My New Year's Revolution

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions.  I used to make resolutions back when I was in high school and I didn’t understand what it takes to reach your goals.  Back then, every January I’d say something like “I’m gonna lose some weight.”  And “I’m gonna pay more attention in school.”  Then midway through March when I was barreling toward an “F” in French and my love handles were spilling over the sides of my pants, I’d realize I hadn’t stuck to my resolutions. Okay, maybe I didn’t have love handles, but you know what I mean.  Most people don’t stick to their resolutions, and so me not sticking to mine made me normal.  I liked being normal.

At some point in my life I went from resolutions to plans.  My plans don’t begin in January and end in December.  Some plans take years to accomplish. I had a great year last year.  It didn’t go entirely as planned, but it was fun and I learned a lot.  So today I thought I’d look back with you a bit, but more importantly, I wanted to share my plans for what’s ahead.

In September my first independent novel, Boyfriend From Hell was published by White Whisker Books.  I am so fortunate to have my friend Chris Meeks and his new book venture in my life.  Self-publishing isn’t for everyone.  I am certain I am one of those people it is not for.  With an indie publisher I get most of the benefits of self-publishing and NONE of the headache.  If you are an author who is like me, there are lots of new indie publishers springing up all over the place.  Find one run by people like Chris with a background in publishing, and leave the headaches to them.

Boyfriend From Hell got off to a great start in September, but after the Kindle Nation Daily feature on October 8^th sales slowed.  Rather than cry in our beer, Chris and I decided to change the book cover for BFFH and its sequel, Earth Angel (that was due out in December), to a more adult cover with a romantic theme.  The new covers were created by AdaraRosalie.  I then went to my pal Roxanne Rhoads and her Bewitching Books Tours and asked her to host a blog tour for me that featured both books.  She came up with an awesome theme that started my tour on Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving).  By December 31^st both Boyfriend From Hell and Earth Angel were soaring in sales.

As some of you know (I’ve tweeted about it ad infinitum), after my January 6^th feature on Pixel Of Ink, Boyfriend From Hell spent nine consecutive days on the Amazon Kindle top 100 Best Sellers list (for Girls & Women).  Earth Angel made the list as well, but only for a very short period of time. 

Before I tell you what’s ahead, I want to begin by thanking my friends and fans—frans—for their support the past year.  I couldn’t have done it without you.  I’m not just thanking you for your sales.  I know all of you aren’t buying my books.  That’s all right.  If you’ve left a comment on my blog or Goodreads page, or if you participated in the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge or some other contest, I thank you. 

A few of you have lamented that Heaven Sent, the third book in the Falling Angels Saga, won’t be out until December.  Sorry.  I want you to know I have begun working on it, and it is going to be the best Falling Angels Saga book so far.  Seriously.  That’s why I am taking my time.  I want it to be awesome.

As I was outlining Heaven Sent, I realized I needed one more book to conclude the series.  That book (currently entitled Falling) will tentatively be out late spring 2013.  See, you won’t have to wait an entire year for that one. If you don’t see me on the blog or Twitter or holding fewer contests in 2012, please know I will be hunkered down writing.  I’ve got a lot of writing to do.

Something else I am excited about this year is the first book in my Hollyweird series.  I sold this project to a publisher last year and it stalled.  That’s because it was sold to a new Indie publisher who wound up going out of business.  The principal, however (a woman with tons of big time publishing experience), asked several of the authors to hang in there with her as she searched for new financing.  Her deal is done; the new pub house is open.  I will tell you more about it when I can, but editing on Hollyweird should begin in the next few weeks.  That book will be out this year as well. I will post about my journey to publication right here on a regular basis. 

I am also keeping my hand in television and film.  I just completed the first draft of a romantic comedy that I was hired by a foreign production company to write. Both my first YA novel, Never Slow Dance With A Zombie and the Sal Conte (my alter ego)  horror short story, The Toothache Man are currently in development for feature films.  I may also announce a TV project some-time this year.

My larger plan is to create entertainment (Books and short stories) that can become movies, TV shows, graphic novels and/or video games.  That’s a big plan.  I’m not Disney or Dreamworks.  I’m just a guy with a dream, but I do have over 20 years’ experience in Hollywood.  That should help. But I know it will take more than a New Year’s Resolution to carry out a plan like mine.  It will take a revolution.

So that’s my year ahead—busy, busy, busy.  I welcome you all along for the ride.  You can always leave words of encouragement on my blog, or if you have a question about me, or writing, or anything at all please write to me at info@evanlowe.com.  I am still available for book club dates and school visits.   And I travel on my own dime, so getting me there cost you nothing. I do this because the best way to make you my fan for life is for you to meet me personally.  I’m really quite lovable.  Invite me out.  You’ll see.  If you are interested in having me attend your book club or event send me an email.

When I was a kid I wanted to be a writer because writing looked like fun.  I didn’t realize how much hard work was involved, but I’ve got to tell you, I was right about the fun part. Have a great year.

Peace.

Twitter Party Yo!

Hey everyone, I’m having a Twitter Party.  It’s the perfect time for me to celebrate.  Boyfriend From Hell dipped its toe into the Kindle top sellers last Friday, peaking at #533 in overall sales, and was in the top 100 sellers in three categories.  That’s an amazing accomplishment for me... So it’s time to party.

If you’ve ever had a question you’d like to ask me about writing, about my career in TV, about the Falling Angels Saga , or if you’ve ever wanted to sit and chat with your old pal E, please join me on Friday January 13^th at 7pm EST (that’s 4pm in the west) for a tweet up.  It’s on Friday evening so pour yourself a glass of wine or a shot of tequila (my favorite libations) stop by and let’s have some fun.  I will definitely be sipping on something, so when my writing becomes more and more like gobbledygook you’ll know why  ;-) The party will last about an hour, if you guys can hang with me that long.

This is my first Twitter party ever, so please help me make it a success.  Here’s how it will work and what you need to know to participate.  The party is being hosted by my pal, @RoxanneRhoads  at Bewitching Book Tours.  My Twitter handle is @evanlowe.  Here’s the easiest way to follow along:  Log onto your Twitter account some time before the 13th, then type #evanlowe into the search column at the top of the page.  When my results come up you will see a button just above my handle that says “save this search.” Click that button and #evanlowe will be saved in your searches.  When the party begins on Friday the 13^th, click on the saved #evanlowe search and you will be able to follow along. When you want to say something to me, add #evanlowe (or @evanlowe) to your tweet, and I will see it and reply.  It’s that simple… or that hard.  If this isn’t clear enough, leave a message in the comments and I will walk you through it.  If you plan to attend I’d also like to know, so please leave a comment.  I need to know how much wine and tequila to buy. Don’t want to run out  ;-)

Help me celebrate my recent success. Stop by and chat Friday January 13^th at 7pm EST (4pm PST). 

PEACE.

A Scary Good Challenge

This week in honor of the scary weekend ahead, we're going to have the Halloween edition of the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge.  It's a little of the old format and a little of the new.

And remember, while we call it the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge, you don't have to enter today. You have 6 days to enter. The drawing closes Sunday evening. So everyone has plenty of time to come up with the correct answer. But just one entry per person will be accepted. The winner will receive an autographed copy of my hit novel, Never Slow Dance With A Zombie.  You say you already have the comic horror novel?  The holidays are coming.  It could make a lovely gift.  On Monday I will draw a winner from all the correct answers, and post the winner here next Tuesday. Are you ready for the challenge?

In a creepy old film, somebody said this: “You wanna see something really scary?”
Name the movie, and unscramble the actor's name who appeared in the movie"

ADKYDYROAN

As a reminder, there are a few things you will need to do to qualify. You need to do #1 or #2, plus the three other things listed below:

1) Be a registered follower of this blog, or
2) ...follow me at http://www.evanlowe.com/
3) leave a comment on this blog in the comment section on any of my posts anytime during the week of the current challenge. DO NOT put your answer in the comments, instead…
4) send your answer to me at info@evanlowe.com
5)mention the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge either on your blog or in a tweet the week of the current challenge.
Do 1 +3,4&5, or 2 +3 ,4&5 and you are entered to win.

Remember, you must do four things to qualify to win.

Peace.

Springsteen & Me: Taking Control of Your Writing Career

For those of you thinking this is a post about Bruce Springsteen and me, let me say right here that it is not. I do not know Bruce Springsteen. Of course I know who he is, but until quite recently I hadn’t followed him. So, if you’re interested in Springsteen’s music stop reading now. This post is about how Bruce Springsteen inspired me to take control of my career, and how those of us who are creative can learn from what he did.

In October of 2010 I was having a beer with my publisher. But he wasn’t my publisher then. He was my friend. I didn’t even realize Chris was a publisher until that conversation. Christopher Meeks is a writer who I met attending grad school at USC. We were both aspiring writers on the—then, fledgling—Professional Writing Program. Chris told me he was publishing one of our old professors, acclaimed playwright and novelist, David Scott Milton.

Chris learned his publishing skills working for Peter McWilliams, and has gone on to self-publish two short story collections, a novel and a play. For more on Chris and Peter McWilliams go HERE.

During that conversation in October, Chris mentioned an HBO documentary he’d seen about Bruce Springsteen. It seems after the success of the first album, Springsteen realized he was under the control of his (then) manager. As is typical (I guess) in the music business, the contract Springsteen signed gave his manager total creative control forever. That didn’t sit well with Bruce. In fact, he gambled his future on ending that contract. Springsteen decided he could never record again under those conditions.


Bruce, along with the members of the E Street Band were young, and hungry—but not hungry enough to give away creative control. He’d rather go back to obscurity than turn his ideas over to a gatekeeper. He was an artist. An artist needs to control his art. He didn’t record for three years.

They could have caved to the pressure and made a living, but he stuck to his guns, not recording for THREE WHOLE YEARS. The special is about those years and the first album they recorded after he waited out his manager. Springsteen called the album “a meditation on where are you going to stand.”


I was impressed with the story my friend Chris told about artistic integrity. Luckily, one Saturday afternoon I was flipping channels and saw the documentary was again on HBO. I watched it. It is a brilliant special. It changed me. The Promise: The Making of Darkness On The Edge of Town. The documentary is acclaimed for how he created the music. I love it for the message it sends to those of us struggling out here in the creative community.

Soon after I saw it I asked Chris and White Whisker to be the publisher of Boyfriend From Hell, along with the two other novels in the saga. Why? I was with Tor, a division of McMillan/St. Martin’s Press—a Big Six Publisher. I loved my editor. My first novel , Never Slow Dance With A Zombie, sold very well. But I was not happy with the relationship. There was a disconnect. My editor loved my second novel, but her boss didn’t. They pitched me something else. I went to work on it. But every time I would do a reading or let someone read Boyfriend From Hell, they’d say, this is a great book. So I asked Chris to take a look at it. Fortunately, he thought it was a great book, too.

Me, I think it’s a terrific book. But I am the author. What do I know? I want to let you, the reader, decide. I can’t do that if it’s not out there. One of the E Street band members said “Bruce is a man with a vision, and at the same time he’s a man in search of a vision.” That is exactly how I see myself, constantly in search of the vision inside my head. But aren't we all like that?


When the Never Slow Dance With A Zombie movie option lapsed, I decided to shop the movie myself. I want to do it as a musical. My agent and many others don’t get this idea. Dancing zombies! Come on! That’s a great idea. At least it is to me. I don’t know if I will get it done, but I am in control this time. It feels good.

I am thankful that Chris is delighted with Boyfriend From Hell. Just as many of you decided what cover should go on the book, I want my work in your hands, and not the hands of some gatekeeper. Mind you, I had already published two horror novels under the pseudonym, Sal Conte, back when I was in grad school. I have a twenty plus year career writing TV and film and have been nominated for both an Oscar and an Emmy. So I knew my work wasn’t crap. But can I write paranormal YA?

Like Springsteen, I wanted to be in control of my ideas. I was inspired by him to take control of my career. Is the book good? You will let me know. Can I have a career as a YA author? You will let me know. I’d rather hear it from you than some gatekeeper.

Today I found out the ARCs will be in on the 13th. Reviews will follow. I will know very soon what people think of the book. I am now in total control of my career. I’m not a kid. I need to do everything I can to make this damn thing work. It’s daunting yet exciting. I feel invigorated. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you in advance if you leave a comment. I hope some of you will. I hope all of you read the book. I also hope this inspires some of you who have been sitting on the self-publishing/Indy-publishing fence to take a stand. We can be each other’s cheer leaders. Take control of your careers.

That’s the story behind Boyfriend From Hell, and how I started taking control of my career. Here we go.

Peace.

Book Bloggers

Hi. Today is day three of Armchair BEA. Subject for the day: Work The Network. Over the first two days I have met new bloggers and seen some great giveaways. I am not a book blogger, but I wanted to get in on the fun, mainly to sing the praises of book bloggers.

My 2009 debut YA novel, Never Slow Dance With A Zombie (TOR/Teen), sold very... Very, very well. I owe this success to book bloggers. I didn't realize as a debut author, how little publicity support I'd receive from my publisher. And trust me, when I say little, that's probably too big a word for the amount of support I got. But I got loads of support from you guys. Several bloggers held contests on their blogs. One blogger even hosted a Twitter contest that boasted over 1000 tweets of my book title.

I wanted you all to know how important you are to us authors, especially those of us considered mid-list. I also wanted to thank the hosts of Armchair BEA for this awesome idea. I'm having so much fun.

And now for the pitch (That's right, now that I've got you seated, I'm going to try to sell you something) My second novel, Boyfriend From Hell, hits shelves in September. To entice bloggers to get the word out, I am hosting an ARC giveaway. I also host a something I call the Hollyweird Tuesday Trivia Challenge. It's a movie trivia contest where I give away a free Amazon gift card. To participate in either or both click here: CONTESTS.

And now, I have to get back to finishing the new novel.... or checking SportsCenter for updates. Bloggers blog, writer's write, and E.Van Lowe is a master at wasting time.

Peace.