Trader’s Diary

Some of you participated in today’s Sovereign Summer Sunday event on Ustream. A few of you heard Matt Selznick read a story I created just for him, set in his Sovereign Era universe called “Mouse Mousey.”

It was a pretty exciting event with names from across the podosphere dropping in to chat, hang out, and help boost the release of Brave Men Run.

What happened today, with almost 100 people chatting, watching, and listening to Matt do live readings of the stories, boosted Brave Men Run from obscurity into the limelight — at least for one day — on Amazon.com. As of a few minutes ago, the book was #65 on the best sellers list and #3 on the Genre Fiction for Action and Adventure. That happened because people bought the book, left reviews, ranked the title, and just generally supported the release.

It’s important because, once more, a “podcast-to-print” book has had an amazing showing on Amazon against the thousands of titles available there. By supporting Brave Men Run and Swarm Press (his publisher), we’ve helped push the model of publishing that much closer to a new way of doing business and I’m thrilled to have participated.

Matt announced that the stories will be made available in an anthology and published later this year on Podiobooks.com and that the archival recordings of his readings will be available on Ustream. Check out his site at Brave Men Run for information.

It’s taken a few days, but Double Share is now available at the iTunes Store as well as Podiobooks.

Any and all reviews you’d care to make there will help the cause as well.

Well, I always wanted to have a big release party. People across America will be joining me in celebration today as the latest volume in the Trader’s Tales drops on Podioboks.com. I hear there’ll be be fireworks tonight.

A Traders Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book 4

When he graduates from the Academy at Port Newmar, Ishmael Horatio Wang reports for duty in his first assignment as an officer. When he gets to his new ship, he finds things are not exactly the way he’d learned in school. The coffee tastes like used engine oil, the ship has no heart, and the nearest decent tailor is two quadrants away. What’s a new Third Mate to do? Will he be able to trust Billy?

Cover Art: Hubble Site - Antennae Galaxies
Music: “Jigs: Eavesdropper’s / Both Meat & Drink / Off We Go” by Great Big Sea - Available at music.podshow.com

Podcaster’s Promo: “All hands report to download stations”

No, this isn’t Nate. Where is he? What have I done with him? Who am I?

Let’s hit those in reverse order.

My name is Matthew Wayne Selznick, and I’ve taken over the Trader’s Diary for precisely one blog post.

What have I done with Nathan Lowell? Well, see, that’s what I’m here to talk about! I have recruited him… shanghaied him, I suppose you would say… into a very special project.

On Sunday, July 13, 2008, my book, “Brave Men Run — A Novel of the Sovereign Era” will be released in a brand new paperback edition from Swarm Press. Some of you may be familiar with the book — it was a 2006 Parsec Award nominee and is one of the top ten most popular books of all time at Podiobooks.com… and it’s been picked up for publication!

On Sunday, July 13, I’m asking everyone interested in owning a paperback copy of “Brave Men Run” to please purchase it from Amazon.com on that day. The more folks who make their purchase(s) on that day, the higher “Brave Men Run” will rank on Amazon.com’s bestseller charts. I’m shooting for the moon, here, folks, and I’ll take Mars if I can get it. A high ranking on Amazon.com’s bestseller chart means a ton of positive attention for “Brave Men Run,” for Swarm Press, and for the power of the audience (that’s you) to influence the market.

On that day, I’ll be with you from 10 AM - 6 PM Eastern Time via live streaming video, every hour on the hour. I’ll give you updates on the sales success of “Brave Men Run,” chat with you in the embedded chat room… and present some brand new, very special, Sovereign Era content.

What does this have to do with Nate?

You see, that “special content” is seven brand new short stories set in the first year of the Sovereign Era universe — the setting of “Brave Men Run,” where people with remarkable abilities reveal themselves and change the course of human destiny. Some of the hottest names in podcast fiction have contributed stories:

J.C. Hutchins (The “7th Son” trilogy)

Mur Lafferty (”Playing For Keeps”)

Matt Wallace (”The Next Fix”)

J.R. Blackwell (365 Tomorrows)

P.G. Holyfield (”Murder at Avedon Hill”)

Jared Axelrod (The Voice of Free Planet X)

and

Nathan Lowell, whom you have met.

I’ll be reading these stories, one per hour, live and on the air, for the first time anywhere on July 13, 2008. It’s my way of giving a little something back to everyone who commits to buying a copy (copies?) of “Brave Men Run” on that day. You’re going to make a commitment; I want to be there with you.

I’m very, very pleased that Nate took time away from his grueling writing schedule to craft a Sovereign Era story, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you. Visit http://www.bravemenrun.com or http://www.mattselznick.com to learn more… and I’ll see you on July 13, 2008 at 10 AM Eastern / 7 AM Pacific Time!

Oh — as for the question of where Nathan Lowell is right now… that’s an easy one. He’s at his keyboard, clattering away at Mach eight.

It occurred to me late last night that I needed a promo for people to play on other podcasts and I wanted to do something a little different.

How’s this?

 

 Double Share Promo: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I should probably point out that this IS a drill… the book’s not on Podiobooks yet.

UPDATE: Some of the listeners have raised the issue — Does this give too much away? I actually *thought* that when I was putting it together, and I think I agree that it does. I’ve got a revised version that I’ll put up today. Here’s new version that I think works a bit better.

Since you’ve all been so nice, I’ll post the first episode prototype here. It’s the full text, but the ID3 tags are messed up, there’s, no cover art in it, and there may well be editing flubs since even the QC team hasn’t heard this full episode yet.

Direct from me, to you.

 

 Double Share : Episode 1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thanks to Great Big Sea for the music .. and I’m hoping they’ll get back from Vancouver soon and check their email.

The music came from Podshow’s Music Directory

Sorry. I’m having problems getting this migration to go smoothly.

Hang in and I’ll get it taken care off ASAP

Update: I think I’ve got the holes, links, images, and uploads all put back where they belong.

If you find something hosed, leave a comment here or on the fan forums which are *still* at http://durandus.org/fans - at least for the moment.

OK, it’s a tease … but I think this is where I’m going. I just did this take this morning as a final “dial in” on the audio settings for the gear.

 

 Double Share Sample : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

What do you think? Can you listen to 25 episodes? The real ones will be longer, I promise.

One of you wonderful fans sent me a link this great medley of jigs from a Canadian Band named Great Big Sea. The music is from PodShow so is licensed for use in podcasts already. I like this tune and think it would be more compelling than the sparse sounds of the other tune.

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

How about you? I need to adjust my narration in the outro a bit and I’ve written to the band to see if there’s something they’d rather I said there, but .. what do you think? Better? Worse? Go with “Larry O’Gaff”…?

I like the way this sounds, but what about you folks?

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

What do you think? Does this make you want the story even more now?