Thorfinn and the Witch's Curse (Forerunner Series Book 1) By Jay Veloso Batista

6/11/2022

Multi-volume, historical fantasy fiction author, Jay Veloso Batista introduces us to the first volume of the Forerunner Series, “Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse”:
THE 2020 WISHING SHELF BRONZE MEDAL WINNER!
Viking legends, unforgettable characters and authentic history combine in an exciting series starter! Vikings and Saxons, ghostly curses, witches and soothsayers, dangerous were-creatures and a young boy who must find his courage! Danelaw life is good! Practicing martial skills, grumbling over chores, listening to scary stories and shadowing his brothers everywhere, Finn is a normal boy of ten in the Viking Kingdoms of ninth century England. A bit timid, his father plots his apprenticeship while the family prepares a grand wedding. Off to the North, his uncle sails home after years of exile. And unbeknownst to all, the ghost of an ancient mage sits sentinel over his clan freehold. But when a witch’s curse comes alive, a mishap turns young Finn into a vardoger, haunted by his own forerunner ghost. Suddenly thrust into a new realm beyond Midgard, Finn struggles to be a boy by day and a ghost at night. His own clan fears him, he overhears murder plots, he learns the truth of giants and the hidden folk, and the witch still hunts revenge… Will Finn find the courage to defeat his enemies, save his uncle, and accept his new half-ghostly existence? Don’t miss Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse, first book of The Forerunner Series by Jay Veloso Batista.

This is such a good story. I was quite captivated by Finn and his Viking brothers and sisters. The author has such a good eye for detail that brings the story and the characters to life without burying me in extraneous information.
I love the dialogue and the plotting was very exciting.
Finn comes across as an ordinary, ninth-century, Viking boy looking for adventure. He finds far more than he expected when he sneaks off with a big brother and a friend to investigate a local legend about a witch.
If you like a touch of the supernatural and are interested in legends of old you are going to love this story!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Thorfinn-Witchs-Curse-Forerunner-Saga-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-thorfinn-and-the-witch-s-curse
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thorfinn-and-the-witchs-curse-jay-veloso-batista

My review of the second book, "The Vardoger Boy": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-vardoger-boy
My review of the third book, “On Viking Seas”: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/on-viking-seas
My review of the fourth book, "Kara, Shieldmaiden of Eire": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/kara-shieldmaiden-of-eire

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/JayVBatista
https://www.jayvelosobatista.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/jayvelosobatista
http://www.facebook.com/jayvelosobatista
http://www.instagram.com/jayvelosobatista
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jay-veloso-batista
https://www.goodreads.com/JayVelosoBatista

Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

76 Comments

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/12/2022 07:17:57 am

Thank you for the review. I appreciate your insight into the plotting and dialogue--I worked hard to "get them right!"

Mark

6/12/2022 10:11:28 am

You are welcome. It has been said, an easy reading book is the result of a lot of rewriting.

First question.

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

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/12/2022 11:07:25 am

Beyond my biography: My seventh grade English teacher was Mrs. Davenport, and she was a task master--if you didn't pass the grammar tests, she would keep you after school and make you take new tests until you ultimately knew the material. She forced us all to really understand grammar. As a teenager I thought I was a good writer, but in my attempt to place out of the required "Freshman English," I placed in the advanced/honors classes and in retrospect I got the best education and worked at a competitive level. I studied English Composition as an undergraduate at Miami University in Oxford Ohio, with a minor in Psychology and worked my way through school at the local radio station. Ultimately I took the FCC exams and began working as a radio engineer.
During High School and College I played Dungeons & Dragons with friends. After I graduated, I submitted a game to the AD&D publisher at the time. My first work was rejected but I was able to qualify for free lance work and over a three year period I wrote games, boxed sets and contributed to their updated "monster manual." One boxed set took place in Oriental fantasy lands, all based on China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, and I was pleased to develop multiple projects for this boxed set, including maps, "dungeons" and the storylines behind the RPG. At the same time my wife and I continued to play D&D with friends and family, and I created an entire world for gaming, called 'Xiphias," my first complete world-building exercise! I still have all the hand-drawn maps, history, legends and events for the games.

Mark

6/12/2022 12:02:22 pm

My high school English teacher was quite strict also, or rather humorless, she didn't work us as hard as your teacher. If she had I might have done better because I was fairly obedient. All I wanted to do was read and struggled with everything else about the classes.

D and D is played by many. I never got involved in it. After promoting a lit-RPG book, I understand how much writing is involved. The ability to make choices and roll the dice for the consequences must be very exciting. Creating your won games and working in the industry must have been a dream come true.

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.

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/12/2022 12:36:22 pm

Currently I am a part-time writer. I hope to retire one day and write full time. Mostly I write over weekends, and can typically draft 5,000 words over a weekend. If the narrative is particularly exciting, I can write 8,000 words on a Saturday and Sunday. So, doing the math, it takes me about 5 months to write the first draft of a Forerunner novel.
What do I do IRL? I started my career in Radio and Television engineering, and worked in the Media and Entertainment industry for various manufacturing companies over the past 35 years. Very technical by nature, in the 1980s I was able to get my Masters in Broadcast Economics and by the 1990s I moved in to executive management. Currently I am an executive in a company that provides over the horizon radar systems for border security, search and rescue and protection of fisheries. We also provide data analytics for increased maritime domain awareness and specialize in satellite for ocean applications. Since 1985 I have been in international business and I have traveled the world.
It's true, a visit to York England and a tour of the Jorvik Viking Center gave me an initial setting idea for Thorfinn and his family. If you have not visited York, we have taken our family there three times and thoroughly enjoy the city, its history and of course, all the Viking archeology.

Mark

6/12/2022 01:45:23 pm

Most authors share your desire to ditch the day job and write full time. Those that don't are already fulltime writers. ;-) That kind of writing production is impressive.

That is an interesting job progression that I expect you never anticipated.

While I have been to England twice, I didn't get far from London. As a sheet metal worker, I wanted to spend as much time as possible viewing old arms and armor. I have so much respect for the men who created many beautiful sets of armor for nobles and the wealthy.

New questions.

Does your work have any influence on your writing?

What inspired you to write this book?

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

Jay Velos Batista link

6/12/2022 04:10:08 pm

Does your work have any influence on your writing? My “day job” has provided important inspirations for my writing and a continuing occasion to hone my skills through constant marketing chores including technical blogs, product brochures, white papers and written responses to requests for proposals. My primary inspiration came through the chance to travel, at a company’s expense, and see the world, including old York, Denmark and Sweden, and “walk” the history to gain an understanding of place. Visit famous castles, landmarks and ancient monuments. The second inspiration afforded by my work was unexpected but finding myself on extended flights I often carried two or three books to read, and my work travel provided an occasion to read the classics as well as current literature. Today I use an eBook which packs an entire library into my pocket.

What inspired you to write this book? There was a serialized article in our local independent newspaper that was used for filler called ‘News of the Weird’ that I would read for entertainment. One week the topic was “strange ghosts from around the globe,” and the lead paragraph described the Scandinavian medieval belief in the “vardoger,” a ghost that seemed a “déjà vu” in reverse—the specter would proceed the haunted individual into a room. Witnesses would swear they would hear or smell a particular person enter a room, minutes before the actual individual would arrive. I cut that article out of the paper to save it, and later began to investigate the idea online. The question was how could a person become a Vardoger? What if it was a child? How would such a haunting affect someone? Once we visited the Jorvik Viking Center, I had a setting for the tale. Before I started writing, in my imagination I envisioned the climax of the book where young Thorfinn’s vardoger lifts the sword in the real world to wake his uncle and save him from assassination. The final scenes in the book were the inspiration for the first novel in the series.

Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you? Historical Fantasy is the genre this series is most often categorized, although it was my goal to write an epic fantasy story: while each book tells historical events from the Danish invader perspective, each book grows in fantastic elements, and it’s my plan for the fifth book, the next in the series, to be set almost completely beyond the realm of “Midgard,” the real world. I wanted the fantasy to “grow” on the readers, woven into the descriptions of the early medieval period, until the story passes beyond the mundane world into a fantasy realm. To be honest, I am a plotter. I use spreadsheets to organize and outline each chapter, not in detail but enough to understand the character and story arcs, and ensure I hold to the theme of each novel. In the series I tell the story from different character’s points of view and no one character is omniscient, in fact some of the characters are misinformed or “fool” themselves. Historical fiction provides a framework of actual events and historical characters and offers a solid backdrop for the narrative. The supernatural and fantasy elements of the story reflect my personal preference for folklore and mythology. Most important, I try to recognize the current genre tropes and work hard to provide a unique adventure tale with unexpected twists.
One important fact—while the first book can be read as a YA story, and indeed was presented an award by UK teenaged readers, the series gets progressively more adult, and is not written for young adults. Personally, I think the inuendo and jokes in the first book are already adult if you “get the jokes.”

Mark

6/12/2022 05:18:56 pm

That is quite an unexpected benefit of work-related travel. Going to so many different places for business and finding interesting things in the free time. I used to carry books on the long trips also. Now, I have my kindle and I love it. I have so many books it's getting heavy. ;-)

I have heard from a few authors that one word started the process that ended with publishing a book. For you, it's an entire series. The forerunner concept is fascinating to me. The sense of smell is very powerful and under-represented among the senses, it can take us back into our past in the wink of an eye. It can make us feel good with a warm memory or it can trigger an episode of PTSD.

Your series is certainly epic! I love it. I noticed the subtle shift in the second volume from teen to adult.

New questions.

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

What do the elements on the cover represent? I ask because sometimes I miss something that turns out to be important.

Jay link

6/12/2022 06:21:38 pm

Who designed the cover of your book?
Jake Caleb who can be found at https://www.jcalebdesign.com/
Jake is a great artist from South Carolina and has done all five of my covers, and hundreds of covers for authors around the globe. He is extremely professional and dedicated to his craft. His moto is “Bad Ass Covers for Bad Ass Books!” I am proud that he shows Thorfinn and the Witch's Curse on his website as a sample of his skills. His work is amazing, and he is very supportive, adding award emblems and making adjustments after the initial work is completed. Honestly, I cannot heap enough praise on Jake and highly recommend him. He not only created a special font for my Viking titles, he drew a Forerunner Series logo which is on every cover and helped establish a brand I use in my marketing efforts. Also, here’s a spoiler: we have completed the cover for the 5th book in the Forerunner Series, ‘Marauders in Jotenheim,’ and will add it to the back matter at the end of book 4!

What do the elements on the cover represent? Thorfinn is pictured on The Witch’s Curse, with Raga’s familiar raven taking flight and in his hand is the broken but still powerful “Gunhild,” the magicked sax short sword. In the background is a Viking snekke longship. With Jake, all an author needs to do is give him an idea and he creates a mockup for review and adjustments in a few days. He actually posts videos on YouTube of his process, and it is fascinating to watch him, a master at Adobe Illustrator and the Creative Suite. The covers of the books typically portray the characters, although Book 3 features Finn’s uncle Karl and Finn's "pet" Lindworm, or Nordic dragon.

Mark

6/12/2022 07:17:59 pm

Jake has made some gorgeous covers! You are right, he is quite talented. His covers are very eye catching. Sadly, he is not on Twitter. I wanted to follow him and add him to my list of cover designers.

That is what I missed. Gunhild, the broken and powerful sword. I love how it exists in both worlds and the complications it caused Finn.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

Jay link

6/12/2022 09:28:51 pm

Great questions! To reveal the truth, in 2019 as I prepared the first novel for release the working title for Book 1 was ‘The Vardoger Boy, Book 1 of the Forerunner SAGA’ but as I scribbled away on the first draft, I happened across an article where a best-selling author recommended that any title should provide a prospective reader with knowledge of the main character and the key trial/challenge of the novel. Focusing the title on character and challenge would ensure some level of success for an independent author establishing an initial audience. This made me rethink my naming convention: The story was about the third son of a Danish homesteader-trader, a boy destined to a quiet life apprenticed to a Nordic woodcarver, and how everything changed because of a late-night entanglement with a ghostly witch who placed a curse on his grandfather. Naming the book after Thorfinn and his challenge, the witch’s curse, should make more sense to a prospective reader browsing the thousands of titles online. This was the reason why I decided to make the second book in the series ‘The Vardoger Boy’ and name ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ the first book in the series. Also, I did an internet search of the forerunner SAGA, and I found out that name was already in use as a novelized version of a Sci-Fi video game backstory! I desperately wanted to keep the “forerunner” moniker as that is the English translation/description of a Scandinavian vardoger ghost, which led to changing the series to ‘The Forerunner Series.’
Now I always run an internet search on prospective titles and nix them or modify them based on the results. My titles for later books all went through the web search sieve to ensure I don’t inadvertently copy another writer’s work, and yes, there have been further title adaptations.

Mark

6/13/2022 09:09:27 am

Good story and excellent advice. Focusing on the conflict of the protagonist provided you an excellent opportunity.

With a million books published each year it must be getting harder to come up with a title that stands out. In the pre-internet time, a writer would have to consult a card catalog in a big city library to get some idea of what was already published. I imagine that someone may have published an annual book of everything published that year. A list of every book published seems unlikely to me to exist before the internet.

I am not surprised that you have had to change more than one title.

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop?

How did you choose them?

Jay link

6/13/2022 10:18:58 am

Character names, the bane of my existence! LOL! While American readers complain that the names are difficult, my Swedish and Danish friends report that I “got the names right!” So, how did I get the names right, and why are they so uncommon for North American readers? To begin, all references to historical characters use their actual name and are highlighted as “historical figures” in the glossary of dramatic persons in the back of each book. I used the most common spelling for their names, and you will notice that some are easy, like “Alfred ‘the Great’ of Wessex (the first king of a unified England)” and “Piran” martyred to become Saint Piran, the Patron Saint of Cornish miners, while others are lesser known and difficult to pronounce like “Aethelnoth of Somerset” or “Ceolwulf the second, King of West Mercia.” These were real people who lived in the late Ninth Century. To keep the book accurate, I researched Danish and Swedish medieval names, and in the later books Saxon, French and Irish first names as well and I keep a list of unused name in each category in case I need a secondary character name for a quick scene. This is an easy search—there are many categories of baby names, including “old Norse,” “Celtic,” and “old Saxon.” Most of the names like Agne, Bjorn, Thorfinn, Sorven, Kara, Olof, Egil, etc. come from these baby name sources.
During the period of Danelaw, when the Scandinavian forces occupied and settled in the petty kingdoms of Britain, Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia, the Norse society followed a patronymic method in naming their children. The eldest son always carried his father’s name and continued the line of inheritance. All boys were “Sons of the father,” and all girls were “Daughters of the father,” hence Alf Alfenson (ancestral name) known as “Ironfist” had three sons, Alf Alfenson his eldest, Agne Alfenson and Karl Alfenson. Agne’s children are “Agnesons” or “Agnedatters” (using the Danish spelling). Uncle Karl is a Son of Alf, while Thorfinn is a son of Agne. In this way, Agne and Gurid’s three boys are “Agne Agneson, Sorven Agneson and Thorfinn Agneson.”
Finally, a few of the names were either cognates for famous people (“Jormander the Skald” is a play on a famous poet-skald’s name) or drawn wholly from my imagination like “Ragacheep Nanawan,” known as “Raga,” the ghost of a 5th Century mage trapped in the Realm Between or “Wyselhax the mast troll.” And just like today, character's have nicknames that "stick," like Agne Agneson is called "Cub."
There have been criticisms of the book that the names are difficult to pronounce or hard to remember. My emphasis was on historical accuracy. My method for selecting them may seem a little complicated but most of the names would have been familiar to a Ninth Century Viking Age person and provide a more realistic world for the reader.

Mark

6/13/2022 11:20:22 am

I love the names, even those that are hard to pronounce. I commend you for keeping to the historicity of the ages.

I knew baby names were available for many different decades going back at least 200 years for America and probably much longer. I assumed that similar lists existed for other countries as well. But I had no idea that some of these lists were available for such ancient times. You are talking about over 1,000 years ago. I am impressed!

New questions.

This is the first book of the series. You are working on the fifth. How many are you planning for the series?

Are you planning for other series?

Jay Batista link

6/13/2022 11:58:43 am

My current plan for the Viking Age Fantasy Forerunner Series is six books: Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse (1), The Vardoger Boy (2), On Viking Seas (3), Kara Shieldmaiden of Eire (4), Marauders in Jotenheim (5) and Voyage to Cordova (6). Kara, the fourth book in the series will be released on 15 August 2022, and I am in the midst of my plotting process for book 5 and have a general idea of the characters and plot lines for book 6. These books are all sequential in their time period, one story following immediately after the previous and spanning a five-year period in the characters lives. I have an idea for a second set of books to extend the series, to follow a “book time” decade or more after the sixth novel, which would put the stories at the turn of the Tenth Century and allow me to portray Thorfinn as an adult, but I have other projects I want to address before I return to the Viking lands….

Are you planning for other series?
Like most authors, I have a drawer full of ideas for stories and books. I believe writing the Forerunner Series has helped me learn how to manage multiple point of view storytelling for pace and pathos, character development and that ever elusive “readability.” I have also been learning from successful authors, many in Twitter’s #writingcommunity, about how to use a novella to capture interest and how to publish rapidly for maximum read-through and sustained interest. I have been toying with the idea of Amazon Vella for a serialized work as well, or for short stories, although I do like my grand, expansive tales.
Here are a few of my ideas: I have been gathering research for a historical novel or a short series based on a 1770s Chesapeake Bay pirate who joins the rebel forces in the revolutionary war. I have the reference material, but I need to collect data on the Tory side of the story.
I also have a basic plot outlined for a fantasy novel, which would be a stand-alone book or a trilogy that seem to do so well in the genre. To support this book, I need to complete the world building efforts, in other words I must create the world, races, inhabitants, cultures, religions, “magic system,” etc., to provide a backdrop to the tale.
I also have an idea for a humorous novel set in the modern era here on the Delmarva shore which would definitely be a stand-alone novel—it’s more than an idea, as I have the plot outlined in a spreadsheet and most of the background information already collected.
I am still “gainfully employed” as they say, so most of these ideas live in a folder on my laptop or a file folder of newspaper clippings or Wikipedia references, waiting for me to have more time to devote to their care and feeding. In a way the Forerunner Series has been a great training ground, allowing me to practice my craft and hone my skills. If I could apply my “5-months to a draft” logic to a full-time position, I believe I could write 2 to 3 works each year, and still have time for grandchildren and a bit of travel to keep my spouse happy.

Mark

6/13/2022 01:10:58 pm

Your fans are going to be happy that at least two more books are in progress. They will be ecstatic to learn about a follow-up series also. Thorfinn is going to be a very busy vardoger! I can hardly wait to see how he grows into his powers.

I don't know any author that doesn't have a bunch of ideas they want to expand and write about. I admire you for taking on these different challenges and formats. I foresee you gaining much skill in writing over the years.

Building a fantasy world is serious business. I didn't realize until a few years ago how serious it was. With your background in RP games, I have a hunch it will be a wonderful reading experience.

When you do retire you will be a busy guy, but you will be doing what you love and that makes all the difference.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

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

Jay Batista link

6/13/2022 01:25:03 pm

Yes, I have done a lot of public speaking, mostly in support of business projects. I have presented to international technical and marketing conferences and spoken to audiences as big as 1500 individuals. Recently I have not been doing too much public speaking because of pandemic restrictions as well as my current corporation hasn’t needed me to be a representative for the organization or products. However, I enjoy presenting before an audience and will probably be asked to address a technical crowd in the upcoming year. Currently I have no speaking engagements scheduled.

Mark

6/13/2022 03:49:31 pm

Wonderful. It sounds like you have learned the secret to easy public speaking.

A good method to promote your books in your area is through speaking to groups of people, large or small. Book signings or readings in local bookstores, book clubs and civic groups are excellent opportunities to sell books.

New questions.

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Jay Batista link

6/13/2022 04:07:41 pm

I appreciate your recommendation to promote my books through speaking engagements and book readings and signings in local bookstores. It is an excellent promotional idea and one I need to find time to pursue. I also have a PR package and a hard cover book for my local libraries which I need to carve some personal time into my schedule to drive around and deliver.
As for awards, ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ won the 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Award bronze medal for YA Fantasy fiction, and it won the 2021 Reader’s Favorites bronze medal in the General Fantasy category. ‘The Vardoger Boy’ was a red label finalist in the 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Despite these 2021 award announcements, I have not submitted the rest of the Forerunner Series to writing contests and have been focusing on getting the novels written and published.

Mark

6/13/2022 05:27:02 pm

The allocation of time is very hard for authors since they want to do more writing. If an author wants people to buy their books, then the author has to spend time telling people about their books. More than a million books are published every year and getting any one book noticed is hard.

Promotion and marketing books is a job in and of itself. Many authors have the mistaken idea that if they get a traditional publishing contract their worries will be over. Sadly, it is usually the opposite situation. The publisher, whether traditional or independent, will do little beyond setting up a sales page on their website and posting the book on Amazon and maybe other sales platforms. We will talk more about promoting books soon, There are many ways to do that.

What I suggest to authors is to set aside an hour or two every week or two for promotional efforts. Selling books is an ultra-marathon rather than a sprint. With a little planning it can be done.

Congratulations on winning the award and being a finalist. Those are achievements to be proud of. I do have a note of caution, however, there are contests that are less than reputable and are very sneaky about extracting money from a writer's wallet. Here is a copy-and-paste link to a good blog I link to from my website: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests Anne is one of my favorite bloggers. You can also use the search box at the bottom of the page.

New questions.

I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?
Why did you choose that exclusive venue?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/13/2022 06:22:33 pm

Thanks for sharing that great resource—monitoring the world of writing contests and “review” scams seems to be a major effort these days. And I totally agree that the current publishing world is a marathon not a sprint. As Dora tells Nemo, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming….” :-)

I have found that my work resonates with some readers but definitely not all. While Thorfinn has a few 1-star Amazon reviews with no text, I don’t know what it was the reader didn’t care for, although I do admit a bad review is much better than a “return for credit.” I recently had someone return a 99-cent book for credit after reading it, which is a bit frustrating. Their desire for a free read is difficult to stomach, especially as it takes months or years of effort to create a good book.

In an unscientific poll of a local book club who I gave free copies of the first book of the series, 50% of the group loved the story and wanted to read more of the series, and the other half had the reaction of “meh…” -- I guess the book was not really their preferred recreational fiction. I think you would agree that the modern author’s real job, especially the independent authors like myself, is connecting with individual readers who enjoy their style and find their stories captivating, enchanting, compelling or just good fun.

Because I work fulltime at a day job, listing my titles with Kindle Unlimited seemed to be an easy way to make my books widely available rather than managing the effort to publish widely on a number of reading platforms. I know that there are many adherents to the “go wide for the win” philosophy but I frankly don’t have the time to manage all the platform submissions and I decided to publish on Amazon exclusively, although one can purchase ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ in paperback from Barnes & Noble—I hope B&N will begin to carry my other paperbacks as well. Is Kindle Unlimited effective? Let’s look at the numbers: As of today, June 13, 2022, the Kindle Edition Normalized Pages Read report shows that Thorfinn-Book 1 has accumulated 44,820 page reads since its publication date of September 10th, 2019. Total “page reads” for all my books is over 80K pages. The rate of payment for each page fluctuates but essentially authors are paid very close to the price of their book when a total number of “page reads” reaches an equivalent eBook page count. For the record I am happy with the Kindle Unlimited service and will continue to list my books there for this series. Maybe when I retire and can focus more attention on various platforms I will take the plunge and attempt to distribute wider.

Mark

6/14/2022 08:12:02 am

You are welcome. There are so many scams being run on authors these days. If you hit the search box below with the word 'scam' you will find a lengthy list of scams.

I think every author struggles with the one star and no-word reviews. It's true, there is not a story that everyone loves. It's also true that there are readers who will love your books. Every book has an audience, making the connection with the readers does take time.

Kindle Unlimited makes a lot of sense for you and it's working pretty well. I think you have a good plan to go wide when you have the time to devote to it. Multiple platforms and formats are the key to long-term sucess and financial stability.

Here is an interesting look at going wide, food for thought, another copy-and-paste link: Aggregators just might be an author's best friend! https://www.kotobee.com/blog/everything-need-know-aggregators/ Some things may have changed since this was written but it is a good place to start thinking about the idea.

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?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/14/2022 08:39:34 am

I have sent short stories through the query process with no results, and I began my freelance writing for TSR, Inc., the publisher of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons through a query—they didn’t buy the first work but liked my writing and suggested I submit in a particular genre for their magazine. They accepted my second unsolicited submission and the third, and once those were published, they offered me a contract for “work for hire.” This began a 3-year relationship with 2 to 3 projects per year. We liked to say this part time writing paid for our new deck! Everything changed when I got a more demanding position and the publisher fell on difficult times and declared bankruptcy. There is an excellent documentary about the rise and fall of Gary Gygax’s imaginative game and TSR, and I recognize the names of people in the program—I think you can find it on Prime or Netflix or YouTube if you search for it.

The next logical question is why did I decide to publish independently? In 2018 I wrote and edited two chapters for a technical textbook on modern media workflows in support of two friends of mine in the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). Working in my spare time, I was able to collect, edit and personally write 50K words in four months’ time, which surprised me as I suspected it would take longer. A neighbor and good friend shared his self-published novels with me, and encouraged me to get my fiction out of my head: in his words, “If it’s on your bucket list, what are you waiting for? To kick the bucket?!?” I began to investigate the process and reconnected with an old friend who had published over 15 romance novels on Amazon, some quite saucy! She also encouraged me to get my story out into the wild. That lead to writing and publishing ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse.’ Along the way I have made some amazing author friends from around the globe who helped me in many ways, especially the “200 rogues” on Facebook and an awesome “Self-publishing Group” on Twitter.

I have thought about finding an agent and tackling the querying trenches again. I think to be fair to any agent I would want, I would need to dedicate myself to writing full-time and have a predictable and salable output, which means “writing to market.” In my professional career and my freelance writing career, I have built a reputation on being on time and meeting or exceeding commitments. If I am going to create a relationship with an agent, I would want to support my end of the bargain! In the meantime, I am writing/marketing my independent series which I work hard to make high quality and entertaining, which in the end should provide a basis for discussions with a publisher or agency.

Mark

6/14/2022 10:56:04 am

That is a nice way to pay for a deck, doing something you enjoy a lot. Not many can say that.

It is always interesting to see how circumstances of our own and others can have a profound effect on what we do. The run with TSR was good and you learned a great deal.

Those friends gave you encouragement at the right times, it seems. You took quite a leap into fiction and your fans are very glad you did.

I think you are doing well without an agent and are better off keeping control of your books instead of allowing a publisher to gain control. Financially, you will be better off if the publisher and agent aren't getting a percentage of your royalties. Publishers, traditional or independent, are concerned with making a profit first and foremost. A book is merely a means to an end for them. After signing a contract, they may want to change the title, the cover, and even the story if they think it will help them make more of a profit. Sometimes they will delay publishing a book until they think the market will provide the most profit for them. An author friend and client shopped her fourth or fifth book around and got a bite. The publisher wanted her to rewrite the story to take it out of the series. She started rewriting it, but when she had some questions, the publisher was nowhere to be found. She decided to forget that little detour and has written several more books.

I do admire your dedication to producing a sellable and dependable product. If I was an agent or publisher, you would go to the top of my list as fast as your books sold. More books bring in more money.

New questions.

Have you self-published all of your books?

If not, what caused you to switch?

Jay Veloso Batista

6/14/2022 01:43:37 pm

Yes, the novels in the forerunner Series are all “self-published” on the Amazon KDP platform. I use the program Vellum to format the documents which I found easy to navigate and understand, and it supports the eBook formats, as well as the print versions for paperback and hardback. In addition to the great cover art, I include maps and family tree images to illuminate the stories and help my readers visualize the places.

This summer I will be publishing my first audiobook via Amazon and Audible. ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ will be narrated by Ulf Bjorklund and the incidental music will be provided by Joe Andrews. You can learn more about them here:

www.Ulfvo.com

www.JoeAndrewsmusic.com

Ulf has a delightful narration technique with a hint of a Swedish accent, which makes him perfect for my Viking Age stories. He has narrated over 100 fiction and non-fiction audiobooks, 18 of which were Fantasy novels. Joe Andrews is a touring and session musician based in Nashville, TN, most recently touring with Grammy Award-winning string band Old Crow Medicine Show playing pedal steel, guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo and guitjo. Joe is well known in Nashville studio sessions and his other projects include supporting national artists like The Bluff, The Cameroons, Larry Longpump & The Unknown, and Sarah Williams. I am very excited that the first book will be released this summer—it is in production now. I hope to release the second book in the series in the fourth quarter of this year and the third and fourth book in 2023.

Mark

6/14/2022 02:08:56 pm

You certainly started well. I am a firm believer in self-publishing in case you didn't notice. ;-)

Congratulations on moving into audiobooks. While I seldom listen to an audiobook, I think it's a great format for an author to offer. A lot of consumers prefer to listen to a book for different reasons. I have a friend who struggled to get through school because of severe dyslexia. He has been listening to books for many years, going all the way back to cassettes. Some of the books I have listened to have included bits of music and that enhanced my listening pleasure.

Many millions of people around the globe have only a smartphone to access the internet so an audiobook is a perfect format for them. Very many of those millions also have English as the official language of their country or English is taught as a second language in schools.

Artificial intelligence is starting to impact audiobook recording. Only a couple of years ago, the first attempts at using AI to record a book was pretty awkward and didn't feel natural. A human was also required to edit the results. Now, that industry is maturing rapidly, and the results are greatly improved. Before too long, the AI-narrated books will be much cheaper to produce and cheaper for the consumer. The author will have an option of having the book read in the author's own voice or the voice of a famous person, for a fee of course. Where will this leave human narrators? They will be sitting at the top of the heap; real, human-narrated books will become the preferred form for the elite audiophiles. The human narrators will command a premium price. A human narrator could also license their voice to AI and be able to produce more books with no effort on their part and more money in their pocket.

If you go to the search box below and search for AI or audiobooks, you will find lots of links to blogs.

New questions.

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

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

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/14/2022 03:36:04 pm

Two excellent questions, Mark. First, how does my book compare to a book published by a major publisher? In my honest opinion, I think that my books are getting better as I continue to write novels—when I started I used family and friends to edit and highlight issues. I feel that a major publishing company would have brought a professional editor into the mix early on, someone like yourself with skills to highlight imperfections and grammatical issues and allow me to fix or re-write the book before the final edition is posted. Based on what I have learned about editing and storytelling since I began this journey, today I would edit the first novel for a less expansive opening, move some of the more expository sections later in the book and edit for “over used words,” a skill I have learned by studying the art of writing with fellow authors and professionals. Maybe I should consider a “second edition” for Thorfinn, as now with experience I know I can make it better… however with pressure to get the next novel in the series out, I think it is “good enough” for a series starter and I had better keep on track for the book 5 draft.

There is another issue about self-published works--many people feel they are of "lesser quality" and do not give them a fair chance when considering a novel to read. The fact is many major publishers and agents do find the "cream of the crop" writers and their work is amazing, but there are many self-published works that are fine literary accomplishments. It is difficult to convince a segment of the reading population that the stigma of "self-publication" is unearned and that indie books are often excellent works well worth their time.

You asked about the unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable to me? There is the “review scam” which is a promotional pitch aimed at selling a service ensure reviews and lots of social media “views.” These offers violate Amazons review rules and frankly do not sell any books, but I find these spam messages sent to my website and social media direct messages merely an annoyance. The truly unbearable scam for me is the internet-based companies that steal eBooks and offer them on their site, which spreads the book around, sometimes for free or a discounted price. These sites do not pay royalties to the authors. Most authors do not make a living from their writing—they do it for the love of writing. A book often takes months to write, goes through a few edits before beta readers, then is edited again and for many of us passed along to a professional line editor like the Word Refiner for a deep analysis and final edit before publication. We spend money on covers, inside artwork, illustrators, and we spend money on marketing and promotion. It is painful to watch someone steal the little bit of compensation due the author.
A fact that surprises me is that many people don’t understand the value of social media, nor how it operates. The best way to sell books is by word of mouth, and in our world the best vehicle for spreading word of mouth is to “share” and re-share social media posts. If you like a book (or art or music, too) share everything an author posts, all the time! Share, share, share! Give them reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and Bookbub, and comment on their posts. This grassroots level of support works just as good and sometimes better than paid advertising. The idea of making a post go “viral” is well-known, but I am surprised how many of my friends and acquaintances don’t understand how it actually works. OK, enough of that… time to get off my soapbox! 😝

Mark

6/14/2022 05:26:20 pm

Many years ago, I heard about an editor, unknown to me personally, who when handed a writer's first novel for editing would drop it into the trash can. The editor would turn to the shocked writer and tell them to go write a real book. This is because the first book is usually rough and uneven because the writer was learning as they went along.

Your first book is a darn good book! Your fans are glad it wasn't trashed by a crusty old editor. We both know there is always room for improvement. A second edition is a good idea, I think. You would have good opportunity for subtle foreshadowing also.

In the earliest days of electronic books, they were such a novelty and the electronic readers were very expensive. There was a pretty high demand for books to read. The writers were making a lot of money, relatively speaking. Other writers got on the bandwagon churning out books as fast as they could write. Editing? Why bother? Proofreading? No time! Many of those writers were publishing first-draft junk. Many early adopters of the technology grew tired of the low quality writing and swore to never pick up an e-reader again.

Now, most authors are writing and rewriting, editing and proofreading to produce a well written story. You are very correct, many authors are writing great books! The quality has improved so much and does equal anything from a large traditional publisher. The last few books I have read from mainstream publishers all had spelling errors.

The review and promotion scams abound. Any time someone promises an author they will sell more books by hiring them, is the time to turn and run far away. The piracy sites are terrible! They are stealing rightful royalties from the author. There are links to several good blogs on my website, use 'piracy' in the search box below.

Reviews and word of mouth are critical for authors. The authors are encouraged that people are taking the time to leave a review. Yet so few readers leave a review. That is a sad state of affairs.

Thanks for letting me share the soapbox with you.

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/14/2022 07:33:15 pm

Sorry if this is cliche: ‘The Great Gatsby’ is Fitzgerald’s best work and one of my favorites. I have both a paperback and an eBook version and return to it every few years. I read a lot of Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain’s work as a youth, and yes, I understood that ‘Huckleberry Finn’ was banned not because of bad language but because of the paragraph when Huck realized the escaped slave Jim is a real human person and he would fight for his friend’s life, even if it meant he would be ‘damned.’ I have also read ‘1984’ at least three times, the first time when I was in seventh grade and had quickly read through the assigned work—the teacher told me, “Go get something off the shelf,” and I had no inkling of the mature themes between its pages. ‘City” by Clifford D. Simack is my all-time favorite Science Fiction book. Who doesn’t like talking dogs and a haunted, empty earth because every human transformed and moved to Jupiter?

In 1967 I watched the original Doctor Who on local PBS television, and I was always a fan and still am today. When I found out Douglas Adams wrote for the Doctor, I read all his books starting with the Hitchhiker’s Guide, and am a huge fan of his brand of humor. I keep my towel handy, just in case…. I also think Carl Hiaasen is very funny. His books follow a formula but I love them.

Do I have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors? I am definitely in the camp of having “favorite authors.” I devoured the Tolkien novels during my high school years, before they were fashionable and long before any movies. Fritz Lieber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series was one of my favorites, as well as Edgar Rice Burrough’s work, Tarzan, the Barsoom books and Pelucidar. In my college years I read the complete Philip K. Dick collection in the University library and many of the other mid-century Science Fiction greats like Heinlein and Azimov, and I even subscribed to the Sci-Fi book Club and purchased an entire library of my own. 'Dragon Riders of Pern,' 'The Left Hand of Darkness,' etc. I read everything by Michael Crichton, despite the fact that they all fit neatly into his techno-thriller formula—if you don’t believe me, read ‘Congo,’ ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Andromeda Strain,’ and pay attention to how he writes the prologue, builds the tension and sets the pace—he was a master at this type of science-based thriller. All of the Shakespeare plays as well as his contemporaries, some in classes but some on my own. I will admit I like to read great sweeping chronicles, books by Michener or Tolstoy or Hugo: ‘Hawaii,’ ‘War & Peace,’ ‘Les Misérables,’ or James Clavell’s Asian Saga starting with ‘Shogun.’ Dickens and Hardy were my favorite English writers. I enjoyed Steinbeck’s works like ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘East of Eden.’ And I like William Faulkner, ‘Light in August’ and ‘The Sound and the Fury.’

I have been reading fantasy novels that currently garner the affections of the mass reading community and “bookstagramers,” basically to understand what today’s readers seek in a fantasy book—I like Gaiman, Hobb and Sanderson. And for background studies for my own series, I read the Icelandic Sagas and four different books on Viking Age history. I even took an online university course on “The Vikings.”

Lately I have been reading independent authors and have found them to be quite enjoyable, and some of these works touched my heart. Recently I read a humorous romance set on a mythical Postscript Island by R.S. Jonesee, and being the romantic sap that I am, even though the novel followed a predictable and well-worn romance plot, surprisingly the work touched my heart. Yeah, my wife hates it when I force her to watch ROM-COMs, but I do like a happy ending! Another work I am excited to see released is the ‘River Witch’ by Cheryl Burman—I read a beta version and it is an example of praiseworthy work from an independent author. And I am currently laughing my way through a fun novel called Rottnest by EV Faulkner (no relation). I have a “TBR” list much too long with hundreds of titles across many genres. At the end of the day, I enjoy reading! I believe it helps my craft and certainly extends my vocabulary.

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/15/2022 07:01:26 am

We were talking about names, and this popped up! Follow the link! 😉
https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-names/viking-dog-names

Mark

6/15/2022 08:05:23 am

We have read many of the same books over the decades. Sci-fi is my favorite genre and started reading it in the early 60s. Asimov, Herbert, Poul and so many others. I was introduced to fantasy with a paperback set of LOTR. I read that set three times before graduating from high school and fantasy is a close second favorite genre. Pern, Thomas Covenant and others have entertained me over the years also. I read several of Twain's books some Poe and Lovecraft. I binged several Lovecraft books and over did it. I haven't read another for over 30 years. I read several of Michner's books and Clavell also, last century. Mostly the Asian series and King Rat.

There are some great indie authors writing books, far more than I know at this time. I have to agree with you about romantic comedy. I was leery about reviewing one, years ago, and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Cozy murders are another genre I enjoy quite a bit. I enjoy reading almost everything at this time, as long as it's well written.

Thanks for sharing that link, it was very cute!

New questions.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/15/2022 09:09:16 am

As a child I had a dinosaur book that I totally loved and now it is in the hands of my 4-year-old grandson! Written in the 1960s, it was filled with paleolithic inaccuracies and plain bad information, but I loved it. Lots of pictures! My mother did not approve of comic books and she encouraged reading above one’s grade level, so by age twelve I was reading everything I could get my hands on. When I began reading complete novels, my father got me a copy of Alistair Maclean’s ‘The Guns of Navarone’ and that started what today is referred to as “binging” MacLean’s work—'Force Ten from Navarone,’ ‘Ice Station Zebra,’ ‘Where Eagles Dare,’ ‘HMS Ulysses,’ ‘South by Java Head’ – today I recognize these were not the greatest literary achievements, but they were exciting and adventurous and I swallowed them whole. I was too young to watch the movies, but I loved the books!

Which of your books is your favorite, and why?
While I have a soft spot in my heart for ‘The Witch’s Curse,’ today I can see where I would rewrite sections of it for a second edition and make it a better read. The fact is the fourth novel in the series which is due to release in August is the most ambitious of my works so far: it is stuffed with historical references, it is more “adult,” describing the casual Viking Age violence in hopefully an accurate fashion, it is purposefully funnier than the previous works and it has more fantasy elements. And while it concludes with young Finn recovering from his harrowing, near death experience, his brother and sister are in major trouble beyond Midgard and his Uncle Karl has been committed to a quest for the thunder god, a great set up for the fifth book of the series.

There is a favorite chapter of mine, and it is probably not what one would suspect: I really enjoy the chapter in ‘On Viking Seas’ Book 3 where Kara and her mother in Eddisbury are presented to the newly installed King of Mercia and his wife, the daughter of Alfred of Wessex, and young Kara meets her suitors—as readers we get to see her mother Gurid in her element as Mercian landed gentry, we meet the odious suitors, we see Kara’s temper in action, and we learn why she decides to run away!

Mark

6/15/2022 10:46:22 am

Those are good books, I didn't read them, but I did see a few of the movies. They were exciting stories, no question.

I was lucky, my mom let me read comic books, Mad magazine and others. Perhaps it was because I was already reading well above my grade level by the third grade. That was about the time I started reading science fiction, simple stuff of course but I was hooked and was pretty exclusive to that genre for several years.

Thanks for sharing those tidbits. I am all the more excited to read them.

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?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/15/2022 11:41:57 am

Mad Magazine and National Lampoon: I remember those from my teenaged years… those publications and a healthy dose of Monty Python birthed my quirky and warped sense of humor!

You asked if writing has a spiritual or healing component for me, does it energize or make me feel tired? I often write at the end of my day, after dinner, and yes, the act of writing my stories is energizing for me, sometimes a little too revitalizing as it makes it difficult to fall asleep! Stories like mine, based on history and imagination, take months to develop and I live with the characters, and my historical research at the top of mind for an extended period, sometimes years as is the case for this series. I never get “tired” from writing an initial draft or the first pass edit which for me is an adding description and expanding/sharpening the dialogue stage, although later editing is a “slog,” because the creative part has passed and it is all “find and replace” weak words, oft-repeated words and “-ly” adverbs to make the writing stronger. I try to get a reasonably clean version of the book to my professional editor for final analysis and line editing. As for the spiritual element of writing, despite my penchant for mythology and legends, I do feel there is a spiritual element to inspiration, and I welcome that feeling in my life.

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Witty repartee and autobiographical discourse aside, successful works of fiction must connect with a fan base. This can be accomplished by expounding a driven political stance such as the works of Ayn Rand or by connecting to a readership through emotions. In a world where we can passively watch video dreams and interact with marvelous adventures on many platforms, people still continue to read books, and the intersection of the personal imagination that a reader brings to a book coupled with a narrative that engenders a real emotional response makes a novel “work” and creates fans. This is not easy, as romance authors will attest—you can’t just write “they fell in love, kissed, and happiness showered like cherry blossoms from the sky!” and expect to have a winning formula. Characters must have real human strengths and weaknesses, and their reactions need to be grounded in the events that occur around and to them in a way that makes the reader join in their journey. An emotional connection makes this happen. It is a major facet of writing compelling fiction in any genre.

Mark

6/15/2022 01:18:37 pm

I am not surprised that falling asleep is hard sometimes. As a reader and proofreader, I struggle with similar issues. A good book draws me in quite deeply, lots of emotional connection, whether I am reading or proofreading. I can appreciate that the fun ends at a certain point for you. Searching for the weak words, repetitive words and '-ly' words can be tiring. However, I think that there is a fine line to be aware of with eliminating all '-ly' adverbs, some of them lead to better sentence construction. I agree with Mr. King part of the way, smooth reading is also important. Going too far to rid a story of all those adverbs can lead to awkward sentences.

A few years ago, I was reading a book about a character that had no emotions. Part of her brain was not working correctly, it made her fearless because she had no fear, it also made her loveless because she did not feel that emotion either. She had a very flat affect. As a reader, I couldn't connect with her either, the story quickly became boring for that reason. No fear, no stakes for her survival, she didn't care and walked calmly into harm's way many times. One of the few times I didn't finish a book.

That emotional connection is all-important to the readers. The characters must be fully drawn with many emotions. Especially the antagonist, he/she is frequently given a weak set of emotions, a weak motivation and that won't do for a truly compelling story. That character needs a full set of emotions also. In the antagonist's mind, he/she must think they are the hero in the story and are bedeviled by this other character who keeps frustrating their plans.

New questions.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month?

If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/15/2022 01:41:03 pm

I have some good author friends who enjoy participating in NaNoWriMo, but as I am still committed to a full-time job, I have never been able to commit to the targeted writing goals. I need to keep my efforts fluid because work often gets in the way... meanwhile, I have been able to meet my own goals to get publications out by the preorder date I originally plan. A lot of "horse trading" goes on in the middle, but I always get there in the end! 😁

I can't imagine a character with no ability to feel emotions, unless the story was about how the individual gets them back! I am not surprised you didn't finish the book. I have had a few novels I agreed to read that I just couldn't finish. Usually it is either too many grammatical issues, bad writing or a muddled, copy-cat plot that makes me close the covers and set it aside.

Mark

6/15/2022 03:53:57 pm

Some authors gather in virtual groups and make a party-like atmosphere while providing encouragement to complete the word-count goals. It sounds like a lot of fun for them.

That story about the girl without fear had a lot of issues on each page also. We know the pain well.

New questions.

Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?

When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/16/2022 07:57:53 am

In quantity of words, I am an over-writer. My fantasy books all measure over 100,000 words. As you can tell from ‘The Witch’s Curse,’ I like to write from multiple points of view, which provides different “voices” and perspectives, sometimes on the same events. During my first pass edit process, I add in a few pivotal plot issues I may have neglected or add a reference to a myth or historical tale, but for the most part I cut out words, phrases and weak or filler words.

For example, in the rush of cranking out my first draft, every character “nods” their heads and I often search and replace all mentions of nodding. I chase down and excise many “filler” words like this, which makes the writing stronger. I do cut out a lot of extra material. I try to make the writing “flow,” or make the work readable, so that the reader doesn’t have to puzzle over sentence construction or a fanciful vocabulary.

There is a writer’s dictum that I believe is attributed to Steven King, that we should “kill our darlings,” and I take that direction to heart—often the witty, over-written, “purple prose” in my work is my personal favorite, but those passages tend to bog down reading, and, to draw on a cinematic metaphor, I throw them on the chopping room floor... unless they are part of a character’s speaking or narrative style. I do let certain odd characters use flowery language if that is the personality I intend for them. Or the opposite, I force ignorant characters to speak in awful contractions and make glaringly poor decisions if that makes them original and memorable.

I once read that Tom Wolfe had a prodigious output but disliked the editing chores—he would arrive at his agent’s office with a box full of thousands of pages and dump the editing chore on his agent and their staff, culling thousands of pages and distilling a few hundred pages of amazing literary achievement. I don’t overwrite to that extent, but I would say I cut 5 to 10% of my drafts in the first editing pass.

Mark

6/16/2022 09:10:27 am

Many writers make the same claim to overwriting fame. They search out the extraneous stuff that dilutes their writing just like you. I don't know if it's any easier to cut material out than inserting something new, but it feels like it would be, to me.

I enjoy multiple points of view, plot threads, in a story. If each section is too long, I find myself going back to the previous end of that thread to refresh my memory. I didn't need to do that with your book. The sections were a good length. Fantasy books are known for being long, easily over 80k and even 100k words. Personally, I don't have a problem with that. I think it is necessary at times to reasonably develop the characters, especially in a single volume story. Multiple volumes allow much more time for character development.

As a proofreader, I become aware of repetitive word usage rather quickly in a manuscript, I search for all instances of the word, check for context and comment about them for the author. I am also watching for things like inconsistent capitalizations, dialogue tags confused for action beats and vice versa and those pesky filler words, along with the other thousands of things.

Purple prose can be a real downer for the reader by slowing the pace of a story to a crawl or even full stop even if it is real pretty. Much like the dreaded info-dumps that can be found in many genres. I understand the information dump, after spending an hour or more researching a question, I would find it hard not to put the results of all of my research into the story at that point. A wise writer will use only as much as needed at any particular point in the story.

I am a firm believer in using speech patterns and accents to differentiate the characters. Unless all of the characters are from the same family there should be many differences in how they talk.

"Glaringly poor decisions" that is brilliant! I love it and far too few writers let some of their characters be stupid. "Watch this, hold my beer." Are the 5-word-introduction to many bad choices the world over.

New questions.

Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?

Do you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/16/2022 11:05:59 am

Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?
In ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse,’ I edited out pages of the “lying story” that Cerdic of Eddisbury told at the wedding feast. Yeru the old family nurse is narrating the section and she “ignores” the tale to manage the background duties of the celebration. The background was that medieval Scandinavian weddings included “flyting” insult contests and “lying” stories where a person would recite a long, fictional story on the gods, love in all its forms, forbidden, unrequited, lost, etc., and the supernatural world of ghosts and spirits. These long-winded tales would entertain the audience and were a staple of a long afternoon and night of partying! Unfortunately, when I edited the book, Cerdic’s tale was too long and slowed down the pace of the book in the final chapter, when readers knew that the ghostly witch was hunting Thorfinn, and mercenaries were sneaking into the homestead compound to murder Uncle Karl. This is an example of the note you made above, that sometimes our investment in research and our newly found knowledge overwhelms our narrative—we should not forget that we are telling a story, not teaching a class. While Cerdic’s tale was fun, it distracted from the more important issues facing the main characters.

Do you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?
I typically cut exposition, the descriptive parts and “information dumps.” My “action” is previously mapped out in my original plot planning, and I have specific events/plot points to cover in the narrative. This planning is also fundamental to my avoidance of “plot holes” because the logical arrangement of each section, point of view and chapter is prepared as an outline before I dive into the writing. When I am following my plot “roadmap,” I do make in-flight decisions to cut entire sections or move them to a different chapter, but this typically happens before I write the section—I have never had to excise an entire chapter or cut a section after I had written it. I also tend to keep dialogue concise. It is the long descriptions that I usually pare back to keep the storytelling pace on track.

By the way, if you are interested in the lost love-ghost story that Cerdic tells at Willa and Espen's wedding, I offer it free to anyone who signs up for my mailing list on my website. 😊

Mark

6/16/2022 12:22:20 pm

Those are interesting wedding customs. The 'flyting' and lying contests must have been highly entertaining for the listeners. I imagine that most, if not all, of the participants had pretty thick skin. I think it would have been necessary to survive in the cultures of the time. The offer of Cedric's story is good. I hope you get lots of people signing up at your website.

Note to readers: click on the arrow beside Jay's name to go to his website and sign up for the free offer.

No surprise to me that your book reads so well. You trimmed the fat and kept the meat. A little bit of fat goes a long way.

New questions.

Have you ever used yourself as a starting point for a character in a story?

Would family or friends recognize you in the story?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/16/2022 04:12:23 pm

An interesting idea—Let me break it down for us. Are the books I write a reflection of me personally and my individuality? Probably yes, but I did not consciously use myself as a starting point for any single character. I tried to not do that for these Viking Age Fantasy novels. Are the characters conforming to “tropes?” While I did my best to not fall into the tried-and-true characters, there are only so many ways an individual can write a 13-year-old tomboy, or an excited 17-year-old heading to his first battle, wanting to make a name for himself and make his family proud.

Will I use myself as a basis for a character in a book? I have thought about this approach and the answer is I am considering it for a novel set in our modern times. Many of my personal experiences, especially my international travel and interactions with people and cultures on 5 continents would provide a solid basis for characters and plotlines. A friend of mine wrote an autobiography entitles ‘Baby Boom or Bust,’ in which he recounted his adventures in business and personal life, many funny and wildly entertaining. However, I think that if I was a character in my own book, I would opt for a role more like Nick Carraway in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ where I can observe and report rather than be the featured protagonist. To date, I am not a recognizable character in any of my novels. Maybe I should be one, eh?

Mark

6/16/2022 05:21:03 pm

The short answer is no, then. Maybe yes, later.

You make a good point about tropes, they are common and pervasive. Therefore they are easily recognizable by readers. Tropes are necessary to an extent, a character that is easily recognized as being in a particular stage of life saves a lot of explaining and exposition. Tropes have their uses and overuses as well. Do you recall the Disney movie "Tangled"? It was full of tropes and Disney went to lengths to break some of them consciously. A funny movie. I will watch it even if a granddaughter isn't present.

Being a character in your own book can be fun. An author friend used me and Grizz as characters in one of her books. I was the henchman that tried to prevent the murder plot at the last moment and died a noble death in failing to achieve that end. Grizz escaped the arms of my character and was loaned out to entertain a child and remained with the child after my death. We both had different names.

New questions.

If you used a close friend or family member in a book, would you tell them or make sure that they wouldn't recognize themselves in the story?

What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/16/2022 05:55:36 pm

Yes! The short answer is no, but stay tuned, maybe later. 😝

We loved "Tangled," and I agree it is a great example of playing with the tropes for fun and entertainment. Another example is “The Princess Bride.” How great that you and Grizz were characters in a book!

If you used a close friend or family member in a book, would you tell them or make sure that they wouldn't recognize themselves in the story?
I think I would want to ensure that my family or friends would not recognize themselves in one of my books, unless I specifically told them in advance, I was using them as a template for a character. If I lifted a few personality quirks from a friend for a book, I would adjust other attributes of the character to obscure the root of the personality to enable “plausible deniability” if I was ever confronted by an unhappy family member!

What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories? Old School, I use “3x5 cards” to collect traits and notes—not actual cards anymore, but a spreadsheet database of facts and figures. Physical and psychological description, personality issues, contacts and connections, family, anecdotes. As you would expect, these notes get updated book to book, for example Cub’s back is a mass of flogging scars and keloids after his treatment in the tin mines. And book 4 leaves our heroes with more mental and physical damage to carry.

Mark

6/16/2022 06:45:18 pm

Princess Bride is another great movie!

I think ensuring that friends and family don't recognize themselves in a book is wise. Some time ago, an author told me about using many different family members for character inspiration. Everything began to fall apart when the family member became upset because the character did or said something the family member took offense to. Your plan for plausible deniability is a good one.

Some authors would call that a character bible or catalog. Some make drawings of what they think the characters look like or search out images on the internet. Your list of items you track is quite good. A client and contributor, Rick Hall, has created a free website and shared a blog about it on making certain that characters are psychologically congruent. Here is the copy-and-paste link: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation or put his name in the search box below.

Mel Brooks movies.

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?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/17/2022 08:02:22 am

Mel Brooks. We saw ‘The Producers’ on Broadway and the puns were overwhelming, even the interstitial music clips were jokes! If we are comparing notes on funny movies, for more modern writer/director we recommend Wes Anderson’s stylized humor, especially his homage to Jacques Cousteau, ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou.’

Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
The Forerunner Series has five main point of view protagonists: the Agneson children, the brash eldest son and heir Agne known as “Cub,” the middle tomboy daughter Kara, the toady middle son Sorven and young Thorfinn who is an introverted child at the beginning of the tale but has a coming-of-age event at the climax of Book 1 and grows as a character throughout the novels. The fifth protagonist character is the children’s Uncle Karl.

As my daughter pointed out, in book 3 Sorven turns to the “dark side.” Kara is naive about the reality of a shieldmaiden’s life and must pass through that experience. Thorfinn matures through his experiences and Cub becomes a leader like his father. Karl Alfenson had his future foretold in the first section of the first book and his tale is epic and tragic.

I enjoy writing the protagonists and really focus my attention on their character growth. There is one recurring antagonist, the dark elf who is called “Dyrnisse” by the volva witches, which is the Danish word for, you guessed it, “dark elf,” and that is not his actual name. In book 5 we learn more about him, and Thorfinn discovers that his nemesis is not “black and white” evil, but shades in gray. Thorfinn grows as he comes to understand his enemy’s ultimate motivations align with his own.

What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?
This is easy—To have a “vardoger boy,” Thorfinn had to be a child and there is only so much character growth a child can have at his age because he is simply growing older and reaching puberty. This is restrictive. The novels are all concurrent, following closely to each other in “book time.” If I write any more Thorfinn stories after the first 6 planned novels, I want to have a decade or more “book time” pass before the storyline continues so that Thorfinn can be an adult with adult concerns and adult character growth.

The dark elf antagonist has a backstory and there is a lot of mythology and lore about Vanaheim, the different types of Vanirs, their leaders and cultures, and the “Unseelie Court” of medieval Ireland. I love these beliefs and historical notes, and the fact that I can extend them with imagination. Much of these details have been hidden to the protagonists of the story, but they will be revealed as the series continues.

Mark

6/17/2022 09:30:46 am

When I mentioned Mel Brooks, I was thinking of "Blazing Saddles", "Spaceballs" and "Young Frankenstein", which I think might be the truest telling of Shelly's book. I don't know how I could have forgotten "The Producers" as I love that movie. Thanks for the recommendation about "The Life Aquatic" I will seek it out.

Your protagonists are richly textured and connected to each other as family and that makes for interesting dynamics.

As a boy, I read lots of mythology and I thought I knew the legends from several different cultures quite well. As an adult, I realized that was not the case. I had barely scratched the surface. I am learning much about Viking mythology from your books.

New questions.

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

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

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/17/2022 01:08:25 pm

Which is more important to a story pace, or flow, and how do you control it?
For my writing I must remember to keep the pace as an important consideration to crafting a compelling story. There have been reviews critical of ‘The Witch’s Curse’ based on “pace,” which I took to heart and worked to adjust in the remainder of the series.
When I write, I attempt to control the pace of the narrative by focusing on action sequences. To increase the pace, I put less of the words into the historical references and education about medieval life, and focus more on who, what, where, when and how. Additionally, I attempt to ramp up the pace of the events over the course of the chapters by reducing the amount of description, exposition and even dialogue, until the narration is describing events in rapid succession in the climactic scenes.
I believe the story flow is fine for all my works—they “hang together” well and even the multiple points of view are connected and feel like a coherent whole.

What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Assuming I have plotted the entire novel, I break each chapter note into an individual document file and add footnotes on any myths, legends, or history to be featured. I put these “empty” chapters on my laptop’s desktop, ready to start.

I like to sit in a particular chair in our living room, where I am near the family, but basically in a corner, out of the way. I put noise cancelling headphones on my head and I tune into a streaming ambient music service, typically Nordic Lodge Radio from Copenhagen or Groove Salad from Soma-FM from San Francisco. Both channels are beat driven ambient channels with jazz, hip-hop beats and little to no vocals and very few “interruptions.” That background music masks the noises in the house and allows me to get into my writing mode. As I mentioned before, writing energizes me, so even later in the evening I find I can sit and write in my corner, often writing 2500 words in a few hours, or up to 8,000 over a weekend.

I do drink a lot of espresso and coffee, but because caffeine keeps me awake, I stop drinking coffee at noon.

Mark

6/17/2022 02:24:27 pm

Action scenes are important and every word must earn its place on the page in an action scene. Some authors resort to the shortest words possible in the final climactic moments to increase the feeling of movement for the readers. I love how you reconnect a particular character to his or her family with a simple thought or two near the end of a section.

I have my desk set up in a dining nook in our apartment. I am only a few steps away from my wife and she watches a lot of TV, she is partial to British mysteries, especially anything by Agatha Christie. I am able to concentrate against it pretty well.

I love my coffee also. Early in my construction career, I had got an espresso machine and was quite enchanted with it. I started drinking a full mug of espresso before going to the jobsite. I discovered I couldn't sit still for a few minutes as requested by the foreman for all of us. I grabbed a broom and started sweeping. I cut way back after that. I still only have one cup in the morning but it is not espresso.

New questions.

Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment even with your outline?

Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book or did it stay the same?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/17/2022 03:11:43 pm

Do you write in a straight line, or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment even with your outline?
For the most part, once I have the plot outlined, I write in a straight line and follow the path I intend. In my process, my “empty chapter” documents usually have about 100 to 250 words—Character 1 does this, character 2 does this, and don’t forget this, etc. Once I sit down to write and the muse takes hold, I turn those few notes into 10- or 15-thousand words. My muse fills in all the holes in the chapter.

Occasionally, I have a “false start” where I write a few pages, and the next day completely delete it and start over again. I look over the previous day’s writing and I say, “nope, that doesn’t work,” or “that is not leading where I need it to go.” While I know some authors save these pages to try to reuse them later, I am fairly Machiavellian with these sections—I just chop them out and start over again. Usually that is because I have not spent enough time “staring off into space” in the imagination phase of the writing preparation process.

Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book, or did it stay the same?
My first novel had been in the back of my mind for many years, and I had written two sections, one at the beginning, the dinner scene where Yeru repeats the tale of Alf Ironfist and the witch, and the final climax scene where Thorfinn the Vardoger lifts his uncle’s sword in the real world and wakes his uncle in time to stop the assassins. So essentially the first book was a game of fill in the pieces to make a coherent story and add a few innocuous mentions that would become important in a later work—for example, I knew I wanted Thorfinn to release a Nordic dragon in Midgard, so I had him pick up the small lizard that escaped from the door he and Raga witnesses the Jotun use to pass from the Realm Between into Jotunheim. He doesn’t release the Lindworm until book 3—when I put the mention in the first book, I wasn’t exactly sure how the dragon would get loose, but I knew I wanted it to get into Midgard.

After book 1 and some study of effective writing craft, I adopted my current process and have used it successfully ever since.

Mark

6/17/2022 06:25:35 pm

I love that, "staring into space" is part of the process. I have known for a long time that I need to have "staring into space" time to tackle a problem. The longer I can take the better the solution will usually turn out to be. Of course, certain situations or some emergencies don't allow for that luxury. I have to hit the ground running.

I like that empty chamber idea also. It works quite well for you it sounds like. You do have a good system for writing. Every author has to find what works for them. I imagine that most authors have that nailed down by the time they start their third or fourth book.

New questions.

What do you do to launch a new book when it is first published?

Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/17/2022 06:59:36 pm

Book marketing is a science all unto itself!

I am no expert, but I have a few tried and true options that help me get the word out. I have a group of friends and fans who are on my Advanced Review Copy (ARC) team, and they will get a book downloaded 6 weeks prior to the publishing date. I will also contact an editorial review company for an honest review and post the results to the book’s Amazon page.

For new book launches I have a new release announcement posted to my followers on Bookbub, I do schedule a book blog tour (shout out to Itsy Bitsy Book Tours for their fantastic support) and I will schedule a book give-away on Goodreads. I will also coordinate some advertising on Amazon and Facebook to drive clicks and host a giveaway of signed books and swag on social media. I have a short list of Bloggers who I will mail a paperback copy and they will most likely post a review and perhaps talk about me on their YouTube channel or podcast. By the second month I will host a “discounted” sale on a few platforms like Books Barbarian and start advertisements on Bookbub. I don’t pay for free downloads anymore because too many downloads happen, and I never get any feedback or reviews—I suspect the free books are added to an electronic library and forgotten.

The big news for later this summer is the audiobook version of Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse is in production and should be released by September. I am excited about this new media venture, and I have a wonderful narrator, Ulf Bjorklund, and the interstitial music will be provided by Joe Andrews (of Olde Crow Medicine Show fame). I have recently updated my website and I will begin promoting that site this summer and try to get people to join my newsletter list. I am looking forward to linking this interview to my blog.

Actually, Marketing is a lot of work and I admit I prefer the writing to the marketing chores. But, it is all part of selling the books and building a fan base. And the simple truth is word of mouth is the best advertisement for selling books. If you tell a friend to give my series a try, they are more likely to take your recommendation over any advertisement or marketing pitch I can craft!

Mark

6/18/2022 07:41:26 am

I have been saying for years that promoting and marketing a book is far more like an ultra-marathon than a sprint. So many authors have been rapidly disabused of the notion of instant riches and fame when they put their first book on the market.

You, on the other hand, have done a lot of the right things by building an ARC team, seeking editorial reviews and much more. I commend you for those actions. Long gone are the days when a publisher would handle all of the promotional footwork. Now, even the traditionally published author is responsible for getting the word out about their book. Very few publishers at any level have the profit margin available to promote a new book much beyond a listing on their website.

Many blogs have been written about promoting and marketing books. I have links to many blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page, put one of those search terms in the box below and you will find a plethora of information.

One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. Another copy-and-paste link or search the title in the box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/ I would add a few tips, seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some question ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

If there are tourist destinations try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a book mark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities.

Yes, marketing is a part of the writing business and most authors would rather be writing. But it is fun to meet fans and make new ones also. Word of mouth is the best marketing without a doubt, that is why reviews are so important.

Audio books are a great secondary or tertiary format to offer to consumers. Many readers listen to audio books on commutes and long trips. Some readers struggle with dyslexia and can only utilize an audio book. However, very many countries use English as an official language and others have it taught as a second language in schools. There are many millions of these consumers who have only a smart phone to access the internet and for them an audio book is a great way to read a book.

Audio books are expensive to produce. But that industry is undergoing a bit of a shakeup with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, software is becoming much better at producing an audio book with AI. The robotic voice is disappearing rapidly and is sounding quite human. Many narrators are worried about being out of business but I think in the long run AI will be found to be a boon to all involved. First, price conscious consumers will find some audio books priced lower. Second, with voice licensing, an author could have their audio book narrated by a favorite actor at a much lower cost. Third, popular narrators could license their voice and offer a cheaper price point to an author. Fourth, human narrated audio books will become the cream of the crop and will be able to collect a commensurable fee. There will be those consumers who want the best and will be willing to pay a premium price.

New questions.

What kind of marketing has worked the least for you for this book?

Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/18/2022 09:38:37 am

Some advertising I thought would be effective based on other author experience, has not panned out for this series. I think that if I authored focused, trope supporting books in a popular genre, I would find the advertising more effective. I also have trouble reaching bloggers and “bookstagrammers” because many of them are not seeking new indie work, merely adding their voices to the acclaim of the most popular work in a particular genre. I don’t blame them—it is less risky and certainly less controversial, and honestly the most popular books in a particular genre are popular because they are very good. In my case I am working hard to write and publish material I am personally proud to put my name on, and as you say, it is a marathon, not a sprint, so I must keep putting out good work and build my library, and ultimately find my audience and fans.

Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?
On the marketing side, I have been seeking “new voices” to get the word of my books out to different audiences. A PR firm has recently advised me that true book sales and fan growth will come from “word of mouth.” Your twitter feed has few overlapping contacts with mine, and to be honest, I was drawn to little “Grizz,” bless his heart. ❤️

Mark

6/18/2022 10:37:01 am

That is interesting that so many reviewers are focused on the most popular books. I suppose that they feel they get more clicks that way. Increasing their influence is very important to them.

On my Twitter page, I have lists of people who provide services to authors. One of my deeper lists is for book reviewers but I also have a list of book promoters and booktubers. All of these lists continue to grow on my list extension account on Twitter: @MarklSchultz1. I hope these lists can help you expand your promotional efforts.

By continuing to grow your library you will find more fans and gain more sales. It does take a long time.

I appreciate that you chose me to help you sell books. Grizz has a lot of fans.

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?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/18/2022 03:51:23 pm

There are underlying messages in ‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ that relate to our modern time. History portrays the Danish and Scandinavian settlers in pre-England Britain as invaders and ruthless murderers, but in reality most were tradesmen, farmers and families of immigrants seeking a new start in the rich and fertile land of opportunity. We face similar issues with immigration today, and not all immigrants can be cast as villains, many are simply looking to find a better life for their family.

The human condition has been the same for centuries. Despite the misinformation spread by various media about medieval life, the Nordic people bathed frequently, had a varied and excellent diet and were not all blood-thirsty berserkers. Family and political connections were important to them, as they are for us today. And their equal treatment of women reflects our modern sensibilities.

What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?
More than just the historical facts I have worked into these novels, there is great mythological inheritance we do not remember, legendary creatures and tales that are overlooked in today’s culture and not covered in our education. Understanding the history of the ninth century gives a reader insight into our collective past, their customs and beliefs. While offering a fun story, this book also provides definitions of the origin of our “night mare,” and the “honey moon.” The Norse idea of traveling the astral plane or “runes as symbols of power and magic significance” have been coopted by new age philosophies and neo-pagans. I would like for my readers to feel they have been educated as well as entertained.

Mark

6/18/2022 05:48:13 pm

That makes a lot of sense. The Danes and other Scandiwhovians are really not much different than we are. Everyone throughout the ages wants to love and be loved. They want to live a life of peace where they can make a good future for themselves and their children. Most immigrants are not villains, they are just like us. There are a few that are not happy unless everyone else follows their beliefs and that is the source of much trouble the world over.

The legends and myths of different cultures are very interesting and I am glad you have provided some education along with the massive amount of entertainment in your books.

New questions.

What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

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

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/18/2022 07:20:08 pm

I write in MS Word because I am used to it, having used it in business applications for more than two decades. I have tried some other programs but keep returning to MS Word due to familiarity.

Once the work is finalized, I format it in Vellum. I chose Vellum because it was highly rated for an Apple MACs which is my laptop and desktop platform.

Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?
Yes. But not big swerves—when I am writing and the muse takes me in a different direction, I follow the idea. It is either a good idea or bad, and I can quickly discover whether I should follow the new direction or not. Typically, if it is a bad idea, I end up deleting a few pages and “roll it back.” If it’s good, well, it stays in the book! 😊

Thanks for the pointer to your list of reviewers and bloggers. I will certainly comb through that and try to make some new contacts.

Mark

6/18/2022 07:42:03 pm

MS Word has a huge installed user base around the world. Being able to bridge the PC Mac divide has helped, I think. I can't recall a past interview where the author didn't use Word or a clone. I use it also. A number of authors use Vellum also, almost all have had good things to say about it.

Swerves come in all sizes, no doubt about that.

I hope you find the lists useful, it will keep you busy for sometime I think. There is a bit of overlap between the two pages though. I didn't realize at the time that Twitter limits lists to a maximum of 1000 entries.

New questions.

I know there are many ways to build the outline. Do you do it all on the computer or do you get analog in the beginning, perhaps with sticky notes or note cards?

Do you have a defined space for writing at home, or would you be a coffee-shop writer, if we weren’t stuck in the covid mess?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/19/2022 07:56:06 am

I create a matrix chart in MS Excel because, like sticky notes, one can “cut and paste” the different cells into a new place and adjust the story and timing. The information in each cell is only my high-level synopsis tag information, for example: “introduce Raga,” or “Yeru discovers the night mare feeding on Sorven.” I organize the chart by chapters and Point of view characters. Once I have the outline, I adjust it to try to create miniature cliff-hangers in each story line so that a chapter will end on an exciting note to keep the reader turning the page. Once I believe I have the correct story flow, I copy and paste the chapter data separated by POV characters into an MS Word document as my writing prompt. These are the empty chapters I use to frame my plot.

As much as I would love to be able to sit in a coffee shop and tune out all the distractions, I can’t. When I have tried to write in public places, I get too distracted by passersby, coffee smells and the commotion going on around me. For me to really get into the groove of writing, I need to hunker down in a comfortable chair where no one will disturb me and there is very little unexpected traffic, firmly plant noise cancelling headphones over my ears, stream a background music channel with no recognizable tunes or singing, and focus on the laptop screen. This has worked most successfully for me.

Mark

6/19/2022 09:05:16 am

I like that system. It sounds like something I would use if I was a writer. As detail oriented as I am, I think I would be a plotter. So using software like that would come pretty natural to me. Otherwise, I would probably use Scrivener.

Being in a public space would be very distracting for me also. I would struggle to get any writing done. Background noise I can ignore easily, TV or radio the same. People moving around much would be nearly impossible.

New 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?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/19/2022 10:00:34 am

Dialogue is easy for me, followed by action sequences. Narration is often augmented the most after my first draft, and action is edited to ensure it makes visual and physical sense, especially in the descriptions of medieval combat. The books reflect my desire to make the fight scenes easy to visualize—I have read some books where I could not figure out what was happening in the action sequences, and I don’t want to fall into that trap. My dialogue passages are typically edited for length and the character’s style of speaking, to excise too many words unless the character is chatty. I let the Agneson children all speak similarly because they were raised in the same household and influenced by the same parents and nurse, but to me the other characters’ spoken words should have a different cadence, different word choice, different contractions, etc. To summarize, I write dialogue fast and edit for length and style, I re-work the action to make it work and I labor over the narration to ensure it is not too much exposition and it touches all five senses.

My professor at university was the first to admonish neophyte writers for forgetting all five sense. I have a little mental note, really a memory of her voice, reminding me that people see, hear, touch, feel and smell. The easiest for me is seeing, and I can easily describe the scene or characters in the story. Writing the five sense is fairly straightforward, if I remember them all! For me, the most difficult to remember is the sense of smell, which has the ability to trigger a memory and create a powerful image in a reader’s mind.

Mark

6/19/2022 10:39:52 am

Authors are split on what is the easiest to write, of course. All have their strengths and weaknesses. Your dialogue shines and I appreciate how you use dialogue to connect characters within a family and differentiate them from one another. As a proofreader, I look for ways to differentiate the characters through dialogue and you made that part easy for me.

Action, clearly formulated action can make a book much easier to read. If it doesn't play well on the screen of my mind, if I have to reread a sequence several times to understand it, that is a big negative for me as a reader. Writers that struggle with action scenes should consider taking a class in screenwriting that focuses on action scenes. The writer is the director of the movie that plays in our mind. You are a good director.

Many authors struggle to represent the sense of smell even though it is so closely related to taste. You hit upon what may be a key factor, smell does trigger memories whether pleasant or not. It is a factor for many that struggle with PTSD also.

New questions.

Have you ever participated in theater in some way?

Do you have a favorite song or a musical artist?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/19/2022 11:55:43 am

Now that you mention it, maybe my theater experience has informed my writing. Starting in middle grades and through high school I participated in the school plays and musicals, as many as 4 a year, “summer theater,” and I was active most weekends during the school year in the National Forensics League, in solo acting, duet acting and extemporaneous speaking. After university in all of my positions I have been tapped for public speaking, with audiences up to 1500. The acting workshops and stage directions may have helped me stage a novel’s action in my head as if it were in a live performance. I have had a few reviewers tell me that they could see my books as a “movie in their head.” Very insightful of you—obviously as writers we draw on all our experience to create the best work we can.

Do you have a favorite song or a musical artist?
For writing I prefer ambient music, what we used to call “background music.” At age 11 I learned to play trombone and guitar and have a deep love for classical music. For 2 years in college I joined the medieval music consort and learned to play the “viola da gamba” which is basically a fretted cello, and the mandolin. From age 12 until 28, I performed in coffee houses (James Taylor, ballads, etc.) and in rock-n-roll and bluegrass bands. People laugh at me—I can’t remember the words to a song… but I can sing the entire guitar solo! 😝

As for “foreground” music preferences, I have varied and wide tastes—my first “45” was “She Love You” by the Beatles, and I was in the Santana, Doors and Led Zeppelin camp in the 1970s, went through phase of folk-rock (CSN&Y, America, Seals& Crofts, etc.), and then found PUNK and the 1980’s new wave, especially Television, REM, Talking Heads, The Clash, DEVO and their ilk. From 1977 to 1985 I worked as a chief engineer in radio stations and was able to see many fine bands in their prime including Little Feat with Lowell George (he passed away 6 months later) and Talking Heads in their “Stop Making Sense” Tour. I went through a reggae phase for a few years and played guitar and trombone in a ska band. I only cared for some rap and hip-hop: I enjoy the poetry, but never really cared for the gangster stuff, and I really liked the “Acid Jazz” movement. For the record, it is great fun to play “wall of noise” music like System of a Down or the really aggressive angry rock, but I can’t listen to it—it is not musical enough for me. I listened to a lot of varied music in the 1990s—Nirvana and the others in the Seattle grunge movement, Death Cab for Cutie, Radiohead and New Pornographers, and today I listen to Toro& Moi, Beck and I still like to hear what David Byrne is doing. We listen to “KCRW Eclectic 24” from Santa Monica which is an extension of their “Morning goes eclectic” daily broadcast. And I listen to my cousin’s music, Sarah Williams from Nashville, and her husband, Joe Andrews who toured for years as the guitarist for the Olde Crow Medicine Show, inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Hall of Fame. Joe has agreed to supply the interstitial music for my audiobooks and I have heard the interludes and they are awesome!

My mother was a music teacher and the secretary of the Ohio Music Teacher's Association for over a decade. We listened to music every day—it’s in our blood.

Mark

6/19/2022 02:27:13 pm

You have a lot of formative experience in theater! I do believe it trained your brain to think in a fashion suitable for a movie or a play.

Your experiences in those bands are interesting also. I too am very musical, I have played the stereo since my junior high years. ;-)

Music has given you many gifts.

New questions.

How do you know when a book is complete, and you should stop working on it?

How long does the research process take before you start to write a book, or do you do the research as you write?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/19/2022 02:50:04 pm

This is an interesting question and I imagine every author has a different answer. For me, I stop the draft phase when I have no more “notes” to add into the storylines. If I keep fiddling with the manuscript I make it “muddy.” Then I set the document aside for a few weeks, long enough to look at it for editing with “fresh eyes.” After I publish the book, when I go back to read it again, I often find sections I would change or adjust—the distance of years lets me see it in an entirely new way. That is why I can see now how to adjust the first book—I published it in 2019.

Research is an ongoing process for me. For the early medieval period I have selected, there are a number of sources, and some contradict each other. In the case of contradictions, I attempt to use the most recent data, especially in regard to archeological studies of Viking Age life. For my book 5 and 6 of the series, I am studying Moorish Spain—that’s a hint—and I am collecting anecdotes and information on Andalusian myths and legends as back story to new characters and locations. I enjoy the research part of the writing, especially learning about lore and medieval life in various European settings.

Mark

6/19/2022 08:56:15 pm

You are correct, the answers to this question are very individual. You are certainly on the right track. The distance of time can freshen your eyes a great deal.
But what can an author do when time is in short supply? I have a few ideas that will trick the brain into viewing the manuscript with fresh eyes. Start by using a different font and size, change the color of the font or change the background to a color other than white or print it out on colored paper. These things will fool the brain and let the author see what is really there.

I don't do beta reading because I rely on my fresh eyes to find all of the spelling errors in a manuscript. Fresh eyes are critical.

I have heard from other authors of historical fiction about the difficulties with sources. Sometimes a contemporary source has a grudge against another person and puts out lies. There certainly are lots of difficulties encountered in this genre.

Moors in Spain. Sounds like a title for a movie. That was an interesting period of time. I have been to Granada and visited the Alhambra when I was studying architectural history in Europe in the summer of 1974. This is going to be good. I am even more excited now.

New questions.

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?

How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/20/2022 09:18:22 am

Great ideas I had not considered to change the look of a manuscript to help “distance” oneself from the writing. I will try changing to a different font and size for my next project.

The Alhambra in Granada is amazing and should be on everyone’s bucket list. You may already know that the famous American author Washington Irving wrote ‘Tales from the Alhambra’ which I read before our first visit there. It’s a collection of essays and ghost stories based in the palace and fortress. He also wrote a history of the rise of the Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and the last battles to conquer the Caliphate and drive the Moorish government from Spain. It is a fascinating read if you know Andalusia, and he gives historical perspective to the fall of Malaga and Ronda prior to the capitulation of Granda.

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
In High School I wrote songs, poetry, and a truly awful first chapter of an epic fantasy story, which I shared with one friend. A mountain of dreary exposition! Let us agree not to dredge that up! LOL! At least my friend was kind enough not to embarrass me with it. At university I was published in the college literary magazine, and I won $100 in a poetry contest, which today I wish I had a copy of the check but back then it was money for food! It was about 5 years later that I began submitting work to magazines and got my first byline with TSR. During the 1990s I wrote technical articles for various broadcasting and media magazines, none of which paid but were good for marketing purposes.

The power of words became apparent to me in my first desk job, when I would write letters and lengthy responses to requests for information or proposals and I began to compare my work to other people’s, even correcting the staff’s gaffs and grammar. Personally, I naively thought everyone could communicate as that is a basic skill we learn in school, but I came to understand that many people do not have the ability to manipulate the written word, to write compelling content that moves an audience or communicates a rich diversity of ideas. Written and spoken communication abilities are fundamental to success in many endeavors, and especially if one is interested in playing the corporate game and rising through the ranks.

Mark

6/20/2022 02:17:26 pm

Make those font changes when you want to edit, not before.

I do recall that Washington Irving wrote "Tales from the Alhambra". I don't recall if I read that or not. It was exciting to see.

Many authors started in school just like you. All of that writing served you well. A nice variety of experience taught you how powerful words are.

Many aren't cut out to be a writer, for them it's a chore to avoid or complete as quickly as possible. They don't understand the maxim, 'sell the sizzle, not the steak'.

New questions.

A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.

Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/20/2022 03:54:13 pm

In my opinion there are two critical areas that require a different set of eyes—the first is the synopsis stage when you verify that the proposed narrative is unique, not too derivative (unless that is what you are going for) and get direction for areas of concern. The second step is a beta reader who should check continuity, flow, pace and look for plot holes or, in my case, bad compass directions! Finding a trusted beta reader is important and often one needs a fellow author. The difficulty is that writers are busy people and finding time to read a raw draft is hard for many of us. The other issue is that many authors who ask for a “beta read” seek validation (i.e., “likes” and “at-a-boys” for psychological support), but are not necessarily interested in providing or receiving deep constructive or structural input, and in return these individuals are not the best “beta” reader for my requirements. By constructive feedback I mean coaching, the kind that points out problems, recommends changes, offers suggestions, points out major and minor issues and provides guidance that ultimately makes the book stronger and aids the author in bettering their craft. Finding spelling errors is not the job of a beta reader.

‘Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse’ did not benefit from a beta reader. Book 2 and 3 in the series benefits from a wonderful beta reader, who unfortunately for me was not available to review the most recent book due to personal commitments. Luckily I have 2 authors who have agreed to weigh in on my synopsis. I am seeking a new beta writing partner to help with the review of Book 5 and 6… maybe I could tweet a request and see if I can find a good author or authors who have time to assist. Do you have any suggestions?

Mark

6/20/2022 04:44:43 pm

I like how specific you are with your beta reading needs. You know what you need. Authors are busy people, no doubt about that. Many authors tell their betas to ignore any spelling or grammatical errors. They want to know of plot holes, problems with continuity and other things like you listed.

One of the lists on my Twitter page is for beta readers. Take a look there, you might find someone who will work well for what you need. Tweets are also a good idea.

New questions.

How did you find your beta readers?

Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/20/2022 05:13:57 pm

Through a mutual friend, I was introduced to a fellow author, and we fell into a tacit agreement to beta review for each other—it worked well until our mutual life commitments got overwhelming. I will absolutely look at your list of beta readers and see if I can find someone who can work for me. As I trusted my beta reader implicitly, I have always provided an MS Word document in the past, which makes tracking changes and accepting adjustments a straightforward process.

Mark

6/20/2022 06:19:33 pm

There you go, the power of word of mouth. You were introduced to that person by a friend. So many connections of all types are made in the same way.

MS Word is the logical choice for most authors. Although, I am running into more authors using google docs and the cloud for collaborative work on a document. I recently proofread all of the text and directions for an artist for a graphic novel. It was everything but the art.

Last questions.

Do you reward the alpha/beta readers in any way particular?

Do you have other writers you connect with, as in a critique group or support group?

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/20/2022 08:43:46 pm

I did get my beta readers a gift in the past, typically a paperback book I knew they would appreciate. I have thought about getting some sway or some special bookmarks for my ARC readers as well. The key job for me over the next 12 months is to build a group of superfans for my series who can help me with small marketing tasks in exchange for books, swag, and some special gifts.

I have found two groups that are supportive, one on Facebook and one on twitter. The twitter self-publishing collective is very active and supportive to its members, while the FB group has some great people and is a fun, creative group. When I launched my first book some of the FB group were very supportive and helped with the launch of ‘Thorfinn.’ I struggle with connecting with other authors simply because I must commit a large part of my day to my job, and the nice thing about twitter is that I can turn off the notifications and turn to it when I have a spare moment. Social media can be time consuming and may not result in selling books, but it can build and support a community. I value some of the individuals I have met on IG, FB and Twitter and while I suspect I will never meet them IRL, I enjoy their cyber company and their intellect. For that reason, I stay active on the platforms. And without Twitter I would never have found the Word Refiner! Cheers to that! 😁

Mark

6/21/2022 08:58:59 am

Many authors do much the same thing. They give their betas a special gift to thank them for their assistance. While a majority of my interviewees provide a completed book others search out a more personal gift.

Some authors get very creative in the ways they cultivate and reward superfans. Some have a special page on their website reserved for superfans that only they can log into. One author printed a copy of the book for editing. She went on a hike and did some editing during the trip. She experienced a heavy downpour that was not good for the manuscript. She held a contest for who could prove the most shares of the newest published book. She gave the winner that edited copy of the WIP.

Yes, social media can be a wonderful community for writers. It can also take up a lot of time. You are wise to control your investment there.

I must prepare for the next promotion. I want to thank you, Jay, for being a marvelous guest. It has been a lot of fun to get to know you and learn about your writing and publishing journey. Until our next time keep on writing.

Jay Veloso Batista link

6/21/2022 11:08:58 am

Thank you for a wonderful, in-depth conversation. I look forward to working with you in the future.

Thorfinn and the Witch's Curse (Forerunner Series Book 1) By Jay Veloso Batista

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