Editor's Touch

I look at my two Titan books and the impact that editing has had on them and I start to wonder what many of the published books I see in bookstores would look like had they not gone through editing stages through traditional publishers. What changes were put forth to authors and forced into a manuscript that may otherwise not have been there. Does this change the overall message of the author? Would Titan have turned into some noble hearted sparkling vampire with a wand instead of a staff, and a lightning bolt scar instead of a lightning bolt T? This truly represents the key reason that I chose to go independent and did not even try to go through publishers (which may not have been successful anyhow). I want control over my own work. Any editing notes I receive now, I can choose, right or wrong, to take the advice or not. Titan is truly a product of my own vision. I get plenty of help producing that vision, but it is still principally mine, and I can decide the fate of the series and do with it what I wish, how I wish.

Titan: The Midnight Hour Kindle Edition Free Promotion Ends Today!

Titan: The Midnight Hour Kindle Edition will be completing its last free promotion run on Amazon.com today! Get in on the ground floor of the exciting superhero book series now before the second Titan adventure is released!

Titan Vol. 3

While I am in between edits of Titan: City Under Siege I am finalising the structure of Titan Vol. 3, Shadow Games. It is a very fine balance, but as it's all under the same series I find it not too bad to keep everything straight as far as characters and time lines. I did create a Titanverse guide for myself to reference while I was writing and plotting on part of the series including the mini serials. It not only helped me keep characters straight and remember what already happened and when, but it also it also helps me with everything that I have planned for future volumes. Also, now that I am well into 2 and about to start 3 I get feel things really beginning to pick up and I cannot wait for readers to get into these volumes. So much happens and the pace picks up so much and I can honestly say that it comes to a nice mini conclusion at the midway point with book 4, The Reign of Diablo, before I move on to the final three books.

Show vs. Tell

One of the biggest things I had to learn in my writing process was the difference of showing versus telling. It seemed that from going from my mind to the page only wanted to straight up narrate the story and not add in all the colourful detail that can make a book stand out. For example, when writing an action scene in "The Midnight Hour" I would tell the reader how the cop with the gun aimed at Titan may have been nervous instead of showing him shaking or sweating or anything else to indicate this without coming right out and just saying it.

I ended up having to incorporate it completely in my writing process. I was able to quickly realise the impact of how I was writing it in the overall effect of my story. It seemed like such a simple thing yet, in the early stages of "The Midnight Hour" I was doing it again and again. I can't understate the importance of the entire experience I had in writing that first book. I look back now and I truky can't believe how far I have come. It took me five years from when I first started planning the Titan series to when "The Midnight Hour" first came out. Now it will be just under eighteen months from that book to the second. Show Vs. Tell is one of the big things I am looking for now in this next draft of the book. Hopefully it helps make the reading experience a little better.

The Complete Titan Series

The following is the list of all seven Titan book titles and the names of the villains Titan will be facing in each one:

Vol. 1
The Midnight Hour: Mr. Midnight, Kaizen, Inferno
Vol 2
City Under Siege: Shock and Awe, Dr. Melodian, Hawk, Sonic, Hammerhead
Vol 3
Shadow Games: Ice Queen, Mezmorozo, Shockwave, Shadow
Vol 4
Reign of Diablo: Diablo, Tuok, Hyak, Molten Men
Vol 5
Trinity of Evil: The Claw, Mr. Midnight, Dr. Melodian, Mezmorozo, Serpentine, Wolfbane
Vol 6
Multiplicity: The Reaper, Shadow, Warlock, Siren, Kaizen
Vol 7
Midnight's Dawn: Mr. Midnight, Diablo

Titan Special Promotion

Titan: The Midnight Hour Kindle edition will be available for special promotion on Amazon.com Friday March 8th through Saturday March 9th!

Dialogue Daze II

As I have stated previously, dialogue is extremely important in writing a manuscript. Anyone will tell you the value of writing good dialogue into the writing process. Some people do just seem to have a certain knack for it. Others, and I place myself in this category, have to work at it and develop it over time.

While I was writing Titan: The Midnight Hour my editors told me I wrote dialogue well, mind you I said well not great or fantastic. I really worked at making the dialogue feel natural and real. For that book, when I was dealing with Michael and his friend least, I simply envisioned myself as Michael and having these same conversations with my friends when I was his age.

Since I started 'The Midnight Hour' I have paid very close attention to dialogue in the books I read for pleasure, movies I watch, and the way people around me talk. I have done what I can to study the very nuance of speech. That's still not to say that I've figured t all out and can now write characters and dialogue like Stephen King, who I've always felt was one of the greats in this department. When I first read Stephen King I was blown away not by the fantastic story elements of his book but by how well his characters were drawn out and communicated.

When I was going through the first draft of Titan: City Under Siege I've tried to let a lot of the dialogue drive the manuscript. I even wrote many of the dialogue parts more like a film script than a book manuscript. I'm really trying to let the talking do the walking with this new book. I really try and put myself in the pace of my characters and answer or speak as I would if I were them. Now that I'm in the full second draft stage I am really looking to polish this aspect up as much as I can.

Truth is I'll always be doubting myself and how good I may or may not have written a book. I will, however always be looking to practise and improve. What else can you do?