Sales of both Mountain Man and Safari are going well. MM has tapered downwards to about 40 a day, while Safari brings in between 40 to 60.

I’m happy.

I’m also concerned. I have to squeeze out at least two fantasy sequels in the coming year, and use the funds that the MM series is generating to get them to market. I also have to take my time writing and developing them, as the money coming in just might be needed going into death valley (ie the summer months and early fall when sales drop off). So while I’m fine right now, I have to still be conservative with any profit. I didn’t really do much in the way of promotions, relying on the truest form–word of mouth. If you know someone who might like MM–please let them know or write a review. You’re helping me out.

Still looking into paperbacks. My accountant is supposed to get back to me about just how much in taxes I might have to pay if I go forward with the thing. As it stands now, a royalty for me off a $15 dollar book would be something like $1.70 (making a paperback is expensive). However, Canadian taxes on that sale might be $1.80. So, for every copy I might sell, I’ll lose a dime. LOL a  bestseller would put me into the streets! I have no idea what expenses an audiobook might might incur.

Work continues on MM3, about (checks) 51K into it right now. Really don’t know how long it will be, but I’m going to push the release time on this one back to maybe Christmas–just to make sure it’s done right.

I tell you , I need a break from zombie fiction. Zombies everyday is not good for the digestion. Really looking forward to getting back to some heroic fantasy. I do have a MM4 in mind, but that will require a lot of research that, at this time, I’m just not capable of. So that one will go on the back burner. I still want to do a Vampire story as well, but that’s after the next round of fantasy stuff. I also came up with an interesting idea for a story about demons so I’ll be checking off all the classic monsters on my list. And I’m going to redo another SF Fantasy story that will probably be novella length.

With the money from MM, I think I’m okay rent-wise for next year, and for that, thank you all very muchly.

If you are looking for new zombie reads after MM–check out Daniel Molles’ “The Remaining” and Stephen Knight’s “The Rising Horde.” I haven’t read either yet, but I expect good things from both. Daniel’s books (Remaining one and the sequel) are in or flirting with top ten status. Daniels’ second book  (the Aftermath) in his series is around number 6 now (as of this writing) and “World War Z” is number 12. There are a lot of zombie books in the top 100, which still surprises me as I figured readers of the genre might be getting tired of zombies–apparently not yet. I still think it might be because of “The Walking Dead” and its growing popularity,  and readers wanting more of the genre in between TWD episodes/comic books. but that’s just me.

Have a good one…

What do you think?

From the very very very talented Wayne Miller. You like?

Or Mountain Man 2,  if you will.

Just finished my work for the day, and ended on page 140 of what MS Word tells me is a 248 page book.  I’m going over the first draft of the manuscript and there might be a few extra pages to be added, and there might be a few taken out. MM Safari goes to the editor on March 20th, and so I hope for a early May release. It takes time edit a book, go through the thing, and then wait for the proofreaders to go through it.

Also, in case you haven’t heard, this one will be all on Gus. Scott won’t be making an appearance. Scott will get his own story, which will follow MM2. Gus is pretty much on his own in the second book, and his story is finished at the end. I mentioned it before–MM was originally intended as one big book, but as Christmas 2011 approached, and I needed the cash, I decided to put the first half out there to generate the funds I needed to get number two out. I’m happy to say this plan worked, and I should be writing well into the summer (well, as long as my rent doesn’t go up). It’s still touch and go–any one of these books coming out might not be well liked by you guys, and that would pretty much sink my boat and hopes for a writing career. For now, however, things are a little more solid, a little more secure, and for that, I thank you–you folks who bought the book, read it, who sometimes left a very flattering review, and in some cases told your friends. Can’t say how much I appreciate it. Y’saved my bacon.

I do have some bad news.

Like I mentioned in earlier posts. I’m mostly a fantasy writer but with a few horror tales to tell. I have a Vampire story in mind, as well as a Werewolf one, but after that, it gets sketchy. Now, I have plenty of heroic fantasy stories to tell, but the people who’ve enjoyed my horror fiction might not like that. I can only tell both audiences that I try to be fair to both, but the heroic fantasy readers will have more to read from me in the long run. And after MM3 (Scott’s story), I have a few fantasy books that are in need of a Part 2. They will take precedence.

That might change though. I do have a few horror short stories that might get bundled into a collection much like “Cauldron Gristle,” and by then, an idea  for a much longer novel might certainly take root.

Then again, the next few books might not sell at all, which would take care of a lot of my “ifs.”

Have a good weekend (and check out the writers in my blog roll there, as well as books featured in older posts).

Now available on Amazon.

Mad.
Brutal.
Unpredictable.

And those are their good points.

Vicious. Hateful. Foul-mouthed and bad tempered… He-Dog and Balless are all of these and more but, as mercenaries go, they are not without some merit. After accepting a mission that no one wanted, He-Dog and Balless travel the treacherous Lands of the South to the glittering city of Foust. There, they find the fabled walls under a massive Beastman siege.

No one in their right mind would try to get past an army of Beastmen. But He-Dog, Balless, and their companions aren’t in their right minds.

Getting into Foust is utter madness.
Getting out will get them killed.

About 280 pages, or 84,000 words.