ROBUST discussion

Yes I'm back/not dead...


Falling Over, my second collection of stories, has been published by Infinity Plus.

Reviews:

"It’s a special moment when you read a new author and immediately get the feeling that you’re onto something special and such was the case here. The stories in this collection are evidence of great talent at work, both emotionally and intellectually stimulating." Dark Musings

"Falling Over is certainly weird fiction in the British tradition of Aickman, subtle, understated, enigmatic... an excellent collection, well-crafted, imaginative and chilling." Amazing Stories

"It can safely be said that these are proudly James Everington stories, and all the better for it. Make no mistake, this is some of the very best strange fiction around." Stranger Designs

"It all works to a pitch-perfect conclusion. The world has definitely fallen over, but at least we have these stories because of it." Lauren James

Links for paperback and ebook versions on my site:

http://jameseverington.blogspot.co.uk...

Congratulations, James. We're proud of you.

Cheers Andre. How's you?

Well, I've published 20 books that I wrote or edited in the last three years, and made many new friends, and taken up watercolors, so I guess my indie experiment is a success.

20 books *and* watercolours? When do you sleep?

James wrote: "20 books *and* watercolours? When do you sleep?"

Ha! Actually, I'm so slow, it takes me three months to edit a book, and writing one takes as long as it takes. But the numbers are padded out by reissues from my back list.

How long does it take you to write a short story? I mean until it is polished and can be released.

Tough question. I generally write a draft, then move onto something else, then redraft, then move onto something else... & repeat until I'm happy with it. Normally I go round this cycle at least three times, but sometimes more - some stories are just more stubborn than others.

Then for this book there was more time spent on the edits for the publisher.

Now why am I not surprised to hear that?

The reason I don't write short stories* is because each can take as much time as a short novel.

*What I've published that appear to be short stories are outwrites from novels, or small sections of my memoirs.

Yeah, I mean it's hard work; intense.

I see 'advice' sometimes to would be writers saying start with short stories before a novel, like a kid with stabilisers on a bike or something, and it's quite frustrating. Learning to write short stories well takes years, just like learning to write anything else well.

Of course. You should train for baseball by playing cricket. Both balls and bats. Same exact thing, right?

Ha - yeah, exactly.

"If you can sell soap, you can sell books."

"Show me."

Andre Jute wrote: ""If you can sell soap, you can sell books."

"Show me.""

J.A. wrote: "Of course. You should train for baseball by playing cricket. Both balls and bats. Same exact thing, right?"

Kench!

Andre, you have been busy! Well done!

Glad to read this thread, makes me feel better that I've tried to write short stories - to no success whatsoever...

Big congrats, James, all the best!

Thanks Sharon - appreciated.

Congratulations, James.