Okay! There’s a few things to talk about, so let’s get stuck in.
I completed a book, and sent it out for beta-reading. The question now is what do I do once I get feedback.
See, I’ve been staring at this book for hours over the last few weeks. True to the creative process of writers everywhere, I now hate it with the passion of a thousand fiery suns. I’ve closed the file and I’m not going to look at it until people come back to me with feedback.
I know it’s got flaws, unfortunately. If I had the time or interest, I’d go back and fix them, but honestly, I just can’t. A book doesn’t have to be perfect, and I have other books to write. And now, I’ve decided that I’m going to let someone else decide which I should write next.
Here’s a short list of stuff I have in the pipeline:
- Fire Eyes, Shadowblade, Book 1 of Mekkaneer’s Madness Trilogy (fantasy adventure)
- Mekkaneer’s Madness Book 2 (unnamed)
- Mekkaneer’s Madness Book 3 (unnamed)
- The Meldling, First Novel of the Daemonva (fantasy) – this is the one I just finished
- The Nameless Knight, Second Novel of the Daemonva
- Third Novel of the Daemonva (unnamed)
- The Dogs of Law (alternate universe paranormal police procedural)
- Winterlight (YA fantasy)
- The Hunter General (steampunk)
- The Fortune of Dragons (YA fantasy)
- Snicker-Snack (a fantasy retelling of Alice in Wonderland)
- Imperion Light: Adventures in Wartime (steampunk)
- The Devil in the Details (fantasy comedy)
I think you can see a trend here. I’m going pretty heavily into fantasy right now, with a bit of steampunk and other weirdness on the side.
So here’s the deal, my friends. As soon as I publish the book I just finished (official announcement soon), I’ll be setting up some stuff to build a mailing list. Anyone who signs up to my mailing list gets to vote on what I’ll write next.
My creative output will be in your hands. You pick a title above, and whichever gets the most votes in the month after I publish a book will be the thing I concentrate on next. I’ve already announced Fire Eyes, Shadowblade, so if I get no votes, that’ll be the one. The only rule is that you get one vote per email address, and you can’t vote for a third book in a series if I haven’t written the second yet.
I’m also going to do something pretty special for the print version of every book I complete. I’ve been working on my bookbinding skills lately, as you might know, and I’ve got everything I need to print and bind my own books. So I’m going to make the print versions myself – they will be handmade with the best materials I can find, signed by me (obviously) and limited to three copies each. I’ll keep two – one for me, and one to keep as a present for someone close to me.
The last one will be given away to a reader.
Again, watch this space for the mailing list, kids. Only people on the list get a shot at the print copy, so consider yourself warned!
Ah, so busy… Let me know if you think I’m nuts in the comments below.