A new kind of fiction: Marcher Lord Press signs author for Twitter novel

COLORADO SPRINGS—Marcher Lord Press, award-winning publisher of Christian speculative fiction, is embarking on a new kind of publishing venture.

Publisher and founder Jeff Gerke announced that he has signed writer Adam Palmer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, to compose his science fiction novel Space Available on Twitter, beginning January 1, 2011, and continuing throughout the year.

“Adam will be writing a novel entirely through Twitter tweets,” Gerke said. “Readers will be able to follow the novel on Twitter or in compiled form on the MLP website. And upon completion, MLP will release the novel in book form.”

Palmer’s Twitter feed is https://twitter.com/AdamAuthor#, and he has already set up rules for this unique work-in-progress. For one thing, he will write using only Twitter.

“Writing it beforehand in Microsoft Word or any other program and then copying and pasting it into Twitter is cheating and counter to the whole experiment,” Palmer said. “I’m not using Twitter to transmit my novel; I’m using it to create it.”

Palmer also said he will keep the book in the first person, and that “I’m going to attempt to incorporate the methodology of Twitter into the story.” He will continue to post blog entries about the project at adampalmerauthor.blogspot.com, but his Twitter feed will be reserved exclusively for the book.

Gerke had had the idea for Space Available for awhile. “Every time I saw a ‘Space Available’ or ‘Space for Sale’ sign as I drove through town, I’d think how cool it would be to have a series of comedy science fiction novels about someone who comes up with a scam to sell parcels of outer space.”

He’d thought about writing it himself, and had even pitched the novel to Palmer at one point. But it wasn’t until Palmer came up with the idea of doing it on Twitter that the project took off.

Christian novelist and humorist Brad Whittington admits to a fascination with Palmer’s concept. But he’s not sure it will work. “In my humble (but completely accurate and independently verified) opinion, Adam is stark-raving mad,” Whittington said.

According to Gerke, plans are in the works for a series, potentially including Space for Sale, Space for Rent, Dental Space Available, and more.



Visit www.marcherlordpress.com/SpaceAvailable.html for more information, and find out about Palmer’s project at adampalmerauthor.blogspot.com.





Marcher Lord Press, founded in Colorado Springs by Gerke in 2008, is the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. Its novels have garnered numerous awards in 2010—Jill Williamson’s By Darkness Hid won the prestigious Christy Award (Speculative Fiction) and Kirk Outerbridge’s Eternity Falls received the Carol Award from the American Christian Fiction Writers.



Visit www.marcherlordpress.com

What Should Jeff Publish Next?

Now this sounds like fun. Have you ever wondered what an editor has to go through to find and decide on which book to put in the next release line-up?

There are a lot of good manuscripts to choose from, but you also have to consider what sells. So I might love a story about a pink fairy and her struggle to overcome the stigma of being pink, but how many people are going to buy it? Maybe me (but I've already read it) and the author's best friends and relatives.

My friend Jeff Gerke runs Marcher Lord Press, and here is his fun idea where readers can participate in the selection of the manuscripts to be published.

Official news release:

Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction, announces the debut of a revolution in fiction acquisitions.

"Marcher Lord Select is American Idol meets book acquisitions," says publisher Jeff Gerke. "We're presenting upwards of 40 completed manuscripts and letting 'the people' decide which one should be published."

The contest will proceed in phases, Gerke explains, in each subsequent round of which the voters will receive larger glimpses of the competing manuscripts.

The first phase will consist of no more than the book's title, genre, length, a 20-word premise, and a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb. Voters will cut the entries from 40 to 20 based on these items alone.

"We want to show authors that getting published involves more than simply writing a great novel," Gerke says. "There are marketing skills to be developed--and you've got to hook the reader with a good premise."

Following rounds will provide voters with a 1-page synopsis, the first 500 words of the book, the first 30 pages of the book, and, in the final round, the first 60 pages of the book.
The manuscript receiving the most votes in the final round will be published by Marcher Lord Press in its Spring 2010 release list.

No portion of any contestant's mss. will be posted online, as MLP works to preserve the non-publication status of all contestants and entries.

Participating entrants have been contacted personally by Marcher Lord Press and are included in Marcher Lord Select by invitation only.

"We're also running a secondary contest," Gerke says. "The 'premise contest' is for those authors who have completed a Christian speculative fiction manuscript that fits within MLP guidelines and who have submitted their proposals to me through the Marcher Lord Press acquisitions portal before October 29, 2009."

The premise contest will allow voters to select the books that sound the best based on a 20-word premise, a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb, and (possibly) the first 500 words of the book.
The premise contest entrants receiving the top three vote totals will receive priority acquisitions reading by MLP publisher Jeff Gerke.

"It's a way for virtually everyone to play, even those folks who didn't receive an invitation to compete in the primary Marcher Lord Select contest."

Marcher Lord Select officially begins on November 1, 2009, and runs until completion in January or February 2010. All voting and discussions and Marcher Lord Select activities will take place at The Anomaly forums in the Marcher Lord Select subforum. Free registration is required.

"In order for this to work as we're envisioning," Gerke says, "we need lots and lots of voters. So even if you're not a fan of Christian science fiction or fantasy, I'm sure you love letting your voice be heard about what constitutes good Christian fiction. So come on out and join the fun!"

Marcher Lord Press is a Colorado Springs-based independent publisher producing Christian speculative fiction exclusively. MLP was launched in fall of 2008 and is privately owned. Contact: Jeff Gerke; www.marcherlordpress.com.

A Hero, or two, arrive on the Fantasy Fiction Scene

I get pretty aggravated because I have some really talented writer friends who have finished some awesome manuscripts, but they can't sell them. The CBA market is too tight, too uptight, and to poor to take chances. But that means nobody gets to read these fantastic tales but a few reader friends of the aspiring author. Somone else got ticked off about this sad situation and he was in the position to do something about it. So a new publisher, unconventional and sorely needed, is about to spring on the scene. I've seen the prototype book and it is every bit as good as those the standard publishing houses put out. So if you are interested in "speculative fiction," read on:
Marcher Lord Press is an indie publishing company dedicated to Christian speculative fiction: fantasy, SF, time travel, and the rest. Marcher Lord Press is the brainchild of CBA industry veteran Jeff Gerke, founder of http://www.wherethemapends.com/. Gerke is working to make Marcher Lord Press the premier publishing of Christian speculative fiction from Day 1. And Day 1 is this week! Marcher Lord Press is launching with three novels:

Summa Elvetica by Theodore Beale is a philosophical fantasy about what would happen if something very much like the Roman Catholic Church existed in a fantasy world and decided to tackle the question of whether or not Elves have souls.
The Personifid Invasion by R. E. Bartlett is action SF on a ruined Earth in which "interdimensional beings" discover they can take over the artificial bodies into which humans have transferred their consciousnesses.
Hero, Second Class by Mitchell Bonds is an epic comic fantasy about a young man who yearns to be a hero in a world in which Heroes have monthly dues and Villains are allowed only one eclipse per fiscal quarter.

Marcher Lord Press officially opens for business on October 1. They're holding a massive prize giveaway on that day--so be sure to get over to http://www.marcherlordpress.com/ before then to register to win. The grand prize is a trip for two to the 2009 Comic-CON convention in San Diego. Launch Day events also include free bonus books to be given away when you purchase one or more Marcher Lord Press novels on October 1.

Here's a little blurb about one of the first three books: Hero, Second Class is a delightful roast of all the fantasy fiction elements we hold dear. It is said that only someone who loves something can truly lampoon it. So it is in this case. Bonds' novel is a riot.
Quest with Cyrus, our young protagonist who aspires to be a Hero. But Heroes have a guild, you see, and lots of rules. One has to pay one's dues, apprentice to a Hero in good standing, and comport oneself as befits a member of the Heroes Guild.
Cyrus is fortunate to be serving his apprenticeship during a True Crisis, during which an Arch Villain is on the loose. An ambitious hero-in-training could make quite a name for himself during such times.
Cyrus's progress toward achieving his next level in the Heroes Guild is complicated by a wise-cracking dragon, a self-narrating knight, a droll zombie, and an attractive young woman who also happens to kind of be a cat.
On top of it all, Cyrus is discovering he has strange, non-standard-issue magical powers that definitely don't fit into his plans. And the Arch Villain (along with sundry Villains Guild members) has suddenly taken an intense personal interest in our plucky young protagonist.
If Cyrus isn't careful, he's not going to live long enough to become a Hero of any class.
Hero, Second Class, Mitchell Bonds, Marcher Lord Press, October 2008, 620 pages, $14.99