I’ve never been the biggest fan of memoirs about writing, but when I read this post on Alex George’s blog about Ann Pratchett’s The Getaway Car: A Practical Memoir About Writing and Life (Kindle Single) (affiliate link), and saw that it’s less than $3, I decided to pick it up.

When I read Pratchett’s Bel Canto (P.S.) (affiliate link) …well, I can’t tell you why I loved it so much — only that I did.

And I loved The Getaway Car, too.

Pratchett’s Early Approach

While many new writers daydream about making it big, Pratchett mentions she went into writing thinking that success came only after death — so she was prepared to just get by doing what she loved. She’d wait tables and not have children or want for more because, as long as she lived a simple life, she could write without stress.

Focus!

All she wanted was to be a happy writer — not a rich writer…and it didn’t take much to make her happy.

From the start, she lived a life where writing came before climbing the corporate ladder or other trappings that often pull people away from the dream of making it writing. She worked a job that allowed her to think about stories, and not about work.

Maybe we can’t all live as lean a life as Pratchett did in the beginning, but as one who’s turned down several offers of becoming a manager because I know it would take even more time from what I’d rather be doing, there really is something to living on enough to get by and keeping at the dream of writing, instead of striving for even more material things.

(I freely admit that all the lawyers-turned-writers and doctors-turned-writers destroys this theory, but Pratchett’s point is really about sacrifice, and in reading interviews with those who did balance a career and writing, they usually sacrificed sleep for writing.)

Pratchett’s Honesty

I admire the honesty in The Getaway Car. Pratchett dislikes parties because it’s where people come up to her and say annoying things like, “Everyone has at least one good novel in them,” and then ask her to write that novel for them. She talks about the struggle to remain kind to those who make it seem like all that’s needed to make it writing is to one day sit down for a month or two and write and BOOM! you’ll make it!

To this point, Pratchett says:

“Why is it that we understand that playing the cello will require work, but we relegate writing to the magic of inspiration?” … “If a person of any age picked up the cello for the first time and said, ‘I’ll be playing in Carnegie Hall next month!’ you would pity her delusion…”

Art Does Not Just Happen

Some may find the first part of The Getaway Car a bit harsh. Some people believe writing’s all about inspiration — that by dabbling in being creative, one day they will write a book. Pratchett isn’t scolding those kinds of people; she’s just telling them that writing is hard work.

What she’s really getting at — what the entire memoir is really getting at — is this:

“Art stands on the shoulders of craft, which means that to get to the art, you must master the craft.”

Most people who want to write at some point in their lives aren’t willing to put in the time to master the craft. They want the story that’s in their head to magically flow to the pages. (Another thing Pratchett talks about quite a bit, in beautiful detail, in the first part of the memoir — the reason there are butterflies on the cover of the e-book.)

I love this quote because I wanted the third novel I’ve written to be my first, but at the time, I knew I hadn’t mastered the craft of writing. So I wrote my first novel, and then a second that only exists on a hard drive. It took me 20 years to get to the point of feeling confident enough to pull off my last novel, and to tackle what I’m working on, now.

Other Gems from the Memoir

Regarding how what’s often in one’s head is often not what ends up on the page.

“I can’t write the book I want to write, but I can and will write the book I am capable of writing.”

On writer’s block:

“I did not, however, get writer’s block, because as far as I’m concerned, writer’s block is a myth.”

(She wraps that section up with a quote from a writing student in a group she once addressed; one of the moments in the book that made me laugh out loud.)

On the effort of writing, assuming that everybody does, in fact, have at least one good novel in them (which Pratchett does not believe, but offers to make this point):

“Only a few of us are going to be willing to break our own hearts by trading in the living beauty of imagination for the stark disappointment of words.”

On writing daily:

“While I’ve had long periods of time when I’ve written every day, it’s nothing I’m slavish about.” … “I’ve gone for months without writing and never missed it.”

Then there’s this — again dispelling the myth of the magical side of writing:

“No matter what you may have heard, the characters don’t write their own story.”

On rewrites:

“I do a great deal of tinkering, but I never make any structural changes…”

Regarding research:

“I try to conduct my research after I’ve started writing, or sometimes even after I’ve finished.” … “I hate to see a novel in which the author has clearly researched every last detail to death and, to prove it, forces the reader to slog through two pages describing the candlesticks that were made in Salem in 1792.”

Amen!

The Last Three Sentences

The $2.99 e-book is worth it for the last three sentences that sum up writing better than anything I may have ever read. It’s like paying a dollar a sentence for some of the best advice out there. (Or you can go read Alex George’s blog about the memoir — he reveals the last three lines at the end of it.)

If you truly live it and understand the sentiment in those last three lines, you know writing.

Who Should Read This?

The Getaway Car is something I wouldn’t recommend to somebody just starting out…or hell, maybe I would.

The things Pratchett says might be ignored by many new writers, much like the part of the book that made me laugh out loud. At the same time, when I was still very new to writing and I looked to people with experience and heard them say, “It’s not easy, and it’s rare to see the first big thing you write meet with success,” I took it to heart.

I had a blast writing my first novel, and it has some moments I’m proud of in between all the goofiness. But had I written my last novel first — as I originally wanted to do — I’d have made a wreck of a good thing. So if you’re a new writer, and patient, The Getaway Car may be for you.

Pratchett’s memoir seems to work best for people who have written for awhile. While almost blunt, at times, it’s not cruel. Those who have been writing awhile will appreciate her honesty.

It’s a memoir for people who know how hard writing can be, but still choose to do it because they also know writing’s rewards.

John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars (affiliate link) sits on a pile of books on the hutch over my desk.

I try to read one or two YA books a year, and this will be one of them.

The video below is something John made earlier this week. He’s on a book signing tour with his brother, Hank, and his sister-in-law.

E-Books on the Road

I chat about e-books, here, quite a bit. I like e-books a lot. I’ll review a wonderful e-book on Monday: Ann Pratchett’s The Getaway Car: A Practical Memoir About Writing and Life (Kindle Single) (affiliate link). But there’s one drawback to the e-book: signing tours!

When I received a photo from the mighty Tom Wideman from the back woods of Alaska, showing me that he picked up a copy of Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors (HCWWPD) on the day it was released, I thought it was one of the more wonderful uses for technology. A guy in the middle-o’-nowhere Alaska got a copy of an e-book I released, on the day it was available.

Recently, CM Stewart sent a photo of her on the road with HCWWPD. Since HCWWPD is a road trip story, it’s an ideal book — to me — to have been published as a physical version with me on a signing tour.

When I submitted it years ago — to agents who loved it, but thought it was too quirky for them to know what to do with — I dreamed of getting an agent and making a sale. Not because it would have meant I somehow “made it,” but because I would have had a physical book with which to tour. I dreamed of restoring an old station wagon for a cross country trip, signing books.

Obviously, that never happened.

A Problem with E-Books

I love e-books. I know there are blog tours and other ways to promote e-books, but…it’s not like you can pile into a car with loved ones or good friends and go on tour like you can with a physical book.

Or maybe you can.

Some of the neatest jumps in the way we think about things come along from changes in technology. So while I haven’t figured out a way to do an e-book signing tour, I’m not saying it can’t be done.

Any thoughts on ways of making one work?

It seems like more people got a Nook than a Kindle (Affiliate Link) for the holidays — at least when looking at e-book sales of my novel and short stories. Nook sales have outpaced Kindle sales this month in a BIG way.

Thank you to everyone who’s bought a copy of Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors and my other e-books; I hope you like them. If you do, consider leaving a review at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Sales come and go, but weeks like the last couple — and photos like the one the one below that the awesome CM Stewart sent while on the road over the holidays — make those dry spells worth it.

I really appreciate everybody who’s read what I’ve written and those who spread the word.

Thank you!

Yesterday on my personal Facebook page, I posted the video above. A very good friend replied, saying that he’s all about e-books and audio books these days, because it allows him to not be weighed down by books and lets him read/listen on the go.

The Power of E-Books

I love physical books, but I’m not against e-books and audio books; in fact, in the past two years, I’ve read more digital books than physical books.

I find myself taking in non-fiction as audio books more and more, because it’s easy to listen to while at the gym or formatting things at work. (As a technical writer, music with lyrics and podcasts can be distracting, but sometimes — if I’m formatting a lot of procedures and not writing — I can listen to something with words.)

This is the point my friend made: reading is no longer this thing we do before bed, or on lunch breaks.

• Long line at the DMV? Pull out your phone and read.
• Ride a train to work? You’ve probably seen more e-readers in the last couple years.
• That kid you think is checking Facebook on her phone? She’s actually reading. (Okay, reading and checking Facebook.)
• Long commute or road trip? Listen to a book.

E-readers were big sellers this past holiday season, and I have to think that most of the people buying and receiving an e-reader don’t leave it on the nightstand. I see them at work, at cafes, and even in restaurants.

All over the place.

So What About Physical Books?

Just because I love e-books and audiobooks (although I’m still not a big fan of fiction as audiobook — I like the way it all comes in when reading silently), it doesn’t mean there’s not room for physical books in my life.

I didn’t get an e-reader for Christmas, but I got a small pile of books I’ve been enjoying.

The Start of 2012's Reading List

For some reason, before bed at night or on a lazy afternoon on the couch, I like physical books best. With an exception: BIG books.

I recently reviewed Craig Thompson’s Habibi, which is a stunning physical book in its design — but at over 660 pages, it’s heavy and not as easy to get comfortable with as my phone or an e-reader.

Still, for certain authors, there’s just something about cracking open a book that I will always love.

What About You?

How have your reading habits changed in recent years? Do you find yourself reading more e-books on the go, like my friend, or do you still prefer to curl up in bed with a good [physical] book?

One thing’s for certain, whether you prefer digital books to physical books (or the other way around) — taking time out to read, and the habits that come with doing so, will hopefully never die.

I like e-books. I’ve been buying more e-books than physical books, lately. Not that I have anything against physical books — quite the contrary: I love physical books. But in a one-bedroom apartment, there’s not a lot of room for physical books. (Which is why I tend to give books away.)

E-books are a great way to save space if you don’t have it. But they can’t do everything.

The Power of Physical Books

A friend recently loaned me Mark Z. Danielewski’s Only Revolutions. Like Danielewski’s first book, House of Leaves, Only Revolutions relies heavily on the formatting of the book. (We’ll see if I get through Only Revolutions…formatting like this in House of Leaves annoyed me, and I set it aside.)

More than formatting that would be tough to pull off in an e-book right now, one of the best things about physical books is the personal library.

Behold, the Library!

Flavorwire recently had a peek inside the libraries of famous writers. I love how each writer’s personality is reflected in their libraries.

As much as I love e-books, it’s weird to think there may come a day when the famous writers of the future all hold up the same reading device as others when asked to show off their libraries.

(It’s one of the reasons I think the physical books will always be around.)

Eudora Welty's Library.

I’ve chatted before about how I see some parallels with self publishing e-books and self published comic books from the mid 90s. And I still wonder if it’s possible for an unknown writer of literary or upmarket fiction to find the same kind of success as some unknown genre self publishers. (There’s a great article about reasons not to self publish, here — with some great discussion in the comments.)

But what I’m most interested in today is what people think about Amazon acting as a publisher.

We Knew It Would Happen

From the moment Amazon mentioned that it was going to allow people to self publish their own e-books, it seemed only a matter of time before they sought out authors and let the world know, “We are now a publisher!”

Lee Goldberg

I’ve followed Lee Goldberg’s blog for awhile. His “The Mail I Get” entries are a riot, and I’ve loved reading about his adventures in ebook self publishing. (The quick version: Goldberg had a pile of out-of-print books his publisher felt couldn’t make money. Goldberg got the rights back and released them as e-books, and now makes $70,000/year off of the books publishers said wouldn’t make money. That experiment was all he needed to convince him self publish e-books. He even stepped away from writing Monk novels.)

Recently, Golberg announced that he accepted a deal with Amazon to relaunch the Dead Man series he started with William Rabkin. Goldberg’s gone from self publishing his out-of-print books on Amazon to striking a deal that has Amazon acting as publisher.

And he’s not alone.

Barry Eisler, Publish It Forward Lecture Part 1 from Grub Street on Vimeo.

Barry Eisler, Publish It Forward Part 2 (Q&A) from Grub Street on Vimeo.

Barry Eisler, Publish It Forward Part 3 (Q&A) from Grub Street on Vimeo.

Do We Need Gatekeepers?

One of the rallying cries about the e-book self publishing revolution is that the gatekeepers no longer matter. Gone are the days of querying agents, waiting for them to reply (if they reply at all), and then hoping for representation and a deal that takes a long time to get your book on a shelf (where it most likely won’t sell). And there’s some truth to it. (Although I still think the traditional route — at least right now — is the best bet for upmarket and literary authors.)

A friend [somewhat] recently sent this article to me. There are some interesting comments about the article — pro and con for self publishing e-books. Some replies are mellow…some not so much.

What I found interesting are replies like this one. There seems to be no loss of people out there who believe that publishing needs barriers. I’ve seen a bestselling writer I follow online talk about how there needs to be even more restrictions on who’s published so those who are published can make a decent living, instead of having so much out there that the market is watered down. (I heard the same thing about comic books — even experienced it myself, but so what?)

A Little Soapbox-y

I get where these people are coming from. It’s human nature to be a little pissy when you’ve put years into something and along comes somebody who hasn’t put in the time — “paid their dues.” These new writers, some feel, not only have the same opportunities (and shouldn’t, the feeling goes), but even — in cases — sell more with a thrown-together e-book full of typos than the book that took them such a long time to write.

My thoughts: people have a right to publish…even if what they publish is absolute shit. And if what they put out isn’t crap, all the better. I can’t imagine an America where those who came before me (e.g. American revolutionaries, Frederick Douglass, and many others who self published), had been barred from publishing…not that I’m saying that “yet another YA fantasy story” is on par with the writing that led to American freedom, but still.

I’ll be a little snobbish:

• John Irving is a better writer than Stephanie Meyers, and Meyers is better than many self-published e-book authors out there.
• Jacob Sharp (NSFW: language) is a better juggler than the party clown that can eat an apple while juggling and do little more.
• A beautiful, handmade piece of furniture is better than something purchased at a big box store.

But…more power to Stephanie Meyers and people who take their time to write a self-published e-book…even if it’s rushed and not-so-good.

I’ve only liked a few clowns in my time, but hey — I can’t knock a party clown making a living doing what they do while most of us have jobs we do out of necessity, not love.

And while my wife and I have some nice furniture, the desk I’m writing this on was purchased at Office Depot years ago and has served me well.

The Thing about Literary Fiction

If I’m going to pitch a fit about some genuine hack writer cranking out 12 shoddy e-books and making more money than me — going as far as saying it’s not their right and that it signals the fall of civilization — I’m not doing myself any favors.

As much as fans of literary fiction talk about what a shame it is that many literary masters can’t make a living writing books, if those same writers went mainstream, I have to think many of their fans wouldn’t like it. Part of the appeal of literary fiction — even though many won’t admit it — is its exclusivity…that ability to say, “I have more taste than that person over there reading a Twilight novel.”

I understand the reaction to feeling like gatekeepers are needed, but I have much bigger concerns as a writer: putting my all into the best book I can write and being happy that people can read it — whether it’s a physical book picked up in a store, or an e-book I published online.

How ‘Bout You?

What do you think about self publishing e-books and Amazon acting as a publisher? Good, bad, indifferent?

Do you think people like Gary Vaynerchuk below are being over the top when they say traditional publishing is on its knees and about to die, or is he onto something?

One thing’s certain: wherever you stand on the issue, people are buying more e-book readers than ever and open to reading e-books.

Anything that keeps people reading is good for us all.

Yesterday, Chuck Wendig shared the cover of his upcoming novel, Blackbirds, on his blog. (Go here to see the whole thing in all its stunning glory; it’s mighty impressive stuff! And if you’re curious what Wendig’s writing is like, I can think of a pile of worse things you can do today than dropping $2.99 on his short story collection ebook,  Irregular Creatures. Affiliate link.)

A couple days ago, another cool writer people should follow online, John Green, released the cover for his upcoming book, The Fault in Our Stars, in this Vlogbrothers’ YouTube video. (He mentions the cover 30 seconds in. Also, if you preorder The Fault in Our Stars (affiliate link), you’ll get a signed copy…John Green is signing the entire first print run of 150,000 copies.)

Judging a Book By Its Cover

I’ve always heard people say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” but I’ve always had good luck when I have.

I found my favorite book, A Trail of Heart’s Blood Wherever We Go: A Novel (affiliate link), based on the cover over there on the left. (Sorry it’s such a small image — I no longer have this edition, and all I could find was a thumbnail.)

While browsing the long gone Dallas/Ft. Worth bookseller, Taylor’s Books one night, I stumbled upon it. Something about the color and cover art appealed to me, and I picked up a wonderful book I may not have picked up had it not been for that cover.

The Power of a Good Cover

I met John Picacio at a comic book convention in 1992. He made the move from comic book art to book covers and hasn’t looked back.

Anyone with a sense of design can put together a cover based on stock photography and typography, but it takes something more to create a cover like the World’s End (Age of Misrule, Book 1)(affiliate link), cover to the right, and the covers above.

John doesn’t just read the copy that goes on the back of the book or the copy on the inner jacket and throw together a cover; he reads the book and puts a lot of thought and effort into creating an image he (and the writer) feel sums up the book.

That’s a heavy responsibility and no easy task.

A Reason for Covers

We can all say we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s a reason so much goes into cover design: next to a known name, a strong cover can get a book into a potential reader’s hands, where the copy hopefully does the rest.

John Picacio’s one of those artists who can get a store to stock a book facing out and get readers to pick up books they may have never known existed.

A Sense of What’s Inside

Another favorite book is Jim Lynch’s, The Highest Tide: A Novel (affiliate link).

It’s a case of a good photo and a simple design.

The thing that struck me reading the book was how colorful Lynch paints the night. Some of my favorite writing in the book takes place at night, and Lynch’s prose oozes with a color that’s hard to describe.

It’s easy to see the night as just this dark thing with no depth, but Lynch’s writing is summed up by the cover of the hardback version of The Highest Tide.

Seriously; it’s that soothing and natural.

E-Book Covers

I’ve written about ebooks quite a bit. I’m a fan of ebooks. But if there’s one thing I don’t like about them, it’s that many lack great covers.

Some ebooks come with only text covers. (Call me a traditionalist, but even at $.99, I feel cheated without cover art.)

Other ebooks have covers that look great on an iPad, but they lose something when reduced to a thumbnail on an online bookseller’s site, or on a smaller device. It’s kind of like the jump from album cover art to CD art, and then thumbnails online.

While I like being able to release some of my writing as ebooks, I miss out on the excitement of seeing what an artist comes up with. I don’t see their interpretation of what I wrote.

For many readers, ebook cover art doesn’t matter. And while I like that readers are going for a story, there’s a little bit of me that hates that some great artists are already considering other options for their art after years of designing book covers.

How About You

Do you judge a book by its cover?

What are some of your favorite book covers?

If any of the covers below appeal to you, go here to check them out.

An unexpected thing happened with the release of my ebook, Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors: the people I thought would buy it aren’t necessarily the people buying it.

The story is a humorous coming-of-age story about a family traveling cross country in a possessed station wagon. Based on that, I figured teenagers (primarily males) all the way up to guys my age (early 40s…maybe even a little older) would make up most of the readers. But based on the people I’ve heard from, the results surprised me a little.

So who seems to be buying the most copies of Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors?

Older women.

Why This Surprises Me

When I think about it, it should come as no surprise that women my mom’s age are buying the ebook.

I don’t think for a moment that because it’s a digital book that people older than me aren’t tech savvy. (Hell, my mom was the person who showed me how to send a text message on my old phone after sending me a text message, not getting a reply, and asking what was up. When I said, “I don’t know how to reply,” she laughed and showed me.) And we know more women read fiction than men.

But Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors — at times — wallows in crude humor. Sure, I could have gone even more overboard, but there are still moments when the humor is something I thought would be off-putting to some. (Generally — while I know it’s not always the case — I think guys are more into crude humor than women.) Of course, Shakespeare was a pretty crude guy at times — not that I’m even vaguely putting Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors on the same level as King Lear.

Why It Doesn’t Surprise Me

When I received email and some of the reviews of Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors from older women and really thought about it, I wasn’t surprised they liked it. The recurring thing these readers mentioned: they were reminded of when they were younger and subjected to long road trips with their families.

They remember the kinds of quirky side-of-the-road attractions I mention and make up in the story. They remember the battles with siblings and asking if they were there yet. Most of all, though, they remember that no matter how hellish those trips may have seemed 1,000 miles into the trek, by the time the turned around and made it home, something wonderful had happened.

We’re Stuck with Them

We get no say in the people we come up with, whether it’s a grandfather at family reunions with a flatulence problem, a chain-smoking aunt who doesn’t care who’s around when she tells dirty jokes, or the uncle the rest of the family shuns because he’s full of inappropriate stories and always looking for an audience. We have no say in our siblings and parents. We learn at a young age that the best we can do is try to make it work.

There are few times that philosophy is put to the test better than by being trapped in a car with family for days — even weeks — with no chance of escape.

I have very fond memories of my father telling my step brother to give him his hand “for a cool surprise.” The cool surprise? A booger the size of a juvenile banana slug from my dad’s large nose.

There were wedgies and beatings from my big sister for crossing the imaginary line she told me not to cross as she staked her claim to an ever-expanding territory in the backseat. There were complete BS stories my father made up about the things we saw along the way in an effort to see which one of us he could hook and how far he could take a lie. (He once convinced my big sister that a tornado could drive a cow into a Pepsi bottle.)

So sure, none of us have traveled cross country with a possessed car that’s taken over the family Chihuahua in the hope of having it kill us, but any of us who have climbed into a car with family and been forced to endure days on the road with them knows the fortitude it takes and the appreciation of what we had when we got home and realized it wasn’t so bad after all.

Beneath all the crude humor in Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors is what matters: family.

So when I look at things that way, I’m not surprised one bit that older women can see beyond all the belching, yelling, and pranks because in the end — the trip is always worth it.

A BSA Gold Star leaning into a turn.

My father had a thing for British motorcycles — particularly Triumphs.

In the 70s, he had a Bonneville and a custom Trident. He loved stripping down a factory bike and turning it into a cafe racer. (Okay, so the Trident eventually became a drag bike.)

There was always something neat to me about British bikes. The more riders removed parts to lighten the load, the faster and more practical the bikes became. Not something you’d take on a cross country trek, perhaps, but they definitely served their purpose.

Stripped Down Writing

One of the things I love about ebooks is they make the novella a viable medium once again.

Once common in magazines, novellas became those things only established writers like Stephen King had the pleasure of writing in recent decades. Oh, sure, you could write a novella, but with very few exceptions, you’d have a hard time selling it. Now, though, writers and readers are flying through 25,000 – 50,000-word stories.

Stripped down and serving a purpose, ebooks have made the literary equivalent of a cafe racer appealing again.

Stripping Glimpses

Image by SiGMan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sigman/)

Last week, I almost shelved my second novel, Glimpses, forever. I almost did a U-turn from the writing plan I recently mentioned and rushed straight to my next novel.

Rereading Glimpses during vacation, there was so much I wanted to strip from its frame. All the extra bits weighed things down, like saddle bags, extra chrome, and accessories can weigh down a motorcycle. But beneath all the extraneous prose written 6 or 7 years ago on lunch breaks is the literary equivalent of a Norton Featherbed frame and a Triumph parallel twin engine.

Looking at Glimpses, all it needed to get me excited was to strip things down light and fast and realize there’s a place, now, for a 50K story: ebooks!

Now, instead of fretting over the scenes that don’t totally work for me, I’m cutting things out. If I question the purpose of something, it’s gone! Hell, Glimpses may come in at 40K – 45K words by the time I’m done.

It may not be the kind of ride you’d want for the long haul like my latest novel, but Glimpses will definitely be a lot more fun in the turns.

I’ve been told by some people–including readers of The Juggling Writer–that I should let people know what I’m doing and have out there a little more often. So…while I typically don’t say, “Hey, this is what I have out there to buy, listen to, or sign up for,” today I’m saying, “Hey, this is what I have out there to buy, listen to, or sign up for!” And I figured while I did that for me, I’d share what some friends are up to as well…

My Stuff

Ebooks – It started with a few short stories as a test and moved on to a novel. Want to read a short story about a goofy bulldog that eats everything it sees? Look no further. Ever wonder what would happen if you drank the juice from a Magic 8-Ball? Your answer is right here! Or maybe you want a story about an FBI agent on the verge of retiring and racing to solve a case that’s haunted him for years…maybe something with an old-timey circus? Got that covered, too!

Or maybe, just maybe…you’re thinking, “It’s been a busy, hot summer and I didn’t get to take that vacation I wanted. You know what would be cool–taking a road trip without leaving my home for less than the cost of a gallon of gas. If only someone decided to write a humorous coming-of-age story about a family traveling cross country in a possessed station wagon!”

It’s called Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors, and it can be yours for just $2.99.

(These ebooks are available on Barnesandnoble.com, too. If you’ve read anything you liked above, consider taking a moment to review it where they’re available or on your blog. I’m pretty friendly, too, and open to interviews.)

Newsletter – Maybe you like The Juggling Writer so much that you think, “I’d like a little something extra each month. Why doesn’t Christopher have a newsletter or something?”

I do, and signing up is easy.

And if you want a sneak peek at what the newsletter is like before signing up, check this out to see what you’re missing. (You can view past newsletters there, too.)

Podcast – Don’t want to buy Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors or put the effort into reading it? Maybe you’re thinking, “Hey, Chris–sounds groovy, but I like having my books read to me. (Preferably by the author.) And while $2.99 for an ebook is more than a fair price, I still like FREE!”

Well, you’re in luck!

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So there–I did it! A [somewhat] shameless plug!

Now that that’s over, check out some of these cool people below!

Friends and Online Acquaintances

Writers:

Mark Hosack – Super dad and all around nice guy. If you like over-the-top noir, check out the trailer below (NSFW)…and if it’s your thing, buy the movie.

Mark Finn – I have quite a few friends named Mark. When this Mark isn’t busy running the first theater in Texas to show 3D movies or serving as Toastmaster at ArmadilloCon this weekend, he writes things (particularly about Conan the Barbarian creator, Robert E. Howard). A badass among badasses!

William Mize – William Mize started writing paranormal detective stories before paranormal detective stories were cool. Check out his books here and here.

Rick Klaw – Rick bought the first thing I ever wrote with the hope of publication. His essays on being a geek are here, and he recently contributed to Jeff VanderMeer’s beautiful Steampunk Bible.

Shawn Kupfer – I first became aware of Shawn’s writing when his book, 47 Echo, was mentioned on The Nerdist blog’s Writers You Might Like feature. Then, oddly enough, he not only moved to Texas, but he ended up working for the same company I work for…in the same department…on the same project! He’s one of the hardest working writers I know. I’m about to go to bed, but Shawn…the safe bet is he still has a couple more hours in him tonight…

Erik Lundy – Eric Lundy is a redneck Renaissance Man! When he’s not doing stand up comedy about growing up in Arkansas and Missouri (check the NSFW link below), he writes and draws things. If you’re in the mood for some FREE crime fiction all collected and ready to read, check this out. Erik’s currently busy celebrating National Sandwich Month.

Artists:

John Picacio – I met John almost 20 years ago at a comic book convention. He is, by far, one of the kindest people you can hope to meet–and it’s no wonder why he’s won a World Fantasy Award and been nominated for the Hugo numerous times. (If he can finally win a Hugo next year in his hometown of San Antonio, that would be the coolest!)

Check out John’s blog for some incredible art–and there are few better ways to track the days of 2012 than by using this calendar! (Cover art right below.)

John Lucas – Joltin’ Johnny Lucas pencils and slings ink all over comic book pages. If everybody worked as hard as John we’d have world peace–because we’d all be too busy doing what we love to fight and do stupid things!

Shane Campos – If you like clean lines and color, you’ll dig Shane’s art. Coming up through the Texas independent comic book scene, Shane’s moved on to hip, commercial art you can even wear.

Ivan Chan – Ivan began finger painting a handful of years ago as a way to relax. While I prefer dogs to cats, Ivan’s enlightened cat art is great stuff!

Martin Thomas – Maybe you’ve always wondered who painted that famous image of Spider-Man? Maybe you’ve wondered, “What’s that guy up to, now? Damn, I even think it would be cool to hear what he sounds like!” Check out Martin’s animation on the only movie review site you need, Spill.com. (He voices Leon.)

Brian Denham – Best known for a run on Iron Man, Brian Denham’s another hard-working comic book artist living in Texas. While his site hasn’t been updated lately, if you follow him on Twitter you’ll get plenty of first looks at what he’s up to.

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Whew! I planned to mention other friends (musicians and other talented people), but this is getting long and it’s getting late. I’ll finish the big list up soon, but I definitely wanted to mention a few regulars around here…

Friends of The Juggling Writer:

C.M. Stewart – While The Juggling Writer may not get tons of traffic, I’m cool with that because I’ve met some cool people–like CM Stewart–through this blog.  Her recent review of my ebook, Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors surprised even me with her observations, and I wrote the damn thing!

Paul Lamb – Paul Lamb has a blog that, for some reason, I love reading in the morning.  There’s something very relaxing about his views of writing that I always look forward to reading.  Especially in the morning. A great way to begin a day.

Lisa Eckstein – Lisa Eckstein does a great job discussing her experiences as a writer, while always making time to highlight other writers and writing information at the end of each blog post! It’s like a 3 for 1 deal…for FREE!

M.E. Anders – M.E. Anders divides her blog with a weekly writer interview, a discussion focused on her past, and a book, podcast, or movie review. I’m glad my 50-day social media break posts have inspired her to think about the way she uses social media.

Anthony Wendell – Anthony Wendell’s Redshift blog features his poetry. He once lucked into going to a Stephen King lecture that was crashed by John Irving. Oh, how I envy Anthony Wendell!

Tammy Raabe Rao – Tammy Raabe Rao is a designer and photographer in the Boston area. When she’s not taking photos of circus performers (including jugglers!), she devotes her time to animal rescue programs (particularly guinea pigs).

Cynthia Griffith – Cynthia Griffith is a historical costumer and a very patient person (she married me, after all). She’s also a mighty fine artist and juggler, too! (One of Cynthia’s recent costumes in the video below.)

And Now…Your Turn!

Anything you want to plug? Don’t be shy–mention it in the comments!