New beginnings and forced entries.

Hello everyone,

      It's been a while since I've updated my blog and a lot happened during that time. I have to apologize for my absence, but I really had to come to an understanding before I could let you all in on the happenings and goings on in my world. This year's Surrey international writers conference was in a word awesome. I met old friends from previous years and some new ones as well. The conference is always a great place to make connections and maintain motivation for writing because what we do is not easy. If it was easy everyone would do it, and while many would like to, few have the discipline to see it through completion. So I'm always amazed and enlightened to see the same people working on previous or new projects. They bring with them such a passion for the art and for the craft that one can't help but walk away feeling rejuvenated and inspired. This year was a special year for me in that my book Grey Redemption was not only for sale in the chapters outlet store that sells books at the conference every year. But, I was also included in this year's author signing. To be part of the author signing with such luminary writers as Jack Whyte,  Michael Slade, and Robert McCammon was a humbling experience. In fact, Jack Whyte bought my book and asked me to personalize it for him. So what do you write as a personal note for someone so incredibly skilled in the art of storytelling. Okay, now that you figured that out how to you write past the tears that are bound to come when one of your personal icons asks you to do so. This event coupled perfectly with Robert McCammon's keynote address about writing or rather storytelling. The main thrust of his presentation was that as writers we should write from the heart. That is to say reach down deep within ourselves and grasp that fiery spark that compels us, and allows us, to sit in front of a computer for 4 hours a day and be "creative". Writing is a passion, it's been said by far greater people than me and will be again, but as passion is an emotion we as storytellers need to be careful about our own personal emotional state before putting pen to paper. The characters in our books or manuscripts if they haven't been published tend to impact our personality far more than we would believe. They become part of us and if the character is rather strong or bent in a particular direction they leave a stain. The craft is a two-way street. We think and create characters and place them in a scene in which they interact with other characters we've created. We have a little conflict, perhaps a little drama, and try to tie it up neatly with a bow. But on the other side of the street these creations of our imagination latch on to our own psyche. They worm their way into our own personality and while we may or may not be aware of it, they create change. If you created a rather nasty individual like Rhys Munroe, as I did in Grey Redemption, the impact to your own soul or psyche can be exponential. By this I mean it starts off slowly like an addiction to cigarettes. At  first it's just one at the bar with friends, and then a couple more in the evening before bed. Pretty soon you're standing outside in a snowstorm huddling against the wall frozen like a corpse trying to inhale smoke that contains the lovely drug nicotine into your lungs. There was a study done, I believe it was in the UK that looked at how what we read as readers affected our personality. As with most studies it was far from conclusive but there was definitely a correlation between what we read and how we thought. Now whether that was a causal relation was unclear. Do readers pick books because they have a certain personality and these books appeal to them or do the books actually affect their personality. While it was unclear in the study, for me at least it is very clear. The characters and situations and scenes that I create most certainly affect my personality and outlook on the world. Consequently, I've gone through a rather dramatic life event. My spouse and I have separated after being married for almost 7 years, and together for 10. The official version to answer the why of it is "growing in different directions." But in reality the truth of it is Mr. Munroe dug in and held on a little more than I thought. I've heard of actors having this difficulty. So completely becoming the other character that they have to struggle to come back from that reality to the old reality of their own personality. I believe the same to be true for writers. We wrap ourselves tightly within a plot and character arc that we lose pieces of ourselves in doing so. It doesn't help that as soon as you write a book you move very quickly into the next phase which is promoting said book you just wrote. Believe me when I say that the writing and editing of the book is far easier than the dog and pony show of promotion. While it's very fun to fly to London England and stay at the wonderful Savoy hotel while attending the London book fair. It still takes a large toll out of your life. You very quickly move from dictating your own time to time being dictated to you. The quiet mornings of coffee, a cigar, and checking social media sites out of interest will rapidly swing to staying up-to-date with your blog and social media. I guess it's like my father said it's always fun until becomes a job and then it's just work. Although I don't like to use the word "just" within the context of writing. I guess that's probably the point of this blog. Writers just don't create great characters, storytellers just don't come up with great plots, and authors rarely survive the craft unscathed. We, and those close to us, really do bleed for the craft sometimes, and I've actually spent the last 8 weeks trying to determine if it was worth it. Robert McCammon has said on many occasions that writers and authors are very special people, that what we do is magical. I agree with Rick's statement and his belief in what we do is truly in a special realm. So with that firmly placed on one side of the scale I placed the loss of a friend on the other side of this scale and tried to come to terms with the outcome. It wasn't easy, and it certainly didn't come quickly as my absence in blogging shows. But with all things grief related there is a schedule to how things play out. It would be far easier if everything was a linear process but rarely is the case true when you add human beings, emotions, beliefs, morals, and such to the equation. But here we are, and I very proudly steal the statement, the call, the reveille; " This day we write!"

Thoughts on the Passing of Steve Jobs, Media softness, and the Surrey International Writers Conference.

So the sun has once again chosen to show itself in the Chilliwack district. So I guess with the bright sunshine I should come up with something equally as bright to blog about. As I have said in the past this is a little more than difficult since I really don’t know what readers would like to hear. That being said I thought I’d go over a little bit of the recent events and thoughts I’ve had about them. It was with great sorrow that we lost Steve Jobs. The man was a visionary and has left a significant impact on our world, not just for the tech savvy but also for just the general public. It was with the significant amount of sadness that I read how he wasn’t this kind of a man. At least this seems to be the case if you read some of the blogs and some of the comments after his passing. While, I understand there is a little bit of Internet toughness or anonymity behind the keyboard. I still felt that the comments made by many were inappropriate.  One such comment that jumps to the forefront of my attention was the idea that he was nothing more than just money making technology thief. That he somehow stole ideas from Windows and other operating software like Linux.  While I do not doubt for a moment that he borrowed some of the ideas on how to get a GUI, which was the first name for a window, to operate within a UNIX environment. This borrowing of ideas was hardly specific to Steve. Each operating system copied each other freely. The simple fact that there are 1.6 smart phones for every person in the United States speaks to this man’s visionary influence. The simple fact that I can blog from my iPhone to an audience almost too vast to comprehend provides more than a little evidence of this man’s global influence. Leonardo da Vinci influenced his society with wonderfully creative art that merged science and technology in ways that hadn’t been thought of before. In a very similar way, Mr. Jobs did the exact same thing. The Apple Computer has come such a long way from its meager beginnings.  I remember typing away on my Apple prior to having a numbered designation, looking at a cathode ray tube display of green letters. I remember thinking jealously when one of my good friends got his new Apple and it had an Amber display. Back then the word processing powerhouse was Magic Words, and it came with a 2nd disc, Magic Spelling. I wrote my 1st stories on the old Mac. It wasn’t all easy and wasn’t at all as smooth as writing is today. No, now I can sit mouse in hand finger on the delete key, and speak out loud and watch the letters magically appear on my screen. My concern no longer which big disk to stick in the drive, or how much memory I was using. No, now all I have to do is make sure that my stutter words or misspoken grammar doesn’t show up on screen as I’m speaking it. So to the naysayer and proponents that believe Mr. Steve Jobs was just some money grabbing lying geek thief, I say shame. For whatever sour grapes or product brand loyalty you feel, it is not okay to steal or hijack the accomplishments of one of the most visionary computer, and corporate, moguls of this century.

 I blame this partly on the media. No one wants to hear the good news story, as scandals sell so much better. What he died of supersedes and becomes more important than what he created. The sound bite short vision of today’s media outlets hampers the consumers understanding. For example, I remember listening with fascination to the O.J. Simpson trial. At that time it was being touted as the trial of the century. Really? Trial of the century? Funny, I already thought we had those back in Nürnberg. While the lethal assaults allegedly committed by Mr. Simpson were horrible, I don’t really think they compare to having several Nazis on trial for war crimes.  Now we have the Michael Jackson Dr. on trial for murder and the occupy Wall Street movements.  All of this dispensed in 30 second sound bites to a growing group of people with a 30 second attention span. It is very difficult to get a feel, or read, on an actual event occurring in a different part of the world. I have been to events similar to occupy Wall Street, and then watching them on the news later wondering to myself was I actually there? The viewpoint put forward was so dramatically different than my observations that the reporter and I could not have been at the same rally.

    So this is the week for the large Surrey International Writers Conference.  I look forward to this conference every year, as it is by far one of the best I have attended. The access to authors and other literary professionals is second to none. It is so very cool to meet your childhood writing heroes, men and women who shaped your early development into an adult. Visionaries and Masters at their talent that challenge you to look inward at yourself and outward as to how you shape the world you live in. Perhaps this was unintentional, I know in writing Gray Redemption that many people are reading more into the book than I originally intended. I think this is a good thing, I’ve said before that each person brings something personal to the reading of any book. What one person gets out of it is significantly different than what someone else may get out of it. What I took away from Boys Life, or Baal, was a great deal different than what my friends took away from the book. For me it was a personal space that allowed me to come to terms with and, create coping mechanisms for my severe attention deficit hyperactive disorder.  It basically got me through my teen years, raging hormones, and at the time a not correctly diagnosed disability.  I know the politically correct term is challenged, or disadvantaged. But a label is just a label, making it softer is akin to calling a psychopath morally challenged. This year the writing conference actually included me in the book-signing event. Being so included with such masterful authors is extraordinarily humbling. It also caused a resurgence of that author fear; What If No One Shows up!  I easily signed over hundred and fifty books at the Chapters event just a few months ago. So it is really hard to imagine that someone else has a book left that needs to be signed. But I posted it up on my Facebook page, and sent out a tweet. So we shall see if there is any real interest. I have got a couple of e-mails from people that are going to try and make it to the Surrey Sheraton, but I’m not holding my breath.  What I will take away from this event is far more important. The classes and course material, panels and keynotes, go such a long way to improving and inspiring the job that is writing has no equal. Nor are the contacts and friendships that develop at such a small and intimate venue. While missing the glitzy glamour and large venue of say the London book fair. It more than compensates for this by being so hands on, smoothly run, and delivered. It is a conference that I encouraged many to attend and will continue to do so. I believe hands down that it is impossible to get as much bang for your buck in your ongoing writers education.

 So with that I believe I will sign off, kick the soapbox back under the bed, and work towards completing my list of tasks before heading deep into the darkest Surrey. I look forward to seeing everyone at the conference.

Summer was late and is now over!

Well another month has begun and while it looks like summer will stick around for a little while I am not taking any bets. Usually I am not so interested in the seasonal transitions but having so much work to do I really missed this summer. I have been trying to write and get a few chapters glued together but I am just not feeling the love. Been trying to hang on the deck for the most part as writing in the sun is so much nicer than being locked away! Lounging in my robe till 3 in the afternoon has most of my neighbors wondering what I do. My cat is also a major distraction almost as much as keeping up with Kindle Boards! You see in Cat World doors operate like they do on Star Trek. They move to the door and it opens and stays open for the time required for the little ball of fuzz to decide if he really wants to come outside. Then saited for the moment without outside pursuits he returns to go in, god help me if I am slow. Cats hate to have their beliefs of the world challenged.
Book sales are going well and I am looking forward to my next royalty check as it will include Canada and the US sales. So should put a larger dent in my promise to buy C a car. Car is already in the drive way so...Come on people read! Just kidding!
So tonight C and I are going to a MMA event out here in the valley. They are usually good fights and VIP front row tickets are only 75 bucks so a bit of an alternative to UFC fights! I may even do some ringside advertising for the next even and an upcoming event in Whitehorse! Seems to be a good match spectator wise.


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Location:Chilliwack Central Rd,Chilliwack,Canada

Finally Home to Langley and the Canadian Book Signing for Grey Redemption!

    So the big day has come and gone. It is with a little sadness and humbled pride. It was great to meet readers, friends, and fans and interact with people on a personal level. I have been good at keeping up with my email and responses to fans and I was glad I did. Many comments were passed along about how approachable I was and people like the fact that I had in some cases previously chatted, tweeted, blogged, and generally kept up with them! It hasn't been easy. But it was very rewarding to hear. It was great to see many new fans and readers and shake some hands and answer some questions. I met one of the men who were part of the group that set up the Highway of Heroes here on Hwy one just outside of Langley. Very special Group and awesome cause. I told him my book, actually several of them, is in country with our troops and are getting pretty dog-eared! But it is times like these that you really see the picture of how insignificant some personal accomplishments are. Writing a book isn't easy but it is a far cry from coming home to a parade you will never see or hear. Putting ones life on the line for an idea, and a way of life at a time when your own sense of self is hardly developed! I was an Infantry Soldier at the same age as these Heroes and I know I had no idea about my place in the world. I know friends currently in country and the fact Grey Redemption provided them with a little escape means the world to me. 

   I had tried to get into Iraq. I wanted to donate a bunch of books and do an author reading in country to honour these brave men. After 22 years in Federal Service I know jumping through hoops. But in the end the task proved to be too difficult. I needed approval at the Ministerial level, as in his desk. We had just had a cabinet shuffle so I knew this would never happen. So I adapted and overcame the challenge by passing out five books to operators headed into harms way. Two went with Canadians and two with British forces, and one went with a private contractor. They were all told to read and share. I have heard one is now in the base library or reading room and another is held together with 100mph tape! Truly an honour! 

   On the writing side of things. I received so much feedback asking for a prequel I may shelf my current project Footsie and start working on Grey Dawn. I have it outlined and I think I am prepared to let slip the reins on Rhys and let him once again play in the world. I have blogged about how difficult this is as I tend to get immersed in the character and Rhys is a challenge to put away after four thousand words. He tends to affect my own character and Crystal really doesn't like him! He also smokes far to many Cuban cigars for my frail lungs. But at least we each drink about as much! LOL! 

   The Surrey International Writers Conference, or SWIC, is only a few months away. I am so looking forward to learning more and have been looking at the program and wishing I could clone myself as too many overlaps with great presenters force me to make choices I don't want to make! Rhys would bug the place and then listen to the classes he had to miss! 

   That is all for now. Keep reading and keep writing and I will try to do the same! 

Grey Redemption Book Signing Aug 6, 2 till 5pm

So I finally was able to nail down a start time for the Langley Chapters Canadian book signing. It is a little odd feeling as I have already been to London England and New York releases. Guess Canada will always be a little behind. I am ok with that as whole as it means silly trends tend miss us completely. Or like Software games for the Mac. Usually when we get them the bugs are worked out. Not that the bugs will be worked out of Grey, no second edition yet. But it is fun seeing who sees which errors and responds. I always take the time to answer, perhaps taking the time to point out one they missed. Almost like a tracking system, if the story was tight and moving fast it gets missed, hmmm perhaps something to this. So the day has been set and I posted an 'Event' on Facebook so I can stave off the dreaded author fear of fears. "What if nobody shows?" I have had brave authors tell the story on a few occasions. Sometimes it is bad timing, a missed social holiday. But, no matter the reason it is a devastating experience. The author that writes the SLADE books recounted this, quite bravely I thought at the time. Course I have come to expect this from him now. He goes off script often at the Surrey Writers Conference. Others do too but perhaps not as often. A shout out or plug for a well deserving conference. Best money a writer can spend. You'll learn more in four days than most are capable of absorbing.
Anyway the response has been good on the Event Page and a few more people have searched the Scott D Covey author page and clicked the like button and joined to catch all the updates. Answering emails still takes a couple hours a day. To be truthful I still enjoy most of the emails. some make me wonder. For example I had one person text me that 1000 9mm rounds weigh X while I said they weighed Y. So I went to the closet and pulled out one case and stuck it on the bathroom scale and confirmed I was right. Then I discovered it was a US fan from LA. So that was a quick email, two words, Hollow Points. He wrote back that those are against the Geneva Convention. I answered; "Correct, so is Rhys Munroe."
Drifting back to the book signing and adding the Surrey International Writers Conference I have a event scheduled for that too. Part of this event is a book signing on one evening. Free to the public and is probably one of the easiest ways to meet some of your favorite authors and get them to sign your coffee stained dog eared loves. I encourage you to check out the SIWC webpage and even if your not into attending, see who is presenting, and come out and get a copy signed. We like it and it provides us with the social energy required to keep writing. Remember for the most part we write removed from the social world. In quiet rooms, alone with the madness of the craft shifting and swapping between personalities as our own go neglected by the effort.
For example Rhys Munroe smoked a great deal more cigars than I did at the time of writing. But alone in the dark with him looking at the world through my eyes I started matching his desire. So it was a nice three weeks shaking that monkey off my back. His disposable income for cigars was different too... So many nice Cubans burned in the creation of Grey Redemption!
So that is all the news and goings on from my desk. Keep the opinions and comments coming.

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Location:Vines St,Chilliwack,Canada

Reviews and views

Ok, A sunny day here on the West Coast. Finally! Canada day started out cloudy but was ok too.  But today I find myself alone with my computer, a gorgeous aged 08 Bolivar Gold, and a wee lady’s dram of Dalwhinnie Distiller's edition 15 yr old. A perfect time to quietly muse on about things and make a blog entry for this week.

I really do have to stretch to come up with something to write about. It would be easier if stuff was posted here to the blog. A good flame war or two about things like RYJ Edmundos would be fun and make it easier to write about. I only found out last week that to respond people have to have a blog or a login to Goggle. So the fact that the blog had been viewed over 1400 times but rarely commented on made sense. I thought my spelling had got in the way!

So a good friend touched off a bit of an email deluge at least to my basket after a review he posted. Some people thought it was a slap and a slight and quickly rallied to my ego’s defense.  I guess they missed the part on facebook where I linked his review and thanked him.  I love you all but my ego is really not that fragile and I didn’t think Jay’s review was off in the slightest. If I had a caveat it would be that the review doesn’t need to be taken with a grain a salt as it hit the mark.  Those that know Jay, as I do, are sure to get that he is above reproach as a friend or any thing less. He is brilliant, detail orientated, and kind. Amazing qualities to be sure. He liked the story, found it hard to put down at times, and enjoyed it despite the errors he found. He and three other close friends have commented on the errors. Editing just isn’t up to par these days.  Others have merrily read along as I did missing them entirely caught up in the yarn. One I know tossed the book four times against the wall cursing my punctuation and me! But he finished it, and enjoyed everything but the ending. When I asked him why he said that I sped it up too much and kind of changed the tone if not the voice of the book. I had intended on being slightly less descriptive as I moved along having forced the reader into a psychopathic mercenary’s mind. The verbose descriptions challenges for many, until they reap the mind picture rewards and go with the flow. He wanted me to keep the same pacing while every professional writer told me to speed it up.  Each of you brings a special something to the reading of Grey Redemption. You bring you.  A unique viewpoint and skill set. If you enjoy it, and it was worth the money you spent I am happy. I thank all of you for giving it a chance and I thank everyone who makes the time to write a review.

“Class what do you think the author was trying to say when he wrote…” Remember that start to every literature class? God how I hated those classes! Taught by bored and disillusioned PE teachers, using Coles notes for a guide. Ok perhaps I am being slightly harsh but?  So lets flash ahead twenty years and I am running late for a lunch date with a friend and as I was rushed I missed my mornings second coffee. So I go into the Starbucks near my house and while I am standing in line listening to frustrating people order fluffy coffee drinks I hear. “ I think Rhys Munroe is really a metaphor for the greed and rampant consumerism encouraged by the product based world.” I am seriously looking across the line thinking Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. (to the texting non-military types, this is where WTF came from). There in the corner are five people sitting around two of the small tables, with three hardcopies, and one soft of Grey Redemption. It’s a book club and they are actually reviewing my book! Seriously! This is like getting to be present at your own funeral; or rather I imagine it is, as I haven’t died yet.  Anyway, I sat down and listened. While there were a couple of comments about the edit I was glad to see most of the content was about the story! They had never heard of Equatorial Guinea and were amazed at some of the stuff I was showing them. They also were reading more into it. Way more into it than I had ever imagined anyone ever would. It was rewarding and funny at the same time as I remembered those Monday mornings in English Lit.

I got up from my voyeuristic perch and walked over. The table looked up and I smiled and asked if they wanted me to sign their books. They looked at each other in confusion and then back at me and I handed out my cards.  It finally caught that I was indeed the guy with the cigar in his hand from the website. Really do I look that different?  Then each handed me their book so I could sign it. “Tell us what it is your book is trying to say about the state of affairs in Africa.” One of the guys asked. I thought about the question looked at the speaker and quoted Bertuzzi; “It is what it is.” Then I added, “All the characters outside the mains are named after my friends cats.”

A review of Robert McCammon's THE FIVE

Reading Robert McCammon’s book The Five reminded me of the book Silver On The Tree. I don’t why because for the life of me I can’t remember the plot of Silver On The Tree. I was going to look it up and answer this question first, but thought better of it. Suffering from severe attention deficit hyperactive disorder. I have learned to let stuff slide.  So even though I don’t remember the plot, I do remember it was written by Susan Cooper. Not bad considering I read this in the late seventies! But The Five brought it back, or more accurately a memory I associate with Silver On The Tree.

I was probably 14 or 15 when I read Silver On The Tree. With severe ADHD reading was an escape and one I desperately needed. I read a library of books! But the focus of this review is The Five. So why did enjoying The Five bring this back?  I get this is a review and so I can’t give away too much.  When I was a kid my Dad had installed a motion light out back of our house. In the late seventies these were pretty rare. It came on with the passing of every large cat, a cruel joke for a kid with ADHD. We had been hit with a huge ice storm and I remember the tree directly behind my window had turned silver. On this night the light had come on collecting my attention and I looked out trying to see what had moved. It was a common game, I would see the neighbour’s cat or a bird and lay back and go to sleep. But on this day I remember seeing nothing but movement not looked at directly. That is to say I could see shadows dance on the trunk of the tree but only if I did not look directly at them. It was weird, and so I went to investigate. I slipped out into the cold in just my socks and underwear to see what was there.  It never gets really cold in BC but that night was frigid past the frozen ice on the tree. It bit, and froze breath to your lips.  Looking up into this ancient tree, I saw nothing. The shadows that had called me down were gone. Replacing them was a feeling, a terror as the seconds slid forward. Something was just on the other side of the tree, it didn’t like me, and it wanted me. I didn’t want to look around that tree either. I had come down to look. Had never before been afraid to look at anything! I was a teenager and as such was indestructible. I knew, just knew, that a monster real and deadly was on the other side of that tree. The knowledge of this was crushing me in place, forcing me to stand and stretch the frozen moments with it.

I sprinted past the tree, eyes shut, hands like claws outstretched before me. I remember being very surprised by this response. Thinking to myself I had just done the worst possible thing I could do, faced with a monster behind a tree.  I hit the back fence and turned around, opening my eyes for the first time. Nothing! I was relieved and disappointed at the same time. A very odd emotional conundrum and one I wouldn’t feel again until my first wife asked for a divorce.

The Five has been compared to Boys Life. A fair comparison in some ways yet not quite a right fit. I remembered reading Boys Life in hardcover before it was on the shelves in Canada. A relative brought it up from the States, knowing I loved McCammon’s books. I read it, jacket off, as usual and having never read the teaser had no idea where the story was going to take me. I kept waiting for the monster. I had no idea of the trials and tribulations the Author was having. I didn’t know he wanted to write outside of the ‘horror proper’. I was a kid that loved McCammon’s scary stories. It was probably one of the better-written books I had read and I moved on genre-wise with the author.

But truth be told, I wanted another scary story. I am 45 and I have wanted that scary story for 20 years. The Five was worth the wait! It isn’t ‘horror proper’, it’s better! Natural and supernatural forces woven so skillfully, that you can view this story from many different angles.  It is made scarier by what you bring to the reading. Just like that dark frozen night so many years ago in my backyard. The masterly written book takes you on a Rock Bands journey and so much more. The journey is so realistic that it makes the supernatural side much more believable. A brilliant Creepy and satisfying, work of fiction, written by a master. Dare I say “The”!

Grey Redemption paying some bills

Grey Redemption is paying some bills. That’s right I got my first royalty cheque in the mail. I wasn’t expecting one for a few more months, as they like to wait four to six for the first one to do the quasi-accounting math that is required.  It was more than I expected and less than I dreamt about but as many of you know I dream big.  Nice way to cover some of the bills doing the jet set thing around the globe.

Ever notice that the devil hangs on your shoulder much more strongly than the angel? Driving home the other day highlighted this for me.  A bear cub ran out onto the road in a tight corner while I was speeding home. I slammed on the brakes and sure enough the little angel on my shoulder did the bug splat on the window. Left with only the devil I took the tight inside line and the bitch started to protest. Her ass drifting out past the shoulder, tires ripping at the green belt along the edge of the road. I gave her a few more inches and the shriek turned into a guttural roar and she straightened out. Once again saved by the devil on my shoulder while the safer, more prudent one had to reconstitute herself.

How are these two divergent paragraphs connected? Other than being on the same page? Well in this way. If I had listened to the safer option I would never have taken the risk to write such a different book. Really? Raunchy sex in a military thriller? Are you kidding me? Yet people like it. They like that Rhys Munroe brings them along for the whole ride and not just parts of it. They like getting a peek into the alpha male world and are made more comfortable because Rhys has baggage. A plane full of baggage! Great reviews on Chapters and Amazon by people whom have bought the book and truth be told I DON’T KNOW! A few friends have said they will post a review yet only one has. Not a complaint I know everyone has very busy lives and posting a review takes some time.

I have a little more news too. The BIG official book signing for Canada will be at the Langley Chapters on 200^th street. It is scheduled for the 6^th of August. So mark your calendars and come out and say hello. You don’t have to buy the book from the store to have me sign it and I have some cool swag to give away as well. In addition to this signing I am also included in the Surrey International Writers Conference book signing as well. That is on October 22. The Book Fair is held in the Fraser Room from 5:30 to 7:00 pm on Saturday evening. The book should be available at the Chapters during the conference. You don’t have to be attending the conference to come to the book fair although I encourage you to do so if you want to be part of one of the best shows on the planet! Really! I have been to London and New York and this is by far the best!

Now to finish the Blog, on to the writing. I have wanted to catch up on some reading and I can’t write and read at the same time. So my project has been on the shelf while I finished Brett Easton Ellis’s Imperial Bedrooms and all of Robert McCammon’s books. Brett went back to his original style and voice for Bedrooms and I loved it.  Gritty and unrepentant novel that screamed Ellis. McCammon has been a little more difficult as I love his horror. In fact when I first read Boys Life I kept waiting for the monster to show itself. This is not to say by any stretch that I am not enjoying these period books as I most certainly am. McCammon is just the best horror writer on the planet and his skills in dialogue are second to none. I loved the hemp-smoking doctor and magistrate scene immensely! But my copy of Five is yet to arrive! I hope I get a first printing version! In fact I looked for it in four stores in the US on my recent trip and could find none. I was willing to buy two just to make sure I got a first printing as I am sure this will put him back on the NYC bestsellers list! Where he most certainly belongs!  

Digital Publishing and this years Surrey International Writers Conference

            This month Amazon released some numbers and a few of them might be a little startling. Ebook sales surpassed print book sales grabbed my attention. This is combined with the ongoing closure and failure of traditional print bookstores. So I poured myself another drink and thought about what this might mean to Authors and the industry as a whole. I am hardly IN the industry long enough to have a real valid opinion but I do have an interesting parallel.

            Back in the day I used to be a pro photographer. Many years ago, the digital age hit the pro photography market. I was a bit of a techno geek, more so than I am today and was ahead of the curve on that evolution. Back in those days you created an image for a client and then brought it down to the store and got your work back in 24 hours. Then you made an appointment with the client to go over the work. Took the order and then went back to the store to get the final product created. Finished product in hand you went to your retouch specialist to fix the print and in a week or so picked that up and delivered it to the happy client.  I looked at this digital specter then and thought Wow! I shoot it in studio, edit and Photoshop the image and email it to the client. Then the client makes an order and I digitally send it to the lab, and they send it to the happy client! I embraced it. Film costs drop to zero, time cut in third, and no driving around! The margin in the photo world was pretty tight so this all made sense.

            I remember being at the Professional Photographers of Canada big convention. Here were my hero’s of the image world. Outstanding artists, many having achieved Master Photographer, and other awards for their images. None of them to my surprise were really behind this new technology. This was in the infancy of digital photography. My Pro D1 Nikon camera had an amazing 3.5mp resolution, and cost twelve thousand dollars and the compact flash micro drive was a thousand bucks.  Expensive to be certain but the loss of film and paper more than made up for it in three years. So why were these leaders in the field not giving it a second look? I was young and inquiring and so I asked the questions. I remember getting a multitude of answers some made sense while others did not. What I found most distributing about some of these answers was when they drifted into the realm of reciprocity failure. “Reciprocity Failure” is a real term to describe a condition where film is pushed to far and starts to fail across the colour spectrum. But it also was used by pros to describe something else. Bullshit.  Many of these answers made no sense at all. The naysayers were scared. The great Ansel Adams could afford to shoot three hundred feet of film over the Yosemite Valley and find one awesome sunset image and now so could I. It boiled down to fear of change and fear of their market. The big image houses were being bought up by the larger and the smaller ones had already been absorbed or failed. It was a very tumultuous time in the photography world.

            So now we have Ebooks. An aspiring writer can create and edit and produce a book directly and bypass the traditional game. I remember telling a few people that Grey Redemption was being published. Some responded. “Oh you wrote and Ebook?” New to the scene I had to answer no but as it turns out Grey Redemption got three ISBN. One of them for an Ebook. In fact Steve, a friend from work, bought it on his Iphone on the day it was launched. Steve had been one of my test readers and no doubt wanted to see if I took out all the “Inky Black” descriptive, and see if I brought back his favorite character.

            I am not as much of a pro in writing as I was in photography. Actually let me set the record straight. I CAN’T WRITE! My use of grammar is sub par for the industry and my spelling is well awful. But I do tell a good story. I have always been good at telling a good yarn. Some of them are even true. But with some good editing and a great deal of awfully painful revisions Grey Redemption was born. It followed more of a traditional publish than the current Ebook scene but what about the Prequel or Sequel? Hopefully I will find some answers at this years Surrey Writers Conference. I know to whom I am going to direct my questions. From previous Surrey Conferences I know many of these people to be fearless and honest so I am very much looking forward to it. Just a quick note about SIWC. It is by far the best. I have been to the London Book Fair and the Book Expo America and they both pale in comparison. Slade, McCammon, Dugoni, Gabaldon, Whyte all off script and in person is truly a humbling and educational time. See you all in 2011! 

CAT BLOGGING

Ok so this is not a booze recipe I will be tweeting to Robert McCammon. He and I have been trading poison concoctions. I like a vodka tonic with lime, but I like it really cold. Almost like a slushy drink.  So the other night I made one and tossed it in the freezer. It was in a heavy bottom tumbler that had been hand blown and had a small air bubble in the bottom. It accidentally ended up in the dishwasher so this little air pocket got filled with water, and was held by magic or physics, which are pretty much the same thing in my book. Anyway, and putting a point to my statement, the tonic in my glass froze and so did the water in the air pocket. Water expands when it turns to a solid. Pressure escapes along the path of least resistance.  Ok enough physics. Suffice to say that my slushy drink had a little more than ice in it. The bottom of the glass failed and broke upward from the very center infusing my nightcap with sharp little shards of expensive glass.

            Pop quiz everybody. It is two in the morning you’ve just ingested a quantity of broken glass the size of a quarter, well closer to a Looney. But if I say Looney, readers outside Canada might get lost. What do you do? I called poison control. When you call poison control the person answers the phone with; “Have you been poisoned?” Several glib remarks sprang immediately to mind. Recently? As a sport? This isn’t big girls in boots? But I held my tongue and with a pregnant pause said, “Well I am not entirely certain at this point.” I then laid out my folly. She didn’t laugh.

            Seems this kind of thing happens more than you’d think. Either that or she was telling me lies to make me feel better. In any case she told me not to induce vomiting. That was a good thing as I didn’t have any of the puke syrup and due to some design flaw I don’t seem to have a gag reflex. I say FLAW, as I will never need this particular feature. She mentioned that the human body is quite good at passing things like this as we did evolve from foraging for food. But!

 Here it comes, I thought, this will be the last twenty seconds of truth. Like the drug commercials that tell you your happy pills may make you take a frozen chicken to your spouse and beat them to death. Or worse anal seepage!

She went on to say if you start to feel weak or have pain go to the emergency ward. Now while she had been talking and reassuring me everything would be fine I had all the screens going on the Internet looking for just how my death would pan out.  There really isn’t a great deal out there on this. Which makes me feel like she had been blowing smoke earlier in the conversation.  So I offered a few of the possible fixes. One guy had given his dog cotton balls, at the vet’s direction, and sure enough the balls had picked up the little shards and came out; dog unscathed. Vets are doctors, the physics (I lied) sounded good!

She laughed at me. Then, attempting her best motherly calm down little boy voice, told me to search eating glass videos on google.  I did and if those retards didn’t die I knew I was going to be fine. So I poured myself six fingers of vodka and thought might as well swab the cuts with alcohol!

I know this is different than my usual blog but I  had to type it over a needy and exceedingly vicious cat, and figured you might enjoy the read. See stupid things happen even if you do have a “The” before your name! KIDDING!! If you want to follow Robert look him up on Twitter under Robert MacCammon not the real spelling of his last name. Great writer and his latest book just went into second printing after only a month or something. Amazing!  

Finishing touches

Just took some good advice and changed the blog up a bit. Hopefully this makes it easier to interact and experience. Did it via the iPhone four. No downtime or rest for the wretched!


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Location:Bernard Ave,Chilliwack,Canada

Getting used to raving fans and Author crap!!

Ok so what do you do, think, and feel, when one of your favourite authors makes this comment. “Hmmm your book looks interesting I am going to buy it. Will you sign it for me when I come to Surrey this year?” I mean really! We have been tweeting booze recipes back and forth for a while. Since he got on twitter actually. Then this! First thing past the shock of it was OMG I hope he likes it! Said he liked what he could find online, and that it looked interesting. For me this was akin to coming to the realization that you are indeed naked from the waist down in front of the class assembly. God I hope they Like IT!

Terror mixed with walking on cloud nine. Ok this is another new one to get used to. Speaking of getting used to things, people asking me about grammar and spelling.  Ah just a point, writing a book does not suddenly give one a masters in writing.  Have you read it? Tons of grammar and spelling issues! Less now someone has edited it. Would have been much less if my original editor didn’t have a stroke and could have stayed with the project.  Getting used to are you The Scott D. Covey? That one is going to take a long time! The only one in my family with THE in his name is the cat, as in The Piker. Because if you miss that ‘The’ he will go on a killing spree.  He really is that terrifying! So yeah the are you The questions are a little weird. No I am just Scott and yes it would be my honour and privilege to sign my book that you paid your hard earned money to buy. I hope you enjoy the read.

To close I have a pretty busy week so I probably won’t get much time to blog. The American Book Expo is in New York City this week and I have a trip planned to Hawaii directly following. So going to do a little rest and relax and have fun with Crystal, as she is truly The Crystal to me!  The number to be a best seller in Canada is 5000 copies, we apparently are doing very good numbers out of the gate so perhaps I may earn that The yet. Thanks for reading and if I start acting like I have a The in front of my name do feel free to drag me back to reality! 

Timing is perhaps not everything, but perspective is!

Timing. We have all heard the saying; “Timing is everything.” I was thinking about this the other day as I tried to figure out what type of switch I should do to my marketing plan for Grey Redemption.  Change it, leave it alone? I am lucky enough to have professionals and pro opinions, but they are just educated guesses at the end of the day. Then I saw that the Bang Bang Club is being made into a major motion picture! Well, has been made in reality, and will be released soon. William Heinemann first published this in the UK, in 2000. Written by Greg Marinovich, and Joao Silva whom were war photographers in the dirty little hidden war in South Africa.  I have a signed copy, inscribed; “Scott you live this book.”  This timing was eleven years, for the popular industry to get on board. I guess the scabs of that conflict have grown hard enough for us to rub our eyes on it. Most wouldn’t have known anything about it if it weren’t for the Bruce Springsteen song Sun City, written by Van Zandt.  Timing.  Joao Silva said, ”Redemption is living with oneself.” The timing for me to hear that was perfect. That it formed a theme in Grey Redemption was perfect timing again. Course I only saw it for the truth it was looking backwards

Writers blocks and various stimulants

One of the tricks I use to avoid writers block is never stop writing at the end of a scene. Take the characters past the natural end and into the next for a paragraph or three and then stop.  You can’t do that with a blog! Which is why I’ve found myself sitting staring at the blinking cursor like some tweaked out gamer. Nothing! Well perhaps a little something. A liquid drip that strikes cold along my spine, low, threatening to cramp. The edgy burn along my nerves in stark contrast and IT whispering like a lovers breath; “Just one more. Light up, it always gets the creativity rolling.” At issue is IT is telling the truth. A cigar does get the creativity rolling along. But this is day eight of my cold turkey shoot. A Last Day of sorts. Not in the Logan’s Run sense, rather I have proved I can resist temptation and survive.  So while watching two Canadians kick butt in the UFC tonight I will once again light up.  It is my will alone that controls my addictions and I will learn to like that slimy dark drip of desire. Embrace it and make it keep me company while I prove I can to no one in particular.

         On the book front, Grey Redemption was afforded very good shelf position at the Langley Chapters store. Rather than place it in the back along with all the other military fiction, they placed it on the local interest shelf. Face out about calf level. It really struck a chord seeing it their. Not a name in lights kind of chord, but accomplishment. An end game of sorts, the road traveled and done, the ups and down forgotten like long past fights with lovers lost

Home and feeling normal again

So back from London. Back to reality and no shots fired. Ok first off for those thinking of flying across the pond for two days don't. Even with the first class over and biz class back it is by far too much of a trip. I was fine in London, sleeping six hours of an nine hour flight helped but coming home. Yuck. No sleep brought about by this torn hamstring even in full flat British air biz class took a toll. The snow in Calgary and security incident delayed my flight and made the connection very dicey. Got my first bad review too, found it online yesterday. I understand my style of writing isn't for everyone but the emotive quality of the review was a little over the top. Guess those take a little to get used to. Part of being an author is dealing with readers who feel like you let them down. Still it pulls on the emotions when something you worked so hard to create and make perfect gets dismissed. Agent says I shouldn't blog about these things and just focus on the many good reviews. But I see this blog in the same way as my very talented friend sees her bathroom mirror at 2 am. Reality hard honed and displayed for all to see. Honesty if you will. So I felt obligated to comment. After-all only one percent of people who purchase books comment in the review section. So to the one bad review I say sorry I will do better with the prequel. I promise. Although I am still having a hard time motivating myself to write Grey Dawn. The way I chose to write #Greyredemption was difficult so many details and forcing the reader into the character. The side project Footsie is so much easier writing. The fictional work about twenty five years inside a jail is looming too. Well focus has never been my strong suit. Guess I will leave one to the critics and the others to the malestorm
of severe ADHD and see what happens! Thanks for reading and your email and comments you have no idea how much they help!

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Location:Ashwell Rd,Chilliwack,Canada

Queue and mind the bloody gap

   Well across the pond in London and while rushed and hectic it has been rewarding.  We all know Rhys Munroe stays at Fairmont Hotels and now I know why! Tired and dragging myself from the roomy confines of the BMW 750 that delivered me my luggage was gone before I exited. Luckily for the staff I actually caught the briefest glimpse, as the bags were hurried inside. I was received and thought for a bit, word of my book and inclusion in London had preceded me. Alas it had not, they just treat everyone like their famous. Good hotel staffs are a great deal like good security. It should be invisible and intuitive. Until you need it.  Yesterday I needed it.

   So today in a frugal attempt to offset the delirious costs one finds in London I took the tube. Should have been a simple thing, get the Oyster travel card load it and viola cheap travel. The Oyster card is like a tap and go credit card for transit. You have to buy it in one location and then load it in another. No wonder these people love to queue! The technological chasm to buy a card and fill it in one transaction is simple, so it must be this love of lining up for things, on the right. AND MIND THE GAP!

   Ok so on the train and flashing frugally toward the LBF at a very ungodly early hour. I was wondering if my body would suddenly realize this and crash, rag doll, to the floor when the speaker calmly told us that we needed to exit the station due to an emergency.  Fine if I had been on a station this would have been slightly less alarming. But I was on a bloody train! Considering the events in Ireland in a past few days the irony and karma were not lost on me of being blown to bits by an Irish bomb. So I found myself whistling the song from the Monty Python movie. “Always look on the bright side of life.” While politely forming a bloody queue! Brilliant.

   It was just a fire on one of the other trains but I guess this is a big deal. Either way it was dealt with and sorted out as the locals would say, and I arrived early for the LBF, and as I was an author was allowed to jump the queue and enter early. Which in this country is akin to getting waved into a Vegas bar offered on the house bottle service and bumping George Clooney!!!

   I got to see my book in the New Releases section and to my quiet joy three suited men were head bent in discussion. They were very animated and seemed to be in a heated discourse. I listened as one of them argued that the book was actually authentic and based on real events. The others argued and various points were put forward and as I was a little too close it seemed they wanted to drag me into the conversation as well. One them asked me what I thought and then clued into my attendants badge. I just smiled and said; “Enjoy the ride gentlemen.” 

As always no one is an island.

   So today finds me on the road sitting in familiar places. Last nights book signing went very well and the feedback was awesome. As I still couldn’t bring myself to do a reading out of Grey Redemption I did one from Footsie and from the shivers and looks I am thinking it is truly dark enough! One of the questions that was asked last night was how do you make the time to write on a schedule as well as run a “normal” life.  It kind of took me of guard, and off script, as I had to think about it.  I have an incredible team of three behind me for the day-to-day things. As an example on the drive to the airport from the funeral the other day Crystal and I started to hear a brake noise. Not a squeal but a grinding nasty sound and totally intermittent. We were rushing to the airport as we had stayed a little too late at the Connelly wake. I arrived about 30 minutes prior to the flight so a quick, but delicious, kiss by the trunk was all the time allowed. I dashed to check-in and thought about that stupid sound, wondering what it could be. Never once did I wonder about how Crystal would deal with it. Because she is a capable member of the team.  She is as much as I responsible for the creation of Grey Redemption. She allows my creative indulgences and scattered ideas and direction and keeps the Covey team on an even keel.  Now I did say three team members. The third is The Piker, he seems to know when I’ve written too long and with a bite to the nose reminds me to relax and play chase the cat.

   So I am less than 8 hours from being ‘feet wet’ on my way across the pond to London, thanks team for supporting dreams with patience, sacrifice, and as much hope as I have. It is easy to get caught up in your dreams. Harder, much harder for others to get caught up in them too. 

Grey Redemption heading to London

   So, just a fast little Blog update. As you can see there are some similarities between Rhys Munroe’s Cat and my evil beast. Yes The Piker doesn’t like to see me pack to leave either! He also likes it when I get my dress shirts press folded and wrapped for travel. The paper makes an awesome noise when pounced on. So I always have to indulge him his game of killing mice hidden in wrapped shirts and continually chase him out of the case. Today is my last day in BC for a while. The crazy week begins with me saying goodbye to an adopted Dad, Mr. Ron Connelly. A visionary pilot and true entrepreneur, before they had the tag line for such things. Then it is off to Calgary for the second HB book signing with a bunch of awesome guys. Sunday is the big flight across the pond to London. I am not really sure of what to expect an odd thing for me as I usually try to stay ahead of the curve. But looking forward to the unknown! I will blog from London and keep you all in the loop!

Cheers

#GreyRedemption and London Calling

Well the planning and meeting appointments keep coming and I have to turn a few down. Time is a thief! But very positive stuff is being said about the book and I am quite enjoying the fact that people liked me not stopping at the bedroom door! Yes boys can have books with gratuitous sex in them as well.  So London Savoy here I come. On that point a statement for clarification. I did not receive any financial compensation for using Fairmont properties in my book. I used them, as they are where Rhys would stay. It was a character thing based on how Rhys views the world! They are expensive properties to be sure but from a security and value point of view they are ideal. But as he always stays in them he will no doubt get shot in one! Get ready for book two! Award winning properties collect clients because they exceed expectations. The Airport Fairmont in Vancouver received just such an award and is in Grey Redemption. The Savoy is another grand Fairmont managed hotel and I look forward to rolling like Rhys and being their guest for the duration of the London Book Fair. On that note I usually take the tube or Heathrow Express into town but with all the Riots and Eat the Rich sentiment being stuck on the subway or wandering around Paddington Station looking for a cab sporting a Rolex Pro Hunter and dragging around LV luggage seemed to be a bit of a dumb thing to do. So I booked an executive sedan from H5 into town. No fuss or Muss and Rolling like Rhys! Course with the two serious death threats leveled at me I may be channeling more of my Rhys character than is healthy! This blog gives a shooter a perfect Intel package.  Oh well a shot probably puts the book on the best sellers list! A good and fair trade. “Ain’t found a way to kill me yet.” (Layne Staley. Alice In Chains)

Special Book signing tonight #GreyRedemption

Well, tonight is probably going to be one of those cool and yet stressful nights. It is the Habanos Brothers book signing in Vancouver. Calgary is on the ninth. Why would this be stressful? Well these people are like brothers and they will tell me EXACTLY what they think! No dressed up, he is an author after all, platitudes. They will be going off script as Donald Maass would say. No hiding behind a false  public wall of  success. This will be the bathroom mirror at 2 am, truth hard honed and real. I am looking forward to it!

Lazy Saturdays; where the hell did you go!

   I used to love Saturday morning, well my morning say around 11. Not that I am off every Saturday, shift work doesn't allow it. But on those sunny lazy Saturdays, I would get up and make my coffee. Then as C had her bath, The Piker (cat) and I would slip out onto the deck for a nice cigar to start the day and stain the oppressively bright blue sky. I could slowly catch up with the goings on in the world, reading tweets from celeb types or just those that are winning! Facebook provided its false sense of connectedness to people I haven't seen in a decade and, the news provided all the doom I needed. All was right with the world. 

   This Saturday I watched as Grey Redemption bounced up and down on Amazon. Comparable to the commodities market, watching a China Syndrome event. One of those things they should teach new authors is they can track book sales and popularity better and faster than the "in" table of any high school lunch room. Then the mundane checking to make sure all the websites are up and running, links working. Next is responding to emails, tweets, posts, and reviews. This is very rewarding, and fun to be honest. But, it is still very time consuming. I believe if someone took the time to write to me or comment, I am duty bound to write back. I really can't see that changing so I better learn to type faster! 

   Finally comes the plan, and the to do list. I have to go over everything that is on the radar and keep things on track in my head so I don't miss something vital. Like showing up in London without a Hardcover, passport, money...Sounds easy until you step into the maelstrom of ADHD that is my waking mind. Oh yes and don't forget to blog. 

   Onto the blog of what is really going on, and off the soapbox of my missed Saturday rituals. Press releases are being organized for the actual launch date for Grey Redemption. The big public release book signing will be at Chapters and most likely in Langley. Some issues being sorted out between the publisher and the conglomerate. I will be told when, where, and what manner of dress, and show up. Sounds very much like the military! London free time is filling up quickly. I really thought I would have a ton of time to do stuff but a few organizations have already booked time for meetings. One of them picks up stuff for screenplays! So excited but trying to keep perspective! 

I was ready for the humbling feedback but...

Hey everyone,

   Still sick with this damn 30 day cold, but the scotch has taken the edge off a little and I feel like I can put some thoughts to cyber-paper. Watching the book slide up and down the Amazon Canada scale has been fun today. Seeing it over a Clancy bestseller was very cool. I have enjoyed a great deal of feedback and have enjoyed reading what many of you thought very much! I write differently and I really thought more people wouldn't like the style. I love the feedback I am getting, remember I wrote this to tell a fun story not to comment on the state of the world. It is what it is, the world that is! I am not trying to make moral comment. But do remember this is fiction. The veiled threats are really pretty lame and the outright death threats are in the same vein. I got my first death threat working 21 years ago by someone scary enough to be doing time for several life sentences. So it is all a little mundane. Grey Redemption is fiction, if you see yourself in its pages and don't like it,  change. Threatening the author is pretty useless. I don't really have the capacity to worry much about it. To that end I'll be in London under my own name at the Savoy Hotel on the 10 of April.  Pretty easy target, I'll be the well dressed fat guy with the fancy watch! Tactically speaking this nasty end would just create more of a media storm around the book. But hey, what do I know! I am just a writer telling a story that was never true....Right?
   Thanks you so much for the emails and comments and posts on facebook and twitter. I really love the fact that so many of you are having fun reading my story. Truly! I am humbled and happy you have enjoyed the ride as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hated editing it! Well to more accurate I hated fixing the errors the editors pointed out!

Feedback and Coments

Still sick with this stupid cold. Poor excuse for not blogging I know but really! I get sick for like two days and it is done. Nothing lives long in my booze filled veins! This one is a tough one. So the Google thing is fixed and #Grey Redemption is not out on the net for free. I did post to my Fan Page on Facebook so those that were a little tight could still read it for free. They fixed it and fired an intern, but I did get a bunch of feedback as a result! All of it was good, which was a surprise. I just kind of figured my style of writing would piss more people off.  Really can't come up with anything witty or sharp to say so perhaps a little more sharing. Someone asked me what was the best part of writing a book and I answered him privately but I will post the reply here in public. Having your favourite childhood author read it out loud and in character was magical! If I never see a dime for all the work it took to make it a reality, that was enough. Actually that was one of the best days of my life. Only two other days even come close.

#greyredemption Available on google books

So was a little concerned that publisher had put too much on google books but today I noticed only a few select chapters are available for a free read. So take a look and see if it is for you.


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Location:Glenwood St,Chilliwack,Canada

Website update

Ok so not only can I write books but I can also code in HTML. The non flash site is up and you can see it here at www.GreyRedemption.com
Some people have asked if the story in the book about the glowing tattoos is real. It's fiction is the legal statement but just for you guys.


What looks like scaring is actually an ultraviolet tattoo!

Location:Brett Ave,Chilliwack,Canada

Just setting up my mobile blog option

Thinking toward London access and figured a mobile blog option with geo tagging would be a smart way to go. This way I can keep everyone in the loop and post some cool pictures of London. So sitting on my deck enjoying a nice SLR Regios and getting used to tapping rather than typing. Ordered my promotional books today hope they arrive on time for the HB book signing in Vancouver and Calgary.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Brett Ave,Chilliwack,Canada

Vancouver, Calgary, London and then home

Two things happened this week that were very new. My author proofs finally made it out of the dungeons at CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency) and into my hands. To be very honest I thought I was prepared for holding my book. I really see how people connect this with their baby or children.  I wasn’t. I tore the packing off like a five year old riding a cotton candy high on Christmas morning. I held it, and hefted it, and thought so this is what two years of work looks like in your hand. I was a little more than emotional and am not ashamed to say it brought a tear to my eye. I rolled around in my emotional state for a tenth of a second and then started paging through the book looking for the backward page or miss numbered chapter. I never found it. It was perfect and fresh and satisfied I broke its spine. That sharp, short, crack told me this one was mine. I read the Thank you page and was once again humbled at all the work others did to get this into my hand. Work done out of love and friendship. Yes that pulled me back down from my lofty Author Cloud.

            The Second thing that happened was I got my website up and working. Now I can quit ranting on my Facebook page about the book. I have a forum and people can go and check things out and read reviews, or submit reviews.   The address is www.ScottDcovey.com  I have been asked why the D. So as blogs are supposed to be a sharing space I will tell all. A book of this magnitude needs a robust name and…Kidding! Scott Covey dot com was taken. By another Scott Covey who seems to be a great research scientist at UBC.  I cyber stalked him a bit. Come on he has my Name! I am the older one! It isn’t a common name either so, I am pretty sure he has stalked me too. LOL!

            To close today, I have a nasty cold and don’t feel much like writing. Special book signings are set for a launch party at the end of the Month. Another one is being held in Calgary on the Ninth of April the night before I fly to London for the London Book Fair. Very exciting times. 

Websites and Egos

So my website is up in test mode. Well it s up for the entire world to see really, but we have left the Meta tags out so the search bots can’t find it. Kind of like trying on underwear in the lobby window I know. But hey, this is I and it won’t get much better. Truth is it could get a lot worse! So my web designer is awesome. I love what he has done. Simple, clean, and informative.  But it is done in flash. So this means it cannot be viewed on an Iphone or Ipad.  Really!?  Seriously you sneaker wearing, black crew neck sweater adorned geek. I have supported APPLE since 1980! I had a metal case Apple 1 for crying out loud. Wrote my first story using Magic Words and saved it on a 5-inch floppy disk! So now because you and Adobe has some sort of issue I have to create two websites if I want Iphone users to be able to see my website? Seriously! I have defended Apple and Mac products for more than thirty years and for my loyalty….DICK! Get over it, I know Adobe has a little bloat and I know it has security holes but work it out! I already did not buy an Ipad for this reason, as have many of my friends. While I understand this may be an ego thing, and a little money issue. WORK IT OUT! You’re stepping on your collective junk here! Memories are all we leave when we check out of this world. Being able to say I won and Adobe lost seems like a lackluster memory for such a visionary. 

Some musings and response to private emails.

Ok, so the London Book Fair has a profile page. Guess that speaks to the amount of people that are attending. It is more than a month away and there are already over 300 authors attending. Crazy! The profile is kind of cool as it lets you interact with others in a much more dynamic environment.

On another note the book went live in the United Kingdom as well. So it is across the pond and will no doubt generate a few more private emails! Some have been very nice and others well…guess the old saying “discovery is to be disowned” is true. Too which I say “Its Fiction!” Yes it is close to some truths but all good fiction is!

Some words about my writing style and layout. Yes I am aware that it is 2011 and prologues went out of favour years ago. In defence the main character Rhys Munroe is someone you won’t initially like. You will grow to like him trust me. But if I had started the book at the bar like I had originally, many of you would have put it down after the first chapter. So I needed to provide you a context for our broken antihero. Give you a reason to keep discovering who he is and why he is. As for my usage of the English language I am proudly Canadian and proud of our mixed French/English heritage and so I wrote using the language of the land. This is not a slight to our neighbours to the south. Just drop a few of the “U’s” and keep reading.  Finally on setup. I get the standard rationale that you create great characters and put them in conflict and let the reader dress the stage. I know many of you read fiction for this exact purpose so you can exercise your creative muscle giving the location a feel and colour as you go. What I set out to do was different. I wanted to force you into the world Rhys Munroe lives in. Make you see it and feel it from his perspective. Force you into his reality tunnel. I tell you the colours, and the vibe because I want you to truly understand the mind of the Mercenary. Mercenaries just don’t brush their teeth and walk into an adjoining room scratching their balls and thinking about breakfast. Each transition is viewed as a threat, real or possible is the same thing. So yes I bounce tense around to keep you off-guard. I am overtly descriptive about scenes and feelings, so by the middle of the book you’re getting it. If you walk to your car and notice stuff parked differently, or you turn to look at the person leaving a shop, I have done my job. You have a small understanding of how these predators among us live. I really hope you enjoy living in the world thru 544 pages. Pages that don’t just have you arrive, magically in an African nation, or jump from place to place with the typical “We arrived in London on time, my car to the hotel was waiting and I took a moment to light a smoke.” Or  “Cape Town 1430 Jan. 1, 1999.” It would have been easier to do so and would have speeded up the pacing and shortened the book. However it isn’t real. While I understand this is a work of “fiction” the suspension of belief is a VERY small one. You will not find the Deputy Director of the CIA renting choppers on his personal Visa card.  Besides you’re not paying for the word count your paying for a book. The bigger the book the better value, and weapon should you need to brain someone on a train with it! See now your thinking like Rhys! 

Just some Incorrect Thoughts

Ok, So blogs are supposed to generate some chatter, banter, and what have you. I realize my posts have basically been updates, with nothing really to reply to. Sorry I am just getting used to this and this blog thing doesn't allow me to spell check. So I actually have to be concerned with my spelling. Thanks Sis for catching a couple! You could have followed me...LOL! 

   In order to generate some discussion I figured Sexism is a good start. Why is when a man has to go buy socks the sizing chart is like;  "fits 7 to 13."  On the other hand when I have accompanied C on her shopping trips the damn thing looks like a periodic table of elements! I mean really? Surely to whatever (that's me being PC) we should have some equality in the hosiery department. If it fits a 13 foot it is doing the to the toes creep on my little 8 and a halves! 

London Book Fair 2011

Things are moving along, perhaps too quickly but that's ok I can rise to the challenge. Made it into the London Book Fair and have a very special book signing arranged for the 9th of April. Deadlines still in front of me and none of them are in my control. As I said the other day, Courses on this stuff would be so helpful. Writing gripping scenes with great conversation and realistic interaction is awesome. Thank You Robert R. Macammon you do it better than most, and I loved your class. But really, the what happens next part of publishing is really ignored.  Anyway looking forward to London, it has been a few years old city. Staying at the Savoy Hotel as I know the area well and thought what would Rhys Munroe do? Fairmont as per usual. Course that habit will no doubt lead to an attempt on his life! So I guess with that the cat is out of the bag, Grey Dawn, the beginning of the Rhys Munroe trilogy is in the works. I am still going to work on Footsie, it is much easier writing and will be much lighter reading than the Grey series. Well as light as a foot fetish serial killer can be! LOL!

Things that they don't tell you in writers school

Not that I went to writers school. But really! Ok so you write a book and as it moves through all the processes your left to watch and think ok whats next? Should be a class at the Surrey Writers Conference. It could be titled "Its in the can. What happens next." No, that really should be a period and not a question mark as I want to be told. Topics, do I pay my flight to London to attend the London Book Fair? If I get a hundred books to give away to friends and people that helped along the way do I pay duty when they cross the border? What the hell does a hundred hardbacks weigh and how much will it cost to ship? Special Book rates? Quarterly payment of royalties why is that not such a good thing? Yeah they should run a class on this stuff. 

Websites in a rush and finding books.

It is always a tad deflating when you see you book offered as at a discount. But I understand as I never read a Clancy novel at full price, back when we were kids we would group buy it and then draw cards to see who got to read it first! Still...It ain't in the bargain bucket.
   Setting up websites that work are challenging enough, doing it quickly even more so. Having your designer work on his birthday? Priceless! Thanks Harpreet! Just want to shout that out to you!

Selections of thoughts and adverse reality tunnels.

Ok so everyone says I have to Blog. Blog or die was the sirens call at the Surrey International Writers Conference. So here we are on Blogger. So what do I tell you...After many months of edits and rewrites and cut this cut that crap, one of my fans in the USA has the finished hardcopy before me. That's right he is reading it prior to me getting a physical copy of it. You have to love living in the North! He says its done well and the binding is good, so I can relax. Not! (Yes I know that is so 2008) I guess in the grand scheme of things this is a good thing as I have yet to get my website up. Forgive me but the past slow process went from Edsel to Lotus in seconds. Basically yeah the block proofs are good Tuesday to live Friday!! Really? So here I blog, instead of eagerly paging through the new hardcover, searching for the upside down page that I know must be there! It is a feeling akin to the sound your car makes, or more correctly doesn't make, as you drive over black ice. The speed, and forward progression in the hands of the three fates. Sisters be kind to me!