Roland Allnach multi-award winning author of the strange and surreal www.rolandallnach.com
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Roland Allnach multi-award winning author of the strange and surreal www.rolandallnach.com |
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The News Vault Welcome to the News Vault, where I keep all the old news posts I put on the home page. I'm a bit of a history buff - and it's safe to say part of me is a sentimental sap - so if nothing else, this can serve as a reminder to simpler beginnings. Due to the ever-changing state of the Internet some of the links in the old posts have been removed. The reasons for this vary: some links were to information that was removed from host sites, some links are to sites that are now defunct, some links are to information that is no longer available. I do periodically check links in the old posts. In cases where I have specifically removed a link, the original link text remains but the link itself is no longer coded. In these cases I have added a 'Link Removal', or (LR) notation, following the link. Otherwise, everything is exactly as it was at the time of posting. The vault runs in reverse chronological order, in the manner of standard blog format. Posts by year:
___________________________ 2017 Summer 2017 Well, here it is into the warmer months of the year with cold and snow far behind. I have a few good things to share, so let's get to it.
To everyone who stopped by my table, you have my sincere thanks! Now, time to start making plans for the Fall and Winter convention circuit... Speaking of making plans, I'm happy to announce that I will be the incoming president of Long Island Authors Group in 2018. I'll continue my role as Events Coordinator, manifested for the most part through the management of our Traveling Bookstore. If you live on Long Island, our next stop is at Eisenhower Park, Saturday, July 29, for the Eisenhower Park Arts & Crafts Fair. On the issue of my books I recently received a great review for The Digital Now from the US Review of Books. In addition to the favorable review, they recognized The Digital Now with the publication's "Recommended" designation, which goes to only a select fraction of the books reviewed. You can read the review on this site or over at US Review of Books. Regarding reviews, Oddities & Entities 2: Vessels also received some kind words, earning 5-star reviews over at Readers Favorite. I will be posting the reviews here in the future; for now, you can read them over at Readers Favorite. January - March, 2017 My oh my, how the time has flown. I'm far overdue for an update here, but not without reason. As fortune would have it (or not, depending on your viewpoint) they 2017 year for me started with two rounds of respiratory illness that escalated to pneumonia. And being that my stories never shy away from odd things coming out of people, it was nevertheless a little odd to see all the strange and colorful things coming out of my lungs. Well, isn't that disgusting? Okay, on with the better news...
Speaking of conventions...I spent time researching the many conventions in the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area and will be making the effort to do my rounds with the convention crowd. Next up: looking toward Eternal Con for July. Stay tuned for details.
So what's on the slate looking forward? My restless fingers have finished another sci-fi novel, and I will be hunting for an agent to represent a sci-fi trilogy I've been holding on the back burner. Depending how things go, one or the other of these projects should be seeing the light of day sometime late 2017 into 2018. I've also been very busy with Long Island Authors Group, initiating a traveling bookstore for local town fairs. We'll also be setting up shop at the Brooklyn Book Festival. As far as presentations go, I'm exploring options. As usual - and as always - I will post information as it becomes available. If you haven't already, please subscribe to my newsletter! (I won't bombard you - I plan approximately four issues a year.) 2016 December, 2016
On that note, I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to those who attended my presentations. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated, and I look forward to returning for more presentations. Which brings me to my next point(s)...as the year wraps up, there is yet one more event I'll be attending. On Sunday, December 18, 1-4pm, I will be appearing at the Lindenhurst Library Holiday Book Fair with Long Island Authors Group. Nearly twenty local authors will be present, and we look forward to meeting many readers. Remember, books make great gifts! The year also closes with two new reviews... What's in store for 2017? Never one to sit idle, I have plans in motion. On the publication side I'm almost done with my next book, a speculative novel by the title Providence. On the public side, I'm looking into local comic-cons and assorted conventions to access more readers, as well as broadening my presentation schedule at local libraries. I'm also looking into adding a critique service on my Bookstore page. I've done a few critiques, and the response has been great, so I think it's time to go public with a skill I've honed over the last few years. As always, stay tuned for updates! October, 2016 For the coming weeks I have a number of events that I'd like to share. If you live on Long Island, drop by, listen in, and please enjoy. October 8: Presentation at Brookwood Hall, East Islip, 10am to 12pm,courtesy of Islip Arts Council. My topic will be "Creating Alternate Realities in Genre Fiction." In my last newsletter I also mentioned a book signing date with Long Island Authors Group, December 3/4 at the Northport Holiday Craft Fair. This event has been dropped and will be replaced by one or more appearances with LIAG. Stay tuned for updates... September, 2016 It's getting late in the year...sounds like a good time to publish my sixth book! For your reading pleasure, I'm very happy to announce the publication of Oddities & Entities 2: Vessels. This follow-up to the original Oddities & Entities goes deeper in the strange and surreal situations of the first book, with a set of new stories. The slant in Vessels is a little more to the horror side of things, yet the stories are still rich with the thing I love most about writing: characters. Vessels is available at Amazon; click here for product page. As usual, I have posted a dedicated page to this site regarding the book. Although it's still under construction (as well as the rest of the updates to this site to accommodate Vessels) the page is available here. Stay tuned... Summer, 2016 Needless to say, it's been a few weeks since posting an update, and will probably be a few more before another. Although the months of summer are considered 'downtime' in much of the publishing industry, the reality is that summer is the time when the industry makes plans for September through to the next year. I'm no different. I have a number of projects and opportunities I'm working on which I will be sharing as they reach maturity. For now, I have a few appearances lined up for November as well potential appearances with Long Island Authors Group in September, October, and December. The two big developments I'm happy to share involve - you guessed it - writing itself. My next book, Oddities & Entities 2: Vessels, is in production and with my best hope will be available sometime in October. Perfect timing, given its content. Vessels picks up where the first volume of Oddities & Entities left off, with a collection of brand new stories that should both fascinate and provide a few sleepless nights of Gothic chill. The second nice writing development is an award: The Digital Now placed as Finalist/Science Fiction in the Pacific Book Review 2016 Book Awards. It's the first award now for The Digital Now, and a nice complement to the great review the book received from Pacific Book Review. Next up are the Readers' Favorite Book Awards, announcing in September. Fingers are crossed... April, 2016 Lots of things going on this month! I had another great interview with Cynthia Brian, host of Starstyle, and I'm kicking off another round of my publication presentations at Long Island Writers House. 'The Writer's Primer' is getting noticed, and it's a great feeling. I firmly believe in giving back to the greater community of authors, and I'm always happy to help out an aspiring author with his or her pursuits. Click here to hear my interview on Starstyle. (my segment begins at approximately the 20 minute mark) Long Island Writers House presentations: Monday, 4/11: Marketing For those in the Bay Shore area of Long Island, NY: My local authors group, Long Island Authors Group, will be participating in a fundraiser with Bay Shore High School and Bay Shore Barnes&Noble. Twenty authors will be on hand (including yours truly, from 1:30-4:30pm) to sign copies of their books. A portion of the proceeds goes to support the arts in Bay Shore High School. There will also be a raffle for a Nook! ** I've also instituted a newsletter, as you may have noticed from the 'Subscribe' button on the left margin. Please sign up - I won't bombard you, but I will keep you to update with my publication news, essays on my blog, and reviews of books, movies, etc. Thank you for your support! March, 2016 After spending my time planning and scheduling and scheduling and planning, I'm developing a calendar of events to help promote The Digital Now and The Writer's Primer. As this month progress I will return to this news post to update with more information.
First and foremost, though, the initial reviews are in The Writer's Primer. Courtesy of Readers' Favorite, a set of three reviews - two 5 star reviews, one 4 star review! Read them in full at Readers' Favorite or right on this site at the dedicated Reviews page. Friday, March 11, 7pm: 'BookIt' Party for The Digital Now at Long Island Writers House. Monday, March 14: I will be returning to 'The Writers Dream', with host and fellow author Linda Maria Frank, to record an interview for The Writer's Primer. Air date to follow. Wednesday, March 30, 7pm EST: I will be returning to 'Starstyle' with host Cynthia Brian for an interview on The Writer's Primer. Coming in April: Back to Long Island Writers House each Monday evening into May, with a 'BookIt' party for The Writer's Primer followed the next four weeks with my publication presentation series based on The Writer's Primer. Event information for reservations to follow. February, 2016 It's been a few weeks since the publication of The Digital Now, and I'm very pleased to have received some very flattering market reviews from Pacific Book Review and Readers' Favorite. Both sites have bestowed their Five Star recommendations.
In addition to opening to some great reviews, I'm happy to report that over the first two weeks of February i will be on virtual book tour with The Digital Now, hopping around the blogosphere. Tour dates and stops can be found right below. (Tour coordination provided by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours.) Last but not least, after many delays I've finally been able to start fixing up the old website. I've been rebuilding and loading pages one by one, so don't be alarmed if you click on a page and notice a difference. Following more modern web design aesthetics, I've gone with a more streamlined look. This is a large ongoing project, so please excuse me if some links are broken. Book tour stops: Monday, 2/1: A Life Through Books: "Carly is a strong main character...great sci-fi novel and writing from Roland Allnach. The world he has created is so vivd...a strong and fast paced plot will keep you invested the entire way through. Wednesday, 2/3: Texas Book Nook: "A fast and furious read...sci-fi but also had many other qualities lovable to readers of suspense, humor, and fiction in general." Wednesday, 2/3: My Reading Addiction: "The plot is full of exciting twists along the way...the world that Roland Allnach has created is vivid and fun to become absorbed in." Friday, 2/5: The Steamy Side: "The pacing and plot of the novel were very well done. There was plenty of action and it really kept my attention throughout!" Friday, 2/5: The Indie Express: "Roland Allnach has created a wonderful new world for us to dive into. Wonderfully paced and multi-dimensional characters really set this novel up for success." Monday, 2/8: Us Girls and a Book: "4.5 Stars...If you like books of programming and controlling the population by a select few, this will be right up your alley." Wednesday, 2/10: On a Reading Bender: "A Sci-Fi novel that really vividly sets the scene for the world and its characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and flow." January, 2016 What better way to ring in the New Year than with two new publications? Yes, I'm very happy to announce that both The Digital Now and The Writer's Primer are available in print and Kindle from Amazon. For either book, visit my Amazon author page to place your order! Happy reading for 2016! As is my practice, I have established a book page for The Digital Now and The Writer's Primer. Please go ahead and take a look deeper into both books. 2015 December, 2015 In prior posts I've been discussing two book projects that I've been putting together, and after several months of burning the candle at both ends and the middle I'm happy to announce the imminent release of my next two titles: The Writer's Primer and The Digital Now.
With The Writer's Primer, I condense my years of experience and lessons learned in the publishing world into one convenient guide. As the subtitle reads, it's intended as "A Practical Guide for Aspiring Authors Seeking Publication". In short, I assembled the book to help those who, as I, will be approaching the publication world from the outside. The book's five sections discuss the literary craft, basic writing mechanics, the short story market, the book market, and last but not least marketing.
With The Digital Now, I will be presenting my first full length novel to the reading world. I've written many full length novels, however, my initial publishing strategy revolved around my anthologies. Plans have shifted, and so, I am now very proud to bring this first full length story to light. The Digital Now marks a return to my science fiction roots. Set in a dystopian urbanity of violence and control, it's both a cerebral and physical cat and mouse chase of shifting perceptions to determine the course of the future. Stay tuned...both books will be receiving more detailed information pages soon! June, 2015 - Five years online! Well, it's been some time since I've been active on this site. I've been quite busy; to put it in a nutshell, perhaps it wasn't the best choice to attempt getting two books routed for publication at the same time. That said, I'm very excited for the weeks ahead into July and August. I've also been working to set up some local appearances, which I will make available once they are finalized. In the coming weeks, expect to see some changes here at my digital home. My old computer went into retirement and, with it, a good deal of software lost to the ruthless advance of software - namely, my web authoring application. So, not only has it been an arduous task moving to a new machine and new software, I have an ongoing learning curve for my new web authoring app. Techno-babble aside, there will be changes coming to this site. Over the next weeks and months I will be doing a full review and possible redesign. In my spare time, I will also clone myself to find time to meet all my obligations... February, 2015 My interview on 'The Writer's Dream' has posted to Youtube, ready for viewing. Of course, I have it here as well, both on my 'Reviews' page in the section for Prism and right here: Meanwhile, I've been working hard to move the rest of my plans along. I'm also happy to say that I am now a board member of the Long Island Authors Group, and I very much look forward to being more involved in local appearances and author functions. The coming year promises to be quite busy. January, 2015 So, the new year is upon us, and I've been busy putting some plans together. I always like to take advantage of the not-so-pleasant winter weather by strategizing for the year to come. Nothing can motivate like a plan, because it gives defined goals and a time table to boot. Philosophical notions aside, I'm excited for what the coming months might bring. I don't yet have a broadcast date for my latest appearance on 'The Writer's Dream', but I will post here once that's available. I'm looking into some different writing projects that I hope I can see through to fulfillment. On the fiction front I'm hoping to dip my toe into the self-publishing pool with a sci-fi novel I've been prepping for publication. I'm considering a venture into the non-fiction realm with a handbook for aspiring authors. It will piece together and greatly expand the essays I have on my 'For the Writer' page here on this site. If that goes well I'm also looking to take that on the road, so to speak, at local speaking engagements. If there's any time left after all those activities, I've been piecing together ideas for a follow up to 'Oddities & Entities'. This proposed Volume II will be subtitled 'Vessels', and I'll leave it at that for now. Yes, my nose is firmly planted to the grindstone. There are no plans in my future for idle hands! 2014 November - December 2014 It's been a busy run the last two months of the year, leading the the late update here in my news section. These last two months have been busy with several local book signings I've done with my local peers, Long Island Authors Group. It's always a privilege to meet readers and participate in conversations with book lovers. After all, without such interest, there wouldn't be a place in this world for authors. In early December I returned for an interview on 'The Writer's Dream' with Linda Frank. The show's air date is yet to be announced. Although it runs on local cable stations here on Long Island it will be available on YouTube as well. Stay tuned! Moving forward into 2015 I have several plans I'm working on and that I will be excited to share if things come together the way I hope. One thing I'm going to take away as a lesson learned from 2014 is the importance of participating in events with other authors. Life as an author has an unavoidable insular component by nature, so it's refreshing to meet with peers, exchange ideas, and share the realities of the publishing world. For those who write or are looking to write, find a local group and join. You won't be disappointed. Looking back, it's been a good year. I saw publication of my third book, I've been very busy writing, and I feel I've learned a great deal. So, for the coming year, I wish every one health and happiness! Mid-October 2014 I will be hitting the blogosphere with a virtual book tour for Prism starting October 20. I will be posting updates here, on the Media & Presskit page on this site, and on my facebook page. October 2014 Well well, here we are. The weather is changing, the leaves are changing; in fact, there is all different kinds of change around - and some of it has to do with my latest book, Prism. In my ongoing efforts to make myself more accessible to the reading world I have a few events planned for the coming weeks. October 9 I'm happy to announce a book launch for Prism at Long Island Writers House, in Huntington, New York, at 7pm. I will be discussing how I wound up as an author, the creation of Prism and will follow with some readings from the book and a book signing. For information, click over to Long Island Writers House. (LR) Late October Look out blogosphere, here comes Prism! I will be heading out for another virtual book tour in October/November, with TLC Book Tours. As dates are firmed up I will post them on this site and facebook. August-September 2014 Prism has now enjoyed almost two full months in the world, and I'm thrilled to say that all the reviews so far are overwhelmingly positive. That's both humbling and satisfying, as I went out on a bit of a limb with this book's content, so it's great to see that effort translating to readers as I had hoped. To read the reviews in full, check out the Reviews page. Once again, to read more about what the book is about, drop by the dedicated page on this site for Prism. Moving into September, I have a few more plans for Prism which I'm putting together for October, so stay tuned. Mid-July 2014
I've looked forward to this publication for several reasons. One, it collects all my previously published short stories in one volume - something I've yearned to do as my credits grew, so that I could offer readers a one-stop reading experience of the stories that helped build my writing career. Second, I wanted to follow the trail of diverse genres represented by my stories and add in several unpublished pieces that explore new narrative forms for me. Third, while exploring those new realms, I wanted to express the inspiration and admiration I've discovered in classical literature. The new pieces consist of 'Of Typhon and Aerina', a tribute to epic verse; 'Titalis', a tribute to Shakespeare and Greek tragedy; 'Tumbleweed', a raunchy bit of comedy to show I don't always have to be so serious; and, lastly, 'Dissociated', a surreal short story that I believe puts the cherry on the cake for the whole collection embodied in Prism. As usual, I have a dedicated page for Prism. Check it out for more info. Enjoy! May-June-July 2014
The short answer is that the time went into the preparatory edits for my third book, Prism. I've done several different things with this third outing, and I've labored to make it as perfect as I can. It's been a labor of love (what book isn't?) and maybe a bit of craziness as well, but I'm hoping to see it to print before the Summer has left us behind. As such, my first time focus until publication will be devoted to Prism; hence the condensed monthly post updates. The wonderful picture here is an author signing I took part in with fellow members of the Long Island Authors Group at the incredible Mill Neck Manor house. As evidenced by this picture, the manor house is one of those grand old time machines of architecture and craftsmanship. A wonderful spot, and a fun day. April, 2014 Last month I posted a set picture from my interview on 'The Writer's Dream', and the interview is now live. A very pleasant and relaxing interview from my perspective, and one I'd be happy to do again if another opportunity drifts my way. My thanks again to Linda Frank for having me on the show. Click here to watch Part I of the interview on YouTube. On a separate topic, Prism is in the edit loop, which means publication will come in the not too distant future. I'm very much looking forward to the publication of my third book. As I've hinted elsewhere, Prism combines my previously published short fiction along with new, unpublished pieces. I look at this book as a chance to explore my narrative range, so the stories move through various genres, the writing takes various forms, and I hope it will provide a very satisfying reading experience. Stay tuned! Also, now that humane weather has returned after such a bitter winter, author appearance opportunities are opening up. I'm looking forward to meeting another season of readers. March, 2014
I've been busy writing this month, which feels great. The odd thing about being an author is that the most important thing to do is write but, while you are writing, you actually don't have much to talk about. I'm sure there's a heaping pile of irony somewhere in there. Late February, 2014
Talking about awards...The Pacific Book Review Book of the Year Awards contest has announced its winners, and I'm happy to say Oddities & Entities came out as 'Winner' in the Horror category. This award marks the first time one of my books has brought home top honors in a contest award category, so this is a particularly satisfying addition.
I'd love to add an IPPY to my awards. Regardless, my two babies have brought home eleven national book awards, and that feels pretty good. Six years ago, I didn't have a single publication credit. It's nice to see that hard work has its rewards after all. February, 2014 It may be cold and unfriendly outside, but some good news has warmed up my writing world. I've been complimented with my tenth national award, from the Feathered Quill Book of the Year Awards. Remnant received a Bronze Medal in the 'Short Story' category. Once the full press is released I will post links. Speaking of links, the monthly posts for 2013 have made their way to the News Vault. In the meantime, I've been busy writing, and the search for agent representation continues. January, 2014 So, here we are, making one more spin around the sun in this very arbitrary thing we denote as a calendar year. Whimsical notions aside, the last grains of 2013 have blown away and the new year looms ahead. I have a few plans for the coming months, including the anticipated release of my third book, Prism, along with the pending results of more book award contests. I'm very proud of my first two books and their success for earning awards, and I hope they can make one more dash this year. That said, I will soon transfer all the 2013 News posts to the News Vault. Time to clean off the shelves for new things! 2013 December, 2013
Part of the 'Winner' selection is inclusion in the 2013 print volume of the contest winners. When that's available, I will have the link posted. Looking back, 2013 has been a busy year. I tried to focus more on book publicity, and to that end I had the pleasure of several virtual book tours, several local book signings, and the guidance of some expert publicists. I also finished my next book, Prism, which will see publication in the coming months. Two short stories, "Soulmates", and "Wayward", made their way out into the light of the world, raising my publication credits to 16 short stories. I remember when that number was a lonely '0'. I like the new number much more. I also brought home some more awards, including a prestigious ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Award. As with my short stories, I remember when the award count was a desperate '0'; now my two books have combined for 9 national book awards! Behind the scenes, I did a complete revision and rewrite of another book, wrote a brand new book, and started yet another book. Hopefully things will pan out for those titles. I've also entered more national award contests, and time will tell if I'll need more space on the old award shelf. Oh, big plans, big plans... Which brings me to the last thing I wanted to say for 2013, and that is - I can't wait to see what will come in 2014! November, 2013
If I can ask another favor, and that would be to vote for me in the final round of the contest. Please follow the link below, scroll to the bottom of the page, follow the 'Click Here to Vote' link, and select my name: In other news, I've made additions to the 'Read the Stories' and 'Behind the Stories' pages to recognize two more short story publications, "Wayward" and "Soulmates". November also sees the wrap up of my October virtual book tour for 'Oddities & Entities', and I have to thank everyone who followed the tour. I also have to thank the good folks at TLC Book Tours for putting together a great month of blog stops.
The main news for October is my virtual book tour for Oddities & Entities, coordinated courtesy of TLC Book Tours. Get ready for the creepy season of Halloween by joining along with the thrills and chills of my second book along the tour: October 2013 Virtual Book Tour, Oddities & Entities (NOTE: Links have been removed for blogs that have closed.) Also in October...For local Long Island residents, I will be participating in the Long Island Authors Group book signing tent at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum Fall Festival. Drop by and say hello! For details, please view the Bayard Fall Festival webpage. And for your Halloween chills...Drop by the All Things That Matter Press page at Amazon to Kindle read my latest short story, 'Soulmates'. This little trip into bizzarro-ville is a good way to get ready for the creepy time of year! Late September, 2013 As September closes, my interview on 'The Authors Show' is replaying this last weekend. If you haven't already had a listen, the interview is playing on a 24 hour loop, so drop by any time at: September, 2013 Well, after a very busy end to Summer, here we are in September. I've been putting some plans together for October to promote Oddities & Entities, including some local appearances as I try to establish my public presence. I also have the pleasure to announce that both Remnant and Oddities & Entities are now available in audiobook format from Amazon and Audible (see the following links). I also secured publication for two short stories, a mainstream piece by the title of "Wayward", date pending in /ONE/ journal; and "Soulmates", a dandy little Halloween treat, also release date pending. I will post those links and dates as they become available.
Oddities & Entities now available in audiobook from Amazon and Audible. As part of my local appearance plan, I'm happy not only to be a part of Long Island Authors Group, but to be joining some of my fellow local authors Sunday, September 8 at Sachem Library, 1-4pm, for Sachem's Author Fair. August, 2013 July was a good month, and now August promises more good news. The audio production of Remnant is under way, and I was happy to learn that Oddities & Entities is also in audio production. O&E is schedule for audiobook release in October, which will coincide well with some other plans I'm working on.
As the image suggests, it's book tour time again! I'll be cruising around the blogosphere with Book Trailer Showcase once again. As usual, I'll keep a running list of tour stops and dates along the way. As with my last tour, I'm also offering a giveaway for those who drop in on the tour stops. So, come on by, join in, and have a chance to win!
Due to demands in my family life, I unfortunately do not have the remaining tour date posts. July, 2013 Ah, the heat of summer has settled down like a stifling blanket of humidity and scorching temperatures. In that spirit I'm happy to share three 'hot' pieces of news. First, the ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards announced, and I'm happy to say that Oddities & Entities brought home a Bronze award in the Horror category. Second, I was lucky enough to take a wonderful holiday to Ireland and spend time with some very welcoming family. A welcome break, unbelievable weather, and an all around spectacular experience. In addition, I was even extended the opportunity to do an interview with Deirdre Walsh on Radio Kerry of Ireland. Third, I received the exciting news that Remnant will be undergoing production into an audio book! The finished product should be available late September, and will be out on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. After all the times proofing the text and hearing it in my reading voice in my head, I can't wait to hear another reader's 'take' on the narrative. June, 2013 So, here we are in June, and even though award season has drawn to a close the benefits continue. It's a little hard to see, but this is ForeWord Reviews' display stand at Book Expo for their Book of the Year Award Winners, with Oddities & Entities on the middle shelf, over to the right. The final award placements will announce at the end of this month, so I'm still looking forward to that date. In other news, I'm doing a mini-virtual book tour for Remnant, with a giveaway that includes an Amazon gift card and a signed copy of Remnant. For anyone interested, I'll post the tour dates below as they come up. The tour and giveaway conclude in the middle of the month. Just visit one of the stops listed below to enter the giveaway. 6/5: Kickoff, with spotlight at Deal Sharing Aunt Virtual book tour arrangements provided by Book Trailer Showcase. Late May, 2013 A few items came up late this month, so it's time for a late-month update. Can we queue the evening news music? On the meet-the-world front, Oddities & Entities will be displayed at Book Expo America late this week as part of ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year display, and as part of the Independent Publisher (IPPY) Award display (though I didn't place in their awards, I'm still on display). I'm also going to do a two week book tour for the first half of June for my first book, Remnant. The final award rankings for ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards is scheduled for late June, and I can't wait to see what award O&E brings home in the Horror category. My big news, though, is that Oddities & Entities placed as Finalist/Short Stories in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards. The full listings are at the 2013 NIEA site. May, 2013 This has been a fast-flying month. I always welcome the pop of Nature as the cold finally slips away and the everything green comes back to life. Of course, that means a great deal of work waiting outside, hence the delay in updating for this month. Late April, 2013 A brief addition and update to April's events. I said I was hoping to expand the 'For the Writer' page on this site to include some of the things I've learned since entering the world of book publication, and - presto! - the ideas of what I wanted to share condensed and found their way across my fingers to the keyboard. Check out the new improved 'For the Writer', version 2.0, and I hope it's of value. I also grew a little sentimental, so I added a little passage at the end of the page...but you'll have to go the page to find it. Last but not least, my publisher picked up Prism. Book number three is on the way! I'm hoping for holidays 2013, but more likely early 2014 for a release date. Stay tuned. April, 2013 The big news this month is one of anticipation. I've sent Prism off to my publisher, All Things That Matter Press, and now the ball is rolling, so to speak. Prism is a dandy little mix of diverse genres and narrative forms, so I'll be very happy when it comes out into the light of the publishing world. And with Prism on its hopeful way, I'm turning my creative attention to finish another book, The Lazarus Locus, which takes me back in the sci-fi/speculative realm. So many ideas, so little time. My first ever virtual book tour has come to a close, and I'm happy to say it was a pleasurable experience and a good learning opportunity. Some of the guest posts I did as part of the tour I'll be incorporating into my blog as time goes by. As far as this site is concerned, I'm making plans to expand my 'For the Writer' page to encompass some of the things I've learned with my book publications. Mid-March, 2013 Things are moving right along. I'm nearing the end of my proofing of Prism, so I'm quite excited about that, and very happy with the way it's taking shape. In the meantime, the blog tour rolls on, and I'm continuing to update the links below and on my 'Media & Presskit' page here on this site. The real reason for this mid-month post, though, is to highlight a new review for Oddities & Entities, over at 'The Paranoid Gamer'. It's a very flattering review, I'm happy to say, and comprehensive in its scope. March, 2013 With March I find myself at the midpoint of my virtual book tour and, so far, it's been a fun ride. As I did with February I'll keep a running list of specific links as the tour progresses. In other news, I've added the last short stories I've seen into the publication spotlight to this site, so now all my published short fiction is right here at home base on Planet Strange. I've also added a new editorial polish on the stories in my continuing effort to bring them to a proper point of expression. It's not just an exercise of my perfectionist predisposition, but also a lead in to my next publication pursuit, book number three, a volume I plan to call Prism, that will consist of equal parts published short fiction and unpublished fiction. Stay tuned! 3/5: Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book 'The Story Behind Oddities & Entities' Last, but certainly not least, the Spring book awards season is under way, and I'm very pleased to say I've already been complimented with a placement. Oddities & Entities has been selected among five finalists in the Horror category of the 2012 ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards (final award ranks will be announced in two months). February, 2013 I'm going to create a running list here of my blog stops, with their specific links, as they come up. Links will also be updated on the 'Media and Presskit' page. 2/4: Interview at Examiner. February, 2013 Now that the excitement of the Superbowl has passed and another NFL season becomes history, it's time to make a little 'history' of my own. My virtual book tour, courtesy of Pump Up Your Book, commences Monday, February 4 and will run through to the end of March. The schedule is full of good things and is listed at Pump Up Your Books. I've also added it to my 'Media & Presskit' page. In other news, I appeared on a radio interview with Senior Voice America's afternoon show, 'Health, Wealth & Wisdom' Wednesday, February 6 at 5pm EST. The interview is at the 'Health, Wealth & Wisdom' archive. I have a quick mention in the program intro, and my interview segment runs from minute 65 through minute 78. (NOTE: The website's archive is no longer active.) Last but not least, I've moved all the 2012 news updates into the 'Vault' page. Grab a flashlight, and head to the basement, if you dare... January, 2013 Ah yes, the new year is here, and things are shaping up for an exciting year ahead. I've been working on publicity goals, and so, to that end, I've decided to call in the professionals at Smith Publicity. They've been invaluable in steering many great leads my way, so in the weeks and months to come I should have good things to share. I've also book a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book, which is set to run through February and March. With this as well I will be updating as more information comes available. In the meantime, more reviews are coming for Oddities & Entities, and they will be finding their place on the 'Reviews' page I keep here. Part of my exposure plan is to work more with Goodreads, so a good number of these reviews will be appearing there as well. For now I'm going to leave the 2012 news updates here on the home page, but in the near future they're going to find their way into the 'News Vault'. Onward time marches... ___________________________ 2012 Late December, 2012 Well, well, despite rumors to the contrary, the world has survived past December 22 - at least for now. All sarcasm aside, it's nice that it seems we're all still around to ring in 2013, and so, I once again would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all those who have ventured to this site and taken the time to peruse my writing. Speaking of my writing, I'm now pleased to offer something here that can't be had anywhere else. I now have an 'Autographed Bookstore' page which I've added where interested readers can purchase print books signed by me, your thankful author. Transactions are handled safe and secure courtesy of Paypal. Not too late for a holiday gift. . . Another new feature, and part of my publicity plans for 2013, is the listing of Oddities & Entities on Net Galley. For publishers and reviewers, this is a service allowing electronic access to the book. If you fall in one of those categories, hop over to my Media & Presskit page for more information. Mid-December, 2012 In the ever creeping push of technology, and the ever present do-it-yourself facet of my personality, I've put together book trailer videos for Remnant and Oddities & Entities, using the wonderful tools at Animoto. The videos now head their respective book pages on this site, and reside over on YouTube as well. December, 2012 The holidays are fast upon us once again, which means high time for a last moment marketing push. Toward that end, I've been exploring a few options which I hope to be sharing as time moves into 2013, unless that whole Mayan 'thing' pans out and we're hit with something even more devastating than that wonderful byproduct of decades of reckless government waste known as the fiscal cliff. However. . .on a decidedly non-political note, I have once again dragged myself into the modern age. This time it comes in the form of a handy mobile version of this site, which is now live. So, for all of you hand held/mobile device users out there, you can still find me without having to try to read tiny, tiny, tiny print. Just put search the usual www.rolandallnach.com on your device and the mobile site will come up. Oh, by the way, here I am at the 2012 Readers Favorite Book of the Year Awards with my Bronze medals, one each for Remnant and Oddities & Entities (the Finalist nod for O&E doesn't have a physical award). Not bad for someone who came into the book world only two years ago, if I do say so myself. Mid-November, 2012 Remnant and Oddities & Entities have done it again!
The Fall 2012 book awards season rolls on, and I'm very excited to add to my collection of accolades. The USA Book News 2012 Best Book Awards announced its annual award results, and Remnant and Oddities & Entities brought home a combined three awards. It's quite an honor to win one of these awards. To win three is beyond all my expectations. With my other awards, I have to pinch myself whenever I think, or say, that I have seven national book awards to my credit. In related news, I went down to Miami to the 2012 Readers Favorite Book of the Year Award Ceremony to receive the award medals for Remnant and Oddities & Entities. While there, I hopped over to the Miami International Book Festival, and had the opportunity to explore some interesting options in the mysterious world of publicity. It was all very exciting, because I have the anxious feeling that doors of opportunity are opening for me that weren't open before. Time will tell... November, 2012 October, 2012
In other news, in my continuing effort to host all my published short fiction right here, I've added "The Great Hunter" (Foliate Oak Literary Journal, September 2010), and "Apogee" (Rose & Thorn Journal, Fall 2010). Both stories can be accessed on this site through the "Read the Stories" and "Behind the Stories" pages. Enjoy! On the Oddities & Entities front, another fantastic review has been released, this one at Pacific Book Review. To wrap up September, I appeared once more on World Talk Radio for another interview with Cynthia Brian, regarding my first book, Remnant. Late September, 2012 As mentioned above on this page, I will be returning for another interview with Cynthia Brian on World Talk Radio, this time regarding my first book, Remnant. The interview will run this Thursday, Sept. 20, 6pm EST. September, 2012
Wow, look at what my little books have done for themselves. The results of the 2012 Readers Favorite Book of the Year Awards are in. Remnant won a Bronze Medal, Sci-fi, and Oddities & Entities brought home a Bronze Medal, Horror and Finalist, Paranormal. These awards are flattering honors, but even more so considering the people at Readers Favorite cite record numbers of contestants for this year's awards - including the catalog of major publisher Harper Collins. Also, Oddities was one of only a handful of books to receive multiple award nods among the fiction categories. August, 2012 August has arrived, and with it all sorts of good news. Good news in the publication world means lots of things to do, though, so my little blurb for this month is coming up much later than I had anticipated. Regarding short stories, publication #14 has stepped into the light. My short story "Beheld" has been released at Raphael's Village, an interesting place for fiction and poetry of various flavors. To read "Beheld", take a trip over to Raphael's Village (LR)(this will take you Raphael's website). And, as is my practice, there is an accompanying essay for "Beheld" on the 'Behind the Stories' page. Here's a few nice developments regarding Remnant and Oddities & Entities:
Late July, 2012 Wow, Summer is racing by! But, as the saying goes, it's good to be busy, because being busy means you have something you need to do. In that spirit I've been hard at work, having completed the third of three new short stories: "Defaeco", "Parts with Hearts", and "The Eulogist". Hopefully they will be appearing soon in the publication world! Returning to the Oddities & Entities front, two new developments: Cynthia Brian, host of 'Starstyle' on World Talk Radio, posted a very nice review of O&E following the interview I had on her show. You can give it a read at both O&E's Amazon page and O&E's Barnes & Noble page (I also have the review on the 'Reviews' page on this site). Last but not least, I followed the review of O&E at Bestsellersworld with a text interview, now available at their site. July, 2012 July kicks off with another addition to my publication credentials - "Turn the Wheel", a short story of mine, sees its way to the wider world in the 'Garden Nettles' issue of Midwest Literary Magazine. That brings me to a lucky thirteen published short stories. Of course I have the usual corresponding essay over on my 'Behind the Stories' page. And on the matter of books, some more exciting news. Both Remnant and Oddities & Entities have made it into the medalist round of the 2012 Reader's Favorite Book Awards. Remnant is in the Sci-Fi category, and Oddities & Entities made it in both the Paranormal and Horror categories. The final medal ranking will be announced September 1. Can't wait! Speaking of Oddities & Entities, the second market review has posted, courtesy of Bestsellersworld. As with the 5-star initial review from Reader's Favorite, the second review is very positive, and that makes me happy. Read the Bestsellersworld review here. And/or, read the Reader's Favorite review here. Both reviews are also on the 'Reviews' page I keep on this site. Stay tuned, because I also have a text interview following with Bestsellersworld. Late June, 2012 "Conquest's End", which was serialized over four of the Spring issues of Bewildering Stories, was named an Editor's Choice for the Spring Quarter. That's a nice honor, and I'm grateful to have my story received with such high regard. Another interesting tidbit regarding "Conquest's End" is the editorial review posted by Don Webb, editor of Bewildering Stories. You can read his comments at the webzine's site, right here (this will take you over to Bewildering Stories). Mid-June, 2012 Welcome to the shameless self-promotion segment of the website:
June, 2012 Summer has returned, and even though it was a rather mild winter in the Northeast compared to last year's deluge of snow storms, the warm weather has made a welcome return. I think at some point in my future retirement to a warmer climate is going to be a serious consideration. As the old joke goes, I'll sit down and complain about the government full time. May, 2012 This month starts off with a few goodies, in addition to me getting back to writing. I'm working on some story ideas, and along that line I'm putting the final touches on one story, "Defaeco", and I started work on a novella, the first of what I plan as another set of novellas to follow up Oddities & Entities. April, 2012. . .turning into another action-packed month! 4/18: Here's an exciting new step in my writing career. . . 4/14: I've posted the first discussion topic on my blog, entitled 'Friday 13th: superstition or supposition?'
My next 'phase' for this year starts now, that is, time to get some market reviews for Oddities & Entities. There's another blog review for Remnant, at 'Everyday Life'.
3/29: Here's a wonderful blog review, this one at 'The Mommy Bunch'. And yet another giveaway... 3/1: This month's post is going up right away, in preparation for the publication of Oddities & Entities. I'm going to create content here similar as to what I have for Remnant, so I have to put on my construction hat and get to work on the website. Once Oddities & Entities is out I will publish the updates to this site as well, and everything will be available for your curiosity. February, 2012 Things are moving right along with Oddities & Entities, with the edit phase concluded and entering the phase of cover design, back cover blurb, and so on. I'm very proud of O&E, as I feel it represents a nice growth in my abilities as an author, and for all the pride that I have for Remnant, I think O&E shows a step forward. All that, of course, is open to opinion, which I'm eager to hear once O&E sees the light of day. In another nice piece of news I'm happy to announce that I will be doing a book signing at ICON, a large science fiction convention. When I was in college I went to several ICON's and dreamed about being 'on the other side' of the convention tables, and now that is going to happen. I don't have hard info as to my signing time or anything else I might be participating in at ICON, so that info will follow. General information can be found at the official site, www.ICONsf.org (LR) And in breaking news...One of my short stories, 'The City of Never', has been named among Aphelion webzine's 'Best of 2011' fiction. Read 'The City of Never' here (takes you to Aphelion's website), or, visit the associated Behind the Stories essay right here on this site. January, 2012 Well, well, well, the new year has arrived and Mother Nature so far has given us a little bit of a break with Winter (at least in my locality). Now that the holidays have raced by it's time to get back to business, and I have a few plans cooking toward that end. Here on the website I'm going to review and reorganize and/or re-title my hyperlinks over the next few weeks. It's part of a little thing called SEO: Search Engine Optimization, or to a self-taught site designer like myself, another project to undertake. In essence I'll be departing form vague, generic link text such as 'read here' to 'read story X here'. I'll also be taking all the news posts I've been adding each month and putting them a new page I'm going to call 'The Vault', as the home page here is getting rather lengthy. My plan is to keep the current month's post on the home page and provide a link to the Vault page, which will have bookmark links by year. That may seem like boring stuff, but in retrospect it's pretty exciting and satisfying to think I've done enough things to both have monthly posts and also have enough of them to need to reorganize. On the all important writing front it's back to the lengthy process of researching markets for my stories and the patient process of submissions. I've been gathering ideas for some new stories (I like to refer to them as story seeds) and I'm looking forward to getting those written. In short order I should be moving into the edit phase of my second anthology, Oddities & Entities, so that's something I can't wait to get into. ___________________________ 2011 December, 2011 So here we are at the close of 2011, and another year has raced by (not to mention this month). I'd like to start by once again thanking everyone who has visited me here at my home on the internet to spend a little time with my literary pursuit. It's been a good year of growth, with thousands of hits and page views, so it seems word is spreading, and I have my visitors to thank for that growth. Happy Holidays to all of you, in all the ways in which you may celebrate. And what prospects come with the new year? My second anthology, Oddities & Entities, will see publication. As always I continue to write and ply the publication market for short stories and reviews. The future is open, and despite what the Mayans might have said, I look forward to the vast unknown of the coming year. November, 2011 Mid-November: Remnant has been reviewed by Midwest Book Review. The capsule review is part of their November Reviewer's Bookwatch. From the review: "With plenty to ponder and plenty to keep readers reading, 'Remnant' is a fine assortment of thought, highly recommended." Early November: The first item of news is right here on the screen, which would be what I like to think of as 'version 2.0' of the website. I was proud of the old presentation, as it was my first go at building pages from scratch, but now that I have a little experience under my belt it was time for a more polished presentation. I'm happy with the way it came out, and I hope it's more pleasant for viewing. I may be doing a little more remodeling over the next weeks or months, but this was enough of an undertaking for now. Second item of news concerns the upcoming publication of "Conquest's End", which I mentioned here in last month's post. The publication schedule of Bewildering Stories has been moved back a bit, but once the issue is out and the link available I will have it here. I have the corresponding "Behind the Stories" essay already posted, in case you want to get a little taste for the story. October, 2011 Autumn is well on its way, and with that change, a few changes here as well. In the ever-evolving world of the Internet things don't often stay in the same place, and in respect to that, two of the publications where I've been published have gone through changes of their own. I'm sad to say that one of those changes has been the closure of Absent Willow Review, which is a real loss to quality genre fiction. As a result of such changes, two of my published stories, "Memento" and "Flowers for Colleen" are now available for reading right here on this site. In other news, I will have another story coming out to the light of publication. My story "Conquest's End", a piece of high mythic fantasy told in a form of prose poetry, is due out the end of this month in Bewildering Stories. Once the story is out and the link goes live I will post it here, along with the usual essay on my "Behind the Stories" page. September, 2011 Hurricane Irene has blasted through and left a bit of mess behind, but life goes on. It's early in the month, but one small addition to the website here, in the form of a new page: the 'Media and Presskit' page which will serve as a source for promotional reference material. The media page hosts links to view/print/download PDF files for both a book fact sheet for Remnant and a full presskit. The ForeWord Clarion review for Remnant has posted and it is very flattering. It is posted on the 'Reviews' page or you can jump over to ForeWord Clarion and read the review here. August, 2011 Some exciting news here--my second published book is on the way! I've mentioned this title here and there with the hope that it would make it to press, and my publisher, All Things That Matter Press, has decided to accept it for publication. So along with Remnant, I will have another title for readers to explore. Like Remnant, this second title will be an anthology of short stories and novellas, but this time I'll be exploring the paranormal/supernatural/horror genres. The collection will go by the title of Oddities & Entities, and to get a taste of it, check out my short story "Shift/Change", which will be included in the anthology, and was previously published on its own in the web-zine Aphelion. If you'd like to read it, jump over to Aphelion right here. I also sent out to Kirkus Indie Reviews the manuscript for a mainstream fiction novel I wrote, Yonville, to get some feedback. Yonville marks my first foray into this genre of writing, and gave me the chance to portray something a little different, and perhaps not so different, from my other published writing. The review is very flattering, more so considering that the book is in manuscript stage, with only my personal editing to polish it up. July, 2011 All the latest reviews have posted, except for Foreword Clarion, which should be available soon. I'll have a link for that when it's available, but in the meantime, I've posted all the reviews to the "Reviews" page right here on my site. I've also included on that page links to a number of interviews I've done for Remnant. It was a pleasure to do the interviews, and I hope they are as interesting for readers as they were for me. Other than that I've been proofing and rewriting a number of older projects to bring them 'up to snuff' for potential submission, and my education in the very big world of marketing continues to remind me how little I know about this precious skill. Summer has arrived in all its glory, the weather is wonderful, and all the snow and cold of winter is a distant memory-- at long last. This also marks a one year anniversary for this site, and I have to say, it has grown much to my satisfaction and appreciation both in terms of content and visitation. So to all who have dropped by to take a gander, once again I offer all of you a hearty thank-you! June, 2011 My plans for getting some more exposure for Remnant will be coming together this month. I've received some great reviews, have some interviews, and there may be some other goodies coming along. Here are some links and descriptions of what's 'cooking' (I'll be adding this content to my site on the 'Reviews' page once everything has been posted on the host sites, probably some time in July, but for now, the links below will take you away from this site): Feathered Quill: Check out the great review for Remnant here. I also did an interview, which you can read here. The review is also viewable on Feathered Quill's blog, accessible from their home page. On the perhaps not-so-exciting front... It may be stating the obvious, but I decided to switch text font on the site over to 'Calibri', as the old Times New Roman was starting to look a little busy. I like the TMR font for the actual story pages, so I left those alone, as I think it has a nice traditional feel, but on the web pages Calibri seems a little more modern, and perhaps a little easier on the eyes. Mid-May, 2011 While I was out in LA I had the opportunity to do a little a video promo for Remnant, courtesy of the good folks at Authors Den. You can find the video at my facebook page. I'm the second presenting author in the video. Enjoy! And also on the topic of Remnant, it is judged a 'Finalist' in the 2011 National Indie Excellence Awards in the Science Fiction Category (which you may have already noticed above...). May, 2011 Well, there I am, in Los Angeles at the LA Times Book Festival for my first book signing. To all who came by to visit I would like to offer my thanks. I had the opportunity to meet a good number of interesting people, considering that I was a little fish in the big ocean of a massive event spread across the USC campus. The Book Festival was great, and I learned a lot of things, and found some good leads I'll be exploring in the future to help promote my I'd also like to thank the people at Authors Den, who hosted my signing session, and helped make all this possible. If you're a writer, and you haven't taken a look at Authors Den, I suggest you explore your options. By the way, I even managed to squeeze in some time to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean. On a more traditional note, Remnant is now available at a traditional book store, a wonderful place in Huntington, New York known as the Book Revue. It's an honor to be part of one of the few remaining great independent book stores. If you are in the area and happen to drop by the store, you'll find me on the Long Island Authors table, straight in from the front doors. Or, check out their website at www.bookrevue.com (LR). April, 2011 This just in...My book signing is 3:00 to 5:00 pm April 30. Hope to see you there! LA TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL, April 30/May1, is rapidly approaching...and I'll be there! I have not yet received the time window for my book signing session, but I will have a two hour book signing at the Authors Den tent. So if you are in the area, and would like to drop by, please do. The Festival has many authors, of course, and many publishers, so it sounds like an exciting event to attend, and a great place to have my first book signing. For more information on the book festival, go to the LA Times site for the festival right here (LR). Aside from that nice piece of news, here on the website I plan on expanding the entries on my 'For the Writer' page. My experiences with the publishing world have grown a bit since I put this site together back in June 2010, and I'd like to share some of those lessons with those who also have an interest in writing. For this month, I've added an essay concerning word counts, in respect to both writing and marketing stories. Last but not least, in my continuing goal to host my published stories right here on this site, I have added "Icon", published in Midnight Times, Winter 2009. It can be found through the 'Read the Stories' page. Late March, 2011 I'm posting this later than I had hoped. I built myself a new computer, as the old workhorse was sputtering its last breaths, only to have the voltage regulator on the new motherboard die. So I was on minimal computing power for awhile, but as the saying goes, I have returned. Good news- another review, and another great critique of Remnant, this one from San Francisco Review. It comes at a great time as the LA Book Festival is approaching at the end of April, and Remnant will be displayed there courtesy of Authors Den, so the review will hopefully spread some buzz for the book. You can find the review here, at San Francisco Review's website, or you can take a look at it on the 'Reviews' page I have set up on this site. And while I'm discussing Remnant, it is now available at Barnes&Noble, at their website. March, 2011 Well, this is actually going up at the end of February, but oh well. As you can see I reorganized the home page a bit to display my 'media platform' a little better, in an effort to broaden my footprint and help spread some awareness for my writing. To that end are the new links. In a bit of unfortunate news, my entry to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest did not make it past the first round. Yes, that is a major disappointment, but the first round was based solely on a short pitch, not any of the actual book itself. So I look it more as a rejection of the sales pitch I wrote, rather than my book. I know my pitch-writing skills are somewhat lacking, but it's not as easy as it sounds- there are firms and specialists for doing nothing but sales pitches. Something I may have to consider at some point, I guess. I also posted some pictures on my 'A Few Words About Me' page. Not too serious, though. Mid-February, 2011 Reviews are starting to come in for Remnant, so I have created a separate page, "REVIEWS", where I'll be keeping that content. The first in is from Bestsellersworld.com, and the review in total is posted on the "REVIEWS" page. In short, the review is GREAT, so it's very exciting to have some critical acclaim. I also had the opportunity to do a text interview which will appear along with the review, which is posted at the review site. I have also added to this site my short story "Return", which was previously only available in print in Lullwater Review. You can find it at my 'Read the Stories' page, or if you want to read it right this moment, click here! February, 2011 Good news, the first reader reviews for Remnant have appeared on Amazon, and so far, it's a solid five-star review. As this month goes forward I should be hearing back from some professional market reviews I submitted for Remnant, and I'll post those here with some links, as things become available. In a side note, I've submitted one of my full length novels to Amazon's 2011 Breakthrough Novel Award contest. First prize is a contract with Penguin, but either way, the final rounds are judged by editors, agents, and publishers. So this could be a great chance to get some publicity, and if I'm lucky, maybe even more than that. I also added to my 'A Few Words About Me' page a copy of my 'professional' bio that I use for marketing Remnant, in case that is of interest. The bio I have on the page now is not so serious; this one is all-so serious, as it represents me to the greater publishing world. This February post will update as the month moves along. I have plans. . . January, 2011 The new year is upon us and time has been tight. Unfortunately I did not get to write the post-read essay for Remnant as I had hoped in December, but it is now part of the site, as part of the "Remnant" page. As you may have noticed I have registered this site for security scanning so you, the visitor, can browse with peace of mind while on these pages. I have also added to the website the entirety of "Creep", my Pushcart prize nominated story. You can find it on the "Read the Stories" page, and of course, there is still my essay regarding the story on the "Behind the Stories" page. In regard to 2010 and the growth of this site, after site launch in June 2010 there have been several hundred visits spanning readers from thirty-three countries. To all of you, I thank you, and I hope to deliver more published writing for your enjoyment in 2011. ___________________________ 2010 December, 2010 To all the people that have been reading Remnant, I thank you and hope you have been enjoying the stories. Now that the book has been out for a few weeks and some may have finished reading the stories, I hope to add some more to the Remnant page, namely, a post-read addition getting a little deeper into the story elements. At present I'm working to get a second anthology together, but that's more of a 'medium-range' plan, as I have one more novella to write to finish the collection. So, in the meantime, Happy Holidays! 2010 was a great year for pushing my writing career November, 2010 November has arrived, and as noted above, Remnant has gone to publication. I'm very proud of the three novellas that make up the anthology. For those who choose to give it a read, I thank you, and I hope you enjoy the book. I have set up a page on the site here similar to one of my "Behind the Stories" blurbs, but just for Remnant (jump to it here). Ordering information for Remnant is linked just above on this page. The links are also on the page I created for Remnant so if you want to get a feel for the book, you can take a look on this page before you consider a purchase. Mid-October, 2010 The Fall 2010 issue of Rose & Thorn Journal has posted, including my story "Apogee". October, 2010 Fall is here, and with it will be coming a new edition of Rose & Thorn Journal, which will be home for my tenth publication credit, "Apogee". So far 2010 has been a great year; at this point I've doubled my publication credits, and, of course, my anthology, Remnant was accepted for publication. Work on that front is progressing without delay. Edits are done, I've reviewed the galley, and cover art is in the works. I set up a page on Author's Den, a great site for getting readers connected with material of authors they enjoy. So far the response has been great, and in one month, I've had readers from around the world. To all of you who paid a visit, I thank you, and hope you enjoyed the stories. I don't have a solid publication date for the issue of Rose & Thorn Journal in which "Apogee" will appear, but when that time comes, as usual I will update the 'Behind the Stories' and 'Read the Stories' pages. September, 2010 September has arrived, and with it, publication of another short story of mine, "The Great Hunter", appearing in Foliate Oak Literary Journal. This story is a bit of a departure from my usual style of writing, but I don't want to give anything else away. I've updated my pages here with additions to 'Read the Stories' and 'Behind the Stories'. Or, join the adventure of "The Great Hunter" here (LR)(this will take you to the website of Foliate Oak). In the meantime, work continues on Remnant, and things are moving right along. August, 2010 "Shift/Change", my eighth story to be published, is currently online in the webzine Aphelion. I've updated And in other news, I've just recently had an anthology of three of my unpublished novellas accepted for publication by All Things That Matter Press. I'll be putting a notice here when it is available... June, 2010 (site launch) Hello, Internet. A website has just crawled from the cradle. |
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One of my goals this year was to make my rounds on the convention scene. I started off with the return of ICON back in March, followed with Long Island Geek Con, and just finished a weekend with Eternal Con. All three were great experiences and I'm looking forward to getting involved with more of these events. There is rarely a quiet moment - even if I'm not talking to someone at my little slice of the convention floor (see my spot at left from Eternal Con), it's fun just to watch and talk with the attendees. If nothing else, to me these conventions are celebrations of the creative spirit, on both sides of the vendors' tables.
