Sometimes you can't make it on your own ...

...

Simple enough ... I probably shouldn't have to anything more than this ...

"Don't leave me here, alone ..."

... ...

These are the nine rules of Write Club ... pay attention ...

This is Steffan's mind on an all-too quiet friday night ...

With the world changing as drastically as it is regarding publishing, writing, making a living and selling books, several things have been floating around in the garrett rooms of my mind lately. While I wrote a twenty page dissertation on each of these points, I'll save you all the angst of having to read or ingest it as it's likely to cause many to wilt and come across as opinionated bombast. It seems that I did you one favour already. Mark one in my column ...

The first rule of Write Club is ... there are no deals.

The second rule of Write Club is ... there are NO deals!

The third rule of Write Club is ... his name was Winston Groom.

The fourth rule of Write Club is ... you are not your book deal.

The fifth rule of Write Club is ... we write novels, not IKEA catalouges.

The sixth rule of Write Club is ... you're not here to follow in someone else's footsteps.

The seventh rule of Write Club is ... self improvement? Try self-destruction.

The eigth rule of Write Club is ... your book doesn't own you, let it go.

The ninth rule of Write Club is ... Editor before Agent and not the other way around.

Did you understand all that? Fill in the blanks if you did and think further on it. If not, your homework is to write twenty pages on each point. Be specific.

Kindle DX ...

Just wanted to post how jazzed I felt today because I got everything together and decided to finally take the plunge with the Amazon Kindle DX.

Having used the first generation reader for a short period of time during the beta phase, I was impressed and always at the tipping point of purchasing. With the advent of Kindle 2 earlier this year, some of us who have been waiting weren't very impressed with the second generation, and backed away. I'm speaking for myself here, but i've heard countless stories of the same thing from others. I'm just glad I waited.

The new DX comes out on June 17th and I'll be watching my front door like a hawk waiting for that overnight delivery shipment thanks to Amazon Prime. I can't begin to tell any of you how backed up I am with my ebook reading lately and this should really nip the problem in the bud once and for all.

As I get older, sitting in front of my wonderfully large, bright and colorful collection of computer monitors just doesn't work as online reading now gives me headaches and has dramatically affected my vision. I should wear glasses all the time, but never having worn them before, I find it hard to get into the habit. I've known people that could fall asleep with glasses on and even some that repeatedly fell asleep with their contacts in, but I just can't seem to get into glasses. My peripherial vision is too strong and too acute and I have to train my eyes to not 'see' everything in the room in order just to keep them on for ten minutes at a time.

But that's my story with glasses. This is probably the coolest purchase I've made all year. With all the money I spend too, like water somtimes, I probably should've done this sooner.

And for anyone wondering. I chose this picture of Picard, because in several of the Star Trek: Next Generation episodes, way back in the early 1990's, he was always seen reading and studying on something that looked very much like a Kindle. I just couldn't find a picture anywhere. This one will have to do. It has a sense of urgency to it. Doesn't it?

Engage ...

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ABNA ... Miss Congeniality ...

Well, May 15th has come and gone, as has the 27th, and a winner was picked, but alas it wasn't I.

On the Amazon Breakthrough Novel main page, a video was put up by Penguin that highlighted some of the comments regarding a few of the books. Greyhound got a total of eight specific mentions, two by title. In fact, the only one mentioned by title, but let's be honest as it's difficult to talk about my book without mentioning it.

One of the editors said that it was like a elegy to Greyhound, poetic. I was appreciative as it's a nice comment. The video is still up for now if you want to see it.

It could be interpreted that I took 4th, which isn't bad, so I walk away semi-satisfied. No hard feelings. But I do feel like the guy left to sweep up at the end. Nothing new there. I've got a nice collection of brooms anyway.

I just want to say thank you one last time to everyone that was pulling for me, wrote a review, contacted me or just read the excerpt. I'm nothing without a reader.

One day ... one day ...

...

An Elegy to Greyhound ...

Unknown Penguin Editor (in a pink sweater):

"If I had to chose one way, the best way that it is most successful -- is that it is as an elegy to Greyhound."

When I heard those words, two things struck me. One, the words that were around that statement by that particular editor may not have been positive. I can live with that though. Two, I felt like I could pack up my stuff, go home and feel satisfied for participating in the contest. With the Publisher's Weekly review, all the customer reviews and support that I recieved -- that statement is by far the best thing I've ever heard. It's worthy of putting it on a duskjacket.

I have no idea who you are, friend ... but I just want to give you a note of thanks for that. While I did enjoy and appreciate the other editors comments, I know I owe you a shout out.

Thank you ...

Steffan

Greyhound mentioned by Penguin Books ...

Well, I don't know what it all means or what to make of it, but earlier today Penguin posted a five minute video of editor's responses on the ABNA main page, located here. In this short video, Greyhound is mentioned numerous times and it's mostly all good.

At first, when I saw it, I thought it was the death kiss as I often will turn inward and go dark when I don't know the answers. Such is the way I've been conditioned. Maybe they were hinting about the finalists with this video, maybe not. It was a surreal moment on anotherwise slow news day. But I did panic initially and seeing the video was heartbreaking. I knew that I hadn't recieved the 'phone call' that apparently went out on May 6th, as per the rules, to give advance warning to the finalists. So knowing that I wasn't advancing and seeing them speak so fondly of my book -- only hurt.

Now that I'm sitting here watching the last minutes of the day slip away, I'm starting to think that maybe the video is a good thing. Just getting that kind of mention, even if I don't win, is a lot and I should be both gracious (first) and happy. Again, this is the way I have conditioned myself to respond, even if it takes me a handful of hours to come around.

Soon the contest will be over, we'll all know what's next and I can only hope that my book finds a home. I even queried an agent in the middle of the night last night. Maybe it was the tylenol w/codeine tablets I took for my root canal pain that pushed me into doing it, I don't know. When it comes to meds, I'm a lightweight and probably prone to 'bad moves' to paraphrase our good friend, Slartibartfast.

I woke up to find that guy wasn't interested at all. This from a guy who says he'll read anything. I had posted a few times on his website that I disagreed with him, was polite and reminded him that he dropped the ball on one of my other books. I guess he'll read anything, just as long as all your answers are all 'yes' or 'you're so wonderful'. Completely sober, I would've never emailed him to begin with. But I often do silly things in the middle of the night anyways. They should hack my Amazon account. Steve Jobs's purchases have nothing on my purchase history. Late night shopping is addictive.

I'll just say this though. Some people are lucky in life and capable of parlaying what they have into much greater endevours. I've seen it with my own two eyes. Some of us though, it just doesn't work that way. Someone has to physically life us up out of our hole, because no matter how hard we struggle we'll never be able to do it alone. Thus it is with my life and thus it will probably be with my books. Maybe one day I'll get a call with someone on the other end interested in either representing me or publishing my book, but until that time comes, I'll just try to 'hold fast' to the mooring, lest I get swept away.

All the best everyone. Hopefully tomorrow will bring good news ...

Steffan

Pain, Root Canal, The Past, The 90's ...

I don't know what it is about being up at night with dental pain, not enough meds to quell it, black tea and too much time alone ... but the brain is jolted without doubt. I'd trade it all if I could just slip into bed and call it a day, but it's not in the cards tonight.

Maybe it's the process of writing and the doors that reopen in the mind once you start down those pathways. Who knows? Vague enough for ya yet? Maybe this may mean something to someone down the road in years to come. Maybe I'm sending myself messages from the past into the future and only realizing them now.

My brain is in Alaska as is all my current yellow pads. I don't know what it is when you start writing about death and betrayel but even bright light on hot days seems muted. Some of this stuff has a tendency to put an opaque filter over everything until it's no longer required. The sad truth though is that you don't always have the ability to remove the lens and see things clearly until it removes itself. It's like a math lecture close to 5pm ... you're ready to go, but you're stuck there, unable to break free.

It's late ... I should call it no matter if I can sleep or not ... damn the pain ...

Only When I Lose Myself ...

I keep losing my place trying to cram an ever growing playlist in my brain which doesn't seem to be working out. Data always loses out to depression every time. Lost time trying to restructure fragments of 1992 just doesn't pay the utilities ...

I will continue to add to this list as time continues ...

So without any help from Kingston:

Planet Caravan – Black Sabbath
If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot
Bayou Maharajah – Harry Connick, Jnr.
Junco Partner – Harry Connick, Jnr.
Fireman – Jawbreaker

When I Was Young - Eric Burden & The Animals
The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) – The Pixies
Goodbye Horses – Q Lazzarus
Never Say Never – Romeo Void
Babyface – U2
Exit – U2
Miss Sarajevio – U2
The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
Josephine – Wallflowers
Whatever (I Had a Dream) – Butthole Surfers
Things Done Changed – B.I.G.
Everyday Struggle – B.I.G.
I Aint Mad At Cha – 2 Pac
Everybody Wants to Rule The World – Tears for Fears
Behind The Wheel - Depeche Mode
Dream On - Depeche Mode

...

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Top 100 ...

Well, the countdown begins during the final phase of the competition where the last 100 get thinned to the top 3. This all began with 10,000 entries and I'm still in it.

I can't tell you how I felt the day I found out I had made the cut, but stunned is putting it lightly. It's not that I don't think Greyhound is worthy, because it really is. It's a strong novel and a very strong contender for the finish line. In all honesty, I wouldn't have entered if I didn't think I had a chance on winning and trust me, I spend a lot of time visualizing myself taking this thing all the way to the podium. I think any serious writer / entrant would. I'm just waiting for someone to call the house and say it was all just a bad misunderstanding, that's all. I think most people in this position probably feel the same way.

Now, as the word gets out people, agents, editors, publishers and other authors will be weighing in on the excerpts with customer reviews, so five star reviews are going to be less likely. But keep in mind, it's for this reason and also a few others. So it's going to be a bit more contentious than it has been. The Publishers Weekly magazine reviews will also be coming in during the next few days, and from my estimation from last year ... I don't think they're going to pleasant. But, they're not in the business of back-pattery, either.

I want to thank everyone that has left a review, sent an email or shown up over on Facebook with a smile and kind words. I'm appreciative of all the continuing support and anxiously await the last stage of this incredibly long waiting game. ;)

I'm also making available an extended excerpt of Greyhound for those that want to read it, available here:

http://steffanpiper.com/GreyhoundExcerpt.pdf

All the best ...
Steffan

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award: Top 500 ... Some feedback ...

So I know that there are a lot of folks who may have read the last few blog posts but haven't migrated over to Amazon yet.  Having gleaned this from all the emails I've been getting, I thought I'd share some of them with you here on the blog. Be advised ... I've put up both good and bad. Don't get angry or upset, things like this happen. It's a competition and some folks are jockeying for their favourites, so it's to be expected.

 

....

 

(5 Star) Flawless, powerful, compelling. , March 18, 2009

By	Maxwell Cynn

I have said in my blog that 4 stars is the best my fellow writers can expect, from me, for their excerpts. In my opinion five stars should be reserved for the truly great, the classics. The excerpt would have to be flawless, powerfully written, and have that "something" that sets classic literature above the rest. 

I have found a 5 star excerpt. This excerpt is flawless. The narrative is powerful and compelling. The author drew me into the life of a neglected eleven year old boy who tore at my heart to the point I want to pull him off that damn bus and take him in. If the remainder of this manuscript lives up to the amazing penmanship of this excerpt it is destined to be a best seller. 

All I can say is hurry up and publish this one so I can buy my copy. 

 

( 5 Star)  Heartfelt, wise, and, yes, compelling, March 18, 2009

By	Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Steffan Piper's ABNA excerpt has the hallmarks of a good coming-of-age story: a wise-for-his-years but vulnerable narrator, a good balance of heartbreak and humor, and an opening set-up that could easily turn into an exploration of deeper themes, possibly reflecting the diversity of America. 

In these opening pages, Sebby (Sebastian?) is being abandoned by his mother yet again as she sends him alone on a Greyhound bus from Los Angeles to Altoona, PA to live with his paternal grandparents. His mother has fallen in love with the appropriately named Dick, a man who makes fun of Sebby's stuttering and wants to get rid of him. His mother, always in search of a new dress and presumably validation through her relationship with a man, obliges by sending Sebby on his way with nothing more than thirty-five dollars in his pocket and an admonition to always take a seat in the front of the bus. 

I can see this opening morphing either into a YA novel or adult general fiction, depending on the direction the plot takes and how the themes unfold. The writing is solid, with excellent characterization and generally good pacing. Although Piper overdoes the dialogue tags at times, which can grate, the dialogue itself is wonderful. This excerpt seems to need only light editing/tightening, much the way any professional manuscript would require at this stage. Of course, because this is only an excerpt, it remains to be seen whether Piper can sustain the great voice and intriguing observations for an entire novel. My guess is that he can.

 

(3 Star) Disappointed in Greyhound, March 17, 2009

By	Tammy L. Denton

The storyline of this excerpt is full of details concerning a boy's place in and perceptions of his family life. The most outstanding detail describes a visit to a wax museum, comparing his own uncared-for life with that of the wax dummies. However, I was disappointed in the over usage of weak verbs such as "was" and "were". It also took sixteen pages for the boy to get on a bus. I wanted to see more action and sooner. I think it would have been possible to layer in the background information rather than to dump it all on the reader in the first ten pages. While it's a good effort, I don't see this as being the winning entry.

.....

 

So there's a few of them for ya, so far.

I've asked many people that I know that have been in contact with me -- not -- to review the excerpt as I think the reviews should be the reaction of the general public at large and not just back-pattery and team support. Some of the folks in my corner have agreed, but some may not be swayed. I understand that others may feel different about this and I do not begrudge them their decision or choices. It's just mine.

I wish everyone the best as the contest continues and I think that the top 100 will be a very interesting collection of authors and novels, all deserving of the press that Amazon and Penguin should be disseminating on their behalf. Hopefully ABNA will see more presence in the press in the coming weeks.

 

ABNA - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarterfinals ...

I just want to post a note of thanks to everyone that has supported my efforts in the 2009 Amazon breakthrough Novel Award and also let folks know that Greyhound has been thankfully pushed into the quarterfinals. Out of a possible 10,000 entrants/books, it's down to the remaining 500.

After waiting around the computer all day like a zombie looking for a limb, the results finally posted just after 10:00pm PDT. Which are here. The wait was excruciating, to say the least, and many folks that I've been in repeated contact didn't make it through. So it's both a sad thing in one aspect, but a step forward for the rest of us. 

Now it's a waiting game for April 16th to see who makes into the next round. I have high hopes for the book and have my fingers crossed that it'll make it as far along as possible.

So many people helped me along the way with the editing, the companionship, the advice and the late-night phone-calls. I owe you.

I think I'm going to do something a little different with the blog for the remainder of the contest. I have no cute latin aphorism for this moment. Insert one of choice.

Ten Novels in two years ...

Well, I may regret blogging this, but I've put my foot in my mouth so often over the years I can tell you how old a pair of Chuck Taylor's are blindfolded.

So, starting today, I'll be working towards a very definite and very expansive goal. Simply put, it's ten novels in two years. I should be more than half way there by mid-December, so I think it's possible.

Why? Who knows? Other than the fact that I'll be happy to get some of these projects done and off my desk and really clean my mind and the mental palette so to speak.

Here are a list of titles so far. Some are works in progress, some are pretty far along, some are just index cards and some are only nuerons across the synaptic reef:

1. Exit

2. Waiting For Andre

3. All My Suicides

4. White Trash

5. Late August Haiku

6. The Shitbird

7. Black Night Green Felt

8. Blood Bank Refugee

9. Steffan and Sarah

10. Winona Ryder at 4am

Mothman phonecalls ... again

A few years ago, I was getting the strangest phone calls at the house. I didn’t think anything about them and always hit delete after hearing static. Once, I played one of the messages to a friend and it really ‘bothered’ the person to no end. But, my friend is a bit 'less skeptical' than I am and thus I dismissed it entirely. 

Well, the problem continued and I kept getting the calls on the answering machine all the time. I recorded two of them onto a hand-held voice recorder and transferred them to my computer and uploaded them to my myspace page for kicks. That was back in May of 2007. 

Here’s the link to my myspace blog from 05.22.07. : Myspace Blog

Well, it’s 2009 and I’ve just started getting these calls again. And again, from 000-000-0000. I don’t know what to make of it, but they do have a creepiness to them that’s all their own. I’m not one to put much stock in stuff like this but -- stranger things have happened. 

I’ve reposted the two calls from 2007 below, just in case the ones on myspace don’t play, or you just don’t like to visit myspace (matter of fact, I don’t like myspace either), so here they are. The call I received earlier tonight is almost an exact duplicate as well.

Mothman call #01

Mothman call #02

I'm just posting this just in case I hit the lottery tonight or something else occurs. I'm usually not the type for this style of tomfoolery and bombast, but ... you never know. I doubt I'll be hearing from John Keel.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award ...

Well, after much pushing and a lot of editorial work, I've successfully submitted Greyhound for the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, or ABNA for short as it's collectively referred to on the internet.

Last year I was unable to submit Yellow Fever for the competition due to a few logistical problems with the manuscript, which have now been ironed out. Now, Yellow Fever has a life of its own and we've all moved forward. The new version is actually selling well and collecting more reviews everyday.

So what does this mean for me? A publishing contract in the near future? Hopefully. More loneliness? The stress and pressure of having to write on spec or do adaptations on command? We hope not. An outlet to get my books into stores and in the hands of readers would be a start.

I'm pretty happy with the state of things and the work that's been done in the last eight months since I completed the first draft of Greyhound. I'll be honest here and admit that I haven't yet sent it out to any agents, as I was sharpening it like a fine blade, trying to get it ready for something better. Maybe now, I can release into the world as it's better suited for survival. Those that have read it have liked it immensely.

I do have my fingers crossed with this Amazon submission and hopefully those wonderful people at Penguin will say: 'Hey, Steffan ... where have you been?' But I'm not holding my breath either. It's an incredible long shot so my aim is just to make it to the semi-finals or even finals. Any recognition will be worth it. Maybe I'll finally be able to pay all my student loans at some point if it goes well.

I have something new that I've been working on and getting ready to write now that Greyhound is off and running. I should hit paper in the next two weeks and hopefully wrap up by May 1. 

There are two people in particular that I want to thank, but I won't out them here as I know they both prefer their privacy. Just know that if you're reading this -- your help meant a lot and was appreciated.

...

Here's the 299 word pitch:

Sebastien Ranes is taking a trip.  He doesn’t exactly understand why even though he accepts it.  His mother often seems too emotionally detached to care for him.  Her latest boyfriend Dick takes a cruel pleasure out of mimicking his stuttering, and wants to live his life without “somebody else’s kid” getting in the way.  So it’s no surprise when they pack his bags to send him away.  But it is a surprise when they send him alone. 

Ushered out from his Stockton, California home, he must fend for himself and travel two thousand miles across the country.  He is on his way to live with his grandmother and sister in Pennsylvania.  Along the way, he will learn that sometimes caring, guidance and understanding can come from some unlikely people.  

Marcus is a man who has been neglected more by society than his family.  As a young black ex-con, he is not the epitome of the person most would pick as a chaperone for their child’s cross country trip.  Yet rather than be held apart by their differences, Marcus and Sebastien are drawn together by the things that make us all alike.  Along the way, he acts as both guide and protector, as Virgil was to Dante and Jim to Huck Finn.  Imparting his own style of wisdom, he shows Sebastien that, despite the darker parts of the human condition, people can and do care for one another.  

This is a modern day journey not just from one house to another.  This is a journey taken by a young boy into manhood, and by the reader into his world.  Like every trip, there are many stops along the way.  But this journey differs in the way young Sebastien arrives at his destination.  Greyhound is the story of this journey. 

https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1055076 

http://steffanpiper.com/GreyhoundExcerpt.pdf

... ...

Yellow Fever Soundtrack ...

A lot of you have asked me about the music that's mentioned in the book. This is probably the most fielded question in the emails, other than the obscenely obvious: "Is it true?'". Some of the songs are named outright, while some songs are merely alluded to indirectly. If the book did have a theme song, it would be the U2 single.

I've also listed a complete soundtrack that includes all the songs mentioned in the book and music I listened to repetitively while writing it:

A Thousand Years - Sting
If You Wear That Velvet Dress - U2
The Air That I Breathe - k.d. lang

I'm Deranged - David Bowie
I'm Not In Love - 10 cc
Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - Beatles
Come - Namie Amuro
Like a Friend - Pulp
Ghost Story - Sting
Straight to Hell - The Clash
Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan
If God Will Send His Angels - U2
St. Matthew Passion: Nr. 65 - Mache dich, mein herze rein - J.S. Bach
I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner
This is Hardcore - Pulp
If You Leave Me Now - Chicago

Please - U2
What A Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers
I Grieve - Peter Gabriel
Breakin' the Rules - Robbie Robertson

Many thanks to all of you for asking, reading and taking the time.

I posted this previously on Amazon, but I thought it fitting to finally throw this up on the blog for posterity.