Authors and what they write

There are numerous categories in the literary world, seemingly an almost endless list. Starting off with the basics, all works are designated as either non-fiction or fiction. We assign a suitable age range to the work, and then from there, the options continue.

Fact based books range from historical and scientific journals, to autobiographies, and cover a wide range of topics.

Fiction is broken down into many subcategories. Some of these include; Adventure, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thrillers. Romance is the most popular, with Mysteries/Thrillers and Nonfiction coming in close together at second and third. Science Fiction and Fantasy are next, followed by Children's books and Literary Fiction who are also close in sales.

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You need the right team behind you and that should include John Fluke

"Product placement is the subtle, or sometimes not so subtle, inclusion of merchandise in a movie, photograph, or even in a book."

 In February of this year I touched on JoDee Randall's company, Show Style Brands, and how she has successfully placed products in many television shows. I also mentioned her extensive list of contacts, and many friends.  John Fluke, the CEO of Placed4success, is one of these people.

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Let us return to a unified country

Firstly, I do not in any way intend to offend anyone, however, this blog deals with a volatile and touchy subject.

Secondly, I wish to state that the views expressed in this blog, are my own.

Finally, I am, and always have been, an advocate of equality for all, no matter the person's race, gender, religion, or any other measure which separates one human being from another.

Those who are reading my Terran Chronicles Universe series will begin to notice that I have incorporated my own personal message into my work, one of unity.

With all that being said, I shall begin.

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Reflecting in the month of April

The month begins with a volley of 'April fool's' jokes. Some of these puns are extremely witty and well thought out, others not so much. But rest assured, between Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and all the other social media that exists, we will get to see many of these practical jokes get played out. I rarely create any April fool's hoaxes, but who knows what the future holds.

In the Southern Hemisphere, April marks the beginning of Autumn, or Fall as it is better known in America. Conversely, for the Northern Hemisphere, April marks the end of Winter, and return to warmer weather. I relish these warmer days as I get to ride my motorbike along the scenic roadways of Northern Michigan.

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Laying down the miles to free the mind

Technology Detox - What would you do to get away from your many screens and refresh your life? Well... I tried a 5570 mile road trip, and what a success it was.

Escaping our ice covered home in Mansitee with our bikes, and then riding them all over the Florida sunshine state certainly invigorated me.

I'd like to share some of our vacation's highlights with you.

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You need the right team behind you.

Product placement is the subtle, or sometimes not so subtle, inclusion of merchandise in a movie, photograph, or even in a book. An early example is in the novel, 'Around the World in Eighty days' where various transport companies made efforts to be mentioned.

Advertisers have constantly sought new and innovative ways to get the goods and services they represent in front of as many people as possible. While radio created some fresh prospects, the advent of television opened up a whole new medium. Advertisements began to appear before, and after, the shows played. It did not take long for advertising agencies to realize that other opportunities existed, thus embedded marketing was born. The latest movies are filled with numerous examples, ranging from the beer or soft drink that is being consumed, to objects which are in the background. When an actor opens up a laptop, the brand is often displayed, prior to the viewer seeing the movie related content on its screen.

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2014 was a great year for Team Terran

The short stories, 'Jie's World' and 'Emma's Legacy', were completed and released. Emma's Legacy is the second of three special Journal style works; it offers an insight into events far in the future.

2014 saw a behind the scenes transition for the Apple/iTunes versions of my work. The major reason for going direct was to gain a greater control of my eBooks on the iTunes platform. We were successful. Release times have dropped from weeks, to days.

Another major initiative for 2014 has been the start of the conversion process to print versions of the Terran Chronicles Novels. We are using CreateSpace, an Amazon company, for these books. As a part of this process the main novels' associated short story is being included with each book.

Book One, 'First Contact', with 'Johnny's Jaunt', is now available in print.

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An Indie Author's Experience of 'Going to Print'

Many authors want to see their books in print form. This used to mean sitting around and waiting for a publishing company to 'discover' their work. Along comes the digital age and with it, the time of the 'indie author'. Individuals suddenly gain the ability to self-publish their writings, which has seen a measurable drop in print book sales. But the days of books are far from over, and in keeping pace with this ever changing market, Amazon's CreateSpace allows indie authors to self-publish in print.

Firstly though, what is an indie author?

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On the way to Equality

I recently watched an amazing movie, one which I not only enjoyed greatly, but one which moved me to write about it as this month's blog. The story is about friendships, and courage, even in the face of the greatest of hardships. I know this description fits a great many movies and books. Some of these stories are pure fiction, but this particular one is based on real life experiences and events. I am sure that by now you have a mental list of movies that meet this criteria. Stories such as 'Schindler's List', 'Saving Private Ryan', and 'Men of Honor' should definitely be on this list. I am, however, referring the movie, 'Tuskegee Airmen.'

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Too close to home or do you weave reality

Many writers enjoy weaving a moral story inside their works of fiction and fantasy. Real world events can often be the catalyst for amazing storylines, and their subsequent consequences. Sometimes the message conveyed is subtle, and missed. Other times the meaning to clear and obvious. In either case, once discovered, the effect on the reader can be quite profound.

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Just what is the difference between Fantasy and Science Fiction

I am sometimes asked what a science fiction novel is, and if it differs from fantasy. Well first, let's tackle their individual meanings. 

Science fiction is content which is usually set in the future, or in futuristic settings. These stories usually involve space travel, scientific advancements, or alien races. A common theme of science fiction is an off world setting. Think of Frank Herbert's Dune saga, or Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.

Fantasy writing usually involves mythical beasts, magic, and strange lands, which are often inhabited by stranger creatures. Some of the most famous fantasy lands include J.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, or J.K Rowling's, Harry Potter Series. A prolific author who was ahead of her time was Enid Blyton. She wrote numerous children's fantasy books, many of which I still recall to this day.

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The technology of a writer (and avid Gamer)

The only common denominator for my title is that I do both. In reality, the computer system that is essential for writing has rather simple needs, while a gaming system definitely requires far newer technology. I will add that having multiple monitors for both is a very handy feature.

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World at War...  What does that mean?

This blog, like most of my others, was going to be on a rather safe topic. But with all the strife we have in the world right now, I could not in good conscience stick my head in the sand and ignore what is going on. With that being said I must warn you that this blog expresses my views and insights into the world's current events. For those who are not interested in this topic, please come back next month when I promise I will provide a more contemporary blog.

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Are social media friends, friends...  I think so.

Many years ago my wife and I started playing World of Warcraft, a game we played for almost seven years. Over the course of these years we became good friends with a number of other players. We used Ventrilo, a voice chat program, in order to communicate with each other as we played. Roll forward ten years, and even though I have not meet these people face to face, thanks to our many chatting sessions and the phenomenon that Facebook has become, I feel as though I know many of these people extremely well.

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We all have to start somewhere and with perseverance, we can make our dreams come true.

My Stepdaughter, Kayla, has been fascinated with cartoons for her entire life. When she said she wanted to be involved in the industry, her mother and I did what we could to support her endeavors.

She spent four years studying at the Chicago Institute of Art, then took the bold step of moving to New York in order to pursue her new career. During college, and these early days in New York, she had to work a variety of jobs in order to make ends meet.

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Progress in the quest for an Editor for the Terran Chronicles Universe

I began writing the Terran Chronicles Universe series in 2010, and have been tweaking my writing and publication process ever since. Many times I have talked about being an indie author, and having limited resources at my disposal. One of the defining factors that differentiates many indie authors from professionals is the quality of their editing.

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James Jackon's Experience of Apple Publishing Directly to the iBookstore

Just like many indie authors, I am constrained as to what I can do in terms of self publishing. My home computer I write on is a Windows based system, which means publishing directly to Apple is not possible because the Apple publishing process requires an Apple Computer.  However there are companies that will, for a nominal fee, publish to Apple

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A Writers Holiday - Does it really exist in the Terran Chronicles Universe?

As this month rolls by, I realize the small vacation with my wife, and two friends, is getting very close. We are going away, which means away from the computer I use to write my stories, blogs, and pretty much everything else. I imagine that I am like many writers, in that I have a lot of ‘things’ going on at once. So how will I find the time to have a holiday?

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What may work for some doesn't always work for others.

Just like thousands of other authors, I released a new eBook in December of 2013, and signed up for Amazon's Select program. This means that my book, 'Colony'; must remain exclusive to Amazon, and thus not be available elsewhere.

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The start of a New Year and reflecting on the past.

January 2nd is the claimed birthday of Isaac Asimov, a prolific and renowned science fiction writer. He, Robert A Heinlein, and Arthur C Clark, have been referred to as the 'big three' when it comes to writing. In my October 2013 blog, I paid homage to these greats, and others, for the inspiration they continually provide me.

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