Thursday, October 30, 2014

Calling on the Horror

Hello Followers,
I am extending an invitation today to any horror authors and anyone that works in the horror industry for interviews for Horror Geeks Magazine. If anyone is interesting I can be reached at ksowder@horrorgeeksmagazine.com. Thank you!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Bring On the Horror

Hello Followers,

I am writing you lovely people today to let you know my writing career seems to be taking off. As of today I am a writer with Horror Geeks Magazine writing anything I choose as long as it is everything horror. Yup, you heard it right.

I, sci-fi/dyspotian/urban fantasy author, am writing about HORROR! Once my work goes live it can be seen on their website down below:

http://www.horrorgeeksmagazine.com/

Everyone who has enjoyed this blog as well as any other tidbits that are floating around out there will enjoy the turn in genre I am sure. Make sure to tune in because I'll be there once a week!


Sunday, October 26, 2014

Who's Ready to Follow the Ashes?

Good evening (or morning, afternoon) Followers!

Now, I just recently made an announcement on FaceBook that I have scheduled my release date for "Follow the Ashes: Book 1 of the Executioner Trilogy" as well as announced this announcement. When I was with Permuted Press my first book wasn't coming till May 2015 and that wasn't even the series that most were waiting for. It was for the first book of the Permutation Archives, which I am still looking to publish but in a more traditional route.

I know everyone has been looking forward to the Executioner Trilogy for years...and I mean YEARS! I have been working on this for quite some time and man wasn't I disappointed when I got a September 2015 release for the first book of this trilogy, but do I have a much closer one for you! As it stands this release date is fixed and I will not be changing it unless some unforeseeable circumstances delay it. The official release date for "Follow the Ashes: Book 1 of the Executioner Trilogy" is.......

JANUARY 11, 2015!

Whoo....now don't I feel better that that's out? I know you all do. I had been thinking long and hard about this date since dissolving my Permuted Press contract and you will all be happy to know that I plan on making this available in each and every format I can get! So enjoy the anticipation of the next three months because I think you guys are looking forward to this as much as I am!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Picking Up The Pieces: The Aftermath of the Permuted Press Fiasco

Hello Followers!

It's definitely been interesting picking up the pieces after the Permuted Press debacle. It's all been work and no play to say the least. Not only do I work as a Remarketing Analyst for American Credit Acceptance, but I'm a writer, and helping support my husband who is the newest addition to the amputee community in the U.S.

As I mentioned before, my last post wasn't the last anyone would hear from me. But I'm pulling away from the bashing and pissing contests to look to the future for myself and my husband. My last experience in the industry has taught me a lot, and I am still determined. Not only for my own success, but my husband's as well as those who decided to stay with Permuted Press. I won't lie, I made a lot of great friends during my time there.

My husband is currently in a rehab facility undergoing occupational and physical therapy to regain some semblance of normalcy. It will take some adjusting, but nothing has ever stopped him. He is determined. And he wonders why I call him my hero. Now he knows.

As for my future as an author, I will be self-publishing The Executioner Trilogy and I'm shooting fir the first installment "Follow the Ashes" in January. Exciting stuff. Even more so, I am working very closely with my very talented brother in law Jaymz to produce some awesome cover art for all three. His work is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. If anyone wants to see the amazing work he churns out you can look here:
https://m.facebook.com/DrawinGBlood75 as well as reference the above photo.

As for "The Harvested," it is being turned into a five part series entitled the Permutation Archives (having nothing to do with my old publisher, I swear). I will still be working this one with everything I have and trying to snag a great traditional publisher as well as an agent. Wish me luck everyone, and be on the lookout for what I have to offer because you haven't seen anything yet!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Why I left Permuted Press: The Hidden Struggle of Authordom

Hello Followers!

As I have announced before I am no longer an author with Permuted Press, and I am here to let everyone know exactly why. Now, I tried to sign with a reputable publisher for a long time and with Permuted Press being in the top ten of small press I was super excited about getting signed with them, but little did I know they weren't only signing me, but they were signing anyone and everyone. As small press they are trying to move to mid-tier which means you need more authors. This part I understand. But adding two hundred within the year? That's a pretty large red flag. The reason being is that your work will not get the attention it deserves, just like everyone else and I want to see my fellow authors succeed. This wasn't the problem at first because I didn't realize the scope of the problem.

Their workload and rather aggressive publishing schedule became an issue within the company. Not only were they overworking themselves, but (from what I have heard, not sure how true it is) they were even missing the marketing on some works entirely. Like I said, I'm not sure how true it is. When I heard that one author was left to do all the marketing herself instead of the partnership promised I became iffy. This, again, was not the only issue. Because of the aggressive workload they made a HUGE business decision. They decided to go to an e-book first business model where, depending on your e-book sales, you could earn a spot in their Permuted Platinum line where your books wouldn't be POD (print on demand), but printed in bulk and widely distributed. Even making it onto Barnes & Noble shelves. This is great, right? You couldn't be more wrong.

When asked about the goal to get the the coveted position amongst the works already in the Permuted Platinum line, the answer was extremely vague ending with the conclusion and they indeed have no idea what it takes to get there. But my issue wasn't just this. Not only was I promised quite a lot here, but I was promised prints as well as e-book and audiobook and it didn't help that the publishing schedule would be redone. For me, my first release was already due in May 2015 and, well, I had already waited long enough so being pushed back wasn't an option for me.

Plus, we weren't just sent a mass email, but it was sent quite late at night when I was already in bed with no answer from the head honcho for an entire week. This made the situation grow intense between permuted authors. Some of them even turning against each other. Then another email surfaced, but not to all mind you. A few authors did receive an email stating that the changes made did not effect them. I felt quite shafted as well as that this was a very shady deal. Now, not only was I not getting what I was promised, but something that was freely given before I had to earn and not even they knew what it took to earn it. Not a great business practice. There have been some answers on the model change, but this came after I made the decision to dissolve my contract with Permuted Press.

Down to the nitty gritty and something even more personal. My deadline for "The Harvested" was October 31st, only giving me a few months between deadlines to get it done and then the unthinkable. My husband had to undergo a below-the-knee amputation on October 14th because of a complication of being a former diabetic. This caused a rather large pause in my writing, making it so I could not make this deadline as well as this new model not meeting my needs. After some poll taking and talking to people who wanted to purchase my works when they came out, I realized I would be losing quite a bit of sales with e-book only for quite some times until it was decided I deserved a Platinum spot and, let's face it, who knows how long that would take. I would say I was losing at least fifty percent once I took the vote.

I have made quite a large decision and it was a very hard decision to make because the search for a publisher is hard these days, and I know it. I have still decided to move forward. To those who wanted to purchase my works, you'll still be able to. I am working now to self-publish the Executioner Trilogy and it will be available in a number of formats as not to limit anyone's purchasing decisions. Once they are about to be released I will be doing quite a launch so keep a lookout. About "The Harvested." I have decided to turn this into a series of at least five books and titling it the Permutation Archives. I am hoping not to disappoint and will be very aggressive in my marketing and sales efforts. If anyone has any questions they can be asked on the portion here on my blog where they can be submitted. I can even be reached on FaceBook and Twitter! I look forward to hearing from all of you!