Venice Beach Writers Club Making Money?

Here's a shot of Jack Steele teaching a creative writing class. Nah, it is John Frisius of Van Nuys High School. Anybody who knew him never forgot him. Okay, class. Now pay attention. Gasp, due to Smashwords distribution to just about any quality e-book retailer, we are seeing some interesting sales figures. Interesting in that we did not expect to see any, and now we are seeing some. Jack Steele, author of Firefight and of course Retribution, has done quite well. Then of course the venerable M.M. Wilshire has done all right with The Most Dangerous Time, Jackie's Week, A Small Matter, and All That Was Happy.

Here is a GRIPE. For some reason, people either love or hate All That Was Happy. That book has a spiritual component, and it really draws out some dark readership. The type of people who come unglued if the G word is mentioned. Oh yes, some people cannot stand the thought of God. Perhaps because they think they are Him. Or the downward titration on their psychotropic medications has caused some moderate disintegration right as they were reading one of our stories. There is also somebody who decries a sentence of a full page or more. Saying it was not done, not allowed. Why not? William Faulkner wrote rambling, stream of consciousness sentences. It was okay then, so why not now? Are we no longer smart enough to read a sentence longer than 5 words? Give me a break.

Should these really be called e-books? It used to be a snub, as though it was not a real book. A "real" book requiring paper and a high price. After all e stands for electronic, and everything is electronic. Even if reading a "paper" book, the images are electronically interpreted by the brain, reading the retinal digitalization, or pixelation or what have you.

Why not instead simply call them C-books, C being for convenient. You can download it to your phone or your computer at work, or your mini laptop or wherever you want. That is convenient. If you must have paper, you can print one out yourself at half the cost on your own computer.

The paper publishers used to say their quality was higher. Not. I just read a NYT Bestseller, with a typo and impossible grammer on nearly every page. So the quality issue is moot. Also, the book was 3 inches thick and only contained 1 book. My Kindle is half inch and holds thousands. Not to mention reading it in bed does not require the strength of a body builder in the weight pit at Venice Beach.

I say it again, the books put out by Venice Beach Writers Club are simply great books. It has nothing to do with format or price. These authors, Jack Steele, M.M. Wilshire, and Nia Ryan, are simply great storytellers and great writers. That is a rare combination.

The main thing about the works produced by the beach bums at The Venice Beach Writers Club, is that you get a solid read for your money. You get a ride you will not forget. And all that for generally less than you pay for a soda at a fast food restaurant.

The works of M.M. Wilshire are available at Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobos, Apple Store and soon Amazon, as well as, of course, Smashwords.

To pick up a copy of Jack Steele's novel Retribution you can follow links at this site or visit your favorite online store.

For Nia Ryan's unforgettable love story, Final Arrangements, the aquisition procedure is as above.

Now, you independent film producers out there, here are some properties for you. They are dialogue-rich, easily set in Los Angeles, and have incredible pacing and changes. The work is all but done for you. What about you USC students, or UCLA? You want to blow away everybody on your senior project. Contact us.

And is there not one agent out there willing to take a chance on what is certain to be the next big thing? Discover Jack Steele's bloody Retribution and his struggle with moral angst. Find out just how funny disaster can be after love finds its way in the door.

Retribution by Jack Steele http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30672
Firefight by Jack Steele http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18240
Jackie's Week by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21683
The Most Dangerous Time by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13089
A Small Matter by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21680
All That Was Happy by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21688
Final Arrangements by Nia Ryan http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13723

The Best Books In the World Today

Okay, it has been a long time since I posted anything. Today I was thinking there is just one thing to say. The books listed on this site by Jack, M.M., and Nia, are just the best anywhere. They just hit it straight out of the park. A movie producer should option them. A publishing house should publish them. It is that simple. There is just no reason on God's green earth that these stories are not being enjoyed by millions. And that is just about it, really. Perhaps one day, these stories will get out there. But for now, one must simply wait. For the lucky few who have discovered these works, I am happy for you. I truly am.

FREE E-BOOK PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!

Yes, it is free. Venice Beach Writers Club has done it again. Enter the world of M. M. Wilshire, where the innocent are pushed over the edge into the unique blackness of the inner darkness. Ever been there? The depression. The anxiety. A world where you become nothing, where whatever it is you were vanishes completely. You must fight your way back to the land of the living against all odds. You cannot do it alone.

THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME is one of M. M. Wilshire's most ambitious works to date. Rickie has been battered by her husband and is now being stalked. Her son is a frail, recovering alcoholic walking a trail of tears. Her best friend is a comfort but has not the strength to fully assist Rickie. Enter Dr. Black, a gutsy psychiatrist who not only counsels, but is an able defender. Enter Shank, a man with a dark past. Can he be counted on to lend a hand? In the end, Rickie, even aided by such as these, must fight the good fight herself.

You simply do not want to miss this free e-book, available for a limited time, courtesy of The Venice Beach Writers Club.

The Most Dangerous Time by M.M. Wilshirehttp://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13089

Exploring the Universe of Independent Writers!

When you explore the universe of independent writers, you had better be prepared for anything, and as you can see, I am prepared for even the nastiest script from the meanest pen. However, I am proud to say that among the independents, you will not have to wade through any slush when you try offerings from The Venice Beach Writers Club.

Just had a little fun exploring what the works of M.M. Wilshire, Nia Ryan, and Jack Steele really do for anybody. I think the important thing is that these are independent authors, free from any constraint of the Big Pubs. These authors are part of a growing movement of writers who say what they want, how they want to say it, and in formats that sometimes cross all boundaries. In other words, you, the reader, can still experience a "fresh read" rather than the same-old, same-old from Big Pub.

Don't get me wrong. I still like Big Pub. But be honest. Isn't reading Big Pub mysteries just about the same thing as eating a Big Mac over and over again? Of course, I do like to read something safe and comfortable, and Big Pub is great for that. I know I won't be challenged. NOT SO WITH INDEPENDENT AUTHORS.

However, we all know that the universe of indie authors is still a work in progress. In that universe are writers who are fabulous and wanna-be writers who are terrible. The question is, how do you sift the wheat from the chaff? Well, you visit blogs, such as this one!

What makes the Venice Beach Writers Club special in that universe is that our authors are not only writers but storytellers, a combination which many would be writers aspire to but never quite achieve. If you want to have a new experience from reading, visit Smashwords, Sony, Apple, Amazon, or wherever you like to shop and experience the power of the Indies from the Venice Beach Writers Club.

Did you know at Smashwords, you can download the first 50% of any story for free, in any format you desire? Thousands have enjoyed doing just that, and I welcome you as well.

Retribution by Jack Steele http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30672
Firefight by Jack Steele http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18240
Jackie's Week by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21683
The Most Dangerous Time by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13089
A Small Matter by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21680
All That Was Happy by M.M. Wilshire http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21688
Final Arrangements by Nia Ryan http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/13723

Happy reading!

2011 Will Be a Great Year for Ebooks and Audio Books

It is 1-1-11 today. A binary thing, I suppose, not having a whole lot to do with anything except that ebooks are expanding, and not only that, for the generations who do not read, who were born post computer-game, it will be a good year for audio books. The Club is considering going audio for all those who listen to ipods.

Will this be a good year or not? Do we have hope this year? Or are we like the naïve pioneers back in the day who thought they could make it over the pass, ignored the sage advice of experience, and foundered in the snowy mountains?

My advice? Take a walk, skate or bike along the strand today. Pause at the fishing pier and consider. Be what you are and live each day as though it was your last. You will be remembered for your kindness and friendship, not your great deeds.

New Years Eve 2010

When it comes right down to it, what can really be said about New Years Eve? Of course, there will be a party at the Venice Beach Penthouse to benefit the Haitians (remember them?). Other than that, it might be remembered by a few readers that author M.M. Wilshire chose New Years Eve to be the night of Jackie's assault in the parking lot of Gelson's Supermarket in Encino. What was it about New Year's eve that attracted Wilshire's literary eye? I guess it is because it is the evening which carries a lot of promise, a lot of hope. We all think, well it has been a tough year. Maybe next year will be better. I will do things differently. I will quit my bad habits and make a lot of money. I will work on my dream. I will get that acting job, my screenplay will get optioned, and things will start to pop. Author Wilshire reminds us that it is also possible that next year could be the hardest year of our life. Yet, within that difficulty, graces still exist and can help us to achieve fulfillment.

I wish everybody the best year ever, and for those who haven't been so lucky, perhaps you will find comfort and a sort of primal wisdom in the e-pages of M.M. Wilshire's extraordinary psychological thrillers and love stories. May I recommend starting out New Years Eve with a glimpse into Jackie's world, when things went so terribly wrong and at the same time provided a new beginning into an otherwise undreamed of life?

Jackie's Week by M.M. Wilshire
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21683

Okay, I am signing off for today. Check out the beach camera on earlier posts, and hoist one for us tonight.

Venice Beach California December 27 2010

Perfect weather today, is all I can say. Sun is out, a few people about at 8:30 a.m. A few joggers, a couple of people on bikes, a man walking his dog. Cool and crisp and everything the beach should be. Maybe a good morning for eggs Benedict and something fizzy and lightly alcoholic to drink. Or maybe a good day for a walk all the way to the Marina to burn off the holiday food and get ready for New Year's. Nobody at the club is writing this week. Reminiscing, mostly, of things in the past and hoping for what is yet to come. We love everybody we ever knew. It is like John Lennon says, "In my life, I loved you more." For all of those who live in WTB States and countries (Where's The Beach?), let me tell you, fly to L.A. get a cheap motel somewhere and taxi to Venice Beach for the day and evening. Then start reading something from one of our writers and pretty soon, you will understand what an incredibly unique place the City of Angels truly is.