Hi. Just finished first novel...

dgaughran · Oct 1, 2009

Hi,

I have just finished my first book A STORM HITS VALPARAISO. It's a novel set in Argentina during the War of Independence against Spain in the early 1800s. I am going to start sending it off to agents and publishers in a couple of weeks, once I weed out the last few typos. If you want to read more about it, or download the first chapter for free, please go to my website:

www.davidgaughran.com

I'd love to know what you think.

Thanks

Dave

Mumut · Oct 1, 2009

Well done. That's a great achievement. Have you had a look at SYW (Share Your Work)? That's where you can post some of your work for comment.

melaniehoo · Oct 1, 2009

Welcome to AW & good luck! Mumut has some good advice there...

nitaworm · Oct 1, 2009

Awesome!

dgaughran · Oct 1, 2009

Thanks guys!

I did share a short story in another thread, but got some strange aggressive reactions from posters. Not sure if I will post any more stuff there. See:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157212

kangolNcurlz · Oct 1, 2009

Hi, and welcome.

BlackBriar · Oct 1, 2009

Well, you did post a story for crits in an area not meant for it, instead of searching around for the right area. Also the link in the short story was tacky. I can see it's use at other sites (getting people interested in your other writing), but not at an actual writer's forum. Basically what I am saying is that if you post your work here, then you are pretty much asking for it to be critiqued, and a short story whose sole purpose is to draw people to your site will get flamed for being advertisement (which it was) disguised as something for critiques.

About your Storm novel, some thoughts-

8 paragraphs too many. Show us Catelina, don't tell us about her and her father. Cut those 8 paragraphs and start with the dialogue.

This is your first draft? If so, then you definitely need a second. That is not an opinion on the quality of your work, but a rule of thumb.

Nice website btw. And welcome to AW

dgaughran · Oct 1, 2009

CupofDice:

Thanks for the advice on the first chapter of the book, I will keep it in mind for the next edit.

With regard to the short story - sorry I thought I was posting in the right area - my mistake.

I don't mind criticism, I am not too sensitive. However, the point of the story is not an ad for the site, the idea of the link as an ending came to me at exactly that point: when I was struggling with the ending. I thought it was a cool idea that the author had put the birds in the trees. I really didn't think it would be controversial.

At least it was an interesting beginning to the site, I suppose...

Nickie · Oct 1, 2009

Hi there, Dave, and welcome to AW.

Nickie

Bufty · Oct 1, 2009

Dgaughran.

Are you aware that both your threads so far appear to be for the purpose of directing folk to your website? That may not be your intention but that's the impression you're giving, friend.

Madisonwrites · Oct 1, 2009

cooeedownunder · Oct 1, 2009

Welcome

Darzian · Oct 1, 2009

Bufty said:
Dgaughran.

Are you aware that both your threads so far appear to be for the purpose of directing folk to your website? That may not be your intention but that's the impression you're giving, friend.

I'm starting to think the same.

kellion92 · Oct 1, 2009

Uh, I'm a newbie too, but I don't see what's wrong with linking to your website. Doesn't everybody link their blogs etc.?

Cella · Oct 1, 2009

welcome to the board

Cella

dgaughran · Oct 1, 2009

Hold on a second.

This is getting ridiculous. Are you guys serious? I post a thread introducing myself saying that I have just completed my first book and include a link where you can read the first chapter and you are insinuating that this is inappropriate? Many posters on this site have a link to their site in the signature which appears at the end of all of their posts, I don't. It has appeared in two of my posts, and in both of them it was relevant.

What is your problem?

For the love of God there isn't even anything for sale on my site, there are no ads on it, I don't make money from it in any way. You guys really need to get out more.

dgaughran · Oct 2, 2009

Perhaps somebody can help. The thread containing my short story that caused so much trouble has been moved. Originally it was here: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157212

Apparently I posted it in the wrong place, so it got moved to SYW. Then I got a reply from dpaterso saying the thread had moved to Sci-Fi/Fantasy and was now at this location:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157212&goto=newpost

I can't seem to access it now and it doesn't appear in my previous posts. I need some kind of password to get in to that part of the site, but my usual password doesn't work. I am probably doing something stupid. Any suggestions?

Wayne K · Oct 2, 2009

to AW.

Mel · Oct 2, 2009

Password for SYW is vista and it appears under Share Your Work in the description.

Welcome to the Cooler.

ETA: It's a good idea to read some of the stickies to learn how this board works.

Cella · Oct 2, 2009

dgaughran said:
This is getting ridiculous. Are you guys serious?

What is your problem?

You guys really need to get out more.

You've recieved some nice welcomes here, Dave but keep up with the insults and they're likely to stop.

Stick around so we can get to know you better

-Cella

ETA: the passowords are there to protect your work from --I think they're called google spiders, or something like that. If someone googled a phrase from your work (like an agent/editor) it wouldn't pop up.

Bufty · Oct 2, 2009

You are correct in that neither of your links were in your signature - they were in the body of the posts - and therein lies the difference.

Popping in to a site to drop a link expecting folk to then leave and go to one's own site is not a very courteous or considerate thing to do. What's in - or not in - that site is irrelevant.

It's like wandering into some party and tossing around invites to one's own current party, as opposed to dropping a visiting card into a dish. There's a subtle difference.

Anyway -welcome. :Hug2:

dgaughran said:
Hold on a second.

This is getting ridiculous. Are you guys serious? I post a thread introducing myself saying that I have just completed my first book and include a link where you can read the first chapter and you are insinuating that this is inappropriate? Many posters on this site have a link to their site in the signature which appears at the end of all of their posts, I don't. It has appeared in two of my posts, and in both of them it was relevant.

What is your problem?

For the love of God there isn't even anything for sale on my site, there are no ads on it, I don't make money from it in any way. You guys really need to get out more.

Adam · Oct 2, 2009

Welcome to AW!

Hi. Just finished first novel...

dgaughran

Mumut

Well begun is half done...

melaniehoo

And thus we begin the edits

nitaworm

AW Addict

dgaughran

kangolNcurlz

BlackBriar

Bricoleur

dgaughran

Nickie

Not too old to learn

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Madisonwrites

The Unicorn Writer

cooeedownunder

Grateful for the day

Darzian

To-to-to-ron-to

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king

Cella

Cella

dgaughran

dgaughran

Wayne K

Mel

Never be completely back to normal.

Cella

Cella

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Adam

Not dead.