Report from Ex:Urbia: Love is All You Need, or Maybe It’s Just the Beginning of Something Far Greater

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Ex-Urbia1I’m deep into finishing a first draft of my new novel, working title Ex:Urbia. Julia Davenport is telling the story. The character is coming out of something quite powerful, deep down in my gut. This is a multi-fabricked story of love, the question of mental illness, struggling with personal demons, and the search for The Big Question. It’s also a story about the poetic effect of outer suburbia on life in America…not really your standard derogatory set of symbols and metaphors, more what it means to live out there at the edge of things.

I’m posting this little report here for a couple of reasons. The first is to note that I recently got wind of another divorce in the loose-knit tribe I’m a part of. I won’t go into details, but this news broke my heart. It would break yours too. Both people in this Continue reading →

E-Book Pricing In the Modern World: Addendum

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English: Congestion Pricing Equilibrium
English: Congestion Pricing Equilibrium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Things move so fast for writers who have taken publishing into their own hands. Since posting my latest “Talking Indies” column on E-Book pricing at TalkingWriting.com, I got to thinking about the need to be more creative about pricing. I knew that Smashwords had a system that allowed for that to a certain extent. But Smashwords is a bit scary when you first check it out. They have formatting requirements that sound a bit Gestapo-esque. And yet, they are known for being part of the new writer’s liberation front. Hmm…

You need to grow a pair or two if you want to be a writer in the 21st century. Right? It Continue reading →

Smashwords Rocks: My Books at Your Price and the Philosophy of Modern Fiction

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A few days ago I posted my novel Beyond the Will of God to Smashwords.com as my first experience with the book distribution upstart. Yesterday I posted both of my story collections, Trying to Care: A Story Collection and Implosions of America: Nine Stories.

It’s a bit of a chore formatting your work to run through the Smashwords meatgrinder (why don’t they call it a wordgrinder?), but once you succeed the website is a very writer and reader friendly place. I strongly urge you to go there and buy all of my books as soon as you finish this brief post. Two of the three are set up with the “You Set the Price” payment option. Implosions is still being sold at a premium of $5.99. It will always be sold at that price. Why? Because it’s a collection of damn fine stories that rival any you will find anywhere. See it featured at Short Fiction Spotlight here or check out the 5-Star (★★★★★) review at the Kindle Magazine El Dink here. Continue reading →

Beyond the Will of God: Smashwords Edition and More…

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/shitao/4577623227/
Cover Art: Tim Williams, “Gymnopédie”

My psychedelic novel, Beyond the Will of God, is now posted at Smashwords. This means you can download it for reading in a vast array of formats. In addition, Smashwords will make the book available on virtually every major book distribution channel online. So if you use Sony, Kobo, iBooks or whatever, within the next few weeks, a version can be found at an online site of your choosing.

One of the things I love most about Smashwords themselves is that they allow a “You Set The Price” option at their site. Click here for the Smashwords page. You’ll see that the book now has a new cover. I’m quite awed by Tim Williams’ paintings. This cover uses his amazingly sensuous “Gymnopédie.” I don’t know if anything can point to the intent of looking Beyond the of God more than this.

5-Star Reviewed
★★★★★

Also, my book Implosions of America: Nine Stories is featured this week at Jason Varrone’s awesome “Short Fiction Spotlight.” The full feature can be accessed here. Implosions of America was given 5 Stars (★★★★★) back in December in a review by the UK Kindle Magazine El Dink. Check out the review by Barry Purcell here.

As always, besides their many electronic incarnations, you can get my books as paperbacks through Amazon and CreateSpace. And, remember, if you sign up for mailing list (top right of page) you can download a free PDF version of Beyond the Will of God.

May music save your mortal soul!

 

Along With Ecstasy: an Ex:Urbia ex:cerpt

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Below is a work-in-progress passage from my novel Ex:Urbia.

Singapore Marriott Hotel

 Along With Ecstasy

I pass a crumpled pickup on the road tonight heading home from the city. I had given a dinner speech at the Center City Marriott on contract fund management. Red and blue police lights spin in the darkness, a slight fog enshrouds distant traffic lights candied lime, lemon and cherry — an awful combination. One person lies on the ground, another staggers toward the police car. It is fragility that drives us inward at moments like this. We see danger, or are reminded of death, and retreat seems the only option. Retreat into the mind. Retreat into fear. And yet, how precious, anyway, this worthless life. It’s all we have. I am Julia Davenport and the world revolves around me the same way it does around you.

Fear was already beating in my chest when I stepped onto the sidewalk away from the shimmering lights that line the driveway to the Marriott after talking about money and public works projects for an hour. I know it was fear. I don’t like that feeling. I was afraid that first night with Danny. I was afraid my first day at work. I am afraid so much of the time. I feel okay by myself at the mall or driving. Being alone out in public has that effect on me. I like Continue reading →

This is a Place I Don’t Feel Alone: Work-in-Progress

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Casual Friday
Casual Friday: double glasses and someone’s underwear

I spent far too much time in 2012 sitting in a little room by myself trying to get people to pay attention to my books and far too little time writing and editing. I had a lot to learn about being an independent writer and publisher. That time was necessary, but it still makes me feel so far behind the eight-ball. It’s a lonely thing, sitting in a little room trying to get people to pay attention to your work.

As last year began, I knew I wanted to publish two sets of stories and my first novel, Beyond the Will of God. I accomplished those goals. The story sets, Trying to Care and Implosions of America, lay out the beginnings of what my true Continue reading →

Super Powers and Magic? The League of New Indie Writers

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Photo: Jim Newberry http://www.picturedujour.com/
This post was originally published at my site, The Formality of Occurrence yesterday. 

 

I’m amazed at how many unbelievably talented writers there are in this world toiling away in every nook and cranny imaginable. Peeps in my raggedy-ass tribe of indie authors and bloggers live and work in India, Africa, Canada, South America, Great Britain, Australia, etc. as well as the U.S.

There are thousands of astounding writers so easily discoverable all over the Internet now. It’s like there used to be this small group of successful Super Men and Super Women or maybe it was a special guild of wizards, witches, warlocks, and magicians, I don’t know. They were special and easy to spot. Continue reading →

Unreasonableness and So Much More: Recommended Reading This Week

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Painting by Tim Williams http://www.flickr.com/people/shitao

My latest commentary is posted at Kotori Magazine as part of my column “These Altered States.” There’s a lot of talk about “moving forward” and the American Dream these days (and those days back in 2012). “These Altered States” has the secondary title “America Trying to Become Itself.” This month’s post is a shout out to provocative progressive thinkers and doers everywhere. Read it right here, “Do Not Be Reasonable – Boundaries and the New America.”

I want to point you to another online read that I think is phenomenal writing and Continue reading →

Beyond the Will of God Named EBook of the Month

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My novel, Beyond the Will of God, won the E-Book of the month award at the innovative book site, “IWriteReadRate.com.” I am grateful and indebted to all who voted for this funky little psychedelic mystery. Here’s a clip from the IWRR announcement:

It was a close run race last month, with the most total votes yet – great stuff! Without further ado, the winner is…

Beyond the Will of God: A Psychedelic Mystery by David Biddle

Congratulations to David and we hope that he will find the critique helpful to support his writing journey, and continue to inspire his creativity and dedication for literature.

His winning ebook will be the featured one on the iWRR homepage during the current month. David joins our previous winners – to discover who they were, click here.

You can pick the book up through the IWRR site for $0.99. That’s a pretty good deal. I’m raising it back to $4.99 at Amazon later this week. It will go to $6.99 by the end of Continue reading →