Infix PDF Editor Software – Review
May 3, 2012 | 
Author I was given a copy of the PDF Editor from Iceni Technology to review. The contents of my review are as follows. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this software for evaluation purposes, and I wasn’t paid anything to evaluate and review the product.
When first looking at the PDF Editor software, I thought to myself, “Interesting. It looks as if someone has written a word processor backwards.” Basically, the Infix PDF Editor software allows you to work in two different workflow methods, either from a blank document forward to a finished PDF file, or from a PDF file imported into the software and back into a PDF (or a few other file types). Since I’m all about desktop publishing, I requested a copy of the software to review when the opportunity revealed itself.
Posted in Software Blog | 
Tags: infix, pdf editor, pdf software, publishing software | 
No Comments » A Brief Hospital Trip
I’m lucky to be out of the hospital. I talked briefly about it on the Facebook page, but I’ll go ahead and update those who don’t visit there. I developed an infection in my leg, and for that, I had to visit the hospital for about four days. Everything’s fine now–well, still a bit sore in the affected leg, but I’ll be fine now–and I’m back at it.
The paperback and hardcover release for Consuls of the Vicariate will be soon. I’m working on the compositions for the print files as we speak, and I hear that the audiobook version won’t be too long after. I’m confident that the audiobook for Circle has earned enough to fund Consuls, so it’s just a matter of getting the funds from Amazon and hiring the wonderful Justin Torres once more.
Also, Immortals of Myrdwyer is forthcoming. It’s a little slower than I would like–what, with work being very busy lately and the time in the hospital–but it’s coming along. I’ll chatter a bit more later, but it’s late and the bed calls.
Self-Publishing Accomplishments in 2011
Everyone is winding down (or is that up?) for tax time again, and this has been the first full year I’ve been publishing books. I struggled to write this post, but I decided to go ahead and write it. I’m not posting this information because I want to show off, but I do want to show. Those who know me know that I don’t seek special praise for my accomplishments or little victories. Sure, praise is nice, but I don’t have to have it to keep going, to keep slogging along my path to reach my goals. Most importantly, the support from readers helps me keep going when times get tough, and I owe every bit of my success to those who decided to try out my books. (In other words, thank you guys!)
After taking a deep breath, I said, “If Joe Konrath can post dollar signs, why can’t I?” So, here it goes…
$12,000.00.
A very special number, the number–after all the W2′s were input and totalled–that came in from my little stories. Of course, being the first full year of operating, most of it has been reinvested back into the business, into equipment, and into publishing the books themselves. It may not be the gigantic money that some outliers are reporting, but it’s tidy. More important than that, it keeps the next projects funded, and it keeps the stories coming.
I merely wanted to share the news with my friends here and say ‘Thank you.’ I’ve had people write before wanting to talk about the business and whether or not it’s worth it, and I think you can make up your own mind. It may be worth it for some, but it may not be for others. Keeping you guys happy is a lot of work, but I try my hardest. 
Through mistakes, hiccups, and obstacles along the way, we’ve arrived together, and I look forward to going ahead with my head held high.
The Consuls of the Vicariate – Editing Complete
We have finished sorting through the sea of red marks and alterations, and my editor and I are pleased with the result. “…this book is packed with plot,” she said. It still has to go through proof reading, but we should see a February release in print and eBook. So begins another publishing phase, those rare times that I get to sit back, fiddle with cover art, mess with eBook formatting (and print formatting, too), and all the other little things needed to launch a title. Sometimes I even have to teach myself how to do some of it again because it could be 4 months or more since I’ve used these skills.
I may be forced to hold off on the audio book version for a short while. The audio book has done quite well, but I have to figure out exactly how much it’s earned in order to know if it will be capable of financing the second release. If it cannot finance the second, I’ll either hold off on the audio book until the pot has grown a little more or utilize a little bit of crowd sourcing (Kickstarter or something like that) to get the last bit of money it needs to go into audio book format. I love the audio book from the first in the series, and I really want to continue making them.
Just wanted to update you guys. Thanks for all the support, and if you haven’t started the series, you can learn more at The Circle of Sorcerers home page.
Guest Post – Eric Zawadzki and Kingmaker
Today, we have a guest post from Eric Zawadzki, author of Kingmaker. Take it away, Eric!
Origin Stories
I first want to thank Brian for hosting us on his blog. He was one of the first people to welcome me to Kindleboards almost a year ago. At the time, he shared a bit about how he started writing – a topic that has always fascinated me. These tales are like superhero origin stories, “how I met my spouse” stories, or any other coming-of-age experience that both shapes who we are now and describes how we were then. There are as many origin experiences as there are writers. In the spirit of fair exchange here is mine.
Many authors came to writing later in life. They took a creative writing class in college. Or they experienced a major life change. Or they had a baby (redundant with the second, I know). I fear I’m one of those annoying folks who always wanted to be a writer. I can’t imagine wanting to be anything else.
That doesn’t mean my early efforts weren’t terrible. The imagination was there. The ability to put it on the page in a form recognizable as a story to anyone not on hallucinogenic substances? Not so much. That would take decades – yes, with an s. You have no idea how undisciplined and impatient I was at the beginning of this journey.
Cut me some slack. I was 9. Read the rest of this entry »
Author L.C. Evans Passes
It is with great reverence and sorrow that I share the news of the death of L.C. Evans. A fellow author and kind friend to everyone at Kindle Boards, Linda will be missed. The announcement came from Barbara Silkstone early this morning:
It is with great sorrow that I share ~ We lost one of our own last night. Our beloved and lovely lady, Linda Evans succumbed to her battle with cancer.
She fought this disease like a tiger. A lady tiger.
Linda was always kind and generous with her time. She was never too busy to help a friend or respond to a fan. She guided many newbies and held the virtual hands of many old-timers.
Her daughter Jenny will be taking over the promotion of her mother’s books. It would be wonderful if we could support the sales of LC Evans delightful novels to help defray her medical bills. If you are so inclined please post Linda’s bookcovers and links whereever you can.
I have a feeling Linda is watching us right now.
We love you girl!
If you know anyone who reads romance or wants to try it out (or if you’d like to yourself), Linda could spin a tale unlike any other. The proceeds will go toward her medical and final expenses and to her family in this most difficult time. You can look at all of her works here.
When I think about the inevitability and the long, unknown eternity ahead of each of us, I wonder if I will be remembered. Yes, yes, I will be remembered by my close family and friends, and even by some acquaintances, but it is a sneaking thought that creeps up every time something like this happens–will anything I do now matter to anyone after I’m gone?
In looking over the body of comments on the Kindle Boards post and glancing at Linda’s books on Amazon and the reviews, I can clearly see that she will have no problem with this. She will live on, not only through her family and close friends, but through perfect strangers who have enjoyed her work and told others about them. Those little mentionings and whispers across libraries, book stores, coffee shops, and whatever other medium–Linda will live in those forever, a testament to her skill as a writer and her beauty as a person. How many people have been touched by this storyteller, and how many more yet will be touched through the perpetuity of her body of work? More than we can ever know.
Some additional links in remembrance of L.C. Evans:
- The World Has Lost…[a truly talented author, LC Evans] – written by the editor of her final book, Lynn O’Dell.
- L.C. Evans’ Author Central page
- Kindle Boards: LC Evans (announcement)
Thank you for remembering Linda today.
Posted in Personal Blogs, Self-Publishing Blog, Site News | Tags: Farewell, LC Evans, Linda C Evans | No Comments » Another Christmas, Another New Year
Whew, what a year it has been. A year of good things, a year of bad things, and everything in between. A decision to “restart” myself and my writing (turning the zombie novels loose for free, starting anew with fantasy, for those who haven’t been tuning in).
Thankfully, The Circle of Sorcerers (http://circleofsorcerers.latenitebooks.com) didn’t bomb. If it had, we’d be in a little trouble–no new material for quite some time. But, thankfully, it didn’t. It’s done well enough to support the next book at least, so I can keep going forward with new stories. (And, of course, I owe that to the fans for their support.)
With The Consuls of the Vicariate, I hope to have more. More of everything, and more than anything, I hope people will like it. We saw the conclusion of the story arc with Gustav Drakar in the first book, and we’ll be moving forward to the arc with Andolis Drakar in the second. After that… well, you’ll have to see how Consuls ends to know where we’ll be going next. Hopefully, it will be ready in February, and I foresee the third (and the *currently* planned final) of the series out for release in June.
The audiobooks will follow on a schedule that is self-supporting. If there’s enough interest in the first audiobook (which, I must say, has been well-received and is doing well) and it at least pays for itself, I’ll commission the same actor (if he’ll have me) for the remainder of the series.
For now, back to work. Thanks for all the support.
Posted in Mages of Bloodmyr, Novels, Self-Publishing Blog | Tags: epic fantasy, fantasy, Mages of Bloodmyr, novels, The Circle of Sorcerers | No Comments » Pre-publication Reviews: Not for Indies?
With my latest release, I didn’t concern myself much with pre-publication reviews, but I did do them with every release of The Survivor Chronicles. I thought long and hard on the issue, and I decided not to worry about it this time around-instead, I went into overdrive after the release to send out review requests.
Why? I had several thoughts about the issue, and time management, editing to a final manuscript, and time vs. release issues disuaded me from the practice. In this article, I’ll discuss a bit about the pro’s and con’s of pre-publication reviews, what they are, and why they didn’t work for me this time around.
Hatchett Publishing Tries to Validate Itself
A huge legacy publisher. A leaked memo. What does it mean for us? Still, pretty much nothing, but it’ll be fun to poke around and laugh.
So, without further ado, let’s get after it.
The Author Turns 29 Tomorrow
It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the 29th anniversary of my existence. 30 is only around the corner.
What do I want for my birthday? Well, if you’re here reading this, you’ve likely already given it: your support. Even though I’d love to hear more from you guys who visit, I know there are lurkers out there who come by regularly and read the posts, check out the books, and enjoy the works. So, my birthday present has already been fulfilled in the form of the readers who’ve enjoyed my writing and supported the effort.
So, tomorrow, November, 30th, 2011, I’ll be taking a day off. Worry not, though; I’ll be back to work on December 1st, and I should have some very exciting things to announce. Thanks for everything!
First Half of A World Forsaken
Though long overdue, the first half of A World Forsaken is now released for free from this website. Until I can get the page built, here are the links (and you may have to shift + click or right-click and “Save As…” to get them properly):
PDF format: A World Forsaken, Part I of II
MOBI format (for Kindle): A World Forsaken, Part I of II
EPUB format (for most eReaders): A World Forsaken, Part I of II
LRF format (for some older Sony eReaders): A World Forsaken, Part I of II
PDB format (for some Palm devices): A World Forsaken, Part I of II
This is the first half of the last book (book #4) of The Survivor Chronicles, a zombie apocalypse series.
I went ahead and formatted them for devices in the most basic way to go ahead and get them out. As always, these are my free stories and haven’t been run through my editor. So, love ‘em or leave ‘em.
In-Character: Laedron Telpist, The Circle of Sorcerers
This first In-Character article introduces two things: a new type of article that will be appearing on the website and the main character of the debut novel of my epic fantasy series, The Circle of Sorcerers. These feature articles are designed to explore the characters of the books in a little more detail and in an outside-the-box kind of way. Of course, readers are always welcome and encouraged to participate.
That being said, the sorcerer Laedron Telpist.
Giveaway on GoodReads for The Circle of Sorcerers
Sign up on the GoodReads Giveaway of The Circle of Sorcerers. I will be giving away a signed copy of the paperback at the end of the giveaway to the lucky winner!
The Circle of Sorcerers Released
I have finished releasing The Circle of Sorcerers to all retail channels. The print editions will take a little longer to float along the internet stream, but the electronic versions of the book are up at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords, and Smashwords should begin distribution to their retail partners (Apple iTunes and others) soon enough.
Excited!
Posted in Mages of Bloodmyr, Novels | Tags: epic fantasy, fantasy, fiction, Mages of Bloodmyr, novels, The Circle of Sorcerers | No Comments » The Survivor Chronicles now Free
I have decided to make the Survivor Chronicles (my zombie apocalypse tales) free to the public. You can find them and download them in many popular formats (and those which are only in PDF now will be in other formats soon, so check back). I hope you enjoy!
Posted in Novels, The Survivor Chronicles | Tags: novels, Prisoner and Survivor, The Dying Times, The Survivor Chronicles, The War of the Dead, zombie | 4 Comments »Welcome!
This is the official home page of the Late Nite Books imprint and author Brian Kittrell.Connect with me:
Email: brian@latenitebooks.com
Twitter: @Brian_Kittrell
Facebook: Brian Kittrell
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