22 August 2007

Just Published...

“…a wonderful novel with compelling characters and heart-pounding suspense. The reader becomes fully immersed in the plot, and stays riveted to the end.” -Editorial Consultant to Solemnly Swear

Solemnly Swear is now available online at the iUniverse Bookstore (click the Buy It Now link below). In the coming weeks, it will also be available at Amazon.com, BN.com, Books-A-Million.com and many more online sites. Tucson, Arizona Events: Solemnly Swear will also debut in the Barnes and Noble store on Broadway in September. Author book signings will be held at The University of Arizona Bookstore, and the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base BX, in the coming months (dates to be determined). Discount prices will be available online, in-store, and at special events. So buy now or mark your calendars for future availability & events.

See http://www.joeporrazzo.com/ for details or Buy It Now!

19 August 2007

MYSTERY OR THRILLER – OR BOTH?

When someone finds out that I have a book being released soon; inevitably, their first questions are: “Fiction or nonfiction;” and “What genre is it?” The ensuing question is usually: “Is it a mystery or a thriller?” Hmmm, what’s the difference?

Let’s ask Mr. Webster, shall we?

Mys´ter`y Pronunciation: mĭs´ter`ŷ
A profound secret; something wholly unknown, or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; something which has not been or can not be explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension.

Thrill er ; - )
A thriller is a novel of suspense with a plot structure that reinforces the elements of gamesmanship and the chase, with a sense of the hunt being paramount. Thrillers can be spy novels, tales of geopolitical crisis, legal thrillers, medical thrillers, technothrillers, domestic thrillers. The common thread is a growing sense of threat and the excitement of pursuit. A fast-paced, high stakes crime story in which the protagonist is generally in danger at every turn, with the most danger coming in the final confrontation with the antagonist.

Okay, seems to go hand-in-hand. But where does Solemnly Swear fit?

As a brand new member of the Mystery Writers of America, I was reading their magazine and came across an interesting distinction: “Mysteries, you don’t know who the bad guys are, and thrillers, you know who the bad guys are and the story is if the hero will stop them.”

Very interesting. So, if you consider the number of twists and red herrings found in Solemnly Swear, my answer to the ensuing question for now on will be: “It’s a mystery, then a thriller, then a mystery, then a thriller…”

05 August 2007

Fun Stuff

HELLO, MY NAME IS JOE AND I’M A RECOVERING TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR WANNABE. ACTUALLY, THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY TRUE. MY MYSTERY/SUSPENSE NOVEL IS IN FINAL PRODUCTION WITH IUNIVERSE SUPPORTED SELF-PUBLISHING (TITLE AND WEB SITE BELOW) AND SHOULD BE RELEASED BY THE END OF AUGUST.

TO BE FAIR, I NEVER ATTEMPTED TO GET IT TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED BASED ON A LOT OF HARD RESEARCH AND MY PERSONAL GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS. I JUST DIDN’T HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO “FIGHT” THE SYSTEM, OR TO WASTE ON READING REJECTION LETTERS (MOST OF WHICH WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WORK BUT REFLECT THE FAILINGS OF A BOTTOM LINE INDUSTRY CURRENTLY IN THERAPY).

I AM A FORTY SOMETHING RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICER CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN MY “SECOND” CAREER. I LIKE TO WRITE AND WE’LL SEE WHERE THAT TAKES ME (OR LEAVES ME). INSTEAD OF SPENDING MY DISPOSABLE TIME SENDING QUERY LETTERS AND DRINKING HEAVILY AS I READ REJECTION LETTERS, I SPEND THE TIME WORKING ON MY SECOND NOVEL, AND MARKETING MY FIRST ONE. I READ ALL OF YOUR POSTS IN THE “INTRO” THREAD. MY POST ISN’T FOR EVERYONE, BUT I HOPE IT HELPS THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE EITHER IN A SIMILAR SITUATION AS MINE, THINKING OF WRITING A BOOK, OR ARE CONTEMPLATING DUSTING OFF A MANUSCRIPT ON YOUR SHELF AND GETTING IT TO MARKET.

TRUTH BE KNOWN, I REALLY DID HAVE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS OF FINDING AN AGENT AND A PUBLISHER. I BOUGHT ALL THE RIGHT BOOKS (WRITER’S MARKET, GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS, ETC.), AND READ ALL OF THE “WRITE” STUFF. I ALSO TOOK SOME WRITING CLASSES IN COLLEGE, AND COMPLETED THE WRITER’S DIGEST WRITING COURSE ONLINE WORKING WITH A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DIDN’T SUBMIT MY MANUSCRIPT OR QUERY PACKAGE TO ANYONE. I WILL SELF-PUBLISH AS AN UNKNOWN AND MAYBE GET LUCKY AND GET PICKED UP TO TRADITIONALLY PUBLISH MY SECOND BOOK (30 PERCENT COMPLETE). I LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT I AM A PRODUCT OF THE NEW PUBLISHING WORLD. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHERS JUST DON’T HAVE THE TIME AND MONEY TO TAKE A CHANCE ON AN UNKNOWN (UNLESS YOU HAVE A HARRY POTTER IN YOU OR YOU ARE THE NEXT JOHN GRISHAM). THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE THE TALENT, THE TIME, AND THICK SKIN, I SAY, GO FOR IT…

DID I SETTLE? YEAH, I GUESS…BUT THAT’S WHAT WORKED FOR ME AND MY SCHEDULE, AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. HERE’S WHY: MY RESEARCH IDENTIFIED IUNIVERSE AS THE LEADER IN THE SELF-PUBLISHING INDUSTRY, AND THEY HAVEN’T LET ME DOWN. I PUT IN THE INITIAL COST ("TUITION") FOR THEIR BEST PUBLISHING PACKAGE AND EDITORIAL SERVICE (THAT PROVIDED ME WITH SOME GREAT EDITING, CORRECTIONS, SUGGESTIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED THAT IS PAYING HUGE DIVIDENDS AS I WRITE MY SECOND BOOK). THEN, THEY STARTED PUTTING SOME MONEY, TIME AND ATTENTION INTO MY BOOK! IT WAS DESIGNATED THEIR COVETED EDITOR’S AND PUBLISHER’S CHOICE AWARDS RESULTING IN A PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED PAPERBACK COVER (ALSO COMES IN HARDCOVER WITH A TRADITIONAL DUST JACKET) THAT MEETS INDUSTRY STANDARDS, AND PROOFREADING. NOT ONLY DOES IT COME OUT IN A FEW WEEKS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT BARNESANDNOBLE.COM, AMAZON.COM AND THOUSANDS MORE OF ONLINE SITES, BUT IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MY TUCSON, ARIZONA BARNES AND NOBLE STORE (ON THE NEW RELEASE TABLE AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE) FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS (WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO REGIONAL OR EVEN NATIONAL DEPENDING ON SALES). TRY THAT WITH LULU OR OTHER VANITY SELF-PUBLISHERS—YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! YES, AS A PERSON WHO NEVER IMAGINED HAVING A BOOK WITH MY NAME ON IT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC…I AM EXCITED! MOST OF THE MARKETING IS UP TO ME...BUT I AM MY BEST PROMOTER/SUPPORTER AND ALREADY HAVE THREE BOOK SIGNINGS, A LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW, AND TWO NEWSPAPER INTERVIEWS SET UP.

SORRY FOR THE LONG POST, BUT I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME HOPE, AND MAYBE SOME DIRECTION, TO THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE “THINKING” ABOUT PUBLISHING. JUST DO IT. MY BOOK MAY END UP BEING A BUST, BUT AT LEAST I GAVE IT A SHOT AND WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT. IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN MY NEXT POST WILL START WITH: HELLO, MY NAME IS JOE AND I’M A RECOVERING SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR. GOOD LUCK TO ALL, AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU TO SHARE STORIES AS YOU ENJOY PERSONAL SUCCESS.

JOE P.
SOLEMNLY SWEAR
WWW.JOEPORRAZZO.COM

20 July 2007

Write On!

Wow, thank you to everyone who has called and emailed (and sent snail mail cards) to me at home and at work. Your praise and best wishes for my book, web site and this blog have meant a lot to me.

Things are pretty hectic these days, so I figured I would post my thanks in case I don't get back to each of you in a timely fashion. Please know that I appreciate the support. This blog is also a good way to answer your questions (and I only have to write it once ; - ).

Anyway, Solemnly Swear is in the home stretch. It was delayed 3-4 weeks, in a good way, because it received the Editor's Choice and Publisher's Choice Awards. That resulted in a new cover and professional proofreading, and the new, professional book cover design is done (check it out on the web site). The awards also guarantee that Solemnly Swear will be released at the Tucson Barnes and Noble, on the new release table at the front of the store, for at least 8 weeks. If it does well, it will hit stores throughout the region and perhaps beyond. I also have a few book signing events set up. We should still be on target for a August release.

My second novel, False Hopes, is coming along. Where Solemnly Swear was set mainly in New England (Peabody & Revere, Massachusetts; and University of New Hampshire, Dover & Durham, New Hampshire); this one will be set mainly in Arizona (University of Arizona,Tucson and some scenes in Phoenix).

Again, thanks to all family and old friends, and now some new friends, for taking the time to review my web site and to write me. Also, thanks to all former military associates throughout the Air Force and ROTC. I'll let you know as soon as the official release "hits the street." jgp


17 July 2007

Total Control...A Good Thing or a Bad Thing?

There are definite differences between traditional and self-publishing. One of the main differences is total control, and it's overrated. I was torn on the ending of Solemnly Swear. I mean, I actually couldn't decide on keeping the original ending, which was one of the first things I wrote down when I started writing the story, or changing it to meet some "reader's needs" and feedback.

I received some good input from family and friends--you can always count on that--which only made it harder to solve the split decision. It doesn't help to know that the author has the final say in the self-publishing world. What solved it for me...? I had the audacity to ask the "experts" what they thought.

I contacted the publisher and asked them to pose my question of alternate endings to the professional editors who had worked on my book. A few days later I got the advice I had so hoped to get. They liked my original ending but offered a little tweak here and there. I took it a step further and was able to figure out a solution where I was satisfied, and I think most readers will be satisfied with the ending. And, here it is...Alex is getting...oops...oh, man, I just ran out of typewriter ribbon. Looks like you will just have to read Solemnly Swear to see what happens...

14 July 2007

The Thought Plickens...

The plot thickened for me when my brother, Dave, in California called to tell me how sometimes fiction resembles fiction:

“Hey, did you watch the Sopranos?”

“No, I’ve never seen one episode of the Sopranos.”

“You wrote a book about the Mafia, and you’ve never watched the Sopranos?”

“Nope.”

“Well, one of the last episodes has a car accident scene pretty similar to Solemnly Swear. But instead of it being the Mob boss and his wife as in Solemnly Swear, the Sopranos had the Mob boss and his nephew.”

Oh, great. I knew I took too long getting this crazy book to the market. Anyway, I still haven’t seen the episode, but I did look it up online and compared the scene…

Sopranos: Barreling along a deserted New Jersey highway, the two of them groused about the deal going sour. Meanwhile, Christopher kept taking his eyes off the road to fine-tune his sound system (which notably was playing "Comfortably Numb" from the soundtrack for the recent film "The Departed").

Solemnly Swear: The bouncing lights, blinding me as I glanced in the rearview mirror, scared the hell out of me. They were fast approaching from behind—much too fast, as it turned out. I swerved my Mercedes sharply to the right just as an SUV passed with only inches to spare. The resulting air stream buffeted my car as if an eighteen-wheeler had just sped past. The SUV was traveling at least twenty miles per hour over the posted speed limit and was swerving all over the road. As it passed, I caught a quick glimpse of what looked to be a middle-aged couple inside. The woman was driving, and the man in the passenger’s seat was reaching over, as if to grab the steering wheel.

Sopranos: Then his sport utility vehicle abruptly crossed the centerline. Christopher veered off the road to miss an oncoming car and crashed down a hill.

Solemnly Swear: The white Cadillac Escalade veered into the oncoming lane heading directly for the concrete wall that separated the road from the beach. I watched in horror as the SUV hit the curb without braking. It bounced straight up and then flipped over twice before landing right-side-up and hitting the wall broadside. The vehicle skidded for at least forty yards, with the driver’s side making contact with the wall and shooting up dangerous friction-generated bursts of sparks. It finally ran out of road and rolled into a grassy knoll, coming to rest alongside the wall.

Sopranos: Tony was banged up, but Christopher was in far more serious condition. Having suffered internal injuries, he was spitting up blood and gasping for breath.

Solemnly Swear: I noticed movement inside the vehicle. I stepped up onto the SUV’s running board and peered in through the broken window, and saw a scene that would forever be imbedded in my mind. A man and a woman were trapped in the SUV. The glow of the moonlight and the strobe-like flicker of the front blinker added an eerie effect. The man looked to be in his late fifties; his dark hair was slightly graying at the temples. He was bleeding from a deep gash in the middle of his forehead, but he didn’t seem to notice. The woman was probably a couple years younger than her companion. Her eyes were closed, and her long blonde hair spilled across her face, although it didn’t hide her painful grimace. Her death must have been agonizing.

Sopranos: He pleaded for help. But before Tony could dial 911, the dazed Christopher added, as if about to face a DUI charge, "I'll never pass the drug test. Call me a taxi." Feeling betrayed yet again by Christopher (who had routinely vowed that he was drug-free), Tony made a fateful decision: It was time to solve this personnel problem. Tony pinched Christopher's nose, guaranteeing he would smother, and, looking comfortably numb, Christopher faded away.

Solemnly Swear: The man was almost on top of the woman, and they were both drenched in the bright red blood—the majority of which, I soon realized, belonged to the woman. The man was holding a jagged shard of glass in his right hand. He was using it to slit the woman’s throat from ear to ear.

While not an identical match, that’s where the similarities end. My brother George told me to look at the bright side…maybe I have a future writing sitcoms for TV. At least the TV scene lends some credibility to my book’s plot. Anyway, I don’t think the producers of that Sopranos 2007 episode will come after me; since Solemnly Swear was written and copyrighted in 2002 (it also has a 2007 copyright pending for the cover artwork and new parts of the book).

07 July 2007

He Said...She Said!

Well, I guess it was inevitable. My title has hit the market before my story has...or my book for that matter. Solemnly Swear is now available for purchase...but not my Solemnly Swear. Author Nancy Moser has just released her Xth number book, and it is called Solemnly Swear.

Some history: I started writing Solemnly Swear in 2002 and even applied for a copyright when it consisted of just 182 pages. It has changed significantly since then--but not the title. I sent for another copyright in 2007 now that it is ready for publishing. But, you cannot copyright a title. I heard about Nancy Moser a few months ago and contacted her via email when I heard about her new book due out in July. Here is her reply:

"...I read your synopsis online and our books are nothing the same. Mine focuses on four members of a jury in the trial over the death of a host in a hotel restaurant. It's more about the jury than the trial. And it's certainly not a mystery thriller like yours involving the mob. I've had this happen before with a few of my novels. Mary Higgins Clark even had one named the same as mine (or was mine the same as hers?) "Second Time Around". Wish I had her sales! You can't copyright titles, so it happens. Good luck with your book. Nancy Moser"

So, there you have it. Ms. Moser is a published author and she was gracious enough to respond to my email. Her book is now out, and mine has been delayed...which is probably a good thing since there will be a lapse of time between the similar titles. Write on!

04 July 2007

SELF-PUBLISHING…WRITER WRONG?

Be careful what you ask for…you might just get it. Don’t set the bar too low…you may just trip over it. Sound familiar? I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I sat down to write Solemnly Swear. When people ask me why I wrote a book, I simply reply: “No one told me I couldn’t.” When people ask me why I chose to self-publish, well…that’s a different story.

Back in the 1990’s, I had an idea for a mystery novel. But, one idea does not a book make. I’ve always been an avid reader and toyed with the idea of writing. I was loyal to authors like Stephen King, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, Dean Koontz and Tom Clancy…but my interests are varied. The ideas and pieces for a book came together slowly as I moved my family around the country from one military assignment to another. Then, in 2001, I found myself in the best “job” I’ve ever had. I was teaching Air Force ROTC at the University of New Hampshire as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Science. I was also the Commandant of Cadets for a corps of about seventy-five awesome students/cadets.

More and more, I mentally outlined the plot in my mind. It all came together when I was asked to leave UNH early and relocate to AFROTC Headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama. One evening in the summer of 2002, I was home watching a video of Vanilla Sky starring Tom Cruise (I didn’t like it at all). I got bored watching the movie—pipe dreaming about doing better—and got the creative juices flowing in my mind again. That’s when the last piece fell into place. I got up from the couch and sat down at my computer to write Solemnly Swear. I took a week off from work and wrote the whole story, about 30,000 words. It wasn’t a novel yet, but I had the hard parts written…the beginning, some of the back-story, the ending…and some pretty good scenes. It took another six months to finish the book (building scenes, editing, character building and continuity, re-writing, etc.) ending up with over 92,000 words in over 400 pages.

But, as I tell people…that was the easy part.

As most people in the industry will tell you, the traditional publishing process will never be the same. The big publishing houses are at the point where they rely on the big names and the sure sellers. I’ve spent the past few years realizing, with few exceptions, that agents and publishers take on very few new and first-time authors. Becoming one of them can take years, and then more years before the book makes it to market. I didn't have the patience. I didn’t even try. That was how discouraged I was after all the research. I take it back, I sent one query letter/package (experts say you need to send hundreds…and many people do just that). I researched a new author that I thought I most closely resembled in writing style. I found out who her literary agent was and I looked him up online. His name is David Hale Smith, and his web site clearly stated that, “As of June 1 2003, we are no longer accepting unsolicited queries or submissions. We accept new material by referral only. Unless specifically requested, we will not be able to read or respond to your submission.” I sent a query letter anyway. Why choose an agent who is not busy? That was when I received my first, and only, infamous rejection letter. The letter read in part, “…After considering your proposed project, we have come to the decision that your material is not appropriate for our agency. This is not a judgment of the quality of your work, but rather a decision we are making based on our company’s needs at this time. Thanks again for your submission. I wish you the best of luck in your search for representation and publication.” Okay, you’re welcome. I didn’t take the rejection personally, but I did use it as an indication of where the industry was at the time.

That’s when I heard about self-publishing and started more research (I apologize for the length of this blog post, but it feels good to clear my chest…hoping that it can possibly help someone else going through this ordeal). I had the same stereotypes and fears of self-publishing. Would I be taken seriously? Would Solemnly Swear look like a professional book? The questions were endless. That’s when I had to answer my own questions. What is your goal? What do you expect from…..etc., etc., etc? Suffice to say that I did my homework. I corresponded with many self-publishers by email, snail mail, and by phone (some very lengthy discussions). I learned a lot about the print-on-demand industry. I chose iUniverse before I even knew they were the industry leader. I was referred by a friend-of-a-friend who had successfully published with them. I really liked the idea that I got the last say in the manuscript, cover, and the book itself. So far I haven’t been disappointed in the least. There was an upfront cost (very reasonable) but now they are pumping money into Solemnly Swear now that it won its first award. They have professional editors and I’ve been impressed with their book polishing and traditional cover design process.

My goal is to make it to the iUniverse Star Program and see how well the book can do in the marketplace. If it turns out to be “one and done,” then I can at least say that I did it. If it does well, then maybe I’ll have a shot at traditionally publishing my second book, False Hopes (although I wouldn’t hesitate to publish through iUniverse again). But first things first…let’s see how the first book does.

The majority of test readers have talked about Solemnly Swear as a movie. I try not to get ahead of myself, but it is fun to talk (to those that have already read it) about who would play what part and who would be interested in the screenplay. It has somehow been compared to The Departed, and the first name mentioned to direct it is Martin Scorsese. Okay, back to reality. The bottom line is that Solemnly Swear is my “first-born,” and I took my time choosing who and how to publish. Writer wrong, let’s hope I made the right call.

01 July 2007

WRITER WRONG, HERE THEY COME...

Hi, thanks for visiting my blog. This is my first post. I am getting more and more excited as I get closer to publishing my first book.

Solemnly Swear has received great reviews from test readers and is due to be released in August. It recently received the iUniverse Editor's Choice award so it's looking good. I'm also working on a second novel called False Hopes that I hope will be released sometime in 2008.

Please check out both books on my web site, www.joeporrazzo.com, and come back soon. I welcome your comments, questions and general feedback...