Book Release: Father's Song
I've just published my first novel through Amazon and it's for sale priced at the cheap price of 1.99.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fathers-Song-Kevin-Grover-ebook/dp/B014KQJFMI/re...
It started as a rough draft on here over a year ago and now 5 drafts and a year later I finally finished it. People on here were a great support when writing it and it's been a great learning experience.
It's a horror novel and here's the description from Amazon:
What if your child's favourite nursery rhyme is about the bubonic plague and death?
Ring a Ring 'o Roses...
Jessica moves in with her family to what was once the vicarage opposite a church linked to an ancient stone circle called the Seven Daughters. The church sold the house when three priests killed themselves there over a hundred years ago for no apparent reason.
The land became tainted by something dark that's been around long before the church.
A Pocketful of posies....
Struggling with her own inner demons, Jessica meets Edward and Mel. They lost their friend Dani when she killed herself in Jessica's new home five years ago. They thought it had all ended with Dani's death.
Atishoo! Attishoo!
Dani's life was full of darkness that fed an ancient being called Father that lurks between the worlds. At night Father sings his songs, created from the suffering of others. Because Father thrives on despair and his darkness is remembered in seemingly innocent songs sung by children through the ages. The songs call out to him through the centuries.
We all fall down.
Jessica's pain has woken Father. The town can feel it and Father's Day is approaching. Jessica is tormented by this ancient God, once worshipped as a spirit in the woods with the Goddess. But Mother has been locked away by Father and Jessica must face him as she comes to terms with the real monster of her past. Dani closed the door through suicide, but is there another way to silence Father's Song?
Kevin
That's an interesting way to present a synopsis, Kevin. I like it. Have you followed the ever more mainstream self-publishing route?
Yes, after a frustrating time with trying to go through a publishers - 5 months for a response and in that time unable to submit anywhere else. It's such a difficult area to break into as a newbie, especially with what appears to be a limited amount of options in the horror genre compared for example crime or thriller. I've also heard some positive stories from self published authors in the horror genre, especially Lisa Hinsley who is on here.
Although I couldn't find a publisher for Father's Song, I didn't want it to remain hidden away on my computer. Someone else might like it!
You've done right, Kev.
Did you go directly to a publishing house itself rather than initially trying to engage a literary agent to represent it/you?
I went to an agent first who never got back to me - again, there doesn't seem to be a lot for horror. I then went direct to a publisher who welcomed submissions and they did send me a nice reply but still rejection. So I basically cut 20k words from the novel and completed another draft and now at 90k words I think it reads a lot better so I thought instead of wasting time sending off, I'll see how it fares through Amazon. In the meantime I've another novel already finished waiting just for an edit and another half finished.
Oh and looking at the successes of some self published authors, I can't ignore the potential now. Plus there's no cost involved in creating except a little for a cover design and time writing it!
Pleased for you, grover. You slogged your guts out and it's a great horror. Wish you all the best with it.
Thanks!
I hear your frustration and sympathise with it. Self publishing is a route that is attractive for all the reasons you mention. I'd downloaded a copy onto my Kindle and look forward to reading it. The only thing I would add is you really do need to get a top-class proof reader.
Completely and totally agree.
Thanks. Do any of you have any recommendations for reasonably priced proof readers?
Well, Kev what constitutes reasonably priced is subjective. I've looked closely at this these last two weeks - a proof read 50k words would run into the hundreds of pounds (between £5/800 depending who you commision) add critical appraisal on to the editorial service and the cost increases exponentially. Completely out of the question for me to engage a professional proof reader.
Yeah I was finding it would cost a good £1000 which for a first self published I couldn't justify. I did 5 drafts and numerous reads but kept finding a new typo. Hoping I found all of them now but I'm sure a few have slipped in there. Hopefully any reviews might allow me to release a corrected second edition.
again I find myself saying, yep. the benefit is enoromous, the cost, excessive (when I was trying to sell Lily Poole the cost was £500).
And as an update, I've just ordered the proof copy of Father's Song in paperback! Soon to be released via Createspace.