Last night I was writing late. It was New Year’s Eve. At midnight, I got up from the keyboard very briefly to hug my wife. Then back at it. It is tempting to make resolutions but habits are better. Mornings are for coffee and writing. Afternoons are for revisions and marketing. I try to eat clean, cut back on the carbs and get to the gym.
Those are the basics and they don’t vary for holidays. Rain or shine, I’m at bat, swinging for the fences. I love to read fiction and write fiction. This is my happy heaven. I have several manuscripts to revise and new thrillers to publish so 2019 will be a very busy year.
I hope you have a heaven on Earth, too. It’s a tenuous state. Going through some scary medical tests, I ate my feelings and soothed myself with too many carbs. That didn’t help, of course. (Actually, it did help but the soothing endorphin effect was temporary.)
I’m back to the routine. “Routine” sounds boring, but the writing life is never boring. I’m creating worlds, reflecting this world and listening to the many voices in my head have fascinating and funny conversations.
Wherever you are, I hope you have a reading life and I wish you a fantastic 2019. There’s much work to do, but it’s not all grim grind. We can work toward saving the planet and escape into books when we need a break from being superheroes.
Cheers!
Chazz
PS Speaking of heroes, my new crime thriller, The Night Man, launches later this week. This roller coaster is packed with action and jokes as we delve into intrigue and betrayal is rural Michigan. Watch this space (and subscribe!) Thanks.
It’s the last day of 2018. It’s been quite a year. I retired from my day job of 26 years and went full-time as a writer. My little girl is in her second year of university and works at a bank. My son is growing up and I can’t quite understand where the time went.As I sit here, I’m thinking about the future. I’m worried the future will be too short.
Meanwhile, the world is in chaos.
The US government is shut down and a lot of folks don’t seem to care how all those federal employees will pay their mortgages. FBI agents and prosecutors are out of work but that’s not a threat to safety and security? Are we in the Upside Down?
Real talk: Donald Trump is a lying racist given to tantrums and still evangelicals support him. His charities diverted funds away from children with cancer and veterans in need. His kids aren’t even allowed to be on the board of a charity in New York State anymore. Trump has a long history of cheating contractors yet his base still say he’s for “the working man.” Well, he’s for them more than he is for women, I guess. He can’t stop insulting women, particularly if they’re women of color. Don’t normalize it. Keep being surprised. Keep being outraged.
I follow US politics somewhat obsessively and, let’s not put any sparkles on the facts: it’s a shit show. Any administration where you know the names of so many department heads is clearly messed up. I know who Betsy DeVos is. I’m Canadian. I shouldn’t know that. And the more I know, the more I worry for my many American friends (and the world.)
Children were put in cages with no care and no plan as to how to reunite them with their families. Radioactive waste? No big deal, put it anywhere. Dismantle the EPA. Oh, and we’re cool with killing journalists, just don’t interfere with arms deals, please. That would be rude.
The MeToo movement is still in its infancy. Sure, a few bad dudes had their careers ruined but most of them were rich, are still rich and, mostly, they’ll be back soon. This isn’t a triumph for women everywhere. So far, it’s a blip. Get a woman in the White House who is held to the same standards as a man and maybe I’ll believe progress is being made.
The war on minorities continues to ramp up and expand its goals. Since 2001 we’re supposed to hate all Muslims. Blacks are scary and what about those hordes of Latinos? All that manufactured fear is great for the incarceration industry. Prisons have more slave labor.
Cops almost always get away with shooting unarmed black men. For people who take on a tough job, there are far too many police officers who spook too easily. Between abuse of authority, lack of accountability, and civil asset forfeiture we should all fear out-of-control law enforcement. Black lives don’t matter yet and no, imbeciles, asking not to be shot doesn’t make BLM a terrorist organization. Kneeling is an outrage but state-sanctioned murder is fine? We need a U-turn on this madness.
I listened to an interview with Ta Nehisi Coates recently. He made a point that shook me awake. When reporters interview Trump supporters and ask if their faith is shaken yet, the answer is usually, “No, this is fine. He’s a great president!” The reporters always express shock but the premise is messed up. Those journalists (and the rest of us) are actually underestimating the intelligence of Trump loyalists. They knew what he was. They don’t care. He’s doing what they want.
They lack empathy so they don’t give a shit about his lack of moral character, his cowardice, poor impulse control or his lack of mental capacity. They want that wall between themselves and reality. When you’re drowning, I guess it feels good to push someone else under. We’ve seen this before. When the myth of austerity spreads, economies sour and income gaps deepen. Fertile soil for the seeds of fascism and othering. And the oppressors will claim they are oppressed.
Tonight, the ball will drop in NYC. The event will also be in honor of press freedom. You know, those “enemy of the people” folks who are generally trying to keep the public informed about how messed up things have become. Fascism and the politics of fear is back in fashion and doing quite well despite our previous attempts to stomp it out.
It’s not all bad news.
The NRA’s leadership, cozy with a Russian spy, funneled money from the Russians. The NRA is going bankrupt so maybe there will be a little less scaremongering in the future. Everybody still has their guns so don’t panic. By the way, how is that bankruptcy even possible? What massive mismanagement of dough occurred? They don’t have a huge surplus cushion of cash from the Obama years when they scared gun owners into thinking their guns would be taken away? Inconceivable.
The Democratic party is roaring back. I’m reserving judgment on that. They have a history of being spineless and their leaders talk way too much about compromise. I have no interest in compromise with people who profess hatred and racism. What’s the plan? Compromise and meet fascists halfway in the spirit of bipartisanship? Let’s not.
There is hope for a better planet. Elizbeth Warren just announced she’s running for POTUS. AOC is stirring things up even before taking her oath of office. Progressivism is on the upswing if the neo-liberals don’t strangle it in the crib. To succeed, they need to offer something voters are concerned about: consumer protection, less status quo, less incrementalism, boldness, truth.
The greatest challenge ahead.
We’ve lost time with Trump. Neither he nor his party care about the dangers of climate change. It’s still a debate for them despite findings from most of the relevant scientists on Earth (including research sponsored by the Koch brothers and policy from the Pentagon). I used to be a friend with a climate change denier. I don’t have time for that shit anymore. None of us have that kind of time. We have to turn this around fast and hard or my kids and your kids are screwed.
Climate change is already here. It’s not theoretical. Unfortunately, Liberals lose arguments because they believe in nuance. They say, “Well, we can’t actually say this particular storm/firestorm/tornado/flood is because of climate change but…” That’s all the opening deniers need to say, “I guess it needs more study. Do nothing. We can’t worry about the climate until Wall Street is literally underwater.”
Climate change has and/or will cause famine, floods, fires, droughts, food shortages, mass migration, destruction, increase terrorism and war. I wonder how the deniers think that’s going to be good for business.
What about solutions?
Solar and wind, not coal. More people work at J.C. Penney than work in the coal industry.
Eliminate your debt as much as possible because when the recession hits, interest rates will rocket upward.
Activate activism: call your politicians, vote, write letters, get your friends and families to write letters, protest, show up at politicians’ offices. Bring others to the polls. Given the opportunity, Republicans will rig and steal an election. That’s not a conspiracy theory. We’ve already seen the evidence. When it comes to gerrymandering and voter suppression, Republicans are the champs.
Immigration is not an invasion. It is a humanitarian crisis. Anyone screaming about the dangers of “open borders” is trying to con you.
“Thoughts and prayers” do not equal solutions.
Voter suppression and social media manipulation is a concern. Voter fraud is a statistical nothing.
Misinformation mixed with fake outrage is not a patriotic act that helps anyone. Fair reporting doesn’t mean reporting both sides. Fair reporting requires telling the truth. Check facts, spread facts. Not all reporters commit these offenses equally.
Networks: fact check politicans and their mouthpieces in real time. yes, even during debates. Especially during debates. You’ve got 24-hour schedules. You have the time and resources. (Also, there is no reason to allow Anne Coulter, Bill Crystal or Tomi Lahren as guests to balance out the facts. Those are not people who talk truth.)
FOX viewers: remember when Sean Hannity assured you Mitt Romney would win? Remember how angry you were that you’d been lied to? Reconnect with that. The bullshit didn’t stop because you forgave FOX. They doubled down because you forgave them.
Reduce, reuse and recycle but don’t fall for that crap that the individual can reverse climate change. 100 companies are responsible for more climate change than all the individuals on Earth. Go ahead, live your life and take that vacation on a jet if you can. See Fiji before it’s underwater. You get to participate in life before it becomes a socialist utopia. Don’t put up with scolds who don’t really give a shit about the future. They’ll say you’re a terrible hypocrite if you fly, drive or own a phone. They don’t really care. That’s a distraction from the real issue: the systemic dismantling of the infrastructure that allows for a safe future for everyone on the planet.
Politicians get their policies from people, not the other way around. Let them hear your suggestions. Make them pay the price at the polls if they don’t listen.
Our duty is to the truth and to the betterment of humankind. That is how we bring honor to ourselves. We do not swear oaths of loyalty to a politician. Country over party. People over countries. World future over failing industrial agendas set by robber barons.
Liberals, stop trying to make your racist uncle see the light. He’s a lost cause. Let it go. To save the planet, focus on bringing in liberals who don’t already vote. Inspire them by insisting on leadership that will inspire and protect them.
Late stage capitalism is a war on the poor. If you can help it, don’t use your credit card. Pool resources, create and work together. Give if and where you can to help others, especially in areas where the government will not step in to protect and help its people.
Don’t accept stigmas. If you are ill, that doesn’t mean you are weak or a failure. If you are poor, it could very well be because the system is designed to serve people who are perpetually at the top. There are opportunities out there when we band together. Rugged individualism is so close to a myth, it’s stupid. Nobody makes it on their own.
The problem is not that you enjoy a cappuccino. The problem is that you aren’t paid enough. 100 million Americans are poor or live in “near-poverty” and can’t deal with a $400 surprise expense without going into debt. When you’re hired at Walmart (one of the most successful corporations on Earth) you fill out forms to receive government assistance. But it’s not you who are on welfare. Walmart is getting the benefit of government assistance.
Don’t fall for typical financial commentary from hacks. It’s out of touch. Stocks are not the measure of the healthy economy. Most people can’t afford that gamble. A healthy society takes care of those who cannot work, houses the homeless, and provides healthcare and hope for the future. Many will tell you that’s an impossible dream. I guess they’ve never been to most First World nations where these measures are taken as a given in a responsible society.
Smart folks know that paying people a living wage allows them to participate in the economy. Conscious people understand that the child you educate today could be your future internist, nurse or the urologist that saves your life.
You’re probably working plenty hard enough already. I don’t know anyone who is slacking. Working three jobs and still worrying about the bills is no one’s dreams of success. Stop beating yourself to death. That’s what someone else wants for you. That someone is not your friend.
Refuse to be afraid of the word socialism. Alarmists point to the tragedy of Venezuela, somehow forgetting all the other socialist success stories. And surprise, you’re probably living in a socialist success story to some degree already. Do you enjoy police protection? Do you like the military, firefighters and roads? Congratulations, you’re already a socialist. Socialism does not equal communism and there is no such thing as a purely capitalist society. Communism fell with the Berlin Wall but capitalists, don’t gloat. Capitalism failed in 2008, remember? The banks were bailed out and Wall Street laughed at the taxpayers who saved them.
Don’t accept toxic people in your life. What’s the point? It will only add to your stress. Markets are fragmented already anyway. Don’t be afraid to alienate people who wouldn’t like you. Haven’t you noticed that the people who carry the banners for the right-wing all sound like assholes you wouldn’t want to hang out with? The cool people aren’t on that side of the fence. Cool people don’t want to put a fence around you.
Tucker Carlson espouses racist propaganda and pretends he doesn’t know it. Companies that advertise on his show need to know that’s not okay. Buy your stuff from someone else. Tell the advertisers why you aren’t buying their product anymore. Denying haters their funding works.
Know that you are not alone. If you take politics out of it, most people want left-of-center programs. They’re for taking care of the poor, the disabled and the elderly. They want medical care and they don’t think anyone should go bankrupt because of huge medical bills. They don’t want war. They want children to be educated and safe. It’s only when you call it Obamacare instead of the ACA that the answers swing right-wing.
Come from a place of love. That doesn’t mean you can’t speak out or fight back. Please do spend your energy where it counts, though. Twitter is rarely a useful outlet. Trolls and bots have all the time in the world. The world doesn’t have that kind of time. Neither do we.
To save the planet we need strong voices and strong leaders. Lose your fear. Stop apologizing so much. There is a time, a place and useful energy in righteous anger. Use that power where appropriate.
Those are the suggestions off the top of my head. I’m sure there are many more.
Also, know that it’s not all on you. All the responsibility does not fall on the shoulders of the United States, either. However, as the self-proclaimed leader of the free world led by the most powerful politician, it is not acceptable to wait for everyone else to do the right thing before we do the right thing. They used to criticize Obama for leading from behind (and on several issues he certainly did.) We’re supposed to be getting better with time. Let’s do that.
A warning
Success is not guaranteed. It is frustrating to listen to people say they can’t do anything about climate change. It is especially galling to hear that from people who are sure they can solve Middle East conflicts or make the embargo of Cuba work if they just give it a little more time. Obstructionists and denialists assure us climate change is unsolvable but let’s keep that war on drugs going, shall we? Fuck. All. That.
I wrote a little anthology called All Empires Fall. I wasn’t kidding. So hear it again: success is not guaranteed. I’ve written a bunch of novels about the end of the world. Those dangers are not confined to fiction. If it isn’t climate change, plague could do immense damage. Nuclear weapons could do us in. Right now, I’m hoping we get a chance to deal with the dangers of Artificial Intelligence. Chances are we won’t last long enough to face that scenario.
This ship is sinking and not enough of you fuckers are bailing.
Plenty of species have gone extinct. If we don’t change our ways, our end will be the first extinction by suicide.
And with that, this rant ends. Happy New Year, everybody! Buckle up for 2019. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Proceed with love and fury.
Since Dec. 21, Bird Box has been viewed by over 45 million Netflix accounts (as I write this). Judging by some of the reviews I expected a movie with more gore. Perhaps because of that expectation, I was pleasantly surprised by how suspenseful it was. I also don’t expect to see a lot more properties like it anytime soon.
They did several things right with Bird Box. The key to a great monster movie is not to show the monster until you absolutely have to. They hit that target better than any horror movie I can recall. Also, the acting is great. John Malkovich and Sandra Bullock are only two actors but they make up a dozen reasons the movie did well. Though I predicted how the story would end, I thought it ended well enough.
The movie had some of the creepiness and imagination I enjoyed in last year’s Annihilation. However, don’t expect Bird Box to kick off a powerful uptick in apocalyptic movies. Unforgiven is a great movie, too, but it did not herald the return of a bunch of Westerns.
Bird Box was fun and profitable, but it’s a blip. Don’t expect another huge franchise to emerge from it. Here’s why:
The apocalyptic genre is in trouble
Bird Box is a successful movie, certainly. (Good on you, Netflix!) I could easily see this being made into an ongoing series like The Walking Dead. Unfortunately, that would probably beat the idea to death. There’s a trend afoot: people might enjoy a taste of horror like Bird Box or The Haunting of Hill House or Stranger Things. However, they don’t want too much of it.
In recent months I’ve been made aware that the appetite for apocalyptic stories is dwindling. A fellow author who has been very successful in this genre is going back to the day job. I have several apocalyptic/dystopian epics* and I’ve seen sales decay over the past year. This Plague of Days is my most successful series but most of my IPs are taking me on a wander outside the apocalyptic genre as I hunt for my next hit.
Why is this happening?
The wax and wane of trends in consumer tastes has always been opaque to me but I think I’m beginning to get it. There are several possibilities why this is happening to apocalyptic narratives now. Here are a few:
Most books in the genre are too repetitive. I’ve noticed that even among the positive reviews of This Plague of Days, some reviewers mention that they love it because it defies expectations of the genre. The tropes are there but it’s not the same story over and over (I’m looking at you, Walking Dead.) Readers get tired of a steady diet of the same thing, even if they liked the taste in the beginning.
Speaking of The Walking Dead, times are tough and, until recently, TWD didn’t offer much hope. The relentlessly grim and humorless tone is probably why viewership of the series has lessened. Times are tough right now and a real climate change apocalypse is here and/or coming (depending on where you live). With all the bad news, people want something to cheer them up or allow them to forget real-world dangers. Instead of confirming their suspicions that most of humanity sucks and deserves a grisly fate, readers want a different kind of escapism.
Zombie and apocalyptic horror don’t necessarily have a huge fan base. It’s historically a vocal and devoted following but it’s not as big as we might hope. If it were as big as I’d like, there’d be as many zompoc movies as there are mystery/suspense movies with titles with “Girl” in the title. (Note: Those aren’t girls. They’re women. Catch up!)
The popularity of genres has always waxed and waned naturally and it goes in cycles. Some of those cycles are long and others are short. There’s even a strange hypothesis out there that zombie and vampire stories are more or less popular depending on whether the Republicans or the Democrats control the US government. Hardboiled, as a genre, hit its peak with Mickey Spillane. Elmore Leonard kept the coma patient on life support with Chili Palmer. Westerns used to be huge but they really haven’t recovered from John Wayne’s death. In my lifetime, the vampire genre has been declared dead repeatedly. That alarm is always false. Vampires always come back. That might be the next trend. I’m counting on it, actually. I have a big vampire book in the works.
If you’re a zombie fan, what can you do?
Give fuel to what you love. If you dig apocalyptic fiction, keep on buying it, reviewing it and tell your friends. The fanbase for any genre never completely goes away but if you want more of what you love, you have to double down and support your love.
Give new writers a chance and if they delight you, please do spread the word.
If you’re a creator, be excellent and also dare to be a little different. The joke in the horror writing community is that there are no horror writers anymore. They’re all called science fiction writers now. Consider crossing and mixing genres to find new readers. (For instance, the engine that fuels my latest zombie apocalypse (AFTER Life) is nanotechnology. So yes, it’s a sci-fi zombie trilogy.
What’s next?
That’s kind of the point: No one really knows. As my writing idol, William Goldman famously said, “Nobody knows anything…… Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.”
But what’s my educated guess?
My next book that is apocalypse-adjacent will be a big stand-alone book about a vampire cult. Meanwhile, I have two crime thrillers coming out in the next month. (Watch for The Night Man, releasing next week!)
I know there are writers trying to find underserved markets in which they enjoy writing. When writer Chris Fox wrote Writing to Market, he enthused about the need for more stories that take place in space. He is successful writing his own books that way. Using his research methods, he determined a niche where readers had a big appetite but not enough books.
Rather than follow his advice and do research to find their own unique niche, a lot of writers only sort of followed Chris’s advice. They wrote a ton of books in the genre that was his example. Boom! Space marines and covers featuring spaceship ass everywhere!
Some writers dream of making a big play and doing something new, forging ahead and breaking trail. They point to JK Rowling’s astonishing success with the Harry Potter books. It is indeed an amazing series. The next few years after Rowling hit it big, tons of knock-offs appeared that tried to follow the magic kid trend. Many mimics, but no duplicates. I actually have no objection to that. All those hungry Harry Potter fans naturally found something more to feed their new addiction to apprentice sorcerers. Nothing wrong with that as long as the attempt is not cynical. There is still joy and profit in smaller niches if those readers can be reached, their brains tickled and their hearts touched.
As for me, I have a lot of books in my editorial pipeline at Ex Parte Press. Are they written to market? I can only say that they are what I want to write. Will any of them hit big? No one knows and the market will decide. Hitting singles is much more common than hitting home runs, but I’m at bat and I take a lot of swings. This is not a three-strikes-and-you’re-out situation. This is a keep-swinging-for-the-fences situation.
Is this the end of the Apocalypse? I don’t think so but I’m not betting as big on it as I did in 2012. I don’t know where all the zombie readers went and what they’re enjoying as I write this. However, books are forever. Genres do come and go but they never fade away entirely. These are lean times for the genre but we’ll still be here when a wider readership decides their new tastes have become old and stale. We’ll be here when they’re ready to come back. In the meantime, we write and write and write.
*I’m Robert Chazz Chute, suspense writer and maker of fine salmon sandwiches. My apocalyptic epics are This Plague of Days, Robot Planet, The Dimension War Series and AFTER Life. You can find all my books through the affiliate links to the right or click here for the universal book link. Thanks for reading and please do subscribe to my newsletter for more.
We’re home safe after many miles on the road. It wasn’t easy and the trip got pretty stressful. In Toronto, the check engine light came on, the heater died, and warning lights in the dash lit up: cruise control flashed, the slipping icon came on, and most worrying, the low coolant signal beamed emergency red.
My first thought was not: Shit, how much is this going to cost me? My first thought was: We’re still 2.5 hours from home on Christmas night at 10 p.m.
We stopped at a gas station, consulted the manual and bought coolant. The reserve was low but it was difficult to determine if there was a leak. Generally, I consider anything that goes on under the hood none of my business. Could be machinery that makes it go, could be squirrels spinning little wheels. Was it safe to get on the 401 at night?
Standing there trying to assess our next move, a knowledgeable fellow stopped and asked if he could help. Delroy knew what to do to assess the problem. The heat came back on (thank God) as he inspected our hoses and thought it through. He assured us that we’d probably be fine and the car should get us all the way home. The coolant did not appear to be leaking (or at least not fast enough to be a worry.) The instrument panel was still lit with warnings but with the heat on and the coolant light extinguished, it looked like we wouldn’t be marooned by the side of the road.
He probably spent 15 minutes with us as the engine ran, just to be sure. All I had on me was $10. Delroy wouldn’t take it. “This is what I do. I help people on the road with their cars,” he said. We thanked him profusely but before we got back on the road, he stopped us. “If you run into trouble on the road, call me. I’ll drive you all the way to London, no problem.” He gave us his number and waved goodbye.
Folks, I often write some pretty dark and edgy stuff. I often have a dim view of humanity and our collective future. Despite all that, I want to assure you that the Earth needs some coolant, too, but it is worth saving. Delroy lives here. Not everyone is a monster. Some even go above and beyond and are extraordinarily kind.
It’s past midnight. I’ll send Delroy a text tomorrow to thank him again and to let him know we made it home safe.
Now that we’re all home safe I am worried: Shit, how much is this going to cost me? However, I feel a little better knowing guys like Delroy are out there helping out where they can.
~ This post recently appeared in my private Facebook group for fans of my work. I often share snippets from works in progress and members of the Inner Circle get the first heads up about new stuff coming out. To join us, click Fans of Robert Chazz Chute here.
Alternatively, I send out a newsletter once every couple of weeks to stay in touch and let readers know what book deals are coming up. Last week I gave away ten books for free so that’s the sort of thing you don’t want to miss. Please sign in at the pop-up! (Don’t worry. I don’t sell my email list and I won’t pester you.) Cheers!
Sophie Jack attended one meeting in the last summer of her life that gave her something set in stone. One of the attendees, a breast cancer survivor who had beaten the odds and far outlived her doctors’ dire prognosis, read a little story. Mom copied it out in big block letters in pencil on a lined sheet of looseleaf. She brought it home and posted it on the fridge door under a yellow butterfly magnet. The story was called Master of the Seven Seas.
There are seven seas we all must cross.
The first is the Sea of Struggle, to be born and raised.
Next comes the Sea of Pleasure. These are the teen years where the responsibilities are few and most worries are either illusions or far off along the journey.
Though the voyage may be stormy, the Sea of Love is long and it is the deepest of all seas. Our sails are full and the greatest adventures happen in this leg of the journey.
Love is followed by the Sea of Loss. As the sun dies, this passage is fraught with dangerous rocks that threaten to sink our ship.
Loss opens to a great sea called Suffering. It will be a journey in darkness. We may be forced to navigate by faith and by the stars. As the wind dies in our sails, we man our posts and stay on deck, watching for light, waiting for the far side of night. We will feel the wind in our hair again.
The calm Sea of Glass awaits with the dawn. Here, the sailing is so smooth, the water’s surface is like a mirror. We can peer over the side and see our reflections. As our ship slices on, our stores of fear are used up. The Sea of Glass yields a glimpse of the world as it really is.
It’s a short sail to the Sea of Tranquility. Here, we leave our losses behind. Our hold is empty of regret. No more tears are needed.
When we finally run aground, we are grateful our work is done. On that far shore, we burn our ship and bask in the heat. In the ashes, we finally find what we came for: peace.
This story touched Mom in a way that lasted. The words inscribed on my mother’s tombstone read:
To arrive here, I crossed all seven seas.
The Night Man is my new novel about crime, justice and redemption. It will be released soon. It’s an action-packed adventure full danger for cool characters, loyal German shepherds and plenty of jokes. However, there are quieter moments like this one. Master of the Seven Seas is an excerpt, yes. It may also be useful to those who feel pain and who are struggling to accept the sorrows of life along with the joys. I struggle with that, too, but this small thing does give me some peace.
We’re all in the same boat on this journey. Feel free to share this little story within the story with someone you think might appreciate it.
I had a great time doing my first Facebook Live. I am definitely going to do that regularly in the New Year. It’s so much cheaper and easier than doing a podcast. No administration, no fees, just jump on and talk! Love it!
You can download ten of my books for free tomorrow, Friday, December 21st. Merry Christmas!
AFTER Life, INFERNO: Nanotechnology was supposed to be a medical miracle. Then AFTER became weaponized. See the apocalypse from the zombie’s perspective in this series!
Machines Dream of Metal Gods: See the future of San Francisco and the world through artificial eyes.
All Empires Fall, Signals from the Apocalypse: The world ends five ways. Find out how in this anthology.
Wallflower: Have a good laugh as a failed comedian tries to figure out how to change the course of history with his guide to time travel, Kurt Vonnegut.
Dream’s Dark Flight is a stand-alone novel in the Dimension War Series. Science meets the paranormal and surreal when people all over the world start dying in their sleep.
Brooklyn in the Mean Time is my criminal autobiography from some very shady and dangerous business in ’90s New York.
Bigger Than Jesus is the first Hit Man thriller. Jesus Diaz wants out of the mob. He’s a funny guy in bad circumstances.
Murders Among Dead Trees is my anthology featuring award-winning short stories.
Self-help for Stoners, Stuff to Read When You’re High: Another short story anthology. The paperback is a popular gift every Christmas. It’s a read on the toilet sort of book.
Do the Thing is the one non-fiction book on the list. It’s a stress buster with everything you need to boost your relaxation response and become more productive at the same time.
Download one book you think you’d like or download them all for free. No strings, Just enjoy them.
This link will take you to my Amazon page for all my books.
BONUS: Hit subscribe when the pop-up hits and I’ll let you in on the new and cool stuff happening at Ex Parte Press.
Also, are you already a fan of my work (AKA powerful fiction that will blow your mind and melt your face)? If you dig my sling, please leave a review. Even better, join my Inner Circle on Facebook. My Facebook group is Fans of Robert Chazz Chute. I share more about the writing life and assorted fun and nonsense daily.
Membership has its privileges: Fans get free ebooks to review and, with your permission, you will be entered in a raffle to get your name on a character in a future novel. Join us here.
Newsletters are hard. I wasn’t enthusiastic about writing them for a long time. I only wanted to write killer thrillers and apocalyptic epics. When I finally got my Facebook fan page going, I changed my mind. Touching base with readers personally on Facebook turned out to be a fun thing I enjoy.
Now that I’m over that mental block, putting together a newsletter is more fun, too. I don’t want to bother people with newsletters too often, though. The Facebook group is really for those readers who are curious about what goes on behind the curtain. People check in and find out what’s up on daily: progress with the writing, excerpts, sneak peeks, notice about advance sales, free books, fun and funny stuff. It’s really whatever comes up. They’re doubly invested so, with their permission, I do a raffle wherein characters in books I’m writing get their names from readers.
The newsletters are about providing value to more casual readers. That’s peachy with me, too.
In my latest newsletter, I let subscribers know that I am making ten of my ebooks free for everyone on Friday, December 21. These are gifts with no strings attached. I hope everyone downloads them all. I also announced a Facebook Live Event. I’m popping on tonight and popping off starting at 8 PM EST. I hope subscribers see that as big value. Though the newsletters are easier, they still aren’t easy. How often should I send them out? To use the industry jargon, “How much is too little to keep the list “warm”? How much contact is so little that when you do hear from me I’m a stranger? Hardest of all, how can I get more people on my crazy train (besides writing more books?)
I hope subscribers understand the balance I aim to hit. I won’t bother them often but I will be more regular about checking in than I have been in the past. I always try to have something for you that isn’t just a waste of time or a hand in your pocket.
That’s my deal on newsletters and the Facebook group, FYI.
I hope to see you on Facebook tonight! I’m taking questions and you can always contact me at expartepress@gmail.com.
