Here I am at the edge

Near death Inkitt Koblenz   Yesterday, I mentioned a writing contest I entered, and that my story was being highlighted for being scary.   The picture above is a similar scene to the one I saw coming over the top of the trees, sitting half on a ski-lift chair.

Pat Canella Death follows in her footsteps Patti "Pat" Canella   When I wrote the original stories https://www.draft2digital.com/book/32325   there were a few sales; the second book   https://www.draft2digital.com/book/32325   sold three copies the night it came out, and then died.  I did start to write another book in the series entitled Haunted by her past , but as interest died off I benched the series. Despite the series getting high praises from a former Queensland police sergeant.  With the new interest in the stories on Google books, I am going to rewrite the next stories. Be warned, these gave me the creeps, and I knew what to expect.  Part of the reason for the feeling came from writing the second book of the award winning  Chronicles of Mark Johnson series at the same time. I considered a crossover book at one time. To find out what Patti's secrets are, read the early books.

Another good move If like me, you don't have an Apple iPod/iPad, then you can look my ebook store on Google  https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Alan+Place&gl=GB up. In the next few weeks, I will add more to my selection, the prices are still a bargain . Out of curiosity, I checked to find which of my ebooks had sold the most on Google Play. Since I put them on sale at Google I have sold 22 ebooks, with Sons of Baal, Did we see him, and Sea Ghosts leading the sales with two each.

April 2015 Googlebooks   Last year it was joining Draft2Digital which saved me from quitting writing. This year's big improvement is joining Googlebooks . I did check out the site three years ago, but at the time I would have had to pay to join, and not making $1 a month on Amazon - nothing has changed - it didn't make economic sense.  May - June 2014    Last year, I had two exceptional months when sales almost gave me back-to-back $20 months (May $22 / June $18.50). This year it is looking like a reversal, with last month paying $19.09c, and this month, with a week remaining looking at over $20. Pat Canella   One of the most pleasing things about the sales, apart from the continued success of the Forgestriker series, is the emergence of the Pat Canella stories The Dockland Murders and Ghosts of your past . They are doing so well, I may be tempted to bring out the next book, which is more eerie than Chronicles.   Of all things to get ideas from, I got t

Jazz, and my top titles Cheltenham jazz festival Jazz festivals   Years ago, when I was able to travel, I used to frequent various music festivals in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire . One of my favourites was the International Jazz Festival held in late April. Among the guests I saw perform were Ornette Coleman, Jane Monheit, Ingrid Laubrook, Silje Nergaard, Clare Tobin, and the late Steve Lacy in what was probably his last performance before dying of cancer.  Ghosts of jazz   My short story  https://www.draft2digital.com/book/32323  isn't about the main stage setters, but about a little venue you could miss easily. To the US readers it would be like going to an old-fashioned speak-easy, where jazz was played behind closed doors. The theme of the story is about a club where the patrons set the music to their own styles, two people could see the same performers but hear different tunes played. In the Twilight Zone , you hear what you wish to hear.  Forgestriker

Eva Peron Madonna Don't cry for me, Argentina   We all know the background story of the rise to fame of the late Eva Duarte Peron . The girl who went to Buenos Aries to try to be a film starlet, and ended up marrying the most powerful man in Argentina. Cover versions  Usually, I am not in favour of cover versions of songs; so many people try to do the song right, and fail, sadly in my mind this classic song falls into that category. Julie Covington   Ms. Covington did the original version, and although good it was open to improvement. Elaine Page Ms. Page's version is the most recognisable version, and as a stage production it cannot be faulted. However, it does has a big flaw as a song in a biopic it is too showy for me. There is none of the Girl lost in a world she doesn't belong in.  That is the ethos of Evita for me. Like many of the other cover versions I heard last night; too much emphasis was laid on diction, and breathing. That is fine

A land no longer The day the air turned black Volcanic explosions   In the summer of 2011, the Northern hemisphere was rocked by a volcanic explosion in the Greenland ice fields; only 18 months earlier, I flew over the area on my way to Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada .  Some of the pictures on this post can never be taken again. This is part of the area which exploded, and grounded the air traffic that day, and for weeks afterwards.   Mathematical equations There is an equation which you can work out with the data - I am not that clever - we were flying at 1,4000 above sea level, and it took us 3/4 of an hour to get across the ice fields from Greenland to the Canadian mainland. Nerja Flying across the ice fields gave me a sensation of isolation; my thoughts went to, if we crashed - apart from my migraine, I would suffer from Snow blindness - a condition similar to drivers who get caught in a white-out. Very similar to heat stroke in a desert. You start to think you

I am lost in a wilderness Mojo   The driving influence for artists, a part of your essence which gives your work meaning, and life. Mine has gone. I knew this day would arrive, I thought if A Sailor's Love doesn't attract readers I am finished. Writing the story took so much out of me, the lack of response has killed my drive, as I knew it would.  Spirituality and belief Friends keep telling me to hang on in there, they keep saying Your time will come,  for a while I believed too; especially when Forgestriker sold so well.  When I wrote Chronicles of Mark Johnson , I was doing 3,000 to 4,000 words- three times a week; now, I haven't done that in a month, and what is worse, I am not bothered. I was going to enter a writing contest - a paranormal story - the work was only 1,500 words, but I can't find the inspiration. I have lots of ideas for stories, but no drive.  A Sailor's Love   If I complete the edits I am going to undertake this month

Dragons, and scares Drakanarc   Today, I released the first of my children's stories about the ship Drakanarc, and its search for the lovely creatures-on GooglePlay. Wharfemere Finale A story described as a harrowing account of a man going through a mental collapse- the harrowing sequel to my award winning Chronicles of Mark Johnson will haunt you. It did me, and I knew what was happening. How far will Mark go to rid himself of Annette's memories? Will he survive the ordeal? Does he care? Read the books and find out.

GooglePlay? The Dockland Murders- Al Place Coincidences  Like Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS , I don't believe in them. It is strange that two days after I put Pat Canella 's opening book on Google play, she had her first sale in four years, and I got a sale on Amazon  too. My greatest pleasure  Last night the Forgestriker series sold five copies- none were the title book - this gave me great pleasure because it meant the series was active,not only the first three books. For all the great pleasure that gave, it was dwarfed by the sale of a book I wrote nearly four years ago, and had given up on selling again.  Noir   The books in the Pat Canella series are praised by a former police sergeant from Queensland, Australia . I  did start a book after Ghosts of your past , but as the others hadn't sold I benched it. I had been told by friends to leave the books out, they would find a market. I didn't believe it at the time, but now to quote the line from

The Writer I considered trying to run a video  discussion to tell people  who I am, and what I do, but that would mean I assume someone is interested in the worlds of a  disabled writer  plus, I am not a good public speaker. 

      Chronicles of Mark Johnson  The story of a man who wanted to be left alone, but got involved in combating demonic entities, despite having the need to beat his demons-has gone live on Google Play this afternoon.

Bargain Books at Google Play I decided several weeks ago, not to add to my library on Google Play ; the eight sales I had back in June were no more than a flash in the pan. This site is also noted for material being pirated, and sold without the permission of the writer .

Who will triumph?  The eternal struggle continues   http://hereiamattheedge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/battle-royale.html#.VSqgedzF-n8  between my two best sellers. Forgesrtiker has out sold Sons of Baal by 3 to 1 over the weekend,but hasn't got any further away in the race. The race will heat up next week, as I have a friend in Bristol , and he's waiting for my books to come out on Google Play . This includes the award winning Chronicles of Mark Johnson .

Feeling pleased  I realise in the bigger picture, one sale a day means little, but to me it means a lot. I can't thank my readers too much. I am not quite up to one-a-day, but almost. I usually set a sales (not including freebies) target of 10 a month. With a target of between two or three sales a week, the sales this month (6) have me a week ahead of schedule. Don't forget, other than the hit sci-fi series Forgestriker , there is the award winning Chronicles of Mark Johnson , the Amazon best seller Holding Richmond , my Noir thriller Pat Canella- The Dockland Murders , and my spiritual romance A Sailor's Love . All the books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo .

I can't remain in denial  I've been trying to deny the obvious for some time; but I have come to the conclusion I can't keep denying some facts.  Award winning book   I wrote the award winning e-book Chronicles of Mark Johnson. Best selling Sci-Fi series  I am writing the series Forgestriker,  which is so popular, it sells itself these days, although I am trying to boost sales for the last four books in the series; I can't complain, today the series sold its 250th e-book. Alan Place   Even though nothing else has sold on Barnes and Noble , and little on Amazon . I have to admit, against my better judgement, I am quite a successful writer with a big US Sci-Fi following.

Why did he become a recluse?  Mark Johnson left the high, and glamorous life of a celebrity photographer to become a recluse, read the Award winning book Chronicles of Mark Johnson https://www.draft2digital.com/book/32117   to find out why.  After he fell in love, and his love was rejected, read how he took his revenge in Wharfemere Finale   https://www.draft2digital.com/book/32125  - be warned, the book has been classed as a harrowing account of a man having a nervous break down.  In book 3 - in the WIP (Work In Progress) stage - Mark takes the fight above, and beyond-will he survive?

The collected stories of the Forgestriker crew These are the stories of the men aboard the research vessel  Forgestriker ; sent to set up a listening station on the planet Gameroom, then men find out that all is not what it seems. Fighting for their lives, in a never ending series of rear-guard actions; the mind plays tricks on you, and for some, the endless fight gets too much. With the success of the first set of stories, I plan on adding four more stories in the omnibus edition.                                                 Forgestriker -  The hit series   When I started the series, I had no idea Forgestriker would take such a hold at  Barnes & Noble.  I looked at the site and thought  "With most of the market being in higher education establishments, I would have no chance of selling any e-books."  This assumption was based on my thinking that higher education focused people would be more interested in learning books than my Sci-Fi series -- I was wrong

A writer's profile Alan Place  "   I don't blow my own trumpet enough,"   a comment often said to me by my friends, and it is true. I am naturally a reclusive person, and too often shun the spotlight I deserve.   Today, I will try to give myself a little praise, and also give you an insight into my works. indiePENdents.org   Two and a half years ago, I had the honor of one of my books being awarded the certificate of excellence by the US non-profit organization http://indiependents.org/ Chronicles of Mark Johnson    The story started out its life after seeing  Lorraine Kelly  complain on TV about having to cross the desert. Like many of her friends, she never thought of the poor camera crews who haul the cameras so her fans can see her.  I wrote the book as a tribute to the unsung heroes the men & women who take the shots, and films but never get the credit for all their work.     http://alsdomain.weebly.com/awards/chronicles-of-mark-johnson The writer   Al

Forgestriker- the hit series The seven book series starts with Sons of Baal , this followed by the hit book of the series Forgestriker, Return of the Lost, Terrors of D2, Flying Blind, Double Echo, and finally Caldera awakens . I had planned to bring out an omnibus version in print, including a new beginning, and a thrilling prison break ending, but sales of the last four books have been bad. The series is available at Amazon   http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007U50BOI  ,  http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0076M5BNG  and on my Barnes & Noble page  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/alan-place  , and Kobo.