DON'T HATE ME BECAUSE I AM ECLECTIC

Book publishing in America has changed a lot in the past twenty years plus. Especially in two fundamental ways. 

The first is that the big-time, mainstream publishers are now all gathered together into five multi-national corporate conglomerate tribes (Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster), huddling together for protection. 

No longer is Book Publishing in America the domain of the 20th-Century “Gentleman Publishers” who cared as much, if not more so, about books than about the profits selling books could gather. The tradition, myth or not, was that publishing houses of old hoped for just enough profit from popular bestsellers, which they were always on the lookout for, to pay their company’s costs and support those other books they wanted to publish—fiction and non-fiction—that they knew would not be huge bestsellers right out of the gate but had literary quality or importance that would keep them in print for years. The long-term goal was to build up enough of a backlist of both their bestsellers and their quality books (not to mention the occasional quality bestseller) that, in aggregate, would provide perennial profits to sustain them. 

Now mainstream publishing seems to be all about big profits NOW! NOW! NOW! Of course, some of the imprints within the Big Five may have individual publishers who think in the gentlemanly or gentlewomanly way. But their accountants probably don’t. This makes it hard for a new author to get the attention of the Big Five unless you have a potential bestselling blockbuster. Or possibly if you come to them with a nice recommendation from your MFA in Creative Writing professor. 

The second change has come about via digital technology, including he invention of print-on-demand (POD) machines that can digitally print and bind a single copy of a book when it has been ordered, saving on the huge costs of warehousing a multitude of copies. And the growth in digital eReaders, such as the Kindle, upon which one can read an eBook.

Oh, and I guess I should add a third way—the distribution of POD hardcopies and eBooks, mainly by Amazon. 

The second has allowed many writers who have not been able to get past the formidable gates of the first to be published and distributed by the third.

These new technologies spurred the growth of many digital indie publishers, often founded by writers who decided to help get other writers into print. And, of course, the new technologies have given birth to thousands of writers who have used them to publish themselves. This used to be called “self-publishing,” and once was a badge of shame. Now it’s called being entrepreneurial—and who wouldn’t want to be called that!

I have had eight books published in the last ten years through three digital indie publishers.

Crossroad Press,

Blüroof Press,

and Third Street Press.

All three were founded by fellow writers who really give a damn about fellow writers. I have truly appreciated that. And they have overseen the creation of print, ebook, and audiobook editions of my work that I’m proud of. And we have had some success, with two of my novels spending at least a little time on some Amazon sites as Science Fiction Bestsellers.

I have been a difficult writer for these publishers. Not a difficult person, of course, I’m a renowned sweetie-pie. But as a writer being published by digital indie publishers, I am not what one would call a marketing dream.

You see, digital indie publishers, not having the massive budgets of the Big Five, especially for publicity and promotion, have found their greatest success in publishing series novels. That is, obviously, a series of novels featuring the same world and characters in each volume. Not unlike a TV series, and various cinematic universes too famous for me to need to mention here. It seems that this is what many readers, especially eBook readers, want—brand name authors. Or rather, authors as brands. It is also something I, as a writer, cannot provide.

Not that I haven’t tried. My first published novel, Blood is Pretty, was followed up by a sequel, Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army. These novels are satiric Hollywood thrillers. If you can imagine that. And you don’t really have to, because I already did. All you need to do is read them if you would like. They were fun to write and I have a great deal of affection for them. But two were enough for me. I had other stories to tell. Some might be labeled science fiction, some might be called mainstream or literary fiction, some might be strange mash-ups of different fiction genres. And that’s another thing. I don’t stick to one genre, which in some publishing quarters is an offense worthy of being drawn and quartered for.

With all of the above in mind, and with the encouragement of writers I admire, I have decided it was time for me to get entrepreneurial and publish myself under my own imprint. Thus the Magpie Press logo at the top of this blog.

Why Magpie Press? Because magpies are known for being indiscriminate in what attracts them—some of this, some of that. They have, shall we say, eclectic tastes. As I have always had in what I read. And, obviously, as I have in what I write.

But that makes marketing my novels problematic. So I have decided I should unburden my publishers of this problem, and take it on myself. Crossroad, Blüroof, and Third Street have all agreed. Not gleefully and glad to get rid of me, I hope. But in the generous spirit that they all share, of writers helping writers. And, indeed, they have all offered help, advice, and practical knowledge as I move forward.

Eventually, I will be moving all my books from these publishers over to Magpie Press. But, first up, is a new novel, Creature Feature, a Horrid Comedy. It is a historical movie monsters spoof and political satire.

FIND A PIGEONHOLE FOR THAT, YOU CATEGORIZERS!

I hope to have it available by September, just in time for the wrap-up of the 2020 campaign season. Which has had its own monsters and satire making history we have had to contend with.

When I get all my books—including three more to be published after Creature Feature—under the Magpie Press roof, I will put them in groups and see if they are easier to market that way. The groups so far are.

THE WILD TRIP NOVELS

THE LOVE, SEX, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS

THE FIXXER NOVELS

Don't call them genres or sub-genres. Possibly they are sub-brands. Maybe that will help this magpie fly.

Wish me well.

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As always you can check out my books on the MY BOOKS page on this blog or on my Author's Page on Amazon.

Acknowledging a Gentleman Publisher -- Emphasis on Gentleman!

I’ve been wanting to write a blog about what a great experience it was working with my publisher, Dave Doody of Blüroof Press, on my new novel, Traveling in Space. But with the holidays and all, and the piece I wrote for the Los Angeles Times I never got around to it. Then I realized that I had, in essence, already written it in the Acknowledgements section of TIS.  So, if I may be so lazy, I will put the text of the Acknowledgement below and hope it suffices in expressing my sincere gratitude to Mr. Doody, a gentleman of “universal” qualities. 

AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR TRAVELING IN SPACE

Writing a novel is an adventure, or certainly should be. If you like to write — and I’ve never understood those writers who proudly declare that they hate to write — it’s one of those wonderful adventures full of fun, self-revelations, and good times, if not always good food. An adventure you’re likely to enjoy but one that wouldn’t in itself, ironically enough, make a good story. Modern publishing of the major metropolitan variety is also an adventure. However, it can be, so I’ve heard, so full of danger, villains, near-death experiences, disappointment, and extreme regret, that it would make a cracking good yarn, although the writer might not come out the hero, that being reserved for some corporate functionary in charge of a bottom-line.

Dave Doody

It is in consideration of the above that I must acknowledge and thank the publisher of this work, Dave Doody of Blüroof Press, who spends his day-job as a Caltech employee at JPL/NASA, guiding the journeys of our robotic Lewis & Clarks to the planets. 

His dear sister Mary Kay Doody who died last year was a publisher. Dave, though, is new to publishing but not to books, as an author and of course a reader. 

I met him through a mutual friend. After a couple great conversations about his work and our shared love of science, 

Dave showing me around JPL

and before he ever thought to become a publisher, I asked him to read the manuscript of Traveling in Space to check my “take” on scientists, who, both human and alien, figure in my novel’s story. If anyone could tell me where I might have got it wrong about scientists it would be Dave, who works in the wheelhouse of real rocket-ships full of real scientists. So to speak.

Later, he came to tell me how, as an engineer and a lover of the art of typography, he became fascinated with the new technologies of on-demand publishing and e-books, and that he was publishing his second book himself (his first was published by Springer, 2009). 

He asked would I mind if he helped me publish my book. I was, firstly, flattered, and secondly, curious. Then you are becoming a publisher? I asked. No, no, he said, I just love books and want to see if I can help works I admire see the light of day. Oh, I said, so then you are becoming a Gentleman Publisher! He didn’t know what I meant, but he said the reader is the whole reason.

And so Blüroof Press has been born. It is in the hands of man who is applying twenty-first century technologies to an old world idea: the discovery and passionate publishing and promotion of books the publisher cares about. This Blüroof does not cover a huge, corporate entity whose endowment is “protected,” heaven forbid, from decisions made by artists and authors. Rather, this Blüroof shields an author from downpours of decisions by the controller-accountant side of some corporate mansion. If Dave profits from this venture — and I truly hope he does — he’s likely to consider it his reward, not his due.

Working with Dave has been a joy. 

Dave and I at the West Hollywood Book Fair 2011

His delight in our endeavor (if Dave had a dollar for every time he has turned to me and said, “This is fun,’ he would already be in profit), his encouragement, and his very accurate eagle editorial eye has made the publishing of Traveling in Space an adventure as wonderful as writing it — even if it wouldn’t make a good story to amuse the masses.

I would also like to thank Todd Cronin 

Todd Cronin by Todd Cronin and copyright by todd Cronin

for the wonderful cover he has created for Traveling in Space, not to mention the three interior illustrations he drew for us. 

One of the three interior illustrations by Todd Cronin
Copyright by Todd Cronin

It was important to me that this book would feature interior illustrations, to link it to a love I’ve had for years for books published when interior illustrations were the norm. It is another measure of Dave’s passion that he did not hesitate to say yes when asked if this might be possible. And it is a measure of Todd’s talent that he delivered such fine accompaniments to the story.

I thank Alex Filippenko, Professor of Astronomy at UC Berkeley, 

Add caption

(and a member of the team of scientists who discovered that our universe’s expansion is accelerating, and for which several members have received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics) for answering some questions I had, the answers to which were of great help in imagining a key aspect of the aliens’ home world.

Many writers seem to thank their spouses for putting up with them, as writers are rarely low-maintenance. All I can say to my wife, Amanda, the daughter of a writer, is that you knew the job was dangerous when you took it. And that I love you more each day for not letting that deter you.

My wife, Amanda, who I hardly deserve