"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space." Douglas Adams

Space is big. So is Amazon. In fact, I didn't really know how big until I went to the Writers Digest Conference this April in New York and sat in on Jon Fine of Amazon talk about authors, about self-publishing, about so many ins and outs of the steamroller that is Amazon that I went away thinking two things. One was 'Um wow, big', and the other was 'What do you mean it doesn't all connect???' To that, I was referring to the variations of Amazon through which we sell our books, dot.com being the biggest but not the only.


Each of those domains, the dot.ca, the dot.co.uk, the dot.de, etc all have different sites for our books. They do not cross pollinate. They don't really like to talk to each other either and I see that as a bit problematic. For example, if someone chooses to drop in on Amazon.ca and look for TO JOURNEY IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER, he or she will find a small limited site with no Author Central page and hugely different rankings based on the one five star review. (http://ow.ly/lyWdl.) If he or she goes to Amazon.com, he or she will find a larger site with Author Central page and many more five star reviews, making the book more desirable for purchase.  (http://ow.ly/lyWjb) It's the same with the other domains, causing the splintering of reviews, likes and rankings, which should ideally work together for the marketability of the product. That said, I was pleasantly surprised to find reviews that I never knew existed, and I'll share two of them with you below! So, pros and cons right? Still, unity is good (just ask Spock), splinter cells are bad, and in the BIG picture, I do tend to like good better...=)  

Customer Reviews
To Journey in the Year of the Tiger

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Romp!, Jan 20 2013
By 
Northern David (Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: To Journey in the Year of the Tiger (Paperback)
This book is a delightful romp. It has excellent characters and character development as well as excellent character interplay. It starts a bit slowly, rather like a roller coaster, but is worth hanging in there for the wild ride that ensues :-) The back cover compares it to Roger Zelazney, but I found it more akin to Robert Jordan both in content and character development/interaction.
If you like Fantasy/Sci-Fi with a solid story plot, characters you can love and hate, and finding yourself questioning whether you'd chop the wicked witch's head off, give her a shot at redemption, or use her to further the cause until you do cut her head off you'll love, "To Journey in the Year of the Tiger". I'm off to order the next book in the series :-)


and 

To Walk in the Way of Lions
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, Feb 8 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: To Walk in the Way of Lions (Tails from the Upper Kingdom) (Kindle Edition)
Fun, fresh and enjoyable. Take yourself away from the everyday humdrum of weapons, war, and disaster to a world of everyday giant cats trying to make their way in a world they didn't create. Lots of humour and well written. Thanks!

There is some buzz a-generating once again with TIGER and LION, with a recommendation for publication from PYR books and LION topping the charts at #1 in its category. I am stunned and excited as yet another request for an interview crossed my screen from Free eBooks Daily, a site run by authors for authors. You can click to the site here or take your time and scroll down here: Either way, make sure you have a cuppa tea or a glass of port, pull up a chair and get cozy.

TO WALK IN THE WAY OF LIONS is the second in the powerful Original Series by H. Leighton Dickson and picks up where TO JOURNEY IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER leaves off. This is a sweeping post-apocalyptic tale of genetically altered lions and tigers, wolves and dragons in a world that has evolved in the wake of the fall of human civilization. Half feline, half human, their culture blends those of Dynastic China, Ancient India and Feudal Japan where humans are legend and kingdoms have risen in their stead. Fans of Tolkien, GAME OF THRONES, REDWALL or Japanese anime will be entertained in these intelligent and beautifully written pages in a blend of science, fantasy and zoological speculation. 

Author Q&A 

Why do you think readers are going to enjoy your book?
TO WALK IN THE WAY OF LIONS is the second in a series for intelligent readers who love scifi/fantasy stories with grand world building and deep characterization. It is surprisingly funny in some parts, nerve-wracking in others and it shows how sometimes the most human of characters aren't entirely human.

Believe it or not, I've been asked twice in the last week for advice from young novelists who are just beginning to wrap their heads around the notion that they might actually have this addiction/disease called writing. Oddly enough, they have both asked me the same question. It's a question I never asked anyone, partially because I think I am such a solitary soul that I just wrote, never bothering to validate my work with anyone along the way. I salute these two young writers for having the guts and the presence to do what I did not, and I sincerely hope that I can give them some advice that encourages them along their curse/addiction/gifting/path/guilty pleasure. Maybe I will be in one of their acknowledgement sections one day. I hope so. Story-telling is a beautiful thing.

Here is the first one, from Jon T, a brilliant song writer and musician in his own right, now forming a world of words of a different sort. Here's a snippet of our first conversation:

        Jon T:

• Hi Heather!
  I've been rolling a story around in my mind for a couple of years and I have most of it worked out. I'd like to ask you a million questions about writing, but I think I'll restrain myself to this one: I'm fairly sure the writing will take a lot of time if I want to do a good job, so how did you make sure you had time to do it?


• Heather Dickson
• Hey cool! Go for it! Writing is something that is very hard to escape if it's been on your heart. For the longest time, I 'stole' time - at night, during weekends, on days off, but now, with it actually becoming something that I am doing as a sideline occupation and soon-to-be actually published novels, it is becoming more and more legit, time-wise.
  
  There are two pieces of advice that I've heard over and over, and have seen proven true in my own life. 1) Dedicate 20 minutes a day. If you can do more, great, but like exercising, it is a discipline and is best to start slowly and build as your strength improves, and 2) make sure your spouse is on board. If Kathleen doesn't get it, it will be hard. If she is supportive, then carving that 20 minutes will be a blessing for both of you.
  
  I'd be happy to answer more questions! This has been a brilliant journey for me, and I'm still at the start, but encouragement is my gift so I'm eager to help out a fellow writer!!!
  
  And the second came just tonight from a young woman I've know since birth, Hannah Leila. Here's how this has started:

• Hannah Leila T.
• Hey! 
  First of all I would like to say that I finally have time to read your novels and I am already hooked!! I have not forgotten my promise to review them on Amazon. I was wondering if you could give me a bit of advice about writing? What are your tips for a first time novelist who is slaving over their computer, equal parts loving every minute and trying to keep her head off the desk? 
  Any help you can offer would be SO appreciated. 
  Hannah
  
  
• H. Leighton Dickson - AuthorI think the best advice would be discipline. Try to write 20 mins a day. Think of it like exercise. 20 mins to start. Soon, you will be building your writing muscle and writing more each day, until you will need to schedule days when you do not write, so your brain can rebuild!
  
  Also, be okay with revising and editing. After you write a chapter, leave it for a few days and then reread and edit as you go. After a few months, reread the entire thing from start to finish and edit as you go through that as well. be okay with changing things. Have an idea of where you want to go but be okay with getting there by a completely unexpected route than previously imagined. Your novel will start telling you what, when, where and ultimately why. Be okay with that. Let your characters become independent of you. They will write their own story and sometimes, you will read something you've written and go, wow, did I write that? That is genius at work.

Interesting, isn't it? The storytelling is a part of us all, but the writer's craft isn't. That is something we need to learn and sharing that process is one unexpected and amazing part of this literary journey that make me so happy. Maybe it's my age, maybe it's my personality. Either way, I love to talk writing. The world needs more story-tellers. If you have questions, comments, criticisms or anything else that starts with a 'k' sound, shoot it my way and we'll engage. I'm game. It's all about the journey. Let's get 
talking!