Gary Richardson Author Blog

I have blogged in the past about how groups have contacted me regarding a variety of services they want to sell me in connection with my books once they’ve been published. To date, I have yet to agree to terms with any of these groups as their sales pitches always seem fishy to me and they refuse to provide references despite their sometimes steep asking price. I have even gone so far as to establish a permanent page on my website dedicated to these groups, their salespeople, their offers, and my interactions with them with the hopes that others may discover it before signing any agreement with a group that may not be able to deliver on the promises they sell.

Recently (June 2, 2022, to be exact), I was contacted by another author who had found my information and wanted to share their story regarding their involvement with one of these groups. What follows is a breakdown of the events as reported to me by this author involving a group who had also reached out to me with a similar pitch. The author has requested to remain anonymous, which I can understand and respect, and will only be referred to as J. Doe but this is that author’s story which I have been allowed to share.

Someone recently told me of a negative experience they had trying to run ads for a book over social media. They spent money for someone to create and run an...

For those who are familiar with epic fantasy series The Ascension Legacy, many of the characters that appear in the multi-book series are based on my many characters that I’ve...

When people hear others talk about their love for books/movies like Lord of the Rings or games like World of Warcraft or Dungeons & Dragons they often think of the stereotypical "nerd" with their pocket protectors, taped up glasses, sitting around in some dark basement living out fantasy lives that could never be part of their real lives. This has been the standard image for "nerds" for decades now and even somewhat popularized again recently with the depiction of the kids in Netflix's Stranger Things.

The truth is this, nerds are not only socially shy kids with puny physical statures. Nerds can come in any shape and size. And while celebrity nerds like Henry Cavill and Vin Diesel might not have always been the musclebound men that we see today on the big screen, not all nerds come from such humble beginnings.

I don't post much about myself on social media, even on my personal account. I'm just not the type of person that lives his life online like that. I may...

Few people know these stories. I only shared them verbally with a select few. This is the first time, and likely the last, that these details will ever be put into print as they are not fond memories nor do I enjoy dwelling on them. But as a writer, I think it is imperative to understand how my life influences my writing and as a reader, it might interest you as well.

To say that my writing has slowed down recently would be a bit of an understatement. I have done some writing in recent weeks but it has been nowhere near as prolific as usual. Here lately my time has been dominated by my latest obsession, Apex Legends.

For those of you who are not gamers and have not heard of Apex Legends, this is a video game. More specifically, this is what is known as a MOBA, multiplayer online battle arena. Some also refer to it as an online battle royale. Regardless of what genre you choose to classify it, Apex Legends is a FPS (first-person shooter) that pits teams of players against multiple other teams (or squads as their known in the game) in a free-for-all fight for survival.

In today's modern age of online shopping, consumer reviews hold an ever-growing importance on commerce of any kind. Rarely does anyone buy anything unfamiliar without checking for ratings and reviews. Whether you are buying a car, a new laptop, or even a coffee maker, people judge the quality of products based on the reviews of others. It isn't always about the brand name or the price any more but about what others have to say about it.

Well, books are no different. We live in an era where literally anybody can publish a book. Thanks to services like Amazon Direct that allow anybody to publish and distribute literary works without regard, the book market has become crowded with books of every genre. Amateur authors, first-time authors, serious authors, established authors, and even popular authors are all contending with one another for sales on popular retail sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.