Chris Stoesen Fiction: July 2015

Friday, July 24, 2015

CSS Appomattox Sale

Well since I have now Broken 1000 total sales on Amazon, I have decided to run a Kindle Countdown deal from July 26th to August 2nd. I have not figured out how to do this for the other Amazon stores yet. Sorry about that. The countdown deal will take the price down to $0.99 at first then gradually go up to the regular price.

I have done some updates to the book including having the first 16 chapters edited. Still need to get the rest done but my editor is still working on those. I have cleaned up the scene changes to make them clearer. And fixed numerous spelling errors and some continuity problems that readers have pointed out.

But what about the sequel? Well that is actually coming along quite well. At this point, I am some 41,000 words into the project. I suspect that the final work will weigh in at 80 to 85,000 words when it is all said and done. I am feeling confident that by the end of August I will be looking for some Beta Readers.

Still, what are your thoughts? Is the title 'Last Airship from Khartoum' a workable title?

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Summer Camp: Camp Nanowrimo

Its July. When I was a child, that meant summer camp. I spent at least 5 or more weeks at different camps every summer. As an adult, I volunteer at a summer camp every year as the Rec Director. It is great fun but its not quite the same thing.

A friend of mine, Phil, sent me an invitation to Camp Nanowrimo. Its an interesting writing challenge. It is to help you get more done on your current projects. I have to say, it is paying off. I have doubled the work that I have done on the sequel to CSS Appomattox. Honestly, it has been fun. The other folks in my cabin have been encouraging and I have made more progress this month than the six months previous.

Anyway, go to camp, have some summer fun.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Need Help with a Title

I am working on the Sequel to the CSS Appomattox. Here is the basic premise of the book.

In this book, Thomas Devareaux is now an airship squadron commander and in direct command of the CSS Greenville. He has been assigned on a goodwill mission to support the British in North Africa.

It just so happens that there is trouble brewing in North Africa among the locals. Devareaux must deal with the British Colonial office who don't want him, crewmen who are rebelling, the Dervish armies of the Mahdi and a mysterious stranger from a hostile European power.

It is set shortly before the fall of Khartoum in 1885 and the subsequent death of General Gordon. I am having difficulty coming up with a working title. What I have so far is "Last Airship from Khartoum: A Thomas Devareaux Alternative History Military Adventure."

The last part is the subtitle which is purely there to contain keywords to drive Amazon search traffic. I think it is cheesy but unfortunately it actually works. So the terrible subtitle will probably stay. But what about "Last Airship from Khartoum?" Does that work?