Sunday 23 December 2007

An extract from The Red Stone

Hi all,
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Here's a small extract from The Red Stone. Just to give a little taste of what the book is about. I'm busy working on a new edit of the book at the moment. Just to get the flow of the writing just that little bit better. I will try to post again before the end of the year but if I don't. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope you guys have a good one!
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Craig
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----The men got the fright of their lives, one even feinted when he saw the big dragon appear out of no where, breathing fire on them. The two black wolves in front jumped for Berrinn’s throat. He knocked the one aside with his clawed front paw, and the other one got a hold of his thick scaly throat. Berrinn’s paws couldn’t reach to get rid of the wolf. He was going to have to do something drastic to get the wolf off.

----“Are you all right? Do you need help?” asked Tennen desperately.

----“Nothing that I can’t handle.”

----So Berrinn took to the air, the black wolf’s jaws were set in place, and weren’t going to move. Berrinn flew so high that you couldn’t see him. After a few moments, they could see something coming down at a speed. It was Berrinn, whistling along towards the ground. But where was he going at such a speed? The next thing, the bronze dragon smashed into a house, mortar, glass, wood and furniture went flying everywhere.

----“Oh no!” yelled Tennen, but it was no matter to be concerned about, because Berrinn came out the other side, less one black wolf. It was the most amazing thing Tennen had ever seen.

Sunday 9 December 2007

Judge a Book by the Cover

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for not posting in a while. Started a longer shift at work and haven't had much time to do any postings but I do have some good news to report. My cover is now being featured on the blog Judge a Book by the Cover. This blog is run by Nikki Leigh and seems to be well put together. Here's a link if you would like to check it out:

http://judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/2007/12/red-stone-by-craig-smith.html

Thanks,
Craig

Tuesday 27 November 2007

Finally have a copy of The Red Stone in my hands!!



Hi,





I'm really happy to report that I have a copy of my book in my hands! They came in yesterday. And I have to see that it looks even better than I had hoped. It looks really cool and the red cover certainly makes it stand out!


You're most probably wondering why I only have a copy of the book now. Seeing as though I'm the one who wrote it! It was published in the USA and I'm in the UK and as you most likely know post isn't very fast sometimes.

I've up loaded a pic so you guys can see what a real copy looks like :-).

Thanks to all the people who have visited my blog and made comments. But don't worry I will be posting more!

The Best place to buy my book:http://www.booksprice.com/comparePrice.do?l=y&searchType=compare&inputData=1600760368

Craig

Sunday 25 November 2007

Only 4 days left to Vote!!

If you haven't heard that my Cover for The Red Stone is in The New Covey Cover Awards here's a quick reminder.

I'm currently 4th place but a few more votes could push me up in the rankings. And if you are author and have book. It is really easy to enter your book cover into the awards and gives you quite a bit more exposure.

And thanks to all that have voted for me already! :-)

Here's a link if you want to check it out:
http://thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/search/label/Voting

Tuesday 20 November 2007

The Red Stone is Now Available to Buy Online in South Africa!


I've been searching the internet and found a website in South Africa that stocks my book. It seems like the delivery time might be a little slow but it seems to be very reasonably priced! Cheaper than buying it directly from the publisher!


Sunday 18 November 2007

I got a promotional T-Shirt printed.


I got a promotional T-Shirt printed. With the cover my book printed on the back. And I'm going to start wearing it sometimes when I go out to see if I get any response from that.


I will keep everyone up to date if I get get any response from the T-Shirt. Either way it should be fun!

Have any of you guys worn clothing to advertise something?

Thursday 15 November 2007

The Red Stone has now officially been released! Free Delivery to the UK.

The 15th has finally arrived and now The Red Stone has been officially released! It has taken quite a while to get to this stage and I'm happy that it is now out. If you are interested in the book here's a link to the summary: http://www.stonegarden.net/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&products_id=72&zenid=ebe79c560d9e849564aca983b14685a6

Here's a link if you want to buy a copy in the UK (Free Delivery): http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/showbook.php?id=1600760368

And a list of the best places to get it in the USA: http://www.booksprice.com/comparePrice.do?l=y&searchType=compare&inputData=1600760368

And if anyone is interested in doing a review of the book. I can arrange a discounted price or even for free if the cirmunstances are right.

Saturday 10 November 2007

The Red Stone now available from Amazon!


I just wanted to let everyone know that The Red Stone is now available to purchase from Amazon! I'm really happy about this. It just seems to make the whole thing seem more official. And now that the book is only 5 days away from being released I hope the listing on Amazon will help things a little bit.




Tuesday 6 November 2007

More Votes Needed!


Hi,

The voting for my book in the New Covey Covey Awards is going quite well so far but I could be doing a little better and have dropped to third place. So if you have a few moments to spare and haven't voted already please consider voting. And thanks to all those who have voted :).

Thanks very much,

Craig

Thursday 1 November 2007

My Cover is in The New Covey Cover Awards!!

Hi Everyone,

My Fantasy novel The Red Stone is currently being featured in The New Covey Cover Awards:

http://thenewcoveycoverawards.blogspot.com/search/label/Current%20Entries%201%20to%2015

Mine is entry #14.

Please give it a look and if you like it please vote for it!

Thanks,
Craig

P.S. voting is found on the left hand side

Tuesday 30 October 2007

International Shipping Now Available!!! (Including South Africa)


Hi Everyone,


International shipping is now available on my book The Red Stone (and all other Stonegarden titles). So if you live outside the US or UK. Now is your chance to order one and get it delivered right to your door! And by what I've seen it's not that much more than a US or UK postage. Infact only $1 more than postage to the UK.




My book:



Thanks,

Craig

Monday 29 October 2007

Amazon Contest

Hi,

Just found about the contest. It looks like it's closed but there might be a few drops out so if you are really interested. You must still be in there with a chance.

http://www.amazon.com/abna

Be the Next Breakthrough Author! Are you a writer longing to be discovered? Submit your manuscript for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. It’s the perfect opportunity to become the next great novelist: the winning author will receive a publishing contract from Penguin Group, including promotional support for their book on Amazon.com, and a media suite from Hewlett-Packard. All entrants are eligible to self-publish their novel with CreateSpace and sell it on Amazon.com. Enter your manuscript for consideration by November 5, 2007!

As of Monday, October 22, we have reached our registration limit.
Authors may still register for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award; however, any new author registering now will be placed on a stand-by list. If a submission spot opens up, we will notify authors on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once notified of an opening, authors must submit their novel for consideration within seven days of notice from Amazon.com. For those authors who have already registered and received a valid registration code, please be sure to complete the submission process (if you have not already) within the next seven days, or you may forfeit your submission slot. Only 5,000 submissions will be accepted, and all registrations will close on November 5, 2007.

Once the submission period ends, Amazon editors and top Amazon customer reviewers will read submissions and select authors for the semi-final round, beginning January 15, 2008. Each semi-finalist will receive a full review of their manuscript by Publishers Weekly and a book page on Amazon.com featuring a short excerpt from their novel that customers can download, read, and review. Penguin will select manuscripts to read from the semi-final round based on customer feedback and Publishers Weekly reviews and announce the Top Ten finalists on March 3, 2008. Amazon.com customers will then select the winner of the Amazon Breakthrough Award, to be announced on April 7, 2008.

Prizes The winner of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award will receive a full publishing contract from Penguin Group, including promotional support for their novel on Amazon.com, and a media suite from Hewlett-Packard. The nine remaining finalists will receive a free Total Design Freedom self-publishing package from BookSurge and a media suite from Hewlett-Packard. Semi-finalists will receive a review of their manuscript by Publishers Weekly. Upon conclusion of the contest all entrants will be eligible to make their books available for sale to Amazon.com customers via the CreateSpace self-publishing service at no charge. In addition, all entrants will receive discounted self-publishing services from BookSurge for custom cover design, formatting, and editing.

Saturday 27 October 2007

Starsight


Hi,


I thought I would let you guys know about a fellow stonegarden author's book. It has got some really good reviews so far.


Thanks,

Craig


A small sample:


The clearing was dark. The sun had taken its last yawn at the sky and nestled beyond the horizon to the west, while the larger of the two moons, Redwyn the Giant, rose stiffly from his slumber in the east and cast a ruby hue over the night. Whilema would soon slip from the waves of the Ethosian Sea and try to drown her brother’s light. Though a great deal smaller, the moon was several times more brilliant. Their battle for the dominion of the night would begin. Neither moon was full that night, allowing the milliard of stars to litter the sky like a thrown handful of magic dust. A night fowl shrieked, a rodent screamed and then all was very still. Trenara faced the east with Andelian held high in her steady hands. She closed her eyes and a barely audible chant chimed on the air quietly, the crystal rod beginning to take on an almost imperceptible glow. A single exquisite musical note came from her throat, low, resonating, and perfect. There was a sudden hiss of wind that whipped the guider’s robes around her and then a blaze of white radiance that flashed through the glade and settled into a frosty glow about the guider’s tall form. She took a deep breath to ease the tension in her limbs and then sang another high note that floated a long time on the air. It focused the swirling light until she glowed like a white flame. Ecstasy enfolded her face as the power took hold and a radiant smile chased the age and wrinkles away, leaving not a woman, but an ethereal spirit, a shining goddess. When she lowered her eyes to Joshan, they glowed with white-hot fire that painted the young boy’s face with awe.



"...this is one powerful and imaginative fantasy adventure novel, with many nice touches...clearly...a larger framework for your series...it should do well. I will comment further in my October HiPiers column..." Piers Anthony


COMING OUT FOR PRE-ORDER IN OCTOBER 2008 - STARSIGHT will be coming out for general release in March 2008 - Visit http://www.stonegarden.net/ or http://www.minnettemeador.com/ for updates and news.

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Stonegarden Forums

Hi

Just wanted to let everyone know that my publisher stonegarden also has it's own forum so feel free to pop by to see what's happening. A lot of the authors and editors hang out there and they are always ready to welcome a new face or two. It's also a great place to check out all the upcoming titles to be published there.

It's a good place to ask questions about writing and publishing. There's a lot of experience there waiting to be tapped into! but that's enough of me going about it. Go check it out if you have a few moments.

http://www.stonegarden.net/forums/

Thanks,
Craig

Sunday 21 October 2007

Stonegarden Donates $1 Per Book to Innercity Kids

I know this is a little late but better late than never! This program is still running so I thought I would tell everyone about it.

Effective September 1, 2007 StoneGarden.net Publishing (www.stonegarden.net )will donate $1 to inner city baseball leagues in the Oakland, CA community for every book sold. This is an indefinite program, running as long as there are inner city baseball leagues in the area!

Specifically, we will be working with MLB's RBI (Return Baseball to the Innercities) program. Listed is the contact we'll be using.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
Mr. Norman Knowles
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland
P.O. Box 23203
Oakland, CA 94623-0203510-654-0307
FAX: 510-839-2078

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/rbi.jsp?content=2003listings

SO GO TO www.stonegarden.net and buy those books! Thanks for your help

Thursday 18 October 2007

Another Rejection (But a good one)

Got this rejection yesterday. Disappointed about it of course but I think it has to be about the best rejection letter I have gotten so far! Here's a link if you want to check out the magazine. I'm sure they're going to have some really great stories:

http://www.anathemamagazine.com/

Hi Craig,

Thanks very much for submitting your story "Werewolf Night" to the Anathema online anthology. I very much enjoyed reading it, I thought it was clever, and had some very funny moments. However, I felt that it didn't really tackle the Anathema theme as strongly as I would have liked, so I'm afraid I'm going to pass on it. But I wish you the best of luck in placing it elsewhere!

Thanks again,

Heidi :)

Tuesday 16 October 2007

The Red Stone

Hi Everyone,

Got an email today from Uncle in the US saying he got a copy of The Red Stone in the post today! He says that it looks Awesome! I'm really happy about it! Can't wait for my copy to arrive.

I was a little trigger happy with my post. If you order the book now you'll still only get it after the official release date of November 15th. There were a few copies sent out but they were only tasters. Sorry for the mix up.


So if you haven't checked it out. Please do so here:

http://www.stonegarden.net/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&products_id=72



Thanks,
Craig

Monday 15 October 2007

Accepted in Cover Art Contest! (Covey Book Cover Awards)

Got this email today!


Craig
The contest is closed for October since we received our full compliment of 30 entries. I've set you up as Entry #14 for November.
If you haven't already, please drop by the site and vote for one of the October entries.
I've also subscribed you to our Newsletter. Here is a link to the September and October Newsletters.
Please encourage your friends and fans to visit the site, vote for the current entries, and subscribe to our Newsletter.
Thanks
David

Sunday 14 October 2007

Covey Book Cover Awards

Starsight is up for a Covey Award! Cover artist Derrick Freeland's work on Starsight has been called "simply amazing", and now you can help him win a Covey Award for his work. Just log into http://thenewcoveyawards.blogspot.com/, and vote for "Starsight". The polls are on the right hand side, so please vote as many times as you can, and don't forget to pass this along so that others can vote as well.

I've also entered my cover but I think it will only be in next month. But I will post it when it's up.

Friday 12 October 2007

Tuesday 9 October 2007

First Short Story Submission Response

Hi,

Just got a response for one of my submitted short stories like 2 minutes ago. It was a rejection :(. They said that they've had too many submissions to give a detailed reply as to why they can't accept it. But I think it was mainly because the story was a little risky in that it might not fit in with what they normally publish. So going to hunt for a new market to send it to.

So Whale Watchers can be scratched off the list for now but I will keep everyone informed as to what the next market I will be trying it at is.

Thanks,
Craig

Sunday 30 September 2007

I've started to submit my short stories again

After almost a year I've started to submit my short stories again. The first one I sent is Werewolf Night. A short comedy/horror story with werewolves and zombies to http://www.anathemamagazine.com/. Mr. Rabbit a sort of golden era sf story with body swapping to http://www.apodispublishing.com/fusion/index.html. And finally Whale Watchers weird/adventure story to Tales of the Talisman http://www.talesofthetalisman.com/index.html.

Wish me luck!
Thanks,
Craig

Saturday 29 September 2007

Hollywood Sinners by Peter Joseph Swanson


Here's a Novel by a fellow Stonegarden author I would like to share with everyone. I plan to buy my self a copy soon!


Karin Panotchitch, raised on a sheep farm and married off to a drunken loser, finds her way to 1939 Hollywood at the tender age of sixteen. Along the way to stardom, she meets up with Ramon Classic, who with his many brothers is ready for a hostile takeover of MGM, Mama Gravy, the colorful and opinionated lesbian proprietor of the run-down Gold Rush dance hall (brothel), and Sister Agatha, the mysterious nun who seems to turn up every time Karin rides the trolley.

Hollywood history, flying bullets, and big dreams make for a lively story about what happens when a sheep farmer's daughter tries to make her dreams come true.

Book One of the Tinseltown Trilogy.

Sunday 23 September 2007

The Red Stone by Craig Smith



Hi here's a short summary of my fantasy novel the The Red Stone which is going to be released by stonegarden.net on the 15th of November.















Here's a link if you want to check it out.

http://www.stonegarden.net/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&products_id=72&zenid=cf6d8a1c58f9273c53ebed5b7775e578




Tennen's life had been rather uneventful under the servitude of Freil the tavern keeper. The tavern was his life and he didn't know of or remember of much else. All this was changed when he was visited by a mysterious crow and given a rather remarkable red gem. From that very moment his life was thrust into a new direction. It was a new path of adventure, excitement, new joy, danger and deathly peril. Very much different to his mundane life of before. And before very long Tennen was thrown into the conflict between Count Errgol and his unending desire to take over Elfwood, and its unrivalled wealth of resources.






Tennen doubted if he would be of much use in such a thing as a full out war. He was just a tavern boy, but his attitude soon changed as he started to be trained by Rimotar a wizard of Melin. Tennen was very unskilled and had a lot to learn from the second highest ranked wizard in the whole of Melin. On their way towards the city of Ramchester the capital of Melin they meet up with Lady Loreria the ambassador of Elfwood. She has been sent by the king of Elfwood to get as much support as she can from Melin. It was a war that threatened to overflow into Melin if it was not stopped quickly. Tennen wasn't too sure how he was going to be able to help, but this didn’t matter to him, Melin was his country too and he wasn’t going to let it be attacked. Tennen wasn’t sure if he could survive a war but he did know that his life would never be the same again.