'Potter' publisher looks to promote next big thing

Status: Getting the storage unit and should start moving stuff over the next few days up until the first part of next week. (In theory.)

Wrote a little bit more on The Vampiress Hunter, but I plan on shifting to a little bit on The Price of Freedom and Stories of the Dead Earth.

Watching: Nothing.

Listening to: Nothing.

Reading: Kushiel's Scion. Page 555.

TOPIC: SOMETHING TO IRRITATE ME WITH EVEN MORE!!!!

Since Harry Potter has passed on, Scholastic has decided to try for something else with all the glitz, glitter, and endless migraines for people like myself whom are sick to death over the hype of Harry Potter, Twilight, and now this "39 Clues" saga.

Is it me or does this remind you of the days when reality shows started to be up and coming and then suddenly...everyone wanted to do it???

Because of Harry Potter, publishers have been milking this grandiose idea that people will be turned on by the thought of extravagant series that will wow the mass and woo the readers--and I'm just like: "Please...if there is a god out there...? Have him/her/it--shoot me!!!"

Put me out of my fucking misery...that's all I ask.

Getting traditionally published just isn't the same anymore. It really isn't.

It's now become a place where you have to come up with these asinine sagas that will grip the publisher, enthrall the target audience and bore normal people like me...? TO FUCKING DEATH WITH ALL THE OVERBLOWN HYPE!!!

(And here I thought Twilight was bad enough? SM's rabid fan base is getting their heart's desire by having Twilight out on the big screen this December 12th. But I don't expect it too all that well. The fall line up for this year's closing movie saga is piss poor and wanting. There's just nothing there to watch!)

So glad that I don't have to deal with the mainstream anymore. I'll be even more glad when the day comes when we don't have to become traditionally published just be called an "author".

But that's me. I still have a lot of writing to do--but not this month. It could be early next year when I start up again for real. (If things don't work out as well as I had hoped. We still haven't found a place yet. Housing's taking its sweet-assed time--despite our many unreturned phone calls--and the choices to pick is relatively slim to none. We may still end up having to get rid of all our animals. (Simply because--looking around--there is less space to camp out and nowhere to go. Everything's too overdeveloped.)

Anyway...here's the article.

***

NEW YORK - On Sept. 9, the U.S. publisher of "Harry Potter" will premiere a highly ambitious series with a mystery ending for readers and a couple of puzzlers for the industry: How big is the market for a multimedia story — and can a phenomenon be conceived by a publisher rather than created by the public?

"The 39 Clues" is a planned 10-volume set about young Amy and Dan Cahill and their worldwide search for the secret to their family's power. The first book, "The Maze of Bones," is written by Rick Riordan of "The Lightning Thief" fame and has an announced first printing of 500,000. Steven Spielberg has already acquired film rights to the series.

Designed for boys and girls ages 8 to 12, each book will have a different writer, including such best-sellers as Gordon Korman and Jude Watson. Backed by a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign, "The 39 Clues" also features game cards, a contest with a $10,000 first prize and a sophisticated Web site that includes games, blogs, videos and thousands of pages of background.

"The word we always used was 'groundbreaking,'" says Scholastic executive editorial director David Levithan. "We wanted to be the first out there to introduce this kind of multidimensional thing."

A Scholastic team, led by Levithan and including about a dozen editors, thought of the series about three years ago, working from the idea of a treasure hunt. The essential outline, including the ending, was set by the publisher. Authors were asked to fill in the details, taking a thread, as Levithan describes it, and turning it into a blanket.

"It's a different kind of challenge," Levithan says. "To use a movie analogy, each director of the 'Harry Potter' films brings their own voice and their own vision to what J.K. Rowling has done. You still feel there's a consistency there, and part of the fun is seeing what they add to it."

Scholastic quickly decided that "The 39 Clues," its title an homage to Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps," would make an ideal multiplatform event. Readers might check out the Web site, just as kids who love online games might then turn to the books. A recent study by the American Library Association revealed that many librarians already use games to attract young people and, ideally, get them interested in books.

"I love the gaming aspect of 'The 39 Clues,'" says Jenny Levine, a digital specialist for the library association. "I could also see a lot of libraries forming '39 Clues' clubs the way they've had Pokemon clubs."

Books for all ages often originate with publishers, and countless best-sellers are made through marketing. But a blockbuster, whether "Harry Potter" or Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" novels, virtually always happens spontaneously.

"Harry Potter" was born in the brain of Rowling and immortalized by millions worldwide. The staff at Scholastic, and the British publisher, Bloomsbury, were sure they had a hit, even a classic, but not a record breaker. Other children's franchises, including "Clifford" and "Junie B. Jones," began simply as books and expanded only in response to public demand.

"I remember when 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' first came out; nobody knew it was going to be so big. That's how it works. You need the kids to grab onto a book and tell each other about it," says Beth Puffer, manager of the Bank Street Bookstore, based in New York.

"I can't think of a phenomenon that was presented that way from the start. This is a very unique situation."

Puffer and other booksellers are enthusiastic about "39 Clues," although unsure whether it will be a sensation. Kimberly Diehm, co-owner of the Neverending Story Children's Bookshoppe in Las Vegas, calls the first volume "a perfect tale" by Riordan, but says she has noticed little discussion about it among her fellow retailers.

Becky Anderson, co-owner of the Anderson Bookstores in suburban Chicago, says she is a little wary of the project's ambitions: "It was presented to us as the thing that's going to replace 'Harry Potter.'" But she was "blown away" by "The 39 Clues."

"We're investing big in this," she says. "I think we see it as a way to get some of those nonreaders into reading."

Other multimedia projects are being developed. HarperCollins is working with former Scholastic executive Lisa Holton on an eight-book series for girls. Dutton, a division of Penguin Group (USA), recently acquired a mystery trilogy by "C.S.I." creator Anthony Zuiker that will be complemented by an interactive Web site. Simon & Schuster will release "Spaceheadz," Internet sites and a series of chapter books co-authored by Jon Scieszka and Francesco Sedita.

"In the past we've made the mistake of demonizing other media, saying all TV is bad, all computers are bad, and all books are good," says Scieszka, appointed last year by the Library of Congress as the National Ambassador of Young People's Literature. "Kids know that it's not true; there is great television and there are great games. I just also want to make sure that we don't forget what's unique about a book, losing yourself in an extended narrative."

"I think it will be fascinating to find out if this is a trend that we'll be seeing a lot more of," says Dutton senior editor Ben Sevier, who added that he and other publishers would be watching how the public reacts to "The 39 Clues."

"It's hard to manufacture a phenomenon," he says of the series. "It's an enormous risk, and it signals an enormous enthusiasm."

Sky

THURSDAY MUSINGS. (PART 1)

Status: Writing Chapter 16 to Stories of the Dead Earth-Book 3: Jasper

Doing: Writing this blog; surfing the net; answering e-mails; working out

Watching: Early Morning News

Listening to: "Platina" [Mauritis Paardekooper Mix]; Nokturnal Mix Sessions by Blue Amazon

Reading: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey (Page 123)


TOPIC: IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT

To many times I've had people tell me that in order to be published, I would have to axe a lot in my completed tomes; just to satisfy the whims of some big-name publisher.

If I said my book was 400,000 words, I would have someone tell me to axe it all the way down to 80,000.

1 million? 75,000 words.

Why? Because most people cannot comprehend the scope and depth of the books that I write. They still see things in the classic black vs. white construct: Where everything has to be set in stone, and there is no going around it.

But there is.

In this day and age, the advent of the internet and the advancement of printing and digitial technologies has made our ability to reach out to the masses even more simplistic than ever before.

But very few people have been able to catch onto that fact. The majority are still entrenched in the old ideals of: 'everything has to be done the other way; there is no easy to way to do things'.

So when the question of my enormous word counts crop up, people aren't looking at the glass half-full, they are looking for ways to kill a storyline that has taken me years to build, mold, and fashion.

And why?

The writing I do does not follow conventional logic. Call what I do as unconventional. Call it illogical.

But don't call it mainstream.

Because that's not what it is.

In the mainstream, we are all told what to say, what to read, and what to write.

ESPECIALLY WHAT WE WRITE.

We have a set pattern before us, a mold, a model, from which to draw on--in order to follow the common status quo.

We cannot deviate from that set pattern.

When you run into someone like me who has never entered the arena with eyes open or never had a writing class in his life, you're bound to discover that doing it the old-fashioned way suddenly gives way to new and radical ideas.

Thoughts and the "rebel without a cause" routine which has most of the traditionals and their supporters bristling with poisonous thoughts.

Results?

You're bound to get your collective ass kicked because you are flying in the face of common sense and kiss-ass mentalities. Plus, you are defying an edict which had been laid out decades before any of us were even born.

So enters the attack dogs and the naysayers--damned determined to upset your little apple cart by telling you that you cannot do this, cannot do that--and everything else designed to kill any forward momentum on your projects.

Why?

Because you have to follow the rules. It's all about the rules.

You can't break them. You can't bend them. And you certainly cannot go around them.
In order to be successful, you have to do what they want. No debate. No discussion. End of story.

But setting yourself apart from everything that has been a driving force behind and industry that's as old as time itself--it doesn't come easy.

You have to make sure that what you're writing doesn't infringe on what's already out there. You have to make sure that every step you take has the desired result.

And not many people will understand your intent to go in that other direction.

Being different isn't a weakness. It's a strength that no one else has. It also gives you the opportunity to showcase that special talent that you've been painstakingly developing all your life.

And whether people will truly understand that, isn't up to you to decide.

It's their ball. They can play it however they want.

But the most important thing is that you don't stop doing what you've set out to do.

Even if it defies logic, common sense, and tradition.

WAKING UP.

Status: Currently writing on Zombie Nation: Outbreak Zero--Chapter 10.

Doing: Writing this blog; surfing the net; answering e-mails

Watching: KIRO 7 News; CBS Evening News

Listening to: "Singular" by Mindless Faith

Reading: Resistance by J.M. Dillard (ST-TNG) (On page 225 finally!)

TOPIC: WRITE HOW YOU WANT, PUBLISH HOWEVER YOU WANT TO

The current argument that I've been getting is: "You're not a real author until you're traditionally published."

And it's lame. What we (writers) are being told is that no one will take us seriously enough unless we're taken in by Random House, Bantam, or Tor Books.

And even then, people still don't take us seriously enough!

Getting traditionally published doesn't mean you gain instant respect and accolades from your peers.

In many respects, you're still an unknown author and your chances of making it are pretty small.

But these prideful writers who are pushing people like you and me to become traditionally published are still ignorant of the facts and the odds behind such an endeavor.

Personally, I would love to be traditionally published. Y'know?

To see my book on the shelves so prominently.

But things are tight right now in the marketplace and not many agents or publishers are taking on new authors. The reason behind it is simply this: Money and the bottom line.

The publishers are facing a problem with people not reading enough books these days. The internet and online reading has gained traction and is tearing many traditional readers away from the paperback variety.

Then you have costumers shopping from their homes--on their computers (just as the Jetsons predicted would happen decades ago), and you have even less reason for people to go shopping at their once favorite reading haunts.

To top that off, the last Harry Potter novel did little to save Barnes and Noble, and Borders bottom line in the last quarter--as predicted. Adding severely limited shelf space, the rising costs of books, and you have a real nightmare for the publishers.

And even still, I am being told to traditionally publish. To keep going.

But I've already done that.

I spent 8 long years pushing myself to become traditionally published. I sent out dozens and dozens of query letters; all rejected out of hand.

The reason? None of the agents or publishers took fiction.

But not their brand of fiction. Just mine.

What I write isn't what they want.

So where does that leave me?

Well, ever since I announced my intentions that I was going to self-publish my books under my own imprint, there has been (naturally) some resistance to the idea. It isn't the imprint part that's got some people up in arms, but the self-publishing part.

Many people mistaken that for vanity-press, and so they think that's what I'm doing.

But the irritating part is, is that this isn't what I am doing.

Despite me telling them that this isn't vanity-press, I'm still getting hammered for my choices in publishing or even writing my books how I want.

They still want me to traditionally publish. How many times will I have to say, "No!"?--before they get it through their heads???

I am not interested in the maintream any longer! I have done my bit for king and country--and I am not the least bit inclined to continue spending the rest of my life trying to get into an establishment that is more based on chance than it is on reality.

Please do me the courtesy of allowing me to follow my dreams however I wish., okay? And support me because I am an author just looking to share his numerous works with fellow readers.

I don't need adulation, approval, a ton of money, or an overpowering fan base to know that what I write is good enough for the big guns.

I just want to write what I would like to see read.

Even if the mainstream industry doesn't.

If you like my books, then tell me. But don't ask me to hold back on my imagination.

That's not what an author should do in order to become successful in his or her endeavors.

EARLY MORNING INTERVIEW RUN (Part 1)

Status: On vacation

Doing: Writing this blog; finished shopping; taking the dogs out; fed the animals

Watching: Tavis Smiley

Listening to: Ian Van Dahl; Icon of Coil; INXS


TOPIC: AUTHOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING THROUGH INTERVIEWS


Yeah, yeah...

We've heard this one before many of times:

"How do you advertise and market your book?"

>hits the snooze alarm<

Here's a simpler approach to doing it: Take all the guesswork there is to advertising and marketing and pitch what you want about the book and yourself as its author, and creator.

Keep it simple, neat, and clean. You don't want anything more complex than that.

So let's role play an interview on the following book and see how well things turn out, okay?

***

What is the name of your book?

It is called The Starchild.

What is the book about?

The novel is about a 14-year-old girl given the mantle of the legendary Starchild of Ancient Lore.

How many pages is it?

Roughly 1,273 pages. (1,250 after editing--maybe. It depends on what Linda decides.)

What audience are you targeting?

Anyone who likes a good science-fiction and fantasy read. I'm not all that interested in the usual play-by-play demographics. If you like this kind of genre, then the book may interest you. If not, that's fine. I'm not looking to play favorites here.

I'm just the book's author, not a referee.

When will the book be available? And what format?

Hopefully by the middle of 2009. I'm still waiting on the editing process. But it's a slow go, which is okay with me.

Format? E-book first for $7.50. But I am tinkering with a 2 for 1 special idea. I'm most interested to see how many people would be receptive to that marketing pitch.

Until I can get better established, I'm holding off the limited print edition for a couple of years. But for those who are interested, I am planning on breaking the novel into a serial.

Hopefully, that will happen within the first six months after the book's initial release date.

However, a lot what I am planning now depends on how well the e-book sells. So it's important that I keep getting the word out--whichever way possible.

Are you afraid of failing?

If I wasn't afraid, I wouldn't be here--tempting something mighty risqué. (laughs)

Failure for me is something that I am quite used to. I would be more worried about succeeding 90% of the time and having little in the ways of setbacks and of course--failures.

And if your book were to fail? What then?

If my book were to fail, it's only because I didn't put a whole lot of effort into it. That's the only reason why it would fail outright.

When you put out a product, you're expected to put out your best work. Not something that's half-assed done and skating on thin ice. People are simply not going to give you a second glance at what you have to offer--if you choose the quick and easy path.

Despite all my obstacles and opposition to this novel, I didn't buckle under the pressure. I simply changed the rules.

Changed the rules? What do you mean by that?

Changing the rules by doing things differently. We all learn by doing. But many people are still stuck on the old ways of accomplishing their goals. That's sooo 20th century! (chuckling)

You don't get much done by following everyone else and doing what they do. Believe me, I speak from experience. Once I found a better way, I went and did it--contrary to what others told me not to do.

Yes, it irritated them. Pissed them off even. But I did it because I felt it was the right thing to do.

So with writing my books, I adopted a similar stance. My position garnered a lot of flak--but only because I was still dealing with an obsolete mechanism which had yet to catch up with the rest of the everchanging world.

For example: I had people tell me that first-time writers shouldn't be writing large tomes like The Starchild. But I did it anyways because I couldn't be held back.

My imagination couldn't be held back.

Then I got people telling me that I won't be published because of it.

My response? "It won't stop me from writing them."

Then--as a last ditch attempt--some people suggested that my novel would bankrupt the book industry. (shakes head)

I ask them, "When was the last time an e-book bankrupted a $20B+/year enterprise?"

Seriously, I would like to see that happen! If it does? I'm going to take a bow as being the only author on record to accomplish such a feat!

What would you like to see come out of people reading The Starchild?

I would like people to see the possibilities that exist in their own world--by opening up their minds to ideas and dreams that once existed in the realm of science-fiction and fantasy.

By embracing change, we have less to fear from our fellow man. The Starchild has a lot of what I call 'reality anchors'--which ties the world we live in to the one that my heroine--Isis McGowan--lives in 10,000 years down the road.

Much of it has a lot of bearing on how we have treated ourselves in the past--only to be faced with such a bleak and uncaring future. Is it an omen of things to come?

I don't know. But by giving Isis the power to either save the world or destroy it--as she sees fit--it says a lot about the human equation for unlimited potential.

Why 10,000 years in the future? Why not in the present?

The Starchild was a culmination of 13 years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. In all that time, I had to juggle many different draft prototypes. Many of which landed me in the middle of a theological nightmare.

I'm not religious. Not by a long shot. I stopped believing in God and religion because the answers contained in either--didn't hold water in the face of reality. In other words, I was lied to.

Once I saw how fake many of our religions were--based more so on politics and power--than faith and beliefs--I started to ask myself more questions about the origins of our own universe and existance. Putting forth science and hard evidence--rather than attaching some spiritual connotation to the problem at hand.

I think so many people miss out on the awe and wonder of our own world--that they forget one important thing: If god were to truly exist, we wouldn't be such a poor and decrepit society in the first place.

We would be everlasting and in perfect harmony with one another.

But past histories have shown that man was always at war with one another. And where was God--I ask you?

Nowhere to be seen, felt, or heard.

The ugly truth is that god never existed--except in the minds of man. That in turn allowed him to use religion as a weapon against his fellow man--to get what he wants.

But never used for the good of the many.

I stopped using theology heavily in The Starchild's final draft because I wanted to show that both God and religion were the works of men and women who wanted nothing more than to covet power and greed; while using religion as a crutch.

By showing the reader what a future without a base religion looked like--maybe people in the here and now could understand that our own religions are nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Our faiths are born out of something which has been proven time and again to be non-existent.

And while this may seem like an attack on people's individual faiths, it's simply how I've viewed the world's source of religion. And presently, it's being used to wage countless wars against other people and their countries.

That's why I can't subscribe to it. It would put me right in the middle of one big hypocritical quagmire. I do respect people's right to having their own beliefs and religions, but that doesn't mean I have to participate in them.

The timeline choice was a concience one. I didn't want to have to deal with the vulgarities of the present and have to have a superhero mixed up in today's world--especially when she's not ready for it.

So I shunted everything forward about 10,000 years, added a ruined society, and the rest--as they say--is history.

So there is no God or Christianity in The Starchild?

No. Not in the religious sense. And my characters don't seem to miss that fact. They live their lives how they see fit--which does disturb Keron Sogi'kiagta. She can't understand how people can live without a source of faith or religion.

Bayen Yelou remarked on how it almost destroyed the planet in the past. Once the God of Insanity came, religion and God basically had no basis in their reality.

Are you afraid that people will call you out on your beliefs?

The way I see it, we can either be afraid of something that has no basis in our reality, or we can be afraid of ourselves, and each other.

People can call me what they will, but it won't change me or my own beliefs in life.

So you aren't a religious person by choice. But what about spiritually?

Spiritually, I have a higher sense of awareness. Of the world around me and the universe in general. That's what I use to guide me. It doesn't have a name, it doesn't have a religion, it doesn't have anything which mankind has pinned itself down with.

And I am comfortable with that.

What about your book do you think readers will like the most?

How much the storyline ties in with their own lives growing up.

Like what?

Being a teenager. Growing up without one parent or both. But in Isis's case, it was her father. Kelin was jailed for something which wasn't entirely his fault.

Other things which cropped up was Isis's fierce streak of independence and cavalier attitude towards things. It reminded me of the days when I acted out in such a fashion.

And of course, Isis's perchance for not being a morning person. This tied in nicely with me--because I never liked getting up earlier either.

I'm sure that most of my readers will agree with that.

If you could, what book would The Starchild be comparable to?

Unfortunately, my exhaustive research over the last decade has pointed to the fact that there is not one single book out there upon which my book could be related to.

I realize that this is critical to good book placement with the mainstream--but if your book (like mine) doesn't have a home, what chance will it have being sold successfully at the chain stores?

So are you saying that you're hosting a lost cause then?

No.

The problem with the mainstream is that they are too rigid and inflexible with their views of what a book should be and what it shouldn't. It used to be that a lot of new books popped up which defied description--and many found homes within the industry itself.

The problem is that even though The Starchild is primarily science-fiction/fantasy, the novel itself is completely alien to the mainstream. It does not fit anything that is--or was--on the market today.

So in other words, this book is so far outside the mainstream, the chances of it being picked up is extremely remote.

Have you tried to write other novels?

(chuckling)

Yes. I've written my fair share of books. But the majority still fall outside the mainstream.

Why is that? Is following the crowd not important? How else are you expecting to become successful?

To answer your first question: I don't write mainstream. I read it. To me, mainstream novels are my source of personal escape. But that's all. I have no desire to copy or emulate them.

The only thing I did was study some earlier published novels for pointers--grammar, spelling, punctuation. But I did not actively seek to follow in their footsteps.

It just wasn't my style.

Second question: Following the crowd is like seeking others' approval for what you are about to do in life. You need their permission before embarking on a new venture.

What's wrong with going at it alone? Find out what works best for you? I certainly found more joy in my writings, then I did if I were to try and emulate someone else by doing it their way.

And--as I found out--doing it their way didn't spell immediate success or instant gratification.

And that left me quite stymied. I was like, Why isn't this working?

Then I realized, "Because agents and publishers have been expecting this."

It's easy to copy and emulate something else without having a full understanding of it. But these agents and publishers are professionals. They are going to see right through your charade like it were nothing.

So I went back to what worked best for me. Does it matter if it will bring me a ton of money and such?

Not anymore. I've looked past the innate desire for money, wealth, and name recognition. It's not important.

As for your third question, success can't be measured by how much money you make or how well known you are. It's primarily by how much of an impact you have on people's lives--both directly and indirectly.

If you like helping people out like I do--than you're a success. If you can write and finish a book, then you are a success.

But writers will be writers. And they will always tie their books to how successful they will eventually become.

Sadly, not many make it. A lot of them burn out trying to be so successful--that they become more of a liability than anything else.

Success for me is measured by the fruits of my labor. Not by how much money I plan on making, how many people I can get to buy my books and so forth.

I've lived an impoverished lifestyle growing up. I still do--despite my best efforts to change it. But everything I've done points to the varying degrees of success I've tallied up.

Despite all the disabilities I have, I was known to never quit--no matter what the circumstances. The mainstream may have shut me out of a promising career as a published author, but it doesn't mean I have to give up my career as a promising writer.

That's success in my book. That's what success means to me.

TUESDAY RUMBLINGS

Status: On vacation

Doing: Writing this blog

Watching: PBS's Rick Steve's Europe series (TV's on mute)

Listening to: "Emotional" by Falco; Final Fantasy 7 JENOVAD Trance OC Remix

State of Office: Worse than New Orleans is at the moment; expect a cleanup on Aisle 4 later tonight.



TOPIC: Author Introductions


Oh god! What have I done?!?

Created another blog using one of my other Yahoo! accounts. (It seems as though blogger doesn't want me to use the same account for a different blog. I'll have to talk to them about that--whenever they get off their butts to...you know...do something about it.)

Had to use my Foundation Aerospace one to get this thing to work. (lol)

Yeah...this could be a bad idea. I mean think about it: There's hundreds of thousands of blogs already created and I just went and created hundreds of thousands plus one.

Sigh...

You think that people like me would learn by now that most readers and visitors barely have time to glimpse a blog entry these days--let alone read one.

By and far, I'm not a newbie to this. I have a ton of blogs and websites out there--but nothing dedicated to me. The reason why I haven't done that is because I value my privacy.

I'm not talking about internet privacy because that's been pretty much blown out of the water. But the privacy at home and locally. I can tell you pretty much anything going on in my life on the internet--but at home?

Don't expect a miracle. It ain't going to happen. I'm simply too busy at the moment--consumed by chaos and other happenstance stuff--to stop for a moment to entertain people.

I just don't see the real point.

Don't get me wrong: I plan on becoming a successful writer.

I'm just not that much of a traditionalist--outside of roughing it. (I can create an impressive lean-two using a hack-saw, brush clippers, and about 2 rolls of rope twine.)

I don't go out there to seek a name for myself.

I hate advertising myself so openly and blatantly. (Sounds a bit fake if you ask me.)

I have my own methods. They may seem off kilter and not going according to Emily Post, but they work for me.

I just don't actively seek the limelight, the media attention, or whatever it is that drives most Hollywood powerhouses out there in the world today to severe alcoholism and prescription drugs these days.

Why? I want to be well known, but I don't be another Paris Hilton.

Her recent exploits completely turned me off to any potential media exposure for myself. If this is what it means to be part of the limelight--well, Fay Wray can have it!

I may be another Thomas Pynchon-style author whom seems to be hell bent on keeping himself out of the public eye, but this is the way that I am.

I use what resources I have afforded to me and I expect people to understand that--and be patient.

My books will come out when they are good and ready. Not when some mainstream hack demands that I write till my fingers bleed, or my head falls off.

I spent a long time on some of my books, but it wasn't because I was slow at it.

I just didn't see the need to rush.

I know the mainstream is in the business of rushing things and they are good at it--I'll grant them that--but for me, the art of writing isn't to rush. It's to tell a story in the only way that I can.

And it does take awhile to work the bugs out.

In the meantime, I plan on writing, promoting and advertising, and just going the way that's been pointed to me all these years.

Sometimes, you have a live a little bit before you can sit down and write about what you've seen.