The Baby (i.e. Novel) Is Coming
[9/25 update: The book is actually complete and online! I’m not quite ready to shout about it though. I ordered a proof copy for myself—just to check every last detail. But you can look at it, if you want. Actually, I guess you could buy it, but at your own risk! And you should definitely check out the cover. I got some fantastic help from an exceptional designer, Johnathan Van Winkle.]
Some of you may have noticed how quiet it’s been around Banapana lately (for about the last month). I am now prepared to reveal the reason why. I have been spending the last few weeks preparing my novel, “Carousel Cowboy,” for indpendent publication with Lulu. I’m currently in the typesetting stage, the cover is designed, and things look good for hitting my September 22nd deadline. I’m actually glad I went the independent route because it’s given me the freedom to do some things that I don’t think traditional publishers are quite ready to stick their necks out to do.
First and foremost, the entire book will be available on my fiction blog Troped. Secondly, many of the parts that were cut from the book will still be available on the blog. As you can see from the cover design, an email for the book’s narrator is prominent. That puts everyone who buys the book in direct contact with me, which I very much want to be the case. And finally, since the parts of the book and the blog coincide (the book is structured around posts as opposed to chapters) people can comment on the book by going to the blog entry of the same name and making their comments there. ((I’m not quite through posting it in its entirety. That will take another month or so. And it won’t be in the same order as the book until I implement a timeline function on the blog in a little while.)) Last but not least, publishing it myself allows me to release it under a Creative Commons license—same as the blog—reflecting my stance on copyright law. So stay tuned. ((And sign up for an email notification if the book’s release over at Troped.))