Character Driven

Going back for a moment to the "kind" of science fiction I write: though my books are set in a future when space travel between planets is possible, my stories are always about people, not hardware or theories. I write about their characters, what drives them, their relationships, problems, and the challenges they meet.

So of course I can't wait to see how readers react to my characters! Will they like Rona Scott---or find her too wishy-washy? Will they like---er,ah---well, at least respect Malkis of Tartarus? And what about Captain Richard Hughes with his hair-trigger temper and no-nonsense attitude?Will they be able to see past the facade to the man beneath it? I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

The growing interest in Judgment on Tartarus is very encouraging, especially as I'm relying heavily on word-of-mouth advertising!

Thanks for reading,

MRTighe

Judgment Day!

My sample copies have arrived! Yesterday ( if you checked out my last blog ) I got a wonderful surprise---ten copies of Judgment on Tartarus arrived via UPS! You can imagine my excitement as I unpacked those books and held the first pristine copy in my hands. I had prepared myself to be disappointed with the workmanship. I was not.

It was the fulfillment of a long-held dream! The cover is beautiful, the colors are rich, the stock, shiny. The book looks like one you'd pick off the shelf of any bookstore. Only I wrote this one! Hard to get that through my head.

As I've blogged previously, Judgment is up on Wheatmark's website www.wheatmark.com/bookstore. You can view the cover there---though it's much more impressive in real life. Keep checking Amazon.com, Borders.com and BarnesandNoble.com for the next couple to three weeks. They are supposed to list Judgment, hopefully at a discount and with the back cover text I've already given you a sneak peek at. It still remains to be seen whether they'll offer the "Look Inside" feature. Now that the book's been published, I can't quote from the contents, nor can anyone else, without the written permission of the publisher. That really feels odd!

All for now,

MRTighe

Surprise!

Hello there!

Got an unexpected e-mail yesterday from my publisher telling me my Author's Sample copies had shipped and were on their way! Wow! I really expected it would take at least two more weeks--glad I don't have to wait. I am not exactly a patient wait-er. So in the meantime I'm trying to accomplish something while waiting for the UPS truck.

Hoping I won't be severely disappointed,

MRTighe

Sneak Peek

Hi, again!

About two weeks to go and counting! It's so hard to rein in my excitement---trying to concentrate on other things---like Christmas decorations, feeding the multitude of ravenous birds and squirrels in my backyard, um---ah, where was I?

So, as promised, here's a sneak peek at the back cover copy of Judgment on Tartarus:

     Newly assigned to the space cruiser Astrella II, captained by the legendary "Hero of the Gorgonian Wars", Richard Hughes, Ensign Corona Scott fears her long-dreamed-of career is about to be deep-sixed! She runs afoul of her new CO's volcanic temper, and Med Supervisor Johann Weiner warns her that Astrella's ExO, Malkis of Tartarus, is going to make her life a living Hell. He hates Terran females! Rona's ideals are put to the test as the shocking bigotry and hatred she finds aboard Astrella culminate in sabotage and murder and, ultimately, in a serious rift between Hughes and his ExO. Without warning, Astrella is mysteriously dispatched to the enigmatic planet Tartarus, where Rona Scott encounters an unsought destiny far beyond her wildest dreams, and where the fate of Astrella's crew rests upon the outcome of a barbaric, bloody duel to the death!

So what do you think? Does this make you want to read the book---or not? Would you recommend a book  like this to your friends who read? Comments are more than welcome. If you have trouble commenting on my blog, I'm also on facebook as M.r.Tighe; leave me a message there. You can also view a tiny pic of my cover using the info in my last blog. Thanks!

Trying my best to wait patiently,

MRTighe

The Joys of Laptopping

Hey again!

After getting my first laptop not so long ago, I was soon ready to toss the dang thing out the window! It was so much different from working on the electric typewriter or word processor that I was used to. Took me some time to get the hang of it, and there are still things that are mysteries to me. Fortunately, I have a lot of help from my family, especially my computer-savvy kids! Without their help I probably would've given up --or quietly gone insane. Well, maybe not so quietly.

I still have trouble with some aspects of "laptopping"--like when the bloody machine insists I didn't really mean to use a certain word and changes it on me!!! ( I find my own vocabulary tends to de-volve rapidly whenever that happens! ) However, I've been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and it looks like I'm here to stay. Well, back to the laptop! I'm in the process of editing Book Two: True Son of Tatrtarus, which is next up on the schedule.

All for now,

MRTighe

The Final Steps

Having overcome a few technical difficulties, I completed the final steps before publication: signing and returning my acceptance of my cover and proofs and signing my W9 for royalties. I took them to the Post Office myself as we are on a rural route and outgoing mail is not always secure. When you are a struggling writer, you come to know the Post Office well! I've sent out manuscripts often and usually receive nothing but rejections (a few accompanied by some very polite and encouraging letters, thankfully!)

I'll have a very hard time waiting the three weeks until I have my first novel in my hot little hands. I'm sure you understand why this is so exciting for me. I love to write. I scribble on every scrap of paper that comes my way. This can be very messy! Ask my poor husband who has to put up with my disorganization!

And, of course, I'm anticipating some negative criticism---I'm used to it. I used to belong to a writer's group. A few people there truly appreciated my work, but there was one in particular who refused to read anything that was science fiction. I was shocked by such a close-minded attitude. I believe in giving a book a chance. I may not love everything I read, but at least I'm willing to give it a try. Hopefully, since you're reading this blog, you are open-minded enough to give Judgment on Tartarus a try when it becomes available.

More later. Thanks,

MRTighe

Latest Info

Hi again,

The latest word I've received is that it takes about three weeks from the time my file goes to the printer until I'll be sent hard copies of Judgment on Tartarus. The better news is that people can preorder my book from my publisher's website http://www.wheatmark.com/ a day or so after it's uploaded to the printer. After the release date, the book can be ordered directly from the publisher. Two or three weeks later, my book will appear on most online publisher's lists. ( Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, etc. ) I'm not sure about overseas orders yet. I'm hopeful that our many friends in Cambodia will also have access.

Meanwhile, I am finishing up editing Book Two: True Son of Tartarus, which is a continuation of the same story. If anything, I think it may even be a bit better than Book One. I've already had some good feedback on it---and,no, not just from relatives! After all, who in your family is going to tell you they hate your book? Hmmm--now that I think about it...!

In the near future I'll probably let you know my reading tastes--more specifically than science fiction and fantasy. That might give you a good idea of whether or not you're going to like my book.

Thanks,
MRTighe

Categorizing my writing

Hello, again!

What kind of fiction do I write? Well, I surely am not a scientist, therfore I don't write "hard" science fiction. I read it, and I've known a few hard SF writers such as Isaac Asimov and Hal Clement (Harry Stubbs).And at one point in my life, I did seriously consider becoming a biology teacher---biology was always one of my favorite subjects.

But what appeals most to me is the way people will interact in the future, especially if we are forced to deal with "aliens" of some kind. I'm not convinced this will happen in my lifetime so I have to imagine it.My writing deals with characters in the future, their challenges and problems---will they get along or conflict? Will Terrans ever get over their bigotry and prejudices? Probably not entirely.

I realize that some people are going to categorize my writing as "space opera", and I have no problem with that. At least one of my upcoming novels is blatant space opera, and I find it fun to write.But whatever genre I'm writing, I do try to stick to scientific principles, even though some of them are still highly theoretical.

In addition to the SF elements in  my work, there's also a strong love story, a little violence, and a dash of mystery---what would a good story be without them? As I've said before, Judgment on Tartarus, especially, is a fun read, and I think a lot of people will enjoy it.Long-winded enough.

MRTighe

Technical difficulties

Right now things are not going well. My computer is being finicky and won't download files I need. So what else is new? Having some creative differences with my publisher---to be expected, I'm sure. I decided to go the self-publishing route because traditional publishers don't take manuscripts from new authors seriously. And even when they do, they take their sweet time making decisions. When I sent my second novel, True Son of Tartarus to DAW, they kept it for two whole years before returning it to me with a polite rejection!
Fortunately for me, I kept on writing in that time and by that time had a trilogy.

Some people might argue with my assessment, but I heard a well-known publisher say with her own lips that she only accepted manuscripts from a stable of eight or nine established authors! This was at a panel deploring the lack of new blood in the publishing industries.  Thought my husband was going to go ballistic!

Anyway, I'm well aware that publishers have to sift through a lot of chaff to get to a little wheat. But I believe my books are in the latter category. I'll probably discuss the type of science fiction in which I specialize at a later date when I'm in more of an up mood.

"Til then,
MRTighe

Bumps in the road

Well, I sent in the necessary corrections to Judgment on Tartarus and now have to wait and see what happens next.  The good thing is that I am learning as I go, and getting my next book published should be somewhat easier.

Things got slowed down a bit due to illness--almost every member of my family was down with it! And I expect the holidays which are upcoming to interfere with the schedule a bit, but I still hope to have an actual book in print before the end of the year.( I have enough manuscripts written or in progress to publish at least a book a year from now through 2013! )


All for now,
MRTighe

Second author's proofs

Hello again,

We are getting down to the wire in the publishing process.  I'm reviewing my proofs for corrections and have found a couple that somehow slipped by the corrections editor from last time.  But I'm not happy with this rendition of the back cover text; you know that stuff on the back of the book that you check out before you buy it.  Very important.  But somehow this latest version missed the boat and will have to be corrected before I sign off on it. When that occurs, the whole file will be sent to the printer, and about three weeks later---ta-dah!---I should have a printed copy of Judgment on Tartarus at last!

Of course, I'm excited, but I'm also anxious to get on to Book Two: True Son of Tartarus, which takes up the story where it leaves off.  Although each book in my trilogy is capable of standing alone---True Son was almost published by DAW as a stand-alone---I'd rather tell the entire story in the correct sequence.

My publisher's link is http://www.wheatmark.com/. My book will be listed on their website as well as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Wish me luck!

MR Tighe

The Adventures of Astrella's Crew Begin!

Hi to all fans of "soft" science fiction!

This is my first blog to let you know my first novel Judgment on Tartarus will be published by Wheatmark in the near future.  This is Book One of a trilogy: Book Two will be titled True Son of Tartarus and Book Two, Ransom of Tartarus.

Judgment on Tartarus is loosely based on the ancient Greek myth of Hades and Persephone.  This adventure begins when a young DataComm tech named Corona Scott is assigned to the retired starcruiser Astrella II  and immediately finds her dreams and ideals in serious jeopardy. I had a lot of fun writing Judgment on Tartarus, and I think you'll find it a fun read.

That's all for now.  All my best,

M. R. Tighe ( rhymes with "sigh"---it's Irish! )