Worlds Of Tim

Interviewed by Amaleen Ison

2012-02-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

Fellow author and book blogger Amaleen Ison recently did an interview with me. I posted all about it on Facebook and Twitter, and I'm now finally posting about it here. Please click here to read it and gain many insights into my marvelous mind! I mainly discuss The Cupid War, but there are questions about writing in general and a shout-out to my two favourite authors!

An Evil Fan!

2012-01-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

2012 is off to a wonderful start. Here is an email I received from a fan named Angel Albright last weekend:

Dear Mr. Carter,
I have always thought about reaching an author to compliment them, but your novel, Evil?, is the first that has pushed me to do so. I had first stumbled upon you when I was searching my local library's website for books that had homosexuality as a subject. I love reading 'homo-fiction', mostly because I'm a flamboyant les. However, your book was more than simply a gay main character. It starts out with such a jaw-dropping subject and leads into such peculiar circumstances that whenever I tried to explain the book, it was an agitated struggle and I quickly gave up! It was filled with humor, heart-warming dialog and unbelievable characters. The plot was mind-blowing. There were spins in the book that made me put it down and have a silent fit. It was definitely one of the best books I have picked up. Thank you (oh so much) for writing it.

Euphoric,
Andrew-Angel

I can't tell you how much that brightened my spirits! Good to know that Evil? is reaching people. Thank you, Angel Albright!

2011 - My Thoughts

2011-12-31T15:33:00.000-08:00

I could so easily talk all about the bad stuff from this year. In many ways, this was a very terrible year for me. There were, however, quite a few good bits, and those are the bits I'd like to share. So, in no particular order, here are my 2011 bests.

1. The Cupid War arrived in bookstores. Okay, that one was kind of obvious. But it's a pretty big one. I'm very proud of that book, and delighted so many reviewers gave it an upraised thumb.

2. I finished the first draft of a new middle-grade novel.

3. I have finally received proper treatment for my depression. This one is huge for me, and has led to many personal revelations and changes. For instance:

4. I have a clearer idea of what I want from life, and what I want to do.

5. I started making videos, including my Appeal To Emma Stone. It may seem a bit silly, but making that video got me more fired up than anything in a very long time.

6. Speaking of Emma Stone, my sudden interest in her led me to some very good movies that I otherwise would not have seen. The Help was an excellent movie, and Paper Man broke my heart.

7. Transformers: Dark of the Moon came out last summer, and it was AWESOME!!! And in 3D, no less. My fandom has been richly rewarded. And the toys were pretty cool, too.

8. Doctor Who: Series 6 was lots of fun. Favourite episode? A Good Man Goes To War.

9. My wife, Violet, got a lot out of her internship at Bell. As hard as it was supporting the two of us (and our cats!) during that time, it was wonderful to see her so happy.

10. Our cats, Karma and Ron, remain in good health. And are still adorably cute! Even though Karma just destroyed our Christmas tree, and Ron keeps stealing my side of the bed. Furry little bastards!

2011 was a very hard year for me, but I did make it through with some pretty nice accomplishments. I plan to build on those accomplishments, and have many more, in 2012. Until the apocalypse on December 21, of course.

New Vid & Amazon Page

2011-12-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

I have a couple of new things to report! First, I have made another book-describing video, this one about Evil. You can see that vid by clicking here.

I now have an Amazon page! Click right here to have a look.

I've nearly finished another chapter of my latest comic fantasy. That one has been going well, with lots of ideas flowing. I've also finally started revising Kids Who Know. KWK is a story I'm really excited about, but I've felt too intimidated to edit it for the longest time. I've revised 100 pages so far, and it is going well.

Yay!

Closets Video & More On My Channel

2011-12-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let all of you know I have some new videos up on my YouTube channel. My most recent is all about Closets, my ebook from SynergEbooks. You can check that one out specifically by clicking here. That's three of my books I've done videos for. Next up will be Evil, and I hope to make that one this week.

Also up on my channel are two new installments in my Inspirational Message series, and a parody of Rick Perry's recent political ad starring Sentinel Prime, one of my Transformers toys. Lots of fun, if you know the Transformers stuff I'm referencing (and the original ad, too). My first political video. Well, the guy had it coming.

In other book news, Flux has told me they are still interested in my next manuscript, Young Nostradamus, but they can't make a commitment until they have more sales information about The Cupid War. If the book does well enough, then Young Nostradamus will likely be a go. They likely won't have that information before April 2012; here's hoping I get exciting news then!

Giving Up?!?

2011-11-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

I gave up last night. On everything. Writing, working, being a husband... heck, I gave up on the very gift of Life itself.

And now I feel a whole lot better.

Honestly, everyone always told me throughout my life to never give up, on anything. Fight, no matter how much it hurts, or you'll never get a job/get into university/pay the bills/have a relationship/achieve anything. Don't stop, not for one second, not for one billionth of an atosecond, or it will all vanish and you'll spend the rest of your life as a worthless FAILURE!!!

That's a fair bit of pressure to put on someone.

And let me tell you something about giving up... it's pressure free! No stress. At all. But how, I can hear you asking, will I pay those bills/finish my homework/raise the kids/clean the bathroom/make something of myself? Not my problem. But Tim, you can't do that! Too bad, I just did.

Want to know what I did last night, after I gave up on everything? I kicked back on my couch and played Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick on my Playstation 2. That inspired me to watch Army of Darkness again, so I did. Then I played with my cats, Karma and Ron. I scooped the crap from their litterboxes. I even cleaned and refilled the almost-empty one! Then I lay back on my bed and read a good book before turning in for the night. Not once during that time did I feel so much as a smattering of pressure, even when the Terror of the Deadites threatened to overwhelm me (no, that's not a metaphor for something, I'm talking about my Evil Dead game).

And this morning? The morning after I gave up? I got right back into things again. I did a solid chunk of writing, I met with a friend to play chess, then I returned home to blog. This afternoon, I'm planning to make another video.

I feel great. Refreshed and Relaxed. And I owe it all to giving up.

But only for one night. I just needed a little break from things. Perhaps I should have simply called what I did last night a break, but that wouldn't have sounded nearly so controversial or upsetting. Besides, all we really have is the present moment, so giving up for a moment is just as real as giving up for a lifetime. But it doesn't have to be for a lifetime. You have the right to change your mind and get back to it any time you want to.

Giving up isn't a bad thing. It's just a thing. Some things should be given up on. I joined a team in high school that turned out to be a haven for bullies, but I stuck with it (and was fairly miserable) because of all that never-give-up talk. Abusive relationships should be abandoned, harmful situations avoided. You're doing nobody any favours by sticking to something that brings you pain. That word 'retreat' was created for a reason.

When life gets to be too much, just give up (or, if you prefer, take a break) for a little bit. Enough to get some wind back in your proverbial sails. Your problems and responsibilities will still be there when you're done, I promise. And you'll be better prepared to face them.

Even if it is the Terror of the Deadites.

November News

2011-11-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

Normally I like to write my posts out longhand before typing them here, but today I'm just going to wing it. There have been times when I've planned to write a post and then forgotten about it, and I really want some kind of regularity here!

November was an interesting month. As noted in my last post, I attended the Mastery workshop. That was a fantastic experience, and one main benefit I've noticed is that I am more social now. That is great for me, since I tend to be a loner most of the time. Creativity comes from the world out there (imagine me pointing to an 'out there'), from people and places and new experiences. I don't get much of that cooped up in here (now imagine me pointing down to the floor). Now that my cold is gone (I was sick for six days), I can get out and do stuff.

My writing continues to suffer. Part of that can be blamed on the aforementioned tendency of mine to stay in. Most of it, however, is due to continuing life stresses. I'm getting better at coping, but some things are out of my hands. Nevertheless, I've nearly completed six chapters in my new book, I'm So Goddamn Sick Of Vampires!, a new supernatural teen comedy. I have chosen to put I, Suicide on hold for the time being, though. I feel I have a really strong story to tell there, and I'm happy with the eight chapters I've written. I'm sure I will return to it sometime in the not-too-distant future. For the time being, I need to go with what's working. Sick Of Vampires is working, and is keeping me going.

That's it for now. Time to head out into the world!

Weekend With The Mastery

2011-11-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

I want to do a quick shout-out to The Mastery of Self Expression workshop, which I had he pleasure of doing last weekend. Run by Larry Gilman and my good friend Tammy Cunningham, it was an experience like few others in my life.

The essential premise of the workshop, hosted in cities throughout the world, is to help people overcome the blocks that prevent them from being who they really are. I attended the three day workshop with ten others, all complete strangers to me but the best of friends by the time we parted on Sunday evening. Larry and Tammy led us in a series of exercises to identify and overcome our blocks, while several Mastery graduates participated in providing us with a safe and supportive atmosphere.

I'd talk about the exercises, but the Mastery is something best experienced fresh, without too much prior knowledge. One thing I can say, however: it was intense. I have never been more open and honest among strangers, and I saw transformations in my fellow participants that were exciting and exhilarating to witness. The benefits of the workshop depended on each participant, what they wanted to get out of the weekend, and how much work they were willing to put in.

Am I now a transformed person, free from all my troubles? No. It was a workshop, not a religious experience. However, I do feel more confident, and my life goals seem clearer. I expect to reap the benefits of that weekend for months and years to come.

So that's my shout-out. Drop by their website and give it a look-see. If you need a new perspective, and are willing to put in the work, the Mastery might be for you.

Closets on Sale For $2.99 Again!

2011-10-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a note and let everybody know that my novel Closets is once again going on sale. The current discounted price of $2.99 will be in effect until Halloween. You can buy it on SynergEbooks' website here.

Ebooks on CD-ROM make great trick-or-treat pressies, you know. No sugar, for one thing. Just thought I'd point that out. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more...

Feeling Low, But Getting Help

2011-10-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

Blogging hasn't come easy, lately. I've been busy. Up to new things. I've been making some videos with my new digital camera. You can check them out on Youtube here.

The main reason I haven't been blogging, however, is that I've been sick. I mentioned this in my last post, but I decided to be a bit more forthcoming.

I live with two mood disorders - depression and anxiety. I take pills for both, and they help to some extent. Some days are good days, and some are bad. The month of September was a series of bad days.

I won't get into all the details of why it was a bad month. A fellow author advised me against detailing my personal problems on forums intended primarily to connect with readers, and to some extent I agree. I'm not going to pretend that I'm always okay, however. And if I broke a leg or caught the flu, I'd feel no hesitation at all in saying so. Mental health issues shouldn't be treated any differently.

One negative side effect has been a sharp decline in my writing. Over the last year my productivity has gone way down, and for days at a time I wasn't able to create anything. I still had ideas, but no desire to write them down. I just couldn't. I was terrified I'd lost that desire forever.

Luckily, it didn't. I've been getting some much-needed help, and slowly but surely I'm picking the pace back up again. My treatment continues, and I plan to make up for lost time. I hope to blog more, but when I have a lot on my plate I tend to feel overwhelmed. Be patient with me. Become a fan on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter - I'm on those a lot more than I am here.

Remind me you are waiting, and nudge me along. It will help. It really will.

Panels With Professionals

2011-10-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

...or, How To Be Totally Intimidated By Authors More Popular Than Myself

I've done a lot of discussion panels at sci fi conventions in the years since my first novel was published. Some have gone well. Some have gone badly. Some were well attended, others not so much. Some introduced me to new friends, and others revealed the bitterest of enemies. The topics have ranged from Fan Panels about the stuff I'm into (like Transformers and Doctor Who), to professional panels about writing, publishing and genres.

Fan panels are a blast, and they deserve their own blog post. Pro panels can also be fun, but for a fresh-faced newbie like myself... well, actually, I've been at this for six years now. But I still feel like a newbie among professionals. Especially when I'm sitting next to people who've been at this a lot longer than I have.

For one thing, they come Prepared. Not prepared. I'm usually prepared for my panels. But other pros come Prepared.

What do I mean? Here's an example from last year. I was on a four-person panel on the topic of humour in science fiction and fantasy. Should be a breeze for the author of Epoch and Evil, right? But while I was prepared to talk about the funny things my characters will get up to, the other three panelists were Prepared with the nuts and bolts of what makes a joke. There's something called The Drop. That's when the funny part of the joke happens. I've always called it the bit when the funny part of the joke happens. They called it The Drop, and thus appeared a lot smarter and knowledgeable than me. I ended up feeling so inferior that when it came time for me to reveal my humour-creating secrets, all I could think to say was: "I... um, do cruel things to my characters."

Another panel on the creation of believable characters in fiction was even worse. I got verbally chastised by a living legend for not doing it right. The other panelists (including the aforementioned living legend) discussed the facts about what makes a character into a believable person while I sat in my corner trying to look small and unobtrusive.

The kicker? All that stuff the other pros talked about that goes into character development? I already do those things. I just couldn't vocalize it properly, because I was feeling intimidated. And I wasn't Prepared.

I need to do better than that. I need to look at the way I write and find better ways of explaining those methods to an audience. I am, after all, a professional. I'm on those panels for a reason - people expect me to communicate what I do and how I do it.

And, I need to chill out, dude, when I'm around other pros. Just because someone has sold more books than me does not mean my opinion isn't valid. It just means I need to work a bit harder to make that opinion heard.

Time Out For Sick Leave

2011-10-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

September was bad. Let's not dwell on it.

Once upon A Romance Review did a write up on The Cupid War. Very nice of them! Please check it out here.

I've also started posting videos on Youtube. I picked up a webcam for a very affordable price, and now I am able to promote myself in a brand new way. Here's my latest video, where I discuss The Cupid War.

I've been ill for a while, and it has taken its toll on my writing in the last couple of years. I have two novel projects on the go right now, but both are moving slowly while I undergo treatment. I am getting better; I wasn't able to write much of anything last month. I am moving forward, even if only by baby steps.

One thing that has changed for the better is that I have a better understanding of what I want to do. I'm planning to expand my writing to include articles for entertainment media, and ghostwriting. More on those plans as they develop.

3 New Reviews!

2011-08-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! The Cupid War has been released, and currently sits at #100,686 in Books on Amazon.ca's Bestsellers Rank. I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but it doesn't sound too bad.

I've found some new reviews out there in the web, and it is high time I posted links to them here. The first is from my dear friends at Charlotte's Library. They reviewed Evil? in the past, and I'm very grateful for their continued support. :)

The next review can be found at Ypulse, written by Sydney Coates. While she annoyingly refers to my main character as Richard and not Fallon (and calls the Suicides 'depressions'), she does give me a very enthusiastic thumbs up. Thank you, Sydney! :D

Finally, we have Gina's review on The Bucket List, a blog about books. Her review is extremely kind, and I could not be more pleased. I did find it amusing, however, that she rated the book "PG-13 for scary themes, nudity." There are indeed some naked people in the book, but fear not - I provided no illustrations. ;)

Also, I'd like to mention that on Amazon, my book has a 'Like' button on it. If you have a Facebook account, you can click and tell the world you like The Cupid War! If you do so I would be ever so thankful. Especially since, in the time it has taken me to write this post, my book has sunk down to # 101, 332 on the Bestsellers Rank. Hurry!

Polaris 25 Wrap-Up

2011-07-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Polaris was, once again, a very good time. I sold more books than I'd expected, and got brief hellos with many friends. I also did all that I could to get the word out about The Cupid War. Good for me, I say!

I spoke on six panels, two of which were fandom related (Doctor Who and Reboot), two were writing related (discussing character development, and the different types of fantasy), and two were topics of interest (the Young Adult market, and fictional afterlives). I felt a little out of my depth on the character panel, and I learned why I tend to feel that way when I'm on a panel with other professionals - they are so much better at verbally articulating what they do. I need to get better at that.

Thanks to my lovely wife, Violet, who came to help me run my table, I was able to do more con-related activities than I otherwise might have done. One such activity was the launch of When The Hero Comes Home, an anthology of stories on the topic of what happens next to a story's hero when the big event is over. Three authors whom I know and respect had stories in the book (Marie Bilodeau, J. M. Frey and Erik Buchanan), so I had to buy a copy. Plus there was free food. And a drink called a mamosa. It was nice. I had two of them.

The event was fun but exhausting. I'm afraid I may have babbled a bit with a couple of my readers, and appeared a bit manic to others. The excitement of the con versus anxiety about my panels, combined with general tiredness, may have made me appear a bit strange (well, stranger than usual) to some. Nevertheless, I still had an excellent time, and I look forward to next year.

Off To Polaris 25

2011-07-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend is Polaris 25, the big sci-fi and fantasy con that for me is an annual event. Good times will be had, money will be spent, and hopefully lots of books will be sold. I will make a brief appearance tonight, then I'll get real busy tomorrow with four discussion panels. I have a panel on Doctor Who bright and early Saturday morning at 10, followed by a writing panel on creating memorable characters at noon. At 2 I have a panel on medieval fantasy and modern/urban fantasy, and at 5 I finally get to do a panel about writing for the Young Adult market!

On Sunday I have two panels: at 2 I will discuss fictional depictions of the afterlife, and at five I'll do a panel on Reboot, one of my favourite animated shows.

That's all my official stuff. I'm hoping I'll also be able to do some Geek-offs and maybe have a drink or several with friends. It will be a packed weekend, but it will be fun. It always is!

And Another Cupid War Review... from Kirkus!

2011-06-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

The Cupid War is reviewed in the July 1 issue of Kirkus Reviews [5,000].

THE CUPID WAR
Author: Carter, Timothy

Review Date: July 1, 2011
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 240
Price ( Paperback ): $9.95
Publication Date: August 1, 2011
ISBN ( Paperback ): 978-0-7387-2614-4
Category: Fiction

Life was bad enough for Canadian teen Ricky Fallon; who knew death came with pink spandex?

Fallon actually planned to off himself. He was on the Pape Street Bridge ready to jump because his girl dumped him, his dad was a prick and his “best friend” Susan was the most clingy, depressing person on the planet. He changed his mind…and slipped. Fallon wakes to find Bud, a Soul Reaper, ready to take him to—his new job. Souls with Karma to work out become Cupids, genital-free, Love-eating spirits who exist to increase the supply of Love in the world by getting the living to couple-up. Fallon’s new boss Louis is a huge jerk. Bad enough that he’s got to suffer that (and the heart-emblazoned spandex), but, with little training, Fallon also has to avoid Suicides, the dangerous, misery-eating antitheses of Cupids. When he finds Susan has attached herself to a new unfortunate, Fallon suspects there’s something more than meets the eye to that downer-girl. Can he save her new target (and maybe the world)? Carter’s newest is a darkly humorous, fantastical frolic. Fallon’s snark is tempered by his conflicted feelings about his runaway mother. Other characters aren’t as well-rounded, but the unique afterlife and a surprisingly spiritual twist will keep pages turning.

Fans of funky unconventional fantasy will lap it up and roar for more. (Humorous fantasy. 12 & up)

Three reviews in, and I'm still smokin'! I'm a very happy author, yes indeed!

First Cupid War Reviews!

2011-06-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I've been ignoring the blogosphere again in favour of Facebook, and don't even ask me about Twitter. I need at least one clone of me to keep up with all this stuff.

But I'm here now, and happy to share with you the first review of The Cupid War, as posted in CM Magazine and written by Ann Ketcheson.

The Cupid War has also been reviewed in the June 2011 issue of VOYA by Heidi Uphoff. The full review is posted below:

Carter, Timothy. The Cupid War. Flux/Llewellyn, 2011. 240p. $9.95. Trade pb. 978-0-7387-26144.

Ricky Fallon decided at the last second that he did not want to end his life after all, but he slipped and fell from the bridge anyway. In the afterlife, Fallon discovers that he must repay a karmic debt for ending his life early by donning a pink bodysuit and helping people fall in love. That is right—Fallon becomes a Cupid. Little is cute about his situation, however, as Fallon learns that the Cupids are at war with the Suicides, dark beings that cause depression in their human victims. The story gets complicated when Fallon learns that the lecherous girl, Susan Sides, who drove him to his suicide attempt, may be a human/Suicide hybrid. Fallon meets other Cupids along the way and even falls in love with a psychic teenager whose friend is Susan’s next target.

Carter has created a whimsical story focusing on the serious subjects of suicide and depression. Unlike his previous work, Evil? (Flux/Llewellyn, 2009), The Cupid War leaves readers wondering what message, if any, Carter is attempting to convey. Carter also misses giving depth to the story by not developing potential sub-plots such as the early death of Fallon’s mother. Despite these minor flaws, young adults who enjoy light-hearted, easy-to-understand stories with happy endings will be drawn to this book.

Not quite as positive as the CM one, but it could have been worse. I'd like to point out that while Susan Sides displays many leech-like traits, she is in no way lecherous.

Two early reviews, and the book isn't for another month and a half! Huzzah, and words to that effect.

May The 4th Be With You!

2011-05-04T20:16:00.001-07:00

Always.

Closets, on Sale! For $2.99!

2011-05-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

My ebook for children, Closets, will be on sale today on the SynergEbooks website for only $2.99. Wow, what a bargain! I'm tempted to go get one myself.

So what are all of you waiting for? Rush off to SynergEbooks to buy a riveting tale of two boys who fight back against the monsters who come from their closets. Go on. Make an author happy.

Pretty-pleeeeezzze?

Ad Astra Done for Another Year

2011-04-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

But I'm already paid up for 2012, so rest assured I'll be back!

As always, I had a terrific amount of fun. I made new friends, met many old ones, and talked to other professionals in the field. In reference to the latter, I received some good advice and came away from the convention feeling better about my writing career than I have in ages.

My panel personality still needs work. I'm not as good as others at breaking into conversations, and when I do I fear I'm coming off as a bit of a goof. This might be my anxiety talking, but I can't help but wonder what people are thinking of me. What I really want, then, is to be more relaxed when I'm on panel. And it wouldn't hurt to be better prepared. Something to keep in mind for Anime North and Polaris.

As usual, I promoted the living heck out of myself. I handed out fliers and sold many books: 3 copies of Section K, and 8 copies of Evil? and Epoch. My friend Mike Bryant, author of Shaolin Rock Star, shared the table with me and did a nice bit of business himself. Sadly he became quite ill and had to stay home on the Sunday, so please join me in wishing him better health.

I'm always a little sad at the end of these conventions. They are such an important part of my life, and I only have so much time to spend with everybody. There are more conventions coming, and I'm already preparing for them.

Ad Astra Coming Up!

2011-03-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Toronto's annual science fiction convention is coming! I will once again be there to sell and promote myself and my stuff, and good times are assured.

For one thing, I will be sharing a table with my good friend Mike Bryant. He's a multi-talented man who writes very funny stories when he's not busy being lead guitar for his rock band, Nanochrist. He and I have collaborated on some interesting projects in the past, so hanging out with him for the con will be fun.

Also, this year I was asked by Ad Astra's programming people to come as a professional panelist! For me, that is quite an honour. So far I am signed up for four panels - I'm hoping to do a few more, if possible.

Between now and then, I have some flyers to make. I still need to get the word out about my books, especially since The Cupid War comes out in August!

Progress, Or Pothole?

2011-03-22T09:52:00.001-07:00

My trouble with picking a suitable novel project would seem to be over. I've started work on something I call I, Suicide, a spin-off from The Cupid War. It's about a girl who becomes a supernatural entity responsible for creating dark feelings in the living. It will be a first-person POV, and in spite of the dark content I'm hoping to make it as funny as Epoch or Evil.

All that sounds well and good, but it doesn't mean I'm out of the post-project woods yet. I still have to see if this project will take off, so to speak. I've already taken one crack at it, an effort I then proceeded to crumple up and throw out. It wasn't working. I've started again, and like the new version a bit more, so I'll probably go a couple of chapters to see how excited I get.

It would be a great story to write, and I could say even more about mood disorders than I did in Cupid War. Lots of good reasons to write this book. The real question, however, is how much to I want to see this story finished? I wish I knew right away, the way I did with Epoch and Evil. My own mood disorder has been getting in the way far too often in the last couple of years. I'm way behind on my editing, and all my projects take twice as long.

I need to get better, and soon. This is, after all, my career.

Still Searching...

2011-03-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Still no breakthrough on the new project front. I have a few ideas, but I'm not ready to commit. Whatever I choose, however, will likely be a sequel.

I have lots of good ideas for a follow-up to Epoch. I even have a title: After. I also have some plans for an Evil? sequel (tentative title: More Evil), and I have two chapters written. The trouble is, I don't know if my publisher will want a second volume for either book. Nobody at the company has asked for one. I don't want to go to the trouble of writing either book only to have them turn it down. I've already been there and been burned with the sequel to Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters.

I have a good idea for a sequel to The Cupid War, but that book isn't even out yet. I don't know if readers will respond to that one as well as they did to my previous books. I am, however, seriously considering a spin-off, with new characters in the same universe. This idea is currently at the top of my list.

I have a few non-sequel ideas, too. So far, though, none of them have emerged as a winner. There has to be some pull, some excitement about it that gets me to the page. I need a story I can't wait to tell, one I can feel slightly naughty about for writing it at work.

I hope I find that idea sooner rather than later. I get so bored without something to work on.

Book Done, Now What?

2011-03-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days now since I finished the first draft of my latest novel, Rytis Maxwell and the Wer-Pigeons of Ottawa. I'm glad to have it done, but I also feel kind of adrift. I'm into that dreaded period between novels, when I don't quite know what to do with myself. Longtime readers of this blog will remember me saying similar things at the conclusion of other projects.

What should my next project be? Something light and funny, or dark and serious? Or dark and funny?

Should I go for a first person POV, like I did with Evil?, or third person, as I did with the upcoming Cupid War?

What do I want to write? What topic is drawing me in? What kind of characters, plots, settings do I want in my next book? I've still got plenty to say about religion, metaphysics, bullies, abuse of power, and the supernatural. Just to name a few.

I hope I come up with something soon. I need something fun to do at work. Doing surveys over and over loses its appeal very quickly, but having a project to work on really helps pass the time in-between calls.

Until I find a great story idea, I'm going to be booored.

Sick of Being Sick

2011-01-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

In today's lesson, fans of the written word, we learn that illness and creativity do not mix. I've had the flu (or a really bad cold, it's hard to tell) for the last four days, and my creative output has bottomed out with it.

I've written before about the impossibility for me to write while upset. The same is equally true for the flu, it would seem. All you can think about is how crappy you feel, and how you wish you could just get better. You'd think that my stories would be a good distraction, but I have not found this to be so. This post is the first thing I've been able to write since becoming ill, in fact.

So, try to stay healthy at all costs. The flu is no fun at all. Maybe I can write about it when I'm well. Let's hope that happens soon!

How Was 2010 For Me?

2010-12-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

Not bad, but not great. I guess I'd rate the last 365 days as good.

I didn't write nearly as much this year (or last year, for that matter) than I did before. Nevertheless, I finished the first draft of A Walk-In To Remember, got to Chapter 19 of my new middle-grade novel, Rytis Maxwell and the Wer-Pigeons of Ottawa, and wrote a number of short stories. One of those stories my Doctor Who fanfic, which should see online publication soon. Another story was my contribution to the anti-homophobia collection Speaking Out. I finished and submitted that story yesterday, and I hope to hear yay or nay on it soon.

In other good news, the French and German rights for Evil? sold. Plus, I got a contract for my next novel, The Cupid War. Unfortunately, Evil? hasn't been selling well in the United States. Less than five hundred copies sold in the first half of 2010, and more than twice that many copies were returned to the publisher for a refund. Career-wise, that is very bad news for me. Given the enormous amount of attention Evil? has received from so many blog reviewers and other sources, I honestly don't know what I could have done better. I can only hope that The Cupid War somehow finds a larger audience.

Sorry to end the year on a sour note, but the poor numbers for Evil? really threw me. Most of the reviews were positive, after all. Here's hoping 2011 brings more success.

I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to all the people who reviewed Evil? and/or interviewed me over the last year. I am truly grateful, and wouldn't have sold half as many copies if all of you hadn't given me your help. I wish you all the best for the coming year.

Today Is My Birthday!

2010-12-13T06:42:00.000-08:00

Today I turned 38, so three cheers for me!

I love birthdays. They're like Christmas, except they're all just for you.

Short Stories Coming!

2010-12-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

My writing has really picked up in the last few weeks. I'm back on track with my Rytis Maxwell novel, and I've even managed to write a couple of short stories.

The first story is my attempt to enter the world of fanfiction. It's a Doctor Who story, set between two recent episodes of the show. Lots of fan fiction focuses on the things you don't see in the episodes (or movies, or books, comics, etc...). Sometimes these stories are written by fans to fix continuity problems, but mostly they are written for the sheer fun of it.

Of course, stories like these can't be published anywhere except on fanfiction sites, because of ownership and copyright issues. Fanfic gives writers and fans like myself the chance to use characters we would otherwise not have access to, and tell our own stories with them. As soon as I post my story, I'll put up a link.

The other short story I've written recently is one I've been asked to write for an "inspirational fiction anthology" called Speaking Out. The anthology will "feature stories involving a queer teens and their heterosexual allies confronting and overcoming homo/bi/transphobia." Personally, I was extremely honoured to be asked to contribute a story to this anthology, and I hope they like what I came up with.

My story is a sequel to Evil?, with reappearances made by Stuart Bradley and Fon Pyre. It was a lot of fun revisiting those characters, and it opened my mind up to all kinds of possibilities. I may have to use them again...

Speaking of Evil?, I've found yet another positive review! This one was written by Lisa Gibson, the winner of one of the contests I've provided signed copies for. Her blog is called YA Literature Lover, and the review can be found here.

Even More Love For Evil? Found!

2010-11-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

I've found some more reviews of Evil? out there on them intermawebs. A lot more! There's a whole bunch listed on WorldCat for your reading pleasure.

Then there's this one at Queer YA, also very positive.

The good news keeps rolling in for Evil?! I could not be happier.

Cupid War Release Date!

2010-10-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the computer system at Chapters/Indigo/Coles, I now know the release date for my next novel, The Cupid War. It is already available for pre-order, and the release date is set for August 8, 2011.

It's a little later than I'd expected - I'd been told the book would come out in the Spring. Nevertheless this is good news; the date is set, and I now have even more time to promote it.

Update your calendars, everyone!

Epoch Honoured!

2010-10-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

This morning, I had an email from my agent:

We greeted this morning with this great news. Seems congratulations are in order as you are a celebrity.

Great news: Timothy Carters EPOCH/DÄMONENHUNGER got the second place in the category BEST INTERNATIONAL NOVEL of the rather prestigious German Fantasy Award. CONGRATULATIONS to the author … and all of us! ;-) tim
http://www.deutscher-phantastik-preis.de/

Not shabby my friend. Have a great day!!!

Second best international novel... yeah, that's pretty fantastic!

Cupid War Editing Done

2010-10-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I finally finished my new draft of The Cupid War. I've sent it in, and am very relieved to have that part of the process over and done with.

Not that it was a bad experience or anything. Each suggested change was for the benefit of the story, and the newer version is a much better read. Some of the edits were challenging, and a lot of them revealed my weaknesses as a writer. A good edit is something every writer should be so lucky to go through.

Nevertheless, I'm glad to have it done. I'm hopeful that I'll have cover art to post before too long.

Cupid War Rewrites Begin

2010-08-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

The notes for The Cupid War have arrived. Not as bad as I'd feared, and I'm not surprised by that one bit. To quote Mark Twain, "I've faced many disasters in my life, some of which actually happened!" Or words to that effect.

Nevertheless, I have a lot of work ahead of me. I need to put in more visual details, something I'm not very good at. I admit it - I'm all about the story and the action, with no time for the nitty gritty details. Readers, however, like and need those details. It is definitely something about my style I need to improve.

Then there are the things that seem obvious to me but are not so obvious to others. It can be interesting, learning of other people's ideas about what they think I've written. For example, I once wrote a short story about a naughty boy who discovers Santa Claus is a monster who steals youth from children in exchange for presents. The Santa creature captures the boy and takes him to the North Pole, where naughty kids are forced to work like slaves. A popular Canadian speculative fiction magazine rejected the story because they didn't think the Devil would want to punish naughty boys. Wouldn't he want to encourage them? I don't know where they got the idea that my Santa beast was Satan, but that was how they chose to interpret the story.

That was a case of an editor jumping to the wrong conclusion. Based on the notes I've looked at for The Cupid War, however, it's clear that I'm the one at fault. There were a few instances where I was sure the reader would get what I was going for, but my editor didn't. Those items will have to be fixed.

I have about a month to patch up the book. Wish me luck and success, readers!

Rewrite Blues

2010-08-16T22:12:00.000-07:00

It's rewrite time again. At least, it will be when the guys at Flux send me their notes. Seems they had a computer crash and lost those notes, and they have to re-type them. Happens to the best of us.

But when I do get those notes, it will be time to do a new draft of The Cupid War, my next novel. I'm always a little anxious about this process, but I understand it is a chance for me to get valuable feedback. I do goof up sometimes (no really, I do), and I welcome the chance to make the book better.

There are times, however, when rewrites can be a daunting process. I still have yet to type up the last chapter of A Walk-In To Remember, the last manuscript I finished. I can't bear to think of revising that one. I've also been putting off a revision of Kids Who Know, one of my recently-finished manuscripts, for half a year now. I'm sure it will be my best novel, and that scares me; what if I re-read it and find out it's crap?

That's not the only reason, of course, or even the main one. It's my mood disorder, an affliction that has put a real dent into my productivity this year. My motivation gets sucked out of me, and I find it very hard to get things done. I suffer from depression and anxiety, and have had less success this past year managing them than I have in previous years. I'll do a blog post all about that sometime soon.

None of this bodes well for my upcoming rewrite of The Cupid War. What if they want a really big change? Both Evil? and Epoch required a couple of chapters to be completely rewritten. What if I'm not up for a major plot overhaul?

Still, anxious though I may sound, I know I'll end up doing a good job. This is my fourth novel with Flux, so it's not like I haven't managed it before. Come spring, the best possible version of The Cupid War will hit the stands. I just have to get there.

And I will.

Dreaming In Books Review

2010-08-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

And here's another review of Evil?!!! This one is from the blog Dreaming In Books, written by John Jacobson. Check out the review by clicking here.

I'm also doing an interview with John, so check back later to see that posted.

Yay!

Guest Blog & Interview With TRT Book Club

2010-08-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

I did a guest blog for TRT Book Club, the book club of Teens Read Too.com. I also answered a whole bunch of interview questions in my own special way. Do check it out here !

2010-07-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm over a week late with this post, but I wanted to say a little something about Polaris 24, the scifi/fantasy convention I was at July 16-18. As with last year, it was a lot of fun. I did five panels, I sold books at my table, and I handed out promotional flyers for Evil?, Epoch, and my upcoming Cupid War. I also got involved in two geek-offs, where I competed against other genre experts on trivia questions about the Doctor Who universe, and the worlds created by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, etc). I have my friend Shira to thank for encouraging me to participate.

I only have one picture from the event:

That's me and my wife Violet standing with Captain Jack Harkness, from Torchwood. One of the highlights for me from this convention was the panel I requested and moderated: Torchwood: Children of Earth - One Year Later. If you haven't seen this fantastic miniseries, go find it right now! I'll wait.

No I won't. The panel took place between eleven and midnight on Saturday, but the room was packed! Everyone had something to say, and emotions were very high. And then Kai Owen turned up! He's the actor who plays Rhys on Torchwood, the husband to Gwen Cooper. He's a terrific guy with a heck of a sense of humour, and he added a great deal of insight to the panel.

As with last year, I felt a profound sadness when the weekend was over. I want more! MORE!

And I got more. I made a lot of new friends, most of whom I've found on Facebook. Not all of them, however - Nick Lowry, if you're reading this, I need help finding you!

Naturally, I can't wait for the next con.

Polaris Coming!

2010-07-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

In one week's time I will be back at Polaris, another great Toronto-based Science Fiction convention. Last year I had tremendous success promoting Evil? and selling books, to say nothing of the grand time I had meeting fans and doing discussion panels. I look forward to having another excellent time, and hopefully get the word out about The Cupid War.

This year I've managed to snag five panels. I tried to get on to some writing panels, but the only ones I did get all have to do with the British TV series Torchwood and Harry Potter. Not a bad thing - Torchwood is a great show, after all - but I did hope to talk to people about the writing process. Curiously, they still haven't responded to my request to be an author guest. Seems I still have a way to go before the organizers treat me seriously.

A shame, because I love their conventions. I plan to keep going for many years to come.

Who's Honouring Me Now?

2010-06-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

I can't help but steal a line from Stephen Colbert. The man is tremendously quotable!

I was delighted to get an email from the good people from Nerds Heart YA, who are currently doing a contest to draw attention to young adult literature. They wanted Evil? to be part of the contest, and who was I to say no? Do follow the link and check out the progress of the contest. And keep your fingers crossed for Evil?!

Nicole, the blogger at Linus' Blanket, is the one judging my book. She was kind enough to interview me for her blog, and asked some great questions. Follow the link to see my replies!

One of the replies to that interview really touched me. I'll reproduce it here:

Sandy
June 16, 2010 at 6:45 PM
This guy is FUN! I enjoy hearing from all kinds of authors, but this one seems to absolutely love what he is doing. That has to translate to his work. I’m so glad he is being recognized through this competition. Nice job and nice questions, Nicole!

She's right, I do it because I love it. Thanks, Sandy!

Shameless Self-Promotion At Anime North

2010-05-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended Anime North, a huge convention dedicated to Japanese animation spread out over four hotels near the airport. I'd been two years ago and had some success, and hoped to repeat that success this year.

Sadly, I wasn't able to rent a table, as they'd sold out. At least, that's what they told me. A not-so-thorough glance around the artist tables revealed quite a few empty ones that could have been mine. Perhaps there were a lot of last-minute no-shows. Anyway, I didn't really have enough books on hand to sell this year, so it wasn't too big of a deal.

I went armed with over a hundred flyers to hand out, and I handed out every one! I also spoke on four panels: Fandom Entitlement; Fan Fiction; Transformers; and Writing Basics. The first, Fandom Entitlement, was about how much fans can expect from creators, and vice versa. This was my only Friday night panel, and it took place at 11 at night. I was worried about getting home afterward, but luckily the bus routes kept running long enough. The panel was quite interesting, and I met the fine panelists who would be joining me for the Fan fiction one the next day.

My first panel on Saturday wasn't until 2 PM, but I got there for eleven anyway so I could spend some time handing out flyers and investigating the dealer's room. The dealer's room was located in the Toronto Convention Centre across the street from the Doubletree International Plaza hotel where most of the goings-on went on. And it wasn't just across the street - I think it was located in area F or something, which meant a ten-minute walk around the building to find the right place to go in. If it's one thing I wish Anime North could improve, it's to keep things closer together if not in the same building. I got myself a new toy and a couple of anniversary gifts for Violet (it's our 5-year anniversary in five days!), then went to Harvey's for lunch. The lineup was almost impossibly long, and yet I got to the counter in only five minutes. Kudos to the staff there!

Two of my three remaining panels went fine. The Fan Fiction panel was very interesting, and quite well attended. We discussed how some creators get really angry when they learn fans have written stories using their characters. As far as I'm concerned, I'd be delighted if someone wrote some Evil? or Epoch stories. It would mean the authors really loved the books! The next panel was the Transformers panel, and the first half was quite a bit of fun. Sadly I had to leave halfway through in order to get to the Writing Basics panel, located in another hotel a ten-minute walk away. Some swine in programming will have to answer for that! Writing Basics was moderately well attended, and gave me a chance to speak with authority on a subject about which I knew a great deal. I fear I may have become a bit negative toward the end, however, when we got into the all-importance of sales numbers and how marketing is left mostly in the hands of the authors. I do hope I managed to be inspiring during that panel. Am I becoming jaded already?

All in all it was a good if tiring experience. I might attend next year, but only if I can get a table next time.

My Next Novel!

2010-05-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report I have a new book in the works with Flux. I'd called it Cupidity, but was never very happy with that title. They renamed it The Cupid War, which I think does a much better job of describing the book. I've signed the contract, and the book is due sometime next spring.

Please watch this blog for further updates of The Cupid War!

Ad Astra 2010

2010-04-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended Ad Astra, Toronto's convention for all things SF and Fantasy. As usual, I had a great time!

I was unable to attend last year, partly due to my financial situation. It was important for me to make it this year, and I'm very glad I did. I shared a table in the dealer's room with my friend Monica S. Kuebler, editor and publisher of Burning Effigy Press, who published my adult-themed sci-fi comedy Section K. Sales were adequate but not fantastic, but they paid for our weekend expenses. My wife, Violet, also attended, and helped us to run the table.

I spoke on four panels: Choosing A Format, which was about deciding if a story idea should be a novel, a story, a movie script, etc...; Fandom and Mental Health, examining the link between mood disorders and creativity; Who's Your Doctor, a panel on your favourite incarnation of Doctor Who; and Torchwood Children of Earth, One Year Later, a discussion of the brilliant miniseries that aired last summer. That last one was my suggestion, and I was the moderator. Unfortunately it wasn't very well attended, as we were on at the same time as the masquerade. We had a good discussion, however, and that's what counts.

I wasn't originally supposed to be on the Fandom and Mental Health panel; I asked them politely if I could join, and when one of the panelists didn't turn up I got my chance. Having a mood disorder of my own to deal with, the subject matter was very important to me.

This year I got to sign in the autograph area! That was a very big honour. I only stayed for half an hour, though - by that point I'd left Monica alone to watch the table for nearly five hours, and she was more than due for a break. I also did a reading on Sunday morning. Sadly, the room hadn't been cleaned out after a party the previous night, and my friends had to ask the maintenance staff very politely, five times, to please do the vacuuming after the reading, not during. I shared reading time with Kate Story, there to promote her first novel, Blasted. We had Violet and three of my friends in attendance, but that was it. Morning events on a Sunday morning at a convention are rarely well attended. We made the most of it, and kept our small but very dedicated audience well entertained.

I made new friends, some of whom I've friended on Facebook. I'm still hoping to get friended by Ian, Lisa and Cyn, the cool cats I ran into in the Tim Horton's on Friday. Are you guys out there? Do I have to start stalking you again, Cyn (inside joke)?

Violet and I also made friends with Bumblebee, as you can see from this photo.

Overall, the weekend was a lot of fun. I may not have made fantastic book sales, but I did promote myself and get myself out there, so to speak. When it comes to self-promotion, every little bit counts. I'm currently planning to attend Anime North in May, and Polaris in July.

Review from CCBC

2010-04-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

My publicist at FLUX sent this to me a while back and I've only now gotten around to posting it. Evil? was reviewed in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Choices 2010, which is a publication of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The CCBC reviews around 3,000 titles for children and YA, and EVIL? Was selected for inclusion in this year’s publication. The review is below:

Another stellar review for my collection!

CM Profile & Teens Read Too Interview!

2010-02-25T03:02:00.000-08:00

More fun Tim appearances have popped up on the Internet! Please check them out.

First, CM Magazine has posted a very in-depth profile on me on their site. Everything you ever wanted to know about me (and maybe a few things you didn't!) are on display there. All this came from a great interview I did with Dave Jenkinson last summer. Thanks, Dave!

And speaking of interviews, there's one posted up at TeensReadToo! It's shorter but no less thorough, getting to the heart of that which is me. Thanks go to Jennifer Wardrip for that one.

More happy reads! Very cool.

More Great News!

2010-01-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

I received an email from my publicist at Flux yesterday with some exciting news. Check it out:

Evil? by Timothy Carter was named to ALA’s Rainbow Project 2010 list for GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens. Books on this list were found by the committee to be of exceptional quality and impact, and are highly recommended.

The Rainbow Project is a joint project of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. The Rainbow Project presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age.

The list can be seen here. Further details on the Rainbow Project can be found here:

Yay!

More EVIL? Reviews!

2010-01-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

I'm finally catching up on my blogging. Time to post links to some new reviews!

First, there's this one from Sister's Library. I had tea with Mary-Esther Lee, a lovely woman who shares many of my tastes in books and movies. I liked her blog so much, I posted a link to it on the right side. Check it out!

Then there's this one at TeensReadToo.com, reviewed by Lauren Ashley.

Finally, there's this one from School Library Journal. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it. Not the most positive review I've ever had, but any attention is good for me. And it sure beats the review The Globe and Mail did for Epoch!

Enjoy! I know I did.

Important Vital Test Of Your Knowledge Of Timothy Carter

2009-11-19T11:59:00.001-08:00

Here's something fun. When I did my author appearance in the library last month, I gave all the kids a fake test about me. They really got into it, and tried to pick the answers that would butter me up the most so they could get free books from me. I'm not ashamed at all to admit it worked! Here's the test:

1. Timothy Carter was born:
a. in England
b. in Canada
c. to be wild
d. yesterday

2. Timothy Carter wrote:
a. Epoch and Evil?
b. Weepoch and Weevil?
c. Twilight and Harry Potter (under different names, naturally)
d. nothing I’d touch with a ten-metre cattle prod

3. I like Timothy Carter because:
a. he’s such a cool guy
b. his books are fantastic
c. he gives my life meaning
d. he got me out of school today

4. FOR GIRLS ONLY – Timothy Carter is:
a. like, totally cute
b. married? Awww…
c. kind of a dork
d. making me uncomfortable. And what’s with that hat?

5. FOR GUYS ONLY – Timothy Carter is:
a. the Man
b. the kind of guy you want to hang out with
c. probably not very good at football
d. sooo getting a wedgie when this is over

6. We will read Timothy Carter’s books because:
a. they sound pretty good
b. I’m interested in the subject matter
c. I’m delighted to support a Canadian author
d. my teacher’s making me

7. Ten years from now, Timothy Carter will:
a. be world-famous
b. own the planet
c. have survived the cataclysm of December 21, 2012
d. still be wearing that damn hat

Library Visit

2009-10-25T11:40:00.001-07:00

Last Tuesday I did a reading for a group of 60 kids in the North York branch of the Toronto Public Library. The kids came from grades 6, 7 and 8. Some of them had heard of me before, some had seen my website, and a few had even read Epoch!

I was pretty nervous beforehand for all kinds of silly reasons: I wasn't sure I could fill an hour's time; I was worried the kids would think I was a dork, etc...

Turns out I had nothing to be afraid of. Not only were they a terrific bunch of kids, but they all couldn't get enough of me! They asked all kinds of questions about my stories, my writing habits, anything that came to their minds. I'd prepared a writing exercise in case I ran out of things to say, but instead I did two readings, answered as many questions as I could, and then gave away free books. I think I brought five Epochs and seven Evil?s, and it was difficult deciding whom to give them to. I told them I'd give a book to the kids who buttered me up the most, and they got right into it. "I love your shirt, Mr. Carter!" "I love your hat!" They were the best. They truly were. I wish I could have given a book to every single one of them, and felt badly for the kids who got left out.

I was a little nervous talking to them about the plot of Evil?, given the subject matter, but I decided to just go for it. I told them what the book was about, then gave them a chance to get all their giggles out before I proceeded. They handled it very well.

At the end I signed all the copies I'd given away, and then I signed anything else they could get their hands on. One girl got me to sign her friend's copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! Other kids presented me with library magazines, or scraps of paper. I signed and signed 'till my signer was sore, but it was well worth it. The teachers thanked me, the library people said they wanted me back sometime, and I felt ready to take on the world!

I love kids. Probably because I'm just a big kid myself! I can't wait to do something like this again.

Shooting Stars and Other Friends of Tim

2009-09-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

I've been getting a number of good reviews lately, and it's about time I posted links to them. Check these out!

First, I want to direct your attention to Shooting Stars Mag, a terrific YA book blog right here on blogspot, written by my new best friend Lauren Becker. She wrote a very positive review of EVIL? posted here. Lauren did a number of things with me, including a giveaway contest, a guest post written by me, and an interview. I am so grateful for all the publicity Lauren did for me.

Next, there are three reviews here at Goodreads. They all seem to love Fon Pyre, and called Stuart "smart and sassy"!

Chapters/Indigo has one review posted. Thanks, Lindsey Carmichael!

LibrariAnne also reviewed me. You can read Anne Heathen's review here.

Also, do not miss this review by Meghan K at Teens Know Best! She comes up with a few terms for masturbation that even I didn't know! "A date with Rosie Palms" - couldn't stop laughing!

Wow. I am so very happy. These are very exciting times for me!

Apoca-Lynn Finished!

2009-09-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've finally bashed my new novel into shape. At least, it's in a shape good enough in my eyes to send to my agent. I'm sure a few more drafts will be necessary before it sees print.

This book was a troubling one for me. I struggled with the characters, plot mechanics and even names for months, more so than with any other book. I'm not sure why that was; some stories just need a bit more work than others. Anyway, I'm happy with it now.

Hopefully, the world soon will be, too.

Author Events

2009-08-26T06:39:00.001-07:00

I've had a couple of very successful author events recently. First off, I had the official launch for EVIL? at the Indigo Spirit in Royal Bank Plaza, here in downtown Toronto. I sold 16 copies of the new book, as well as three copies of EPOCH and a couple of Attack Of The Intergalactic Soul Hunters. Not a bad day's work!

A bunch of my friends came to wish me well, including my good friend Vijay, who took the photos I've posted here.

Sadly, no one from the media came. I was hoping for at least some interest from one of Toronto's newspapers, but there we are. Anyway, it's a small complaint. The event was a success, and much fun was had.

This is me with my friend Martha, who came to get EVIL? and wish me well.

The second event came a week later at the Ralph Thornton Centre, a community centre and library where my friend Lucille runs a writing group. We met while working for the same market research company, and she asked me if I would come for a special event. Absolutely, said I, and I'm glad I did. I read two chapters of EVIL? and answered questions from the audience, who were made up mostly of people from Lucille's writing group. Also in attendance were my wife Violet, my sister Claire, and a few friends who hadn't been able to make it to the launch the week before.

I'm happy to say that EVIL? is off to a great start. More events are coming; I'm doing a library appearance in the fall, and at least one more book signing in the lead-up to Christmas.

Can't wait!

Meeting Fans at Polaris 23

2009-08-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've been bad at blogging lately. It's been three weeks since I attended Polaris 23, the sci/fi convention formerly known as Toronto Trek, and I'm finally getting around to writing about it now. I rented a table and promoted my books, and had an awesome three days.

It almost didn't happen. I was late signing up for panels, and I didn't book my table until the last minute. I really must stop procrastinating. I'll start tomorrow.

Many people helped me out. The programming team got me onto five panels, my parents sent me enough money to cover the cost of registration and table renting, and my wife Violet rented a car to get us to and from the event (she also sat at the table with me).

I met some old friends and made a bunch of new ones. I sold lots of books, and gave out hundreds of flyers for EVIL. I really felt like I was doing a good job, promotion-wise. More than that, it just felt good to be there. I was among my people, doing what I was meant to do.

When it ended, a profound sadness followed. It was a good sadness; it meant I'd really enjoyed the experience and was sad it was at an end.

I'm not sure when the next con will be - for me, that is. I'm considering Con-Cept in Montreal and even Astronomicon in Rochester, but it all depends on money and time. Of course, once EVIL? becomes a worldwide phenomenon, I'll be able to attend all the cons I like. I look forward to that.

EVIL? Back Cover Copy

2009-06-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

The back cover copy (you know, the blurb on the back of the book) is in, and I thought I'd share it here. I didn't write it; that would be the work of Courtney Huber, the marketing copywriter for the book. I think it's perfect, and I'm lucky to have so many talented people working on my novel at FLUX. Enjoy!

And, yea verily, Stuart did commit the Sin of Onan in the shower. And this was witnessed by his own brother who did cry out unto their mother. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. And the townspeople rose up against him and all Onaners, calling upon one another to tear the youthful sinners limb from unclean limb. And there was much pants wetting.

And lo, Stuart did join forces with the demon, Fon Pyre, and together they did set forth to discover the cause of the town’s trouble. And, hark! A pair of fallen angels would plant seeds of hatred unto the townspeople. And on the seventh day, Stuart did vow to rip the fallen angels a new one and layeth upon them an epic smacketh-down.

4-Star Review of EVIL

2009-05-17T06:40:00.001-07:00

My friends at the Canadian Review of Materials (CM) just posted a review of EVIL?! You can check it out here.

Wow, a 4-star review! I am very happy.

From the review:
“Carter's novel is satirical, downright funny and also thought-provoking. Whether read as a somewhat titillating and action-filled fantasy or as a deeper treatise on the origins and meaning of evil, it will have appeal and huge entertainment value for many young adult readers and specifically younger teenage boys.”

Acknowledgments

2009-03-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Behold the very first Special Feature for my upcoming book, EVIL? Below you will see the text for the Dedication and Acknowledgments page that will appear at the front of the book. I present it here to invite discussion on who these people are that I have chosen to thank for helping to bring my new novel to bookstores. Feel free to leave a comment or question!

For Monica
You Know Why

First and foremost, I'd like to thank my own creative brilliance. Three cheers for me! I'm just super.

I would also like to thank my wife, Violet, for her support; Andrew Karre and Brian Farrey, for believing in this project; Sandy Sullivan, for her goddess-like editing; Robert Brown, for being an excellent agent; Lori MacDougall and Angela Jewell, for having me in to do signings every year; God/the universe/spaghetti monster/whatever, for filling my head with such weird ideas; and finally, I'd like to thank my right hand for... you know.

EVIL? Editing

2009-03-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I did the final round of editing on EVIL?, and it was a lot less painful than I'd feared. I hadn't heard from FLUX since I sent the rewritten version to them in August, and I wanted to know how the new ending had worked out.

Naturally, my fears were completely unfounded - they were very happy with the book, and the editor assigned to it thought the ending was terrific! She pointed out a few things that needed changing and/or fixing, areas where I'd goofed and said something that was proved untrue earlier (or later) in the story. I try to keep all the details in my head when I'm writing, or at least try to fix all that stuff before the publisher sees it, but I'm only human and I goof up like everyone else. That's why it's great to have a skilled editor there to catch those gaffes and make me look good.

My editor's name is Sandy Sullivan, and she is to be praised. My novel is in good hands thanks to her.

POV & Me

2009-02-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

As I said in my last post, I started writing EVIL? (formerly called The Right Hand Of Evil) in a third person limited omniscient point of view. It is my favourite, after all. However, I realized by the third chapter that first person was the way I had to go. Yes, I had to. My stories can be very demanding sometimes.

And, they're always right. When I finished the first draft of that book, I couldn't imagine having written it any other way.

My current project is called Kids Who Know. For this one, I knew that first person wouldn't work. I also knew third person limited omniscient wouldn't be enough - at least, not the way I'd been doing it. KWK has not one but two focus characters, something I have not done for the last six novel projects. I thought I might just do it for the prologue, then have the rest of the book focus on my main character. Fairly early in, however, I realized it wouldn't be that way. KWK needs a second focus character, my story told me, and as always it was right on the money.

The reason I've been avoiding more than one focus characters is partly because a writing teacher of mine once told me not to. Stick with my main character, she said, or you risk losing focus. And it's cheating. Or something like it. I didn't completely agree with her, but part of her lesson stuck. I am a lot more aware of focus and POV thanks to her, and when it came to the project she was helping me with (a middle-grade book called Trevor Niles: Goblin Kicker) she was right. Her guidance is also clearly evident in EPOCH.

With Kids Who Know, however, I threw that lesson out the window. My story wants two focus characters, and it'll get two focus characters.

Of course, what I'm telling you here is nothing new to most writers. Many of the novels I've read have multiple focus characters, and it works beautifully. My favourite example is Stephen King's IT, where he has a group of seven kids (and their adult counterparts) who each need their own focus scenes, along with a host of minor characters. It works, because that was the way that story needed to be told.

So it is with my stories. I'm aware of the rules of point of view, but I do what my story tells me. In the end, the story is always the boss.

Points of View

2009-01-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

Deciding on a point of view (or POV) is one of the first decisions I must make when I prepare to write a new story. It's usually an easy decision; the story will suggest how, and through whose eyes, it needs to be told. Each POV has its advantages, but they also come with certain limitations.

First Person POV stories are told as if they are memories of the main character. They use the "I" pronoun (I had an adventure yesterday. "It was wild," I said), and give you a detailed look inside the main character's mind. It's like you telling a friend about something that happened to you.

Third Person POV stories are like the stories you tell about someone else. They use "he" and "she" pronouns, and offer a great deal more freedom. What do I mean by freedom? That depends on the type of third person POV you use. I'm a big fan of Third Person Limited Omniscient, where you stick with one character throughout the story and describe what happens around them. I wrote Epoch that way. It allows you to describe things as an outside observer, instead of a character in the thick of the story.

With Limited, however, you are still restricted to your main character. You can't go describing what's happening to another character, not until the main character is there to observe it. That way, the reader discovers things only when your hero does.

Actually, that's not entirely accurate. You can have multiple POV characters in a Limited Omni story, but each character has his or her own section. A section(not a technical term) can be as long as a chapter or as short as a paragraph. Within that section, the POV character is the focus, and you can't switch to another character's POV without ending the section(with, say, a chapter break or a space between paragraphs) and beginning a new one. That way, the reader understands they are now going to hear from someone else.

Some writers find this too restrictive, which is why there is also Third Person Omniscient. With Omniscient, you are like God - all-seeing and all-knowing. You can jump into and out of any character's head, and be anywhere in your story's world at any time. It presents the ultimate in freedom for a writer.

So why don't all writers write in Third Person Omniscient? Because it can be too much of a good thing. (Ooh! Did you notice how I started that last sentence with "because"? My English teachers would be so mad at me!) Too much freedom can dampen the story's focus, especially if you don't know exactly what you're doing. Not always, of course, but I don't fully trust myself with that much power. I write better when I have a few limitations.

Some POVs suit certain stories better than others. For example, I started writing EVIL? in Third Person, but realized it would work a lot better if it was in First Person POV. I had to rewrite Chapters 1 and 2, but the book was all the better for it.

So there are my thoughts on POV. I'll probably have more to say later. Times when I went wrong, for instance. You'll love that.

EVIL?

2008-12-04T07:59:00.001-08:00

It's time I talked about my up and coming book, Evil? Cover art is up, and it looks like this:

Not bad, eh? I'm very happy with it.

So what is Evil? all about? Well, brace yourselves... it's a tiny bit naughty. It's similar to Epoch in that it is a fantasy/comedy, but the subject matter is a little more grown up. Generally, it deals with issues of teen sexuality, and a very religious town's reaction to those issues.

Specifically, it deals with masturbation.

Yes, a book for teenagers that deals with the private act of self-pleasure. I'm not sure how I got away with it, either. Some people get very uncomfortable with this subject matter. Some call it the Sin of Onan, or even self-abuse. I call it a perfectly natural part of life, and I think it's high time somebody wrote about it. So I did.

I'd like to point out here that Evil? is not a tasteless or gross novel. I treat the subject matter seriously; the comedy of Evil? comes from people's response to it.

The story (as much as I can reveal here) goes like this: Stewart, a teen living in the predominantly Christian town of Ice Lake, becomes a social outcast when he is caught masturbating in the shower. Ejected from his home and shunned by the community, Stuart suspects the reaction to his 'sin' is far from healthy and normal. Could some supernatural force be influencing people's minds? Or is his act really that... Evil?

Like I said, it's a bit more mature than my other books. But not much more. There's still plenty of action, adventure and jokes to make fans of Epoch very happy.

Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment. The book will likely be released sometime in 2009; I'll update when I know more.

Finished?

2008-11-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

I've just completed the first draft of a new novel, tentatively titled Apoca-Lynn. I feel good about the story, and relieved to have it all written out. But is it finished? No, not even close.

As I typed the words The End, I was well aware that there are several issues with the book that need to be addressed. Some characters need more of a backstory. Others need more of a physical description(I'm really bad at those). There are also story points that need to be worked out in order for the novel to make sense.

Once I've dealt with those things, am I finished then? Still no. After that, I have to get the book read by other people. My wife, Violet, likes to have a read, and she's good at picking up on details I've missed. My agent sometimes has feedback to offer as well. When I've incorporated their notes, the book is finally ready to sell.

But it still isn't finished. If a publisher buys the book, they'll have changes of their own to suggest. I've had to do substantial rewrites on both Epoch and Evil? to get them ready for the market. Their requested changes can seem harsh at first; my author ego protests, "wasn't it good enough the way it was?" I've been very lucky to have worked with some terrific editors, however, and the changes they've asked for have made both novels better.

Plus, once I get into them, rewrites can actually be a lot of fun. I get to take my characters out for another spin, and see what they'll do under different circumstances.

When the book is printed, bound and in stores, then it can be considered finished. Good thing, too. I've got lots of other stories that need attending to!

More On Names

2008-06-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

As I typed that title, I realized that if you say it fast it sounds like the title for this post is Moron Names. Gave me a chuckle.

Anyway, I wanted to write a bit more on the names I choose for characters, specifically the characters from Epoch. A lot of names from that book had more than just random selection to them, though I would not go so far as to say they had Deep Symbolic Meaning. Some of the names were simply little in-jokes that only I will get. Why? Because it made me smile.

There will be one or two Spoilers in the next few paragraphs. If you haven't read Epoch yet, leave your computer and go read it immediately. I'll wait.

Vincent, the hero of Epoch, has a cool and not ordinary first name. His last name, however, is Drear, short for dreary. I wanted to suggest his life had been fairly normal and boring until the events of the book. Mind you, this was before I decided he had fanatically devout parents who routinely locked him in the basement. Nothing ordinary about that.

Chanteuse Sloam is a combination of things. Her first name is French for singer, I think. However, I never imagined her as a singer. The name just sounded right to me. It suggested something spiritual(to me, anyway), which was right for her character. Her last name is half sloan(some old neighbours of mine) and half loam, which Wikipedia defines as a soil composed of sand, silt, and clay. Very appropriate for a character in touch with Mother Earth.

Most of the Elves got their names from Transformers. Grimbowl sounds a bit like Grimlock, Optar comes from Optimus and Megon from Megatron. Oh, and Dr. Ritchet was one vowel removed from Ratchet. Hey, I love Transformers. I'll squeeze bits of their names in wherever I can.

Barnaby, the school bully, was a name far removed from any typical bully name. That seemed appropriate, since he's not a typical bully. His two bodyguards, however, are an homage to the early works of the great Gordon Korman. The heroes of his first novel, This Can't Be Happening At MacDonald Hall, were Bruno and Boots. I named Barnaby's bodyguards after them as an homage.

But the one name I put the most into (and here's where the Spoiler Alert goes into full swing) was Pharley Seamore Edwards, the CEO of Alphega Corp. It turns out that Mr. Edwards is a Centaur, a creature that is half-human and half-horse. I wanted to hint at Edwards' true nature without giving too much away, hence the scenes of him munching on hay (and saying nay). His name is full of horse references: Pharley comes from the horse movie Phar Lap; Seamore comes from Seabiscuit; and Edwards is a reference to the famous TV talking horse, Mr. Ed. Gosh, I'm clever, aren't I?

As I said earlier, a lot of the name references are things that only I will get. It's not that I'm trying to deprive readers of anything; I just like to have a bit of fun. If you're ever wondering about a name from one of my books, drop me a line and ask where it comes from. I'd be more than happy to oblige.

Bear in mind, however, the name might just be something I thought sounded cool, and nothing more than that. You never know. But I do.

Naming Characters Is Fun

2008-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Character names, like story ideas, come from all over. Some are names from people I know (a first name here, a last name there) while others are a blend of words or sounds that I like. I most often write humour, so I'll often try and slip something funny in there, too.

The main characters in Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters are Conrad Viscous and Knowlton Cabbage. In their case, I just liked the way the words sounded together. I'd had a friend named Conrad when I was growing up, and Viscous simply came to me as the ideal last name for him. He isn't a particularly sticky or slimy character; I just liked the word. Knowlton was a name I'd heard around and I just liked, and Cabbage went well with it the way Viscous went with Conrad. Sometimes you can't explain name choices like that; they just sound right in your mind's ear.

Other character names from that book had different origins. Pakfrida, the alien spirit who befriends Conrad, was a combination of my grandparents' names. My grandmother on my mom's side was named Frida, and my grandfather on my dad's side liked to be called Pac. Pakfrida was a grandfatherly sort of character, so I put Pac with Frida to get a unique name. Javix, the bounty hunter who helps Conrad, came from the cleaning fluid Javex. I just liked the sound of it. Cyscope, the main villain, had a name similar to that of Cyclonus, a Decepticon warrior from Transformers. Both characters are intelligent and ruthless, and I like to honour Transformers whenever I can.

Like I said, names can come from anywhere. One thing I try to do with them, however, is make them unique and memorable. I avoid common names as much as I can for main characters - it's more fun that way. Bill Jones isn't that unique or memorable. Conrad Viscous is. At least I think so.

Epoch - The First Beginning

2008-05-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Epoch had one false start, back before I knew what it was really going to be about. After the concept came together in my head(see my last post), I took a stab at the story that proved to be the wrong direction.

Originally, Vincent was to be playing soccer when he saw the elf, and his brother Max was dead. Max, in this version, had been a soccer star when he'd had an unfortunate accident, and Vincent was expected to fill his shoes completely. He wasn't any good at soccer, and he resented his parents for pressuring him into it. Then he sees an elf hiding under the bleachers, and realizes his life is about to get a lot more complicated.

That was the way Epoch would have started, but then I had an even better idea. Another look at that 2003 comet book reminded me there were lots of ways the world could end, and wouldn't it be fun to start an end-of-the-world novel with all those ideas together? I changed the location from a soccer field to a school science fair, and then other great ideas suggested themselves. For starters, Max was now very much alive. Then came the idea to make Vincent's family religious, and more ideas sprang forth from there. Plus, I was able to give Vincent a best friend (Big Tom) and an enemy (Barnaby) and introduce them both in the same scene.

I didn't throw away the original beginning. I like the idea of a character having to fill the role of his dead brother before coming into his own. It didn't work for Epoch, but maybe I can use it in the future. Who can say?

Epoch - The Concept

2008-05-22T10:40:00.001-07:00

One of the most common questions authors get asked is, where do you get your ideas? Sometimes that question is a little more specific, such as where did I get the idea for a particular book. I tell people who ask me that my ideas come from all over, plucked from the world around me and the events happening in it. When a few of those ideas come together, I have the concept for a novel.

The ideas for Epoch came from many places, and didn't solidify into a concept until sometime in early 2005. I'd just finished the sequel to Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters, and I wanted to write a stand-alone book before moving on to Soul Hunters 3. In the summer of 2004 came across a book that predicted a comet would destroy the world in 2003, and that gave me a good laugh. It got me thinking of the apocalypse, however, and it reminded me of something else I'd read while visiting my sister in Vancouver.

You see? Ideas from all over.

Anyway, my sister's roommate had a very funny computer game, and the instruction manual for it was just as entertaining. Mixed in with the details of how to play the game were random jokes, and one of those jokes came in the troubleshooting section. There were some serious troubleshooting questions about what to do if the game doesn't load and things of that nature, and then there was one like this:

What if your computer is covered with insects?

The answer stated that the insects indicated the end of one age and the beginning of another, like the Age of Aquarius or something. I very clearly remember the next line: "There is nothing you can do. Our epoch has come to an end."

When I read about the comet impact that didn't happen, my mind immediately pulled up that line, "our epoch has come to an end." What if, I thought, the dominant species of Earth has only a limited time on the planet - an epoch? What if human beings are just the latest in a long line of dominant species? What if creatures of myth and fantasy - elves, pixies, trolls - were actually creatures from history whose epoch had come and gone? And what if humanity's time is almost up?

All that came together in my mind, and I knew I had a book. What was more, I couldn't wait to start writing it.

That's how Epoch was born.

Worlds Of Tim - Welcome!

2008-05-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to Worlds of Tim! My name is Timothy Carter, and I created this blog to interact with the people who read my books. Worlds of Tim is a look behind the scenes for the creation of my novels - "special features", if you will. It is my hope this blog will serve to give a richer experience to the people who have enjoyed my work.

I write primarily for the Middle-Grade and Young Adult market. In English, that means kids aged 8 to 10, and teenagers. Currently, I have two MG and one YA novels in print. They are: Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters, my first published novel; Closets, my first ebook; and Epoch, my most recent novel. I will discuss each book, and include new novels as they are published.

While I'm discussing the stories, characters, and themes of my books, I invite visitors to this blog to leave comments. Tell me how I'm doing, and let me know if there is something you want me to talk about. I look forward everything you, my readers, have to say.

Enjoy!