Once A Demon: Three book series, progress thread!

[Mojo]

I read the reviews for book 1 of Keeley's new series. It looks like a very broad range of reviews. I understand that you can't have a winning book every time, but there are some consistent thoughts on this story. I think that some of your writing style from the patriot book carried over to this one. Most of the reviews described it as a slow start and too much time spent on over promoting social ideas. It seems that your more popular books tend to be less political and more adventuresome, with lots of fantasy and science fiction. This is not meant to be a harsh critique of your writing, but only a recommendation of how much people enjoyed your prior writing style. Perhaps people were expecting your previous writing style because the story was about a returning character. If you discover that writing about your old characters has become too stale for you, perhaps exploring new series with new characters might work out better. Your thoughts?

[PS Power]

Mojo: It isn't really the social issue/political issues that people are having an issue with. It's that some people have a political stance and feel that I'm not catering to them well enough.

In this case they feel that the #MeToo movement is being put down because I point out many sides of the issue. That it's both creepy, damages the Hollywood scene by introducing a metric for success other than acting skill and that those that play into that old "casting couch" system are ALSO using it to get ahead.

A certain very far left extremist type of person refuses to see issues being looked at from any angle other than theirs. Again, I brought up this issue well before #MeToo was a thing. No one cared then.

In this case we have a character, Keeley, who is GOING to look at things in a brutal fashion. She sees reality for what it is and will tend not to soft pedal things that often. Unless it benefits her.

Talking about that world, the acting framework and avoiding that issue in order to placate some readers who have a problem with free speech and open thought isn't going to make for better work.

As for getting a slow start... The book starts with a person leaping into action. Literally. I suppose I could have used an explosion... but....



What we are seeing here is the normal kind of thing that happens if the world written doesn't conform to the viewpoint of the few. If I show Christians as not being perfect at any point there will be an attack. If I show police corruption, taking it literally from the headlines, then I'm attacked as a "cop hater", even if I also show the other side of the same topics!

People love to complain when they feel threatened. Notice that no one tried to refute what they didn't like? Instead they attacked the work, because they didn't have arguments that weren't addressed in the book. (Even supported in the book.) They just felt "bad" about not having their viewpoint praised constantly.

*Also: I wrote "Always a Demon" BEFORE "Patriot Smith."

**On top of that: Almost everything I've ever written has some kind of political message to it.

Proxy: Addresses good people caught up in police abuse and corruption.
The Builder: Addresses inequality in economic systems. (All of the Young Ancients has that as a theme, from different angles. Including the collection of vast sums of money with one person... That wasn't a mistake or an aside.)
Dead End: Has strong themes of social isolation. It examines how men in particular are shut out of their own communities.
Keeley Thomson: Is all about seeing reality without artificial filters. (Which is the problem you were addressing. People with those filters have troubles seeing that they are wearing them. We all do that, by the way. ALL of us.)
Goblin: Addresses bigotry, hatred and self-hatred caused by that same basic bigotry. Also attempting to overcome it.
Iron Edge: Is an examination of insanity.
Troy Ounce: Shows police in a good light, from an inside perspective. The entire series is positive that way, going into the hardships of the job.
Mirror Man: Is about the horrible treatment of the elderly. Again based on real life events. (Old folks left to die as the water rises, because they don't matter...)
Ijeme: Is ALL about anti-bullying. It's literally the point of the book.

Name a book of mine. It has some alternative theme to it. (No one cares, unless it goes against the preconceived ideology of people reading the books.

***Yes. When I hear things like this it does make it harder to motivate myself to keep working. At times you have to wonder what the point is? When attacks come it's easiest to shut down and pull away from them, rather than keep standing there, taking the blows as they come without responding.

Especially frustrating is that so many people miss that I go out of my way to show more than one side of almost every issue. They see their own "soapbox" issue being refuted in a few places, miss where the agreement is and then throw a fit, trying to derail what bit of success I might manage in the world because their feelings aren't being catered to well enough inthe moment.

The truth is that Always a Demon is a good book. It doesn't cause cancer and is well written enough. Is it perfect? Nope. Then, this isn't about my skills at a writer. It's about a few people feeling that their particular way of thinking shouldn't be challenged at all.

I'm not going to be catering to that. Not even if it means being attacked for investigating and exploring uncomfortable ideas.

[David]

I agree, and was going to say the same. All of Dale’s books are filled with social issues. It’s just this new atmosphere of intolerance in America that’s worsened over the last year that’s making more out of it than it is.

I hope sales stays consistent anyway, I believe most people are reasonable, it’s just the ones that get worked up in outrage because they have no tolerance to other viewpoints are driven to write reviews, as opposed to the others who just enjoy the book. That’s human nature. It’s also stupid, but then I’m pretty intolerant of intolerance, ironically perhaps.

[Mojo]

Well stay true to who you are as a writer. Its worked well for you so far and no one should compromise who they are in their work.

[PS Power]

Honestly, sales wise? This one is up, compared to the last years new series first books. I ultimately sold more with Shine, but it took longer and there is still time.

The overall rating (to date for Always a Demon) is over four stars on Amazon.com. Even the people that disliked the book, me or my supposed political views didn't just dig in for a one star hit campaign, which is different.

I can only hope that people will read the book and figure out what is being said for themselves, instead of letting others do that for them.

[Pyottl]

[PS Power]

Well, sorry you didn't like it.

I do try to keep improving in everything I do. With anything artistic, you are going to have some people that don't like it. No matter what you do.

I hope that you will find joy in something I write in the future! Sooner or later I plan to get around to all ways of thinking and ideas.

As for you not liking my writing style... Well, you probably never truly will. My style is my style. I'm constantly making small corrections but it kind of sounds like you simply hate the basic idea of what I do... I probably can't fix that one for you.

All I can hope is that, even if you can't enjoy what I do, that you find joy in other places. Who knows, if I live long enough, maybe I'll accidently hit on a thing in a way that you can tolerate?