Writing – Benedict Wuz Here

2022 In Review, 2023 In Theory

So 2022 was a year.

That’s about all I thought I’d have to say, but obviously, since this post is up, I’ve got a lot more to reflect on. So, let’s dive in together and talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2022!

Accomplishments:

Three books with my name on them hit shelves in 2022, only one short of my original goal.

Early in the year, we released T-REX, a short story collection that featured several previously published stories that appeared in Prehistoric Magazine, as well as one brand-new story and the title novella, T-REX itself. All in all, the book did very well, and I’m currently plotting a direct sequel that I’ll pair with more monster stories. This sequel collection will be an “emergency button” book, which is a book I’ll write to cover a release window that I haven’t filled. Having a novel or two like this in my back pocket will help if things get in the way of releasing a new, full-length novel. I’ve seen a few authors try this now, and it’s an idea that I feel I should integrate into my writing routine; chipping away at a minor project like this every day can act as a fun palate-cleanser, so I’m looking forward to diving in!

As most of you know by now, 10,000 Treasures was delayed in the editorial phase by circumstances far outside the editor’s control. This meant that my original plan for quarterly releases in 2022 had to go out the window.

There were positives and negatives to this, one of the former being that I now have a book that rolled over into 2023, meaning this coming year can (hopefully) have a far denser release schedule than 2022 did. Another positive is that, instead of releasing a new book, we were able to put some of that effort marketing-wise into a rebranding of Island of Legends. While the novel launched with a working blurb and cover, after some time, both the publisher and I felt that neither fit the story and tone of the novel. The cover in particular needed work because too many people told me they thought it was a book for younger readers. Since I would rate the book a soft “R” for violence, gore, brief nudity and language, it just didn’t fit. So we’ve tried a new cover I’ve designed, and from what I’ve heard so far, people think we made the right choice.

Eventually, 10,000 Treasures did come out, and it has rapidly risen through the ranks, sales-wise. By my standards, sales justify a sequel, and my tentative plan is to bring the series to five novels before deciding if I want to keep actively developing this series. What do I mean by that? Simply put, I’m going to write five books in the ongoing series over the course of three to five years and, so long as the series is selling, I’ll keep writing more on the same schedule. If it’s not, I’ll take a break and let readers find the novels over time.

Lastly, an accomplishment that came in near the end of the year, and as of this writing hasn’t happened yet but is all but set in stone: Tundra of Terror will be released on the last day of the year, December 31st! I’m thrilled with how this second volume in the series turned out, and I think readers of Island are in for a different yet fun adventure in the same spirit as the original!

Now, onto the less happy stuff…

Failures:

It’s always difficult to deal with setbacks, but some things are just out of your control. I learned that the hard way a few times this year, and I hope that by sharing what I did wrong and what didn’t work with fellow authors and readers, it can help others avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Firstly, T-REX. The book itself is good, but we had a debacle early on regarding the cover where Amazon wanted us to prove we owned the rights (there is an entire PCH episode about this, and it remains one of our most popular to this day). Of course, they said this on Thanksgiving of 2021, and they gave us 48 hours to either come up with the “proof of ownership” or submit a new cover. If we did neither, they could have terminated our account.

Yes, 2021 is technically last year, but since it bleeds into issues we had in 2022, it’s worth it to bring it up for the sake of clarity.

Anyway, we could not do this in 48 hours, since everyone we needed to contact for the info was busy with the holiday, so I had to throw together a new cover. While I love the new cover, I still feel the old one fit the novel well, and I have not forgotten what Amazon did.

This led to my second failure of the year: Going wide.

When Amazon threatened to terminate my account over such a minor issue, I started seeing warning signs. I’d largely kept all of Project 89’s eggs in one basket up until that point, and when I saw how quickly my income could vanish over a minor issue, I decided that we needed to go wide and have our books in more stores than just Amazon.

This, in many ways, looked to be the perfect answer, and it may still be. So, we gathered our books that weren’t doing well in Kindle Unlimited, and we took them wide to other retailers.

So far, sales have been abysmal.

I want to keep the books wide, but with several of our books still doing well in KU, as well as new novels coming out in series that might do better with exclusivity, the coming year will mean we have to make some tough calls about my short-term future on various platforms.

Another failure was YouTube. I’ll be blunt: I love Youtube, and I love making videos. But the time it took me to make a video, even a simple one, was time I should have been writing words that could have come out in 2022. While I’m not done with Youtube, I’m planning on taking a break until I can justify the time and maybe hiring an editor.

A similar failure was blogging. I know, ironic, since you’re reading a blog post, but so far, I’ve just not seen enough interest in the blog to justify regular posts. I’ll reassess this next year, but for now, I’ll only publish the occasional post.

Lastly, Publisher’s Cluttered House floundered this year. We didn’t come into the year with a solid plan for this show, and it suffered for that. We’ve had some high and low points this year, but all in all, I just don’t think we were on our A-game. So, we’ll be reevaluating our plan and announcing it in an upcoming episode. But, as of now, it looks like we’ll be moving into monthly uploads themed around our publication plan for the year, with author interviews sprinkled in as bonus episodes.

So, that is the bulk of 2022.

The year had its ups and downs, but we’re looking toward a brighter future!

As of this writing, here is what we expect to do in 2023:

Six Books.

For years, I’ve been told by very successful authors that a consistent release every two or three months can lead to a profitable career. In 2022, I tried and failed to make one book a quarter happen. But the difference is that, unlike in years previous, I did the work. But when one of my editors had to take time off for health reasons, and my publisher of the Godqueen Trilogy decided to push our release back a few times, it meant that plan couldn’t go forward.

But it also meant that a good portion of work had already been done.

Here’s where we’re at right now:

I’ve divided my work into three batches for the year. The first batch containing The Beast of Big Timber and the next novel in the Opus are in the final stages. Beast is being proofread before being sent to beta readers, and the next Opus novel is being line-edited.

The second batch, containing the second Asher Bryant book and The Anubis Contingency, is my current project. I enjoy writing multiple books at once, and since one is in third person and the other is in first person, it’s easy to tell the difference between the two for me. Both are progressing well, and I plan to have drafts of both novels on the ground in January with editing over February and March.

The third batch is a little tricky, I’ll say that from the outset. Three books will make up this group, one being an Opus novella about Benedict’s college-age ghost hunting experience with a former girlfriend. That novella has been done for some time, but I’ll be putting it through a final edit later this year.

The two new novels will be Swim 2 and the final book in the Godqueen Trilogy, Hivemind Godqueen. Both are being outlined, and I plan to start writing both by April or May.

I am purposely planning Hivemind to be released in 2024 so that I remain in total control of the 2023 schedule, but if Tundra of Terror does well, I will happily move Hivemind up in the schedule and get that book in the publisher’s hands. If this happens, our bi-monthly release plan may go out the window, but it will be sacrificed for a worthy cause. It’s all up to the readers and the publisher at this point, but as of now, here’s the release schedule I’m planning on:

Beast of Big Timber: February 2023

DenCom Cryptid Spin-off (The Opus, Volume 3): April 2023

The Anubis Contingency: June 2023

Asher Bryant 2: August 2023

DenCom Benedict Novella (The Opus, Volume 4): October 2023

Swim 2: December 2023

As far as what else I’ll be writing this year, I’ve got a rough plan that includes Asher Bryant 3 and the sequel to The Anubis Contingency. My guess is that it will be the fourth batch of the year if I have time. The fifth is undecided, but my options are plentiful! I could finish the first Opus novel about the DenCom Knights, I could write the third Anubis book or the fourth Asher Bryant. Or, I could get around to one of those standalones I’ve been meaning to. Hell, if Beast of Big Timber performs, I’d love to write some more short novellas in that universe.

We’ll see what makes sense as the year plays out.

Yes, this could all fall apart tomorrow.

Yes, this is crazy. But I’m finally seeing real potential for a rapid schedule like this to come together. When Beast got pushed into 2023, I knew I had an opportunity to see if what so many successful authors have done before me will work for my career. I’m always creating, and for many years, I tried to slow myself down to one, maybe two books a year because that’s what I could afford to publish.

That’s not the case anymore.

There’s a very real chance this could all work out. By April, I could have ten books under my belt and many more nearing completion. I can finally put all the words out there that I ever wanted to. I can finally meet my potential, or at least what I think my potential is. I could learn a very hard lesson this year, but I’ve failed before and I will fail again. And every time I get back up, I get stronger.

So, pass or fail, this is the plan.

There are only two things separating those who succeed in this line of work and those who do not: mindset and dedication. Not giving up is half the battle, and knowing how to handle success and failure makes all the difference. I’ve learned a lot since publishing my first novel, and some of those lessons were devastating. 2023 could be another devastating lesson, but it’s one I’m game for if you are!

Conclusions:

My plan feels solid, but it will begin with not doing anything at all. I’m taking the next couple weeks slow to focus on writing the first act of DenCom 4, as well as catching up on movies and TV shows I put aside earlier this year. If you have any recommendations, please let me know! Streaming works for me, but I might also be able to get a DVD of something obscure from the library, so don’t hesitate to make suggestions!

Starting in January, I’ll resume work on The Anubis Contingency and the second Asher Bryant novel. Both are novels I absolutely love and have been trying to write for some time, and it will feel good to get both ideas out of my head.

Everything else is going on the backburner. Youtube, the blog, and, as always, my mail list will be restricted to just the most necessary news regarding my releases, as well as relevant deals, but only when justifiable.

Social media will be up and down. I’ll be on when I can, but I’m more concerned with writing good books than ever and I hope my readers understand that.

In the meantime, I’ve created a new place for readers to hang out and chat about my writing and just about anything else. Check out the S.T. Hoover Reader’s group if you want to join the fun!

All in all, I’m happy with 2022, even with its failures. I’ve learned a lot that I can bring with me into 2023, and it should help make 2023 an amazing year for my writing and readers. There’s never been a more exciting time to be a fan of my work, so if you haven’t already, consider picking up one of my books! You might just find something on sale if you look soon!

And that’s what I’ve got!

Thanks for reading this far! I know this was a long post, but it was one I needed to write. Thanks for sticking with me!

I hope you enjoyed the read, and don’t forget to follow me online to keep up to date with all the latest goings-on, or sign up to my newsletter for automatic updates sent straight to your inbox!

Have a great holiday! I’ll see you in time!

-S.T. Hoover

On Bigfoot and Hominids

It’s been nearly two years since the publication of my first novel. And since then, one thing I’ve often been asked pertains to one or two pages in Chapter 4.

DenCom’s CEO, Benedict, brings up his past expeditions in search of Sasquatch, and often, reader response is similar to this:

“Bigfoot? Why the hell are we talking about Bigfoot? This is a thriller novel, right? I want something believable! Give me shoe phones and exploding pens!”

…Ok, maybe it’s put a little nicer than that.

Usually, it’s a casual enough question. I’m talking to people about the novel or I’ve just read at an event, and I get asked if I believe in cryptids, namely Bigfoot.

Now, let me preface the rest of this essay by saying I’ve never gone out in the woods and looked for Bigfoot, nor do I recall meeting anyone who has. I will admit, my beliefs on the subject of cryptids and most “paranormal” or “supernatural” things typically align with the works of John Keel, but for the sake of time, I’ll try and make things a little simpler in this post.

For those who don’t know, the word “cryptid” is used to describe an animal that has not been proven to exist by science. Several cryptids have been found, but not anything of note in recent years. Looking back into the last century or two, we may find such “cryptids” as the giant squid or several species of gorilla, the latter of which was often described as a wild man by natives to less-than-open-minded explorers.

Sound familiar?

In the last few years, I’ve stopped trying to make a case for Bigfoot, Sasquatch, the Yeti, Yowe or any humanoid ape roaming around undiscovered, the lone exception being Orang Pendeck. I won’t go into too much detail here, but the evidence in favor of Sumatra’s little hairy man is stacking up. The cryptid may be an undiscovered relative, if not an undiscovered species, of orangutans. The last distinct species of orangutan described, P. tapanuliensis, was documented as recently as 2017, and while I wouldn’t call it a found “cryptid”, it’s evidence enough that there are plenty of animals left out there to be discovered, even among the great apes.

So that being said, what are my thoughts on cryptid hominids, particularly Bigfoot?

Well, if it’s still out there after nearly fifty years of “modern” searching and centuries of reports, then we’re obviously doing something wrong.

Alternatively, if someone’s been running around in an ape suit looking for attention since 986 AD*, then why aren’t they selling the secret of eternal life instead? I’m sure that would get them plenty of attention!

But if there is an undiscovered species of great ape roaming around North America, the Himalayas, inland Australia, and Sumatra, then why haven’t we found any hard evidence, like a body?

Well, let’s assume we have looked everywhere–which we haven’t–and there are still pieces of scientific evidence that say “yep, something’s out there”. What does that mean? Why do we have this proof after every stone’s been turned? Are they all elaborate fakes? Can these scientists not tell the difference between a plaster impression and a real, honest to God footprint?

But if we’ve looked everywhere and are still left with evidence that says “yes, the creature exists”, then what does that mean?

Probably nothing.

Let’s be honest, I could tell you what it means, but who gives a damn?

Really, what would the difference be? To most people, it’d be like smelling a fart in an empty elevator. It takes more than one person to play the “whodunit” game, so what if it’s just you in there? And you know for a fact that you didn’t slice that particular wheel of Limburger. What does it mean?

It means you’re worried about a fart.

…That’s a bit harsh.

So you all must think I don’t believe in any of this crap, right?

Wrong!

I believe something is out there, but I’m going in knowing there is a legitimate chance I’m wrong. Does that mean I’m willing to go out in the woods and look for Bigfoot? Well, no one’s asked me yet, but if someone did and I could make the trip, I would be happy to tag along, if for no other reason than to say I did it.

Something is out there. A legend–that much is certain. A creature, perhaps. It’s happened before: Legends and rumors prove all too factual, often revealed with a bang… or a whimper.

Or nothing.

That’s all for now. See you next week with another chapter of Michael Ridding!

-S.T. Hoover

What am I watching?:

I’ve decided to link to a video on John A. Keel’s uniting theory of the paranormal. It’s no substitute for his work, but for those who want to dig a little deeper, it’s a good starting point.

*986 AD is supposedly the year Leif Erickson saw a Sasquatch, but this is up for debate. According to historians, Leif Erickson wasn’t even born yet! Only mentioned because it’s referenced to death in Bigfoot lore.

Bigfoot/Sasquatch image created by “Happybluemo” and is used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Writing is Like a Magic 8 Ball

A couple months ago, my wife and I went to an 80’s/90’s-themed party for her work. After the party, everyone was allowed to take one of the little toys or trinkets from their table.

Among other things, we grabbed a magic 8 ball that now sits on my desk.

I’ve found it more than a little fun to play with for the last few weeks. As I’ve sauntered through line edits and redrafting short stories, I’ve asked it several times for advice.

“Magic 8 Ball, should I kill this character’s puppy?”

Signs point to Yes.

“Aw, but it’s a cute puppy. Are you sure?”

It is certain.

“Oh… ok.”

I can’t tell you why the Magic 8 Ball had a vendetta against the little boy’s puppy, but it did. In much the same way, I’m sure there is no shortage of writers out there who are facing the same problem. They don’t often know what to do, so they turn to the muse for help, hoping it’s up and running. Most of the time, it’s like a stubborn bear that will lash out when poked or prodded.

Or, worse, it’s like that shiny Yveltal I got a code for that won’t listen to me because I don’t have enough gym badges (If you got that reference, you’re cool, bro).

Anyway, you know what I mean, right?

It is decidedly so.

Good.

Sometimes the muse is an odd, inept little voice that tells you to kill the main character in Chapter 1 so the book can be over sooner. But more often than not, it’s a voice with some reason behind it. Recently, I was writing a novel, and my outline called for one of the main characters to win the fight.

He didn’t.

He died.

Painfully.

At the time, I was a wreck. I didn’t know why I’d let that happen. There were still five or six more chapters left in the book. I couldn’t let him die!

But this was a rare occasion where I listened to the muse, bypassed my thorough outline, and kept going. And not only do I feel like the decision worked, but it actually solved a few plotholes I’d caught earlier in the novel.

So, should you listen to the muse? Is it always a good idea?

Ask again later.

“Oh…”

…

“Should I listen to the muse?”

Concentrate and ask again.

“SHOULD I LISTEN TO THE MUSE! TELL ME, DAMN YOU!”

Reply hazy. Try again.

“YOU’RE A STUPID PIECE OF CRAP!”

My sources say no.

“Ok, I’m done arguing with a toy!”

Don’t count on it.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for now! See you next week with Michael Ridding, Chapter 3!

-S.T. Hoover

What am I reading?

Guilty by Association by Albert Simon

This is the sixth Henry Wright mystery and while the grammatical side occasionally leaves a lot to be desired, I’m quite enjoying this book.

I’d actually read up to Book 5, Coachella Valley Traffic Jam, thinking that was the end of the series. I’d read on the author’s Kindle page that he was working on a sixth book, but at that time it’d been many, many years since Book 5.

But much to my surprise, when adding Book 5 to my Goodreads “Read” list, I noticed the 6th book had a page. I clicked on it for giggles and was plesantly suprised to see a reviews and a buy link! So, apperently, the series isnt over!

Anyway, just a brief summary: Henry Wright is a retired police chief who lives in Palm Springs, California. He is often called in by his friend in the local police department to help him solve the tougher cases. Recently, (minor spoiler) he’s gotten engaged, and his wife helps him solve some cases.

This is definitely not what I usually read, but I came across the first book (which is FREE on Kindle) while I was writing Michael Ridding. I wanted to get my head in the Palm Springs mindset, and the series did not disapoint.

Anyway, I’ll link to the first book below (try to remember it’s a first novel, but in my opinion, storywise, it’s a pretty good one!) I know, I should probably post a link to the book I’m reading, but if you want to get into any series, you should probably start with Book 1.

You can take a look and possibly download it below (again, it’s FREE on Kindle!).

Wow, that’s the longest “What am I blah blah blah” thing I’ve written so far! I guess I love this series more than I thought!

Both Types of Prolific

I’m not qualified to give you advice.

But I’ve been asked.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered that anyone would look at me and go, “That guy knows what he’s talking about!” And sometimes I do, but when it comes to writing, I can never, ever promise the aspiring author that I will tell them anything they don’t already know.

That being said, I’ve come across a question in my own jaunts into the craft that’s often left me stumped:

What defines prolific?

Does a novel a month mean you are a prolific author? Maybe two a year means you’re blowing past the traditionally-published competition. Maybe one every two or three or five or ten years is the best you can do.

All of the above are fine and have been argued to death by the writing community at large, but I tend to see things differently. It’s a blessing and a curse, I assure you.

When I think of myself, I tend to feel like I’m a prolific writer.

With one book.

Which means, in reality, I’m not a prolific author. But I’m still a prolific writer.

You catch that?

Well, if not, let me explain.

I work hard every time I sit down at the desk. Do I spend some days staring out the window watching the birds come and go from the feeder? Certainly. But something always gets done.

In 2018, I finished between 5 and 6 drafts, depending on your definition of the word, but that’s a whole other can of worms. So how many books did I put out that year?

Zero.

Zilch.

Nada.

Part of why can be read about in my 2018 review post, but I can say I am honestly still proud of the work I’ve done. This past year, I was a prolific writer, but not a prolific author.

To spell it out, being a prolific writer means you write a lot, being a prolific author means you publish a lot. At least, that’s how I see it. I know that’s not how it works for everyone, but for the sake of my own sanity, this is how I choose to handle the craft.

Am I upset a book didn’t come out in 2018? Kind of, but it’s hard to get pissy with myself when I’m looking at a stack of books sauntering through the bottleneck DenCom 2 has currently clogged up. Publishing isn’t easy–or cheap if you want to do it right. Time and patience are a virtue in this profession, one I occasionally forget to embrace. And yet, I can stare at that stack of work and know that each of those binders holds a story someone will love someday.

Not today, but someday.

Even if I die tomorrow, odds are those manuscripts will find their way to Kindle or a publisher where they can be read and enjoyed.

And that is often enough to keep me focused on my work.

This was midway through the year. I managed to spend the second half of the year rewriting that bottom one (DenCom 2).

So, I guess this all goes back to the king daddy of writing advice, a universal truth nearly all authors agree on:

Write.

It’s all we can do, but in a profession that has a way of bringing you down anytime, anywhere, without warning, it’s always good to have something that never fails to make you smile.

But like I said, I’m not a prolific author, so I’m not qualified to say anything.

Right?

Anyway, that’s all for now! See you next week for Chapter 2 of Michael Ridding: A DenCom Thriller!

-S.T. Hoover

What am I reading?

Jerusalem by Alan Moore

It’s been a while since I’ve read a big, big, big book, and if I finish this behemoth, it will probably be the longest novel I’ve ever read. I’m told it clocks in at over 600,000 words (that’s roughly 10 Michael Riddings!) And that’s after edits and cuts were made. The thing was originally supposed to be 1 MILLION WORDS!

In short, Jerusalem is about the author’s hometown, Northampton (the one in England, just so no one gets confused). It tells a story that takes you through the city’s history in what the author calls a work of “Genetic Mythology”. Sometimes it’s too much detail, but so far, I’m loving it anyway. Whether I’ll finish this monster remains to be seen, but I’m interested enough in what’s happened so far to keep going, even if I can’t always understand it.