10p033: Surviving the Indie Publishing Hellscape
Now what's that sound from underneath the door? He's pounding nails into a hardwood floor I swear to God, I heard someone moaning low I keep seeing the blue light of a TV show
Hey Ho, Tenebrous Cult-o!
Hot take right off the bat:
Kids are a pain in the ass.
Hold on: I’m sure your kids are great; and yours too, and yours. No really, mm-hmm, sure they are, you betcha. You go ahead and keep ‘em on that side of the property line, but from this distance I can clearly see that your child(ren) is a superior example of the human race in every single way.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ve got one of my own, and he’s amazing. He’s also a pox. Both things can be true. They practically have to be. But other than that singular one that I am legally and emotionally obligated to…look I don’t know how to break it to you, but I am not a big f&%$in’ fan of kids.
(Any thoughts on all this, Alex? No? Just gonna let me hang myself with this hot take rope, yeah? Fine, fair enough.)
For our purposes, I’m talking about children in fiction; specifically Horror fiction. They’re tough voices to capture authentically, I don’t care how experienced the writer.
And I’m well aware that a certain King of Horror has crafted quite the legendary career leaning heavily on adolescent protagonists, but c’mon: myself, I preferred The Losers Club all growed up; I was secretly a little relieved when Jake bit the dust early on in the The Dark Tower saga; and Gage Creed?
Actually, I’m cool with Gage Creed. Scratch that. The point is, books with adolescent leads can be a tough sell to Alex and myself.
So it makes perfect sense that our next two releases feature young protagonists at their centers.
*Coughs*
Well, turns out, my point kinda sucks. Unless the point is…even my skeptical ass will bite if the writer is too damn gifted to ignore? Sure we’ll go with that.
Case in Point #1
DEHISCENT, the debut (?!) novella from Ashley Deng, arrives in less than two weeks, and the young protagonist at its center, Yi, could not feel more flesh-and-blood real.
And considering the abysmal weather conditions currently ravaging the entire United States—hell, the entire planet—the world of DEHISCENT feels all too flesh-and-blood real as well:
As the world’s climate swings rapidly between oppressively hot and freezing cold, the remnants of civilization huddle in small communities to scrape together what they can to survive.
All except the Zhu family.
Yi has lived in her ancestral house her entire life, sheltered and safe from the scarcity that plagues her community. Her family enjoys a secret life of running water, electricity, and an abundance of food.
But as Yi seeks a way to share their fortune, she learns the terrible secret of the Zhu house.
DEHISCENT is an Eco-Horror tale of a future that has practically arrived, and the humanity that lurks in the most inhuman of places.
DEHISCENT is its own kind of left turn in the Tenebrous catalogue: its prose is buoyant, playful at times, even. The Horror conceit at its center is so subtle and profound that when I read it upon submission, I initially missed it. I turned the page and kept right on reading; then paused with a “Wait, WHAT” nagging at me; flipped back and reread the critical section again, an evil grin growing on my face as I realized just what had been there all along.
And also realized that, f$%k yeah we were gonna be buying this book:)
But don’t take my word for it. There’s a whole slew of folks who have Ashley’s back:
“Decadent, textured, and atmospheric. A story of peril and privilege…centred on the sacrifice for abundance and the chasm between those who have, and those who do not, [all] unfolding within a strange living house.”
Ai Jiang, Nebula finalist, author of LINGHUN
“A fresh and delicious take on the haunted house…a breathtaking mosaic of powerful themes…Deng’s astonishing debut is a modern classic in the making."
Kelsea Yu, author of Bound Feet
“...Addresses the true horror of climate change: the burden of suffering and infernal knowledge we are leveraging onto the shoulders of the next generation. Dehiscent is inspiring, beautiful stuff.”
Wendy N. Wagner, author of The Secret Skin
“Familiar gothic tropes—a haunted house, family secrets, an isolated young protagonist—which Deng makes her own through mouthwatering prose and a prescient, Eco-Horror twist. Layered and deeply compelling.”
Catherine Yu, author of Direwood
DEHISCENT arrives August 1st.
Case in Point #2
On the opposite end tonally, Colin Hinckley’s debut (seriously what the f&%k) novella, THE BLACK LORD, brings the terror from page one. Full-on embracing its Weird Horror ancestry and channeling the vibes of Shirley Jackson, William Hope Hodgson, and yes, the King-ly one Himself, THE BLACK LORD is a supernatural study in imminent family peril, presented (initially) through the eyes of eldest child Eddie:
Eddie’s parents may be arguing about the disappearance of his infant brother Danny, but Eddie’s facing a terror all of his own. There’s a strange figure outside that claims it has Danny safe and sound—all Eddie needs to do to get his brother back is open that window.
Eddie’s father is filled with guilt over his relationship with his own lost brother. His mother has been abandoned to navigate her grief and terror alone. And his grandmother carries a disturbing, all-too-relevant truth about their shared family history.
As minutes tick by and hope for Danny grows ever smaller, the very fabric of their world disintegrates, welcoming eldritch terrors of unspeakable provenance to their doorstep. The family is losing a decades-long struggle against an entity that is not of this world, and its hunger threatens to swallow them whole.
THE BLACK LORD may be the closest we’ve come to a traditionalist, eh, Lovecraftian nightmare, but trust us, it has a contemporary New Weird vibe all its own.
“Combine Shirley Jackson’s haunted claustrophobia, Stephen King’s nail-biting plots, and the cosmic otherworld-horror of Stranger Things, and you get one wholly original Colin Hinckley. Spend a few hours in [his] mind, and I guarantee you’ll be drawing the curtains tight for weeks.”
GennaRose Nethercott, author of Thistlefoot
THE BLACK LORD releases September 12th. Tune in next time for preorder info.
Alex has been almost disturbingly quiet around these parts of late. Let’s rectify that, shall we?
Here’s Alex with the Weather
Things You Can Actually Do to Make Publishing less of a hellscape a Nicer Place, Part One:
There are hundreds of free and easy ways to make a difference, and at some point I’d love to have a chat with you all about purchasing practices, what to look for in mission statements, how to exercise your word of mouth power, and loads of other things. But we’ve got to start somewhere, and here’s a somewhere that most people don’t realize could make or break a small press’s success:
Writing a letter.
Or, in modern terms, an email. It seems like a tiny thing to do, and simultaneously a scary one, but I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve thanked our lucky stars that someone recommended us to a podcaster, or a bookstore, or a speaking opportunity, or an award jury. The single most important thing for an independent press or for a self-published author is making sure people know they exist, but we’ve only got so much time and it usually gets eaten up by things nobody else can help us with, like accounting and acquisitions.
So, what does reaching out look like?
Lots of people aren’t comfortable just waltzing up to their favorite bookstore, books in hand, asking to see whoever’s in charge of acquisitions. I thought I would be, but now that I’ve got a book in hand, I’m still not doing it. Strutting in as a reader and customer is a world apart from going in hoping to unlock some doors for your business.
But a lot of times, just writing an email helps, too; especially when you’re not the actual person selling the books. There’s a level of implied trust in a disinterested third party making a wholehearted recommendation on behalf of a creative endeavor they fully believe in; a magic we can’t wield for ourselves, but that you can activate for us. So, in case you don’t know how to start, let me help with some basic templates:
Writing to bookstores and libraries:
Hi, (bookstore name)!
I’m a regular of yours and love browsing your (genre) section. Recently, I’ve become a fan of (independent press/author) and was wondering whether there might be any chance to see them on your shelves in the future?
They put out consistently great work, and (title), is a great example. Just in case it helps, here’s the ISBN (insert ISBN) and a link to their website (insert link to the website).
Thank you so much for your time, and have a lovely day!
(name)
But Alex, what if I don’t know the ISBN?
Easy peasy. If the press doesn’t list it on the website, there are two surefire places to find it anyway:
The ISBN is important to bookstores because that’s how they can look us up and immediately find out whether we’re on any distribution platform that they’re allowed to purchase from (and we are!)
Obviously you can customize these templates to your heart’s content if you want to convey your interest in more specific topics; in more than one book; or things like how you found out about the person you’re writing to and why you enjoy what they do. But the point of these templates is that you don’t have to.
Writing to podcasters:
Hi, (name!)
I’m a fan of your show, and have recently enjoyed your talk (on topic/with person/on book). I was wondering whether there’s any chance of getting (author name/editor name) on the show to talk about (topic/book), as I’ve been following them for a while and think they’d be a wonderful fit.
In case it helps, here’s a link to my favourite release of theirs (link) and their (social media site) handle (@handle).
Thank you for your time and for all the work you do,
(Name)
Now, before we go any further, let’s head off one big misconception: this isn’t a hall pass to carpet bomb every single email you can get your hands on with a version of these templates. This isn’t meant to be a plug-and-play for spammy tactics. The point of this is that you truly do frequent that bookstore; truly do listen to that podcaster; truly do read those reviews; and truly do want to support the press or author you’re recommending. This needs to be real, otherwise the magic won’t work.
Writing to journalists, reviewers, interviewers:
Hi, (Name)!
I’m writing because I’m a fan of your (reviews/interviews/articles) (in magazine/on blog/on review site) and particularly enjoyed your latest on (author), I hadn’t heard of them before but your (review/interview/article) made me want to read their work.
I was wondering whether there was any chance to get you to work with (press/editor/author); I’m not affiliated with them in any way, I’m just a fan and reader and I thought their (book) would fit right in with your style.
In case it helps, here’s my favourite of theirs: (book link), and here’s their contact page: (contact page).
Thank you so much for your time and the good work that you do.
(Name)
Bet you’re starting to see these more or less follow a pattern, right? There’s no reason why you can’t exploit that pattern in any number of ways to reach out to any number of people: award juries, panel organizing committees, magazines, workshops, radio stations, the list goes on.
Now, the magic of this is that publishing actually comes with piles of rules, some more written than others. If you’re a press or a writer and want to get your work in front of certain eyes, it can range from very difficult to downright “don’t even try”. Instructions are often miles long and let’s not even talk about when, how, and how often you’re allowed to self-promote.
Except none of those rules apply to you, the reader.
And yes, I know a lot of core readers are also writers; but when you’re writing an email from a position of absolutely no self-interest, fully wearing the “reader” hat, on behalf of someone else, as a fan: you have all the power. When you’re the one buying the books, you’ve got a right to express your opinion to anyone with an available contact email, and whether they end up listening or not hardly matters. They may not be able to accommodate your request, but they’ll have learned one absolutely vital fact: that this author, this press, this endeavor has fans and supporters willing to speak up for it, and there’s almost no greater show of power in publishing.
So, do me a favor: write a letter today.
And yes, I’ve considered the possibility that you’ll turn these templates right around on me and write in to ask me when I intend to publish your favourite new author that not enough people have heard of. And you know what?
I double dare you.
Alex and I will be resuming our Sunday Morning Pitch Parties on the Tenebrous Discord this Sunday, July 23rd, at 10amPST. If you’ve got a work in progress—doesn’t matter the length—send us the first 300-500 words and join us for a session of relaxed critique, discussion on themes, genre, and how effective pieces are at grabbing our attention right out of the gate.
Join the Tenebrous Discord here.
I’m sure I’m forgetting something.
Oh yeah! Next time we’ll also have the cover art reveal to our next charity initiative, the anti-AI project, THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE ALGORITHM.
In the meantime, don’t forget to preorder DEHISCENT.
And thanks in advance for talking us up to your favorite podcasters, bookstores and reviewers.
And sorry for insulting your children. They’re not all bad (just most of ‘em).
Hail New Weird Horror.
Hail Indie Publishing.
Hail the Tenebrous Cult.
Alex & Matt (& Ashley & Colin)