How does one know when they have great friends? I would wager that most people would list unconditional support, or some such nicety, at the very top of their list of priorities. Although I agree that bearers of unconditional things are desirable, downright hard to find truth be told, I find myself wondering—after my friends’ latest shenanigans—if a better test of the metal of friendship might be the satisfying of my rather bizarre whims.
In case you have not been paying attention, I am to be wed in August of this year. It will be a resoundingly small affair, with a rather large gathering—in comparison—after the nuptials themselves. Along with the said ceremony come the many other trivial bits of pop culture that Ali and I must endure to reach the end prize. I shall not bore you or insult your intelligence by listing them all, but safe to say there are a great many. Anyone who has gone through this type of thing before knows exactly what I mean. In particular, there is the bachelor party.
I know… when men (or women for that matter) think of the bachelor party, images of brass poles, beer kegs, and seedy hotel rooms flit into their minds like random bits of mischievous confetti. Not my friends. No, my friends are the best friends anyone would ever want. Not only have they planned a bachelor party for me that satisfies one of my greatest whims, but will also provide spice for my writing endeavors. They have lined up a private trip to the Tuberculosis asylum in which I wrote of in Spirit Asylum.
The Saint Julia asylum is a sprawling mass of concrete on the otherwise beautiful shores of Lake Julia. Nothing but wildlife… and perhaps the inhuman, have inhabited it for fifty years. It has been resold religiously every couple of years because of the strain that it would have put on the purse strings to tear it down. My heart is already pounding as I imagine walking into Saint Julia with video camera in hand, hoping that I have not upset anyone or anything by way of my novel writing. Of course I am being dramatic, but it will be exciting none-the-less… my novel springing to life before my eyes, at least in my mind. Better yet will be watching my friends, as they navigate about in the pitch black, perhaps gaining a small understanding of why I write about the things that live “Within The Shadows”.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Art of Querying
Earlier this month I finally sent out a batch of query letters requesting representation for Spirit Asylum, my second novel. It has taken me awhile, but I believe that I have the manuscript honed to at least a reasonably sharp edge.
I know that perhaps I should have used more of a scattergun approach, but instead I have employed a technique that I thought any agent should appreciate. Having been an HR Manager, I understand a little bit about being approached for a job. I always liked it when job seekers did some research and tailored their materials to match the job I had open. I figured agents can’t be far off from feeling the same way. After all, publishing is a business like anything else. Why would an agent want to represent someone who doesn’t meet the criteria for the kind of author they are looking for? So anyway, I did a little research.
I started on Agent Query with my research and branched out to agency websites. I also noted who represented authors that resembled my style and genre. From there I narrowed down the field by researching each of the agents one by one. I had a wonderful time actually. I read through agent blogs, agent profiles, and any advice that they had rendered available on-line. I took the information to heart and tweaked my query letter for each of the six agents I chose. I can hear my fellow writers laughing now. “You’ll never get a request for a partial after only six tries!”
I would kindly like to point out what a keen eye Mr. Brendan Deneen of Objective Entertainment has. I would also like to thank him for proving my theory to be accurate and for finding my short synopsis “cool”. Brendan was within the top two agents that I decided to approach and I would be ecstatic to begin a professional business relationship with a solid agent and agency. Here is to hoping that Brendan finds my sample chapters equally as “cool” as my short synopsis. The manuscript is already enveloped and stamped, prepared for departure to New York.
Just thought I would share a little information that other authors might find helpful.
Okay, back to No Innocent Victim (my next work in progress). It has been speaking to me from “within the shadows” as of late, feeling neglected. I shouldn’t keep it waiting.
I know that perhaps I should have used more of a scattergun approach, but instead I have employed a technique that I thought any agent should appreciate. Having been an HR Manager, I understand a little bit about being approached for a job. I always liked it when job seekers did some research and tailored their materials to match the job I had open. I figured agents can’t be far off from feeling the same way. After all, publishing is a business like anything else. Why would an agent want to represent someone who doesn’t meet the criteria for the kind of author they are looking for? So anyway, I did a little research.
I started on Agent Query with my research and branched out to agency websites. I also noted who represented authors that resembled my style and genre. From there I narrowed down the field by researching each of the agents one by one. I had a wonderful time actually. I read through agent blogs, agent profiles, and any advice that they had rendered available on-line. I took the information to heart and tweaked my query letter for each of the six agents I chose. I can hear my fellow writers laughing now. “You’ll never get a request for a partial after only six tries!”
I would kindly like to point out what a keen eye Mr. Brendan Deneen of Objective Entertainment has. I would also like to thank him for proving my theory to be accurate and for finding my short synopsis “cool”. Brendan was within the top two agents that I decided to approach and I would be ecstatic to begin a professional business relationship with a solid agent and agency. Here is to hoping that Brendan finds my sample chapters equally as “cool” as my short synopsis. The manuscript is already enveloped and stamped, prepared for departure to New York.
Just thought I would share a little information that other authors might find helpful.
Okay, back to No Innocent Victim (my next work in progress). It has been speaking to me from “within the shadows” as of late, feeling neglected. I shouldn’t keep it waiting.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Winning Formula
I have had a couple of people ask me recently what I think the "winning" formula may be for writing and getting published. My first somewhat sarcastic remark was, "How would I know?" At the time, I thought that perhaps I didn't have the right to answer. I have enjoyed a modicum of success with the contests, but have not yet been published with a major publishing house. After some thought, however, I have come to the conclusion that this is America, and by God, I shall give my unabashed opinion… take it or leave it.
A pastor friend of mine once said, "Justin, you should give the first two minutes of anything you do to God." Okay. Fine. The first part of the formula: God gets his measly two minutes - whether he wants it or not - from this foul mouthed horror writer. After all, I need all the help I can get. Ha!
The percentages that I am about to set forth represent a percentage of the time that you actually get to devote to your craft. The actual hour count is obviously going to vary greatly from person to person depending on other time commitments that they may have. My hope is that as you find success in writing, the more time you will have to spend on what you love. I am also going to make an assumption: The people reading my blog, and actually paying attention to the formula, will already have completed at least one piece of work that they feel is worthy of representation or presentation.
Here it is folks; the Winning Formula… I hope!
60% writing new material (Why bother writing otherwise?)
15% marketing current material (Reach for the golden ring… and grasp it!)
12% revising old material (Only upon suggestion from a competent authority or peer)
7% networking (Face it… we need the encouragement and advice from our peers)
6% research (it's called the internet folks. Don't lie… you use it too!)
Let me know if the formula works for you. Obviously there may be times in your writing career when certain priorities will take over and this formula will go flying out the window. Here's to hoping that it is an agent or an editor dictating your time for you!
As for me, I must get back to my writing; something is clamoring for my attention, from "Within the Shadows".
A pastor friend of mine once said, "Justin, you should give the first two minutes of anything you do to God." Okay. Fine. The first part of the formula: God gets his measly two minutes - whether he wants it or not - from this foul mouthed horror writer. After all, I need all the help I can get. Ha!
The percentages that I am about to set forth represent a percentage of the time that you actually get to devote to your craft. The actual hour count is obviously going to vary greatly from person to person depending on other time commitments that they may have. My hope is that as you find success in writing, the more time you will have to spend on what you love. I am also going to make an assumption: The people reading my blog, and actually paying attention to the formula, will already have completed at least one piece of work that they feel is worthy of representation or presentation.
Here it is folks; the Winning Formula… I hope!
60% writing new material (Why bother writing otherwise?)
15% marketing current material (Reach for the golden ring… and grasp it!)
12% revising old material (Only upon suggestion from a competent authority or peer)
7% networking (Face it… we need the encouragement and advice from our peers)
6% research (it's called the internet folks. Don't lie… you use it too!)
Let me know if the formula works for you. Obviously there may be times in your writing career when certain priorities will take over and this formula will go flying out the window. Here's to hoping that it is an agent or an editor dictating your time for you!
As for me, I must get back to my writing; something is clamoring for my attention, from "Within the Shadows".
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Humble Attempt At Philosophy
As I sit down to write this blog entry, I can’t help but ponder the human dichotomy. We are truly a duopolistic species; torn between our chemical reactions in regards to fear and love… and devotion to an omnipotent deity (at least for the majority of the world). As a horror writer, I find it absolutely delicious that the human psyche performs at its most optimal when aroused, either by the need to mate or by fear. Furthermore, I would go out on a limb to muse that nothing has motivated human beings more so. I challenge each of you to think of anything more powerful in your life than; the need to reproduce, escape harm, or please the whims of our jealous God. Only after these three visceral criteria have been adequately met, do most of us humans venture further into the world to appreciate the arts and other more superlative endeavors. I allow for the fact that the need for belonging is strong among us, but even that… can it not be lumped, at least communally, under one of the other three? Is it any wonder that we are often a slave to our emotions… or our chemicals? Perhaps we need not be. Atheists confuse creative stifling with our inability to travel past our instincts… the things that make us human. I challenge us all to step outside our fragile shells and live; embrace our fears not subdue them.
I dare say, however, that fear is a dish best served at a time of our own choosing. Many self proclaimed atheist authors and philosophers such as Georges Bataille and Friedrich Nietzsche rail against the design and fabric of Christianity. Why? Please bear in mind that this explanation is simply put: Besides their ideology that religion purportedly renders us inhibited and less creative, one of their prevalent arguments is that religion instills a sense of trepidation into its constituency. Bertrand Russell said, "Religion is based . . . mainly on fear . . . fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand in hand...” I won’t argue the point that the Spanish Inquisition and the various Crusades were cruel. Never has there been a darker time in the history of Christianity. We made our beliefs compulsory. What is religion when there is no freedom to choose? What is religion when it is forced down our gaping maws on a hardened steel blade? Perhaps the Dark Ages were exactly that… dark. As for myself, if not for having witnessed direct answer to prayer and seen the presence of spiritual beings, I could quite possibly have shifted my thinking to the same vein as the above mentioned because of poor examples within the religious community – and admittedly, there are many. I have not because I do believe, at least to an extent, that religion and fear should be allowed to walk within the same circles… as they always have. Fear is not a bad thing as long as we don't allow it to reduce us to a quivering mound of mush. I believe that our spirituality may be the only way we truly can break the bonds of our innate chemicals and embrace our fears. After all, some aspects of religion are accurately portrayed as fear invoking… hell is supposed to be evil… evil should invoke fear.
I then find it of interest that God challenges us to overcome our fear and “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid…” The Bible goes on to say that we as humans have dominion over the powers of darkness. We win, they lose. Despite our body’s efficiency while fueled by the above stimuli, many come to the conclusion that obedience and reverence to an omnipotent being brings us a certain respite from exactly these things. I would then also mention that I believe the opposite to be true as well. Without fear, what need have we for our all powerful God? What need would we have for the spilled blood of Christ if there were no fear of spending eternity having our flesh burned off? Yes indeed, the Bible is chock full of horror… potential eternal suffering, spilled blood, demons, the end times… I do believe, however, that there is a bit about love as well (just to be fair).
Thus I write within the horror genre. Yes, I am aware that many of my titles spill over into the thriller category as well, but I prefer horror because it elicits fear or at the very least, creates discomfort; this discomfort thus nourishing our body’s natural efficiencies and giving us the opportunity to step outside our disquiet natures, while allowing me to write about things from “Within the Shadows”.
I dare say, however, that fear is a dish best served at a time of our own choosing. Many self proclaimed atheist authors and philosophers such as Georges Bataille and Friedrich Nietzsche rail against the design and fabric of Christianity. Why? Please bear in mind that this explanation is simply put: Besides their ideology that religion purportedly renders us inhibited and less creative, one of their prevalent arguments is that religion instills a sense of trepidation into its constituency. Bertrand Russell said, "Religion is based . . . mainly on fear . . . fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand in hand...” I won’t argue the point that the Spanish Inquisition and the various Crusades were cruel. Never has there been a darker time in the history of Christianity. We made our beliefs compulsory. What is religion when there is no freedom to choose? What is religion when it is forced down our gaping maws on a hardened steel blade? Perhaps the Dark Ages were exactly that… dark. As for myself, if not for having witnessed direct answer to prayer and seen the presence of spiritual beings, I could quite possibly have shifted my thinking to the same vein as the above mentioned because of poor examples within the religious community – and admittedly, there are many. I have not because I do believe, at least to an extent, that religion and fear should be allowed to walk within the same circles… as they always have. Fear is not a bad thing as long as we don't allow it to reduce us to a quivering mound of mush. I believe that our spirituality may be the only way we truly can break the bonds of our innate chemicals and embrace our fears. After all, some aspects of religion are accurately portrayed as fear invoking… hell is supposed to be evil… evil should invoke fear.
I then find it of interest that God challenges us to overcome our fear and “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid…” The Bible goes on to say that we as humans have dominion over the powers of darkness. We win, they lose. Despite our body’s efficiency while fueled by the above stimuli, many come to the conclusion that obedience and reverence to an omnipotent being brings us a certain respite from exactly these things. I would then also mention that I believe the opposite to be true as well. Without fear, what need have we for our all powerful God? What need would we have for the spilled blood of Christ if there were no fear of spending eternity having our flesh burned off? Yes indeed, the Bible is chock full of horror… potential eternal suffering, spilled blood, demons, the end times… I do believe, however, that there is a bit about love as well (just to be fair).
Thus I write within the horror genre. Yes, I am aware that many of my titles spill over into the thriller category as well, but I prefer horror because it elicits fear or at the very least, creates discomfort; this discomfort thus nourishing our body’s natural efficiencies and giving us the opportunity to step outside our disquiet natures, while allowing me to write about things from “Within the Shadows”.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Welcome
Finally a moment to sit at my writing desk and reflect upon my first blog entry; it’s been a busy four days. My back aches and I am dog tired, but it’s all good. One would think that moving two households together wouldn’t be a daunting task – two people in love, coming together in a new home. Cake walk. Okay, yes I hear your uproarious laughter. Actually, despite my pretense, I will have to say that it has gone very well. The beds are put together, the appliances in place, clothes and kitchen items put away and… ah yes, the computer systems are up and functional.
Speaking of computers, we have four – two lap tops and two rather precarious desk tops. You would think that four computers for three people would be sufficient. Well, throw into the mix that there is only one modem – it’s something akin to the Stygian Witches squabbling over the oracle around here. I would swear that my new stepson was planning my demise this morning. However, I cleverly bested the ten year old (don’t laugh, he’s smart) and was able to hoard “my precious” for myself; research you know. Truth be told, I had to bribe the bounder with ChocoNilla Rice Krispies just so I could check my fantasy basketball team. Amid the chaos I felt myself praying that one of my new neighbors had wireless internet that I could pirate – God seems to have said no.
So anyway, I am kept quite busy. What with a new family and home, marketing Broken Mirror and Spirit Asylum, writing No Innocent Victim, and outlining Inhuman; I am hopping along quite merrily. My new wife Ali (actually we won’t be wed until August, but don’t tell) is a great support. Don’t all great authors have the support of a beautiful woman? Please, please, please nobody tell her that I’m not a great author! Seriously though, she is a creative genius and is currently developing cover art for books that she just knows her future husband is going to market vigorously – at least he had better. What a waste all those endless hours at the computer would be otherwise.
My next blog entry, just in case you are following closely, will get a bit more in depth about me being an author of the horror genre. You shall learn more about the kid in me who wants to believe in things that don’t have a rational, scientific explanation – or do they? Perhaps seeing the ghost of a Bigfoot would kill two birds with one stone for me.
Thanks for reading my first entry… I am humbled by it.
Adios!
Speaking of computers, we have four – two lap tops and two rather precarious desk tops. You would think that four computers for three people would be sufficient. Well, throw into the mix that there is only one modem – it’s something akin to the Stygian Witches squabbling over the oracle around here. I would swear that my new stepson was planning my demise this morning. However, I cleverly bested the ten year old (don’t laugh, he’s smart) and was able to hoard “my precious” for myself; research you know. Truth be told, I had to bribe the bounder with ChocoNilla Rice Krispies just so I could check my fantasy basketball team. Amid the chaos I felt myself praying that one of my new neighbors had wireless internet that I could pirate – God seems to have said no.
So anyway, I am kept quite busy. What with a new family and home, marketing Broken Mirror and Spirit Asylum, writing No Innocent Victim, and outlining Inhuman; I am hopping along quite merrily. My new wife Ali (actually we won’t be wed until August, but don’t tell) is a great support. Don’t all great authors have the support of a beautiful woman? Please, please, please nobody tell her that I’m not a great author! Seriously though, she is a creative genius and is currently developing cover art for books that she just knows her future husband is going to market vigorously – at least he had better. What a waste all those endless hours at the computer would be otherwise.
My next blog entry, just in case you are following closely, will get a bit more in depth about me being an author of the horror genre. You shall learn more about the kid in me who wants to believe in things that don’t have a rational, scientific explanation – or do they? Perhaps seeing the ghost of a Bigfoot would kill two birds with one stone for me.
Thanks for reading my first entry… I am humbled by it.
Adios!
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