FAQ
Q: So, why are you selling your stories on your own? Can’t you get published?
A: As a matter of fact, I am published. A couple of the stories available here have been previously published and are available to purchase in collections — on Amazon.com, even. The rights have since reverted back to me and I’m making them work for me. As for the unpublished works, well, as a fan of award-winning authors Cory Doctorow and Michael A. Stackpole, I’m taking some of their (indirect) advice and seeing if I can go it as an independent writer.
Q: What about the whole editing process publishers do for stories I can buy in a bookstore?
A: Good and valid question! I believe whole-heartedly in the editing process, and having an editor that’s not the author is vital! More likely than not, when you pick up a novel or a magazine of stories in a bookstore, a “gatekeeper” has approved the story as worthy of making money for them, and helped the author fix rough parts. Granted, it’s not fool-proof — I’ve read a story story or two with terrible grammar and punctuation errors and/or story problems that a conscientious editor should have helped fix. But by and large, you can usually trust what you buy in a store to be readable.
As for me, well, I’ve had both stories and non-fiction published professionally already, through an editor, so I can’t be too bad, can I? Plus, writing workshops serve as a very respectable replacement for an editor, if the author takes it seriously. And I do! The stories I present to you have been in front of other sets of eyeballs with extensive experience and education. And, finally, each story has a sample page to read so you can see what kind of quality you’re getting.
Q: Are your stories crippled by DRM?
A: Absolutely not! DRM does nothing to stop “piracy” and only harms legitimate buyers/owners of products. If one were so inclined, there’s nothing to stop one from putting my stories out on the Intertubes for anyone to download. But, to paraphrase Cory Doctorow, the starting writer has more to worry about obscurity than piracy. If someone really wanted to share my stories out for free, all I ask is they don’t alter the files in any way, so that the Author’s Note is still included, urging people to come here and buy a legitimate copy if they like what they read.
Q: Speaking of files, what do I get in the purchase?
A: You will get a compressed .zip file with an ePub file that should be compatible with most every eBook reader, a MOBI file for some older readers, and a PDF which is suitable for printing.
Q: How do I install the story on my reading device?
A: You definitely want to refer to your particular device’s documentation and support for the best instruction for adding books to it. But here are some tips:
- To install on iPhone/iPad: Simply drag the ePub version of the story into your iTune’s library. It should install itself into your Books folder. Once you sync your device, the story should be available in your iBooks application.
- To install on Amazon Kindle: Unfortunately, I do not have a Kindle to try this on, so you may want to refer to your device’s documentation. But, you should be able to simply copy the story (ePub for the Kindle DX, I believe, and the MOBI for older Kindles) over to your device via USB connection.You may also be able to e-mail the file to your Kindle e-mail address.
- To install on Barnes & Noble Nook: I also do not have a Nook to try this on; your mileage may vary. Connect your Nook to your computer, then you should be able to simply copy the ePub file to the MyDocuments folder for your device. Then, on the Nook, do a “Search For New Content.”
- For PCs: You can easily use the PDF file to read on your computer; however, I recommend opening the ePub file in any number of free e-book readers such as Calibre. (You can also use Calibre to transfer e-books over to various reading devices.)
This site has excellent e-book reader recommendations: http://www.jedisaber.com/eBooks/Readers.asp
Q: Can I get a refund?
A: No, sorry. Like I said above, I provide sample pages so you can try it before you buy it. Although, if you get a corrupted file, I will happily do whatever I can to provide you with a working story file in whatever format will work with your reading device.
