Worth a Thousand Words

This cartoon by Grant Snider is worth a thousand words. 

It is funny because it is so true.

Bitten Gears Up for Release!

Bitten: A Resurrection Thriller will be released on May 27th 2012. The book will be available for all eBook reading devices through Smashwords, Kindle, and the Nook.

For the die hard fans and bibliophiles out there, Bitten will be made available in paper back through Hungry Mouth Publications via Create Space. More details on how to secure your hard copy will be made available upon release. So stay tuned!

Remember, you can check out the Prologue of Bitten, for FREE, by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!

Tristan Vick (author of Bitten)

The Hunger Games: Will Reading It Ruin Your Kid?

In a recent Newsweek article, called "Save My Kid From the Hunger Games," columnist and correspondent Jamie Reno is beside himself that his 12 year old daughter has developed an obsession with The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. He laments: 

"Do I wish that our youth culture didn’t hold such a fascination with violence, death, vampires, zombies and other dark images and themes? Yes. But what’s a loving father to do?"

I have to roll my eyes. Are The Hunger Games stories more violent than Harry Potter? Yes. But then again, Harry Potter is a children's book. The Hunger Games and its sequels are categorized as Young Adult Lit. This means it is aimed for teenagers, i.e. young adults. Does this mean Katniss won't be shy about kissing boys or killing them? You bet. But vampires, zombies, and other dark images? What could he possibly mean? Cthulhu the Hungers Games are not.


YA is the equivalent of a PG-13 (M-12 for everyone else) and is intended for young adults. Hello, dad! It's right there in the demographic which your daughter is a part of. Even so, it's not like his daughter is obsessed with Battle Royale or Lord of the Flies, even though it tends to borrow heavily from both. Perhaps a little too much at times. But even if it takes the themes from these two, it does something different than its predecessors. It has a powerful message. At its core The Hunger Games is a story about young people overthrowing the corrupt system put in place by or passively supported by their elders. It's about coming into your own and having to make hard choices. It deals with personal growth. Katniss must grapple with moral and social questions which ever teenager has probably asked his/herself at least once, and then some.

Is their murder in The Hunger Games? Yes. Will all teenagers likely need to ever seriously consider the pros and cons of killing someone and the inevitable ramifications? Probably not. But perhaps they should. A teenager who doesn't think is just an unthinking barrel of emotional dynamite. Maybe it's better they think before they act? Could the violence in this story cause them to do that? Maybe. But then that's besides the point. The point of the story isn't the amount of violence it contains, and Reno would realize this if he actually had read the books.

That's why I have a problem with Reno's mischaracterization of The Hunger Games. He compares the content of the books as detestable, on the same level of vampire and zombie books. I laughed out loud. What an audacious claim!  

Vampire novels today are nothing more than Gothic romance novels stemming from an illustrious past. There has been hundreds of years of vampire mythos, literally, Stoker merely infused enough mystery and intrigue into the mythos to reinvent it and make it thrilling for his audience. If that was the comparison, then I'd be okay with it. But I think Reno has in mind something like Twilight or The Vampire Diaries. Less violent than Buffy, perhaps, and yet just as corny. Today's vampires are merely watered down versions of a lot grittier genre and much richer mythology. I just can't roll with the comparison. It makes no sense.

Zombies? Are you kidding me? As an author who has just completed the first zombie novel, I feel obligated to set the record straight. The zombie genre is primarily aimed at adults. Sure there is some tweeny Halloweeny kids' friendly versions for your child's consumption--but much of the genre of the "Living Dead" is not aimed at your teenage daughter. If she was obsessed with zombies, then I'd be a little more worried than the fact that she is into a cool female hero of a YA book written by a talented woman author. Whereas the vampire comparison doesn't make any sense, this one is just creepy. Get with the program, dad!

The Hunger Games may seem like a cheap knock off of the morbidity and violence saturated Battle Royal and Lord of the Flies, but it's not the same kind of beast. Not at all. This isn't senseless violence for violence sake. Katniss must address the issue of what happens when authority, in this case all the adults in her life, force her to do something which she knows to be morally wrong. How does one deal with such a situation? How does one cope? The Hunger Games has more in common with George Orwell's 1984 than with Lord of the Flies. Although, I must say, it plagiarizes Battle Royal a little too much for me to consider it truly original. But I don't think Collin's was aiming for originality. She is utilizing an already established genre to bring her characters to life. And she succeeds. Big time.

If Reno thinks youth culture is obsessed with violence to an unhealthy degree, then he has to do better than shrieking, "Oh my God, my daughter is reading The Hunger Games!"

Being an educator of teenagers for near a decade, I can safely say that I highly doubt violence is the only aspect teens are obsessing over. In fact, it may be minimal. Especially as far as teenage daughters are concerned. Sure, teenagers will often sneak into rated R films just for the thrill of it, but who hasn't (other than kids with no real childhood to speak of)? But teenagers don't typically sneak into rated R movies just for the sex and violence. They do it to see what all the fuss it about. They do it to rebel. They do it to prove to themselves that they are mature enough to handle it. I doubt that's why young teens are flocking to the theater and bookstore to get their fix of The Hunger Games.

I rather think that Reno's daughter, and everyone else for that matter, may be genuinely interested in the book, in the story, and in its characters. Oh, to think such a possibility even exists! Who'd have thunk it?! Young people liking a book? Heaven forbid. There has to be a different reason. Obviously.



Reno quotes a few of his daughter's peer group, trying to make a debate out of what I feel are merely people's reading preferences. He quotes both sides of the argument, those for and against teenagers interested in The Hunger Games. If I were to try and sum up the arguments it would go something like this:

FOR: ‎"Kids aren't reading enough! We need to get them to read more! Let them read it!"

AGAINST: "Ewe, gross! Why are you reading that? Stop it!"  


Still not convinced that The Hunger Games books are a bad influence on your child? Me neither. It really seems there is no argument to be had. Hell, I've read them. They were good. Collins' writing is solid, fast paced, and her characters come to life. 


More importantly though: It's just damn good writing / storytelling.

But that's what pushes The Hunger Games ahead of the rest. After all, what's its main competition? Twilight? Are you kidding me? I couldn't get through half a chapter of a Twilight novel before putting it back on the bookshelf and walking quietly away. I bought the hard cover editions of The Hunger Games trilogy after thinking to myself, hey, this is really darn good. I want to read more! Apart from stingy ole dads, who is to say that teenagers aren't smart enough to recognize good writing when they read it?



But let's not be too hard on old dad, after all, he's glad the book has sparked an interest in reading among a television addicted generation. That's an amazing feat, and at least Reno is smart enough to acknowledge it.

There are undeniably many positives about the national fixation with The Hunger Games. Most notably: the fact that, thanks to entertainments like this trilogy, my daughter and young people across the country still have a passion for books.

What he isn't smart enough to do, sadly enough, is offer his daughter a decent book recommendation. Reno states:

But I’m not-so-secretly hoping my daughter’s passion for reading will soon lead her beyond just what’s new, trendy, and gory, and that she’ll gravitate toward some of the classics her mom and dad loved, such as The Great Gatsby, A Separate Peace, Catcher in the Rye, A Moveable Feast, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

First off, these "classics" are majorly boring reads. I didn't read then until I was in college. I probably wouldn't have appreciated them anyway until I was cultured enough to read such stories. Furthermore, as one of my female writer friends chimes in:

Talk about missing the point. I should point out that most of the classics he wants his daughter to read are written by men or from a male point of view. Also, many adult readers are diverse in their tastes, why do we assume that because someone, particularly kids, read YA that it means they will never read anything else?

Indeed. I have to agree with her. First off, Reno missed the point--big time. Because his daughter likes a YA book doesn't mean it's the only book she'll like or ever read. Maybe she's never shown an interest in books until now, but she's twelve for crying out loud! Which makes me wonder, why on earth would he recommend dense, challenging, books meant for adults and written by old white farts? Is that really what his teenager daughter is itching to read next? Why not keep the momentum going by, oh, I don't know, try recommending something in the genre she is interested in?

It's seems that Mandy, Reno's daughter, is interested in YA and more specifically SciFi. Maybe introduce her to some Madeleine L'Engle, Margaret Atwood, or Kathy Tyers. While growing up I really enjoyed Ray Bradbury myself. That may be more up her alley, and it will keep her hooked, and maybe as she cultivates a sophisticated taste in literature of her own she'll branch off into other genres too. But to expect your teenage daughter to read Catcher in the Rye because you liked it? That's just dad being an idiot.

Is Collins' book series violent. A little more than usual, perhaps. Will it ruin your child? Not likely. I hate to say it, but it's true, the odds just aren't in Jamie Reno's favor. Katniss wins--Game Over.

Zombies! Mock Cover. Bitten.

Update:
Great news! The talented Brazillian artist Gabby Carvalho has given me full rights permission for using her apocalyptic city image for my book cover!


 

Interview with author Mainak Dhar

Interview with author Mainak Dhar

I recently got in contact with Indian born Indy author Mainak Dhar. Although calling him an Indy author, besides the strange unintentional double entendre behind the term, may not be entirely fair. In his native India Mainak Dhar is a fairly well established author who has been published by Random House. However, I came across his work on Amazon.com as an independently published science fiction writer. What immediately caught my interest was how well written his books were and how clear and visual his language was. Reading one of Dhar's books is like sitting through an action movie. 

Today I had the rare honor of interviewing Mainak Dhar about his breakthrough into American publishing via the strange backdoor route of Indy and self publishing.

Me [Tristan]: I first came into contact with your work during my research for my upcoming resurrection thriller called Bitten. I read through two zombie books you had written, Alice in Deadland (great title by the way), and Zombiestan. After reading them on my kindle I went online and ordered the paperback editions to have on my bookshelf alongside Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry and World War Z by Max Brooks. I definitely rank your zombie books with the best of them. So I really do appreciate you taking the time to do this interview. Thank-you.

Mainak Dhar: Tristan, thanks for having me on your blog. Before saying anything about myself or my work, let me say that your novel Bitten sounds exciting. The little that I've read shows a lot of promise and I wish you huge success with it.

1) My first question is: what compelled you to write a zombie book in the first place?

* I have always enjoyed post apocalyptic fiction, because it really forces us to confront what things would be like if all the usual rules and norms that make for 'civilized' society disappear. I've been a keen student of history and if there's anything history teaches us it is that our civilized veneer is at best a thin layer, which often enough is peeled back to reveal the savagery and cruelty we're capable of. For a writer, that makes for rich territory, to showcase both the cruelty we're capable of, and yet paint a picture of how even in such desperate conditions, we can discover hope. Zombies for me were a way of bringing that message to life, and as you would have seen in both Zombiestan and Alice in Deadland, I try and treat zombies a bit differently than just mindless brain eating monsters- but almost a metaphor for the evil we ourselves are capable of unleashing, and in both cases, created by us as a direct outcome of our hate for fellow men.

2) You write mainly science fiction. What attracts you to the world of science fiction?

* I've always had an active (my parents would say overactive) imagination, including going through a year in school with an imaginary friend. Science Fiction allows me to give full reign to that, and take leaps into sometimes fantastic directions instead of being weighed down by everyday reality.

3) Why did you decide to self publish on Amazon.com? What benefits do you get with self publishing this way that you wouldn't typically get with a mainstream publisher?

* I have been widely published in India by the big traditional publishers including Random House and Penguin, but for an unknown author who doesn't even live in the US, getting a break into the US market is very tough. Amazon allowed me to reach American (and other international readers) directly with my work instead of spending months or years pursuing agents and publishers in vain. I was also really inspired by some of the pioneers like Konrath and many of the great folks over at Kindleboards like Bob Mayer, Dave Dalglish, Michael Wallace, Deb Geary and others, as their experiences showed me just what was possible in self publishing. The big advantages are for me flexibility, autonomy and the ability to really create one's own connection with readers without being at the mercy of gatekeepers. The economics also make it a no-brainer given how slow some of the Big 6 have been in really embracing ebooks. Having now spent exactly a year self publishing on Amazon, I am really glad I went down this path.

4) As a follow up to the previous question, do you think there is a downside to self publishing? If so what exactly?

* It's not really a downside, but there is the added responsibility of having to take care of aspects beyond just writing eg. Design, promotion. However, to be candid, even for a traditionally published mid list author (as I was), you are expected to carry a lot of the freight of promotion. I actually enjoy managing the business aspects as it allows me to have end to end control over my work and honestly do more to promote my work than any publisher would perhaps have. Also over time, you realize that you form strong connections with designers (I must give a shout out to Glendon Haddix at Streetlight Graphics who's simply awesome), editors and other who can support you in bringing your work to life, and it becomes much easier.

5) From reading your bio on your author page, I see you have a family too. How many hours do you typically get in a week at the keyboard writing? 

* I have a family and a full time day job, so time is certainly at a premium. What I do is take out 30-45 minutes every evening when I do nothing but write. Also I travel a bit in my job and I am very disciplined about not wasting time on flights watching movies etc. Instead I get huge chunks of writing done on flights, in hotels etc. In fact, am typing this as I sit in an airplane some 30,000 feet above the sea on my way back to India for a short break. Also, my family is a big pillar of support, which always helps. My wife, Puja has been amazing right from the time I amassed 70 rejection slips for my first novel and really taught me the power of positive thinking, which is essential for any writer. Our son, Aaditya, is about to turn four, and he loves seeing my books with my photo on the back. Of course, he keeps complaining that Daddy's books don't have any pictures in them like his storybooks. In my novel Vimana, I named the lead character Aaditya and you should have seen his eyes when I told him Aaditya would be flying a rocket ship in my story.

6) I see that your father is a prolific writer as well. Is his influence what inspired you to become a writer or did you cultivate the love of writing independently of your father's success?

* My father's is a pretty inspiring story in itself. He began life as a journalist and teacher, but then went to work for the Government for 30 years and totally lost touch with that side of himself. He took up writing after retirement; his first novel was published at the age of 58, and he's now a bestselling author in India. I actually was published before my father and encouraged him to write after his retirement, both to rediscover his old love and also to help cope with the loss of my mother, which actually was also a big catalyst for me writing at the pace I do- one of my last promises to her was that no matter what, I would keep writing. So we probably share the same writing bug (or gene, if there is such a thing), and in our own ways, we perhaps inspire each other.

7) What, in your opinion, is the hardest aspect of writing?

* For me, its getting that initial 'spark' or big idea and figuring out what is really a big idea that will connect with readers and what is not. Once I have that, I am usually pretty quick to flesh it out. Inspiration strikes in different forms, and that's what makes the creative process, while hard, so much fun. For Zombiestan, the name suddenly occurred to me one day and it sounded so cool that I began crafting ideas around it. For Alice in Deadland, the inspiration came when I saw a painting someone had done of Alice carrying a gun. One thing led to another, and the idea was born.

8)  From beginning to end, how long does it usually take you to develop a story line, create the characters, write a book, edit it, and then finish it?

* Creating the storyline, characters, broad sketch of the idea usually takes me a couple of weeks at best, and sometimes much longer. The writing process is more predictable. As I said, I am a bit of a maniac when it comes to discipline in terms of writing, and I average at least 750-1000 words a day. At that pace (and with occasional spikes while traveling), the first draft takes around two months. Then I usually give it a break for a few days, think of new ideas, and also read new books in my genre to keep my mind fresh, and then come back to it with fresh eyes for editing, which can take another month or more depending on the rework needed.

9) Do you plan to write more zombie novels in the future or are you going to try different things?

* Up next is the sequel to Alice in Deadland, and then a collection of shorts that serve as the prequel. Once I release them (and an omnibus combining all three), I plan to give zombies a break for a while and work on another idea I have sitting on my iPad.

10) Do you have any advice for aspiring authors out there, or any tricks of the trade, such as getting noticed, which you'd like to share? 

1) Don't obsess with the 'how', focus on the 'what'. I see too many people start obsessing about how to promote, how to use social media, building up fan bases etc...all of that is important, but it all starts with having a strong book. Write the best you can, have a great cover, write a sharp blurb, and then take it from there.

2) When it comes to ebooks, time is on your side. Unlike a bricks and mortar store, you won't be taken off the shelf if you fail at first, so remember it's a long term game and play it accordingly. Keep writing- if you do nothing else, keep writing. If one book fails, cry, mope, drink or whatever you need to do to get over it, and then start on the next book by learning from your experience on what you could have done better. Don't lose hope if you don't see the success you want early on, and don't get complacent if you do.  Always look at those who are doing better than you and have the humility to learn from them. I sold 118 copies in my first month on Amazon which was Feb 2011, earning just over $30. It was a dose of reality, but I kept at it, writing more, learning how to get better, and looking for inspiration to a number of folks I've met at the Kindleboards forums, many of whom have seen amazing success. In Jan 2012, I had more than 35000 paid downloads, and you know what? It doesn't make me feel 'successful' or complacent. I just raise my bar and keep looking at people like Konrath, Crouch, Mayer, Geary, Dalglish, Wallace and many more and remind myself that my journey is still only just beginning.

Me: Although this concludes this session, I am really looking forward to more stuff from you and I wish you continued success! Thanks for taking the time to do the interview, it's certainly been a pleasure chatting with you. 

Mainak: Thanks, Tristan. I am a firm believer in the idea of paying it forward, and I'm very thankful for everything I have and grateful to all those I've learned from. I would love to help any new writer in any way I can, and my own little piece of real estate in cyberspace is mainakdhar.com. If you're beginning your own writing journey and think I could help in any possible way, just get in touch.

Top Cow Artist Thomas Nachlik

Thomas Nachlik is a freelance comic book artist who is most famous for his work at Top Cow comics. His best known books are Theory of Everything and Last Mortal.


I recently commissioned Tom for a pin-up piece of my characters. This is his second time drawing The Scarecrow & Lady Kingston. I have included both pieces (top and bottom) for you to enjoy.

I may or may not have them colored. I am still debating on whether or not I want to use them for publication or just frame them and hang them on my wall. They are both excellent pieces.

Sedat's Latest!

Here is the new cover piece for the next installment drawn by my cover artist Sedat.