Changed my Finitum cover today

I uploaded my new cover for my e-book Finitum on Amazon. I'll also change the cover on Smashwords at a later date.

I made a few additional minor changes to the cover, for you to see I present you the final cover.

My cover renewed.

Well I did some changes in text color and sizes. I removed the pentagram, added some fog effect and a few glowing eyes. Compared with the old one what do you think, which one is better? I think the old one is more colorful, the colors draw you in, the new one is more color homogeneous it draws less, but seems more mysterious, it got a more pressing feeling to it.

As always your comments are welcome.

A new cover for my novel Finitum

Like the title hints at, a new cover for my novel Finitum is being worked on. I do think my current cover is great, but it has come to my attention that the reverted pentagram can invoke into people the feeling that the book is about satanism. This would be great were it not for my book is not based on satanism, yes there are occult elements entwined into the story, but not much more than most (if not all) horror stories.

The inverted pentagram was to symbolize John's struggle to not succumb to the carnal desires plaguing him, the effort he needed to take/suffer to be able to steer himself away from the dark side. A pentagram's meaning is not one of evil and satanism, this misconception been attached to it by popular media. The pentagram is a protective symbol.

Still it is what the people precieve of something that will move them to act. If they conote a meaning to something, that meaning is their truth no matter what reality may really be. It's each individual reality take make things real for them, and as a writer and publisher I've to take that into account when making a cover.

I've a feeling that because of this my novel is not selling that well. Most people are not into satanism nor have they the inclination to read about it, and those that do and are attracted to the book by the cover, will lose interest when they read the sample. My book starts very mild with no hint of anything satanic nor does it later on no matter how horrendous it may turn out to be later in the story.

I'll remove the pentagram from the cover and try work something out to make a nicer and better suited cover for my book, one that will depicts the story better to my possible readers. When the cover is finished I will post it on my blog for all to view and give their opinions about. Also feel free to post a comment if you want to say something about this post. I'll be glad to answer any questions or take into account any suggestions.

Ebook cover for my upcomming short story

I want to show of my just created ebook cover for the short story I'm writing. Took me a few hours to make. It was fun doing, playing around with GIMP.

I've meed some alternative versions with blurbs added. The second version is the one with the long blurb above the title and short blurb below my author name.

The third version is with the short blurb above the title and the long blurb under my author name.

The forth version is the one with both blurbs above the title and the author name a bit lower positioned.



I would love to have comments on which version you think the best. With or without blurbs, and if blurbs which one.

"Time Is on My Side"

Time. Who ever said time was on our side? "Time Is on My Side" a song Jerry Ragovoy wrote somewhere in the sixties, the song was made famous by The Rolling Stones in 1964. The song is not about what I've in my mind, but the title is apt to what I've to say, and it's a very cool song. I love it.

As lovely I think "Time Is on My Side" is, time itself, is not on my side. That's the way I feel anyways. You got only so much time to only do so much things. Time is finite and if you waste it, it will never come back, unless you got a time machine and forever life. I don't have those thing. I wish I had, but I don't.

Time slowly slips away while I do my daily chores. The time left to write is minimal at most maybe two hours. This I think is common for many writers with a day job, and most certainly for those with a family, the wife and children also need some time. Everybody wants your time, and it's expected that you give it. Your employer wants you to spend time commuting to work and working itself. (or at least do as if you do) Your wife expects you to do many a chores. Your kids expect you to play with them. Your dog expects you to take him out, actually the dog demands it, else he'll poop and piss your house and you'll be spending time cleaning his filth. Even your own body robs you from time, because it wants to be fed and wants some rest, what's the big deal about sleeping anyways?

If your not careful as a writer, you'll not have much time left to write and promote your work. It takes a lot of time and effort. It's essential to plan your time a little. Set hours you'll put yourself to work. It's essential if you have to jumble many things. Later if you become successful as a writer and earn enough, you may quit your day job, but the management of time stays. The vacuum of the job, the whole swat of 12 hours will need to be filled, and there will be others than just your writing that will demand a share. With more free time, not always comes more free time. The shares just increase and still needs leading.

As a writer be very aware with the time you have and realize that the lack of time means that it takes only one event that can rob you from your writing time and set you back a few days making you miss a self set deadline. For example something like being exhausted and falling asleep while your supposed to write. This happened to me and now I've still not finished the first draft of my short story (close though) while I expected to do so Wednesday and certainly Thursday. Today I wanted to start on the cover, instead I'll be writing, that is after I take the dog for a walk. I really don't want to scoop anymore dog poop.

Short Stories

After publishing Finitum I planned to revise book 2, instead I chose to write a short story. It's been a while since I've written something new and I missed that. I didn't want to go back to the drag of revising. It can be fun at times, but after reading the same story for the tenth time it will get dull and there won't be fun in it anymore. (A dull me makes an unhappy me.)

Now writing a new story is fun. It's been a while I've felt this excited. It gives a kick when a story comes together, slowly forming along the way you thought it to go at first, but still becoming different. The best part of writing in my opinion is creating the story and seeing it come to life.

The short story is about Sgt. Black a space marine in the FCF, stationed on a moon of the planet Ar-01. His unit was ambushed and left him stranded on the moon's surface as the sole survivor. His oxygen supply dwindling he has to make his way to the outpost and exact his revenge for the treachery. Will he ever get there? Will he succeed in doing so? Is all as simple as it seems?

I intend it to be a Sci-fi/horror story. I hope to have it finished by the end of next week. I'll also have to come up with a cover for the book. I plan to release this one for $0.99 on Amazon and Smashwords.

My first sale

Today I checked on how my book was doing, and lo and behold I sold one book.

Who bought it? I don't know, maybe someone I know, a friend, family, or a complete stranger that fancied my book enough to buy it.

All I know for sure is that I got one sale and I hope many more will follow.