Now Comes Grim by Grim and Caleb Wilcox

12/2/2023

Debut science-fiction authors Grim and Caleb Wilcox introduce us to their fantastic, science-fiction tome, “Now Comes Grim”:

Dive into an epic tale of interstellar exploration, human resilience, and the age-old battle between good and evil. Set against a backdrop that spans centuries, from the daring voyages of Earth's legendary explorers to the futuristic landscapes of Proxima b in 3000 C.E., "NOW COMES GRIM" is a masterful blend of history and fiction that will captivate your imagination.

Meet Grim, a character foretold by prophecy, navigating a world of loss, destiny, and profound moral choices. As the narrative unfolds, readers are treated to a thrilling combination of suspense, historical richness, and a deep exploration of the human psyche.

But this isn't just a story of space battles and otherworldly adventures. It's a poignant reflection on humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge, the sacrifices we make for progress, and the indomitable spirit that defines us.

Join us on a journey that traverses time, space, and the very essence of human emotion. "NOW COMES GRIM" is more than a book; it's an experience that will linger in your thoughts long after the last page.

Written in first person, this is an epic story in the sci-fi military genre and I love it. It rang so true for me with the descriptions of training and action.
I love that we really get to know the characters in this expansive tale. They become quite real. Liam might be one of my favorites because he does his job as ordered. Mouth is also a favorite because he can't shut up and has an opinion about everything. My mouth got me into a lot of trouble when I was in basic training.
I was sorry the story had to end. 4 stars.

Caleb Wilcox and Grim

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/COMES-GRIM-Grim-Caleb-Wilcox-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-now-comes-grim
www.barnesandnoble.com/now-comes-grim-grim-caleb-wilcox

You can connect with the authors:
https://twitter.com/GrimCalebWilcox
https://twitter.com/grimbooksllc
https://www.instagram.com/grimbooksllc

I have reviewed the second book in the series "Whispers of Power" here:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/whispers-of-power

tags: warriors, military, action, planets, space travel, war, terrorists, special forces, traitors, monsters, magic

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the authors’ introduction

74 Comments

Grim link

12/3/2023 03:17:20 pm

Thank you for the wonderful review. I am glad you liked the book.

Grim Books

12/3/2023 03:20:44 pm

Thank you for the review! I’m Zirui, the owner of Grim Books, we represent the authors and we love this book as our first book to send to publishing.

Mark

12/3/2023 03:57:07 pm

Welcome, Grim and Zirui, to the Word Refiner channel. I am pleased to have you both as guests. Normally, only the author shows up and participates but I am glad both of you are here. This is the only live interview for authors on the internet as far as I know.

We are going to talk about Grim's writing, publishing and marketing journey over the next few days. I throw in a few other questions for fun. Feel free to jump in whenever you would like to, Zirui.

First question.

Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Grim link

12/3/2023 05:03:05 pm

That is a great question.
I am 53 years old and looking forward to more years.
At 16 I joined the DEP program for the US Air Force. My adventures working for the government never stopped.

They sent me to Desert Storm and we did some amazing things with that new-fangled piece of equipment called GPS.

Most of what I did in the military is still classified, so I cannot get into much. But some of the training is actually in the book. That added a little more realistic view to the writing.

I met a lot of people named ‘Smith’ doing what I have done for God and Country over the years and still see those guys and gals out there doing the work needed to keep our country on top.

The high adventure game in my bio is called ‘Warhammer 40,000’ and was a blast to play. Hats off to my original group that played the game for three long years (by their game name);
Jake, Verbil, Gunner, Zee, Cato and Smirt.

Jake talked me into writing a book.
Needed a back story to get up to speed with the scenario so the book grew into what it is today.

I had several re-writes and finally hooked up with Caleb who taught me to polish the wording and added the family of bad guys that are in the story. His mind thinks fast and is diabolical. He protested, but I put his pen name on the book as well. He deserves it. He helped my story become a novel worth reading as opposed to just a novel (my opinion).
Caleb is working hard writing more books by himself and has 20 ready for publishing! Each of them are as good as this one. He loves writing and is immersed in the process to that end. He doesn’t do any interviews right now but has given me permission to answer things for him if needed.

Mark

12/3/2023 06:42:15 pm

Besides the love of books in general and science fiction in particular, we have both served in the air force. Brother!

I have never played a multiplayer game like that. My son introduced me to Lego Star Wars on his X-box and I couldn't master the controls very effectively.

I don't know what a DEP program is. Can you enlighten us?

A tip of the hat to your co-writer. He has learned that an easy reading book is the result of a lot of hard writing. No one has ever written a perfect first draft. Those that do never finish because they lose sight of their original inspiration.

Tell Caleb I would be happy to provide a free sample and estimate of my work on one of his books. I can confidently say that spelling errors are present in his books. I read 40 to 50 published books a year and all but one have spelling errors. 95% of books have spelling errors in them. That average has held true for 10 years.

New questions.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

What kind of work do you do if you are a part-time writer? Feel free to skip that question, if you would rather not answer.

Grim link

12/3/2023 07:26:57 pm

Great questions and it is a pleasure to talk with a fellow USAF person.

DEP is the Delayed Enlistment Program. Back then, you pass the tests and openly declare what branch you will enter and they start training and get you ready for basics and for your career.

The game was more like Dungeons and Dragons than a console based game.

I am full time retired from a government job, part time used by the government as a consultant and write almost full time on my next book: a bio about my two best friends, a mother and daughter who came to America from China so that the daughter can have a better life and better schooling than the mother received in China. They are very smart, very resourceful and I am proud to call them my best (and only) friends.

Caleb has expressed interest in using Grim Books LLC to do the leg work on publishing, so we will keep you informed on everything and I will pass that along when I talk to him next.

Mark

12/3/2023 08:39:54 pm

I never got into D and D also. Between work and a new family, I was busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

The book you are writing sounds like it could be a good read.

Thanks for sharing my offer with Caleb.

New question.

How did you meet Zirui and her mom, the subjects in your current WIP?

Grim Books

12/4/2023 12:32:26 am

And here’s a little bit from my perspective:

I first met Grim to work with him on advertising things for one of my mom’s businesses. To be honest, he looked intimidating to me as he was big and bald and had tattoos. But as I got to know him, he turned out to be a very intelligent person with very impressive life experiences. He was also a lot nicer than how he looked.

I am very grateful that he gave me the business for the book company and I appreciate this opportunity for me to learn about business. We work well together and hopefully we can make the company turn a profit soon.

Mark

12/4/2023 12:45:14 pm

We are told not to judge a book by its cover. That is something that can't be helped, we all do it. First impressions and gut feelings keep us safer. It's wonderful that as you became acquainted with Grim he was much nicer than you first thought.

Grim link

12/4/2023 07:59:33 am

I met her mom first. I had a back injury and she was a highly rated therapeutic therapist that was able to help me. Between her and the physical therapist I learned to walk completely again.
During that time, I started to help with her businesses as well and then met her daughter.
Zirui came home from college one day and helped to do some advertising things.
They both have contagious smiles and an ability to communicate on my level about the businesses.
Zirui also was in physics classes (her degree is in that) and it happens to be one of my favorite subjects. She and I struck up many good conversations and debates on the subject.
When I needed to start a company for the book (most indie authors find it easier that way for taxes and for payout of royalties if there are more than one author) Zirui was my first and best choice to run it.

She calls me uncle Grim and is learning at a lightning pace what is needed for the company.

I am teaching her how to succeed in business and she is a fantastic learner.

They are my best and only friends in life. They are like my family and have all of my heart and soul directed to them. Without those two, I would be lost.

Everything I am, is because of the two of them.

Mark

12/4/2023 12:50:03 pm

Wonderful and very heartwarming. It almost sounds like a Hallmark movie and I have grown enough to love them. We don't get to choose the family we are born into. But we do get to choose the rest. It sounds like you have made a good choice.

New questions.

Why do you write?

How has writing changed your life?

Grim link

12/4/2023 01:03:32 pm

Another graat question…

Being retired for numerous years, writing has been a way to occupy time.
I use it as my ‘alone time’ to relax and just let my mind go free. It keeps my mind sharp and keeps me active.
I didn’t write much growing up. A few short stories here and there. But I did debate a lot without any notes. Such is the mind of a person. Debating and litigating was a way I passed time back then.

I probably never would have wrote this novel or planned the rest without being pushed by those around me to keep doing better and doing more.

The girls keep me looking forward to my next book.

I also hooked up with a fantastic person at Pioneer Publishing Press named Kash. He has become almost like family himself and makes things interesting for me. His interests happen to be along the line of my knowledge base.

All of that makes me want to write more and more.

Writing has made me keep my mind active as my body breaks down. It has given me a desire to do more with my mind.

Mark

12/4/2023 03:17:37 pm

Some human brains have amazing abilities others leave much to be desired. More likely it is merely operator error. It does sound like you have some kind of photographic memory.

Good friends and family can make a big difference in the life of a person.

I am glad you are doing more writing. Your future fans will be glad also.

New questions.

What inspired you to write this book?

Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

Grim link

12/4/2023 07:20:19 pm

I had a gazillion pieces of paper with backstories and story lines and bios and character development sheets from the game. When the game ended, I didn’t know what to do with all the stuff I had.
So one of the guys, Jake, talked me into writing a book using all that information I had.
Not much of an inspiration, except I wanted to immortalize that part of the game.

The genre was pre-determined as the game is Science Fiction and a War game.

Great question!

Mark

12/4/2023 07:46:16 pm

Thank you again. I am glad you are enjoying my interview format. I have not seen it anywhere else.

I have been recycling since the early 70s. This is a great example of recycling! One of the best I have seen in a long time.

That is an interesting backstory for writing the book. Since writing a book was not in view during the game the organization of the game notes was far different than if you had planned to craft a novel.

New questions.

How did you write the book with such a jumble of information?

Is it true that you wrote it on your phone?

Grim link

12/4/2023 07:59:27 pm

I will answer the second one first…
Yes.
All 250 plus thousand words. I had to take the transcript from the form it was in (small emails) and get it into a form that can be published. The emails happened because of COVID during the last part of the book and the editing. Everything is in the iPhone and is still all there.

The first question is just as easy of an answer…
The jumble was actually well laid out and organized. I kept careful notes of wheee the group went, what they said and who they interacted with. I kept track of wounds and scars and everything else so that the game went well.
So I started with just writing down the scenario and what they did. Then added in the ‘fluff’ for showing and not telling. Then needed a backstory, which was easier as it was made up outside the game scenario. I used the places, de-populated for time differences and created an entire group of trainers. Developed the training by using a lot of my own training and just transferring it to the group there.
Then we needed to close the story out. So I developed what happened after the scenario ended.
Caleb added the key elements of the family of bad guys and the scenes of introducing the diabolical ways of that group.
So it was thousands of pages of notes, but very organized and in order.
I also used the guys that played the game as players to match their notes with my story every step of the way. They all signed off when it matched what they had written down.

So it was a little easier than it sounds with all the notes.

The questions are very good to get the mindset and may help some gamers to write their own books about their games they are in.

Mark

12/5/2023 08:47:58 am

I am quite impressed with that. You wrote a book on your phone. I struggle doing much of anything on my phone and typing is one of the worst. I use dictation whenever possible. Dictation never works very well and throw in a somewhat petulant autocorrect the results are marginally better than the torturous typing with my thumbs.

Was the game played by email also? That would certainly stretch things out and allow for strategic planning. I think it was genius to use the player names also.

New question.

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

Grim link

12/5/2023 09:02:03 am

I went through one total rewrite and three more rewrites of most areas.

The first rewrite was the one that made the book how it is. That one took it from just a chronology of a game to more of a book.
The last one made it jump into realism by adding glimpses of things needed and things of the past not explained.

The others just added the elements needed to make the book a novel.

I was told during my first time having someone read it, that they could make it a best seller, but that I would not recognize it. If I wanted to recognize it I had to rewrite it and make it better with backstory and an ending.

I still have that piece of paper he wrote to tell me he loved the story, hated the storyline as it sat.

The last rewrite was immediately after getting the help of Caleb. He helped polish things and provided the internal storyline that made it pop out.

Mark

12/5/2023 02:18:10 pm

Only four rewrites impress me a good deal! Many authors rewrite their book double that, some triple that and a few even more. I think that the excellent notes made a big difference in terms of the number of rewrites. Those notes provided a framework, much like an outline. An outline affords the opportunity to move things around without having to worry about the final details meshing or not. Plotter (outliner) or Pantser (writing by the seat of your pants)? With this book you are firmly in the plotter camp.

New questions.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

Grim link

12/5/2023 04:04:03 pm

During the game I had already had this strange symbol that the team had to look for as a reference. I had envisioned it in my mind and drew little mock-ups and a full scale one so that I could show them if and when they come upon it.

The symbol was a snake in an oroborus and the sign of infinity, on fire, with a trident through the left coil. I used imagery with meaning and, honestly, never explained it in the book beyond describing it.

When I was talked into writing a book, I knew that the image had to be in the cover as the sole object. And it had to be on a black background,

The lettering was to be made of ice that is melting due to the fire of the image. Dripping into oblivion. As the mind of the main character, Grim, was tormented from early on, it too, was imagery.

Then the problems happened…
My drawing was no where near good enough to be on a cover. I am a good artist. Not that good though in my own mind to do what was needed for a cover. So we passed it on to the good people at Pioneer. Kash called and said that the description was “…a lot for his people to get it correct…’ and suggested we help with some of the leg work. So we went to AI and tried to find the things that would work and were close.

Wouldn’t you know it, AI couldn’t do anything remotely close. They could do a dragon. But not in the sign of infinity. They also could not put a trident anywhere on the picture. It was like the intelligence was just not there.

That was the trouble everyone was having. Until my team here took it up. I will let her explain how she did it, but it was many nights of being up all night finding the right human to get the art part done.

The person she found hit it correct the first time and quickly. It looked better each time he sent a part for approval. I was blown away.

The lettering was also a chore. But my team made it possible one letter at a time. Then everything was packed off to Pioneer and they loved it!

Look… I am five foot ten, two hundred and ten pounds, bald, tattooed, muscular (a little old age creeping in) and seen war. Some say I have a heart of ice. But I actually cried when I saw it come together the way I envisioned it before I even wrote the story.

I am proud to say that my team created a second cover as well. When the time is right, we will have a surprise for the fans of this book.

When she gets time, she will answer how she did what she did, as it came out perfect the first time for her. Only she can say what she did, and she may add that to Grim Books LLC to start doing for people that hire her… or maybe this one time made her not want to… the choice is hers.

Grim Books

12/6/2023 04:45:45 pm

The letters of the cover was done by AI. Grim wanted the letters to be in ice melting font, but there wasn’t an available font we could find on the internet that is exactly what we wanted, so I tried using AI to generate these letters for us one by one. We put the descriptive words into AI and it generated the letter. Since the letters was generated one by one, each image had its own tone of color. So I simply used my iPhone and adjusted the colors and lightings of each image to be all matched.
For the tattoo picture, because the AI was not powerful enough to generate a picture with all of the details we wanted, we turned around and hired a tattoo artist to do that for us. They drew the picture on their iPad and it looked amazing and was exactly what we wanted it to be.
After getting all of the parts we needed for the cover, I used photoshop to put them together on a black background. The whole experience wasn't difficult, but I did had to learn about AI and photoshop in a short time for that.

Mark

12/6/2023 06:36:29 pm

Quite a process, Zirui, for obtaining and assembling the components for the cover. Thank you for sharing it with us. The learning curve will probably serve you well in the future.

Mark

12/5/2023 06:56:01 pm

That is a great story and quite a journey. I didn't catch that Grim's name was melting but I love the imagery representing his heart melting and that allows him to better connect with others. That bonus cover sounds nice and I have no doubt it will be stupendous.

New question.

Did you get everything into the book you wanted? Your book is big, and it is a long and juicy read.

Grim link

12/5/2023 09:02:52 pm

There were things that I had in the book to begin with that I wish could have stayed.

Several of the story arcs are missing completely and a once friendly person became a villain in the re-writes. That one worked, so it is not as difficult to see that one turn.

One of the biggest thing I did that I didn’t want to was to change the character list so drastically from the beginning to the end. The original started and ended with the same characters.
But in war, that many people placed in the line of fire would not have all of them live or stay in the military.

So we had to change that part. I do wish I could have kept it how it was.

But the novel turned out to hold the direction and scope I wanted to hit, so it is complete. And it is the story that I can recognize.

Mark

12/6/2023 10:05:21 am

Sometimes there are multiple versions of a movie. A director's cut, an extended version an anniversary edition.
There is no reason why you couldn't offer a deluxe version with extra material or additional story arcs. On the other hand, you could release a series of side stories with those missing story arcs and have a nice boxed set.

Here is a copy-and-paste link about an author that had phenomenal success using Kickstarter to fund a deluxe edition of his popular book. https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/ You can also use the search box below.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

Grim link

12/6/2023 10:14:14 am

This is an easy question… possibly the easiest I will have to answer.

The character Grim is… well… me.

In the game, the character was fed in to help. As the story revolves around him and his abilities and training for the most part, I knew ‘Grim’ had to be in the title.

As I knew a backstory needed to be developed as well, adding the words ‘Now Comes Grim’ together was the only choice.

The name of the book was developed before I started writing. I used the name as an inspiration to keep going on the writing. Kind of my muse of sorts for the first, second and third run through.

Mark

12/6/2023 01:01:21 pm

That is a nice story behind the title! It makes a lot of sense. A book that is easy to read and keeps the reader engaged is the result of much hard writing. There has never been a first draft that could do all of that.

New questions.

Is this the first book you have written?

If you will be writing more books, what can you tell us about them?

Grim link

12/6/2023 01:30:27 pm

This is the first book I have written.

I wrote some short stories as a youth, but nothing that would be worthy of publishing.

I also wrote some opening and closing arguments and a few thesis papers and defenses of them.

Currently I am working on a Bio, and Autobiography and a book on Near Death Experiences.

This novel will probably be my only foray into the Sci-Fi genre.

Mark

12/6/2023 03:47:32 pm

Your fiction fans will be disappointed without a doubt.

Near Death Experiences are a popular non-fiction topic. I have promoted a book on that topic. Put NDE in the search box below.

New questions.

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI?

Did you use AI in any of your writing, planning or research for your book?

Grim link

12/6/2023 03:57:34 pm

AI…

That is a hot button for some.
My opinion on it doesn’t really matter much to anyone, you either are okay with it or you’re not. I don’t think it will replace too many humans for awhile.

But the question deals with our use or non-use of it in my works.
I do not use it for writing. I tried it for the cover with negative net results for the picture.

I do the research on my own with the regular internet, reference material and interviews of professionals. I can not trust something that is fed the hood and the bad and will spew it out when asked. However, it doesn’t differentiate between true and false statements (yet).

Currently, AI is here to sit around until we stop using it or the premise of Terminator and Matrix take over. My opinion. I could be wrong.

Mark

12/6/2023 06:51:55 pm

I agree with you. AI won't have a big effect one way or the other for an undetermined amount of time. In many ways, it is just a bigger and faster database able to spit out some kind of result quickly. That result is frequently not pleasing or exactly what the user wanted. Thus, more attempts are required until an acceptable result is provided.

Consider that the large language models are fed "read" many thousands of books, transcripts and all manner of written words and all of that material contains different levels of writing ability and writing errors of course. No wonder AI is accused of hallucinating at times.

When spellcheckers first became available, I thought I might take my proofreading shingle down because the computer would provide a better service. It didn't take long before I learned I reacted too quickly. All of these years later, I still find spelling errors in 95% of published books.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

Grim link

12/6/2023 07:41:51 pm

Public speaking…

For the book, no. I don’t intend to either. I did do ‘Cocktails with Cav’ the other week. A podcast sort of interview. Due to the nature of my past work and the disposition of my current situations, I had to shadow my face on the feed.

The speaking engagements I did do concerned work. The venue was in a non-disclosed location near DC to a group of people that needed to learn. I was not the only speaker, mind you, but it was fun to dish out some expertise I had in certain areas so that the men and women who keep us safe could do their job even better.

Do I plan on speaking again? Only to that special group with my face exposed. Aside from that, no.

Mark

12/6/2023 08:31:28 pm

"It was fun to dish out some expertise."

That is the great secret of public speaking. When you know more about the topic than anyone else in the room it is fun to speak in public. It also helps to know that the people in the audience want to hear what you are going to share.

New questions.

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Grim link

12/6/2023 08:43:53 pm

When I was in the fifth grade, there was a writing contest to get more monies for the local schools to teach the children. I entered and won the essay contest.
It was pretty cool. I got to read my essay on the PA system for the entire school to hear and it was sent to the local City Council to review and read to discuss the issue.

I still remember how it started…
‘One day, man will set foot on the moon… that is how our science book starts, before the Table of Contents. But that day we set foot on the moon was before I was born.’

I went on from there. I hit point upon point of the fact the book was written in 1961, and Kennedy was in Office. Even the Periodic Table of Elements had changed in the 20 years since it was printed and published.

That was the one and only time I actually took pen to paper for a contest.

These days, I wouldn’t even know how to enter with my novel or even what there is out there to enter in. My days of winning contests left me the day after I won that first essay contest all those years ago.

I leave the winning to those that are considerably better writers than I.

Mark

12/7/2023 08:21:57 am

Don't sell yourself short. I think you are a good writer. The emotional depth of your book is outstanding, and the action-packed military scenarios are marvelous. But that could be because you lived so much of the story through the role-playing game and your own military service.

I understand that you are not planning to write anymore fiction. If you change your mind short stories are a great way to improve your writing skill. I have recommended to writers that short story writing contests, especially those that provide feedback from the judges, can help a writer improve their writing skills. I do have a warning, there are a lot of shady contests out there. Some want to extract as much as they can from your wallet, others want to steal your intellectual property. Here is a copy-and-paste link about those things: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests. You can also use the search box below to find the link. There are other blogs I have links for on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New question.

I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?

Grim link

12/7/2023 09:39:27 am

We are still trying to get our feet wet on the sales side.

We wanted to have everything done and perfected first (I think it is there now) before we threw ourselves into all of that.

It will come.

Thank you for the vote of confidence on the writing and the ways it became blended with the action sequences. However, I still will bow out of placing myself into contests (respectfully).

Mark

12/7/2023 12:24:11 pm

You're welcome.

Sales and marketing are huge issues for every author. So many blogs have been written on these topics. I have links to many of them elsewhere on my website on the Highly Regarded Blogs page.

If you sign up for Kindle Unlimited, I expect you will discover that Amazon requires exclusive placement for a term. You will not be allowed to sell your book on any other platform. On Amazon, everything is permanent until it changes. Sometimes with little to no warning. In KU, writers get paid a fraction of a penny for each page read. Amazon has handed out many millions of dollars in royalties for KU books. Authors with lots of books can make a decent amount of money.

Here is another angle. Going wide, forsaking KU and placing your book on as many platforms as you wish. Now, that is easier said than done because many of the major selling platforms have differing requirements from Amazon and other platforms. Using an aggregator might be the best way. Here is another copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below: Aggregators just might be an author's best friend! https://www.kotobee.com/blog/everything-need-know-aggregators/

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

Grim link

12/7/2023 12:43:52 pm

The easy answer is… no.

The reasoning is not so easy.
I know the query process is full of ups and downs. I also know that it can take a long time to see it accepted.
I didn’t have that time.
My medical conditions are not getting better. They are failing. I wanted to see it published physically.
Sales is a different story. I turned the book over to Grim Books LLC. They can see sales and handle all of that while it fails and I disappear.

I only wanted to see it published.

That it is published and now for sale is a relief for my mind.

I have started working on my next three projects, but only my Creator knows if I will finish any of them or none of them. It won’t be for a lack of trying. I have all my notes meticulously written out and a timeline developed for two of the books. If something happens to me, Grim Books can get someone to finish or let Caleb finish what is started.

About the agent issue.
An agent would have been easier in life. But they require so much that I am not willing or able to give. I can’t do book signings or speaking tours or anything else that would be needed for an agent or a manager to get the book going well.
So I just went with Kash Stevens and Pioneer Publishing Press. They did the job of getting it ready and put it up on the Amazon platform.

They worked well with me and I have no complaints.

Mark

12/7/2023 03:00:46 pm

Your reasoning makes a lot of sense to me and is startlingly clear. I appreciate the clarity of your thought process. Your reasons are very valid.

The traditional publishing industry has been in serious decline for more than a decade. Amazon started publishing books in 2009. It didn't take very long before the traditional publishing apple cart was knocked over and then smashed into small pieces. We are down to only four or five big publishing houses and they still refuse to acknowledge that eBooks are here to stay. They price eBooks quite high because they want consumers to buy the physical book. Almost every publisher is fighting to stay alive. Most of them are only one failed launch away from turning off the lights.

New question.

What is your publisher doing to market your book?

Grim link

12/7/2023 03:28:03 pm

I think Pioneer is classified as a Hybrid publisher. Not fully indie and not fully a traditional publisher.

The route we took has us paying for services rendered.
Want it published?
X amount

To get the marketing it costs more above the spot on the website and several other things they do from their end. The rest is up to us.

We had to open up accounts on Social Media all over, learn how to use the AI and watch lots of videos on how to properly market a book on the media pages available.

A daunting task. We are learning daily.

Traditional publishers help more through agents and professional marketers. That is not what we did.

If I run out of options, I will pay more for it. Right now, I am happy with what we are doing right now.

Mark

12/7/2023 05:27:47 pm

Hybrid publishing is a good choice when you know nothing about self-publishing. Some people look askance at hybrid publishing because they think it's vanity publishing with a nicer face. Most vanity publishers exist to extract as much money from your wallet with package deals. On the other hand, hybrid publishers are more open about their services and pricing allowing an author to pick the help they want to pay for. Many hybrid publishers transfer all royalties to the author because the publisher has already made their money up front. Personally, I think hybrid publishing is not a bad way to get started towards being a self-publisher.

Most publishers, including traditional publishers, do little marketing beyond a posting on their website. Almost every published author finds the responsibility for marketing lands squarely on their shoulders. Since marketing is more like an ultra-marathon rather than a sprint it can be very daunting.

New question.

How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

Grim link

12/7/2023 05:54:20 pm

Pioneer gives all royalties to the author for that reason, they got paid for the services rendered already. So it was very fair and I knew upfront what was happening. Left me with warm fuzzies in my chest.

Do I think my book is as good as a mainstream book?
Short answer… yes.
Reason…
I have read some really crappy books by mainstream. They hack them up to where the plot or story arc is ‘what is popular now’ and makes it like others of the same genre.

I have read some better as well.

But it is those crappy cookie-cutter books that are published by the big boys that makes it so I can honestly say yes.

Mark

12/7/2023 08:30:34 pm

I agree with you. I don't read mainstream books much anymore but the last several I read had spelling errors also. Your book is as good as any other book out there.

For most publishers, a book is only a little more than a box of cereal on a grocery shelf. If it sells, the publisher makes money. Consequently, the publisher will do everything the contract allows to be certain it will sell as many copies as possible. Including requiring the author to rewrite whatever the publisher thinks need to be rewritten. A past client queried the latest book in her series. It was picked up and the publisher asked her to rewrite it out of the series. She began the task. She emailed the publisher with some questions and never received a reply. She abandoned the querying and never looked back.

New question.

There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

Grim link

12/7/2023 08:38:29 pm

The most unethical thing I have seen so far is people offering to help and then charging outlandish amounts of money for the ‘help’.

Growing up, if I offer to help it is free. If I ask to be paid to help or is not an offer. It is a job.

Should people have jobs aiding writers to publish?
Absolutely.

But don’t offer if you are actually charging for the assistance.
Honesty in the offer is the best policy for me.

Mark

12/8/2023 08:25:15 am

I do agree. Honesty is the best policy. There is a lot of that going around.

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?
Do you ever read a book more than once? If so, which one?

Grim link

12/8/2023 08:56:54 am

That is a good question. I have several that bring up strong emotions, and for different reasons;

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (1946 (Vienna, Austria) 1959 (United States)) which shows what true love is and how it can get one through even the most horrific experiences. In this case, the Holocaust. If you haven’t read it yet, it is recommended.

Echo in Ramadi by Scott A Huesing (2018). As a military person that deployed (albeit prior to Huesing by around 18 years and not to the Hell they went to), I read his story and feel the pains he endures in the deployment. Losing members, firefights and trying to figure out how to survive is something I can get behind.

Chariots of the Gods by Erik Von Daniken (the printing I have is 1999). There is so much in the world that we don’t understand. So much we can’t explain. So much beauty. If you are not into Ufology, take the word ET out and read it for its amazement and beauty that you probably never witnessed first-hand. I have been to some of the places pictured, and those pictures don’t do it justice. Breathtaking and makes me wonder ‘How’, every time I read it.

Those are my go-to books to read and why. I own those ones, and hundreds more. I read all the time, but those three are my well used and read books.

Mark

12/8/2023 12:38:09 pm

Those sound like good books.

I want to read all the books. But with a million books published yearly I don't have a chance.

One of the last mainstream books I read was American Sniper by Chris Kyle.

New questions.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

If you could ask every person, who has read your book, only one question what would you ask them?

Grim link

12/8/2023 02:29:23 pm

Where the Wild Things Are. Loved it. That was the only child geared book I really read. The rest were geared towards school and learning and I was reading well above my age group.

One question I ask…
Did it live up to what you thought?

Mark

12/8/2023 04:38:28 pm

I probably didn't read that book. I was headed into my teen years when that was published.

Reading above grade level is something we have in common. A retired grade schoolteacher lived behind us and she taught me to read when I was five. I never made it to kindergarten as I was too busy playing and building forts.

That is a good question to ask readers. Every person reads a book that is slightly different than what the author wrote. Each reader sees it through different eyes and desires.

New questions.

Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

Grim link

12/8/2023 05:24:15 pm

Spiritual? No.
Healing? Yes. With my medical problems, writing has become a way to relax and not feel pain. It is difficult to explain, but I feel good writing.

Every character that a person creates has to have emotions. Even a lack of emotions is technically an emotion that can be relayed to a reader. To add the emotions of each character helps with the depth of the characters. It can explain everything from a look, to a particular style of speech all the way to the actions taken by the character.
Without the emotion company of a character, you have to explain way too much. That detracts from the storyline and overall arc.
In the backstory of each of my character, I wrote the general emotional component of their psyche along with their speech type, language, religious beliefs (a devout religious person will say ‘dang’, Mouth would never be caught dead saying that clean of a word) and upbringing problems/helps.
Then I can get more realistic conversations and dialogue. Without that it is like a 1970’s porn movie script.

Mark

12/8/2023 07:54:49 pm

It's wonderful that writing helps you to feel better. You have lots to write about.

Good observation about the lack of emotions. I read a book called "Superego" by Frank Fleming. The premise was that the main character was a sociopathic assassin, without emotions. He tried to rationalize every action. There were some things he could rationalize very well. It was funny and exciting.

Many writers create a character bible or notebook similar to yours, to flesh out the characters. I think it is essential for big books or a multi-volume series. It is important to maintain continuity of characters.

New question.

What type of material seemed to need the most massaging in your book: descriptions, dialogue or action?

Grim link

12/8/2023 08:01:27 pm

Yes.

All of them required a lot of manipulating to make it into the words that linked together and created the book.

The dialogue, not so much so. But I had to look at people and say ‘what would you say if someone told you this ___’

The battle scenes were the hardest. Trying to use terms that resonate with all readers but keep the ones that were in action interested and feeling the action.

I tell people all the time… anyone can write a battle scene, few make you duck the bullets.

It takes a little bit of knowledge of being there to write it that way. I hope I did a good job getting it to appear that way.

Mark

12/9/2023 08:20:41 am

Dialog that is authentic for a well-developed character is very important on several levels. It can build the characters and differentiate them from each other. You don't want them to talk all the same, most of the time. It can move the story along without lengthy description. Minor conflicts and disagreements can lead to different results at different times. The characters can become more real for the readers.

Make you duck the bullets! I love that. Battle scenes are a challenge for most writers without a doubt. Too much or too little can have a negative impact on the story. A first person POV can increase the difficulty factor. Throw in the natural fog of war and the character can easily get lost.

Your experiences gave you a solid platform to write from. You were following the dictum, 'write what you know'.

New questions.

Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?

What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?

Grim link

12/9/2023 08:42:50 am

That is one loaded question!
For me, they both gave me an enjoyable time. After one sequence I looked at the paper and asked myself “what’s wrong with me?”

The key antagonists of the book (Mother, Gentry, Deep and Shallow) was all Caleb. We decided that an underlying story arc needed to be included. It was almost one of those ‘Hold my beer’ sort of moments. Caleb cracked his knuckles and looked at me and simply said… “I got this.”
Boy did he ever.
He had fun writing those ones into the story.
I had fun writing the other antagonists as it was just interesting to see how messed up my mind could be to write it without passing my own boundaries.
I think I did a good job as did Caleb.
Turning the interview around for a minute…
What did you think of hothead antagonists?

The protagonists were easy, ripped from reality for the most part on their behaviors and mannerisms. Speech pattern is basically theirs.
Now, one of my favorite scenes for the protagonists was during SERE training. I dubbed it in my notes as the escape. Did an escape really happen in training? I will never tell. But I put these kids into some pretty messed up situations (all from training) and then… well… read the book. That was the most fun I had while writing a scene.

One thing I hate about my protagonist was actually written in on purpose…
He is impulsive and angry.

One thing I like about my antagonist was also written into the story on purpose…
The overall antagonist didn’t play checkers, like most people, he didn’t play chess, like most thinkers… this guy played Go, one of the hardest games to master. He thought decades ahead of his enemies in life. His foresight was immense. All the pieces played into his advantage.
You know what I am talking about if you think back to the confession of Matthew in the Mooney Valley.
Do you agree?

Mark

12/9/2023 11:19:27 am

When you mentioned a family earlier my mind went immediately to Mother and crew. They were such a diverse bunch in terms of abilities and character. They seemed invincible to me and that was scary to contemplate. We never want to see the bad guy win. Though, a well-written antagonist thinks they're the hero of the story. Well done, Caleb! You freaked me out! I was on the edge of my Kindle!

I thought all of the antagonists were quite good! They performed their jobs admirably well! Besides tripping up our heroes over and over, they managed to eliminate one or two. That is such a pivotal event for a team. The team needs time to lick their wounds and reconfigure.

I thought the SERE training was perfect and perfectly brutal.

Grim's anger got him into trouble almost as much as out of trouble. That was a brilliant move on your part. It made him real to me.

Go is a game that is easy to play because there are only a handful of rules. Chess, on the other hand is very complicated. But Go takes a lifetime to master as you implied. I have played Go and loved it. But I haven't played for several decades. That guy was brilliant without a doubt. Understanding human nature is critical for success in any endeavor. If you forget that most people are going to act in their self-interest 9 times out of 10, your success will be short-lived.

I am sorry to say I don't recall Matthew's confession. I have read 4 or 5 books since reading yours. There are many details in a book I don't recall but I never forget how the book made me feel and the reading pleasure it gave me.

New question.

Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?

Grim link

12/9/2023 11:59:27 am

The complexity of Go makes it one of the hardest games to master and to strategize. Not bad from a 2,250 year old game.

But to the question at hand…
That would depend on the genre of the writing.

My opinion is that in an action thriller the flow and the pace become symbiotic with regard to one another. The thrill part needs a good flow to keep the story moving seamlessly from one sequence to another. The pace, however, is more towards the action part. In my book, I had to figure out that they are both needed to make the storyline more than it was in the first draft.

Some genres need only a pace or a flow and sporadic ones at that. Others need more flow or more pace. But in the genre I was writing in, both have to be there and at the right time. Without one or the other, the story flails around like a fish out of water.

Mark

12/9/2023 02:46:33 pm

You nailed that. That is one of the best answers for that question I have seen in a long time. I confess it is a trick question worded as an either/or proposition. A good story utilizes both to achieve the intended effect for a given passage. Pace is important. Some passages are very intense and must move fast with short words and short sentences; and they need to be followed by slower sections with longer words and longer sentences, the reader needs a chance to breathe. Flow is just as critical as pace if not more so. The sentences need to be carefully constructed to be easy to read and every detail in the story must jive with the story and reality, to a certain extent. It is very important to avoid anything that will knock the reader out of the author's magic.

Some authors get rather loquacious and even verbose in their word choices. I love words. I love new and unusual words. But there are times when word choice can spoil the suspension of reality spell that an author has worked hard to achieve.

New questions.

These questions might be more applicable to your current work in progress.

What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

Do you write in a straight line, or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Grim link

12/9/2023 05:43:49 pm

Honestly? I write linear. I always go from point A to point B. I don’t jump around, don’t obsess over words or verbiages. I just write.

My muse is there to ensure my mind is focused on the task at hand. Nothing more and nothing less.
And when she is arguing with me… nothing gets put to paper.

As for routine;
I grab a Diet Coke and Lays Stackables. Then I sit and don’t move for hours except to eat and toilet.

My training has taught me to remain immobile for hours on end. My mind keeps me hyper focused and detached from what the body is telling me.

But it makes it so that I can get it done in a short time period.

Though Grim took me five years total to get to print… it took six weeks to write the first draft. Ten weeks to write each of the next three rewrites and an additional two days to write the closing. One day for a Glossary and another for a complete character listing. The complete character listing includes background and everything from a previous question.

Mark

12/9/2023 07:05:39 pm

That kind of training is quite specialized. I don't know anyone who has had it personally.

Many authors write sequentially as you do. Production stops when the muse is silent.

That leads to my next question.

What do you do to move past or through writer's block?

Grim link

12/9/2023 07:26:44 pm

That is a good question. The answer, however, won’t be to my normal style.

I never had writers block. I am currently working on my next three books and have not had it yet.

When the muse stops making me smile or keeping me in a happy mood, I just don’t write. No block, I am just temperamental enough to write only while happy.

The caveat to that is this.
Some of the scenes needed my muse to not make me happy. I needed to be angry to write some of the scenes. Anger fueled some of the battle scenes and all of the scenes with a confrontation in them.

But the rest of the novel needed my muse to make me happy enough to write so my mind would be focused to complete the task at hand.

If I get writers block, I will have to figure out how to get around it. Until then, my muse(s) keeps me thinking straight most days.

Mark

12/10/2023 08:56:30 am

Most authors struggle with writer's block at one time or another. You are a lucky fellow.

When I have felt a creative block, I cease that activity and do something else. The answer comes to me sooner or later. Occasionally much later. Many authors utilize a similar solution, they engage in a familiar activity that doesn't require creative energy or effort. Some authors will drop the WIP and focus on a different story. The answer appears unbidden at the right time for them.

Stories with lots of emotion tend to be great reading. I found the battle scenes to be very engaging even though I have never been in a physical battle. Well done.

New question.

Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not? Here is a copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below for more information: Do This, Not That – Blog Tours
https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2020/06/do-this-not-that-blog-tours

Grim link

12/10/2023 09:06:30 am

The short answer is no.

Being new to this game, I have not discovered all the ways to get my word out yet.

I accept interviews, like the one with ‘Cocktails With Cav’, but I have to be blacked out (@CavLiterature on X) and with you, of course.
I will accept any interview as long as I can be blacked out or it is like this format (which only exists here). I can do over he phone or something to that end. (Contact @GrimBooksLLC on X if you wish to interview me).

I will look into the many other means of doing things, but I can not do book signing tours or anything of the nature of revealing who I am. That is for the protection of me and what I do still. One day, when I retire completely, I will do them.

Mark

12/10/2023 01:29:21 pm

You will do pretty well with most other interviews. Most of the time, the interviewer sends a list of questions to the author. The author answers those questions, numbering from six to twenty much of the time, and posts the interview on their website or blog. Occasionally, the interviewer will ask you to record your answers on audio or video and send the clip to them. Then there are the recorded-live interviews such as you had with Cav. You are ready.

You and Zuriu should visit my Twitter page. Click on the three dots under the header picture and click on Lists. I have a bunch of different lists of people who provide different services to authors such as book reviewers, book promoters and book bloggers, among others. Check their requirements carefully, I make no recommendations.

New questions.

How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?

What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

Grim link

12/10/2023 04:45:03 pm

My book actually starts with the world we live on as a premise for going to the world the book is on.

It starts with man’s desire and the need for exploring other planets to live on. No matter if you believe in Global Warming or any other theory on that line or not, the fact that it is said almost daily makes the statements real (though the content of the statement is what is contested and not part of this answer, do your research and believe what you want). Due to what is on the television daily, I made that the basis and gave the timeline a starting point for the book.

My book is Science Fiction and requires readers to think of something more than what is now known about things in space and on other planets. I hope we can see, and that readers remember, that whatever world we inhabit, we need to get along with each other and the ones that are already there. That is a Full Stop moment. Wars destroy the person who participates. They become damaged physically and mentally as my characters did in my book.
Do I support war?
No.
I was in one. It is hell. Don’t even know if it was needed. But I was there. Many like me were. All carry some scars from it.
People look at the wars and say, ‘support the _______’ (add your own to that). But they forget that a war is some person or persons making a decision to send other people off to fight not for the individuals wants or needs, but, rather, for the needs or wants of the very person that sent them there.
Something to think about. My book actually pulls the curtain back on the inner workings of that.

Mark

12/10/2023 04:55:50 pm

In one sense, your book is against war because of the damage it does to all involved at the ground level. On the other hand, your book is a brutal acknowledgment of the sacrifices that warriors make and the honor they carry.

Are all wars necessary? No. Are some wars necessary? Yes. Though history is written by the victorious, the defeated carry a different story in their hearts.

Treading softly in new territory or on new planets is not a known component of large military forces. Since we will likely be sending small groups of people to other planets initially maybe we can make a good first impression on any inhabitants we find. Realistically, I am not holding my breath.

New questions.

What do you think about chapter titles?

Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?

What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Grim link

12/10/2023 05:26:27 pm

I use chapter titles in about half my chapters. I feel if they are part of the chapter, go for it. You don’t need them all the time.

I read all the collective works of Shakespeare and Chaucer as a child along with Homer, Plato and Vergil. Yes I was a geek.
More recent authors were the likes of Mark Twain, Jules Verne and Fyodor Dostoevsky.

My influencers on me are easy, JK Rowlings, George RR Martin and Erik Von Danekin.

Mark

12/10/2023 07:46:12 pm

I like chapter titles. They are a sneak peek of what's coming up.

You were not just a geek. You were a geek's geek. I thought I was a geek, but I didn't read that stuff unless required. I wanted to get back to The Hobbit or the LOTR. I read the trilogy 3 times in high school.

Twain and Verne kept me entertained a lot before LOTR.

New questions.

Have you ever been asked for writing help or to mentor a fledgling writer?

Who was the easiest character to write in this book?

Who was the hardest character to write in this book?

Grim link

12/10/2023 08:14:01 pm

Have I ever been asked… yes. Did the person take my help?? Nope. Told me I was not a real writer. Doesn’t bother me. I don’t get phased by most people’s opinions of me. Very few have a positive opinion of me. Most think I am nothing worthwhile which means I am doing my job.

Easiest character is a tie between Grim and Mouth. Grim was/is me. He has a lot of my characteristics and traits along with the attitude. Mouth has my mouth and speech pattern. I am highly opinionated and am not afraid to express it even if it hurts the recipient. There are two types of people in the world… emotional thinkers (those whose emotions guide the thought process) which comprises of the majority of society worldwide and logical thinkers (those that use logic, either simple or complex, to guide the thought process) which is a small portion of humanity. I lack the emotional responses to be the first and possess all the logical thinking to be the latter. Unfortunately, logical thinkers usually have the types of mouths and lack of caring what they said and to who. It used to be that people just called me an asshoke and moved on. Now they have ‘safe spaces’ which are nowhere around the real world.

The Hound was the hardest as he was switched from the team he started with to the team he ended up on (not spoiling if he is good or bad). His mindset stayed the same… arrogant, self centered, full of ego, but his outlook and events had to change as the sides changed.

Mark

12/11/2023 08:32:09 am

Some people don't have a flexible point of view, they can be very rigid. There are times to be strong as a mountain and times to be weak as a willow tree.

There is a balance between emotion and logic that very few find. Weighing too heavily in either direction means people will notice you.

New questions.

Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Do you have a defined space for writing at home, or do you prefer to write in a coffee-shop?

Grim link

12/11/2023 09:14:49 am

In building the backstory, some of the characters led the direction slightly. The little snot-nosed brats. But it didn’t take long to get back in line with the story at hand. When one reads the book, they will probably be able to catch two or three times they decided to do what they wanted as they were, at that time in the book, 12.

I have a comfortable chair to write in and a desk along the wall. I also use Starbuck’s a lot as I love a steamed milk in the morning. Overpriced or not, it is fantastic. But the main thing for me is to write where I feel comfortable and the noise is manageable. If I have an idea for the book as I am writing (thinking ahead as it is a thriller) I jot it down wherever I can and add it when it is time or work it in. Caleb does the same. Our fifth and final re-write has so much written on scrap paper and in the margins and along printed emails (COVID). But I kept them all for later on.

Mark

12/11/2023 11:41:34 am

Your characters are reasonably obedient, unlike what I have heard from some authors. Some authors have told me about characters complaining that they weren't getting enough play, others complained about not being in the story at all, some have said that the author left out an important part. In pretty much every case, the author was glad to let the characters have input.

A comfortable writing space is important.

Writing the ideas down is wise. I have encouraged more than one author to keep a notebook for ideas alone. Many authors use the note function on their phone and a few email the notes to themself.

Last questions.

Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?

Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

Grim link

12/11/2023 12:12:46 pm

For me the dialogue was the easiest. I just went off of memories for most of it and ad-lib for some of it. The. I would put friends into the situation and write what they said. Case in point is Firlie meeting Grim, I asked someone what they would say in the situation the characters were in. Viola! Instant dialogue. Just had to write the reaction of Grim.

Sight was the easiest. The hardest for me had to be smells. It is difficult to come up with descriptive ways to write a scent. That one got me several times and I had to fight the urge to copy and paste the previous responses and descriptions of smells the characters dealt with.

Mark

12/11/2023 01:54:28 pm

Dialogue is a great way to move a story forward. It saves a lot of description and keeps the readers more involved. It also helps to define the characters and, in some cases, redefine. Liam is a good example of that. He learned so much from an unlikely source.

Most authors agree with you, describing the nuances of a scent is quite difficult. Some even think it's nearly impossible.

Grim, I want to thank you for being such a fabulous guest! I was concerned at first, thinking I was going to be interviewing the title character of your book. In a way, I did. We have had a wonderful chat.

I have another promotion starting tomorrow, so this one must come to a close.

Until next time, keep on writing.

Grim

12/11/2023 07:21:08 pm

It has been a pleasure. I am so glad that you enjoyed the book and that you have this interview process.

Hopefully it equates to book sales (as of this morning we have 1 whole book sale that we didn’t pay for).

It is a fabulous book, and it is a shame that people have too many books to choose from. If you are looking for one, I recommend reading this book and looking at the reviews of it.

If you read any book, please take the time to provide a review of the book. It helps the authors to know how to improve upon their writing.

Until the next interview by the next person that wants to hear from me… look to the stars… soon we will be there.

Grim

Now Comes Grim by Grim and Caleb Wilcox

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