F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

fpdorchak

Going Indie — What I’ve Learned (So Far) — Quit Askin For Stuff!

by

Okay, so this is what I’ve learned over the past couple of years of what promotion I’ve been able to do for my novels:

  1. Stop asking for things!
  2. Creating “events”? Only for romance authors and/or people (aka “women”) with friends!

All the conferences and discussions I’ve had about what to do or not do in the promotion of one’s work usually hits upon the above two immutables. “Immutables” because I’ve always heard that you should always ask for readers to write reviews and that in getting book signings, one should create an “event” and not just sit around like a bump on a log.

Well, I’ve tried to employ both of these directives. And in both cases I’ve: 1) felt cheap and telemarket-y, b) felt more than I really am, as in do I fancy myself a “Rick Castle“?, and lastly…have been overruled by the location-in-question.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

  1. In today’s Day and Age, if people like your work, they’ll volunteer or actually just do the review. It’s a thing now, for chrissakes. Everyone reviews everything. They review the weather, their relationships, their own reviews. I’ve found that if I’ve e-mailed the question, people who don’t want to review your work will simply avoid the question altogether. Yup, they’ll just ignore you. It’s like my wife asking me to clean out the garage (again). If you ask face-to-face, “Sure,” they say they will…as their tone drops and they don’t look you in the eye and scratch behind an ear (or check their Galaxy Samsung for sudden phantom messages–“Hey, gotta take this text!“)…and you feel cheap for having had to ask. So, quit frigging asking for reviews! Okay, fine. I hated asking for them anyway.
  2. Events?! Who the <expletive> wants to come to an “event” to buy a book? In fact, who the hell wants to be in any way bothered by that guy or gal behind the imposing desk with a saccharin smile on their scared little face? Nobody knows how to write anymore—so a signed book? What does that even mean? If they want anything signed (“Uh, do you mean that verified/trusted electronic security certificate thingee?“) they’ll either swoop down from behind your position and shove an iPad into your face…or they’ll go to the quiet book shelves deep within the inner Sanctum Sanctorum of the store…find your book…then search Amazon or Nook and download it—thank you very much, Signing Person, for bringing it to my attention! Now, go—get thee away from me and leave me alone—I’ll go find it elsewhere and NOT have to physically interact with you…but, um, I will tweet I walked by your table (unless you’re off-the-charts hot or are a famous Romance Author with chocolate or brownies and a frigging rose-in-a-vase on your oh-so-cutely decored table)…. #AuthorAvoidance.
  3. It seems that most of the locations I can get into are small and cozy. I get that. Heck, I even really like that. I’m not into pomp and circumstance and never have been. Local bookstores do like to cater to the local author and will do what they can, but: 1) they’re small…they don’t have enough room for “events,” 2) they’re cozy and their clientele like “cozy”…they don’t do things that annoy cozy, and 3) see 1 and 2. Cozy is good. I like cozy! Why are you bothering me with these “event” questions?! What—my own? Maybe not. Locations that do do “events” are Big Box. I’ve never yet gotten into a Big Box. I don’t sell enough. I don’t have enough friends (keeping reading).
  4. Who the heck do I think I am, anyway? Richard Castle?

And as I’ve further considered the above items-of-interest, I’ve realized that I’d never heard any of these things uttered from, well—don’t shoot me, now—a guy.

Yes, a guy.

There, I’ve said it.

I’m not one of those who hammer on gender differences (am not a fan of those who do), but this really is quite pronounced and can be proven in a court of law. I’ve heard these directions uttered from legions of female authors (and most writers/authors I know are women…um, as are the agents, the editors, and well, you get the picture…). Usually somehow affiliated or associated with romance (friends, Romans, or Country…women…).

Now, don’t get me wrong, I always say more power to the author who can sell any of their wares, especially on a recurring basis. But, these romance authors are writing to an audience that is, well, there really is no other term for it—rabid—about their world. Their genre. <Expletive>, their authors! So, it comes as no shock to me that “creating events” and asking their readers to review their work is not out of line.

In fact, I was at a conference once (I wasn’t) and had seen (as far as you know…) where a romance author was in conversation with a rabid reader fan (RRF), had (“casually”) brought up the subject of reviews, and before the author had completed her sentence, the RRF had shouted “Done!“, arms thrust high into the air (nearly dislocating her shoulders—I saw the tears creeping out her right eye), one hand holding her Nokia like a Crusaders’ sword, shouting,”Reviewed! 5,000 likes!”

Or maybe I didn’t. Can’t remember. The Fog of Conference.

As to the having tons of friends part, that also is usually tied to women.

Sure, you say, guys have friends.

No. Not really. We don’t.

We have buddies.

There’s a difference. Guys don’t flock en masse to anything that doesn’t involve beer or sports, and still, we don’t “flock” and we don’t “attend events.” We just all happen to end up at the same place. At once. To drink beer. Yell. Fart, belch, and slap each other (briefly) on the shoulder and move on to the next beer. Quote sports stats. Where’s the BBQ?

Women are supportive of each other.

Men drink beer. Eat grilled meat.

So all this only works if you’re a woman, a romance author, or have tons of friends.

Or are Richard Castle.

Related articles

Voice Delivered…

by

Plain Brown Wrapper: First Set of Voice Delivery, Sept 14, 2015
Plain Brown Wrapper: First Set of Voice Delivery, Sept 14, 2015

When I got the package of the first set of books for my new release, Voice, I just had to share, for it was not in the least lost on me the irony of its delivery: in a plain brown wrapper.

Is that still a “thing” in today’s world?

Well, I laughed.

The Naughty Little Book: What's Inside The Plain Brown Wrapper!
The Naughty Little Book: What’s Inside The Plain Brown Wrapper!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

Meeting My Oversoul—In Person

by

I'll Give You A Memory! The Education of Oversoul 7, © 1973, Jane Roberts (First Pocket Books printing, December, 1976)
I’ll Give You A Memory! The Education of Oversoul 7, © 1973, Jane Roberts (First Pocket Books printing, December, 1976)

Okay, this may well get you all wondering what the hell’s going on with me, but I had one of the coolest metaphysical experiences happen to me the other night. Sure, if I were you, reading this, I’d have the same questions, but I’m not…I was at the receiving end and know what I experienced.

I went to bed early Wednesday night after rereading some of the novel, The Education of Oversoul 7. I was reading a section that talked about the Oversoul Seven character annoyed that one of its earthly personalities only saw him as an older guy with graying hair.

So, I go to bed.

About an hour or two later, I’m awakened by this guy my age or older—with gray in his hair—leaning out/down to me. He’s reaching out with his left hand with a focused concentration and tapping me on the forehead as I lay in bed!

I then actually (I physically did this—it wasn’t a dream) reached up trying to block his tapping, and said something like “Oh, come on…” or “Nooo!” because he was waking me up, for Godsakes!  You see, I’ve been having trouble sleeping the past week and I’d had a good sleep…even if for only that hour or two then!

The man’s face was neutral…not smiling nor angry. It was actually very intent—focused—as in trying to get through to me.

This has meaning.

I’m sure many of you think this totally fictional, another byproduct of the all-illusionary hypnogogic state brought on by the novel I was reading. And that’s okay. But I don’t feel this to be the case. It was far, far too coincidental. Stuff like this doesn’t happen to me where I see something, watch a movie, read a book, then dream about it. My dreams just don’t work that way (and I’m quite aware of what I dream about and have been logging them since I was a kid, so I do know what I’m talking about, here).

This has meaning because I’ve recently been hoping I could have more dreams where I meet my oversoul—and remember it. Then the new novel I’m beginning work on caused me to return to this particular novel. Then, given the passage I’d just been reading, I have the experience just described.

It’s all part of a series of related events. As I always say, everything’s related to everything else.

This has to be my oversoul making “an appearance.” It’s been a year or more where I haven’t had an obvious dream about him/her and remembered it. It’s just too “coincidental,” and I don’t believe in meaningless coincidences.

And given the intense look of “focused concentration,” well, it’s one I obviously did remember!

What does it mean?

It means that there is another “entity” out there listening to me…and trying to help out in the background. Back behind the curtain of life. S/he (the male/female form presented is not the only form “they” [being “them”] wear) came at a perfect time…and with a perfect array of physical circumstances…my need, the novel, the passage within the novel…it’s all beautifully laid out if you think about it! Perfectly executed, with even a flair of not only the dramatic, but humor!

Really—tapping me on the forehead?!

It’s something my dad would do… but if that doesn’t get one’s attention….

All very much like who I am (dramatic: writing; humor: me). I just can’t convey how utterly perfect the execution enough!

I’d been so busy (mentally and physically) this week, it didn’t really hit me until yesterday how cool the execution…how dramatic an event it was! This happens in our physical existences, where we get so caught up in the daily minutiae of life. But we all have the ability to step back and pause: re-evaluate our days. Our actions. Our experiences. Many couch their similar experiences in religious clothes—or even outright ignore them—and that’s okay. We all have our personal beliefs and our experiences will be so filtered to match those beliefs. But that we have these experiences at all…that some of us are open to them and their many and varied interpretations is what’s important. You may think I saw an angel…or a hypnogogic character from a novel I was reading—and that’s your interpretation. Nothing wrong with it. But it’s not mine. And there’s nothing wrong with my interpretation. We all interpret our lives as we will and must. It’s one of the reasons we’re put into physical reality. It’s our own personal and individual path toward growth.

Be open the to weird. It has wonderous things to show you!

Mindfulness

by

This past weekend I saw a 60 Minutes spot on the current movement of The Supremely Stressed to gain a more “mindful” approach to their lives. To forgo their electronic leashes and all the stress that accompanies today’s lives for their own thoughts and presence-of-mind. Peacefulness.

I find this interesting on many levels.

If you go to the above link, you’ll find you’ll be immediately pummeled by a loud and frigging obnoxious commercial for 30 annoying seconds. Then the 60 Minute spot starts and after mere seconds you are again redirected into the same fricking annoying soul-sucking commercial for another 30 seconds! At least my viewing of it was. I couldn’t X-out of that damned video fast enough.

For real, CBS? Did you not watch your own spot on “Mindfulness”?

My own stress level at the launching of that commercial shot through the roof.

A curious point brought up in the segment was that those creating, marketing, and promoting the very things that lead to elevated stress levels—the iPads, the cell phones, the very technology being eschewed in this retreat—are those being schooled in this new movement.

The condensed version of the 60 Minute segment is that one focuses on the present.

Does not multitask.

Learns meditation.

Becomes comfortable with their own thoughts.

There are various methods for doing all of the above (e.g., focusing on one’s own breathing), but what I wanted to get into was not the mechanics of it all, but that it is so cool that people are really “getting it” that we need to modify our behavior. That doing things like this makes one calmer, more open to listening, cooperating with each other, and that one becomes nicer.

I’m far from perfect, but for most of my life I’ve tried to live by these principles…but, admittedly, it’s not easy in today’s world. It’s like the proverbial Chinese Water Torture…when you constantly get pinged by anything—even the most calmest of us— eventually it’s easy to, well, snap. There are so many different directions I could go with breaking the whys and wherefores out…but, again, that’s not what I wanted to do, here. I just wanted to bring out the movement. To show that this retreat and other methods out there are showing us that there is a better way to live our lives and to hopefully plant a seed in those out there reading this to find your own way to a calmer path in your own lives.

You don’t need to have a bigger and better cell phone. That promotion at the expense of your happiness.

Try this…I dare you:

Sit down to eat any meal—at home—all by yourself. No distractions. No conversation. No music. Silence. Just you and your food. In a quiet location.

You might be surprised at how calming and enjoyable you find it.

Voice eBooks and Reviews

by

Voice (Graphic © 2015, F. P. Dorchak and Lon Kirschner)
Voice (Graphic © 2015, F. P. Dorchak and Lon Kirschner)

Voice is now available at the following outlets: Amazon.com (e-book and trade paperback), CreateSpace (trade paperback), Barnesandnoble.com (trade paperback and Nook book), and Smashwords.com (ebook). It will be distributed through other distribution channels (like iTunes), as these are put into motion.

I have two initial reviews:

Small Press Reviews (my first review—thanks, Marc!): https://smallpressreviews.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/voice/

and Aaron Michael Ritchey’s Amazon.com review.

And the following “faux interviews”:

https://www.smashwords.com/interview/fpdorchak

A Faux Interview with F. P. Dorchak, Author of Voice (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)

A Faux Metaphysical Interview with F. P. Dorchak, Author of Voice (fpdorchakrealitycheck.wordpress.com)

I am working on consigning Voice in Colorado Springs (Poor Richard’s Books and Gifts) and Denver (Tattered Cover Book Store). More on these when I get my shipment of books rolling….

If you read Voice, please post a review at your favorite location!

Thank you in advance for all your support!

 

Remembering Jane Roberts May 8, 1929 – September 5, 1984

by

This is where it all started for me. Seth Speaks, by Jane Roberts, ©1972, Prentice Hall
This is where it all started for me. Seth Speaks, by Jane Roberts, ©1972, Prentice Hall

I never was able to interact with Jane Roberts.

I’d written her back in the 80s, but—little did I know—she was already full-bore into the health problems that ended up taking her life: complications from rheumatoid arthritis. Now, what was really cool was that her husband, Rob Butts, wrote back. And from then until his death in 2008 Rob and I wrote each other. We never met—almost did—but we did talk on the phone.

Jane and Rob—and Seth—heavily influenced my life by showing me what’s behind the curtain of life. That there was more than we physically saw…and that we can see this stuff. Manipulate it. Make it work for ourselves. I found their work with the 1972 publishing of Seth Speaks. I was hooked ever since, have read all the books, multiple times for the original work in the 70s and 80s.

So, I’m remembering you, Jane! Wondering what you’re up to now! What cool adventures are you having?

I love this poem she wrote, which is in this link. I don’t normally use things without permission, but I am doing my best at attribution. I hope Laurel Butts doesn’t mind me using it, but if she does, I’ll remove it.

Here’s to you, Jane!

Death is following,
I hear his step upon the stair.
And birth is waiting,
And behind this death and birth
A million doors
Which will open and close,
Through which my image must pass.

There is always one following,
And one waiting, and none forgotten.
For the end shall overshadow the beginning,
And the shadow of the rock is the rock.
This moment is Forever, poised upon our dream.
I am born a million years and know no tomb.

© Jane Roberts
November 17, 1954

Related Articles