Articles in the LJM Category
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I have been chasing an interesting story around the net. Hillel Italie reports for the AP that “Brief Books are in Style.”
In the decade since James Atlas revived the form with his “Penguin Lives” series, at least 10 publishers have started their own lines of short, nonfiction books, on subjects ranging from scientists to presidents to mythology. Although the advances are low — and sales often to match — short books have attracted such best sellers and prize winners as novelists Jane Smiley and Larry McMurtry, essayists Christopher Hitchens and Bill Bryson, and historians Robert Dallek and Sean Wilentz (Boston.com).
The majority of the article is various authors bemoaning the restrictions of the brief format. I, on the other hand, have a very different point of view.
As a reader, I simple don’t have the time to sit down for 20-30 hours and enjoy a brilliantly elaborate tale of intrigue and daring do. If it weren’t for Audible, Podiobooks, and Narrator (software for the Mac that turns text into an audiobook/play), I would not have much time to read at all.
I hear it all the time from friends and family as well. Gas prices are going up, few and few movies are coming out that we want to go see, and our obligations are multiplying, nibbling away at what little free time we had in the first place. This is a problem.
As a writer, I am happy and scared by this trend to smaller books. I love serials, and pulp era fiction, and this push to smaller books lets me write more like my heroes. It is also a strong pressure on me.
I have been working on a fix up of my book Liquid Sky so that it will be more serial friendly. It will be released as four books, one for each part, and a collected volume, and Shine Like Thunder is a short book too.
I like the format. It is possible to do more with less. My only real fear is that if our free time keeps eroding, then we will have no recreation time at all.
For now, I have to say three cheers for the short form book! Maybe, just maybe, we will see a new golden age of fiction.
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We were both so stoked to read last night Mr. Crabowsky’s review of Liquid Sky on Downwarden.com (click here) to read the whole review. Mr. Crabowsky starts out with his initial impressions of the book and then gives the best compliment for Eric “What we have here is indeed science fiction ala Dune, though less detailed but just as vividly portrayed.” Eric Is a huge fan of Dune and used to dream of one day being compared to Frank Herberts masterpiece. The review continues but I wanted to also highlight the other line that left both of us just beaming “I enjoyed the damn thing. I think C.E. Dorsett is one powerhouse of imagination, inspired obviously by the greats of his craft. Liquid Sky is full of mysticism and spirituality, of themes centered on the search for one’s inner self and the meaning of the universe around him,”
I’m very excited to see that Eric is currently writing book two in the series “Sacred Ground.” This is just the fire we needed lit under our butts to get us moving on the errata project for the first book. Just wanted to share the review with all of you out there!
Thanks
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Barren's End, LJM, Speculative Fiction, Website, Writing »
With Fear and dread, I have decided to offer Liquid Sky to You all for free…
Why did I do this? I believe that people support what they love, so if you all like my work, you will buy the book, a T-shirt, or donate to the cause of keeping this fiction coming.
It is available as Plain Text, Rich Text, DOC, PDF, and Microsoft Reader.
Tell me what you all think.
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C.E. Dorsett
It is has been quite a week, but I have figured out what I am going to be write for National Novel Writing Month. I am going to write an original story, and plan to write the follow up to Liquid Sky in March. This book will happen concurrently with TSF1 and just after Liquid Sky. These two books fill in the events that take place between Liquid Sky and LJM2.
The next batch of website updates are on schedule and should be posted soon.
On the lighter side, I did make sweet pickles this week… Yeah, mostly I worked and answered email. I am glad I have gotten to meet so many of you, and I look forward to meeting more of you soon.
BONUS Track: There is a great new song out from Wayne Hussey of the Mission. (go to http://www.themissionuk.com/ and click play), this is a lights off, candle burning kinda song. I love it.
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C.E. Dorsett
The next batch of updates for the site are finished and posted:
Liquid Sky Video Ad is Here
Event Calendar About Section Updated:
Support Us Section Updated:
- Support P:S | Link to Project: Shadow
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C.E. Dorsett
I want to say, “Thank you!” to everyone who has bought a copy of Liquid Sky, especially to those of you in the UK who have purchased the book lately. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure that the book was available anywhere but the US, but I see the new sales report, and the my sales in the UK matched my sales in the US last month!! Wow, thank you all so much! Drop me a line, and let me know what you thought. I love to hear from my readers!
To my readers outside the US:
If there is anything I can do to make it easier to purchase, find, or discuss the book in your country, let me know. I do speak German, though I must admit I am a little rusty, but that is the only real language I can speak other than English
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C.E. Dorsett
Again, Liquid Sky has moved up on the Barnes and Noble bestseller lists for its categories!
# 64 in Other Fantasy Categories (84 yesterday)
# 72 in Other Science Fiction Categories (100 yesterday)
Wow, I hope this trend continues. I am just excited to see my book on any bestseller list. Thanks to you all.
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C.E. Dorsett
Liquid Sky is in the Top 100 Bestseller Lists for both of its Genre Categories at Barnes and Noble!
# 84 in Other Fantasy Categories
#100 in Other Science Fiction Categories
I hope that is the beginning of the Liquid Sky’s rise to the top! Thanks to everyone who has purchased the book, I hope you enjoy it!
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Barren's End, LJM, Multifarious Thoughts, Music, Podcasts »
C.E. Dorsett
Hey everybody!
Are you all enjoying “Liquid Sky“? I hope you are. I’ve been hearing good things from you all, and I am excited to get the feed back. I do wish y’all would use the Symposium more, but hey. I love hearing from you.
Work on the audio series is coming on slow… I am having scheduling problems with everything going on in my life, but I should have some nice things to share with you soon.
One note for ya: I was having some trouble focusing the idea until I bought Cradle Of Filth – Peace Through Superior Firepower earlier this week. The story found a center, and I am moving forward. I just thought I would share.
