepy…
Having watched I Am Legend, as well as the original Shutter (a Thai horror flick that’s as good as any of the best J- and K-horror films out there), I’m reminded of why I wrote Solstice in the first place. My love of all things post-apocalyptic, as well as my fascination with horror and the supernatural, have had such a huge influence on the way I write and the things I write. Throughout the years, I always felt that there weren’t enough good movies or books about the end of the world. I always wanted more, and I wanted stories that fused together both sci-fi and horror elements. So I guess Solstice was my first stab at trying to add to the post-apocalyptic cannon. Wow, that sounds pretentious… Anyway, it’s also why I want to continue writing uplifting stories about the end of the world, such as The Mourning Syndrome ^_^ It’s just a lot of fun for me to sit down, envision these terrible survival scenarios, and playing them out on paper (actually, on a word processor).
There’s only one problem. I also love to laugh. As I continue to work on the next draft of my new novel, Inventing Vazquez, I’m reminded of how much fun it is to write comedy. And make no mistake, Inventing Vazquez is a comedic satire, and a very funny one according to my first two test readers, one of whom claims she nearly died laughing on the bus during this one scene. My humor tends to gravitate toward the zany, borrowing comedic elements from a wide range of influences, including The Simpsons, Monty Python, Margaret Cho, and the Coen brothers. So writing humor tends to be just as enjoyable for me as writing dreary, somber fiction about the end of the world. Probably more so, because it’s a more free-spirited writing style. Like you’re releasing your literary id or something.
So as I’m working on Inventing Vazquez, I’m already thinking of expanding the story into a sequel. In fact, if this first book is addressing the representation of Latino/as in movies, I’ve already thought that a possible sequel could involve politics. Which sounds great and all. Especially since I really love the group of characters I’m working with, and would love to continue to work with them.
This is where things get confusing for me as a writer. I want to tell very different kinds of stories. On the one hand, every time I watch a movie like I Am Legend (and there’s a slew of post-apocalyptic films coming out in the next several months), I’m inspired to write stories like it. And with The Mourning Syndrome, I definitely have a story that will again combine my favorite elements—sci-fi, apocalyptic fiction, and supernatural horror. In some ways, The Mourning Syndrome will probably be darker than Solstice…if that’s possible ^^;
But then, when I start thinking on the comedic possibilities of the Inventing Vazquez storyline, I want to keep writing that. Having had so much fun writing Liliana’s story, it’s like, I want to keep doing so. And I guess I like making people laugh. Humor tends to be my expressive model of choice (even at work, my best pieces have been the ones where I’ve been allowed to be humorous), and so it seems to flow more naturally out of me.
What to do? Who knows. In an ideal world, I’d quit my job and dedicate myself to writing full-time, using the day to write my comedies, and the night to write my apocalyptic stories. But alas, that isn’t going to happen. Not unless I win the lottery. Which would be doubly miraculous considering I don’t even play the lottery! ^^;
Still, there’s this one story I have in the back of my head, one that might be a nice way of reconciling the chasm between my writing preferences. There’s a story on the drawing board that would be sort of a comedic take on apocalyptic fiction, a story that would spoof all of us that go gaga every time something like I Am Legend hits the screens. I’ve thought of several possible scenes, and think it’s a promising enough idea to pursue sometime soon.
I guess it’s just frustrating, though. Ideas, I have plenty. My novel queue is already log jammed. Inspiration, I have lots of. The only thing I don’t have is time. And an agent ^^; Oh well, just gotta keep plugging away.
I gotta think of new ways to market Solstice. I feel like I’m missing a golden opportunity here to promote the book. The commercial success of films like I Am Legend shows that the post-apocalyptic crowd is alive and well. The fact that Hollywood is making more and more such films is a sign that it’s become trendy again. So here I am, sitting on a novel that will appeal to readers of sci-fi, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic fiction…and struggling to get the word out. I better get on it before this stuff goes out of style again ^_^
Hmmm, one thing I’m going to venture to ask you, kind readers. If you’ve purchased and read Solstice, would you be willing to talk about it online? It can be on a blog, or through a user review on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com, or even on something like goodreads.com or librarything.com. Any way you choose, it’s a great way to help spread the word about Solstice. Because in the absence of a marketing budget, word of mouth is our most effective marketing tool. I’d be deeply appreciative if you’d be willing to do that. Hey, if nothing else, you’d be supporting ‘the little guy’ ^^;
Okay, I’m going to shut up now. ^_^;
Monday, March 10, 2008
A new (and narcissistic) way to promote the book!
Okay, so I know I’ve neglected this blog. And my friends. And my family. And my e-mail contacts (gomenasai, Tsubashi-san!). And everything. But I hope things get better now. That’s because I’ve completed the first step of my new wave of marketing for Solstice. What is it? My own personal web site ^^;
Yep. I’ve taken the plunge into narcissism and created my own web site, ulisessilva.com. Normally, this isn’t the kind of thing I’d want to do. I’m too low-key a person to have ever envisioned a url based on my name. But alas, every book marketing book says that an author site is a must. So there you have it.
Building the thing was a nightmare. It’s been years since I designed and built my own web site, and over the past week or so, I was reminded of why I stopped doing so in the first place. It’s a long and tedious process. Very. Very tedious. Creating all the graphics took me the better part of last week. Actually building the site and its many components took virtually the entire weekend. But it’s done, at least. Yay. So if you’d like to stop by and learn a bit more about yours truly, please stop by! The URL is…well…www.ulisessilva.com. ^_^;
I’m especially happy now that I finally got that done. Because now I’m free to return to Inventing Vazquez. It’s been weeks since I finished the first round of edits, and I’m itching to get started anew and improve upon the first draft. And I hope to start an agent search in earnest by the end of April.
So that’s it for now. This week I’ll also be working on a new promo banner for Solstice, because my friend Don over at Quiet Earth let me know of a cool banner exchange program that will help me promote the book on other sites. For free. Which is kind of nice given my still-non-existent marketing budget ^_^; But hey, we do what we can. That’s about all we can expect.
Oh, one final note. Acid Mothers Temple, the Japanese band who allowed me to use their song, “Pink Lady Lemonade” for the Solstice trailers, is coming back to town later this month. My friends and I are planning to go. I also plan to take a copy of the book and give it to Kawabata Makoto, the band’s guitarist. He was the one, after all who gave me permission to use the song ^_^
Okay, short babble this time. Hopefully, I’ll be better about updating this blog from here on out.
Yep. I’ve taken the plunge into narcissism and created my own web site, ulisessilva.com. Normally, this isn’t the kind of thing I’d want to do. I’m too low-key a person to have ever envisioned a url based on my name. But alas, every book marketing book says that an author site is a must. So there you have it.
Building the thing was a nightmare. It’s been years since I designed and built my own web site, and over the past week or so, I was reminded of why I stopped doing so in the first place. It’s a long and tedious process. Very. Very tedious. Creating all the graphics took me the better part of last week. Actually building the site and its many components took virtually the entire weekend. But it’s done, at least. Yay. So if you’d like to stop by and learn a bit more about yours truly, please stop by! The URL is…well…www.ulisessilva.com. ^_^;
I’m especially happy now that I finally got that done. Because now I’m free to return to Inventing Vazquez. It’s been weeks since I finished the first round of edits, and I’m itching to get started anew and improve upon the first draft. And I hope to start an agent search in earnest by the end of April.
So that’s it for now. This week I’ll also be working on a new promo banner for Solstice, because my friend Don over at Quiet Earth let me know of a cool banner exchange program that will help me promote the book on other sites. For free. Which is kind of nice given my still-non-existent marketing budget ^_^; But hey, we do what we can. That’s about all we can expect.
Oh, one final note. Acid Mothers Temple, the Japanese band who allowed me to use their song, “Pink Lady Lemonade” for the Solstice trailers, is coming back to town later this month. My friends and I are planning to go. I also plan to take a copy of the book and give it to Kawabata Makoto, the band’s guitarist. He was the one, after all who gave me permission to use the song ^_^
Okay, short babble this time. Hopefully, I’ll be better about updating this blog from here on out.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What would it be like?
Hello all, and welcome to another installment of Ulises Babbles On and On ^_^;
So what’s been going on? A few things. I already started editing Inventing Vazquez, and am very excited about where it’s going. I don’t know how long it will take me to edit all 850 pages of it @_@, but I’m hoping I can move quickly and get to a second draft by April. I think that’s feasible.
Part of my urgency now is because I’ve begun to think that I will try and find an agent for Inventing Vazquez. After hearing some disturbing news about small-press distributors, I’ve started to weigh all my options. Self-publishing fiction is always a risk; that goes without saying. But when you throw in something as uncertain as the future of small-press distribution into the mix, it increases that risk. And there’s no denying that Solstice wouldn’t have had its success without the support of Biblio Distribution. They’re the ones who got it into bookstores, after all.
Besides, when I start to think of all that we’ve achieved with Solstice, I sometimes wonder what I could have achieved with the support of an agent, a publisher, and a real marketing budget. Consider the numbers. I wrote, printed, distributed, marketed, and promoted Solstice with an impossibly small budget (roughly $6000 less than the standard budget for self-publishing a book). I had to learn and do a lot of things myself (like typesetting, graphic design, and accounting) in order to save costs. Yet despite it all, we’ve sold more than 1,400 copies in less than four months. That’s about 50% of our total print run thus far. We’ve gotten five reviews (and a possible sixth one coming soon on horrorwatch.com), including in premier publications like Library Journal, and all of them have been positive. We’ve turned a profit, and according to the industry numbers, 95% of self-published books fail to do so. Even with a microscopic budget and a lot of improvisation, Solstice bucked the odds and became a small-time hit in its own right (well, it’s a hit in my own mind, but that’s probably because my only real goal was giving it to my family, not making money).
When I consider what I achieved with Solstice, I wonder what I could have achieved if I’d had a real budget to work with. If, say, I had some money to actually buy some promotional space (I’ve targeted some web sites for advertising, but right now I simply don’t have the cash), or the contacts to spread the word, who knows what Solstice could have become. Given the success it had on such a small scale, I wonder what it would have done on a larger scale.
I think this is one of the reasons why I’m considering going with an agent for Inventing Vazquez, or at least try to (you’ve heard the horror stories about finding an agent, I’m sure). I’m nervous about the distribution aspect, for sure. But I’m confident the new novel is better, and will have a much broader appeal for readers (my two test readers are already saying so, and that the book is really funny), and so I think there’s a chance it can perform well in the literary marketplace. So maybe it’s in my best interest to at least try and land a reputable agent, and see how things work.
Of course, how do you market a doofus that writes an apocalyptic novel about the end of the world, and then a comedic satire about a mousy film consultant? ^_^; Oh well…
I’m not adverse, though, to self-publishing Inventing Vazquez too. The fact is, I love the creative control that comes with self-publishing (in fact, we already have a crazy idea for a catchy book cover). I think that’s the single-best aspect of self-publishing; you call your own shots. As long as you’re willing to take the risks, temper your expectations, and do a LOT of work, I think self-publishing is an amazing challenge, and an even better experience.
Speaking of happy novels about the end of the world, my girlfriend and I were doing some brainstorming about The Mourning Syndrome on Sunday, and once we were done, I felt completely energized and excited about writing the novel. I think I was stalling because I was trying to be too clever, and maybe outsmarting myself in the process (not a hard thing to do -_-). But once I simplified things (e.g., a single narration instead of two narrations from different characters), and once we talked about the other main character, things started to open up. I now have a very solid and promising direction for the book, and some chilling possibilities for the main character’s initial antagonist. So I’m going to try and keep working on The Mourning Syndrome alongside Inventing Vazquez’ editing. We’ll see how that works.
Oh, and because I need more to do with my life, I’m trying to get a band together ^__^; Not an easy thing to form an indie rock band with Japanese rock influence here in Michigan, let me tell ya…
So what’s been going on? A few things. I already started editing Inventing Vazquez, and am very excited about where it’s going. I don’t know how long it will take me to edit all 850 pages of it @_@, but I’m hoping I can move quickly and get to a second draft by April. I think that’s feasible.
Part of my urgency now is because I’ve begun to think that I will try and find an agent for Inventing Vazquez. After hearing some disturbing news about small-press distributors, I’ve started to weigh all my options. Self-publishing fiction is always a risk; that goes without saying. But when you throw in something as uncertain as the future of small-press distribution into the mix, it increases that risk. And there’s no denying that Solstice wouldn’t have had its success without the support of Biblio Distribution. They’re the ones who got it into bookstores, after all.
Besides, when I start to think of all that we’ve achieved with Solstice, I sometimes wonder what I could have achieved with the support of an agent, a publisher, and a real marketing budget. Consider the numbers. I wrote, printed, distributed, marketed, and promoted Solstice with an impossibly small budget (roughly $6000 less than the standard budget for self-publishing a book). I had to learn and do a lot of things myself (like typesetting, graphic design, and accounting) in order to save costs. Yet despite it all, we’ve sold more than 1,400 copies in less than four months. That’s about 50% of our total print run thus far. We’ve gotten five reviews (and a possible sixth one coming soon on horrorwatch.com), including in premier publications like Library Journal, and all of them have been positive. We’ve turned a profit, and according to the industry numbers, 95% of self-published books fail to do so. Even with a microscopic budget and a lot of improvisation, Solstice bucked the odds and became a small-time hit in its own right (well, it’s a hit in my own mind, but that’s probably because my only real goal was giving it to my family, not making money).
When I consider what I achieved with Solstice, I wonder what I could have achieved if I’d had a real budget to work with. If, say, I had some money to actually buy some promotional space (I’ve targeted some web sites for advertising, but right now I simply don’t have the cash), or the contacts to spread the word, who knows what Solstice could have become. Given the success it had on such a small scale, I wonder what it would have done on a larger scale.
I think this is one of the reasons why I’m considering going with an agent for Inventing Vazquez, or at least try to (you’ve heard the horror stories about finding an agent, I’m sure). I’m nervous about the distribution aspect, for sure. But I’m confident the new novel is better, and will have a much broader appeal for readers (my two test readers are already saying so, and that the book is really funny), and so I think there’s a chance it can perform well in the literary marketplace. So maybe it’s in my best interest to at least try and land a reputable agent, and see how things work.
Of course, how do you market a doofus that writes an apocalyptic novel about the end of the world, and then a comedic satire about a mousy film consultant? ^_^; Oh well…
I’m not adverse, though, to self-publishing Inventing Vazquez too. The fact is, I love the creative control that comes with self-publishing (in fact, we already have a crazy idea for a catchy book cover). I think that’s the single-best aspect of self-publishing; you call your own shots. As long as you’re willing to take the risks, temper your expectations, and do a LOT of work, I think self-publishing is an amazing challenge, and an even better experience.
Speaking of happy novels about the end of the world, my girlfriend and I were doing some brainstorming about The Mourning Syndrome on Sunday, and once we were done, I felt completely energized and excited about writing the novel. I think I was stalling because I was trying to be too clever, and maybe outsmarting myself in the process (not a hard thing to do -_-). But once I simplified things (e.g., a single narration instead of two narrations from different characters), and once we talked about the other main character, things started to open up. I now have a very solid and promising direction for the book, and some chilling possibilities for the main character’s initial antagonist. So I’m going to try and keep working on The Mourning Syndrome alongside Inventing Vazquez’ editing. We’ll see how that works.
Oh, and because I need more to do with my life, I’m trying to get a band together ^__^; Not an easy thing to form an indie rock band with Japanese rock influence here in Michigan, let me tell ya…
Monday, January 7, 2008
Anything is possible
Happy New Year, everyone. A few days late, but wishing it all the same. Hope everyone had a painless transition into 08.
Things have been both busy and quiet here. Next week I pick up Inventing Vazquez again, which is good because I’ve stalled on The Mourning Syndrome. I’m actually giving thought to going with another project, but then, I really do like the idea of MS, so maybe I just need to find the right inspiration.
In the meantime, I’ve got a bit of cool news. We got another review, this time from Midwest Book Review! That’s five reviews (all positive) for a book that was not supposed to get any. Wow. Anyway, I thought I’d recap and post the five blurbs Solstice has received (beginning with the newest one ^^):
“A riveting, original saga.” – Midwest Book Review
“Latino author Silva brings a fresh new voice to the genre in this debut featuring a Latino-Asian hero and expanding the demographic appeal of sf. A good selection for most sf collections.” – Library Journal
“Silva spends much of his time investing in characterisation, bringing the players to life in front of the reader’s eyes…a very impressive launch for an exciting new author.” – SciFiNow Magazine
“This debut speculative fiction/horror novel is reminiscent of The Matrix and John Twelve Hawks’ The Traveler (2005).” – Booklist Reviews
"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." – Lisa Alvarado, La Bloga
Oh, and Lisa Alvarado over at La Bloga was kind enough to interview me ^^; You can read our conversation here. In it, I also talk a little about Inventing Vazquez, so think of it as a sneak peak ^^;;
On top of that, the book is definitely getting some attention out there. In fact, the president of the company I work at (yes, the President and CEO ^^;) posted a blurb about Solstice on the company Intranet, where he describes it as a terrific book ^^; Angry Asian Man posted a blurb about it on his site (thank you!). And I'm starting to see the book being mentioned on forums and in blogs (including this one here ^^;;; Thank you, Roni!). Total craziness, I tells ya...
I guess it goes to show that anything is possible. That, no matter what people say (e.g., “self-published books are never reviewed, self-publishing is a big mistake, you suck”), you can accomplish anything if you set out to do it right. I mean, who would have guessed it that even a premier sci-fi magazine in the UK would feature Solstice in its book reviews? Or that the Library Journal would review it? Always aim high, I guess. And always take your best shot.
So what else is going on? Well, I’ve got a crazy new idea, one that’s actually been on the drawing boards for years. My brother and I are big Anime fans, and both of us dabble in Anime artwork (him more than me). And for the longest time, we’ve had it in mind to do some kind of manga or webcomic. The other day, it hit me: why not just do it? He’s got the talent and the means now to produce quality artwork relatively quickly. I’ve got the story ideas and writing. So we’re going to consider doing a joint project: a webcomic or *gasp* an actual manga (i.e., a published book). Art is something he loves and is GREAT at (take a look at his latest opus, which I ADORE). And assuming we can find a way to split up the workload and still create something that looks consistent, then why not? Hopefully we can pull it off. In fact, there’s an outside chance we’ll actually do a manga based off Inventing Vazquez! He’s the one who suggested it, and I’m still trying to figure out that angle. But it’d be awesome…
Anyway, that’s the New Year babble. I’ll shut up now.
Things have been both busy and quiet here. Next week I pick up Inventing Vazquez again, which is good because I’ve stalled on The Mourning Syndrome. I’m actually giving thought to going with another project, but then, I really do like the idea of MS, so maybe I just need to find the right inspiration.
In the meantime, I’ve got a bit of cool news. We got another review, this time from Midwest Book Review! That’s five reviews (all positive) for a book that was not supposed to get any. Wow. Anyway, I thought I’d recap and post the five blurbs Solstice has received (beginning with the newest one ^^):
“A riveting, original saga.” – Midwest Book Review
“Latino author Silva brings a fresh new voice to the genre in this debut featuring a Latino-Asian hero and expanding the demographic appeal of sf. A good selection for most sf collections.” – Library Journal
“Silva spends much of his time investing in characterisation, bringing the players to life in front of the reader’s eyes…a very impressive launch for an exciting new author.” – SciFiNow Magazine
“This debut speculative fiction/horror novel is reminiscent of The Matrix and John Twelve Hawks’ The Traveler (2005).” – Booklist Reviews
"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." – Lisa Alvarado, La Bloga
Oh, and Lisa Alvarado over at La Bloga was kind enough to interview me ^^; You can read our conversation here. In it, I also talk a little about Inventing Vazquez, so think of it as a sneak peak ^^;;
On top of that, the book is definitely getting some attention out there. In fact, the president of the company I work at (yes, the President and CEO ^^;) posted a blurb about Solstice on the company Intranet, where he describes it as a terrific book ^^; Angry Asian Man posted a blurb about it on his site (thank you!). And I'm starting to see the book being mentioned on forums and in blogs (including this one here ^^;;; Thank you, Roni!). Total craziness, I tells ya...
I guess it goes to show that anything is possible. That, no matter what people say (e.g., “self-published books are never reviewed, self-publishing is a big mistake, you suck”), you can accomplish anything if you set out to do it right. I mean, who would have guessed it that even a premier sci-fi magazine in the UK would feature Solstice in its book reviews? Or that the Library Journal would review it? Always aim high, I guess. And always take your best shot.
So what else is going on? Well, I’ve got a crazy new idea, one that’s actually been on the drawing boards for years. My brother and I are big Anime fans, and both of us dabble in Anime artwork (him more than me). And for the longest time, we’ve had it in mind to do some kind of manga or webcomic. The other day, it hit me: why not just do it? He’s got the talent and the means now to produce quality artwork relatively quickly. I’ve got the story ideas and writing. So we’re going to consider doing a joint project: a webcomic or *gasp* an actual manga (i.e., a published book). Art is something he loves and is GREAT at (take a look at his latest opus, which I ADORE). And assuming we can find a way to split up the workload and still create something that looks consistent, then why not? Hopefully we can pull it off. In fact, there’s an outside chance we’ll actually do a manga based off Inventing Vazquez! He’s the one who suggested it, and I’m still trying to figure out that angle. But it’d be awesome…
Anyway, that’s the New Year babble. I’ll shut up now.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Moving along with another review (plus some notes about the next novel)
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 ^^;;
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 ^^;;
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