"Wielding wasn’t something she could understand innately — she was relegated to observing, to watching from the sides while everyone else on Palinor got to play with magic."
Soon, Lola, soon.
My lonely hill has a nice view...
Nice of you to link to Slava's earlier storylines, as I admit, I don't really remember much about her after 13 months.
Here's somewhere where comic books and TV shows have a bit of an advantage over serialized novels - the return of a minor character after a year. We're very visual creatures, and, of course, voices, so, when, say, a dockworker on Babylon 5 first seen (US broadcast dates) May 11, 1994 reappears on May 3, 1995, we go, "It's that guy!" with a writer who isn't prone to long visual descriptions of his (dozens of) characters(1) bringing one back after a year, readers don't have that crutch of face, costume, and voice.
I'm afraid of heights. Like Lola, I'd not be leaning over the guardrails. Nope, nosiree.
(1) Observation, not critique. There are writers who do detailed descriptions of everyone and everything, which, in extreme cases, leads to, say, Robert Jordan having Rand walk into a room, deliver a line of dialog, then give (literally, I counted) a full twelve pages of description of the room, the people, their clothes, etc, before the next line is spoken, by which point one has forgotten what Rand said in the first place. Yes, yes, we know, vividly, what every character in "Wheel of Time" looks like, but, damn, sometimes you just need to get on with the story.
Absolutely - I'm quite good at remembering a face but am terrible at names, both in fiction and real life. I did wonder whether I should put something at the top of chapters referencing 'read this first', but that's then drift into being spoilers for what's coming up. Alternatively I could expand the 'previously' bit with more details. It's a tricky one.
Of course, it's less of an issue for anyone catching up or reading the ebook, as the time gap between the chapters is vastly compressed.
As for your hill, I mean, be careful what you wish for.
I'm gonna do something I consider rude to do at an author, and "What If" you. None of this implies disappointment with how the story is unfolding, or "my idea is better," just discussion.
So, you know I've been on my hill since - I don't remember how long, but it's been since well before Lola went to Palinor.
There are a bunch of ways you couid have played off this plot point which would have involved a moment of awed joy/wonder. One of many ways would have been after an arc where Daryla has done something magical, but we're in bed with Daryla and Lola - not to be lascivious, but to be somewhere safe and intimate. Lola could toss out a "so what does it feel like?" And Daryla could tell the tale of the first time she manifested. Lola's eyes could be closed, listening, growing warm as her lover strokes her (along the channels where Daryla feels energy flow as light becomes magic), until Daryla stops in mid sentence, Lola opens her eyes, and a cup, or something falls from levitation. "Lola! That was you!" Cliffhanger. This couid continue in the next week with Lola being SO pleased, but Daryla is troubled. "That shouldn't happen. Crap, that's wild magic which is illegal. Crap, by law you should be reported and basically locked up for training because you could hurt someone if you don't know what you're doing." "Can we keep this a secret - I trust you, you can help me learn." "OK, Lola, cuz I love you."
That's just one (fairly obvious) way this couid have gone while giving Lola one really happy moment and immediately turning it into a problem. But a problem (secret?) tinged with joy.
Unfortunately for Lola, it now looks like it'll be in a moment of stress, panic, terror, and horror. It'll be a "bullied Scott Summers opens his eyes and blows up the school" moment. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong, from property damage to injury, death, and transformation. It's gonna suck. It's gonna be irrevocable. I hope I'm wrong about my number one guess, because that would be George RR Martin levels of mean-to-beloved-character.
But I've been on the hill too long to come down now.
And it's going to be effective, however you pull that trigger.
Hey Simon, how exciting that your son is reading your book! My son was never much into fiction books, and my daughter, who is the reader, doesn't like fantasy and science fiction. Here's hoping you have better luck. 😉
Regarding IngramSpark, another nugget of info for you based upon my results so far and talking to other authors... Amazon.com won't stock the book, or at least won't advertise it as in stock, unless returns are enabled. Winston enabled returns for "Take Me There" and I did not. As a result, he has 6 books in stock through Amazon.com where mine has none. It's extremely aggravating, but it appears the solution is to do the physical book through Amazon and then do it again through IngramSpark so they pick up the remainder of the distribution channels.
It's all a big learning experience that makes us a little more informed and opens up our options. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions as you get through the article.
Interesting. There are so many little quirks, which are really hard to identify ahead of time and plan for. What's the practical implication of accepting returns? How is that even handled? Does it go back to Amazon, to IngramSpark, to you?
I'm lucky with my son - we share a lot of interests! It's doubly exciting because he's always been an avid reader, but over the last couple of years has gravitated very much towards comics and manga. I'm 100% comfortable with that as I've always been a reader of comics, but we've been trying to get him to read prose fiction as well without much success. Fingers crossed reading my book rekindles and interest in other prose books. I'd certainly count that as a win!
If you accept returns the wholesale cost of the book plus shipping and handling. For me that is wholesale cost + $3. For non-US addresses that is wholesale cost + $20. So, in your case you would either say no returns or destroy the book, which means you only pay the wholesale cost. This is the reason why bookstores only stock top sellers from top publishers. They essentially have zero inventory risk because the publisher/author is taking on all the risk.
"Wielding wasn’t something she could understand innately — she was relegated to observing, to watching from the sides while everyone else on Palinor got to play with magic."
Soon, Lola, soon.
My lonely hill has a nice view...
Nice of you to link to Slava's earlier storylines, as I admit, I don't really remember much about her after 13 months.
Here's somewhere where comic books and TV shows have a bit of an advantage over serialized novels - the return of a minor character after a year. We're very visual creatures, and, of course, voices, so, when, say, a dockworker on Babylon 5 first seen (US broadcast dates) May 11, 1994 reappears on May 3, 1995, we go, "It's that guy!" with a writer who isn't prone to long visual descriptions of his (dozens of) characters(1) bringing one back after a year, readers don't have that crutch of face, costume, and voice.
I'm afraid of heights. Like Lola, I'd not be leaning over the guardrails. Nope, nosiree.
(1) Observation, not critique. There are writers who do detailed descriptions of everyone and everything, which, in extreme cases, leads to, say, Robert Jordan having Rand walk into a room, deliver a line of dialog, then give (literally, I counted) a full twelve pages of description of the room, the people, their clothes, etc, before the next line is spoken, by which point one has forgotten what Rand said in the first place. Yes, yes, we know, vividly, what every character in "Wheel of Time" looks like, but, damn, sometimes you just need to get on with the story.
Absolutely - I'm quite good at remembering a face but am terrible at names, both in fiction and real life. I did wonder whether I should put something at the top of chapters referencing 'read this first', but that's then drift into being spoilers for what's coming up. Alternatively I could expand the 'previously' bit with more details. It's a tricky one.
Of course, it's less of an issue for anyone catching up or reading the ebook, as the time gap between the chapters is vastly compressed.
As for your hill, I mean, be careful what you wish for.
I'm gonna do something I consider rude to do at an author, and "What If" you. None of this implies disappointment with how the story is unfolding, or "my idea is better," just discussion.
So, you know I've been on my hill since - I don't remember how long, but it's been since well before Lola went to Palinor.
There are a bunch of ways you couid have played off this plot point which would have involved a moment of awed joy/wonder. One of many ways would have been after an arc where Daryla has done something magical, but we're in bed with Daryla and Lola - not to be lascivious, but to be somewhere safe and intimate. Lola could toss out a "so what does it feel like?" And Daryla could tell the tale of the first time she manifested. Lola's eyes could be closed, listening, growing warm as her lover strokes her (along the channels where Daryla feels energy flow as light becomes magic), until Daryla stops in mid sentence, Lola opens her eyes, and a cup, or something falls from levitation. "Lola! That was you!" Cliffhanger. This couid continue in the next week with Lola being SO pleased, but Daryla is troubled. "That shouldn't happen. Crap, that's wild magic which is illegal. Crap, by law you should be reported and basically locked up for training because you could hurt someone if you don't know what you're doing." "Can we keep this a secret - I trust you, you can help me learn." "OK, Lola, cuz I love you."
That's just one (fairly obvious) way this couid have gone while giving Lola one really happy moment and immediately turning it into a problem. But a problem (secret?) tinged with joy.
Unfortunately for Lola, it now looks like it'll be in a moment of stress, panic, terror, and horror. It'll be a "bullied Scott Summers opens his eyes and blows up the school" moment. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong, from property damage to injury, death, and transformation. It's gonna suck. It's gonna be irrevocable. I hope I'm wrong about my number one guess, because that would be George RR Martin levels of mean-to-beloved-character.
But I've been on the hill too long to come down now.
And it's going to be effective, however you pull that trigger.
👀
Hey Simon, how exciting that your son is reading your book! My son was never much into fiction books, and my daughter, who is the reader, doesn't like fantasy and science fiction. Here's hoping you have better luck. 😉
Regarding IngramSpark, another nugget of info for you based upon my results so far and talking to other authors... Amazon.com won't stock the book, or at least won't advertise it as in stock, unless returns are enabled. Winston enabled returns for "Take Me There" and I did not. As a result, he has 6 books in stock through Amazon.com where mine has none. It's extremely aggravating, but it appears the solution is to do the physical book through Amazon and then do it again through IngramSpark so they pick up the remainder of the distribution channels.
It's all a big learning experience that makes us a little more informed and opens up our options. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions as you get through the article.
Interesting. There are so many little quirks, which are really hard to identify ahead of time and plan for. What's the practical implication of accepting returns? How is that even handled? Does it go back to Amazon, to IngramSpark, to you?
I'm lucky with my son - we share a lot of interests! It's doubly exciting because he's always been an avid reader, but over the last couple of years has gravitated very much towards comics and manga. I'm 100% comfortable with that as I've always been a reader of comics, but we've been trying to get him to read prose fiction as well without much success. Fingers crossed reading my book rekindles and interest in other prose books. I'd certainly count that as a win!
If you accept returns the wholesale cost of the book plus shipping and handling. For me that is wholesale cost + $3. For non-US addresses that is wholesale cost + $20. So, in your case you would either say no returns or destroy the book, which means you only pay the wholesale cost. This is the reason why bookstores only stock top sellers from top publishers. They essentially have zero inventory risk because the publisher/author is taking on all the risk.
Youch. I should already know this, but what happens with returns on KDP books? I will have to look it up...
Amazon will stock the books returned, but do not take back royalties from the author. That's my understanding.