Ariona: The Bounty Hunter

[Novelist1982]

"Ariona: The Bounty Hunter" is a five star interactive novel which proves that even with video games and music dominating the market, a great book can stir the imagination.
Ariona is a strong, independent woman who lets nothing stand in her way to avenge the death of her father. When a routine bounty hunt turns into a confrontation with a notorious necromancer, Ariona is forced to overcome a vicious flesh hound, a horde of zombies and even faces from her past.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever read an interactive book or wanted to experience an interactive choice-based story for the first time. You will not be disappointed.

[morarity]

this is a way better read:

http://i-mockery.net/viewtopic.php?t=20883

[Esuohlim]

"Morality", "molarity", AND "molality" are words but "morarity" I don't think so >:

[Novelist1982]

Hey morarity,

You have a fair point, but I still recommend reading "Ariona: The Bounty Hunter". Oh, and I agree with Esuohlim, morarity is not a word >:

[Emu]

I think his name is supposed to be "Moriarty."

[Novelist1982]

Then it is settled. "Moriarty" it is. Now if we could just start a poll to convince him to change his name...

[Sethomas]

If I wanted an interactive story with zombies and necromancers, I'd resume playing M:tG, particularly the Ice Age expansion.

And I dunno, but five stars sounds like a lot of stars for something with zombies and necromancers.

[executioneer]

more like AREOLA the bounty hunter :lol

[Novelist1982]

Hey executioneer,

Ariona would kick your glass butthole for saying such a remark, and knowing you, you'd like it :explode

[Fathom Zero]

OH SNAP! He got you man!

[Esuohlim]

Grr don't mock books I like by making references to nipples or I'll go explody emoticon on u

[Sethomas]

Hey author of Arizona your z button is broken and it's leading to some serious confusion.

[Novelist1982]

Hey Seth, ass-tronaut, or whatever your homeboys call you at the local pubs, I have no beef with you, or any fish for that matter.

For an interactive choice-based book, "Ariona" is hella-cool. It beats reading oldies like cheezy "Goosebumps", "Chooose Your Own Adventure" and the "Dungeon & Dragons" series, which I own a lot of by the way.

"Ariona" is a fun adventure which has unique characters. Who doesn't like a hot chick who kicks zombie-ass and takes names?

Plus, it has challenging fight scenes with plenty of endings (some of which are awesome like decapitations) allowing the book to have good replay (re-read) value.

And I even added a girl-on-girl fight on a bed.

So, if you think Magic: The Gathering is the world, then I think you should at least give new ideas a chance. Almost no NEW interactive books are made, and most websites have more poor stories than great ones.

[Sethomas]

When I referenced the mass confusion in this thread, some of that included your perception that we're taking you seriously.

See, in all honesty I too authored a book and shamelessly promoted it on these message boards. You can actually research this and discover not a sliver of exaggeration. My redemption comes from the fact that, even with an unremarkable post count and relative anonymity, I still had half a decade of web presence in this community before I milked these suckers.

Not having beef with people is normal enough, but throwing in fish just kind of insinuates that you're talking about genitals.

The best thing about Choose Your Own Adventure books was that in elementary school, I'd read one with a deliberately short lifespan so that I'd quickly be done reading a book with more pages than I really wanted to deal with. Aside from that, I think if there were anything to be said for interactive books then Victor Hugo would let you choose the destiny of Jean Valjean or Tolstoy the outcome of the Crimean War. Maybe constructs like "character development" or "plot" or "theme" are just tools of the literary bourgeoisie to maintain alienation of the literary proletariat, but I think I'll side with the Old Regime because they're just cute.

For the rough effect you're soliciting, I think I'd achieve it with much better results by having someone code a random page generator sourced with Thundercats fanfic.

[sadie]

excellent.

[Novelist1982]

Hey Seth,

I am aware that you also wrote a book, and I can see that you self-published it. I almost self-published "Ariona", but why pay for a book to be published, if a company will front the expenses? I do see that your book is cheaper than mine, and that your royalties are higher (as expected since you financed it).

Oh, and just to show that I have no hard feelings about our conversations, let me point out a typo. On amazon.com, where your book is posted, under the title 'Editorial Review' and under 'About the Author', in the last few words you said:

(in the ground-breaking theor of Coeternalism. )

I think you mean 'theory'.

Maybe your Y button is broken? Here's a link to fix it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589398300/qid=1145932578/sr=2-1/104-0648263-7001568?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

I know I used to read "Choose Your Own Adventure" books for the public library reading program because they went by the number of books read instead of page count. It still got me to read, and to this day, I am glad I read them back then.

I'll give you props for being on this site six or so years before pimping out your novel, but I may be more of a ghost on this site. One thing about self-publishing or getting published by a low-end publisher is that they really leave the advertising up to the author (which you already know). So, my visit here may be short, depending on my interests here.

I do know that the interest level for interactive books is low, which is why I already wrote a young adult children's novel to steer my writing career in a new direction. I am in the process of getting an agent to sign on, and hopefully enter the big leagues as far as the publishing company goes.

[Emu]

I like this thread.

[executioneer]

Hey executioneer,

Ariona would kick your glass butthole for saying such a remark, and knowing you, you'd like it :explode

oh that makes me so ANGRY!

[Novelist1982]

"Ariona: The Bounty Hunter" was written in 2005. It is a fantasy/horror interactive choice-based story.

Most interactive books were written in the 80's and the early 90's. So, I am curious as to how many of the people viewing this thread ever read an interactive book, what kind it was, and why they liked or disliked it.

[Esuohlim]

Is it like those books with the little sound buttons on the side and every time you come across a picture in the story you press the button with the picture on it and the cow moos or something hahahahaha those are my favorite

[Fathom Zero]

Apparently it's selling well, they have but one copy left in stock.

[Novelist1982]

Haha Esuohlim,

Those children's sound books were pretty cool, but only the Batman and TMNT ones. The rest were useless. Anyways, I wouldn't consider those choice-based, becuase there are no real choices. Although, the reader does get to press those sound buttons out of order and make repeated BOING! sounds (really, and they say its for kids).

When I say choice-based interactive books I mean the "Choose Your Own Adventure", "Which Way Books", "Endless Quest", "Time Machine", "Goosebumps", etc.

In these books, the reader gets to make choices, and if they make a wrong choice, they could be shot (or in the case of "Ariona", they could be decapitated). Most of them have alternative endings, some where the main character wins a million dollars, others where they merely survive the chaos.

But I bet you already know this :lol2

And Fathom Zero,

"Ariona" is selling well. In fact, the sales are expected to double over the next couple of months.

[Emu]

Who's giving you these estimates?

[Fathom Zero]

A combination of Fortune Cookies, Crystal Balls (HA!), and that old gypsy woman with the wort on her nose that lives next-door.

[Novelist1982]

I trust the stale fortune cookies more than the gypsy woman (I hear she gets around) and touches the crystal balls even when there are no customers in the tent.

[executioneer]

so wait, this is set in "middle earth"? what the hell >:

[Novelist1982]

Well executioneer,

It sure the hell doesn't take place in present day (that would make for a sucky fantasy adventure considering the small mention of elves and dragons in the book).

It is a story set in a mystical world of the usual creatures spoken of in all the good fantasy stories, but the main point is that it is not present day. Yes, there are creatures, but their presence does not play much of a factor in this one.

The necromancer is the real threat. He has the power to reanimate corpses and taunt his victims with mind games. His plot is to raise an army of the dead to do his bidding. He has a great backstory, and it goes beyond the first "Ariona" book.

I have already invested a good deal of time on the sequel, which delves deep into the backstory of the necromancer and how he was the cause of the death of Ariona'a father.

As it stands, I put the sequel on hold. I am currently at a stale mate: should it be a choice-based interactive book or a regular novel? If it would be interactive, it would allow for fascinating alternatives to the basic premise. However, the story would be much more fleshed out and have excellent characterization if I wrote it as a typical fantasy novel.

I am awaiting to hear comments from readers as to which format it should be written.

[Sethomas]

I'm all about making a sequal (sic) in which the reader can choose to have the necromancer kill Ariona before the original work takes place, so that the original has its existence negated and so reading the backstory vanishes as a logical inconsistency.

[King Hadas]

I wasn't gonna say anything but since Willie brought it up what exactly is Middle-Earth? Is it something universal like elves and dwarves or is it just from Lord of the Rings?

[Misdemonar]

HEY TRY MY BOOK, IT'S HELLA COOL, AND I WROTE IT MYSELF AND IT'S FUN AND AWESOME, BUY IT. MY MOM BOUGHT 3 COPIES ALREADY, SO IT'S A HOT SELLER

[executioneer]

I wasn't gonna say anything but since Willie brought it up what exactly is Middle-Earth? Is it something universal like elves and dwarves or is it just from Lord of the Rings?

well most of the time when people refer to middle earth they're talking about Tolkien's books :( i suppose that using "middle-earth" to refer to say Midgard from Norse mythology might be ok? idk

[executioneer]

but since it's pretty obvious that this isn't the case here, i submit that author1973 or whatever should try making their own fantasy world rather than being derivative >:

i mean where's your next series going to be set, magnamund?

[Novelist1982]

I only used the term Middle Earth twice in the whole book. On the description, and on the first page. It is to simply say in the least amount of words the setting of the book.

I did create my own world for a young adult fantasy, which is currently in review by a potential agent.

Haha Seth, always there with his two cents to put in. The sequel would not be a prequel. It would further explain things while introducing a new face of evil threatening the land.

And Misdemonar, :lurker Lurkers are just evil (unless you are a wanna be Lurker, in which case there is only one solution) :hangman

Bringing my mom into it is so high school :suicide

[Esuohlim]

Oh great three of the worst emoticons all in one post

[Emu]

I like how he responds to each person individually. You can't get that kind of quality anymore :meat :gigh :loo

[Novelist1982]

Hey Emu,

I appreciate the kind words. I truely enjoy the mixed conversations that have arisen from this thread, and I hope for many more.

And Esuohlim,

Those emoticons are awesome, and yes I used three of the more questionable ones, but I did reserve a few special ones if the occassion calls for it.

[Sethomas]

But did you sign the emoticon waiver for potentially offensive emoticons? I-Mockery really can't afford to take risks, what with being a changed nation after 9/11 and all.

[Novelist1982]

Seth,

If playful little emoticons were an issue on this site, then this site would not allow them. Using an emoticon is a creative expression, an extension of the first amendment right, and can be summed up in two words:

Rock On. :rock

[Fathom Zero]

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2774/smileykiller5hk.gif

The Greatest Emoticon

[Sethomas]

Yeah I bet one of the options in Ariona is to go to funerals for soldiers and hold up signs that say "GOD HATES FAGS" because she hates America but loves the First Amendment.

[Misdemonar]

I loled my ass off on that.

[Novelist1982]

Seth,

Ariona lives in a fantasy world where Kings rule the land. She is not anti-government or anti-gay. And there is no 'America' or soldiers as such.

Also, I don't care if you are intentially trying to be an ass, or if it is a byproduct of your crude humor, but it is not appreciated. When I referenced the first amendment, I refered to its use for that of supporting emoticons. You are bringing in political aspects of today's world, which does not mesh with the direct topic of this thread (recommended reading, specifically "Ariona").

I would appreciate it if you would respect my thread, and not bring your view of politics into the mix.

And Fathom Zero,

That's one cool emoticon.

[Johnny Couth]

:squigly

[Novelist1982]

That's a very overlooked emoticon. I am glad someone actually used it.

[Novelist1982]

And this one, I'm not even going to ask the gender of these conspiring emoticons. :conspiracy

[Misdemonar]

this book blows.

[Sethomas]

Hey I'm just trying to temper and quench your writing style. There was indeed a novelist who quoted his son as saying something along the lines of "We have to help each other get through this, whatever it is." As brothers in arms (those arms being Microsoft Word!) we have to spot each other's weaknesses and build upon them just as new muscle tissue grows from the tearing of the old.

That's why I care so much when your main character ignores the systematic repression of a monarchial government, prefering to take flights of fancy against some career necrophiliac. I mean, if he (or they) is/are (a) good king(s), then they'll understand perfectly that, to quote Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail, "Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever." If he (or they) is/are (a) bad king(s), then they certainly should demand more attention than anything else that goes on in that intellectual property of the Tolkien estates.

[Novelist1982]

I just signed a contract with a literary agent to represent my next novel, a young adult fantasy about an alternative realm. I only promoted "Ariona" while I was waiting to hear from the agency, so now I am going to end this thread.

It was fun while it lastest, but I need to focus on my third book, which is 3/4 done, and work with my agent on my second novel.

Later Seth, Fathom Zero, Emu, and Esuohlim.

I may start another thread at a later date, and check this site on occassion. :)

[Fathom Zero]

Good luck on your third book!

[GADZOOKS]

Hey Novelisp,

say my name next.

[Novelist1982]

Gadzooks,

I thought that after I pronounced this thread dead that no one would invest their time coming here and posting, but you proved me wrong.

Well, guess what :confused

I am excited to be back. Yes, that's right, you have resurrected my lost soul and shown me the light. This thread is my outlet, and I applaud you for reminding me of that.

By the way, since my silence over a month and a half ago, I have completed writing another young adult story, this one with a psycho killer.

I am exploring my limits by deversifying my writing. "Ariona: The Bounty Hunter" was an interactive fantasy quest written in second person point of view and was my first published book.

The second story I wrote is currently being represented by an agent, and I hope to find a great publisher for it. That story was written in third person point of view and was a fantasy adventure dealing with a parallel realm similiar to primative Earth, but has mythical beings such as elves, minotaurs, and a sorceress.

The third book I finished writing on June 9th was the story, mentioned above, with the psycho killer and his teenage prey. It was written in third person, and is a thriller/suspence story.

I believe that this thread should be a great chance for creative minds to state their honest opnions about things like interactive quests (what media they are converting to, such as blackberries and other palm pilots etc.) and book publishing in general.

I open this thread to heated conversations (so long as they remain friendly and good intentioned) such as postings by Sethomas, Emu, and Esuohlim.

Thank again, Gadzooks, for the electrocution, “Nothing like voltage to jumpstart the brain.”

[Terra]

Are there any excerpts from your latest book yet?

And are there some more cool emots out there?

[Esuohlim]

How does writing a choose-your-own-adventure book make you a novelist anyway

[Emu]

R.L. Stine did it

[Fathom Zero]

Yeah, but he wrote novels before that, that were so successful that they were turned into a television series. My favourite episode was the one where they were kids were stuck inside a boardgame. It was awesome.

[Novelist1982]

Hey,

It's nice to hear from you guys again (Sup: Emu, Fathom Zero, Esuohlim.) Here is the definition of a novel curtisy of dictionary.com:

"A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters. "

My interactive book was 242 pages, of considerable length, and tells the story of a bounty hunter, her motivations for what she does, and the story unfolds throughout the different paths and leads to an epic confrontation against an evil necromancer.

I call myself a novelist because that is the goal I set for myself. I liked writing "Ariona", but no longer wish to write interactive stories (there is currently no profitable market, and my attempts to revive popularity for them were futile).

I write young adult stories now, typically 120 pages, but I have a sci-fi trilogy I will write as decent length novels in the future. My current writing style is similiar to that of R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike, beings as they were my greatest literary influences over the years.

Hey Terra,

There are not any excerts from my most recent stories :wah
but fear not, for they will get published in the near future. And there will be the presence of emoticons in most of my posts, when they apply, that is.

[noob3]

when i hear the word ariona i think of aerola

and it gets me all thinking about boobs

[Novelist1982]

Hey,

Whatever gets the name stuck in your head is fine with me. Consider that if "Ariona" reminds you of "Aerola", then "Aerola" may remind you of "Ariona".

[Black Flag]

no that's not how it works at all and that's not some part of your grand marketing scheme

also, i don't know if someone already mentioned it, but you're book is published by publishamerica. man, if you shit on a piece of paper and called it a transcript, they'd publish it.

[Novelist1982]

Hey Black Flag,

I think you mean "your" and not "you're" because that means "you are", and makes YOU look foolish.

And you can smack talk Publish America all you want, but at least say something more acurate such as, "If you shit on a piece of paper, called it a manuscript and Publish America thought they could make a profit off selling it, then they would publish it.

I am not unaware of the debate of Publish America's poor reputation, however, as bad as their company may seem, ALL major publishing companies require an agent, whereas Publish America does not. It is not an attempt on their part to trick authors to sign a contract, but it makes it possible for a novice writer to become published and have a chance to prove their skills.

I am sure you are not aware of their contract, so let me briefly state why it may appeal to some authors. It is a standard 7-year contract which states that Publish America would obtain first-rights to publish a manuscript and sell it (whether it be a softcover, hardcover, on a bookshelf in a book store, or available on any on-line bookstore around the world). It grants modest royalties to the author, paid bi-annually. If hollywood wanted to turn a book into a movie, it is up to the author to decide if they should agree to the proposal, not Publish America. Not all contracts give that kind of option to the author. If you care for nothing else I have stated thusfar, at least consider that with their contract, the author retains all rights to the book after the contract has expired.

If you were an author, and you wrote what you thought was the best book of all time, wouldn't you want to retain the rights after the contract was over? I sure as hell would.

These are the negative facts about publishing with Publish America:

They overcharge for the book (if a tyipical book about that length for that genre would cost

[Novelist1982]

Hey Black Flag,

I think you mean "your" and not "you're" because that means "you are", and makes YOU look foolish.

And you can smack talk Publish America all you want, but at least say something more acurate such as, "If you shit on a piece of paper, called it a manuscript and Publish America thought they could make a profit off selling it, then they would publish it.

I am not unaware of the debate of Publish America's poor reputation, however, as bad as their company may seem, ALL major publishing companies require an agent, whereas Publish America does not. It is not an attempt on their part to trick authors to sign a contract, but it makes it possible for a novice writer to become published and have a chance to prove their skills.

I am sure you are not aware of their contract, so let me briefly state why it may appeal to some authors. It is a standard 7-year contract which states that Publish America would obtain first-rights to publish a manuscript and sell it (whether it be a softcover, hardcover, on a bookshelf in a book store, or available on any on-line bookstore around the world). It grants modest royalties to the author, paid bi-annually. If Hollywood wanted to turn a book into a movie, it is up to the author to decide if they should agree to the proposal, not Publish America. Not all contracts give that kind of option to the author. If you care for nothing else I have stated thusfar, at least consider that with their contract, the author retains all rights to the book after the contract has expired.

If you were an author, and you wrote what you thought was the best book of all time, wouldn't you want to retain the rights after the contract was over? I sure as hell would.

These are the negative facts about Publish America:

-They overcharge for the book (if a tyipical book about that length for that genre would cost around $12, they might sell the novel for $18).

-They do not advertise for the novel at all, whatsoever.

-They lie about their business address. They have a fictional address printed in their novels, whereas their website and their contract states their real address.

These are the positive facts about Publish America:

-The author never pays a cent for the book to get published.

-The author retains the books rights after the contract expires.

-During the contract, the book is available on-line at ANY bookstore website.

-The book can be un-edited, verbatum, word for word what the author wants it to say (find that option at another publishing company).

So, if you are going to smack talk Publish America, at least state the facts and not some bias half-ass unexplained bland statement of opinionated crap.

[Fathom Zero]

I'd just like to say that I hope you go far, regardless of your publisher.

[Novelist1982]

Thank You.