The Last Survivors Chronicles

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
reply to post by havok
[more

And Homer, quit badgering me to post more chapters! At least everyone else is being cool about it, and understands the transition to a book, and I thank them all for the patience. Ok fine, get me 100 flags on this thread and I'll post another Chapter.

Okay TA, here are your flags!!!
As an author, you should know to be more specific in your wording!!!
In fact, I think there are around 204 flags!
I believe you owe us two chapters sir!!!
WOQ

(Wish I had learned how to do a screen shot!!!)

images.wisegeek.com...

reply to post by wasobservingquietly




Cute. Real cute.

*smack*



I will announce though that Chapters 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 are now complete, bringing my page total to about 188 so far. I am back on board as best I can in my spare time, and am thrilled with the story so far. You guys are just not going to believe it. I seriously want this to be a movie. Cause I'd sure as hell want to see it. More devastating than Deep Impact. More far reaching than the movie 2012.

Well? I can dream, can't I?

Pretty cool story TA.

I was reading a post of yours when the link in your signature caught my eye. So I clicked and started reading.

And now I'm like "there's no more to read?"

Try to go somewhere with it. My 2nd wife was a wonderful writer but was always too afraid to try and publish. You should give it a try.

Excellent story!!! I haven't read a book in a loooong time and this hooked me right away. Your style and presentation have kept me on the edge of my seat!!. Very well done. I've noticed how many here are claiming to have had dreams of such events, earthquakes,volcanoes,,etc. Seems strange because I myself have had at least 3 to 4 of those myself. 2 of them were related to earthquakes. 1 was about Mt Ranier, and the other was very strange,,I remember running up a long grassy hill alongside others and I remember looking back over my shoulder as we were all running, and there were these large,reddish brown rocks flying through the air!!! These were not small rocks either,,many were as big as a house!!! It was real scary as I can remember the fear I felt during the dream,,,,or was it a vision??? Thank you for a great read and hope to see more soon.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Read what you've posted so far, very cool read. I want to read more but you have yet to post chapters you have already written. It would seem you may not post any more if the trend continues and you may seek other routes of publication. While I can't blame you, I must admit I'm rather disappointed to not be able to read more of the story until whatever you intend on publishing is published. Gave the readers on this thread a good case of blue balls. It's too bad, I would share it with others if it kept going but I don't want people left without more to read like I was and give up on it out of sheer frustration, which I won't lie, is a possibility for myself as well.

I like your story, but will I continue to check up on it to see when it's released if there are no clear indications any more will be posted and there is no indication of a publication date anywhere in the near future? No. Good luck sir.

reply to post by GrimReaper86


I am just starting Chapter 44. Hope that helps- I have made serious progress since my last update. But I just work on it when my creativity is flowing- and it's kind of hard when we are about to go to war.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


When are you gonna drop some chapters on us?

I have always been fascinated by post apocalyptic scenarios and what would happen as bands of survivors attempted to rebuild their lives and create new societies. Would we make the same mistakes? Stupid question - of course we would - dang it!

Look forward to reading this in its entirety. Don't make us wait too long TA - cos it's good!

WOW! I'm a bit late on getting into this Thread, But I'm also Left in serious Suspense! This is certainly one of the best Apocalyptic stories I've Read. Also Agree It should be a blockbuster if ever turned into a movie.

When you release the book Please reserve a copy for me please! I will pay extra!

S + F to you!.

I had no idea you had such a Creative Writing Streak!

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Thanks for the narrative.

Well worth your time and effort in terms of something highly interesting to read.

The best to you.

I hope there are more chapters before toooo long.

If you come up with a reasonable subscription price, that'd be fine with me.

BO XIAN
reply to post by TrueAmerican

 

Thanks for the narrative.

Well worth your time and effort in terms of something highly interesting to read.

The best to you.

I hope there are more chapters before toooo long.

If you come up with a reasonable subscription price, that'd be fine with me.

Thanks. In regards to "a reasonable subscription price," I would seriously like some feedback from the readers of this story. What do you guys think that should be exactly? Here is what I am considering, and please you gals and guys, help me decide! :

1) It will be a complete book, roughly 350 pages or so. I am currently at about the 220 page mark.

2) At the moment, I intend to deliver it direct to readers via a protected PDF document, and from a secure order website- which will cost me some money obviously to put up and maintain.

3) I am seriously considering three prices- $5.95, $4.95, or $2.95. After all, I already have hundreds of hours invested in this, and as I proceed forward, the harder and more time consuming each page is to write. So much has gone into this! And so I ask, and please answer honestly- how many of you would not order this if the price was, say 5.95 vs 2.95- just because you couldn't, or didn't want to, afford it? I mean we are talking peanuts here really, either way.

4) I have also toyed around with a 1.00 price, hopeful that someday quantity could afford me to recoup the website investment. But seriously, what to charge exactly is a bigger problem for me than writing the damn thing! Help. Give me feedback please!

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Great question. I don't have a good answer.

I have a couple of books self-published on Kindle.

I started out at $3.50 or some such. Now, I'm at 2.99.

The better, shorter one needs the TOC removed to the back so folks can see the sample pages of the book instead of the exhaustive Table of Contents.

Anyway--I haven't had significant sales at all at either price though everyone who reads it praises it.

My IMPRESSION is that there are more likely a greater number of readers at the lower price. Particularly in this economy.

Just my 2 cents.

BTW, you might consider publishing it on Kindle. I think Amazon has a great setup and it's free. No up front money.

There would be the searches on Amazon that would lead folks to your blurb about your book. That's a lot of free advertisement, essentially.

If it takes off electronically--it would be easier to publish it on paper--probably without any cost to you.

Thx for asking.

You have me completely captivated with this Story, and I would likely buy it at either price tbh, though I think you will get more readers at the lower price point. As for publishing it, I think a proper e-book format would be better, and I am pretty sure you can get protected ones.

However, as Bo Xian mentioned there, Kindle is a pretty damn excellent way to go, and definitely a good way to get the book out to more people. It would most definitely be my preferred way of buying it, as it is so much easier. Well, that or any other compatible e-book format. (e-pub and mobi are two popular ones, not sure on protection for them though.)

PDF usually format horribly on e-reader screens, due to being basically an image format document, so it is actually probably the worst e-publishing format you could choose, tbh.

Corodius
PDF usually format horribly on e-reader screens, due to being basically an image format document, so it is actually probably the worst e-publishing format you could choose, tbh.

Well that's interesting. Seeing as the PDF format is one of the few, if not the only, format recognized apparently by all the main e-reader devices- according to this wiki article:

en.wikipedia.org...-book_formats

So I wonder how e-reader devices deal with protected PDF's, that prevent text copying, for example. Is there any known trouble with them? Because I certainly want to password protect the final PDF doc to prevent it from being tampered with in any way. No question I need to learn more about this aspect of e-publishing. I want the most widely compatible format that can be as secure as possible- but not to the extent that it requires an online connection, ever, to be able to access the doc. That would really piss me off if I paid for a book and in 6 months I couldn't view it again. And apparently some DRM schemes require online connections. Uhh, nope- will not do that to my readers- ever.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


I really think that for what I understand your goals to be . . . that the Kindle service and publishing would be great for you.

Amazon is a known entity as are the Kindles with free Kindle apps available for phones, desktops etc.

The titles are always available on one's Kindle cloud file section, if needed to be redownloaded.

It was relatively easy to do once one learned the basics. I typed it in MS Word and went through the steps their program outlines and with some effort and revisions and jiggling . . . it worked. That was a year or 2 ago. Now, it looks to be even simpler with more help.

They were always good to answer my tech support questions.

AS far as I know, the files are secure from tampering. The reader can affix notes to this or that word but the notes are in a note file with only a note number placed in your text--similar to a footnote number.

just wanted to say ....this is a great well written read , had me hooked ,

good luck with further chapters, and i really hope that you get it finished and on a site where we can get it easily.

many many thanks

snoopyuk

Hi, TA!
Wow! I don't know how long it's been since I've checked back in here,
but it's been awhile. Glad you're still working on it!

Sadly, I can't give an informed opinion on price or format,
since I have not yet completely joined the 21st century!
Never used a Kindle, haven't upgraded to a smart phone,
don't have a pod, pad, tablet...
I'm holding out for a Dick Tracy type wrist 'thingy'!
Or maybe something from Star Trek!

I have noticed that my aging eyes do better reading on the computer,
than they do on paper now though!
But I can just imagine how long a Kindle would last reading in bed,
the way I fall asleep & drop books on the floor!!!

I have gotten the feeling that the kids may be going to drag me kicking & screaming
into the 21st century for Christmas though!
I was talked into putting my recipes online & what happens?
I don't know how many times I've needed one 'right now', & the internet was down!
Living in Podunkville has it's drawbacks!

As far as price goes, if it was something I really wanted to read,
the difference wouldn't matter.
And since I've been hooked on this one since the beginning,
that probably isn't something I should have just said! Lol!

Sorry I couldn't be of any help!
I'm glad it's still in the works!
No, that's not quite what I meant!
I really wish it was done...but beggars...!!!
WOQ

TA...how in the world did I miss this?

I just started reading it, and I so far I really like it. I had the slight advantage of coming to the party late so I knew that you hadn't finished the story, and might be offering a complete package soon, so I am going to wait to read it all.

First of all, congratulations on your accomplishment! I know first hand how much commitment it takes. I finished my first book ever earlier this year, and just completed the second book in the trilogy last week. I just wanna pass on my experience with publishing it. I am wondering if you have considered going the ebook route? There are several publishers out there you could go through. I have been using Booktango. You can do it all for free, and then keep about 70% of what you sell. Its a great way to make it available to friends and family or those of us on ATS that would be happy to pay for a copy. Just to give you an idea, I made 100.00 in the first three months off my first book. Now, that obviously is next to nothing, but I did NO advertising. Other than FB, here on ATS and my friends, I have nothing else out there, so that really isn't all that bad. I can actually say I made some money from writing.

I also just read a recent article that indicated 3.99 is the best price point for a self-published ebook. Selling even more than a book at .99.

Hope this little bit of info helps, and KEEP PUSHING ON. Can't wait to read the finished product!!!

I think around $4 would be a fair price.

reply to post by westcoast


ok great. 9.99 it is!

I mean who would ever dare publish a decent work by himself, at the going market rates of a large publishing house- AND- imagine that- get to keep 95% of the money (after expenses) himself! I mean that is impossible... Right? I mean like the big moguls gotta get paid or else your book goes nowhere!



Dammit, WHERE is my rolling eyes emoticon? WHERE??? Mobile platform BS.

Anyways... Just letting readers know I've been back on it, and sorry it is taking so long, but I am not an established writer with a large bank account and nothing else to do. Job is keeping me busy, and it is extremely difficult with all my other interests to stay focused on this for more than short spurts at a time. Nonetheless, I am trying to write Chapter 44 at the moment. Keep the faith folks, and eventually I will deliver.