Ijime

[PS Power]

Due to slow sales (on Ghost Girl), I'm going to have to hold off on doing any P.S. Power books for a while. I think that people have reached a point of fatigue and don't want to buy things right now.

So, just for the people here, I'm working on a new book called "Ijime: (Bullying)" Which is about a sixteen year old girl Akime Soto that imagines herself a master bully, one who can pull the strings of others to cause them to attack, until the three people she went after all kill themselves. Then, left slightly tormented by guilt, she starts to see them, one by one. Projections of her own mind... Asking her to help their bullies change, before it's too late. This is a bittersweet tale of lost chances and the horrors of what some people do to others without realizing it.

It's an introspective literary piece of fiction that focuses on the devastating consequences of thinking that your better than other people.

I'm figuring that it will be short, about 40,000 to 50,000 words. I'll put it out under a pen name, and sell it cheap, so everyone that wants it can get a copy. I'm also going ahead with the Next Lament, if I can, but won't be releasing it next month. If you really want to read it, please get an editing copy when it's ready.

Yeah, it's amazing, but I can write other things than fantasy. Or at least I think I can. If not, I'm sure that people will line up to tell me!

[MarciaA]

OH!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Well the new book sounds fine,

but...... but...... I need my YA fix...... and Keelyverse updates..... and GAH!!!! I HAVE to know how things are going in the Infected world!!!!! That ending was so intense that I'm already going through withdrawal for the next book to come out!
that just makes me sad.... *sigh*
Sorry sales aren't up. That's sad too. Since those of us on this forum are highly addicted to your stories, it's just crazy to us that EVERYONE else isn't too...

[twips182]

I agree with Marcia. I need my YA fix. The sales being off on Ghost Girl could be any number of things. I have several friends that read your books and we all talk about them at work. We are already arguing about whats going to happen in the second arc of YA. Nobody is happy with this choice Dale. Don't misunderstand me..It's your work and I respect that you can do anything you want to with it. But there will be a lot of sad people that really look forward to these books coming out. Please reconsider and continue writing the PS Power books that so many people enjoy.

[PS Power]

I think that it's simply a matter of things coming out a bit too fast under the one name.

People expect a book a month, so they don't anticipate it. They don't really wait for the next thing to come out, which means that there is no sense of value to it for them. Of course, this is only one book, but I think this trend has been forming for a while. So, I'll keep working on things, and get them ready, as well as working to put out some different kinds of things for people. I also have some idea for advertising older works, which might put some life into things. I haven't really tried advertising before, so maybe it will help?

*I also seem to be going into a second massive depression in the last twelve months. So, that isn't great. It means that people saying things about my work ends up being taken as highly personal. This is another reason for working under other names, since that won't have as many people primed to hate me already. Popularity breeds contempt after all.

Being that I'm still learning and getting better at the craft of writing, I hope to bring in some works that people will think of as good, not just entertaining enough. We'll see of course!

Everything is a risk, and every chance holds the opportunity for both success and failure. This may be the wrong move at the wrong time, or it's direct opposition. I guess I'll find out?

[PS Power]

[twips182]

Good news Dale! As far as reviews and all that go I wouldn't give it a second thought. You've already achieved what most writers only dream about. You have a large fan base that enjoys your work. How many authors out there would love to sell a hundred books or a thousand? All writers..every single one have critics. Some people make a career out of being a critic. Some people are just mean spirited and enjoy taking shots..I say *screw them* what does it matter what they think anyway?

Dale I have been reading the "Wheel of Time" series since I was a young guy. When Robert Jordan became ill and later died, Brandon Sanderson took over for him. I waited about 20 years for the last book and I was pumped when it came out. I read that last book and I didn't like what Sanderson did with it. I was disappointed and somewhat angry. I wanted a book that gave closure with the characters and tied it all together for me. Instead I got a book that was fully one half a battle scene. A lot of people loved it so he must not have done that bad. The point is not everyone is going to be happy ever. I get pissed at your books all the time Dale. I'm the kinda guy that starts reading a book and locks on to certain characters. The Tor books that started the YA series are some of my favorite books ever. Some of the things that happen to Tor make me stand up and go WTF Dale! When you had Trice marry Timon I was so pissed that my wife started looking at me like I had lost my mind. But you know what? I always come back for more because it's a great story. (Fix the whole Trice/Tor thing tho or I'm going to file a lawsuit ) And no I don't care about the rest of your opinions on that subject (Sit back down Marcia I have the stage right now ) like other critics it's all about me!

As far as how fast you write it's pretty much amazing. We need to come get you and take you out for a weekend so you can get away from the stories. Of course then we'd all bombard you with questions and you would have gained nothing . I'll talk to Estrid and try to work something out.

Dale obviously you can write any kind of books you want to but clearly you're good at this genre and I look forward to more of your work.

[MarciaA]

[quote="twips182"] (Sit back down Marcia I have the stage right now ) like other critics it's all about me!

[twips182]

Lol Marcia..U know I wuv u

[Korwin]

[Hokonoso]

Ghost girl sales were low cause any book in that series not from Proxy viewpoint is simply not worth reading more than once... After this many books most of the readers realize this and simply don't even bother with the "off" books. Put out a keeley universe or YA universe book and I'm sure sales will skyrocket again.