BUY MY BOOKS!
Peter James Lamb is an author and a man haunted by the vision of a small floating giraffe. He has been writing for the past 30 years but mainly for his own amusement and for the amusement of anyone who isn't quite spry enough to get away.
He is English, married to an American photographer called Sarah and his best friend is a dog called Tyson. He has a son who guards the shores of the British Empire, a son who's a comedian, and a daughter who's an artist and writer. He has a step-daughter who makes movies and a grandson who says 'Granddad' on Skype. He made the above image of the pencil with his name on it and feels pretty pleased with himself.
He is English, married to an American photographer called Sarah and his best friend is a dog called Tyson. He has a son who guards the shores of the British Empire, a son who's a comedian, and a daughter who's an artist and writer. He has a step-daughter who makes movies and a grandson who says 'Granddad' on Skype. He made the above image of the pencil with his name on it and feels pretty pleased with himself.
Seriously, what's the site about?
It's an author web site, but I want it to be for you, rather than about me. That way you might come back again and one day, just maybe, you'll buy one of my books. In the meantime I want this to be a place you can come to for advice, help, inspiration. We all have stuff to share so I'm going to share it here. I will also try to sell you books along the way.
The urge to write
For me, writing is like eating. Sometimes I can't face it, sometimes it's the very stuff of life. Either way, I'll be doing it till I die, even if nobody wants to examine the results.
I began writing at the tender age of 20 when I found myself trapped on a train for 4 hours a day. I wanted some form of creative expression. Woodwork was out of the question, so I took to writing. I launched into writing a novel—the likes of Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy—but soon realized I had never driven a submarine or wooed an attractive but deadly Russian. Even I, the author, didn't believe what I had written so I abandoned the genre, leaving it to those more capable. Thrillers didn't thrill, fantasy seemed too fantastical, comedy simply isn't funny if you try. In the end I simply wrote as a cathartic exercise. I could put all my mental ducks in a row by simply writing things down for my own pleasure. I decided that was good enough for me.
I began writing at the tender age of 20 when I found myself trapped on a train for 4 hours a day. I wanted some form of creative expression. Woodwork was out of the question, so I took to writing. I launched into writing a novel—the likes of Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy—but soon realized I had never driven a submarine or wooed an attractive but deadly Russian. Even I, the author, didn't believe what I had written so I abandoned the genre, leaving it to those more capable. Thrillers didn't thrill, fantasy seemed too fantastical, comedy simply isn't funny if you try. In the end I simply wrote as a cathartic exercise. I could put all my mental ducks in a row by simply writing things down for my own pleasure. I decided that was good enough for me.
Careful, he's up to something
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Clearly, 30 years later, writing as a simple cathartic exercise is no longer enough. Why? Because I've had an epiphany, and it goes like this...I began writing before the Internet happened. In those days, you either got published because you were good enough, or you paid someone to put your words into print. That was called Vanity Publishing and it was for people so desperate to see themselves in print they would stoop so low as to pay for it. If I got published I wanted someone to say Peter, you are a fine writer, well done, I shall publish you.
I was stuck in that mindset for the next 30 years until my epiphany shone light on the wonderful world of Indie Authors. Indie Authors are not people who curb-crawl the world of Vanity Publishing, they are people who are incredibly creative, supportive and so oozing of wonderfulness that they have built up a community of do-it-yourself published people. It's the old days of try it and see. Using every emerging technology, and driving creativity in unexpected directions, they are producing work which entertains millions of people at sensible, sometimes zero prices. It's no longer a case of self-publishing because you can't find a publisher, it's self-publishing as a creative way to control what you do, and to make that happen quickly. |
Look, he's at it again
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I started a kids' book in 2001. I was living on the Greek island of Corfu at the time and was going through a golden period of writing. I had discovered a skill at last. Creative non-fiction. I lived on the island for four years and documented my days, winning a competition and selling several pieces of my journal. Having finally found something that was successful—creative non-fiction—I went back to fiction again! This time there would be no need to have driven a submarine or saved my country from terrorists. No, I started a kids' book. It was enormously pleasurable to be writing without having to know how a Walther PPK works, or how to seduce a Russian. To cut a long story short, I made a short story long by setting it aside for 11 years...
So 11 years later, at a writing workshop in Philadelphia, I was urged to finish the book. I did, resulting in The Wonderful World of Linus Bailey. I published it on Kindle and Smashwords. It was then that I discovered what a fine collection of people inhabit the world of self-publishing. I discovered Podiobooks. Podiobooks is a fantastic collection of free audio books, released episodically. The books are often narrated by the authors and produced in a spirit of creativity, community and self-promotion. If you like the spoken word, go there. Listen. Go buy their books if the authors grab you (see, it's not just me I'm plugging here). So I have been working on my own audio version of The Wonderful World of Linus Bailey. It is currently waiting in the quality control process of Podiobooks and if it passes, I will have made my own audio book. That is no mean feat, and I have enormous respect for all those non-professionals who are doing such a fantastic job. Audio is difficult. |
Here is Episode One of The Wonderful World of Linus Bailey.
How and where do I self publish?
This site is going to be valuable resource for people interested in self publishing. There are many useful sites on the subject and I will be reviewing some of those, but mostly I want this to be a place where I can explain in a calm and patient manner how to turn an idea into a reality. I will even use diagrams. Yes, diagrams. Click the links on the left to find out how it's all done.
So welcome to the Wonderful World of Peter James Lamb
I am going to share what I know, what I discover, and how things are progressing. My blog will keep you informed of progress in real time and together we can see how an unknown Englishman can become a god-like publishing phenomenon using free software and enthusiasm. Dip in and come back often.
Oh yes, and buy my books. (See, I said I was all a cynical trick to sell you things.).
No, really, buy them.
Oh yes, and buy my books. (See, I said I was all a cynical trick to sell you things.).
No, really, buy them.
