Going Liquid

Around the House
I just got home from Dinner and a Movie with Katrina Rue.  These nights are always great.  It gives us the chance to talk about our lives, projects, hopes for the future, and cats.  We are big cat lovers.  While talking she got me to thinking about the state of publishing which I will get into in a minute.  We did see "I am Number Four" which looked interesting, but I did not want to see it because the author did not receive proper credit for his book.  It always upsets me when someone creates something whether it is a book, art, movie, or picture and does not get the credit.  I find it shameful that this is still a practice in the publishing industry.  It is time for authors everywhere to stand up and take credit.  No more ghost writing!  Books should be by the writer with interviews or insight by the celebrity or company that asked for the project.  Authors should not be nameless ever.

My Thoughts
Yes, since my original rant I know I have been quiet about the Borders issue.  As a shopper I never really enjoyed the Borders experience I was always a Barnes and Noble guy, but as I see the company going into bankruptcy and closing stores to try and save itself, I am sad.  Not sad they aren't surviving; I think they made lots of mistakes at the top, but sad about what it says for the future of the publishing industry.  Looking around I see that the publishing industry is now where the Music Industry was during the 1990's with Napster.  So much content is free on the Internet or pirated that it is going to make it hard for retailers and consumers to find new great books.  I hope that with the growth in ebooks we are seeing that the publishing industry heads this off before the authors become the real victims.

Also, I worry about the survival of Borders.  If they do go completely out of business leaving mass market stores and Barnes and Noble as the main company to get books I fear that voices of authors are going to become extremely censored.  You can see how this is happening right now.  Look at what Amanda Hocking has done for independent publishing via the Nook and Kindle.  As an author that couldn't get a book deal because her style or story was not what the publishing business was looking for; she ended up quiet until the rise of the ebook.  Now look at her; her books are flying off the digital shelf.  This goes to show you that what consumers are looking for are not what is being produced.  She not only found a place for her stories, but showed the publishing industry they were wrong about censoring her by not granting her agent representation and a book deal.  So with Barnes and Noble as the major book store out there will this problem get worse?  I think it might.  So I call all readers to gather up and really look at the self published/independent authors out there.  They are the voice of the consumer because they write what they love and not what the publishing industry is looking for.  If we buy more of their books we are telling the publishing industry to sit back and reevaluate what they are looking for.  It is time for a change.  So now I am going to get off my high horse and curl up with a favorite book.  I may even write a little while I smile knowing that authors like H.P. Mallory, Amanda Hocking, Jason Letts, and so many others are making a change in the publishing industry by believing in themselves when the industry doesn't.

A Supernatural Makeover Anthology Request

Around the House
I am currently starting to compile information for an anthology I am putting together.  Also, I am busy working away on my next book.  Nothing major is going on here in Chicago besides trying to stay warm and avoid the snow which doesn't seem to want to go away.

My Thoughts
D.J. Cappella and Gilbert Press are currently accepting submissions for "A Supernatural Makeover" Anthology which will support and promote independent authors trying to establish themselves in publishing industry.  We are currently looking for short stories with a supernatural twist that involve the makeover of a home or individual character.  We are accepting stories from independent authors as well as published authors.  This project will be available for sale in print and ebook format in the US and UK.

Reading Period: Submission period is open until March 15, 2011.
Word Count: 2,500 - 15,000 words
Content: Makeovers with a Supernatural Twist!  We are looking for original fiction only and will not be accepting or responding to fan fiction.  Stories must feature characters that the writer or writers have personally created.  These may be previously published shorties, excerpts for novels, and new short stories/novellas!  We will not be accepting material that individuals do not have the copyright to use, and/or distribute worldwide.  We would love to see stories that tie into series and books you have currently written and published.
Payment: Authors receive one contributor copy of the book.
Submission Guidelines: Submissions will only be accepted via email at this time. Manuscripts must be doc or rtf formatted attachments.  Manuscripts must follow standard formatting with out the use of special characters and fonts.  Each page of the manuscript must include Name of the Author, Contact Information including email, and page numbers.  Additionally the manuscript must include an short author bio, where and when the story was originally published if a reprint, and a statement that you have the right to print this story internationally. In the body of the email please include a cover letter with author information, previous credits if any, and a short synopsis of the work.
Reply To: djcappella@gmail.com
Response Time: Four to six weeks from date of submission.
Estimated Release Date: Late Spring/Summer 2011.

Bust at the Big Box

Around the House
I am having a night of issues at the moment.  I currently have four projects spinning in my head, and I am fighting with each of them. Currently my next novel which starts off as part of an upcoming series (as is my current book Witches, Demons, & Deals) is with my editor Tim.  He is currently reading through it and listening to my spazing over the next project in the line.  Then I have revisions I am avoiding for my first book in the series which starts as my current book ends.  Yes, that means more of Raisa and her antics.  Finally, I have two new projects that I am working on; one is part of the world but I am not sure how it will connect yet and the other is turning into 1.5 for the series I am revising.  No it can't just be book two.  It is a bit frustrating and fun.  I can't wait to see how it all turns out.  I am hoping to have book one and the project I am currently fighting with hit publication with in months of each other, so that means I need to hurry and write.

My Thoughts
I am an avid follower of Publisher's Weekly, so I get to enjoy all the news update fresh in my email.  The potential fall of Borders has really grabbed my attention.  While I have always had a preference for Barnes and Noble, I worry what it will mean if this company does go under.  Barnes and Noble has taken over as the a leader in the industry, but I worry what it will mean for new authors, publishers, and agents if this is the store that has all the buying power in the market.  Lets face it.  Amazon is great, but there is nothing like wandering the aisles of a book store and discovering that next great read.  What will that mean for authors who don't have the backing of an audience?  Will they ever get the space and credit they need if only one major book retailer is left?

Also, hearing about BN's change in direction worries me.  For those of you who don't know they just laid off a large number of employees so that they can direct those resources to the online/nook community.  As a Nook owner that makes me happy, but as a shopper I worry that with less buyers we may really be missing out on some great pieces of fiction.  I hope this doesn't mean that new authors will have to struggle even harder to get into the book store than they already do, but I fear that is where we are headed.

Finally, seeing that both Amazon and BN have made self publishing easier for new writers on their ebook readers is exciting.  With the success of independents like Amanda Hocking it looks like these retailers are really trying to support new authors.  If Borders does close it may mean a new surge in the growing world of self publishing, but is that a good thing?  I don't know.  And another thought is will the sales of these self published book affect how these companies view these authors if and when they are welcomed into a large scale publishing house?  I hope not.  Promotions on the store and web level really do help the author in sales, so I just hope that these retailers will give all authors a fair shake as they change how their books are published.  What do you think?

Publishers Gone Wrong

Around the House
Thank you Mrs. Vladimir for allowing me to leave this posting on your blog! She wanted me to tell you that she is visiting Jerry at the Clinic to ensure that he is getting the proper treatment which to her means a good beating once a day. I didn't have the heart to tell her that he is having therapy and not beatings. What can you do? The great news is that I did get a chance to spend the afternoon talking to Raisa. She seems very excited about the events at Thanksgiving, because the family had to donate the goat to an animal shelter so that it could be properly taken care off.
My Thoughts
I have been thinking about the information circulating about Harlequin. Apparently their new imprint DellArte is charging authors for publishing services which for years has been against ethical business practices for Agents and Publishers. After reading the articles and seeing the stands made by SFWA and MWA, I must compliment them on taking a stand for author's rights. Publishing Houses, even during an economic downturn, should not be charging author's for their works. It would be like a TV show charging an Actor to appear instead of paying them. So it has brought be back to my opinion on how Publishing Houses could enter into agreements with new authors that would not be as large of a financial risk for the Publishing House. There are three things a Publisher must do 1. Pay the Author for their work, 2. Offer the work to the Retailers, and 3. Give the author a chance at turning their work into a commercial success. The way I believe publishing houses can do this is through Print on Demand and E-Books. Print on Demand is when the publisher only prints the number of books purchased. It can be as few as one book at a time or as many as the publisher needs. With the advances in modern technology kiosk machines that do this are currently available in some European Book stores which allow for a cost effective and professional product to be produced therefore eliminate the large and costly book productions that are currently the industry standard.
By moving to this model it would allow publishers to move away from offering advances to first time or new authors, but would also allow for a retailer to carry the product and receive the product quickly with out the need for mass production therefore saving the publisher money. Additionally, with the great success of internet sales and E-book sales on Amazon and Barnes and Noble publishers wouldn't have to worry about unsold book returns because the books would be ordered before shipping. Seeing this, Authors can still be paid royalties for their book sales, retailers can still get books from up and coming authors, and publishers do not have to worry about not being able to recoup expenses. This also benefits the reader by allowing for a reduction in book prices, increased availability of books (no out of publication), and a wider variety of material than the market is currently providing. Hopefully Harlequin will be smart enough to move to a model like this and away from charging its authors for publication.

D.J. Cappella