http://virb.com/maxwellcynn I am an author of romance and suspense novels and short stories. My stories range in theme from sci-fi, to fantasy, to everyday life. They revolve around strong characters and their interactions, emotions, trials and tribulations. Nothing is ever two dimensional or black and white. MaxwellCynn.com My BlogSpot MySpace Page My Helium Profile]]> Virb 2.0 (@maxwellcynn) en http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3852443
Many of the short, terse, posts going out over twitter are just blurbs. People reporting on their lives for anyone who cares to follow along. “Off to work.” “Stuck in traffic.” “OMG! My BFF ignored my IM. WTF!” After all, you only get 140 characters per post – including spaces and punctuation.

In a lot of ways twitter is like texting to a wider audience, and many fill their posts with acronyms and abbreviations borrowed from text messaging. Many actually post from their cell phones. It's an informal, no rules world of mass communication.

There are many artists and celebrities – musicians, actors, writers – who use twitter to post updates to their fans. “I'll be in Charlotte tomorrow. B&N at Arboretum.” And that's not the only promotional use. Some people spam ads and links. But twitter has better uses.

Twitter is the simplest social network interface out there. Little one line messages sent out to the world, and a world of messages in return. A simple concept, the potential of which is still being realized. A universe of short blurbs.

When given an open canvas creative people will create. Some will scrawl crap like you see in public toilets and some will make art. I see in twitter the potential for a new type of prose, limited only by the length of its lines.

What can you create in 140 characters? Flash-fiction, poetry, literary non-fiction? If you're a writer, this is your 30 second sound bite. What will you tell the world, and how will you say it?

Join me on twitter and create your own twitter-verse. No text-speak, no 1337 speak, just good strong prose. It's not easy, but it sure is fun.

Visit my page and see what I've come up with - then follow me, I'm still experimenting. If you're a writer I'll follow you and we can create twitter-verse together. I can't wait to see what you do with your 140 characters.

My first twitter-verse tweet:

“Sensual curves silhouetted. No details. Dark erotic shadow, teasing, enticing. Eyes strain for more, heart pounds to touch. Darkness.”

See you on twitter ;-)

max

]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:40:20 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3852443 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3546230 I'm taking two courses this summer at Central Piedmont Community College. One is on writing short stories, the other is freelance journalism. I thought both would improve my blogging, my short fiction, and my all around writing skill. In this tight market a writer has to diversify and be on top of his game.

I've been struck by how different the skills are, and how much they have in common. Good writing is good writing, yet the purpose of the writing, and how it is presented and perceived, is vastly different from fiction to non-fiction.

In fiction we hook the reader with teasers and take them step by step into our world. We never give away too much too soon, but string the reader along with us to the very last page. Sometimes we even leave enough loose ends to lure them to our next book.

In journalism the idea is completely different. We are giving the reader, hopefully useful, information. We present our main premise, and meat of the story, right up front – in the first few paragraphs. We need to convey the information as quickly and succinctly as possible. Then we continue to elaborate on the idea, provide more and more supporting information for our reader to consider. It's a top down approach. We lay all our cards on the table, then explain what each card is.

It occurred to me that fiction writers can learn a lot from journalism. Many of us have great difficulty writing an effective query letter and synopsis. That s because they are, at the heart, conveying information – journalism. The first page of our novel, our query, and our synopsis, must – like a good piece of journalism – provide the reader, the agent, or the publisher with the information they need. Then, once they decide to continue, we can lead them into the world of our story-telling.

I am rethinking my art from a more critical, journalistic, perspective. We work so hard to create beautiful literature, but it does nothing unless it is read. We can learn a lot from the newspaper reporter, the magazine feature writer, even the flamboyant sports writer, about how to hook our readers and market our work.

People pick up a magazine and may only read for a couple of minutes before being interrupted by our busy world – yet they return to a good article over and over again until they finish it – a few lines here, a paragraph there. When they pick up our latest book in the bookstore, and read the first few lines, we want to create that same commitment – to buy the book, take it home, and finish reading it. We need to learn the tricks of the trade as it were.
-

]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:03:46 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3546230 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3240546 I've never been to the Opry. I've been a country music fan as long as I can remember - I'm also a rock fan and about every kind of music fan I can think of :) - so I have always wanted to visit the Grand Ole Opry. I got the chance Friday night.

The show was great. I don't think there is a bad seat in the whole auditorium, but our seats were right down front only a few rows from the stage. It is a beautiful place, and a terrific stage.

I got to see some of my favorites from when I was a kid: Bill Anderson, George Hamilton IV (a fellow North Carolinian), Jean Shepard – along with some current favorites: The Carter Twins, Kathy Mattea, and Mark Chesnutt. Everyone put on wonderful performances – the old hands haven't changed a bit and were as good as ever.

A Grand Ole Opry icon – Little Jimmy Dickens – hosted part of the show. He had the the audience in stitches with his jokes - and shouting and clapping when he sang. At eighty-eight years old he is still a master entertainer.

The Little General Cloggers were also there for the 27th consecutive year. There were also many other old and new faces – too many to mention here. It was an all around awesome experience to be part of something with such rich history, and such a huge impact on American Music.

Saturday morning we got the chance to walk around Nashville. It is a gorgeous city with a perfect blending of old and new. The 100+ year old buildings preserved and honored along side modern masterpieces of architecture. The street scene was vibrate with street musicians, vendors, horse drawn carriages, and tons of people just soaking it all in.

My only regret? I went too soon. This week starts the build up to the Country Music Association Music Festival. The streets of Nashville will be filled with music and some of the biggest names in country music for a festival like no other – and I'm already back in North Carolina.

Maybe next year.

max
-

]]> Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:49:19 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3240546 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3078691
The required reading for the course is Carolyn See's book, Making a Literary Life, so I went ahead and bought it. I was going to look it over before the class starts, in a couple of weeks, but once I opened it I couldn't put it down. This should be required reading for all writers.

Ms. See takes her readers through her own Literary Life, step by step, generously imparting the priceless wisdom she has gained. We are taken by the hand and led through our first manuscript, our first trip to New York, our first printing, and even given tips on having fun with the tax man.
The cornerstone of this Literary Life is “a thousand words a day, five days a week, for the rest of your life”. So you can see the tie in to the “short story marathon”. She goes on to bring everything about a writer's life journey into fine focus. This is not just a book on how to write, or how to get published, but on how to live life as a writer.

The subtitle of the book is “Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers” and it genuinely goes beyond being helpful to writers. Indeed, any artist - or for that matter any sensitive, creative human being – would benefit from the lifestyle she espouses. It is truly a lifestyle, not just a “get published” formula.

The precious pearls of wisdom offered in this book are life changing, encouraging, empowering, and uplifting. Ms. See began her career as a single mother of two with no money and little prospect for success. She persevered and became a multi-published, award winning author, and a professor at UCLA.

I heartily recommend Making a Literary Life to every writer, would be writer, or anyone who knows a writer. I'm not alone...

“Imagine this: You have been introduced to an established, respectable writer, and she likes you – a lot. So much, in fact, that she spends hours an hours giving you advice about writing and living a writer's life... What's more, you get to absorb all this sage advice while having a really good time... Sound good? Then go out and buy Making a Literary Life.”
--The Times (Trenton, NJ)

]]> Mon, 25 May 2009 19:16:59 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/3078691 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2909440
The book jacket announces : Martha and Nina are underemployed, overeducated slackers who are wasting their twenty-something lives while serving drinks at a dive bar in Cleveland. Martha's escapes are smoking too much, drinking, and reading classic literature. Nina's distractions come in the form of married men. In a shared moment of self-realization, they quit their jobs and set out on a road trip.

As a forty-eight year old slightly conservative southern male, that doesn't really sound like something I'd be interested in. It goes on to say : Their journey in time takes a literary turn that blurs fantasy and reality. Nina's destiny is guided by Cervantes' Don Quixote while Martha, with less grandiose aspirations, finds herself in the footsteps of Jane Austen's Emma Woodhouse.

Okay, I think to myself, the characters are a radical liberal – joisting at windmills – and a self absorbed girlie-girl. A bit of an odd couple, could be fun, but still not something I'd like. I'm really not into chick-lit, even if I do write romance. I like things a little more edgy, thought provoking, even dark.

So why did I buy the book? And why should you, dear reader? Because the book is not being compared to those two classic works, it is their literary equal. A Body at Rest is one of the best examples of Literary Fiction I have read in years. What did I say before? a little more edgy, thought provoking, even dark? A Body at Rest is all that and more.

Ms. Petrone took me on the ride of my middle-aged life. I couldn't put it down. I was so absorbed by these two young women, and their trip into a literary Twilight Zone, that I had to keep turning pages until I ran out of pages to turn. I was shocked, dismayed, enraptured, overjoyed, and saddened along the way as I pulled for these two amazing heroines.

The writing itself shows the author's true mastery of the literary arts - the light, subtle, even feminine, air of the narrative gently wielding the stark power of the story. Ms. Petrone made me laugh, and indeed she made me cry - not a small feat.

I heartily recommend A Body at Rest to anyone who loves literature, no matter what your favorite genre may be. On a ten point scale, I'm giving this one a twelve. Well done Susan. I'm definitely a fan now.

max

]]> Mon, 11 May 2009 13:35:34 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2909440 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2852022
We can find a simple example of this in painting. I can paint my house. I will struggle with it. It will not be a very “professional” job, but it would be passable. I can slap some paint on canvas, I took some art classes, but it will not be “art” - a pretty painting perhaps, but not art. I can hire a professional painter to do my house. He will do a much better job. He makes a living painting houses.

Now if I want a very special job done I can not just hire any painter. Some paint for a living, and are very neat and professional, but others have a gift – they are true craftsmen. A craftsman has a eye for color, a special touch with his brush, things that can't be taught. He doesn't just work as a painter, he is a painter. Now our wonderful craftsman may not do very well putting paint to canvas. He may not have that gift. He is a craftsman not an artist.

I might hire an artist to paint wonderful frescoes in my living room, yet he may be less capable than I of painting a wall. He's an artist, not a professional house painter – yet he is a painter. Yes, someone could be all of those, but proficiency or gift as one does not guarantee ability in all.

Writing is much the same. Anyone can write. We write letters, reports, blogs. Some of us are better than others, some even get paid. There are myriad techniques to learn, and practice improves our skill at communicating. As with our painters, some have a natural talent. There is a craft and an art to writing. Those who communicate well, with a special flair that draws readers in, are true craftsmen. These literary craftsmen have a high level of skill and an ability to communicate effortlessly through the written word. Yet, as with our painters, that does not guarantee a gift as an artist.

The writer, as artist, has a gift that is in a way independent of “writing”. The writer has a innate gift that is expressed through the written word as the painter expresses his through images, or the musician through sound. He must learn the techniques and craft of writing so that he can express that which is already inside.

The lines between artist and craftsmen are not so clear cut as I have made it appear. I have obviously simplified for clarity. The point I am trying to get across is the unique gift of written communication as it pertains to the written narrative. The ability, not simply to write a technically correct paragraph, but to create a work of art.

I am not here to make critical judgments between bodice rippers and high literary fiction – I have seen graffiti as beautiful and artistic as Picasso's paintings. I am here to declare and celebrate the art of writing in all its forms. I have noticed a perception that writing is a technical exercise of putting words on paper. That someone can learn to write. That we are not artists.

A recent blog by a well known literary agent compared writing to a hobby, like stamp collecting or watching reality shows on tv. The gist of the article was that those who feel writing is a very central part of their life, something that defines who they are, are sad individuals who need to get over themselves. To this agent, it seems, writing is a hobby until you make a living at it, then it becomes a vocation.

Writers, like all artists, are defined by their art. Our stories, our art, is an expression of what makes us who we are. To deny our gift is to deny ourselves. We all must learn the techniques and craft of writing, to express ourselves effectively, but the words are already part of us. If it were not so, we would have nothing to write.

max

]]> Wed, 06 May 2009 09:54:25 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2852022 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2829802 Lately there's been a lot of flap between Writers and Agents. One of my friends on facebook and Blogger wrote some scathing posts, which received some flaming comments both in agreement and in rebuttal. Well, let me take that back. There has always been tension between writers and agents. This is just the most recent round.

So why can't we all just get along? We all want the same things, right? With all of the “I love my agent” acknowledgments in the back of books, we can assume published authors get along quite nicely with their agents. So the problem is in the struggling writer – busy agent relationship.

One of the dynamics involved is time management and priorities. The number one priority to a writer is honing her/his craft and getting published. Taking precious time away from writing to fine tune a query, a synopsis, and search through a slush pile of agents is annoying. Then being sent a form letter rejection, or no acknowledgment at all, is frustrating to say the least.

Agents number one priority is selling their clients work. A close second, but second none the less, is finding new clients. So an unagented, unpublished, writer starts out on the back burner. That is understandable. If she were your agent, you would not want her to neglect your manuscript spending too much time in the query pile. So, in their spare moments, agents hurriedly dig through queries looking for the next great novelist.

In a perfect world – writers POV – an agent would thoughtfully read your work, and if they chose to pass on it they would offer you wonderfully helpful suggestions on how to improve it. Wouldn't that be grand. That is unlikely from the most basic business POV. Why is agent A going to help you improve your work so that agent B can sell it? If agent A is going to take the time to help you polish a manuscript, agent A should have the opportunity to sell it.

We are back to time and priorities. Agent A is doing all those wonderful things for her clients. That's why they praise her in their books and why she only has time to send you a form letter. Agent A is also getting a little frustrated - when she takes a little time between reading one of her authors latest manuscripts, and talking to an editor about another clients book, to read some queries – that half the queries are not even close to her submission guidelines and many are amateurish at best.

Now I'm not being an agent fan-boy. I can understand their priorities, however. Yet writers have priorities as well. We spend hours searching for potential agents, hours studying their submission guidelines (every one is slightly different), and hours preparing individual submissions for each agent. Then they want us to wait weeks for a reply, and some don't even take the time to reply at all.

Writers really get the feeling that we are not on the back burner, we are out back in the privy. The lack of a response is what angers me. Almost all agents have a standard rejection letter. Many accept email queries. A form response to an email can be sent with a single click. It can even be programmed to be automatic when the busy agent presses delete or moves the file into a special folder. Not sending at least a form rejection is rude, thoughtless, and shows a lack of respect to the writer's hard work.

I will not send a query to an agent that doesn't respond. If they are too busy to click a reply button they are probably too busy to actually read my query. I don't like wasting my time. I'm not even sure those agents even read queries. I think they just keep them coming in - in the event they lose a client or get bored. Again, very disrespectful to the writers who spend precious time preparing the queries.

So agents feel over-worked and under-appreciated by writers, and writers feel that agents are dismissive and disrespectful. It helps if we try to put ourselves in each others shoes for a bit, but even then there are writers and agents who are just not professional. They give us all a bad name and stir the dissension.

What we do need to do is stop generalizing. Every writer and every agent is an individual. Our true quest is to find each other. The agent/author relationship has been referred to as a marriage – not every two people are compatible, but hopefully we can find the one who complements us.

The way I look at it, if an agent I send a query to doesn't jump at the chance to represent my work, she is not the right agent. I don't see rejections as personal attacks on my abilities. They are what they are. That's not arrogance on my part, just realism. When I find the right agent she, or he, will be as excited about my work as I am, and that agent will sell my work with enthusiasm.

max


*Just an aside after I wrote this post: I got a rejection today from a query I sent out in November. That's six months ago. I'm not sure how to read that – a very busy, yet diligent agent; a very thorough, deliberative agent; an agent cleaning out old emails that were never read? At least they responded.

]]> Mon, 04 May 2009 17:35:51 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2829802 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2641743 the underground press blog

With all the current bad blood between agents and writers, and the belt tightening at publishers, the industry seems to be at a cross roads. Many writers are giving up on the quest for an agent and querying small presses directly. The big houses still demand to work through agents. This is good news for the small presses, great manuscripts with lower advances. Some small presses could break into the best seller list. Perhaps we will see the days of "Breakout Novel"s again, not manufactured best sellers that owe more to marketing than literary excellence.

I'm not going to get involved in the mud slinging. To be honest, I am currently seeking representation. I still think there are good agents out there. There are good agents and bad agents, good publishers and bad publishers, good writers and bad writers. I'm not painting anyone, or any group, with a broad brush. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, our tastes and opinions.

One option for those who are frustrated with the query-go-round is self publishing. It has always been an option, but these times of eBooks and POD it has never been easier. The days of the maligned "Vanity Press" are, for the most part, behind us. The buzz now is Indie and Viral. Put it out there and see if it flies. I can see a day when a breakout novel hits the best seller list from a POD press or when eBooks are as common as paperbacks.

Self publishing has never been easier. With very little computer skill - no more than it takes to learn your favorite word processing program - you can publish a very professional product. With Amazon, and many other outlets, you can market your work to the world. The only drawback of the easy publishing is the huge amount of responsibility placed on the author/publisher.

When you self publish, it is all you. You write the ms, edit, and format. You need cover art, ads for marketing, etc. You are saddled with all of the book's production from start to finish. You don't have an agent to do leg work for you, editors to check your work, designers to make it all look good - you're on your own. Daunting, but liberating. You have complete control. If you sell one copy or a million you have yourself to blame or praise.

There are also a variety of new presses opening their doors that offer very flexible assistance with the process. These buffet presses offer anything from simply POD of your formatted files to complete publishing - editing to marketing. You can get the services you need and still do all the things you are capable of, and/or willing to do. Flexibility is the current trend - do all you can yourself then contract the things you are not comfortable with. This is breaking publishing up into a thousand little parts.

More and more options for getting your work, your art, out into public view is always a good thing. Most writers are more interested in being read than being rich. We write to share our gift with the world. That is why writers have trouble understanding the business of publishing. We just want our work published so people can read it. Agents and Publishers are in the business of making money. It is the same in all of the arts, and artists have always struggled to have their art seen by the masses.

As writers I think we need to take a serious look at ourselves and out aspirations. If all you really want is to be read, maybe get some praise or awards for our work, there are hundreds of options to get your work out there. Publish a website for you novel, offer it free as an eBook, print it with a POD press, enter it in contests or for awards. Marketing, to make money, is where it gets complicated. That's the domain of agents and traditional publishers.

As I said, I'm still on the query-go-round because I think I have a marketable ms, but not the expertise to market it. I want a best seller someday, I want to sit in a bookstore and sign books, and I would love to quit the day job and spend the rest of my life writing and interacting with readers. So I continue to assail the "gatekeepers" for entrance into the halls of commercial publishing.

]]> Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:06:31 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2641743 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2622332
One hundred semifinalists have been selected for the next round of the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Each entry in the Top 100 has received a full manuscript review from Publishers Weekly, in addition to early customer reviews of excerpts posted during the quarterfinals. We will announce three finalists for the Grand Prize on May 15--begin reading and reviewing excerpts today and see if your favorite reads make it to the Final Three.
The competition tightens as Amazon, and Penguin, sift through the top 100 semifinalists. Several of my friends on Blogger and Facebook are among them. Of course I want them all to win, but now the field will be cut to three finalists. Then readers, reviewers, and anyone with an account on Amazon will be able to vote on their favorite.

I'm not about to pick any front runners, the excerpts I've read are too good to chose between. This contest could go to any of the 100 chosen. Once the field is cut to three I might voice a favorite. Then again I may not. I can see all three very easily being three of my new friends, and if that is the case I will vote in silence and pull for all three.

Good luck to all my friends, and to the others that I haven't had the pleasure to meet yet. 100 wonderful excerpts, now I need to decide which to read. I think I have already read and reviewed the excerpts for everyone I know in the contest. If I missed you let me know and I'll put yours at the top of my list.

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:05:18 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2622332 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2561759 I visited the ABNA (Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards) message boards today, just to see how things are going. The next cut will come soon (April 15). I noticed a very disturbing trend. “No” votes.

I have posted before about the turbulent nature of some of the threads there. Every forum has its trolls and sock puppets. I compared it before to so many game forums I have been on. I generally find the trolls humorous, and the sock puppets sad, but the recent trend at ABNA struck a nerve.

If you're not familiar with the terms – trolls are posters who lay in wait to post nasty comments. Some can be humorous, some are just mean spirited. Sock puppets are users with multiple accounts who act as if they are non-related, unique users. Trolls often use sock puppet accounts in coordinated attacks on other users.

I've seen this sort of thing before on game forums. They are usually, no offense to younger people intended, teenagers or even pre-teens. It is common on game forums and everyone has learned to spot the sock puppets pretty successfully, and ignore them.

Some forums and message boards are trying a new strategy to curb rampant trolling. They allow users to vote on whether posts are helpful or not. The trollish posts get voted down by more mature users and after so many “no” votes the post disappears. Troll defeated. At least in theory.

Trolls can use sock puppet accounts to effectively censor those the puppeteer doesn't like. Click enough “no” votes and the victim's posts start fading off the board. Trolls go after a user and multiple no vote everything the user posts, censoring them.

That's what I saw on the ABNA boards today. Some users are having everything they post censored by a cadre of sock puppeteers. These trolls are effectively trying to control the boards and push those they don't like off.

This isn't a game forum, with a bunch of competitive kids arguing about nerfs and game mechanics. This is a writing contest where thousands of very talented writers compete for a chance to be published. These “no” votes are not just happening on the message boards, but on reviews of the semi-finalist's excerpts.

I find it appalling that Amazon is allowing this to go on and potentially effect the contest. Some contestants are being targeted, as well as some people who are spending hours reading and reviewing. I went on the ABNA message board and saw post after post hidden from view with the tag “unhelpful” attached.

Thankfully Amazon doesn't delete posts, only hide them. You can choose to show the “unhelpful” posts, or the “unhelpful” reviews, which I did. Amazon, however, has done nothing to stop this obvious misuse of the voting system.

Using the “no” button to harass fellow customers, and effectively censor them, is a blatant breach of the user agreement. That censorship is what struck me the hardest. As I said, this is a writing contest. Thousands of writers, together in one place. This should be a celebration of free speech.

To me this is very disappointing and disheartening. I would expect, I did expect, a much higher level of maturity among my fellow writers. I'm not naive, I know this is the work of a handful of trolls controlling their precious sock puppets, but it reflects badly on writers in general. The “one bad apple” sort of thing.

In the beginning we all bemoaned the lack of press coverage for this contest. Now, perhaps, we should be thankful for that. These few narrow minded, self absorbed, trolls, with their childish vendettas, are a black eye to serious writers everywhere.

I will continue to cover the contest to the end, as I have said, but the drama on the ABNA boards has left a bad taste in my mouth. In a way I am glad my entry didn't make the last cut. I can simple stand back and shake my head at this point.

]]> Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:59:52 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2561759 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2476671 The reviews finally came out in the Amazon Breakhrough Novel Awards. Looks like I got trashed by a reviewer who thought my protagonist, Ezekiel Strong, has a “chauvinistic streak”.
Okay, Zeke is a bit snarky, a bit of a smart ass, he comes across as a Hardboiled PI from pulp fiction. I wrote him that way. Underneath he is a lovable, sensitive man who absolutely worships women. Agreed, Zeke's mouth can come off as a brash player but his actions show his true nature.

The reviewer, IMHO, has some issues with gender bias and has a personal ax to grind. My submission, unfortunately was targeted by the reviewers own bias. Perhaps the short submission was not enough of the ms to get a real feel for the main characters, but the reviewer jumped to his/her biased conclusion pretty easily.

The other review was very encouraging. I can't help but think that without the “chauvinistic” tag I might have had a chance in the competition. With it, my manuscript didn't have a prayer. It ways struck down as politically incorrect.
Both of my reviews are posted below.

Amazon Expert Reviewer

Wow, I am impressed with this excerpt. First, I love the Supernatural, so the story is right up my alley. I thought the idea of one person and two worlds was great. The author does not waste time with useless information, but instead gets right into the story by telling us a lot of background details that may come in handy later. The erotic overtones also bring another aspect to the story, making it something more than your average ghost or haunting story. I really liked the idea that kids in the "Underworld" would use "pixie dust", an actual drug to visit our world. The fact that it could explain something that actually happens in our world makes it almost believable. The story has gotten off to a great start, and has grabbed my interest quickly. All of which are good signs of a really great story. The excerpt was very enjoyable, and to be honest I really hope I will be able to read the entire story someday soon. Ezekial Strong: Haunted has captured my imagination and made me feel a part of super secret World. Bottom Line: Great Job!

Amazon Expert Reviewer

This excerpt starts off very strong - it's an interesting concept and the Introduction is seems fairly well written. It does need some work on basic conventions/grammar: commas, "your's" vs. "yours".
"Babe" as said by Zeke is condescending. So is the "A man's gotta do..." and the "sacrifice" nonsense. The story could be quite good, but as it stands is belittled by the main character's chauvinistic streak.
Most women would not immediately strip for a stranger, particularly if they were already on edge and thinking that someone was watching them.
The excerpt seems like it could be similar to The Dresden Files, but it unfortunately falls a bit short.
There is a bit too much going on - the pacing is quick, but it's one thing right after another, and everything seems to be convenient. The damsel in distress willingly strips for the man, a stranger, two nights in a row. Then she happily goes to spend the night at his place. Yet another damsel in distress offers herself up to him - not once, but twice. And all this happens within the short excerpt. It's almost written like the men's version of a detective bodice-ripper.
Again, the story could be much stronger than it currently is. It's got an interesting premise and the writing itself is not terrible. The main character, however, could use some work so that he comes across a bit more professional/realistic.

]]> Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:22:02 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2476671 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2415121 I've been working six days a week, ten hours a day on most days. This week I had to work Sunday. That made a 13 day work week. I'm tired. Because of that there has been no time for reading excerpts in the ABNA contest, or writing reviews. I also haven't been keeping up too well on my blogs or anything else online.

I can't complain. With the economy tanking, unemployment going to double digits, I'm damn lucky. At my work we have plenty going on, left over from better times. It will slow down. We are just a few months behind the curve. Because of that we're reluctant to add more people. That would just make the layoffs bigger when they come. So we are making do with the people we have, and working more hours.

Maybe that's not the best thing for the economy – a lot of other companies are no doubt doing the same – but it is best for our company and the people who have been here though good and bad times. This isn't our first economic downturn. There have been times when we worked short weeks to keep from laying people off. Those times may come again. It all evens out.

For a lot of younger people this is their first taste of hard times. For us older folks it's not the first, or the hardest. The '70s and early '80s were worse, higher unemployment and inflation eating away at paychecks. Our grandparents lived through the depression – we are not even close. We've been spoiled by a booming economy, and low interest rates, things seem worse than they are.

The American economy is 99% smoke and mirrors. Perception is everything. If people think we are doing well they spend money and the economy booms. If they get worried they don't spend and the economy sags. We are our own best consumers. We fuel the economy. Our recent banking crisis, caused by greed and mismanagement, has made people worry and close their pocket books. The economy stalled.

The economy will rebound. I'm not sure if we've seen the bottom of the dip yet, but we'll hit it and zoom back up the other side. The bullish spirit will come back, people will start buying homes, and cars, and refrigerators – then jobs will return to make those things.

In the mean time, visit your local bookstore and buy a book. It's the cheapest form of entertainment. For the price of a DVD movie you get hours, even days, of enjoyment reading. You'll be helping to keep your local bookstore in business, and the people who work there employed. You will also help support the publishing industry, a huge employer, and the struggling writers who pour their hearts onto paper. Who knows, you could help turn this economy around, just by buying books.

max

]]> Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:24:04 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2415121 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2359599 I continue reading the top 500 ABNA excerpts. I have found some wonderful gems. The quality level in this competition is very high. I haven't read anything yet that could not do well in bookstores.

I found another 5 star excerpt. This is a beautifully written piece by Douglas McCambridge entitled The Two Patricias. My review follows...

“We are greeted from the onset with an expertly painted scene of tragedy. I didn't want to experience the terrible accident, but the narrative was so compelling I could see every brutal second in my mind. My emotions were instantly seized by the author and remained in his masterful hands throughout.
The interaction between the characters is very natural and brings the reader intimately into this circle of friends. I felt at home in Dwight's apartment, at the party, enjoying the banter between Patricia and Madoc in the kitchen. Very true to life and comfortable.
Then we return again to Patricia lost, and Madoc in morning, and once more my heart aches for him. His love for her is contagious and we miss her too.
Very well written. I'll want to read this when it's published. This could be a best seller when it comes out. Masterful!”

This is a very good read, but be warned. The opening scene is an intensely detailed description of Patricia's death. It is beautifully done, however, as is the rest of the excerpt. The author is masterful at grabbing the reader's emotions and taking them on a roller-coaster ride. I loved it.

max

]]> Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:47:03 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2359599 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2332985 In my ill timed diatribe yesterday I explained my reasoning behind my rating system for ABNA excerpt reviews. I stand behind the logic. I also said there would, most likely, be no 5 star ratings from me. I underestimated the talent of my fellow writers.

Last night I had delicious crow for dinner. I read the excerpt for Greyhound, by Steffan Piper. My socks were sufficiently blown off – I rated it a 5. As I said in the review, the narrative was flawless. I read it twice and found nothing I would change, not even a misplaced comma.

The protagonist, and first person narrator, grabbed me by the heart and never let go. He's an abused and neglected child being sent off on a three day bus trip by his self absorbed mother – I want to smack her – and her boyfriend of the moment, Dick – he needs his ass kicked. Could the irony of the name be any more beautiful?

The voice, the characters, the richly built scenes, all come together perfectly. If Steffan can keep that up through the entire manuscript we could very well be reading the next Huckleberry Finn. I couldn't give Greyhound any less than a five star rating.

Now I'm not just gushing for my friend Steffan. I don't know this cat from Adam. We met on the ABNA boards, like many of us have, and I friend listed him at ABNA and Facebook. This is the first thing I have read of his except posts on the message boards, but I want to read more.

In other news – I have read five excerpts so far and all have been top notch. With this level of craft in the top 500, I don't feel too bad only making the top 2000. I hope to get quite a few read this weekend. If I'm not blogging or hanging around online it's because I'm reading.

Stay tuned, there may be more 5 star excerpts out there. In the meantime read Greyhound by Steffan Piper. It is well worth your time.

-max

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:09:03 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2332985 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2321339 So much to read, so little time

The 500 excerpts were posted in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Anyone can down-load the excerpts and review them. The feedback will effect the judges' decisions as they cut the field down to three finalists.

I'm trying to read and review as many as possible over the next few weeks. I am, of course, giving priority to those on my blog, my Amazon friend list, and my Facebook friends. If you're still in the running, post your link and I will add it to my reading list. I can't read all 500, but I'll do what I can.

Last night I read my first two. One was a YA fantasy of magical Female pirates and fourteen-year-old girls. Not my usual fare, but it was very well written. I was captivated and would love to read more. The other was a biblical story, set in the time of the Gospels. It's written from the POV of a Biblical heroine, who – we are told – wrote the first Gospel account. Very interesting, and one I will certainly buy when it is published.

I gave good reviews to both and rated them 4 stars (out of five) You should not expect 5 stars from me unless something really knocks me out of my socks. Four will most likely be the highest rank I will give to an excerpt, but one may surprise me. It would need to be completely flawless, and have me begging the author for the full manuscript.

The two I mentioned above were both top quality, well written, and I think very marketable. I hope they are both published, either through this contest or by another publisher. Both could conceivably become best sellers, but I would not give a five to most best sellers I've read.

I hope no one is offended by my rather conservative rating standards, but IMHO a 5 star should be reserved for a truly monumental work – Tolkien, Twain, Poe, and other greats. I may very well see the next great novel in the ABNA excerpts and if I do, it will get 5 stars. If you get four stars from me, read the review – I really liked your work.

To me a one star excerpt shouldn't be in the competition. I will trash it. Sorry. A two star needs a lot of work to be publishable. A three is average, and could do well on the bookshelves, but not a winner. Four star excerpts are the ones to watch, they could be best sellers and/or win the competition. A five is out of the league of normal writers, a classic that our grandchildren will read.

I hope that clears up my personal rating system. I know, I have rambled on for almost 500 words now. Go to http://amazon.com/abna and read a few for yourself. When you are done

make sure to rate and review each entry. Make your voice heard, and may the best novel win :)

max

]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:04:02 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2321339 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2311502
Amazon announced the top 500 manuscripts in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards last night. It was a tense day. Many of the writers spent the whole day glued to their monitors – on the Amazon message boards, on CreateSpace, and for many Facebook became a good place to congregate.

As 5:00pm approached on the west coast, excitement was high and nerves were frayed. It was assumed that Amazon would make the announcement before close of business in the west. As 6:00pm approached, patience was reaching its breaking point. The humorous threads of “I got an email...” and the like, were loosing their mirth. There began to be panic stricken pleas of despair, angry words of impatience, and grim acceptance of fate.

I joined in early, I was home sick from work. The message board at Amazon reminded me of so many MMO boards right before Beta invites go out or while waiting for the servers to come up on opening day of a new game. Everyone handles the wait differently. I have been there so many times – waiting – that I was amused by it all, though no less stressed and angst ridden than the rest. For most of us, this was our chance at that big break. Our future as writers hung in the balance. This was not some online game.

One of the threads put up was a stay-in-touch type thread. Many of the writers were on Facebook, others posted their email or website addresses. I'm new to Facebook, and my friend list grew tenfold last night. I also found there was an ABNA Contestants group there as well.

During the day several of the Vine reviewers, who had reviewed our excerpts, came by the message board to offer encouragement. They couldn't give any specifics on what they had read, but they did say the quality level was generally very high. They also squashed some rumors about certain genres or styles being dismissed out-of-hand. That eased a lot of minds. It seemed, from what they told us, we had all received a fair and very thoughtful review of our work.

By 8:00pm on the west coast, 11pm my time, people were losing hope. It did say in the official rules “on or about March 16”, and some began to speculate it would be morning before the announcement came. Many, like myself, were on the east coast and it was getting late. I took a shower around 9:30pm local time, then scanned the message board, checked my email and my CreateSpace account, and hung out on Facebook until 11pm. Then I said goodnight and good luck to everyone.

I checked my email this morning and the notice had come. I made the top 2000, so my excerpt was reviewed, but I did not make the top 500. The contest is over for me. At least that tells me my Pitch was good, and the reviews from the Vine reviewers will help me polish my manuscript a little more.

I will stay around until the end – reporting on the contest and supporting my new friends as they move forward. I plan to read as many of the 500 excerpts as I can and review them. I may even post links to some of my favorites here. Then, of course, there will be the voting once Penguin picks the top three.

Congratulations and good luck the this year's ABNA Top 500. I can't wait to read your excerpts and learn from the best. You guys rock :)

max

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:40:02 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2311502 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2276799
On March 16, 2009 (Monday) Amazon.com will post the excerpts presented by the 500 writers who made the quarter-final round. There were approximately 10,000 entries in ABNA this year, so it is a huge achievement to make this cut. It was decided based on the writers' pitches of their novels and the strength of their excerpt.

Between March 16 and April 14 Excerpts and associated reviews will be posted at http://www.amazon.com/abna where Amazon customers can download the excerpts and write their own reviews. (Information on submitting reviews on Amazon.com can be found at http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/guidelines.html

On April 15, 2009 Penguin will select 100 semi-finalists based on those reviews, among other things. Between now and April we all need your help. Get in there and read those excerpts, rate them, comment, make your voice heard, and support your favorites. Obviously I hope you read mine and give me a excellent review, but read as many as you can.

There will be 500 excerpts from the best of the 10,000 writers who entered. This will be some great writing. You may be reading the first chapter(s) of the next Best Selling Novel. This has been compared to the American Idol of writing because you, dear reader, not only get to review and critique the top writers – on May 15, 2009 you will get to vote on the winner. More on that later.

For now, get ready for some great reading over the next few weeks. Visit Amazon.com, sign up as a customer or log in if you are already a customer, review the guidelines, and get ready to read some great fiction. I'll post a link to my excerpt as soon as I have it. You can also friend me on Amazon.com through your customer profile.

Http://www.amazon.com/abna

]]> Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:18:02 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2276799 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2217738 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards (ABNA). The slush pile of entries (up to 10,000) have been waded through, their pitches read and judged, and the field of 500 should be taking shape. Unfortunately all of this is happening behind closed doors, at ABNA secret headquarters.

Well, maybe it's not a secret headquarters, but the whole process is very hush-hush. For a contest that is set up to publicize Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and Penguin Books, there is scant publicity. I doubt many, outside the 10.000 writers who entered, even know the contest exists. There is no great hype being generated around the contest, no fanfare, not even sexy booth girls.

Amazon seems content to advertise to the contestants themselves, pushing their CreateSpace self-publishing service. There seems to be no real add campaign. I discovered the contest myself quite by accident. I have two books on Amazon's Kindle Reader. I was looking at sales and noticed the contest and the CreateSpace ads. At first I thought the prize was a self-publishing package through CreateSpace.

I am sure there will be more “buzz” once the excerpts are posted and people can comment on their favorites, but that will also be contained mostly within the walls of Amazon.com. The tension will build until members vote for the three finalists, but still all Amazon.com frequent shoppers. There seems to be no desire to push this contest beyond the Amazon.com community.

It will be pushed, by the contestants themselves, onto social networks from FaceBook to MySpace, Blogger to LiveJournal. Maybe that is the payoff for Amazon.com, a ton of free ads as contestants try to get everyone they can to visit Amazon and comment / vote. Some will no doubt shop while they are there, and of course all will have to sign up – building the member base.

Amazon's publishing tools and services, from POD to Kindle, are targeted at frustrated writers trying to get published – so this contest has already generated 10,000 potential customers, and garnered 500 potential salesmen. The writers themselves will drag in countless readers, and potential buyers. In its way it is a brilliant marketing ploy.

ABNA is not American Idol, selling Ford cars and Coke-Cola. It is Amazon selling Amazon – drawing targeted traffic to their web site. Book Surge, Kindle, CreateSpace, Amazon Books, all benefit from ABNA. The writers themselves benefit from the potential readers, agents, and publishers, who will be drawn to the contest – not to mention networking with their fellow writers.

It's a win-win situation. As writers we might want more media attention – bright lights, red carpets – but as a literary event this is actually very well designed. Our bread and butter are agents, publishers, and most of all readers – not the guy who wants a six-pack and a Ford truck.]]> Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:45:03 -0700 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2217738 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2212228 AQ Connect. One of the subjects that came up recently was “safe sex” in erotica, or romance in general. I'm not a big reader of erotica, and what I write is more romantic than most of what is considered “erotic”, but in what I have read “safe sex” wasn't a theme.

The argument has been made that, in our modern times, it should be represented in erotic literature. Both as a reality of modern life, and as a public service, we as authors should embrace “safe sex” in our writing. It's a valid point. We often strive for realism, even while maintaining the fantasy, and issues of STDs and unwanted pregnancy are relevant to our times.

The raw mechanics of procreation can be very clumsy and even comical from a purely physical POV. It is a challenge to describe the sex act in a literary, and erotic, context that draws the reader into the complex emotions that are the true depth of our sexuality. Add to those difficulties the need to apply safe sex concepts and the scene can become anything but erotic.

In my opinion the more classical examples followed by most writers are simply rendered unworkable when we throw safe sex into the mix. The sex scene must be approached, then, in a completely new way. Safe sex must be an overriding principle around which the scene unfolds. You can't just add it to your old sex scene.

It can be erotic, however, and I think it can add new spice to cliché scenes and overused verbiage. A sex scene incorporating ideas of safe sex and contraception has a new dynamic, a new flow, from more classical scenes we are used to. That will make them fresh and relevant – always a good thing in any writing.]]> Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:28:02 -0800 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2212228 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2165944
Online communities have certain dynamics all their own. In an online group there are varying levels of interaction. There are people who know each other off line, from other communities, or, perhaps, not at all. One of the most powerful dynamics in any group is familiarity and trust. The two go hand-in-hand.

In any group situation many different personalities and styles must interact. We find it easier to interact when we have some knowledge and expectations of others - familiarity and trust. In RL (real life, or face-to-face) we have a myriad of non-verbal clues to help us process someone's meanings, beyond the words they say. We learn a lot about their personality, their attitudes, their true feelings, not as much from what they say, but how they say it. This gives us the familiarity and trust we need to be comfortable.

In an online chat, forum, or message board – even in emails – we are stripped of some of our social tools. We see only words, possibly out of context. We make assumptions and judgments on very little information. We see a post and we think we understand the poster's point-of-view and motivations. Sometimes we are wrong.

As I said earlier, there are different levels of interactions - connections. This complicates things even more. If two people are posting derogatory remarks back and forth you could assume they don't like each other. Yet they may be the best of friends, and their banter playful. You can't see the smile and wink, they assume it because they have developed familiarity and trust.

Now let's say you weigh in on one side of the debate and the person from the apposing view slams you... Now you are angry. But perhaps that person thought you were joining the playful banter and included you. Suppose you flame back and the other person is hurt by your comments. Now it's no longer playful. Like mom always said, “it's only fun until someone gets hurt.”

There are myriad situations where the lack of non-verbal clues, and simple misunderstandings, can erupt into flame wars. At this point the two friends we were talking about are going to stick together and double team the interloper. His friends will come to his aid, and that brings out the classic “us v/s them” dynamic. Now we have schism in the community and attacks occur simply because someone is in the other camp.

When someone is caught up in the “us v/s them” mentality it skews everything. They think they “know” the other people's meanings and motivations all too well – they have lost any chance at genuine familiarity and trust. Stripped of any non-verbal clues - every post “they” make, every word – takes on hateful and hurtful meanings.

As human beings much of our understanding of communication requires a level of presupposition. We look at things in an assumed context to find meaning. If our presupposition is “that person is a friend” we assume lighthearted banter. If our presupposition is “that person is an enemy” we assume a attack. The words can be the same, they are irrelevant.

Flame wars are often hard to put out. Those who feel hurt and abused lash out, hurting and abusing others. No one wants to “give in” and just let it die. Even if they do, the presuppositions remains and any post by “them” can reignite the fire. Often the flame war ends in massive use of the “ignore” function and a split in the community.

Healing can only come when both sides strip away the presuppositions and start fresh. One must assume that everyone is inherently “a nice person” and forget the “us” and “them” attitude. This is rare indeed. Often the best we can hope for is coexistence.]]> Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:29:02 -0800 http://virb.com/maxwellcynn/posts/text/2165944