The Stone Road: Ask the Author!

[ScarletBea]

Once you've read a little bit about Haung... you can look here for the historical basis.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Yes, the Jiin-Wei really existed... and you can check out 14 Blades (film) about them too. I wrote the book before the film came out I should sue them... if they hadn't been a historical reality anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinyiwei

Oh wow, this is really interesting to know!

[JMack]

Oh the temptation to look...

Have now reached chapter 21, and rewarded myself with the spoilered history. 

[JRTroughton]

How long did it take you to write the book?

Also... who is your favourite character?

And... How did you go about choosing your cover art?

[G_R_Matthews]

How long did it take you to write the book?

I was finishing my OU Diploma in Creative Writing when I began, and then a year after. So, all told, a year and half or so, from first words to edited (and I still find some grammar/punctuation I'd change in the early chapters (and I can go back and do those now)). I'm a bit quicker now... 2 books last year, and 2 this year.

Also... who is your favourite character?

In this book? Ach... that's tough. I know what happens to them all, even those you see as a glimpse in this one and meet again in 2 and 3. Hrm... Zhou (which might sound strange if you've only read to chapter 9 - where he is alternately irritating, arrogant, or powerless.)

Spoiler for Hiden:

If you've read past chapter 10 (and up to 20 or so), certainly if you've got to the end, you might understand more of why Zhou is my favourite... and the end of book three has an addendum dedicated to him.

There is a character near the end of The Stone Road that we meet for a single scene... they (not even a gender spoiler here) were one of my favourite to write moving forward, and there is a character in book 3 that I just had so much fun writing!

oh, and in book 2 as well there is...

And... How did you go about choosing your cover art?

I worked with a website (www.goonwrite.com) and helpful designer named James. We picked art that suited the theme and worked together (him more than me) on the typography and style. I have to say he went over and above what I paid him for. He has done all my covers so far!

[m3mnoch]

so.  it's me, so i have a nerdy kind of question, but first some background.

a) i bought (heh -- i was thinking my trial of kindle unlimited was still up) a copy of the book on amazon and discovered copy protection on the kindle version of the file.

b) i typically convert my books to plain text and push them to my phone so i can have my killer ivona tts girl read them to me on my daily commute.  (driving commute -- this is america)  so, i like to take my books and mash them back and forth how i want.

c) while i frowned, it only took an extra, manual step in my automated book-pushing pipeline to strip the drm and convert the book.  (i'd forgotten i'd reinstalled calibre tools, fixed it, and now it's back to stripping drm automatically)

so, my question is -- since drm historically does nothing to stop anyone who actually wants your content to get your content, often prevents a better experience without drm, and only possibly frustrates people who are your legitimate customers, why apply drm to your book?

[G_R_Matthews]

so.  it's me, so i have a nerdy kind of question, but first some background.

a) i bought (heh -- i was thinking my trial of kindle unlimited was still up) a copy of the book on amazon and discovered copy protection on the kindle version of the file.

b) i typically convert my books to plain text and push them to my phone so i can have my killer ivona tts girl read them to me on my daily commute.  (driving commute -- this is america)  so, i like to take my books and mash them back and forth how i want.

c) while i frowned, it only took an extra, manual step in my automated book-pushing pipeline to strip the drm and convert the book.  (i'd forgotten i'd reinstalled calibre tools, fixed it, and now it's back to stripping drm automatically)

so, my question is -- since drm historically does nothing to stop anyone who actually wants your content to get your content, often prevents a better experience without drm, and only possibly frustrates people who are your legitimate customers, why apply drm to your book?

Hiya,

DRM? Because when I published it (my first book) it seemed the thing to do. Also, I'd been reading a lot about book piracy - and you can find the book (or at least the cover) on some sites. Though why someone would use those sites is beyond me... but there you go. I don't make a lot from the book(s), but I know it cost to publish it. There is a Kindle app on the phone (no idea if it reads it out to you though).

My brother is a music producer/engineer/performer and I am very aware how tough it is for musicians to make a living from their art... performing for free whilst the bar owner makes money from drink sales, having albums/songs 'ripped' onto youtube (and then 'ripped' off youtube on mp3 players)... an artist deserves to be paid for their hard work (and all the years of work and dedication before hand to get good enough to be listened to/read) and it seems that, to me, not appyling DRM (or anything protection) to the work/music is wrong.

I do buy DRM free games from GOG... but I buy most from Steam. If I was already rich and famous I could, like Radiohead, do a pay what you want album(book, in my case).

More than that, honestly, folks spending 1.99 on a book isn't that much (I just bough Jason M Hough's Darwin Elevator in Waterstones for 7.99) and once they've done that, if they have their own requirements for reading/listening, they will find a way - I know that. I also hope, one day, I'll have enough 'profit' to have audiobook versions (esp of Silent City).

DRM isn't going to stop people 'pirating' the book/album/game/software - I'm realist enough to know that, but it makes a little more of a challenge and deliberate act. And you're the first I've heard of who puts books into some other software to have it read out to them

Other than that, if folks want an ePub version (or Pdf) then I am always happy to oblige, and do so.

I just click DRM by habit (though I think I forgot to on book 2).

[SJBudd]

What's DRM? Oh dear I'm so behind with the modern world!

But that's terrible if people are stealing ebooks considering most of them are really cheap, no more than 2 pounds!

[SJBudd]

I know this is really off topic, but... you mentioned you did a creative writing diploma from the OU. I've always wanted to do something like that. Would you say it improved your writing? Did you get a lot out of it?

Really enjoying the book, have got to chapter 13!

[G_R_Matthews]

What's DRM? Oh dear I'm so behind with the modern world!

But that's terrible if people are stealing ebooks considering most of them are really cheap, no more than 2 pounds!

Digital Rights Management - copy protection.

[G_R_Matthews]

I know this is really off topic, but... you mentioned you did a creative writing diploma from the OU. I've always wanted to do something like that. Would you say it improved your writing? Did you get a lot out of it?

Really enjoying the book, have got to chapter 13!

Yes, it did

I took the course (in agreement with my wife, because it would take time in the evenings) because I've always written and never finished a book. I wanted to finish a book, and learn to do it 'properly'. The course instilled a writing discipline (I now get stressed when I should be writing and am not) and the course taught me things about PoV, tense, action, speech... the critical feedback from the tutor and other writers was invaluable (it taught me to take criticism positively ).

If you want to take a course, I'd say to take it! I got a hell of a lot out of it... most important confidence, discipline and some tricks of the trade I still dip into the course books when I get stuck or need an idea/exercise.

And I am so glad you're enjoying it! (I still get nervous when others read my books... esp the first one I ever published )

[m3mnoch]

DRM? Because when I published it (my first book) it seemed the thing to do. Also, I'd been reading a lot about book piracy - and you can find the book (or at least the cover) on some sites. Though why someone would use those sites is beyond me... but there you go.

actually, i don't know anyone (i come from the super-nerd community) who goes to websites to download books.  that's crazy.

the best place for pirated books?  irc.

not to scare you, but gimme a second, lemme look.

Code: [Select]

$: @search stone road forbidden list

Search results from SearchBot v3.00.02 by Ook, searching dll written by Ook, Based on Searchbot v2.22 by Dukelupus
Searched 17 lists for "stone road Forbidden List" , found 3 matches. Enjoy!
For easier searching, use sbClient script (also very fast local searches). You can get that script by typing @sbClient in the channel.

!pondering G R Matthews - [Forbidden List 01] - The Stone Road (epub).rar  ::INFO:: 300.4KB
!pondering G R Matthews - [Forbidden List 01] - The Stone Road (epub).rar  ::INFO:: 300.4KB
!Ook G R Matthews - [Forbidden List 01] - The Stone Road (epub).rar  ::INFO:: 300.4KB

yup.  there it is.

every book from every author ever is available for download for free.

worrying about drm or pirating or any of that?  totally a waste of time.  spend your time showing love to your fans and giving them what they want.

they'll reward you by buying your book and doing awesome book club readings with it!

I don't make a lot from the book(s), but I know it cost to publish it. There is a Kindle app on the phone (no idea if it reads it out to you though).

it does, but omg is it terrible.  my favorite is when you can add on the whispersync audiobook stuff for a few dollars more.  that's the best!

with the stuff i've written, amy reads to me:
https://www.ivona.com/us/about-us/voice-portfolio/

My brother is a music producer/engineer/performer and I am very aware how tough it is for musicians to make a living from their art... performing for free whilst the bar owner makes money from drink sales, having albums/songs 'ripped' onto youtube (and then 'ripped' off youtube on mp3 players)... an artist deserves to be paid for their hard work (and all the years of work and dedication before hand to get good enough to be listened to/read) and it seems that, to me, not appyling DRM (or anything protection) to the work/music is wrong.

here, we actually disagree.  musicians do not deserve to be paid for their hard work.  totally sounds harsh, but lemme explain.

1) the purchasing of music recordings is an aberration of the last 60 years.  musicians have existed for centuries upon centuries before that -- all without the benefit of recording.  they earned their money the old fashioned way -- they performed.

2) if i spend $100 million dollars, work for decades, and perfect a way to cultivate and bottle the most realistic boogers ever created -- when no one buys them, i can't cry and say "but i spent all that time and effort and money!  i deserve to be paid!"

3) no one deserves to be compensated for work they do.  even in your everyday job -- you don't deserve to be paid.  you are paid based on a contract that you will do the work someone wants from you.  if you work on something your boss doesn't want, you will probably be fired.  just because you do it, doesn't mean someone will pay you for it.  they have to _want_ what you produce.

I do buy DRM free games from GOG... but I buy most from Steam. If I was already rich and famous I could, like Radiohead, do a pay what you want album(book, in my case).

i will point you to masnick's law on this one:

"in any conversation about musicians doing something different to achieve fame and/or fortune someone will inevitably attempt to make the argument that 'it only worked for them because they are big/small and it will never work for someone who is the opposite,' no matter how much evidence to the contrary might be readily available."

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080620/1132211463.shtml

More than that, honestly, folks spending 1.99 on a book isn't that much (I just bough Jason M Hough's Darwin Elevator in Waterstones for 7.99) and once they've done that, if they have their own requirements for reading/listening, they will find a way - I know that. I also hope, one day, I'll have enough 'profit' to have audiobook versions (esp of Silent City).

yup, totally.  me?  i'm lazy.  it's sooooooo much easier to just buy a kindle book than to hunt for, deal with potential quality issues, etc for a pirated book.  i don't enjoy, nor have time to do that.

unless, for some dumb reason, the publisher chooses to price a book i want at some stupid price north of $9.99 or whatever.  that moment, it becomes a matter of principle and sticking it to the publisher for their stupid decision-making.

DRM isn't going to stop people 'pirating' the book/album/game/software - I'm realist enough to know that, but it makes a little more of a challenge and deliberate act.

it's only a challenge once.  and only to someone who has fun crushing those kinds of challenges.  in the digital world, everyone following up has the same exact pirated access to protected content as they do to non-protected content.

And you're the first I've heard of who puts books into some other software to have it read out to them

yay!  i like being first!

tho, i suspect i'm less of an edge case than you imagine.  my guess is that my fellow nerds do lots of bizarre things with ebooks.  from not trusting amazon to revoke your purchase to an obsessive-compulsive need to have all their files organized and in the same format to all manner of strangeness in between.

i mean, "calibre ebook" has almost 800k results on google:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=calibre+ebook

Other than that, if folks want an ePub version (or Pdf) then I am always happy to oblige, and do so.

i LOVE this.  /highfive

building relationships with your fans is crucial.

I just click DRM by habit (though I think I forgot to on book 2).

i suspected as much.  i was just curious if you were a staunch drm guy.  it really sounds like you're not.  like it's just a 'take it or leave it' thing to you.  word.

thanks for taking the time to answer my question!

[eclipse]

Maybe this should be taken elsewhere, when I see a Q and A topic with an author I would like it to be about the story or the author

You can discuss DRM elsewhere with other writers and readers who may not have joined in this book club.

[G_R_Matthews]

Spoiler for Hiden:

There are no pirates in The Stone Road... just so you know.

[JRTroughton]

Spoiler for Hiden:

There are no pirates in The Stone Road... just so you know.

What?

I'm out.

[Kitvaria Sarene]

M3mnoch - I just wanted to state that I disagree 100% with you. I agree this is not the place to discuss that though.

So to get back on topic:
GR - do you have authors that have especially influenced your writing? Do you have kind of "role models"?