Sunday, November 20, 2011

Read the sample and decide for yourself

I think it's amazing the varied amount of stories that are out there right now. Just looking through the Twitter and Facebook members that I have connected with reveals so many different ideas. So many writers with so many interesting stories. The tough part is getting a bit of the attention onto yourself. I've built up a pretty decent following on Twitter in a short time and have a lot of Twitter friends that Retweet my stuff, which is awesome and thank you. However, after having my tweets shared with thousands of people, I take a look at my Amazon page and I haven't sold a single book more. Strange.
I suppose that people are hesitant about buying from an unknown author, but most of us have free samples that can be read. Once you've read the sample, you should be able to tell if it's your thing or not. Does the writer have a decent style? Is the dialogue believable? Characters interesting? I know that in my experience, I have read samples that fall on both sides. On Twitter, I have found books that interested me, but after reading the sample, decided 'No, thanks'. I have also read some that were great. I suppose it takes time to wade through the lackluster stuff and find the gems. Maybe people don't want to take the time to read a sample?

Well, I promise you, I do not write lackluster stories. Read the sample from A Dream of Storms and decide for yourself. The sample can be downloaded with the link to your right on the Amazon page. If you do not have a Kindle, download one of Amazon's Free Kindle Reading Apps. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Walk with the Wind.

William

Saturday, November 12, 2011

An Emotional Response

Hello,
I suppose it's time for another blog post, eh? The writing on Shards of S'Darin has slowed down a bit due to life getting in the way. Cracked radiators and baby ear infections will do that. So, lately I have not met my personal goal of writing 1,000 words a night. Sometimes I only get 500 and some nights I haven't written at all. I make notes constantly, though. There are scraps of paper all over my desk as I write this. Ideas for names and plot points and ideas that I forgot and need to go back to add. I think one of the most difficult things about writing a sequel is making sure you don't contradict or change something from Book One. Sometimes I have to check the spelling on a name or any number of details about characters and places. So, a copy of A Dream of Storms is always close by.
A friend of mine recommended my book to someone they know and the response was, "Oh, I don't like that Dungeons and Dragons stuff." I wasn't really sure what to say in that situation. I believe that Dungeons and Dragons was inspired quite a bit by Tolkien's writing. So, what makes a fantasy book Dungeons and Dragons stuff? The fantasy genre existed before Gary Gygax created the role playing game, right? RPG's get a bad rap, I think. 
Anyone that has read the reviews for A Dream of Storms, has seen reviewers that compare my writing to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I'm kind of on the fence about those comparisons. I mean, it is an amazing feeling to be compared to one's hero, but at the same time, he is considered the god of fantasy writing. How could my writing compare to that? Doesn't seem possible. I do appreciate those reviewers, though. I re-read the reviews occasionally. It's a good feeling when people have an emotional response to something that you have created. I hope that I can continue to reach people in that way. It's the same with my artwork. When people feel inspired, afraid, sad, happy after seeing a drawing or painting or when reading a scene that I have written, I have done my job.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

A Dream of Storms on Amazon.com

So, you say you don't know where to purchase my book? Well, take a look HERE! You can either purchase the paperback or download the Kindle book. In case you were not aware, you do not have to own a Kindle to read a Kindle-formatted book. Amazon has free software to read it on most electronic devices including PC, Mac, android phone, iphone, ipod, etc. So, what do you say? Read the sample and see if the book is something you would be interested in. 5 star reviews on Amazon!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Day after All Hallow's Eve

How was everyone's Halloween? For the first time in a long time, I did not dress up. I've been sick with a head cold and sinus problems. Also, we have a baby that would not leave my make-up alone if I painted my face like a demon. So, we went out trick or treating with our two children. Having the baby helped us rake in the candy. Lol.
So, what kind of crazy costumes did you see?

Still forging ahead on the second book in my fantasy series. People ask me everyday, some in person, some here on the internet, when is the second book coming out? Don't worry, I'm working hard on it. You don't want me to rush it and give you a sub-par story, do you? I think that if you enjoyed Book One, Book Two will give you even more of what you loved. You'll get to know all of the characters that much better, good and evil. You love the good ones even more and hate the villains with a passion. Stay tuned.

William