Michael’s Comments (group member since Feb 19, 2017)

Michael’s comments from the Ask Michael E. Dellert, author of The Matter of Manred Saga group.

Adrian wrote: "Michael wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Sorry for arriving late to the party. Hope it's not too late to save the galaxy because, as we all know, it's not going to save itself.

As a fellow storyteller at he..."

Lots to do indeed, but I look forward to the finished product! :)

Ok, folks, big thanks to all those who came out today to play with me here on Goodreads, and much appreciation to Goodreads for the author-support features that made this day possible!

My time is drawing to an end, but here are a few more links for those of the stalker persuasion:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MDellertDotCom
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mdellert.editor
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-d...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdellert99/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/michaeldell...

And please don't forget, my new fantasy book, The Wedding of Eithne, Fourth Book in the Matter of Manred Saga, is coming to Amazon on 28 March! You can pre-order your copy from your local Amazon affiliate here: http://getBook.at/Wedding-of-Eithne

Thanks everyone!! Have a great night! :)

Ursula wrote: "Chug the rest of the wine, send the pics, and tell us if blogging is a necessity? I would like to be successful and NOT blog."

;)

Is blogging necessary? No. For millennia, writers managed to survive without blogging.

But blogging is a platform that you have some control over. Your Facebook posts, your Twitter tweets, your Instagram pics, you don't own ANY of that content (check the user agreements). But your blog, particularly if you own your domain name and platform outright, is yours to keep. So while your message on other platforms might get lost, or become incomprehensible when some new cosmetic update goes into effect, your blog is yours and yours alone. This lets you control your message a good bit more, and carry over that messaging to future iterations of your platform.

So is it necessary? No. Can it be effective anyway? Yes.

Ursula wrote: "What platforms do you feel were the best at getting your ( and our) work out to readers and do you thing blogs are necessary for success?"

Hi Ursula! You might be my last question for the night. :)

I don't think the question is "which platform is best" but "how can I best engage with the platforms that are available"? By and large, all social media promos perform better if visual content is included. But beyond that, one has to consider what the purpose of the platform is.

Facebook wants you to create an exclusive circle of friends into which "outside voices" are not heard.

Twitter wants to make itself the go-to place for ephemeral news.

Pinterest and Instagram thrive on frequent visual posts.

So studying "the market" or the audience that engages with the platforms you're using, and determining what they want to see and what makes them click through to buy, that's really the question that needs to be asked. Different platforms will provide different results, depending on what promotional materials you put into them.

Hope that answers the question! :)

Ok, folks, I'm on my third glass of wine and coming into my last half-hour, so now's your chance to find out about any skeletons in my closet!

For the sake of getting this out of the way, if you're interested in stalking me online, you can find me at any of these fine establishments:

Website: http://www.mdellert.com/
Mailing List: http://www.mdellert.com/blog/mailing-...
Author Page: http://Author.to/MichaelEDellert
Hedge King in Winter: http://getBook.at/HedgeKingInWinter
Merchant's Tale: http://getBook.at/A-Merchants-Tale
The Romance of Eowain: http://getBook.at/Romance-of-Eowain
The Wedding of Eithne: http://getBook.at/Wedding-of-Eithne

Another writer from my newsletter asks, "How do I get published?"

This sort of question always reminds me of the old joke, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice."

But seriously, there are almost no hurdles to getting published anymore. Any 9 year old with internet access can do it.

I think the real question is, "How can I start earning mad 'Rowling' money from publishing?" or something else of the sort. My advice is, "Be JK Rowling," or whomever you hold up as an idol of publishing success.

More seriously, if one wants to be successful in publishing, do one's research into the market. I don't suggest sacrificing one's artistic integrity to market whims, but unless your artistic integrity is more tasty and filling than my own, one can't survive on artistic integrity alone.

At some point, to just make the best use of one's time, one has to stop sending manuscripts to publishers that won't give you the time of day simply because they don't publish your genre.

You have to research the markets that you want to work with (not meaning readers, but publishers) and target those that will give you the best return on your efforts.

Even if you're an indie publisher and "above" such concerns, there's still the matter of finding ways to reach your readers. We call that "market research" where I come from.

Hope that helps clarify things a bit! :)

Adrian wrote: "Sorry for arriving late to the party. Hope it's not too late to save the galaxy because, as we all know, it's not going to save itself.

As a fellow storyteller at heart, what would you say is the ..."

Adrian, you are never late. Like a wizard, you always arrive exactly when you intend to. ;)

Damn.... That's a good question. There are certainly authors I've read where I've thought: "Oh, brother, I could do that better." For example, the Scepter of Mercy series by "Dan Chernenko" (a pen name for Harry Turtledove). I love Turtledove's work as a whole, but the ending of this particularly trilogy left me cold and thinking, "Ugh, come on! You set it all up so well, how could you screw up the ending!"

Of course, this was before I really appreciated how hard endings are.

As to your second question, I've always enjoyed the "shared-universe anthology" series, like Thieves' World, Heroes in Hell, and Wild Cards. I would certainly be glad to hand over a corner of my franchise to authors like those (CJ Cherryh, Janet Morris, and too many others to name) to develop, while I spend my time on the stories I'm most interested in telling.

But hand over my whole universe? There'd have to be a hell of a pay day in it for me to even consider it. I'm too much of a control freak. ;)

What about you, Adrian? What have you been working on lately?

Ah, a more pertinent question: "How did you become such an expert on the period that influences your writing?"

Lots and lots of study. I started with a book called "Practical Celtic Magic," which introduced me to a lot of the mythic and legendary sources that inform modern neo-pagan Wicca magical practices.

I took a course from NYU's School of Continuing Education on the heritage of the Celts, going all the way back to Roman times.

And I read the original sources (such as they are) of ancient Irish texts like the Cattle Raid of Cooley (nod to Seamus Heany for an amazing translation), the Annals of the Four Masters, and the Metrical Dinnsenchas.

I also read a lot of not-so-reliable sources, like Iolo Morganwg's Barddas, which was a literary forgery that purported to lay bare the secrets of the ancient Druids and Bards of the British Isles. This helped me to incorporate a lot of later "romantic" ideas of Celtic nationalism, while also being true to the actual mythic and literary canon of Irish history.

Thanks for the question, Gordon!

One of my newsletter readers requests nude pictures of me.

Uhm... Let me have another few glasses of wine... ;)

E.P. wrote: "Michael wrote: "E.P. wrote: "Michael wrote: "By the way, it's officially "wine o'clock" on the East Coast, and I'm being plied with a fine Sardinian red, so now's the time to take advantage of me. ..."

Caffeine and sugar are my own "go-to" intoxicants, as a rule, at least during daylight hours. Once 5pm rolls around, it really depends on what I need to accomplish in my work. If I need to break through a barrier, as you say, half a glass of wine can certainly lubricate the process.

But yes, when it comes to making one's drunken flights of fancy (i.e., any first draft, written drunk or otherwise) comprehensible, one really needs to respect one's audience enough to show up sober and professional for that work.

Unless you're Charles Bukowski or something. ;)

E.P. wrote: "Michael wrote: "By the way, it's officially "wine o'clock" on the East Coast, and I'm being plied with a fine Sardinian red, so now's the time to take advantage of me. Add your questions in the com..."

Hi EP! Thanks for lurking around, and congratulations on the most aptly timed question of the day.

Great question. The best advice on the subject comes, I think, from Hemingway: "Write drunk. Edit sober."

Intoxication benefits creativity by knocking down some of the barriers between what we "ought" to do, and what we can actually do.

Unfortunately, it can also make what we actually do incomprehensible to others. So I think it's always wise to come back at one's work in a sober state of mind and professionally re-evaluate how effective and dynamic one's work has been.

And of course, there are unpleasant side-effects to too much intoxication. I don't recommend it as a lifestyle choice, but a glass of wine over one's evening pages probably won't kill anyone.

But does one always need to be "on" something in order to write effectively? No. One just needs pencil and paper. ;)

A friend of mine from the newsletter asks, "Do Facebook events pay off for Indie Authors?"

My answer is "sort of." The thing about social media marketing is that you really have to play to the strengths of the social media platform to which you're marketing.

So the question is really probably something more like, "Can I sell books during a Facebook event?" My answer is: "Yes, but don't count on it." Why? Because Facebook's entire raison d'etre is "exclusivity." You get to choose your friend, you get to choose who sees your posts, and you get to choose to see what ads and posts you want to see from others. Since the whole model for the Facebook platform is built around excluding others, to create a very custom, secure, and comfortable experience.

This is exactly the opposite of what a social media sales-person wants. So to play to a Facebook audience, I recommend using it for "brand management," for developing a profile that recommends one's authority in writing the books one writes. As one's Facebook audience grows (through events and other such promotional opportunities) and comes to know one's brand better through repetition, one's sales will grow.

I wrote a blog post on this very subject a few months ago. You can find it here: http://www.mdellert.com/blog/five-thi...

Thanks for the question!

By the way, it's officially "wine o'clock" on the East Coast, and I'm being plied with a fine Sardinian red, so now's the time to take advantage of me. Add your questions in the comments, and I'll answer them more truthfully than I ought to. ;)

One of my newsletter readers asks: "What do you value most in a friendship?"

I'd have to say, honesty is probably the thing I value the most in any relationship. Mistakes happen, people do stupid things (including me), but if there is honesty at both ends of the relationship, everything else in between can be resolved or forgiven.

Thanks to Mark for that question!

Here is another sample of my work, from my first novella, Hedge King in Winter. You can find out more about it on my blog: http://www.mdellert.com/blog/hedge-ki..., or from Amazon: http://getBook.at/HedgeKingInWinter

*****
Eowain could hear shouts and clashes from across the glen, where the elements of the King’s Company on the opposite hill crest had sortied against the bandits as a diversion.

Damn! They were early. He wouldn’t have much time now. He and his men had to get to the bandit camp before the daylight waned if they were going to have any chance. The villain’s lair was only two miles from his position as the ravens flew, but he’d have to lead his men twice that distance around as much of the snowy marshlands as they could avoid. Elsewise, they’d be bogged down as they assaulted up-hill.

The hills were thickly forested there, the trees bare. The storm had torn down the last frozen green summer leaves that still clung to branches. They littered the snow like glittering emeralds cast off by a careless child.

He found a low narrow place about two miles east-northeast of the ruins and crossed it with his men. A quick, quiet climb on the other side put them atop a small rise due east from the bandits.

Behind him, mighty Ydrys loomed some sixty miles distant under white-shrouded slopes. The going was hard in the snow, more so with the need to stay silent. The chief of these villains was no fool, he’d proven that. He wouldn’t leave his back unguarded.

There was another low narrow place then. A trickle of icy water ran through it, and the ground all about was sodden. Eowain’s boot squelched through muck up to his ankles, and his men and his drymyn churned the snow brown behind them.

Eowain took the van himself. He had to prove his courage, no matter how concerned Medyr and his guard were for the safety of their new king. He had to show his mettle here, or lose their faith before he’d fully earned it. The turn in the weather had been fortunate, or so it had seemed. But he feared that boon might turn dark and ominous. The Gods, after all, are forgetful.
He heard a branch snap ahead of him, and a careless whistle of relief. With the spear of his father in his strong right hand and his sword in the other, he pounced.

The single man on guard had grown careless. He’d been stomping around in a vain effort to warm himself. Eowain’s sword point went through his throat like a hungry man through pudding. For a long moment, he stared wide-eyed at his killer. Eowain gritted his teeth and gave the blade a final push, splitting the bones at the back of the man’s neck.

Across the hill, the wild melee of his diversion had drawn the strength of these villains to the west. Nothing more stood in his path.

Eowain and his troop howled up the bandit’s hill from the east like a sleuth of angry bears, striking at their rear. He had them outnumbered in the camp nigh on two to one, but he didn’t linger for a slaughter. He had but one mission: find and rescue the Lady Eithne. His troop skirmished with the enemy while he and Medyr ransacked their way through the camp.

No sammich, but I return with burrata cheese and heirloom tomatoes. Yum! Also, a new question from my newsletter readers: "What's the greatest accomplishment of your life?"

Without hesitation, my daughters. If I'm known for nothing else in this life, I'll be content to be known for their father. It's a shame I don't get to see them as often as I'd like.

Beyond that, these first four books of The Matter of Manred Saga, particularly The Wedding of Eithne, which had a lot of growing pains in getting from inspiration to publication.

But from the writing of them to the editing, proofreading, cover design, and production of them, even to the marketing aspect, I've enjoyed every minute of this crazy adventure in indie publishing, and accomplished a lot of long-standing goals for myself. :)

Time for me to get myself a dinner sammich. But before I do, "If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?"

Spidey-powers. I could totally rock some Spidey-powers. And if I could get that with a side-order of the Moxy Fruvous "Spider Man Theme" for an ambient soundtrack, that would be greeeat. ;)

https://youtu.be/uYh7x9UX0vI

Another email from the newsletter. This one is from Tom: "If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?"

Oooo. Good question. Is the future set in stone? Do our choices effect the outcomes? Could a crystal ball even do that?

But let's take for granted we have such a crystal ball. Would I want it to tell me the truth about myself and my life? Ideally, I'd like to say yes, but "caveat emptor" comes to mind: Buyer beware, or be careful what you wish for. The truth often comes with consequences, and I'm not sure I'd want the answer to some of the questions I have about myself. At least, not yet.

But if it could tell me the truth about the future, I'd want to know that my daughters are well-provided-for in their lives and educations: decent schools, good jobs, safe places to live.

And I'd be tempted to find out how this whole "author" thing turns out.

Thanks for the question!

Anne wrote: "Michael wrote: "Anne wrote: "Hi Michael. Anne here. What a great thread! Some good questions and answers.
I'd like to add my contribution to keeping you busy today (lol). Whenever I'm writing, I u..."

Always a pleasure, Anne. How is the second book in your Lost Trilogy coming?

For those who don't know Anne, she's the author of the paranormal crime thriller, Lost Girl, and has a new book coming out soon! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

To change things up a bit, this is an excerpt from a current work-in-progress, temporarily entitled "Bug Hunt."

*****
The acolyte Adarc sat on the terrace with me, and we enjoyed an afternoon’s tea. I sipped at mine and looked out over the lake at Avainnglyn. To the west, the Drægan ridge loomed, back-lit by a miraculous sunset, while we sat in gloaming upon the terrace of the shrine of Taiscrín and listened to the hum of bees in the glade nearby and the chatter of the insects in the fields. Over the lake, birds and bats swooped in the near dark.

Adarc was, on other days, a student of mine in the arts of divination. Since his arrival, we’d discussed the state of the apiaries, something I couldn't remember, and the metaphysical ramifications of the diviner’s spirit.

“But Lady, if the art of divination is truly an inspiration from the gods, then how does a writer like Goleuad in the fifth century write of Amddiffynnwr as a charlatan?”

He’s a reader. I felt one of my eyebrows twitch an inch.

An attendant of the shrine emerged and lit fragrant braziers on the terrace as the cool air off the ridge behind us and to the north swept down upon the lake.

I rubbed the goose bumps from my arms. “Medyr has you reading Goleuad?” I’d studied him myself at the Imperial Academy: a rhetorician and satirist of the ancient world, known for his witty and scoffing nature. An honest skeptic.

The boy nodded. “Aye, Lady.”

I waved a hand at him. “This isn’t a lesson, Adarc. We are colleagues, you may call me Neued.”

“But Lady—.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. He stammered.

“—Neued. Sorry.” He blushed. “But what of Goleuad’s skepticism? It denies without proof that which can be proven.”

“And what is it that you think can be proven?” He’s a bit of a philosopher, this one. I liked him. I wasn’t much of a philosopher, but I remembered reading Goleuad myself when I was his age.

He put forward the counter-argument I remembered. “The spectral experience of the ætheric medium, the truth of spectral evidence.”

And I remembered how my own professor had questioned me. “What makes you think these things can be proven?”

“I have heard and read tales of such things. And with my own eyes—.”

“How can you prove to me what you have seen with your own eyes if I have not seen it with my own eyes?”

“But I have seen—.”

“Prove it.” I watched as he paused, seemingly confounded. I felt a bit of malicious pride in doing to him what my own mentors through the years had done to me.
*****
Memories of good times spent with professors who never let me get away with the easy answers. ;)