Category Archives: My writing

Starting my ebook publishing journey

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I’ve been on the ebook publishing learning curve lately. There’s quite a lot to know, but I find it a very exciting process! My first real ebook (actually a short story called Cyber) is formatted and has been sent to the distributor. It will be available from the major online retailers soon, after I test out the various formats for quality control.

I’ve had some of my writing available in PDF format before, but now I’m moving into true ebook publishing for devices like the iPhone, iPad, Kindle, Nook, Droid, and others. The main difference between a PDF and a true ebook, is that with a PDF the text style is locked down, while an ebook is dynamic. The text flows and reformats according to the screen size of the device it’s read on, and to the preferences of the reader.

I’m using Smashwords for distribution, as they will get my books to all of the major players like Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, Borders Australia, Angus & Robertson Australia, Whitcoulls (New Zealand), the Diesel eBook Store, and they are adding more all the time. Next, I’ll look into epublishing with Amazon (I already have a DVD for sale there).

It’s an amazing time to be a writer!

Coming soon: Short Stories – volume 1

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I realized that I have a backlog of stories that need to get out there, so I’m working on a collection of some of my short fiction. I’m planning to have it for sale here on my site as an eBook, and also through the regular outlets such as Amazon/Kindle, Apple, Smashwords and the like. Also, I’m planning a print version through Amazon. This will be my first short story collection. That’s pretty exciting; at least I think so! I hope you will, too.

Published by Web of Life Solutions.

Happy 50th Twilight Zone!

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The 1959 series title.

“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into…The Twilight Zone.” – Rod Serling, as he introduced the original Twilight Zone series.

The Twilight Zone turned 50 years old on October 2nd, 2009! Thank you Rod Serling, for the Twilight Zone! The original series was started by Serling in 1959, and its first episode Where is Everybody aired on October 2nd, 1959. Serling was the creator, producer and writer for most of the episodes. Excellent guest writers of fantasy, horror and science-fiction of the day, such as Ray Bradbury, also penned episodes. Serling was also the host of each show who delivered the opening lines and often appeared on camera smoking a cigarette.

Rod Serling, the creator of The Twilight Zone.

The Twilight Zone was a near-obsession of mine for many years as I was growing up.  Ok, I was obsessed! I watched every rerun episode I could on late night TV, and watched each revival of the series as they debuted before my eager eyes and ears. The series, particularly the original first run, had style, class, dealt with deep issues and also scared the crap out of you! I still get goosebumps thinking about the shows, and the black and white photography in the original series made the wild stories even more surreal.

I also watched The Night Gallery, Serling’s colour series after the ‘Zone that carried many of the same themes of The Twilight Zone forward in a more paranormal, paranoid, modern fashion. Then, there was the revival of The Twilight Zone in 1985 with theme music by The Grateful Dead! That was fun was well, but no show has ever captured the gravitas of the original Twilight Zone in my opinion.

One of my favourite episodes is The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street. “You’re a bad man! You’re a very bad man!” Careful, or the kid will wish you into the cornfield!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJyaBxYjWcQ]

Then, there is To Serve Man. A warning that not all advanced aliens from space will be out for our best interests, though they may consider us very interesting indeed! I remember the shock I felt at the twist ending of that episode when I first watched it as a little kid! I won’t ruin it for those who have not seen it!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMZJ-mM2n9A&feature=related]

And, who could forget William Shatner as the freaked out passenger in Nightmare At 20,000 Feet?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhk4HcxhZQM]

From the great opening montage of sights and sounds, to Serling’s ominous welcome and warning as we enter The Twilight Zone, that series captured a magic of the times, and of the huge amount of creativity that was bought to the massive endeavor of creating 156 episodes in its original run from 1959 to 1964. The second series ran from 1985 to 1989 and produced 65 episodes, and a third run went from 2002 to 2003, with 44 episodes.

There were so many great episodes and I could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it up. If you’ve never seen The Twilight Zone, you are in for a treat! And, if you remember the shows, then now is a time of fond remembrance and to give thanks to Rod Serling for his tremendous accomplishment, may he rest in peace, and to all of the talented people who made such great TV art that is timeless. They took us on “a journey into a wondrous land of imagination.”

Traffic City – excerpt from "A Conspicuous Medium" chapbook

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Here is a poem of mine that is an excerpt from my collection of poetry published in 1996 by The Necropolis Press, called ” A Conspicuous Medium.”  I will be releasing a new edition soon in e-book format, and maybe in paper format too – we’ll see.

Traffic City by David Sloma

Traffic City,
all in a jam.
No need to hurry;
history will claim us all.

In Traffic City
noise rules supreme.
Traffic City
chokes a fragile dream.

In Traffic City,
grow good young ones,
in body surely:
mind has yet to become.

Traffic City strut,
the flow of bodies and cars never stops.
Metalflesh creeps along vein-blood roads,
they never stop moving into the Grid.

Copyright © 2010 by David Sloma, all rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

I wrote a new feature film outline yesterday

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It’s nice when, as a writer (or during any kind of creative endeavor),  you’re “hot,” “on a roll,” “in the pocket,”  in “flow” state – there are many ways to describe that time when ideas are pouring out of you, almost effortlessly (sometimes this effortlessness is the result of a lot of hard thinking, sometimes not), and all you can do is struggle to keep up as you jot the ideas down on paper. I had that happen yesterday morning.

I had been thinking about a low budget script I could write to make a feature movie from for a little while now, maybe a few weeks. The possibilities had been turning over in my mind as I chewed over plot lines, characters, settings, themes and logistics. I wanted a story that I could film with a very small crew, that would not have much in the way of expenses like special effects, travel, or make up and wardrobe. I didn’t want to have to try and convince anyone to give me money to make the film. I knew that if I could get a story that was interesting enough to film on a very low budget, then I could be inspired and able to get the movie made.

It all came together yesterday as I got a great story idea – my prayers were answered! My imagination had been sparked by a couple of ideas, inspiration struck as the Muse visited me and suddenly I was writing a three page outline for a new film! I also got a few visual/music “filmmaking” ideas of how the film will look and sound.

It’s about a woman who is in a dark place in her life and doesn’t see much point in going on living. She is aided in some strange, metaphysical ways to turn her attitude and life, around.

I’m not going to give away too many details of the story just yet; you’ll have to check back later for that.

I’m going to keep refining the story with some index cards this afternoon, and I’m meeting with an actress I’ve worked with a few times before. Hopefully she’ll be interested in the film and have time to do it. I’d like to shoot it later this year, after my Goth documentary is finished.