Getting Reviews

I always like it when someone not only wants to read my novel, but upon finishing it actually decides to talk to me about it. I can clearly see when this happens that someone really cared about it.

When The Third Face came out, I have to confess that I was actually surprised by how few people actually bought it, based on statistics. But that really doesn't tell the whole story at all. When I started actually talking to people, I discovered that most of the copies were actually being passed around among friends and family. That was because those buyers were the kinds of people I mentioned above: they actually care a lot about my book! That means a lot more to me than sales figures.

One person who received a copy was my favorite English teacher from high school. She shared it with her students, and recently I received an e-mail from her with comments from 5 of them. I'm so pleased with these that I'd like to share them with you now.


"It was a very thorough piece. [...] Although I typically am not a fan of fantasy-esque work, this kept me engaged."
 
"It was clever.  I am a big fan of element bending."

"This was a fresh approach.  It was interesting, even though the plot lost me in a couple of spots early on."
 
"Wow!  This was a lot of work for a high school student!"
 
"It felt like it was written by someone older.  It was pretty serious!"

While I can never thank the individuals who said these things directly (since they were all anonymous), I want to express my gratitude in general to anyone who's given their thoughts on it to anyone. When you do that, you're doing me a personal favor. That's something I thoroughly appreciate.

What's next?

Well, I've given The Third Face its time: nearly a month and a half. Surprisingly, I even backed off from my ceaseless promotion of it! To some it might seem as if I've actually forgotten about it, especially now that, I'm happy to say, I've just gotten a job.

The reality of it is that I decided to focus on more books. I've spent the majority of my free time lately reading series that I never got to completely finish when I was younger, and much of the rest on writing. Those who have read The Third Face to the end will be excited to know that I'm starting work on the sequel right now.

What can you expect from the next book? Without spoiling the ending of The Third Face, I can say that a lot of questions it posed will be answered, only to be replaced with new ones. New characters will make their way onto the scene. Others will return that you never expected to see again. The pace is about to pick up, as the main cast discovers their limits and fights to survive.

I really wish I could settle on a title right now, so I could at least give you that much. For now, just know that I'm hard at work developing the ideas to expand upon the world I've created.

Mass production is a weird thing.

So if I stop to take count, I suppose I've seen seven copies of The Third Face out there. Four of those are in my house; of the others, two are signed, and one of those two has a page in it declaring that it's a proof copy.

But there's really nothing distinguishing them besides that. Those differences are on the inside, and when I just look at them, they're all identical. Since it was released so recently, they're all basically in perfect condition, too. Seeing the same thing every time with no differences at all is tricking my mind into thinking that there's just one in existence and that it somehow is magically just moving to all of these different places.

It also doesn't help that my family, after taking breaks from reading, is leaving their copies in random places around the house. I never know when I'm going to see one next.

This probably sounds very silly, but it's starting to get to me.

Kindle Release

With all the promotion done for now, it's time to make one last announcement, in case anyone who reads this blog wants to buy the Kindle edition of The Third Face.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007REILGM

After this, things are going to simmer down considerably. I'll most likely be writing a draft or two of Hopedead, as well as reading quite a few books.

Order Paperbacks Now!

It's a couple days early, but you can start ordering paperback copies of The Third Face now!

https://www.createspace.com/3798675

This is a huge thrill for me, and I just couldn't wait any longer. For the Kindle edition, you'll have to wait for the announced date. The main reason I'm doing this is to allow for shipping times.

Interview by Duth Olec

Quick note: The Third Face's website is now up with tons of information on it.

Now to the actual entry. Duth Olec is a fellow author and a close friend of mine. I was surprised earlier today when he initiated an interview with me about the publication of The Third Face, but I'm glad to share it with everyone.

Duth: How are you publishing the book? Is it the same place you got the 5 free copies?

Me: Yes. That special offer is through CreateSpace, and once I got everything ready to print those 5 copies I realized it was a good way to publish it.

Duth: And after those first five you're paying for the publishing of each one?

Me: Not exactly. The process is not your typical publishing. Basically, when a person orders the book, Createspace prints a copy for that person, and the manufacturing cost is paid for as part of the price of the book. They also get a further cut for their service, and the rest goes to me as royalties.

Duth: And would an e-book cost less due to there not really being a manufacturing cost?

Right. E-books typically cost between 99 cents and $3, whereas the paperback edition of The Third Face is set to be priced at $6.99. I haven't decided on the e-book version's price just yet.

Duth: Does this count as self-publishing?

Yes. Createspace is handling the printing, shipping, and transactions for me, but I have to do all of the actual promotion of my book myself. That's why I've been making a lot of blog posts, putting up a website and Facebook page for it, and even making a Twitter--I want people to start noticing it before it comes out.

Duth: Do you think you'll still try to get The Third Face picked up by a publishing house?

If it gets noticed and I get a really good offer from a company that can promote it effectively, then I'll gladly accept. But I don't see myself sending any more query letters any time soon.

Duth: One last question--what are your plans for this summer?

Well, I'm still looking for a job, but I hope to have done quite a bit more reading and writing by then. I'm in the middle of the Inheritance Cycle and The Hunger Games Trilogy right now, and as for the next book I write--well, I've got a half dozen here waiting to get going!

Duth: Thanks for answering a million questions.

The Road to Self-Publishing

Since my last entry on this subject, a month has passed. I've been working constantly to perfect all the details of my book, because although I never intended to make more than 5 copies, I wanted them to be the best they could possibly be.

Somewhere in the process, I made a lot more of The Third Face public than I ever have before. I asked for some basic advice on the cover, and suddenly I was getting tips on all of the colors and details used on it. Then, when I ordered a proof copy to help perfect the layout, everyone who saw it started to get excited. It seems that when you say "I'm writing a book," most people don't really care beyond the conversation. But when there's something visible about it, everyone takes notice.

That's why even though I had pretty much lost interest in The Third Face, it's becoming something much more important now. I'm spending more time focused on it, and its direct sequel, which remains unnamed for the moment, is actually beating out other novel ideas in my mind for once. This isn't just that novel that I've been working on for way too long anymore. It's a real thing, and it's finally about to take its place in the market.

The next proof should be error-free, and at that time I'll be able to approve it, thus finally releasing The Third Face to the public, both in paperback via Createspace and as a Kindle e-book. To allow sufficient time to make sure that absolutely everything is going to be exactly the way it needs to be, the official release date is going to be Thursday, April 5th. I'll update pretty often with the status of things as that date approaches, but for now, enjoy the cover:

Voices, twisted memories, and accusations torment Rasuke, the lone human in an alien world. He can't explain his thoughts or actions, and when the pressure becomes too much to bear he's forced to escape his village. A risen demon and a crazy old dead man hold the pieces to the explanation Rasuke seeks, but he is merely a pawn in a higher war. To find the truth, prove his worth, and survive a battle decades in the making, he must confront the very messenger of his god, and win.

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