Category: Self-Publishing

SteamLit Extravaganza #2 – Copper Centurion 75% off Today Only


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Readers Rejoice!

All the Amazing Steampunk Novels Below are Only $0.99 Today, and Today Only!

I Mean seriously, really, truly, 99 cents on sale!

Are you looking for your next read? Why not try a steampunk adventure, thriller, mystery or romance? We have them all here and all on sale today only. Buy one or buy them all for months worth of reading material! Throughout the day you can drop by and chat with the authors about everything from your most pressing steampunk questions to author influences and tips on writing.

Featured Writers and Novels –

>>S.C. Barrus – “Discovering Aberration” and “The Gin Thief: Episode 1”
>>Jonathon Burgess – “Chasing the Lantern”
>>Wendy Calahan – Aetheric Artifacts bundle (which includes “The Gilded Gun”, “The Chronos Clock”, “The Daemon Device“, and “The Enigma Engine”)
>>James Calbraith – “The Year of the Dragon, 1-4”
>>Pauline Creeden – “Chronicles of Steele: Raven”
>>Ren Cummins – “Steel & Sky”
>>Rebecca Diem – “The Stowaway Debutante (Tales of the Captain Duke #1)”
>>Karen Kincy – “Shadows of Asphodel” and “Storms of Lazarus”
>>Mark Lingane – “Tesla Evolution” series including “Tesla”, “Decay”, and “Faraday”
>>Ava Morgan – “The Armored Doctor”
>>Daniel Ottalini – “Copper Centurion”
>>Travis Sivart – “Aetheric Elements: The Rise of a Steampunk Reality”
>>Ichabod Temperance – 5 books including “A Matter of Temperance”, “A World of InTemperance”, “For the Love of Temperance”, “A Study in Temperance”, “In a Latitude of Temperance”
>>Steve Turnbull – “Murder Out of the Blue”
>>Jack Wallen – “Klockwerk Kabaret”

We’re also having a day long author chat, featuring authors from a wide variety of steampunk genres. There’s something for everyone. Click here to join and chat away!

(I’ll be on this evening from about 7 to 9, but I’ll try to drop by earlier to a2014_EBook_finalist-smsk and answer any really cool questions! I’m even willing to answer questions about Iron Tribunei, ncluding questions about the release date and possible Kickstarter)

Copper Centurion is only on sale on Amazon for Kindle and on Nook from Barnes and Noble (It takes too long to percolate through Smashwords to change up the iStores’ cost for a one day sale). Grab my EPIC eBook 2014 Finalist Novel today!

PLUS EVERYONE WHO COMMENTS ON THIS POST, OR ON FACEBOOK, IS ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR ONE OF TWO LIMITED EDITION POSTERS FROM MY SERIES.

So, what are you waiting for!? Get up and get going, this sale won’t last forever!

Novellas and the Self Published Author: Remix Part 2

A final look at Novellas, and my opinion on how Self-Publishing Authors should use them.


[This is a continuation of this article from earlier this year, where I examine the idea of creating novellas to supplement author income.]Legionnaire

In the last post, I discussed more the ‘self-publishing’ component of novellas. To summarize that post.

Pros: Can be done quickly, requires less editing, allows you to expand different parts of a story without having to create a fully fleshed out novel, builds out your world and provides other small, continuous income streams.

Cons: Takes you away from your primary goal of finishing novels, too many or the wrong idea can slow you down, still requires effort and money to self publish, can be a low return on investment.

Continue reading “Novellas and the Self Published Author: Remix Part 2”

Steam Lit Giveaway! Going on NOW!

An exciting Steamlit Giveaway worth over $50 is yours to win! Learn more inside!


Quick, easy question:

Do you like steampunk novels of all types? Yes? Well then why haven’t you entered the SteamLit Giveaway?!

Win 16 books valued at over $50 in total value! Three winners will get all the loot, the prizes, the… err… ebooks! Woo!

Go here!

Wait, did you go there? Did you sign up? You should! 🙂 Because….

…in the next few days there will be a spat of blog posts about awesome events connected to our second Steam Lit Extravaganza! I’m super pumped and this is getting me back into the writing mood! Yippee!

Five Ways to Keep Your Self-Publishing Clients Happy & Coming Back for More

Five great tips for self-publishing support staff – editors, illustrators, small publishers, etc. Keep your sanity while keeping your clients happy and coming back for more!


By Daniel Ottalini

You want to have all your bases and operations covered!
You want to have all your bases and operations covered!

Hi all, this is a companion piece to my earlier article on how to make sure that your freelancers/self-publishing helpers do their best for you. But what about the flip side? What can you, as a freelance/small business editor, cover artist, etc., do to make sure that you give your customers what they want, keep them coming back, but also make money and keep your dignity in the process? Continue reading “Five Ways to Keep Your Self-Publishing Clients Happy & Coming Back for More”

Four Ways to Know if Your Self-Publishing Contractors are Good for You

For my Self-Published friends – we’ve all had some horror stories! Here’s four ways to find, pick, and work with the best self-publishing support staff people around!


By Daniel Ottalini

What happens when a freelancer and an author work together.
What happens when a freelancer and an author work together.

Hi all! There’s been a lot of press recently about small publishers and self-publisher

support staff – ie formatters, editors, cover artists, designers, small publishers, other freelancers, etc – leaving their hard-working clients in the dust and disappearing with authors’ hard earned money. In lieu of that, I thought long and hard about some ways that authors can tell if who they’re working with is the real deal, or a real stinker. Continue reading “Four Ways to Know if Your Self-Publishing Contractors are Good for You”

Three Easy Ways to balance your Personal Life and Writing Life

For those writers out there struggling to stay focused – 3 Ways to Balance our Personal and Writing Lives!


By Daniel Ottalini

If he had a watch, he'd be making sure to stay on schedule
If he had a watch, Julius would be making sure to stay on schedule.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a life. No really, a life! You know, a life outside of the world(s) you create on the electronic page? One filled with friends, family, another job/career, a hobby or interest, vacations, etc. And those parts of your life have requirements. I have to work a certain number of hours a day, between X and Y. I want (and need) to hang out with my family on this date all day long, etc etc. The boys and I will be going to the hockey game next Friday. All of these are great examples of life impacting you and your time.

Continue reading “Three Easy Ways to balance your Personal Life and Writing Life”

The Steampunk Alternative: A Guest Post By Joshua Stanton

Josh Stanton does a Guest Post on my favorite topic – Alternate Steampunk!


chokecitycoverdondellioGRAINY copyThe following is a guest post by author Joshua Stanton, discussing one of my favorite subjects, alternate steampunk worlds or story types. Enjoy!

Traditional Steampunk

More often than not you will encounter traditional steampunk. Goggles, airships, mad scientists, crazy steam powered inventions. All set in good ol’ Victorian London, usually at the dawn of the industrial revolution.

This is, after all where steampunk started. The fathers of steampunk, K. W Jeter, Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock all feature Victorian London. So, no surprise that many books are also set there or at least in England.

There’s nothing wrong with this. Some of my favourite steampunk adventures are set on my shores, like Mark Hodder’s ‘Burton and Swinburne’ series, and Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris’ ‘The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.’ And yet, when I look at my read and to read pile, most of my steampunk adventures are set here, and not anywhere or anytime else. Continue reading “The Steampunk Alternative: A Guest Post By Joshua Stanton”

Not Gone, Just Busy!

Take part in a poll to determine my next Illustration! Propaganda, most wanted poster, or something new!


Hi all,

Just wanted to tell everyone that I’ve been busy, not gone! I’m a quarter or so into Iron Tribune, and I and really moving fast now. I’m also looking at hiring a graphic designer to do another propaganda poster for the series, or perhaps a most wanted poster. I’ve attached a poll to see what you’d like to see! Write additional ideas in the comments as well!

Remember, what you vote for will affect my choice! And while you’re at it, have you read Antioch Burns yet? Or better yet, left me a review? Go ahead and do both today! You can check out my latest novella on kindle, nook, or any other ebook reader. Back to writing now, ciao!

Maybe I should write a background non-fiction history?

Musings on creating a non-fiction style history book to go with the Steam Empire Chronicles


Tactical Layout of the H.M.A.S. Scioparto
Tactical Layout of the H.M.A.S. Scioparto

I had a thought. Maybe people would be interested if I wrote a non-fiction style history as an accompaniment to the rest of the novels. Something like “A Roman’s Guide to Modern History: The Roman Empire in the 18th Century.”

Thoughts? Would you buy it?

Novellas and the Self Published Author: Remix Part 1

I go back and revisit the idea of novellas, Part One! Check it out!


Part 1

About a year or so ago, I posted this article on Novellas and the self-published author. I’ve put the original article on the bottom of this post for your enjoyment. I’ve now published two novellas, one through my traditional self-publishing system, and one through a small publisher, to try and see which approach I like more. I figured it would be beneficial to share my new insights and thoughts.

Continue reading “Novellas and the Self Published Author: Remix Part 1”