J. Mark Miller | A Writer's Fantasy |

I have to say, I’m pretty stoked about the package that came in the mail today. I mentioned in a previous post about ordering a proof copy of my first novel from CreateSpace. This is only a first draft, and I have no intention of self-publishing unless I have absolutely no other recourse.

Having said that, I must admit if you’re going to self-publish, this is the way to go. I submitted my interior file and cover art on Sunday, and had this book in my hands by Friday (today). The quality is fantastic, as good as or better than just about any other paperback you’d expected to find in a bookstore.

Wow, there’s something visceral about holding something you’ve created in your hand. I’ve browsed through the thing a few times already, and found some errors of my own making. I keep reminding myself, “Just a first draft…just a first draft.” Either way, it’s pretty exciting.

If you want, CreateSpace can take care of everything but the sales themselves. They issue ISBN and EAN numbers, put bar codes on the books, list it on Amazon, and for a small, one-time fee they make it available to extended sales sources beyond Amazon.

Besides all that, I could foresee publishing stuff just for the family to give as gifts on Christmas and birthdays. The prices for copies for the author are reasonable, and the turn around is swift. Imagine publishing your children’s stories and presenting copies to them when they graduate, or get married, or have their own children. What a great resource.

Whether your goal is self-publishing or not, I’d encourage you to check out CreateSpace.

Here’s some fun I’ve had over the last couple of days (read: time probably would have been better spent writing).

I’ve got a couple of codes for free proof copies from Create Space, so I’ve been mocking up some covers for the books. I have no intention of attempting to self-publish these books, but I do think I would be pretty cool to have printed paperbacks of my novels sitting on the shelf, even if they’re in first draft form.

Once I finish up the first draft and a quick round of revision on Rise of the Sun King, I’m going to take advantage of the codes and get it and my first novel printed up. Make no mistake, you won’t find these rummaging around on Amazon. If these ever see the light of day, it will be because somebody thought they were good enough to pick up.

Either way, I had some fun noodling around in PhotoShop.

The first three chapters of Brent Weeks latest work in progress, The Black Prism, has been posted on the Orbit website.

I haven’t read it yet, but I plan to as soon as I can. I enjoyed his debut Night Angel Trilogy a great deal, and expect this novel will be just as fun and creative.

Click HERE to start reading.

Kudos and major hat tip to Aidan at A Dribble of Ink for the heads up.

PS: Is it just me, or does the cover model look like Ares from the Kevin Sorbo Hercules series?

I’ll admit it, I’m turning into a Brandon Sanderson fanboy. Can you be a fanboy of someone younger than yourself?

I’m really looking forward to the release of the first book in his newest series, The Way of Kings. You’ve probably already seen the beautiful cover art by Michael Whelan bandied about the interwebs, but have you read Sanderson’s own blog about the series.

Here’s a link. Go read it and then come back here.

Did you catch that? Thirty stinkin’ magic systems!

This story is going to be huge. Even though he says it’s not meant to be a replacement for The Wheel of Time, it sure does sound like it’s going to share many of the same qualities. I love that he’s taking the risk to write a huge story without guarantee of further contract or sales. Of course, if it does flop for some reason, I won’t doubt he’ll set it aside in lieu of other money-making endeavors.

I don’t foresee it flopping, do you?

Sanderson is still a young writer, and everything I’ve read from him so far have been better than what’s come before.

Here’s looking at many more years of quality from this young man.

As far as I can figure from a somewhat spotty memory, here’s my reading record for the year:

• 44 books I consider fantasy
• 31 books I consider science fiction
• 13 non-fiction
• TOTAL: 88

I’ll probably finish another few books in the 10 odd days left in 2009.

Here’s looking forward to 2010.

Perusing the internet this morning, I ran across this post from Brent Weeks, author of the breakout Night Angel Trilogy. It seems the cover art for his upcoming book, The Black Prism, has been leaked a little early.

Interestingly enough, Brent says the blurb on Amazon was “spoileriffic.” The blurb is no longer there, but The Mad Hatter’s blog quotes it this way:

Set in a world where color is the basis of all magic, Gavin Guile is the current Prism – and one that happens to have many secrets. Secrets like his brother Javen, who he defeated in the great war years earlier and now keeps in a dungeon below his home. Or secrets like his son Kip, a young man raised in another land who has yet to realize the full extent of his powers.

Funny thing is, when I was trying to think of a unique system of magic for my NaNoWriMo novel, I seriously considered color-based magic. I’m glad I didn’t go there. Getting schooled by the likes of Brent Weeks would have been embarrassing.