A Smashwords Experiment

December 13, 2011 at 7:06 pm (self-publishing, Writing)
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This past year, my primary goals have been editing viable material and expanding my networking. To that end, I have gotten involved with Twitter, Linkedin, and Klout. I have published two collections of poetry on Lulu and continued to promote my existing catalog on Smashwords.

The world of e-publishing is expanding at an amazing exponential degree and Gordon Kessler, president of the KWA, has strongly advocated a focus on it. I decided to offer two short stories on Smashwords for free as a small way of generating buzz.

The first story was “Just Like Daddy” concerning an unnamed prostitute who dresses up for her clients to help them fulfill their fantasy. It ends with a violent crime.

The second story was “How to Kill Your Boss and Get Away With It”, a tongue in cheek crime story inspired by my wife’s comment after a particularly difficult day at work.

I placed the first one under the category Fiction>Erotica>Suspense/Mystery. The second one was filed under Fiction>Literature>Transgressional. I uploaded them one day part, the first one eight days ago and the second a week ago.

As of today, “Just Like Daddy” has had 406 downloads. “How to Kill Your Boss and Get Away With It” has had 25.

Title? Category? Expectations? Don’t get me wrong; I’m grateful for the reads. But I’m beginning to understand more fully the power of successful marketing in the digital age.

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My Digital Progress — A Follow-Up

October 5, 2011 at 7:56 pm (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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Per Dictionary.com, the definition of PLATFORM (item #7) was

a body of principles on which a person or group takes a stand in appealing to the public

So, we as writers and artists are intent upon building our platform for the sole purpose of appealing to the public, identifying ourselves, our character and personality as well as our work. We hope you will purchase said work because, if we weren’t interested in selling it, we wouldn’t be building our platform.

I’ve been doing this blog for four years, have been on Facebook, have signed up for LinkedIn and Twitter, hand out business cards, talk as much to non-writers (you know, The Public) as much as I discuss writing with those that suffer the same affliction as myself. I’ve uploaded works for sale in both printed and electronic formats on Lulu, Amazon’s Kindle Page, Smashwords, and others. Until now, the only thing I lacked was a website.

Until now.

I am pleased to announce the unveiling of hbberlow.com and hope that there will be visitors as well as purchases of books.

I am indebted to my brother-in-law Greg for getting the thing started. We’ve both been talking for years about each of us needing our own websites for different reasons. Every time I would agree and it would just stop there. Until he just went out and secured my name as a domain (thank goodness) and set up the initial skeleton and instructed me as to how to build up the rest of the body.

Thanks should also go to Gordon Kessler, the founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association who, for this past year has been strongly advocating the membership to embrace the Digital world and heavily research and explore e-publishing.

Special mention should be made to Samantha Lafantasie, a woman who balances being a wife and mother and writer and adds a great passion to the KWA meetings. She has established a critique group and she is passionate about the craft. It is people like her (who are so utterly different from me) that motivate me in stepping into these new fields.

After all, I’m just an old analog dude living in a digital world.

Please visit my website and come along for the ride.

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What’s in your mind?

April 6, 2011 at 9:19 am (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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I read somewhere that Bram Stoker wrote “Dracula” due to his unhappy marriage. He was attempting to create a powerful romantic hero (or anti-hero) that was the opposite of his personality. Psychiatrists refer to this as “sublimation.”

For better or worse, writers sublimate aspects of their personality into their writing. Fantasies or delusions that would never see the light of day in the real world. Hopes and aspirations that seem unattainable. We can read all the books on craft, go to all the seminars and conferences that we can attend and we still wind up being intricate human and emotional creatures.

For the past six years or so, I have been writing more crime fiction and have dabbled extensively into Transgressive Fiction. And I know why. I have been in the customer service field for about thirty years, the last fourteen in a call center. These are perfect venues for the consumer to have a feeling of anonymous control over a representative or an entire company. This is a delusion. For all the venom that they exude, the company still maintains control and the representative has the power (but not the legal ability) to completely jack with their account.

Now, see, you got me started. You found out what’s in my mind. It got no better when I was terminated from my previous position after thirteen years over ONE customer service complaint. The sense of loss was profound; the sense of anger ran deeper. I set about writing a set of three Transgressive novellas, the likes of which were far darker than any other piece of crime fiction I had written or contemplated.

But, by doing so, I was able to release an awful lot of negative feeling and re-focus on what needed to happen in Real Life in order to survive. My wife, who is also my editor, recognized this but understood.

The pieces were published as collection on Lulu as Unemployed and Dangerous: A Trilogy of Transgressive Novellas. Recently, I made each of the individual works available as ebooks on Smashwords. They include:

Malfeasance
Day-Trippin’
The Ballad of Justin Thieme

There will always be the craft, the desire to revise and correct and perfect the Word. The plot and theme will come through because of attention to detail in the construction of the story. But beneath all of that, for better or for worse, there is me.

So, what’s in your mind?

{As an additional side note: I have been taking notes for the last ten months for a non-fiction piece about my termination and my dealings with the state regarding unemployment compensation (a success) and the union who would not escalate my case for arbitration. Thoughtful deliberation has guided me toward a non-fiction piece as it might be more publishable and would have a more striking effect than the Transgressive ramblings of a so-called “disgruntled employee.” As I progress, I will update.}

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KWA Scene Seminar

March 27, 2011 at 8:59 pm (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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This Saturday, March 26, was the KWA Scene Seminar with Kirt Hickman, author and speaker, providing detailed discussion from his book, Revising Fiction: Making Sense of the Madness.

Kirt was one of the speakers at last year’s conference but had only two one hour sessions. This year, nearly six hours were devoted to the ideas behind creation of first draft and revision. For all that you know (or think you know) about writing, it is ALWAYS beneficial to hear a different perspective and gain a new comprehension.

This is how it was for me. I sat glued to the steps, understood his concept, and was entirely willing to take a new approach to my writing. I had stated in a previous entry that I was devoting myself this year to editing and revision primarily and not begin any new projects. This seminar was perfect for my intentions and goals this year.

But far beyond that was the gathering. The people, the real human beings, remind you what it means to be a writer. Blogging and social networks do allow a connectivity that is otherwise unavailable in a busy modern world. But actually being with people is a concept that can not ever be replaced.

Since becoming a member of KWA in 2007, I have done more in terms of writing, editing, revision, self-publishing, and networking than I had ever done before in my life. It is due largely to the encouragement that comes from being part of such an organization. If only my work schedule afforded me more of an opportunity…

I will not go there. I am lucky to be able to know some truly unique individuals who also happen to be writers. Many of these people are interesting beyond their literary aspirations. That they are writers just makes them even that much more interesting.

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Poetry Collections now available

March 23, 2011 at 8:49 am (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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I finalized the proof copies of my two poetry collections and slightly re-did the cover of one.

Ornithology, and other Jazz Poems is a poetic rendering on the life and music of Charlie “Bird” Parker. It is an attempt to assimilate the musical stylings of be-bop into a literary form. I received some encouraging feedback from Peg Nichols of the KAC (Kansas Authors Club). She suggested I try to get a reading done at the American Museum of Jazz up in Kansas City. The suggestion alone gives both myself and the piece a renewed sense of life.

{Peg’s blog, Kansas Plains People focuses on the writing life of Kansans. It touches closer to home for me.}

In The Art of Legerdemain, the life of a Magician is compared in counterpoint to the life of a Poet. Both create illusions out of seemingly nothing; both attempt to awe and dazzle their audience; and both wonder whether their works will have any lasting influence. It is, in essence, a literary autobiography of a period in my life from the late 80′s to the mid 90′s when there were both personal and artistic changes and transformations.

It is amazing to me to consider that the only possibility to put these collections out 20 years ago was via a printed chapbook. Perhaps this is the contemporary digital version of that. I am more proud of my efforts in getting these published in this particular forum. It shows that you CAN teach an old dog some new tricks.

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Poetry Collections

March 15, 2011 at 10:03 am (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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I just got my proof copies of the two poetry collections I put together on Lulu. They are currently in PRIVATE status. I’ve learned (after many mistakes) to not make them available until they are satisfactory.

My wife (my editor) was reviewing them last night and was impressed. She says she is not much of a poetry reader but I think that makes her a better judge of the work. Too often, people who “know” poetry might have pre-conceived notions of what it is supposed to be.

In the meantime I am showing the covers which I am quite happy with.

Ornithology is a poetic interpretation on the life of Charlie “Bird” Parker and his influence on jazz music. It was attempt to incorporate the rhythms of be-bop into a verse form. There are other Jazz Poems that are included, written in the early 1990′s when classic jazz music was a major influence in my artistic life. (Now, of course, I am the Tikiman and focus on Lounge Music and Martinis.)

The Art of Legerdemain is a collection of poems using the concept of the Poet as Magician. Both create illusions seemingly out of nothing. Both dig deep into the Spiritus Mundi. Both have doubt whether anything they do will have any lasting influence. These were written during the mid-1990′s and I have my dear friend, Joe Gallo, to thank for the many discussions we had regarding poetry and life. (Can anyone guess where the cover design came from?)

When the final editing is down and the pieces are ready for public consumption, I will advise accordingly.

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Everything comes in Threes: A Third Ebook

March 13, 2011 at 8:40 pm (self-publishing, Writing)
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I placed my third Ebook, The Ballad of Justin Thieme on Smashwords.

It is the sad account of a young man with a funny name who endures as much social abuse as he can and maintain his dignity. When he is fired from his job because it is perceived that he was the one who was not accommodating, he finds himself free to exact a bloody vengeance.

From the collection published on Lulu, Unemployed and Dangerous: A Trilogy of Transgressive Novellas, this final entry marks my complete transgressive fiction work.

So far.

It has been an exciting and interesting experience to convert to digital forms and offer my work in that fashion.

As always, I look forward to any commentary and feedback. I would be interested in knowing who else has used Smashwords or any other such media and how they feel about offering their works as Ebooks.

Naturally, I wish all my readers continued success.

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An Ebook now available

March 9, 2011 at 12:26 pm (self-publishing, Writing)
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My Transgressive fiction novella, Malfeasance, is now available on Smashwords.com

I have two more that I am working on formatting and creating cover art/photos. This is exciting for me because of the nature of it. Smashwords offers a profoundly clear formatting guide that makes it easier for an old analog dude like me to figure out.

Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated.

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Skating on Ice versus Swimming in the Lake

February 9, 2011 at 2:39 pm (Personal, self-publishing, Writing)
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Since 2007, there has been a flurry of writing activity for me.

I have participated in NaNoWriMo, that madcap literary dash to the finish, writing (scribing, transcribing, composing, etc.) 50,000 words on a “novel” within the month of November. And I have successfully completed this event in each of the last four years. I put it aside for the month of December and then begin the new year with a rewrite, editing, polish, etc. But not really.

After a profoundly interesting meeting of the Kansas Writer’s Association in May 2009, I realized many things that I did not know about networking and blogging and self-publishing with POD services, etc. So, I got business cards, started this blog, found two short novels of mine ripe for publication and set to the task of networking. But not really.

With my wife’s help, I reorganized the office, separated personal from writing, and got myself in a position to take care of household needs separate from literary ones. But not really.

Since 2007, I’ve been only touching the surface of these things, skating on a thin layer of ice, polishing the impressions while fearful of falling and losing ground. I should have been diving into the warmth of a lake in summer, splashing around, unafraid of getting wet or staying out too late.

I wrote recently of having lost notes regarding a novel I was still working on in first draft. It occurred to me that perhaps this was a wake up call to go slower, refocus the efforts on work that needs more attention. I need to take some pieces that are good but not great, interesting but not fascinating, entertaining but not must-read and flesh them out and bring them to a truer point of completion.

So, whereas my 2011 Writing Goals shows that I wanted to work on two new pieces, I am revising even that. My focus will be on three works (perhaps a fourth) that will undergo extreme scrutiny and finer revision. I will slow down the train of the agent search before I derail myself. I will place unwavering attention on the skill and the craft and the art.

I will finalize two poetry collection manuscripts for publication on Lulu only because, well, they’re poetry and the whole idea of Lulu for poetry reminds me of when everyone was putting out their work in chapbooks.

It’s winter time. we just had a snowstorm here in the Wichita, KS area and we got about 7-9 inches of snow. That’s the real world. As far as my writing is concerned, I’m going to go swimming in the lake for a while.

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A Poetry Collection

February 2, 2011 at 5:52 pm (self-publishing, Writing)
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I have put together a collection of jazz themed poems and am finalizing it on Lulu.com
The time was right to do so for a number of reasons. First of all, I wanted to honor, so to speak, the other elements of my literary interests. I haven’t written any new poetry of any value for nearly fifteen years. A combination poetry/spoken word piece based on the life of Charlie Parker is the central work of the collection. Most of the poems are from 1992-1994.
Second, there are two gentleman that I work with who seem spectacularly interesting in an artistic fashion. One is Jeremi who I have mentioned as the inspiration for my 2010 NaNoWriMo piece, Professor Thug. The other is Jared, who goes by Esper in the digital world. He is a poet, musician, and digital artist. For a while I have been intensely working on acquiring an agent and getting published and seemed to lost touch with the social and communal aspects of art and artists. (Which reminds me: I need to find a critique group here in Wichita and start attending REGULARLY.)
And third, Jennifer Neri’s recent post made me realize that blogging is another viable venue for putting out your work, reading the work of others and praising their achievements.
So, manuscript is uploaded, cover and back design created, photos determined, almost ready to be unveiled.
BUT…I will wait for the proof copy before that event.
And, continued thanks to Jennifer Neri for posts like that one. Because it does remind us that we are NOT alone out there. People DO read. People DO take note. Our efforts are NOT wasted.

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