Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

Mark A. Santomieri's Blog (33)

A Quick Note On Popularity and Publication

My Dearest Sister had the advantageous opportunity to meet the ubiquitous Mr. Tim Dorsey while he was chained to a table in a Florida library, near Melbourn, forcibly stumping his latest book. I love Dorsey's work, so my sister had him autograph a copy for me.

She also asked him if he would be willing to look at some of my work and she got "the hand", or as as she said "a duhh moment". Poor guy, he must not need to self-promote anymore. He was there to be there, agent jangling keys…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on February 4, 2011 at 10:51am — No Comments

Checking Back In!

Hey, alll!

I've been away for a bit, again. Cutting wood and so such daily can to keep the proverbial home fires burning can be a snag in the creative process, some days.

I posted a comment about utilizing public libraries as a source of exposure. Thus far, I find myself astonished at how word of mouth can really help promote one's work. To reiterate, I now have copies of my latest, Free Clinic, in five libraries across the country.

Try it. It works. Get to know your…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on February 1, 2011 at 3:49am — No Comments

Libraries Gone Wild!

Hey all!

I've been way too busy and way too cold up here in the VA hills. Free Clinic is now in the tender hands of my agent, soon to be at a bookshelf near you. Bantham and Simon Schuster are looking closely at it as well as its sequel, Immunity Effect. But here's the real deal to all of you: libraries rule the earth as far publicity and notoriety are concerned. I have had my friends nudge their local libraries across the country to purcdhase copies of my book and it is now…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on January 11, 2011 at 4:45pm — No Comments

Upcoming Book Launch

With the advent of Free Clinic's original publication, there is great news that the revised, author's cut if you will, version is headed toward a larger house. I am very busy with a number of details, the consequences of which have precluded me from enjoying all you alls company for some time. My apologies. If you would like to take a peek at Free Clinic, it is available in ebook format at Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com and Google Books. If you would like a signed editon, in hard copy,… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on December 9, 2010 at 5:24pm — No Comments

Fear not control of the language. Verbal exclamation points in print. . .

You know, when Kurt Vonnegut wrote his little-known essay about F***, I thought to myself: well, f***. It struck me. Not because of the words, but that a writer of his stature would consider the mind loosening use of such an expletive in context, punctuation and content. I would humbly suggest that those who profess to write, pay attention.

Kilgore Trout would have approved. Wide open beavers are best.

To the point: haste.

We writing machines need to pay close attention, hastily.… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on October 30, 2010 at 9:07am — No Comments

Hope For Indie Writers

Hey all!

I am sorry I've been away for a bit, but there is great news on the horizon. The rumors of my death have been highly exaggerated.

With the advent of the publication of Free Clinic, I found myself ecstatic by the simple virtue of knowing that I have a copywrite on my intellectual property and a place in the hallowed halls of the Library of Congress. And of course, the ubiquitous ISBN.

No buzz kill, here. However, one must think things out.

Well, here's how it can… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on October 19, 2010 at 12:26pm — No Comments

Free Clinic has gone live!

Hey all! Finally, my novel Free Clinic is live and available for purchase. It is available in both soft cover and ebook formats. Check out the bookstore at Authorhouse.com for more. Soon, it should be available at Amazon as well.

I can't thank all of you here on this site enough for the support and encouragement you have provided me over the months preceeding this event.

If anyone would like a signed copy, just let me know at my email madmarco62@ntelos.net and I will comply. It will… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on September 29, 2010 at 4:00pm — 2 Comments

New and Better Things on The Horizon

Hey, Friends!

I just got words from my editor and my design team at the publishing house. My editor, and my all around best IT guy, has set me up with a baby website. Go to http://masantomieri.com/ and see what's new. Currently, it is still in its pre-launch state, but look for new and better things in the near future. I will have images from the Free Clinic Trilogy "universe" and teasers for the the next two…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on September 6, 2010 at 3:12pm — No Comments

Post Free Clinic: Immunity Effect

Hey all.

With advent of Free Clinic's publication, to print in the next two weeks, I humbly submit for your perusal the first bits of the second book in the Free Clinic Trilogy: Immunity Effect. This draft so far has been well recieved by my editor and publisher, but still has a way to go. The third book, Kiss The Sky, is in purely outline now, though I have written some parts of it. I hope that those of you who have read the Free Clinic teasers that I have posted have saved them to…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on August 29, 2010 at 6:00pm — 1 Comment

Pre-print Nonplussed

As the first of the three books of my Free Clinic trilogy goes to print, I find myself going crazy. Not "postal" crazy, but the the general feeling is such that one wants to pull one's hair out and scream at the sky.

Also, it seems like the convoluted cascade of events in the "real" world conspire to confuse and confound me. (How's that for "illiteration"! Oh my, I forgot to spell correctly!) I moved residence over the last week and that is… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on July 15, 2010 at 3:17pm — No Comments

Going Editorial!

Podunk, VA

Madmarco, reporting.

As the dust cleared, it was obvious to me as an imbedded journalist on the scene that something had gone horribly wrong. Two local policemen had tasered an obviously distraught female who was simply trying to get to the sight of her friend's car accident.

This reporter noted that the police on scene were extrememly agitated and had in fact unholstered their service weapons. From my vantage point, I noticed that all pertinent evidence had been… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on June 12, 2010 at 3:23am — 3 Comments

More Crossed Wires

Hey All!

The plot thickens. Here is the latest in Crossed Wires.

My Best,

Mark

Carl and Sandy Meet Their Mystery Man

Sandy drove them from Roanoke at a high rate of speed, hitting the I-81. Carl was wishing that he could have been behind the wheel, because he wanted to go faster. His brain itched, his back itched and just about everything else itched too. He was having a very itchy kind of day.

About an hour and a half out, Sandy…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on April 26, 2010 at 1:00pm — No Comments

San Francisco Pulic Works

Hey all!

Here is the latest off of my desk. I got this story in a dream, of all the places. I've worked it out in outline and have started to generate the copy. I'm uncertain as to whether or not this will be a novella or a full blown novel.

But here is the first bit for your perusal. Suggestions, as always, much welcomed.

I was raised in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, and have many short works set there.

Please enjoy.

My… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on April 20, 2010 at 6:09pm — No Comments

The Way It Works

Hey all!

I have something a little different this time.

Free Clinic will be in print by Christmas, and Crossed Wires is in the final stages of the writing process, i.e., still working on it.

But here's the rub: getting it out there.

With the advent of the e-book and other self publishing venues, the major houses are getting a little skittish.

Submit your work professionally. Get an agent of not ill repute and contract them. Be careful.

Intellectual property is still…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on April 8, 2010 at 8:46am — No Comments

And the Beat Goes On in Crossed Wires

Here's some more, folks. Enjoy.

My Best,

Mark

Joe Decides to Go Pro, Just before Calling Carl and Sandy

When Dave left Joe at the Motel Six in Strasburg, Joe started feeling sad. He had all of his gear, most of his money and his booze and wasn’t feeling all that tweaked. But with Dave driving off in his big space-ship rig, headed east to find Joe’s hurt brother, Joe found himself alone again. When he walked into the little, generic hotel room that… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on March 27, 2010 at 8:17pm — No Comments

And yet more Crossed Wires

Say Hello to Sister Stephanie

Sister Stephanie McAllister was an unusual nun for a couple of reasons. Primarily, she was odd because she actually had a direct line with the entity she believed to be God and had had that line since she could remember. Secondly and perhaps most unusually, was that Sister Stephanie was very specifically tasked by Him on many occasions. Even though she didn’t much care for His methods here on planet Earth, she followed His will well enough and understood… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on March 27, 2010 at 7:53pm — 2 Comments

As The Storyline Progresses

More Crossed Wires. . .it seems to have taken on a life of it's own. . .

Joe Scares Dave Again

Joe and Dave got to the nearly empty parking lot next to the ABC store a little too early. Joe, not one to wear a watch of late, muttered something unintelligible and poked his head out of the sleeper.

“Just what the hell time is it, anyway?” It looked to Dave like his makeshift medicine, Jack Daniels, was suddenly not working. His mood and his continence both seemed… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on March 15, 2010 at 11:54pm — No Comments

More Crossed Wires, for your enjoyment

The following takes place right after the last posting of Crossed Wires.

Chuck came closer to the door and his partner, who had now dropped back down to all fours and had quieted to a low growl, and said: “What the f*** was that all about, ol’ buddy? You thought maybe that fuckered up cowboy guy was back again?”

It seemed like Nixon cringed when Chuck said that string of words. Chuck definitely did.

“The bastard said…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on March 15, 2010 at 2:48pm — No Comments

A small note on style and formatting. . .

Hey all!

As professional writers, we must adhere to certain very stringent rules and regulations in the executing of our story telling. We all know that our proofers and editors are the ones that catch the ubiquitous abherrent errors, but it behooves us to become our own proofers and editors before we submit our work for publication.

Blogging is a great way to get your work out there, to garner interest, but keeping in tune with the standards for submission is a very neccesary…

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on March 12, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Crossed Wires

CROSSED WIRES

By

M.A. Santomieri

PART ONE

All The Live Ones

Meet Joe

He really wasn't a wise guy. He just thought he was. This was Joe's problem. At the tender age of 41, or was it 42? He thought his world was a mess; and yes it probably was, but he felt sane. He knew that there was more to life than this. He just knew it. He had to believe it. Something, or perhaps…