Tag: Self-publishing

Like Sands In The Hour Glass… – Derek Barton – 2025

Writing Tips

Many times, I find myself stalling, pushing back, or even deliberately choosing alternatives to sitting down to write, even though it has brought me some of my happiest moments. Some call this a form of “writer’s block”, or they see it as procrastination. I like the term writing resistance myself as it is just that – an internal debate on whether I should write today or not.

Why am I resisting the call to be productive and creative? Why? There are dozens of reasons why, but when you consider it, writing is opening yourself up. It allows people to see your inner thoughts. You are also providing a window of opportunity to judge you and your work. That is an extremely vulnerable position. Resistance is, in many ways, a defense mechanism. Cleaning the stove, picking up the dry cleaning, or looking for that perfect spot to sip a coffee and people-watch is much easier and safer than putting your thoughts on paper for all to see and comment. The world and internet are full of trolls after all…

In my writing group that I host now on Tuesdays called Shut Up & Write (which is a national/international organization and has affiliate groups in almost every city and country around the globe – highly recommend attending one as it has truly given me a lot of great resources and tools to benefit my writing journey), we discussed our own forms of writing resistance.

This is a list of the examples they could attest to and that these have happened with their own writing experience:

Laziness

Insecurity 

Lack of focus

Perfectionism

Too many ideas at the same time

Didn’t value my work or its worthiness

Lack of computer skills

No accountability

Too many tasks/other responsibilities

No motivation

Imposter Syndrome

Burn out

No current inspiration

Bad time management

The Blank Page syndrome

Stress

Information overload/no direction to start

Looming Deadlines

Then we discussed possible solutions or tactics that might help you overcome these possible examples of resistance:

Smart Goals (short & obtainable)

Outlines – to me personally, this helps me defeat any Blank Page syndrome or Writer’s Block.

Change in venue

Small tasks

Genre reading

Writing ritual/routine

Internet-inhibiting Apps – these are apps designed to help prevent you to “going down the rabbit hole” on the internet vs writing or to get sidelined by social media platforms.

Project Planning/Defining

Big Idea Notebook

Turn off your Inner Critic! – freestyle writing is crucial during your first drafts.

Use writing place holders to move forward in the prose

Baby-step or sprint writing – I set a limit like 300 words per day (which usually gets me into writing mode and I write way past the limit).

Edit the previous chapter

Do something else but still be in creative mode – like ad design, marketing copy, or idea research

Research for your genre or idea

Read work out loud to yourself

Writing prompts – one of my personal favorites especially when I am in between projects (they can jumpstart  you!)

Writing resistance is a fierce temptation to give in to. Procrastination, research temptations, or simple internet scrolling can erode your productivity. Work up a writing routine or ritual. In other words, find and dedicate a  specific time and amount of time you want to work on your WIP (which is why the Shut Up & Write group works so well for me).

Like an actual muscle, unless you flex and use it, the writing muscle will not grow and strengthen if you don’t make it a priority. And if you go long enough, your writing muscle can atrophy! Developing good ways to sidestep your writing resistance can make or break your writing journey!

For further exploration and tips on Writing Resistance, check out an earlier post I did on tactics to avoid or reduce resistance. Repel The Resistance

Online Writers Group/workshop — Derek Barton, 2025

General

Through Superprof.com, a private tutor app, I will be able to offer an online writers workshop and help guide new writers, providing tips and resources. Each of my lessons is personalized, results-oriented, and motivational.

At the assessment session, I will meet with you individually where we can determine your level, discuss steps to improve, and I will provide keys to unlock your true writing potential!. My lessons are casual to create a positive, non-judgmental environment, but at the same time, they will give you options for success.

Then, in the following sessions, we can meet with other new writers in a Google Meeting so that you can learn from others or share what works for you! Writing journeys do not have to be a solo endeavor.

I will gladly assist with any writing projects, review weekly submissions of up to 2,000 words, provide writing lessons or writing prompts, and help the student develop writing habits and rituals that will keep them successful and driven for years to come.

My lessons cater to adults and teenagers aiming to grow as creative writers.

My personal mantra is YOUR SUCCESS AS A WRITER IS MY SUCCESS WE WIN TOGETHER!

Last, I want to offer you the first assessment hour free of charge! Then, if you wish to continue working together, I will meet with you for $25 for one hour once a week.

To get the assessment hour AND make that first step toward realizing your dream of writing a novel or learning to create the writing career you’ve always wanted, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Harness The Power of Audible! — Derek Barton, 2025

Self-publishing

The ease of access and the availability of audiobooks have increased dramatically over the recent years. The potential to reach more readers and have increased sales is too critical for you as a writer not to explore. In his article, Audiobook Statistics by Market Size, Sales and Demographics, Pramrod Pawar of Coolest-Gadgets.com states: 

  • In 2022, audiobook sales in the United States generated over USD 1.81 billion.
  • The number of US adults listening to audiobooks has more than doubled in the past 10 years.
  • Younger people are more likely to consume audiobooks, with 57% of Americans under 50 listening to audiobooks in 2021.
  • Mystery and Thriller are the top genres, enjoyed by 55% of listeners.
  • Science Fiction and Fantasy are also popular, with 48% of listeners enjoying these genres.

On a personal note, as a new author, I never thought I could have an audiobook version of my book. The investment costs and finding quality talent were quite daunting. However, when I took the plunge and started the ball rolling, I found the whole experience very rewarding and valuable. My story became a “play inside my mind” when I listened to the audio version for the first time. The Elude series is my best-selling books and I credit the audio version for the reason why!

So first, you create your account on ACX.com (a division of Amazon.com). Then you’ll need to “Claim Your Title” which is a button found at the bottom of the screen. You can use your book’s title, your author name, or the ISBN to bring up your book. From the list provided, you should then be able to see and select your book.

  • Decision #1: Are you going to work with a narrator or use previously recorded files. 

Here you will need to decide if you are open to getting narrator auditions or if you want to go with a known narrator (someone you have already contacted and worked out an agreement for them to do your story) OR if you have narrated the story yourself and already have a prepared file. ACX does have very specific requirements and quality expectations. (Here is the link to those standard expectations.) Be sure to review those and match them before submitting your story for Quality approval.

  • Decision #2: what kind of narrator do you want?

ACX has literally thousands of voice actors waiting to audition and willing to work hard on your story. To narrow down the list, they have filters for genre, language, accent, voice age, vocal style, and location. These will help you to select the few actors you want to reach out to directly. I’d recommend maybe a dozen to start. You will also get auditions sent to you if you want. 

  • Decision #3: what kind of financing amount are you willing to invest in the project?

One other key aspect you’ll want to determine is how you want to pay for the narrator’s service. Professional narrators can charge $200 to 400 per recorded hour upfront. One recorded hour is around 9,000 words. If you cannot afford that, another possibility is what is called Royalty Share. Amazon decides on the total sale price of the audiobook and then takes 60% of the retail price. The remaining 40% royalty is then split between you and the narrator for each sale. When you filter for narrators, you can set it to show only Royalty Share, Royalty Share Plus (narrators who will share the royalties as before but want a little extra upfront too), or Pay Per Hour Costs (ranging from $50 to $1000 per hour). 

  • Decision #4: working through the auditions and finding the right voice for your story.

It is very important you find the right person to tell your story. I know I have stopped listening to a story if I didn’t like the voice. Many other readers will too. The voice captures the reader’s attention and brings the story to life in a whole new way. You will get all sorts of types of actors and auditions. I have even gotten auditions read with very heavy accents or even “broken English” which is not at all what I was looking for. Be kind, be tactful, but be honest and know what you want. Once the recording is finished and published, it is extremely difficult to get corrections or changes made!  

  • Decision #5: determine due dates of the 15-min sample and when the final recording is due.

Once you have contacted the narrator that you like and they have agreed to do the project, you will send them a business contract through ACX. It will stipulate the payment plan and the due dates. Normally, I give the narrator one to three months to produce the recording based on the size of the project. The 15-minute sample is a recording the narrator will make and send to you showcasing their tone, pacing, accents, etc. This is a binding business contract but if I have a good relationship with the narrator, I will give them leeway for personal events like illness or other life disruptions. If you rush or pressure the narrator, it could impact the quality of the production. Should you and the narrator have any serious issues or conflicts, you can contact ACX Support to end the contract and stop the production. It is a hassle so be sure you really want to go that route. 

  • Decision #6: Approve and submit to Audible for their approval. Carefully review the audio files listening for mistakes, word omits, mispronunciations, file recording glitches. The narrator can send you the work chapter by chapter or they may send it all at once. I like to review as they go in order to stop errors from being repeated throughout the book (i.e. mispronounced names, etc). The narrator is expected to read and perform the writing as closely as possible. To reach a bigger audience, some readers look for a feature called Sync (formerly Whispersync) which allows a reader to go from listening to Audible to reading in Kindle and then back to Audible without losing their place in the book. That feature requires the narrator to be at least 96% accurate. 

Of course, there may be other considerations and/or minor decisions you will have to make during this process, but I hope I have taken away some of the mystery and fog hiding this key market from new writers. It’s been a great addition to my work and helped me reach even more readers.

More Screams & Terror coming your way! — Derek Barton, 2024

General

Happy holidays, everyone! I wanted to take a quick moment to update you on my newest releases, my current works-in-progress, and what I’m planning for in the near future.

NEW RELEASES:

**VICTIMS: A Horror Short Story Collection has been doing well, sold on Amazon & Kindle. S.W. Salzman, my narrator, is wrapping up his production of the Audible version and should be on sale before the end of the year!!

**Two new anthologies will be released before the end of the year. First, is The Weatherly Lane Anthology.

A malicious evil taints the land. Any who step into the house at 1214 Weatherly Lane suffers an unspeakable curse. Witness and live through the multiple encounters, decade by decade.

The second anthology from The Fear House Press is Gates of Hell Unleashed. There isn’t a cover yet, but this is in the works and set to be released soon. My story, Suicide Is For Suckers, will be printed within. It’s a tale of desperation and the drive to survive. Does anyone ever win when they sell their soul to the Devil? When more details and information are released, I will pass it along.

**Wordpeddler Society Magazine’s next issue, the Horror Edition, will feature ME and will be released also by the end of the year. In this edition, I am interviewed about my start, my motivations, and my writing process. Also, I have another short story (never published before) called Beneath The Surface. It’s a horrifying tale where summer camp thrill-seeking and curiosity leads to pure terror.

WORKS-IN-PROGRESS:

**Beyond the Barrier, the last in the Wyvernshield series, is in the final wave of edits. It is slightly behind what I hoped for, but it may be out by the end of 2024 or in the first weeks of January 2025. The cover is in the works—another knockout beauty by Joy Landa, who designed all the covers of this series!

**The Deity Staff will have an Audible version available in the first half of 2025. Again, this will be performed by the exceptional talent of Laura Richcreek who has done all of the prior books in the series. She has also agreed to lend her talents to Beyond The Barrier in the coming year!

FUTURE PROJECTS:

**Unfortunately, the serial killer drama, Eclipse, will not be continued on Kindle Vella. Amazon has decided to shut down the entire Vella program by February, 2025. Up to that date, you are able to read the released episodes for free! I will continue the novel, and with luck, it will be out by the end of next year. Eclipse is my first, true crime horror novel (no supernatural elements this time!). It also has ties and links to the previous two series, Elude and Evade.

A sadistic new serial killer has the city of Chicago in his grip. A bold, rookie detective haunts his every step. Which will slip up first?

**I have teamed up with a small indie press known as Phoenix Oasis Press and will be working with them on an upcoming literary anthology centered around the theme of “curiosity”. I hope to submit a new short story to them in March, 2025. Publication is expected around August. More details to come.

MISCELLANEOUS:

**I was interviewed recently on Historically Haunted Vodcast last week. Please click here if you’d like to check it out.

**Also, for anyone in the local Phoenix, Arizona area, I will be having a book signing at the SUPERHERO SATURDAY EVENT on January 18th, 2025 at the Metro Mall parking lot area. Come by and say hello! All items will be signed for free!

**Keep an eye out for me on BookTok, a part of TikTok. I hope to release in the coming year videos highlighting my content, new releases, my author life and my writer processes.

Thanks again for all your interest in my work and your support as always!

Has Your Journey Become A Maze? — Derek Barton -2024

Self-publishing

I get asked a lot by aspiring new writers, where do I go next? “The manuscript is done and I’m ready to put it out in the world. But… I don’t know how.”

Completely understand that lost sensation. You’ve done the hard put, but you didn’t think beyond the draft. It’s an overwhelming and daunting challenge. Some find it easier to “hide it right here in my drawer. Someday, I’ll get back to it.” In other words, you feel safer if you don’t even try.

But that seems like such a tragedy to me! You’re so close to the goal. I want to help. Here is a sample of the guest blog I did for Phoenix Oasis Press detailing my template on the next steps forward (be sure to click on the link at the bottom for the complete blog):

I FINISHED MY FIRST DRAFT… NOW WHAT?

Written by Derek Barton

In front of you on your desk sits a stack of accumulated pages. The culmination of your blood, sweat, and tears, your finished draft sits patiently. It stares up at you, waiting for you to do something with it. It sits and stares. And sits some more. All while you ponder, ‘what do I do now?’ 

While I don’t have all the answers, I have been in your shoes. Last night, I completed my first round of edits on my seventeenth novel. If you plan to independently publish your work – meaning you handle everything and are in full charge of your artwork, pricing, and sales – read on for some tips to help you move forward. 

Note that this template / process works well for me. I offer it as a starting point for you to personalize to your goals and journey.

Step 1: Editing

Everyone needs an editor. No one’s work is clean, error-free, and perfect out of the gate. But before you jump into editing, take a month or two off from your manuscript. Set it aside and give yourself some mental distance. When you go back to it, you’ll approach it with fresh eyes and an open mind to improvements. 

Free online tools

Free online editing services like Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, and ProWriting Aid can help keep your prose concise, clear to the reader, and develop strong reader engagement in your work. Programs like this will highlight areas of improvement including: 

  • Sentence structure – fragments, run-ons, or overly complex sentences 
  • Identifying passive voice
  • Flagging over-used or repetitive word choices
  • Highlighting weakeners – adverbs and phrases like ‘I think,’ ‘maybe,’ ‘really,’ ‘just’

Alpha reader

Alpha readers are readers or other writers you trust who have interest or experience with writing in your genre. Expect an alpha reader to give you a better, well-informed review of your work where they point out plot holes, missing or unaccounted characters, and jumbled timelines. Prepare yourself for navigating alpha (and any kind of) feedback, and also be clear about what you would like the reader to look for. Here are tips on how to do that!

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE THE FULL BLOG.

Enjoy!! I truly hope this helps and gives you some direction and hope in your journey forward.

The Phoenix Oasis Press — Author Interview – Derek Barton – 2024

General, Personal

I was honored to be interviewed by a local publishing press, Phoenix Oasis Press. This small, but growing press has been doing great work by producing an online blog focused on helping new authors, organizing workshops and writer retreats, and even orchestrating several award-winning anthologies.

In 2025, they are again set to gather independent writer’s short stories into a new anthology. I have attached the link to the details here. Without a doubt, it is a great venture for any new, aspiring writers!

Here is a sample of the interview (for the full interview, click on the link at the bottom).

Why I write

I love getting lost in books. The great escape into space, the past, the future – anywhere the story takes you. I knew early on I wanted to entertain others in the same way. And I had a wealth of content. You see, stories and characters spring to my mind and demand to be heard and written. Like spoiled children, they rampage and stomp out any other thoughts until I write down what they have to say. If I don’t give in to their demands, I’ll go crazy. 

I wouldn’t have it any other way. Writing has always been a part of who I am. Bringing stories to life is a beautiful stress reliever, therapy session, and personal adventure. Sometimes the characters go on unexpected benders or take unknown paths. It’s intriguing, fulfilling, and frustrating all at the same time. 

Early roots & inspirations

Born and raised in Indiana, I was your typical introverted kid. I spent a lot of time reading the horror of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and R.A. Salvatore’s fantasy epics.

When I was 26, I needed a big change. I took a leap and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1996. I didn’t know anyone in the southwest. Nor did I have a job or a place to stay, but something was calling me. 

Writing life

In 2011 I got serious about writing and started working on my debut novel, an epic fantasy. When I started, I wrote by the seat of my pants. I let the world unfold on screen as I typed. My story meandered along, trying to find its way from point to point. I realized I needed a road map so I sat down and crafted a super-detailed, 60-page bullet outline. Turns out I’m more a plotter style writer than a pantser. 

Editor’s tip: There’s no right way to write a novel other than the way that works for you. The pantster-plotter spectrum also includes plantsers. Check out this NaNoWriMo quiz to get an idea of your style.

Letting the story go

I spent five years developing, editing, and endlessly rewriting that first novel. Then I read an article where Stephen King advised that at a certain point, you have to let your children go. You have to let them loose in the world and hope for the best. I took that advice to heart. If I kept rewriting, my work would never see the light of day. 

Publication choices

When I started, I hadn’t thought about what exactly I’d do with it once it was done. I always knew I wanted to publish it, to share it, but I hadn’t considered whether to go with traditional or independent publishing. 

As I worked on editing, cover design, and my book blurb, I jumped into researching about all-things-publishing. Two years later, I independently published my epic fantasy Consequences Within Chaos. I went independent because I felt I had better control of the end product, along with more responsibility. I’d invested a total of five years of blood, sweat, and tears into realizing this dream. 

Things got easier

I wrote The Bleeding Crown, the sequel to Consequences, in one year. I hope that helps anyone reading this realize the value of the work you are doing right now, every day. Everything you learn, everything you do, helps you develop repeatable processes for your writing that make it easier. Trust me. 

Since then, I’ve produced eight horror novels, six epic fantasy novels, a short story collection, and have been published in literary magazines. My newest short story collection just came out, and I have an epic fantasy novel launching soon. You can find everything about my work on my website where I also blog about writing topics. You can also find my works on Amazon under my author page.

For the rest of my interview…

Enjoy!! And thank you to everyone who has shown interest and have supported my writing career since 2016! It’s been incredible and it isn’t over yet!!

New Releases for 2024! — Derek Barton – 2024

General

New releases coming at ya…

Things are heating up for me as they are cooling down outside! Several projects have come together and I wanted to let you all know.

Starting with this month, VICTIMS: A Horror Short Story Collection will be available starting 9/11/24. This is a combined effort by me, one of my best friends Brian Gatti, and my father, T. D. Barton. We have fifteen thrilling and mind-bending stories of paranormal, psychological, and occult horror. Soon this will also be available to listen to on Audible.com from the incredibly talented S.W. Salzman (who also narrated my best-selling Elude Series!).

Then on October 15th, just in time for your creepy Fall nights and Halloween reading: Weatherly Lane: An Anthology will be released! This is an ensemble of new and rising stars of indie horror writers. The anthology revolves around the deadly cursed house built on 1417 Weatherly Lane in Kingston, Minnesota. The stories explore the dark events that circled this property from the day it was built in 1914 up through present day! Every author has chosen a year or decade to represent. My story contribution is the origin to the evil that permeates the tainted land in 1911! It a fun and entertaining thrill ride from page one!!!

Also by the end of September or the beginning of October, I will be releasing a brand new horror story line on Amazon Vella called Eclipse! And yes, there are ties to the Elude & Evade Series!

Mitch Michaels is a respected teacher, a well-liked pillar of the community, and a committed fiancé set to marry in January. But after a devastating car accident causes brain trauma, something has been unleashed. Something evil. Something primal! Mitch is hiding dark cravings, promises of chaos and terror. How long can he hide inside his “gentle giant” persona while giving into his dark activities…

More details will be made as I get closer to releasing this story so stay alert for that!

And in December, I’m working hard to make available my epic fantasy Wyvernshield finale, Beyond the Barrier. I’m now in the last stages of editing. The story and the culmination of five books is finally here! An incredible epic tale with an epic battle unlike any I’ve ever written!

More stories are brewing! I’m even considering an epic fantasy anthology that takes place after the events from Beyond the Barrier!

Plus, I still have an interest in doing my first whodunit mystery novel next year!

Thanks again to everyone who support my work or who actively helps to make this all happen!

Breaking Out — Finding The Keys To Get Noticed – Derek Barton, 2024

Self-publishing

Every day it is said that at Amazon, two thousand new books are published each day!

Often new authors ask, how do I get noticed in all that? How can I get my head above the flood? Well…I’m still trying to figure that out myself! But I have a couple of suggestions and personal experiences that I can pass along which might help you like they have helped me.

One technique is networking. Much like marketing, when you begin your journey in writing, you never fully anticipate the other aspects to being a writer. I had no idea on how to begin or how to initiate networking! Writing now is far more than simply telling a tale. That’s almost the easiest part!

There are many roles you have to take on after you’ve written the manuscript. Editor, marketer, salesman, and ad designer are only a few of the things you’ll need to learn or…find people who are or are willing to work with you. Thus, networking can be a valuable resource. I had great fortune to meet one writer/editor who was willing to share her rules and guidelines for editing. It helped me so much knowing as I wrote what to already watch out for and it saved me time on avoiding those mistakes in the early drafts.

Or another benefit for reaching out and building relationships is you meet others going through the same issues. They may have had success in an area and can give you tips or tricks that moved them forward.

Through networking you can also find opportunities! I have been able to work with some other great authors this way. Tie into an anthology. This not only gets your writing more exposure but allows you some valuable time with people in your field.

One other opportunity I found was I could offer help to others with their early work. One author I’m currently helping needs assistance in formatting. For a small fee, I’m helping him at the same time getting money I can put towards an ad campaign to sell my work!

Another network bonus is your readership or fan base can build from it. When you’re work is published with other writers, the other author’s readership gets to read your writing. This will often lead to new crossover fans. It benefits everyone involved.

The other technique I’ve learned from experience to get ahead is joining a writing group. Not only will this give you an idea of what is trending in writing and with readers, but it will give you fresh perspectives on similar problems. You share in the group things you are encountering or writing blocks, etc. You can often get advice or maybe leads on how to work out a writing issue, find motivation and inspiration, or even more opportunities to partner in collaborations and anthologies.

My current writing group, called Shut Up & Write meets weekly and provides me a dedicated hour each week that I am free of distractions, a place where no one will interrupt me, and makes me write – no way to give myself an excuse not to write.

In this day and age of the infinite internet, it is easy to get sidetracked.

Plus with this group, we have decided to work on an anthology and pool our resources to get published. We are even going to try to submit our work in competitions or award contests.

So these two minor but powerful techniques have lead me to a couple of anthologies that will be published this year and the next, given me time and discussions with a lot of writers some smaller, some bigger than me and it’s led me to getting exposure on author pod casts!

All has been a rewarding, fantastic boost in my personal journey in writing.

I highly recommend that everyone find a way to network (social media platforms like Facebook, instagram, and X are great ways to start!). And if you have free time, use it to advance your career by joining a writing group. They can provide incredible advice or even an outlet for feedback! Don’t overlook the fact that many groups can offer Zoom meetings and won’t require you to commute. Meetup.com is a great resource to find local established groups.

Updated & Upgraded Patreon — Derek Barton – 2024

General

Hey everyone! I really hope you will take a moment to check out my Patreon page. I have revised my Membership Benefits. I will be making one or two blog posts on there a month along with my author website here.

I’ve always been interested in writing and telling stories, but LIFE HAPPENS to us all. I didn’t pursue my calling until after I was 40 and buried in a corporate job. Currently, I work a graveyard shift job and have a very lively family of five that I want to give all the best that life can offer.

What your patronage will provide for me is funding for any marketing campaigns (Amazon ads, Facebook ads, Youtube Book Trailers, or professional book cover artwork). While I do this for the love of storytelling, I also would love to reach more readers. OVER 2000+ NEW BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED EVERY DAY!! The only way to stand out from the avalanche is through ads and videos.

Recently on my monthly newsletter, I created a survey of what you guys wanted and what you are looking to see from me. You guys spoke up, and I took note! You want MORE: more writing, more updates on works-in-progress, and more unique prizes!

I love this idea of having this personal connection with you, my core fans. And with this direct connection, we can literally provide for one another.

Besides my utmost gratitude, subscription memberships will benefit you too!

Starting at Tier 1 @ $1 per month, you can engage in surveys and votes to influence content decisions (like names, titles, cover art, etc), exclusive insights to my work and sneak peeks at content, plus you are recognized and named on my website!

Tier 2 @ $3 per month, you gain the same as Tier 1 BUT also you can make suggestions for blogs or short stories you’d like to see from me, see monthly updates on WIPs, a special Thank You Credit in my novels! 

Tier 3 @ $10 per month gives you the previously listed along with Ebook copies of new novels, the patron’s site link(if available) listed on my website, and a choice of a signed custom-designed metal bookmarker!

SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO JOE GIBBS FOR HIS MEMBERSHIP.

Tier 4 @ $20 per month, gives you the previously listed as well as paperback copies of any new novels released (US only) mailed directly to you.

SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO LONG-STANDING MEMBERS SUSANNA WILLEY AND LYNN NEITH!

The las Tier 5 @ $35 per month gives you the previously listed and a unique COLLECTIBE book cover of new release custom-designed by the author just for the Patron member (US only). PLUS an ongoing chapter-by-chapter submission of a new novel sent to you before it even goes to publication!

With Patreon, I can realize my goals with marketing, doing book signings, offering contests and giveaways at the same time bringing you great exclusive content and special signed prizes!

With Patreon, I can focus on my ultimate goal to be a full-time writer.

With Patreon, together we can really create something magical (or horrific depending on the genre!) and make a true difference!

NOW LET’S GET THE JOURNEY STARTED!!

New Custom-made Bookmarkers Are Now Available! — Derek Barton, 2024

Marketing

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to reach out real quick and let you know I have these beauties right here, ready to sign and mail upon request!

These metal bookmarkers are personally designed by me, have a brilliant pearl finish, and have vivid colors that leap right out at you.

I will be setting these up on the website, but don’t miss your chance now for an early-bird special of $5. Each will be signed and mailed directly to you!

By May 15th, the price will go back to their normal costs of $7 each.

Also pictured below are older, alternative bookcover metal bookmarkers. These are $4.

To order any of these, please EMAIL ME AT RIVYENPHX@GMAIL.COM (and include the bookmarkers of your choice and quantity!)

I am also working hard to get “collector boxes” for fans, holiday surprise gifts or a pick-me-up present for someone who is sick and wants something amazing to read! These boxes will contain the epic fantasy novel series (Wyvernshield #1 through #4) or they will keep the terror within and house the Evade and Elude Horror-suspense novels! I will of course find extras to put in like T-shirts, these metal bookmarks and maybe even some signed metal prints of my bookcovers! Price and quantity for these have yet to be determined but keep an eye out!! They will be here around the corner!!

If you have any ideas or suggestions you would like to see included in the Collector Boxes, please comment or feel free to email me!