With each passing year I try my best to do something new, unique, and challenging.  My ultimate goal is to better myself, become a stronger individual, and potentially find a new avenue for revenue in my life.  Any steps I can take that may prove fruitful are steps that I will consider in my path.  One step I’ve taken this year is to attempt my hand at writing a novel. I have a basic outline and have already begun on the early chapters of the book.  Strangely enough, the book has nothing to do with zombies; well almost nothing.  I’m not sure if they will make an appearance in this book, but I might try to squeeze in a brief encounter if it makes sense to the story.

I will be writing a book that is “fantasy” by classification, but is far more grounded than the usual wizards and dragons type of material.  Though I do think that the Tolken universe is amazing, I am kind of burned out on that type of world.  I plan on blending fantasy, science, and modern language to hopefully do something that feels familiar enough to the hardcore fantasy fans, but introduces a little twist to the tired formula.  I can’t wait to finish it, and any readers here will be the first to know about it when it’s done.

As a side note, if you know of any affordable self publishing options, please let me know.  I am currently looking into some online publishers, giving me the option expose my book to Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble readers, but Print-on-Demand can be expensive to the buyer.  A mass market print can run as low as $7 for a fictional novel while PoD for the same book can cost as much as $15-$20 per paperback copy.  The problem with getting into bed with one of the major publishing houses is that it’s another world.  You have to know people, and the rules to that game have been around since the turn of the last century.  Dealing with big book publishers, as a no-name writer, is nearly impossible.  I just hope that PoD doesn’t price me out of potential sales (if it’s good enough to print that is =).