Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Space Between

I've had a bit of an odd feeling recently. Most people are aware that the fourth Henry Parker novel, THE FURY, was originally slated to come out in March (last month), but was pushed back to October. Nevertheless, I am often reminded that not all my readers follow this blog or all the other time-wasting social networking sites that drain my soul. Other the last month I've received a lot of emails all basically saying, "Uh, at the end of THE STOLEN, the teaser chapter says THE FURY will be out in March. What happened?"

Well, suffice it to say THE FURY did not come out in March. Because THE FURY was written as the first part of a two-book series, my publisher decided to push both books back and release them in a short time frame to increase shelf presence and hopefully maximize publicity. So THE FURY will be out in October, and the fifth Parker novel, THE DARKNESS, will be out in December. I took great pains to make sure each book could be read individually, but I'd be lying if I didn't say the books were meant to be read in order. I certainly hope that's how most people read them.

Now, I'm not sure if this is possible for someone who's contracted to write two books a year, but I'm getting a little stir crazy. Because I had three books out out in the span of thirteen months, I was getting used to the rapid publication schedule. I loved the entire process. Loved seeing new cover concepts, loved writing and revising back cover copy, and loved talking about the books to anyone who would listen. But after those three books in thirteen months, it will now be fourteen months between releases (from THE STOLEN in August '08 to THE FURY in October '09). So I've found myself getting kind of antsy. Because I wrote THE FURY during my original publication schedule, the book was done, copyedited and proofed months ago (I believe that process was finished in October '08). Galleys should be in around mid-May. The last few months I've been working full-tilt to finish up THE DARKNESS, a process that wasn't easy considering I was also recovering from major spine surgery.

Two weeks ago, I turned in the final draft of THE DARKNESS. I should see copyedits some point over the next two months. In between, though, I've been slowly getting to work on the sixth Parker novel (tentatively titled THE INVITED), while also working on a side project (close followers of this blog and my Twitter feed know what I'm talking about. No, it's not a Parker novel. It's not even a crime novel.). I'm so excited for the next two Parker novels come out, but since that's not for another five and a half months I need to pace myself. I don't want the books to come out and feel like my excitement has dwindled. It shouldn't. I honestly feel like these two books are the best in the series so far, and every time I tell people what they're about I get goose bumps. They're the most personal books yet for Henry, as well as the most timely and intricate stories. The first early reader who finished THE DARKNESS actually cried. Call me a sadist, but that made me smile.

So for now, it's back to work on Parker #6. Strange feeling to be working on the sixth book in a series nearly six months before the fourth even comes out. I'll plow through, though, because I have enough on my plate to keep me excited, enough ideas for future Parker novels, and one or two more ideas that have really inspired me lately.

I should also have final cover art for both THE FURY and THE DARKNESS soon. I can't wait to share them, as they might be my favorite covers yet.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 7:51 AM 0 Comments




Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Next Up...

Today I officially turned in the fifth book in my Henry Parker series, currently titled THE DARKNESS, in to my editor and agent. And now begins the all-important editing process. I think the two books coming out this year (THE FURY--October '09) are my best work yet. Of course, in the end, the reader's opinions will likely be the judge of that, and I sincerely hope you agree.

Next up: book six in the Parker series. And perhaps the side project I mentioned earlier. And then, if there's time, maybe a trip to Home Depot.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 10:26 AM 0 Comments




Friday, February 13, 2009

What I'm Up To

I thought I'd give a little peek into what's on my project board these days. 

--I'm currently finishing up the fifth book in the Henry Parker series, currently titled THE DARKNESS. The fourth book, THE FURY, is finished and scheduled to come out in October (the wrong cover is currently posted on Amazon et al). These two books are specifically meant to be a two-part series, and I'm incredibly psyched with how they're turning out. They shed a great deal of light on pieces of Henry's past that have only been hinted at in the first three books. We learn that there's one massive skeleton in Henry's closet, but this devastating secret also reveal something much larger and far more dangerous (am I being vague? Maybe...). All I can say is that after THE DARKNESS, things will never be the same.

--What I'm perhaps most excited about is a side project I've been working on, putting together bits and pieces here and there, slowly forming a whole. For the last few months, I've been outlining a Young Adult series. Growing up, I inhaled the fantasy sagas of Brian Jacques, Terry Books and Piers Anthony. I loved the journeys of Shea Ohmsford and the Druid Allanon, felt chills as Martin the Warrior battled the evil Queen Tsarmina. And deep down I've always dreamed of writing one of those big fantasy stories, only a more of a contemporary bent featuring characters who exist in our world in our time. I've got my cast of characters and the series arc planned out through three books. The first part of book one needs a fair amount of research, and between my surgery and finishing the next Parker novels it's taken more time than I would have hoped. Still, as much as I love the Parker series this is something I'm really excited about sharing when the time is right. Just to give a little sneak peek--the first book in the series is tentatively called:

THE STONE WARRIOR
Book 1 of the Firebrand Chronicles

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 8:45 AM 1 Comments




Monday, August 25, 2008

Why You Should Only Listen to Bad Reviews

Every now and then I get an email from an aspiring author asking for advice, whether it's on writing, publishing, getting an agent, or just general inquiries. Every so often someone emails me their manuscript in the hopes I'll read and critique it. Though common sense says to ignore unsolicited manuscripts (on the off chance the sender will claim I stole from them), I'd be lying if I said I didn't open one or two out of curiosity. 

The other day I got an email from a man who wanted my advice. He'd published a novel through a vanity press (my words, not his). The press told him that they required he hire a freelance editor before they would accept his manuscript for "publication." He did just that, then when the freelancer's job was complete he paid the press for the right to publish his book as well. He told me that in a little over a year, he'd spent over a thousand dollars publishing his book and had not received a dime in compensation. In his own words, his book needed to begin paying him rather than the other way around.

I wrote back and gave him my honest thoughts on vanity presses (they're financial sinkholes, useful only if you want to see your book bound, not to make a living or attract publishers/agents), as well as advice on the publishing process, resources on how to find an agent, and the like. He told me he'd sent the book to many agents after realizing the vanity press wasn't the path to riches. He said the most common rejection he got was that the book was not edited thoroughly enough. He also told me that at this point he refused to edit the book any further because everyone who read it told him it was a "good book." It was the fault of the publishing establishment for failing to recognize the book's virtues. When I asked him who "everyone" was, he said 1) the freelancer he hired, and 2) the people at the vanity press.

That's when I opened the file he sent me. I didn't need to read past the first page to see what the agents were talking about. Plot and character aside, there were innumerable spelling errors. Grammatical mistakes. Changes of tense and voice. In short, unless things changed dramatically after page 1, this was not a "good book" and would not last five minutes on an agent or editor's desk.

This post is not to single out this guy (perhaps he's capable of writing a good book) but to point out the psychological fallacy of being complimented. As painful as bad reviews are--trust me, they're like a punch to the gut that lasts for hours--when it comes to honing your craft, they do far more for you than any positive review. The moment you start believing people who tell you that you do something well, you become complacent. Your work no longer needs the same diligence. When you once wrote six drafts, now you're writing three. 

Bad reviews can be harsh, but they often point things out that, if corrected, could make your work better. I've read a few negative reviews of my work that, despite that stomach punch feeling, were accurate in their criticisms. This is not to say that you should heed a review that states, "You suck and should never write again", but rather look at the reviews which contain constructive criticisms. Maybe a character's motivation wasn't as clear as it was in your mind. Maybe your research wasn't as comprehensive as you thought. Perhaps someone will let you know they thought a plot twist was unbelievable, or a section ran on too long. These kind of bad reviews will make your future works better. 

I appreciate every single person who's read and liked my books and cherish the letters from people who have taken the time to tell me that. Those letters can make your day and confirm that those hundreds and hundreds of hours spent hunched over a keyboard are worth it. But every author knows you can receive 99 letters from people who loved your book, yet it's the one person who lets you know they hated it that will really stick with you.

A bad review is like a rejection letter in many ways. It stings like hell, but it can also help you focus. Obviously this guy I'm talking about is an extreme example of this psychological fallacy. He was being buttered up by people he was literally paying, the very definition of "yes men." But most writers do not go to conferences, or read literary blogs, or have subscriptions to Publishers Marketplace. Once you're published you have no choice but to learn the tricks of the trade on the job. Before they're published, most authors simply don't know what questions to ask. 

I can't tell you how many times, as both an author and an editor, somebody told me they knew their book was good because either a friend or family member told them so. These days, with innumerable resources available to writers, I tell people there's no excuse to be ignorant either about the publishing process or the writing profession. Just like you don't build a house by grabbing kindling from your backyard, you shouldn't publish a book using only advice from those closest to you. Venture a little farther out, and you'll find wood for a much sturdier frame.

Every writer needs unbiased critiques. When you're published, your editor and agent will likely do that for you. Sometimes you'll get lucky and have a friend or relative who can do this, but not often. Your best bet is to find writing groups or critique partners. Or, best of all, edit your own stuff. If you have the tools to write, you have the tools to edit. Writing a book doesn't need to cost more than a pen and paper. Writing a good book, however, will cost a little pride. But if you want to be good, you'll swallow a healthy amount of it and ask for more.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 8:31 AM 4 Comments




Wednesday, July 30, 2008

That One Image

When I sat down to write THE STOLEN, the third Henry Parker novel, at first I was somewhat lost. I had a very specific idea in mind for what kind of book I wanted THE MARK to be, and the idea for THE GUILTY came to me while I was still penning the first book. The ideas for my first two books were in my head early. THE STOLEN was the first book I had to write totally from scratch, without a sense of what I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be different from the first two--in some ways more chilling than thrilling--but I needed a story that would accomplish that without deviating too much from the tone and pace I'd set in the first two books.

Then an image came to mind. I can't remember exactly where I saw it, but I read a recent story about Elizabeth Smart, the young girl kidnapped by polygamists and held against her will for nine months while the nation prayed for her safety. I read about her parents, her community, how it affected everyone around her, including us. For some reason, that crime planted the seed for my story. And it grew, and one image popped into my head.

Picture a family at the dinner table. They're eating, talking, passing the food. The kids are acting up, mommy scolding them. It feels like a normal family, but there's an air of sadness about them. Then the doorbell rings.

When the mother goes to answer it, her jaw drops. She begins to cry. Standing outside the front door is her young son who disappeared years ago, vanishing without a trace. She gathers him into her arms, tears falling freely, embracing the child she thought she'd lost.

The boy hugs her back. Only he's not sure why. Because even though he's been gone, he has no memory of where he's been.

That's where my story would begin. This would raise several questions: How was the boy taken? How could he not remember the last few years? And what would it be like to suddenly be five years older, the world having grown while you did not?

Henry Parker is a young man, estranged from his parents. In many ways, Henry has chosen to forget years of his childhood. When he begins looking into the disappearance of this boy, I thought it was a beautiful symmetry: a young man who never really was a child, trying to find out the truth about a boy whose childhood was taken from him.

As much as I want my Parker novels to be page-turners, gripping crime novels, I want the readers to feel engaged with the characters even more so. Anyone can fire a gun. Anyone can investigate a crime. But the reader won't care unless they feel an attachment to the person doing it. I want each book to be somewhat of a personal quest for Henry, and in each book I want the reader to learn a little more about him.

So when the mother sees her young son on that porch, a boy who has literally and figuratively been lost for years, in my mind I saw two people standing there. 

Daniel Linwood, age 11. 

And Henry Parker.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 9:04 AM 3 Comments




Sunday, July 13, 2008

25 Things I Learned at ThrillerFest 2008

1. The debut author class of 2007 is now a group of cagey veterans, savvy about the publishing process, with none of the concerns or neuroses commonly associated with writers (ok, that might not be true).

2. Thriller writers get some pretty wretched Amazon reviews. And to the person who wanted to "un-read" Lee Child's PERSUADER (my favorite Reacher novel, actually), allow me to offer a giant raspberry for your troubles.

3. Barry Eisler's hair still rocks.

4. I'm still looking for the one truly horrific debut author road story, like being kidnapped by a tribe of cannibals or something.

5. My publisher seems to only release books from authors who are incredibly nice, almost scarily so. Shout outs to Thrillerfest attendees Carla Neggers, Rick Mofina, J.T. Ellison (and hubby), Laura Caldwell, Heather Graham, Kat Martin and Michelle Gagnon.

6. My publisher only seems to publish authors who are much better dressers than I am. Thanks a lot, guys. Can't you find good writer who's also a hobo?

7. Jonathan Maberry's PATIENT ZERO is going to flat out blow people away. Put it on your "Must Read" list for 2009.

8. James Rollins has officially been tapped to replace Jay Leno. I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying he could be the best emcee in crime writer history (if only that Al Roker wasn't such a potty mouth).

9. My fanboy geek moment of the conference? Riding alone in an elevator with Robert Crais. I think my exact words were "bhalehanfnbsha askdhad ebudbndii."

10. If you turn into a lemming and blindly follow people after a party, you end up having dinner with Steve Martini and Andrew Gross. (note: your experience may differ from mine)

11. Steve Berry apparently did some very unsavory things to become president of ITW...

12. For some reason, I'm very photogenic in Ireland. Special thanks to Pat Mullan who really made my Thrillerfest by bringing the piece in Ireland's Sunday Business Post on me all the way from Dublin.

13. Thriller writers love jokes about the New York Times bestseller list. I believe lawyers also love jokes about depositions.

14. It's really tacky to set up a gigantic easel featuring your book poster at a panel with five other people.

15. Don't know what to do with your extra galleys that are taking up too much space in your apartment? Put them on the freebie table!!!

16. Lots of publishers are kicking themselves over not offering more money for Stephenie Meyer's first novel. 

17. The plus side of buying two banquet passes yet going solo: extra drink tickets!

18. You could make a down payment on a beach home for the same price of a beer at the Grand Hyatt.

19. There are rumblings about a second Killer Year anthology (wait, that might be my stomach).

20. People will do anything (have a wedding anniversary, undergo dental surgery) to forgo accepting their Thriller award.

21. David Baldacci has singlehandedly done more to combat illiteracy in this country than pretty much anybody. What he's done cannot be praised enough. Visit the Wish You Well Foundation website to find out more.

22. Nicholas Pekearo was a talented writer and a hero, and his loss is one for all of us.

23. Sandra Brown proves that great success does not have to come at the expense of humor and humility.

24. The judges for "Best Novel" had to read three hundred books in one year. So if you don't see the next Joseph Finder novel until 2013, that's why.

25. Once again, crime writers are the most generous, supportive and fun bunch of folks on the planet. Congrats to all the deserving winners, Robert Harris, Tom Piccirilli and Joe Hill, as well as the nominees. See you in NYC in 2009. Next year, BYOB.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 10:49 PM 9 Comments




Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Man in Black Turns Two
(Day 3)

Speaking in Tongues: What editors and agents really mean

(this should probably be updated)

In Defense of Starbucks and Mitch Albom: or How I predicted Ishmael Beah and David Sheff's books becoming huge bestsellers

Publishers and Pixar: or Why are there no imprints for men?

Down With the Sickness: or why not all viral videos go viral

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posted by Jason Pinter at 9:57 AM 2 Comments




Tuesday, April 22, 2008

posted by Jason Pinter at 9:47 AM 0 Comments




Monday, April 21, 2008

The Man in Black Turns Two!

On April 25th, The Man in Black will celebrate its 2nd anniversary. And since blogs can't actually celebrate (For now. I expect them to become sentient beings--a la SkyNet--by 2011), I hoped we could celebrate for it.

So every day this week I'll be posting links to my favorite TMIB posts ever. Some oldies, some goodies, some that probably should have never seen the light of day. Enjoy!

Report from the Black Orchid: This was the very first "event" I went to as an author. Didn't know anybody, so of course I made it my business to drop a lot of names.

Series Potential: A look at the positives and negatives of writing a series with recurring characters.



Filet Mignon vs. Big Mac and Fries: (or why consumers buy different formats)

The Class of 2007: see where Killer Year began

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posted by Jason Pinter at 9:02 AM 0 Comments




Thursday, April 17, 2008

In Praise of Difficult Authors
(or: Bitch really is the new black)

I was reading Entertainment Weekly's article on the difficulties surrounding the release of the new "Hulk" movie. Apparently notoriously difficult star Edward Norton had a pretty major, and pretty public, disagreement with the studio over the film's runtime and direction. Marvel wanted the movie leaner and meaner. Norton wanted the movie longer and with more character development. Having lost the dispute, Norton has supposedly refused to publicize the movie. For a star-driven summer action movie, this is essentially a death-knell (can you imagine if Harrison Ford refused to promote "Indiana Jones"?).

From most reports Norton is a terror behind the scenes--yet brilliant in front of it. He's arguably one of the best--and most versatile--actors working today.

This got me thinking about difficult personalities, specifically in the world of book publishing. I've heard a lot of horror stories about difficult authors. Authors who demand outrageous amounts of time, money and effort from their editors and publishers. Authors who do everything but march down to the company themselves to ream people out (and some have done this). But one thing most of these difficult authors have in common is that an unusually large amount of them are massively successful. So what is it about difficulty that allows writers--and people in other mediums--to be so successful while everyone cowers when they enter a room?

I think a large part of it is that whatever a person demands from their publisher (or studio, etc...) they are putting a similar, if not greater effort into the work themselves. They're not sitting in an easy chair barking out orders, they're putting the kind of time into their work that Michael Jordan did into his jump shot. They're authors who started small, and worked themselves to the top. They didn't sit back passively, they demanded those in charge put effort behind them. And in return they showed the effort would be matched, and then some.

Crime authors, at least those I've met, at among the nicest people in the world. They support each other. Mentor young writers. I--as well as many other new writers--have been the beneficiaries of almost unfathomable kindness from our peers. Sure there are egos--as in any profession--but for the most part crime authors are an absolute pleasure to be around. 

Yet it's well known within the industry that there is very little correlation between the respect a person gets from one's peers, and success in their field. Some of the most beloved authors, the ones who never pay for a drink at a convention, who win the most awards and whose panels are constantly full, don't sell all that well. And many authors who simply don't go to conferences (unless they're the Guest of Honor) and don't schmooze are huge bestsellers. There is often a massive gulf between personal reputation and professional success. Fair? Probably not. True? Unfortunately so.

Yet nobody wants to be difficult. I doubt if you asked authors with the worst reputations if they considered themselves difficult, the answer would be unequivocally "no." Difficult? No. Passionate? Hell yes. 

Perhaps that's a fine line, but the most difficult authors seem to be the ones who, first and foremost, expect the most from themselves. They work harder, and most importantly they see the forest from the trees. Yes, there are many examples of authors who are gracious and kind and have comparable success. They are examples what we aspire to be: people whose books are as beloved as their personalities. And there are also those authors who are simply assholes, who treat others like dirt without offering anything in return (chances are they won't be published for long, as publishers rightfully tend to tolerate difficulty only when it is worth the effort). 

So maybe nice guys don't always finish last, but while most nice guys are buying everyone a round there's a difficult--nay, passionate--author hunched over his desk, with his editor, agent and publicist on speed dial. 

Writing is an art. Publishing is a business. And just like in any business, it's often better to be feared than loved.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 9:30 AM 2 Comments




Monday, April 14, 2008

The Point System

Unless they have social anxiety or are writing a fictional tale about a politician whose name does not rhyme with Gill Minton, new authors are desperate to aid their publishers in promoting their books. We spend money that we likely won't recoup, we join every social networking site under the sun (I think authors are almost singlehandedly responsible for raising the average age on Facebook), blog until our finger bleed, and run contests where we give away everything but our firstborn.

We build websites. Hire publicists. Send out newsletters. Do everything short of go door-to-door to sell our books (and I'm sure some do that as well). So how much does it all help? It's an impossible question to answer. The simple responsible is that it all helps. We just don't know how much.

As authors, we control certain aspects of our publication. Most importantly, the book itself. We control the quality of the manuscript. The subject matter. The timeliness in which we get it to our publisher. How easy--or difficult--we are to work with.

What we can't control are things like packaging. Co-op. Review attention (this may come with writing a great book, but more likely than not it will happen because either the book or author are particularly publicity-friendly, or because the publisher has declared the book a 'make' book and are pulling out all stops).

Yet for every 'make' book, there are dozens of books that aren't getting the red carpet treatment. They're being supported to varying degrees, and in most cases the author takes it upon him or herself to augment this support. 

One of the biggest questions facing authors right now is how much time--and money--to spend on self-promotion. How much each venture helps. And how much time is spent that could otherwise be working on their manuscript (right now I could be working on my fourth Henry Parker book, but I'm writing this).

I have a MySpace page. A facebook page. I bought a website, and am currently paying someone to redesign it. I belong to two writer organizations, and have considered joining a third. I have likely spent a few thousand dollars promoting my books, via travel, lodging, and other things.  I have no idea how much it all helps. I do know it doesn't hurt. Which is why I do it. 

At this point in my career, unless I know immediately the reward is not worth the risk, I'm more than likely to join a network if invited, take a speaking engagement if offered, and travel if an opportunity for a book signing or interview presents itself. Again, I don't know how much each of these helps. But they don't hurt.

So here's my point. I believe for every book there exists a point system. The higher the point total, the more books you're going to sell. Some variables which can be granted points are:

--The quality of the book
--The amount of publicity it receives
--Co-op placement
--Subject matter
--Packaging (cover, etc...)
--Attractiveness of author
--Active participation on social networking sites
--Review coverage
--Title
--Film deals
--Foriegn or subsidiary rights sales
--Blog
--Website
--Author profile/platform
--Advertising
--Signings
--Controversy

Each of these, and dozens of other variables, are worth a certain number of points. Some variables, obviously, are worth more than others. Co-op placement is more valuable than a book signing. A great cover is worth more than a lot of friends on MySpace. A terrific platform is more valuable than an ad in the NYTBR.

As an author, you only control so many of these variables. You can only grant yourself so many points. Some take copious amounts of time and yield few points. Some likely take less time and yield more. The variables outside of our control (co-op, jacket art) tend to be more valuable than the variables in our control (the exceptions being our platform, book quality, and subject matter). I just read a chapter in FREAKNOMICS regarding campaign spending which I believe is a fair assessment of publishing as well. An author can double their spending and sell barely any more books. They can halve their spending and sell the same, or even more. And some books, no matter how much money you put behind them, simply won't sell because they don't appeal to audiences.

I'm going to take some time and think about how much different variables are worth. Each gets a point total of somewhere between 1-100. If you're a 1, you can count your readers on one hand. If you're a 100, move over J.K. Rowling. Book quality, cover art, publicity and co-op rank very high on this scale, though probably not more than somewhere in the teens (those of you book quality should be worth more, consider how many terrific books are published that don't sell diddly squat, and vice-versa). On the lower end would be social networking sites. They're fun, but do you really sell enough books to justify the time it takes to sell them? Of course a flat out fantastic book might get more review coverage, get award nominations, get great word of mouth (which is probably the most difficult variable to quantify). So of course each variable itself can be worth more or less, depending on quality or lack thereof. Plus some variables, when combined, might be worth more than the sum of their parts.

So what do you think? What other variables should be on this list? And which do you think are worth the most? The least?

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posted by Jason Pinter at 8:38 AM 5 Comments




Wednesday, March 05, 2008

On Making a Career

Next Wednesday, I'm flying to Seattle for a book signing and interview session. This got me thinking about my career to date, where it's gone thus far, and where I want it to be.

I'm excited to for my trip to Seattle. I've spent very little time on the West coast, and have never been to Seattle in particular. It's always nice to see a city, especially such a prominent one, for the first time. Though I'll only be there for one night (try the veal), it should be a blast.

Of course there's a lot about this trip that I see as a small microcosm of my career to this point. I figured I'd break it into two parts.

Things I'm thankful for:

--I just published my second book.

--That my publisher had enough faith in me after a relatively short period of time to extend my original contract, so that I now have seven novels under contract. Additionally, I feel their promotional support has been outstanding.

--That I'm fortunate enough to be in a position--financially and with a supportive spouse--to be able to write full time.

--That the critical and reader response to my books has been, for the most part, very positive.

I'm grateful for all of these things. Yet at the same time, I want to grow as a writer. Both in terms of my ability and in terms of exposure. Listed below are the main issues I'm struggling with right now. Please refrain from playing the world's smallest violin. These are not complaints--again I am grateful--but in order to take the next step some, if not all of the following bridges must be crossed. Some must be crossed sooner, some will take time.

Issues that must be addressed:

--As of right now, my books are being published as paperback originals. While this has permitted terrific distribution and a likely far greater print run than I would have seen publishing in hardcover to date, there is a stigma attached to PBOs, both critically and commercially. Especially in the crime genre.

--It is very, and I mean very difficult, outside of trade magazines and websites, to get reviews for my books. I've made it into a few smaller places, but those have come more from being in the right place at the right time (one newspaper reviewer requested a galley via MySpace, one I met at a conference, etc...). I have a publicist for THE GUILTY who's lined up a bunch of cool stuff, including my first radio interviews, but the publicity and review issue is a big one.

--It is very hard to set up book signings for PBOs. The simple economics of publishing make it hard for stores to profit off of mass market signings unless the author is a major name or has a large enough following in the area. I tried to set up a signing at a favorite indie store in my hometown, but was told they couldn't unless I guaranteed 75 copies sold. While I do have friends and family in NYC, I didn't feel comfortable 'guaranteeing' that kind of turnout.

--I have never officially toured. Though I have a signing and interview lined up in Seattle, and will be going to the UK in June to promote my release there, in both cases I'm traveling on my own dime. Barring Ichiro promoting my Seattle signing, there's no way in hell I'm going to sell enough copies to cover the cost of that trip. I'm ok with this. I understand that you have to spend money to make money, and I'm more than happy to plant some seeds in the hopes that in the future that will bear fruit.  The same goes for various conferences I'm scheduled to attend, where travel, hotel and bar tabs eat up a pretty penny.

--The long-term goal, of course, is for my books to be published in hardcover. My publisher, I believe, is making a smart choice publishing me in paperback first. Having worked in the industry, I've seen too many first novels come out in hardcover to a mediocre sell-through, from which the author's career might never recover. Starting the other way around, establishing a base readership who will (hopefully) follow my books into hardcover when the time is right seems a safer long-term option. The flip side is that there's a lot more money in hardcover than paperback (royalties are about $2.50-$3.75 on a $25 hardcover, versus $.64 on a $7.99 paperback). Again, I'm a younger guy with no children (unless you include Wilson), so I'm willing to take the slow, steady approach and hope it keeps me in the race longer. I look at other authors who've achieved success with this model (Harlan Coben, Laura Lippman, Jim Butcher), and hope the same happens here. I want to be writing as long as I'm alive, and whatever it takes to achieve that, I'm willing to do.

(so if anyone needs a kidney...drop me a line)

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posted by Jason Pinter at 12:19 AM 4 Comments




Monday, March 03, 2008

That Shiver Moment

When it came time to begin my fourth Henry Parker novel (THE STOLEN has been in the can a few months), it took a little longer than usual to come up with a story that I liked. Then, when it finally hit,  I knew it was right. I had the story for book 4.

I wrote the first two chapters, which would be included as an excerpt in my third book, THE STOLEN. Chapter two ends with a moment that, when I describe it or think about it, makes me shiver. I'm not going to give anything away since THE STOLEN hasn't come out yet, but it made me think about my favorite 'shiver moments.'

A Shiver Moment is that moment in a book that literally sends a jolt of electricity down your spine, eliciting some sort of physical reaction just from reading the words on the page. It can be violent, sexual, beautiful, just something done or written in a way in which the words create a sort of psychosomatic reaction.

I think there's a shiver moment in each of my books. In THE MARK and THE GUILTY, the shiver moments each occur a little ways into the book. But I knew what they were and knew when they would happen when I began writing the books. I felt if these moments made me shiver (and I knew they were coming!) they would hopefully make the reader do the same. In the fourth book, the Shiver Moment comes right at the beginning. And it might be my favorite one yet.

This made me think about other 'shiver moments' in my favorite books:

--When Chief Bromden says, "It's the truth even if it didn't happen" in Ken Kesey's ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.

--When Jimmy Marcus confronts Dave Boyle in Dennis Lehane's MYSTIC RIVER (I just shivered typing this--seriously).

--When Georgie meets Pennywise in Stephen King's IT.

--When Carl realizes the truth behind Zora's motives in Zadie Smith's ON BEAUTY.

--The very last sentence in Charlie Huston's A DANGEROUS MAN (more powerful if you've read the whole Hank Thompson trilogy).

These are a few of the times when reading a book where the words or actions had such an impact on me that they gave me a "shiver moment."

What are some of your favorite Shiver Moments?

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posted by Jason Pinter at 8:29 AM 3 Comments




Tuesday, February 19, 2008

"...one of the best thrillers this year..."

I'm back from a short vacation. Batteries recharged, my skin only slightly crispy. And I have a freshly copyedited manuscript on my desk that requires urgent attention.

In just one week my second novel, THE GUILTY, hits stores. I'm feeling butterflies just as I did when THE MARK came out last summer. These are slightly different butterflies, since as a writer you want to progress, write better stuff, and nobody wants to see the words "sophomore slump" in a review. The story for THE GUILTY is more complex than THE MARK. It required more research and a tighter hand weaving several storylines together, hoping all the threads created one taut narrative rope.

So when I read reviews like this one, from Kevin Lucia in the Press & Sun-Bulletin, those butterflies do a happy little butterfly dance of joy.

Just one week to go...

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posted by Jason Pinter at 8:23 AM 1 Comments




Monday, December 10, 2007

THE STOLEN

I haven't discussed this book, my third, much because frankly it always seemed so far off. I'd spent so much time on THE GUILTY--writing the book, going over proofs, preparing for publication--that until recently it seemed strange that I was in the midst of writing book #3. This book was a challenge to write, mainly because I was working a full time job while being contracted for two books per year. I'd figured out the plots for my first two books--THE MARK and THE GUILTY--before I'd even sold one. So in a way this was the first totally fresh book I've written under contract. In order to meet my August publication date for this book, I've been pulling some major late nights and writing 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, and even 5,000 words a day. And these words had to fit into a tight story structure, since I wanted the pacing and feel for this book to be a little different. Fast paced, yet taking a little longer to develop, so the end, I felt, had more of an emotional impact.

Well, as of this morning THE STOLEN is with my editor and my agent. It's an odd feeling, since in a few weeks the whole process will start anew. Going over edits, page proofs, galleys, the whole deal. And much of that will likely take place before THE GUILTY even hits stores. I'll be working on promoting THE GUILTY while my mind is on the nuts and bolts of THE STOLEN, not to mention working on the manuscript for my fourth book. 

I'm extremely pleased with how THE GUILTY turned out. I honestly feel it's a better book than THE MARK. While I wrote THE GUILTY, there was one phrase I literally on just about every page: KSM. Or: Keep Sh*t Moving.

While I love THE MARK, I'm aware that it takes a little while to warm up the engine. Mainly because I wanted the reader to care about Henry. If he was thrust into the action on page one, the reader would be rooting for a cartoon character. I didn't want that. I felt the build up was worth it come pay off. In THE GUILTY, I was able to build upon what we know of Henry and the other characters in his world, embellishing their stories while wrapping them in a much bigger and more intricate story. And I was able to put things in motion right off the bat. 

I've always been intrigued by the "what if" storyline. Where the plot is set in motion by two seemingly unrelated events thrust into conflict. What if this happened here...THE GUILTY has one of those "What if" storylines, and I think it's excited as hell.

Now my first two books I consider to be thrillers with mystery aspects. THE STOLEN I consider to be more of a mystery with thriller aspects. That may sound like splitting hairs, but I could feel the difference while I was writing it. I think fans of the first two will enjoy it, but it feels fresh too. There's more actual 'mystery' than in the first two books, yet I also feel it might be the best-paced story of the three. 

In the meantime, just 78 days remain until THE GUILTY hits stores everywhere. I can't wait. And then things began anew. There's always work to be done.

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posted by Jason Pinter at 12:53 PM 2 Comments