Interview with JukePop Serial

Posted on July 2, 2013 by James Fadeley

For today’s interview, we have Jerry Fan from JukePop Serials. JPS has a unique approach to publishing. You submit the first chapter, and if they like it, they will host it, allowing you to keep writing and for readers to vote on their favourites. Their vote-driven, technological approach to publishing is an innovation to watch in the digital age.

Jerry Fan, changing reading habits everywhere.

He2etic: We always start with a qualifier. Obviously we know that you’re with Jukepop Serial, but you can also mention other publications you’ve worked for, work you’ve done, a dash of shameless self promotion.

Jerry: One thing I always like to tell people is that we’re a technology platform first, publisher second. Our core team have very deep technology experience and when you pair that with our friendly editors (none of that attitude expected of publishers but all the same experience) we consider ourselves your humble, friendly, publishing partner.

I’ll also be talking about us on a Litquake digital media panel “Needle in a Haystack: Discovering New Digital Content” June 29th in San Francisco.

“Did you know that most readers don’t get past page 18 of a book they’ve purchased?”

He2etic: Jukepop Serial has a fairly unique approach to publishing. Where did the idea for it come from?

Jerry: The idea came from many different places actually. Historically speaking fiction was published chapter by chapter, but books became more popular because books got cheaper to make (book binding was a key technological advance) and distribution of books became more convenient.

Werekynd – Beasts of the Tanglewild by Robbie MacNiven

But with the advent of ebook technology and self-publishing services, authors still face one big problem. Will readers like my story? The “old” way of finishing a book then trying to get it published is painful and is equal to problems start-ups face when developing a product in “stealth mode”. Spending 1-2 yrs quietly working in a garage means you could be wasting time when quickly testing the “product” concept could’ve told you to tweak the product in a different way or work on something else entirely.

That’s why we only accept the 1st chapter, so authors aren’t bogged down with finishing a manuscript before publishing. It is also why our publishing policy is so flexible and implicitly trusting, even though we pay for 1st chapters, we don’t hold our authors to any obligations to continue. (Shhhh…don’t tell everybody!) We provide the incentive for authors to start, motivation to keep writing, but in the end authors need to hook our readership through their writing.

“The thing with trends, is that some are predictive of lasting appeal and some are just blips of passing interest – but nobody knows until the trend is over.”

He2etic: When it comes to rejections, what are the most common reasons for turning down a potential new story?

Jerry: Quality. We’ve seen the first chapter as highly predictive of an authors craft and appeal to readers. Did you know that most readers don’t get past page 18 of a book they’ve purchased? Something happens in the first few chapters that gets readers to commit to finishing the book or put it down and never come back. I have so many books on my shelf that’s in that category. The reviews look great, but after reading I just can’t commit myself to them.

Plum by Paul Whyte

Even though we’re trying to be objective in our acceptances, it’s admittedly still highly subjective. That’s why we’ve recently launched a new program called Aspiring JukePop Authors. It’s one step closer to dealing with our inherent subjectivity and making sure we give deserving authors a shot. The Aspiring JukePop Authors program is still curated, but are candidates to become a JukePop Author.

We want the community to help us decide whether they want to read these types of stories. For the author to become a JukePop Author, their serials need reader +Votes and current JukePop Author Endorsements to become a JukePop Author.

He2etic: Jukepop Serial’s focus tends to be geared towards increasing the “grip” of its tales, trying to grab the reader’s interest from the start and keep them wondering “What happens next?” Do you ever worry that some great stories might have passed up because their start was a bit too slow?

Jerry: Absolutely. This is why we’re always trying to find new ways like the “Sandbox” idea to take us out of the equation as much as possible.

He2etic: I would suspect, based on JukePop’s approach, that it may have an edge over other publishers because it’s dynamic can allow for flags of current trends. Any hints or thoughts on what is currently or growing in popularity?

Jerry: The thing with trends, is that some are predictive of lasting appeal and some are just blips of passing interest – but nobody knows until the trend is over. Take a look at our JP 30 serials and you’ll find it surprising how many serials are just off the beaten path but are main stays month after month.

Multipocalypse by Greg Leunig

He2etic: Any other advice you can give for budding authors?

Jerry: Write a story you’d want to read. Don’t worry about the ending because the plot tends to develop on its own, and it’s much more fun and freeing to write that way.

He2etic: Are there any subjects or genres that just get too much literary attention and thus are commonly rejected? For example, too many zombie stories?

Jerry: The world can definitely use more zombie stories – one of my favorites on our platform! We don’t reject serials based on genre at all, we only accept based on quality of writing and the community tells us which genre is currently popular.

He2etic: Can you think of any JukePop Serial success stories? Amateurs going onto becoming professionals, or even starting their own, traditionally published novels from their initial JPS story?

Jerry: Almost too many to name. Plenty of authors have found confidence and success on our platform and have decided to take their serials and make them available on Amazon, Smashwords, etc. Woman King by Evette Davis is the most recent one that comes to mind, we attended her book launch party up in San Francisco last month. We’re also trying to urge authors forward where we can by working with our contacts in the media & entertainment industry to pitch some of our serials for production in other forms of media.

“Don’t worry about the ending because the plot tends to develop on its own, and it’s much more fun and freeing to write that way.”

He2etic: Finally, what is your personal favorite story on JukePop Serial?

Jerry: Wonder Heroes 4.0 (superhero genre), Multipocalypse (zombies!) are a couple that I’ve followed we launched. There are new serials that are up and coming, Radio Silence (crime), Hobson & Choi (crime), and The Waters of Life and Death (adventure) are making wishing the authors write faster.

So there you have it. Keep an eye on JukePop Serial’s innovative and unorthodox approach to publishing, and expect more great things from them soon!

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow the @BLBolthole on Twitter for updates, articles and more. The author can be followed @He2etic.

Interview with Cruentus Libri Press

Posted on June 25, 2013 by James Fadeley

Originally, I had plans to release a series of interviews for The Bolthole Writers’ Fair, which has since come to an end. But want not, waste not, here we are! Today’s guest is Kevin G. Bufton, editor and owner of Cruentus Libri Press.

He2etic: Let’s start with a qualifier. Can you tell us how many years experience you’ve had, what you’ve published and what publishing companies/freelance work you’ve done? (If you have an Amazon listing, now’s the time for some shameless self promotion.)

Kevin G. Bufton, the man, the legend.

Kevin: I’ve been editing for a little over 18 months, ever since October 2011, when I started taking on submissions for an anthology called 100 Horrors: Tales of Horror in the Blink of an Eye, which I was editing for Cruentus Libri Press.

Since then I’ve edited twelve more anthologies for CLP, seven of which are currently available on Amazon with another five in various stages of production. All of the anthologies dealt with speculative fiction (mostly horror), and all but three of them have been themed.

He2etic: When it comes to reading through slush piles, do you ever feel that “golden moment” where you know that a story is a must have, even if it needs some work? About how far along into a story do you have to be until you feel it for sure?

“The bulk of anthologies that I have edited involved a specific theme, so clichés are almost an inevitability.”

Kevin: It happens all the time. On average, I would read through between 35 and 100 submissions for any given anthology and, from there, have to pick a mere 15-20 or so. The golden moment, as you put it (and I may have to swipe that phrase for myself) makes the job a Hell of a lot easier.

As for how far along that moment occurs… that is the great variable. At times it can happen in the first couple of paragraphs, at others something will happen halfway through that makes you realise that you must include this story; and, of course, there are occasions where the last sentence or so to provide a twist that makes you re-evaluate the whole thing (although these seem to be harder to pull off convincingly).

One of my favourites was a story called ‘Shark’s Tooth’ by Ken Goldman, who is a fine writer. It starts off very nicely, with the tight prose that Ken utilises for everything. It’s an old guy, preparing to dive for sunken treasure, chatting with his daughter. Then there comes a flashback moment, from when he was a young man and… without spoiling the story… it just makes this character a totally different person from the affable chap we have seen so far and, just like that, I had to have it. The flip-side of course, is that I spent the remaining pages hoping against hope that it had a satisfactory ending, to justify the story’s inclusion, but it was the flashback halfway through that sold me on it.

Incidentally – ‘Shark’s Tooth’ is available in the Cruentus Libri Press anthology, The Dead Sea – available now in paperback and Kindle editions! Ahem.

“… we received about a dozen of them, in fact. Most of them were just bland – not actively bad, but just so middle-of-the-road that I was bored by the halfway point.”

He2etic: What’s your opinion on the value of literary clichés versus something that’s too original (ie, kind of out there)? Any advice on striking a balance?

Kevin: As I said above, the bulk of anthologies that I have edited involved a specific theme, so clichés are almost an inevitability. By themselves, this is not a bad thing, so long as they are handled well by the writer concerned. Likewise, just being different for the sake of difference can be a risky path to tread. Ultimately, tropes and conventions are just tools for the writer. It’s how you put them to work that’s important.

A Fistful of Horrors: Tales of Terror from the Old West, from Cruentus Libri Press

I edited an anthology called A Fistful of Horrors, which called for stories set in the Old West. I knew, even before the guidelines were posted, that I would receive a slew of entries that involved a dark stranger coming to town and that this stranger was either the Devil himself, or had come to rid the town of evil. I knew it would happen, and I was right – we received about a dozen of them, in fact. Most of them were just bland – not actively bad, but just so middle-of-the-road that I was bored by the halfway point. On the other hand, a couple of them were real beauties. ‘The Angel of Solitude’ by A.R. Aston and ‘Last Chance Saloon’ by Cameron Johnston were two stories that actually made the grade, and though both of them can be reduced to that synopsis, each takes the premise in wholly different directions.

When it comes to being a bit out there – it depends. I have picked stories that are not strictly horror, nor strictly my usual cup of tea, simply because they are so good. ‘Winter on Aubarch 6’ by David A. Riley (from our medical-themed anthology Under the Knife) is nominally a science-fiction story, but it is also an horrific tale of survival and mutilation. ‘Nine Tenths’ by Brandon Cracraft, from the same anthology, is a tale of necromancy and possession that bears only the most tenuous resemblance to the original brief but, after a few dozen tales of mad surgeons performing unnecessary experiments, it was a breath of fresh air.

Under the Knife, from Cruentus Libri Press

In general, don’t be afraid to try something new but, by the same token, don’t be surprised if a prospective editor just doesn’t ‘get it’. My sincere advice on this matter is to be as eclectic as you desire, but maybe anchor your crazy narrative with some established tropes, for the sake of providing familiarity.

He2etic: What’s the single biggest mistake most budding authors make in your opinion?

Kevin: Easy – they don’t revise their work properly, if at all, and it stands out a mile.

It pains me to relate, but I would say that 25% of any first draft can be excised and dispensed with, without any negative impact on the story. Quite the contrary – trimming that excess fat can make the tale gallop along, where it had previously been happy to canter. Unfortunately, this is something that only comes with practice. As you mature as a writer, you realise that the fun part – indeed, the really creative bit – comes once you’ve knocked off the first draft and picked up your red pen, be it metaphorical or literal.

There is, however, an easy exercise to get into the habit of it – write some flash fiction. Either start afresh, or take an existing story of 2000-3000 words, and trim it down to under a thousand. It may seem a near impossible task, but it will eventually become second nature – as much part of your writing routine as double-spacing, underlining for italics and spending an hour looking at funny pictures on the internet, and calling it research.

“Acting like a prima donna will always put a black mark against your name, regardless of the quality of the work.”

He2etic: Some of our readers are actually working on their first novel. Do you have any advice to offer them?

Kevin: Enjoy yourself, and try not to worry that someone might actually read it. At the end of the day, you’re not answerable to an editor, a publisher, an agent, or even your readers – you are only answerable to yourself. There are times when it will be a breeze, and times when it will be hard-going. In all likelihood, it will not be a ticket to instant fame and riches (these things take time, if they happen at all); you will end up working into the early hours of the morning, you will miss out on your favourite television shows, you will pass up nights out down the pub in favour of a night in with a flashing cursor and a mug of coffee; you sit in front of your computer for four hours, trying to wrangle your characters out of a tricky situation, only for the solution to come to you as you lie, exhausted, in bed, seeking sleep.

However… persevere. All of that is true – all of that is inevitable – but, when the words start coming (and they will) and you build up a bit of pace, it is the most enjoyable thing you can do with your trousers on.

On a more practical note – make sure that something of note happens in your first chapter, as many editors won’t make it much further than that, if you don’t. It doesn’t even have to be integral to the plot, but having three or four chapters of description and build is considered old-hat these days.

He2etic: Last, any general tips or suggestions for getting ahead?

Kevin: First of all, be polite in your correspondence – I’m not just talking editors here, but advertising people, potential reviewers, beta readers; anybody, in fact, that might be able to impact on your work. That doesn’t mean you have to be crushingly formal, but a polite, well-written e-mail or cover letter, will automatically put you in a person’s good graces. Similarly, acting like a prima donna will always put a black mark against your name, regardless of the quality of the work. You’ve got years ahead of you in this game, so wait until you’ve got a few releases under your belt, and have developed a bit of a following before you start acting like a dick.

Cake by Kevin G. Bufton

Finally – research your market and read the bloody guidelines. You would not believe how many good writers end up stumbling en route to the finish line, not because they’ve written a bad story, but because they’ve sent it to the wrong publisher. If the guidelines call for a certain way of formatting the manuscript, then make sure you do it. If they stipulate an upper limit of 5000 words, don’t send them a 7500-worder and expect them to make an exception for you. Also, buy a copy of the magazine to which you’re submitting, and check out the tone of the work they normally accept.

Same goes for publishers that produce a number of anthologies, particularly if they are edited by the same person that you’re hoping to impress. Please note, I’m not suggesting that you change your style to match that which has been previously taken on by the market, but only that you should play the odds. Some authors recommend the blunderbuss approach of sending a story to two or three dozen publishers and hoping that one of them accepts it. That may sound all well and good, but if you’ve got a suspenseful, gothic tale of dark fantasy, Gore magazine is probably not the best home for it.

All it takes is doing a little more research than typing ‘horror fiction markets’ into Google. Subscribe to Duotrope, utilise Ralan’s Speculative Fiction, and so on, and see that your story fits the market or, if you prefer, that the market fits your story.

He2etic: A parting question. Of the pieces released by Cruentus Libri, which are your favourites?

Kevin: Ha! Well, The Best of Cruentus Libri Press is coming out at the end of the month, so that’s pretty much the answer – some real goodies in there.

The Dark Side of the Womb, from Cruentus Libri Press

Outside of that, the stories I enjoyed the most tended to fall into two camps. The first are your standard horror fare, but really well written – examples include ‘The Angel of Solitude‘ by A.R. Aston, ‘The Curse of the Cristobel‘ by Brent Nichols and ‘The Hunt‘ by Jody Neil Ruth.

The second type are those that make me re-evaluate what horror means to me, both as a reader and a writer. ‘Winter on Aubarch 6‘ by David A. Riley, that I’ve mentioned already, is a prime example, as is ‘The Island of Dr. Moldovan‘ by Joanna Parypinski. Neither of them are ‘straight’ horror (if that’s a term?) – one is science fiction, the other alternative history – but they have that darkness to them that you just know when you read it, that gets right into your gut and doesn’t let go.

Just wonderful.

Thanks for your time, Kevin! And be sure to check out Kevin’s new novella, Cake.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow the @BLBolthole on Twitter for updates, articles and more. The author can be followed @He2etic.

Interview with Fox Spirit Books

Posted on June 18, 2013 by James Fadeley

I admit, it took some work to get this fox out of her den. But today, we’ve managed to land an interview with Adele Wearing, hetwoman* of Fox Spirit Books. Fresh off the release of their new anthology Piracy, Adele is here today to discuss some tips and details from the angle of a publisher.

Crafty Adele of Fox Spirit Books.

He2etic: I usually start with a qualifier. Can you tell us how many years experience you’ve had, what you’ve published and what publishing companies/free lance work you’ve done?

Adele: Ah, the CV.

Okay, let’s be honest. The reason the people who like me, like me is because I can easily be persuaded to jump feet first into something I have no knowledge about just for fun. So I started Fox Spirit last May with the following credentials… I am a professional project manager, I ran a review website successfully for about four years, and I really, really, really like books and stuff.

When you work in project management, you learn that the secret of doing something well is often finding the right people to do stuff that you can’t do and then we all, you know, do stuff. All the books are listed on the website, but we’ve published novels, novellas, anthologies and one non-fiction in our first year.

“How can I stand in front of a buyer and say ‘I am proud of this book, I believe in this story’ if at the back of my mind I know it didn’t entertain me?”

He2etic: What are story ideas that are just too common? Stuff that, even if well written, is pending rejecting just because it’s overdone?

Oasis by Joan De La Hoya

Adele: None. Seriously, what’s original anymore? It’s all about a new twist or a new voice. Zombies have been done to rotting corpsified death? Not so much. In Oasis, Joan De La Haye finds a new perspective and freshens it up.

He2etic: What’s your opinion on the value of literary clichés versus something that’s too original (ie, kind of out there)? Any advice on striking a balance?

Adele: Fox Spirit is all about what’s a little unusual. I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘too out there’ but at the end of the day, you will always be dealing with someone else’s taste and preferences. I am not going to publish a story I don’t enjoy. How can I stand in front of a buyer and say ‘I am proud of this book, I believe in this story’ if at the back of my mind I know it didn’t entertain me?

A commissioning editor at the big five will have to stand up for a book in front of the marketing department and sell the book to them before they will even consider trying to sell it to the public. All I can tell you is any editor, even one who has the freedom to publish whatever they want, should be asking themselves ‘Could I argue for this book/story/author if I had to?’

“Send it to someone who is willing to be rude to your face, edit it again.”

My advice to everyone is keep writing what you want to write, keep honing your work and keep pitching. If you are good AND lucky (no doubt timing and luck have their part to play), you will get picked up.

If not, you might still get valuable feedback. If you decide to self publish, use an editor who doesn’t care if they hurt your feelings and make sure you get the story as good as you can.

He2etic: What’s the single biggest mistake most budding authors make in your opinion?

Adele: Hmm, my advice. Certainly not the first to say it and I won’t be the last. Don’t be an ass. Be respectful, follow the submission guidelines. If a publisher says they don’t publish X or they only want Y, you are not the exception to that. It’s really that simple.

Spares by Alec McQuay

Your manuscript may be ten years of your work, the bearing of your soul, the greatest thing ever written, but while writing is a creative act, publishing is a business. If you turned up anywhere else and asked for a job that wasn’t being advertised and wasn’t needed, you’d get no where. Which actually leads on to another point. Your query letter is a job application, treat it seriously.

The very lovely Jon Weir once made this point about reviewers, when you are asking a publisher to send you free stuff on the off-chance you like it and get around to telling people you have to give them a bit of background.

As a reviewer, I sent proper formal printed letters to publishers to ask to be on their lists. I treated it like a covering letter and CV. As a writer you should take your approach no less seriously. In fact somewhere in UBVE#1, Lee Harris covers query letters and how not to do it.

“Your manuscript may be ten years of your work, the bearing of your soul, the greatest thing ever written, but while writing is a creative act, publishing is a business.”

He2etic: Some of our readers are actually working on their first novel. Do you have any advice to offer them?

Piracy, the first of the Fox Pocket Series

Adele: Hmm, I’m sure my writers would have better advice than I do, but from what I understand the best process is along the lines of: Write it, finish it, put it aside. Read it again. Edit it again. Send it to someone who is willing to be rude to your face, edit it again.

Then put it aside and start another one. Chances are when you’ve been through that process with the second one, you go back to the first you’ll be glad you didn’t send it out. Of course all this is based on what I hear from the author side of things.

He2etic: What are your favourite stories from Fox Spirit?

Adele: Oh, it’s a total cop out I know, but I love them all. I feel emotionally invested in everything I publish so I really can’t pick. Sorry. I love the variety we’ve done and the fun we’ve all had. 🙂

He2etic: Finally, any general tips or suggestions for getting ahead?

Adele: Ah if I had those, I would be rich. Sorry, it’s hard work, ability and a dose of good luck. 😉

So there you have it folks! And be sure to keep an eye out for the rest of Fox Spirit’s new flash fiction series, Fox Pockets! Coming over the next few months, and available on Lulu.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow the @BLBolthole on Twitter for updates, articles and news about upcoming releases. The author can be followed @He2etic, or on his blog.

*- Ask Sarah Cawkwell. Or just read her book.

Author Interview – Philip Athans

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin

Monday rolls around yet again and we have another author interview to delight you all. I kept the name for this week’s author secret for a very good reason. That reason was that he is a completely new entrant to Black Library but given his already published works, he is a prominent member of the industry. As you shall all find out now.

Phil Athans is someone that the Dungeons & Dragons fans on the Bolthole should have no problem in recognizing, given all the work he did with TSR and later Wizards of the Coast. Fans of Forgotten Realms and Baldur’s Gate will recognize him from his novels. People who have been interested in, and are, might also recognize him from his how-to book co-written with the great R. A. Salvatore himself – The Guide To Writing Fantasy and Science-Fiction: 6 Steps To Writing and Publishing Your Bestseller.

Without any further ado, for the interview covers a fair amount of his work, I give to you the man himself.

Continue reading →

The Bolthole and You

Posted on November 24, 2011 by admin

We all come to the Bolthole for a variety of different reasons. Some of us come for one or two specific reasons, while others come because of the whole experience. So I thought it would be a great idea to really explore what some of these reasons are. Mind you, this is not an extensive list and is not meant to be, but I just want to highlight some of the key ones that I feel are the most important.