James Marinero's Blog

Amazon - Problems In Store For Kindle Authors?

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:04:40 PST

Amazon UK Kindle purchases doubled in 2011, but profits slumped in the final three months. The company cited investment in new products and expansion as the reason for the drop. Worldwide Kindle sales were up 177% over the Christmas period of 2 months.

Analysts opine that Amazon does not make much money from selling ebook readers, but profits on selling books for the Kindles.

Amazon's sales were up 35% to $17.4billion (£11billion) in the final quarter of 2011, but its net income fell 58% to $177million (£112.4million).

Its shares, listed on the U.S. Nasdaq, are down 8 per cent in pre-open trading. They have been impacted by Amazon’s statement that an operating loss in the current quarter was expected.

The Kindle wasAmazon's top-selling product in 2011 as a whole. Sales of e-books in the UK were nearly five times higher than a year ago.

I’m not sure what all this means for Kindle authors, but it may well put a squeeze on margins. If you do write for Kindle, remember that the market for other reader formats is at least as big – the Apple iBookstore is on the up and up, and expanding the market.

Does Sex Make a Great Headline?

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:12:52 PST

OK, I'm not talking sex here, but I am talking headlines. Newspapers are a fascinating area for writers, and today I came across a great example of the Headline subject. Authors spend hours, days, months even, trying to get the right title for their book, and a powerful cover design.

Journalists don't have to worry about cover design, but title is important. Which of these works better:

How Tesco Figured Out That Sandra was Pregnant Before Her Father Knew?
or
How Companies Learn Your Secrets.

Behind this is a fascinating story! I shan't do what writer Kashmir Hill did at Forbes magazine - basically write a new story using the original theme of the NYT article - so here's the link:
Digg Headline Story.

Politics - Heaven and Hell

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:43:29 PST

I couldn't resist it...

Heaven and Hell
Whilst walking down the street one day a Corrupt Senator (that may be redundant) was tragically hit by a car and died. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St.. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really? I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven...”

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell." So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell...

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls to the ground.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says,
"Yesterday we were campaigning,

Today, you voted.."

New Year, New Books

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:15:05 PST

Susan's Brother is coming along well, and I'm expecting to hit 2nd April release, or close to it. I'm in the final stages of writing now, pre-edit.

Book cover concepts are being prepared, and I'm favouring a black and white retro look, with a lonely boy. The temporary 'working cover' - see further down the sidebar - unites the themes of the book, about a sister who is cruel to her insecure and emotionally neglected brother; he was committed to a mental hospital before he was ten years old, and spent a horrifying period in an adult mental ward. This cover is a 'placeholder' only and will not be the final production cover.

The uplifting aspect is that despite all the horrible challenges that life threw at him, he won through. He has a remarkable story to tell, and I hope I've done it full justice!

Clear Your Monday Morning Blues

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:43:00 PST

This made me LOL. Stuck for a word or definition - brighten your day with Wikipeetia?

I Bit The Bullet, But I Didn't Eat The Deputy (Apologies To Bob Marley)

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:59:00 PST

There are so many changes under way in the publishing world, I've now bitten the bullet - reducing the price of 'Gate of Tears' on Kindle to 99c for a month.

A paradigm shift is underway, with the trad-pub dinosaurs running round like headless chickens (now there's a mixed-metaphor for you)! Whether you like it or not, publishing has changed forever (well, unless there's a nuclear war).

This month Apple's announcement of iBooks and Amazon's Kindle Select program have put the cat amongst the pigeons (it's a metaphor day, people) and feathers will fly, though the programs are not, prima facie, in competition with one another. Of course, Apple's intention is to capture the education market for the iPad, and Amazon has no iPad-equivalent, yet.

Anyway, it's a fun time all round, so head on over to the Kindle Store and get your 99c copy of 'Gate of Tears' now!

One thing is certain - the market will grow.

Best Thriller Novels Authors

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:40:29 PST

I've been exercising this question for a few weeks now, and still haven't come to a conclusion. Of course, I can only draw on the books I've read. I could see what others think, too.

Why is it important?

Well, on my site I've been writing a series of articles in which I am trying to deconstruct thrillers, and spy novels in particular - what makes them good (avoiding bad ones and negatives) and in that way improve my own work. Sure, writing style and imagination is important too.

It seems that even the best authors (or at least many of them), once they have hit a rich vein, move from creative writing into the realms of production line novels, employing teams of writers.

I've read a few authors where that approach has become apparent in their later works. For the moment though, I thought I'd invite you to scan the list of authors I've compiled, and click on one you think is top of the list. Once you've done that, then you'll see the results of what others think.

Add your own if you prefer, at my best thrillers authors page (click). Just a bit of fun, I'm not selling home improvements!

Spy Novels - The Importance of 'Sense of' Location

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:35:00 PST

When writing, building a picture of a location in the reader's mind is best done if the author has himself (or herself), experienced that place.

I wrote a piece today about location research for spy novels, and then dug out some of my pictures from last year to illustrate it. The pictures were taken in the ruined city of Carthage, which is right next to the Palace of the then-president of Tunisia, Ben Ali. The palace has since been ransacked.

As I compiled the pictures into a brief clip, I saw with new eyes what I'd seen in 2010, just a month before the Tunisian Revolution was started when Mohamed Bouazizi set himself alight in protest against the endemic corruption of Ben Ali's regime and its bureaucracy. What I saw was the perfect scene for a sequence in 'Sicilian Channel'. Serendipity indeed. The full piece about my location research for the spy novel covers visits to Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, Malta and Sicily - a busy year! It also includes a picture of the palace walls taken from Carthage.

Classic Spy Novels

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:22:48 PST

Over Christmas, I've been looking at the spy novels genre in some detail. I read The Thirty Nine Steps (John Buchan) when I was a schoolboy, and then Riddle of the Sands (Erskine Childers) when in my late twenties.

I think that these two books defined the genre way back at the start of the twentieth century, though there were a couple of other contenders: The Man Who Was Thursday (G. K. Chesterton) and The Secret Agent (Joseph Conrad).

More about these spy novels...

Gate of Tears - The Film!

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:01:00 PST

Now, all writers have this dream of seeing their work in film - or do they? My other half recently dreamed about attending a film première in Leicester Square, London, on my arm. The film in the dream was 'Gate of Tears'. Dream on!

Strangely though, a couple of people I know - discriminating people at that (ok, if they are discriminating, then why would they know me?) [cheap shot] - said that they thought that the book would make a good film. Hah! Well, naturally, I think so too.

You know how it is when you're on a long journey and can't read - perhaps driving a car, or just taking a healthy stroll, how your mind can roam and daydream? That's one way for me to resolve plot issues in my writing - another story.

Well, recently on such a journey, I got to wondering who would be my ideal actors in the film version. Having produced the video trailer, the shots gave me ideas. Maybe Jason Statham (Transporter, The Mechanic) for the lead? Some say he's rather one-dimensional, but his part is all action anyway - not a lot of cerebral work required though he might need some hair. Ok, maybe Alec Baldwin then? And what about the psychopathic lesbian assassin? Uma Thurman (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) came to mind, but her age might be a problem.

I don't know about a director. Oliver Stone? Tom Alfredson? What do you think? Let's hear who you'd line up.

Short Story Collection

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:22:44 PST

Late last night, after some poor wine, I looked at the book I was reading, started thinking and scribbled some notes. I was up at 6.30 this morning and spent a couple of hours writing an essay about that book. It's a bit long to post here, so I've put it my main site. Here's the link, and here are the first few paragraphs:

This week I’ve been reading Voltaire. So grand it sounds, to be reading his work. And not only Voltaire, but Balzac and Zola, Torkington and Twain. That’s what a collection of short stories offers. One story every lunchtime. I don’t usually read short stories, nor work by these writers, but that’s the serendipity of life on a boat. Now they are my lunchtime companions, one at a time.

This particular collection deserves an essay of its own. Having been conceived in the mind of a publishing executive somewhere, in London or the Home Counties, it’s now on my boat in southern Sicily, and when I examine the volume I toy with the idea that it must have had an interesting life.

One might surmise an engaging history – a series of tales - if one looked at the face of a handsome middle aged woman with lines radiating from the corners of her eyes and lips, lines recording her undoubted catalogue of lovers and admirers. So with the book.

Two inches or so in thickness, a paperback production with a well-exercised spine and, probably, a shorter life expectancy than its hardback sibling might anticipate. The beauty is not immediately obvious, as the cover design is not engaging. Enjoying the beauty requires a long affair comprising a series of snatched lunchtime trysts, building admiration and memories, until it ends suddenly. The recollections, however, will be pleasurable and will not contain recrimination or pain as might have an affair with a woman of beauty who sees her next lover appearing and leaves her lover of the moment for pleasures afresh.

Full article

'Gate of Tears' Video Trailer Released

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:24:30 PST

I'm delighted with the video trailer for 'Gate of Tears' - just released! Amazing what can be done on a low budget. What do you think of it?

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Starts 2nd Sea Trial

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:00:21 PST

I read this week that the Shi Lang, the first Chinese aircraft carrier, has just started her second sea trial. The first was in mid-summer, and some improvements and repairs have been carried out in the interim.

She was originally built in Russia, named 'Varyag', transferred to the Ukraine and then sold on to China. What a bargain! I write about her in 'Gate of Tears', with a focus on Chinese military and naval expansionism. If you are interested, some of my research articles are at:

http://www.jamesmarinero.com/Research-Articles/Military-Articles.html

Damascene Moment

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:43:42 PST

I was walking along the sea front in a Malta village this morning, when I had a Damascene moment. Well, almost. My thoughts coalesced as I looked at the turquoise sea surging gently over some sand and weed-encrusted rock, on an absolutely breathtaking morning. It's the 5th December, and like one of the best of English summer days.

The words came together in my head. Some might say they are depressive - and I do get such moments, and in this very religious island the words were irreligious. I refined and shaped them, re-ordered them, and the conclusion was:

'A man with any understanding of the cosmos cannot fail to be impressed by the futility of human endeavour'.

I claim that quote for my own. Here's a picture of the bay on the day:

Hero Interview

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:33:51 PST

He speaks!

CLICK FOR PODCAST
I'm delighted to say that I managed to secure some recording time with Steve Baldwin, the hero of 'Gate of Tears' - he talks about his role, here, in the podcast.

CLICK FOR PODCAST

Discovering Words

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:03:55 PST

Crosswords. No, not argument. Puzzles.

I don’t like Sudoku – that’s kind of ‘zero sum’ if you know what I mean. Sure, it works the brain, but always the same pathways and always the digits 0-9. I find them tiring to do, and ultimately pointless, in the way that going to the gym is pointless for me. There are other more interesting ways of keeping the body fit – cycling for instance. The treadmaster and weights don’t interest me. Nor does a monthly subscription for the privilege. Sudoku is like the treadmill of the mind. I know that others love Sudoku and similar number games, and many enjoy the gym. But for good mental exercise with the possibilities of new words, then it’s the crosswords, just in the same way as cycling offers new vistas while exercising the body.

Crosswords open new pathways, give you the chance of uncovering a treasurable new word. Like treasurable – or is that already a word? Yes it is I just checked. That’s another subject, having a word named after you – like Newtonian mechanics, or Brownian motion. Or Calculus. Ok, Newtonian and Brownian are adjectival in nature, and I don’t think there’s anyone by the name of Calculus – I guess it’s just Latin for calculating, or something mathematical. My two years of Latin in school didn’t take me that far. The Pubic wars, that’s all I can remember. Oh, and strange tenses.

How about first use of a word then? William Gibson invented the word ‘cyberspace’ – I believe the first known use of the word was in his novel ‘Virtual Light’. How about that? What a legacy to leave!

Anyway, crossword puzzles, and the discovery of new words. Can you remember the first word you learned from a crossword? And I don’t mean by checking the answers to the ones you couldn’t work out. I mean a word you built up from the crumbs of the clue, to fit the rest of the words. You sat back and looked at it, turned it around in your brain, wondered if it exists, rolled it off your tongue. They don’t all roll off the tongue in a satisfying aural or lingual way, but my first one did. I’m sure there’s a term for that ‘rolling off the tongue’, but I don’t know it.

Termagant.

There, I’ve said it. The scraps of the clue, the hints and the letters from the cross words (literally), led me to the inescapable conclusion that the answer was ‘termagant’. I wrote the letters in, with conviction, though it was at that time a strange, unheard and hitherto (for me), unseen word. I envisioned something with six or eight legs, though there was, literally, no clue to suggest that.

It must have been twenty years ago when I worked it out, and the clue which opened the door to that word is long forgotten. Fishwife, more or less, that’s what it means. Fishwife is in itself rather odd, as it has little to do with fish (in one definition), though undoubtedly that is at the root of its etymology (or am I being redundant)? Termagant or fishwife, they are best avoided in real life. ‘A woman regarded as coarse and shrewishly abusive’. The definition certainly makes it a memorable word.

So, termagant was my first memorable discovery. Do you have any?

Crossword clues are now a part of my daily ritual. Solving a few clues whilst I am eating breakfast gets my brain into gear for the day, and with that there’s always the tantalising possibility of a discovery. I’ve discovered other words, but as with lovers, it’s always the first you remember. Provided, of course, you keep exercising your brain.

Termagant.

Economy of Words

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:03:30 PST

I'm currently reading two books - one a page-turning thriller, and the other by a literary prize winner. They both have their attractions for me.

One is fast paced with plenty of action and movement. The other MC has taken two chapters to get out of bed (not sure if the POV is intimate 3rd - still learning) and a page to shave. The 'literary' author (to use a phrase my father taught me) 'wants to know the inside of a cat's a...'. and everything is analysed and described to the nth degree.

What surfaced this contrast was listening to some music this evening - Anything Goes, Cole Porter. OK the circumstances are different, but he told a whole story about a new relationship in, what - less than 200 words. Now, Sinatra is singing 'Witchcraft' - no, not a YA fantasy work!

The diversity of styles in 'literature' is broad, but the verbose style, for me, needs a lot of work to read.

Crooners have music as the medium to carry the words, leaving us free to read War and Peace at the same time.

There are different kinds of pleasure to be had from reading. One can be excited, thrilled and awake till 3am finishing the thriller. Or one can read a literary masterpiece and savour 2 or 3 pages at a time, like a good brandy.

On balance though, I prefer economy of words, and don't enjoy excessive dressing of a scene. Of course, 'excessive' is a personal measure - one man's excess is another man's paucity.

My own style is...er...contingent. My thrillers are economic with words, but intense with content, and variable pace. Non-fiction is pretty much the same, except where I want the readers to think about the implications of a situation and uncover the precursors for themselves - then I have to trigger a thought and tickle the conclusion into the reader's conciousness.

Vive la difference!

This post:
Contribution to Human Knowledge, Progress and Learning: 0/10.
Contribution to oenology : 5/10

Thriller Novels – What Will Be The Next Big Theme?

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:04:00 PST

For writers of thriller novels, the Cold War was a massive topic. Then Al Quaeda came along, and it has been a gift for novelists. Despite its dreadful credo and the countless deaths, pain and suffering it has been responsible for, the central theme of an organisation bent on attacking all things Western has formed the core of so many novels since 2001. Add in the asymmetric nature of the distributed war that has caused wholesale re-organisation of armed forces and countries’ intelligence services and we have another rich seam for authors to exploit.

Dig even deeper and another rich seam shines in authors’ lamps – high technology. This asymmetric war against terrorism is sci-fi coming to life, with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), known terribly as Predators – surely soon to be come as generic a term as did the Hoover did for vacuuming homes in the UK (nothing to do with J Edgar Hoover at the FBI vacuuming up personal information and scandal for use against celebrities, worthies and his bureaucratic enemies - nor is ‘hoovering’ a term to describe cross-dressing). Note to readers in the US – I believe that the term there is ‘electroluxing’.

Predators, high quality satellite surveillance, cyberwarfare, robot soldiers, smart weapons – the new technology list goes on almost endlessly.

And the timing! This asymmetric war came along at just the right time both for novelists and armed forces. The Cold War was over, the US space effort was running down (the Shuttle program having been ended) and Western armed forces’ budgets were being cut – their role in a relatively peaceful world was in question (relatively being the key word there). Armed forces and novelists alike were casting about for ideas. What good fortune to have a new type of war, with a new set of weapons and a whole raft of new, sexy technology!

Novelists have to have something to write about, and those who can absorb the zeitgeist and convert it into entertainment have a valuable service to perform, and an eager audience to engage, even if the core theme is so dreadful. It has been said that during the Cold War, President Reagan learned more about the US Navy from Tom Clancy’s novels than he did from his advisers.

So, where will the next rich seam come from for thriller writers? Well, I’m convinced that it is the rapid emergence of China as a financial, industrial and outward-facing military power. Chinese emergence is being driven from the bottom up by a vast population with rapidly rising expectations, ingenuity and a hunger – both literal and metaphorical. The only way that this internal pressure can be managed is to let it out, gradually.

The lid of the kettle that is the Chinese Communist Party wants to stay firmly on top, so other ways have to be found to relieve that internal pressure. Turn the heat down? That’s where my analogy breaks down. Repression must increase to keep pressure down. Either other outlets must be found or the size of the kettle must be increased.

So, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army grows its Navy, turning the Chinese Navy outward from a simple coastal defence force to a global blue water force, with a nuclear powered aircraft carrier under test, manned space flight and its long term Golden Shield cyberwarfare program. And that’s just the military side.

China has also ripped open western markets, with a huge migration of manufacturing resources plant and jobs alike - from the West to China, with its hungry, low wage population. It also has a strong influence on strategic metal supplies (such as being a major producer of the rare earth metal neodymium); on the other hand, it is a major buyer of Australian iron ore – the exports to China forming an important part of Australia’s foreign currency earnings.

Financially, it is the largest foreign holder of US dollars and one of the top three in the published gold bullion reserves list.

These are scenarios ripe for thriller novels!

Can Writers of Thriller Novels Learn From Film Directors?

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:14:00 PST

Last night I watched Pulp Fiction, again, and it struck me that maybe as a novel writer I could learn from the director, Quentin Tarantino. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the film, but every viewing brings something new out for me. In no way can the plot be described as intricate or deep, but the way the scenes are labelled and stitched together like a patchwork quilt is really interesting and engaging. Now I’m sure that there are other films which adopted this approach, with a fractured and re-circulating timeline, but they don’t come to mind right now.

Of course, a title scene which presages action later in the film is not unusual, but killing off one of the main characters in the middle, and then bringing him back into later scenes – even the final one - struck me as a tad unusual.

When I wrote the thriller ‘Gate of Tears’ I used flashbacks (well they were more like chapterbacks, really) to build up the characterisation, and there was a lot of interweaving, as the plot is ‘intricate’ (to quote one reviewer); but there were several timelines, each following a character. However, the overall flow of time was forward.

With Pulp Fiction, though, there were temporal disconnects, and whole (connected) plot scenes were not in a serial timeline. Did it spoil my enjoyment? No, certainly not – some viewers (and readers) like to have to work to figure out the puzzle of the plot, timeline or other details. Solving those little mysteries that the author / director sets for the reader / viewer is part of the pleasure for many consumers.

Now, film directors obviously have a great advantage – they can use two of our senses, sight and sound, whereas authors have to produce for one sense (let’s leave audio books to one side for now). But directors also have an obvious disadvantage – they have to tell the story in 100 minutes (in general). Not only that, the film consumer cannot refer back - excluding of course the rewind button on a DVD player (maybe that could influence the way in which directors edit for DVD versions)? I digress.

For a film to succeed, the viewer must enjoy it at first viewing. For books it may be different (and is there a distinction here to be explored here between fiction and non-fiction)? Books, however, can be consumed over an infinite amount of time (well, no more than one lifetime maximum, as far as I know). Replays and refer-backs are straightforward for the reader.

So, what can thriller authors learn? Would the patchwork quilt approach work? Obviously, killing off a main character in the middle might remove some of the interest, but then a reader will know that there’s a reason the author has structured it in that way. I’m sure that the quilt approach (with temporal disconnects) has been tried, though I don’t recall reading a book structured in that way.

Now of course, we have ereaders, and massive consumption of reading material, of variable quality – even ‘pulp fiction’ (aka penny dreadful) is making a comeback. As these devices evolve, we are surely going to see inclusion of sound, stills and even video in ebooks. I already include hyperlinks in my own ebooks, taking readers to maps and other background material.

Maybe writers will have to start seeing their stories from the perspective of screenplay writers and film directors?

Book Cover Design

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:25:11 PST

I wrote about this earlier in the year. A good cover is essential (and a great one is to be preferred!) to encourage browsers to take it off the shelf in a store or library, or to look further into the Kindle or ebook version. My publisher and I worked on a brief and they've kindly allowed me to publish the template here.

There were a few things I got wrong, and couldn't get the page count down to 360 to avoid reworking the spine width in the artwork - that's not important for ebooks, but is a big deal for printed matter. I was obviously reluctant to cut any of my hard-crafted words - nothing new there! The publisher also juggled the trim size, fonts and white space. We also opted for the cream paper specification. Every time a change was agreed, I received a new version of the brief.

Themes and character outlines were included apparently to help the designer's creativity!

Of course, if you are opting for hardback with a dustjacket, then you'll need a substantially different brief, and of course if only going for Kindle / ebook (no hard copy version) then no spine or rear cover will be needed.

Anyway, here's the brief we finalised for 'Gate of Tears' (paperback) - I hope you find it helpful:

Gate of Tears

Book Cover Design Brief

Book Title: Gate of Tears

Website: www.gateoftears.com

Author: James Marinero www.jamesmarinero.com

Genre: Thriller/Techno-Thriller (fiction)

Brief Description:

‘A near-future techno-thriller blending bio extraction of minerals, the gold standard and the changing world order with the political, military and industrial emergence of China as the world's leading superpower. With much of the story set in the volatile Red Sea region, this novel takes a fascinating look at what might be just around the corner...

Themes (roughly in order of content weight):

The Red Sea, Gold Mining (Australia and Alaska), genetic engineering, Royal Marines, Chinese Intelligence Service and Naval Power, Serbian terrorism, Yemeni, Djiboutian and Oil politics (currently topical), sailing, Somali piracy (topical).

Principal characters:

Maruška Pavkovic – female Serbian terrorist

Steve Baldwin – ex-Royal Marine, sailing own boat in Red Sea

Charles Tobin – Owner of a gold mining conglomerate

Book Specification

Format & Size:

Paperback, 5.5” x 8.5” (216 x 140 mm) trim size.

No. of Pages 360

Cover Price £8.99

No USD $ pricing required yet

ISBN-13: 978-0-9568426-0-2

Paper colour: Lightningsource white stock

Binding: Lightningsource Perfect Bound

Publication Date:

2 May 2011

eBook

A Kindle format eBook will be released.

Cover Design Requirement

1. Rough sketches of 2 or 3 ‘design concepts’ and cost quotes to be provided for discussion.

2. Full colour front, spine and rear cover design files, appropriate for the genre.

3. Barcode and ISBN to be included.

4. Cover should meet Lightningsource template specifications and file naming conventions.

5. All production files and layers to be provided to publisher on completion of assignment.

6. Availability 2 weeks pre-publication.

7. Delivery: All files to be provided by email (or ftp download).

8. Rights: Publisher owns all rights, except third party images, if applicable.

9. Designer Credit: a designer credit – name, plus website or email address – may be included on the rear cover. 8 point font size max.

10. The obvious basic requirement is to stand out from the crowd and capture the eye – don’t we all want that!

11. One additional Book Cover Image (front+spine+back) at full size resolution 300 dpi in jpeg format for website/marketing.

12. Rear cover to include ‘blank area’ for 3 x 4 line reviews. Reviews may not be available at time of initial publication, this box will be used for Author pic and bio.

13. 650 px front cover high image required for Nielsen PubData catalogue.

14. 1280 px (height) 72 dpi front cover image for Kindle ebook version.

Images for Design

Specific Images to be used: None specified, other than rear cover author pic.

Image categories could include a naval ship/carrier, a yacht, an aeroplane (F35), gold bars, globe/location depictor, Somali pirate(s).

Images to be royalty free (see Budget section).

Style/Theme Colours

There are no specific style requirements, beyond genre suitability. Many techno-thrillers tend to have dark colorings, so some distinction maybe with blues/yellows (sea/sand) may be appropriate to offset any dark themes.

Nice to Have

A design which works well for eBook formats, but the best design for paperbook is more important and overrides.

Budget

To be agreed, fixed, before commissioning. A separate budget limit for Images will be agreed as appropriate.

Front Cover Strapline

…where gold, greed and intrigue collide

Rear Cover Text

Gold fever in a hi-tech world, a British Marine and a female Serbian psychopathic assassin collide with international politics, market manipulation, Chinese and NATO naval forces, all set in the political hotspot of the Yemen and Red Sea where the Gate of Tears separates Africa and Asia. Much of the world’s oil flows through this strategic Strait, and piracy is rife…

About the Author

James Marinero has worked in many parts of the world, including the Middle East, Russia and Central Asia. With degrees in Physics, Marine Science and Business, he brings a unique perspective to technology development and emerging Chinese influence around the world, bound up in a gripping thriller packed with intrigue and action.

www.jamesmarinero.com

End of Brief

Gate of Tears - Special Offer

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:46:35 PST

My publisher's nagging me to change gear with my marketing! That's always the way - the tension between writing and marketing.

If you'd like a free Kindle copy of Gate of Tears, then I have 10 available. In return I ask for a Facebook 'Share'.

An Amazon review would be appreciated too if you think my writing and story telling is worthy.

Just click the Facebook 'Share' button at the bottom of this post and email me at james@jamesmarinero.com with your email address and I'll whizz a copy over to you at that address. I'll not be adding your email address to any list, so your privacy is assured.

Like most authors, I want happy future readers to entertain!

Richard Burton

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:57:31 PST

I just thought I'd mention his name. Last week would have been his 86th birthday.

Most of us have read, heard or seen 'Hamlet' in one form or another. Some of us have read 'Under Milk Wood'. Reflecting on Burton's career, the films I have seen and the recordings I have heard (never, sadly, experienced a live performance), I realised how much he had brought to life those particular works for me.

In my schooldays, we studied Shakespeare in text, but we did once get taken to see Richard III in the Swansea Grand Theatre.

In understanding and appreciating such works, would students progress more rapidly, even deeply, if they were exposed first to a powerfully spoken/acted version of the work, before they read the text? I'm convinced I would have.

Why pick on Burton? Well, as I said, it was the anniversary of his birthday last week, and he was born in Port Talbot, 20 miles from where I grew up. I have a CD of him in Dylan Thomas's 'Under Milk Wood' - produced by the BBC who used his voice from an early recording, but intercut it with a newer cast. I'm looking forward to listening to it again this evening, with some wine (to aid deeper understanding, of course). Dylan Thomas was a master of 'cyflythrennu' - that's Welsh for alliteration - and to hear it roll off Burton's tongue is exquisite.

For reading my own work, strangely, it would not be Richard Burton, but Sir Alec Guinness. With deep plots, a too powerful voice would take the listener away from the details of the plot. Guiness would be more cerebral in delivery (the actor, not the drink)!

Book Signings - Don't you just love 'em?

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:45:00 PST

Great fun!

Interview

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:40:52 PST

Press interview with SWW Media today. Thanks Kate!

Thriller Novels - How I Develop The Plot

james@jamesmarinero.com (James Marinero) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:01:35 PST

There's a piece on my website which I have written about the way in which I develop thriller novel plots and action lines when I write. 'I like dropping the character into it'. Now, get out of that!

This approach is as much a challenge to me as to the character. I have to dig him (or her) out of the impossible situation I put her/him in. Sometimes it means I have to go back and write some collateral, and it does usually mean I have to go away and think. It once took me three weeks to come up with a solution to one fix I'd cleverly created...

With sci-fi, it's easy. Just invent a technology. Can't do that with techno-thrillers and stay credible. I like to be able to back up my technology predictions with current research and reasonable projection.

More here