Paul Whybrow
Full Member
Greetings from the British county of Cornwall, which is known as Kernow in the Cornish language. It's a mythical place, reputedly the home of Lyonesse, along with the whole King Arthur legend. I live a few miles from Tintagel, where the ruined remains of a castle, which was supposedly Arthur's refuge, brings in the tourists. The county is beautiful, but also very poor, relying on the spending of holiday-makers for much of its income.
I've lived here for twenty-five years, minus three years out in Atlanta, Georgia. I wrote magazine articles and short stories in the seventies,eighties and nineties, while earning a regular income from various respectable and more dodgy occupations - including librarian, teacher, counsellor, driver and dispatch rider on a motorcycle. Don't ask me about my worst job, as it will put you off processed food forever.
I turned to writing fiction in 2013, creating poetry, short stories, song lyrics and novellas. These were self-published online on Smashwords and Amazon. I'm a firm believer in the possibilities of e-publishing, but the biggest obstacle to success (as I'm sure many of you know) is getting readers to know about your books - the elusive process of discovery. After releasing forty-four titles, the task of uploading a book started to feel like dumping a bucket of water into a vast ocean.
In 2014 I wrote a novel, a psychological thriller set in the wilds of Cornwall. It's written in a literary style,and is more of a how-catch-em than a whodunnit. Think James Lee Burke or Michael Connelly, rather than Ross Macdonald or Lee Child. After devoting some 4,000 hours to writing my novel, I was loath to throw it away as an ebook. Reasoning that a traditional publishing deal might solve the problem of publicity and marketing, I've been chasing the monkish gatekeepers, the literary agents, for the last seven months. This has been joyless, so I'm considering going back to schmoozing on the social media and my blog to develop more of an online presence. I have stories bubbling up out of me, even in my sleep, so I'm eager to return to the creative process.
I do have one major factor in my favour when it comes to marketing my novel. Anyone in the U.K. will be aware of the success of the latest television adaptation of Winston Graham's Poldark stories. These are set in Cornwall, and are about the adventures and romances of a soldier who returns from the American War of Independence. He tries to restore his fortunes through mining, for which Cornwall is famous. Starring Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, his bare chest has created much media and audience interest. The series has just been sold to the US network Masterpiece, which showed Downton Abbey - you have been warned! http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/poldark-snapped-up-american-network-5877230
I'm looking forward to joining the Litopia community's discussions on the forum, and have several questions to ask, as well as oodles of experience in editing, formatting and epublishing to help anyone who is feeling confused.
I've lived here for twenty-five years, minus three years out in Atlanta, Georgia. I wrote magazine articles and short stories in the seventies,eighties and nineties, while earning a regular income from various respectable and more dodgy occupations - including librarian, teacher, counsellor, driver and dispatch rider on a motorcycle. Don't ask me about my worst job, as it will put you off processed food forever.
I turned to writing fiction in 2013, creating poetry, short stories, song lyrics and novellas. These were self-published online on Smashwords and Amazon. I'm a firm believer in the possibilities of e-publishing, but the biggest obstacle to success (as I'm sure many of you know) is getting readers to know about your books - the elusive process of discovery. After releasing forty-four titles, the task of uploading a book started to feel like dumping a bucket of water into a vast ocean.
In 2014 I wrote a novel, a psychological thriller set in the wilds of Cornwall. It's written in a literary style,and is more of a how-catch-em than a whodunnit. Think James Lee Burke or Michael Connelly, rather than Ross Macdonald or Lee Child. After devoting some 4,000 hours to writing my novel, I was loath to throw it away as an ebook. Reasoning that a traditional publishing deal might solve the problem of publicity and marketing, I've been chasing the monkish gatekeepers, the literary agents, for the last seven months. This has been joyless, so I'm considering going back to schmoozing on the social media and my blog to develop more of an online presence. I have stories bubbling up out of me, even in my sleep, so I'm eager to return to the creative process.
I do have one major factor in my favour when it comes to marketing my novel. Anyone in the U.K. will be aware of the success of the latest television adaptation of Winston Graham's Poldark stories. These are set in Cornwall, and are about the adventures and romances of a soldier who returns from the American War of Independence. He tries to restore his fortunes through mining, for which Cornwall is famous. Starring Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, his bare chest has created much media and audience interest. The series has just been sold to the US network Masterpiece, which showed Downton Abbey - you have been warned! http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/poldark-snapped-up-american-network-5877230
I'm looking forward to joining the Litopia community's discussions on the forum, and have several questions to ask, as well as oodles of experience in editing, formatting and epublishing to help anyone who is feeling confused.
I love Cornwall. Not been down your way in... gosh three years now, when I brought my big mare home. That was the really hot summer too, I'm amazed the car coped with the hills! You forget how hilly Cornwall is after the gentler flatness of England.
...except me of course. 
