Since it’s Halloween, I thought I’d toss something unusual in the podcast feed. Check out this experimental piece of fiction I wrote and recorded back in Nov. 2008 titled Ursa Minor.
At the time, Celldweller’s album Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head was brand new (it’s a stellar album; pick up a copy), and I was smitten by its cinematic-style music. I was so inspired, I contacted Celldweller mastermind Klayton and asked if I could write at least one short story inspired by his music … using his music in the story as a soundtrack.
The goal: To tell a complete tale using only the time allowed by the music, while timing plot points and action to specific moments in the music. The end result is Ursa Minor, using the song of the same name from the Celldweller album.
It’s 1:44 minutes long. A fun creative challenge! I hope you enjoy the tale, as brief as it is.
A few months back, I told you about how one of my favorite musicians, bret — aka Blue Stahli — gets it.
Further evidence of the man’s cleverness, creativity and marketing savvy? The video posted below. Dig this: bret wanted to announce his remix contest in an interesting way (and, as he told me, “have an excuse to play with video stuff”). Behold what he created on a budget of $5, using an old jailbroken iPhone. He did all the editing, sound effects and musical score.
Truly badass stuff. Check it, and check the remix contest for his awesome song UltraNumb, which launches in mere days.
Just a reminder, Florida-based peeps: You can meet me in real life tomorrow night at my 7th Son: Descent book launch party! Check the deets below, and hope to see you there!
When: Friday, Oct. 30, 5 – 8 pm Where: Fresh Aroma Coffee Bar ~ 3656-G W Hillsboro Blvd. ~ Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 What’s up: It’s the caffeine-fueled celebration for 7th Son: Descent’s print debut! Meet me at Fresh Aroma Coffee Bar, hang out, and make new friends. Bring your copy of Descent to be signed, or purchase a copy (cash only, limited copies available). Each person who gets their book signed scores a free drink at the coffee bar! More information:myspace.com/fresharomabistro
Welcome to the third (of ten) free serialized PDF installments of the novel 7th Son: Descent.7th Son is available for purchase now. Learn how you can support the novel’s print release at this page.
Synopsis: The Beta clones tour the 7th Son facility, discover more about their origins, and learn about John Alpha’s intentions. Longtime fans: This episode features a new chapter, and a new set-piece within the facility!
Okay, now let’s really get cookin’. Posts from earlier in the day are “lower” on this blog post. Scroll down to catch up with today’s adventures!
3:00 AM
It’s been a helluva awesome day. Words fail me … but I’ll craft a post in the next day or so. In short: You did it, and exceeded my wildest expectations. Thank you.
I must go to sleep. I must. But here’s the final report from the field. Understand this: These are the highest positions we’ve acheived all day. We have not peaked. Repeat: WE HAVE NOT PEAKED. Astounding.
Amazon report:
188 overall, up from 209 at 11:55 pm (we started yesterday at 3,711)
31 in Science Fiction/Fantasy (up from 34)
11 in Science Fiction (up from 12)
3 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech
55 in Mystery & Thrillers (holding steady)
36 in Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers (holding steady)
14 in Hot New Releases (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) (up from 16)
3 in Hot New Releases (Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction) (up from 4)
39 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers) (holding steady)
26 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers > Thrillers) (holding steady)
6 in Movers and Shakers (down from 5)
Note: Since some books in the Amazon charts are free Kindle titles, I’ve adjusted the list below to reflect what positions we “earned.” When these free titles are removed…
20 in Science Fiction/Fantasy — 11 free titles were removed
5 in Science Fiction — 6 free titles were removed
1 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech — 2 free titles were removed
50 in Mystery & Thrillers — 5 free titles were removed
2 in Hot New Releases (Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction) — 1 free title was removed
38 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers) — 1 free title was removed
More Clone Line calls have rolled in! Give me a shout; I’ll post it here at the site: (435) 55-HUTCH … (that’s 435-554-8824)…
5:55 PM
Here’s the latest from the field:
Amazon report:
316 overall, slipped from 315 at 3:56 pm
47 in Science Fiction/Fantasy (slipped from 46)
18 in Science Fiction (up from 20)
3 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech
65 in Mystery & Thrillers (up from 66)
42 in Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers (up from 43)
20 in Hot New Releases (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) (slipped from 19)
5 in Hot New Releases (Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction) (up from 6)
44 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers) (remaining steady)
31 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers > Thrillers) (remaining steady)
Momentum is slowing, and the competition’s getting tough. Can we bring it? Check the charts! And please, email a friend about 7th Son!
More Clone Line calls have rolled in! Give me a shout; I’ll post it here at the site: (435) 55-HUTCH … (that’s 435-554-8824)…
3:56 PM
It’s the latest Amazon update. Back in June, Personal Effects: Dark Art hit 280 overall at Amazon, on “Day One.” How are we doing so far with 7th Son: Descent?
Amazon report:
315 overall, up from 342 at 1:50 pm
46 in Science Fiction/Fantasy (up from 48)
20 in Science Fiction (remains steady)
3 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech
66 in Mystery & Thrillers (up from 70)
43 in Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers (up from 45)
19 in Hot New Releases (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) (up from 20)
6 in Hot New Releases (Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction) (remains steady)
44 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers) (up from 46)
31 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers > Thrillers) (up from 32)
Momentum is slowing, and the competition’s getting tough. Can we bring it? Check the charts! And please, email a friend about 7th Son!
More Clone Line calls have rolled in! Give me a shout; I’ll post it here at the site: (435) 55-HUTCH … (that’s 435-554-8824)…
1:50 PM
Another Amazon report, peeps — you’re KILLING IT!
Amazon report:
342 overall, up from 482 at 11:58 am
48 in Science Fiction/Fantasy (up from 76)
20 in Science Fiction (up from 25)
3 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech
70 in Mystery & Thrillers (up from 99)
45 in Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers (up from 66)
20 in Hot New Releases (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) (up from 31)
6 in Hot New Releases (Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction) (up from 8 )
46 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers) (up from 56)
32 in Hot New Releases (Mystery/Thrillers > Thrillers) (up from 39)
Time for more Clone Line calls, too! I think the murderous Jesse Fowler himself is on the phone! Give me a ring: (435) 55-HUTCH … (that’s 435-554-8824)…
11:58 AM
It’s an Amazon report with a HUGE jump in the charts, and more Clone Line calls! Sounds like Kilroy2.0 himself HACKED into the Clone Line!
Amazon report:
482 overall, up from 1,211 at 9:55 am
25 in Science Fiction (up from 44)
3 in Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > High Tech
31 in Hot New Releases (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) (up from 67)
Ladies and gentlemen, the day the Beta Clone Army has waited for is HERE. The ascent of Descent has begun!
To celebrate the print release of 7th Son: Descent, I’ve whipped up a spiffy long-form PDF excerpt of the novel for your consumption. If you’re a newcomer to 7th Son and my work, this is a easy — and free — way to dive into my fiction, give it a test drive, and see if it’s up your alley. For longtime fans, here’s a chance to see what the “insides” of the book are like, and share the PDF with friends.
This Special Edition PDF features the novel’s first ten chapters, a note from me, and a printable book order form that you can present in your favorite bookstore today. It also features links to online stores, if you prefer to point, click and purchase. There are links to more information about 7th Son, and ways to share the PDF with family and friends too.
I encourage you to freely distribute this PDF on your blogs, sites, Facebook and MySpace pages, via Twitter or email … any way you wish. This is a grassroots movement, and YOU can play a mission-critical role in spreading the word.
This PDF is being released on multiple websites today. As a thank you for these sites’ help, I’ve created and inserted full-page ads for their content within this PDF. All of these content creators are worthy of your attention. They include:
Welcome to the third (of ten) serialized episodes of the free audiobook, 7th Son: Descent.7th Son is available for purchase now. Learn how you can support the novel’s print release at this page.
Synopsis: The Beta clones tour the 7th Son facility, discover more about their origins, and learn about John Alpha’s intentions. Longtime fans: This episode features a new chapter, and a new set-piece within the facility!
Greetings, 7th Son fans! On the eve of Descent’s bookstore debut, Natasha, the voice of the 7th Son Ministry of Propaganda, wants to remind you of this week’s MOP mission — Operation: Photo Fun with 7th Son.
Here’s the deets:
OPERATION: PHOTO FUN WITH 7TH SON
Obtain your print copy of 7th Son: Descent.
Snap a photo of you with your copy (or copies!).
Make sure the photo is either fun or funny!
Email J.C. your photo (his email address: 7thSonNovel@gmail.com).
Complete this mission by Friday, OCT. 30 and get mentioned on the Agents of the Ministry pageand be in the running for a signed ULTRA RARE hand-crafted “Project 7th Son Dossier”
Mission completion after Oct. 30 still earns you a place on the Agents page
Photos will be posted on J.C.’s site!
This has been a dispatch from the 7th Son Ministry of Propaganda.
Let it be said that I unabashedly crush on Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl. It’s not a “come hither” kind of crush (though I hope she won’t mind me saying that she is a knockout) … it’s a creative crush, a crush fueled by absolute admiration and amazement for what she does, and how danged easy she makes it look.
Grammar Girl’s podcast is one of the most popular indie ‘casts in the Milky Way galaxy, and for good reason: Each week, she provides invaluable advice on how to become a better writer. She tackles such pesky issues as “affect vs. effect,” “who vs. whom,” the particularly stymieing “that vs. which” and so much more. Regardless of your professional field, her show will improve your communication skills.
She’s also the brains behind the Quick and Dirty Tips network, a website thriving with other podcasts filled with equally awesome advice. Plus, she’s a New York Times bestselling writer; her Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing book was released to stellar acclaim last year, and still dominates several writing-related catagories at Amazon.com.
The best part? Mignon is back with a NEW book, which promises to deliver some killer advice: The Grammar Devotional. What I’ve read of this book is stellar, packed with resonant, practical advice for writers of all skill levels. If you’re keen to polish your wordherding skills, this is a must-buy. In fact, here’s the book’s Amazon page. Go get ‘em, tiger.
Want to give some of Mignon’s daily tips a test drive before you buy? I’ve gotcha covered. Dig the link to the PDF below; there, you can download a month’s worth of the books daily tips, for free. If you find it as helpful as I did, you’ll click that Amazon link and snag a copy.
There are few authors I endorse without hesitation. Mignon Fogarty is one of them. Check out The Grammar Devotional, support her work, and become a better writer in the process! Everybody wins!
Sweet! 7th Son: Descent’s beloved carpenter/bartender/musician character John Smith has posted some of his “Anyman” EP songs as free ringtones at Myxer.com! And they’re all free!
Myxer is the leader in ad-supported mobile entertainment: With millions of mobile users and tens of million mobile downloads a month, Myxer is the largest and fastest-growing place for mobile content today. The service was created to make the mobile content experience simple, fun, and free!
Trust me, peeps: the site is 100% legit and free — it’s not a scummy subscription service and there are no monthly fees. (To get the content on your phone, message and data rates may apply, though.) Myxer is compatible with most carriers including AT&T, Cellular One, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Virgin Mobile and TMobile.
So whatcha waitin’ for? Visit John’s Myxer artist page for more information, or give the widgets below a spin! You can be ringin’ and rockin’ with John Smith in no time!
Since it’s Halloween, I thought I’d toss something unusual in the podcast feed. Check out this experimental piece of fiction I wrote and recorded back in Nov. 2008 titled Ursa Minor.
