J.L.’s answer to “I'm suffering demon weed withdrawal symptoms. Obviously no pressure on the creative and undisputed …” > Likes and Comments

One of my favorite authors is Olan Thorensen. He had an unfortunate accident that limited his writing and things that he could do himself. He finished his book before you.
You are also a favorite, but now is declinung rapidly. Starting to think of you as another George rr Martin. Sorry, but a year or more nowadays with amazon putting books out with basically no editing come on.
Yes, i do want them edited, but when an author still produces awesome shit that got hurt before the guy thats just taking time off?????
Will always be a fan, but will not wait around before i look i to other awesome authors.

Sorry you feel that way. But I took time off to write the first 3 books and wracked up a lot of debt. I have to get that paid down. That means I have to work at my day job 40 hours/week, and that doesn't leave me a lot of time for the in depth concentration I need for such complicated stories, so things are slow.

You saying your books aren't selling enough? Holy jeeze! I gave your book to my grandma. It w as s so awesone. I have people at my work wanting the next one. I got laid off during the gm strike and hated my time off. Ima spread langland love more at work.

:) Thanks! They sell very well for independent books (e.g. Amazon is the main place for my books--you can order them at Barnes & Noble, but they don't stock them).

But, historically--and I have some pride in meeting this bar--the majority of SF/Fantasy authors never made enough money to live on and write full time. It was always supplemental income for a day job for about 90% of the authors out there.

With Amazon it's gotten better for authors. A lot of published authors who didn't sell well enough in the 80;s and 90's and lost their contracts, have gotten their books back and now sell them independently, but it's still part time work for them.

All that being said, with each book I get more readers, so the next book does better, when the new book hits high up in the charts, that attracts new readers' attention and people then buy the old books (and hopefully get hooked). So my goal is to someday go full time, but right now, writing one big book per year (e.g. volumes 1,2, 3, 4) nets me about 1/3 of a year of my day jobs salary. When I take time off? That's 9 months of no income from my day job, and the income from the books comes much delayed after that (I get paid 2 months after amazon sells a copy--6 months for Audible) So it puts some strain on the finances.

But again, each book (if released timely) boosts interest and means more sales going forward. Which is why this long time interval between 3 and 4 really hurts me in that sense. So, I am not happy with the delay either, but I don't want to just slop something together, I don't want to disappoint...so I have to take my time.

I find it hard to believe that your books aren't selling to the point where you could make comfortable living from them. I haven't enjoyed something so much since I discovered Terry Pratchett about 30years ago. I suspect it is because you simply haven't got the publicity you deserve.

Thanks! The series has grown greatly with each book, so I really just need to get more books out there and I think eventually things should work out, at least that's my goal, to eventually get completely self sufficient.

Need more book please.....

Working on them all...I got swamped with 80 hour work weeks the last 3-4 months of 2019 so am behind on being way behind schedule