I found this one via Adam Christopher’s twitter post. Stacia Decker is an author agent who represents many genre authors, including Adam. Adam came across this old post on Dan O’Shea’s blog where he has a chat with Stacia about all aspects of being an agent and what works for her in query letters,...
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Books By Alan
Click on book covers for reviews, previews and purchase options.
RealmShift
A race against time and the Devil
"RealmShift is phenomenal. If it’s not already on your bookshelf it should be."
MageSign
Believe in the blood 
"a gritty tale of blood rituals, mystery, and mysticism… grabs hold of the reader and doesn’t let go"
The Darkest Shade Of Grey
You can tell the story.
"...stunning supernatural noir..."
Ghost Of The Black
"Everything about it is bang on"
Write The Fight Right
“The best way for a writer to learn what’s really involved in brawling, short of going down the pub and starting something.”
Publishing
Agent Stacia Decker gives the scoop
Copyright Agency Limited releases results from digital publishing trends survey
The full article is here but I thought I’d pick out the key points and comment on them as it makes for interesting reading. And you know how I like to comment on stuff. CAL conducted a survey of members to learn more about their views of, and experiences with digital publishing in Australia....
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Game changer – J K Rowling, Pottermore and ebooks without a publisher
The internet has been abuzz lately since mega-billionaire-super-author, J K Rowling (of Harry Potter fame, in case you’ve been a monk in a cave for more than ten years) announced Pottermore. In a nutshell, it goes like this: After seven books and eight films and more merchandising than you can fit in George Lucas’s...
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Books that make me happy
I got a great book in the post today. I love getting books in the post. I especially love getting books in the post that include stories I’ve written. I love most getting books in the post that include stories I’ve written and exist to raise money for people who desperately need it. This...
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Of readers and gatekeepers – a call to arms
Are you reading this? Then I’m talking to you. You’re a reader and you have a new responsibility. I’m including myself in this. I’m a writer, but I’m a reader too. Any writer worth his or her salt should be a voracious reader, and we’ve got a new responsibility as well. We’re all the...
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100 Stories For Queensland – please buy it tomorrow
When something drops out of the news cycle it’s easy to forget about it. But just because the purveyors of sensationalised pictures have got bored with an event, it doesn’t mean people aren’t still suffering. The devastating floods in Queensland might seem like a long time ago to most of us, but they’re still...
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RealmShift review and interview at a writer goes on a journey
a writer goes on a journey is a great review site and official news site of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, or ASFFWA. (Which we like to pronounce AsssFWA!) They recently reviewed RealmShift and interviewed me as part of Aussie Author Month. There are some nice comments in the review, such...
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Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror Volume 1, including me!
I am totally psyched to announce that my story, The King’s Accord, originally in the Flesh & Bone: Rise Of The Necromancers anthology from Pill Hill Press, is going to be reprinted in Ticonderoga Publications inaugural Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror anthology. This is my first ever Year’s Best reprint and I couldn’t...
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Phantasy Moste Grotesk at Red Penny Papers
You may remember a while ago that I was posting about Red Penny Papers and the great fiction they publish. They’re going to publish my novelette, The Darkest Shade Of Grey, as a four part serial early next year. Right now they’ve just started publishing another novelette. My friend and excellent writer, Felicity Dowker,...
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Anywhere But Earth anthology ToC announced
I’m really pleased to have a story coming out in this anthology from couer de lion publishing, edited by Keith Stevenson. It’s a science fiction anthology featuring 27 original stories of humanity’s adventures out there, anywhere but Earth. It’s a great theme and the full Table of Contents has been released now, along with...
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You can’t be a fan of SF and lament the rise of ebooks
The title says it all. You just can’t. I won’t allow it. I hear it so often and I find it baffling. I know what it means to love books. I love books to a degree most would consider unhealthy. I’m a bibliophile of the highest order. The feel, the weight, the smell, the...
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Short stories and contests and podcasts, oh my
Please excuse the post title. That’s probably one of the most overused cliche phrases ever, but I couldn’t help it. I’ve had a really good weekend of news regarding my short fiction. First off, something I’ve been pleased about for a while but not allowed to announce. As you can see from the image,...
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The current state of my things – writing, edits, fights and articles
I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. But I’m getting there. My primary focus for the majority of this year has been working on my latest novel, getting it up to the best polish I can. I’ve been working on it during every spare minute and I’ve just sent the manuscript somewhere, so...
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Murky Depths #16, featuring me
I’m a big fan of Murky Depths magazine. It’s a classy publication and won the British Fantasy Awards – Best Magazine/Periodical 2010, so other people think it’s cool too. I was really pleased when they bought my story, Mirrorwalk, for publication. It comes out in Issue 16, which is due in April and is...
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Amanda Hocking is the exception, not the rule
The web has been abuzz lately (for example) with stories of Amanda Hocking’s incredible self-publishing success (and similar success by other indies). In a nutshell, Hocking has nine self-published works available on Kindle (and other ebook stores) and is selling hundreds of thousands every month and making more money than most writers ever dream...
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The Word
Welcome to the website of author Alan Baxter.
I write dark fantasy, sci fi and horror, ride a motorcycle and love my dog. I also teach Kung Fu, hence the Warrior Scribe tag above. A friend once referred to me that way and I liked it, so it stuck. Learn all about me and my work by clicking About Alan just below the header.
Our world is built on language and storytelling. Without stories, we are nothing.
The Word is a place to learn more about me, my stories and the words of others. Click the links along the top for all kinds of stuff, search the sidebars for loads of other stuff, click on book covers for reviews and previews, enjoy the blog and don't be shy to share your words, in comments or send me an email:
alan [at]alanbaxteronline[dot]com
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