Category Archives: Writing
The Oaks Grove On Sale Now!
The Oaks Grove, the second Elanore and Gurt Novel, is now available for sale from Smashwords! It is also available on Amazon.
The Oaks Grove
Orangeberry Summer Splash Guest Blog Post
I am participating in the Orangeberry Summer Splash blog tour to promote The Spiral Tattoo, which is somewhat funny for me being in winter. Anyway this guest post will be appearing on a number of blogs soon…
Tradition is the cord that binds the fabric of society…
“What are you writing Elanore?” I asked as I flew into her kitchen through the window.
“A short treatise on tradition,” Elanore replied.
“Why?” I asked setting down on the table and glancing at the neat handwriting on the page before her.
“The answer to that my friend as that he requires it.” Elanore carefully dipped the quill in the ink pot, the feather held firmly in her clawed hand.
“Who requires it?”
“Him,” she said and arched her great bushy black eyebrow at me.
“O Him,” I said and sat down next to the page. “What does he want?”
“He requires that I write what tradition means to me.”
“How far have you got then?”
“Tradition is the cord that binds the fabric of society together as a homogenous whole,” she read from the page.
“That’s an interesting point of view for a Troll to have,” I said. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather play a game of dice.”
“I would rather be sewing my new dress however needs must,” Elanore said. “Now if will excuse me I need to finish this.”
“All right don’t get your leathers in a twist,” I said leaping from the table and darted out the window as behind me the sound of quill scribbling on paper filled the kitchen.
Tradition is the cord that binds the fabric of society together in a homogeneous whole. All cultures and folk within the lands have strong traditions that they hold to. Even my more simple cousins amongst the Trolls hold strongly to tradition. Otherwise the clans would fracture into anarchy.
That being said, there is room to challenge traditions. Tradition would have had me killed as a young cub, my body left to feed the vultures. I cannot say that I am upset my grandfather chose to overturn and ignore that tradition. Yet he instilled in me a strong respect for tradition. This conflict had formed a great part of the conflict that has informed my formative years.
Now, as I sit here, tradition means strength and cohesion, it also means restrictions and bondage and fear. The battle in the mind and within society is to respect those traditions that can still have meaning and help hold us together, while challenging those that are wrong without upsetting the balance of society.
Elanore Fursk, Corporal, Delvenport Guard.
A Long Awaited Update
It has been a while since I last updated everyone.
Mainly I have been struck by a case of writers block. Nothing has been working and progress on stories has been very slow.
The third Elanore and Gurt is way behind on where it should be, and I have started a Steampunk novel which has promise if I could get beyond chapter one. 
On a positive note The Oaks Grove, Elanore and Gurt two has arrived in my inbox after being edited. 
I am now busy editing and taking on board the suggestions. I have high hopes that the process will kick start the writing again
My plan is to get the edits back to the publisher by the end of the week. It should mean that the story should be available on AMazon by the end of May. Almost a year since The Spiral Tattoo came out. That’s a lot later than I hoped but these things happen.
Best Spam Ever
I received the following email spam. It is the best spam ever. I mean ignore the really bad English just enjoy the movie plot story!
Hello!
Greetings! After reading your profile you left in a penpal site I decided to write you to seek for your hand in marriage arrangement, so I request that you give me your humble audience and response after reading my message.
I am Miss Monalisa Wahgan, I’m 20 yrs old, I am a medical student my father DR. WAHGAN FESCO is a very wealthy man but he has no son to inherite his wealth, so he took it as fate and love me with passion.
Two years ago my father told me to get married so that he can entrust his wealth and empire to my husband before he die but I told him not to speak of death now and beside that I want to further my education and graduate as a medical doctor before I get married, but he kept persuading me with the topic, the pressure gets too much that I decided to stay away from home for a whole year; when I came back he still raised the topic but this time there’s a son of a minister whom they had arranged for me but I told him that love is all that matters in marriage so I bluntantly refused because I don’t love the guy though I don’t know his reasons for me getting married.
So, one friday morning after having breakfast with our parents they drove out to see a family friend and to my utmost surprise I was contacted an hour later by a doctor telling me that our parents were involved in a car accident and were hospitalised, I couldn’t believe my ear but I managed to go, getting there I found my dear parents on the hospital bed, my mother died instantly while my father was lying helplessly bearly to speak, it was the begining of our tragedy.
I was dumb founded, couldn’t say a word, but my father held my hand and told me that our uncle was behind the accident that he has been trying to kill him to claim his wealth since has no son, that’s why he has been asking me to get married, it was then that I understood. He also said that we should not quarrel over his empire with our uncle else he will kill us, but that he has already secured our future through some shares he bought with a finance firm on our behalf two years ago during the financial crises.
Therefore, he adviced me to be strong and take good care of my sister and he also said that the share worth thousands of dollars and that before the finance firm can release the shares to us that I must get married, that it is only my husband that can claim it on our behalf because that was his instruction to the firm.
After the statement he breathed his last and died too, leaving me and my sister in this wicked world, and just two months after their burial our uncle took over the whole empire that our parents left behind, as if that is not enough he sent some guys to kill us but they had pity on us and ask us to run away never to return back, that is how we left our country.
Now, since I don’t have any man in my life and I will also want to marry for love and respect I am requesting that you help me claim the share by marrying me then after claiming the shares we will divorce and everybody will go his and her own way, I will also compensate you with 15% of the total shares when everything is over.
Note: If you want to help us I want you to do it willingly from your heart if it so pleases you. I expect your immediate response. Thanks for taking your time, Miss Monalisa Wahgan
What I wanted to send in reply but didn’t 
Dearest
I am greatly moved by the tragedy of your tale. Indeed I would give up any claim of the 15% of your wealth just so you can be free of your evil uncle.
Unfortunately I am already married. While I would divorce my wife so as to help you I can’t. You see she keeps me locked in a cupboard and only lets me out for good behaviour. When not chained to the kitchen stove I must clean the floor with my tongue and then iron her giant underwear which can take up to two hours due to its vast volume.
As you can see I am dire straights, but perhaps you could see it in your heart to send me a picture and maybe a small cash donation to help me escape the vile clutches of the wicked wife of the west.
Yours
Michael
(The Wicked Wife of the West wishes to claim editorial rights over and creative copyright especially with regards to her giant undies)
A Success: Lots Of Free Copies Of The Spiral Tattoo Fly Out The Electronic Door
Last Friday, for one day only, we gave away copies of The Spiral Tattoo for free on Amazon. This was a big success with over 850 copies being downloaded. Not only that, but there has been an onflow to sales with The Spiral Tattoo consistently sitting at its highest ranking in the Amazon Charts for several days now.
Thank you to everyone who spread the word, and I hope all of you who downloaded the story enjoy it!
Coming Up This Year On The Worlds Of Michael J. Parry
This year I want to have more content up on this site. I have a plan, but it isn’t a cunning plan.
I have decided to write two regular posts; a book review and a discussion on writing.
Every week I will be posting a book review. The idea is not only to discuss books that I like, but in an effort to improve my craft, to look and what works in that book so I can apply that to my own writing. I will be rating books out of five, with five being “must have on shelf, comfort reading, will re-read often”, four being “will re-read but not a go to book”, and three being “good, will read others by author but won’t hunt out”. I won’t review books I would rate as one or two, as if I don’t like them enough to give a three, I don’t want to waste my time reviewing. Harsh but there you go.
A little less regularly I will post on some aspect of writing. Not that I will be saying I am a font of wisdom or knowledge, rather this will be a me putting my thinking down as I work through various aspects of the writing craft. I could do that internally but as a writer it would benefit me to write it down.
The Spiral Tattoo Free For Friday 13th On Amazon
For one day only, this Friday the 13th, The Spiral Tattoo will be free for all from Amazon!
This one day special offer starts at midnight PST, or 9pm NZDT and runs for 24 hours.
Pass the word, download the book, leave a review!
2012: What’s Around The Corner, And The Spiral Tattoo Now on Kindle Prime
It’s a new year and things are around the corner. So what’s happening for me this year?
Coming up the next couple of months I will be editing The Oaks Grove, which should come out sometime around the end of March. The Bluebell, which I need to finish writing will be coming out later in the year. These releases will be in eBook format. I am still hoping that I will be able to bring these out in paperback format – maybe if you contact my publisher, Sky Warrior Books, this will happen sooner?
The Spiral Tattoo is now exclusively on Amazon as I am trying the Kindle Prime Lending Library service – this means that if you are a Kindle Prime member you will be able to borrow it for free. If you like why not buy as well?
I hope to be doing more writing more stories this year, so look out for more news as we go….
Kindle Rush For Christmas! Bet The Price Rise!
This Friday I want to get a Kindle Rush going for The Spiral Tattoo on Amazon. Lets see if we can get The Spiral Tattoo onto the Amazon charts for Christmas!
This will be last time it will be available for $0.99 as well. After Christmas we will be putting the price up to $2.99 so there will never be a better time to buy.
Amazon’s KDP Select Program: dancing With The Devil?
So Amazon has dealt a new hand and produced a very enticing offer that only helps to solidify them as the player in the book sales market. It is a very tempting offer, but will it deliver the goods? Should I go with them?
What it offers:
This is what it offers:
- Reach a new audience – Distribute books through the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and reach the growing number of US Amazon Prime members.
- Earn a whole new source of royalties – Earn your share of $500,000 in December and at least $6 million throughout 2012 when readers borrow your books from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.
- Promote your book for free to readers worldwide – The newly launched Promotions Manager tool will allow you to directly control the promotion of free books.
- Instant feedback – Check real-time performance of your books in the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.
The draw back?
What does it mean to publish exclusively on Kindle?
When you choose KDP Select for a book, you’re committing to make the digital format of that book available exclusively through KDP. During the period of exclusivity, you cannot distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. However, you can continue to distribute your book in physical format, or in any format other than digital. See the KDP Select Terms and Conditions for more information.
Jeff Bennington writes Why I’m Joining Amazon’s KDP Select Program
Amazon is playing games and they’re changing the rules again. They’re changing the game, and they’re doing it in time for Christmas. Most Amazon authors and publishers have received an email from Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform. Got mine today. If you haven’t, check your email, check your KDP account and check it fast.
What are they doing? They are playing the Monopoly card, hoping to sway authors to publish solely with them, forsaking all others. And as far as I’m concerned, I’m going to play too. Essentially, Amazon’s Kindle store has set up a program called, Amazon Prime. This program costs kindle owners $79 a year, but once they are a member, they can access kindle books from the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library FOR FREE.
Authors who publish on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform have the option to “opt-in” to the KDP Select program that will make their books available to Amazon Prime members. If an author chooses to do this, he or she will receive part of the $500,000 cash available in the program for December 2011, and the estimated $12 Million in 2012 as an additional source of royalties.
Is there a catch? Yes. You have to make your ebooks available EXCLUSIVELY through the Kindle store. You can still sell your print books anywhere, just not your ebooks. You can no longer sell them on Barnes & Noble, iBook Store, Goodreads, Smashwords, etc.
Will authors get paid for their books? No; not with traditional royalties anyway. The royalties, from what I understand, are based on the number of books borrowed divided by the amount of money in the fund. They hope to loan 100K ebooks by the end of 2011. If they reach that goal, authors whose books were borrowed will receive a proportional amount. For example: if your book is loaned 1,500 times before the end of December, and they reach their goal of 100K total books loaned, you will get 1.5% (or $7,500) of the $500,000.
Sound complicated? It sort of is. Sound risky? Yes. Could it be worth it? I think so. The way I understand it, Amazon is doing what Netflix did in the movie rental business; only with Amazon it’s Pay a yearly fee and get free books all year. I think it’s a great idea and a model that Libraries should follow.
Jeff makes some good points as do those who comment on the post.
