Getting feedback from readers and listeners is important for authors. In the old world of book publishing it was usually and editor, paid by the publishing house, who would provide that invaluable help. But the world of publishing is changing. No longer can authors rely upon the resources of a publisher. Self-publishing via free podcasts is the way many authors are going, and they often suffer from this lack of a practiced eye and ear.
So Wyken Seagrave, British author of ‘Time Crystal’ (which he claims is the “Greatest adventure in the history of the Universe”) and its sister publication ‘the Art & Science of Time Crystal’ is offering listeners free gifts in return for writing him a comment upon these free podcasts. The gifts currently on offer are either a set of Trail Tracker Map Stickers or a copy of Global Vision.
Trail Trackers are Wyken’s own invention sold exclusively by his company Penny Press Ltd. ‘They allow walkers or cyclists to plan and track a journey on a map,’ he explains. ‘I created them when I found I kept loosing my position on the map.’
Global Vision is a short history of the Universe written for children.
When asked how he can afford to give these items away Wyken sighs and says ‘I’ve lost over one million US dollars of income in creating Time Crystal over the past eight years. There’s no way I’m ever going to make that money back. Now all I want is for this to be the best story ever told. To achieve that I need feedback.’
Listeners can download the story from iTunes or from Podiobooks (http://podiobooks.com/
About Time Crystal
Time Crystal is a unique adventure that takes listeners back through the whole history of the Universe, the first book ever to attempt this. Along the way they will gather enough knowledge about our history and basic science to have a reasonable grasp of where we came from. Time Crystal is an adventure story with a serious purpose.
But it is unique in other ways. Over the next few weeks Wyken will unveil an interactive forum where listeners can actually influence the way the story unfolds. As far as he knows this has never been tried before. ‘You’ve got to innovate in order to survive this the publishing world,’ he explains. When anybody with a PC can produce and publish an audio novel, listeners are looking not just for quality of writing but for exciting new ideas. Time Crystal has both.’
