Does The Writer Own His Characters, Or Do The Characters Own The Writer?

I’m 90,000 words into the second novel. I’m starting chapter 31 of 39. With the target of 110,000-120,000 words in total, I guess I’m mathematically three quarters of the way there. Statistically I have made it past the 80,000 word threshold, which means that what I have written is a novel and no longer a novella. All of this, however, is subject to change. As I write along, I realize that in spite of its solidity my plot backbone has to sometimes be tweaked and expanded. Basically what I had in mind when I first put pen to paper in December 2013 seemed to make a lot of sense back then, but now not as much. Some ideas I had then have since been ruled out and others weaved in as they seem more natural and appropriate. As a result I have merged chapters or separated them by adding extra elements and necessary interludes to the plot. I have also made notes to rectify some scenes and wipe out others at a later stage.

Another fascinating aspect about novel writing is the way your characters build up over time and how they gain in credibility and depth as you write. I knew that my main protagonist – Gerry – would carry the story. However, little did I know that several of the secondary characters would become so important. Although the author is supposed to know his characters inside out, there is a lot of room for improvisation, and you get to discover them as you continue to write about them. Pushing my thoughts a little further, I guess a writer’s relationship with his characters is in some ways comparable to new real-life relationships. When you meet someone for the first time you have an opinion on that person; the more time you spend with the person, the better you get to know the person; you get to see pros and cons; and you are able to flesh out that initial opinion with the knowledge you have gained. Unlike real-life though the writer is omnipotent, almost God-like. As he embarks on writing a new novel, he decides on the fate of his characters and alters them to his heart’s content. The characters are merely illustrations of the writer’s inner-self and his mixed bag of feelings. However, the more the writer ventures into the novel, and the more his characters live on to see another day, the more meaningful they become. The characters have gained in substance and are a lot more present in the writer’s mind. He has given them a persona and names that mean something. They have been present in written scenes and have made their presence felt. Now if the writer wishes to alter them or do something more radical like remove them from the plot altogether, it requires a lot more consideration. Not only has the writer spent time with them and got to know them better, but they have subtly carved themselves comfortable places in the plot. The writer must think twice before tampering with their fate.

I sometimes wonder if the relevant characters are in fact more powerful than the writer who imagined them in the first place. The writer is now forced to respect them, and he roots for them so much as he believes in the book he has written and in the strength and depth of his characters. The roles are certainly reversed after publication. The writer spends his time promoting his characters and he must speak on their behalf with blind faith. As far as I am concerned, when I first started ‘Out of Bounds’ I wasn’t too sure how the characters Ray Dupree and Jacob Bornholm would develop. In spite of them being polar opposites, they are pretty much the shoulder angel and devil of Kyle’s conscience. You need them both to secure a certain sense of harmony and balance in the world. Bornholm isn’t your straight-forward good guy, and neither is Ray your straight-forward bad guy. As I continued to write about them, they both grew in complexity, transcending the stereotypical boundaries we tend to establish when we think of a cop and a villain. Similar to Kyle and Pilar, Bornholm and Ray took on a whole new dimension. Can Ray be seen as the serpent who tricks Kyle, like Eve, into eating fruit from the Garden of Eden’s forbidden tree? Likewise, why is that Bornholm is at Kyle’s side in the final chapter of the book? (Those of you who have read the end will know what I’m hinting at here). Bornholm and Ray: two pivotal characters who began as vague ideas and then grew to become more than your average cameo role.

I have entered a second wave of promoting ‘Out of Bounds’. I am increasingly trying my luck with crime fiction review blogs and have joined the masses of people who are seeking to grab a little bit of newspaper attention. The book is in the hands of several reviewers as I write these words, and I am hoping to see my online presence increase soon. I am looking forward to reading the first reviews and to the possible domino effect they can potentially have in terms of the awareness factor for ‘Out of Bounds’.

I am also trying to promote the book locally. However, being an author having written in the English language only is undoubtedly quite a hurdle when you live in southwest France. Having said that, I am trying to work my way into a local crime fiction festival, which is taking place in Toulouse in October. It’s called ‘Toulouse Polar du Sud’ aka the 6ème Festival International des Littératures Policières. The conference organizers have been kind enough to get back to me and suggest we meet up in October.

Who knows, maybe I’ll get to meet other writers, talk about ‘Out of Bounds’, and make an impression? I go there as an underdog, but similar to the relationships they have with their characters, will they rule me out there and then or will they think about their encounter with me once the conference is over? Like an imagined character, can I achieve more than a cameo role and become meaningful in the eyes of the literary elite?

I will strive to meet that target.

Never Give Up

The pace of my writing has slowed down in recent weeks. I am more than 70,000 words into the manuscript of my second novel and I have a solid enough story backbone, which should allow me to focus on the writing until the end. It's more or less a straight line now until I complete the book. I don't see any obstacles in my way with the exception of my own personal moral dilemmas. Some issues have popped up in my life. They are temporarily preventing me from being my usual prolific self, and hence the absence of news on the blog for a while. However, I am confident that my pace will return to normal soon.

Taking a step back from the longer writing spells has allowed me to reflect on my main character (let's call him Gerry for the time being) and his motivations. He's an arrogant, selfish and gung-ho business journalist; in some way a cowboy of modern times. He's sex-obsessed and generally an annoying person to be with. But as his investigation progresses, his commitment to resolving the murders intensifies, and his feelings for the main female protagonist (Sarah) evolve. His attitude also changes and adjusts to the horrors and tragedies he uncovers through his research and travelling. Thanks to Sarah the reader will discover a new more polished side to Gerry's persona as he gradually shifts to becoming loyal, altruistic and devoted: a better man. Breaking away from the writing routine also allowed me to consider an alternative conclusion and a different plot twist for the end. This new idea has germinated and grown on me, and I can't wait to write it all down in detail.

I'm liking the shape my new book is taking and I am already impatient to move onto the post-writing phase and try my luck again with literary agents (Having self-published 'Out of Bounds', they will be able to check my work and more easily figure out what I'm capable of. It will serve as proof that I'm able to carry a project from A to Z and that 'Out of Bounds' was not just a one-off book by someone who has no intention to write again).

'Out of Bounds' is still pretty much an ongoing marketing project. I'm happy to report that the feedback I am getting is very positive, and that is not just friends and family, but from people who don't know me too. My blog statistics indicate decent following from the U.S. where I hope to gain a fanbase. I'm also fortunate to have visits from many countries around the world. How does that translate into book sales? It's hard to say, but I'm happy that the word is spreading.

I've geared my marketing efforts to trying to secure book reviews by bloggers and newspapers. It may take time before a review of 'Out of Bounds' is published, but I am confident that a few good reviews on popular crime fiction review blogs will do me a world of good and help spread the word even further. In May-June, I had the privilege to receive feedback on 'Out of Bounds' by a published author and crime thriller reviewer who works for the Daily Mail. He told me he enjoyed the book (needless to say that my heart missed a beat when I read that). However, he will not be writing a review for a few reasons. I was fantasising about a column in the Daily Mail. Never mind. What a push that would have been! Anyhow, I will keep trying, and as the future becomes clearer, I will generate time to explore more alleys to promote the book. Why not a local book signing event, or intruding a crime fiction conference? There are possibilities, so it's important to never give up.

It's summer time and summer time means summer sales. Smashwords is asking authors if they want to participate in their own summer sale offer. I agreed, and for the whole month of July the 'Out of Bounds' ebook is available at half-price (half of $3.99 - so that's only $2 - what a bargain!). This can only encourage more people to check me out. If you wish to benefit from the discount, buy the ebook at this link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/419130
and make sure to use the coupon code SC92J.

I hope to post more news soon.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas A. Edison.

The Power of Words

A few nights ago I stumbled on a movie called 'The Words'. I'd never heard of it before and wondered why because the cast includes Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons and Dennis Quaid. I assumed the theatrical release was a short-lived and hardly-publicized experience. Besides the promising cast, my browsing eye lingered on an enigmatic summary my VOD system was displaying: "A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work." This theme has often caught my eye in the past, but somehow everything I have read (Jesse Kellerman's 'Potboiler') or watched ('A Murder of Crows', a 1998 film starring Cuba Gooding Jr.) failed to deliver on the potential. 'The Words', as far as I can remember, is the closest attempt yet.

Author Clayton Hammond (Dennis Quaid) gives a public reading of his new book, 'The Words'. Clayton begins reading from his book which focuses on a fictional character named Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), an aspiring writer who lives in New York City with his girlfriend, Dora (Zoe Saldana). Rory and Dora marry and, during their honeymoon in Paris, Dora buys Rory an old briefcase from an antiques store he was admiring. After returning to America and having his book rejected again, Rory finds an old but masterfully written manuscript in the briefcase with a central character named Jack. Rory types the manuscript into his laptop. Later, while using the laptop, Dora happens upon the novel and reads it. She mistakenly assumes that Rory wrote the novel and convinces him to give it to a publisher. The book is a hit and Rory becomes famous. Later, Rory meets the "Old Man" (Jeremy Irons), who reveals himself as the true author of the manuscript and that it was based on his life in Paris during WWII. That’s when the twists and turns really kick in.

Rotten Tomatoes describes the movie as an "overly complex, dramatically inert literary thriller that's ultimately a poor substitute for a good book". Although quite complex, I believe 'The Words' can be interpreted in many ways. It's kept me thinking about the character depth and the messages it wanted to convey. It is a decent movie on many levels and I recommend it those of you who like reading books/watching movies about aspiring writers.

But the one question I'd like to ask (and that I have asked myself) is: what would you do if you were Rory Jansen and if you came across such a manuscript? It's my dream to encounter literary success, but at what price? Even if I could get away with it, I'm not sure, I'd steal. Writing is so personal. How can one dare turn another's work into his/her own? Let me know what your thoughts are.

By the way, on the subject of idea sharing, I have finally gotten around to creating a discussion page on Goodreads.com for 'Out of Bounds'. I have listed a few questions already. By all means, please join me there and we can get the ball rolling. For those of you who have read 'Out of Bounds', I'll be able to answer questions. What's also great about Goodreads is that you can rate and review books, keep a bookshelf, and share with your other contacts. I realized that my blog can be quite limited in that respect and it's not always easy to have these discussions on Facebook. So if you feel like joining a book club, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Just scroll to the bottom of this page and make sure you set up a free Goodreads account:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22392974-out-of-bounds?from_search=true

Dom Perignon or Cheap Cocktails?

'Out of Bounds' was released two months ago. Naturally since then I have been frequently monitoring its circulation and have been collecting precious feedback from those who have already read the book and wanted to tell me what they thought about it. The comments have been extremely rewarding and heart-warming. And I now know for a fact that I have readers worldwide. Contacts I have in the U.S., the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, India, etc are currently reading 'Out of Bounds'. Thank you everyone.

'Out of Bounds' also passed a recent critical test. My father mailed a copy of the book to an old friend of ours in South Carolina. My brother and I spent two wonderful weeks in his company in South Carolina and Georgia back in 97. Needless to say that 'Out of Bounds' is set in an area very familiar to him. So I was nervous to find out what his impressions would be. He sent me an email shortly after having received the parcel and said he'd start reading that evening. Two days later he'd finished the book and loved it. He told me it was a real page-turner and great story. My local settings were spot on (he even mentioned that he was familiar with the Charleston restaurant where Detective Bornholm meets a DEA friend) and that my use of American-English seemed genuine. He also rooted for Kyle all through the story and saw in him elements of the young Simon he knew in 1997. So thank you Jim and thanks for awarding me that rubber stamp of authenticity. My relief is huge. 

As I write this blog entry, 'Out of Bounds' ranks #2,560,447 in Amazon's Best Seller Books list (out of an estimated 8 million or more). Not quite the top 10 or 100 yet, but there is still a lot of room for progression. I got my first Amazon user review earlier this month (thank you again to the person who is concerned). Apparently reviews - in addition to sales - help with my Amazon rankings. So if you have read the book, I would be very happy to see what you have to say, and you'd be doing me a great favour by contributing your reviews.

A bit of history now. This time last year I was writing the final words of 'Out of Bounds' and was beginning to research literary agents in the UK. It seems like such a long time ago as many events have unfolded since. I remember toasting the occasion at a Chinese food dive near where I live. It was the worst Chinese food I'd ever tasted and the cocktail drinks weren't as exotic-looking as they looked on the greasy menu. The retching and stomach aches were only minor disruptions to an otherwise very pleasant evening. Some authors indulge in Dom Perignon when they finish a book - I guess I'm not quite there yet. 

I am still chugging along with novel n°2, feeling like a real diesel engine, spurting out seven hundred words here and nine hundred there when I get time to myself in front of the computer. Today I'm more or less at the half-way mark, but still ironing out secondary plot issues as I go along. The backbone of my story though is solid and chapter progression is working well, so these plot issues shouldn't be too much of a hassle to rectify. (I invite you, if you haven't, to check my March 29th blog entry - the Smashwords interview - I discuss my writing process).

Slowly but surely I'm making my way. It's too early to even contemplate the day I'll complete the manuscript, but I'll also aim to raise a celebratory glass of champagne to mark the event. Maybe I could raise several in your company?

An Evening with Walter

Below is my entry for the Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition 2014: 'An Evening with Walter'. I wrote this short story in July 2013. You'll see that I already had the serial killer idea at the time.

An Evening with Walter

 

It was the summer of 1977. At long last night had fallen, bringing an end to another day of scorching heat. I opened the bedroom window of my tiny first storey apartment on the corner of 127th Street and Jamaica Avenue in Queens. I remember enjoying that pleasant yet short-lived moment of cooler air drifting into my bedroom, providing some temporary salvation to my sweaty body. The lingering aroma of cooked seafood coming from the kitchen of Montanes New York Restaurant underneath flirted with me. I could hear distant car traffic and the next train on its way from Jamaica to Elmhurst and Astoria, and beyond, Lower Manhattan. This was only background noise. In fact, the neighborhood was unusually calm for such a night in early-August.

I had spent the day locked up in my apartment, curtains drawn, reading the papers on my bed or simply getting lost in my thoughts. I occasionally broke the routine by raiding the refrigerator for some leftover pizza or a Bud, or by sometimes lighting up a smoke. That made me think I was running low on the Lucky Strikes and I’d have to go out and get some more. Yet, the sole thought of wandering outside my apartment made me shake with fear. I quickly abandoned that idea and lied down on the bed, contemplated the crack in the ceiling and lowered my tired gaze to the holes in wall in front of me.

I shut my eyes. Tried to picture my landlord renovating the goddamn place, enlightening the decaying decor. Sure I would have done it myself, but my extinct career prospects and meager veteran's compensation meant that it would take me a while before getting round to the revamp. Hell, I was struggling to keep the Bud and smokes supplies afloat. Taking care of my surroundings would be a job for another day. Some day when I would actually give a shit.

A police car dashed by, siren screeching through the silent night, projecting hazy blue light onto my bedroom ceiling. It reminded me of the day's feature article in the paper, brought me back to sad reality.

The killer who called himself 'Son of Sam' had shot and critically wounded his 12th and 13th victims, Robert Violante, 20, and Stacy Moscowitz, 20, the previous evening. They had been attacked while making out in Violante’s car parked near the Brooklyn waterfront. According to the paper, ballistics experts confirmed that the bullets were from a .44-caliber gun used by Son of Sam. Police had reportedly intensified patrols in Queens and East Bronx, warned by his latest letter, one in which he exposed his plans to strike again on the anniversary date of his first shooting. Next to this article was a police sketch of Son of Sam.

This plain and simply terrorized me. And it is safe to say that I wasn't the only New Yorker with such feelings. After all, these were harsh times. The city’s economic prospects were bleak and the crime rate had jumped almost seventy-five percent in three years. Not to mention a two-day blackout in mid-July and the mandatory aftermath of looting and vandalism. And on top of that, we had this maniac on the loose, killing folks with his .44-caliber and leaving sordid letters with the police detailing how he was prowling on the streets, hunting, looking for tasty meat right here in Queens. Sure the attacks were random but I had read that they were under the command of Sam, a man who supposedly lived six thousand years ago, now relaying messages to his son. That's why people were indoors. It wasn't due to the sweltering summer. It was more to do with survival instinct.

I rubbed a pillow on my forehead to get rid of a few beads of sweat, tried to think about more positive things, but couldn't. I stripped naked, went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and drank water from the tap. It tasted like copper. I returned to bed and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would come shortly and that my dreaming would be of the pleasant kind.

It may have been minutes or hours later. Suddenly, I was awoken by a noise of shattering glass followed by a deep 'thump'.

I rose from the bed and staggered to the door, my eyes having difficulty adapting to the dark. I knocked my shoulder on the door frame and cursed to myself. I was naked, my prick dangling, defenseless.

 I called out in a deep and virile voice, 'I gotta gun. Get the fuck out'.

I got no reply.

My dark thoughts came back to me at light speed. Shit, what if it were Son of Sam in my apartment? What if I was his next piece of fair game? I was as much a random target as any other poor schmuck in this neighborhood.

After such a realization I stepped backwards into my bedroom, slammed the door and ducked behind the bed. My breathing slowed down. I tried to listen to the sounds of my apartment. It was faint, but I could hear something going on in the kitchen. Someone had definitely broken in. That someone seemed to be rummaging through the cupboards, searching the worktop. Why didn't the intruder react to my warning? What the hell was going on? I was lost and confused. I was scared shitless.

I looked around in a vague attempt to look at the options at my disposal. Exit my bedroom through the window? No, bad idea. Hide under the bed? Surely not. Son of Sam would find me there. And then the solution dawned upon me. It was sitting on the bedside table next to the lamp: the phone. I fumbled around the bed and retrieved the newspaper, began leafing my way through to the page with the latest NYPD update on the Son of Sam slayings, and dialed 9-1-1.

After hearing the connection sounds and first few ringtones, I yanked the phone away from my ear for a few seconds. The noises in the kitchen were ongoing but remained faint.

A female operator answered. '9-1-1, how may I be of assistance?'

Conscious of the noise I would probably make, I took a moment before replying in a voice which I tried to make as soft as possible. 'My name is Walter Slominski.'

'I'm sorry sir. I didn't quite catch your name.'

'Wal-ter Slo-min-ski!' I said louder. 'I live on the corner of 127th Street and Jamaica Avenue. I want to report a home invasion.'

The female voice replied, 'Is this your home or are you reporting a home invasion from another location?'

'My place,' I replied, irritated. 'Please send a patrol quick. I think it might be Son of Sam.'

'Sir, there is no need to panic. A call will be made. You will receive assistance soon.'

I was furious and temporarily forgot that the sonofabitch was in my kitchen.

'Listen, lady. Make it real quick! The patrol might have to report another of the .44-caliber Killer's victims if they don't hurry.'

'Sir, we're getting hundreds of phone calls every day with regard to Son of Sam and we are doing the best we can.'

'You're not the one with a serial killer in his home!' I replied.

I looked at the paper. 'Get Deputy Inspector Timothy Dowd on the line. I know he's investigating the case. He'll understand me,' I said, panicking.

'Mr. Slominski, try to stay calm. Where are you exactly?'

'In my bedroom. Door's closed. I think he's in the kitchen.'

'Do you think he knows you're in?'

'I'm not sure. I warned him that I have a gun, but he didn't react and he hasn't come to check the bedroom yet.'

'Mr. Slominski, do you have this gun with you now?'

'No, I pretended to have one'.

'Okay. The best you can do is push your bed against the door and remain in a corner until the patrol arrives. Can you move the bed easily?'

'I think I can,' I replied, drily.

'Go ahead, do it. I'll remain on the line'.

I put down the phone and did as instructed. The bed made a loud screeching noise as its legs scraped the floor. I finally managed to push it right against the door. Before I picked up the receiver, I listened carefully. The intruder was still silent.

'Sir, sir?' I could hear the operator's voice on the phone enquiring.

I resumed the conversation, 'I'm still here.'

'Good. Did the intruder hear you?'

'I don't think so. He might be gone,' I replied. 'What's happening with my patrol?'

'I told you they're on their way. Hold tight. I'll stay on the line until they arrive.'

And so I did.

I sat on the floor, holding the phone, stroking the cord nervously. I could hear an occasional thump or very quiet footsteps coming from the kitchen. Maybe Son of Sam was feeling hungry tonight and needed a snack before moving on to the next victim of his killing spree? I guessed it was a good thing that only a few slices of pizza were left and that I hadn't gone grocery shopping. Perhaps he would realize that he hadn't chosen the best of pantries.

Tortured by the near absence of noise, I mounted the bed and approached the door. I looked through the keyhole, saw nothing. All I could hear was the sound of my heart’s private rock concert. Maybe he was gone? Maybe I wasn't going to be his next victim after all?

With no imminent police arrival, I reckoned that I could have another go at frightening him off.

'Hey man, get the hell out of my apartment!' I yelled. 'Gun's loaded, you fuckin' scumbag.'

No response.

Confused and angered, I decided to end the absurd situation myself. I yanked the bed back into place and opened the bedroom door loudly, made it smash against the wall.

'I'm comin' to getcha!' I shouted.

I moved stealthily closer to the kitchen at the other end of the short corridor. I suddenly realized in the midst of my gung-ho euphoria that I was still naked and totally vulnerable.

I rested my back and butt against the wall next to the kitchen door. Then I closed my eyes, turned around. I charged clumsily, dick swinging, into the kitchen.

I opened my eyes.

The shattered glass was on the floor, as expected. However, the window wasn't broken. It was slightly ajar, the way I had left it.

I couldn't see Son of Sam. Where the hell was he? Had he really decided to torment someone else?

A few of the kitchen's cupboard doors had been opened. A washing up liquid bottle and some sponges had fallen out and had tumbled to the floor. I guessed the shattered glass could have been the water jug I had left on the worktop, as it was no longer there.

All of a sudden, a flash of pain jolted my body. It came from below and ran upwards, freezing me on the spot. It felt like I had been stabbed in the calf.

But the pain instantly dissipated.

I turned around in surprise, expecting Son of Sam to deliver his final blow. He was not standing behind me. There was no one there.

The stabbing in the calf sensation immediately started again, which forced me to look down.

And there he was the sonofabitch. There he fucking was, hissing at me.

The neighbor's grey tabby cat had stuck his claws into me, surely to avenge himself from an unfruitful search for food.

I stared the slender and demoniac creature in the eye.

He met my gaze, mano-a-mano, and meowed. Goddam heat wave-induced paranoia.

 

 

Serial Killer Outlook

Although I’m not one to count his chickens before they are hatched, I’m quite happy to say that I have reached the 40,000 word milestone on my serial killer novel – the half way mark is nearby. At this moment, I’m not sure what the approximate final word count will be, but I’m aiming for at least 100,000. I have also spotted a few plot weaknesses and must get round to addressing them in order to beef up the secondary narratives I have weaved in, and flesh out a character or two - that should add to the tally.

I’m liking the shape it’s taking. I am a big fan of the serial killer genre and this has allowed me to identify common threads and mechanisms that tend to be repetitive in the various books I have read. To stick to the genre, I have to naturally obey a set of rules. However, I’m taking a few liberties which I deem necessary to anchor my story into reality and make plot twists believable. Firstly, my main protagonist is a reporter and not a detective. He’s also smart but annoyingly arrogant to start off with; then as the years go by we get used to his flaws (his behaviour changes too). Secondly, the killer remains mysterious and none of the story is narrated or witnessed from his point-of-view. This should make him omnipotent! Finally, the plot – similar to ‘Out of Bounds’ - isn’t strictly linear; it includes flashbacks and dreams.

On another note, I have spent an incredible amount of time researching serial killers. It’s shocking the amount of detail you can get about what they did and continue to do. There are various places I have come across which I consider goldmines for background information. Reading FBI publications on profiling and procedure, and searching for Missing Persons is fascinating. You get to learn so much, including the fact that there are just so many repeat killers in the world that no database will ever be powerful enough to help law enforcement track them down. I’m afraid there are loopholes in the system and killers can thrive on that – well my killer certainly does.

The sun is out and the weather has improved. Seems like we’re in the final lap, heading for summer. I like to think of myself as a hardcore work enthusiast who types frantically no matter what the weather is like outside. But that would be wrong. Like my garden weeds, I enjoy popping my head out and taking in some of that warmth. Let’s just hope this doesn’t dramatically impact my work rate. Right now and if all goes well, I would say that the first draft of the novel could be completed by year-end. Then I’ll follow the path taken for ‘Out of Bounds’. That means: agent queries first, self-publishing if no progress is made. Whatever the outcome, I’ll want to share my story with you. Can you wait until 2015?

In the meantime, if you are also into serial killer books, let me recommend some. Needless to say they inspired me, as well as numerous other books, movies and well-scripted TV shows:

‘The Poet’ by Michael Connelly (arguably the most inspirational book)
‘By Reason of Insanity’ by Shane Stevens (epic story and multiple POV)
‘The Anniversary Man’ by RJ Ellory (complex murders in New York, great storytelling)
‘Messiah’ by Boris Starling (Purely from the London police angle, but great pace)
‘Killer on the Road’ by James Ellroy (epic journey and use of newspaper reports)
‘The Scarecrow’ by Michael Connelly (not as groundbreaking as the Poet, but a good follow-up)
And in general the works of Henning Mankell, RJ Ellory, Dennis Lehane…

Keeping Momentum

The life of a self-published author is kind of weird three and a half weeks after the big event. To be honest, I feel both thrilled and anxious, anxious for something more to happen.

'Out of Bounds' was published simultaneously on Amazon and on Smashwords on March 14th. It took a few days for the paperback to be included on the various Amazon websites and about a week for the ebook to reach Barnes & Noble and others. 'Out of Bounds' is still in the queue for inclusion on Kobo - the gateway to WH Smith in the UK, FNAC in France and Portugal, Feltrinelli in Italy, and as far away as Bookworld in Australia, Indigo in Canada, Paper Plus in New Zealand, Rakuten in Japan, etc. So the roll-out of the book is pretty much under control. What is less certain, however, is the self-promotion side of things.

I followed up the launch with a splash on Twitter and Facebook, and have been naturally talking about 'Out of Bounds' with people. I also published two press releases and an interview via Smashwords, which has helped the momentum going somewhat. By the way, for those of you who have been involved in the project, and for those of you who have shown support via the social media and bought the book, I am deeply grateful. Your comments have been so helpful toward the promotion. I do truly feel the word of mouth spreading.

The initial buzz was crucial, but as is the case with what is good, things must come to an end. So here I am, 3.5 weeks after publication and now in a waiting period. The questions on my mind are: how long will it take for this word of mouth to spread? What does it take to create sales spikes in the data I am receiving? When the hell will Kobo make 'Out of Bounds' available? How can I market my book further without appearing redundant?

I guess the answers to all those questions are 'Patience' and 'keep at it'. As Victor Hugo once said: "Perseverance, secret of all triumphs."

My blog visitors come from all over the world and I am picking up the occasional follower on Twitter. I also guess it takes time for one to find the book, read it, and share the news - that's if the person liked the book. The momentum spark might happen again. Who knows? Maybe someone will post a review of the book on Amazon and increase awareness, maybe get 'Out of Bounds' on the "People who viewed this also viewed" list on Amazon (and be associated with Michael Connelly's latest - 'The Gods of Guilt'; or RJ Ellory's upcoming 'Carnival of Shadows', release date 22 May). That's a great recipe to generate extra sales. Then hopefully I'll feel a domino effect. At some point maybe someone influential (an agent, a writer, or someone famous) will pick up a copy and like it? I suppose Michael Connelly blessed the day Bill Clinton (when he was President) walked out of a bookstore and was photographed with a copy of 'The Concrete Blonde' under his arm. Ideally, this is the type of publicity I'm looking for. Ah, wishful thinking!

It's nice to dream. I know. Anyhow, this isn't preventing me from adding some more words to novel n°2.

I'm now about 30,000 words plus into the draft and I'm liking the way it is shaping up. In my Smashwords interview (published March 29th), I mentioned that the story will be situated in the United States and I will be studying the serial killer in depth. I think I have come up with a new angle for the genre. I cannot disclose anything yet, but I think my killer is twisted and evil like you've never seen before. My main protagonist will be an anti-hero journalist (but smart nonetheless) and his investigation to uncover the killer will have epic proportions. The plot (and therefore killing spree) will be spread over a twenty-year period. It'll be dark, gritty, and hopefully fun and intriguing.

Take care. Will write again soon. And by the way, if you have book marketing ideas or any comments about 'Out of Bounds', don't hesitate to let me know.