Jackson Free Press Review of Never Ceese

Thought I'd dig this review back up. I solicited a local magazine here in the Jackson Area for a review early on, even before Never Ceese made the Bram Stoker Preliminary Ballot for 2006 for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. I was very pleased with Lynette's words. So glad she enjoyed Never Ceese. I attempted to find the link to the review but it's broken. I did notice that while other book reviews posted very rarely got more than 20 views if any, mine got over one-thousand. There was another review of another book on the same page though but that's the way the other reviews were done as well. So there ya go. 

Do note that Black Bed Sheet Books is now the publisher of Never Ceese and my Thirsting for Blood Series. And the best place to purchase them are at my publishers website!





The Jackson Free Press is a local paper here in Jackson. Here is Lynette Hanson's review of Never Ceese.


Never Ceese - Paperback
ISBN: 9780976994701
by Lynette Hanson

April 19, 2006

In her first novel, Jacksonian Sue Dent paints a vivid picture of the trials and tribulations of family life and love. But you shouldn’t think that “Never Ceese” (Journey Stone Creations, 2006, $12.99) details a life like the one lived by Beaver Cleaver: Dent populates this book she calls a spiritual fantasy with other-worldly characters.

I, for one, never thought before to try this style of novel since I lean toward mysteries and Southerners who write about the South, but I found Dent’s tale of determination one I couldn’t put down. It gave me pause to read of Richard’s drinking blood he had warmed a bit in the microwave, blood he’s gleaned from sources found on his computer. Right away, I realized that Dent’s two main characters, Richard the vampire and Ceese the werewolf, break the stereotypical movie mold for these creatures. Getting inside their heads and learning what makes them tick is just one reward you’ll receive in reading “Never Ceese.”

Horrorphilia.com reviews Electric Angel!

Here's another link where you can read the review at:

Horrorphilia.com

I dare you to read this review!

ELECTRIC ANGEL

“I got Whiplash and Paper cuts from reading ELECTRIC ANGEL...Could…Not put it down!

Char Hardin

Oh. You need the link don't you:

Mavens of Horror

You do have to be a big boy or girl to read it on the site though. Meaning that yes, you'll have to click that you understand you might see adult content. If you're under 18 and want to read this review just make sure your legal guardian checks it out first. Then make sure that legal guardian orders a few copies from Black Bed Sheet Books for you to read (because the content of Electric Angel is actually fine for any age reader.) Hey, I'm a mom too! You kiddies best follow the rules!!! Now go eat your veggies! ;D

Press Release for ebook signing of Never Ceese!

Oops! Sorry About the Shipping.

I added the two new links over in the side-bar and forgot to take the shipping off. So for all you thousands of folks who went to order the personalized DRM free PDF from the link, there is no longer any shipping added.

Same goes for those of you, (millions I'm sure) who went to order the print version of Never Ceese that comes with the same personalized DRM free PDF that you can convert ALL day long to whatever format you need.

Do keep in mind that for right now using these two links are the ONLY way to get the DRM free personalized PDF and official signed print book. But that will change shortly. ;)

Never Ceese PDF DRM free and personalized!

The future is here. Publishing is changing and publishers no longer have to depend on or even worry about seeking a distributor to get their work out there because the only thing distributors can offer small publishers and self-pubbed authors presently is nothing that the publisher can't do themselves and are already set up to do.

Examples?

Barnes & Noble and Amazon will now allow (oh how sweet of them) for small pubbed and self-pubbed authors to list their e-books in their on-line bookstores. And for that you pay them a percentage of sales to help thwart the cost (there is no cost really) of going through the process of making your book file DRM exclusive which customers hate. Oh yeah, they also handle sales transactions which small publishers already know how to do?

Has everyone forgotten that Barnes & Noble and all the other chain bookstores are the very ones who made it impossible for small publishers and self-pubbed publishers to get in their stores? Why in the world would any small press go there to list their e-book especially when they can list it themselves on their own site and get all the money from sales.

I do understand that some self-pubbed authors could benefit from the distributor handling the sales transactions but find an e-book distributor that offers your e-book to all platforms. Smashwords.com is a nice site for this and they understand what their job is.

But wait a minute! This blog is about ME!!!

You will notice a nice little addition to my sidebar on the right. It is a DRM free PDF of Never Ceese for you, the customer, to convert at will! That's right, I'm actually encouraging you to take the PDF to convert it to whatever format you need. I'll even go one step further and convert it for you if the task seems to daunting. Just let me know what format you'd like.

ALSO, the PDF will be signed and personalized. HOW COOL IS THAT! You can't beat that with a stick. This is only for the e-book you buy from the link above.

ALSO and by the end of the day I hope, I'll have things ironed out with Black Bed Sheet Books to INCLUDE this DRM free PDF with every print book purchase!!!!! Actually, if you buy a print copy from me from the link I'm about to add, (patience I'll get it up in a minute) I'll go ahead and throw the DRM free, personalized PDF in as a package deal.

So there ya go.

Stop looking to sites like Barnes & Noble and Amazon to help you as far as distribution goes. You're feeding the very folks who never recognized small press or self-pubbed authors as anything other than a nuisance. Actually, as far as I can tell, that hasn't changed. There are tons of other e-book distributors out there who will respect you.

All for now. ;)

Black Bed Sheet Books now offering Kindle, Nook and other Ebook formats!

For those of you waiting for Black Bed Sheet Book titles for your Kindle Reader, Nook Reader or Palm Reader and various other readers as well, then wait no more.

Never Ceese, republished by Black Bed Sheet Books in 2010, is now available in all these formats via SmashWords. All other titles will be added very soon. Not only will these titles be available, they are all DRM free meaning you won't just find one e-book format specific to one reader but many ebook formats that will work with ANY reader.

Since I, Sue Dent, have tackled the task of transferring these titles to e-book format for Black Bed Sheet books I will share that while the .PDB format reads fine, I've yet to find a way to tackle the translate accent marks when found in the text. I've checked and re-checked the other versions and found NO problems. You can see for yourself in the 20% preview that you can read for free.

Smashword's own style guide nails the accent mark as one of those codes they've yet been able to address with their "meatgrinder" so there ya go. Just wanted to let you know as BBS strives not to put below quality work out there.

If you want to purchase the $3.99 PDB version it will most likely print a "funky" character wherever a word is accented. There really aren't many but it is what it is for now.

Unlike Amazon and Barnes & Noble, SmashWords DOES NOT accept returns which is the way it should be. The publisher should decide whether they want to make a book returnable not distributors. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are distributors period. Also you get to read a 20% preview would should let you know right away whether it's something you want.

So support the CORRECT way to do things and purchase from SmashWords. The fact that bigger published authors are sticking with Amazon and Barnes & Noble should tell you a little about them. They aren't interested in providing you with quality fiction at a reasonable price. They're only interested in taking your money and as much of it as you'll let them.

There is a link to all copies of Never Ceese in many e-book formats over on the left and here's one here as well: Never Ceese for sale at SmashWords.

There's another great social network out there I frequent called Shoutlife. It a place where folks of many different faiths are catered to. This blog post I'm making here is not an advertisement for that site LOL but I do have a lot of friends who cross-post between there and Facebook. One of those folks, Debbie S., reminded me of a post she put on Shoutlife a while back and I just had to share it. She put a link to it on my Facebook Wall but since you have to join Shoutlife to read it, I posted it here. I would encourage y'all to join Shoutlife as well as there are some great folks there who don't cross-post to FaceBook. Ahhh, variety, it's what it's all about, right?

Prophetic Dream About Sue Dent??? Wednesday, January 2, 2008 - 12:15 PM

Ok. So maybe it wasn't exactly prophetic, but I figured that'd get Sue's attention (and everyone else's too! hehe) Last night I had a dream that I was getting all dressed up for a formal affair. For some reason I was going to have my little brother tagging along for me to babysit for a while. In the dream he was around ten and I seemed to be high school or college aged, even though in real life, he's in his mid twenties and I'm thirty one. Some how, as dreams often do, the setting changed from me getting ready for the party to shopping at a Wal-mart type store...with Sue Dent!!! We were walking along as though we were half shopping and half looking for someone. I think wee were looking for Becky Depp, another fellow FaithWriter and Shoutlifer. One of us suggested having her paged on the intercom. Just then, a man approached us. He was an old friend of Sue's who couldn't believe the reports of her fame and success! He gave her a hug and went on and on about how he couldn't believe how well her writing career was going, with having yet another best seller on the way and that he couldn't believe here she was, the same old Sue, still shopping at Wal-mart like regular people do. That's when I realized that she wasn't just my friend Sue...I was shopping with a millionaire! She was still so sweet and fun to be with that I'd put her success out of my head and it didn't even occur to me how wealthy she had become! lol So Sue...when you hit your first million, don't forget to take me on that shopping spree at Wal-mart, ok? hehe I know this was a silly post, but I've always loved looking back at my dreams when I wake up. I love analyzing the more complex ones and laughing over the more ridiculous. In general, my memory is pretty bad. At times, it's down right terrible. Yet, there are dreams I had as young as six years old or even younger, that I still remember in great detail. Anyone else have any fun dreams to share?

British Fantasy Awards 2010: the Longlist?

What? What? What?

British Fantasy Awards 2010: the Longlist

What? What? What?

Sue pinches self. Checks the alignment of the stars. Calculates PI *no not that PI*, sits at computer and checks to make sure she's not looking at someone elses inbox and finally traces letters on screen with finger to make sure thats HER book on the long-list!

What? What? What?

Just to demonstrate the impact this has had on me as a writer, "I DON'T CARE IF NO ONE VOTES FOR "Forever Richard." My absolute day and birthday has been made. Unbelievable. I'm . . . speechless.

Imagine what'd I'd be if it actually moved on to the short-list.

I may have to schedule a trip to the UK now to personally hug some people!!! ;D

By the way, Richard doesn't feel neglected anymore!

Richard, a Bishie! Hmmm. . .

Richard, a Bishie! Okay. I confess. I had to look it up when I saw the comment but I'm not gonna tell you what a Bishie is if you don't know. You can go to this thread a fan started for my Thirsting for Blood Series at CAA(Christian Anime Alliance) and figure it out for yourself. 

HA! I learned something new today.

Poor Richard doesn't get enough play. :(

Forever Richard is the second in my Thirsting for Blood Series and continues to garnish the same quality reviews that Never Ceese enjoys. Here's one that rivals any I could've hoped to have gotten from any first-line reviewers, (Publishers Weekly and the like) and my publisher didn't even have to submit an ARC. They pretty much called to make sure they were on the list. How cool is that! Yes the review is on my side panel but I thought today I'd make it front and center again. ;)

Maryann Boo of The British Fantasy Society reviews Forever Richard:

BFS Forever Richard review

And thanks Craig and Maryann for encouraging me to keep writing even when I can hardly see a reason to.

Forever Richard - "Sold Out"

Well, it ain't like I didn't warn you. But lucky for you it's only sold out at various sites I check regularly who've had Forever Richard marked as high risk for sell out for some time. However, at last check, Spring Arbor/Ingram is showing Forever Richard as sold out as well. Of course, that's not all that major since none of the larger Christian Book Stores carry my books anyway, in spite of being available for them to carry, and why would I encourage anyone to buy from them when they make YOU the customer pay the shipping (at least when the book isn't through one of their official CBA/ECPA houses or until they re-approve it for their specific targeted market.)

But those wonderfully truly non-denominational Christian Book Stores are making up for what the larger Christian Book Stores won't do, so that's great. :) Yay!

But if you're tired of narrowly targeted fiction/fantasy marketed as horror and put out as something that might appeal to the general market reader when in fact it doesn't, I offer you something very different and refreshingly wonderful. But don't take my word for it. Read for yourself, if you can get of Forever Richard that is. HA!

Horror/Fantasy in every sense of the word, drawing fans from both the general market (which btw, encompasses the larger Christian market) as well as many readers who are looking but not finding such work coming out of CBA/ECPA affiliated houses. ;)

Oh my, what's a Literary Agent?

Oh my, what's a Literary Agent? Sounds intriguing. What's that you say? Someone who will help me find a publisher, for a price. Yikes. I'll stay away from that then. LOL

Okay. In an effort to keep the gusto going, I'll be reposting reviews from Never Ceese and Forever Richard . . . just because. My first one to go up is by far my favorite and most coveted. It comes from Nicholas Grabowsky whose own writing as earned praise from the likes of Clive Barker and Stephen King. This is Nicholas' review of Never Ceese:

Never Ceese
S D Enterprises
ISBN: 9780976994701

First, some fun and facts:

When my office received this book, a handsome hardcover from Journey Stone Creations, and it found its way to my hands, I looked it over thoroughly and sent author Sue Dent an email confirming its receipt. On an odd note, the wolf on its cover was exactly the same wolf on my computer screen's wallpaper, and I held one up to the other amused. I'd been made aware of Sue's existence while browsing through that vast social bird's nest called Myspace, we corresponded a few times, and here I have her novel as a result. I was particularly drawn to it because it boasted traditional Protestant Christian-inclined values and overtones so much so that even Christian book stores should welcome it. And it's a horror novel, in essence. About vampires and werewolves.

Well, well.

Back during what would become my last years of preaching and active church-going worship, I originally set out to complete my first horror novel as a Christian allegory. And I wasn't the only one doing it. Nowadays, though I've never since then and to this day was inclined to check out what's going on in anything peddled as Christian/Suspense/Supernatural or even stepped into a Christian book store (that I recall), I'm aware of some good writing in itself going on there. The current trend of Last Days apocalyptic fiction is at an all-time high, that I know, and in spite of entire communities banning Harry Potter from libraries, C.S. Lewis-type fantasies seem to have become an increasingly popular trend also in that market.

But enough of that, and my sudden editorial lapse by no means suggests Never Ceese is churchy. Yes, the storyline carries with it a cover-to-cover essence of biblical morality and overall themes of redemption through want and sacrifice, and there is absolutely nothing about its content that I can imagine would incline parents to object to their young teens reading it. I think parents and teens alike would be utterly thrilled to read it, which brings us now to the basics without beating around the bush any further.

I simply can't give Sue Dent enough praise for this work. I truly adored it. It read like the work of a master storyteller, its narrative virtually flawless. At first it seemed like it was going to be a period piece, and throughout that portion of the book it was atmospheric and foreboding.

The approach Dent takes is that werewolves and vampires are essentially human beings carrying a curse which strips them of almost any hope of redemption, salvation, and most of the popular basic rules regarding their nature apply, save that vampires themselves are undead in predominant lore. Ceese, or Cecilia, has the werewolf curse and has been wandering the earth in wolf form for a few hundred years or so because of it. She is summoned by an aging friend who lives in an isolated English castle whose resident vampire, Richard, has cared for her for a long time. Fearful of the knowledge that if he should feed on a human being his curse would be absolute, he instead feeds on the blood of the goats of local herdsmen or blood he purchases off the internet. Before she dies, the friend sends Ceese and Richard to New York in pursuit of a possible cure for their curses via stem cell research, where an evil university professor awaits their arrival in an obsessive search for the power of eternal life.

This is Sue Dent's first work, and I am very proud of her. Very imaginative, stylistic, and highly entertaining, she excels without compromise to personal belief and the learned expertise it takes to write so well. I highly recommend it, and I can't recommend it enough.

Christian readers - bottle-fed targeted fiction since 1950

Christian readers have, for the most part anyway, been bottle-fed fiction since 1950 when a group of Christian retailers banded together to form the Christian Booksellers Association to provide narrowly targeted fiction to Christian bookstore visitors, so targeted that they didn't even offer it for distribution into larger bookstores. Why would they? The fiction was for Christian Bookstore visitors only, evangelicals as stated at www.cbaonline.org and never intended to be placed on general bookstore shelves.

Christian authors who write and have been writing for the broader general market for years often find themselves at the mercy of some very odd reviews from CBA and ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association)core market readers who are now accidentally or on purpose, picking up these books to read. While most are gracious and give relatively high marks, the comments can't help but reflect these readers limited exposure to general market work.

Since reviews are supposed to help a reader know whether they'd like to read a book or not, it's important to remember that any kind of slant toward Christianity will most likely warrant the author of said books a few reviews off kilter from the majority. Those would be from our wonderful readers who can only compare books to what they've been reading since 1950.

Small press author gets big time praise!

Of course that's my perspective but you be the judge. Here's a message left for me on Shoutlife, a social network I belong to:

Hi Sue,
I'm at work but I had to stop and write to you. A woman just came into the library to return two "House of Night" books and Forever Richard. She said Forever Richard was far better than the House of Night books and wants to know when your next book will be out.

That's one for the small press authors!

So when is your next book coming out? This lady really, really wanted to know.

I'm glad I made your day. I love it when someone picks up a small press book and discovers a new favorite author. There is a great potential audience out there.

Kara




And here's an entry left on a forum at RomanticTimes.com, a forum that author Kate Douglas started for readers to leave names of books that they found cherishable. Here's the irony. Kate Douglas actually contacted me once to see if we might be related because of a last name we shared. We couldn't prove it one way or the other but then this reader leaves this comment on her forum and Kate remembered me. But now for the comment:

"My book shelves are ridiculously stuffed. I don't just own books, I possess them. I don't buy books, I collect them! It is a really good thing that I'm not rich! Although library book sales are my bane.
My favorite ever, as in I've read eight, nine, times, is Tahn by L.A. Kelly. If ever I'm feeling depressed that book manages to make a showing for a light skimming, and sometimes more. The sequel, Return to Alastair, is nearly as wonderful as the first, but I don't think any book can quite achieve that.
But Tahn isn't the only one. I just got Never Ceese by Sue Dent for my birthday. I was so excited. I love that book! It is so hilarious! If you ever need to laugh, that is the book. And on days that I'm feeling overwhelmed, I immediately go for the paranormal or fantasy, something that is intense and completely not like my life. I'm all into distraction. Something like Patricia Briggs. Ooh, her books are amazing."

Yep, this is a good sign of how my Thirsting for Blood series is doing with general market readers. It continues to do extremly well with readers from that specific market of Christians CBA and ECPA serve as well as they are hungry for good fiction that doesn't offend. On that note I'd like to remind that while readers of that specific market are very accepting, their publishers and those that do blog tours and blogs for their very targeted fiction aren't. I submitted Never Ceese to one blog that claimed to review and list books for the Young Adult Christian market. I asked specifically if these books would be judged against the narrow standards that have come to plague this market. The owner of the blog said no yet now refuses to recommend my book to young adults based on language. Nope. There is no problem with language used in my books for young adults. That's why it's marketed as young adult. I've had fourth graders read and enjoy these books with their parents permission. These books have been deemed and approved as "socially acceptable" to the Christian market which means distribution to CBA and ECPA bookstores (even though no non-affiliated author can get in.)

So there ya go. Onward and upward. It's going to be up to you readers for this small press author to get anywhere fast and THANK YA'LL SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

Love ya'll.
Sue Dent

Forever Richard passes the true test!

That's right no endorsement from Publisher's Weekly or any other first-line reviewers (that's all a racket anyway) well, except for the outstanding endorsement from the British Fantasy Society by my own hands (and what an endorsement!) But yes, two thumbs up from Mom! I actually thought it a fluke when she read Never Ceese and then made a call to tell me she enjoyed it very much. This is a woman (though loved dearly) who often compliments by telling you what's wrong. LOL Well, at least when it comes to her real kids, not her grand kids of course. They get the "Memaw" treatment. :)

The encouraging words told to me over dinner at Applebee's, "I told Judy(my younger sister by one year) that I don't usually enjoy these kind of stories but that girl can write." That sound you hear is me choking on a shrimp at Applebee's where we'd gone to eat. LOL She was on chapter 31.

So for Caprice, you've got another Rodney hater and Geoffrey lover and for me, I get to keep a fan. So stick that up your pipe and smoke it all you front-line reviewers who cater to authors who don't need your stupid help.

Beat that!

You can't so don't even try.

Sue Dent made a movie!

Hope you like it. :)

*viewer discretion advised*

(There. That ought to make you curious. LOL)

Best Seller's List - What do you know about them?

I'll admit I don't know exactly the way these lists are compiled and most of the more popular "best-selling lists" claim to have their own secret way of doing things, but I did stumble across this:

". . . Most(best-selling lists) don’t even rely on actual sales, but on supplier’s orders: If a bookstore orders hundreds of copies of a particular book, that number is counted before the store itself reports a single sale. That’s how Harry Potter books showed up on best-seller lists weeks early, if anyone was wondering . . ."

To be honest, I've heard this before and it makes perfect sense. You can't realistically keep tabs on what bookstores are selling so you keep up with what they're ordering under the assumption that they're only ordering what they think will sell.

This was an eye-opening revelation for me though because as an author and now a publisher. I completely look at the list differently. A bookstore can order books in bulk on the hype some larger publisher has put out and then return 95% of those books because they didn't sell. Nevertheless, the book is on the top best sellers lists because the book store ordered.

Take this a step further, into the Christian Publishing Industry, and things become really frustrating. Many CBA and ECPA affiliated titles (targeted fiction written for a specific audience of Christians, with a specific purpose) make their way to the top of best seller's list every day yet these same authors often bemoan the fact that their work just isn't selling.

Does that make sense?

It does if you consider that the larger Christian Book stores only shelve CBA and ECPA affiliated books and usually in bulk as CBA and ECPA were both formed by a group of Christian Book sellers in 1950 and 1974 respectively to provide appropriate fiction for those who frequented these stores.

Is this a problem?

It is if you don't know this about the larger Christian Book Sellers. I honestly didn't. I just assumed all Christian Book Stores would carry any book deemed appropriate by Spring Arbor, their official distributor. But now I learn that most are irritated that Spring Arbor is approving non-affiliated Christian titles and all of the larger Christian Book Sellers use their own system of approval. Ironically, they even turn down some CBA and ECPA affiliated work. I suppose the child is out-growing the parent.

I was excited, and still am, that readers from this market enjoy my work but a little discouraged and disappointed that I won't be able to take advantage of the way they operate, typically ordering large number of books to increase the chances of making a best-sellers list and hopfully increasing dwindling sales. Keep in mind though, they only do this for CBA and ECPA affiliated titles.

Do know that should my work ever take off to the point that sales to bookstores ever place it on a lists with other best-sellers, it won't be because larger Christian Book Sellers had anything to do with it, even though I have many of their readers excited about what they're reading. And for the record, larger Christian Book Sellers had nothing to do with The Shack being the phenomena it is. That was all Mr. Young and lots of general market readers hungry for fiction they could enjoy. Christian Book Sellers only approved it after they couldn't ignore the attention/money it was getting.

If you ever do see my titles on a larger Christian Book Sellers shelf, please let me know. I'd prefer not to have it there based on my current knowledge of the way they currently operate.

Smaller Christian and some Independent Christian Book Stores simply carry what the official distributor of Christian product, Spring Arbor, approves and provides, meaning they'll actually put it on their shelf without question if you ask. Lifeway and all the other larger Christian Book Sellers will only order it it's avaialbe through Spring Arbor and not affiliated.

Cyn No More

So Cyn No More looks to be the official title for the third installment of my Thirsting For Blood series. Any comments *be nice* on how that sounds? Of course, you have to be nice or else I'll lovingly delete your comment. Oh the power of being in charge of ones own blog. :)

Officially In Stock at Ingram and Spring Arbor

Never Ceese the paperback, ISBN: 9780976994701, with it's fantabulous updated cover, is officially "In Stock" at Ingram and Ingram/Spring Arbor and is showing up as such. So order away. Oh and if anyone would like to help out with distribution feel free to contact me as I am S D Enterprises. :)

A vampire . . . a werewolf . . . Can two who were wronged make it right?
Never Ceese
www.neverceese.com

A vampire . . . a werewolf . . . again!
Forever Richard
www.foreverrichard.com