Sunday, November 25, 2018

A Little Housekeeping

Hello world,

So, I did a little housekeeping today. You see, I started this blog back in 2011. And back then, it was rubbish. The entries were too short, badly written and - frankly - not all that interesting. And when it wasn't one of those three - or all three at the same time - it was an angry rant (at the world or about it).

The kind of rant that might come back to bite you in the rear later. So, I grabbed the biggest axe I could find and everything pre-2016 went. The result....a much neater, more professional and - hopefully interesting archive/blog.

Update:  So why was my early blog such rubbish ? Well, I was young(er), not in the best of places in my head and work was no fun at all. In the years since....well, I moved job, I moved house....and things are not so dark inside anymore.

I was also inexperienced. Writing is like playing a guitar. Playing a guitar hurts your fingertips....until you develop calluses and the pain becomes less. But you only get those if you play through the pain. Writing is like that as well.

When you start, you write rubbish. (This is true for everybody.) And there is only one way to fix it....write, write, write ! Which is the advice that many a person gives starting writers.

And now that we're discussing advice..... I got some from RDA yesterday....He told me to get an agent. The problem is simple...I can't afford one. You see, I figure that agents are as expensive as lawyers. And that a conversation with one would go something like this....

Agent:  Well, I read your book. Its rubbish

Me:  What !?

Agent:  Oh, and that'll be four hundred dollars.

Me:  What !?

Agent: Eight-hundred. Now, get out before I sue you !

So....thanks, but no thanks. And that's all for today.

Edmond Dantes

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Met RDA for real

Hi all,

I met Richard Dean Anderson for real today. Well, met is a big word. I bought a ticket and took a photo with him at Dutch Comic Con (in Utrecht). I also pulled a bit of a stunt and gave him my business card and told him that I had ten page plan for season three of Stargate Universe. Which I do.

Of course, I know that Mister Anderson was simply being polite when he took my card, so my expectation are....zip, zero, zilch. But RDA is a really nice guy. Also....earlier in the day, he did a Q and A. It was fun. 👍

The Comic Con was great as well. Got some great stuff.  Oops....almost forgot, what about the actual photo ? Well, it turned out horrible. Mister Anderson is fine. But yours truly was totally starstruck. I look like a dear in headlights, with a face full of Botox.

Anyway,

That's all

Edmond Dantes

Thursday, November 22, 2018

(Small) Update

Greetings all,

I am happy to report that I finished correcting the manuscript for Buried Secrets. Then I uploaded the manuscript to Bol.com and designed the cover. I've also written the blurb for Buried Secrets. So... now Buried Secrets is ready and steady to go. And here ends the good news.

The bad news is that it will be a while before Buried Secrets is published. Why ? Well....the proofread for A Guy, Two Girl and a Serial Killer is still underway. Once that is done, I'll still have to correct it. And then - and only then - it'll be launch day. So, I'm afraid patience will be required.

That's all folks,

Edmond Dantes

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Status Update

I was planning to start this post with 'Hi World', but as soon as I typed it, I realized that I REALLY need(ed) a better opening. I guess this is it. Anyway, let's to it....

Novels

The proofread of Buried Secrets is done. So now I am (slowly) correcting the manuscript. At the same time, the proofread for A Guy, Two Girls and a Serial Killer is now in progress. And the research for the commercial campaign has also begun. (While I am continuing to safe money for said campaign.) So while there is no visible action, things are happening in the background.

MCU

I haven't really been keeping up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's TV-show branch. But I've gotten my hands on what I've missed, so that I can use those shows to get through the Christmas Period Gap. (TV series - like, for example NCIS - tend to stop some time before Christmas and don't resume until after New Year's.) Which I guess is a nice Segway into....

TV-Shows

CSI

I watched the Vegas show up to 7x02. But by Season 6, I felt the show had jumped the shark. Season 5 was iffy to me, but I decided to keep it. So my advice: Season 1 through 5, watch. Season 6 till the end....don't bother, move on to CSI Miami.

Which is exactly what I did. I'm planning to watch Miami up to the end of season 4, then move on to the first two season of CSI: NY. As for CSI: Cyber.....I refuse to touch that show with a ten foot pole. And we're walking....

Doctor Who

I'm totally used to the 13th Doctor now. The sex change doesn't matter. (Demons of the Punjab was especially heart wrenching.) So, moving on to.....

Magnum P.I

....the Magnum P.I. reboot. The show is.....well, it's okay. But it is missing that special something. The original show was better, MUCH better, because it knew when and how turn off the gags and adrenaline. And when it did, it was gold.

The new show has not shown that ability yet. And if it wants to be a worthy successor, it's going to have to. So for now, my assessment is......meh, watchable. But nothing special.

And that's it for today.

Regards,

Edmond Dantes

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Changing Plans (and titles)

(Aka....what's going with my novels)

Hello World,

So, in my last post, I said that I wanted to publish my next novel before 2019. Alas, that is not going to happen. Instead - and with a bit of luck - it will be hitting the internet in early(ish ?) 2019. So, why the delay ? Well....because I want to do it right. And - as much as I hate to admit it - that means patience.

On the bright side, taking the patient approach means that I have time to undo the mess I made with my first novel, which was called Hollywood. Was being operative word. The plan was to name each book after the main location. Alas, Hollywood turned out to be such generic a title that my book ended up lost in the deep recess of the internet.

So my original plan went out the window. (As Ronald D. Moore said, your ideas are your babies. But sometimes - for the good of the story - you have to kill your baby.) Hence, both Hollywood and Bullhorn were retitled.

Another thing I changed about my first novel, was the cover. The old one used a default picture provided by Bol.com. And finally, I neglected to publish my novel in the E-book format. But the greatest mistake I made with my first novel, was the complete lack of a commercial campaign. The patient approach allows me to safe money to properly promote my novel(s) this time around.

So....yeah....it will be a bit longer, but....When it does come around, publishing day will not only see Buried Secrets, but also a new (and improved) re-print of A Guy, Two Girls and a Serial Killer. Both books will be available as paperback and E-book.

That's all for now folks.

Regards,

Edmond Dantes