suspsense

All posts tagged suspsense

Writer’s Block

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 21, 2010
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It’s like erectile dysfunction – only worse (just to clarify – not that I have ever experienced ED)!I know the words are knocking around in there somewhere but they get lost in translation between my gray-matter and my fingers.

Perhaps its the pressure of dealing with change. The new publishing contract calls for a revised Asylum Lake; not wholesale changes but definitely some copy-editing and a revised ending. I think maybe that’s my struggle – the ending (see previous post on endings).

Personally, I have never been good at endings – happy or otherwise.  With the original published version of Asylum Lake I wanted to leave readers with more questions than answers. Feedback has been split on my performance. Trust me, I can understand the desire to want to know more. I, too, have an inquisitive mind – and the benefit of knowing all of the answers to the questions surrounding, Dr. Clovis, the asylum, and what happens next.

People still laugh when I tell them that Asylum Lake is a love story.  It seems so obvious to me. Maybe I just have a different perspective on love, and certainly far different experiences.

So that is where I am – my next project, FLIGHT, calls to me and I am being pulled once again into the mysteries of this damn lake.

p.s. I guess this gives me a chance to kill the dog after-all…:)

The PR Machine Rolls On

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 16, 2010
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It was a good day for team Asylum Lake.  Orders for my debut thriller are rolling in (a fact that always makes me smile and wonder if access to other, better books has been cut off) and the hard work I have undertaken in promotion of the novel is paying off in other ways, too.

I spent a fair amount of time on the phone today with a reporter from The Grand Rapids Press discussing Asylum Lake, self-publishing, and my creative marketing strategies.  You see, people are taking notice. Despite the 138 rejection letters I have received from literary agents and publishers about Asylum Lake (yes, I count them!), it appears as though readers are connecting with my warped, twisted, and darkly humorous tale.  Although this pleases me to no end, I take equal satisfaction in the kudos I am receiving for the marketing and publicity work I am doing. Hell, writing has been my hobby – I pay the bills with my marketing genius!

Over the weekend a very nice piece will appear in the Grand Rapids Press – accompanied by photos of some of my digital billboards and maybe even a shot of me signing a few books (consider this fair warning).

So why am I telling you this? Hmm…good question. I swear I had a point when I sat down to write this post.  To be honest, I am still trying to wrap my head around all of this and I do some of my best thinking behind a keyboard.  I wanted to share the news and thought who better to be on the receiving end than the dozen or so random people who actually take the time to follow this blog.

Prepare for a major announcement in the very near future.

Thanks for listening!

Selling It!

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 6, 2010
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So exactly how does a self-published author go about selling his work? Seriously, if you have that answer let me know because I don’t have a clue! Okay, maybe I have somewhat of a clue.

I have the good fortune of being affiliated with an independent bookstore – Schuler Books & Music.  This family-owned business has been a wonderful partner for me. In fact, their Espresso Book Machine is the very piece of equipment which Asylum Lake is printed upon. It’s amazing to watch; the entire process from printing and cutting to binding takes about four minutes per book.

I’m not sure what I would do without my Schuler’s relationship. They have been ultra-supportive – from hosting author signings and promoting my title to walking me through the ropes of publishing. In fact, right now you can purchase my title online and they will ship it for free (see, now that is selling it!).

But the partnership just isn’t enough.  I am one title on their shelves (and trust me – they have A LOT of shelves).  So I sell myself in other ways. Okay, that sounded wrong and as desperate as I am even I haven’t reached that level…yet.  Right now I have a number of digital billboards up across West Michigan.  I am fortunate to have some contacts in the outdoor biz and I couldn’t pass up the prices. Is this resulting in additional sales?  I’m not sure, but website traffic is up and I will take that every day of the week.

Also, in case you hadn’t noticed, I blog. Yeah – crazy, isn’t it. This, in addition to my facebook fan page, helps me stay connected with people. I welcome questions, feedback, any interaction with fans and would-be fans. I think about what it would have been like to be able to send good ol’ Steve King an email or facebook message asking him why he chose the name Christine for that evil car.  How cool would that be?

At the end of the day it all boils down to word-of-mouth. Whether it’s you telling a friend how awesome Asylum Lake is or a reviewer sharing their opinion with the masses, me selling books relies a lot on people talking to people. So if you truly enjoy Asylum Lake and want to continue reading about Brady Tanner’s search for the elusive Dr. Wesley Clovis, turn a friend or co-worker onto the story.  Add some chills to your holidays by taking the advice of my shiny digital billboards!

 

Digital Billboard

You might be a serial killer

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 4, 2010
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I’ve seen the look a million times now and I know exactly what it means.  It starts with a widening of the eyes and a sharp intake of breath and is usually followed by at least one step back. It’s the “you might be a serial killer” look and I get it a lot.

No, not because I actually look like a serial killer (at least that’s not the look I am going for).  It’s the look I get from fans who have read Asylum Lake and are having a difficult time connecting my quiet and calm demeanor with the bloodthirsty carnage and creepiness I write about. Sure, I have written about using hedge-clippers to take off the hands and feet of small children, but that doesn’t mean I actually have a collection of the little fingers and toes in my basement freezer (note to self – buy a new larger basement freezer).

I firmly believe that my writing about all things bloody actually makes me less prone to be a serial killer; I kinda get it out of my system in a very healthy and non-violent way. Besides, it all seems like so much work. Between the act of actually doing the deed and then everything that is involved with the cleanup afterward, I would much rather sit behind this keyboard and let my imagination do the heavy lifting.

So here are my top three clues to look for to determine if you might you might be a serial killer:

  1. If you drive a white van – you might be a serial killer.  Seriously, am I the only one who believes every white van on the road is either driving to or from a crime scene?
  2. If you’ve ever been inside the crawl space of your home – you might be a serial killer. Can anybody tell me what these are used for – aside from burying bodies?
  3. If your neighbors think you are just a quiet guy who keeps to himself – you might be a serial killer. I defy you to find me even one TV interview where a neighbor says after the police roll up, “Yeah, I suspected that dude was making lampshades out of human skin and keeping severed heads in his fridge.”

How about you? Got anything to add to this list?

I thought it was hard to write a book!

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 3, 2010
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I’m a good two weeks into the blog now and learning quickly that I could ramble on and on about any number of things and still get the same circle of small friends to read. It’s got me thinking that writing a blog is in many ways much more difficult than writing a novel.

When I wrote Asylum Lake I knew the ending.  Of course, I didn’t realize right away that I wouldn’t actually be getting to it until the conclusion of book number three. Apparently George Lucas and I share the same affliction – we don’t know where to start or to stop a story. Thankfully, however, I see no Jar Jar’s in my future. Regardless, I always knew that the ending to the story I launched in Asylum Lake would totally rock at the close of Parting The Veil (and trust me it does).

Blogs are different; they never really end. Writing a blog feels very similar to the movie Groundhog Day. I wake up each day and know what to expect — two cups of coffee to melt away the writer’s block of ice covering my brain, momentary inspiration accompanied by frenzied typing, and then complete and utter anxiety as I wait for comments and views. It’s like sending an “I like you. Do you like me? Check yes or no.” note to the world and then sitting back to see what happens. The only thing missing from this process is my trusty Trapper Keeper and slick parachute pants from sixth grade. Oh how I miss the 80′s!

So if you are reading this, please check the “Yes” box and drop me comment, sign up as an official follower, and maybe even recommend my blog to a friend. If not, I may have to rely on my old standby from Junior High disappointment — trust me it’s scary

Just don’t kill the dog!

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 3, 2010
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When I released Asylum Lake one chapter each week for the span of six weeks via the official website I was worried for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, I had never been a believer in the “if you build it they will come” philosophy of life. Sure, it worked well for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but I don’t typically have his luck (my luck is much more on the Water World end of the spectrum). Fortunately, word of mouth spread and the website received 15,000 unique hits over the course of those six weeks. I give most of the credit for this to my wonderful designer who captured perfectly my dark vision.

My second concern was the graphic nature of the story, especially Chapter 5 – Crimes Against Humanity. Without giving away any spoilers, this chapter describes in fairly great detail the brutal murders of a young couple and their two children. It was a fun chapter to write — mildly difficult but not too bad once I committed to it(much like sawing through bones with a hacksaw). Still, I worried about how it would be received by readers.

Surprisingly, my worries were very misplaced. I learned a few things about the readers of Asylum Lake. First, for some reason they enjoyed my musical references and skewed take on what happens when dark memories refuse to remain forgotten. Most importantly, I learned that readers can easily stomach the dismemberment of toddlers and parents, but any thought of harming good old Gruff would not be tolerated.

Easily, 80% of the comments I received during this time were readers who pleaded “Just don’t kill the dog!” What do you think – are dogs off limits?

Switching Gears

Posted by R.A. Evans writes... on December 3, 2010
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Writing a series has some serious drawbacks. As much as I enjoy writing about Brady Tanner and his quest for the elusive Dr. Wesley Clovis, even I need to sharpen my writing blades on a new stone every now and then. Lately, and much because of AMC’s The Walking Dead, that new stone has been my own dark take on zombies.

Tentatively titled FLEE, my latest work in progress involves US Air Marshall Elizabeth Downie and her unfortunate luck of drawing an overseas flight with a very disturbing cargo.

This is the second side-project I have started since the publication of Asylum Lake. The first is a somewhat completed novel about a serial killer’s proclivity for cell phones. And although I have two more books in the Parting The Veil Series to churn out (Grave Undertakings in May 2011 and Parting The Veil in December 2011) I enjoy discovering new and creepy ways to torment my characters.

So as you dive into the mysteries of Asylum Lake and work your way through the Parting The Veil series, know that much darker tidings are on the horizon. You may never use your cell phone or fly on a plane again!