Small Step Sideways

In a previous post I talked about my short story "Conservation" being available for sale on Smashwords.com and other online retail outlets.  In a small step sideways, I have depublished that story from Smashwords.  I, as a Canadian indie author, must find a way to navigate the US's revenue taxation scheme (or face it's wrath) but I'm finding it difficult to navigate Smashword's FAQ with respect to foreign authors.  Being averse to wrath, of the legal or biblical sort, I thought it best to take a step back and regroup.

It's disappointing for me to have to depublish anything, but I look at this as an opportunity.  I can hit the reset button and start over with a different self-publishing site.  My goal at this point is to build readership and articles that I have read all indicate that indie authors do this best when they offer their ebooks to the world for free.  So far the best site I've seen for free self-publishing is Feedbooks.com.  It has an easy to use interface an there's no tedious format checking/correction to work through.  It's write, click and publish.

So, as I said, a small step sideways away from writing "for profit" and back to writing "for me".

Milestone: An Outline for "Cool Water"

I now have an outline for the first of Charlotte's "Cool Water" stories. I've been struggling with this one for quite a few months, never finding the right plot or characters, but I had a breakthrough on the drive home last night. When I left Ottawa, I started talking it out in the simplest of terms and by the time I got to Cornwall I had half the story worked out in my head. I finished the other half of the outline this afternoon. I think the most important achievement is getting an outline that I am confident I can work with. There are five movements, a prologue I had never planned on and a denouement.  If I can work up a movement a week, I should be able to complete the story by the end of January or the first week of February.

Now Available!

Now Available on Smashwords.com, KoboBooks.com and Diesel-Ebooks.com: Conservation, my first ebook!

It's pretty exciting to see something I created for sale at ebook stores.  No sales so far, but I'm hopeful.  :)

One Good Night

Six ounces of Highland Park,
Two Quorum Conneticut Shade,
A dash of JLH, Café au Go-Go,
Equals one good night. :)

Forward Progress: "Cool Water" Excerpt

For those of you who may have started reading "Cool Water" and are wondering about the next update, I give you this excerpt that I worked on last night.  I can't set a firm date for the next release, but it may come around 17 September.  Keep reading and thanks for your support!

Something hard jabbed Charlotte twice in the back.  Her eyes flew open and she twisted onto her back, her body uncurling like a whip.  Her gun was already in her hand but she didn’t remember picking it up.  It was trained on the startled face of a grubby seven year old boy.  He dropped his stick and darted behind a waif in a white and yellow polka dot dress, his skinny arms wrapped around her legs.  

The thin woman regarded her with a cocked eyebrow and a wry grin.

“You can relax.  It’s just us.”

Charlotte’s mind caught up with her body.  She lowered the gun an inch and suddenly recognized the woman’s wind-worn face.  Dark, deep set eyes smiled at her from Relief mixed with embarrassment.

“Shit, Rita.  I almost shot Caleb,” she said, climbing to her feet.  

Sharp pains and dull aches complained from her hip and shoulder and half a dozen other places. She winced as she straightened her right arm.  Curled up under her head all night, it had seized up like a rusty hinge.  

“What are you doing out here?”

Rita waved her stick-thin arm at the smouldering char under the desert.

“We got raided last night, same as you.  Came to check on you before we leave.”

Rita swatted at the boy clinging to her.  

“Child, get away from my legs!  Miss Charlotte is sorry.”

Caleb shook his head and watched Charlotte warily.  It hurt her how much he looked like her brother Charlie.

“Make her say it,” he mumbled then he looked right at her and said accusingly, “Say you’re sorry.”

Rita shrugged apologetically.

Charlotte squatted down in front of him and slowly laid the pistol on the ground beside her.

“Caleb, sweetie,” she said, showing the boy her empty hands.  “I’m sorry I scared you.  I didn’t mean to.  Do you forgive me?”

Caleb ignored the question.  He pointed at the ruins of her burrow.

“Did the bad guys come here, too?” he asked.

Charlotte nodded.  “They did.  They burned my house and took away my stuff.”

Caleb sighed loudly.

“Me, too.”  

He edged closer, asked, “Did you shoot any of them?”

“I did.”

“With that gun?”

“Uh-huh.”

“How many?”

“Two.  The other two got away.”

Caleb’s tiny brow furrowed in deep thought then he nodded.  He wrapped his thin little arms around her neck and squeezed.

“It’s okay, Miss Charlotte,” he said into her neck.  “Half’s good.”

Second Story up on Wattpad.com

I just posted another story on Wattpad.com.  Look for it here.  I hope you enjoy and feel free to send me feedback.

The Blind Leap

I can sometimes be impulsive.  To people who haven't known me for very long this can come as a surprise because I maintain a thick matte coat of pragmatism.  But underneath all the "wait-and-see" and "let's-think-about-this" kindles a spark of spontaneity, as evidenced by my joining Wattpad.

Sometimes leaping before you look can end badly.  I was afraid that might have been the case with joining the online writer's community, especially when I realized that a big proportion of their members are below the age of 25.  One member was looking for feedback for his work from "older" writers--"19ish or older".

Oh my.  What have I gotten myself into? 

But then I did some more internet research on the site and discovered, to my delight, a news article from the Guardian out of the UK written by none other than Margaret Atwood.  "Why Wattpad Works" gave me reason to believe that this blind leap will turn out all right.  I mean, if someone of her clout and renown in Canadian literary circles thinks such a venture is a good idea--and actually uses it herself--then someone like me, a virtual unknown, can only benefit from using it.