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Guest Post: ​How I Beat The Odds To Get My First Novel Published, By Simon Petersen

9/20/2017

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It may sound harsh, but the odds of you ever getting around to writing – let alone finishing – your first novel are absolutely positively tiny. And then, even if you do manage to get your novel written, the chances of getting it published are astronomically smaller again.

I am not an exceptional human being, and yet somehow, someway I managed to beat those odds. My debut horror novel Slasher Sam was published this year by Darkwater Syndicate. 

This is how I did it.
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Simon Petersen
1. I had an idea

They say you should write about what you know, so I wrote a novel about a horror movie-loving psycho killer with a blog. But before you call the cops, I can assure you that I’m not actually a killer – just a blogger who is crazy about horror movies.

Whatever you choose to write about, make sure it’s a subject or story that you’re passionate about, or it’ll be even more difficult to sit down and write, which is what I did next.

2. I started to write...

For me, starting is always the hardest part (even starting this blog post was a chore, if I’m completely honest with you), but you must push on through your procrastination and self-doubt. To paraphrase one of those cheesy motivational sayings, every novel starts with a single word.
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3. ...and continued to write

I never gave up, and I never surrendered to the almost crippling self-doubt that plagued me at every turn. For motivation, I told all my mates that I was writing a novel, because I knew they would never let me live it down if I didn’t finish it. I also signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as extra motivation.

4. Then I wrote some more

Once my first draft was finished, I put the manuscript to Slasher Sam in a draw and tried my best to forget about it for a few months. When I returned, I discovered that what I’d written was absolute crap – but it was something I could work with. 

I cleaned it up over the next six months, polishing, re-writing and binning some chapters altogether. I gave it to my brother and a friend to read; they both made suggestions, which I took onboard. Then I wrote some more, and edited it some more, before finally it was suitable for human consumption.

5. Then I sent it out to publishers

Even when I was done, a horrible little voice inside my head said no-one would ever want to read Slasher Sam. But I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain from trying to get my manuscript in the hands of publishers.

After a few rejections, I quickly realised that literary agents weren’t interested in a horror novel from an unknown author in Auckland, New Zealand. I figured the same would also be true of the major publishers, so I concentrated on Indie publishers of horror and dark fiction.

Sure enough, these publishers were more receptive, and soon, a few even wanted to see the full manuscript. Eventually, about 18 months after I first began my story, I had an ebook-only offer from one publisher (which I very nearly accepted), before Darkwater Syndicate also offered to print it and put out an audio version.

[Looking back, perhaps I shouldn’t have sent quite so many query letters out, because I was still getting rejections and requests to see the full manuscript even after I’d signed my first book deal; another very good horror publisher made me an offer about a month later, but I had to politely decline.]
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So, that’s how I got my first novel published. I’m sure they’ll be making a documentary about my epic quest any day now. :-)

About The Author
Simon Petersen is an experienced journalist and popular blogger from Auckland, New Zealand. By day he writes about craft beer, world travel, and professional sport; by night he dreams up horror movie scenarios that’d scare the striped sweater off Freddy Krueger. Visit him at www.SlasherSam.com.
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Shadows & Teeth In The Running For Major Industry Awards

9/12/2017

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It's only been a year since we launched Shadows And Teeth, but the book series is advancing by leaps and bounds. And with each volume, we reach higher yet. Case in point: volume three is in the running for several major industry awards:
  • 30th Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award: Winners will be announced April 7, 2018.
  • 22nd Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY): Medalists per category will be named in April 2018; medals will be presented on May 29, 2018.
  • 2017 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Award: Finalists will be announced in March 2018; winners will be announced in June 2018.

Shadows And Teeth 3 features a star-studded roster of international horror talent: the UK's legendary Guy N. Smith, Adam Millard, Nicholas Paschall, and many more. The competition will be fierce, but S&T3 is a strong contender, and we're certain that it can go the distance. Watch this space!
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*UPDATED: Join Us At: Pinecrest Book Fest 2017

9/11/2017

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UPDATE: We've been informed that the BookFest has been temporarily postponed as the venue was damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. We will keep you posted as to when and where the BookFest will be held.
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Come out to meet our authors next week at the Pinecrest Book Fest!

​Saturday, September 16, 2017
- Evelyn Greer Park
- 8200 SW 124th St, Miami, FL 33156
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Shadows & Teeth Scores A Sterling 4-Star Review From SFReader!

9/8/2017

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SFReader, a premier review site for all things sci-fi and fantasy, has reviewed Shadows & Teeth, vol 1, and they've given it an outstanding four-star review. See immediately below for a sound bite, and further below for a link to the full review.
As some people may know, I don’t read many anthologies, but I’ve not gotten many new horror novels lately and needed a strong dose of the scary. Luck was with me for Shadows and Teeth delivered... overall this is a great horror anthology. I would recommend it to all lovers of horror and look forward to receiving more from Darkwater Syndicate.
Read the full review here:
http://sfreader.com/r/book-review/horror/anthology-horror/shadows-and-teeth-edited-by-r-perez-de-pereda
Purchase: Shadows & Teeth, Vol. 1
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The Art And Artists Behind Shadows & Teeth

9/5/2017

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Now that Shadows And Teeth is in its third volume, we figured we'd share some behind-the-scenes info about the series. Our guiding philosophy has always been to put together a collection of horror by people from all over the world and all walks of life. Fear is universal; it's as much a part of the human condition as breathing. And since the stories in this collection are so diverse, we decided the cover art ought to be too. Each volume in our series will feature an illustration by a different artist. Without further as, let us introduce you to the series illustrators.
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Volume One: Lynne Hansen
Ms. Hansen is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and director. The consummate storyteller, it was not until she directed her first short horror film, Chomp, that she discovered she’d been studying her entire life to become a filmmaker. Chomp has screened at over sixty film festivals in ten countries worldwide, and has won or been nominated for twenty-two awards, including Best Short Horror Film of 2015 at the Fright Meter Awards. Her most recent production, the horror/thriller feature Cold Dead Hands, is based on the novel by Jeff Strand.
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Volume Two: Julio Valle
​Mr. Valle is an illustrator and creator of such independent comics as Havana Club Dreams and Love Parade, and the graphic novel, Amarillo. His work has been featured in anthology collections such as Potlatch 2002. His upcoming projects include Bolero, a graphic novel inspired by the Miami independent music scene, and Strawhead, a gothic horror tale set in modern times.
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​​Volume Three: Dane Low
Dane is a co-founder of Ebook Launch along with his brother, Adrian, and his father, John. When Dane’s not on a computer, he’s outside hiking or running in the woods in the Pacific Northwest.
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Book Trailers: Your Life Sucks, Buy This Book

9/4/2017

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Your Life Sucks, Buy This Book is the brainchild of Texan business mogul Cavanaugh K. Sweeney, who has spent more time in prison jumpsuits than pinstripes, but is all the better a businessman for it. As the inventor of his life-changing method and author of the book, he considers himself the only person qualified to narrate the audiobook version. He may be a tad senile, but more than makes up for this with his extensive gun collection.
Purchase This Book
​Now a national bestseller (of no place on Earth), this book contains my proven Your Life Sucks, Buy This Book system of life fulfillment. Whether it's your career, your spiritual development, or your degree of personal fulfillment, the information in this book will do absolutely nothing towards making your life better, but your money will get me that much closer to buying another vacation home. This parody of self-help and business development books is a must-read for CEO's, managers, and fans of a good laugh.
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Book Trailers: Chasing Blood

9/1/2017

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Chasing Blood is a gritty futuristic thriller with plenty of twists. It is narrated by Douglas James, who possesses an impressive vocal range and exceptional aptitude for voice-over. He auditions regularly for big shows on Nickelodeon, Disney, and Cartoon Network. It's been said of him that he "is going to be a future 'Big Gun' in the business." Listen to his work on Chasing Blood, and see for yourself. 
Purchase: Chasing Blood
​A briefcase full of money lies on the floor. Would you take it? What if the money belonged to a crime lord, and taking it set you running for your life? Still sound good? It did to Ryan, who had nothing to lose.

Born a child of the streets, Ryan Cantril learned early on to fight for his keep, and sometimes just to keep what he earned. Now in his thirties, the self-proclaimed king of the sucker punch fights to keep the cash he rightfully stole from a powerful crime syndicate—and if he’s lucky, his life.
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