F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction Author

Sleepwalkers

Going Indie—What I’ve Learned (So Far)—Part 6

by

Wailing Loon (F. P. Dorchak, Lon Kirschner)
Wailing Loon (F. P. Dorchak, Lon Kirschner)

In my latest indie publishing endeavor, I’d created a trade paperback book in addition to my ERO e-book. I haven’t yet done this for The Uninvited, but plan to in the future. ERO is my “Big Book,” so that’s why I made the extra effort and spent the extra money; I even already have the ISBNs for Uninvited. So, in keeping with documenting my indie publishing adventures, here is my latest installment about learning the ropes, on the ropes:

  1. It’s really fun! That is, if you have most of your ducks in a row and you work with a great team! My team included Pam Headrick and Lon Kirschner, both of whom I’ve written about before, and truly are a great couple of people! It wasn’t like when I create Sleepwalkers, through [then-now-gone] 1st Books, back in 2001. Though it had been fun on my part, I kept finding errors in the gallies that they added, either through fat-fingering or whatever. It was most frustrating.
  2. Create a checklist of what you need to do. I’m in the process of doing this, and had one in progress as I was doing the paperback, but it will save you embarrassment in the future, like forgetting to include someone in your Acknowledgments/Author Notes pages. Now, granted, as an indie author you DO HAVE THE POWER! (Power Ring thrust up into raging storm and lightning) to go back in and make those corrections, but it will cost ya (whatever the minimum $$$/hour rate your formatter/cover artist will charge to do the work…but then you’ll have more than one version of your work out there…so think long and hard before submitting material).
  3. As Pam had forewarned me, there is a lot more interaction between you and your team. A lot. Do you want an extra graphic in the Front Matter (the pages before the actual story, in the front of the book)? I did. Gotta get a graphics person to do it, then submit it to your formatter. Are you done? No, how large do you want it? What placement? And none of this even considers your interaction with your graphics person. At one point there was so much going back-and-forth, that I had to hand Pam and Lon off to each other, so they could just go and “speak their ‘speak'” without me getting in the way and adding yet more time to the whole process.
  4. Consider a faux Imprint. Wailing Loon is my faux imprint. It just adds a nice touch, tells a little about “who you are” and rounds out the professional looking quality of your book. Is it “cheating” by not using the “CreateSpace” logo…maybe, a little, but it gives your work yet more of you own identity, and isn’t that a large part of what Indie publishing is all about?
  5. Title page. Pam had the idea of using a black & white version of the cover. So, sure! We did up a B&W version, and inserted it. See #3, above.
  6. For the Back Matter (if “front matter” is…), I tried to tidy up the rear information, and not give all those “hyperlinks” that e-books live off of. Just basic info about me, and my website.
  7. Pictures and stuff: I don’t really care about having a picture on my books, but in this instance, since I had one of me while in the Air Force during the 80s, and it fit right in with the story of ERO, I thought, what the heck. Adds to the whole “package.”  I also had a faux organizational patch a friend of mine had created for me, so we also used that on the back cover. Consider those kinds of touches for your book.
  8. Post Office box. This I haven’t done yet, but I’m planning on looking into it. It might seem a bit weird to do, but what if you have people asking about sending you a copy of their book for your autograph? Yeah, hadn’t thought of that one, have you? Well, some of us are old school and prefer not to give out that kind of information—especially over any kind of social media, and that a very good thing to not do—so the thing to do is get a Post Office box. More on that, if necessary, as I look into it.
  9. Currently, CreateSpace (CS) has a weird rule: they do not allow all capitals for titles in creating a CS account. So, for ERO, I had to add periods in the title for the CS account, for “E.R.O.” They assured me it would have no affect on the actual title. But they are quite wrong. What it affects…are retailing your “title.” Go do a search for “ERO” in Amazon.com. What did you find? Sure, the Kindle version is there, but the paperback version is not displayed…at least not at the top of the page. If you scroll down, you’ll find related searches (which is a good thing Amazon does, searching on other parts of the main search for additional info), and there “E.R.O.” displays. Additionally, if you have your ebook at Nook (B&N), Nook says it synchs up “any other versions” of the book out there, but they have to be “word-for-word, space-for-space” the same names and titles. And who knows where else and what else this will impact! But, it certainly impacts people looking for your book! A friend of mine did a search for “ERO” and told me she couldn’t find it. The above is the reason why. So, see how easy it is TO LOSE A SALE?! You bet. So, I’ve been in contact with CS and Nook, and while I was nearly brushed off by initially trite and not-reading-all-of-the-e-mail responses, I pushed it, and, last I’ve seen, CS has sent the issue to their tech peeps. I’d asked they reconsider their protocol or rework my title. We’ll see how this goes. I’ve also asked why they do it, but I suspect it might have something to do with “flaming” over social media, or something. I just cannot image what other reason why a company would do something like that.

Okay, I think that about covers it for now. Go, have fun creating your own books!

Related articles

What Have I Done? The Return of Facebook….

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Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...
The Return of… (Image via CrunchBase)

Well. After much consideration and feeling a bit like I went back on my, uh—morals?—I’ve returned to facebook. After two years.

But, in a different way.

I’ve created an Author’s Page. I.e., I’m not doing FB as a “regular user.” I find that this might be the best thing for me, because, unless I’m seriously missing something (and many say that I am…), it appears that going this way limits all the standard FB activities, and I “like” that just fine (pun intended). There was much rethinking that went into this. It’s not that I have issues with the mechanics of FB, with what it is and how people use it, I just have issues with its creator’s views on privacy (last I’d tracked Mr. Zuckerberg, he didn’t believe in the concept). Now, I’ve also read FB was going to try to strengthen security settings, so we’ll see. I will do my best to remain open on all of this, while on it, and if it gets to the point where I just can’t do it any more, I’ll delete my account. Again. But, everyone keeps telling my that to get my books out there, FB is a The way to go. And it is kind of a cool mechanism for promotion and keeping in contact. Heck, look how ubiquitous it is!

Speaking of security, when I created my account, I tried to configure as much “security” as I could find. I’ll be keeping an eye on things (pardon the pun; see link below). I’ve noticed that in creating an Author Page, things seem more “controlled”; e.g., I don’t seem to be able to “Like” anyone, or mess around with the bulk of FB that many use it for in the first place…but, again, that works just fine for me. I’m on a “Admin” page, and I don’t know if there’s a way off that. In any event, my FB page is:

Click here for my FB location.

So…I will give it another chance. I can be forgiving, and I am open-minded.

But, apparently…I just can’t “Like” stuff.

Castle Rock Radio Call-in Appearance Today

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Microphone Is Hot
Is This Thing On? (Microphone Is Hot photo credit: baldbrad)

Today, if all goes right, I will be making a call-in appearance with Paul Neal Rohrer and Anthony Musco, of The Roaring Success Radio Hour, on Castle Rock Radio. Castle Rock Radio is free Internet radio, located in Castle Rock, Colorado. I’ve been on their show before, last April (2012). and it was a fun gig. I love doing radio, Internet or otherwise, and these two were great to hang out and jaw with.  Today, I’ll be updating them on where I’m at with my writing and publishing ventures…or whatever else they throw at me. I’m slated for 10:20 a.m., Mountain Time, for only about 5 minutes or so, so I hope you can stop by!

Go to CastleRockRadio.com, between 10 and 11 a.m. (Mountain Time), and it should just automatically start. There’s also a “LISTEN LIVE” selection at the upper right of the screen. Otherwise, look for The Roaring Success Radio Hour selection on the right side of the webpage, under the live streaming window, in the list of shows there.

Goin’ Indie

by

Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Goin’ Indie. (Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark , photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yeah, that’s my steely stare.

Determination.

I’m finally doing it.

Made the decision. Jumping in with both feet and my Bullwhip.

I’m going indie. And by “indie,” I mean e-books and (a little later, maybe earlier) Amazon hardcovers. Not going the route of AuthorHouse anymore. E-books. That’s the route. Check out Nathan Bransford’s post. These things are selling.

I’ve mentioned this once or twice elsewhere, but after the past couple weeks, getting a cover done, interacting with the person who will do my file conversions, going over my manuscripts and talking to those in the indie world, at this year’s PPWC (and this doesn’t even count the years I’ve been thinking about this, kinda watching how e-books “go”…), I’m not waiting another second. It has reinvigorated me, in this whole business of writing. I have four titles (one still needs some work—or might be the title I again try traditionally—but, we’re talking at least into 2014) I can publish, five if you count a Sleepwalkers e-book reissue:

  • The Uninvited. This is my whydunnit supernatural murder mystery about a troubled reporter who stumbles upon a gruesome and inexplicable mass murder in Gulf Coast Florida. This will be my first release. I was originally shooting for the end of May, but since this is my first, is my learning curve, it might actually turn out to be June. But I’m still shooting for May. So, please, stay turned—either way, it won’t be long!
  • ERO. This is my one (so far) science fiction-y, action/adventure novel. It’s about a marooned on-orbit astronaut who tries to reconstruct his life by relying on incomplete memories that place him at the very heart of the UFO conspiracy. This novel is, well, somewhat auto-biographical. It’ll be my next release.
  • Psychic. This is a companion book to Sleepwalkers. Okay, it’s the second in a considered series of three.  There, I said it. It’s actually more of a prequel (but, hey, what is Time, anyway?), and features the origins to the Man With No Name, from Sleepwalkers. I plan at least one more book to this series (it won’t take 12 years, like this one). It’s a supernatural action/adventure about a humble, guilt-ridden hotline psychic who becomes embroiled in the ultimate government conspiracy, involving JFK and remote viewers. Oh, and a really cool teenager.
  • The fourth is one that still needs lots of work, so am not going to give its title just yet, but, it’s about guy who falls in love with…ehhhh…a ghost. Of sorts. Yeah, yeah, I’m know, there have been other books about the topic, but what makes mine unique, I’m not even teasing with, because I still have some runway to ride before taking off. But, it’s not your standard, run-of-the-mill everyday ghost, we’re talking about here, and to tell the truth, I haven’t yet seen a “ghost” like this one.
  • Sleepwalkers. This one depends a lot on if AuthorHouse plans on putting it back into an e-book like they said they would a couple years ago. Haven’t even had time (there’s that word, again) to think about that yet. If can do the e-book to it, I plan on redoing the cover.

Depending on how long all this takes, I’m looking to release one book about every 3 or 4 months until I get all these out, so no real new work for me this year. ERO should come out around September/October time frame, and Psychic, November/December. I plan on pushing the Internet-y promotion as hard as I possibly can (I have some guides, but more on those, later). The Uninvited will be free for about the first three weeks or so, and this is mainly for reviews (this is a standard M.O. among the e-book community). It looks like some sites, like B&N, Amazon, have a way of setting prices (still looking into those), but at places where I can set the price, I’m looking to price it at $2.99, after the free period, but this remains to be seen, once I actually get to the upload part. But, from what I’ve read, e-books tend to sell well between the $2.99 to $5.99 range (and it’s not obvious about going right for the higher price).

So, there it is, that’s my plan. Out into the world at large. I’ll post more as I go, but I’m still cleaning up the manuscript to the The Uninvited, which, depending on a couple other logistical issues, is scheduled to be converted into all the different file formats next month (oooh, it’ll be hot off the author keyboard, like freshly baked cookies!). And while that is being done, I plan on beginning and hitting the promotions.

Look, I’m not pie-in-the-sky, I’ve been around, I’ve tried self-publishing by spending three grand, done and occasionally still do a short story or two, and even got an agent. Still, NYC didn’t think they could make any money off me. But I see and hear where e-books are going. I’m just a guy with voices in my head trying to get my work out there. My work has been termed “thinky,” sometimes jumps genres. But I try to tell stories, to show, perhaps, the way things could be, big What-ifs. I—like most every other writer out there—just like to write. For a while that passion was slowly getting snuffed out…but now I’ve found renewed passion. A new way to go.

A new…What-if.

I hope you’ll join me!

Oh…and I’m an optimist.

Related articles

Goin' Indie

by

Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Goin’ Indie. (Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark , photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yeah, that’s my steely stare.

Determination.

I’m finally doing it.

Made the decision. Jumping in with both feet and my Bullwhip.

I’m going indie. And by “indie,” I mean e-books and (a little later, maybe earlier) Amazon hardcovers. Not going the route of AuthorHouse anymore. E-books. That’s the route. Check out Nathan Bransford’s post. These things are selling.

I’ve mentioned this once or twice elsewhere, but after the past couple weeks, getting a cover done, interacting with the person who will do my file conversions, going over my manuscripts and talking to those in the indie world, at this year’s PPWC (and this doesn’t even count the years I’ve been thinking about this, kinda watching how e-books “go”…), I’m not waiting another second. It has reinvigorated me, in this whole business of writing. I have four titles (one still needs some work—or might be the title I again try traditionally—but, we’re talking at least into 2014) I can publish, five if you count a Sleepwalkers e-book reissue:

  • The Uninvited. This is my whydunnit supernatural murder mystery about a troubled reporter who stumbles upon a gruesome and inexplicable mass murder in Gulf Coast Florida. This will be my first release. I was originally shooting for the end of May, but since this is my first, is my learning curve, it might actually turn out to be June. But I’m still shooting for May. So, please, stay turned—either way, it won’t be long!
  • ERO. This is my one (so far) science fiction-y, action/adventure novel. It’s about a marooned on-orbit astronaut who tries to reconstruct his life by relying on incomplete memories that place him at the very heart of the UFO conspiracy. This novel is, well, somewhat auto-biographical. It’ll be my next release.
  • Psychic. This is a companion book to Sleepwalkers. Okay, it’s the second in a considered series of three.  There, I said it. It’s actually more of a prequel (but, hey, what is Time, anyway?), and features the origins to the Man With No Name, from Sleepwalkers. I plan at least one more book to this series (it won’t take 12 years, like this one). It’s a supernatural action/adventure about a humble, guilt-ridden hotline psychic who becomes embroiled in the ultimate government conspiracy, involving JFK and remote viewers. Oh, and a really cool teenager.
  • The fourth is one that still needs lots of work, so am not going to give its title just yet, but, it’s about guy who falls in love with…ehhhh…a ghost. Of sorts. Yeah, yeah, I’m know, there have been other books about the topic, but what makes mine unique, I’m not even teasing with, because I still have some runway to ride before taking off. But, it’s not your standard, run-of-the-mill everyday ghost, we’re talking about here, and to tell the truth, I haven’t yet seen a “ghost” like this one.
  • Sleepwalkers. This one depends a lot on if AuthorHouse plans on putting it back into an e-book like they said they would a couple years ago. Haven’t even had time (there’s that word, again) to think about that yet. If can do the e-book to it, I plan on redoing the cover.

Depending on how long all this takes, I’m looking to release one book about every 3 or 4 months until I get all these out, so no real new work for me this year. ERO should come out around September/October time frame, and Psychic, November/December. I plan on pushing the Internet-y promotion as hard as I possibly can (I have some guides, but more on those, later). The Uninvited will be free for about the first three weeks or so, and this is mainly for reviews (this is a standard M.O. among the e-book community). It looks like some sites, like B&N, Amazon, have a way of setting prices (still looking into those), but at places where I can set the price, I’m looking to price it at $2.99, after the free period, but this remains to be seen, once I actually get to the upload part. But, from what I’ve read, e-books tend to sell well between the $2.99 to $5.99 range (and it’s not obvious about going right for the higher price).

So, there it is, that’s my plan. Out into the world at large. I’ll post more as I go, but I’m still cleaning up the manuscript to the The Uninvited, which, depending on a couple other logistical issues, is scheduled to be converted into all the different file formats next month (oooh, it’ll be hot off the author keyboard, like freshly baked cookies!). And while that is being done, I plan on beginning and hitting the promotions.

Look, I’m not pie-in-the-sky, I’ve been around, I’ve tried self-publishing by spending three grand, done and occasionally still do a short story or two, and even got an agent. Still, NYC didn’t think they could make any money off me. But I see and hear where e-books are going. I’m just a guy with voices in my head trying to get my work out there. My work has been termed “thinky,” sometimes jumps genres. But I try to tell stories, to show, perhaps, the way things could be, big What-ifs. I—like most every other writer out there—just like to write. For a while that passion was slowly getting snuffed out…but now I’ve found renewed passion. A new way to go.

A new…What-if.

I hope you’ll join me!

Oh…and I’m an optimist.

Related articles

Head’s A Spinnin’….

by

Super Dodge Ball
Super Dodge Ball (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have been working crazy hard on creating a new series idea. It’s a mix of X-Files and some other shows/books thrown into the mix, and it’s been all-consuming. But two things brought me to a screeching halt today: 1) I woke up too close to my normal hour, but too early, and reset the clock to add an additional half hour to my sleep, B) a critique from a fellow writer that “nailed it” in telling me I was missing a very large Dodge Ball (“…and what’s with all the sex, anyway…?!”), and Thirdly) a really COOL book review on a novel I’d written in 2001, Sleepwalkers.

Sooo…I’m stepping back–just a step or two–for a spell this a.m. to formulate this post and take a breather on what I need to change on my series idea. So, while I’m doing that, could I interest you in reading the book review Marc Schuster just posted today on Sleepwalkers?

Thanks. And enjoy the road trip.