Week of 23-29 April
Greetings all
It’s been a great week here. Some weeks you pound away and you don’t see any real progress. You know there’s some there, but you don’t see it. This was one of those weeks that make the others look better.
First, it’s always a great thing when you get a good review. I got a fantastic review about The Eyes of a Doll this week. Reviews are life for writers, independent writers especially. I can’t emphasize this enough. Feedback helps us become better writers, of course, but the Amazon algorithm tends to push items that have more reviews. If you buy books, either e-, audio, or paper, from independent writers, please give us reviews. They matter. They really do.
And, if it’s a good one, it doesn’t hurt our ego any, which is nice too.
Second, I have made real progress on the audiobook front. It’s still some months away, but progress has been made. I’ll tell you more when I have more details, but they’re a-coming round the mountain.
Third, I’ve essentially finished Where Now the Rider. I’ve started to do a final editing pass where I read it in my Kindle app. For some reason, things I miss on a larger screen are blindingly obvious to me when I read it on my phone. But it’s a complete story.
Fourth, it’s a good thing, too, because this weekend will be packed. I’ll be in booth 2245 at Planet Comicon. I had a great time last year and would have made money if I hadn’t bought dinner for all my help. I think I’ll do better this year because I have a third book. I’ll also have a couple of other things, and once I have pictures I will show them off.
Fifth, I did the reveal for the cover of Where Now the Rider on Facebook. For those not there, I put this on my blog, and you can see the large version at:
https://robhowell.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WNTR-Front-Cover.jpg
I really like this cover. The colors feel right to me, and I love the doom of the clutching hands reaching at us. Patrick McEvoy has done fantastic work for me over the years.
Sixth, a number of little things, all positive, that should make my life easier going forward.
A little bit here, a little bit there.
I do hope I see a number of you at Planet Comicon this weekend. If not, have a great weekend. I will.
Quote of the Week
I really enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy, and I suspect I’ll see some cosplayers portraying characters from the first movie, especially since we’re only a week away from the second one hitting the theater. I’m excited, and I hope I get to sign “I am Groot’s speechwriter” on a bunch of books this weekend.
Here’s another of my favorite exchanges from the movie:
Groot: I am Groot.
Peter Quill: Well that’s just as fascinating as the first 89 times you told me that. What is wrong with Giving Tree here?
Rocket Raccoon: Well he don’t know talkin’ good like me and you, so his vocabulistics is limited to “I” and “am” and “Groot,” exclusively in that order.
Peter Quill: Well I tell you what, that’s gonna wear real thin, real fast, bud.
News and Works in Progress
- Finishing touches on Where Now the Rider
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Upcoming Events
- 28-30 April: Planet Comicon, Kansas City, MO http://planetcomicon.com/
- 26-28 May: Conquest, Kansas City, MO http://www.conquestkc.org/
- 30 June-2 July: LibertyCon, Chattanooga, TN http://www.libertycon.org/
- 28 July-13 August: Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn46/
- 27-29 October: HonorCon, Raleigh, NC http://www.honorcon.org/
Spotlight
I find that some times I need to leave the house to be at my most productive, so I find bars or restaurants to work at. My favorite for some time has been Brewbaker’s in Lenexa. It’s probably time I put my spotlight on them, especially given that I’ve spent something like 30 hours here in the past week and a half. Their website is: http://www.brewbakersbar.com/
Right now, I’m eating their chicken strips, which are really good, and their zucchini and squash, which is even better. Actually some of the best I’ve ever had.
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at
rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Currently Available Works
- A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
- The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
- Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3) Forthcoming 2017
- I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
- Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2017
- None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
