People have asked me what it’s like getting your first book published. It’s an interesting question and one that’s sort of hard to solidify in my mind. On one hand, it’s really exciting and cool and I’m happy and I hope it’s the start of a beautiful trend of seeing more of my books reaching the public. On the other hand, it’s sort of like “why didn’t it happen sooner?”
Well, I know why it didn’t happen sooner. Because my writing wasn’t yet strong enough to warrant being released on an unsuspecting public. But when you’ve worked at it for twenty years and it finally happens, one of the biggest things that passes through your mind is. “Finally.”
I suspect that sounds ungrateful and perhaps a bit bratty. I am totally grateful to Fiery Seas Publishing for picking me up and being a dream to work with. I’m thankful every day they saw merit in my story and were willing to take a chance on someone new.
But between starting to write for publication and now, I’ve produced two feature films, two documentaries, a music video, and numerous commercials. I’ve won a few award for my commercials and one of my films. I’ve worked with Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Owen Wilson, Zack Galifinakis and others. Not in a producing capacity, but I was involved in the movies and shows that starred them. I’ve been to several countries in Europe, film festivals in Edinburgh, Mexico City, and Puerto Allegro, and the Sundance Film Festival three times.
I guess what I’m saying is that while being published is exciting, it’s also just one event in what has been a reasonably exciting life. I’m nowhere near where I want to be in my career, but I’m working toward it and I’ve had a lot of fun and met a lot of great people while I try to get there. Still, with this milestone taking so long to reach, I can’t help but wonder how much more excited I would have been had it happened when I was in my mid-20’s and still had so many of my formative experiences ahead of me.
It’s still a cool achievement and certainly checks off one of the boxes on my bucket list. A box I’m looking to check off multiple times.
What will be exciting is seeing people’s reaction to the story. I will read the reviews, both good and bad. I will absorb what I see and take it into consideration in later books. I imagine getting my first check will be exciting, no matter how big or small it is. Because then I will truly be able to say I am a professional author, and that looks really good on a resume.
I will continue to grow and hopefully become a better writer. The excitement now will come not from the being published once, but in continuing to be published. To build up fans, to engage with people who enjoy what I do. And even to debate with those who don’t like it, as long as everyone remains respectful.
And if Hollywood backed up a truckload of money to option my book, I admit that would be pretty damn exciting.
So here’s to the future and the excitement of creating the next story, and the next. As grumpy as I may seem to be about the whole, deep down inside me there’s a 25-year-old whose thrilled that his dream finally came true.
Well, I know why it didn’t happen sooner. Because my writing wasn’t yet strong enough to warrant being released on an unsuspecting public. But when you’ve worked at it for twenty years and it finally happens, one of the biggest things that passes through your mind is. “Finally.”
I suspect that sounds ungrateful and perhaps a bit bratty. I am totally grateful to Fiery Seas Publishing for picking me up and being a dream to work with. I’m thankful every day they saw merit in my story and were willing to take a chance on someone new.
But between starting to write for publication and now, I’ve produced two feature films, two documentaries, a music video, and numerous commercials. I’ve won a few award for my commercials and one of my films. I’ve worked with Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Owen Wilson, Zack Galifinakis and others. Not in a producing capacity, but I was involved in the movies and shows that starred them. I’ve been to several countries in Europe, film festivals in Edinburgh, Mexico City, and Puerto Allegro, and the Sundance Film Festival three times.
I guess what I’m saying is that while being published is exciting, it’s also just one event in what has been a reasonably exciting life. I’m nowhere near where I want to be in my career, but I’m working toward it and I’ve had a lot of fun and met a lot of great people while I try to get there. Still, with this milestone taking so long to reach, I can’t help but wonder how much more excited I would have been had it happened when I was in my mid-20’s and still had so many of my formative experiences ahead of me.
It’s still a cool achievement and certainly checks off one of the boxes on my bucket list. A box I’m looking to check off multiple times.
What will be exciting is seeing people’s reaction to the story. I will read the reviews, both good and bad. I will absorb what I see and take it into consideration in later books. I imagine getting my first check will be exciting, no matter how big or small it is. Because then I will truly be able to say I am a professional author, and that looks really good on a resume.
I will continue to grow and hopefully become a better writer. The excitement now will come not from the being published once, but in continuing to be published. To build up fans, to engage with people who enjoy what I do. And even to debate with those who don’t like it, as long as everyone remains respectful.
And if Hollywood backed up a truckload of money to option my book, I admit that would be pretty damn exciting.
So here’s to the future and the excitement of creating the next story, and the next. As grumpy as I may seem to be about the whole, deep down inside me there’s a 25-year-old whose thrilled that his dream finally came true.
A Whisper of Death
The Necromancer Series
Book 1
Paul Barrett
Genre: YA Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
Date of Publication: December 22, 2015
Cover Artist: Jess Small
Book Description:
Born with the power of ultimate evil, he is the world’s only chance at survival.
Erick Darvaul is a Necromancer, a descendant of the original sorcerers who turned against their dark masters and exiled them. Now these beings have returned, it falls upon Erick and a cadre of newfound allies to rally against these powerful entities and defeat them again.
Through fire, ambush, and betrayal, Erick and his companions claw their way to Broken Mountain to reunite with others who share his ability. There, Erick battles the mortal foe of his ancestors pushing the limits of his Necromantic magic, a force that seeks to corrupt him every time he summons it.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/-Bl3pr4javI
About the Author:
Paul has lived a varied life full of excitement and adventure. Not really, but it sounds good as an opening line.
Paul’s multiple careers have included: rock and roll roadie, children’s theater stage manager, television camera operator, mortgage banker, and support specialist for Microsoft Excel.
This eclectic mix prepared him to go into his true love: motion picture production. He has produced two motion pictures and two documentaries: His film Night Feeders released on DVD in 2007, and Cold Storage was released by Lionsgate in 2010
Amidst all this, Paul has worked on his writing, starting with his first short story, about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, at age 8. Paul has written and produced numerous commercial and industrial video scripts in his tenure with his forcreative agency, Indievision. He has two published short stories (As You Sow and Double Cross) and one self-published novel (Godchild). He lives with his filmmaker/graphic artist partner and their three cats.
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1 comment:
I understand exactly what you are saying. I just published my first book last month!
"It's not the point of knowing someone; it's the point of learning from them."
....
"He scoops down and picks up the girl, who has a single tear in her eye. Just that alone breaks his heart for a number of reasons, and the first one stabs him in the chest. He is an evil man indeed. Her tear is from pain, and yet all he can think of is jealousy. His tears will be of blood. Her tears are from the soul. Her tears are real."
....
"He wonders if he is taking in this information differently than her. She just sits with a blank stare while obviously eternally fighting with possibilities. His brain probably functions completely different than hers. After all, she is a human. They obviously don't know nearly the things his kind does. That must be a pro of being able to live for centuries.
How disgusting. He puts his head down in shame. His sister is human, but that is not a flaw. He is the flaw. He is the one with a brain that functions differently. Hers would be the normal one. He is grotesque. He is changing and he knows it."
The Rise of the Relique
-Crystal Lee
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WryZZWnqlsY
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