Monday 25 March 2013

Carrot or stick?

"Between your faith, and my Glock 9mm, I pick my Glock."
Arnie, End of Days                                    

Yes, I love my Arnie movies.  Grew up on them.  This is why it was so cool to be born in the 80's, and if Arnie didn't kill enough bad guys for us, Stallone and Bruce Willis were there to fill in the gaps... erm, generally by making more bullet holes...

Anyway, a quick think about my still-missing reviews led me to think about the carrot/stick thing - which incidentally can be taken as the carrot tied onto a stick used to motivate, or the guy with the mule with the teasing carrot and the threatening stick.  Straight away, my train of thought jumped to the Schwarzeneggerian logic above.

In End of Days, the devil is stomping around, and the priest guy talks about having faith and praying for deliverance.  Of course, this doesn't work in Arnie movies, so the big guy grabs a bunch of guns to take on the devil.  I won't go into story flaws, especially the hardcore satanists who start screaming and panic when somebody gets shot (as Clown says in Spawn, "I hate weekend satanists!"), but it led me to think - do I have faith about my reviews arriving, or do I get a little more proactive in reeling them in?

I'm a fan of positive reinforcement, so I'm not going to pursue reviews across the seven seas and from Hell's heart stab at them - because that isn't going to end well, and raise people's ire.  So here goes my mad method.

Carrot:  I will reward you by posting your reviews here on my blog, and on my Facebook page, and include a selection of them in future releases - that's right, I'm prepared to put the reviews that truly matter to me (yours, not SF Magazine's, because they won't care about me now for being an independent author) in future releases of my books, in a dedicated section.

Stick:  I need your reviews to do this first, so you'll need to do some work in that regards.  Thankfully I have an outlet.  Email me your review at t.m.shannonauthor@gmail.com and I'll put it up here on my blog's new Your Reviews page (http://tmshannon-author.blogspot.com.au/p/your-reviews.html) and throw it onto Facebook page!  And when I get around to the website (very soon), guess what?


Naturally, this involves a great deal of trust, something I take very, very seriously.  I'm not going to spam you, scam you, or even keep your email address on file - just type your review in the body of your email, and when I'm done copying and pasting, you'll get a polite little "thanks" from me and your email will take a trip to the Delete folder, never to be used again.

So lay it on me.  Good, bad or ugly, this feedback is greatly appreciated, and will help me to continue my art (not that I intend to quit while I'm only starting out!).  And who knows, you might end up on my pages!

That's this week's initiative, and I have some (I think) FANTABULOUS news due extremely soon...

Cheers 'til next time!
T. M. Shannon

Wednesday 20 March 2013

In Praise of our Truest Heroes

Of the many things that intrigue me, foremost would have to be heroes.

Now, of course we have our particular heroes.  Those monomythic journeyers Gilgamesh, Beowulf, Frodo and Luke Skywalker.  Our legendary masters Richard the Lionheart, and William Wallace.  We can even count heroes in myth and religion, Thor and Siegfried, Jesus and David.

Some praise our Marvel and DC Superheroes, some choose to follow sports players, others make a mockery by deifying criminals.  Some see heroes closer to home, our cops and fireies and ambos (thats Australian for Police, Firemen and Ambulance paramedics).

Me, I'm most driven by the everyday hero, the simple heroes in our world who sometimes don't even know they will be heroes, or don't do it for fortune and glory.  So when I jumped on the SMH website today and find this, it once again rekindled my faith in honest gallantry:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hero-students-save-woman-from-sinking-car-20130320-2gea7.html

Here we have some young guys on a minibus who witness a woman drive off the road, down a set of stairs and into a lake.  They get the driver to stop, jump out of the bus, and without thinking two just jumped in and went to the woman's aid, saving her life.

These boys are heroes for what they did.  I salute them.  We all should.

Just thought I'd share that with you all.

Cheers,
T. M. Shannon

Tuesday 19 March 2013

"And for my next trick, I need a member of the audience."

Ever considered spreading your influence and helping others along the way?  I know I have - in fact I'm doing it now.

Being in the independent world, self-pubbed authors don't quite have connections like E. L. James' strongest whipping belt (I'll pass).  It means we have to initiate the connections, which to me seems a daunting task.

So I come to my proposition: how would any author's like to share promo through facebook and our innumerable blogs?

It's only a small plan.  Send a few sample chapters and your links to me, I'll send mine to you, and throw you up on a page of my blog (I've got the room, and best yet, I really don't mind doing it).  Got your facebook page?  I'll chuck my likes up, too.  And it is my intention to do this for nothing

Put it this way, I might even review your work for the fun of it (I might even buy your book on kindle!)

I know I'm only a tiny operator at the moment, but so what?  Exposure is exposure, and I have other works planned.  Something has to give, and I'm a firm believer of sharing the love.

So if you're interested, hit me up.  Just leave your query in the comments section and I'll be in contact very soon.

Check out my intentions here at http://tmshannon-writtenrevolution.blogspot.com.au/

Here's to success!
T. M. Shannon

Friday 15 March 2013

Phat Bass Therapy

Okay so maybe I was a little overblown in the last post.  It happens, just a little minor frustration, but I've stowed all baby bottles, tennis rackets and embraced music therapy.

Some people like that New Wave stuff, all the pan pipes, maybe a bit of Gregorian chanting thrown in unless you get your kicks from The Endless Om-mer.  Me, its got to be bass and lots of it, heavy, deep, thrumming, maybe a bit of the insane wobbling in the wonders from the wonders of Dubstep.

Strangely enough, its a wonderful motivator.  Here in my mobile office, my headphones around my ears, I'm currently getting bashed by some wicked Hardstyle (Scantraxx Radio Show, you nearly complete me if it wasn't for The Infexious Hardstyle Show), and working at my book.

Who'd've thunk it?  Serious book, serious subject matter, powered by bass!

I guess my advice is that music is great when you're writing.  Maybe it should be what you love, maybe something better-aligned with your subject matter.  It gets your juices flowing, gives you something to enjoy - except there's the room for distraction, but that's the breaks.

So do I have a heap of tracks?  Nope - well I do from my attempt to be a DJ, but its gathering dust (mental note, must sell equipment on eBay).  It's internets, baby!  Windows Media Player (or the player of your choice) has a lot of channels to suit; but you can guarantee I'll be somewhere over in the Dance and Electronica section, probably on one of the more-vigorous Digitally Imported channels.

So to sign off another communique from Planet Trent, may I say Long Live the Ravers, Keep Calm and Rave On, and Rave Long and Prosper.  I'm too old for that $*** and have a kid to take care of, but at least I've got my headphones!

Oh well, back to the writing, and a Top of the Morning due on Sunday - already counting the hours to that pint of the black goodness!

Make it a green weekend all!
T. M. Shannon


Sunday 10 March 2013

Oh reviews, where art thou?

I've decided I might start posting a bounty on reviews.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little brash, and a little impatient, and very antsy about not having any reviews on TSH yet.

To be honest, there are three.  These belong to family members: what else am I going to do, pay for a Kirkus review and defeat the purpose of getting reviewed?  Of course I appreciate this feedback, but only 3 reviews when I moved 400+ in my free days, three weeks ago?

As the Superbrat said, "You cannot be serious, man, you CANNOT BE SERIOUS!"

I don't know whether to dangle carrots or stick people with a cattle prod.  I mean, surely a 430 page book cant be that hard to get through - its not like I bog down in epic detail and the dialogue has a point.  Sure there's some typos in there, okay I did this all myself with all my proofing and I missed something, I'm only human.  Next book will be going to a proof-reader, for certain.  But nobody has even dragged me over coals for that!

Of course I have options, but they involve faking it and payment.  It can work for a bit but eventually you come unstuck on it, so I refuse to post in dishonesty.

So, is it the lack of exposure?  Lack of presence?  Am I immediately put in the so-called "slush pile" (and seriously, have you seen some of the YA claptrap they try to push as "literature" these days?  I've seen the slush pile and its name is The Buff Vampires and Doe-Eyed Ditzy Chicks Yearbook Chronicles)?  Do people not even give a shit about books any more?

Maybe I'm just being impatient and should cool off.  Maybe let of some steam, Bennett-style.  I don't know, too many decisions to possibly take.

Guess its just one of those things.  Oh well, I built it, they will come.

"She will be mine.  Oh yes, she WILL be mine."

Saturday 9 March 2013

Big news on the blogosphere

"Word is blogosphere is alive with news of you and Leslie Winkle making Eine Kleine bang-bang Musik."
"And why is?"
"Because I put it there!"

Dear readers, I've gone ahead and signed up for a Virtual Book Tour, that last step of entering the wonderful 21st Century and posting on other blogs.  Yeeha!

My tentative date is a start on the 24th of April, I'll have plenty more updates to come both here on Google and over on the Dark Side at Facebook between now and then.

In other news the weather continues fine, the fan's on, I'm in bed at quarter to eleven and I'm still writing.  Living the dream I tell you!

kids party tomorrow, yay cake!

Cheer's all, keep your eye out for posts!


Best Paperback Price

The Torment, The Shadow, The Heart at $4.99 + $3.99 S&H through super_star_sellers, but only on Amazon.com

Guaranteed brand new, I supplied the copies for them to sell.  Get your copy here!

Friday 8 March 2013

TSH in paperback, deals on Amazon.com

Hi guys,

Just a shout-out for The Torment, The Shadow, The Heart in Paperback format, there are a couple of great deals on Amazon.

Firstly, Amazon.com has dropped the selling price of TSH to $10.18 (with free-shipping eligability if you spend $25).

The best online deal is with super_star_seller, who have dropped their price $4.99 + $3.99 shipping. 

They guarantee brand new copies, which I can vouch for 100%; they are selling copies that I sent to them, so feel free to check them out - that's what we call paying it forward!

See all paperback options here:


I've put the Kindle copy down to $2.99, where it will stay for the forseeable future.  Sorry, but TSH isn't available in other ebook formats due to Kindle Select obligations.

Go get among it!

Cheers,
T. M. Shannon

Thursday 7 March 2013

Now viewable on Goodreads!

Dear readers,

I've linked this blog to Goodreads, where you can now review The Torment, The Shadow, The Heart.

In coming weeks I will be setting up sample chapters and some other bits and bobs; plus don't forget to check out the History of Talbadas, due for its next update on Sunday, 17th March 2013.

Check back for any time for news, and a heads up for a special announcement on the future of The Hero of Talbadas, coming soon...

Don't forget to view the history of Talbadas, the setting for The Torment, The Shadow, The Heart here:



Cheers!
T. M. Shannon

Friday 1 March 2013

Big Weekend Ahead...

Hi all,

I have a lot planned for this weekend.  Apart from additions to the History of Talbadas blog on Sunday, and the continued work on FSJ, I've decided to try another ad on facebook, and see if I can't garner some sales.

As always, I'm hanging out for your reviews, looking forward to reading the good, bad and ugly!


Cheers.