Josh Quattrone's Blog
January 8, 2013
Memories of Light
I woke this morning and kissed my wife, you see on this day 7 years ago, we were married. It has been an amazing 7 years and I am excited for the next 7 and 7 years to come.
Although another item I am excited for is The final book in the "Wheel of Time" I vaguely started this series over 10 years ago, not as long as some and far earlier than others.
I worked at a book store in the early '00s. They let us take one book per month sans the cover. I started my coverless collection with Dragonlance Chronicles, however the collector in me cringed every time I picked up the book to read. I had friends who had been reading WoT, and I wanted so badly to get into that massive series. It was foreboding and looming, a task that would test me as a reader, and person - at least for a 17 year old.
I bought the book, I didn't take a free copy, but I bought "The Eye of the World." I didn't immediately pick it up to read it, you see, I was knee deep in the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy. I finished Legends then the successive "War of Souls" sequel trilogy, yet there the hundred ton feat sat on my bookshelf. It called to me and I was cautiously drawn to it. I was young and afraid of a book that had recently released it's ninth in the series, of books over 600+ pages.
I was in love with Dragonlance then, and that loyalty stunted my exploration of new worlds. I did start to read it, and I followed Rand and his father as they hauled their goods to Emonds Field for the Bel Tine, the first apperance of a Myrddraal on their path, and the first meeting of Moraine and Lan. Then I stopped. Yes, I stopped, to my everlasting shame, I stopped reading. I put the book down and started to reread "War of Souls," only to set it down halfway through. I didn't read for pleasure for six years.
It wasn't until 2008, I had just separated from the Air Force and was job hunting, when I took up bike riding for exercise. I would listen to music on my iPod shuffle, and ride for an hour to the sound of 90's music. A week later I was bored. I had listened to that music for years and was growing tired of only having that to listen to.
A revelation struck that has since changed my life for the better. I could download an audio book! I was skeptical and wary. I didn't know if I would be able to sit and listen to somebody read a book. I thought and thought about what book to 'read', perusing "best of" lists across the internet. Nothing I found was appealing and anything I was partially interested in was too expensive. Then a second revelation struck, "Why not that Wheel of Time series?" I filled my iPod with half audio book and half music, this way if I didn't like the book I would have music. When I made it home after that ride I removed all music from my iPod and replaced it with as much of the book as would fit into 1 GB.
It took me over a year of playing catch up. I was on book 11 when "The Gathering Storm" was released, I even met Brandon Sanderson at a book signing, not realizing how much I would look back on that in awe. I was completely caught up in Spring of '10. Mad that I hadn't finished the series almost 10 years prior and worried about what I would read next. You see I developed that same loyalty for WoT that I had for Dragonlance a decade earler, only this loyalty was stronger and much more earned.
Age and experience has been good to me, and I learned from my past mistake. When I finished "New Spring", I sought out many many other books and have been reading them nonstop since. It is not 2013, and I have listened to almost 100 audio books, many I have rated here on Good Reads. If you don't have a lot of time to read, have a smartphone, and/or a long commute look into Audible, as I can't recommend it enough.
Bringing me back to this morning, I kissed my wife and told her I loved her. Then rolled over to my night stand and downloaded "A Memory of Light" from Audible. I am excited and scared for the characters I have come to know and appreciate over the years. Happy to finally have resolution and saddened at the same.
I get to meet Brandon Sanderson again on Thursday, needless to say, this time I will appreciate it much more than last, as I have read almost all of his works, and elevated him to the level of my favorite author. I will be as a school girl at a boy band concert. Last time I got to ask him one question, and due to a faulty phone I missed that opportunity. This time I have no idea what to ask, and probably have an inner struggle to not flip out like the fanboy I have become.
-Josh
Although another item I am excited for is The final book in the "Wheel of Time" I vaguely started this series over 10 years ago, not as long as some and far earlier than others.
I worked at a book store in the early '00s. They let us take one book per month sans the cover. I started my coverless collection with Dragonlance Chronicles, however the collector in me cringed every time I picked up the book to read. I had friends who had been reading WoT, and I wanted so badly to get into that massive series. It was foreboding and looming, a task that would test me as a reader, and person - at least for a 17 year old.
I bought the book, I didn't take a free copy, but I bought "The Eye of the World." I didn't immediately pick it up to read it, you see, I was knee deep in the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy. I finished Legends then the successive "War of Souls" sequel trilogy, yet there the hundred ton feat sat on my bookshelf. It called to me and I was cautiously drawn to it. I was young and afraid of a book that had recently released it's ninth in the series, of books over 600+ pages.
I was in love with Dragonlance then, and that loyalty stunted my exploration of new worlds. I did start to read it, and I followed Rand and his father as they hauled their goods to Emonds Field for the Bel Tine, the first apperance of a Myrddraal on their path, and the first meeting of Moraine and Lan. Then I stopped. Yes, I stopped, to my everlasting shame, I stopped reading. I put the book down and started to reread "War of Souls," only to set it down halfway through. I didn't read for pleasure for six years.
It wasn't until 2008, I had just separated from the Air Force and was job hunting, when I took up bike riding for exercise. I would listen to music on my iPod shuffle, and ride for an hour to the sound of 90's music. A week later I was bored. I had listened to that music for years and was growing tired of only having that to listen to.
A revelation struck that has since changed my life for the better. I could download an audio book! I was skeptical and wary. I didn't know if I would be able to sit and listen to somebody read a book. I thought and thought about what book to 'read', perusing "best of" lists across the internet. Nothing I found was appealing and anything I was partially interested in was too expensive. Then a second revelation struck, "Why not that Wheel of Time series?" I filled my iPod with half audio book and half music, this way if I didn't like the book I would have music. When I made it home after that ride I removed all music from my iPod and replaced it with as much of the book as would fit into 1 GB.
It took me over a year of playing catch up. I was on book 11 when "The Gathering Storm" was released, I even met Brandon Sanderson at a book signing, not realizing how much I would look back on that in awe. I was completely caught up in Spring of '10. Mad that I hadn't finished the series almost 10 years prior and worried about what I would read next. You see I developed that same loyalty for WoT that I had for Dragonlance a decade earler, only this loyalty was stronger and much more earned.
Age and experience has been good to me, and I learned from my past mistake. When I finished "New Spring", I sought out many many other books and have been reading them nonstop since. It is not 2013, and I have listened to almost 100 audio books, many I have rated here on Good Reads. If you don't have a lot of time to read, have a smartphone, and/or a long commute look into Audible, as I can't recommend it enough.
Bringing me back to this morning, I kissed my wife and told her I loved her. Then rolled over to my night stand and downloaded "A Memory of Light" from Audible. I am excited and scared for the characters I have come to know and appreciate over the years. Happy to finally have resolution and saddened at the same.
I get to meet Brandon Sanderson again on Thursday, needless to say, this time I will appreciate it much more than last, as I have read almost all of his works, and elevated him to the level of my favorite author. I will be as a school girl at a boy band concert. Last time I got to ask him one question, and due to a faulty phone I missed that opportunity. This time I have no idea what to ask, and probably have an inner struggle to not flip out like the fanboy I have become.
-Josh
January 4, 2013
The "Why" of it.
I write because I love to write, I do love selling my stories, but really I just love to tell a story. I hate self promotion, I hate talking myself up, and I hate HATE HATE trying to sell my book to someone. Probably why I only made 20 bucks from sales in all of 2012, regardless of how much I actually wrote.
I'm ecstatic when I see one of my books sell, I love KDP promotions because I can "sell" hundreds of books. For me, that's hundreds of people reading MY work, I don't care that I don't get paid from them. Sure, I'd love to write for a living, but as of right now, writing is my relaxation for the night, pleasantly replacing television.
Being a writer is difficult, and thankless with little return on your investment, but only if you let it. Writing is my relaxation and release at the end of a rough day. I've written much, and published much less.
The fantasies of becoming a famous writer is a pitfall that is difficult to overcome and for me it resulted in only writing 18k words in 2011. When I finally saw past the potential glory, I started having fun as I honed my craft. Now I find just telling the story to be fun, regardless of who reads it.
I can't bring myself to write for the masses, believe me I've tried. I won't compromise quality for quantity, and I especially won't change my stories to suit my readers. I write what I want to read. I tell this to anyone who want to (self)publish a story after they find I have, and so far only one friend has published out of countless who said they would.
I wrote 125k words last year, and if 1 person reads 1/10th of that, I consider myself successful.
I'm ecstatic when I see one of my books sell, I love KDP promotions because I can "sell" hundreds of books. For me, that's hundreds of people reading MY work, I don't care that I don't get paid from them. Sure, I'd love to write for a living, but as of right now, writing is my relaxation for the night, pleasantly replacing television.
Being a writer is difficult, and thankless with little return on your investment, but only if you let it. Writing is my relaxation and release at the end of a rough day. I've written much, and published much less.
The fantasies of becoming a famous writer is a pitfall that is difficult to overcome and for me it resulted in only writing 18k words in 2011. When I finally saw past the potential glory, I started having fun as I honed my craft. Now I find just telling the story to be fun, regardless of who reads it.
I can't bring myself to write for the masses, believe me I've tried. I won't compromise quality for quantity, and I especially won't change my stories to suit my readers. I write what I want to read. I tell this to anyone who want to (self)publish a story after they find I have, and so far only one friend has published out of countless who said they would.
I wrote 125k words last year, and if 1 person reads 1/10th of that, I consider myself successful.
January 3, 2013
Journel Entry 2013 - Day 3:
I'm three days in. Things are not terrible. Surprised wife with a day off work. She made me start remodeling the Living room. Still wrote 1300 words before bed. Back to work, hitting the grindstone. Need weekend.
January 1, 2013
2012 Report Card
Happy New Year Everyone!
My 2012 was quite productive!
# of Books: 17
# of Books Published: 6
WC of Tragedies of the Undead: 37,833
WC of unpublished SciFi Series: 39,783
WC of published works: 36,637
WC of unpublished works: 85,699
Final Word Count: 125,336
Now on to at least double that word count in 2013. Good luck on your New Years Resolutions.
Here's to a successful 2013!
-Josh
My 2012 was quite productive!
# of Books: 17
# of Books Published: 6
WC of Tragedies of the Undead: 37,833
WC of unpublished SciFi Series: 39,783
WC of published works: 36,637
WC of unpublished works: 85,699
Final Word Count: 125,336
Now on to at least double that word count in 2013. Good luck on your New Years Resolutions.
Here's to a successful 2013!
-Josh
December 26, 2012
A Fire Upon the Deep...
Nine or so chapters in to this book. I'm enjoying the Author's writing style and the imagery of the book so far. It's an odd combination of "I know what's going on" and "I'm as lost as an infant in college."
As with many, there is a point in all books I like where it grips me and I can't stop reading, either that or I put it away for "later". While the drive to finish varies I will usually finish the book/series. Troy Rising grabbed me early, Song of Ice and Fire took a few chapters, and Wheel of time within the first 5 chapters. This book hasn't grabbed,but I can feel it's fingers whisking at me.
-Josh
As with many, there is a point in all books I like where it grips me and I can't stop reading, either that or I put it away for "later". While the drive to finish varies I will usually finish the book/series. Troy Rising grabbed me early, Song of Ice and Fire took a few chapters, and Wheel of time within the first 5 chapters. This book hasn't grabbed,but I can feel it's fingers whisking at me.
-Josh
December 20, 2012
Updates
I updated all my existing stories last night, those changes should be there now. Biggest and foremost was "Underneath" I redesigned the cover and did some edits in the description and story.
Troy Rising
I just finished the "Troy Rising" series. I have to recommend it very fun and face paced action that'll make you want to punch a wall in excitement. It's a three part series, I'm really hoping for a 4th book, as the third book's ending was left open enough to continue on the series. I'm really pulling for John Ringo to continue it.
