F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

The Uninvited

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest

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Well the contest everyone loves to hate by the company everyone loves to hate has opened its entry period February 16 – March 2, 2014, for the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (ABNA).

It’s open to all unpublished and self published, English language novels. The contest will remain open until March 2, or 10,000 eligible entries have been received. Entrants can log into CreateSpace.

There will be one Grand Prize winner, who’ll receive $50,000, as well as four First Prize winners, who’ll receive a publishing contract from Amazon, and an advance of $15,000.

The categories are general fiction, mystery/thriller, romance, science fiction/fantasy/horror, and young adult fiction.See the Official Contest Rules for more info, and the prizes page for, you know, prize stuff, et cet.

You can only enter one manuscript per category.

The Uninvited and ERO can fit into two categories. Am I gonna enter?

Plan on it.

UPDATE Feb 22, 2014:

Upon reading the Amazon contest contract, I noted a curious clause, called the “Moral Rights” clause. It kinda disturbed me. It states that we waive all moral rights, which means the rights of attribution and integrity. Here’s  a link describing said clause, and below is a response from a fellow writer/publishing lawyer, Susan Spann, who has graciously allowed me permission to post her response:

“I’ll pipe in from the publishing lawyer’s perspective.

‘Moral rights’ are more important abroad than they’ve traditionally been in the U.S.

The right of attribution means the author’s right to have his or her name associated with the work. That’s critically important, but generally dealt with elsewhere in the contract (with U.S. Contracts, anyway).

The right of integrity is the right to prevent ‘mutilation or alteration’ of the work. Again…important to most of us, but dealt with in a section usually titled ‘editing.’

Ultimately, moral rights are the right of the author to have his or her name associated with the work and to prevent non-permitted changes to it. Most of those rights are addressed elsewhere in U.S. contracts, and many publishers do ask for waivers of moral rights. Most authors just don’t notice them lurking in the legalese. That said, there may well be other rights-grabs in the Amazon rules that warrant attention.”

But, you have to enter the contest, stay with the contest, then win the contest to even be considered for/get an Amazon publishing contract, which means you have to abide by giving up all moral rights to even get the publishing-your-book contract where “all this” would “be handled.” And by who—you? Better get an agent…but, of course, that’d be too late, since you already gave up your moral rights by entering and staying with the contest contract.

Read that contract. I am/still going over it.

So…I’m considering withdrawing from the contest. I’m perfectly content with the result of my indie releases, and was just looking to gain a publishing house, so I didn’t have to pay out money to publish. It appears…TANSTAAFL…still applies.

Additionally from Susan:

“Normally a moral rights waiver is pretty clear. The language will be something like ‘Author waives all moral rights in and to the Work.’ That clause may stand alone, or may lurk elsewhere in the document. Generally speaking, though, the language is actually going to use the words ‘moral rights.’

The true lurker versions of this language get rid of the moral rights piecemeal (which is more common in the U.S.). The words ‘Publisher has the right to edit the Work, and the right of final approval over the form and content of the work’ are essentially a waiver of the moral rights against defacement and alteration – because the author is giving the publisher the final right to edit and approve the work. Where the author requests additional language that says ‘provided that Publisher’s changes may not substantially alter the substantive content of the Work,’ the author is rescuing some of those moral rights — the ones that deal with substance and content.

The same is true of the attribution right. When the contract states that the Publisher ‘will’ credit the author as author of the Work on the title and verso page, that’s a protection of the author’s moral right of attribution.

In one sense, this has become a lesser issue in the U.S. because we deal with the individual rights that make up “moral rights” separately in our standard contracts.

Also, this clearly needs to get into my #PubLaw posts somewhere. I’m not sure I’ve done one on moral rights.

I used to teach this as part of the intellectual property and copyright courses I taught at the law school level, and I can tell you it gave new lawyers issues too.”

Susan also had issues with other parts of the contract that gave me increased pause for thought. For instance, the Grand Prize winner’s grant of rights in all forms and formats doesn’t terminate like the other “levels-of-winners” do. And there’s no specifics about when the “all forms and formats” runs out.

So, given I no longer have an agent, and given all the terrific info Susan—a publishing lawyer—gave, I’m withdrawing my submission.

Thanks, Susan, for all your advice and information!

Disclaimer: And, just to be clear, Susan did NOT recommend any course of action to me (she did not recommend I withdraw in any way, shape, or form), this is all and totally MY decision.

Be[ a]ware.

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The Unmaking of a Psychic….

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I am back at work hot and heavy in my next novel-for-release, and as I’ve previously alluded, it’s givin’ me a run for my money!

The novel is currently titled Psychic. It’s a follow on to Sleepwalkers (reviewed here, by Marc Schuster, a truly fabulous writer! Catch his novel, The Grievers, and his other work), and details the origins to The Man With No Name (or, “MWNN,” as I call him). It’s more action/adventure than Sleepwalkers, all conspiracy theory, and gritty. Yeah, there’s nasty stuff in it, but when you’re dealing with government conspiracies, it ain’t no ride in the park…unless someone gets offed…and many get offed in this book. I’m billing it as “the ultimate conspiracy,” and you’ll just have to read it to see why. Can such things happen? Stranger things have happened…like the creation of a real government group of psychics, called remote viewers. For real. Years ago, I became aware of the program through the book, Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America’s Psychic Spies. Anyway, more on all that, later.

But, wow, my writing has really improved since I began work on Psychic, back in 2000 (and if you really wanna go back in time, I actually began the groundwork for the novel in 1994…), and that is most likely why the reworking of it has become so time consuming…because I’ve gotten better over all these years, so, I’m naturally gonna find things I can improve, and improve, and, well, rework the hell out of.

But, it’s fun.

Yes, fun!

It’s a great story, a crazy one, and I love the characters. Can’t wait to bring it out into the public…but I seriously think I have at least a couple, maybe several months of work yet to do. Several have already read it, and a couple years ago, a friend of mine, Dave Lirette, even gave me an idea I simply had to incorporate. I did, and it simply caps the entire story—I know I’ve said this to you before, Dave, but thanks a billion for that idea!

Anyway, here are some comments from a couple of people who have already read it.

“Psychic…is a page turner…full of mind-numbing worry and questions….”

Madelon Rose Logue

Editor/Publisher The Black Sheep

F. P. Dorchak, author of Sleepwalkers, has upped the game. His new novel, Psychic, is a ground-breaking, reality bending, mind expanding metaphysical mystery and action thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning. There are passages in the work that describe the nature of existence as beautifully as those in the Seth material, but are uniquely his own. I loved Sleepwalkers…Psychic blew me away.

Joyce Combs

Creator of the Seth Deck

The Way Forward

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Graham Chapman: I think all righthtinking people in this country are sick and tired of being told that ordinary, decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired.

All: Yes, yes…

Graham Chapman: I’m certainly not! And I’m sick and tired of being told that I am.

Not Sure?: Mrs. Havoc-Jones.

Mrs. Havoc-Jones: Well, I meet a lot of people and I’m convinced that the vast majority of wrongthinking people are right.

From Monty Python, “Right-Thinking People,” at  Monty Python.net

Apologies for the lack of posts, but, wow, 2013 had been a rough year!

For one thing I had several physical issues rear their wonderful heads, some corrected, some “the new normal,” and a couple “heady” issues also joined the party, not the least of which was parting ways with my agent of five years.

But, I’ve also had some really cool stuff happen!

Like going Indie with my work and releasing two novels, The Uninvited and ERO. I also had a couple radio spots, one Internet, one traditional/local, and was interviewed on a podcast. There was and is lots of work involved in not only bringing these two works out into the public, but also over the cumulative 12 years of working, reworking, reworking, and agenting them. There are so many opinions and points of view and you-name-it out there on what one should or shouldn’t do, it makes your head spin, your stomach turn. I realized going into this that all I can do is all I can do. There is no longer (if there ever really was) one way to publish anymore. But, even now with all the Indie options, there are still all the pundits and “right-thinking people” ranting and raving about the right way to this and that. Sure, there’s some really good information out there, but what it comes down to (IMHO) is you could staple your working manuscript pages together and pass it around (replete with whatever typos and grammar issues remain unchecked), and if it strikes a chord in everyone’s soul, hits the Big News of the Day, it will become an unimaginable hit. There just is no one, right way, anymore. But, the Internet and social media gives everyone’s voice an outlet (yeah, even mine). Many will never strike the gold vein, so the rest of us must do certain things to bring our work to the people. Make it the best possible read. And most appear to imply you must do ALL of them. NOW.

Exhausting.

Me? I feel you just need to do what you can with the resources you have. Yes, it costs money and time, and there are even those out there who chide that if you can’t afford going Indie, then don’t. Defining “afford” can be time or resources, so there is some element of truth there, but even a small circle of influence on your part might be all you’re looking for, so, if so, do it. Not everyone wants to be BIG.

I’m still working on my next release, Psychic, but it’s been like slogging through a swamp. It’s like I’m a totally different person each time I go through the thing: How the hell didn’t I see that before?! Yes, I’ve had a freelancer go through it before, but, still…I’m changing turns of phrase, word choices, you name it. I’ve also had to change the structure some, since it involves an alternate history with JFK (yes, the JFK) still walking the Earth, and he’d now be late into his 90s, so I had to back up the story a few years into the 1990s. It looks more like a second draft than a 12-years-later draft #356.7, but, it’s getting there.  It was tough creating the first draft, back in 2000, and it’s been a hard fight ever since. Some books are just like that, but it’s all about putting out the best product. Psychic is book two in a proposed three-book series that started with Sleepwalkers. I’m hoping to bring Psychic out sometime this year….

And…I still am looking into creating a newsletter, so, if interested, sign up at the “Newsletter” to the upper right on this page. Thanks!

So, here it is, 2014. Wishing everyone out there the very best in the coming year! Let’s all make the world a little better!

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Going Indie—What I’ve Learned (So Far)—Part 8

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Busy
I Can DO This! (Busy. Photo credit: AJC1)

Wow, could things get any busier?

I have been pushing more of the social media thing, the past month or two, at the expense of working on my manuscript-in-progress, Psychic, and kinda “burning the candle at both ends.” It gets exhausting…but cool to find new avenues, like iAuthor. I’m even considering starting up a quarterly newsletter, but when will that happen, since I’m stuck on the initial insert the subscription widget onto my blog site part! No, I’m not all that technically inept, but it seems as though some crucial “it’s easy” step or two is missing from the WordPress instructions. I’ve e-mail their Help depot.

Okay, since my last post on this topic, here are some more things I’ve learned on my adventure of “Going Indie”:

  1. Selecting ISBNs on CreateSpace.  Be careful with you go in and select which type of ISBN you want for your book, and whichever one you do choose, ALWAYS also select the expanded distribution. Read the different types very carefully before selecting, because once you select, you cannot change the ISBN—unless you totally delete your book’s account and start over. I recommend the custom ISBN option for $10 and then get a graphic designer (which will cost you, of course, but is well worth it!), like Lon Kirschner, to design a “faux imprint” for you to have on the bottom edge of your cover, like my Wailing Loon. It looks cool and gives you a brand for your work, other than the generic “CreateSpace.” You can display a little more your own creativity of “who you and your books are.”
  2. Changes To Your CreateSpace file. I found I had to go back into The Uninvited to add some missing front matter. It’s kinda “scary,” doing this, because you really don’t want to F-up your already nitpicked and edited file, but it’s easy to do. You simply select the interior or cover portion of your file, under “Setup,” on your Project Homepage for the book in question, and on the next page, you’ll see a place that says “Make Changes,” and go from there. You don’t have to change anything other than what you need to change, like, for me, the front matter blurbs. You can just “Next” on through the other stuff. Just be careful to not touch anything else. And for any proofing, you can have an actual “proof” copy of the book sent to you (versus doing this all online, for free), though you have to pay for it (like $5, plus shipping), and on the back page of the book is stamped “Proof.”
  3. Interested in signed copies? I decided to get that PO box, so I could mail stuff back and forth to any readers out there. I’ve posted the address about, but it’s F. P. Dorchak, P. O. Box 49393, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80949. The Post Office says you can do a 3-month version, but you have to also get the automatic renewal, which makes zero sense, because that makes the term 6 months. So, really, the lowest amount of time you can get a PO box for is 6 months. That’s government reasoning for you. But it’s cheap (mine is $39). If you get something larger than the box you have, they just give you a key to a larger box, for no charge.
  4. Chain Reviews and World Domination. I put out there that if anyone was interested in reviewing my books, I’d send free, autographed copies. The first 5 per book would get a free book. Offer still stands.
  5. Book Review Outlets. I’m looking into these, you know, what with all the free time I have. Check these out.
  6. Facebook. So far, this is a bust. No more begging from me! And still no “FB Superpowers,” i.e., I still cannot “Like” other pages or save the world. But, not giving up, cause it’s still early, but, feel free to drop by my FB page. Thanks!
  7. Newsletters. Found a great couple of Writers in The Storm links for newsletter info. Thanks, WITS! Thought I’d do this this year, but may have to wait until next year.
  8. Word of mouth. This is where I get lots of comments from people, either by e-mail or through my wife. This is where people rave about my work. Not Facebook (well, at least not so far…). And, of course, I have some “virtual friends” with which I routinely interact, and they’re very supportive (thanks, again, folks)! But, word of mouth seems like the biggest factor in my marketing and promotion. It’s everyone one of you, out there, reading my work and talking about it. Telling others. I hope you will also write an online review (e.g., here und here) at your favorite outlets, too. Please. Thanks!
  9. iAuthor. Found a new overseas outlet, out of the U.K., called iAuthor, so I added The Uninvited and ERO to this site (Sleepwalkers doesn’t have a HighDef cover file, so I’m told by the site it most likely wouldn’t be allowed, because it would degrade he overall quality of the images). It’s free for authors. But…the site seems to have issues during the “height of the day” in loading and such (just now, the site didn’t load right; it should display tons of book covers). I had to do my uploads in the early hours of the morning (i.e., 3 a.m.) before I got them to work, so be advised.

That’s all I have for this year, for my ongoing “Going Indie” adventure. As always, thanks for stopping by, and have a Happy Holiday Season, in whatever way you choose to celebrate (or, uh, not celebrate…) it!

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Uninvited Blurbs Reinstated to Paperback

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The Uninvited, © 2013, F. P. Dorchak and Duvall Design
The Uninvited, © 2013, F. P. Dorchak and Duvall Design

I just received and approved the physical proof of The Uninvited, with the blurbs reinstated to the front matter. This updated version may be immediately purchased at the CreateSpace site, or in about 5-7 days, at Amazon.com and other outlets:

  • Amazon.com: 5-7 Business Days (the original novel is already here, this is just the updated version)
  • Amazon Europe: 5-7 Business Days (the original novel is already here, this is just the updated version)
  • Expanded Distribution channels: 6-8 Weeks (the original novel is already here, this is just the updated version)

Remember, if you’d like an autographed copy, please send me your book(s), with appropriate return postage, to the following address, and I’ll sign them! F. P. Dorchak, P. O. Box 49393, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80949.

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Uninvited Update

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The Uninvited, © F. P. Dorchak (cover art: Duvall Design, 2013)
The Uninvited, © F. P. Dorchak (cover art: Duvall Design, 2013)

Well, I slightly messed up a little of the front matter of my Uninvited novel. I had a list of blurbs that should have been included into the paperback, and totally missed them! They’re in the e-book, but hadn’t made it into the paperback. I looked back on my checklist, and found I had no mention of “include blurbs,” or words to that effect. It’s in there now.

So, what to do?

Well, since I’m indie, I merely contacted my über formatter, Pam, and we’ve corrected that. So, the content of the book’s file now has them in there, and I’m awaiting approval from CreateSpace as they do their “human” review. When that’s approved, I will post back “out there.” Hopefully this updated version will be available within a day or two.

By the way, to make it easier on those who would like a signed copy of any of my work, send to: F. P. Dorchak, P. O. Box 49393, Colorado Springs, CO 80949. Simply send the book with the proper amount of return postage included (or cash or check for same) and to whom you want it signed, and I’ll sign and return it.

I like how that “uninvited” title works on so many levels!

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