One stolen ATM card number and $500 later, I have become a statistic in a growing problem. My wife and I take great care of our personal information, so it came as quite a shock when I discovered $500 missing from my checking account. The money had been withdrawn from an ATM in Chicago. Please don't feel badly for me--we'll get the money back. Feel bad for the financial institutions who have to deal with this on an alarming scale.
While I was chatting with the representative from my bank, she told me that my call was the first of the day, and she was sure to have 10 more before her shift ended. Multiply that number by the number of work days and the number of phone reps the bank employs and the number of people hit by this kind of theft is startling.
I'm posting this so hopefully you'll pay attention to any public credit/debit/atm machine where you can swipe a card. I also post this to hopefully instill in everyone a sense of patience over the new security measures that seem to be popping up everywhere. On Cybermonday - when cyberthieves are no doubt raking in the cash off unsuspecting shoppers, and stealing thousands of dollars from financial institutions everywhere, a little prudence and willingness to adhere to general security rules will be a great assistance to those attempting to combat high-tech theft.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Progress
I finished the 5th round of revisions on First Act of War last week. Needless to say, I was quite pumped. I felt like it was done! And it is indeed a beautiful feeling. Then I began the arduous task of getting the book published. So I started where everyone should start when attempting this - I started with research.
Blindly sending your manuscript to agents and publishers will get you nothing. There are submission guidelines to follow, strategies to employ and a great deal of selling yet to be done.
I previously wrote about my first rejection. Rejection is very normal in the business, but I want to give myself the best possible opportunity. I really don't want a wall full of canned rejection letters. So here's my strategy:
1. I researched what the agents are looking for when they read the first few pages of a manuscript. Needless to say, it was a little different than what I expected. They want you to hook the reader in 1500 words and have your story sold to them by the time you reach 10,000 words. I realized that the opening to my story took far too many words. I need to get into it sooner.
2. I must find an agent that actually deals with the fantasy genre. Asking someone who works in nonfiction to help me publish a fantasy novel is a massive waste of effort.
3. I wrote an excellent short synopsis of my book and a very clear introduction letter. Basically you have to present yourself well in order to give yourself the best the shot of actually having your manuscript read by an agent.
4. I'm starting to market myself. This blog will help. I have a Facebook page about my book started up. I've got some people working on artwork, and I've got some people already working on a personal website.
All this presupposes that I've completed my novel, reviewed and edited it several times, and garnered comments from multiple readers, most of whom are not related to me. I'm convinced that I will give myself a better shot by following these rules.
I guess time will tell. For now it's on to sixth round revisions. I need to cut about 3k words out of the beginning of my novel to speed it up.
Blindly sending your manuscript to agents and publishers will get you nothing. There are submission guidelines to follow, strategies to employ and a great deal of selling yet to be done.
I previously wrote about my first rejection. Rejection is very normal in the business, but I want to give myself the best possible opportunity. I really don't want a wall full of canned rejection letters. So here's my strategy:
1. I researched what the agents are looking for when they read the first few pages of a manuscript. Needless to say, it was a little different than what I expected. They want you to hook the reader in 1500 words and have your story sold to them by the time you reach 10,000 words. I realized that the opening to my story took far too many words. I need to get into it sooner.
2. I must find an agent that actually deals with the fantasy genre. Asking someone who works in nonfiction to help me publish a fantasy novel is a massive waste of effort.
3. I wrote an excellent short synopsis of my book and a very clear introduction letter. Basically you have to present yourself well in order to give yourself the best the shot of actually having your manuscript read by an agent.
4. I'm starting to market myself. This blog will help. I have a Facebook page about my book started up. I've got some people working on artwork, and I've got some people already working on a personal website.
All this presupposes that I've completed my novel, reviewed and edited it several times, and garnered comments from multiple readers, most of whom are not related to me. I'm convinced that I will give myself a better shot by following these rules.
I guess time will tell. For now it's on to sixth round revisions. I need to cut about 3k words out of the beginning of my novel to speed it up.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Is There a Scale for That?
As part of my regular blog, I'd like to post reviews of books I've read and movies I seen. A few ground rules are necessary before I get started.
Since I have aspirations of becoming an author, I will be careful about what I write in my reviews. I am now acutely aware of what it takes to write a book, and I understand the difficulties that lie in crafting a story that is cohesive and entertaining. So, while I am a super-critic at heart, I will be much more open-minded about books that I read. I will not be so nice when it comes to movies. I love movies. I don't get to see enough of them. I get perturbed when I waste my time on a movie that was poorly done.
Because one just doesn't quite capture all the elements, I have two scales for grading: Quality and Readability. I will review books based on a ten-point scale (and I'll actually use all ten points). Five is average, and there will be very few, if any, tens - likewise with ones.
Why Quality and Readability? I've read plenty of books that I enjoyed immensely, but I got to the end and I felt like I'd just eaten two doughnuts. It was good going in. Not so good upon reflection. Likewise, I've read plenty of books that can only be described boring and hard to read, but then at the end I realize there was an amazing story buried in all that muck, and I'm really glad I read that book. Great example of high Readability and questionable Quality is The DaVinci Code.
I read The DaVinci Code to see what all the hubub was about, and I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the read. It is a page-turner. Lots of intrigue, a world-wide conspiracy, fun characters and some good old-fashioned suspense, made it exciting. After I was done and I bothered to start thinking about it... it really didn't hold together. Parts of the plot just don't make sense. The premise that Jesus was married and has a line of children is neat, but doesn't change the message he was bringing to the world. It definitely doesn't set the stage for some clandestine matriarchal society, that the Catholic church is desperately trying to squash in favor of the existing patriarchal society. The crippled villain ends up being way over-the-top by the end. I would have stuck to the "Indiana Jones" parts and left off the religious commentary.
Bottom line: The DaVinci Code gets Readability-7, Quality-3.
On the flip side of that is Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast novels. They are a twisted ride through varied psychoses, portrayed in bizarre characters that seem dredged from a bad acid trip. Reading them is like slogging through a knee-deep mire, but when you finish, you sit back and say "wow." A great example of his writing is the paragraph he spends describing a fat man smiling. It's overdone and bone chilling at the same time.
Bottom line: Gormenghast novels get R-3, Q-8.
So there you go. There's my scale. Readability and Quality. Movies will have Readability flipped for Watchability.
Since I have aspirations of becoming an author, I will be careful about what I write in my reviews. I am now acutely aware of what it takes to write a book, and I understand the difficulties that lie in crafting a story that is cohesive and entertaining. So, while I am a super-critic at heart, I will be much more open-minded about books that I read. I will not be so nice when it comes to movies. I love movies. I don't get to see enough of them. I get perturbed when I waste my time on a movie that was poorly done.
Because one just doesn't quite capture all the elements, I have two scales for grading: Quality and Readability. I will review books based on a ten-point scale (and I'll actually use all ten points). Five is average, and there will be very few, if any, tens - likewise with ones.
Why Quality and Readability? I've read plenty of books that I enjoyed immensely, but I got to the end and I felt like I'd just eaten two doughnuts. It was good going in. Not so good upon reflection. Likewise, I've read plenty of books that can only be described boring and hard to read, but then at the end I realize there was an amazing story buried in all that muck, and I'm really glad I read that book. Great example of high Readability and questionable Quality is The DaVinci Code.
I read The DaVinci Code to see what all the hubub was about, and I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the read. It is a page-turner. Lots of intrigue, a world-wide conspiracy, fun characters and some good old-fashioned suspense, made it exciting. After I was done and I bothered to start thinking about it... it really didn't hold together. Parts of the plot just don't make sense. The premise that Jesus was married and has a line of children is neat, but doesn't change the message he was bringing to the world. It definitely doesn't set the stage for some clandestine matriarchal society, that the Catholic church is desperately trying to squash in favor of the existing patriarchal society. The crippled villain ends up being way over-the-top by the end. I would have stuck to the "Indiana Jones" parts and left off the religious commentary.
Bottom line: The DaVinci Code gets Readability-7, Quality-3.
On the flip side of that is Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast novels. They are a twisted ride through varied psychoses, portrayed in bizarre characters that seem dredged from a bad acid trip. Reading them is like slogging through a knee-deep mire, but when you finish, you sit back and say "wow." A great example of his writing is the paragraph he spends describing a fat man smiling. It's overdone and bone chilling at the same time.
Bottom line: Gormenghast novels get R-3, Q-8.
So there you go. There's my scale. Readability and Quality. Movies will have Readability flipped for Watchability.
Friday, November 12, 2010
On Rejection
Can you really call something a rejection when it was exactly what you were expecting?
If that is a rejection, then I have received my first. I suppose I should be excited. It means I've actually created something worthy of rejection. That sounds odd, but bear with me.
I am nearing the end of my 5th round of revisions on First Act of War. After the 4th round of revisions, I sent the book to people who graciously agreed to cut time out of their busy schedules to read my book and give me feedback. These are the wonderful and amazing people who should be winning the lottery. And they have genuinely loved my book. Loved it! I'm beaming.
During the incredibly tense few weeks as I waited for my wonderful and stupendous readers to finish my novel, the JABberwocky agency opened their doors to unsolicited query letters. Now, this agency doesn't always accept queries, and it is home to one Joshua Bilmes - a high lord of Epic Fantasy agents. Publishers have said to Mr. Bilmes, "We love your authors!" He has secured wonderful publishing deals for unknowns and well-knowns alike. He is exactly the sort of person I want representing me.
So I sent a query letter the moment the gates opened.
Now sending a query letter is a little like buying a lottery ticket. You're pretty much just wasting the $1 on envelopes, paper and postage. But the excitment you have as you dump the fresh letter that contains all your hopes and dreams into the mail is such a rush that some people will literally do this several times a week for the rest of their lives! (I really, really don't want to be that person.) Your odds are a bit better than the lottery, but it also means you had to write a book, so you can see where lottery tickets are more popular.
Today I received Joshua Bilmes' kind response. It is on a cut piece of paper that slips easily into a #10 envelope. It contains a logo, address, and no personal salutation whatsover. It does say, however, that Joshua was delighted to receive my query, and that he had given my work his most careful consideration.
For those scoring at home, it's not looking good for the home team. It's kind of like when you went up to the prettiest girl in your English class and asked her to homecoming, and she says, "Oh. Wow. You know, I really like you, but..."
Oh, I hate the "but". Brief aside: if anyone ever says "but" after "I'm sorry" please realize they are not apologizing. They are justifying.
Mr. Bilmes did not use the word "but". He used the oh-so different "alas". Give the man points for originality.
So, Joshua Bilmes rejected my query letter. I'm not really that sad about it. Well, I am, but pretty much in the same way I am when I don't win the lottery. Now, ask me this same question a year from now, after 100 more rejections of similar ilk, and you might find me crying in my soup. I still want Mr. Bilmes as my agent. Actually, I just want an agent.
But, for now, it's cool.
If that is a rejection, then I have received my first. I suppose I should be excited. It means I've actually created something worthy of rejection. That sounds odd, but bear with me.
I am nearing the end of my 5th round of revisions on First Act of War. After the 4th round of revisions, I sent the book to people who graciously agreed to cut time out of their busy schedules to read my book and give me feedback. These are the wonderful and amazing people who should be winning the lottery. And they have genuinely loved my book. Loved it! I'm beaming.
During the incredibly tense few weeks as I waited for my wonderful and stupendous readers to finish my novel, the JABberwocky agency opened their doors to unsolicited query letters. Now, this agency doesn't always accept queries, and it is home to one Joshua Bilmes - a high lord of Epic Fantasy agents. Publishers have said to Mr. Bilmes, "We love your authors!" He has secured wonderful publishing deals for unknowns and well-knowns alike. He is exactly the sort of person I want representing me.
So I sent a query letter the moment the gates opened.
Now sending a query letter is a little like buying a lottery ticket. You're pretty much just wasting the $1 on envelopes, paper and postage. But the excitment you have as you dump the fresh letter that contains all your hopes and dreams into the mail is such a rush that some people will literally do this several times a week for the rest of their lives! (I really, really don't want to be that person.) Your odds are a bit better than the lottery, but it also means you had to write a book, so you can see where lottery tickets are more popular.
Today I received Joshua Bilmes' kind response. It is on a cut piece of paper that slips easily into a #10 envelope. It contains a logo, address, and no personal salutation whatsover. It does say, however, that Joshua was delighted to receive my query, and that he had given my work his most careful consideration.
For those scoring at home, it's not looking good for the home team. It's kind of like when you went up to the prettiest girl in your English class and asked her to homecoming, and she says, "Oh. Wow. You know, I really like you, but..."
Oh, I hate the "but". Brief aside: if anyone ever says "but" after "I'm sorry" please realize they are not apologizing. They are justifying.
Mr. Bilmes did not use the word "but". He used the oh-so different "alas". Give the man points for originality.
So, Joshua Bilmes rejected my query letter. I'm not really that sad about it. Well, I am, but pretty much in the same way I am when I don't win the lottery. Now, ask me this same question a year from now, after 100 more rejections of similar ilk, and you might find me crying in my soup. I still want Mr. Bilmes as my agent. Actually, I just want an agent.
But, for now, it's cool.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
I Break Easily
I don't mean to say that I fold under pressure. Actually, I'm normally at my best when the pressure's high. Give me a difficult task and set an impossible deadline and I'll probably knock your socks off. I love that stuff. Not all the time, mind you, but in small doses it's wonderful - gets the blood pumping.
I'm certainly not one of those people who bounces back and forth between two sides of an argument. You know the type I'm talking about. They take a stand on an issue, but then someone hits them with a solid argument and they fold. I don't compromise my beliefs. I love listening to other arguments. I love people who challenge what I believe. Hey, if what I believe can't stand up to the challenges, then it wouldn't be worth believing.
I do find ways of getting odd injuries while participating in physical activities. Whether it's backyard football, dancing at a wedding or playing an indoor basketball game with a bunch of jr. highers - I can certainly find a way to hurt myself. It's irritating, really. But that's not what I mean either.
I break easy, because I have a broken heart.
It's not from lost love. I'm married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. Really. Truly. You think you got better? No way, dude.
It's not from the death of someone close to me. My parents are still alive. I've never attended the funeral of a close friend. The closest person to me I've ever seen buried was my stepfather, Tom. I miss him. I love him. I'll see him again. It's cool.
What it comes right down to is I am accutely aware of who God is and how he works. He has broken me. Broken me and reformed me. Time and again. And he's not done.
I love seeing him work in others' lives as well. That's what really gets me. The differences in the people who have surrendered. Their stories are awesome. What do Brian "Head" Welch, Colt McCoy, and Anne Rice have in common?
Not much. Besides Jesus.
I like it when he reminds my to check my pride and ability at the door. He's enough, always. I even like it when he humbles me. (Which is more often than I care to admit.) It's all part of the breaking. And it's beautiful.
I find as the years walk on, I break easier and easier. It's perfect, because when I am weak, he is strong.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17
I'm certainly not one of those people who bounces back and forth between two sides of an argument. You know the type I'm talking about. They take a stand on an issue, but then someone hits them with a solid argument and they fold. I don't compromise my beliefs. I love listening to other arguments. I love people who challenge what I believe. Hey, if what I believe can't stand up to the challenges, then it wouldn't be worth believing.
I do find ways of getting odd injuries while participating in physical activities. Whether it's backyard football, dancing at a wedding or playing an indoor basketball game with a bunch of jr. highers - I can certainly find a way to hurt myself. It's irritating, really. But that's not what I mean either.
I break easy, because I have a broken heart.
It's not from lost love. I'm married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. Really. Truly. You think you got better? No way, dude.
It's not from the death of someone close to me. My parents are still alive. I've never attended the funeral of a close friend. The closest person to me I've ever seen buried was my stepfather, Tom. I miss him. I love him. I'll see him again. It's cool.
What it comes right down to is I am accutely aware of who God is and how he works. He has broken me. Broken me and reformed me. Time and again. And he's not done.
I love seeing him work in others' lives as well. That's what really gets me. The differences in the people who have surrendered. Their stories are awesome. What do Brian "Head" Welch, Colt McCoy, and Anne Rice have in common?
Not much. Besides Jesus.
I like it when he reminds my to check my pride and ability at the door. He's enough, always. I even like it when he humbles me. (Which is more often than I care to admit.) It's all part of the breaking. And it's beautiful.
I find as the years walk on, I break easier and easier. It's perfect, because when I am weak, he is strong.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Towers of Midnight
Today is release day for for the second-to-last book in the epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan (finished by Brandon Sanderson).
This series holds a special place in my heart. I joined the Science Fiction book club back in 1991 during my junior year of high school, and I had seven to ten books that I was allowed to select for a penny. (It's really a marvelous deal, as long as you remember to send in the little form every month.) I selected the first three books of the Wheel of Time series based on their blurbs, reviews and cover art. The rest is history.
The Wheel of Time wasn't the first fantasy series I'd read. I'd read Narnia, and a couple of series by Stephen Lawhead, but this was the first epic fantasy, and it changed how I viewed fantasy. I loved it in a new and profound way. With great anticipation I waited for each new release in the series, normally rereading all the prior books before the release of the new one.
In the middle to later books, Robert Jordan seemed to struggle. I don't know if it was the sheer number of characters, or the weight of the many storylines, but the pacing of the books slowed, before picking back up again as Jordan neared the finish line of his series. Then, the unthinkable happened. Robert Jordan passed away with the series unfinished. Fortunately, his widow quickly found Brandon Sanderson to finish the series.
For those of you who don't know, Sanderson is a delightful author, and I have to give him a great deal of credit for helping me to understand that I could actually write a book. The Gathering Storm, book 12, was excellent, and Towers of Midnight promises to continue the resolution of plot threads as the overall story nears its climax.
If you're a fan of the series, be sure to grab your copy this week. If you've never heard of the series, pick up Eye of the World, and you can start the journey that has enchanted so many.
This series holds a special place in my heart. I joined the Science Fiction book club back in 1991 during my junior year of high school, and I had seven to ten books that I was allowed to select for a penny. (It's really a marvelous deal, as long as you remember to send in the little form every month.) I selected the first three books of the Wheel of Time series based on their blurbs, reviews and cover art. The rest is history.
The Wheel of Time wasn't the first fantasy series I'd read. I'd read Narnia, and a couple of series by Stephen Lawhead, but this was the first epic fantasy, and it changed how I viewed fantasy. I loved it in a new and profound way. With great anticipation I waited for each new release in the series, normally rereading all the prior books before the release of the new one.
In the middle to later books, Robert Jordan seemed to struggle. I don't know if it was the sheer number of characters, or the weight of the many storylines, but the pacing of the books slowed, before picking back up again as Jordan neared the finish line of his series. Then, the unthinkable happened. Robert Jordan passed away with the series unfinished. Fortunately, his widow quickly found Brandon Sanderson to finish the series.
For those of you who don't know, Sanderson is a delightful author, and I have to give him a great deal of credit for helping me to understand that I could actually write a book. The Gathering Storm, book 12, was excellent, and Towers of Midnight promises to continue the resolution of plot threads as the overall story nears its climax.
If you're a fan of the series, be sure to grab your copy this week. If you've never heard of the series, pick up Eye of the World, and you can start the journey that has enchanted so many.
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