Changing Directions

I’ve had a lot going on recently, and it’s made me re-evaluate the direction of my website. Now, before you panic, this actually isn’t a bad thing for anyone, but it absolutely will impact how this website functions, and what you can look for on here.

If you’ve noticed I’ve been quiet recently, it’s because I’ve been doing some deep thinking about my website and it’s purpose… and releasing my first book, which turns out, takes a lot of time.

Now, to be honest with you, it’s the release of Seraphina’s Lament that has brought me to this point, this decision of mine. That, and the fact that every person I edit for is an indie author. I also judge for the SPFBO, and interacting with all these indie authors, indie books, and releasing an indie book myself, I have a new perspective and appreciation for how hard it is to get a voice for your work in a world that usually overlooks indie in favor of traditional publishing.

And thinking about that, I realized that there really are enough blogs out there reviewing traditionally published books, but very few dedicated to the indie scene.

Along with that, I also have my own book out now, and I’m diligently working on book two in that series, called An Elegy for Hope, and I want to talk about my progress with that, various other writerly and editorial nuggets and things that really don’t matter to anyone but myself (I’d also really enjoy being able to come to my site and dump down a bunch of interesting historical things I learn through all my research into Stalinism).

Right now, I don’t really have a place to be personal like that. For example, did you know I’m giving away one signed copy of my book? I also had a book launch where I sold every single book I brought, and had a line of people waiting to buy a copy. That was awesome… but I have literally nowhere to talk about that but facebook and Twitter right now, which is fine but social media is hard. Voices get drowned out. I also did an interview with a few other editors on Michael R. Fletcher’s blog (wherein the fact that I was on a muscle relaxer is pretty obvious, but it is what it is.)

So, here’s what I’m doing.

Bookworm Blues is going to be a mixture of my author/more personal meanderings which you may or may not care about, and still reviews, but probably less often just because writing and editing suck up a lot of my time. My reviews, however, are going to be open to indie and small press authors now. They will get priority.

The thing is, I am an indie author, and I very often feel like I’m screaming into the void about my book. I expected that, but it’s still how I feel. If I can use some of the weight of this established website to shine a light on indie and small press authors, I should do that. I want someone to scream into the void about my book, so I’m going to try to be that person screaming into the void for all those other amazing self-published books that get drowned out, and really shouldn’t be.

There are also a million reasons why people self-publish, and it very rarely has to do with the quality of the work (I self-published, for example, because my book was very poorly managed by a terrible agent and it therefore got burned on the traditional marketplace. I also love the control I get from self-publishing that I very much didn’t have in that particular situation. My decision had nothing to do with my quality or ability as an author, and I doubt anyone else’s does, either). I’ve been more impressed recently by self-published books than traditionally published, to be honest with you. The indie scene is vibrant and alive and full of absolutely amazing books and intoxicating diversity and that deserves attention.

You’ll get some traditionally published books reviewed here as well, and probably some nonfiction book reviews (because I read an absolute BOATLOAD of historical nonfiction when I’m writing The Bloodlands books. Turns out setting up a communist government system ala Stalin in a secondary world is pretty complex). But mostly, Bookworm Blues is going to change. You can expect my personal writing/editing ramblings, and reviews of indie and small press SFF books, and the occasional trad and nonfiction book thrown in when I feel like it.

I will be making the changes on this website to reflect that over the upcoming few days… and eventually, I swear to god, I will figure out how the hell I get the comments to display BELOW the blog post instead of above.

So… with that in mind, I’m open for review queries (Indie books get priority, and remember turnaround may be slow because I’m pretty busy). I’m also open for editing clients (and I’ve had some clients reschedule so I’m really, really needing more right now), and go buy my book.