Servant is now officially released! And for those who have stuck with me I’ve put it on a super sale this Tuesday and Wednesday: 99 cents for the ebook, $12.99 for the trade paper, which is almost right at cost (this is a nice fat book, clocking in at over 500 pages).
Sometimes the writing flows. And sometimes you get to the chapter you’ve sketched and realize you’re stuck until you get the sheep off the road.
You had no idea they were going to be there, but there they are, bringing you to a halt.
For me, this means I have got to do a lot more thinking to make the scene work realistically. Or work at all.
That was chapter 13.
It stopped me dead in my tracks. Some folks say to write on, get the first draft done, but that isn’t how my brain works.
Besides, I tried that strategy with my first draft of Curse. I ignored the little Spideysense warnings I had about a fundamental situation and wrote on. I ended up with a big old honking manuscript that had to be rewritten from almost the beginning because everything from about 1/3rd the way through had taken the wrong trajectory. So instead of taking 10 hours to figure it out and fix it, I spent 300-400 rewriting.
That’s called stupid writing.
So for the last ten writing sessions I was researching and thinking and researching. And when I finally had a sketch based on how things actually work, I went back into flow and wrote the chapter without much trouble at all.
Huzzah.
Chapter 14 looks like it will be quick and easy. Some sneaking, some fighting, and a big discovery of a plot turn.
Back in July, I contacted the talented Victor Minguez again to do this cover. I sent him a creative brief with three scenes that I thought would work well. Victor read the passages, then came back with some sketches.
One of the scenes was of Sugar, battling howlers in the world of soul. Two parts of the reference I gave were the following. The first suggested an interesting lace pattern that fit my image of Sugar’s skenning. The second was a dead ringer for a howler. It’s actually “Lion,” made of used tires and steel by Yong Ho Ji. Okay I found it on Pinterest. But it’s absolutely gorgeous. I really thought this scene with Sugar would be the one.
Victor’s sketch is below. You can see the howlers in the foreground about to attack.
The second and third scenes were of Argoth facing down Mokad’s Guardian and Matiga and her fell-maidens in the final battle. The fell-maidens are women you don’t want to mess with. Some of the reference included these. BTW, if you’re interested in other images I’ve captured, feel free to browse my Pinterest collections.
This is the sketch he came back with. His notes explained that the enemy line would be reflected in the sword.
I love the idea of Sugar and those howlers. I can see the image in my mind, and it’s awesome. But we felt this would make a more appealing cover. Maybe someday we’ll pay for someone to do that Sugar illustration just for the heck of it.
The next step was to do a value study. This was the first.
I wanted to see what a couple of variations might look like.
Ultimately, I thought all three of these were powerful. The first two really draw attention to her eyes and give a great focal point and hierarchy. In fact, I still go back and forth even now. But I did like seeing more of her face. I think anyone of them could have been great, but we ended up going with the third. A little magic from the artist, and Shazam!
There are a lot of things to love about this. Victor’s gorgeous backlighting and halo effects. The part of the story told in the reflection in the sword. And the fact that this woman is not some fluff bunny, running around in ridiculous bikini wear. She’s even got a bit of sneer or growl going on. My friends, this is a freaking fell-maiden. I also like that Victor etched an important symbol into the armor.
Mysteries, reversals, zing, stunts I’ve never seen in any thrillers, a bit of romance, and lots and lots of action. All set in the amazing landscape of Southern Utah’s Grand Staircase.
The backstory summary is 6 pages. The outline of events is 10, single spaced.
I’m feeling it, folks. This sketch of the story has got the goods.
One more pass to tighten up plants and make sure I’m hitting the progression points for the A and B stories, and it’s time to write. Just in time for the big Christmas break.
Speaking of that, merry Christmas to all my blog readers!
All you Utah and mountain area writers & teachers, or those close enough to travel, I will be presenting and conducting workshops from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm this Saturday, Oct 9thas part of the Autumn Writers Conference sponsored by the American Fork Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The sessions I’ll conduct include:
Finding and Working With an Agent
How to Write a Story That Rocks: First Principles & Story Concept
Creating Characters that Rock
Plot
Writing Scenes: The Basic Units of a Novel
There are four other tracks. Find all the details, including cost and contact info, on the organizer’s site: CalebWarnock.blogspot.com. I’m totally stoked for this. I’ll be sharing what I think are the Pareto factors in each of these areas — things I wish I would have known when I started and would have shaved years off my journey to publication.
A number of other authors will be there including:
Annette Lyon (women’s fiction and a new cook book called Chocolate Never Faileth)
Tor is posting ALL the stories in the Year’s Best Fantasy 9 anthology (published summer 2009) for FREE. Mine was in the second installment, but you can already get it here. What you want are all the others! For example, installment 3 has one of my favorite short stories I read last year: Kij Johnson’s “26 Monkeys and the Abyss.”
I was saddened today to learn that Dave Wolverton, best known by his pen name David Farland, passed away this week.
Dave was such an incredibly helpful mentor to me. It was the workshop he held at BYU back in 1993 that made me think I could actually write stories that entertained people. It was that workshop that prompted me to start submitting to the magazines.
And when I finally got my first publication, he was involved. He was the initial judge for Writers of the Future when my story won a first prize. And he was there, helping lead the writer’s workshop in Cocoa Beach, Florida and cheering all of us on.
Later, when I started writing novels, it was his thoughtful feedback that helped me improve my second novel to a publishable level. He believed in it enough to write a recommendation for me to Tor Books. When they decided to publish me, it was Dave that agreed to take me on tour with him. I enjoyed hours and hours driving with him, chatting, laughing, and signing at bookstores in Washington, Oregon, and California.
He was always interested. Always friendly. Always willing to talk and share his expertise. And always had great stories to share about his life.
As an entertainer, his stories thrilled me. In college, I was swept away by SERPENT CATCH, PATH OF THE HERO, ON MY WAY TO PARADISE, and THE GOLDEN QUEEN trilogy. My wife and I had so many delightful hours reading that trilogy to each other.
I still remember going to the bookstore in Pleasanton, California in 1998, hoping to get a copy of RUNELORDS when it was first published, being so excited when I found it on the self, opening it, and reading the first pages. They completely enthralled me. Blew me away. I felt like I was in the cinema. I loved that series and was always waiting for the final book.
I loved Dave’s stories. I appreciated so much his many kindnesses to me and his good humor.
May you rest in paradise, my friend, until the trumpet sounds.
15 Comments
Time to update your calendar web page! It still has Curse for December (and Bad Penny for November).
JohnW, thanks for the reminder. I need to set a tickler to update that monthly.
Brilliant, thanks John! I tracked it down on Amazon UK where the prices are adjusted accordingly. Ebook for SERVANT as I already own the Tor paperback, but I’ll definitely be getting the trade version of CURSE.
Good luck with it all!
Btw, the email notification I received had loads of placeholder text at the beginning: ‘ Insert your text here’ sort of stuff. Thought I’d make you aware so you know for next time.
Tim,
I know! Arg. I caught that right after the email went out.
Congratulations!
Hi John.
I’m very glad to see the new version is up and ready. I am wondering if there is going to be a version I can purchase through Itunes (Canada) as I don’t have a kindle but really want to get the ebook for my ipad.
Cheers,
David
David,
Great question. The answer is YES. The project this next week is to get the epub up on Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, etc. I will be sure to post on the site when they are available. Thanks so much for asking 🙂
I’m looking forward to reading Servant again! Congrats!
Awesome.
Blog has been quiet the past couple weeks, but I see that Curse has moved to 85% (and climbing?)! I have been waiting since 2009 for this book! Now it is 2014. Almost there! 🙂
Thanks for your patience. Getting ramped up on this indie process has taken a bit longer than I’d originally estimated. But, as you’re seeing, both the cover art and final edits are moving forward. I just edited one of my most favorite scenes of the whole book. Can’t wait to get this out to readers.
By the way, the calendar has Curse at Feb 2013. Presumably that should be 2014.
That calendar is a freaking vortex. Updated.
Hi John. Hope you are well. Any chance on an update as to when Servant of a Dark God will hit Itunes. I live in Canada and there is still no sign of it. I understand that you are really busy. Hope you had a good Christmas and New Years.
Cheers,
David
David,
It’s a great question. I have been working since mid December to get the books up on iTunes. Going through Smashwords is maddening. I’m going to give them one more shot and then try to figure something else out. Hopefully, we have success this week. I will be sure to post it here when it’s finally up.
Time to update your calendar web page! It still has Curse for December (and Bad Penny for November).
JohnW, thanks for the reminder. I need to set a tickler to update that monthly.
Brilliant, thanks John! I tracked it down on Amazon UK where the prices are adjusted accordingly. Ebook for SERVANT as I already own the Tor paperback, but I’ll definitely be getting the trade version of CURSE.
Good luck with it all!
Btw, the email notification I received had loads of placeholder text at the beginning: ‘ Insert your text here’ sort of stuff. Thought I’d make you aware so you know for next time.
Tim,
I know! Arg. I caught that right after the email went out.
Congratulations!
Hi John.
I’m very glad to see the new version is up and ready. I am wondering if there is going to be a version I can purchase through Itunes (Canada) as I don’t have a kindle but really want to get the ebook for my ipad.
Cheers,
David
David,
Great question. The answer is YES. The project this next week is to get the epub up on Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, etc. I will be sure to post on the site when they are available. Thanks so much for asking 🙂
I’m looking forward to reading Servant again! Congrats!
Awesome.
Blog has been quiet the past couple weeks, but I see that Curse has moved to 85% (and climbing?)! I have been waiting since 2009 for this book! Now it is 2014. Almost there! 🙂
Thanks for your patience. Getting ramped up on this indie process has taken a bit longer than I’d originally estimated. But, as you’re seeing, both the cover art and final edits are moving forward. I just edited one of my most favorite scenes of the whole book. Can’t wait to get this out to readers.
By the way, the calendar has Curse at Feb 2013. Presumably that should be 2014.
That calendar is a freaking vortex. Updated.
Hi John. Hope you are well. Any chance on an update as to when Servant of a Dark God will hit Itunes. I live in Canada and there is still no sign of it. I understand that you are really busy. Hope you had a good Christmas and New Years.
Cheers,
David
David,
It’s a great question. I have been working since mid December to get the books up on iTunes. Going through Smashwords is maddening. I’m going to give them one more shot and then try to figure something else out. Hopefully, we have success this week. I will be sure to post it here when it’s finally up.