I don't like Indie Books, Vol. 1

Except the ones I do

I don’t actually want to throw shade on this one, but I don’t know how to write it any other way. I’ve been trying to read more. I want to be a better writer and so I only know of two ways to have more tools: read more and live more.

I’ve lived plenty, I’ve read little. I’m told there’s more to life than the Hardy Boys and Hemmingway. So I grab a sample of everyone I see who is on Substack or Twitter and has a book on Amazon. I figure if the sample hooks me I’ll buy the whole thing.

I have bought 2. I have sampled 15.

Why are you shitting on Indies?

I have two reasons, personal and professional. Professionally, it’s easy content. Everyone loves beef. And I’m sure at least one author out there is big on ego and short on impulse control. Nothing has been more helpful in getting more people to know about me than the insane ramblings of an online hater.

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Becomes

Some of you just like to see actions figures clash together while you make explosion sounds with your lips.

On a personal level, I tend to have a hard time knowing what I want, but an easy time sorting out what I don’t. And so far, what I don’t want is to make my reader ask ‘What am I reading?’

The reason I didn’t buy any of these books isn’t because I think they are poorly written, or that I don’t like the subject, or any other technical issue. They could be masterpieces. But I have youtube constantly screaming at me to watch another video. I have a shopping list of movies I need to watch and review on my third youtube channel ohRian Films. There’s a back catalogue of 50 books I promised people I would look at, friends and colleagues. I have friends and family and dogs who are all demanding as much of my time as I will give them, and a book to finish and an online course to create and a never ending list of things that would be great for entertainment or income.

So why am I fighting so hard?

The Books

My current front runners. I haven’t gotten to them all yet, but I will.

28 Minutes into the future

I found this one from the Based Book sale I joined in last week. I looked through the catalogue and picked one that grabbed my interest. It’s a collection of short stories, premises. The first story I read is about a man whose daughter is in a feminist dystopia. She’s tasked to kill him and while it was fun to read, it’s not a story, it’s someone explaining a story to me, a pitch really.

But it’s a short story and I found the premise entertaining enough that it didn’t matter. I’m glad I picked it. Teaching me if I’m entertaining enough, people might overlook any errors of perfection I may have. You might like it.

https://amzn.to/41zXiXD

Miami Blues

My editor, Nick August suggested it instead of 8 Million Ways to die, as I’m getting into Neo-Noir. I read it, and I can’t remember what I read. I’m not ready to give up on it yet as I want to like it, or at least dissect it. Plus, Nicks opinion matters a lot.

Plus, it’s all action to read the first page and chapter. Things are moving. It doesn’t feel like a slog. I need to find a time when no one is bothering me because it’s not captivating enough to keep me protected from modern distraction. But that’s a me issue. Pick a better family, next time.

https://www.amazon.ca/Miami-Blues-Charles-Willeford/dp/1400032466

NutCrankr

Dan Baltic has been all over my Twitter, with everyone talking about his book, but no one talking about the book. So I got it. and I like it, but don’t like it, let me explain.

I’m not finished yet, but the first two stories were about awkward, self deceptively overconfident men in sexually charged situations. A George Castanza who didn’t know there was anything wrong with sleeping with the maid in the office kind of stuff. I enjoyed them, and they were written well. But I wouldn’t generally gravitate to reading about those kind of characters. I find them unlikable.

But I can actually enjoy not enjoying this book. My favorite part is that he doesn’t overexplain. He lets me figure out the dynamic between the student and his teacher, or the student and his mocking peers. I wouldn’t have bought this book had I not known him, but it’s the perfect mix of good branding and good writing to overcome characters I wouldn’t have thought to read about without the former.

He’s got good comedic chops too.

https://www.amazon.ca/NUTCRANKR-Dan-Baltic/dp/195189779X

Plasma Pulp

Dude. The kindle of this is great. He’s making stylistic things I didn’t know the platform was capable of. I would screen shot the online web reader, but it’s really something made for Kindle. Flash Gordon or buck Rogers kind of fun and I’m barely started.

I realize I was so bedazzled by the flash, I forgot to see if I liked reading the thing. I’m happy enough to buy it regardless. From the bits I’ve read so far they are dialogue and action. It keeps my interest, and I love the genre. It’s hook though, isn’t literary, it’s graphical. This is an interesting choice, as it works, but I never would have thought of adding a mobile to the start of a book to hook the reader. I’d put it up there with Masculine Geeks anthology. It’s not Hemmingway, but it’s disposable and good enough. Pulp, basically

https://www.amazon.ca/MG-Pulp-Anthology-Book-One/dp/B0DSZTQ7PR

And for plasma pulp,

https://www.amazon.ca/Plasma-Pulp-Raconteur-Press-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B0DZD212Z2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr

The Veil, Terran Defenders, Dimensions Of Essence

Apparently I bought these. Must have been on sale. I bought all three, read the sample of all 3, and I can’t remember a damned thing about any of them.

I looked again before writing this, and each one has the same start. A chunk of exposition and some dialogue (well, not always.) I don’t know what I’m reading or why I should care. They may all be great books, but I don’t have much trust in my heart, not enough to give them the benefit of the doubt. Unlike Dan Baltic or TJ and Vince, I don’t know them, unlike Plasma Pulp they didn’t jangle shiney objects in front of me to catch my attention, and unlike 28 Minutes they didn’t give me a premise that tickled me and unlike Miami Blues they didn’t drop me in the deep end and start things moving right away.

So I was expecting a hook. If I had to finish a book in my library, every other book on this list made the case for being prioritized more than these three. I suppose that’s modern critique nowadays. No ‘this guy sucks’ no ‘this books technicals suck’ just a shrug and a meh and scrolling to the next one.

https://www.amazon.ca/Veil-Eamonn-Bradley-ebook/dp/B0F1GD3ZF3/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&sr=1-2

https://www.amazon.ca/Terran-Defenders-Genesis-Matthew-Olney-ebook/dp/B00VOC01M0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.ca/Dimensions-Essence-Laz-Mataz-ebook/dp/B0FDR3NQBB/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1

Lessons from the Rhodesian Bush War

I’m in love with the history of Rhodesia. Maybe it’s because I’m in Canada and we flooded in 20 million 3rd world diaspora and nothing works and the government is pilfering the treasury while pushing for cushy retirement jobs at the UN and Canada is the stepping stone to get there, and I’m reading about my future.

I’ll be buying this one because the writing is good enough (it’s non fiction and I can follow the narrative being set.) and I love the topic. But I would been ok with struggling to read it if it had no hook or bad prose cause I want to read about it that badly. I’m pleased that it has a hook ‘Why Rhodesia still matters?’ and good prose.

I guess if I get a compelling enough subject people will look past a lot of issues, and being good at writing a book will be seen as a bonus add instead of an expectation.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lessons-Rhodesian-Bush-War-Survival-ebook/dp/B0FH63FLLZ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

Summary

I haven’t gotten to most the others yet, but it’s gonna be on my next post, if I do one. I have learned a lot.

1. The hardest and most important part of writing a book is getting people to learn my damned name

2. A book can be great. I don’t have all day to find out.

3. If I don’t have a hook I’m wasting my time

4. Writing a bad book isn’t the fear, writing a forgettable book is

5. Tell the god damned reader what he’s reading. He shouldn’t be confused in the second chapter

6. I don’t hate exposition enough. Every paragraph of exposition I write means a paragraph I have failed to have action or dialogue or an inner monologue. Maybe people are into that, but for me it screams ‘I’m very good at explaining my book to you’

7. Even if I hate and don’t relate to the characters, if they are well written I can get into reading about people I don’t like to read about.

I’ll say this much. The first time I read a book that has a great hook, no meandering exposition, dialogue and action, lets me know immediately what I’m in for, has a premise that tickles me, and a subject I want to read about?

Theft of Fire by Devon Erikson is the only book (other than my own) that I get that from this year. Sadly, Porn by Edward Teach, too.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sadly-Porn-Edward-Teach-MD/dp/1734460822/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.ca/Theft-Fire-Orbital-Space-1-ebook/dp/B0CJHQ4LZN

(If you want me to check yours out, drop me a line. I may not flatter, but I’ll be as honest as I can and as accurate as I can be. Feel free to @ any creators if you think they can learn anything from this as I have)

The one thing I enjoy about critique in this way is that I’m just some dude with ADHD who isn’t a taste maker. Kind of frees me to use this to teach myself what I want as a perfect writers voice and tailor what I do accordingly. I suppose it leaves me open for people to shit on Softbone or the Dog Walker, but hey, it could be worse, it’s not like they got into their Toyota Tacoma and started calling me a socially retarded faggot or anything.

www.rianstone.com/softbone

www.rianstone.com/dogwalker

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