FIVE STARS

You know, I thought “The Bull Years” was a clever title for a book, but I seem to be in the minority on that score. It’s a play on words. You know, “bull” means good or robust, but bull also means…oh, never mind.

But in any event, my deepest thanks to alexandra for this wonderful review. This kind of ...]]> At first, I was skeptical reading this book. I was looking at the cover and title (yes, judging a book by its cover) and thought it might be lackluster. Phil Stern proved me wrong! The story of four lost friends brought me through whirlwind of events, relationships, and journeys. It was a truly wonderful read–I must say, I couldn’t put it down once I started! This was one of the better books I have read lately and I highly recommend it!

FIVE STARS

You know, I thought “The Bull Years” was a clever title for a book, but I seem to be in the minority on that score. It’s a play on words. You know, “bull” means good or robust, but bull also means…oh, never mind.

But in any event, my deepest thanks to alexandra for this wonderful review. This kind of response is tremendous for an author, and I very much appreciate the time she took both in reading the book and leaving such a nice comment.

In August, readers can look for the third installment in The Cross-Worlds Coven Series. The next book, in fact, will pick up right where Earth Fire left off. So what’s in the future for Tiffany and Blake, as well as the Coven itself? You’ll soon be finding out.

The second book in The Aydian Series will be out in January. Aydia is a little more “adult” than Witches and Earth Fire, while weaving an intricate tale of a revolution on a faraway planet. And yes, the storyline with Rayson and Saira becomes even more complicated, revealing the events that blasted them apart years before, even as they once more grow closer in the present day.

So I do hope you check these two new series out. ...]]> Over the next several months, new sequels to Witches and Aydia will be hitting the digital bookstore.

In August, readers can look for the third installment in The Cross-Worlds Coven Series. The next book, in fact, will pick up right where Earth Fire left off. So what’s in the future for Tiffany and Blake, as well as the Coven itself? You’ll soon be finding out.

The second book in The Aydian Series will be out in January. Aydia is a little more “adult” than Witches and Earth Fire, while weaving an intricate tale of a revolution on a faraway planet. And yes, the storyline with Rayson and Saira becomes even more complicated, revealing the events that blasted them apart years before, even as they once more grow closer in the present day.

So I do hope you check these two new series out. And for those of you who enjoy stand-alone SciFi/Fantasy, don’t miss out on Rogue Powers, a story of two empowered young people fighting to stay together, within a world determined to rip them apart.

In this sequel to Witches, Tiffany Smith is once more on the front lines of an inter-dimensional conflict. What she discovers while battling this new threat will shake Tiffany’s deepest held convictions…including her loyalty to the Coven itself.

So here it is, The Cross-World’s Coven Series. Book two, Earth Fire, should be out in late April 2013. I’m aiming for late July of this year for the third installment in the series.

Witches now has a brand new cover, which I think looks fantastic. It wasn’t easy finding a model that really fit Tiffany’s personality, but I think this really does nail it. So if you haven’t read the first book yet, better pick it up, because books two and three are coming soon!

In the next chapter, Tiffany Smith is again called to service with the Coven, but complications from her life on Earth soon get in the way. I don’t want to reveal too much right now, but trust me in that the whole Witches world is greatly expanded.

So if you haven’t read the original Witches, now is the time, and get ready for the next installment in April!

Witches by Phil Stern takes you on a journey with magic and a new universe. The plot of the story runs smooth even though new characters were introduced leaving room for a series. The short 51 page story kept me entertained and wanting more. I enjoyed this short read and I’m sure others who like the genre will as well.

Four Stars

By Phil Stern

Even before the ebook revolution, long-form series had generally taken over the Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction genre. First Harry Potter burst onto the scene, followed by the Twilight books, the Hunger Games trilogy, and more. Virtually overnight, parents went from wondering how to get their kids to read anything, to being dragged out of bed for midnight book releases.

The lesson was obvious. In the 21st century, young people don’t want to just read a genre book. They want to immerse themselves fully within another existence, luxuriating within a new world and it’s unique characters. Reveling in every nuance of this alternate reality, readers enjoy the broader, deeper story arcs, knowing they won’t be rushed toward a premature conclusion. As opposed to ...]]> When It Comes To SciFi and Fantasy On Kindle, Long-Form Series Are The Way To Go

By Phil Stern

Even before the ebook revolution, long-form series had generally taken over the Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction genre. First Harry Potter burst onto the scene, followed by the Twilight books, the Hunger Games trilogy, and more. Virtually overnight, parents went from wondering how to get their kids to read anything, to being dragged out of bed for midnight book releases.

The lesson was obvious. In the 21st century, young people don’t want to just read a genre book. They want to immerse themselves fully within another existence, luxuriating within a new world and it’s unique characters. Reveling in every nuance of this alternate reality, readers enjoy the broader, deeper story arcs, knowing they won’t be rushed toward a premature conclusion. As opposed to a one-and-done, stand-alone novel, a series is a long-term, emotional investment, almost like a love affair that can be safely indulged for the foreseeable future.

In the world of Indie publishing, where thousands of new authors are rushing their work to print, writing in series has become a crucial marketing tool. Clearly, a full series of book stands a much greater chance of attracting readers attention, and once sampled, instantly converts that single-book buyer into a repeat customer.

“Marketing a series is easier,” says T.S. Welti, author of the successful No Shelter trilogy. “I set the first book in the series permanently free three months after release, and then put out an omnibus edition right after the full series was published. I don’t do much promotion on the series. The free book pretty much does the promotion for me.”

Indeed, this tactic is now almost standard among Indie publishers. By offering the first book for free, and then giving readers the option of buying the rest either individually or in bulk, Indie authors create both multiple options for consumers, and additional income streams for themselves.

Sometimes the numbers can be almost staggering. Author Sarra Cannon recently revealed that in December 2011 alone the first book in her Peachville High Demons series registered nearly 4,200 free downloads. However, the next five books, including the just released final chapter, Demons Forever, then sold 4,585 additional copies, for a monthly income in excess of $10,000.

Of course, writing in series requires much greater output from the author. And while some writers are up for the challenge, others may be tempted to stretch their work a bit too far.

“For a series, you need a bigger concept and lots of surprises, and that just may not fit the story you are telling,” says Lisa Grace, author of Angel Series. “If you’re not passionate about writing in series, it’s going to eventually show up in your work.”

Some readers may even be hesitant to begin a series until a substantial body of work has been produced.

“With Indie authors, there’s no guarantee that the series will be completed,” observes Shannon Mayer, author of both the Zombie-ish Apocalypse and Celtic Legacy series. “So many readers wait to jump in until they at least see a couple of books released.”

Sometimes, though, just the opposite occurs, with a single book doing so well that it takes on a life of it’s own.

“Wool started life as a stand-alone novelette,” recalls Hugh Howey, one of the early stars of the Indie publishing world. “The only reason it became a series is due to reader demand. I then had to figure out how to create a series out of a short piece.”

Howey also warns that coming out of the gate with a series could spell trouble for new authors.

“If the first book isn’t selling, you’re writing for yourself with those sequels. And the chances are, your first novel won’t be your best,” he says. “Keep writing until something takes off, and then switch your focus to that story. Write each book as if there could be a hundred more, or it could stand alone. That way, you diversify your chances with your readership.”

Good advice for the long haul, or for those writers still finding their way. Clearly, though, for the established Indie Sci-Fi and Fantasy author, focusing on a series may not only be the key to quickly building an audience, but also transforming your writing career from a hobby into a very profitable business.

Saira Senten, a beautiful, powerful Srendian woman first awakened by Rayson years before, now seeks out her original lover. Cool and distant, Saira warns of a renewed totalitarian threat from Rayson’s closest associates.

Can Rayson trust Saira, who still blames him for her stunning, public fall from grace as an innocent college freshman? Along the way, he must also confront Glayton Verax, a former friend and current political rival, whose raging infatuation with the inexperienced Srendian undergraduate almost destroyed them all.

The past and present now collide in a shocking web of desire and deceit, with the future of ...]]> Aydia is the first book in The Aydian Series, a sweeping panorama of power, lust, and betrayal.

Following a half-century of peace, Aydia is once again on the verge of war. Rayson Sacks, representing the planet’s strongest nation, is desperately working to diffuse the crisis.

Saira Senten, a beautiful, powerful Srendian woman first awakened by Rayson years before, now seeks out her original lover. Cool and distant, Saira warns of a renewed totalitarian threat from Rayson’s closest associates.

Can Rayson trust Saira, who still blames him for her stunning, public fall from grace as an innocent college freshman? Along the way, he must also confront Glayton Verax, a former friend and current political rival, whose raging infatuation with the inexperienced Srendian undergraduate almost destroyed them all.

The past and present now collide in a shocking web of desire and deceit, with the future of an entire world hanging in the balance. For Rayson must somehow expose the intricate plot threatening them all, while once again embracing Saira’s reawakened fury, and uncontrollable desire, for the man who inadvertently altered her entire existence.

“The Reclaimed” is a story that got me thinking.  In Greenville, a city on another planet, the population has an opportunity every year to bring back to life someone who has died in the last three years.  Before voting on who will come back, the relatives of the candidates wage a veritable campaign with arguments about why their relatives deserve to be revived.  The consequences of reviving the dead are depicted here in a way that is very exciting and entertaining.  While reading, I asked myself whether a beloved dead person should be brought back and, above all, whether I myself would want to be brought back.  A hard decision . . . .

4 Sternen (Stars)