by MP MacDougall | Writing
Jet screamer is finally here! I’m really excited to announce that my first book is finally published and available for sale and download exclusively on Amazon for Kindle readers. Click the cover image in the right sidebar to get it on Amazon!
I have had quite a few people ask me about hard copies – but as of right now, I don’t have any plans to go that route. The cost is a little too high for a short work like Jet Screamer, so it may be better to wait until after all three volumes of the How to Steer Your Kid trilogy are finished, and then release them in a single volume as a paperback.
Check out Jet Screamer now, and if you like it, sign up to follow this site and get updates on volume two – Meat Sandwiches – coming Spring 2015!
by MP MacDougall | Writing
With only one week left before the release of my first book, I thought it might be good to give an update on my progress.
Jet Screamer isn’t quite finished yet, but I have passed my word count goal of 25000 words. Now I’m editing and fleshing out the shorter chapters, adding details and cutting out the fluff I don’t need.
I have thirteen working chapter titles. My initial goal was ten, so the extras give me flexibility to include them all in this book or save some for a later volume. If you’re curious, the chapter titles are (in no particular order): (more…)
by MP MacDougall | Writing
When I decided to get serious about my writing, I had a critical choice to make: Use my real name or a pen name. It may not seem like a big deal, but I thought it was important to know what direction I was headed from the start.
I decided on a pen name because it allows me to retain a bit of anonymity while still building and promoting my personal brand and business – and besides, I just think it sounds better.
But when it came to writing about other real people, I had to decide again – aliases, or actual names?
The nature of my humor writing is satirical and sarcastic – which means that sooner or later, it’s bound to show many of the players in a less than positive light. Knowing that people may not be eager to have slightly exaggerated facts printed about them under their real names, I decided I should use aliases for everyone in my upcoming book.
Once I made that decision, I thought it would be a simple thing to pick entertaining names for all the characters, and voila – everyone would be happy.
Then I remembered that no matter what you do, you can never make everyone happy. (more…)
by MP MacDougall | Writing
As I progress toward publication of my first book, I’m learning all sorts of new things that are part of the process. Today’s lesson:
I am NOT a graphic designer.
In order to publish on Kindle Direct Publishing for sale on Amazon, you have to have some kind of cover for your book. Realizing this, I started researching ways to get a cover designed quickly and cheaply.
I watched a video tutorial on Ernie Dempsey’s site about how he designs his own book covers using a free utility called Gimp. It lets you edit and manipulate photos, add text, and insert all kinds of cool visual effects.
I thought that sounded great – especially since I’m trying to keep costs down, and the production schedule… well, on schedule. This would allow me to come up with my own design based on my own photography, and I could do it without a PhD or a bottomless expense account.
So, I downloaded Gimp and started playing around with it.
It seemed pretty cool – I even managed to create a basic design using an old picture of my son, looking angry at the camera, and even added the title and byline text to it.
Sadly, it just wasn’t doing it for me.
This is supposed to be a humorous book, and the picture in question showed my son in anything but good humor. Not wanting to portray an otherwise sweet kid in such a poor light, I thought that doing some sort of cartoon caricature of a screaming kid would fit the bill. Luckily, Gimp allows you to draw your own, so…
Here’s my attempt at drawing my own cover, using Gimp to draw on my track pad: (more…)
by MP MacDougall | Lifestyle Design, Writing
Recently I accepted a transfer to another state for my day job. I made the move for a variety of reasons, but the highest on the list was quality of life. I had become increasingly disillusioned with being just another rat in a big pointless race, and desperately wanted to find a slower pace.
With that in mind, I found a similar position in a smaller town. The position had the potential for a net pay cut, but an overall quality of life raise.
Good trade, if you ask me. (more…)
by MP MacDougall | Lifestyle Design, Writing
Revolutionary.
The word is thrown around by sensationalists everywhere, from politicians to motivational speakers to guys hawking counter top toaster ovens on late night TV.
There are revolutionary diets, revolutionary exercise programs, revolutions in skin care, sexual performance, learning foreign languages, buying and selling real estate, playing the lottery and winning blackjack in Las Vegas.
The misapplication of the word has gotten so bad that it strikes me as more revolting than revolutionary.
I understand why people sensationalize things – they’re looking for attention, better sales, more followers, etc. That doesn’t change the fact that overstating things with tired words actually tends to water down the message you’re trying to impart.
If you tell people you’re leading a revolution or you have a revolutionary product, they’re likely to immediately paint a mental picture of some late night snake oil salesman trying to separate them from their credit card number – and they’ll tune you out.
Want to avoid losing their attention? Try this approach: (more…)
