It’s happening again…
My newest obsession…
This is my simulation racing rig. It features a Thrustmaster TX leather wheel, TH8A shifter, and T3PA-PRO pedals. The frame and seat are from GT Omega.
The hardware connects via USB to a gaming PC running the simulation software. And the next thing you know, you are driving legendary automobiles in exotic locations. It’s amazing. I have had the pleasure of driving a Ferrari Italia 458 around Thompson Motor Speedway, and this is almost as much fun as the real thing.
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.
Newsletter
My newsletter publishes 4-6 times per year. The content includes unpublished stories, invites to read early drafts of upcoming work, photos, video and audio clips, and more.
Your contact information will not be shared with anyone.
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.
What I’m reading…Nobody Move
On May 18, 2019, my wife and I were en route to our daughter’s wedding, scheduled for the following day. Heavy rainstorms over the middle of U.S. caused major flight delays. We spent thirteen hours traveling from Hartford to Las Vegas. And in that time I completely consumed Nobody Move.
It’s a smart, tough, gritty, crime noir filled with a web of dangerous, fascinating, and memorable characters. It’s all very cinematic.
Philip Elliott’s style blends the essence of Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler, adds a dash of Tarantino, and gives it a modern spin. It’s entertaining, well-paced, and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
It will publish in mid-September and will be sure to mention it again.
Oh, yeah, and the wedding went great. Aren’t they beautiful?
