Why I Always write, "Award Winning SciFi novel" when I advertise

Why I always write, “Award Winning SciFi novel” when advertising

I am very happy that self publishing has become easier on the internet these last 3 years.  First I spent money on two different types of edits.  The first one was a 7 page report on the structure of the book, characters, plot, setting and so on.  The other was a line edit.  The line edit was twice as expensive as the seven page report around $600.  For me it was worth it.  Grammar is like a second language to me or fourth.  I barely passed high school English but I loved telling stories.

Once I got the book back I thought I was done and ready to publish.  The first time I got a proof back from lulu the writing was so small I couldn't read it.  So I hired Angel editing to format it($100).  Once I got it back I found a grammar mistake or an extra word on every other page.  I beleive this to be the editor's fault but I know that most books need proof reading after its been edited.  I had an over qualitfied friend do the proof reading for me for free.  It took almost three more months to correct.  He had a day job and did the proof reading on the side.

I then put it out there with a publishing package from lulu, at the time $100 deal.  This put me in all the online publishing stores. After all this I am still on the shelf next to other books that might have printed their first draft and have never seen an editor.

I figure the best way to shine a spot light on my scifi action adventure novel was to enter it in a contest.  I made sure the contest people had a good reputation and has had other contest in the past couple of years.  I also checked out the winners of past contest to see how they were doing now.  I wanted to make sure they were legitimate.  My new problem was what if my book wasn’t as good as I thought it was.  I paid $50 to enter the contest.

In 2009 my scifi book, Lord Skyler and The Earth Defense Force won Honorable mention in the “Teen” category at the 2009 DIY Book Festival in LA.  I would of went to the awards dinner but the taxi fair from New York to L.A. was a bit too much.

In 2010 Lord Skyler and The Earth Defense Force won best SciFi/Horror novel at the DIY Book Festival in New York City.

  My wife and I went to the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, famed by Dorothy Parker and her writing cronies. I received my award for best scifi/horror book at the DIY Book Festival there.  It was "Thee" moment for me.  Standing in front of other writers in a glorous, elegant room in New York City on West 44th street and receiving my award is a feeling of achievement I won't soon forget.

I sent my book, with its awards attached, out and I still got no reply from agents or traditional publishing houses even though my book has won awards on both coast. 

I am still learning how to shine a spot light on my book so people can see how I crafted a childhood dream space adventure into a book most people say they can't put down until they finish reading it.  I hope when I come out with the Sequel, The Universe Calls it will bring more attention to the first book or maybe you could help them find my book.  Please help me get noticed.  Visit my Amazon web site and "LIKE" my page.  This will help bring up my ranking on Amazon and my book will come up faster on a search for space adventure.  Please read the reviews.

Lord Skyler and The earth Defense Force can be found on 33 online book stores including Amazon and Barnes & Noble

My storefront- http://stores.lulu.com/shotc

Amazon kindle;

http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/dp/B004SI4AR4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1311866336&sr=1-1

Amazon reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/product-reviews/B004SI4AR4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

The Hero in All of Us

Most of the characters in my scifi novel are people I grew up with or became friends with in real life. This made describing the characters in the book eaiser. I know how my friends would react in different situations, what they would say or how their body would move during a conversation.
Now my friends might not like the responsiblity I put on them in my award wining scifi novel, traveling to another planet and training to fight the aliens that invaded earth but..., well I'm the author so there. Thats what happens when the last one pick in stick ball becomes a scifi writer, you never know.
My friends need not worry. Because I know underneath all that, "busting my chops" type of stuff they are the best and purest of souls. When so called common, hard working people are put in different and tough circumstances they really shine and save the day. They know the meaning of self sacrifice, honor and courage. They just don't wear it on their sleeve. True, great leaders and heros are forced into the situation and do not look for fame and glory. They would rather stay a fireman, policeman, doctor, nurse, teacher but once they're called on they know they can't go back.
If your looking for a hero for your book, try looking to your right, there siting right there.
Matt T. Schott
Lord Skyler and The Earth Defense Force
winner of the 2010 best scifi/horror novel at New York City DIY Book Festival
available at most online book stores, kindle & paper back
http://stores.lulu.com/shotc
http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/dp/B004SI4AR4/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326310120&sr=1-1

Coloring in the details of my novel

I'm at the "coloring in stage" of my sequel to Lord Skyler and The Earth Defense Force.   The name of the sequel is The Universe Calls.

The coloring stage is where I read through a scene and I freeze the moment and look around the room that the characters are in.  I smell the sweat burning off the characters necks.  The taste of their dry mouth and maybe a throbbing head ache that won't go away.  I hear the contrast of the moment with the young kids playing outside the door and the intensity on this side of the door. 

I see everything that is in the room, some of it I'll end up describing some I better off not mentioning.  Sometimes I'll look for something in the room that brings up a memory for the character that is important to the character and the moment he is in now. 

Its the part in the book where the warrior comes in and sees the wilting rose that his dead lover gave him before she was killed by the enemy.  The curves of the pedals, the hopelessness of the bent stem.  Its describing the room and how "things" relate to the mood and the story.  Its the fun part.



My storefront
http://stores.lulu.com/shotc

Also in Kindle format,
http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/dp/B004SI4AR4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1311704863&sr=1-1