As you might know, there is a popular superstition that series of things come in threes, so in that spirit, here is notice of three new pieces of self-published fiction that have come across my browser in the last couple of days.
A Place of Belonging, by Bob Mustin. Author of "The Blue Bicycle" touted on this blog, Bob reissues a revised version of an earlier self-published novel:
Stephen Banks looks up from breakfast at a Clarkesville, Georgia, diner to see a frightened and unkempt young woman climb from a truck. Who is she? Banks must find out.
The task is a daunting one – her name is Ginger, and she has amnesia. As Banks and Ginger leave Clarkesville in search of her past, they must also solve a murder – a murder of which Ginger stands accused. Their journey becomes one of loss, hope, and self-discovery as they travel the American South and Southwest.
I find it difficult to write contemporary fiction; I don't live in the present or value the present and you need to be able to do both to write this type of tale. Bob gets it-- the grittiness of much of today's world, and the imperfect, contingent grace.
BTW, if you are writing your own marketing copy for Amazon or wherever, shorter is definitely better, in my opinion. I like Bob's length here.
Fire: The Anzhelin Legacy, by R.G. Gilbert. A fantasy debut by a friend of a friend.
In an uncharted world full of magic and mystery, the Anzhelin family has reigned over the kingdom of Bryn since the days of the original outpost of Brynley, guiding the Brynnians’ evolution from a simple settlement into a small country, establishing their own near-legendary status among the people. Warrior-kings of past Anzhelin generations had always ensured Bryn’s survival in the face of danger, but now, after twelve years of peace, tranquility, and economic prosperity were shattered in the blink of an eye, Bryn’s survival – and the Anzhelin legacy – lies in the hands of an untested queen, a loyal guard, and a farmer’s son.
Sounds like "Fire" will draw the interest of traditional swords and sorcery buffs. If "Eragon" was a success, this can be too.
The Children of Tantalus (Tapestry of Bronze series), by Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood. These authors wrote "Iokaste," about which I wrote on this blog some years ago. In three new novels, they retell the Greek myths of the Tantalid family using psychological-motivational techniques, something I think doesn't generally fit with Greek myths, but that I think a lot of contemporary readers demand and appreciate. These novels are well-written and remind me somewhat of "The Songs of the Kings," a mainstream-published novel by Barry Unsworth about the myth of Iphigenia that got a lot of attention when it was published.
With the rise of such movies as "300" and "The Immortals," there should be room in the national psyche for novels like these. But with the timidity of the current publishing industry it's probably an excellent idea for the authors to go it on their own. Besides having too many submissions, contemporary editors and agents probably find books on ancient subjects to be beyond their ability to judge, if there is any complexity to the work.
Self-publishing is now wide open. Advice remains the same: write the best book you can, and promote it to the hilt. Or be satisfied with sales to your friends and family.
There's an article in today's (8/9/11) NYT announcing something of a renaissance in book buying, and e-books seem to be leading the way.
Of particular note to writers, adult fiction book-buying has had three good years in a row now.
And thanks for the generous plug, David.
Posted by: Bob Mustin | August 09, 2011 at 10:16 PM