Netherstream - Episode 1: Jane Doe (8 page)

Ugh! I’m going round and round about this. Not sure what to do.

Let me sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow.

8:01 a.m.

Netherstream - Episode 1: Jane Doe is live on Amazon.

Checkmate!

9:45 p.m.

I Skyped my father and now I’m even more confused. One moment I was convinced that I’d put it up exclusively on KDP Select, the next, I was 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Well, I don’t want to sit around and waste anymore time. Over the last few months, KDP Select has dwindled in its effectiveness. It’s time to put up Netherstream on all of the major platforms. Besides, I can always put it in KDP Select later if I change my mind.

Finally I know what I’m doing. It’s a done deal.

When I told my mother I’d written something that had plenty of bad language, she wasn’t pleased. “What have I done?” I’m sure she asked herself. “Didn’t I raise him right?”

Yes, mom.
Don’t worry; I’m not the antichrist.

I owe it to the character—you know, that imaginary, nonexistent entity that I fabricated the other day—to be true to their voice and move in the direction that they’re leading me. Sure, the language is bound to offend someone—ok, most people—but I can’t get wrapped up in that. This is the story that came out. I didn’t add the foul language gratuitously; this is just how they sound.

Perhaps I should have picked a different story with bright, blue skies and rainbows and birds chirping and flying off into the distance.

But I didn’t.

I chose to write Netherstream, a gritty, zombie action serial highlighting the best and worst of humanity. I can’t apologize for that, even if I try, and it’s not always possible tone it down without tainting the fabric from which it’s woven. It is what it is, period.

I shouldn’t feel guilty and need to apologize for being true to the story. In a way, that’s censorship. If I’m always running around and toning things down for someone who
might
get offended, will I ever write anything of merit? The truth is I could write a children’s book and offend someone. You just can’t win! Put your words down honestly and move on to the next book.

Valis is a punk rock zombie hunter and featured on the main cover. I’m not trying to hide the fact that she’s bizarre, crass and ill tempered. I didn’t even dial back the book description. Basically I said this is what you’re getting: a good, old fashioned zombie horror story with larger than life characters who are rowdy, imperfect and frequently kick butt.

If she rubs you the wrong way, my apologies. That’s not the intention. There are many other characters besides Valis who are irresistible. Sure, she may be unlikeable now,
but she’ll grow on you. Promise!

Hopefully readers will stick around long enough to be exposed to the other wacky characters.

I can only hope.

Although I had a late start, I was able to capture a little of the excitement of getting Episode 1 polished and out the door. Currently, the book is available on several outlets: Apple, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Scribd, Lulu and even Tradebit. And once Netherstream gets added to Smashword’s premium catalog, I’ll see it on Sony, Diesel, Page Foundry and all the other quirky places that it caters to.

Next time, I’ll document each day of the development process. This is helpful because it forces me to take a look at what I’m doing and set goals if they don’t already exist. And more writing is beneficial in the long run. Must always keep writing…

Though there haven’t been many sales thus far, I feel like this is the start of something big. I’ll make the next one longer and better; otherwise, I shouldn’t be doing this. The sad thing is that Episode 1: Jane Doe is now my longest published work to date at 16,000 words, even though I have a novel (77,000+ words) and novella (43,000+ words) waiting to be edited (extensively edited, I might add). I will get to them eventually, but for now, it’s time to celebrate this small achievement.

Next up, Episode 2: Spanish Fly!

Thank you for reading
Netherstream
Episode 1: Jane Doe!

For more information about
Episode 2: Spanish Fly
please visit:
netherstream.blogspot.com

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