It’s happening again…
Write Like You’re Alive 2019
An anthology I had the pleasure of editing is available now as a FREE download. “Write Like You’re Alive 2019” is a collection of poetry, flash fiction, short stories, and visual art, created by an international group of skilled writers and artists. It also includes two of my short stories. I invite you to check it out.
https://tangentpresseast.com/books/
Ultimate Blog Tour begins…
The international book blogging tour for A Different Time begins today!
Over the next three weeks, more than 100 reviewers from around the world will review and discuss the novel, interview the author, plus some other surprises. Updates will be posted here and on our official Facebook page. You can follow the whole tour on Twitter. @MKHill0221
I hope you engage with some of them in conversations. I look forward to reading the comments. Cheers!
Late summer update…
It’s been a while since I posted, here is what’s going on:
This year’s edition of Write Like You’re Alive is well underway. Over 30 artists from all over the world, are participating in the event. Submissions include poetry, flash fiction, short stories, and artwork.
When Zoetic Press dropped their sponsorship in June, I offered to organize and edit the eventual anthology, with Tangent Press East agreeing to publish the collection, free of charge, just as it had been in the past.
It has proven to be WAY more time consuming than I would have expected. However, that pales when compared to the satisfaction I feel reading some of the remarkable work being produced.
In about two weeks, a major promotional event will be happening on Twitter. TheWriteReads group of bloggers and book reviewers will be discussing my novel, A Different Time. Over 100 of them have already committed. It will be a huge boost in exposure.
A few interviews may occur as well, I will keep you posted.
In the meanwhile, I am working with some new software in beta. It seems to be a fascinating hybrid of Campfire and Scrivener. I am using it now to shape out a few stories knocking around my head. I’ll let you know what I think.
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Now available at your local library…
I’ve always loved libraries. As a kid, it was my place to escape. So it’s with great satisfaction I can now give something back to them. Copies of my debut novel have been donated to the local libraries around my home state, as well as neighborhood lending boxes offered in many towns.
If your library doesn’t have a copy yet, send me a message using the link below.
The Shop is now open…
The book launch is off and we have takeoff.
There were a few bumps in the road. Distribution of the digital version went off without a hitch on July 2nd. However, the release of the paperback edition was not as smooth. Folks who wanted to order their copies were forced to wait 72 hours while Amazon approved my proof.
But within a couple of days, the problem was resolved and editions began to ship around the world. At the moment there are copies of the book in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Thank you to everyone for their support.
A huge blog tour is planned for the first two weeks of September. I’ll keep you posted of the details as that gets closer.
There are now autographed copies of A Different Time available in the Shop for $19.99 (plus tax and shipping). Thanks to the guys working on the website for getting this up and running.
More items are coming soon. Audiobooks read by yours truly will be making their appearance in the shop in the coming weeks. So stay tuned!
Three days to go…
…and kind of nervous. I’m sure I’ve forgotten things I needed to do.
The book launch happens on Tuesday and the early reactions have been wonderful. On Wednesday, the first advanced reading copy review was published. I couldn’t believe it.
it’s the best standalone I’ve read IN YEARS and definitely among the best books I’ve read ever. EVER.
The artsy reader
Stunning!
As a writer, all I want is to connect with my reader and deliver an entertaining story. I never imagined getting a response like that. As soon as I finished reading the review, I shared it on Twitter.
Then I saw this…
Updates from my marketing team say a busy blog tour is planned for early September. Over one hundred bloggers and book enthusiasts will review and discuss the novel, and I’ll give some interviews.
Also, a few independent book stores in Connecticut have expressed an interest in an in-store appearance and possible book signing or live reading. We are still working out the details, but I will keep everyone updated on that.
There’s been a lot of activity on Facebook too. If you haven’t already, please join me on my writer’s page and the official page for A Different Time.
Some giveaways are coming up that will include free copies of the book, unreleased short stories on audiobook, and more.
Shop
The book trailer…
Although I spent twenty-five years editing with Sony professional gear, all of that stuff is now obsolete. Millions of dollars of equipment rendered worthless by time.
This week I spent in the comfortable confines of my home video editing suite. It does everything the old one did, and more, for the cost of a PC, monitors, and software. Technology is amazing.
The challenge:
Create a book trailer for A Different Time.
My first pass was a rough and unpolished draft, just hitting the key elements I wanted to convey. I tested it with my key demographics and the news wasn’t good. A bit boring.
But I had the basic pieces in place.
So I went back into the edit suite and over four days produced seven different versions of the trailer, before settling for the one I would use.
The key mistake I made in the first edit was jumping the viewer right into key information before they were prepared for it. To correct that, I padded the first few seconds with a bit of VHS static, which is an important element in the novel.
I then added three images that represent the main characters and how their time is blending. Added sound effects, transitions, and then tightened it all up.
Here is the final cut…
I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.