Drumroll, please…

I am about to publish The Thing. It’s not called The Thing, but that’s shorter to tweet, and anyway, it’s changed name a few times.

I did try to do my own artwork – my graphics pen exploded stopped working after over a decade’s trusty service – the results were dire.

After i whined about that on Twitter, Derek (who happened to have read the book and has his own design company) said he had an idea. I told him i had no money, and he said he still had an idea. I loved it.

****

Briefly…

People are crazy, or they can be, Blood or peasant. Polo’s eyes say he belongs in his mother’s world, but he’s not sure. He gets the chance to find out when he’s sent to the Court of the Fourth Theodore.

The Birthday Dragon is the first book of The Polo Shawcross Journals, and is set on the isolated planet of Galaia in the Sigma Quadrant, where Men might be Dragons, in the aftermath of gene-tweaking thousands of years in their past.

Released on Smashwords in June.

(when released, there will be a decent free chunk to sample
and i will post links here)

Cover design/artwork by Derek Armsden Design

dadesign.net.au

“The Birthday Dragon” Copyright 2011  Polo Shawcross

Copyright 2011 http://stinginthetail.wordpress.com

Are We There Yet?

So, where were we? Ah yes, The Thing – well, it’s coming along – about to be published in June. Note the non-specific nature of “June”. That’s deliberate. Gives me time to stuff the launch up several times.

I had one of those moments, when we realise we can go the traditional way, or not, and decided ‘or not’ was my way. No change there. So i’m starting with an E-book version on Smashwords.

You see, The Thing has turned out rather well. And it occurred to me that if it was a piece of music, i wouldn’t be handing it over to someone else. Not unless they’re offering megabucks.

I read a lot of the experiences of writers as they wrestled with agents, publishers, and finding either one – and having worked in publishing, i already had some inkling of what lay ahead. It occurred to me that circumventing that entire loop would please me greatly.

So that’s the plan. The Thing is having its cover done. I am about to try (for the fifth time, i think) to read over the Smashwords FAQ’s and How-To’s, and see if i have the idea.

I have no idea if i’m doing this right, but i’m doing it.

© 2011 http://stinginthetail.wordpress.com/