Another One Bites the Dust

Well, it's time again for some bad news.  Pill Hill Press, publisher of "The Guns of Mars," and several of my short stories in different anthologies, has closed down.  Yet another market fades to black.  It is another sad affair, for certain.

I'm not sure what this means for The Guns of Mars yet, though I should be getting a letter soon about the rights.

This is a sign of the times, as well as the fluid nature of the publishing industry in general.  People no longer have the time or money to indulge in the "hobby" of being a publisher.  It's really going to be hard for aspiring writers in the future, as more and more of these small markets vanish.  Fewer venues will mean a lot of good books will never see the acceptance they deserve, nor have the editorial revisions they may require to become true gems.

I want to assure everyone that Martinus Publishing is here to stay, and with all of these small presses shutting down I'll be here to pick up the slack.  If anything, this may give me cause to expand, and become a true force to be reckoned with in the book publishing world!  I will rage against the dying of the light, so to speak.

Even though a shrinking marketplace may provide opportunities for my publishing company, it does have disadvantages for me as a writer.  First it was Hall Brothers Entertainment.  Now, with Pill Hill Press shutting down, I find myself with virtually all of my books "in house."  While it may be convenient to have all of my books under the Martinus Publishing banner, it will put a black mark on my credibility as an author. 

While Martinus is a legitimate publishing company, I fear that most industry professionals will consider my books "self-published," and therefore consider my works "invalid."  There is still a bias against self-publishing, even more so today where virtually anyone can "publish" a book for almost nothing.  The bias isn't wholly unjustified because of this ease of modern publishing.  There are a lot of books being released that have not been edited properly, and are not ready to see the light of day.  With so many unqualified manuscripts floating around the self-publishing world, the works that are good and worth reading are maligned and marginalized amidst the slush.

So, it's back to the drawing board.  The works that have already been "published" by other presses that are now defunct will have to be released by the Martinus Publishing line, because it would be next to impossible to find another publisher interested in putting out a "second edition."  Maybe I should resume the search for other publishers to release my previously unreleased works, though the marketplace is contracting, making it even harder to get anywhere.  Besides, it seems the only editors who ever understood my writing have gone out of business.  Damn my infernal irrelevancy!

Well, I have a company to run.  2013 is already shaping up to be one rough year.

Slipping Philosophy into Fiction

I’m not the sort of writer who spends a lot of time and effort seeking to capitalize on my political leanings.  While I certainly have personal convictions and I occasionally make a political statement or two, I don’t see my literary work as a means of indoctrinating others to my brand of philosophy.  Instead, I try to entertain my readers and present stories that can be enjoyed by a broad audience.  People can take what they want from it.

Every writer ends up speaking from their own beliefs to some degree, so I’m not saying I never interject my ideology into my works.  However, in my opinion, there are too many authors and entertainers out there who try to beat you over the head with one viewpoint or another, but when it comes to marketing that can be counter-productive.  Keep in mind, for every person who agrees with your impassioned rants, there are many more who will disagree and be less inclined to purchase your material.

 Science Fiction has always had its share of object lessons and metaphorical messages.  Writers have often utilized the “fantasy” of the genre to expound about some social injustice or potential threat, but the best of these tales have been careful to maintain the integrity of the entertainment, so readers disinterested with the moral ramifications can still appreciate the overall story.

Looking to my own works of fiction, there are generally little snippets of philosophy tossed in now and then, though the most successful use of it can be seen in The Guns of Mars.  The backdrop of the story is a sociopolitical struggle between the rights of the individual and the dictates of the State.  The Scientific Fundamentalists represent those who desire strict order and control in the name of human progress, where Morgan Asher and his allies represent the sort of Libertarian individualists we see standing up for their rights throughout history.  Even as we explore this clash of philosophies, there is an action-packed adventure that can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of their ideology.

Thrown into the mix are some interesting scientific concepts, and future technology that brings this up to the level of “hard” Science Fiction.  The world is exposed in a clear manner, so you can understand how humanity might progress over the next 250 years.  It’s my most “serious” work of fiction, and the reviews have reflected that.

This is the must-read novel a lot of people haven’t heard about yet, so don’t be shy about spreading the word.  Do me a favor; stick a link to this post on your facebook page, and let’s see what happens.

The Guns of Mars (Peek 2)

So far, this week has been a lot of prep work.  I've been writing a lot of pitch material, and crafting some more in-depth treatments for various projects I have in the pipeline.  I managed to get a few paragraphs down on the Six-Gun Conjurer, and hope to finally settle in to finish it off in the next few weeks.  Things are getting interesting.

Moving on to this week's Sneak Peek, we have another sample from The Guns of Mars (a book you should all consider buying, as it's one of my best).  This snippet is part of an intense exchange among some of Villas Colony's more prominent citizens.  Congress has just cut the space program budget, and the colonists of Mars must find a way to make ends meet to survive.  When economist Petra Euchland proposes an elimination of all salaries and that the colony be run as a "moneyless" society, Police Chief Timothy Keene doesn't take it lying down.

“A lot of us aren’t going to take a cut in pay lightly,” Tim added. “We may not have anything to buy now, but come retirement age, this planet will be hopping. A nest egg would come in handy.”

“What do you plan to buy?” Petra asked, amused by Tim’s defiance. “We’ll always have everything we need and simple luxuries. In fact, if we put our salaries toward the needs of the colony, and the next Congress decides to restore our budget, we’ll have a healthy surplus to provide all kinds of extras.”

“Hey, now you’re just talking crazy,” Tim countered. “Putting our salaries toward necessities is one thing, but if we get our funding back, I expect my salary reinstated—along with all my back pay! You’re not confiscating my wealth to buy luxuries for everybody else. I earn that money. I decide how it’s spent.”

“Wouldn’t you rather everyone in the community benefit by pooling resources, rather than you alone wasting it frivolously?”

“Who says I want to be a part of this ‘community’ forever? What if, in another fifty years, I get tired of that little gray box I’m living in and want to buy myself a hunk of land and go prospecting? There’s a future in micro-dome housing, and plenty of Martian real-estate to purchase.”

Petra laughed rudely. “You’ve been reading too many fantasy novels, Tim. Real-estate on Mars? Really? This isn’t the wild west. You can’t go out and stake a claim. Private property is never going to be an option in this kind of environment.”

“That’ll change someday!” Timothy shouted.

The Guns of Mars (Peek 1)

Certainly one of my better works, The Guns of Mars is a hard science fiction tale in the libertarian tradition of Heinlein.  It hasn't taken off as one might expect, but it received some pretty stellar reviews in the US and Canada, and one lukewarm review from the UK.  I think it just needs a few fresh readers to rekindle the fire and get sales moving again.  It's the story that everyone who hasn't discovered me yet should pick up (either in print or for kindle), to get a taste of my writing at its best.

For those who haven't yet read this fantastic story, here's a brief snippet from Chapter Eight:

The marines marched across the frozen wasteland for hours, making good time with little strain, thanks to the lighter pull of Martian gravity. By sunrise, they were less than a mile away from their objective. A rocky hillside stood before them, showing no obvious signs of life or that man’s hand had ever touched this section of the planet.

“This is it, men,” Avery shouted. His voice carried through a closed circuit communications network built into their suits, permitting them to speak to one another and block external eavesdropping.

“I don’t see it,” Lieutenant Barton said, his deep voice turned into a growl by the communication system.

Colonel Avery tapped a few buttons on his sleeve, activating a complex sensor array inside his helmet. The readings superimposed themselves on his visor, and enhanced pictures of the landscape ahead revealed several anomalous energy signatures along the ridgeline. “It’s there,” he told the others. “Keep your eyes sharp for...”

Before Avery could finish, Barton’s head exploded. A bullet had zipped through the air and blasted a hole through his helmet. The shot killed the lieutenant instantly, but the sudden decompression increased the gore tenfold.

The dozen men hit the ground, seeking whatever cover they could locate. There were several boulders nearby, which protected them from the sniper in the hills.

“We’ve been made!” Captain Biggs shouted.

Those who are interested in reading more can check out The Guns of Mars Page.