Weekly Goals - December 27, 2011

Between time spent on airplanes, in airports, and in hotels without wi-fi, this week was exceptionally good to me. Not sure I want to contemplate what this means, in regards to what I should be (or should not be) doing to get more writing done during the week. Also helps to be off from the day job for the next week or so (in addition to this vacation time I took last week). So, hopefully things will be decent for another week as well.

Results for this week:

1. 5800 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection


And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2500 words on Resurrection

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - December 20, 2011

Not entirely certain that this week will be too productive with the holidays and all, but giving it a try anyway.

Results for this week:

1. 1000 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection


And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS: An Excerpt from my Newest, THE CURE

Pushing to get a major chunk of my Aston novel RESURRECTION, I figured I'd take this week's Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday snippet from my latest published novel, The Cure. For those who haven't seen this one, it involves Mila Groso, a scientist who's lost her family and in her distress, makes up her mind to develop a cure for death. Unfortunately, not everyone is after her research for the same reasons:

Jorja smiled, knowing she still had her lover under complete control. Her feet padded along the floor as she eased inside a shower cube. Pressing a green button on the waterproof panel before her, streams of cleansing water slammed against her naked body. The warmth drove deep into her exhausted bones, relieving her tension and washing off the filth that came with her job.

She’d have to inform her superiors how close Mila’s lab was. In Jorja’s opinion, they needed to confront her immediately and put forth their demands. Once the cure proved effective, they had to have it. Mila would hand it over, or join her family a little sooner than she thought.

Jorja smiled as the door creaked open once more. When naked flesh brushed against her back, she turned and pinned her lover against the damp wall, then they kissed.

If you enjoyed this tidbit, catch the full first chapter on my site. And of course, the novel is available in e-book and paperback versions all over the place.

Weekly Goals - December 13, 2011

Didn't quite meet the goal this week, but fairly close...hopefully this coming week will be more productive.

Results for this week:

1. 1250 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection


And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

12 Days of Christmas

For those who've been debating buying a copy of my books, I'm pleased to announce that Champagne Books is holding a 12 Days of Christmas sale. TODAY ONLY, you can get a copy of Heroes Die Young for only 99 cents in the Champagne store or the Burst Books store. And if you don't know what Heroes Die Young is, then you apparently didn't read the snippet from last Saturday.

So, get on over there and buy your copy today, for the special sale price. Because tomorrow will be too late... :-)

SFFS: Another Excerpt from HEROES DIE YOUNG

Neck-deep into new material and edits galore, it was a bit of a trick to find a snippet for this week's Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. So, for this week, I'm going to reach back into the past a bit, and get another excerpt from my first published novel, Heroes Die Young.  Here's a snippet, this one a little bit racier, between Aston and his best friend's (adult, for those wondering) daughter:

Her assault on my senses continued as she combed her fingers through my hair, and our mouths pressed against one another.

As she reached down to my pants, my conscience slapped me upside the head and I grabbed her arm. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I’m sorry, I just can’t.”

She pulled away and folded her arms across her chest. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes drooped. “Please leave.”

“If the circumstances were different, Juniper, I…”

Her eyes burned through me. “Leave!”

Poor Aston can never catch a break...

If you enjoyed this, click the link to HDY up there, and check out the whole first chapter. And of course, what really gets me motivated toward putting out Aston's latest adventures is to see the book being sold and enjoyed. Pick up a copy! You'll be glad you did...

Weekly Goals - December 6, 2011

A great week in finishing the short story, but spent myself, apparently. So, now it's time to spend the rest of this month getting as much work done as I can on the novel.

Results for this week:

1. 400 words (vs. goal of 1000) on Resurrection
2. 1750 words (vs. goal of 1000) on "Temptation"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS: An Excerpt from "Temptation"

Nearly missed the deadline for getting in on this week's Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. It's been a heck of a busy week. But thankfully, I'm all signed up, and once again bringing out the first draft material. First off, a big thanks to TK Toppin for great reviews on my first Aston West Triple-Shot. I always enjoy feedback, as it keeps me motivated to put out new material. And now, without further comment, I present a snippet from my new Aston West short story "Temptation":

“You look like someone who’s down on his luck,” came a sultry voice from beside me.

I lifted an eyebrow and turned to look, my other hand instinctively grabbing my Mark II blaster. With one glance at the woman standing there, my grip on the weapon relaxed, though my grip on the bottle didn’t.

“You might say that,” I told her and looked back to the front, where I could surreptitiously watch her in the mirror behind the bar. Her light brown skin was held tight in place by a white dress that showed far more than it covered.

She was forward, I’d give her that much. “How would you like your luck to change?”

I stared in disbelief, not entirely sure whether I wanted to ask how. Part of me was intrigued by the possibilities, but the other part reminded me over and over again that nothing good usually happened when I met pretty women in unfamiliar places.

As always, if you enjoyed it (or not), leave a comment...

Weekly Goals - November 29, 2011

Well, as expected, the holiday weekend tended to get in the way of the writing production. So, hopefully this week will allow me to near completion of my short story so I can stick with work on the novel during December.

Results for this week:

1. 0 words (vs. goal of 1000) on Resurrection
2. 1100 words (vs. goal of 1000) on "Temptation"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on Resurrection
2. 1000 words on my new short story "Temptation"

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS: An Excerpt from "Shadow World"

After taking a week off, I'm back again with another excerpt for this week's Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. I'm once again digging into the first draft barrel, with a little short story I'm hoping to sneak into a future installment of the Triple-Shots (and if you don't know what that is, head on over and check out the first one). All of the warnings about first draft material aside, hope you enjoy this excerpt from my Aston West short story (tentatively titled) "Shadow World":

The central figure of the three stepped forward and called out, “You brought the goods?”

“Sure did.”

“Show us."

Salty sweat covered my lips as I responded, “Show me the money first.”

He grimaced, which made me think things were about to go south. I glanced back at my ship, doubtful that even sprinting, I’d make it without getting shot.

His voice caught my attention once more. “We figured you might be a bit more distrusting, once we got word about your dealings with Angelika.”

I froze at the name of a blue-skinned black marketer, the same profession these three presumably were. Her double-crosses had been countered by my own, more than a few times.

So, if you enjoyed it (or not), leave a comment...I like interacting with folks.

Weekly Goals - November 22, 2011

Well, it took all the time to get it done, but met all the goals this week...have a feeling that there will be little work done over this coming holiday weekend, though I'll still shoot for a big end to the month.

Results for this week:

1. 1000 words (vs. goal of 1000) on Resurrection
2. 1000 words (vs. goal of 1000) on "Temptation"
3. Plotted a new story, "Demons Within"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on Resurrection
2. 1000 words on my new short story "Temptation"

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - November 15, 2011

Sadly, didn't hit my swing until just yesterday, and was unable to meet all the goals this past week. So, hopefully things will continue to push along toward the end.

Results for this week:

1. 0 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection
2. 1000 words (vs. goal of 1000) on "Temptation"
3. Have a title, but couldn't come up with one aspect of the plot that didn't seem like a rip-off of something else...

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on Resurrection
2. 1000 words on my new short story "Temptation"
3. Develop a plot for one new short story

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from "Samaritan"http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Well, since I've given excerpts from the other two stories in my latest Triple-Shot of Aston West, I figure it's time to put of the third for this week's Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday installment. So, hopefully everyone will enjoy this sampling from my brand new story "Samaritan":

Gut feeling is something you should never dismiss. This is something I’d come to realize through life. Whether or not I trusted my own instincts, they were always right in the end.

When I stumbled upon the craft I saw before me, my gut was telling me to run. And I, like a fool, didn’t trust the direction it gave me.

My ship’s computer Jeanie attempted to join forces with my instinct, her voice carrying over the internal speakers. “This situation does not compute.”

If you liked this excerpt, be sure to head over and pick up my new Triple-Shot (a three-story e-book for under a buck) over at Amazon or Smashwords.

Weekly Goals - November 8, 2011

Well, I was finally able to break the slump, thanks to a well-timed visit to one of my previously-mentioned sanctuary spots (and a well-flavored Jamocha shake). So, the goals were met this week, and now that I've pushed myself over the edge on putting out Aston West Triple-Shots, it's time to pump up some goals on the short story front again.

Results for this week:

1. 1500 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection
2. Completed (and have you seen it?)

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on Resurrection
2. 1000 words on my new short story "Temptation"
3. Develop a plot for one new short story

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Triple-Shots of Aston West

So, if you've checked out the last two SFFS excerpts here on the blog, you have a leg up on everyone else. And if you haven't, get on over and read excerpts from "Dead Man's Forge" and "Ever Dark".

So, now that everyone's up to speed, I'd like to introduce a brand new series we're kicking off with the Aston West universe: Triple-Shots of Aston West, a trio of short stories, all in one e-book for under a buck. The first Triple-Shot is now out, including "Ever Dark", "Samaritan" and the feature story "Dead Man's Forge".

And big thanks to the wonderful cover artist TK Toppin for the great work on the Triple-Shots cover art:


So, get out there and buy a copy (currently up at Smashwords, with the Amazon edition and others coming shortly). Check out three great stories for under a buck, and be sure to check back often for new stories.

SFFS - An Excerpt from "Dead Man's Forge"

Whew! Had a busy week around the house this week, and almost forgot (again) to get signed up in time for Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday, but just got in under the wire. I posted an excerpt from "Ever Dark" last week, and this week I'm going to put out a snippet from my upcoming short story "Dead Man's Forge":

His body convulsed and jerked around, while workers attempted to stabilize him. He didn’t look much older than me and I wasn’t sure if he was even conscious.

The girl, on the other hand, didn’t have any of the same symptoms. She screamed at the top of her lungs, then reached back toward the other pod occupant. “Daddy, I want Mommy!” The young thing sank into a coughing fit, bringing her to silence.

My heart sank as I watched the mob race across to another clay building. The girl had been sent with her dying father, and her mother had been left inside the mountain. My temporary companion sighed and started back for his bar. “Shame for the kid the pods only carry two.”

If you liked this excerpt, be sure to keep an eye out for my upcoming triple-shot short story collection, which I'll be announcing on this blog as well as my main site. And of course, for those who can't wait, check out all sorts of free stories under the Shorts section of AstonWest.com.

Weekly Goals - November 1, 2011

Well, unfortunately between hospital visits and other excitement, nothing at all was completed this past week on my own writing. Did get some reading done, and some editing for a friend (and some re-formatting for another), so not a complete loss I suppose.

Results for this week:

1. 0 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection
2. Put together my first triple-shot short story collection.

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

A Brief Sales Update

Since it's been a while, I figured I'd give a quick sales update for those who find an interest in knowing how those without a large fan base do in self-publishing and being published by small presses. I've been tweaking my sales tracking spreadsheets, so can give a bit of a run-down based on total sales:

Heroes Die Young has been in circulation since September 2008 (over three years), and is available in both print and e-book formats. The publisher does some promotion at sci-fi conventions (as do I). Counting both personal sales and publisher sales (except for the publisher's 4Q 2008 sales, which I can't find my statement on), a total of 231 copies have been sold (on top of that, I've given away 198 copies). That breaks down to around 73 copies sold per year.

Friends in Deed has been in circulation since January 2010 (almost two years), and is available in both print and e-book formats. Same publisher as HDY. Counting both personal sales and publisher sales, a total of 65 copies have been sold (41 additional copies given away). So, sales have been slow in comparison, with only around 33 copies per year. I could make guesses as to why it hasn't sold as well as the first, but I'll just stick to the facts for now.

Seeker was my first foray into self-publishing, and is a novella just slightly smaller than Heroes Die Young. It's priced at 99 cents compared to the (currently) $2.99 price point of my first book. Coming out in December 2010, it's been available roughly 11 months and is only available in e-book format. Right now, I've seen sales of around 42 copies, so a little more than the annual sales on FID (although that book is currently running $4.99-$5.99 in its e-book format), but lagging behind HDY.

Dead or Alive was published by a new house, and is a short story collection. It's mostly available in print, with an e-book currently available only on the Smashwords site (and an app for Apple devices, although for the purposes of this post, I'll only be discussing print sales). At the moment, I've seen 19 true sales (and an additional 20 giveaways) between my publisher and myself since the print version was available back in February of this year (so nearly 9 months).

The Cure is my first foray into self-publishing a full-length novel. It's available in both e-book and print formats, and has been since July (the print has only been available since September). To this date, I've seen a total of 2 print sales (3 additional giveaways) and 11 e-book sales (not counting the lag that I've noticed from several vendors under the Smashwords distribution umbrella). Not anything stellar, but it seems roughly on par (13 for the quarter equates to 52 copies for a projected year) with my other titles.

For a few future projects, I'm considering the idea of packaging a trio of short stories into a single e-book and placing them for sale as e-books. If that comes about, I'll be sure to add those into the mix.

Perhaps some conjecture into the how and why will come for another post, but for now, hopefully these facts and figures will be useful to you. And of course, for those who have questions about anything I've posted here, feel free to leave a comment.

SFFS - An Excerpt from "Ever Dark"

With a stay in the hospital (not for me) this week, I almost didn't make it in time for Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday, but did finally get home and get signed up. So, this week, I'm offering up an excerpt from my published Aston West short story "Ever Dark" (one of my favorites).

I stepped down the hall and the hairs in my nose curled. As I turned the corner, a pile of light gray ash lay on the floor along the left wall. A handheld energy weapon rested next to the debris.
Disintegrator cannon fire was one of the more horrific ways to die and not something a decent person would wish on even their worst enemy. Out of paranoia, I lifted my wrist.
“Jeanie, let me know if you see anything inside or outside the freighter.”
“Acknowledged.”
A hatch in the right wall split apart as I approached. Three more piles of ash lay at various spots around the rectangular bridge. Only one energy weapon was nearby, which told me someone had disintegrated unarmed victims.

If you liked this excerpt, feel free to head on over and read the full story in Ray Gun Revival (archived over on Scribd). And of course, several free stories can be found under the Shorts section of AstonWest.com.

Weekly Goals - October 25, 2011

Considering I only had two days where I could actually get writing done, I was glad to see that I still ended up meeting my weekly goal. I think I've found some methods (and locations) that are working better for me than around the house...

Results for this week:

1. 1500 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from DEATH BRINGS THE VICTORY

Since I provided an excerpt from my fourth Aston novel last week, I figured that for this week's edition of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday, I'd pull out an excerpt from my third (not-yet-published) Aston novel, Death Brings the Victory. Still in edits, of course, but still good stuff...taken from the prologue:

As far as setup, Aston's ship has just landed at the Torian orbital station (those who've read Heroes Die Young will recognize it) and his good friend Rione Sc'lari is rushing to meet him and just entered his ship:

Aston lay haphazard on the cot along the near wall, unmoving. A makeshift bandage covered his left shoulder, torn from sheets piled on the floor. Everything under him and below the cot was coated dark red.

“Aston!” she called, but received no response. Her breath formed misty vapor clouds as she rushed to his side. Shoving his body had no effect, either. Her entire body shook violently, not from the cold, but from building fear.

His breath wasn’t visible as hers was, so she reached up to his throat. Expecting the worst, she felt for signs of life. At first, she found nothing, then pushing a little deeper, a flicker of hope rose as she finally found faint beats, shallow and slow.

Weekly Goals - October 18, 2011

Finally over the hump, at least for the current week. Try one more week, and then we'll see about bumping up the weekly word count goal.

Results for this week:

1. 1700 words (vs. goal of 1500) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from RESURRECTION

Back again for another fun-filled week of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. Although I haven't yet finished editing the third Aston "in the series" novel, I'm presenting this week's snippet from my fourth one, Resurrection. I will put a little spoiler disclaimer here, and let everyone know that if you haven't read my second book Friends in Deed, and plan to, you might go read it first...don't worry, the snippet will still be here when you get back.

And of course, this is first draft material, so take that as it's offered...

“Aston...” Warm breath eased past my ear along with that voice I hadn’t heard for a very long time. Add on top of that the very idea of a voice being present, and confusion sent chills up and down my spine.

I kept my stare forward, muttering my words. “It can’t be. You’re dead. I killed you myself.”

I turned on my heels and stumbled back at the sight of Lars Cassus standing there in the light. The corner of his mouth curled up, and his voice, which he’d lost even longer ago, returned. “I’m back.”

Action's definitely going to be heating up with this one...can't wait to finish it, and present both novels to the general public in due time.

Weekly Goals - October 11, 2011

Motivation has been sapped, uncertain of the reason...still on pace with last week.

Results for this week:

1. 1000 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1500 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from "Sweet Embrace"

After taking a week off for some personal reasons, I'm back again with a post for Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. Hope you enjoy this excerpt from my unpublished Aston West story "Sweet Embrace" which I'm hoping to find a home for soon:

She looked at the pink bundle in my arms, then back at me. The woman’s eyes narrowed. “We are not a depository for unwanted children.”

I lifted an eyebrow, the implication clear. “This isn’t my child.”

“A likely story.”

I cursed under my breath, which she didn’t take well. She started closing the wooden door, but I shoved my foot into the gap. This one would need some convincing.

Of course, if you enjoy my excerpt, feel free to check out any of my other published short stories over at AstonWest.com (click on my "Shorts"...hee hee).

Weekly Goals - October 4, 2011

Another week coming up short...starting to see a trend.

Results for this week:

1. 900 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - September 27, 2011

Unfortunately, the motivation hasn't really been there this week. Did not help to have life get in the way, but that's not really an excuse.

Results for this week:

1. 425 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection
2. Checked the outlet, but saw nothing about time limits.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from "Little White Truths"

Well, apparently I was blind last week and even though I'd looked, didn't catch the 4-10 sentence guideline on Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday postings. So, tucking my tail between my legs, I humbly submit my excerpt this week. This particular excerpt comes from my first-ever published short story, "Little White Truths" (which is part of my short story collection Dead or Alive):

I never thought I would one day become an addict.

Looking back, it was inevitable, with my long trips alone in a cramped spaceship. It leads to boredom, which doesn’t have a lot of cures. There was no clear moment in time I could point to when the solution turned to full-blown addiction. Instead, it was more gradual and sinister, until the realization became obvious.

“Would you like another, sir?”

I looked up at the light brown man in a stiff, white shirt as he stood next to my table. I glanced down at the pale green remnants of some drink I’d forgotten the name of.

Weekly Goals - September 20, 2011

Well, thankfully things improved a bit this week. It did not seem so at the time, but doing a little bit every day (almost) helped a lot. So, here's hoping I can continue building on this week's success.

If you don't follow me on Twitter and Facebook (first off, why not?), The Cure is also available over at Barnes and Noble online (and for a significant discount). :-)

Results for this week:

1. 2150 words (vs. goal of 2000) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Resurrection
2. Check back on the status of "Collateral"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

SFFS - An Excerpt from Heroes Die Young

Greetings everyone! I was turned on to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (not in local time, thus the Friday night posting) by a friend of mine, so figured I'd give it a shot this week and see whether I can do it right. Ha.

So, here's a snippet from my first published novel Heroes Die Young:

***

I needed to get out of this mess. The trick was going to be in doing so without getting myself caught. Not that you could get in much more trouble than a death sentence, of course. I could have spared my life by giving up the cargo, but this was a matter of principle now.

I turned to the guard. “You’re going to sit there and watch my every moment, aren’t you?”

His face told me what his voice didn’t.

“Well, would you at least get me something to eat? I’m starving.”

He folded his arms across his chest.

“Come on. Surely you feed your prisoners.”

“I’ll be right back,” he mumbled.

As he stepped out of the room, I held up my arm and whispered into my transmitter. “Jeanie, can you hear me?”

“Aston, are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.”

“According to the station’s records, you’ve been incarcerated on weapons charges.”

Jeanie had a tendency to be a bit nosy. I heaved a sigh. “Yes. Our guest informed them of our cargo.”

“There has to be some explanation. I know they haven’t defeated my efforts at concealing our cargo.”

“I’m in a bit of a hurry here, Jeanie.”

“I apologize.”

“I’m in a holding cell.”

“The station contains only one security area. What cell number are you in?”

I shifted myself on the cot to get a better look at the nameplates on the other doorways. “Looks like number three. Drop the energy field and keep it secret if you can.”

“It doesn’t appear they have very tight safeguards in place. It should only take a moment.”

I jumped to my feet. “I’ll be there in a little bit. Prepare us for a departure whether the station lets us or not.”

“Understood.”

I walked up to the field and tried to get a better look past the doorway, just then, the energy beams flickered and died off.

I smiled. “Thanks, Jeanie. See you soon.”

I grabbed my case of Vladirian liquor, scurried over to the doorway, and eased my head out to look. Two guards sat at their desks with their backs to me, typing out information into terminals. The guard who’d kept watch over me was nowhere to be seen, which suited me fine. I tiptoed into the booking area, walked around the small counter, then bent down below the countertop, just in case one of the two guards happened to turn around.

“Hey!”

I looked up and saw my guard with a tray of food as he entered through the front door.

“Prisoner escaped!” He yelled to the others.

I rushed the guard and nailed his midsection with my shoulder. The tray slammed into his chest as he fell to the floor. I jumped over him and ran out.

As I rushed into the commons area, I had to stop and get my bearings. A few curious onlookers gave me odd glances, while others gave me a wide berth. I found the corridor I needed and sprinted for it. Voices called out behind me, but I paid them no heed as I rushed for my ship.

I raised my arm as I neared the second docking ring. “Jeanie, are you ready?”

“Affirmative.”

A guard I didn’t recognize stepped out from around the corner with his weapon drawn. I didn’t have enough time to react as a green blast struck me square in the chest. I stumbled and fell to the floor, then slid to a stop against his feet. The case hit the floor beside me and thankfully stayed intact.

“Aston West, you’re under arrest for attempted escape.”

Getting shot was always a strange experience. My chest felt like it was going to explode from the inside as I lost feeling in my extremities. His weapon was set on a much higher setting than mine normally was.

My world slowly faded to black.

***

If you enjoyed it, feel free to snag a copy via any of the major online retailers...and of course, excerpts from all of my novels, and links to my published short stories, can all be found over at AstonWest.com

Weekly Goals - September 13, 2011

Sadly, things are ending up extremely difficult in getting new material out onto the page. Things did seem to be getting better over the weekend, but with only two days out of the seven, it does not bode well. I'm just hoping that my dismal showing is not related to the lack of sales lately...but anything's possible. Here's hoping the coming week proves more fruitful on the writing front.

On the plus side, The Cure is now available in paperback from Amazon, so all those techno-phobes out there can get their hands on it now as well. :-)

Results for this week:

1. 1000 words (of 2000) on Resurrection

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - September 6, 2011

Oops...with the holiday break, I got my days of the week confused and forgot to post Tuesday...even though things went fairly okay...hopefully we'll keep things rolling. It should be entertaining, since it's been a while since I've written new material on a novel (as I've been in editing mode for what seems like forever).

Results for this week:

1. One edit completed
2. Edited

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 2000 words on Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Six Sentence Sunday: "Some Assembly Required"

Thanks everyone for stopping by! Today's six sentences come from my latest published short story "Some Assembly Required". Poor Aston gets himself into a big mess of a situation, when he stumbles across a planet where things aren't always as they seem:

I walked out and bumped into Libby on the top step. Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around her waist before she fell.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I looked up. Ford stood between the containers and a second hovercraft that looked like a flatbed cargo truck. His arms were crossed and his face burned red.

***

Poor Aston...

So, there you have it...if you want to read more, the entire piece is up over at Residential Aliens. And of course, I have several other published short stories which are linked over at my website, most of which are free (you can also purchase Dead or Alive, a full collection of Aston West short stories via ResAliens Press, in both print and e-formats)

Weekly Goals - August 30, 2011

Things have not been going well...no excuse, really...

Results for this week:

1. About halfway through
2. Not started

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Story Reviews

And in case you ever wondered (as I do) what people think when they read my stories, there are several bloggers who have been reviewing the recent Residential Aliens issue, in which my story "Some Assembly Required" appears. Take a look at the bloggers listed here, and check out their reviews of both the magazine, and others for my story...I'd be curious to hear what you think, both of the story itself, as well as everyone else's take on it.

Weekly Goals - August 23, 2011

Whew...long week...didn't complete all the goal I was hoping for, but I also spent quite a bit of time polishing up The Cure for its paperback release, and organizing the cover art with the artist. So, here we go...

Results for this week:

1. Didn't get started
2. Reviewed and ready to get back into the novel.
3. Edited paperback version of The Cure one last time, as well as cleaning up the Smashwords and Kindle versions based on that edit. [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Edit prologue for Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 16, 2011

Well, as expected, not much was accomplished this week, though I did spend the last couple of days preparing the paperback version of The Cure, so I suppose that's nothing to sneeze at. Now, though, I'm feeling the self-doubt rise up through the ranks (when I give myself too much free time to ponder these things), so it's time to put together some more goals for the coming week.

Results for this week:

1. Completed paperback conversion for The Cure [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete a minimum of one edit on "Hiding in the Shadows"
2. Review the prologue chapter for Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 9, 2011

Apologies for the belated post...life's been up to no good lately, and getting the way of all things writing-related. Fortunately, I woke up 2 hours early (not by choice) Tuesday so I was at least able to finish the second goal I'd been working...but still a bit short. And due to life's circumstances, I'd better go ahead and push off my weekly goals to next week.

Results for this week:

1. Completed final edits on "Samaritan"
2. Not worked
3. Edits completed on "Dead Man's Forge"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Push all other goals to next week

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Collateral" (since May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - August 2, 2011

Well, not sure if I failed my goal, but I did finish reading another book this week, and then had a short story published in the latest issue of Residential Aliens ("Some Assembly Required"), though that wasn't really an accomplishment on my part this week. I guess I'll count it as a win for now, and hopefully history will take a back seat and I'll be able to get some work done after the massive push to finish edits on The Cure.

Results for this week:

1. Finished reading Thunder Overhead

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete final edits on my story "Samaritan"
2. Complete my story "Simplicity"
3. Complete one edit on my story "Dead Man's Forge"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (Magazine folded)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Promo Day

If you're here, you know what to do...and what the promotion is for...so comment for your winning code.

Reality Check - July 30, 2011

You've no doubt seen the success stories of those who self-publish their e-books...people who sell a million copies, are able to write full-time and make a living at it. And no doubt, you've heard them pitch the idea that writers would be foolish not to do it this way...

And it makes you wonder, maybe I should do it too...

So, to test this theory, I've self-published two pieces, first (back in December) my Aston West novella Seeker...and then (2 weeks ago), my latest (non-Aston) novel, The Cure. The first, I've priced at the ultra-low 99 cent level (for a 20K word novella), while the latest is available for a more moderate $2.99 (for around a 60K word novel). With these two data points, I'm hoping to give a more accurate reading for would-be self-published authors (and myself) as to whether this golden goose is really as shiny as we'd be made to believe.

A few things to realize about me (for comparison purposes):
-I have been previously published, though by a small press without widespread bookstore distribution, with two books under my belt (Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed). I also have developed a small niche following based on my series of short stories featuring Aston West.
-I do not have hundreds of thousands of followers on my blog, nor my Twitter feed nor my Facebook fan page. I believe that all of these together net about 1000 people, maybe.
-I do market myself, through my social media outlets, through online groups and webpages, and through visits to conventions from time to time.
-I have a full-time job that I use to fund my writing exploits, so I don't have a lot of spare time to write or market (but I make do with the little time I have).
-I'm generally able to get a new novel finished in about a year or two (see the aforementioned full-time job information), though I've been attempting to better that.
-My two self-published titles are only available in e-book format, though I'm expecting to eventually self-publish a print version of The Cure (and am in talks on bringing Seeker to print as well)

So, all that being said, here's the breakdown so far:

Seeker has been out since (late) December 2010, on Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords (who has then distributed to such spots as Kobo and B&N (Nook). It's averaged around 2-4 sales most months. With the price point of 99 cents, royalties are low, around $2-3 a quarter (which because of the minimum payment requirements, are being stored up until I sell enough). The sales totals for this book come in around 40 books in the last 7 months. For comparison, my first quarter sales of my two small press books (which are priced at $2.99 and $3.99/$4.99 (depending on the store)) ran 12 and 5 copies each...I have not yet received the second quarter statement.

[For those keeping score at home, my novella sold 13 copies in the first quarter...but at a much lower price point...royalties, however, weren't that much different, which is another post for another day]

The Cure has only been out for two weeks, so more concrete sales numbers will be forthcoming in future updates...though I can say that the "initial rollout" sales are fairly consistent with those I saw with Seeker back in December (and ironically, are running fairly close to the sales of Seeker in the same two-week period). I will note here that after The Cure came out, I did see an uptick in sales of Seeker from June, from 2 to 4

So, I don't really know how often I'll give these updates, but stay tuned for more. And hopefully the numbers that I post will give you a feeling of what to expect from a foray into self-publishing e-books.

Weekly Goals - July 26, 2011

Here I thought I'd completely blown off my goals this week. Turns out, I actually accomplished all of them (all ONE of them ;-D ). So, one more week in the pseudo-vacation, and then it'll be back to work on some more Aston goodness. Until then, have you all seen that Dead or Alive is now available as an e-book over at Smashwords (and of course, if you're an iPhone or iPad user, there's an app for that too).

Results for this week:

1. Finished Rogue Dancer

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Absolutely nothing... ;-)

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Revisions requested)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Tag, you're It!

I don't normally do these things, but since Joyce blogs about once every 8 months (hee hee) and decided to tag me, I figured I'd give it a go.


What do you think of when you the hear the word tag?
Being tagged by my younger brother (and tagging him in return) with a clenched fist...

Do you think you're hot?
Not in any way, shape or form...but thankfully I've got enough money to make up for it...

Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.

I've been using this for well over a week...the cover to my new novel.


When was the last time you ate chicken?
Sunday night at the hospital, it was chicken-fried-chicken, which is the saddest bastardization of a decent food (chicken fried steak) ever conceived.

The song(s) you listened to recently.
Several, as I tend to listen while I'm writing or doing writing-related activities. Ones that I can recall off the top of my head: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele, "Bodies" by Drowning Pool, "Numb" and "In the End" by Linkin Park, and "Hotel California" by the Eagles.

What were you thinking as you were doing this?
I wasn't...I find my blogs work a lot better if I don't do a lot of thinking...

Do you have nicknames? What are they?
None that could be uttered in mixed company (see previously mentioned brotherhood...).


Tag 8 blogger friends:
Carla
Candice
Angie
Karen
Diana
Lynn
Kimberly
Clifton

Who's listed as No. 1?
Carla, one of my great friends I've found recently through Twitter. We've grown very close, probably because we have most of the same behaviors... ;-)

Say something about No. 5
Diana is a fellow Champagne Books author, and a fantastic writer. Thank goodness she writes fantasy, so I don't have to directly compete with her. Haha.

How did you get to know No. 3?
Unless I'm mistaken (which gets more and more likely these days), I believe Angie and I met through Blogger and through the forums over at the former Ray Gun Revival. Even if I don't remember how we originally met, we've been hanging out on each other's blogs for some time, and even do a little critiquing for each other now and then.

How about No. 4?
Karen is a nut, and her blog proves it. Still, it's fun reading, even if I don't often know how to post a response to what she writes... ;-)

Leave a message for No. 6.
Lynn, it saddened me when your company stopped working with fiction...even if I understood the move.

Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.
(This could get awkward)
Candice, thanks for all the support and I hope you and your books eventually hit the big time as you (and they) deserve!

Do No. 7 and No. 8 have any similarities?
None as far as I know, aside from the fact both are writers of one type of another. One writes novels, and the other has an extremely entertaining webcomic.

Okay, there you have it...stay tuned for tomorrow's regularly scheduled goals post.

Weekly Goals - July 19, 2011

Well, formatting the e-book took far less time than I'd imagined, so as those who've been following the blog this week can attest, I've already published The Cure and posted its cover art. Now that this major project is done, it's time to get caught up on some of my reading I've been slacking on...and then start August off with more Aston West goodness.

Results for this week:

1. Converted The Cure for Smashwords and Amazon both
2. Posted cover art

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Finish reading Rogue Dancer by K. M. Tolan

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Six Sentence Sunday: The Cure (Second Try)

Well, since apparently last week, I just thought this was something to do for fun, I was not aware there was an official sign-up for Six Sentence Sunday. So, this week, I've actually signed up, and will present a different set of six sentences from my upcoming release (scheduled for the end of the month), The Cure. Enjoy!

***

She looked around, seeing peaceful digital artwork by artists with names she didn’t recognize. The distinct stench of fresh paint spilled off the walls. They’d gone to great lengths to liven up the facilities over the past few months. There was no sense in it. Putting a friendly, pleasant face on the surroundings didn’t hide the fact there was only one reason to come here.

To visit the dead.

***

And be sure to keep an eye out for more information over on my Twitter feed or my Facebook fan page. And if you can't wait for the end of the month, head on over to AstonWest.com where you can check out my other published novels and short stories as well.

THE CURE: Now Available

The long wait is over, and my new novel The Cure is now available. Check out my site's page for the details, including links to go buy your copy.

An Except From THE CURE

Sweltering heat followed Mila as she entered. Second-guessing her morning wardrobe decision, at least her dark suit jacket covered up her sweating skin.

A reception desk sat off to her left. Mila didn’t recognize the cheerful young woman behind it, which set her hackles up. The baby-faced redhead sat with a nail file, grinding like a mad woman as she chomped just as hard on chewing gum. Bouncing curls atop her head accompanied her breasts as they burst forth from her low-cut black top. She looked up at Mila and flashed a brilliant smile.

“Can I help you?”

“Where’s Barbara?” The regular receptionist would have taken Mila right away to where her family waited. She’d been through this same process daily, step-for-step over the last three seasons, coming up on ten months now. Every lunch break, like clockwork. No one knew outside of this building. Not the people she worked with, not even her relatives. Nothing good could come from too many people being aware of her activities.

“Called in sick this morning, so I was told. I’m from the temp agency.”

“Mila Groso,” she muttered. “I have an appointment.”

The young woman motioned. “Please have a seat.”

Mila turned toward several plush white chairs along the opposite wall. “That’s really not necessary...”

The busty redhead put on the fakest smile Mila had ever seen. “Oh, it’s no bother.”
Frowning, Mila could do nothing but follow the woman’s instructions. The young temp dropped her file and picked up a small cylindrical transmitter, squeezing the sides to pop the handset open. A communication link was established with a dual-tone beep. She held her hand up to muffle her voice. Without any background noise, though, Mila still heard every word. “Mister Docken, there’s a Mila Groso here. She claims to have an appointment, but nothing’s listed.”

Listening to the response, her face grew serious before closing the transmitter again. Without a care, she flashed another fake smile. “He’ll be out soon.” Barely a moment passed before she’d gone back to her nail file.

Mila pursed her lips and squirmed, unable to find a comfortable position in the chair. She looked around, seeing peaceful digital artwork by artists with names she didn’t recognize. The distinct stench of fresh paint spilled off the walls. They’d gone to great lengths to liven up the facilities over the past few months. There was no sense in it. Putting a friendly, pleasant face on the surroundings didn’t hide the fact there was only one reason to come here.

To visit the dead.

Down a second hallway, a door lock clicked open, drawing Mila’s attention. A tall, gaunt man in a freshly pressed white dress shirt, black trousers and tie stepped into view. Relief worked its way onto Mila’s face at the sight of someone she finally recognized.

“Mila,” he said, drawing close, “sorry to keep you waiting. Your regular viewing room is ready.”

She stood and smoothed out her dress pants, taking the high road by forgiving the utter inconvenience she’d been put through. “Thank you, Paul.”

His smooth black hair caught the light from above while he gave off a weak smile. “You’re welcome.”

The pair walked along the corridor, the only sound coming from Mila’s heels striking the faux wood floor. They passed through an ornate doorway into a rectangular waiting area. Waist-high leafy plants stood in each corner.

Once they were out of earshot, Paul mumbled to Mila. “Sorry about that. It was a big surprise finding out Barbara wouldn’t be in this morning.”

It really wasn’t her concern, but Mila still figured an inquiry appropriate. “Is she okay?”

“Her niece called this morning. Apparently, she came down with something nasty.” He glanced toward the lobby. “I hope she comes back soon. It’s hard to find good help.”

Mila nodded absently. She’d always been able to find excellent employees and had never needed temporary help. With this experience, she counted it a good thing.

Paul held a hand out toward another pair of plush white couches. Mila figured the facility had bought in bulk. “I’ll just double-check everything’s as you’ve requested.” He left her there, entering the central of the three viewing rooms while she sat down once more.

Such frequent visits weren’t in the standard burial contract, and had been negotiated for a significant price. Calling it a request was putting a definite spin on things.

Mila’s limbs shook, just as with every visit. Even being strong-willed as she made herself out to be, the entire situation still struck unbridled fear into her bones. A death sentence carried out on her family’s murderers had not appeased her bloodlust.

Neither had it assuaged her guilt.

She composed herself as the door opened and Paul stepped out. A cold chill flowed out to greet her. “Take as much time as you need.”

“Thank you,” Mila mumbled, walking inside.

“I’ll be up front whenever you’re finished.” Paul shut the door behind her.

She took a deep breath and stared at the two sarcophagi. The standard white coffin had been upgraded with ornate markings and shiny metal carvings mounted to each corner and around the base. It had been billed as a flowing pattern meant to speed the decedent’s path to the afterlife, or some other such nonsense meant to soothe a survivor’s grief. Dark purple blankets hid wheeled carts which rested under each casket. These provided the means for Paul’s staff to roll them inside the viewing rooms. She’d only heard stories of the underground storage vaults where so many dead were held, having no desire to see them.

All citizens of this planet were buried in sealed caskets, preventing decomposition as was the Vetrasian custom. Mila still recalled the interment service held in this very room. Outside the building had been so dreary and rainy, an unlikely circumstance for the then-summer season, but matching Mila’s emotional state at the time.

Silence closed in from all sides. Despite the center’s use of floral sprays as a mask, there was no way to completely eliminate the musty stench emanating from the underground vaults. She shifted up to the caskets, her shaking hands creeping toward the transparent shells. Every visit confirmed what she knew, but couldn’t accept. It hadn’t been a bad dream. Her family was truly gone forever.

Even now, she wasn’t convinced. She’d be with them soon enough. That was the only thing providing her solace, letting her sleep at night.

Looking through the clear lid at her daughter was almost as if gazing into a mirror of the past, her foolish youth. This teen’s face, though, was a model of steadiness, framed by the same thick, dirty blonde, shoulder-length strands Mila herself was burdened with. A long white dress was the standard burial garment for all the planet’s women.

“Oh, sweet Oreana...” Mila choked on her words, and streams of tears flowed down her face.

She wiped her eyes and turned to the second casket, where her husband’s tanned face sat in wait atop a white suit, the standard men’s burial garment. She longed to once more run her hand through his brown ratty hair, to stare into his sky blue eyes. “Gordon, my love,” she whispered. Stroking the hard plastic cover with her fingers, Mila tried to remember what he felt like. It made her sob even more that she couldn’t recall the memory.

She looked upon both bodies, as always marveling she couldn’t make out the slash marks and stab wounds they’d received from their killers. Paul and his staff had done a fantastic job, but even without visible reminders, she couldn’t clear the bloody images from her mind. There was no silencing their final screams of agony and terror which echoed within her mind.

Mila closed her eyes and the tears gushed forth. She should have arrived on time that fateful night. If she had, they wouldn’t have been waiting in the parking lot when a pair of vagabond killers had found them. Random as it had been, her family ended up dead, because she always put work ahead of everything else in her life.

With a sigh, she eased her eyelids open, blinking away tears and glancing back and forth between the corpses. A small smile formed while the liquid train slowed. Increasing hope filled her heart, knowing she had a plan, even though formed from grief and desperation. With every passing moment, Mila knew without a doubt she was getting closer to the cure she’d been seeking these last ten months.

The cure for death.

Cover Art for THE CURE

Just posted this up on my fan page, but going to put it here as well...the cover art for my new novel, THE CURE.

And stay tuned! I plan on posting up an excerpt from The Cure tomorrow, in preparation for its release over the weekend.

Weekly Goals - July 12, 2011

Finished with The Cure edits, and now it's time to get down to the nitty gritty details on formatting it for publication. Still shooting for an end-of-the-month release...and also had some good happenings with another of my story being accepted for publication.

Results for this week:

1. Finished edits on The Cure
2. Book blurb and tagline is completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Convert The Cure into its e-book format for Smashwords
2. Post The Cure cover art up for the fans to enjoy

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (ACCEPTED)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Six Sentence Sunday: The Cure

Just figured I'd join in on the Six Sentence Sunday craze that I've seen over and over again on Twitter...so here is my first contribution, a segment from the first chapter of my upcoming novel, The Cure:

Random as it had been, her family ended up dead, because she always put work ahead of everything else in her life.

With a sigh, she eased her eyelids open, blinking away tears and glancing back and forth between the corpses. A small smile formed while the liquid train slowed. Increasing hope filled her heart, knowing she had a plan, even though formed from grief and desperation. With every passing moment, Mila knew without a doubt she was getting closer to the cure she’d been seeking these last ten months.

The cure for death.

Weekly Goals - July 5, 2011

Things are rolling fairly smoothly now. Edits are nearly completed for the Cure, and as I mentioned in the comments to my last post, I'm hoping for an August release.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 10 chapters of The Cure

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Finish edits (5 chapters) on The Cure
2. Polish book blurbs and taglines for The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (Resubmitted with requested revisions)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

The Money Factor

Through these many years of writing and publishing, I've come to notice a trend.

First, there were books on how to write...and then writer's conventions, seminars, and other events, all for the sake of teaching you how to improve your writing and breaking into the publishing business.

Then, getting a publisher required an agent, a person who took a percentage of your pay in order to act as a gatekeeper.

And once you were published, you'd often times have (or hire, if your publisher didn't) a publicist to take care of setting up events and such.

Now the game has changed, and authors are striking out on their own. But to do it "right" you'd have to hire professional editors, cover artists and those who could convert your manuscript for publication as an e-book or paperback.

And now that agents are slowly losing their grasp as gatekeepers to the publishing world, they and others are now willing to take on all the heavy lifting of getting a book ready for publication, as e-stributors.

Which goes to show something that I've always maintained (and was just telling a friend of mine the other day): There's a heck of a lot more money involved in the business of writing, than in the actual writing itself...

Weekly Goals - June 28, 2011

Everything is still progressing quite well on edits...hoping to be finished with them all next month.

Results for this week:

1. Edited 7 chapters of The Cure

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 6 chapters of The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (Resubmitted with requested revisions)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (since June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - June 21, 2011

Finally lit a fire under my butt this week, with things mostly going well...

Results for this week:

1. Edited and Re-submitted "Some Assembly Required"
2. Posted "Double Trouble" to Wattpad
3. Edited 3 chapters of The Cure
4. Edited and submitted "Sweet Embrace"

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit 5 chapters of The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Posted)
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (Resubmitted with requested revisions)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Submitted June 19)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - June 14, 2011

Well, at least the edits are going on track for The Cure but nothing else seems to be going as planned...

Results for this week:

1. None
2. Not submitted
3. Not submitted (debating doing some edits)
4. Edited 5 chapters of The Cure

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Edit "Some Assembly Required"
2. Submit "Double Trouble"
3. Edit 4 chapters of The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Need to submit)
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (Tentatively accepted with revisions requested)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - June 7, 2011

Another week of falling short on the stories, but began a final polish edit on The Cure in anticipation of having it ready for a fall release.

Results for this week:

1. Nearly 600 words completed on the first draft of "Simplicity"
2. Not submitted
3. Not submitted
4. Edited 3 chapters of The Cure [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on "Simplicity"
2. Submit "Double Trouble"
3. Submit "Sweet Embrace"
4. Edit 5 chapters of The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Need to submit)
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - May 31, 2011

Sadly, I should know better than to think a convention will be a place where I can get work done...

Results for this week:

1. Nearly 700 words completed on the first draft of "Simplicity"
2. Not submitted
3. Revisions completed

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on "Simplicity"
2. Submit "Double Trouble"
3. Submit "Sweet Embrace"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Need to submit)
"Generations" (since May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)
"Collateral" (since May 23)
"Sweet Embrace" (Need to submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - May 24, 2011

A great week for the most part, and hoping to capitalize on it going into the holiday weekend (though I will be con-going this weekend, so...).

Results for this week:

1. Nearly 1900 words, and a completed first draft of "Sweet Embrace"
2. Submitted May 23
3. Submitted May 24
4. Still not totally sure, but leaning one direction...

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on a new short story
2. Submit "Double Trouble"
3. Complete revisions on "Sweet Embrace"

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (REJECTED May 19)
"Generations" (submitted May 24)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)
"Collateral" (submitted May 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - May 17, 2011

Time to bear down on this writing gig, and get some new material written...it's also become apparent to me that agents aren't going to be interested in The Cure, for whatever reason, so there's some decisions to be made.

Results for this week:

1. Finished Resurrection plot outline

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. 1000 words on a new short story
2. Submit "Collateral"
3. Submit "Generations"
4. Determine fate for my completed novel The Cure

Submission status for the week:

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (since March 28)
"Generations" (need to re-submit)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)
"Collateral" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Out of This World Blog Contest

Greetings, everyone! Thanks for stopping by! I'm helping out my friend Angie Lofthouse today by hosting her blog contest, today featuring her short story "Ripped," which first appeared in Amazing Journeys in March 2005. Previously, it won 2nd prize in the 2001 Science Fiction Writers of Earth Short Story contest. Contest reviewer Larry Taylor said:

"At the beginning of Angie Lofthouse's "Ripped" three usually clearly distinguished spheres are posited: past, present, and future. By the end, we're not so sure that these are immutable."

To enter The Out of This World Adventure giveaway, click on the story title to read the story, then come back here and answer the following question in the comments:

If you were getting a big bonus check to leave the planet, who would you give the money to?

Your comment will give you one entry in the grand prize drawing (includes an Amazon gift card, free book and other fun stuff!), plus one commenter on this post will win a Milky War bar. Mmmm. Include your email address, if it isn't on your profile, so we can contact the winners.

Be sure to visit the other stops on the Adventure and good luck!

Weekly Goals - May 10, 2011

Been down this week for various reasons, but at least the plot outline has been coming along. Need to find a new home for a (little more violent than usual) story that was planned to be part of an anthology, which has since folded. Fun times.

Results for this week:

1. Developed 1000 words on the plot outline.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Finish plot outline for Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (since March 28)
"Generations" (need to re-submit)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)
"Collateral" (need to re-submit)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - May 3, 2011

I've been a chatty one this week on the blog, but unfortunately, it short-changed my time for writing stories.

Results for this week:

1. Developed 1100 words on the plot outline.
2. Not started.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Develop 1000 words of plot outline for Resurrection

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (since March 28)
"Generations" (rejected, need to re-submit)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Blog Contest

Be sure to stop by on May 14, as Angie Lofthouse will be stopping by, running a blog contest! Guaranteed to be out of this world! In fact, stop by all the blog she'll be visiting. Click the link for more information.

On a Happier Note

Just a quick note to let everyone know that my latest Aston tale "Turnabout" can now be found over at Digital Dragon Magazine. Enjoy! For those who've been reading the series for a while, you might recognize someone...

A Writer's Ponderings

I'll preface this post by warning everyone that I've had a really crappy week personally and professionally, so I'll try really hard not to let it morph into a annoying and whiny pity-party...but if not, you can have your money back.

***

I'm always speaking with would-be writers who tell me how cool it must be to have published books and such. Truth, however, never usually meets up to the expectations we place on circumstances before reaching them. This case is no exception.

I do have fans, and I'm extremely grateful for all of them. They truly are why I keep doing what I do, putting out more and more stories and novels. I have no doubt that several of them would buy any book I put out (did I mention, extremely grateful?). The truth of the matter, though, is that the vast majority of these fans have been a result of my own promotional work, personally finding these individuals, conversing with them either in person or on-line, and getting a book into their hands (either by a contest giveaway or persuading them to part with their hard-earned money).

At some point, one would think that momentum would take over, that these fans would tell their friends and they would become fans themselves, leaving me to do the writing with some promotion when I get a chance. Unfortunately, it doesn't ever seem like this takes place. The reasons for this are beyond me, but the fact remains that I appear forever stuck in a cycle of pushing books in front of people in the hopes that they'll become fans. Then, going back over and over to those fans to keep them in the know for my latest work (literally, one of my biggest fans didn't even realize that I'd had a second novel come out, let alone other works since then)...

Is this what publishing is supposed to be? Just one author's experience? Heck if I know...

But perhaps my writing really isn't all it should be, and those I've befriended through my publishing journey are being generous in their praise? This could be the case. Although I shouldn't take any stock in reviews or the lack thereof, it gets a bit dreary seeing so few posted (not just by customers, but by professional sites that presumably received a copy).

Maybe the substandard writing theory isn't so far-fetched.

If you listen to some, one solution is to go it alone, self-publish through one of the free online companies (Amazon and Smashwords), and rake in money hand-over-fist. As a test of this system, I put up a novella on both, setting the price point below the dollar mark (which the experts claim will . Without going into too many details, its first quarter sales were roughly on par (and once I get this quarter's royalty statements, I'll have a direct comparison) with the number for my two "traditionally" published books, but not as stellar as one would have thought, considering the price point was far less.

I've considered putting one or both of my current in-the-pipeline books up as self-published titles to get a few more data points. Admittedly, the first novel was self-edited (the cover art was an exceptional piece donated by a friend), to do it "right" would cost a couple thousand dollars for editing, cover art, etc. That, in addition to several friends admonishing me for even contemplating the idea...

The question at this point is whether the time would be worth the payout in the end, to: a) figure out why sales are so stagnant and remedy the problem, b) figure out whether my writing style needs a huge makeover and if so, work toward that end, c) decide my future plans for my preferred publication method, and d) keep more writing flowing through the pipeline to avoid becoming a historical footnote.

And then again, perhaps it truly is a matter of continuing to push books in front of each and every person on the planet, until every single one of them has laid eyes on them?

Either way, anyone considering going into writing for publication should be asking themselves whether they are willing to put up with this much heartache...because once you're stuck in the system as I am, it's far too late.

Weekly Goals - April 26, 2011

A decent week for once in a long while...we'll see if things continue to move in that direction.

Results for this week:

1. Only 800 words on the plot outline (focused on #3).
2. Submitted April 23.
3. 1800 words, and a completed first draft for the still-untitled short story. [added]

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Develop 1000 words of plot outline for Resurrection
2. 500 words on a new short story

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (since March 28)
"Generations" (since April 10)
"Some Assembly Required" (since April 23)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

To Go Where I've Not Gone Before

I don't have any belief I'm the first author to have ever reached this decision point, but it's an interesting point to ponder, so figured I'd share.

How far would you go with your writing?

When I first started out writing, my standards were sure. For those who've read Heroes Die Young, you know that even if things get a little hairy from time to time, the language is clean (other than the slang term for a lady-of-the-evening that one reader took exception to), and (much to several readers' chagrin) the sexual tension remains that way. The biggest "taboo" (if it could even be considered as such) was Aston's drinking (which is and will always remain his vice of choice).

As time has worn on down this road, I've noticed (and it's been pointed out to me) that things have progressed. The language has stayed for the most part clean (in my writing, at least), but the physical aspects have been getting a lot more risque. Again, to several readers' dismay, it hasn't crossed certain thresholds (what I consider the "what could I show my grandmother" litmus test), but it has taken a decidedly different tone.

So, we get to my latest in-work projects, and at least in their pre-published versions, some scenes cross that threshold. Why this happened could be attributed to any number of factors, but the fact remains that it's out there. Is it a matter of hearing so many readers ask for it? Is it my own personal thresholds adjusting? Do I believe it will help boost sales? It really could be any and all of these, or none of the above.

But when it's all said and done, before these works reach publication, I must ask myself: Do I want to cross that threshold?

And sadly, I don't know...

Weekly Goals - April 19, 2011

Sadly, could not get myself out of the trough this week to get much done. Maybe next week...

Results for this week:

1. Just over 100 words on the new story (still untitled)
2. Just over 1200 words of plot outline developed for Resurrection. Still quite a ways to go.

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Develop 1500 words of plot outline for Resurrection
2. Submit "Some Assembly Required" to an outlet

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Since March 28)
"Generations" (Since April 10)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - April 12, 2011

Things picking up, but still a bit slow...

Results for this week:

1. Completed 1700 words on the first story "Samaritan"
2. Completed 500 words on an unnamed second story
3. Submitted

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete 1000 words on the new short story
2. Develop plot for Death Brings the Victory

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Since March 28)
"Generations" (Submitted April 10)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals

Weekly Goals - April 5, 2011

Still moving quite slow, but picking up the pace somewhat...and if not for some odd eye issues (I'm guessing allergies), I likely would have had a bit more done tonight. At least I've started a pair of stories...

Results for this week:

1. Completed 300 words between two stories
2. Edited, and ready for submission

And now the goals for this coming week:

1. Complete 1000 words on a new short story
2. Complete 500 words on a second new short story
3. Submit "Generations"

Submission status for the week:

Novels:

The Cure --
15 queries submitted
6 form rejections
1 no-response rejection
8 still under consideration

Short stories:
"Double Trouble" (Since March 28)

Aston West
novels
short stories
writing goals