Celebrating 10 Years and 1 Million Downloads of Spinward Fringe With a Summer Sale

I didn't think I'd get the chance to write this blog post when I set out on this journey. I started writing Spinward Fringe as a fun Space Opera adventure that I wanted to see but couldn't find. Science Fiction television shows were ending and being cancelled: Stargate SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, and Farscape were all either over or ending. Battlestar Galactica (Ronald D. Moore's reboot), ended in lacklustre fashion and the spinoff, Caprica, failed to live up to fans' hopes. Star Wars was hibernating for the most part, Star Trek was back in reruns and I'm pretty sure I'd seen everything at least five to ten times, and newcomers like Firefly didn't last.

It was a dark time for SciFi, and it wasn't the first time in my life when the force was weak with the serialized, space bound science fiction adventure sub-genre. Instead of weeping in front of more reruns or seeking out obscure box sets of more obscure series, I decided to try writing my own with the purpose of entertaining myself.

I wrote fantasy before that along with a little horror but took a couple years off after my first self publishing adventure in 2004. In 2008, starting on new years' eve, I dug into a Space Opera idea that I had been daydreaming about for a year. That became the First Light Chronicles, which was eventually collected into one volume and renamed Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins.
I released it in eBook form on a site made by a company in France called Mobipocket, unaware that Amazon already bought the company and was using the tech to develop the now dominant Kindle platform. A year later, I was firmly making a living and spreading my books out to Amazon, Smashwords and other retailers.

It's with gratitude and a little disbelief that I look back at the decade that followed. I've written and published twenty-two novels in that time, twenty-one of which can still be downloaded. Last year I verified that over a million copies of my books were downloaded legally with at least six times that number pirated (that's a gross underestimation).

Granted, many of those legally downloaded copies were free, but it's still a number I wouldn't have dreamed of hitting when I started out in 2004 with my first in-print self published novel, then started writing and releasing SciFi in eBook format.

Starting today, I'm celebrating ten years of successful self publishing. In that time that's all I've been doing to earn my living, and to kick it off I'm participating in the Smashwords Summer sale. All my books are on sale or free there now, and I invite you to take a look, leave comments on your favourite books, maybe follow me there as a favourite author if you like and be a part of it because they have been a part of my success. Here's a direct link to my page there.

I'm also having a poster made and updating most of the formatting for all my books while I correct errors throughout the series. The updates will be free for everyone, available through your dashboards wherever you purchased or downloaded them.

I'm wondering if you have any other ideas to celebrate this anniversary. Please, leave them in the comments, but don't forget the Smashwords Summer Sale, especially if you missed Highshield, Brightwill, Dark Arts, Spinward Fringe Broadcasts 6.5 or 10.5.

Thank you very much for reading and buying my books through the years. I hope I can do this for the rest of my life. I love creating this kind of entertainment, first for myself, then for you!

RL

A Return to Freeground In The Expendable Few Novella

The story in Broadcast 7 outgrowing the confines of one book has become a calling to tell a story that was left out of the Spinward Fringe series. Normally, when I cut a story out of a book it's because the book is already dense enough, or that story wasn't good enough to run as a sub-plot.

When I cut this recent story out of Broadcast 7: Framework, I did so knowing that I would still have to tell it. I still had to develop that plot line. More importantly, I had to tell it before the current Spinward Fringe series came to an end.

That plot line has become the upcoming free novella called The Expendable Few. If there was to be a fourth book in the old First Light Chronicles Series, this would be it. For all the readers wondering whatever happened to Freeground, here are your answers. As a further nod to the three novellas that started it all, Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port, the new novella - Expendable Few - will be free.

There is a testing group already mostly in place, the novella is half finished, and if I've done everything well enough, someone could read this book without reading the rest of the Spinward Fringe series. It's far more interesting if you read it as part of the series, particularly as Broadcast 6.5, however. I'm offering it for free, AND it will be included with Broadcast 7 when it is released.

Here's a brief synopsis for The Expendable Few:

Freeground has changed since the return of the First Light. Instead of re-integrating with the rest of humanity, the Freeground Nation has become more xenophobic and Isolated. The Puritan Party has assumed control. Censorship, social engineering, and xenophobia are even more common, and thousands of citizens who have the means and opportunity to leave are doing so. The dream of living in a secure and free culture hasn't died entirely, however.

A few Freeground Citizens opposed to the Puritan Party put plans into motion that will either bring liberty back to the Freeground Nation or send the entire culture into a downward spiral. This tale is told from the perspective of a politically contrary Fleet Commander, Clark Patterson, who is obsessed with the adventures, intrigues and antics of the First Light crew. He knows everything one can about their short service aboard, and has every piece of contraband footage of them after they departed. He's even investigated the terrorist, Jacob Valance, whose very name is a curse according to the Puritan Party. His life, his world and those he holds most dear are shaken when he has a direct run in with a West Keeper - a spy working for a galactic cult called the Order of Eden that is bent on controlling industry and the natural wonders with their reach and beyond.

--- Synopsis Ends ---

The real thrill for me in writing the first half of the novella was writing Freeground as it was originally conceived. I honestly didn't have the patience to demonstrate the xenophobia and censorship that surrounded the Freeground culture before. I was too excited about telling the Jonas story, and I don't regret it. I don't regret it because in The Expendable Few the problems of censorship, control and xenophobia drive the story in the first half of this novella. A return to first person perspective after a million words or more of writing is also very interesting to me.

How far away is the release of The Expendable Few? We're talking weeks if the test group enjoys it. Only two members of the test group have read the Spinward Fringe series, the rest are new to it, so it's getting a trail by fire.

Work on Broadcast 7 continues, and that book will only be delayed for a couple of weeks because of The Expendable Few. I believe this is a necessary book to developing the final act in Broadcast 7, however. I'd much rather write the Expendable Few in its entirety rather than write it up as twenty pages of developmental notes and shut them away after Broadcast 7 is finished.

I hope you agree.

RL

[If you have no idea what I'm talking about in this post, then you should go download a copy of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins. It's free, and the download links are on the right hand side of this page.]

The Re-Launch of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins

I know, everyone wants to know what's going on with Broadcast 7. All I can say right now is that things are going very well, but I'm not ready to talk story just yet.


There have been a lot of things going on in the background in the meantime, and I'm finally ready to start talking about some important progress.


Everyone is aware that the First Light Chronicles Omnibus has required some polish, and as I write this there are two edits floating around the Internet, one worse than the other in terms of quality of writing. Thankfully, I've grown as a writer since, but that doesn't change the fact that the Omnibus (also known as Broadcast 0: Origins), needs some TLC.


I'm the kind of novelist most mainstream publishers outright despise because my focus is on story rather than technical brilliance. I don't care if every single line of prose sings, or that it has a Edgar Allan Poe level of polish, nor do I have any notion that I'm a fantastic word smith. I have my great moments, but my real concentration goes to telling a gripping story and delivering that tale using interesting and relatable characters. The prose functions as nothing more than a vehicle.


That's not to say that I don't work to improve my prose, I do, and my word smithing has grown since 2008. Looking further back, to novels completed in 2004 and before, it's like night and day, but that's another matter.


This spring I looked at The First Light Chronicles again and decided that I wouldn't be re-writing it. Instead, I hired an industry editor who can bring an objective eye and a high quality set of tools to the project. The level of workmanship he brings to the table is so high that it's beyond any help that would come free. He's been polishing the First Light Chronicles for a couple weeks now and predicts that work will be complete shortly.


The verdict is good so far, which is excellent news since the fundamental story in the First Light Chronicles Trilogy won't be changing. He'll be sending me a few notes that'll help improve my writing style going forward, and the quality of the prose will finally match what one would expect from a New York publishing house. Considering that every publishing house has editors just like this polishing every book that comes off their presses, it's only fair that this book, which has been read and enjoyed by thousands of people, gets the same treatment.


Important things to know about this new edition:


- It will be available for free on Smashwords, where they will have a version for every type of reader.


- Readers who already have a Smashwords edition will be able to update to the final revision.


- A listing for Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins will appear at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk for $0.99 (since Amazon will not allow me to list it for free). This version will be exactly the same as the free version available at Smashwords.


- If you see a signed copy of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins for sale anywhere, it's fake. The only way to get a signed copy of this book will be through the store launching on this site in November, and it'll be addressed to the receiver. (This note is in response to a company who tried to sell fake signed copies of my books online).


- The only way to get copies of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins in print for the foreseeable future will be through my store. My signature is free, you just have to tell me who to make it out to. copies of the print editions of Broadcast 0: Origins will appear on Amazon.com sometime early next spring.


- Without your support, I would have never been able to hire this editor. If things continue to go well, the rest of the Spinward Fringe series will receive the same treatment. 


There are other things stirring in the background, and I'll be revealing details as these projects are ready. For now, I can't wait to see the final, professionally edited version of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins online and in the web store. The few of you who have requested signed copies over the last year will finally be able to get one, thanks for waiting!


RL

First Light Chronicles Omnibus: Facelift and Free Downloads

Around September first I listed The First Light Chronicles Omnibus for free on Smashwords.com. Since then over 3,100 copies have been downloaded.

Copies are still selling on Mobipocket.com and there's a trickle in print, overall the Omnibus has done well. To be honest, I can't wait to see what those 3100+ downloaders have to say when they finish reading it. People have been kind so far, but there's always a different reaction to free material.

There's something going on with this book other than mondo downloads, it's still in editing. With the long time success of this book the decision was made to commit to doing a final edit several months ago. That edit is still underway. My part is done, rewriting a little in rough places and editing the text line by line, and now the editors are busy going through it.

The new cover was supposed to be on hold until the book was updated internally, but with over 3100 free downloads from Smashwords, I couldn't resist updating the outside of the book so it better fit in with the Spinward Fringe Series.

When will you see the final version of the Omnibus? That'll come in January, we're taking as much time as we need to improve what's there without changing the story or style. Everyone who already owns an eBook copy will be able to re-download it for free, either from the site they originally purchased it from or from Smashwords.

What's happening with the next Spinward Fringe Book (part 2 of the Rogue Element Trilogy)? It's well under way, and there are more than a few surprises waiting for you. It's an unconventional piece of fiction and I believe it holds up to the first book in the Rogue Element Trilogy. There's a lot more news to come on that soon.

RL

My Spinward Fringe Career At The Moment

In an earlier post I wrote about editing the First Light Chronicles Omnibus from start to finish.

Since then I've had a few emails come my way voicing the general sentiment of "It's finished! Leave it alone and move on!"

Well, this is a brave new world, where a book or any other electronic media can be improved or changed and in some cases should be improved. I'm afraid that the First Light Chronicles needed more attention. There were some omissions, errors and I had a need to look the book over sentence by sentence so I could improve the narrative overall.

My readers (past, present and future), deserve it. After looking the First Light Chronicles over I had two choices: edit it carefully from beginning to end or rewrite it completely. After speaking to my editor and a couple of proofers I decided to edit. They're working on it with me, making sure I didn't miss anything and giving me their opinions on loose ends as well as characterization. They were dead set against the First Light Chronicles being rewritten. General consensus was that yes, the style needed a little work, but the series was fantastic.

When this is finished in a month or so every version of the First Light Omnibus will be updated with the new edition. A free re-download wherever you purchased it will update you to the newest version. The First Light Chronicles trilogy will also be re-released as Spinward Fringe Origins (Broadcast 0).

The reason for this re-release is pretty simple really. There's a crowd of people who don't understand that what begins in the First Light Chronicles series continues in the Spinward Fringe series no matter what I do on the cover, inside the book or where it's listed for sale. As it turns out I have to make this change so the new market these books are reaching accept them more easily.

One more word on the editing of the First Light Chronicles / Spinward Fringe Origins Trilogy. I'm enjoying it. It's a lot of hard work an long hours, but there's something about going back and reflecting, examining where the story began that is really helping me direct the future of the Spinward Fringe series. This is a labor of love, and knowing that these books will never be edited again drives me to do the best job I can. The proofers feel the same way, I've been told.

What's going on creatively?

I'm still working on the latest book in the Spinward Fringe series (to be named next week on this site), and I'm having a blast with the characters and story. I'm also getting things together for another book trailer which will look vastly different from the last one.

Things are looking good for the Spinward Fringe series, and I couldn't be happier to work on it. There's more news coming, so keep checking back!

RL

Spinward Fringe Status Update

Anyone who follows me on Twitter is aware that I've been putting even more hours in lately. Considering my normal work day is between 8-12 hours, that's a lot of time.

Here's what my days have looked like lately.

When I wake up in the morning at any time between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM (I don't use an alarm clock, the one in my head is loud enough), I put the coffee on then get to work on the latest Spinward Fringe book. How is that going? It's going extremely well and I'll be announcing the names and release dates for the next two books sometime in the coming weeks.

After a few hours of that and a shower I get to work on editing. During mini breaks I check twitter, say something like; "I'm editing... again," my Email and the few bulletin boards I participate on.

These editing sprees generally last until 10:00 PM or midnight.

What am I editing, you ask?

Well, until recently I've been doing a deep edit on the First Light Chronicles: Freeground. In my opinion it's the weakest book in the series and needed some serious attention. Today I finished working on it and tomorrow the proof readers get their copies. After I finish working on Spinward Fringe tomorrow morning I'll be taking the dreaded red pen to First Light Chronicles: Limbo, a stronger book by far, but I think it could use another pass.

What happens when we've finished editing the First Light Chronicles Trilogy?

Everything gets updated. Anyone who has purchased a digital copy can re-download it and enjoy the fresh edit. The story isn't changing, so there are no worries there. As far as people who purchased the printed copies are concerned, well, all I can tell you is that the price of the Omnibus will be greatly reduced on Amazon.com and the new edition will be easy to find (see below).

Something else will be happening to the First Light Chronicles Omnibus. I'll be relaunching the book under a new title: Spinward Fringe Origins.

With the Spinward Fringe series slowly gaining exposure, people are confused when they realize that the main characters exist in two series; The First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe. The solution to this is to launch a new book. The format will be more professional, there will be an actual cover, and it'll appear in a final edit. eBook editions will be free on Smashwords and the retailers they distribute to.

There will also be a new book trailer for Spinward Fringe Origins. I'm in the process of securing the rights to some really good stuff and writing the script.

After that's all finished I'll continue with my editing spree. The entire Spinward Fringe series is undergoing another edit and proofing. Will this slow the scribing of the next two Spinward Fringe books down? Not at all. In fact, I've found that I've been more productive since I started this editing work.

The Spinward Fringe books won't be getting new covers or new names and I won't be changing the story at all, so you can rest assured that when all is said and done what you enjoyed about the books will certainly still be there.

The Spinward Fringe series has been enjoying great success on Mobipocket, which keeps me housed and eating spam, something I'm perhaps a little too grateful for. Now Kindle sales are starting to get off the ground and people are discovering the First Light Chronicles Omnibus on Smashwords (over 560 people have downloaded it for free in the last 25 days). I owe it all to the readers, and in respect to you all I'm doing my very best to make these books and the upcoming volumes as good as what you'd expect to see from a New York Publishing House.

Thank you for supporting me, things will only get better from here.

RL

The First Spinward Fringe Trailer

It took the weekend, but after assembling choice bits of audio and all the useful images I have from Spinward Fringe I managed to cobble together an early trailer for the Spinward Fringe Series. The image design took less time than I thought it would, and I managed to take first crack at a cover for a book that's in long term development.

For anyone who happens to be a long time reader of the series, the second background image is a huge hint as to the subject of the book I'm developing as I write the regular Spinward Fringe series.

Here's the video:



[A quick note to the author who asked me where I "stole" the graphics from: Any images, music, or audio clips I didn't generate myself were acquired legally from the current rights holders. I have full legal entitlement to all materials contained in the video and it cost less than $9.00 total. There was a great deal of design work done as well, the resulting images are copyright protected.]

I couldn't have done it without your reviews as well as the video and audio I've received from you. The teaser would be half silent if it weren't for Allan, Geoff, J and Ross. My goal while creating the video was to convey enthusiasm, and to get the viewer excited about the books. It's hard to find people who can sound enthusiastic about anything, harder than most people think, and I'm happy I had enough footage to more than fill the 40 or so seconds.

This video is just an example of the kind of thing I'd like to do using the video and audio you send in for the Video Drive and Book Draw will go towards a larger, more complete video. This one is more like a teaser.

I hope you enjoy the video and that the word spreads even further about the series. Oh, and I apologize to the people who posted comments and rated the video while it was still in the test / proofing phase. Your comments may be gone, but they're not forgotten. Okay, well, maybe they'll be forgotten, you might want to post them again.

RL

[Is the teaser / trailer effective? Do you think people will get excited and or curious about the series?]

Spinward Fringe: Strange Horizons and Close Encounters - It's Alive!

In the process of writing eight books in the First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe series, a lot of extra material has been generated.

So much, in fact, that the Spinward Fringe series has started to become a universe. While I was looking through the contents of the digital vault where I keep all the bits and pieces that get cast aside when I'm editing I realized that some of the material is actually quite good. Frontline, for example, had over 11,000 words cut and buried in those words are two pieces that could stand on their own. One of those pieces, Landing on Leeds, is featured as the first part of the Strange Horizons and Close Encounters serial.

Here's the full concept behind the series:

It's a place to tell peripheral and background stories that didn't fit in the books, and preview parts of the books that haven't been released and to tell stories about characters who are experiencing life in the universe in a very different way.

• It will be a free series.
  
• It's a living document! Meaning that you get more content by by re-downloading the file instead of downloading another eBook when each part is released. Instead of a bunch of little files mucking up your device, you'll have one bigger, changing file with a text index.
• Each part will be a short, spanning between 1,500 and 5,000 words.
• Some stories will be split into multiple parts.
• When the book reaches 100,000 words it will go to print and another living document will be created.
• Guest writers will eventually be welcome.
• There will be no Spinward Fringe big picture spoilers.
• Most of the series will be fresh material that does not appear anywhere else.
• At least two parts will be available per month unless the project ends or something else comes up, in which case everyone will have fair warning.
• The story lines will be named. For example: the serialized story line starting in August is called the Nerine storyline.
• Some of the pieces will be stories from different characters' histories, such as Frost's, Alice's or Oz's.
• This project won't interfere with work on the regular Spinward Fringe series. In fact, the first six parts are already finished.
• The quality of each piece will be the same as the work in the regular Spinward Fringe Series.
• This will be taking the place of the Dark Arts serial. I may eventually develop that story into a book unless there's enough reader support for the serial to continue, in which case I'll find time for it.
  

Without further delay, here's the link to Spinward Fringe: Strange Horizons and Close Encounters. This version is compatible with all readers. You'll find a short story about the arrival of the Holocaust Virus in the core world city of Leeds and a preview of the next Spinward Fringe Fracture book which does not spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read Spinward Fringe Triton or Frontline. Part one of the series is unrelated to this storyline.

Oh, and about the cover graphic. I can't claim credit for the elements of the piece, I only composed it, but you can certainly expect a visual upgrade on future Spinward Fringe covers. After celebrating a year of writing independently and earning a living it's time to take things up a notch. I hope you enjoy the new look! The artists are credited in the eBook.

RL

[What do you think of the living document concept?]

Spinward Fringe: Fracture - Early Editing

I've begun my editorial pass / possible final draft on Spinward Fringe: Fracture and it occurs to me that there are a few very important things about this book that I didn't mention before.

It's a shorter book than Spinward Fringe Frontline. I decided that instead of taking eight or so months to release a large book, I'd split the story into three acts and write a trilogy.

The book also takes elements of the early Spinward Fringe series (Resurrection / Awakening), and fuses them with the First Light Chronicles setting and character style. Two days pass in this book, the story pace is faster than ever, I find the dialog pops more in this book than in Frontline, and I get to tell this story from many angles and explore the experiences of characters that I think more readers will be able to relate to more easily.

There's also special attention paid to how certain characters react to what they may have gained or lost over the last few months (since page 1 of Spinward Fringe Resurrection), and I've made a great effort to keep the story from getting bogged down with constant flashbacks to moments we've seen before. Instead, I try to keep building a few characters by reviewing bits of their past and emotions in the present that I haven't had a chance to examine in detail.

I've also returned to a kind of story telling that had the tendency to evoke a lot more emotion from me. I wrote a new prologue for this book that nearly had me in tears. Normally I'd be patting myself on the back and hoping that all that emotion survives my edit, but in this case I was left wondering if I made everyone around me uncomfortable at the writing jam I was attending. [A writing jam is when a group of writers get together in a cafe or someone's home and spend time working together or on their own projects.]

There's one more thing I'd like to mention before I get back to work. Editing this book is fun. Editing Frontline was a bit of a chore at times because of its sheer size and the characters spent a lot of time in a setting I no longer enjoyed imagining because it was an awful place, I wouldn't want to find myself in the same situation that the characters are in for most of that book. Don't get me wrong, the setting was great for the story, I had just spent days imagining it already at that point.

So far, editing Spinward Fringe Fracture has been very rewarding. I'm finding a lot of places where I'm smoothing out some rough edges, which is normal, and a few places were I get sucked in by the scenes and the story so well that I forget to edit. It happened with Frontline as well, but only after the first edit was completed and I had to go back to the beginning for another pass.

If my editor and beta readers approve this edit when I'm finished, you can look forward to Spinward Fringe: Fracture at the end of August.

Gotta love being independent, this stuff happens fast!

RL

[Do you prefer shorter books and a release every 2-3 months or longer books and releases every 9 months? Please comment below!]

Announcing Spinward Fringe: Fracture

That's right. Spinward Fringe Rogue Element has become the Rogue Element Trilogy. The first book is called Response. In online stores the name will read: Spinward Fringe: Response.

Why, you ask? The answer is simple. The story quickly outgrew the confines of one book. I had to cut Rogue Element into three parts, otherwise I'd have a five hundred page novel that would take me nine months to write. Okay, maybe six, but I went through that with Frontline, and I'd rather deliver a two hundred page novel in three months instead of a four hundred page novel in six. There are a lot of readers who agree, and it fits the nature of Space Opera.

What's the book about? Well, without giving anything serious away, it's time for a distress call. It's a common story seed in Space Opera stories, and it's time for me to to it differently, to twist the whole concept of responding to a distress call into a nice big plot pretzel gone wrong.

I've taken a completely different approach to this book and I'm happy with how it's turned out so far. I wanted to write Rogue Element like a film, like I was the director looking to milk every moment for as much drama and action as possible while tossing some intrigue and character development in for good measure. I also wanted to recapture some of the excitement that made the First Light Chronicles worth reading.

What's the end result? The first part is in draft, and it feels like I've crammed a screenplay into a prose novel. It's exciting, the science is something I'm proud of, it's emotional, and I poured so much into this book that I had nothing left by the end. I feel like taking a decade off, like I don't know exactly what I have here, but I like it too much to judge and need a professional opinion.

I'm a very fortunate man. I have not one, but two qualified people ready to look this over for me. They'll tell me if there is something missing, or if it's too fast paced, or if I've given birth to a great big, creative turkey. As with anything I enjoy writing, I've lost all objectivity, and they'll tell me what I've done here.

All I know is that the first draft is complete, it was more fun to write than Spinward Fringe Frontline, that I'll be back at work on this draft starting my personal edit tomorrow, and that this book is called Spinward Fringe: Response, it's part one of the Rogue Element Trilogy.

There's something else. There are perfectly good chapters from past books (such as the completed, edited prologue from Spinward Fringe Frontline), that will never be used. Some of them read like shorts, so I'll be releasing one free after the last part of Dark Arts: Rising hits the web next week. There will also be preview chapters for Spinward Fringe: Response that, when put together, read like their own short story. They'll be released here on a weekly basis until the book is released.

I'm excited, my editor is excited, and my new proof reader is well chuffed as well. I'll tell you what their verdict is and how long you'll have to wait until the release as soon as I know.

RL

One more thing: The book is written so new inductees to the Spinward Fringe universe can start reading here. The preceding books will always be there for them, but they can start at this point if they like.

Spinward Fringe Arrives At Shortcovers!

Some time ago I received an Email from someone at Shortcovers in response to a blog post I made concluding that they weren't ready to do business with independents. I didn't state it that directly, but it was difficult to conclude anything else after reading my comment.
After speaking with someone on the telephone (he was actually one of the top enders), I started the process of listing my work with them.

Even though they don't have an automated eBook conversion system in place yet and things are still in the refinement stage behind the scenes, the people at that company made it work. That's what was impressive about this organization, there are people behind each step of the conversion, listing and posting process. Even though it's frantic over there, it's a new subsidiary of the Indigo / Chapters corporation, they're improving things.

As far as the readers are concerned, they're working with publishers to bring prices down and their site is pretty slick. I have their eBook reader on my iPod Touch and it's very easy to navigate.

They are the best Canadian eBook company around by far, and they're positioned to be one of the top in the world from what I've seen so far. They currently have apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, Google Android (TM), and Blackberry.

You can see my listings at Shortcovers here.

RL

First Light Chronicles Omnibus: At Amazon for $0.80 for a limited time.

As a part of the Spinward Fringe Seven Book Celebration the First Light Chronicles Omnibus is available on Amazon's Kindle Reader for $0.80 US for a limited time. It will never be on sale at this price again.

The First Light Chronicles is the precursor to the entire Spinward Fringe series. It contains the three novellas in that series and the afterword that discusses why and how it was written. It also addresses the Spinward Fringe series and why the story had to go on. Even though I believe I've written better fiction since, I can't help but be proud of the enthusiasm, creativity and style of this short series.

Here's the synopsis for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about.

In the middle of the darkest region of explored space sits one bright beacon; Freeground Station. Serving as a supply and trading post it is home to a select number of human beings that will take an unlikely chance to make a difference in their end of the galaxy.

Jonas and his friends spent their spare time in tactical simulations and drew the attention of Freeground Fleet Command when they hacked into restricted combat scenarios for elite trainees and defeated all comers.

Instead of punishing Jonas and his friends they offered them an opportunity to undertake a dangerous and exciting mission. They were to go out into the Galaxy and acquire any advantages that would improve life for Freegrounders.

This series is about their first voyage together, the challenges they face, and the relationships they forge with each other and the beings they meet along the way.

The First Light Chronicles Omnibus contains the entire First Light Chronicles Trilogy. Freeground, Limbo and Starfree Port.

The Spinward Fringe Series follows this collection in the following order: Spinward Fringe Resurrection, Awakening, Triton and Frontline.

- End Synopsis -

If you know someone who enjoys first person perspective storytelling, fantasy, science fiction or fiction in general it's a great time to recommend this to them. The entire Spinward Fringe series is also available on Amazon Kindle Reader and in print.

[Amazon Kindle Link] [Mobipocket Link] [Lulu DRM Free PDF Link]

RL

A special thanks to Geoff for announcing the effort to spread the First Light Chronicles far and wide on Somacow!

Spinward Fringe: Celebrating Seven Books

The other day I was thinking over the whole of the First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe Series all the way up to Frontline and couldn't help but smile.

A number of things have happened since the first copy of the First Light Chronicles Omnibus sold from Mobipocket. My writing has gotten better (though I'm told Omnibus is still a fantastic read), and thanks to the support shown for this series the depth of storytelling in the Spinward Fringe Series has improved a great deal.

Out here in the real world Mobipocket and other science fiction fans have been kind and appreciative enough to support me by buying the books and sending donations the help out with necessities. Others, like the Somacow crew, have been there when I needed help online with everything from spreading the word to saving my Wiki entry.

It's not easy being an independent author full time. When sales slumps hit the concern that my run as a full time writer could come to a quick end becomes very real. Many people assume an independent author is self publishing because a publisher won't pick up his work and I can tell you, that's not always true. I've turned down three bad offers from publishers who assume I'm so desperate to get my stuff on the shelves that I'm willing to sell the whole series and all rights (print, ebook, TV, film, international and merchandising), along with a future book for a handfull of magic beans. The last offer was for an advance of $1.00 and the terms only got worse from there, for example. They obviously consider the series worthy of publication, I'm just not willing to sell it all for a publishing credit only to find myself making so little on each sale that I have to go find another full time job, taking most of my time away from writing. It sort of defeats the purpose...

I enjoy being connected to my readers and fully accountable for my work. You good readers determine whether I can keep doing this full time by buying the books, spreading the word and bringing new readers into the fold if I've entertained them well. You guys also send me emails, post your opinions in this and other blogs and get others hooked on the series. Without you I wouldn't be doing this full time and I'm very greatful. Having said that, if a publisher makes me a reasonable offer on the printed rights in any country I'd be glad to accept and see copies on the shelves. After all, printed copies of my work are still difficult to obtain outside of the US and very few have been sold, less than fifty.

Story wise, much of what began with The First Light Chronicles Omnibus has come full circle. By the end of Spinward Fringe Frontline so many things have resolved. I couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out with the storyline.

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is one of those very special books wherin I get to write a story I've been looking forward to since Spinward Fringe Resurrection was completed. The whole series has what I consider a solid foundation and vast potential and Rogue Element is where I start to take full advantage of the characters, their individual struggles, the micro storyline and the macro storyline. This is a faster work, it's taking a lot less time to pen. I'm also trying a different approach to novel writing that's working out exceptionally well.

People around the world have been simply amazing. I have to admit that part of this post was prompted by an email I received recently that asked if I was giving up Science Fiction for writing Horror. I can answer that in a word: no. The Dark Arts Horror Novella (which is being posted in serialized format right now), is something I completed over a space of four days. It resulted from a bunch of developmental writing I worked through to improve my writing skills, give my imagination a general workout and to clear my head after working on Frontline for six months solid. I've been working on Spinward Fringe Rogue element for almost three weeks now and am focusing all my writing efforts on science fiction. Will I cross over into other genres in the future? Sure!

However, as of this moment I have many stories left to tell in the Spinward Fringe Saga, and since readers are demanding more (Frontline has sold 150 copies so far depsite a brutal sales slump that's taking place right now), it looks like they want me to keep going. Science Fiction is a constant challenge, beyond any other I've faced. I'm heavily engaged in the characters and love the universe I'm building, so when I leave it's not for long.

There is SO MUCH going on with my work right now. For the next five weeks parts of the Dark Arts series will be posted. Add an upcoming event with The First Light Chronicles Omnibus and work on Spinward Fringe Rogue Element and you could say I'm very busy these days. Still, thinking over the past seven books (including the novellas in the First Light Chronicles Series), leaves me amazed. How far this has come and the support of the 300 or so readers who have jonied me is fantastic.

For anyone who isn't familiar, here's a list of the books I'm talking about:

First Light Chronicles Freeground
First Light Chronicles Limbo
First Light Chronicles Starfree Port
First Light Chronicles Omnibus (Contains all of the above)

Spinward Fringe Resurrection
Spinward Fringe Awakening
Spinward Fringe Triton
Spinward Fringe Frontline

I consider the First Light Chronicles books a part of the Spinward Fringe series simply because the storylines ended up being intertwined. Anyone who is looking at reading the Spinward Fringe series should begin with the First Light Chronicles Omnibus.

Look for frequent updates right here on what's happening in my little microcosm.

RL

On Friday I'll explain what the First Light Chronicles Omnibus Banner is all about. See you then!

Progress Update: What I'm working on right now and the future.

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is well on its way. It's important to note, however, that there are other projects in the works as well, even though the bulk of my energy goes towards the Spinward Fringe Series.

The last few weeks have been very interesting. Writing a pair of novellas that have nothing to do with the Spinward Fringe setting was a good idea. They were experimental and won't be published. Those ninety thousand words weren't a waste of time, however. In doing the work I developed a few new ideas, cleared a few character questions up (concerning Spinward Fringe characters), and gave myself the opportunity to make a few decisions about what I'll be working on for the rest of 2009. It also gave me a chance to clear my head after working on Spinward Fringe Frontline for over five months.

Since that 90,000 word writing spree a lot has been happening, here's an update:

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element
I've written the beginning to Spinward Fringe Rogue Element, determined the course that the characters will be taking through that book and gotten a couple of extra chapters down. Aside from that I also managed to mangle the Spinward Fringe Triton cover to my satisfaction, turning it into a fair representation of the attitude behind Spinward Fringe Rogue Element. I'll be glad to get back to it this weekend.

Dark Arts
It's been years since I've written horror or anything supernatural. While exercising my brain on those novellas an idea took root centered around a few characters and it just wouldn't go away. That's where Dark Arts begins. I'm taking a pseudonym on for this project: L.S. Randolph. Do I care if anyone knows about it? Nope, spread the word. I just need to do this work under a different name. This work is intended for adults, the imagery and subject matter will eventually go further than I've ever gone in unpublished or published works. Think Exorcist meets Saw. There will be more on this and a free short story to kick things off shortly. I'm giving myself this week to work on it before getting back to Spinward Fringe.

The Secret Horror Novel or RAGE³
This was the horror novel I had originally planned to start working on after Frontline. Sadly the twenty one page outline (sort of a write by numbers assignment I had penned), went missing and no Canadian police agency got back to me about doing an interview or ride along for research. Fate's telling me to go back to the drawing board and it looks like I'm doing just that. I'll be doing research for this one while I work on another outline from scratch. If anyone happens to see a blue notebook with Spiwnard Fringe, First Light Chronicles and RAGE³ notes inside, drop me an EMail, willya? (Oh, and it's prounounced: Rage Cubed). What's the idea behind this book? All I can say at this point is that it's about a serial killer.

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6-7
The First Light Chronicles and the Spinward Fringe series are still drawing interest thanks to some very faithful readers who seem to be spreading the word and things are still going pretty strong on Mobipocket. Keeping that in mind I'm making plans for the sixth and seventh books in the Spinward Fringe series as I write Rogue Element (the fifth book). I still write each one as though it's the last, giving readers somewhat of an ending (like in Frontline) while leaving things open enough for another book. There are a lot of stories left to tell in this setting, with these characters and I'm hoping I can keep on going. It's largely up to the readers though, so keep spreading the word and remember that the books are available through Amazon.com for everyone who doesn't like reading EBooks.

Fate Cycle Book II: Exodus
This long awaited finale (that's right, there won't be a book III), is still sitting in a manuscript case waiting for the last 9 or so chapters. I'd apologize but frankly the science fiction I'm working on is much better. Going back to the Fate Cycle series means doing a full edit of Fate Cycle Book I: Sins of the Past without changing the story THEN I'll get to finish Book II: Exodus. If you really want to take a look at the fantasy novel I wrote ages ago and its more playful, simpler prequel (Sins of the Past: Dead of Winter), you can pick them up on Mobipocket. I will eventually finish Exodus, there's no question, but right now I have to look at things more realistically and write what people enjoy (and demand), the most.

Other Projects and Whats Ready
I'm still focusing most of my efforts on writing Spinward Fringe, finding new ways to get it to people and getting it noticed. That series is not only my best work to date but it has nearly three hundred readers. The fact that I enjoy writing that series the most at the moment is a massive bonus. When I take a few days to work on something else I'm just taking a break from Spiwnard Fringe, and always plan on going back. I'm always thinking about the characters and plot lines based in that universe.
What's ready? Cover art for RAGE³ has been purchased and the central image for Dark Arts has been found, now I have to beg to borrow or buy it. Considering how very broke I am, I might have to take extraordinary measures... *gulp*

To sum up: Watch for Dark Arts while you wait for the next Spinward Fringe Installment (Rogue Element). For the rest, well, I'm hoping to get around to everything in 2009 but nothing is certain, so keep checking back for news!

RL

Thanks for sticking with me thus far. Things can only get more interesting from here!

Incoming Price Drop On Amazon.com

That's right, these are hard times and I'm willing to acknowledge that. It's one of the reasons I love being independent, the ability to control what happens with my work and counter bad market trends.

There are no plans for Amazon.com or their self publishing imprint Createspace to offer mass market paperback sizes. Why is that a big deal? Well, it's simple: Mass market paperbacks (also known as pocket book size), are cheaper, about $6.99-$9.99 in the US and $9.99-$12.99 in Canada. The currently offered Trade Paperback (measuring a much larger 6"x9" and featuring better quality paper), averages between $19.99-$29.99 in the US and between $24.99-$39.99 in Canada. By rights, if I were following the trends set down by the big publishing companies I'd be charging those prices.

I don't think so.

I like my readers and am willing to take a massive hit in order to offer Trade Paperback books for a price closer to that of a mass market paperback. In short, you get big, glossy, 6"x9", high quality books for nearly the price of those cheap, corner store quality newsprint paperbacks. US customers will also be eligible for Super Saver Shipping. Here's a list of the price drops:

First Light Chronicles Omnibus: Was $17.99 Now $14.99
Spinward Fringe Resurrection & Awakening: Was $15.99 Now $11.99
Spinward Fringe Triton: Was $14.99 Now $11.99
Spinward Fringe Frontline: Will be $14.99 when I can afford to cover the cost of shipping a proof copy from California to Ontario.

To be honest I'll be making $3.00 or less for each book I sell but I'd rather ensure that people can afford them than make more money for each one sold. These books are made to be read, enjoyed, and for that to happen they have to be affordable.

I've also run into a number of Canadian readers who are leery of buying from Amazon.com because they'd rather keep their money in the country. Sadly I don't have any print distribution in Canada. Don't wait for me to get any either; thanks to market conditions in this great country there's no telling when or how distribution will happen. So, if you're in Canada and want copy of my books, please order from Amazon.com. You're still putting your money in the right place; in my hands so I can keep writing full time.

As a side note, if you're a publisher in Canada and you'd like to acquire the print rights for my work in this country or any other, drop me an email with your contact information please. It's still early enough in the game to get the lion's share of the sales in North America since I've sold fewer than 20 books through Amazon.com.

I'm currently working with a publisher in the UK to offer my books in print in that end of the world and I hope to have more news on that soon. Those rights are available as well.

Thank you very much for your support so far everyone! I hope this makes it much easier for you to obtain printed copies of my work and spread the word to friends who don't read EBooks just yet.

On my end I'm hoping to see more than 3 books a month sell through Amazon.com (That's the current average). I love Mobipocket but I'd like to have a secondary source of income and more exposure in the US and Canada.

If you'd like signed copies of my work, send me an Email. I'm sure we can arrange something!

I aim to entertain and hope to increase my audience so I can keep working for you, my readers!

RL

UK Publisher / Self Publisher Wanted!

For months now I've been trying to find a good UK publisher / self publisher who is willing to sell printed copies of my work to people in their back yard.

In case you didn't already know, I'm located in Ontario, Canada. As a result I have access to a lot of US self publishing companies that will allow me to do all the design work myself and offer the work to readers. I still have to order a single proof copy with most of them, but that's a reasonable reality. It's best for me to see what my readers are getting. Other than that the companies I work with don't charge any upfront fees and there are no cash cost surprises.

What I've found in the UK is that the vast majority of self publishing companies are more interested in making thousands of dollars from independent authors and have little interest in selling books to readers.

After being thoroughly screwed by Trafford in Canada I promised myself that I'd never pay cash up front for a publisher to list my work and half heartedly offer it to readers. That rules out every self publishing company I've seen in the UK out.

The Emails regarding the lack of printed copies in the UK don't stop, however, nor would I like them to! The problem is I still don't have a way of fulfilling the demand. I could just give up and say; "Well, it's not easy, so I'm afraid you'll have to stick to buying EBooks in that part of the world!" That's not the way I work, however.

Instead I'm posting an open invite to all publishers and self publishing companies in the UK to offer my printed work to your customers. Here are a list of qualifications you MUST meet:

There must be no up front, listing, maintenance or procedural fees.
You get a cut of the cover price, that's it.
I must be allowed to determine the cover price (with a self publisher).
I will be given a 30% or higher royalty on the cover price (with a conventional publisher).
I retain all rights to my work (with a self publisher, a conventional publisher will recieve print rights but will have no entitlement to other media rights).

What I can provide:

10 titles.
Records of sale that will show thousands of EBooks sold.
Information and graphics for promotional purposes.
I can do all my own design work.
I will make myself available for telephone/radio/print interviews.
Your listings will be prominently featured on my various websites.
A conventional publisher will recieve exclusive print rights for a limited term in exchange for an advance against future sales.
I'll offer my eternal gratitude.

So that's all. I do have a note for users who might want to offer self publishing advice though, and that is to do your homework before offering it. Please don't recommend anyone unless you personally have a positive relationship with the company.

If you're recommending a publisher, be aware that I'm not interested in a long submission process and my readers don't want to wait around for a year or more and over 98% of unsolicited manuscripts are either never reviewed or rejected even if it's the best thing they ever read. There are many market, legal, time and budget considerations that come into play that prevent unsolicited manuscripts from being considered. I also don't have a literary agent.

Taking that into account, if you know of a good, free self publishing service in the UK or you're a real publishing house or literary agent and are interested in helping me, drop me an Email and I'll get back to you right away.

In the meantime I'll keep researching while I'm not writing and hopefully I'll be able to find a way to make printed copies of my work available in the UK.

RL

Spinward Fringe Frontline: Now Available From Mobipocket.com

Since Mobipocket users have been the most supportive Spinward Fringe Frontline is available there first. Right now, in fact.

People who have sent me emails over the last year with regards to my writing got first crack at it yesterday when I sent them each a message telling them how to get it the day before release.


Spinward Fringe Frontline is a novel that I've been eager to finish, not for the relief of completion, but so I could share this story with everyone whose been following the Spinward Fringe series. There is no shortage of answers in this book and it brings the whole series up to the epic scale many people expect from Space Operas. I like to think there's something more between the covers as well, questions about personal identity and how different types of personalities react to prolonged pressure. There's more, but I can't go into it without giving something away.

Suffice it to say I'm excited. I've been living with this novel and this story for nearly six months now and as I start working on the next book I hope to hear back from some of you through reviews on Mobipocket and possibly email. Thank you for coming on this journey with me, I truly hope you enjoy the bumpy ride as much as I do.

You can find Spinward Fringe Frontline on Mobipocket here.

Spinward Fringe Frontline will become available on Lulu.com, Createspace.com and Amazon.com in print and Kindle editions over the next month to six weeks.

RL

Spinward Fringe Frontline Release Date: Monday, June 1, 2009!

Finally! The final edit is complete and my editor has given me the all important thumbs up to proceed to release Spinward Fringe Frontline.

I'm not waiting long. On Monday, June 1st Frontline will be available on Mobipocket. Since I recieve the most support by far from Mobipocket users I'm more than happy to make it available to them first.

Versions will also be appearing on Lulu.com and Amazon.com shortly afterwards electronically. A print version will be available from Lulu whithin the next few weeks with the Amazon printed edition appearing within the next six weeks.

Spinward Fringe Frontline is my seventh science fiction book to date. Weighing in at four hundred seventeen pages, it's a full blown epic novel with a full cast of characters that originated in the First Light Chronices and Spinward Fringe Series'.

Here's the synopsis!

Set in the distant future, this book takes the main characters into the dark heart of the galaxy, where the fourth fall of man is well underway. What at first seemed to be a chaotic uprising of machine against man is becoming a controlled event, destroying the lives of billions and hurling the known galaxy into a state of utter dischord. The Order of Eden seems to be the only force for order and peace, offering a place in thier new society in trade for a large cash investment and their freedom.

Captain Valance and the Triton crew are finally learning to work as a unit. Oblivious to the grander designs of the Order of Eden and their leaders, they will inevitably be drawn into the center of a galactic conflict over a planet that contains a prized secret that's remained buried for decades. The question put to them is not if they can prevail, but if they can survive.

-End of sysnopsis-

I'm eager to present this, my largest and most ambitious work. I know the wait has been long, but I have no regrets. This is a full blown Space Opera novel that takes the Spinward Fringe series to an epic level. This is my best work, and even though I've been working on this one book for the better part of six months I'm not tired of the story, the characters or the setting.

Thank you very much for your support so far. I've said it before and it's worth repeating; you pay my rent, put food on my table and keep me writing full time. I hope you all enjoy reading this book as much or more than I enjoyed writing it.

RL

Spinward Fringe: Status Report

The road to Spinward Fringe Frontline has been long and filled with obstacles. To write Frontline I typed over seven hundred pages and came out with four hundred and nineteen including rewrites, three prologues that in no way resembled each other (only using one of them), and several other cut chapters that just didn't fit right. A lot of authors go through that, even with the kind of careful planning that went into this book.

The end of that road is in sight. I just finished working with my editor on the first three hundred pages now she's running off with the last bit and we'll be working on it later this week. So far she's been very pleased with the book, in fact she's read some chapters more than once because she found them so interesting and enjoyable. A point of pride for me, you can be sure.

I'm on edge. I honestly love this book. There are layers that call back to historical events, character interactions that play over and over in my head because I love how they turned out and creative bits where I can't help ask myself; "where the hell did that come from?" Imagine something as fast paced as Spinward Fringe Resurrection only its over four hundred pages long. My last pass on this book had me waking up at six am and working on it until midnight, the word driven doesn't begin to describe my mentality. I literally disappeared from the world and am still winding down weeks later.

Since then I've pumped out over ninety thousand words while detailing the background universe of Spinward Fringe, performing character studies and finishing several self imposed challenges meant to improve the quality of my descriptive and characterization abilities. I learn and improve by doing and those thousands of words have done wonders.

Where has the last few weeks (while I've waited for my editor to get through the book), taken the Spinward Fringe series? There's this prologue idea that I've been dreaming of using for the last eight months, like a milestone that has waited way off in the distance. It's explosive, unrestrained, universe changing and it's been written. As I wait for the verdict and notes to come back from my editor on the last quarter of Frontline I've been crafting the fine details of the next book in my head and my excitement has been building. The weeks I've spent working on my skills and distancing myself from the Spinward Fringe universe have taken the series far and I can tell you for certain that there are two more very good books back in the works right now.

Spinward Fringe Frontline is the best book I've written. That includes the Fantasy, Horror and all the Science Fiction I've released and kept to myself over the last five years. When I announced Frontline I promised a lot. At this point I can say that I feel I delivered. Somehow I also managed to include some decent humour in all that drama, which surprises even me.

Frontline is a collosal chapter in exactly the kind of Space Opera I enjoy, it's set my personal benchmark much higher than anything before it and I can't wait for you all to dig in. The next time you see a post here it'll be announcing the final release date and it won't be far off.

RL

Thank you for continuing on this journey with me. It's about to get very interesting.

First Light Chronicles Omnibus: 6 Months As The Top Science Fiction EBook

So it's official: The First Light Chronicles Omnibus has been the top science fiction book on Mobipocket.com for six months.

This is a great landmark to watch as my editor to finishes her work on Spinward Fringe Frontline and I wait for her verdict.

Without the people who have read and enjoyed this book it wouldn't have stayed number one for so long. You read it, posted your reviews and some of you sent me emails. Others actually lent support in other ways. I'd be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to say thank you.

The users on Mobipocket have been simply the best, and I hope that as I move on to Amazon.com and other book sellers that the people there are half as receptive and supportive.

With the imminent release of Spinward Fringe Frontline and the ongoing plans for more Spinward Fringe books, I hope that everyone whose been along so far enjoys the journey going forward. There are only about three hundred people aboard right now which in the publishing industry is less than a few, but to me you are the best core group of readers I could have asked for. I'll do my very best to keep things exciting and to keep everyone entertained.

Thanks again, you'll know my editor's verdict as soon as I do!

RL