What the reviews are telling me.

I commented yesterday about the feedback I have been getting and thought I would explain exactly why I’m happy about it.

Books to me have always been about rich story telling and characters I could relate to. In fact, it was the character connection in that original draft I did for Nancy over a decade ago that hooked her and led to me writing Perfect Pawn.

I guess I could have gone with your traditional action novel. But I wanted to do something different. I didn’t want to exclude any of my readers. So as I began writing I knew I wanted to incorporate a variety of elements. So I included action, romance, humor, and suspense. As you read the story I want you to feel, not like a reader, but like someone who is eavesdropping on an intimate conversation between people. I also tried to open up a bit of the world of the NYPD for my readers.

The feedback I have been getting indicates that I hit my mark.

But the most interesting feedback for me has been from fellow law enforcement officers. Connecting with them was important for me because they know the job and they would be the ones who would look at the book from a professional point of view. I’m happy to say that they are giving it a thumb’s up.

At the end of the day all any author really is, is a storyteller. Whether that story is good or not is up to the individual reader. I am proud that the reviews indicate that I have achieved that with Perfect Pawn.

Now, I hold no illusions that, going forward, every review will be positive. No author can please everyone. But I hope that the majority of my readers will be able to get something out of it.

If you enjoyed the roller coaster ride in the first book, wait till you see what life has in store for James Maguire in the sequel!

Countdown to the Print Version

Well, I thought I would update everyone on the status of the print version of Perfect Pawn. As most of you know, the e-Book version of Perfect Pawn launched a few weeks back. I have to admit, I have been truly humbled by the volume of positive feedback. 

I think what is significant to me is that the reviews are coming from a diverse field of readers. It seems that just about everyone is able to find something in this book to hook them.

Since the launch of the e-Book I have been directing all my efforts into the formatting of the print book interior and exterior. This is not a always an easy task. What you see in the program you are using is not always the way it appears in your upload. So you have to make sure everything fits, is formatted correctly, and that nothing has been added or lost. On top of that you have to ensure that your graphics fit properly. Let me try and explain the process a bit.

The print version of the book will be what is commonly referred to as a "C" Format (6"x9"), Trade Paperback. In essence it is a softcover version of a hardcover book. 

The chasm between the e-Book and the print is pretty wide. On the e-Book you don't really care about the length because it is in digital media. In print, paper is money and those costs can add up quickly. Most authors write simply because they enjoy it, not because they are rolling in the dough. I wrote a little about this previously in: Writing, Research & Reading – What’s a book worth

So after launching the e-Book I began the process of formatting the print version. The original print version was just over four hundred pages in length. To give you an idea of just how tough it is to make a living off of writing, if I had kept the original 400+ page format I would have been paying you to read my book…… Seriously.

Now, as much as I love all of you, that wasn’t going to work out for me. So I had to delve back into the world of Font’s, Widows & Orphans, and Layouts. Trust me, it’s not for the feint of heart. In the end, I was able to format the book to a passable 317 pages.

Mind you, I’m not planning on making enough to serve filet mignon dinners anytime soon, but I should have an adequate supply of Ramen soup going into the winter. However, should Hollywood call looking for the movie rights I’m going to throw one helluva party!!

So now everything is in and being reviewed. I am hoping that the print book will be available through Amazon in time for Thanksgiving.

Once again, thanks to all of you for your continued support and encouragement.

1st Newspaper Article - Breeze Courier

For those of you in Christian County area, the local newspaper, the Breeze Courier, did an article on the release of Perfect Pawn. It is in the November 3rd, 2013, Sunday edition.

Hope you enjoy it.

1st Radio Interview - 97.3 WTIM

Had the wonderful opportunity today of conducting my first radio interview courtesy of 97.3 WTIM (Taylorville) Morning Show host Matt McLemore. Was a very interesting discussion and I am hoping to do some other locals spots here in the coming weeks.

Perfect Pawn - Published !!

This is a milestone day for me. My first novel, Perfect Pawn, has been published and is currently available through Amazon as an e-Book and is also part of the Kindle Lending Library. For those of you, like my wife Nancy, who have a kindle you can get your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G5U6JH2

If you are like me and you need to feel an actual printed book in your hand, we are in the process of doing the final formatting and cover design for the paperback and hope to have it available within the next week or so.

This has been quite a journey for me. What started out as an “idea” a dozen years ago has manifested itself into an actual book. It is simultaneously amazing and humbling.

There are so many people I need to thank, but the first and foremost are God and my wife Nancy, because without both of them this would have never happened.

Some people are born to write, others learn to write, and still others are given the tools and then opportunity presents itself. A dear friend once said, in response to my writing abilities, “He could sell ice to an Eskimo.” The truth is I would not be sitting here writing this without the amazing opportunities first provided to me by three people: Richie M., Tony L., and Dennis M. They are the epitome of New York’s Finest and I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve with them and to have their influence in my life.

I hope you enjoy my contribution to the literary world and I am going to sign off and focus on getting book two out as quickly as possible.

For those of you on FACEBOOK, please stay in touch by liking us at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Nelson/168310343376572

Creating characters

Let’s be honest, the reality is that there hasn’t been a book written over the last hundred years or so that has had an original plot at its core.

Take for example the mystery / suspense / crime genre. The crime of murder is as old as time, or at the very least close to the beginning. So in reality we are just copying Moses when he wrote that Cain slew Abel in Genesis. So for us writers we are doing nothing more than reinventing the wheel.

So what makes my book different from the slew of others circulating out there?

That’s a good a question, I’m glad I asked it.

Writers are nothing more than story tellers and at the heart of any story are the characters, the antagonists and the protagonists. Who they are, and what they have experienced, is what drives the story. At one time or another we have all read a book that we kind of drifted off with after few chapters because the characters simply sucked. For whatever reason, we just could not relate to them. I know as a reader I hate that. It might have the greatest potential as far as the plot goes and then misses the mark because the conversation if too rigid or the character is too “all that” so to speak. What is so special about walking through a hail of gunfire if you are bullet proof?

At the end, heroes are everyday folks who simply rise to the occasion.

One of my favorite quotes is from General George S. Patton who said “courage is fear holding on a minute longer.”

As I was developing my characters I realized that I needed to connect to them first. If I couldn’t, how could my audience. They needed to be real, to have flaws, to have had experienced pain, to have put aside their shortcomings and found the will to forge ahead. They simply held on for that one minute longer.

I don’t know about you, but when I read a book and I don’t find myself laughing, crying or gasping, there is a strong possibility that it is going to end up in the “donation” box before I get to the last chapter.

In writing Perfect Pawn that’s what I needed to achieve, not only for my potential readers but for myself. I wanted characters with whom I could connect with. Not only in what they may have gone through in life, but in how they dealt with it and interacted with one another.

In the end it is a delicate balance, but one I believe I achieved.

Cover Art, Formatting, and ISBN's, Oh My...........

And all Dorothy had to worry about was Lion's, Tiger's and Bear's.............. Sheesh !

Well, fortunately I'm making progress on my end in the push to get Perfect Pawn released.

There has been a revision to the cover artwork that I think will allow the book to standout better on the eBook thumbnails.

I also just completed the file formatting for the eBook which is in its final proof as I type.

Based upon the above, and hoping that the stars align, it looks like we should have the eBook out in the coming days.

Once that is finished we will begin work on the print version with an anticipated release prior to Thanksgiving.

Thanks again for your continued support.