The Value of Dreams

This is just a small posting. In my experience dreams often instill the kernel of an idea in my creative writing (but I should note that I am one of those unfortunate people that rarely remembers his dreams). However, last night I had a fitful sleep – it really consisted of several disrupted sleeps, and in one of them I dreamed that I was dreaming and that what occurred in it would make an absolutely fantastic story for my monthly short story challenge (for those who don’t know, I am a member of a small writing group where we all optionally take part in a writing challenge, based on a painting, song, poem, concept, whatever).

Now the denouement of this post – on waking, and thinking closely about the story idea, I realized it was absolute crap. So much for the value of dreams… sometimes.

Novel update

Okay, I have got Guardian of the Sky Realms out of the way, and am very happy indeed.

(Not novels, but what the heck:) My short story anthology set in my world of Evyntyde is coming along nicely. Of my target 19 stories, I have written 16 – so it is a matter of getting inspired and writing them, refining them, and submitting them for publication. I believe that I can get this pretty much finalized by about March next year.

My first novel, the mammoth 220k The Scepter and the Orb, needs to be revised  – not madly, but the simple fact is that I am a much better writer now than when I wrote it. It is a huge investment, of time and spirit, and also represents the core of my Evyntyde mythos – it just has to be published. So… I will be working hard over the next 6 months to revise it. Target: June 2011.

My second novel, also set in Evyntyde, called Crystal Peak, is about two thirds finished. As much as I want to hit it hard I need to finish The Scepter and the Orb first. Patience grasshopper. So I suspect my target for that novel is December 2011.

Then there is this scifi/adventure/set now novel (Crichton style). It has been bubbling in my head for years. I would be happy to writer a good outline by June 2011. Project code name: Bitter Creek.

I am just sure that a sequel to Guardian fo the Sky Realms will pop out some time soon 🙂

That’s the roundup for now. Will regularly report on how it goes, and possibly throw in teasers, maps etc.

A Vignette of the Nookery

Hmm. I can assure you this topic doesn’t piss me off intrinsically, but piss me off it does.

IFWG Publishing is a small press – not a self-publishing outfit. This is not a derogatory statement about self-publishing – anyone who knows me knows that I have no bigotry in that space at all – only praise among some. But we aren’t a self-publishing enterprise – hey, 11 titles this year.

We want to epublish in all viable ebook platforms – Sony Reader, Kobo, Nook, Kindle, Adobe. There will be others.

We had an ugly-ish experience with B&N’s Nook. This blog is solely about Nook.

Basically, there are two ways to publish on Nook – as a self publisher, you are directed to go through PubIt! If you are a ‘traditional’ publisher, and if you are a "Vendor of Record", you can either send Titles in EPUB format (with cover art) to them directly, via email (for small publishers), and via FTP for larger companies. Given that we published print titles with them (around six) to date, it seemed ludicrous that we had to go through the process of being a ‘vendor or record’, and if you went through the PubIt! process, it is without a doubt oriented exclusively for self-publishers (actually, US based self-publishers, as it is impossible to register without having a US Bank Account).

So, as a matter of experiment, we sent an email to B&N with a legitimate EPUB file and cover art for one of our recent titles, and asked for it to be published. The response was underwhelming – use PubIt! – and they stated that we should register as a small press or self-publisher, and it will all fall into place at the END OF SUMMER (my capitals, and I should add, northern hemisphere).

Well. It would appear that we don’t qualify as a "Vendor of Record" and we have to register as a self-publisher (we produce 11 titles a year, and this isn’t a high enough rate for use of their email system), and wait more than six months before we can publish in Nook.

Congratulations Barnes and Noble. You appear to be less professional than the small publishers you are screwing.
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Steampunk happiness!

I have just been advised that my short story, My Best Friend Julian (my second effort at steampunk), has now been published in Sonar4 Publication’s Anthology of Steampunk.

This comes hot off the news that my first effort, Halo in the Sky, was taken up by Hydra Publications, for their sci fi anthology (to be named).

So… I suppose that makes me, among other things, a steampunk writer.
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A precious story

One of my more precious stories, Halo In The Sky (a steampunk story), has finally been committed to a publisher – Hydra Publications. They had a steampunk anthology going but didn’t think my story was ‘steampunk enough’ – I know what they mean – I didn’t have the ‘classic’ steampunk elements in it, but they loved my story and wanted it to be in a science fiction anthology that will open for submissions in March next year, and then get published around October 2011. They don’t have a name for the anthology as yet. I umm’d and ahhh’d for a while, and after they categorically stated they will publish my story, I agreed today.

This was, to some extent, a hard decision. I don’t mind publishing my ‘lesser’ stories in almost any reputable publication, but my ‘precious’ stories – I count about half a dozen at this time (out of 39 that are ‘publishable’, or are published), I really want to publish with commensurately better publishers. Forgive me Hydra for saying it, but you guys aren’t ‘up there’, but on the other hand I thought that it was important to get my story out, and a commitment is a commitment – if I submit, I have to be willing to accept the offers. For what it’s worth, I think this will end up good, and I certainly will offer the story to the Aurealis Awards for 2011.

Well, this is my twelfth submission that has been accepted… it is worth celebrating.
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latest on Guardians of the Sky Realms

It would appear that it will be first cab off the rank for IFWG Publishing’s publish queue for November – so very soon indeed. The reason why is because I have entered it in the Aurealis Awards for 2010 (Young Adult Novel category) and I have to get copies of the ARCs to the three judges before 31 December 2010. Not a lot of time when these ARCs get printed in the US. What is amazing is (and it is a coincidence, believe me) is that the three judges are all located in Melbourne, my home city.

Novel nearing publication

At last – Guardian of the Sky Realms is nearing completion. I am happy with the cover – it contains the painting that inspired me to write the story, and it has a wonderful frame with wings as engraved decoration at its corners. A beautiful blue sky is in the background. Simple, but effective. Thanks Randy 🙂

Here is the latest draft of the front cover:

Cover of Guardian of the Sky Realms by Gerry Huntman (IFWG Publishing, 2010)

My bio page with draft of the blurb: http://ifwgpublishing.weebly.com/bio-gerry-huntman.html

Click Here for the prologue and first 3 chapters

Penina Gal is the artist of the painting.

I am, in Australian terms, a happy little vegemite.
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