My Book Just Came Out

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My Book Just Came Out Purge of Ashes, Book One of the Imbalance

#161 Tatterdemalion

I sneeze warrens.

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Posted 09 August 2016 - 03:02 AM

polle, on 08 August 2016 - 09:23 AM, said:

I think going over the novel with an editor is a great decision and will also certainly benefit future installments.

I'm only about 40% in at the moment, so for what it's worth, my thoughts. Any issues I have pretty much all concern style, most of which have already been commented on earlier in the thread. The general gist is that the writing, at times, just feels too contrived.
(On a (petty and) personal level a corporal outranking a captain annoys me

just seems illogical, especially considering you create your own "SI-units" for time and distance (and too some extent for the military hierarchy as well (blade)).
Pacing is not really an issue for me at the momemt. Sometimes it can be a bit slow, but like I said not that big a deal.

However, your creativity really shines through and I find both the story and the history of the world you have created very intriguing. Interested to see where the story goes.
I'll certainly be looking out for the sequel.

Thanks polle! Having Erikson as a chief inspiration no doubt lends itself to stretching one's own capability as writer as far as possible. When it works it works, but as it's my first novel, I can understand a little hyperbole. Glad you're enjoying the world and the ride. I will think about the corporal/captain thing as that seems to me a mistake so deeply ingrained I never thought to investigate. I literally named Corporal Eunice and Corporal Chance as a 20-year-old over 12 years ago, the rank blurring into their name and personality with less consideration of the weight behind the station.

Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."

#162 acesn8s

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Posted 15 August 2016 - 12:26 PM

I finished Purge this weekend. I enjoyed the story, congrats again on being published!

If someone asked me for something like Erikson, I would definitely mention your book. I'm very interested in Orenzo's background. Something makes me think his Gram might have done a bit more than just paint for the military. :rolleyes:

As others have mentioned, I think the book would benefit from a better editor. Maybe a glossary with focus on time & distance, overall country/continent summary, military ranks, races, and an overview of the magic? I kept wanted to look up things for reference while reading (references to the fifth?).

Best of luck on book 2!

“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards

#163 Macros

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Posted 15 August 2016 - 08:36 PM

How are sales out of curiosity Tatter?

2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"

#164 Tatterdemalion

I sneeze warrens.

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Posted 19 August 2016 - 02:05 AM

Well, they're ZERO now that I've taken the book down.

Prior to that I was selling about 2 per day, after an initial burst of 30-40. I think I sold about 100 online, typically KPD and a few softcovers mostly from you lot. I sold another 30 something physical books to friends and family. But now, after everything, I have to settle down to try and make a notable re-release.

To do that I will need the help of you lot: Macros, Whisperzz, worry, Mentalist, acesn8s, polle, Itwaes Nom, if he likes it in the end, and RACHEL if she's interested. And anyone I forgot! But I won't need anything for a while. Editor Tim Marquitz is currently performing editing on Purge of Ashes and hopefully that clears up a bunch of concerns. I am also working to have a new cover, as the last one, while cool, is a bandaid. The rerelease will have clean, readable maps and 3 additional city maps for Katolys, Edis and Remn. Once it is ready I plan to set a more distant re-release date and then get the book to bloggers and a few friends I've met in fantasy publishing to read it ahead of time. Once it comes out, I'd ask for Amazon / Goodreads reviews from y'all... but of course they would be pre-editing. Still very valuable to have early reviews.

It will take a while, though. I start a new job teaching Grade 6 in a week and a bit, which will dominate my time by necessity. But we'll see.
Grip of Dust is 81,000 words at the moment, all taking place far to the east in Csarvent, Palprazen, Crux and the Sveldtlands.
ACESN8S - thanks for your kind words! Glad you liked it. As for Orenzo's grandma... I'm mum.

One other thing: TOR.com asked me to write an essay about Malazan for September. I'm about done the rough copy. So be sure to check that out when I post it in the applicable section.

:rolleyes:

This post has been edited by Tatterdemalion: 19 August 2016 - 02:22 AM

Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."

#165 Itwæs Nom

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Posted 28 September 2016 - 10:30 AM

Finished it yesterday

Awesome ending.

I picked up speed again when

Spoiler

I really liked the book overally, ending is the strongest part in my opinion. I know it's a bit different category but I actually liked it way better than Abercrombie's Blade Itself, just thought you would want to know that.

I'm really looking forward to the forthcoming books.

All things fall from kings to rose petals

#166 Itwæs Nom

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Posted 29 September 2016 - 09:52 PM

I've just checked SPFBO and with only one month reamining the blogger team you are assigned to appears to not have even read half of their books. Do you know more about this? I've been curious about your progress but it looks like your book may not even be read before the finale starts which would be a real pity. They still haven't chosen the finalist though.

All things fall from kings to rose petals

#167 Tatterdemalion

I sneeze warrens.

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 04:16 AM

Itwæs Nom, on 29 September 2016 - 09:52 PM, said:

Thanks Itwaes. Everything you said was exactly what I was going for - and the Abercrombian praise much appreciated! He's my second favourite author.

As for the SPFBO... I'm out already. Not 'officially', but I found a blog post by a reviewer for the Qwillery and they said they read 20 pages and put it down, rendering me (by my estimation) the 300th/300 best book of the lot (as most other blogs, you know, read most of their assigned books). So... I got fleeced. She gave my 20 pages 1 star on Goodreads. As soon as I saw I was with them I feared trouble, though I can't tell you why. Here's what she said:

"Back to SPFBO2016 and I picked up Purgeof Ashes by Joel Minty. I am afraid dear reader that I didn'tmake it past page 20 of this high fantasy story. I tried to give it ago as I don't like giving up on a book after so few pages but Icouldn't do it. Purge of Ashes was not the book for me. I don't enjoy flowery, verbose prose, 10+ main characters orshort stilted chapters in which you have no clue what is going on.This is a DNF for me."

Fairly stated, to be honest. Just... unfortunate my reviewer didn't have more gusto for weaving after all my prep and care.

Anyhoo, it sucks a lot. Sucked a lot of wind from my sails to boot. Finding out 'unofficially' like that is a tough way to go, especially with the obvious pleasure Purge of Ashes brought to most all of y'all. I will call on you for further support later on - and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Most everything else has gone wrong. Finding some Malazan fan buddies has been about the only thing to go right. I have a few better sources for serious reviews in the future... but for now the finishing touches are being put on my first round of professional edits. Tim Marquitz, my editor and Ragnarok dude, thinks I should pitch it to the big boys before selfing again. I'm excited to read his edits as I am sure they will sure up any rough edges and help the book shine, and now is a good time to do some long term pitches because I am super busy with toddler, baby and a new job.

Perhaps an email campaign to get another Qwillery reviewer to give Purge of Ashes a try? It's not officially a 'no' so they could probably do it and no one would be the wiser.

Just saying Itwaes, Mentalist, worry, Whisperrzzzzz, Macros, HiddenOne, acesn8s!!!!!!!!

*BLOWS WAR HORN, SHRILL AND TRUE*

Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."

#168 Whisperzzzzzzz

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 01:57 PM

Tatterdemalion, on 01 October 2016 - 04:16 AM, said:

Itwæs Nom, on 29 September 2016 - 09:52 PM, said:

I actually think that reviewer/reader should be banished from whatever SPFBO is for not doing their job. And then giving you a bad review on Goodreads because they don't like books that have literary prose and a large cast of characters — and they didn't even finish it in the first place? That's poor behavior. (The word 'reviewer' itself assuming that the person has viewed the material at least once and is now re-viewing it. Can you even be called a reviewer if you didn't finish the material? Aren't they an unviewer? Semiviewer?)

20 pages...That's nothing. That's like a Congressperson voting on a bill without reading the entire thing! (Oh wait, that's how they do it these days...). That's like a religious person devoting their entire life to their faith after only reading one passage from their holy book! (I think that's how it's done these days too, actually...).

Well, crap. Maybe this reviewer is just like everyone else and your book really does suck!

Note: My views are not a reflection of Joel Minty's views and I would've felt this way about this "reviewer", regardless of who they were reading.

EDIT1: On an unrelated note, you should try to get on this podcast: http://thegrimtiding...steven-erikson/ (linked by Andorion in a different thread).

EDIT2: Does Mark Lawrence run the SPFBO?

EDIT3: I definitely rushed into this post without thinking, so read this other post, wherein I more politely and clearly discuss my concerns.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 03 October 2016 - 12:47 PM

#169 Itwæs Nom

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 03:15 PM

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 01 October 2016 - 01:57 PM, said:

Tatterdemalion, on 01 October 2016 - 04:16 AM, said:

Itwæs Nom, on 29 September 2016 - 09:52 PM, said:

I actually think that reviewer/reader should be banished from whatever SPFBO is for not doing their fucking job. And then having the nerve to give you a bad review on Goodreads because they don't like books that have literary prose and a large cast of characters — and they didn't even finish it in the first place? That's shitty behavior. (The word 'reviewer' itself assuming that the person has viewed the material at least once and is now re-viewing it. Can you even be called a reviewer if you didn't finish the material? Aren't they an unviewer? Semiviewer?)

20 fucking pages...That's nothing. That's like a Congressperson voting on a bill without reading the entire thing! (Oh wait, that's how they do it these days...). That's like a religious person devoting their entire life to their faith after only reading one passage from their holy book! (I think that's how it's done these days too, actually...).

Well, crap. Maybe this reviewer is just like everyone else and your book really does suck!

(If you can't tell, I find people like this — who expect every experience to be shallow and filled with dopamine because putting in effort for a later payoff is too much work — to be thoroughly vexing.)

Note: My views are not a reflection of Joel Minty's views and I would've felt this way about this "reviewer", regardless of who they were reading.

EDIT1: On an unrelated note, you should try to get on this podcast: http://thegrimtiding...steven-erikson/ (linked by Andorion in a different thread).

EDIT2: Does Mark Lawrence run the SPFBO?

Yup, I PMed him with link to this thread.

All things fall from kings to rose petals

#170 Maark Abbott

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 03:28 PM

Tatterdemalion, on 01 October 2016 - 04:16 AM, said:

Itwæs Nom, on 29 September 2016 - 09:52 PM, said:

It's a pretty imbalanced review, ironically enough.

Debut novel 'Incarnate' now available on Kindle

#171 Whisperzzzzzzz

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 03:35 PM

I decided to write a Goodreads review while my hackles were raised, and I think I may have went a bit overboard

Here it is: https://www.goodread...show/1772907587

(Please point out any areas that don't make sense or that need more explanation — except for you, Tatts! No messing with the independence of a ~serious critic~. I didn't do much revising when writing this)

EDIT: Also, Mark tweeted this https://twitter.com/...223429927899136

@Mark__Lawrence said:

initial tweet said:

@Mark__Lawrence Are SPFBO reviewers req'd to read entirety of their books? Is there a cutoff when book is "read"? Is 20/~580 pages enough?

entirely up to them http://mark---lawren.../03/spfbo2.html … most agents read just a page or two of most submissions, often less.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 01 October 2016 - 03:40 PM

#172 Mark Lawrence

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 05:40 PM

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 01 October 2016 - 03:35 PM, said:

EDIT: Also, Mark tweeted this https://twitter.com/...223429927899136

@Mark__Lawrence said:

initial tweet said:

@Mark__Lawrence Are SPFBO reviewers req'd to read entirety of their books? Is there a cutoff when book is "read"? Is 20/~580 pages enough?

entirely up to them http://mark---lawren.../03/spfbo2.html … most agents read just a page or two of most submissions, often less.

What you're missing here in the understandable rush to support a friend are these salient points:

i)
[The first item in the rules http://mark---lawren.../03/spfbo2.html ]

Each of them will: a) Put on a pseudo-literary agent hat and accept a randomly allocated slush pile of 25+ electronic fantasy book manuscripts and work through them to find their favourite single submission which they will then "publish" into the final round of the competition.

ii)
[what a literary agent does with a pile of submissions http://mark---lawren...ntasy-blog.html ]

To contrast the level of attention our 260 authors are getting in this exercise to what they might expect from a real agent ... I questioned such a beast. A successful one.

He typically spends 6 minutes with a manuscript and given a pile of 26 would expect to be mailing out 26 "no thank you's" within 5 hours.

He gets 30 submissions a week
(cover letter, synopsis, first few chapters) and calls for around 6 full manuscripts a year. That's 0.4% of submissions leading to a full read. In those cases he will get back to the author within a week. Most of those guys he doesn't take onto his books.

That's how tough it is and that's how quickly he goes through the slush making decisions. The rest of his time is spent pitching the work of and dealing with the needs of his existing clients.

My own agent, Ian Drury receives 50-60 submissions a week and if he were to focus on a pile of 26 submissions would expect to be finished with them in a day's work, many rejected very early on for poor prose, some few read to the end of the submitted three chapters. Most batches of 26 would not have elicit a single request for the whole manuscript.

++++++++++

The degree to which the bloggers go above and beyond rule 1 varies from blogger to blogger, but none of them signed up to do more than is laid out in the rules ... even if many do.

This post has been edited by Mark Lawrence: 01 October 2016 - 05:43 PM

#173 Whisperzzzzzzz

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 07:28 PM

Mark Lawrence, on 01 October 2016 - 05:40 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 01 October 2016 - 03:35 PM, said:

EDIT: Also, Mark tweeted this https://twitter.com/...223429927899136

@Mark__Lawrence said:

initial tweet said:

@Mark__Lawrence Are SPFBO reviewers req'd to read entirety of their books? Is there a cutoff when book is "read"? Is 20/~580 pages enough?

entirely up to them http://mark---lawren.../03/spfbo2.html … most agents read just a page or two of most submissions, often less.

I apologize for coming across slightly brusque on Twitter and heavily sarcastic in my earlier post. I am aware that this is a volunteer effort, and that they have a big pile of books to get through in what, I imagine, is a small amount of spare time. I also wasn't cognizant that this was an exercise in critics acting as agents, as illustrated by the points you quote. The context was different than I had believed, so I apologize.

I just find it discouraging that a person whose job/hobby it is to give honest assessments of a completed work would decide not to do so when they struggle with getting past the opening chapters. I know that in this industry "them's the breaks" and that a ton of good material gets passed over because it's not "good enough" within the first few pages. But, simply because this is normal behavior for an agent (who is primarily focused on finding things that will make money), that doesn't make it good behavior for a critic, whose primary focus should be exposing readers to as-yet-undiscovered successes.

As an example, I'd like to bring up my experience with your books, Mark. I read Prince of Thorns and thought it was terrible. I even posted in your thread here, asking if there was anyone else who had the same view as I did. You and other posters replied, telling me that I really had to read the other books in the series in order to get a full perspective on why you made the choices that I disliked in the first book. I was left wondering whether I should continue to read a series which I hadn't enjoyed in the hope that I would be rewarded in the end. You responded that I shouldn't, but I decided to (and found some hilarious and misguided reviews that were really out there on the extreme end about your books along the way). And I'm glad I did give them that second chance because it did pay off. I was introduced to a much deeper world with highly complex characters and a compelling story. I realized that you did have reasons for why your first book was the way it was — and they were good reasons! In the end, your trilogy ended up being my favorite read of that year.

And this all happened after I had already read the entire first book! And now, to only read 20 pages before stopping? It just seems shallow.

Perhaps adding some sort of requirement to read at least 1/4 of a work before passing judgement would help to alleviate this? I know this is a volunteer effort, so maybe I'm asking too much. And maybe it would defeat the purpose of the exercise.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 01 October 2016 - 07:31 PM

#174 polishgenius

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Posted 01 October 2016 - 08:41 PM

There's an issue if you're reviewing a book as a whole work by the first few pages, but I don't see the problem with judging something that soon if you're really not getting on with it, and the review makes it pretty clear both that she never really got started and exactly what her issues were, so it wasn't just a pile-on. I dunno that one should necessarily be giving one-star reviews on that basis but to be honest that sort of thing is just one of many many problems with how Goodreads works.

I haven't read the book (due to lack of an e-pub version) so I can't speak to the validity of this particular critic's concerns (but you're never going to please everyone, one person's evocative is another person's flowery) but as much as I feel cross when I see that someone has dropped a book that I liked 'too soon', it happens. There's too many things to read and not enough time to force yourself to read something you're really struggling with. Unless it's your actual job.

I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.

#175 Itwæs Nom

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Posted 02 October 2016 - 12:55 PM

Thank you for clearance

Still it's a pity

All things fall from kings to rose petals

#176 Tatterdemalion

I sneeze warrens.

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Posted 03 October 2016 - 01:40 AM

Wow, that escalated fast. My war horns actually WORK?!?

Thanks to Mark for the chime in. I know the rules and it's a case of what-cha-gonna-do? Ill-luck. The brakes. Every few weeks it burns me up some when another book is eliminated from, say, Fantasy Faction and I wish I was still in the running. I'll just point out that none of these fine folks are 'friends' per se, but cool peeps who decided to read Purge of Ashes and have since become carls. A notable distinction!

On that note, I appreciate you fine folks going to bat for me - and hey, I got an angry super-review from Whispy out of it! Anger as Beauty!

polishgenius: the eBook existed from April to August, but has been taken down as I am getting a full, professional edit at the moment. If you wish, I am always looking for some new beta readers for the revised edition. In fact, so far I have some judges from SPFBO2 lined up! All comes full circle!

Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."

#177 Whisperzzzzzzz

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Posted 10 June 2017 - 02:00 PM

Hey, Tatts. Any news on book 2?

#178 Itwæs Nom

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Posted 10 June 2017 - 03:20 PM

He has recently posted a bunch of updates on his Twitter

All things fall from kings to rose petals

#179 Tatterdemalion

I sneeze warrens.

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 05:31 AM

Sup GUYZ.

Here's where I stand. Tired. From children.

Beyond that, here's where the books stand since taking Purge of Ashes down last August:

1. Paid an editor, they seemed to do a fairly good job. Didn't have too much advice, really.

2. I learned a lot about writing. One of the editor's general notes about active and passive voice I have taken to heart and I am now editing Purge one final* time.

3. While doing these edits I have added a few scenes and deleted a few scenes. Most differently is a brand new prologue and some major changes to chapter 1. My beta readers are currently going over the prologue and chapter 1 so I can be sure it is on the right track, but basically it is an ORENZO POV of the moment the Locian Army falls apart pre-POA. Wanted a prologue more connected to the story. This is a key moment, and one they no longer have to info dump about in chapter 1 as I take you there instead. It is a stronger introduction for sure. If either of you, or anyone who enjoyed POA, are keen on reading the new prologue and re-set-up intro, I can pass an e-copy along. As always, I'd love to hear thoughts.

4. I have just begun to continue work on Grip of Dust today in the first of ten Writing Afternoons. I am teaching Monday and Wednesday mornings this summer, but I made a deal with my wife that once finished I get to write for the rest of the day at the school. Today's session went well, as you can read about HERE. So the good news is the sequel is on the move again. We will see how much I can get done in the 9 following afternoons (and nights when possible). It feels great to produce new content again.

5. Thanks for inquiring! How long it will take, I don't know, but I will finish the trilogy if it takes 20 years. A truth not a hope.

* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."

#180 Aptorian

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 05:38 AM

Keep at it, Tatters. Good stories aren't supposed to be easy to write. You're doing what plenty of us other members wish we had the time, energy or drive to accomplish.