Part 29: UPDATED: “Theme Park Babylon: the novel” to be released Sept. 25, 2019 for $11.95
NOVEL RE-WRITES are like theme park rides, in that they may cycle between teen thrill and family attraction.
This one is no different.
When written in 2010, then released in 2011 exclusively as an eBook for Kindle and Nook, “Bad Day at the Amusement Park” was a bold personal experiment, intended to capitalize on the predicted decline of print media and the exploding phenomenon of digital readers. The story, based on my twenty years in the industry, was rough, loud and vulgar. It roared off the eReader screen in a stream of consciousness style intended to capture the bizarre environment of the subject matter while reveling in the brave new world of digital publishing. It was teen thrill.
Now, eight years, nine books and an MFA degree in fiction later, things have calmed a bit. While I realize the core story is still strong, it is better suited to the traditional world of print.
Book publishing has turned around its fortunes and made great strides since 2011, when this short novel first appeared under its previous name. Today, traditional big-box publishers that never would have touched this work for a variety of bizarre and nonsensical excuses have lost ground to smaller imprints that can publish for a fraction of the cost, yet still make professionally-produced books available worldwide through the traditional wholesalers. High-quality printing facilities print them at a moment’s notice as the order comes in, and readers have a factory-fresh copy almost overnight.
Snooty traditionalists may scoff at print-on-demand as not “real publishing,” but today’s casual reader (myself included) cannot distinguish if the book in their hands was printed by Simon & Schuster, Random House, Harper or HJH Media. There are publishing options available today to authors that they never had in 2011. Royalties are 25 percent higher. A savvy and determined writer should take crazy advantage of these options.
So here we are. 2011’s “Bad Day at the Amusement Park” has been extensively re-written, revised, updated, edited and released as “Theme Park Babylon.” More background is provided. New characters are introduced, others fleshed out and at least one eliminated entirely. The plot is enhanced. Holes and loose threads are (hopefully) closed and fixed. Confusing and overlapping dialogue is clarified. It is a new, personality-based lease on life as a more traditional, family-friendly attraction rather than the eccentric digital teen thrill attraction of 2011.
It is my sincere pleasure to bring to you this story, based on my experiences in the theme park business. I hope you like it and tell your friends. And be sure to peruse the most popular theme park blog in America, “Theme Park Babylon: the blog” at www.dalebrumfield.net.
Now, please exit to your left and enjoy the rest of your day.
Dale M. Brumfield
August 8, 2019
