As you might have heard, I recently raised the price of my book, UPGRADE, just a tad in my own price-point experiment. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the results. Let’s just say I didn’t sell as many copies as I had hoped at the new improved price. Honestly, only one Bajillionaire bought a copy. That email address in the upper right hand corner of the picture seems vaguely familiar. I wonder if this rich guy is related to Kat? Anyway, A million bucks isn’t what it used to be—especially after taxes.
But that is in the past. Now we look to the future and the release of Bad Book. This title is the result of a collaborative project I undertook with JD Mader and K.S. “Kat” Brooks, no matter what they will tell you separately.
The project was something that Kat came up with and it was originally supposed to include her, Mader and another author who shall remain nameless (David Antrobus). At some point, as the lot of us were wasting valuable writing time bantering about on Facebook, Brooks asked Mader what he would think of bringing me into the project. Mader replied, “Hise is the shit.”
Brooks took that as some sort of positive statement. She approached me about the idea of collaborating in writing a bad book. I can’t tell you how much it means when someone thinks of bad writing and your name springs to mind. You just have to be there.
Brooks and Mader are two of the funniest people I know—so I signed on. I won’t say I didn’t have some concerns. Writers all have different processes and temperaments. I could see the potential for conflict over relatively minor issues. But I could also see that conflict being ultimately resolved through gun-play.
I also worried about getting involved at that level with people I didn’t really know all that well. I mean, sure, I had hacked Kat’s computer and downloaded all her banking information and changed her voting registration; and I had slipped into JD’s house a few times just to watch him sleep, but how well can you really know someone from such casual contact?
Early in the project, one of the other authors, who shall remain nameless (Antrobus), headed for the hills and never looked back. Maybe he was intimidated by my awesomeness. Maybe he got more upset than I originally thought when he caught me changing the labels on his medication bottles. At any rate, this nameless author (Antrobus) to whom I will now refer as Pete Best, decided not to play. Am I filled with a brooding and bitter resentment that he/she selfishly withheld his/her boundless talent from the project? Certainly not. I think we must each walk our own paths. Besides, more for me.
At some point early in the project, I could really feel the electricity. I cannot emphasize this enough: no matter how good an idea it seems, do not try to make toast in the bathtub. As the writing went, the three of us found we were very much of one mind about having some fun with it. The next book may consist entirely of the e-mails which went back and forth between the three of us.
When we finished, we had it professionally edited and beta-read by people whose opinions we not only respect, but who also were available that weekend. Now we await the verdict of the masses. I can only say I have a good feeling at the end, and have high hopes that feeling will spread to the rest of my body.
If you’d like to share that special tingly feeling, you can get your copy of Bad Book, now available at Amazon US and Amazon UK. This title is free to KDP Select members, but only 99 cents for anyone else. Look at it this way: If you love it, you only spent a buck and if you hate it, you get to feel superior for just a buck. What could possibly go wrong?
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Stephen Hise is the Founder and Co-Administrator of Indies Unlimited and author of the novel, UPGRADE. For more information, please see the IU Bio page and his website: http://stephenhise.com/
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What could possibly go wrong? Well, we could all love it and then it would be "Good Book".
There is always hope, I guess. Thanks, Yvonne. 🙂
Dammit, Hise…that was you? Very funny, switching me to a member of the "Birthday Party." You know I can't eat cake!
Hise was doing his Marie Antoinette impersonation. But the wig doesn't do it for him.
I thought I looked rather dashing in the wig. It was that damn corset I didn't like.
The only way to get that 'lift' – um, up top I mean. Sheesh!
I thought it sounded like fun. Maybe they'll have gluten free cake and ice cream… 🙂
At least at the virtual book release party, that would be much appreciated. We'll have to make sure Bruce Campbell is on the guest list… 😉
You guys are having way too much fun, lol. Please keep it coming, Stephen, I love it.