Lee Stephen

The website of author Lee Stephen

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The April Round-Up!

This entry’s been a long time coming! As many of you know, April was a ginormous (wow…spell-check apparently considers “ginormous” a legitimate word…what have we come to?) month for Epic. In other words, there’s a LOT to talk about.

But I want to start with this:

THANK YOU. Seriously. THANK YOU. To everyone who posted reviews on Amazon, to everyone who spread the word about the promos Epic had going on, to everyone who did anything whatsoever in support of the series this month, you cannot imagine how unbelievably appreciative I am! For those unfamiliar with what’s been going on this month, here’s the 30-second summary. During the month of April, Epic ran several free promos on Amazon, two with Dawn of Destiny and one with Outlaw Trigger. All in all, over 18,000 copies of the two books were downloaded on Kindle. The goal was to introduce Epic to a wider audience and hopefully draw attention to the series as a whole, now four books strong and growing. The determining factor as to whether or not this worked was whether or not the subsequent books in the series experienced increased sales. So did it work?

Resoundingly, yes.

This month, with a day left to go, the Epic series has sold over 1,400 copies. It may even threaten the 1,500 mark. Epic has sold more copies in April 2013 than it has in any other year. During its free stretch, Dawn of Destiny reached as high as #14 on the best-selling free Kindle book list for all free eBooks in all genres in America (and seriously, is there a more appropriate number it could have hit than 14?). It also became the most downloaded, as in #1, free eBook in science-fiction. Basically, the doors of promotion were blown open.

April has been a game-changer for Epic, and honestly, for myself. Now, one month is just that, a single month. But what it’s done has shown the potential of what Epic could be. Though 1,400 copies sold in April doesn’t guarantee 100 sales in May, it shows that these kinds of numbers are possible. The goal now is to maintain. That’s the tricky part – the part no one can do for me. I have never been a promotional powerhouse. It’s just not my strong suit. But though the challenge is hard, the goal is worth it, that goal being to achieve true commercial success. For as much as Epic has been able to sustain itself, it’s never been a series I’ve profited from. The profits have always gone into the costs of production. I’ve stayed afloat. The thought of that changing in the positive is very, very enticing. After going at this for seven years, I think I’m ready.

It would be completely inappropriate of me to write all of the above but fail to mention Duolit, the self-publishing duo of Toni & Shannon who took me on as a client several months back. Saturday marked the last of our twelve weekly sessions together, during which we completely remodeled Epic’s platform. It was my “author boot camp.” The challenge with Epic has always been the total lack of marketing savvy on the part of its author, me. It doesn’t matter how sound a series is, if there’s no fuel in the promotional engine, it’s not going anywhere.

I could probably write ten pages worth of praise for what Duolit was able to do with me and the Epic series, but for the sake of keeping this all in one entry, I’ll sum it up with the following: teaming up with Duolit was the single best decision I’ve ever made as an author. In doing their job, they’ve etched themselves a chapter in Epic’s history. If I was one to label chapters, I’d call it The Turning Point. Everything that Epic has become as an online presence is because of the groundwork they laid and the direction they provided. From a redesigned website to the revival of the Epic newsletter, no stone was left unturned. They deserve all the credit in the world for this month and the two months prior. It will be a joy to share with other authors how Duolit saved this series.

So what’s next? Well, quite a bit! Those of you who signed up for the newsletter know that a major emphasis is being placed on pure writing speed, as I attempt to transform from a once-every-three-years publisher to something a bit more speedy and consistent. That’s huge right now. I’ll have some more specifics regarding that soon, but that will once again likely be a newsletter feature, as that’s more a behind-the-scenes issue than a goings-on of Epic one. But to sum it up quickly, there’s a plan being put into place for speed concerns. It’s time to start pumping out literature.

In the meantime, stay tuned. There’s a lot coming up even in the non-Epic realm, including my podcast interview with Mark Elias, the Next Big Thing cast job for Becan McCrae. Look for that to be posted this week (soon). There are also more cast jobs to be done period, so get ready for new faces in the coming months! Though the casting series isn’t my primary focus, it is something I’ll be diving into every now and then, probably in 3-4 character spurts. As always, it’ll be fun!

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Epic’s 90-Day Workout: Teaming with Duolit

In my last journal entry, I mentioned that over the next several months, I will be working with Shannon and Toni from Duolit, a tag-team pair of literary and promotional trainers. Effective promotion has always been Epic’s weakness, as I’ll be the first to admit to anyone that I just don’t promote myself well. I write, I release, and I let things run wild. Up until this point, that’s worked relatively well for Epic. But at the same time, strictly relying on word-of-mouth is not the way to go. Epic deserves better, as does the fan base. The more people who get into Epic, the more engaging the community will become. The more successful Epic is, the more I can actually do.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Jan. 10) marks day-one of this 90-day “author boot camp,” as I’m referring to it. There is no doubt in my mind that it will both be an eye opening experience as it pertains to the things I should and could have been doing for Epic, but also a huge step in the right direction for me personally (and professionally) in regards to my writing. I have always been honest even when it comes to identifying my own shortcomings. This process will directly address one of my biggest ones – marketing and to an extent believing in myself.

I will definitely be posting as this process gets underway, not only to let you know how things are going, but also to let you know about some really cool things that Epic is doing. The Epic Universe will become very active over the course of the next three months – I definitely want you guys along for the ride. It is you who make Epic what it is. Without you, this series doesn’t have a reason to exist. I want you guys taking this trip with me!

With that said…it’s time to bring on Duolit. I’m so excited about what 2013 has in store for this series. I know faith will persevere.

Here’s to an epic three months, and brighter things for the series’ future.

-Lee Stephen

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The Next Big Thing

Big thanks to Patrick Todoroff for tagging me to answer ten questions in “The Next Big Thing.” No beating around the bush, let’s get right to it.

 

1) What is the title of your next book/work?

I’m actually working on three things at the moment. The first, deadline-wise, is Crimson Dagger, a novella I’m writing for the indie video game Xenonauts, currently in production by Goldhawk Interactive. The second project, which is also my most ambitious to date, is an audio adaptation of the first book in Epic, Dawn of Destiny. The trailer for this project was actually just released and can be viewed here:

 

And the third project is the fifth installment of Epic, Enemy One, which has gone through a bit of pre-planning and is “in the queue.”

 

2) Where did the idea come from for the book/work?

I was always inspired by science-fiction. I grew up watching Star Trek and wasted countless hours of my life playing video games such as X-Com: UFO Defense. Military Sci-Fi was just a natural fit. The human condition has always fascinated me. It’s definitely something that drives me forward, fiction-wise. The imperfection of man is an incredible canvas.

 

3) What genre does your book/work fall under?

All of the above fall under military science-fiction.

 

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

EDIT: This question has been addressed in future blog entries! Check out the explanation here.

 

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Epic is the story of man who sacrifices everything to follow what he believes is a calling from God to enlist in a war against hostile extraterrestrial forces.

 

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I publish my material independently.

 

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

The first installment of Epic took six years to write. Right now I’m averaging a book every 2-3 years.I’d love to be a bit quicker, I just have an incredibly busy life.

 

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

In terms of overall feel, I’d probably say Black Hawk Down, even though that doesn’t fall under science-fiction. But I think the general feel of being in the trenches of an interspecies war is very similar to the raw brutality of BHD.

 

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I get inspired by things that happen in life. I know that’s a very general answer, but it’s the truth. So much more important than unexpected twists and gimmicky story elements is just writing about real things that happen to real people. It doesn’t matter if they’re soldiers in an alien war or neighbors down the street – everyone is going through something that other people can relate to. If you can tap into that, and if you can make people have an emotional connection to it, then it doesn’t matter what you’re writing. If people care, they’ll come along for the ride. So in that way, life inspires me.

I’m also inspired greatly by my religious faith. As a Christian, I find that most “Christian-themed” fiction often sugarcoats what a life of faith truly is, which is very, very hard. We fail more often than we succeed. I try to have that represented in my protagonists.

 

10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

It’s just fun. It’s a series that’s four books and counting. It’s doing things few other series do and going places few other series go, both plot-wise and in tangible areas, such as the audio adaptation of Dawn of Destiny. Military Sci-Fi with a touch of faith. You don’t come across that often!

 

The writers I’m tagging next are Robert Fanney and Raphyel Jordan.

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Does Faith Belong in Sci-Fi?

“I have nothing against Christian or Christian writers, but when I want a ‘Christian’ story, I will buy one. When I want military Science Fiction, that is what I want.”

“Pages upon pages of God this and God that … Oh GOD cut it out! If I want to be preached to, I’ll go to a sermon. When I read military science fiction, I want a good story, NOT a spiritual rant.”

“The main character had a fixation on the Bible. For no apparent reason he would start thinking about his ‘faith,’ question god’s ‘plan,’ do some soul-searching, then decide he is doing what god ‘wants’ him to do.”

 

Well…that answers that!

Not so fast.

The quotes that kicked this entry off, if you haven’t figured it out, are from selected 1-star reviews for Dawn of Destiny, the first installment of my Epic series (NOT representative of the vast majority of its reviews). The same sentiment can be taken from each: an unequivocal insistence that stories of faith have no business being in science-fiction. They are oil and water. Wheat and chaff. Teenagers and turn signals. So the question remains. Does faith belong in science-fiction?

My answer is unabashedly, wholeheartedly, yes.

Now before some of you get all crazy on me, take a moment to understand the statement you just read. It did not say, “To not advocate [insert any name of any religion] is to fail.” Nor did it read, “To say that God is not real is to fail.” Take a look at the fundamental basis of the originally-proposed question. Does faith belong in sci-fi?

According to a 2011 survey, 51% of the global population has a belief in God, with varying percentages falling under such options as, “believes in an afterlife,” or “undecided.” Only 18% classify themselves as “not religious.” Bear in mind, “not religious” does not equal “atheist.” It simply means “not religious.”

Faith is real. That is not to argue that it is correct, or proper, or in need of emphasis. It is simply to state what it states. Faith – the human belief in some sort of Almighty – is real.

This is really just touching on something that has become somewhat of a passion point for me lately: the mindset that the word “God” should never appear in any sort of science-fiction (unless it’s followed by an expletive). Characters who seem real should appear in science-fiction, and if characters who seem real should appear in science-fiction, then characters of faith should appear, as well. That’s not an opinion. Unless your protagonist is an atheist who will have zero contact with any other human throughout the course of your story, or the full length of the narrative takes place at an atheists’ convention, then faith must appear to some extent to capture the essence what we should strive for: realism..

Obviously the question still remains, to what extent should faith exist in a science-fiction story? And the answer is, “whatever you want.” Including faith does not mean pushing it. It does not mean leaving footnotes to Bible verses. It doesn’t even mean making the person of faith the hero (heroes are heroes, religious or atheist). But it shouldn’t be ignored. It exists, in the same way that atheism exists, in the same way that agnosticism exists, in the same way that this whacked-out kid who married a cow ( http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/830794-man-forced-to-marry-cow-faints-at-wedding ) exists.

Me, personally? I’m not a fan of laying it on thickly. In spite of what the reviewers at the top of this entry think they read (I’m fairly certain it wasn’t my book), my preference for faith inclusion leans toward light and subtle. Because isn’t that how most of us are, most of the time, with everything we do? Realism is captured in subtleties. Now, the faith element of Epic and in particular in Scott Remington – my protagonist – is absolutely there, and I make zero apologies. But we – and particularly the owners of the quotes that kicked off this entry – make a mistake when we view “there” as “preaching.” We make a mistake when we don’t want faith present at all. We might as well marry a cow.

Okay, so that last line didn’t make sense. But just the same…what the heck was that kid thinking?

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Writing Rant: No Room for Speculation

I want to talk about a term that really bothers me. It’s one that has become, especially as of late, a catchphrase for many writers. Though the term has existed since the 1940s, it’s popped up in droves over the past decade or so. If you read anything, it’s impossible to ignore.

I am talking about the term, “speculative fiction.”

If you ask most speculative-fiction writers what exactly speculative-fiction is, you’ll get the following answer: “Speculative fiction is fiction that asks, ‘what if?'” Here’s my beef with that. That’s any fiction. That’s the point of fiction. That is what fiction is. Why so add the word “speculative” to it?

The exact definition for speculative fiction can be found here. “Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion, and virtual arts.” That is literally everything. Anything you could ever write that could be described as fiction fits into speculative fiction.

What if there were these vampires that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight, and they were battling these werewolves in this big romantic-drama storyline? Hello, Twilight.

What if there was this world where there were life and death games played by children who won some sort of lottery? The Hunger Games.

What if a mysterious gunslinger wandered into an old western town and befriended a young boy? We’ll call that one Shane. (and before anyone says, “that’s not on the list of spec-fic genres,” yes it is; if it’s history that never happened, it’s alternate history – another term that bugs the heck out of me).

What if a guy was hunting this white whale? What if there was a galaxy long ago that was far, far away? What if animals on a farm created their own government?

You get the point. Everything is speculative fiction. Garfield is speculative fiction. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is speculative fiction. Heck, fantasy football is almost speculative fiction. “What if Drew Brees could throw to Calvin Johnson?” Well, there you go.

For the life of me, I fail to see any reason to call yourself a speculative fiction writer except to call yourself a speculative fiction writer. Why not just call yourself a “writer?” Or if you’re genre-specific, be genre-specific. You write science-fiction. You write westerns. You write period romance. To me, saying that you write speculative fiction is no different from saying that you write finger-tappin’ fiction, which is fiction that happens when your fingers tap a keyboard. Does that term actually mean anything significant? Nope. But it sure sounds like it means something.

“Hey, whatcha reading?”

“Why, I just got me some finger-tappin’ fiction by Lee Stephen!”

“Well shoooo-eee and yee-haw!”

Actually…that’s not too bad. Finger-tappin’ fiction! I like the sound of that. Lee Stephen, writer of finger-tappin’ fiction! I think that can take me places.

So I guess the whole point is…be a writer of what you write. Don’t group yourself into a term that exists solely to exist. Be proud of the genre you write in, and if you write in more than one, say you write in more than one. Or just say you “write.” Look – being able to write in many different areas is a skill unto itself. Calling yourself just a writer isn’t bland, it’s a testament to your ability to be diverse. Be proud of that. Don’t feel the need to try and sound more unique or talented than you already are.