I happened to come across "For Love of the Game" on TV yesterday and, of course, I got sidetracked watching it. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's kind of the closing chapter in the Kevin Costner trilogy of baseball movies; "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams" being the other two in the 'series.' (I refer to them as a trilogy because I'd read them referred to that way in another article, although I don't know if Mr. Costner planned on making them as such.)
I love "For Love of the Game and I'm not even a baseball fan. I love it because it portrays the story of Billy Chapel, an aging but talented pitcher on an underachieving team, pull off the perfect game against the New York Yankees. The fact that he wins against the Yankees - a team that, even though I'm not a baseball fan, I still manage to dislike - adds to my enjoyment of the movie. (Sorry Roger.) More than Chapel's achievement, however, I love the movie because at the time I first saw it, in my early thirties, it posed a question - a challenge, if you will - inside me. It asked me what great thing am I going to achieve and how am I going to be remembered when my glory days are over and/or long gone and I'm six feet under. Costner's character is forty when he pulls off the perfect game. I'm forty-four now so, watching it yesterday, the movie had a different kind of impact, a deeper and more pressing one, on me. Like I said, in my thirties, it made me ask "What am I going to achieve?" Today, it asks "What have I achieved?"
When I saw this movie as a younger man, combinations of emotions stirred inside me - at different parts of the film and as the credits rolled. Yesterday, I felt the same emotions although some of them in differing degrees than I did fourteen years ago. I laughed, I cringed, I cried. I could go into an entire blog about why I felt the emotions I did and how I feel about what the represent but, ultimately, as far as movies go, the fact that I felt the same emotions yesterday as I did when I first saw it - and every time in between - means that "For Love of the Game" is a fantastically good movie.
After composing myself, I started to think about other sports movies I've seen and what strong feelings they've aroused inside me that get stirred every time I watch them. There are a lot of sports movies - and classic ones, at that - I've yet to see. I've not seen "Brian's Song" from start to finish, I'm ashamed to admit but, from the ones I have seen, here's my top ten. They're listed in order with my favourite at number one, with the year they came out and the name of one of the main actors in parentheses.
1. Chariots of Fire (1981; Ben Cross)
2. Rocky V (1990; Sylvester Stallone)
3. For Love of the Game (1999; Kevin Costner)
4. The Karate Kid (1984; Ralph Macchio)
5. The Hustler (1961; Paul Newman)
6. Jericho Mile (1979; Peter Strauss)
7. Best of the Best (1989; Eric Roberts)
8. Victory (1981; Michael Caine)
9. Warrior (2011; Tom Hardy)
10. Draw - Rocky II (1979; Sylvester Stallone) and Running (1979; Michael Douglas)
What are your favourite sports movies?
Thanks for stopping by.
Like many readers and writers, I subscribe to The New York Times, in large part, because of its weekly Book Review. In addition to reading through it, I listen to the weekly podcast. It's a great podcast. There are author interviews and/or interviews with the reviewers of the weekly book selections and those reviewers are often best-selling authors themselves. There's a segment on what's happening in the industry ("Notes From The Field") and the podcast usually ends with the "Bestseller News." I listen to the podcast because it's entertaining, it makes me feel like I'm enjoying a New York artsy/literary lifestyle (I live in New Jersey) - albeit for just a half hour or so - and because it keeps me updated on what's going on with books and such. As a reader, I like to be informed. As a writer, I feel I have to be. Moreover, the repartee between the podcast host and his regular contributors feels like you're in the living room, at a holiday gathering, listening to your uncles and aunts; and that would be your favourite uncles and aunts.
I'll confess that I listen, also, because, as a novelist, I've occasionally dreamt of being featured in the print edition of the Times' Book Review and of being interviewed on the podcast by the host himself. I doubt I'm the only one who's fantastised about this. Anyway, the host retired recently and, while I do enjoy the new host and her style, I can't help from feeling like I've lost a favourite uncle and that my dream of being interviewed by him, as far-fetched as that was, is long gone. (Having said that, however, if I'm ever given the chance to be interviewed and featured in the podcast and if that interview is being conducted by a blind, deaf and mute chimpanzee, I'll take it. It's The New York Times Book Review, for crying out loud!)
Before I continue, I must say that this host's departure isn't the first time I've felt his way. The last time this same dream of being interviewed by a major outlet for my writing went up in smoke was when Steve Bertrand quit the Barnes and Noble Meet The Writers series. That time, just a few years back, however, was a little different from this one. Since I last checked, there haven't been any new MTW episodes since Mr. Bertrand's departure so I believe the show lowered its curtains altogether and that it wasn't just a case of Mr. Bertrand leaving.
With The New York Times podcast, I'm talking, of course, about Sam Tanenhaus. He's charismatic, intelligent, jocular and genuine and I get that merely by listening to him. I've never met the man. After nine years of hosting the podcast, which I've listened to since 2006, he's off to write about politics, still with The New York Times. I was never really drawn to politics growing up but as I've gotten older, worrying about health insurance, job security, immigration laws (I'm an immigrant and so is my wife) and other such matters, I've paid more attention to it the last ten years or so than I have before. And, with Barack Obama becoming president in 2008, I've paid still more attention to politics. Obama's warm and caring "let's look out for one another" platform and his strong ties to Asia, and what that means for me as an American citizen, I finally felt a sense of Americanism inside me that I hadn't felt since acquiring US citizenship in 1987. Back to Mr. Tanenhaus. If he's going to be writing on politics in America, I may follow it even more. Politics, for me, can be dryer than....I was about to go into some locker room humour but I won't. It can be dry. With Mr. Tanenhaus on the beat, I doubt it'll stay that way.
So, thank you Mr. Tanenhaus. I've enjoyed listening to you and I will continue to listen to the podcast. Those following you have large shoes to fill. Best of luck in your new endeavour. Like many readers and writers, I subscribe to The New York Times, in large part, because of its weekly Book Review. In addition to reading through it, I listen to the weekly podcast. It's a great podcast. There are author interviews and/or interviews with the reviewers of the weekly book selections and those reviewers are often best-selling authors themselves. There a segments on what's happening in the industry ("Notes From The Field") and the podcast usually ends with the "Bestseller News." I listen to the podcast because it's entertaining, it makes me feel like I'm enjoying a New York artsy/literary lifestyle (I live in New Jersey) - albeit for just a half hour or so - and because it keeps me updated on what's going on with books and such. As a reader, I like to be informed. As a writer, I feel I have to be. Moreover, the repartee between the podcast host and his regular contributors feels like you're in the living room, at a holiday gathering, listening to your uncles and aunts; and that would be your favourite uncles and aunts.
I'll confess that I listen, also, because, as a novelist, I've occasionally dreamt of being featured in the print edition of the Times' Book Review and of being interviewed on the podcast by the host himself. I doubt I'm the only one who's fantastised about this. Anyway, the host retired recently and, while I do enjoy the new host and her style, I can't help from feeling like I've lost a favourite uncle and that my dream of being interviewed by him, as far-fetched as that was, is long gone. (Having said that, however, if I'm ever given the chance to be interviewed and featured in the podcast and if that interview is being conducted by a blind, deaf and mute chimpanzee, I'll take it. It's The New York Times Book Review, for crying out loud!)
Before I continue, I must say that this host's departure isn't the first time I've felt his way. The last time this same dream of being interviewed by a major outlet for my writing went up in smoke was when Steve Bertrand quit the Barnes and Noble Meet The Writers series. That time, just a few years back, however, was a little different from this one. Since I last checked, there haven't been any new MTW episodes since Mr. Bertrand's departure so I believe the show lowered its curtains altogether and that it wasn't just a case of Mr. Bertrand leaving.
With The New York Times podcast, I'm talking, of course, about Sam Tanenhaus. He's charismatic, intelligent, jocular and genuine and I get that merely by listening to him. I've never met the man. After nine years of hosting the podcast, which I've listened to since 2006, he's off to write about politics, still with The New York Times. I was never really drawn to politics growing up but as I've gotten older, worrying about health insurance, job security, immigration laws (I'm an immigrant and so is my wife) and other such matters, I've paid more attention to it the last ten years or so than I have before. And, with Barack Obama becoming president in 2008, I've paid still more attention to politics. Obama's warm and caring "let's look out for one another" platform and his strong ties to Asia, and what that means for me as an American citizen, I finally felt a sense of Americanism inside me that I hadn't felt since acquiring US citizenship in 1987. Back to Mr. Tanenhaus. If he's going to be writing on politics in America, I may follow it even more. Politics, for me, can be dryer than....I was about to go into some locker room humour but I won't. It can be dry. With Mr. Tanenhaus on the beat, I doubt it'll stay that way.
So, thank you Mr. Tanenhaus. I've enjoyed listening to you and I will continue to listen to the podcast. Those following you have large shoes to fill. Best of luck in your new endeavour.
po·lit·bu·ro\ˈpä-lət-ˌbyu̇r-(ˌ)ō, ˈpō-lət-, pə-ˈlit-\
noun
: the principal policy-making and executive committee of a Communist party
Origin: Russian politbyuro, from politicheskoe byuro political bureau.
First use: 1925
I got the above definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary app I have installed on my iPad and the word came across my radar a couple of weeks back. It was a lazy Sunday and one of the premium movie channels (I think it was HBO) was having, starting at around 7 or 8 in the morning, a Rocky marathon. With the exception of "Rocky Balboa," the second conclusion of the series that came out in 2006, all the Rocky movies were shown in their entirety and in order from Rocky all the way to Rocky V. And one of the cool things about the marathon was that, being in New Jersey, if I missed the showing on my time, I could watch it again on the west coast channel. I grew up with the Rocky movies and, in many ways, they depict the evolution of my generation. On an even more personal note, some of the movies relate to major events in my life so they possess extra special significance.
In Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone's hero goes to the USSR to train in a secluded mountainous countryside that looks like it's been hit with one blizzard after another. He's there because Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, killed Apollo Creed, one of Rocky's best friends and his opponent in Rocky and Rocky II. Creed, coming out of retirement, dies in an exhibition bout against Drago. Before the ding of the round one bell, Creed comes out to James Brown singing "Living In America" and he's dressed up in a George Washington wig, Stars and Stripes trunks with back up dancers who are similarly jingoistically clad.
In various training montage scenes, there are shots of Drago being injected with something -steroids - and the entire movie is about the good west (represented by Rocky and the USA) battling the evil east (represented, of course, by the USSR). Juxtaposed with Drago's performance enhancing drug workouts are Rocky's all natural exercises. Instead of an Olympic bar stacked with forty-five pound plates, as Drago uses, Rocky lifts an old horse cart (minus the horse) with his trainer, wife and brother-in-law sitting in it. So, not only is the movie about the 'big bad Soviet Union,' it's a commentary on the stories of eastern bloc athletes doping in the international sports scene. In the final bout, as Rocky goes on to win, Drago refers to his opponent as a machine and Rocky shows the kind of indomitable spirit needed to win against all odds. After Rocky wins, he goes on to make a speech - an olive branch, of sorts, by the filmmakers - that says it's better that only he and Drago are bashing each other in and how that's better than two nations going at it. He also says how, through the bout, many of the 99.9% Soviet audience started cheering for him and if they can change and he can change so, too, can the whole world.
USa vs USSR of course, was the big deal in the 1980s. From the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics - and the subsequent boycotts of each nation from The Games it didn't host - to Star Wars nuclear technology, the USSR's entry into Afghanistan (commented on, in part, in Rambo III), the entire decade and some of the early 1990s - even after the end of the Cold War in 1991 - was all about the threat of what was behind the Iron Curtain.
Since the fall of the USSR and the emergence of the Union's independent nations, there is no longer a (secret) threat of nuclear war (at least not from Easter Europe). Along with the USSR's demise and the end of Communism in the region has been the death of certain words that were pertinent to the social and political structure of the day. 'Politburo' is one of them. A word that was common in front page, back page and middle page newspaper clippings is no longer seen. There isn't a need for it.The word 'glasnost' has also gone the way of ostensible extinction. Just like with politburo, there isn't a need for glasnost - as a word or an idea - since there is no longer a Soviet Union and because it's not a crime nor is it something to be feared if you talk openly about social concerns.
So, what other 'dead words' are there that existed in our cultural lexicon that we longer use? And, I don't mean the names of fad diets or products. I mean, when was the last time a waiter or waitress asked if a patron wanted a Tab? (I've seen Tab in a couple of stores, though, recently. And, what was the deal with Diet Tab? Yes, there was a Diet Tab. If Tab was already a diet cola, what was Diet Tab, an empty can?) I don't mean words like 'cowabunga' or how the 1980s brought 'awesome' to prominence the way 'cool' became vogue in the 1960s and 70s. What I mean are words that we used everyday because we had to but, due to some kind of world change, we longer need to; not slang or colloquial phrases between and within groups.
So,if you can think of any others and how/why they stopped being used, please do share. I can't wait to read your responses and the creativity in them.
No, this post isn't about anything remotely sexual or erotic, as its title might hint at. (Is it just me or has society made us think this way? Haha.) Instead, this is about my son and a value judgement he made last night based on his desire for a new toy.
Last Friday, after I got home from Track and Field practise, my wife informed me that she and our son had made a deal. Our son would have one serving of vegetable everyday until his birthday (a month from now) and he could have the Jake and the Neverland Pirates sword he's been eyeing at Target. (Jake and the Neverland Pirates is a show on the Disney channel that our son frequently watches.) He agreed and, after a couple of delays, he was to have his first bite of vegetable last night.
Veggies are good for you. All sorts of research shows that but not everyone is going to love every kind of legume or leaf out there. Some people, like my wife, do. Others, like me, not so much. I eat the vegetables I like and I discard the ones I don't. I also took to veggies later in life - around my late teenage years - so I'm not too concerned about when my son gets there. He will eventually. Anyway, next to his bowl of Mac 'n Cheese, my wife put down a bowl of steamed mixed vegetables. She forked a broccoli floret and offered it to our son. He looked at it, leaned forward and sniffed it. Then, he went for it but, just as quickly, he backed off. My wife reminded him of their deal to which he shrugged, scrunched his face and said, "You know, I don't think I want a
sword."
In other situations, when he's changed his mind and expressed it, there's been a hint of manipulation and pity in his voice and, when we've taken the offering away, he'll immediately change his mind and eat or do whatever it is he'd decided not to. In this case, however, there wasn't any of that. The look on his face and the tone in his voice was sincere, without any kind of irony or pouting or suffering. Naturally, my wife and I were disappointed that he hadn't stuck to his guns and tried the veggies. Like I said earlier, though, he'll get to them eventually.
What was more impressive to me, however, was his value judgement. He'd decided that the sword wasn't worth the cost of eating something that looked and smelled unappealing, to him, and which he felt he wasn't ready for. And, to be completely, honest, I felt proud and pleased. He'd changed his mind and, I believe, he did so after weighing out his options; as much as an almost five year old can. I was especially pleased, too, because he'd made his own decision and stuck to it, even after my wife reminded him a second time that he wouldn't get his sword this way.
There are some people who contend that, in terms of personality, who we are when we're children is ultimately who we'll be when we're adults. If that is, indeed, true then I'm happy. You see, my son showed that he's going to make his own decisions, stick by them and not be coerced by outside influences (the sword). Instead, he's going to have his own value system and do what he does based on that. He knows that he can change his mind
about things and that doesn't make him a bad human being.
Naturally, I'd hoped he eaten the veggies but, in the larger scheme of things, I'm glad he didn't. Well done, son.
 The Collective: A Novel by Don Lee My rating: 5 of 5 stars Another Don Lee triumph. Not since Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" has a book brought me to tears. Perhaps it's because I am also an Asian American writer - like Joshua and Eric - but, in more ways than that, I relate to both of them that this novel simply resonated with me on every page. And the ending...Oh the ending. I won't give it away, naturally, but be prepared. My heart dropped and I felt like I was kicked in the gut and slapped in the face. Thank you, Mr. Lee for writing entertaining and meaningful books and for being an inspiration to hacks like me. View all my reviews
Back Kicks And Broken Promises, my debut novel that came out last year, got its second formal book review today. Reviewed by one of the staff writer's at IndieReader.com, a site that promotes the work of independently published authors, Back Kicks has been called "...an insightful and pertinent novel..."
Go to the link below to read the review.
http://indiereader.com/2013/03/back-kicks-and-broken-promises/
My afterschool Creative Writing prorgam started out as a club for which I got paid a small stipend of $420 per six-week (once a week) session. After being informed that I needed to have at least six members in order to get paid, it's now purely a volunteer endeavour. (Right now, I have three students.)
And I love it.
I've written since I was about eleven - the age of my youngest student - but I didn't have the priviliege of having my stories critiqued by fellow writers nor, outside of my English Language and English Lit classes, did I have the opportunity to learn about the craft of writing. Even then, in Language, we learnt basics (metaphor, simile) and in Lit it was about plot, character lists, setting and theme. My workshop is open to all kinds of writing because I don't have the time, unfortunately, to run separate workshops. Really, though, writing and creating stories is the same regardless of the kind of writing you do. Ultimately, I'm teaching what I know about the creative process and not just about form, style, voice, POV, structure, etc. Furthermore, with raw, young writers, it's about the commonalities of character development and "show, don't tell" that we're concentrating on.
I don't mention this to pat myself on the back for providing a free writing workshop. That's not why I'm writing this post. What I do want to say is that it's been a tremendously rewarding experience. It's been inspiring, too, and adds a boost to my own writing projects. I've managed to maintain daily writing, since I 'won' NaNoWriMo last November, but sharing what has been shared with me about writing, from what I've learnt from places like The Gotham Writer's Workshop, helps me keep on my toes. As a result of running my workshop, I've become more diligent about reading my Writer's Digest and Publisher's Weekly subscriptions for anything that might help my students develop in their writing pursuits. I've also become extra motivated to finish some of the projects I'm working on. And, giving my students suggestions and ideas, I'm able to look at my own plotlines and character motivations with a more discerning eye.
What's really exciting is to listen to my students talk about their work. They have grand ideas about being the next Michael Bay or Peter Jackson or Christopher Nolan and about the second and third books of their dystopian/scifi novels, even though the first one isn't near being finsihed. I don't say this condescendingly, the way some adults with experience and/or expertise in an area sometimes do when young people talk about their goals and dreams in that same area. Rather, I am genuinely excited to hear what they have to say because their enthusiasm is contagious and it reminds me of when I started taking writing seriously and how I had the same dreams. Now, wiser, I still have those dreams and aspirations but they're tempered with understanding. I've had some some success and more failure but, yet, I forge on. Moreover, some of the students in my workshop are really tuned in and have great instincts as far as character developement and character motivation are concerned. One of them, the screenwriter, has a fantastic idea that he's obviously been thinking about and plotting for a long time. And, my dystopian writer, has some unique storylines that the fans of Divergent, Legend, The Hunger Games and Twilight will enjoy. The ideas she has, as far as I am aware, have not come up in any recent works of popular YA fiction. She's really on to something and I'm proud to be helping her develop her voice and writing style and her story; especially as a fan of some of those books I listed.
Running this workshop, which I try to run like a Gotham Writer's Workshop class with 'The Booth' as our critiquing format, has been a great way for me to share what I've learnt about writing and, hopefeully, a way for some young people to get closer to realising their own hopes and dreams. It's my way of giving something back to the writing community that has welcomed me into its membership. It's also made me realise that, while I still have much to learn, I have already learnt a lot. Last week, with only my screenwriter's work being critiqued, I helped him get through some major stumbling blocks and there were several 'lightbulb' and 'Aha!' moments that will move his story forward. It was a fantastic session-each is only an hour long-and it made me feel like I was in the writers' room, collaborating ideas, for a movie or TV show. It felt good, for me, to help him breakthrough. This class has also reinforced the importance of sharing your work; of talking it out and workshopping pages. Writers need each other.
Last school year, 2011-2012, I ran one Creative Writing workshop and I had two students. This year, I have three and we're in our second six-week session. The writing is pretty good, too, and with each submission it's getting better. It's exciting to see students come in with their own ideas, some more fleshed out than others but all with great passion and enthusiasm. For those of you reading this post who are writers, and you don't already do so, I encourgae you to run a program. Some of you might do so professionally already, as a writing teacher in an MFA program or through a workshop like Gotham. Some of you might be freelanceers, like me, who still have a day job and spends early mornings and late nights getting your pages written. Whoever you are, remember why you started writing and, when you meet a young person who writes or who expresses an interest in starting, make sure you help nurture his or her passion for it.
Happy writing all!
One Year On - Ten Things I Learnt In The Year After My Book Came Out
A year ago, on 7 February, my debut novel, Back Kicks And Broken Promises, came out. After years writing and creating several versions of the work, and after thoughtful feedback from fellow writers, I decided on first person POV and a linearly told story. Also, after some positive responses, over three years of trying to solicit an agent but failing to do so, I decided to self-publish and get my book ‘out there.’ Overall, I’m happy with my decision to go indie but, as with anything else, hindsight is twenty/twenty and there were some lessons learnt.
Here are the ten most influential things I learnt about the publishing process and myself, as a writer, over the last twelve months. For those of you who’ve already published, indie or traditional, they might be lessons you’ve yet to learn or they might be things that happened to you as well. And, if that’s the case, feel reassured that you’re not alone. If you’ve yet to publish, maybe my experience may benefit you as you forge ahead in publishing your own work.1. Believe in myself. When I began the publishing process, and after my novel came out, every discussion I had with a rep from the publisher, every production item I approved (cover, inside layout, etc), every email I sent to a bookseller, I left with feelings of doubt. I second-guessed everything. After all, who would want to read anything I’d written? What did I know about any of this, having never done it before? I kept thinking that anyone I tried to promote my novel to would think that I was just some guy who wrote a book - and, everyone can write a book, right? Big deal. But, once I calmed myself down, I reminded myself that I’d taken this book through three rounds of workshops at The Gotham Writer’s Workshop in New York City, one of the best (my and others’ opinions) and most respected writing programs around. I’d done the hard work. No one panned my work and some of my fellow writers even picked out sections they really liked. I also realised that my book does not define me as a person. The book that came out last year, Back Kicks And Broken Promises, is fiction, while also being semi-autobiographical. In that regard, it is very personal. I also put a lot of my life into the writing and production of the book but, even then, if it’s hated or loved that doesn’t meant I’m hated or loved. As a writer, I can be judged by my work and how it moves the reader but it doesn’t define me as a man. 2. Promotion is hard. I knew, going indie, that I was going to be responsible for the promotion of my book. Even some traditionally published authors have to do their own promoting. From what I’ve read and heard at conferences, it’s the big names - the Kings, Rowlings, Meyers, Picoults, Franzens, etc - who get their publicity done for them. Even then, some of are still doing their own promoting. Many of us who indie-publish still work a day job (and maybe a night or second part-time job) and, like everyone else, we have other parts of our lives that need to be taken care of. So, promoting one’s work can, sometimes, be that ‘extra’ thing to be done at the end of an already long and arduous day. Nonetheless, it has to be done. A Facebook page, a website, a blog and a Twitter account are the minimum you’ll need. You’ll need to build your platform; the 'who you are, what you’re about' centre of your writing and public persona. Do all of that even before you get your book into a publisher or agent’s hands. 3. Print out pages. I thought I was being efficient when I reviewed the PDF copy my publisher sent me on my laptop. Papers can get bulky and we’re in the ‘e age’ anyway, right? On some level, too, I thought I was saving money. However, looking back, I regret not printing out a hardcopy. PDFs don’t always look like a Word document. They’re not brightly lit. It looks like the page in a book and, sometimes, on the screen, unless you magnify a lot, they can be hard to read. Add to that, I probably need a new glasses prescription and I do most of my writing at 3am, with tired eyes, so I was bound to make mistakes and miss things. A writer will always miss stuff in his own work. That’s normal but it doesn’t help when he doesn’t review the final copy the properly. As a result of my efforts at being efficient, I discovered some typos in the final product that I need to correct. And I will correct them but that’s another out of pocket expense with the publisher. If I had printed out pages, I might have caught more of the errors I missed.
4. Have a budget before you start (It doesn’t have to be a big one). When I decided to self-publish, it was the end of the summer. It wasn’t until the following December and January when I had to start paying for things. The money was there for the publishing process. It’s the after stuff where a pre-determined budget comes in handy. Revisions (beyond the free first round), promotion, entering contests for self-published books, paying for book reviews (from companies like Kirkus Indie or Blue Ink) are where the budget will really be needed. Treat your writing as a business, if you’re looking to make a profit, from the start and not just after the book comes out. 5. POD (Print-On-Demand) pricing can be prohibitive. I published through Abbott Press, A Writer’s Digest Company, and I’m very happy with what they did for me and for my book. Probably, the only thing I wasn’t happy with is the retail price of my books. The ebook, at $3.99, isn’t bad. The hardcover, though, at $39.99, and the paperback ($22.99) are not so favourable. It was explained tome that the number of pages of my novel and because of the POD mode of publishing, the cost will be higher than traditionally published or small press books per unit for the reader. Outskirts Press, another POD company, has an option that allows the author to price his own book but it has limits and will reduce royalties. Even with this option, the price to the consumer is still on the higher end. If I indie-publish again, I might go a different route. Amazon’s Createspace, I believe, allows the author to determine his book’s prices but I think they specialize in ebook and paperback formats and not hardcover. Or, I might try a fixed run at a small press or something in the middle, like Book Baby. So, before you publish, make sure the end retail price is not going to price your book out of sales. Good writing will trump a high retail price but we live in leaner times and consumers are tighter fisted with their resources. 6. Learn formatting and industry specs. I mention this, specifically, because of my book’s cover. I’ve gotten a lot of praise for my book’s cover. And, after reading it, you’ll see how it fits nicely with the plot and theme. What I learnt about a book’s cover, when I got my feedback from the judges of The Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, is that a book’s title should be readable from six feet away. This makes it better seen on a bookshelf, which is key if the book makes it onto a shelf in a bookstore. Unfortunately, I didn’t know this and, while my book is aesthetically and stylistically appealing, it doesn’t meet this standard. 7. Make connections. Writing is a very lonely profession. The people around me - my wife and my close friends - have been, and continue to be, very supportive. However, unless they’re also writers, I don’t think the people around us can truly appreciate the isolated and internal way of life being a writer is. Having said that, however, unless you’re Forrester, Sean Connery’s character in Finding Forrester, writers need support from other writers. Whether it’s to promote each other’s books, beta-read first drafts, offer suggestions to battle writer’s block, writers need writers. We can find each other on Twitter but, more specifically, connections are also made in website communities like The Independent Author Network, Your Book Authors, Goodreads, Scribophile, and others. More than the tangible benefits you can get from being connected to other writers, there is the sense of community you’ll feel. In addition to be pursuing a, naturally, lonely endeavour, writers also need validation. This doesn’t mean we need to be told our work is brilliant, whether it is or isn’t. Rather, it’s reassuring to know that our efforts and reasons for writing, as varied as they are, are worth something and that we are not alone, even if we’re lonely. Through the connections I’ve made and re-made since my book came out, I and/or my book has been featured in two newspapers, a magazine and reviewed once. At the time of this writing, Back Kicks And Broken Promises is being reviewed, for free, by Indiereader.com thanks to a connection I made. 8. Always have a copy of your book with you. You never know when you might be in a position to promote your work. You never know whom you might meet someone who has contacts and can/will/might talk about you and your book. Sometimes, though, you do and you’re not prepared. Last year, after reading Legend, I emailed the author, Marie Lu, to tell her how much I loved the book (her debut novel) and that I’d written a review of it. She was very flattered by my review and since then we’ve had some Twitter and e-mail exchanges; enough, I think, to the point that she might actually recognize my name. Well, shortly after our first email exchange, she gave a reading and book signing with three other authors in New York City. When I lined up to get my copy of Legend signed, Marie looked at me with recognition, probably from my Twitter picture. As we chatted, she asked if I had a copy of my book. Ugh! I didn’t and I kick myself (metaphorically) every time I think about this episode in my life. Having had a copy of my book to give her might not have led to anything but, then again, who knows? The worst part about this story: I’d thought to bring one then I decided against it, fearing I’d come across as presumptuous. Then, I decided to bring it anyway but I left it on my dining table. 9. Enter contests. Apart from the chance you might win or place - and many contests come with some kind of publisher/agent contact as a prize - you often get valuable insights into your book and/or a review of some kind. Most require some kind of entry fee (see Number 4 above) but it’s not usually so large that it’s unaffordable. I participated in NaNoWriMo last November and I completed the challenge. I ‘won.’ I finished writing the first draft of a novel in thirty days, which has jumpstarted my writing and there are even tangible prizes that come with it. I can get free copies of my book from Createspace and there are several discounts for various writing resources, as well. So, contests and challenges are beneficial. 10. Believe in my work. As soon as my book went live, butterflies lived inside me for a good two weeks. I was filled with anxiety that no one would buy my book. I’m pretty sure that’s common for every writer. More than that, however, were feelings that the entire reading world would buy my book and call me out as a hack or fill my blog comment form and email inbox with challenges to every thought, word, reference, you name it that I put to paper. My fears, so far, haven’t come true. My book has made some sales, although VERY modest numbers, and no one has taken me to task on the content of my book. It’s fiction, after all, and semi-autobiographical at that. Even if someone were to come at it/me, I’ve come to accept that (and I knew this before) some people will love my work, some will hate it, and some will be indifferent to it. Either way, I wrote a book that has received more words of praise than otherwise and I did so with full commitment of mind, heart and soul. I hope it will entertain, educate and touch the minds and hearts of its reader and, from the feedback I’ve gotten, it has done that.
So, that’s what I’ve learnt about writing, publishing and myself since my book came out a year ago. As I work on my next book, the first in a Chinese-American fantasy series, I have some wisdom to turn to and an awareness of things to do, do better and to avoid. I don’t plan on indie-publishing for my next book, but I didn’t either for my debut novel. Hopefully, I’ll catch the proverbial break and get agent representation and a book deal. In the meantime, I’m going to tap my keys like the rest of us.
I hope what you’ve read here is useful in as you pursue your writing endeavours. If you have insights of your own, please share.
Happy writing all!
Last year, I did a two-part post on my birthday that looked back on my successes and failures of the previous twelve months. Since turning forty - well, since my mid-thirties, really - I've been looking back, taking strolls down memory lane, to see what I've done, where I've been and how I've ended up where I am. In doing so, I've tried to assess the things I've done well and succeeded in and the things I've totally botched up and failed in and sometimes miserably.
So, turning forty-four a week ago, I've been thinking about these things yet again. And, this year, they're more impacting. I don't know if that is because my successes and failures - particularly my failures - mean more because of my age. They seem more depressing because, even though I'm still young, with every passing year there's less time to turn those failures into successes. Perhaps, it's because next year is the midpoint year of my fifth decade and I'm feeling pressure to have made an impact on this world in a small or - why not? - large way. I remember how glum I was turning forty. I can only speculate that turning forty-five on 31 January, 2014 isn't exactly going to be any better. The following May, my wife and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary. So, next year, is a big year for us. But that's next year. This year is still young and will, hopefully, see more successes than failures.
In the meantime, though, here's a look back on 2012.
January -
2012 was, in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the Year of the Dragon. The dragon, the animal in Chinese mythology that represents the highest ideals, made 2012 a year full of optimism and bullishness. And, things looked that way for me. In the year's first month, I reconnected with a former student - someone I hadn't see or been in touch with since 1999 - and he became a major help in the promotion of my book. Ryan, my former student, is now a successful boxing pundit who lives half the year in New York and half the year in Manila. Yes, he's Fil-Am like I am. Funnily, reconnecting with him also saw me reconnecting with another Filipino writer, Carissa Villacorta. In 2006, Carissa and I connected via email about her book, Serendipity. It was by chance, in casual conversation, when I discovered that Ryan and Carissa are an item. So, 2012 was looking up. Connecting with fellow Filipino-American writers boosted my excitement that 2012 was going to be a good year for me as a writer.
February -
My writing took a boost in February when my debut novel, Back Kicks And Broken Promises, came out. Naturally, and I'm sure my fellow writers, especially the indie authors, will relate to how I checked my book's sales ranks in every outlet that was carrying it. I was very excited to find out that W. H. Smith, England's Barnes And Noble, had it in its database. I was equally excited - and very pleasantly surprised - to discover that an outlet in India is selling my book, too! (Now, if I can only get it to stores - even if just online - in The Philippines and Hong Kong (where I was born and where I grew up and call home, respectively) I'll be really happy.
February was extra special because my niece from England, my eldest sister's daughter, came to visit us. It was her first time in America and she'd come for a dance show/audition being given by a K-Pop group. During my niece's week with us, Legend and Prodigy author, Marie Lu, with writers Beth Revis, Jessica Spottswood and Andrea Cremer gave a reading and Q&A in New York. Having just finished reading Legend, and loving it, I HAD to go. And I did, bringing my wife, son and niece with me. Before going, Marie and I had exchanged some tweets and, when I got to meet her, it was with a sense that she knew who I was or, at least, recgonised my name. Naturally, that made me feel great but it also made me feel a part of the larger writing community. Like a dope, I'd forgotten to bring a copy of my book with me. It wasn't until I was on the train that I realised I'd left it at home. I think, subconsciously, I didn't want to appear presumptuous but I felt instant regret, and anger at myself for not bringing my book, when Marie asked if I had a copy. Argh! Despite that, it was a great night.
While not wanting to be pushy by bringing my book, perhaps I was too pushy in trying to get my book into a couple of stores. Or, maybe, because it's indie-published it was doomed from getting onto a bookshelf from the start. I'd made contact with a couple of local bookstores and they said they'd love to carry my book, especially since I'm local; my book is set in New Jersey, etc. Well, as you can imagine, my book never got on any of their shelves; although I do know of some people who've ordered it from them.
February saw me do my first two author interviews. One was for The Filipino Reporter by my friend (and former student) Ryan. The other was via email for The Manila Bulletin. The Bulletin interview was extra special because that newspaper, the largest daily in The Philippines, came to me. It was until recently that I found out they were alerted to my book by dad, who’s the Managing Editor on The Manila Times, another daily newspaper in The Philippines.
March -
As far as my writing life, March was a pretty quiet month. I spent more time trying to promote my work then create new stuff. And, hindsight being twenty-twenty, I think that was okay. Like marathoners who crash, emotionally as well as physically, at the conclusion of their race, I crashed after Back Kicks came out. From start to finish, I'd spent almost ten years on it. Intuitively, as much as I wanted to write, I was struggling to do put anything down. Eventually, I would give a go at adapting one of my screenplays into a novel - a project I've put on the side for now while I finish revisions on my second novel, Sage Of Heaven.
So, for March, the big things were my defense of the New Jersey State Taekwondo title I'd won in 2011 and my return to running, in the hope that I would get into the NY City Marathon via its lottery system.
April -
Good Friday was a big day for me. April 5, 2012. I'd seen my name in print before but that was for articles I'd written for various martial arts magazines. This time, though, my name was in the paper - The Filipino Reporter - in the article Ryan had written. When I opened the issue and saw my picture and read the piece, I recall my heart was racing. Yes, I was excited but there was also a touch of nervousness and trepidation running through me. Other than tweeting about my book and offering a giveaway through Goodreads, this was the first time - and, at this point - the largest exposure my book was getting. While one part of me hoped and prayed that the piece would yield mega book sales, the other part feared rejection and being called a 'fraud' as a writer and as a Filipino-American writer. (Click here for the article.)
At around the same time, I'd gotten a rejection letter from Barnes and Noble about carrying my book on its shelves. I'd expected as much, since my book is indie-published and POD at that, but the retailer's rejection only exacerbated the insecurities I'd felt about being accepted into the Filipino-American community as one of its literary voices of the current generation.
As a martial artist, who calls Hong Kong home, the one thing that, as silly as this is going to sound, made me feel really good about the article was my name being used in the same sentence (when read, said with the same breath) as Bruce Lee. And, not only are our names said with the same breath, they're used in the same context. I'm no way the quality of martial artist that Bruce Lee was but, perhaps, because of the contextual similarity, I may possess some of the qualities of the kind of man and Asian-American man, he was.
While there was this martial arts related joy, there was martial art related sadness too. The Taekwondo classes I had been teaching were ended due to lack of enrollment due to a variety of factors. The bottom line, though, was that my second go around at being the master of my own program failed. At least this time, I didn't have my own commercial space and the headache that comes with giving that up. It also, however, means that my son will probably have to learn from another master and my hope and dream of him carrying on the Bas Taekwondo tradition, in the old way of passing lessons down from father to son, is not likely going to happen. It doesn't look like we're going to go the way of Al and Mark Dacascos, Ernie Reyes, senior and junior, Ed Parker and his son, Tiger Kim and his sons, and other father-son martial arts dynasties.
April 25 was another big day for me as I was accepted into the NYC Marathon. That would determine a lot in the upcoming months. Some of it good, some of it not so good.
May -
Ryan and Carissa came to New York in May and we got together for a dim sum meal in Chinatown, NYC. It was great to see Ryan again, for the first time since 2000! And, it was super nice to meet Carissa in person. Getting to spend time with them, talking about the Philippines and writing, was a thrill; probably more than they are aware. Ryan is a renowned boxing journalist. Carissa is a respected and known writer and PR professional. I consider both of them friends first but, because of who they are and what they've achieved, and me knowing them personally, there's a certain validation to my identity as a writer. Slowly, with each connection I make, post-publishing my book, I feel like I'm getting deeper into the writing community.
May also saw the interview I did with The Manila Bulletin come out (click here for the article.) and I did my third interview, this time for Hyphen Magazine. That interview just came out in Issue 26 (January 2013) and I was one of several authors questioned about being a self-published Asian-American author, the state of publishing and Asian-American representation in popular literature. The editor at Hyphen who wrote the article, books editor Abi Licad, also assigned my book for review. So, all in all, May was a big month for me and Back Kicks And Broken Promises.
June, July, August -
These were fairly light months all around. That's what the summer is for, anyway, right?
As far as writing goes, it was this time that I returned to putting pen to paper full-time, so to speak. I began adapting my screenplay Aliens Among Us into a novel but I still haven't finished. I was also rereading Back Kicks to make revisions, additions and correct the typos I'd discovered. (That, in and of itself, is something I'm going to write about in my next blog post.)
The summer also saw the US National Taekwondo Championships take place - this time in Dallas - but I wasn't able to go. I was hoping to go and try to better my tenth place finish in 2011. Maybe I'll get to try, this year, in Chicago, instead.
We did get to have a mini-vacation on Long Island again. My wife's friend has a place in Montauk and we were able to use it for a few days. What was really exciting, as a dad, was to see how my son reacted to being there again. We'd gone in 2010 and Jude seemed to remember some of the places we visited, even one of the beaches. He even got braver with the water, venturing closer to it and even getting in it without insisting on our help. In fact, there were times when we wouldn't let him because the waves were too strong and, without our support, he'd have gotten sucked out. These trips - to the beach, to Manila, excursions across the country for Taekwondo events - are so good for him that I can't express with enough gratitude for my wife's friend's generosity.
September -
School's back in session and so is the volleyball season (I'm our high school's head coach) and we had the best season since I've been involved with the program. Not a lot of writing got down during September and October but the review of my book, in Hyphen, came out. It was another one of those good days turned to sour, in a way.
It was September 27 and I'd arrived home from a volleyball match. We'd won, to go 6-3 for the season and we were on a five-match winning streak. So, naturally, I was on a high. After reporting the match to the newspaper and updating the girls stats in various volleyball website, I checked to see if the review had come out. And it had. The reviewer gave it his opinion and I appreciate him for it. And, someone did remind me that it's the reviewer's opinion and just one opinion, at that. Other than this, I'd gotten some really good comments for Back Kicks. Regardless, it still stung. It wasn't a scathing review. In fact, the reviewer, G. Justin Hulog, did have some praise for parts of my book. (Click here to read it.) It wasn't a raving review either. I quickly consoled myself by recalling a couple of things I'd been told before: "All press, even bad press, is good press" and "Being talked about negatively is better than not being talked about at all." I don't know if I believe either of these things wholeheartedly but when you're trying to market something there might be some truth to them.
October and November -
What a mess this month was with Hurricane Sandy hitting New Jersey, New York and other parts of the eastern United States. In a way, though, the effects of Sandy, which weren't too bad for me personally, were great for my writing. We didn't get flooded but we did lose power. With no TV watch and, with the gas shortage and rationing, no place to go, I relied on hanging with my family, reading and writing to pass the time. After attending mass, I discovered that the church had opened its hall for residents to charge devices, use the internet, etc. Well, we were there and I wrote. And it was perfect, too, because I decided to enter the NaNoWriMo challenge to finish writing a novel, of at least 50,000 words, in the thirty days of November. And I did it. There are revisions to be done, which I am doing now, but I managed the first draft in the month. (Click here for more on NaNoWriMo). So, in the 'take the good from the bad' frame of mind, Hurricane Sandy was the boost my writing endeavours needed.
As a result of Sandy, I didn't get to run the NYC Marathon because it was cancelled but I was okay with that. I felt it should've been cancelled in light of the devastation the storm caused and where it hit hard (parts of the marathon course). Others disagree, but I think it would've been in poor taste to run the race and, thanks to the storm, I wasn't in the right mind to run it.
Writer's Digest has its Self-Published Book Awards every year. Entry is in May and, in October, they notify entrants whether they won or not and they give all entrants feedback. I didn't win, place or get any kind of honourable mention but I did get some praise and, more importantly, constructive feedback for future books I write, regardless of whether I indie pub or not.
Lastly, in these months, my son saw his first Broadway show (Peter and the Star-Catcher) and I came to realise how much I love Thanksgiving. Christmas is still my favourite holiday but there's something special about Thanksgiving that makes it a close second. Watching the Macy's Parade with my family, the lead-up to the holiday season proper holds a special place in my heart. I find it a little curious that Thanksgiving holds such a special place in my heart considering I didn't have it growing up in Hong Kong. While many immigrants hold on, sometimes illogically to things from home or their past, just because they're from home, I've taken to Thanksgiving like I've always had it. There could be a story here. Hmm.
December -
And, finally, it's December. Not much happened except for our early Christmas in New Jersey and our trip for Christmas to Manila. Busy popping from one place to another to see various family and friends, I didn't get much writing done - other than a few blog posts - but I did get to marvel at my son. I'm not the 'gushing dad' type but it was great to see Jude try Hot Chocolate for the first time. He's become an ube ice cream fan (just like his dad) and he watched his first Filipino movie in the theatre. While he didn't understand the Tagalog (I barely did), he got the entire story, has become enthralled with the Filipino superheroes in it and he's starting to appreciate his Filipino-ness.
And, with our layover in Hong Kong, he's coming to understand that his mother and I have interesting backgrounds and that there's this really amazing and interesting place, called The World, outside of New Jersey. As he puts it, "Daddy, when you were a kid, your world was Hong Kong. Mommy's world was Manila and my world is New Jersey."
So, those were the highlights for me in 2012. Some of you may have found it boring and a complete waste of time reading it. For that, sorry. Some of you may have found some entertainment in it. Others, maybe, found something useful - a tidbit about Taekwondo or indie-publishing, perhaps. Either way, whether you're forty-four, twenty-four or ninety-four, it's always good to look back. It helps you assess where you want to go and how to get there. It helps you appreciate where you've been. And, as a writer, it can serve as good writing material. But, most of all, it helps you appreciate who you are and who you want to be. And, without that, all of the outside stuff has no meaning.
Thanks for stopping by and, as Chinese New Year approaches, best wishes for 2013 and Gung Hei Fat Choi!
Getty Giddy Over Books And Movies
I read a lot because I enjoy it. I also read because I'm a writer and writers need to read. So, it was with extra excitement that I picked up Prodigy, Marie Lu's follow up to her highly successful and acclaimed debut novel, Legend; a book I read last year and absolutely loved. Prodigy came out yesterday and, at my first opportunity, I ran out to my local bookstore (less than a quarter mile from where I teach) and got it. The store had one copy and now it's mine. Legend came out in the fall of 2011. I read it in January 2012 and waited a year, with other Legend/Marie Lu fans, for Prodigy to come out.
Lu's Legend, which is the subject of the very first book review I've ever written (click here for the review), is so engaging, interestingly written with two superb protagonists, that it was with great anticipation that I counted down the days until Prodigy was released. And, forty-some pages in, it's living up to its predecessor. If I wasn't before, I'm definitely a Marie Lu fan now; although anyone who knows me and/or has read my posts, knows I already was.
The last time I was this excited for something like this, counting the days like a child waiting for Christmas morning, was when I found out that The Life Of Pi, another of my favourite books, was being made into a movie. Before that, off the top of my head, it was with the release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the first movie in the prequel trilogy of George Lucas' Star Wars movies. Since Prodigy has come out, and I have it, my next countdown is for the first movie of the upcoming Star Wars sequel trilogy to come out. And, with J. J. Abrams who, in my opinion, hasn't produced anything bad, signed on to direct, I'm doubly giddy.
On some level, as a forty-three year old husband and father, who worries about keeping his family housed, clothed and fed, I feel a little silly being childishly excited about the release of movies and books. You'd think as a writer, I wouldn't feel silly about getting excited about books but, sometimes, I do. I know they aren't mutually exclusive - being excited about such things and worrying about the banal things in our lives - but sometimes I feel guilty if I'm not worrying about world peace, my son's future, the state of our economy, war in the middle east, etc. On another level, however, I'm glad I get this chuffed or, as we say in Tagalog, gigil, about these, for lack of a better word, trivial things. I think it keeps me young, shows my son that life is to be enjoyed, and it reminds me to see the lighter side of things. And, for me, that is exceptionally important because I tend to be very serious, sometimes to the point of being glum.
So, do share. What was the last thing you got this excited about? And, if like me with Prodigy, since it's already come out, what are you counting down to now?
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