The Horror Bookshelf

Today’s post on The Horror Bookshelf comes from Jason Parent, the author of the dark, brutal thriller A Life Removed – which is out now – and a ton of other great books. I have a review scheduled for tomorrow, so I won’t dig too much into the novel, but if you are familiar with Jason’s work, you will love this one. Jason’s post is a follow-up piece to the guest post from Stuart R Brogan on publishing. Both authors make great points and I recommend checking out both of them for some insight on their experiences in publishing.

Before I turn over the blog to Jason, I want to thank him and Nev of Confessions Publicity for having me on the tour!

Early in May, Stuart R. Brogan, author of Jackals, wrote a guest post for The Horror Bookshelf entitled, “Going It Alone,” in which he explained why he chose to self-publish instead of going the traditional or small press route. I enjoyed the article and even commented on it at the time, not realizing I would be doing a guest post for the same blog a month or so later.

First let me say this: I don’t think any author being honest with himself/herself would balk at a book deal with one of the Big 5 if he/she has never had such a deal before. To have one’s books in brick and mortar stores all over the U.S. or U.K., maybe in bookstores on several continents, is a dream most authors share, not necessarily for the fame or the (perceived) money, but to be read and to know that one’s words are being felt, enjoyed, pondered, and maybe even considered and dismissed by readers everywhere. At least for me, that’s all I want: for others to find meaning in my work, and if it’s a whole lot of others, then I know I am not alone in my beliefs and world views.

But only a select few horror authors are actually published by the Big 5, and a few more if you count those that pass off their horror as “thrillers” (not that I know anyone who would ever combine horror and thrillers, wink wink, nudge nudge). Many of the best, most popular, and most critically acclaimed horror writers have never had a deal with the Big 5.

So, I don’t waste my time and don’t really have the time to waste. I would need to find an agent, be prepared to market the book strenuously, both on the publisher’s and my own schedule, and give up a whole lot for potentially big but more often than not, little gain. Just finding an agent takes a ton of research, the sending of query after query, and hours upon end that could have been spent writing. That is not to say that the right agent would not be a boon for a writer’s career, and a great agent always will be. I had an agent once, and though it didn’t pan out to anything, I do not regret the experience and would undertake it again if the right circumstances arose.

But for most small presses, where my books find their homes, I have not needed an agent. Again, good agents open up more doors, so they can be very helpful. In the small press world, they are simply not a necessity.

Which brings me to why I choose small presses over self-publishing. Without the guidance of an agent or other business professional, I’d be a mess. The road to publication would be much longer as I lack the know-how with respect to formatting, cover art, and other aspects of book creation that the small press brings to the table. For those with this know-how, like Mr. Brogan, self-publishing may be the right way to go, as the author maximizes his royalties, though while simultaneously bearing the burden of all costs.

I’ve been published by several small presses now, and I have turned down a few others. Different presses have different strengths and weaknesses, but all should provide quality editing, a decent royalty split and strong cover art. Never should they charge the author any sort of fee. They provide varying degrees of promotion as well, some having publicists or setting up blog tours, while others submit to Net Galley or book promotion sites. With more hands in the pot wanting the book to succeed, it would stand to reason that there’d be more people desirous of putting out quality work.

Obviously, if one self-publishes, he or she goes all these routes alone. The quality of the work he or she produces depends on the extent of his/her knowledge, integrity, and commitment to producing a work worthy of the reader public and that of the persons he or she enlists to assist.

What is better for one may not be better for another, and there are good and bad small presses just as there are good and bad self-publishers. For my needs, and sometimes overwhelming schedule, the single most important plus with respect to small publishers is the time it saves me after the writing and editing are done.

For now, I am happy where I am and with the small presses I have chosen (and who have likewise chosen me) to work with. That said, the future is a hazy thing, and I could easily see myself self-publishing or rolling the dice on an agent with a novel I think a good fit with a Big 5 publisher. Of course, any agent or Big 5 publisher that wants to seek me out, make like the Price is Right and come on down!

LINKS

Jason Parent’s Official Website

Red Adept Publishing’s Official Website

Purchase A Life Removed: Amazon, Barnes & Noble,  Red Adept Publishing or grab a copy from your favorite bookstore!

A Life Removed Synopsis

Detectives Bruce Marklin and Jocelyn Beaudette have put plenty of criminals behind bars. But a new terror is stalking their city. The killer’s violent crimes are ritualistic but seemingly indiscriminate. As the death toll rises, the detectives must track a murderer without motive. The next kill could be anyone… maybe even one of their own.

Officer Aaron Pimental sees no hope for himself or humanity. His girlfriend is pulling away, and his best friend has found religion. When Aaron is thrust into the heart of the investigation, he must choose who he will become, the hero or the villain.

If Aaron doesn’t decide soon, the choice will be made for him.

About Jason Parent

In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.

In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it’s harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he’s back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that’s another story.

When he’s not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists in a knot or takes somebody’s head off – he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.

Please visit the author on Facebook at , on Twitter, or at his website for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.