I posted in the Whoring Thread about this a while back, so apologies for the dreadful etiquette, but y'all need to read this, thus the repetition. Thanks in advance for your kind indulgence. I of course welcome your comments below.
Submission Windows is my short story collection. 11 reprints and 15 exclusives—everything, basically—plus a bunch of poetry tying it all together. Oh, and appendices with notes about each of the entries. $2.99 e-book or $8.99 paperback (+ a free Kindle edition if bought from Amazon). A number of these tales originated right here at LitReactor in last year's WAR2 battle.
I wish I had some kickass blurbs to entice you, but I never solicit them (and it's early days yet), so take my word for it, or those of the publications whose pages have been sullied prior. Or hit up the Novels page on my site for kind words about my other work. This thing's a fun ride, suitable for short attention spans and bathroom reading or wallpapering.
Prison bars. Stained church glass. Deadlines precursing rejection. These are Submission Windows: vantage points for peeking in on—or out from—surgeons, killers, priests, perverts, inmates, athletes, musicians, and more than a few celebrities past their prime. Most clinging to frayed ropes of their own making, desperate for redemption, love, or merely an enduring pulse. For others, it’s their ambition on display, destined for humility. These voyeuristic and vicarious vignettes are bound neither by theme or genre … just some troubled characters inviting you to watch.
I so just bought it. Been meaning to so thanks for the reminder, friend! Can't wait to dig in!! :D
I'm about halfway through this book and it makes me simultaneously happy and very angry. Happy, because Gordon put me out of the winner's bracket in WAR2, and I read this and understand why. Gordon is a really, really good writer. But, you know, so are a lot of people. You can go on Facebook and see a lot of competent, even compelling work. So it's important to add here that while Gordon is a really good writer, he also writes really good stories, which are two things that are often difficult to find in tandem. Plus, he's consistent. I have yet to discover a story in this collection that didn't propel me through to the end, at which points I always kick back a moment and go, "Fuck, I see how this guy whupped me in WAR. He's wonderful."
It also makes me very angry, because I can't help but like his work, but I don't want to because Gordon beat me, and not being able to control my emotions makes me really angry.
GET OUT OF MY HEAD, HIGHLAND!
...is this love?
show this fucking guy how it's done, son
God damnit, you got me fired up now. I might lose my job over this.
Nice, I'll add it to my cart for my next Amazon order. It'll be great seeing some more WAR2 stories on ink & page (plus all the other stories).
since you indirectly got the better of me in WAR2.
And don't you think I'm ever gonna let you forget it! Or any of you!! Not even TomorrowHill because I BEAT HIM ONCE AND I SWEAR I DON'T NEED THERAPY AND OH...never mind. I'm calm again...
I have this book! And i've read...one of the stories so far.
Okay, it's officially bumped up on my reading list. I adored Flashover, so I have high expectations. It's always great to get a book by an author that you feel confident that you'll like.
congrats, gordon. he's the real deal, people. check him out.
Congrats Gordon!
Hello Gordon,
I just bought Submission Windows, and I'm looking forward to reading it. It will be interesting to see various aspects of you in one book.
More later.
Alan
Buying this now! Congrats on the compilation, and I look forward to burning through it!
I "got clicky." Now the sound of this one is slowly inticing me...
I just reviewed Submission Windows on Amazon as a verified purchase.
For some reason I can't paste the URL in here, so please download the attached word document and press CTRL while clicking or copy and paste the URL, or just search for Submission Windows and read my review.
Hey Gordon, finished reading you book :)
Will post a review on Amazon soon.
In the mean time are you interested to know which were my favorite stories and verse, or anything?
Cool. Okay so my favorite favorite story is 'Burgatory (curiosity question: can I be dumb for a moment and ask what the title is a referrence to?) Love the irony of it, not at all the ending I expected. Funny :) I also love the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And my favorite verse is the one that preceeds this story: Miles to Go.
Other favorite stories: Headshot (great characters, much fun with the twenty questions/ten questions, love the thick tongue dialogue) Plan E, God from the Machine (curiosity question:did you write in reverse order, or reverse it afterwards?), In a Handbasket (such I game I would love to have played!), Fresh Fish, Fry Girl.
Othe Favorite verse: Please Stop (hahaha), Invocation (a perfect starting verse), Unveiled, What You Know (I can totally imagine this as a duet, love the last two lines), el bomb.
Also, also can I just say I love the idea of notes on the stories, like the story beyond the story idea. Before I read your book I was reading SGJ's The Ones that Got Away and he does this at the end, and I thought: this is so cool, every short stories book should have this... so yeah, nice one ;)
You know, that's kind of what I guessed it to mean, only I was thinking "burb" as in the suburbs, or that tom hanks film :)
Re: god in the machine - I think it sounds way more fun to write backwards!
And other peoples shopping, I'm always doing that. Funny what random things people buy.
As promised, my review is now up on Amazon UK :)
Gordon,
I have been thinking. about the marketing of Submission Windows, and I don't think that the title is as conducive to sales as possible. This book really is a peak into your soul. Please give some thought into alternative names. You could try A|B testing, and see if you get much better results. A Peek Into My Soul is one title you might evaluate. Subtitle: Stories, poems and more.
Just a thought,
Alan
Sounds good. I was hoping you'd say something like this. Now, I know how to start the discussion on Amazon. Stay tuned.
Hello Gordon,
I owe you an apology. I've been listening to the suggestions of a "marketing guru," who strongly feels that that way to get traffic for books is to introduce controversial topics in discussions, topics such as should the title be different where the author justifies where they choose the title.
I just don't see this working in a constructive way, and I agree with you that the goal should be to build your reputation vs. building traffic.
Regards,
Alan
Wanna know how to sell more copies?
Add more dicks.
I am not a marketing guru, but this is my general advice: don't listen to marketing gurus. "Guru" means absolutely nothing. And definitely don't try to apply marketing guru's advice to others.
Yeah, one of those, "Those who can't do, teach," sort of things.
Have you considered submitting this book as a Kindle Single? There are a number of short story collections that are selling well. The exposure might be very helpful in getting readers and reviews.
I would definitely buy a Kindle Single about dicks and gurus.